This fall, we’re hosting a series funded by the  Avon Greater Together Community Fund, in collaboration with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and Avon Friends for Equity. View the full list of events on our website post.

Join us for a lecture and discussion featuring Matthew Desmond’s book, Poverty.  This event will be led by Dr. Beth Merenstein, with audience questions moderated by Carrie Firestone.

Copies of Poverty are available at the reference desk on the first floor of the Avon Library. Please read before this event!

About Poverty, by America: In this landmark book, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond educates us as to why poverty exists in America, how it touches all of us, and that there are ways to help eradicate poverty and create equity, starting with understanding the current crisis. 39% of Connecticut residents struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Many in town might not realize that, in Avon alone, roughly 5% or 1,000 residents live below the poverty level. This series draws on history, research, and original reporting to show that the more we understand the reasons behind these numbers, the more able we are to change the old model that keeps poor people poor. Join us for these programs to unpack the ideas in this book and become more informed as a town to do something about this.  Learn more about the book here. 

Dr. Beth Merenstein is the Interim Associate Vice President for Community Engagement and Experiential Learning, as well the Executive Director of the Center for Community Engagement and Social Research (CCESR).  Dr Merenstein earned a B.A. in English with a concentration in Aesthetics and Critical Theory from Clark University. She later received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Connecticut.  She joined the faculty at Central in 2004 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and was subsequently promoted to Associate Professor and Professor. She has served as Acting Chair of the Sociology department, University Curriculum Chair, Assistant to the Dean, Associate Dean, and Presidential Fellow.  Dr. Merenstein is active in curriculum development with a particular emphasis on equity in education and was instrumental in the creation of the Equity, Justice, and Inclusion addition to the University’s general education curriculum.  She has published numerous evaluation reports for local community organizations, articles in peer-reviewed journals, and a book on Immigration and Race (2008)

Carrie Firestone is an educator and children’s literature author. She co-founded ForwardCT, a grassroots community service and advocacy organization, with State Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw, and serves as the Chair of the Avon Clean Energy Commission. A graduate of William Smith College and Columbia Teachers College, Carrie’s lifelong work centers around efficient, equity-based community work. Learn more at www.carriefirestonebooks.com

Free to attend. Please register, so we can set up the community room with appropriate seating.