Books Unite Program

NJEDA’s A.R.T. Phase II Grant

Literature to Life (LTL) recently received a grant from The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) under Phase II of the Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.) program.

With this grant, LTL has developed a program in collaboration with Paterson Public Library (PPL) and Passaic County Community College (PCCC). The program will consist of a series of book clubs, live performances, and interactive workshops, cycling through three different LTL Signature Titles along with a summer program. All of these events will be free and open to the public. 

March Program: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez

  • Book Club Meeting: Monday, March 2 at 6:00PM. Paterson County Library

    • Join us for a thought provoking evening discussing relevant themes of the book, shared personal experiences, and more, led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Live Performances: Thursday, March 5 at 1:10PM (student-only) and 6:00PM (general public). Passaic County Community College

    • Actor Elizabeth Raquel Ramirez will take the stage and perform LTL’s solo-adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. These performances will be accompanied by a pre- and post-show discussion led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Interactive Workshop: Thursday, March 12 at 1:10PM. Passaic County Community College

    • Connect with the story even further through interactive workshops

April Program: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

  • Book Club Meeting: Monday, April 20 at 6:00PM. Paterson County Library

    • Join us for a thought provoking evening discussing relevant themes of the book, shared personal experiences, and more, led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Live Performances: Thursday, April 23 at 1:10PM (student-only) and 6:00PM (general public). Passaic County Community College

    • Actor Simon Rabatin will take the stage and perform LTL’s solo-adaptation of The Great Gatsby. These performances will be accompanied by a pre- and post-show discussion led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Interactive Workshop: Thursday, April 30 at 1:10PM. Passaic County Community College

    • Connect with the story even further through interactive workshops

Summer Program: The Giver by Lois Lowry and Zora Folktales by Zora Neale Hurston

  • Program info coming soon!

September/October Program: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

  • Book Club Meeting: Date TBD. Paterson County Library

    • Join us for a thought provoking evening discussing relevant themes of the book, shared personal experiences, and more, led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Live Performances: Date TBD. Passaic County Community College

    • An LTL actor will take the stage and perform LTL’s solo-adaptation of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. These performances will be accompanied by a pre- and post-show discussion led by an LTL Teaching Artist

  • Interactive Workshop: Date TBD. Passaic County Community College

    • Connect with the story even further through interactive workshops