There's a new library in town and it's focused on celebrating and promoting Indigenous voices in literature. A year after rebranding as Urban Native Collective, the organization previously known as the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition is debuting its renovated Native Sovereignty Center in Northside Friday.
"We've transformed what was kind of just a space that existed for us as an organization to meet and hold meetings or work into a space that is now for our community, and we can open it up for events and programs and workshops and for people to come and enjoy the library," says Executive Director Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard, who is CHamoru, of the Tugong clan on the island of Guahan, the United States territory of Guam.
"Our library consists of adult and children's books that are telling Indigenous stories, whether that be stories about culture, or medicine or ceremony or celebration," she adds.
The library is open to all, and isn't intended solely for local Indigenous communities. There are currently about 300 books in the collection, including, she says, some that have been banned for focusing on Indigenous peoples and issues.
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"They're telling truthful stories about cultures, and that rubs people the wrong way — primarily white communities and white people the wrong way — though it doesn't make the stories any less true. Why are we banning these books, and why aren't we telling these stories?"
The Indigenous Papers Lending Library is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Books may be borrowed for two weeks.
Native Sovereignty Center
The Urban Native Collective aims to preserve and represent the culture and heritage of Native Americans, as well as the broad range of Indigenous communities in the Tri-State. The group estimates it serves around 98,000 people in the region.
Mazzolini-Blanchard explains that includes First Nations from Canada, Alaska and Pacific islanders, and the many Indigenous descendants from Mexico and Central and South America. For example, there is a large Guatemalan population in Cincinnati, but many are from Indigenous Mayan-descended communities and not of Spanish colonial backgrounds.
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"Working really closely with individuals and with leaders within that community is a really important aspect of how we move forward to be inclusive and serve those community members," she concludes.
The collective offers a range of services, including wellness and mental health initiatives, educational materials, food sovereignty and food distribution programs, Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) resources, and more.
The open house is from 6 - 9 p.m. Details and registration are on the event page.
