Bear Biographies-A Library of Lived Experiences: 2021 Catalog

DapperQueer & Fabulous

Available for Check-out: 12:00-1:00 pm

We're constantly resisting, creating, and renegotiating our labels. My journey to dapperqueerness was and still is an evolving one that seeks to meld my personal and professional aesthetics in a way that allows me to be ME. Inhabiting multiple marginalized identities is a constant juggling act. But if someone is gonna "read" me, I'm determined to write the words.

In the Presence of a King

Available for Check-out: 12:00-1:00

As a child, Dr. Angela was present for the final speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Memphis, TN. She will speak of key characters from her family, as well as critical aspects of American history that lead to that fateful night, in the presence of a king.

Impostor!

Available for Check-out: 12:00-1:00 & 1:30-3:00 pm

On paper, I'm a millennial who "made it." I'm an astrophysicist with a tenure-track job, happily married with two kids and a roof over my head. That doesn't stop the inner voice whispering that everything I have is an accident of luck and privilege. It probably is. Realizing that has changed the way I look at the world, pushed my politics to the left, and even changed what I eat.

ADHD & Me

Available for Check-out: 12:00-1:00 & 1:30-3:00 pm

ADHD is a mental anomaly that many have, but very few understand. This book takes a look at basic symptoms and experiences that people with ADHD have. It also looks at how neurotypical people can better understand and help those with ADHD.

A Jew, a cancer patient, and a lesbian walk into a bar

Available for Check-out: 12:00-1:00 & 1:30-3:00 pm

Living in Arkansas can be a challenge for a poor, non-binary, disabled, lesbian Jew. Sometimes my life feels like a constellation of different identities colliding and working against each other. As an organizer and educator, I'm lucky to have the opportunity to use my experiences and understanding of intersectionality to work towards radical change. 

Two Exits: Growing up in Northern Ireland during the Troubles

Available for Check-out: 1:30-3:00 pm

Why do I still look for two exits when I'm in a new place or with a large group of unfamiliar people?  This book will describe the time and effort it has taken to understand the lasting effects of growing up in an environment marked by hate and the constant threat of violence during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

I've Been Stressed Deeply

Available for Check-out: 1:30-3:00 pm

This may sound weird, but I’m an autistic cis lesbian who is often mistaken for a gay man or trans woman. As a result of the physical and verbal harassment I’ve experienced for my gender presentation, I developed IBSD. I'd like to talk about how my autism shaped my experience of gender and how declining the neurotypical understandings of gender played out. (It's not all stress inducing, but I liked my title being an acronym :) )

Invisible Warrior: Everyday Fight

Available for Check-out: 1:30-3:00 pm

College is an adventurous time to find oneself, meet new people, and step outside of your comfort zone. However, life takes a pause when faced with a chronic illness. Now there are strict limitations set on what you are physically able to do everyday.

Climbing up the Poverty Well

Available for Check-out: 1:30-3:00 pm

Growing up in poverty can affect even the smallest of details in a person's life. You may not see the differences between you and someone who was born at the bottom of the poverty well, but I can assure you that they are there. This book recounts my journey to climbing out of the poverty well and the struggles I have faced so far in attempting to reach the top.