Inspired by Denice Frohman’s “Accents”

We are often taught, quietly, persistently, that some ways of speaking carry more weight than others.

That clarity sounds a certain way. That professionalism has a particular tone. That belonging can be heard before it is ever seen.

In her poem “Accents,” Denice Frohman challenges this idea, reminding us that our voices are not broken or incomplete. They are layered with history. Shaped by migration, memory, and survival. An accent is evidence: of where we come from, whom we carry, and how we have endured.

Libraries exist within this tension.

They can reinforce dominant narratives about language. Libraries can privilege standardization, neutrality, and uniformity. Or they can become spaces where language is recognized as lived experience, where multiple ways of speaking and knowing, are affirmed.

At their best, libraries are places where a young person hears their home language and understands it belongs. Where communities speak in their full voices without translation or apology. Where storytelling, oral tradition, and cultural expression are understood as vital forms of knowledge.

This theme invites critical reflection on how libraries participate in shaping the value of language and identity. It asks us to consider:

Whose voices are centered in our collections and services?

Which forms of expression are treated as authoritative?

What would it mean to move beyond inclusion toward practices that actively affirm linguistic and cultural diversity?

At a time marked by ongoing migration and cultural and linguistic negotiation, libraries are uniquely positioned to cultivate spaces of belonging. Doing so requires intentional, sustained efforts to address language bias, expand representation, and recognize the knowledge embedded in lived experience.

To honor every voice is to recognize its power.