In 2014, following widely reported incidences of police brutality leading to the deaths of two African Americans, the Black Lives Matter movement dominated headlines as the grassroots initiative grew to a national network of activists. In response, a group of librarians created the #Libraries4BlackLives initiative, meant to provide libraries resources to foster dialogue on racial equity in their communities.

I had the chance to interview Jessica Bratt, one of the founders of #Libraries4BlackLives initiative. Bratt was named a 2016 Library Journal Mover & Shaker and is currently a branch manager with the Grand Rapids Public Library. She shared information on the initiative, as well as advice about what library students should be doing to ensure that they are ready for their roles as gatekeepers of information dissemination in their communities.