Idress Siyawashs mobile library

The old woman, hunched and leaning heavily on her stick, grips Idress Siyawashs hand firmly in her own. Keep doing what you are doing, she says. You are the future of this country.

Siyawashs voice cracks as he recounts this scene from a small village in Afghanistan. Siyawash, a student at Jahan University in Kabul, is founder and chief of a small organization called Read Books (in Pashto: Ketab Lwast), a mobile effort to improve youth literacy rates in Afghanistan by providing books and reading instruction to children in rural areas.

Years of war have left Afghanistan with some of the lowest adult literacy rates in the worldabout 45% for men, and about 17% for women. Siyawash, who launched Ketab Lwast with the help of some fellow students in 2018, is determined to change this. Together with volunteers from universities across Kabul, he and his team travel to rural regions on a weekly basis, bringing both books and enthusiasm.

Our idea is to show that reading can be fun, and explain why education is so important, says Siyawash. If we give the children books, even simple books, they can start to learn the language and enjoy the stories. But it might also help them see the world in a different way and help end the way of thinking that is holding this country back.

Afghanistan has a proud literary tradition that includes contemporary writers such as Reza Mohammadi and Khaled Hosseini. However, under the Taliban regime (19962001), books considered un-Islamic were burned. Many libraries, including the entire library of Kabul University (which had also served as the national library) were looted or shut down. In total, 15 of Kabuls 18 public libraries were closed during the Talibans reign.

In recent years, efforts to encourage reading and education have increased, but much work remains to be done. A 2016 survey of 324 Afghan libraries by library consultant Rebecca L. Miller found that the typical collection size was 1,0002,500 volumes, with only four libraries having more than 20,000 volumes. Sixty-four percent had no computers, 55% did not have library training, and only one (the American University of Afghanistan) offered access to online journal databases such as JSTOR.

In some regions, children dont go to school, says Siyawash. The madrase (schools) were taken over by the Taliban, and some have remained closed. Many parents still dont want to send their daughters to school, and because of poverty, even some of the boys dont finish primary school. We want to change that, and we believe teaching children to read is the first step.

The Kabul-based team works mainly in remote towns and villages as far as 250 miles away. They contact the village maleks (elders) by cell phone and promote their visits on local radio before arriving by car. The organization is also active on social media. Though many of the people it is trying to help do not have internet access, online posts help raise awareness and secure funding from wealthier, urban Afghans (Ketab Lwast is funded via a membership model in which donors pay 100 afghanis, or about $1.30, per month).

On the day of the visit, Siyawash and his team arrive by car. Siyawash pulls out his electric-blue bicycle, complete with a basket of books, and rides around the village to drum up interest. As he cycles, he announces via a megaphone and loudspeaker attached to his handlebars that Ketab Lwast has arrived and will soon be distributing books. He is sometimes accompanied by Javed Amirkhel, a local singer and close friend who acts as a Pied Piper: Children hear his songs and follow, either on their own bikes or on foot.

The team then sets up camp at a school or mosque and distributes learn-to-read books and stationery to the assembled children, while explaining to them the importance of education. Siyawash instructs the children to copy out letters and words from their new books. Literacy is not just about passively reading, but also about writing, being familiar with letters, learning new words, and eventually, creating new stories, he says.

The female members are tasked with a more sensitive role: speaking to local mothers and encouraging them to send their daughters to school. While they face an uphill battle to change long-established ways of thinking, the presence of the female volunteersmany of whom contacted Siyawash after learning about Ketab Lwast on social mediais a powerful stimulus for change.

For some women in rural areas, just seeing our volunteersyoung, educated Afghan womenmakes them see what is possible, says Siyawash. They start to realize that their daughters dont have to go through the same things some of them have gone through. If they send them to school, they will have more chances in life.

Siyawash refers to the Taliban, who still control some areas of the country, as enemies of Afghanistan who are determined to keep the country in darkness. Ketab Lwast volunteers have been threatened on several occasions, he says. We have encountered the Taliban in Laghman Province and Nangarhar. Both times they stopped our caravan and threatened to kill us if we continued. Shortly after their threats, one member of our team, Emal, was abducted by unknown gunmen in his car in Kabul, and severely beaten. When he was finally released, he had to go to India for treatment.

Despite the danger, Siyawash has no interest in giving up. Where they spread hate and fear, we will spread books and learning, he says. We want a different future for Afghanistan.

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Bikes and Books in Afghanistan - American Libraries

TEXAS TOWNSHIP, MI -- Some residents in Texas Township will have access to the Kalamazoo Public Library for two years under a new agreement between township and library officials.

Texas Township residents living within the Mattawan Consolidated School and the Schoolcraft Community Schools districts will be eligible for Kalamazoo library cards beginning July 1, according to the librarys Board of Trustees.

The board approved a two-year agreement with the township to provide full library services to residents after it was discovered that the library received nearly $300,000 in penal funds and state aid for service in Texas Township after it was no longer providing for those residents, according to the recommendation approved by the board at a Dec. 9 meeting.

The librarys contract with the township was terminated in 1998, but the library continued to receive funds through 2015, because the termination of the contract was never formally reported to the Library of Michigan, according to the minutes.

Penal fines are funds raised from traffic violations, collected within each county, distributed to public libraries serving residents of the county, according to the Library of Michigan.

The state waived repayment of the money in exchange for library services provided to township residents, according to the agreement approved by the Texas Township board at a meeting Nov. 11.

The Kalamazoo library received $221,708 in penal fines and $59,945 in state aid from 2001 to 2016, according to a presentation from Director Ryan Wieber to the township board during a meeting Sept. 9.

The mistake was discovered when Wieber was working for Van Buren District Library and reached out to the state to inquire about getting library service the population in Texas Township, he said in an interview with MLive.

In lieu of repaying $281,653 to the state, the library entered into the agreement with the township for two years of services. There are about 7,500 people eligible for library cards for two years through this agreement.

Under the agreement, which is in effect from July 1 to June 30, 2022, the library will provide full service as well as bi-weekly mobile library services at an agreed upon Texas Township location. Library cards will give residents access to all print collections and digital services.

Full library service for this population at $195 per household per year for two years is valued at about $730,000, according to Wiebers presentation.

it was unfortunate that the contract termination went unnoticed for so long, Wieber said, but he believes both the library and township are happy with the agreement.

I think residents will be pleased to get a library card, he said.

Residents in Texas Township are served by four libraries, depending on which school district they live in, according to the townships website.

Those living within the Schoolcraft district currently are able to purchase an annual pass for the Schoolcraft Community Library. Schoolcraft Community Schools doesnt have a library millage so the residents are required to purchase an annual pass. Mattawan school residents currently do not pay a library millage and dont have access to the Van Buren District Libraries. They can also purchase a membership to the libraries for services.

Also on MLive:

Kalamazoo library will stop charging late fees in 2020, wipe existing debt

Continued here:
Funding error leads to expanded library services in Kalamazoo Countys Texas Township - mlive.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - If you need another reason to get your library card, here's one!

Pikes Peak Library District cardholders get free admission to seven Colorado Springs-area attractions, starting in March.

That means for a library cardholding family of five, entry into, say, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center is slashed from $75 to $0.

Other organizations participating in this deal besides the Olympic Training include the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, ProRodeo Hall of Fame, Space Foundation Discovery Center, the Money Museum, Rock Ledge Ranch Historical Site, and the Western Museum of Mining and Industry.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with so many exciting organizations in our community to make culture and recreation more accessible in the Pikes Peak region," said PPLD Community Partnership Coordinator Elyse Jones in a statement released by the library Wednesday. "This takes the opportunities presented by a library card well beyond our collection and right into our community."

To get a free admission pass, the library says to check them out the way you would an eBook or another electronic resource. Simply go to their website and log into the online reservation page and book a pass, which can be done up to 30 days in advance.

"This is right in line with our mission, and something we're so excited to bring to the region. The Pikes Peak Culture Pass increases opportunities for education and cultural learning, creating a valuable connection between our in-house collection and hands-on reservation," Jones said.

The deal begins March 2. For more information, click here.

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Free admission to Olympic Training Center and more with library card! - KKTV 11 News

Taiwanese studio Red Candle Games Devotion was removed from Steam last year after players found an in-game item that likened Chinese president Xi Jinping to Winnie the Pooh. Devotions remained inaccessible since then. A majority of players still dont have access to the game, and likely wont but not all is lost. Devotion and Red Candle Games earlier release, Detention, will be preserved in the Harvard-Yenching Library, according to the studio.

Detention and Devotion will be the first two games added to the prestigious librarys Chinese collection, Harvard-Yenching librarian Ma Xiao-he told Polygon.

It is an incredible honour which belongs to not only Red Candle but also our supporters/players worldwide, the developer said in a Facebook post on Friday. As game designers, never have we thought that our works could one day be added to [Harvard-Yenchings] prestige collection. While we truly appreciate the recognition, we had also taken this opportunity to rethink the possibilities that our games could achieve.

Red Candle Games pulled Devotion offline in February 2019, shortly after the games release date. The team apologized for its critical and unprofessional error, but has not re-released the critically-acclaimed horror game. Detention, a horror game set during Taiwains White Terror period in the 1960s, was released on Windows PC and PlayStation 4 in 2017. Detention was added to the Nintendo Switch games lineup in 2018.

Like Detention before it, Devotion is set in Taiwan, though largely in the 1980s. The story is centered on a family of three, spanning years in an always-changing apartment steeped in trauma.

The Harvard-Yenching Library is part of the Harvard University Library system. Its one of the largest East Asian libraries in the Western world, according to Harvard, with its collection dating back to 1979, where Chinese was first offered as part of Harvards regular curriculum. There are more than 1.5 million volumes in the Harvard-Yenching Library collection.

Games like Super Mario Land and Nintendogs are preserved in the Harvard-Yenching Librarys Japanese collection. Some of these games are preserved in original formats like cartridges and disks and sometimes with accompanying material, like booklets, according to the online catalog. Detention, however, is available for viewing on a single computer in a specific room at the library. Devotion is not yet listed in the online catalog.

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Red Candle Games two titles, Devotion and Detention, added to Harvard library - Polygon

Recollections from library staff and part-time employees after the complete loss of the Porterville City Library due to a fire on Tuesday, February 18 showed training and quick thinking proved them to be heroes.

Before an early Friday meeting at the Adult Literacy Center started with the library staff, Annamarie Olson said a short prayer speaking about firefighters Patrick Jones and Ray Figueroa whose lives were lost, and their families, asking for peace for all of the library employees and their loved ones.

Various employees spoke about their recollections about the library, the disaster, and some addressed practical matters.

The staff did such a great job clearing everyone out of the library when the fire started in the childrens area, said Annamarie Olson of the Library Adult Learning Center.

The women on the staff spoke about when they were in the library and it was on fire and they were all looking out for each other, and making sure they were safe, while moving library patrons to safety. The staff are so close, they are like family.

And suddenly, they realized they couldnt see Tony Arellano, a library staff member, which was frightening, and then he came around the corner, and they realized he was OK.

Getting everyone out was the main thing. The fire happened shortly after 4 p.m., one of the busiest times at the library, because kids are out of school.

There was a crochet class going on upstairs, with patrons in wheelchairs, and service dogs, and there are always ESL classes upstairs, plus the bathrooms are upstairs.

Tamera Anzivino, a part time library employee said she saw the fire in the kids jungle area of the library in a little house, yelled Fire and immediately called 911. Anzivino said she videoed the whole disaster, when she was at an event at Porterville High School, where she works as a substitute teacher. She said, Its unreal. Heart Wrenching. The library is the hub of the community,

The Bulletin Board is still there, said Donna Silvas, who has been in charge of decorating it and changing the notices and events practically since she started working at the library 13 years ago.

Arellano, a member of the Senior Library Staff, said the firefighters were able to save a few employee purses they found in the library lockers.

Vikki Cervantes, City Librarian, said the Library Literacy Commissioners are involved in helping with the library efforts.

Arellano told everyone there was a chain link fence up around the library so people didnt take pieces for memorials, but they might be able save certain things, like the bulletin board, that seems untouched.

I started at the library, and it was an opportunity to leave the fields, said Rebecca Jauregui, speaking about when she worked there as a teenager many years ago. She then went to work elsewhere, and came back to the library and has been there for 14 or more years. She spoke about her husband Rodger Jauregui, a woodworker, building all the shelves and wooden cabinetry for the library in the 1980s. I had mixed emotion about moving from the library to the literacy center across the street, because the library was home, and held so many memories, she said.

I always thought of working at the library, reflectively said Olson, and I worked at doctors offices, and other jobs. Ive been at the library for 14 years and its become a home. Ive learned so much from Becky and Tony, and all of you. The library will stay in my heart forever, we have to have a clear mind and keep the system going.

Tuesday, was my day off. When I heard (the library was on fire), and what I saw, and it keeps replaying in my mind.

Its a second home for our families, and our grandkids, said Cervantes.

I was hired full time right after Carolyn Johnson, Head Librarian, retired, said Silvas, I brought the picture of my grandmother who was a librarian for 37 years and showed it to Carolyn.

Vicki Pollack said between herself and her husband, Alex, who works in the library, theyve been there for 21 years. Its been a home to them, and, Ive transferred the love of the library to the kids I work with in the afterschool program. And I make sure they all get library cards.

Actually witnessing the fire is unbelievable, said Veronica Garcia, Its like something you see on TV.

I love how Vikki shared stories with community members yesterday, said a staff member, when we were with the public, and people were asking us questions about the library.

Sandi Farnsworth, Senior Library Staff, was talking about her son, and the bond they have with the Porterville Fire Department, which has a fire station adjacent to the library.

Farnsworths son, Coy, was 10, when she started working at the Porterville City Library, 19 plus years ago. Coy Farnsworth is a City of Porterville Firefighter, And he grew up in the library, and came in as a firefighter. Theyve always been here for us, said Sandi Farnsworth. She spoke about them spending the holidays together with the other City employees, and there always being a feeling of closeness.

The city employees would all come out at the annual Christmas dinner and wed share with all the other employees.

Silvas spoke about their jobs, and said library employees will be placed throughout city government.

On a positive note, Olson said, I love new beginnings.

Cervantes said library books can be returned to the Strathmore and Springville public libraries and put in the book drop, or they can be returned to the library at Terra Bella School.

Donnie Moore and John Lollis are really taking care of us, said a staff member, commenting on Moore, the City Parks and Leisure Services Director, and Lollis, the Porterville City Manager.

Library Commissioner Edith La Vonne, dropped into the meeting, and said, Ive never cried quite this much. Its almost like a death.

Im so proud of you all. Youve done a fantastic job. The library commission is going to do everything it can. What you do is such an important part of the community.

All of the commissioners will physically help in the process.

It (the fire) really woke up this town, and they will really miss (the library), said Silvas.

They depend on quality education at the library. Its a world of knowledge, and a safe haven for children, and it enriched their lives, said La Vonne.

About the history at the library:

The Tule River Tribe also had a huge amount of their history at the library, said Silvas.

Porterville has a wild and varied history, said La Vonne, and so much good history.

Alex Pollack, has worked at the library for 16 years, and he said hed just completed rearranging and updating the library filing system for records they kept for bills. He said they had copies of everything.

The library had the complete history of the Porterville Recorder, for instance, on microfilm, and its all gone.

For many people the library was their second home, said Karina Galindo, Library Assistant, Many people grew up going there with their families, including myself. Luckily I got to work there. And we spend more time there than we do at home.

For people in Porterville, and surrounding communities the library was a mainstay in their lives. Students could go there afterschool and do homework, adults could read and do research, and so much more. The library was a hub of the community.

One window remains at the library. It says READ.

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Library staff showed their heroism: Staff also share their recollections - Porterville Recorder

Photo Contributed by Curt Asher

Estefany Henriquez, Reporter February 25, 2020

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Walter Stiern Library Dean Curt Asherrecently announced his upcoming retirementfrom CSU Bakersfield. Dean Asher will depart in June 2020.

Asher was chartered as a librarian in 1998, having the roles of interlibrary loan and grants coordinator as well as campusarchivist.Later, he became the librarys collection development coordinator and co-director of the Title V library internship program. Asher has shown a passion for giving the students at CSUB an improving library, along with more resources to benefit them in the long run.

According to Asher, his time at CSUB has been the greatest experience of his life. He says that the library has made a huge contribution to the success of students.Many students utilize the library and its resources, and are able to get the help they need. Over his 22 years at CSUB,Asher has contributed to the librarys success in many ways, such as extending the librarys hours. He did this through a survey asking students What is the most important thing to you? Seeing multiple responses stating that students wanted longer library hours and more study space,Asher extended the library hours to be open until 1 a.m. and openedup a 24-hour study space. Asher also implemented more group study rooms, added a number of quiet study areas, and opened Walters Coffee and Snack Bar.

Another of Ashers accomplishments as dean is bringing in lecturers, poets, artists, musicians, events, panel discussions to the library.

Ibelievethat bringing knowledge to people is not just about bringing books but bringing information from people who have stories to tell, said Asher.

According to Asher,the library is the hub of the campus, going on to explain that the library iswhere people come and take what they learn in the classroom and apply it here by doing research and the papers one writes.

The library staff has shared that it has been a pleasure working alongside Asher.

Genesis Ramirez, the electronic resource manager, said, He presents himself in a professional manner but is also very approachable.

According to Ramirez, Asher has always been present and available for the students, and holds the mentality of catering to the students needs as well as thestaffs. Library Chair Sandra Bozarth has been working with Asher for about 15 years.

It has always been very positive to work with him, and as an administrator he has been very open-minded to ideasand projects we come to him with. said Bozarth.

Bozarthalso acts as theAffordable Learning Solutions coordinator, a campus project that works to drive down the costs of textbooks.

According to Bozarth, Asher was very supportive about this program, and he knew it was going to be something big. She was hesitant to join this program at first, but with Ashers support. Bozarthwas able to become the coordinator for this very helpful project.

As much as it pains the staff to see Asher off, they appreciate the work he has put into making the library the hub of campus. We thank you for your accomplishments and achievements, Dean Asher.

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Library Dean Curt Asher set to retire - The Runner Online

It was a colorful salute to abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock on his birthday, Jan. 28, when participants in a Menlo Park Library adult art class gathered to drip, smear, and move paint freely over their canvases.

Christie Inocencio, a teaching artist who leads programs at libraries, senior centers, schools, and other locations, helped participants explore Pollock's painting style through the greatest form of flattery: imitation.

Inocencio started her company, Christie's Creative Cupboard, in order to fill a need in the community for fun, educational programs for all age groups, according to the library's website.

Earlier today, she taught students how to paint in the style of neo-expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The free art programs are funded by the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.

Learn about additional library classes and events here.

--

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Channeling their inner Pollock | News - The Almanac Online

Conestoga Indians walk into the woods. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

Conestoga Indians walk into the woods.

Ghost River: The Fall and Rise of the Conestoga, a new graphic novel and art exhibit, depicts a gruesome, footnoted event in American history the Conestoga Massacre. The massacre was an act of brutality that killed an entire community of Native people and almost erased their voices from history. Ghost River hopes to give that voice back, reenvisioning the events through the eyes of Native people. (The comic is available to read online. A free exhibit featuring art from the book is running at the Library Company of Philadelphia until April.)

The Conestoga Massacre took place in Pennsylvania in December of 1763, when a band of about 50 white settlers rode 40 miles from Paxton Township to Conestoga Indian Town, (at the time, made up of 20 people). The white settlers, later dubbed the Paxton Boys, killed and mutilated six Conestoga in their homes, and then did the same for the remaining 14, who were sheltering in a workhouse nearby. In the course of an afternoon, Conestoga Indian Town was no more.

The Paxtons, who are intentionally drawn as faceless shadows, attack Conestoga Indiantown. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

The Paxtons, who are intentionally drawn as faceless shadows, attack Conestoga Indiantown.

In addition to wiping out the Conestoga, the massacre ignited long-simmering tensions between Scots-Irish frontiersmen, which included the Paxton Boys, and the Quaker elite, who were perceived to be running the Pennsylvania government. People in the frontier believed that the Quakers gave resources to Native people at the expense of white settlers. Over the course of the next few weeks, those tensions escalated, and in early 1764, white frontiersmen numbering in the hundreds marched east toward Philadelphia with the thinly masked intention of wiping out even more Native people.

But before they arrived in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin was able to deescalate the mob. He persuaded folks to put down their weapons and, instead, print their grievances for the local government to read. What resulted was America's first "pamphlet war." In more than 60 pamphlets and 10 political cartoons, the settlers put their claims in writing. According to Ghost River, "At stake was much more than the conduct of the Paxton murderers. Pamphleteers staked claims about westward settlement, representation, and white supremacy in pre-Revolutionary Pennsylvania."

But conspicuously absent from all the discourse about the massacre were the voices of any Native people. Will Fenton noticed that absence while working on an online archive of the pamphlet war called Digital Paxton. And he realized he could do something about it. Fenton, who is the director of scholarly innovation at the Library Company of Philadelphia, thought turning the story into a graphic novel would be a way to accomplish several things: reconstruct the story to include Native perspectives, make the history more broadly accessible, and showcase not just the ideas in the pamphlets, but also the visuals and political cartoons.

A character holds a piece of paper with a political cartoon from the era, in which a Native woman seduces a Quaker. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

A character holds a piece of paper with a political cartoon from the era, in which a Native woman seduces a Quaker.

So he asked two Native artists Lee Francis IV of the Laguna Pueblo and Weshoyot Alvitre of the Tongva to write and illustrate the novel.

Neither artist is from the same nation, or even region, as the Conestoga. Bridging that gap was one of the project's biggest considerations. The project's advisers, including Lene Lenape, Delaware and other peoples who have histories in Colonial Pennsylvania, were brought on early to be part of the development process.

I talked to Francis and Alvitre about why this history is important, the nuances of writing for a Native audience, and why graphic novels are a medium that can help Native folks affirm their own identities.

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Why comic books? Why is that your medium?

Francis: So first and foremost, I am just a big indigenerd. I love comics. I grew up on comics. I consumed comics and graphic novels and science fiction and fantasy and pop culture television. So there's that part of my existence and identity, both as Native and as a nerd, that's always been drawn towards that medium. But digging a little deeper, the idea of being able to couple images with a story, the imagery and the words is one way that we can undo a lot of this mystique, this pop culture misrepresentation and misinformation of Native people and Native identities.

You have this space where Native folks get to reaffirm their own identities and non-Native folks have to deal with a little bit of cognitive dissonance, because the Native folks that we portray in the book don't look like the standard Native folks that we would normally see. They were accustomed to a Western style of dress or a modified traditional style of dress. The fact that it's set in the winter means you're not seeing Native folks that are wearing buckskin and not clothes.

So I think that coupling that with the images creates a counter-narrative. Plus, you can create scenes and images that are powerful and dynamic, that have iconographic features. Near the end of the book, when the Native folks rise up to meet their aggressor, you know, you can see that. When the Conestoga face their final moments, and they're facing the page, they're facing the reader. You see in their eyes that they're ready. They're determined. They are unafraid.

The Conestoga stand and face their final moments. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

The Conestoga stand and face their final moments.

This project was supported by the Library Company, one of the oldest libraries in the country. We know who has historically had access to certain kinds of records and histories, so how did you approach collaborating with this institution?

Francis: Too often we're brought in at the end of projects to greenlight things. Like, "Hey, I've got some Native characters and we just want to make sure everything's OK." And sometimes it's not OK. Sometimes it is OK. But the not OK usually is like, "Hey, there's some things we need to change, some things you need to work on. And that tends to ruffle some feathers. And at the end of the project, we can't really make a lot of changes. So Will [Fenton] wanting to draw us in at the beginning of the project and have myself and Weshoyot and, you know, Native writers, Native illustrators, Native publisher all the way across the board, was something that was refreshing for me.

Alvitre: From the very first field trips we went on, the very first meeting we had with the Library Company, [Will] introduced us to the building and the archive material. Some of his employees up in the print archive documents center pulled a selection of all the original cartoons that we were referencing from Day 1. So we got to see these old, archival, historical political cartoons, and we could literally touch them in the papers. And just to lay that out for us in such a respectful way, and it's not something that you get often.

Alvitre, Francis, Fenton and advisers examine documents in the comic, which jumps through time nonlinearly and includes the research process. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

Alvitre, Francis, Fenton and advisers examine documents in the comic, which jumps through time nonlinearly and includes the research process.

I was just discussing work that my father had done in regards to trying to find and access archives of our tribal languages and just archeological paperwork. And when he was my age, he was basically shut out from academics and, you know, educational archives. Because back in the days, you had to have a Ph.D. or have some sort of credentials to gain access to the things. They were never openly shared with Native people. And once you had those credentials, oftentimes it took years and years and a lot of money that many people didn't have to access those things. So I think that was one of the biggest, most amazing things of this project, was they were sharing these with us without any sort of hoops to jump through, sharing them openly to support the project.

I'm curious, generally, about who we tell histories for, especially indigenous history. Is that different when you're thinking about a Native audience versus a non-Native audience? How do you approach that?

Francis: First and foremost, I will always say that I write for a Native audience. I spent years in education, I spent a decade plus working with kids from my own home community and people in my community and my family members. And so I'm always going to approach whatever I look at from that perspective. Now, that's not going to say that I'm not touched by understanding the pop culture landscape and how that works. I write around those influences, or counteract those influences. So, for example, a big component that Weshoyot and I went back and forth talking about is that we did not want to see the incidences of violence. They are portrayed in a way that is very metaphorical, very artistic, because there's too much of Native folks that are dead and dying, and the violence perpetrated against Native folks. We fetishize that violence. We fetishize that tragedy and Native tragedy. And I really want to get away from that. So even the book ends in a way that is, for lack of a better term, wistful but serious. In terms of this moment, we're reflecting on history, where we're walking the land in present time.

Now, that doesn't mean that I'm not aware of all the folks that are going to read this. And this is essentially also an invitation. I want to make sure that there's an access point for for non-Natives, for other relatives, for globally indigenous peoples to access this work in a way that we create that common story of tragedy, of sorrow, but also resilience and hope and resistance and determination to continue to live, to continue to be, to continue to exist.

The wampum belt depicting the treaty between the Conestoga and William Penn. Weshoyot Alvitre/Library Company of Philadelphia hide caption

The wampum belt depicting the treaty between the Conestoga and William Penn.

I grew up with, I mean, we all grew up with the Declaration of Independence, but I'm a pop culture kid. Especially a theater kid. So I grew up in musical theater, and 1776 and Hamilton, and all these other things that, you know, espouse how amazing this Declaration of Independence is. And then as you start to peel back the layers and you know, people are like, "Well that's not what they meant." It's like yeah, it is absolutely what they meant. "Merciless Indian savages." This shows up in our Declaration of Independence. Everyone is created equal except for a certain select few that are not created equal, that are not even included in the document itself.

Why is this history meaningful? And why is telling the stories that you tell important?

Alvitre: My goal is to shed light on these sort of dark, dusty areas that have been hidden intentionally due to the system being a little bit of a propaganda system against Native people. But also to learn from and humanize these incidents. I think we need to stop guilt tripping people over what happened in the past. And I think we need to acknowledge those things. I think through that acknowledgement, just by saying that, yes, it did happen, instead of hiding, that's one step in a healing process. By people understanding these historical facts that happened in the founding of this country, it's really going to give them a broader understanding of what it is to be an American in this day and age, and the things that had happened in the past so we don't repeat them in the future.

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'Ghost River' Retells the Conestoga Massacre With Native Voices : Code Switch - NPR

ROB ROSE, 717-505-5418/@robrosesports Published 6:08 p.m. ET Feb. 26, 2020 | Updated 10:16 p.m. ET Feb. 26, 2020

Buddhism has helped Spring Grove High grad Eli Brooks deal with the ups and downs of his Michigan basketball career. He wears a tattoo symbolizing his faith on his left shoulder.(Photo: Carlos Osorio, AP)

While walking through the Morningstar Marketplace with his mother during his sophomore year at Spring Grove High, something caught Eli Brooks eye.

It took some convincing because of the high price tag, but Brooks got his mother, Kelly, to purchase a statue of the head of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha and the founderof Buddhism.

Little did she know that the purchase would change her sons life.

Brooks carried the statue in his backpack for every game of his sophomore season and into his junior year, until one night he slipped on some ice and the Buddha head broke.

Now, a junior and a starter for the University of Michigan basketball team, Brooks no longer carriesthe symbol of the faith in his bag. Instead, he carries that faith with him every time he steps on the court. It's a faith that has allowed him to deal with a Michigan career that's been full of ups and downs.

The tattoo on his left shoulder serves as a symbol of thefaith he has and how it has allowed him to thrive, even after finding himself on the bench and working with the scout team before emerging asa team leader this season.

Its a visual reminder of how it got me through dark times, Brooks said of his tattoo of the Buddha in a phone interview.

Michigan guard Eli Brooks (55) grabs the ball from guard Zavier Simpson (3) during the first half against Iowa in an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette via AP)(Photo: Rebecca F. Miller, AP)

Test of faith: When Brooks originally purchased the Buddha head, he only knew a little about Buddhism. As he got older, andafterspendingmore time learning and researching the faith, he found hewas interested in it.

The point where he really found himself looking for guidance came during his sophomore year at Michigan. Brooks didnt start a game last season after he started 12 games as a freshman following his dominant career at Spring Grove High.

Brooks was asked to work with the scout team during practices to help the Wolverines prepare to defend opposing star players. During the rare moments when he was on the floor in the real games, he struggled with his shooting and confidence.

After he averaged 1.8 and 2.5 points per game in his first two seasons, respectively, Brooks admitted the idea of transferring to another school crossed his mind, but he decided to stick it out at Michigan.

I think that crosses everybodys mind when youre not getting the playing time, but I just looked at it like, 'its a great opportunity to get a great education,' Brooks said. The ball (will) start bouncing your way some time, so just take advantage of the resources that we have here and keep trying to bring up my game so I can get on the court.

Becoming a leader: Brooks worked to elevate physically on the court, but improving his mentality and focus werejust as important. His time on the court and in the gym, in combination with his faith and daily meditation beforepractice to get into the right frame of mind, helpedBrooks earn a spot in the starting lineup this season under new head coach Juwan Howard, a former member of the legendary Fab Five with the Wolverines.

Its easy to get caught up, so just having something there to believe in and trust and get you through tough times is really good, Brooks said.

After he had earned a starting spot, Brooks learned how important it is to be a leader on the team during a season whenthe Wolverines battled plenty of ups and downs.

Brooks said it was difficult at first to be a vocal leader, evident by one his nicknames, The Silent Assassin, given to him by teammate Isaiah Livers because of Brooks ability to get things done without talking too much.

Before he could lead his team, however, he had to learn how to lead himself.

I feel like you have to be in control of yourself in order to lead someone else, Brooks said. If you dont know whats going on, its hard for you to teach someone else.

Brooks, who also goes by The Professor, a nickname given to him by Howard because of Brooks desire to ask questions and his high basketball IQ, is schooling his doubters now.

Through 27 games, he has more points, minutes, rebounds and steals than during his first two seasons combined. Brooks has been the Wolverines leading scorer on six occasions and has started every game while averaging 11 points per contest.

He's also helped guide his team through achallenging season, that saw the Wolverines (now 18-9) gofrom the No. 4 team in NCAA Division I, to unranked after a four-game skid, and now back into the top 25 at No. 19.

His status for Michigans next game is still unclear after he suffered a nose injury against Purdue. Brooks said he will likely wear a clear facemask, like the one made popular by Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton in the early 2000s, until the black, carbon fiber model being made is ready for him.

Michigan guard Eli Brooks (55) walks off the court ofter being injured during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)(Photo: Michael Conroy, AP)

Ups and downs: As he prepares for the final four games of Michigans regular season, Brooks said the team is peaking at the right time and their challenges during the year have brought them closer together.

Much like his career at Michigan, the struggles have only made the successes mean more for Brooks. As the pressure on winning each game rises with the NCAA Tournament approaching, one glimpse at the tattoo on his shoulder, the symbol of his faith that has helped guide him through all the challenges, reminds Brooks of how far he has come during his college career.

Stay true to who you are, Brooks said. Just continue to do things youve done in the past that make you happy. Theres been ups and downs. A lot of good things happened and then bad things have happened, but thats life. Not everything is going to be glitter, so you just need to be able to get through those hard times.

Reach Rob Rose at rrose@yorkdispatch.com.

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Buddhism and meditation guide Eli Brooks through the ups and downs of his Michigan career - York Dispatch

Mindfulness and meditation have long been associated with positive health benefits. Now, a small new study suggests such benefits can emerge even after just a short period of meditation, - and even if you've never tried it before.

The study involved 17 people, so we can't make any sweeping generalisations from it, but the volunteer participants coped better with both physical pain and negative emotions when they applied techniques given to them in a short 20-minute mindfulness exercise beforehand.

None of the study participants had practiced meditation before, which isn't often the case with experiments like these. Hence, the results suggest that the brain can quickly get to grips with the state of mind brought on by meditation.

"The findings support the idea that momentary mindful-acceptance regulates emotional intensity by changing initial appraisals of the affective significance of stimuli, which has consequences for clinical treatment of pain and emotion," write the researchers in their published paper.

In the study, the volunteers were put through two sets of tests: one where something warm or hot was put on their forearm, and one where they were shown negative or neutral images. A negative image might be something like a mutilated body, for example, while a neutral image could be something like a chair.

During these tests, half the time the participants were told to act naturally, and half the time they were told to try and apply the ideas from the mindfulness crash course they had been given; when applying mindfulness, the participants reported less pain and fewer negative emotions.

While this was happening, the researchers were also using fMRI scans to see how the brains of the people being tested were reacting. This revealed something interesting: a significant drop in brain activity associated with pain and negative emotions when volunteers were trying to be mindful.

In the case of the physical experiment, when the highest temperatures were used, it was "as if the brain was responding to warm temperature, not very high heat",says neuroscientist Hedy Kober from Yale University.

What's more, these neurological shifts weren't happening in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, the bit where conscious and rational decision-making is processed that suggests that deploying some mindfulness techniques can alter our brains on a subconscious level, without any deliberate effort in willpower.

Previous studies have demonstrated how lower brain activity and meditation practices can boost our health in numerous ways, but what this study shows limited in scope as it is is that the benefits can be relatively quick.

That in turn could give doctors new ways to try and treat physical and mental issues, though more research is going to be needed to see how these ideas play out in a bigger, more diverse group of people.

"The ability to stay in the moment when experiencing pain or negative emotions suggests there may be clinical benefits to mindfulness practice in chronic conditions as well even without long meditation practice," says Kober.

The research has been published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.

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A Short Meditation Could Help With Pain Management Even if You've Never Tried It Before - ScienceAlert