Villa Maria College recently was front and center in the news when volunteers with the Buffalo Peacemakers helped transport nearly 10,000 books, which were donated from all over the country, to Zeneta and Zaire’s Book Club. The books were transferred to the Villa Maria College campus on Friday, July 1. The move was featured in nearly 10 local news stories.
Click here to watch the video.
Zeneta Everhart’s son, Zaire Goodman, was the first person shot in the May 14 attack at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. After the shooting, Ms. Everhart said she felt a strong need to act in order to make the world a better place. She and Zaire created an Amazon wish list of books in hopes of educating kids on racism, diversity and inclusion.
Ms. Everhart and Zaire are valued members of the Villa Maria College community. Between 2019 and 2020, Zaire attended Villa Maria College, studying both digital filmmaking and game design. Ms. Everhart is a 2008 graduate and a current member of the college’s Board of Trustees.
Villa Maria College President Matthew Giordarno is thrilled to support Zaire and Ms. Everhart.
“There is no more fitting home for Zeneta and Zaire’s Book Club than Villa,” says Giordano. “We are even more proud to support this initiative because of what it stands for ̶ informing and enlightening our youth about racism and Black history. It is integral that we remain at the forefront of dialogue that counters disinformation with real education.”
Read The Buffalo News article here.
Watch the WGRZ-TV story here.
Watch the WIVB-TV story here.
Watch the WKBW-TV story here.
Watch the Spectrum News story here.
Many of Villa Maria College’s faculty and staff members have contributed to Zeneta and Zaire’s Amazon book wish list, which can be found here.
The books in Zeneta and Zaire’s Book Club will be stored and sorted in an old classroom and then distributed to schools, libraries and community centers all over Western New York.
