FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas communities are taking part in the annual “One Book, One
Community” project, this year centering around David K. Shipler’s best seller, The Working Poor: Invisible in America. While students and community members are reading the book, nearly a dozen events are taking place this month to explore themes and issues discussed in the book.

All of these events are free and open to the public.

The first event is a songwriting contest and concert that weill be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at Nightbird Books on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. Musicians and songwriters will be performing original songs or sharing songs they’ve found that are related to the “working poor” theme. Original songs will be judged by a panel of local writers, and the winner will receive studio time at East Hall Recording in Fayetteville. This event has been organized and will be hosted for the second year by Chris Goering, associate professor of English education in the College of Education and Health Professions.

“The Economics of Hunger” will be the topic of a panel discussion led by members of the community group Feed Fayetteville. The event will take place at 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 8, in Room 328 of the School of Law. Feed Fayetteville has the goal of supporting and coordinating with the organizations that are fighting hunger in Northwest Arkansas, while helping to cultivate nutrition through local sustainable food, education and community partnerships.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, assistant professor of law Annie Smith will lead a discussion of “Where the Law Doesn't Apply: Legal Rights in Poor Communities,” in room 326 of the Law School. The program will consider whether people's legal rights are dependent on their wealth. Using examples of individuals profiled in The Working Poor, participants will engage in an hour-long exercise to explore whether poor people have the same rights as the rich; if not, why not; and what can be done about it. The activities will include small group discussions, opportunities to advocate to the larger group, and engagement in large-group discussion as well.

The film Sacred Texts, Social Duty, will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Rolling Hills Baptist Church, 1400 E. Rolling Hills Drive in Fayetteville. The film explores how Jewish, Christian and Muslim people of faith read their sacred texts and what those teachings say morally about taxation. Representatives of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families will lead a discussion with a panel of local religious leaders.

Dr. Hershey Garner, Fayetteville physician and founder of Feed Fayetteville will show the film The Economics of Happiness, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, in room 328 of the Law School The film, which contrasts the continuing drive toward globalization with the growing movement towards economic localization. The film will be followed by a panel discussion.

P.L.Thomas, author and educator will speak on the subject of “Poverty Is Destiny: Ignoring the MLK Imperative in Corporate Education Reform.” This will be followed by a panel discussion. The event will take place from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Graduate Education auditorium. In his lecture Thomas argues: “In the U.S., poverty is destiny because our social policy ignores at best and perpetuates at worst socioeconomic inequity and because our essential public institutions such as our schools reflect and perpetuate those inequities.” This event is sponsored by the Brown Chair in English Literacy, the College of Education and Health Professions and the Center for Children and Youth.

At 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 19, in room 208 of Kimpel Hall the film Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Health Care will be screened, followed by panel discussion led by Dr. Hershey Garner and Rob Leflar, the Arkansas Bar Association Professor in the School of Law. Garner is a practicing physician with many Medicaid and low-income patients; Leflar is a nationally recognized expert on the Affordable Care Act.

On Saturday, Oct. 20, the university Center for Community Engagement and Volunteer Action Center will hold its annual “Make a Difference Day,” sending volunteers into the community for a wide range of projects.

The Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families will host a screening of the film Waging a Living at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, in room 149 in the J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. Center for Academic Excellence. The film chronicles the day-to-day battles of four low-wage earners fighting to lift their families out of poverty. Shot over a three-year period in the northeast and California, this observational documentary captures the dreams, frustrations and accomplishments of a diverse group of people who struggle to live from paycheck to paycheck. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with local experts on the issues of families and poverty.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, Kevin Murphy, curator of American art at Crystal
Bridges Museum of American Art, will lecture on “Poverty and Art” in Giffels Auditorium, Old Main.

One Book, One Community Events will conclude at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 25, with a public lecture by David Shipler, author of The Working Poor in the Verizon Ballroom of the Arkansas Union. A question and answer session will follow the lecture.