Meet NYTimes Best Selling Author: Lara Love Hardin and Read her Oprah's Book Club selected memoir!
Have you ever finished a memoir and thought, "Wow! I'd love to ask the author some questions"?
Lara Love Hardin is a literary agent, a writer, a NYT best selling author - and her memoir, The Many Loves of Mama Love was recently selected for Oprah's Book Club.
The Gemma Project, mentioned in her memoir and re-imagined today, was born out of a need to provide gender-responsive and trauma-responsive re-entry and in-custody programming and services as women rejoin communities after incarceration. These programs reduce recidivism and help create healthier communities.
This Book Talk Fundraiser is being hosted by Jessye Kass in an effort to:
Gather virtually to meet a spectacular author after reading her memoir and join in the unique experience of asking her questions.
Raise funds for the Gemma Project, an organization that supports women and non-binary individuals impacted by the justice-system. Donations are optional, but highly encouraged. Donations will be used to begin a model site program in California.
Why the work of the Gemma Project matters:
BIPOC and Latinx individuals are 1.3-1.6x more likely to be incarcerated than their white peers.
More than half of formerly incarcerated people are unable to find stable employment within their first year of return and three-fourths of them are rearrested within three years of release.
In the past three decades alone, the number of women incarcerated in prisons and jails in the US has increased more than 750%
Almost 90% of women incarcerated in jail are sexual-violence survivors
While poverty is a key characteristic in most incarcerated people’s lives, women have a median annual income level 30% lower than men’s making them significantly less likely to be able to afford money bail
What to Expect:
Event attendees are asked to read Lara's memoir and join us for this special event.
From 7pm-7:30pm EST, a short book club discussion with Jessye will be hosted to discuss the book without the author present.
At 7:30pm EST, Lara will join the Zoom room, along with Gemma Project Executive Director, Cynthia Chase, and they will introduce themselves.
From 7:40pm-8:15pm EST, we will have a lively Q&A with Lara.
From 8:15pm-8:30pm, we will discuss the Gemma Project and have a live fundraiser to support re-entry and in-custody programming for women and non-binary individuals.
We hope to see you there at this unique and special event! Please share widely.
Questions? Email Jessye: jessye@jessyekassconsulting.com
*Together as a community, we can make a difference*