Placitas, NM – July 27, 2020 – Written by the Rev. Dr. Anne Hays Egan, Building Communities of Hope captures stories of communities that are making a positive difference. Many leaders have worked with others to create long-lasting community change. The book covers those who have advocated for justice, built healthcare systems, saved lives, mobilized, cajoled, rebuilt after hurricanes, and overcome significant personal challenges. They are our heroes – from everyday people to the well-known and celebrated.
In addition to stories which highlight community leaders who have made a real difference, the book includes a base of research. That work informs chapters about addressing inequities, dealing with despair, building from the ground up, practical keys for building hope, mobilizing to transform economic stagnation and job loss, and leaders who build from community assets to inspire hope.
Building Communities of Hope helps readers to reframe the challenges they face, mobilize, and work with others to create positive change. From New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico to counties throughout New Mexico, and communities around the world, these stories give us power for the journey.
Some of the book’s chapters share information about:
- Miracles in the Middle Rio Grande
- Packaging Hope in Purple Tennis Shoes
- Multiplying Wealth in its Many Forms
- Holding onto Hope When the Going Gets Rough
- A Model of Recovery on a Motorcycle
- Shaping the Energy that can Fuel Hope
- Living in the Slipstream
Rio Arriba County, NM is featured in the book not just because it was one of the hardest-hit by the opioid epidemic, but also because its leaders have persevered to overcome significant challenges. PBS captured the essence of Rio Arriba Rising by showing how the county “employs best practices to avoid the worst outcomes of the opioid epidemic.“1 Rio Arriba continues to rise, with its many heroes on the front lines of COVID-19 response, behavioral health services, and economic recovery initiatives. Sierra County, NM is featured because although they have been losing population, jobs, and capital for decades, the community is so full of people on a mission, it pulsates with purpose. These people are making an appreciable difference in the quality of people’s lives, and bringing in new resources to revitalize, even in the midst of our current challenges.
The resilience of Puerto Ricans has been shown in so many ways, following the hurricanes of 2017, and these amazing people are cited in the book as well. There are examples set by the Presbytery of San Juan and the Community Foundation of Puerto Rico, featured for their ongoing community building work to save lives, mobilize and rebuild communities.
The author encourages us to be our best selves. The book includes a structural and systems analysis that she explains is “essential for any sort of long-lasting hope.” Having faith in achieving our dreams and focusing on what we can do to make a difference can be difficult. Anne shows us how our collaborative work fuels our compassion, our change making, and our energy to get work done.
Building Communities of Hope includes stories about Anne’s work with a Presbytery that supported the work of an 11-year old, who got his community to care for its homeless. Maggie Kuhn, the “Little Old Lady in Purple Tennis Shoes,” who founded the Gray Panthers, was Anne’s “Spiritual Mother.” She’s also featured for her powerful example of change-making rooted in hope, grit, perseverance, and a sense of humor – as well as a deep joy of living every day to its fullest.
These heroes of hope range from healthcare leaders, cellist composers, rabble rousers, faith leaders, and legislators to a man who came home to die but ended up transforming his community. The book shows the power of transactional leadership. It encourages us to build communities of hope – with our eyes wide open.
Rev. Dr. Anne Hays Egan is an ordained Presbyterian minister and health systems and community building consultant. She has worked with organizations in the Northeast, Southeast, West, and Southwest. Anne conducts research in the fields of health, behavioral health and aging. She has worked with hundreds of organizations to build collaborative initiative and community systems. She has published dozens of articles, chapters and juried research papers. Her earlier book is called: Moving Mama: Taking Care of Mother During her Final Years with Alzheimer’s.
Media Contact
Company Name: NEW VENTURES COMMUNITY BUILDING
Contact Person: Rev. Dr. Anne Hays Egan
Phone: (505) 663-6810
Address:7820 Enchanted Hills Blvd., Suite A #302
City: Rio Rancho
State: NM
Country: United States
Website: www.buildingcommunitiesofhope.info
