Name: Josué Martinez
Title: Senior Library Assistant, Children's Department
Library System: City of Commerce Public Library
Primary Service Roles: Conducts storytimes, organizes arts and crafts for kids, promotes reading at local schools, creates content for the library's social media such as children's jokes, quote of the day, and virtual storytimes.
How does your work align with service to Latinos and Spanish-speaking communities?:
I work at the beautiful City of Commerce Public Library. For over 20 years I have gotten to know some of the most amazing library people that have helped shape who I am. I got my Bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts and Dance from CSULA and I am part of the Rachel Rosenthal Theatre Company. All these years I have been braiding together my theatre side and my library side, and now I have a big ol' trenza that I sport with pride.
How have you assisted your community during COVID-19?:
Never in my life have I felt like I was meant to do what I was doing until COVID-19 happened. Like Voltron (an 80's cartoon), my theatre skills and library skills combined and transformed me into a pretty cool and silly, but cute, cuentacuentos/storyteller. It's amazing how the human spirit works. If you listen, you get the opportunity to be where you are needed and it is up to you to step up and do what you were meant to do. In a way the pressure of everything that was going on polished my tools and I got to bring silliness, heart, and smiles into people's homes through storytelling
Some words of advice to other librarians and/or present and future MLIS students:
I am not a pretty face, nor did I have the social skills to be on camera and get filmed to tell stories on social media but I feel that representation is so important. Everyone wants to see themselves on TV, in a book, in a movie, and on social media. As a gay Mexicano, gordito, telenovelero, cumbia dancer, pug dad, and Pokémon catcher, I feel there is a need to step up and represent even if it's that one child full of insecurities. I want him/her/ they to see me and know that it gets better, that he/she/they can do and become anything. My mother raised me con mucho amor and my roots are planted all the way in the center of Mexico City. English is my second language, I am an immigrant... I know the struggle. I know that feeling of not having a voice and that is why I do things con mucho amor y ganas. In these current times it is not enough with just speaking the language, we have to be able to put ourselves in peoples shoes, be empathetic, and most importantly HELPFUL.
My advice for other library peeps is to not take ourselves too seriously, HAVE FUN! Remember the core and mission of why we do what we do. I think it is so easy to fall into auto mode and be stuck on what we have to do. It is so important to remember the WHY?! Why we do what we do. Is it to inspire? Is it to promote reading? Is it to make communities better? To bring joy? For me, it has always been my mission to empower children and to SHOW THEM that books are fun! What is your mission and your role in relation to the bigger picture?
We need to re-awaken that passion and those GANAS for life, for what we do. There is a kid out there or a patron that is going to be inspired or his/her/their life is going to be better because of our service... but we cannot do that if we are not enjoying what we do.
To contact Josué for virtual storytime opportunities, you can direct message him on Instagram @josuecuentacuentos.