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One Book Project brings community together to understand diversity through literacy

  • Jessica Manzo

    • During the months of September and October, One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern invites the community to engage in reading, educational programming, and entertainment that focus on one central theme.

    This year’s featured book for The One Book Project is “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind,” a story about survival and perseverance. The memoir focuses on a heroic young inventor who brings electricity to his Malawian village.

    The goal of the project is meant, “to pull a community together, cross cultural divides, and enhance understanding of our diversity, all while supporting literacy,” the library’s website says. 

    Jillian Fritch, an elementary school teacher, began the Project in 2011. She was inspired to begin the Project here in Bakersfield after reading a story in the Los Angeles Times about the project, according to Kern County Library website. 

    It wasn’t long before other community members collaborated including; education, nonprofits, local government, businesses, and media outlets. 

    In 2010, the One Book Project began a partnership with California State University, Bakersfield’s ‘Runner Reader Program,’ also involving students reading a common book. Since then, it’s allowed for benefited extended programming, including author visits and talks at California State University of Bakersfield.

    CSUB will host the next Author Visit and Signing with William Kamkwamba October 30th at 7:00 pm at the CSUB Icardo Center, based on his reading of “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.” Kamkwamba will be discussing his success in building a windmill in his Malawian community.

    Other upcoming One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern events:

    Photo courtesy of Kern County Library Facebook page

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