About

Join Beth Macy, the acclaimed author of Dopesick and Factory Man, for a powerful conversation about the forces shaping America’s rural and urban communities and the stories that bind us. The discussion, moderated by Karsh Institute Executive Director Melody Barnes, draws from Macy’s forthcoming memoir, Paper Girl, which traces her journey from a small Ohio town to the national stage. Macy explores how economic upheaval, cultural tensions, and political polarization have reshaped not only her hometown but the country as a whole-and invites us to reckon with the divides that challenge our shared future.

This session is produced by the University of Virginia's Karsh Institute of Democracy in partnership with the Virginia Center for the Book.

**The first 400 people to arrive at this event will receive a free copy of Paper Girl.**

Learn more about attending other Democracy360 events this year: https://karshinstitute.virginia.edu/d360/2025/events.