Write Out Loud Awarded $20,000 Grant to Offer NEA Big Read in San Diego

Write Out Loud has received a grant of $20,000 to host the National Endowment for the
Arts Big Read in San Diego.

The organization, which hosts events in Old Town and other communities, is one of 62 nonprofits selected to receive grants, which support local reading programs.

Programming for the 2024-25 NEA grant cycle is centered around the theme “Where We Live.” Using a book as inspiration, organizations choose one or more aspects of the theme as it relates to their communities.

The NEA Big Read library includes a selection of 50 titles culled from years past that showcase a wide range of genres, perspectives and geographic regions.

Write Out Loud said in a news release that its book selections will be The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi Bui, and, for younger readers, MexiKid by Pedro Martin.

Both are graphic novel memoirs exploring what the immigrant experience looks like in America, said Write Out Loud Artistic Director Veronica Murphy, a choice the organization made due to San Diego County’s sizable immigrant population.

“The NEA Big Read grant, along with other funders, allows us to put these books into the hands of young people and then challenge them to create a personal expression, inspired by the story,” Murphy said.

The NEA Big Read, an initiative in partnership with Arts Midwest, will reach more than 3,000 San Diegans. with the goal of broadening understanding through the power of a shared reading experience.

Activities will begin in the fall and culminate with a host of community events in April 2025, including writing and graphic novel workshops, book discussions, film screenings, writing contests, visual art displays and student awards.

“The NEA Big Read brings the transformative experience of reading to an entire community,” said NEA chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “This year’s grantees, including Write Out Loud, are taking themes off the page and using creative programming to navigate difficult topics, explore new perspectives, and strengthen bonds between neighbors.”

Since 2006, the federal agency has funded more than 1,800 NEA Big Read programs, providing more than $25 million to organizations nationwide. In addition, NEA Big Read activities have reached every Congressional district in the country.

More than 6 million Americans attended an NEA Big Read event, over 100,000 volunteers participated at the local level and over 40,000 community organizations were partners.