GET INVOLVED! | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation

Although philanthropy is widely considered a global practice, Eurocentric depictions dominate the conversation. Dr. Kim Williams-Pulfer challenges the world to reconsider with GET INVOLVED!, a sociological deep dive that draws on the narratives of Afro-Bahamian communities through the lens of ‘philanthropy from below’.

The book uses narrative analysis spanning period of enslavement to the post-post-colonial current moment. It incorporates historical observations from icons like Zora Neale Hurston as well as meditations on national and regional cultural cornerstones, including the Junkanoo tradition and the voices and experiences of contemporary civil society leaders.

GET INVOLVED! brings to life an under-documented story of philanthropy broadening the dominant perspective by bringing attention to a place that thrives because of its cross-communal support, rich history, and vibrant people.

Kim Williams-Pulfer is joining us on the Busboys stage alongside respected commentator on race, structural inequality, and education, Dr. Andre Perry, to share about the long history and continued significance of civil society and philanthropic engagement in The Bahamas, the circum-Caribbean, and the wider African Diaspora. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Williams-Pulfer will be signing following the program.

This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 6:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of GET INVOLVED! will be available for purchase before and after the event. Please note that this event is in person and will not be livestreamed. 

We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books

Kim Williams-Pulfer, Ph.D. is an independent scholar and the principal consultant of KWP Research Strategies LLC, a research consulting firm focused on community development, the arts, public humanities, and nonprofit and philanthropic management. 

Kim has worked as a researcher, educator, and community-based advisor for over ten years. She earned her Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies with a minor in Caribbean Studies at the Indiana Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. From 2023 to 2024, she was an American Council of Learned Societies Fellow (ACLS), and from 2022 to 2023, she was also an ACLS Leading Edge Fellow. 

Kim's research has been published in various academic journals and edited volumes, as well as practitioner and popular forums. 

Kim's research and teaching interests also reflect her personal journey. Growing up in The Bahamas among community leaders, she was inspired to reconsider how identity, history, and its legacies shape philanthropy and civil society. 

Her new book Get Involved: Stories of Bahamian Civil Society (Rutgers University Press, June 2024) combines her training, insights, and community-grounded research to explore the idea of 'philanthropy from below.'

Andre M. Perry is a Senior Fellow at Brookings, a scholar-in-residence at American University, and a professor of practice of economics at Washington University. A nationally known and respected commentator on race, structural inequality, and education, Perry is the author of the book “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities" as well as articles in numerous media outlets and a regular contributor role to MSNBC. Perry’s research focuses on race and structural inequality, education, and economic inclusion. Perry’s recent scholarship at Brookings has analyzed Black-majority cities and institutions in America, focusing on valuable assets worthy of increased investment. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Perry earned his Ph.D. in education policy and leadership from the University of Maryland College Park.

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