March 23, 2026 The Campus Common Reading Program is brought to Grand Rapids Community College by the library committee. This program brings students, staff and faculty together. The program’s goal is but empowering: build a community around a shared book or topic, create conversations and encourage engagement from all people across the campus.  Centering Grand Rapids Stories This year, the library committee picked Grand Rapids Grassroots: An Anthology of Local Activism . This book connects the city of Grand Rapids history and civic engagement through mini essays and stories from locals. Sophia Brewer, a GRCC librarian, explains, “I know some of the authors that wrote the essays, you can visualize the city and the places they are talking about.” The themes of this year's campus common reading book align with several significant anniversaries and civic milestones, including the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, as well as the 175th anniversary of Grand Rapids. Five major themes guide this year's program: Unfinished Resolutions, Power of Place, The American Experience, We the People and Doing History. By focusing on these themes, the program encourages students to explore civic engagement and activism both locally and nationally. Sophia Brewer says, “I hope this program will help students become more familiar with civics and activism within GRCC and the Grand Rapids community.”  Creating Space for Local Voices Each year, a committee made up of library staff, faculty, and community members, discusses the possible books for the program. They gather suggestions from the campus and the community before evaluating. Because of the unique milestones happening this year, the committee looked for a book that would connect Grand Rapids’ history to the American themes. The main goal for the Campus Common Reading program is to create shared experiences across campus. By reading the same book and participating in events tied to it, students and staff can engage in impactful conversations about history and community involvement. The Campus Common Reading Program will feature three phases throughout the year. The first phase will be a focus on Grand Rapids history and activism. Later phases will highlight the city’s contributions to American civic life and feature student and alumni voices. This program will continue on campus through the winter of 2027, offering further events and community engagement. Lectures from this series will be  recorded and available to watch on the GRCC YouTube channel, including the February 26 lecture Roots of Resistance: Women Activists in the Progressive Era Grand Rapids and March 18 lecture Anthropological Perspectives on Local Grassroots Democracy . Copies of Grand Rapids Grassroots: An Anthology of Local Activism are available free to students and staff. The books can be picked up in the Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, Room 505, or at the Lakeshore Campus Office. To learn more about the Campus Common Reading Program and view upcoming events, visit the Campus Common Reading program page .  This story was reported by Danielle Wheeler.