Kevin Marshall's America
Check out that logo. Cool, right? It comes to us courtesy of local graphic designer and "This is College?!" contributor Erin Morelli. Thanks, Erin!
A little over two months ago my friend Mary (Darcy, one half of All Over Albany) came to me with a wild proposition: let’s get a bunch of people together and have them read to each other.
The book she wanted to use was one of her favorite books of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird. I was excited and honored when she came to me with this idea because, unbeknownst to her, it’s one of my favorites as well.
2010 marks the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee’s classic, and for all that’s changed we still face many of the same conundrums. There is still injustice, inequality, and that fear of the unknown.
And, shockingly, there are still people who do not know how to read.
So on Saturday, November 6th, there will be a marathon reading of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Townsend Bakery Cafe on Washington Avenue in Albany to raise money and awareness for Literacy Volunteers of the Greater Capital Region.
The event will start at 9:00am and continue until 9:00pm that evening (or some time thereabouts). Readers will run the gamut from local academics, journalists, area notables, and everyone in-between.
More information on the event, as well as the readers, will be coming out over the course of the next few weeks. In the meantime you can visit the blog at http://mockingbirdmarathon.wordpress.com. Additionally, you can check out the event on Facebook and follow it on Twitter (@ToKillASaturday).
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19 Responses to Reading Out Loud for Literacy
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This would have been a cool event. To Kill a Mockingbird is top 5 greatest literary works for me.
I’m most likely in – with the caveat that I hate this book. The cause is a good one though so I’ll support it.
LOVE this book. Great idea Mary!
That is an EXCELLENT idea and I hope I can make it. Find out if I can bring Jane – she’s a ‘Read to a Dog’ therapy dog and LOVES listening to people read out loud. :)
Made my top 10 list…never been to a “readout”…mmmmm
If I understand correctly, it’s people getting together and reading the book aloud. Any restrictions on who can read aloud?
Jen – Readers are either lined up or being invited.
It would be cooler if the book was Gravity’s Rainbow, with part of the fundraiser being how long a reader can last without their head exploding.
Awww…Oh well.
What a creative way to hold a fundraiser. I hope to make it.
Love the logo – I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more of Erin’s work.
Too bad it’s “invitation only”. The elitism involved proves the point that injustice still exists.
Jane-the-dog should have been invited to read.
Are you being serious?
@lnm – Thanks! I’m glad you like it!
@Donald – the event is not “invitation only”. Anyone can attend. The “elite’ people you are referring to are just the ones doing the reading – think of it as a performance. The point of the event is to listen, enjoy the book, and support a good cause.
About elitism? Yes. See #s 6 and 7.
About Jane? That one you’ll have to ask The Keeper about.
If only the elite can read, it’s an elitist event. You’ve made my point for me, although you totally don’t get it. The thing should be about reading, not about performance. That’s the way I see it, anyway. Others clearly disagree. America at its best is a pluralistic society, so that’s OK.
No hard feelings, and I do support my “home” LVA chapter.
Donald - This is such a ridiculous nitpick I barely feel the need to address it, but since you’re still on it: this is a charity event to raise awareness and funds. The point of bringing in high profile readers is that they raise more money and awareness.
Kevin Marshall, how dare you create INJUSTICE in this world by inviting people to read at a performance that raises money to combat illiteracy! Hahaha. Did you know that there would be more justice in this world if Kevin Marshall sat on his butt and didn’t co-organize a charity event? I just learned that today, but it’s really opened my eyes.
Now we just need to teach Teri’s dog to speak English so that she can be included in the reading and not create injustice. Oh, wait, crap. Isn’t that just nepotism though? I mean, Teri is a blogger and is obviously therefore an elitist too. It would create an appearance of impropriety — excuse me, I mean that it would create more INJUSTICE — if we were to allow her dog to read.
ohmygoodness. Jane is a wonderful listener and she can talk a little bit, so if you ask her what she thinks, she will probably answer :)