(Chelsea Update would like to thank Shannon Powers for the information in this story.)
The Chelsea District Library has teamed up with neighboring libraries to offer the 4th Annual Washtenaw Reads, a countywide program that promotes reading and civil dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing a notable book.
This year’s choice is Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen, by Jose Antonio Vargas, a candid memoir of a young man living in America as an undocumented citizen from 1993 to 2018. While the memoir paints a picture of the challenges of immigration in the U.S., Vargas stresses that at its core, Dear America “is not about immigration at all” but rather “what it means to not have a home.”
Ample copies will be available for borrowing at the Chelsea District Library.
Participants will have a chance to meet Jose Antonio Vargas on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020 at 7 p.m. at Washtenaw Community College, where he will speak about the book and his personal experiences. Hearing an author discuss their work can reveal unexpected insights and viewpoints and will offer further chance for respectful dialogue around this year’s read. There is no charge to attend the author talk, nor does it require registration, and it is open to all. Books will be available for purchase after the event.
Throughout January, additional Washtenaw Reads-related events will be offered at the Chelsea District Library, including an informational presentation on immigration basics on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020 and a screening of the documentary Essential Arrival: Michigan’s Indian Immigrants of the 21st Century on February 20, 2020.
To register for either event, visit www.chelseadistrictlibrary.org and click on events.
For more information on Washtenaw Reads and related events, visit www.wread.org or call 734-475-8732 x.219.
About Washtenaw Reads: The Washtenaw Reads program is a community initiative to promote reading and civic dialogue through the shared experience of reading and discussing a common book. Participating libraries include Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Milan, Northfield Township, Saline, and Ypsilanti.
