Since “Faith and Community” was published in the summer of 2024, it has been a joy to share the findings with congregations in Little Rock, with colleagues around the world, and with the broader public. For a full list of media coverage and book events, check out this post on our project website. Here, I want to share some of my favorite highlights.
Sharing “Faith and Community”
The very first stop on the book tour was at a Little Rock church that is close to my heart, Second Baptist Church Downtown. It was an honor to speak at their “Second Thursday” lunch series and to talk with Pastor Preston Clegg about the benefits of community engagement. 2BC, as it is known by members, is one of the case studies featured in “Faith and Community” and has a long history of racial justice work in Little Rock.
Next, I headed to Philadelphia for the American Political Science Association annual conference. This meeting brings together thousands of political scientists from around the world and we had a great panel on religion and civic engagement. I was especially grateful to connect with the Interfaith Center of Philadelphia, speak with their leadership about the research, and learn from them. Talking with colleagues about the book and sharing macaroons was a highlight for sure!
Back in Little Rock, it was a joy to speak with the staff of one of the most community-engaged congregations in our city: Saint Mark’s Baptist Church. Executive Pastor Lamarr Bailey is such a joyful example of serving the community; his picture is on the cover of the book! Being able to finally share a physical copy of the book—a testament to so many years of data collection and hard work—with people who are living community engagement every day, was such a blessing.
One of my favorites events so far has been the book signing at Barnes & Noble. It may be because this event included tables where people could connect with local nonprofits and get engaged that every night. It may be because we collected four huge boxes of food for the Arkansas Food Bank. It may be because Frank Scott, Jr., the Mayor of Little Rock, joined me in a conversation about the book. But it is probably because this event brought together such a diverse collection of community members. Students, clergy, neighbors, and my family all turned out for a beautiful evening of connection and conversation.
In addition to these highlights, there have been Zoom events, interviews, podcasts, the Central Arkansas Library Legacies & Lunch talk, and the Cotham lecture series. And more coming up! Enjoy some additional photos below and check out the full list of media coverage and book events here. If you are interested in scheduling an interview or event, please reach out! You can find more information in my Digital Media Kit and can email me at rebecca.glazier@gmail.com.
