From 1 to 3 p.m., essay coach Nicole Stewart assists attendees with their individual stories, followed by a recording session for the community archives from 3 to 5 p.m. The program is presented as part of a series of free community reading and discussion events during the NEA Big Read at Irving Public Library.

This year's selected title is "The Bear" by Andrew Krivak, with the theme "Where We Live." Free copies of the book will be available while supplies last. This program series is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Irving’s program partners include Friends of the Irving Public Library.

For updates and additional sponsorship information, check the library’s web calendar and social media, @irvinglibrary on Instagram, X and Facebook. NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. This event is hosted in partnership with Nicole Stewart.