EveryLibrary and BCALA Team to Support the Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation
On June 17th, 2015, Charleston, SC. was shattered when an armed man entered - and participated in - a church gathering before taking the lives of nine of their neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family members. All of America was shocked by this killing. Like many, we struggled for a way to make sense of it, and to do something in the aftermath that would address it. Something that would matter.
In that moment of senseless violence, which our nation is too often wrought with, Mr. Malcolm Graham lost his sister Cynthia Graham Hurd. She was an avid churchgoer, a beloved librarian, and a community leader in Charleston. In the days following her passing, a fund was established with the Charleston County Public Library to aid educational programs at two library locations in communities served by Mrs. Hurd. Now, nearly one year removed from having Mrs. Hurd torn out of his life, Mr. Graham and other family members, friends, colleagues and peers continue to show their commitment to Mrs. Hurd’s legacy and values of improving literacy and positively impacting others.
Mr. Graham demonstrated this commitment, and a measure of personal resolve, by choosing to celebrate his sister’s life in establishing the Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation for Literacy and Civic Engagement. Despite personal trials or even loss, the human spirit will most often rise to the occasion when challenged.
Here at EveryLibrary, we were profoundly affected when we learned about this new Foundation set up to promote literacy and civic engagement in the name and memory of a librarian. By supporting the Foundation, we believe that we have found a way to help that will indeed matter. We invite you to join us and our co-hosts the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) for a special fundraising event on June 25th in Orlando to support the Foundation and its work. Through the generous support of our sponsor Brainfuse, all proceeds from drinks and food purchases at the event will be donated directly to the Cynthia Graham Hurd Foundation.
This event is open to all attendees of ALA Annual conference as well as the public interested in supporting the Foundation's mission of literacy and civics. A free-will donation will be taken at the door.
The Librarians' Thing at B.B. King's
Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 8:00 PM - Midnight
B.B. King's Blues Club
9101 International Dr. Orlando, FL 32819
Please RSVP in advance to guarantee admission.