Albion's Big Read aims to empower youth and bring
communities together through shared reading experiences.

OUR 2021 TITLE: PIECING ME TOGETHER BY RENEE WATSON

Piecing Me Together is about a girl named Jade who does what so many Albion kids do. She gets on a bus every morning that takes her out of her own neighborhood and into another one to go to school. For Jade, that means leaving a place where she feels seen and valued and going to a place where she doesn’t. It also means going from a home community where most people look like her – Jade is Black – to a predominantly white school where most people don’t. In school and in a mentoring program she joins, Jade feels frustrated and out of place. But with the help of the people who love her she learns how to say what she feels, how to be who she is, and how to advocate for herself.

Piecing Me Together will encourage and inspire us to talk openly about family, friendship, race, racism, loyalty, activism, art, and how to fight for what matters most.

Meet Albion's 2021 Team

BIG READ LEADERS

Albion’s Big Read Leaders are rising 8th, 9th, and 10th graders who call Albion their home. They spend their summer reading our Big Read book – this year, Renée Watson’s Piecing Me Together. Then they take their love of that book out into the community by leading community-wide discussions of it. They are the beating heart of Albion’s Big Read, and everything good and beautiful about this program comes from them

We are thankful for and celebrate our 2021 Big Read Leaders:

Makiyah Johnson*
Ashtyn Ridley-Melton*
Dacraius Melton
Na’Sier Roberts*
Lay Lay Robinson*
Stephanie Sobaski*
Ann Wade
X’Avier Young*

* denotes leaders who have participated in Albion’s Big Read for more than one year
# denotes Ambassadors who have returned to Albion’s Big Read

COLLEGE VOLUNTEERS

Albion’s Big Read Youth Leadership Program would not be possible without our College Volunteers (CVs). Our CVs are Albion College students and recent alums who create the environment where all our leaders are valued and seen. They listen and laugh. They play and remember. They show up and give out of their minds, bodies, and spirits. We are deeply thankful for the work they do.

Richard Annorat*

ArShawn Parker*

Classidy Scales

Akaiia Ridley*#%

D’Mitrius Robinson*%

Anthony Neal Jr.

LaRhonda Richardson

* denotes students who returned as a College Volunteer for another year.
# denotes a College Volunteer who is also a Big Read Ambassador.
% denotes an A.L.B.I.O.N. Fellow

AMBASSADORS

The Big Read Ambassadors are veterans of Albion’s Big Read Youth Leadership Program. You can identify Big Read Ambassadors by the bright red shirt featuring logos from past Big Reads on the front and the conversation starter—“Ask me about Albion’s Big Read!”—on the back. So if you see young folks wearing a Big Read Ambassadors shirt, just follow the instructions and ask them about Albion’s Big Read. You’ll be glad you did! Albion’s Big Read Ambassadors:

A’tiyah Artis
Ta’Liyah Austin
Ahjia Barbour
Carl Bates
Emmylou R. Christensen
India Crumbsy
Ta’hila Davis
Maliya Frost
Jamiyah Funderburg
Ivan Green
Denisha Harris
Kei’Asianique Hill
Larenz Hill
Olivia Hudson
Za’Riah Kemp
Ella Lattimore
Ian Lee
Ihaja Metz
Cedriana March

Albion’s Big Read: The Planning Committee, Donors, and Partners

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Made up of college and community leaders, our planning committee works throughout the year. Most notably, these individuals choose the Big Read novel, collaborate with local partners, and further the progress of Albion's current and future Big Reads. We would like to thank the members of the 2020 Planning Committee for their irreplaceable support:

Elijah Armstrong
Kimberly Arndts
Wanda Kemp
Harry Bonner
Nels Christensen
Maddie Drury
Mandy Dubiel
Mae Ola Dunklin

DONORS

We would like to wholeheartedly thank our generous supporters. Albion's 2020 Big Read was made possible by the support of the following amazing organizations and individuals. Click the green text of the donors below to learn more.
* denotes donors who have supported more than one Big Read

Lewis Chapel AME Church*

Paul T. and Mary Louise Mielke*

Rosemary Smith Zander*

The HafRob Family

Kirsten Roberts*

Lauren Ridenour*

The Robovans

Eddie Williams*

Marcola Lawler
Joyce Spicer

PAST DONORS

Albion’s Big Read is forever grateful for the incredible generosity of these marvelous organizations and individuals, which makes doing the good work possible.
*denotes donors who have supported more than one Big Read

Catherine Fontana
Albion Rotary Club
The Linda Kochinski Fund*
Team 1 Plastics*
Parks Drug Store
Caster Concepts
Albion College History Department*
Marshall Community Foundation*
St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
Lubaway Masten and Co.
Gerald and Eddie Williams
John and Kathryn Fitzsimmons
Conrad and Peggy Sindt
John and Susan Cease
Ed and Ginnie Edwardson
American Association of University Women, Albion branch
Joyce Ferguson*
NAACP, Albion Brach
Vivian Davis
Albion College Office of the Provost*
The Franke Center
Dr. James L. Curtis
John and Mardie Roberts*

PARTNERS

Our partners are local individuals, organizations, and businesses who donate time and energy to Albion’s Big Read. They support our program from behind the scenes by hosting book discussions, sharing space and resources, and much more. We joyfully thank them!

• Marshall Public Schools

• Albion's Sister City Committee

• Local chapter of AAUW

• Albion Branch NAACP

• Stirling Books and Brew

• Albion Walk the Beat