unabashed gratitude, growth, & gathering
an NEA Big Read initiative
Unabashed Gratitude, Growth, and Gathering will cultivate community through collaborative
programming that is centered on gratitude and gardening.
Community will include intentional gatherings of individuals
from different generations, abilities, spiritual practices and racial identities.
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Unabashed Gratitude, Growth, and Gathering is a collaborative Big Read Initiative of Hamilton Wings, Gail Borden Public Library, Sanctuary Poets, Mujeres Latinas Unidas & various community organizations. Our programs will follow the seasons of growth, rest, and renewal and celebrate gratitude, community, and nature. Unabashed Gratitude kicks off with a celebration of our ancestral harvest. Books will be given away and our diverse racial and cultural communities will be asked to share what they gratefully "harvest" from their ancestors through gratitude reflections and a community engaged art installation. Five public book (only) discussions and twelve neighbor-hosted book and dinner discussions will be held
at various community locations and homes. Several planned, enrichment events will happen in nature settings. Events will include poetry writing and arts-based celebrations, workshops, and discussions inspired by the poems and themes in Ross Gay's Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude.
Upcoming Events
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Saturday, October 14th, 2023
Harvest Gratitude Kickoff: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Gail Borden Public Library
270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
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Sunday, October 29th, 2023
Book Discussion
Senior Citizen Center
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Thursday, November 9th, 2023
Hamilton Wings Program Workshop
& Book Discussion
Elgin Community College
1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, IL 60123
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Tuesday, November 14th, 2023
Hamilton Wings Program Workshop
& Book Discussion
Elgin Community College
1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, IL 60123
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Thursday, November 16th, 2023
Book Discussion
Gail Borden Public Library
270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
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Tuesday, November 21st, 2023
Poetry Writing Workshop
Kane County Juvenile Detention Center
37 West 655 Route 38, St. Charles, IL 60175
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Sunday, January 28th, 2024
Gratitude Journaling Workshop: 1:30 pm
Gail Borden Public Library
270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
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Saturday, April 6th, 2024
Ode Poetry Writing Workshop
& Book Discussion
Dream Hall at 51
51 S. Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
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Tuesday, April 9th, 2024
Planting with Gratitude for our Future Workshop Hawthorne Nature Center
28 Brookside Drive, Elgin, IL 60120
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Saturday, April 13th, 2024
Nature Writing Workshop
& Book Discussion
River Trout Nature Preserve
576 Trout Park Blvd, Elgin, IL 60120
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Saturday, June 1st, 2024
Gratitude Showcase
Gail Borden Public Library
270 N Grove Ave, Elgin, IL 60120
We'd love to get in touch!
To get involved, learn more or get tips on starting your own book discussion,
send a message!
National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. Visit arts.gov to learn more.
Arts Midwest supports, informs, and celebrates Midwestern creativity. We build community and opportunity across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Native Nations that share this geography, and beyond. As one of six nonprofit United States Regional Arts Organizations, Arts Midwest works to strengthen local arts and culture efforts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, state agencies, private funders, and many others. Learn more at artsmidwest.org.
What is the NEA Big Read?
An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. Showcasing a diverse range of themes, voices, and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire meaningful conversations, artistic responses, and new discoveries and connections in each community. The main feature of the initiative is a grants program, managed by Arts Midwest, which annually supports dynamic community-wide reading programs, each designed around a single NEA Big Read title.
