In whatever line of work she was in, she said she has always looked at things through an equity lens and framework, going back to her days at Northern Illinois University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in adult and higher education.
After she found out how to be a resource to herself, she wanted to help others, she said.
“I just wanted to help with access to other individuals that may look like me, individuals that may not look like me, but also have different challenges that they’re navigating,” Lane said. “So that was like the foundation of me really getting to equity work and seeing some of the disparities, not even within myself, but just within other inner city communities.”
Lane previously worked in higher education at the University of Illinois Chicago and as a program coordinator at Dominican University. She wanted to work with underrepresented and marginalized groups, she said, and help them navigate challenges and become successful.
She later worked at the village of Oak Park, where she was the collective impact manager for about three years. She contributed to initiatives regarding racial equity, assessments and helped inform decisions and policies, she said. At times, she collaborated with the library.
“When I saw that the library was looking for a director of equity and anti-racism, that was just perfect for me,” Lane said.
How can library thrive without a director of equity and racism? What an impressive resume : she's ready to be the next president of any Ivy League school.
