SPECIAL EVENT | Human Library

By Rebecca Rafferty @rsrafferty

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Most of us come into shallow contact with dozens of other humans each day, each one holding an entire secret universe of experiences and stories. On Saturday, January 25, Central Library (115 South Ave.) will host a Human Library, at which visitors may engage with several people from varied backgrounds who will share unique stories from their lives.

The human "books" include Ms. Wheelchair New York 2011, who became an advocate for people with disabilities after experiencing a moment of clarity at a volcano in Costa Rica; a Vietnam veteran, whose compassionate act of disobedience when he refused to drop napalm on Vietnamese villagers led to his court martial; an African American activist who gets an intimate look at Rochester's rural and urban poverty and hunger due to his work as a SNAP enroller; and a mixed-race and lesbian South African who experienced many levels of discrimination under Apartheid. These "books" and others will tell their stories and be available for questions from 1 to 4 p.m.

Visit the library and expand your world a little or a lot. The event is free to attend. For more information, call 428-8350, or visit libraryweb.org.