Contacts:
Bryan Loar, Co-Founder
Cbus Libraries
bryan [at] cbuslibraries.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio, August 25, 2021—Cbus Libraries, a grassroots initiative to champion libraries and the love of reading, was honored to partner with lauded poet Hanif Abdurraqib, musicians and more at the People’s Back to School Party.
On August 20, 2022, a legendary celebration took place from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. at Simakovsky Law (1450 E. Main St., Columbus, OH), The party’s impact included:
- 100 gourmet meals by Willobeez SoulVeg
- 125 book bags stuffed with school supplies by Hanif Abdurraqib
- 200+ books gifted by Cbus Libraries and its partners–with many titles celebrating Black joy
- 250 ice cream sundaes from Johnson’s Real Ice Cream
- 265 estimated attendees over two hours
Musicians Aloe Vera, Dom Deshawn and Joey Aich gave powerful performances while area high school students recited original poetry. Community partners included All In for Ohio Kids, Black Queer & Intersectional Collective (BQIC), Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS), Muslim Family Services of Ohio and Us Together. The People’s Circus provided family-friendly entertainment. Literary partners included Beanbag Books, Book Loft of German Village, Cover to Cover Children’s Books, Gramercy Books, Half Price Books, Prologue Bookshop, Two Dollar Radio and World of Books Ltd.
In all, the People’s Back to School Party deepened the transformation of the People’s Mural of Columbus‘ site into a beacon for community love and aspiration. Plans are already being made for next year’s celebration.
About Hanif Abdurraqib
Hanif Abdurraqib is a New York Times bestselling poet, essayist, and cultural critic from Columbus, Ohio. His writing has been published in Pitchfork, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and several other notable publications. Hanif’s first collection of essays, They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was released in 2017 by Two Dollar Radio and was named a book of the year by Buzzfeed, Esquire, NPR, Oprah Magazine, Paste, The Los Angeles Review, and The Chicago Tribune, among others. Hanif’s additional honors include the 2022 Ohioana Award for Nonfiction, 2021 MacArthur Fellowship Award, 2020 Lenore Marshall Prize, being longlisted for the National Book Award and selected as a finalist for the Kirkus Prize. In 2021, he published A Little Devil In America (Random House). Hanif graduated from Beechcroft High School. Learn more at abdurraqib.com.
About Cbus Libraries
Cbus Libraries’ mission is to champion Central Ohio libraries, library enthusiasts and the love of reading. Co-founded by two librarians, Andrea Dixon and Bryan Loar, Cbus Libraries reaches more than 9,000 online followers worldwide, features Central Ohio libraries, has raised nearly $2,000 for future librarians from marginalized populations and has gifted over 6,000 books to the community. Cbus Libraries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Learn more at cbuslibraries.com.