Bestselling author Jeff Kinney, known for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, appeared at the St. Petersburg Coliseum for a campaign and civic engagement event organized by political candidate Brandt Robinson. Kinney and Robinson participated in an onstage conversation about politics, education, community, and the impact of literature.
Community Engagement
The two men discussed the importance of creating a sense of community in public spaces, outside of home, work, school, and church. Kinney is currently developing a downtown revitalization project in Plainville, Massachusetts, which includes a bookstore and a beer garden. Robinson emphasized the need for great spaces for people to come together as citizens to engage in participatory democracy.
Kinney and Robinson also talked about the importance of literature in their childhoods. Kinney’s favorite book growing up was Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume, which he said reflected his own life. Robinson began reading autobiographies at a young age, including The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which had a significant impact on his passion for history and civic engagement.
Original reporting: St. Pete Catalyst — read the source article.
