MACON, Ga. — The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and the more recent shooting of Jacob Blake have forced people across the country to engage in serious conversations about race in America.
While broaching these issues can be difficult and uncomfortable, people at Mercer University decided to tackle the discussion head on with the Social Justice Book Club.
Dr. Carol Bokros, the director of pre-professional programs, created the club after seeing how upset many of her students were about police violence and racial discrimination.
Since it's start in June, the club has grown to over 300 members and counting.
"In the very beginning we shared more of our fears, but now we've moved to sharing our hopes and our excitement," says fellow club administrator Dr. Ansley Booker. "It's an opportunity for you to be in a safe space and have a collective conversation... you can be vulnerable and share your thoughts and ideas."
Booker, the director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at Mercer, says that both books and films helps to get people talking during club meetings
"That can lead the conversation so that people don't feel intimidated or like they have to have all the right words or be an expert on social justice or anti-racism work," says Booker.
For student and Initiatives intern Emma Kraft, participating in book club has allowed her to have candid talks with her fellow students, as well as her own professors.
"The floor is open to us as students as equally as it is to professors," says Kraft. "With professors I've had before and that I'm familiar with it's cool to see them and know that they're also passionate about the same issues as me."
Booker and Bokros plan to continue holding meetings into December and Kraft says that she looks forward to continuing to learning more.
"There's no finish line like, 'OK, today I've finally learned everything I need to know and I don't need to participate anymore,'" says Kraft. "It never ends and it's great to have people around you that are like-minded and can hold you accountable."
Mercer's Social Justice Book Club meets on Zoom every other Thursday at 6:30.
If you would like to be a part of the conversation, you can request to join the group on Facebook.