Liberation Libraries Community Packing Party

About the Liberation Libraries

In response to heightened ICE activity in the Chicagoland area, many families are keeping their children home from school. Teach Tank is launching a new initiative to bring education, safety, and affirmation directly to students' doorsteps. We believe young people deserve education rooted in cultural pride, criticality, creative expression, joy, and healing. The Liberation Libraries will contain beautiful picture books and novels, lessons on freedom fighters and social movements, art supplies, wellness resources, and hands-on learning activities that uplift the stories, beauty, and resilience of Black and Brown history and culture.

Come out and help us build our Liberation Libraries at Zora's Place bookstore on Saturday, November 1st from 12-2pm! 2223 Washington St, Evanston, inside the Aux Wellness Collective building. This is a family friendly event, so bring the kiddos. We'll have snacks and tea, education and wellness resources created by our Teach Tank Team, and an opportunity to support Evanston's first Black woman-owned feminist bookstore! Feel free to bring supplies to donate to the libraries, or just bring yourselves and help us pack them up!

If you'd like to sponsor a library:
Zelle: desi@teachtank.org
Venmo: @desi-kobayashi

About Zora’s Place

Zora’s Place is a Black feminist bookstore and community gathering space in Evanston, Illinois. Founded by award-winning journalist and author L’Oreal Thompson Payton, Zora’s Place is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices, nurturing community, and creating sacred space for rest and resistance. Learn more at zorasplace.com.

About Teach Tank

Teach Tank is a collective of experienced educators who believe in the power of critical pedagogy and community care as intentional acts of resistance. Birthed from backyard discussions in the summer of 2015, Teach Tank began as a way to build community outside of the school building. Informal gatherings evolved into an intentional endeavor to create and protect space for teachers committed to love, learning, and liberation. Our community was created by teachers for teachers—a space where educators can find belonging and connection outside of traditional institutions. Together, we support individuals and teams working across a broad range of settings to provide rigorous instructions and responsive classroom practices. Learn more at teachtank.org.