Hamilton Bike Share's Ideas Hub is a beyond-a-book-club space to share ideas and resources that align with our organization's vision for "a resilient, just, and vibrant city where more people choose cycling." Just as we park bikes at hubs so they can be used by others, this is a place to share informative content that inspires us to cultivate those values of resiliency, justice, and vibrancy in our community.
This project emerged from our Black Lives Matter Action Plan, which included the goal to start a book club. As we dug into the idea more we realized there are already a lot of thought-provoking book clubs out there that we can tap into, and engaging ideas exist within many formats beyond books (e.g. podcasts, movies, articles, and more). The Ideas Hub creates a space to encourage the deeper dives you may associate with a book club, connect people with other spaces offering similar opportunities, and tap into other types of media.
The Ideas Hub builds on other facets of our Black Lives Matter actions, including the Anti-Racism Resource List that lives on everyonerides.org and the BLM Sessions that feature Black creatives and collaborators on the ERI blog and social media features.
Keep an eye on our ERI newsletter and social media platforms to see more from the Ideas Hub. Get in touch if you want to share content to be featured on the blog or host an event. We especially welcome content that amplifies the voices and creations from communities that are made marginalized.
Kicking Us Off: the Classic Book Club
Here are some book clubs we recommend:
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| Close to home our friends at the Bay Area Climate Change Council (BACCC) are hosting a climate change themed book club in partnership with the Hamilton Public Library. | Buffalo’s Zawadi Books and Albright-Knox art gallery featured a list of Five Books on Black Love to Read in February in association with a new exhibit called In These Truths. |
| Find out more here. | Find out more here. |
What’s On Deck:
The book Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
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March 28-31 is the annual Canada Reads event from the CBC, and there are some wonderful contenders this year. We will be listening in and are re-reading Washington Black in anticipation of the series. Washington Black is a powerful work of historical fiction by Canadian author Esi Edugyan and it grapples with ideas around slavery, racism, love, and freedom in complex and meaningful ways. |
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Edugyan’s previous novel, Half-Blood Blues, served as an informal start to a bike share book club when it was first shared and discussed among a few staff members a couple of years back. |
Both books, as well as other Canada Reads contenders, are available at the Hamilton Public Library and local bookstores.
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