Introduction: Stories That Save Lives

I am a mom and community ally who gave higher ed one more try after 4 failures and went back to school in 2015 (at 40 years old) to do something more meaningful than managing retail for the rest of my life and have more time to spend with my kids. 

At first, my goal was to enroll in the shortest program with the highest-paying jobs. While I was at the community college, the first of several of my kids told me they were part of the LGBTQ+ community, and suddenly my reason for wanting to learn more shifted from time and money to learning how to support my kids. And after the war on public education continued to threaten our schools and our grassroots efforts were plagued by burnout, I returned to higher ed one more time to earn a master's degree in public administration to learn about nonprofits, how to change public policy, and bring people in our broken communities closer together again. 

As part of my graduate program, I taught a college-level social sciences course several times between 2022 and 2024. During this time, Utah experienced some of the first restrictive legislation in the nation that has led to laws supporting book bans that target marginalized student populations, a slew of anti-trans laws, the removal of DEI programs and centers on college campuses across the state, all of which are in addition to the federal threats to their well-being with executive orders, revoked visas of international students, and fears of ICE raids on campus and absences for mental health care skyrocketed last Spring. 

My mentor, colleague, and friend Dr. Ana Antunes has been an educator in the Salt Lake Valley who has worked with marginalized and immigrant youth for over 15 years, and she has noticed the same withdrawal and increase in mental health stresses among her students as well.

For more information on the following political changes, click on the links below:

• Equality Utah: Anti-LGBTQ legislation in Utah

• Salt Lake Tribune: Closed Centers and Programs on Utah College Campuses

• Fox 13 News: Revoked Student Visas at the U of U

• Page on "attheu" website: U of U Statement addressing Executive Orders/Deportation/ICE

In addition to the loss of the resource centers on campus, students lost access to emergency financial burden scholarships offered in several of the closed centers.  We both believe in the power of community voices and brainstormed ways to utilize our resources to bring people together in safe spaces, with an expert on hand to answer questions and guide group discussions. We decided to create a community-funded scholarship accompanied by a free monthly book club and lecture series to bring people together in familiar ways and discuss the important role diverse books play in our communities, how characters whose life experiences differ from ours will challenge assumed social norms, and help us learn how to love our neighbors again. 

Lecture Series:

Each month, our discussion-based lecture will be led by professionals and experts in their field whose work overlaps with topics and social issues that emerge in our book each month. 

These will be held at Salt Fire Brewing https://www.

saltfirebrewing.com/ from August through October, and the Utah Alliance Coalition has generously offered to provide us with a virtual link to increase our reach and participation.  For Banned Book Month, the lecture on August 7th, "How to Talk to Your Children About Sexuality" will refer to "What Girls Are Made Of" by Elana K. Arnold. We'll come together on Aug. 23rd at Murray Park Pavillion to discuss in more detail. Events for September and October can be read in the below links provided.

Book Club:

At the end of the month, we’ll come together to discuss the book and reflect on how we did—or didn’t—connect with the story and or characters, the author, or its themes.

These will be held at the Murray Park Gazebo from August through October. Bring your favorite folding chair, blanket, and feedback!

The Fernandes Scholarship Fund:

There are no fees for becoming a member of this book club and lecture series. We encourage donations to help build the Fernandes Scholarship Fund into a meaningful resource that can make a difference in continuing their education while easing the mental stress of these students.

Please visit us on our website for more details and to register for our August events: https://fernandesscholarshipfund.org/about-2/

Looking forward to meeting you.

Juliet Reynolds

(she, her hers)

Murray Equity Alliance