Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Ryan.
Hi Katie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started the Ohio Solidarity Book Exchange shortly after participating in the April 5th “Hands Off” protest. Following the 2024 election, my husband Sam and I had many conversations regarding the burnout, despair, and helplessness we saw in ourselves, our leftist allies, and much of American society as a whole. Looking at the state of the country as a whole–let alone the world!–left us feeling exhausted and powerless.
Gradually, we realized that it was necessary to turn inward toward our community and focus on protecting and supporting our vulnerable friends and neighbors. Participating in the “Hands Off” protest really solidified that feeling for me. Being amongst my peers, I felt hopeful and energized for the first time in many months.
Following the rally, I had the idea to start a free literature exchange geared toward fostering community development and engagement. The concept was simple: I would procure books covering topics such as social causes, mutual aid, and local/statewide political action, and hand them out for free during rallies, protests, and other community events. The only catch: every recipient was asked to pass the book on to somebody else when they were finished with it.
With the help of a few donors, I bought 25 copies of Dean Spade’s book, “Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next,” and passed them out during the next protest in May. Since then, I’ve continued collecting donations, obtaining and sharing books, and spreading the word!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest hurdle was and continues to be funding. Every new book is funded by either myself, a book retailer, or individual donors. It’s very important to me that the books remain completely free to the recipient. So, although donations are gratefully accepted, they are never required. This means that funding is very inconsistent. I would love for the OSBE to be able to reach more people!
Of course, time and energy constraints also exist. This isn’t my career, and currently, the whole project is managed and implemented by myself, with the help of my husband.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work full-time as a Research Technologist studying MS at the Cleveland Clinic. I have an MS in biology from CWRU. The OSBE is my pet project for when I’m not looking at brains!
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Change happens from the ground up, so when the big picture feels overwhelming and scary, turn toward your community and act locally. No matter what is going on nationally and globally, you will ALWAYS be able to make a real, immediate difference by supporting your neighbors and contributing to local activism.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ohiosolidaritybooks
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohiosolidaritybooks?igsh=MXhyMW51MnlwNTRmbA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FyfWEGr99/
