Borrow a 'book' and hear their story.Borrow a 'book' and hear their story.

CBC Windsor is excited to host our first ever Human Library. It’s your chance to talk to people who might otherwise never meet, and ask them frank and revealing questions. Join us at CBC Place at 825 Riverside Dr. W. on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Human Library Project is an international organization that creates mobile libraries where humans undertake the role of books. Library visitors have the opportunity to speak informally with the human books to hear their story. The diversity of books promotes dialogue, challenges prejudices and breaks stereotypes by promoting tolerance and understanding.

Here are the human “books” you’ll be able to borrow throughout the day:

Chris Rabideau: Days after Windsor, Ont., resident Chris Rabideau directed a play to raise awareness about homophobia, he was robbed, kicked and choked by two men in the lobby of his apartment building.

The men called him "faggot, homo and everything in between," according to Rabideau.

Footage of the beating was caught on a security camera. His bruised and battered face made headlines.

Rabideau was very open about the incident leading up to the eventual court case and after, when his two attackers were found guilty of robbery with violence and assault causing bodily harm.

Rabideau became a public figure as the process unfolded and he remains a well known spokesperson in Windsor. But Rabideau has discovered that being a public figure, a leader, comes with as many costs as it does benefits.

Mark Emmanuel: Mark Emmanuel is a professional engineer (P.Eng) and registered gas distribution professional by profession. Mark currently works with Union Gas and has developed a global experience base working in the gas transmission and distribution industry in Nigeria, U.K. and Canada.

Mark has served as the secretary to board of the Cultural Coalition of Chatham-Kent, the vice chair of the Energy and Environment Committee of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce, is a member of the Construction Safety Association of Ontario and is the outgoing chair of the Cross-Cultural Awareness Committee within Union Gas Ltd.

CBC Personalities: Amanda Ferguson, host of CBC News Windsor at 6 and 11; Kim Johnson, CBC producer; and Makda Ghebreslassie, CBC video journalist will also be on hand to talk about their journey into the broadcast industry.