Matthew Desmond's book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City has made him a celebrity of sorts among affordable housing wonks and anti-poverty activists. Writing in an engaging, approachable way about the struggles of low-income folks in Milwaukee, Wisc., Desmond shows how easy it is for vulnerable renters to get trapped in a downward spiral of housing instability, desperation and misfortune.
Even advocates immersed in housing and poverty issues will come away from Desmond's book with deeper insight and inspiration, and Meyer is pleased to support his visit to Oregon as part of Everybody Reads by:
- Helping the Library Foundation to purchase additional copies of the book and with outreach to local groups, including high school classrooms;
- Purchasing tickets to Desmond's Literary Arts lecture for recent Meyer grantees active in housing advocacy; and
- Supporting an additional event for local policy makers to meet with Desmond, led by Community Alliance of Tenants, Welcome Home Coalition, Oregon Center for Public Policy and Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
If you haven't read Evicted, check it out! Jenny Lee of Neighborhood Partnerships shared an excellent review of the book last year. Tickets to the March 9 event in Portland are still available.