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Before I arrived in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, I knew this small town of less than 1,500 was rich in one particular thing: creativity. I was visiting to experience the final events of their NEA Big Read, to meet the organizers, to gauge how the program added to the creative economy, and see how it afforded the residents some new and unique creative opportunities.

Universidad Ana G. Méndez hosted an NEA Big Read featuring Julia Alvarez’s novel, In the Time of the Butterflies. Through conversations and events with the author, the community of Gurabo, Puerto Rico heard reflections on Alvarez’s, the craft of storytelling, and the importance of literature in building compassion.