Big Read attendees

Mighty Writers Kicks Off NEA Big Read

On Sept. 28, Mighty Writers launched the National Endowment for the Arts' Big Read project with a literary open mic night in Northwest Philadelphia.

Mighty Writers was one of 62 nonprofit organizations nationwide to be chosen by the NEA, in partnership with Arts Midwest, as a Big Read grantee. The only winner in Philadelphia, MW is one of just two organizations in Pennsylvania to receive this funding to support programming centered around 15 contemporary books, with the aim of inspiring  meaningful conversations, artistic responses and new discoveries and connections in participating communities.

"We are so excited to have the opportunity to participate in the Big Read," says Tim Whitaker, executive director of Mighty Writers, a 13-year-old literacy nonprofit with locations in Camden, Atlantic City, Newark and Philadelphia. “The books we’ve chosen highlight the immigrant experience, something that is meaningful to us due to our work with members of the Mexican communities in Philadelphia and Chester County.

"The grant allows us to inspire people to read and have dialogue about what it means for families to come to a new country and face all kinds of hurdles — and joys. The best books, including our Big Read choice, provide a nuanced look at that experience.”

Mighty Writers has chosen the book “Infinite Country” by Patricia Engel, an intergenerational story of the journeys of a Colombian American family that became a New York Times bestseller.

“‘Infinite Country’ is perfect for this opportunity,” says program lead Sarah Knittel. “The NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors and ourselves through the power of the shared reading experience.”

“It is inspiring to see how NEA Big Read grantees utilize these books as launchpads for their own programming, often creating opportunities for community conversations, new partnerships, and encouraging participants to incorporate art into their daily lives,” says NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson.

“All across America, in communities small and large, the NEA Big Read connects neighbors and inspires creativity,” says Torrie Allen, president and CEO of Arts Midwest.

Mighty Writers’ programming will include the following:

• A bilingual book talk at the Esperanza Center
• Participation in Trapeta Mayson’s Healing Verse poetry line
• Family cooking class inspired by "Infinite Country”
• Literary Quizzo with Billy Penn
• Dia de los Muertos at Fleisher with Colombian maker Mauricio Perez of Mucho Mache
• A discussion of journalism with Al Día’s Hernán Guaracao, the Inquirer’s Gabe Escobar and NBC10/Telemundo62’s Miguel Martinez-Valle
• Returning to the Root Mindfulness Workshop

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

For more information, contact Liz Spikol at lspikol@mightywriters.org.

Mighty Writers is a class 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2009. One hundred percent of the programs we offer are free. We serve communities in and around Philadelphia, PA, as well as in Camden, Newark and Atlantic City, NJ. We also run writing workshops in Washington Heights, NYC.

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