Rachel Leon
 |  Special to the Rockford Register Star

A book about Rockford that will be read across the country is cause for celebration

For the past fifteen months, my life has been consumed by a project about this community, and it will finally be available to the public on Oct. 21. That’s the official launch date for “The Rockford Anthology,” the latest installment in Belt Publishing’s city anthology series, which offers nuanced portraits of Rust Belt cities through essays, poems, and images.

As editor of the book, which is available for purchase at Maze Books, I’m proud that Rockford is represented.

The book is comprised by contributions from over 80 current and former Rockford residents— including tales about moving here, leaving or returning; stories of growing up and others about frustrations of the city’s problems; pieces about connections, community and city pride.

“People are really into Rockford,” my editor said after reading the manuscript. I couldn’t argue. I’m really into Rockford, too.

That’s why I was excited about the opportunity to edit the anthology: it gave me the chance to offer nationwide readers a glimpse of what Rockford is actually like.

I love Rockford, but my love isn’t blind—and I had the responsibility of portraying the city as accurately as possible. Yet over and over, themes of Rockford’s heart and its wonderful people emerged throughout the collection. That’s why I dedicated the book to the city. Echoing Fred VanVleet’s words, the dedication reads, “Rockford, Rockford, it’s for us, baby!”

The book is not only dedicated to Rockford, it benefits the city: 100% of the book’s royalties are being donated directly to the Rockford Area Arts Council. Typically, the editor of each city anthology receives the money because editing a book is an enormous amount of work. But I’ve seen the book very much as a community project, so it feels fitting to donate the money back into the community.

Anthology contributors voted on where the money should be donated. We had a tie between the Rockford Area Arts Council and the Family Peace Center. By tiebreaker, RAAC won. The Liam Foundation, the Rockford Public Library Foundation and the local branch of the NAACP also received votes. I wish there was a way the book could support them all.

“The Rockford Anthology” has already received incredible support from the community, and now it’s time to celebrate the book’s launch.

In his address to City Council on Oct. 20, Mayor McNamara is scheduled to proclaim the week of October 20th as “Rockford Anthology Week.” And then a week of festivities begins.

On Oct. 21, there will be a launch party at 27 Aluna from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is made possible by the City of Rockford and Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and sponsored by Aldermen Tamir Bell, Chad Tuneberg, and Jonathan Logemann with Forward for Fun funds, as well as local marketing agency Trekk and 27 Aluna.

The following evening there will be a reading and short Q&A at the Estelle M. Black Library at Rock Valley College from 5 to 6 p.m., and a virtual reading from 7 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 23. (You can register here.) Anthology contributor Matt Schwerin has a photography show at 317 Gallery on Oct. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m., with an artist talk and anthology contributor readings on Oct. 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. Ars Pvblica will present the theme of “Home,” featuring anthology contributors at The Underground Art Gallery on Oct. 24 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. On Oct. 25, there will be a relaxed, family-friendly event, “Celebrating Third Spaces” (“Celebrando Tercer Espacios”) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the African American Resource Center at Booker Washington Center, with live performances. The event will encourage participants to connect and foster a sense of community and is made possible thanks to Inner Strength Therapeutic Loc Services, LLC, Huge Prints, African American Resource Center at Booker, Almas Latinas ZIN, and Joe and Cookie Scandroli. The last launch week event will be a reading and reception at Howard Colman Library at Rockford University on Oct. 28 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

“The Rockford Anthology” showcases what makes our city special, and the launch week is further evidence of the generosity and support that can be found here.

I’m so grateful for all the support the book and launch week have received from the city, organizations, businesses, and individuals.

The tremendous work that’s gone into this project for the past fifteen months has truly been a labor of love, fitting as “The Rockford Anthology” feels like a love letter to this city.

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating this book, its talented contributors and our community.

Rachel León is a writer, editor, and social worker based in Rockford. She’s the author of “How We See the Gray” forthcoming), and the editor of “The Rockford Anthology.”