Students and Latino community collaborate to write book

'Our City Inside Out' book launch slated for Oct. 2
Our City Inside Out Book cover
Credit: Penn State

Penn State Berks students collaborated with members of the Latino community to publish a book titled "Our City Inside Out: Changing Perceptions of Reading." A book launch will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Doubletree Hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania, during the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce's Wednesday Diversity Mixer, sponsored by Fulton Bank. The first 75 attendees will receive a free copy.

"Our City Inside Out" is both a book and website project produced through a partnership between Penn State Berks students in the professional writing major (now writing and digital media) and several Latino/a community leaders who work hard in various ways to enhance quality of life in Reading and to replace negative perceptions with more accurate, positive stories of the city and its people. 

“In the vocabulary of higher education, this type of project is referred to as critical community-engaged scholarship, social-justice focused and reciprocal and collaborative in process and outcome,” stated Laurie Grobman, professor of English and women's studies and coordinator of the project.

For more information, contact Grobman at 610-396-6141 or via email at [email protected].