On March 15 and 16, a series of events will celebrate the Moon City Press Book, “Throwaway Youth,” including a jazz performance, readings and a book signing.

Book tells stories of homeless teens in Springfield

The book offers real accounts of homeless teenagers who’ve used the services of Springfield’s Rare Breed Youth Services.

Its writer, Nancy Fairbank, was a Central High School student volunteering at the teen center at the time. She is now a student at University of Texas at Dallas.

Dr. James Baumlin, MSU English professor and Moon City Press editor, told KSMU he’d heard about Fairbank’s work through a colleague and he approached her about compiling the stories into a book.

Now, Fairbank said, those stories can help the public see the resilience of the area’s struggling teens and hopefully find a way to help them. This week’s events provide an avenue to contribute

Proceeds from events benefit The Kitchen, Inc.

The Center for Community Engagement is hosting two events this week to celebrate the book as part of the Statewide Collaborative Diversity Conference.

March 15

7 p.m.
Plaster Student Union Auditorium

Missouri State’s Jazz Ensemble will headline the event, followed by the Untamed Tongues student poetry collective and the Giving Voice student troupe who will perform readings from Fairbank’s book. The event is free and open to the public.

March 16

4:15 p.m.
Plaster Student Union Ballroom West

The authors, editors, book designers and underwriters of the book will be at this book-signing reception to raise money for The Kitchen, Inc.’s Rare Breed Youth Services. The silent auction and raffle will also benefit the Center for Community Engagement.

Underwriting partners include The Community Foundation of the Ozarks, The College of Arts and Letters, MSU Printing Services, The Corbett Law Firm Literacy Outreach and Moon City Press.

Local guitarist, singer and songwriter Mark Barger will provide entertainment. The event is free and open to the public.