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The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read is a national initiative that aims to broaden our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Managed by Arts Midwest, this program provides grants to support dynamic community reading programs, each designed around a single book selection. By bringing people together through literature, the NEA Big Read fosters meaningful conversations and a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives.

Old Dominion’s Legacy with the NEA Big Read

Old Dominion University has a proud history of being a two-time recipient of the NEA Big Read Grant in 2009-10 and 2018-19. Our previous themes have explored various social issues, fostering community engagement and enriching the cultural landscape of our region. This legacy underscores our ongoing commitment to using literature as a catalyst for important conversations and community building. Our past successes with the NEA Big Read have laid a strong foundation for this year’s focus on health equity, and we look forward to continuing this tradition of impactful programming.

Big Read 2009

�� talks the Big Read on The Hampton Roads Show.

Big Read 2018

Former �� President John R. Broderick, Claudia Rankin and other attendees at 2018 Big Read event.

Featured Read

Health Equity: Where We Live

As the 2024-25 recipients of the NEA Big Read grant, our common read is Rebekah Taussig’s powerful memoir Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, a profound exploration of disability, identity, and resilience, that offers a poignant and insightful perspective on navigating the world as a person with a disability. It also allows us to explore the theme of “Health Equity: Where We Live.” Under this theme, all programming will highlight the critical intersections between health and community well-being. Through a series of events, discussions, and activities, we aim to explore how the environments we live in influence our health outcomes and what we can do as a community to promote equitable health opportunities for all.

Contact

Talent Management and Culture

757-683-3141 office

757-683-5844 fax

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Next Event + Featured Author

The Hidden Haven of Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Saturday, March 22 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

This Community Conversation will highlight the unique challenges faced by individuals diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive and least understood forms of the disease. Through engaging discussions, personal stories, and expert insights, we’ll explore the intersection of health inequities, cancer care, and disability. The event will also include information on self-advocacy and accessible healthcare, aligning with the themes of resilience and empowerment present in Taussig’s memoir.

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Our Featured Author

Rebekah Taussig will challenge everything you think you know about disability as she invites us into her experience of living in a body that looks and moves differently than most. “What would it mean for disabled folks if society saw us as acceptable, equal, valuable parts of the whole?” she writes in her memoir, Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient DisabledBody (HarperOne).

Meet Rebekah