Years of social distancing and virtual connection has greatly impacted how we socialize—from spending less time with friends to the decline of social organizations and clubs—and increased feelings of isolation. So how do you achieve feelings of group belonging when there are no groups to join? You start one yourself! 

Librarians Ris and Keith speak to Bronlynn Thurman about her experience with co-founding Black Women Explore, an outdoor recreation group centered on creating space for Black & Brown women/fem-identifying folks in the Akron community. 

Connect with Black Women Explore on Facebook and Instagram @blackwomenexplore. 

For further reading on the subject, check out Bowling Alone (Revised & Updated) by Robert D Putnam and The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker. 

Akron Mirror is a podcast of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. 

Ohio Edison, the distributor and default supplier of electricity to Northeast Ohio residents, will be doubling its supply rates on June 1. So how do you make sense of your energy bill to ensure you’re making the best choices? 

Librarians Ris and Keith speak to Tonja Stewart-Shaw from the Office of the Ohio Consumer Council to learn how to tell if this rate hike will affect you, evaluate alternate energy suppliers, and make educated decisions regarding your energy bill. 

To compare energy suppliers and learn more about aggregation programs, visit energychoice.ohio.gov. 

Akron Mirror is a podcast of the Akron-Summit County Public Library.