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All our events are free, and everyone is welcome. During our monthly meetings, we discuss a book during the first hour and have a group activity for the second hour. No pressure to read or finish the book. Come for the community!
November Meeting
November Meeting
Saturday, November 21, 9:30 - 11:30am
Saturday, November 21, 9:30 - 11:30am
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Book
Book
Discussion runs 9:30 - 10:30 AM
As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (320 pages, 2020)
As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resistance by Leanne Betasamosake Simpson (320 pages, 2020)
November is Native American Heritage Month.
Walking option this month!
Walking option this month!
We'll split into two groups, your choice: one stays at the library for discussion, the other goes on a walk while discussing. This walking book club was suggested by one of our members, "I feel like that is a nice way to honor ancestral lands (by just admiring them, being a part of them)."
Why Hannah chose this book:
Why Hannah chose this book:
"This book changed my life. By describing her Indigenous ways of being, Dr. Betasamosake Simpson gives readers the beautiful gift of a guide on how to survive, how to live, and how to transform ourselves and the future. While I believe Indigenous readers are her target audience, as a white person I feel empowered to resist colonialism and oppression within my spheres of influence. Dr. Betasamosake Simpson provides clarity in an overwhelmingly confusing world. I'm really thankful for her work, and I can't wait to discuss this more at book club!"
Support a Native and queer owned bookstore
Support a Native and queer owned bookstore
Black Walnut Books, in New York, focuses on empowering, sharing and amplifying BIPOC and queer communities, voices, and authors.
Donations
Donations
Holiday gift drive for kids and teens
Holiday gift drive for kids and teens
BevRec and Beverly Bootstraps are hosting a toy drive for local families in need this holiday season. If you're able, please bring a new, unwrapped gift item to our meeting on Nov 21.
Aya will drop off our donations at Bootstraps on Mon, Nov 23 and/or at the BevRec collection day on Sat, Nov 28, 10am - 1pm at Lynch Park.
Activity
Activity
Runs 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Focus group with Rep. Hannah Bowen
Focus group with Rep. Hannah Bowen
Our very own State Representative Hannah Bowen will be joining us. She's meeting with constituents and advocacy groups to listen to their priorities and help shape her legislative agenda for the 2026-2027 session.
Please come ready to share your ideas, issues, concerns, and questions. This will be a listening session format, with Rep. Bowen doing less talking and answering questions if there are any.
December Meeting
December Meeting
Saturday, December 19, 9:30 - 11:30am
Saturday, December 19, 9:30 - 11:30am
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Book
Book
Discussion runs 9:30 - 10:30 AM
The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon (240 pages, 2026)
The Future is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land by Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon (240 pages, 2026)
Why Hannah chose this book:
Why Hannah chose this book:
"It's been three years since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. Israel's response and the ongoing conflict have drawn attention, however, not enough is being done to stop the genocide and violence. I chose this book because I'm looking for hope and guidance. The two authors, one Palestinian and the other Israeli, have both been impacted personally by the conflict. In a situation where revenge and hatred would be seen as completely justifiable, they have chosen a different path. A path of peace. A path of creating hope where there is none."
Publisher's summary:
Publisher's summary:
"In The Future Is Peace, Sarah and Inon take readers on a transformative weeklong journey across a sacred and bloodstained land. Facing competing narratives, they explore how compassion and unity can pull humanity back from the precipice of blind hatred. Throughout their travels, they have been constantly asked: In the face of so much loss, how can we ever find hope? Their answer is always the same. One cannot find hope. We must create it."
Watch interviews with the authors
Watch interviews with the authors
Media related to the reading
Media related to the reading
"January 29, 2024. Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A 5-year-old girl is trapped in a car under fire in Gaza, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab."
This 15-minute movie is centered on the voices of the children of Gaza. See transcripts of the poems and prayers featured.
Activity
Activity
Runs 10:30 - 11:30 AM
Our December activity is still in the works. Options include:
Plan a divestment effort (similar to the current effort by Cambridge for Palestine)
Roadmap our 2027 actions and activities
Book swap and social hour
January Meeting
January Meeting
Saturday, January 23, 2-4pm
Saturday, January 23, 2-4pm
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Beverly Main Library, Sohier Room
Book
Book
Discussion runs 2-3pm
The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader by Melissa Murray (352 pages, 2026)
The U.S. Constitution: A Comprehensive and Annotated Guide for the Modern Reader by Melissa Murray (352 pages, 2026)
Why Aya chose this book:
Why Aya chose this book:
Let's start the new year by learning about our nxxation's foundational text. In 2026, I learned a lot about the 1st amendment while advoacting for City Council to change their rules so we don't have to say our street address during public comment and also about the 4th amendment while advocating for the city to end its use of Flock cameras. It's been illuminating to learn about what the Constitution says, how its been interpreted in case law over time, and how interpretations and implementations continue to change in our ever evolving socio-political landscape. I hope this book helps us chart a path forward!
Activity
Activity
Runs 3-4pm
Our January activity is still in the works. Suggest an idea.
More Meetings
More Meetings
Feb 2027
Feb 2027
Black History Month
Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton (368 pages, 2024)
Mar 2027
Mar 2027
Women's History Month
Nonfiction option: For the Sun After Long Nights: The Story of Iran's Women-Led Uprising by Fatemeh Jamalpour and Nilo Tabrizy (336 pages, 2025)
Fiction option: Children of the Jacaranda Tree by Sahar Delijani (304 pages, 2014)
Apr 2027
Apr 2027
Earth Month
Book option: Clearing the Air: A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change in 50 Questions and Answers by Hannah Ritchie (296 pages, 2026)
Video option: Climate change: Oh, it's real (playlist of TED talks)
May 2027
May 2027
AANHPI Heritage Month
Kuleana: A Story of Land and Legacy in Old Hawai'i by Sara Kehaulani Goo (368 pages, 2025)
Jun 2027
Jun 2027
Juneteenth and Pride
Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde (192 pages)
Jul 2027
Jul 2027
On the tails of July 4th
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein (368 pages, 2018)
Aug 2027
Aug 2027
Local Author
Blind Sight: When Freedom Was Not Enough by Ivy George (354 pages, 2026)
Sept 2027
Sept 2027
Latine Heritage Month
Inventing Latinos: A New Story of American Racism by Laura E. Gómez (288 pages, 2022)
Oct 2027
Oct 2027
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The Revolution Starts at Home: Confronting Intimate Violence Within Activist Communities edited by Ching-In Chen, Jai Dulani, and Leah Lakshmi Piepza-Samarasinha (368 pages, 2016)
Nov 2027
Nov 2027
5 years since ChatGPT launched
The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore (336 pages, 2026)
Dec 2027
Dec 2027
Theme TBD
Book TBD
Past Events
Past Events
2026 Books & Activities
2026 Books & Activities
October 2026
October 2026
Book: Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America by Ari Berman (384 pages, 2016)
Activity: We had a workshop about how to give public comment at City Council meetings. In small groups of 4, we brainstormed ideas of what makes an impactful comment. Then, as a whole group, we organized the written ideas into themes/groups. We concluded by watching and discussing two examples of public comment given by fellow book club members.
Donations: Beverly Bootstraps reached out to us to help with donating kids' toothpaste for their Halloween dental health kits that they hand out families at their food pantry. They asked for 120 tubes, and we were able to rally and donated 163 tubes in the end. One of our members is also part of the Beverly Female Charitable Society, and the society donated $200.
September 2026
September 2026
Book: Nasty Work: Resist Systems, Explore Desire, and Liberate Yourself by Ericka Hart (304 pages, 2026)
Activity: HealthQ led a workshop called Allyship and the Transgender/Gender Diverse Community. We had the chance to learn about more about nuances of gender identity and pracitce using a variety of pronouns.
Donations: We collected shampoo and conditioner in support of MomBall's donation drive for Beverly Bootstraps. Our book club Hannah is participating in MomBall for the first time this year.
Couldn't attend but want to help? Donate to HealthQ and/or donate to Beverly Bootstraps.
August 2026
August 2026
Books:
Nonfiction option: "Prisons Make Us Safer" and 20 Other Myths about Mass Incarceration by Victoria Law.
Poetry option: My Blue Days Sound Like Blue Jays by Amos Don, who was born and raised in Boston to Haitian immigrant parents and who is currently incarcerated. Read his bio.
Activity: We wrote 31 birthday cards to incarcerated people, for the Abolitionist Mail Project. We also collected 90 Forever stamps for AMP's stamp drive.
Couldn't attend but want to help? Support AMP's stamp drive. Or shop the Prison Book Program's wishlists.
July 2026
July 2026
Media: The 1619 Project. Pick your preferred format:
interactive website (10 essays originally published in the magazine)
magazine PDF (100 pages, 10 essays)
book (624 pages, 18 essays + poems and fiction)
podcast (4 hours)
Hulu TV series (6 hours)
See also: Education Materials Collection from The Pulitzer Center
Activity: Field trip to Historic Beverly's Cabot House to see the exhibit Set at Liberty: Stories of the Enslaved People in a New England Town.
Collection: Diana collected batteries to give to Ben of the Beverly Waste Reduction Committee, so he could bring them to this battery take-back event in Boston.
June 2026
June 2026
Book: The Stonewall Reader edited by the New York Public Library. The full text is freely available on the Internet Archive, courtesy of NYPL; download the PDF and other formats.
Guest Speaker: Kathryn Henderson from Voter Choice Massachusetts joined us for a discussion about bringing ranked choice voting to Beverly. Watch this 2-minute video for an overview of RCV.
Activity: We held a donation drive for NAGLY, the North Shore Alliance for LGBTQ+ Youth. We collected snacks and drinks, cleaning supplies, books, clothing, and shoes. Check out their wishlists, and also their boutique's needs.
Community Event: Several book club members participating in the annual Reading Frederick Douglass Together, hosted by Historic Beverly.
May 2026
May 2026
Book: Weathering: The Extraordinary Stress of Ordinary Life in an Unjust Society by Arline T. Geronimus.
Guest Speaker: City Councilor Keith Sonia soft launched the Beverly Engagement Project with us.
April 2026
April 2026
Book: All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson.
Activity: We upcycled cardboard into postcards and wrote to our state legislators (Rep. Hannah Bowen and Senator Joan Lovely) about bills we care about:
Oppose HR.2289 - American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 (learn more)
Support H.3755 - An Act Establishing Driver Privacy Protections (read this one-pager from the ACLU of MA)
See also: Progressive Mass legislaive agenda and endorsed legislation for 2025-2026
March 2026
March 2026
Books:
Nonfiction option: Another World Is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe by Natasha Hakimi Zapata
Fiction option: Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements edited by adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha
Activity: Period supplies
Collected donations of period supplies for Beverly Bootstraps
Packed 60 grab-and-go period kits for River House
Folded zines: Tips to Fight Menstrual Stigma, from this NPR story
Learn more about period poverty and menstrual equity from the Alliance of Period Supplies and PERIOD.
February 2026
February 2026
Book: All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks.
Activity: We wrote 25 birthday and Eid cards to incarcerated people, for the Abolitionist Mail Project.
January 2026
January 2026
Book: Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Activity: Pack 50 kids' snack bags for Beverly Bootstraps
Community Event: Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Breakfast, where 5 members of the book club read the land and labor acknowledgments at the start of the program, at the invitation of the city's DEI Director.
2025 Books
2025 Books
December 2025
December 2025
No book this month - action planning instead!
November 2025
November 2025
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
October 2025
October 2025
Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear into Pride, Power, and Real Change by Cristina Jiménez
September 2025
September 2025
We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson
August 2025
August 2025
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
July 2025
July 2025
Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire edited by Alice Wong
June 2025
June 2025
A Land With a People: Palestinians and Jews Confront Zionism edited by Esther Farmer, Rosalind Pollack Petchesky, and Sarah Sills
May 2025
May 2025
What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World by Prentis Hemphill
April 2025
April 2025
Loving Corrections by adrienne maree brown
2025 Candidate Forum
2025 Candidate Forum
Social Justice Candidate Forum
Social Justice Candidate Forum
Sunday, October 26, 2025 | 1:30 - 3:00 PM
Ahead of Beverly's municipal elections on November 4, 2025, we hosted a candidate forum at the Beverly Public Library. We asked candidates questions that were submitted in advance by community members.
Topics we covered:
Immigration & ICE
LGBTQIA+
Diversity & Representation
Access & Affordability
Mayoral candidates who attended in person:
Mike Cahill
Brendan Sweeney
City Councilor at Large candidates who attended in person:
Kenann McKenzie-DeFranza
Keith Sonia
Euplio "Rick" Marciano
Kyle Stanley Retallack
City Councilor at Large candidates who submitted video entries:
Julie Flowers
John Mullady
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