In this episode of TOI, we chop it up with Jennifer Ferretti, well known for founding the We Here LLC in 2016, which is a supportive community for library and archives workers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Jennifer is also the Creative Director of up//root: a we here publication.  When she is not using her superpower in her art or with the We Here community, Jennifer is the Digital Initiatives Librarian at the Maryland Institute College of Art.

In this first conversation of a two part interview, Jennifer generously takes us back to her youth and shares about  her family, her taste in music, and her art. What is apparent when listening to this engaging interview is Jennifer’s consciousness, charter, and commitment to being a compassionate community member within the circles she travels.

In the second half of this dynamic TOI interview we dive into Jennifer’s teaching and academic collaborations including the 2021 co-authored article Not the shark, but the water: How neutrality and vocational awe intertwine to uphold white supremacy, the Lueng and  López-McKnight edited book Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies.  through Critical Race Theory published by MIT Press, which also happens to be a free online resource, Before putting out the TOI joint, we discuss the responsibility and integrity it takes to keep your personal values and professional character from being appropriated and compromised as an authentic visionary leader.