Peter White Public Library in Marquette will host Michigan Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Jocelyn Benson on Thursday, July 31, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening centered around her recently published memoir, “The Purposeful Warrior: Standing Up for What’s Right When the Stakes Are High.” The event will feature a reading from the memoir, a moderated Q&A with former TV6 journalist Elizabeth Peterson, and a book signing.
The event was organized in collaboration with Snowbound Books, which initially reached out to the library about the possibility of hosting Secretary Benson during her book tour. From there, PWPL Adult Programming Coordinator Marty Achatz worked with Benson’s team to coordinate the evening's activities.
Benson’s memoir explores her career in public service, law, and advocacy, emphasizing values-driven leadership and the importance of standing up for democratic principles in challenging times. Achatz sees the memoir and the event as a natural fit for the library’s mission to provide diverse, thought-provoking programming that connects community members to ideas and each other.
The Q&A format, moderated by Peterson, aims to create a space for candid conversation and reflection. Achatz noted the value of seeing public figures in a different light, beyond headlines or politics, and hopes the evening fosters mutual understanding, even across differing viewpoints.
The event is expected to encourage civic engagement and public dialogue. Achatz emphasized that even those who may not share Benson’s political positions can gain something valuable from hearing her personal story and perspective. Whether attendees leave feeling inspired to run for office or simply to make small changes in their communities, the event is designed to encourage meaningful action.
Listen to Kurt Hauswirth's conversation with Achatz:
The event is open to all; however, attendees need to reserve tickets, which are available at the library’s circulation desk, with a limit of two per household. The program will also be livestreamed via the Peter White Public Library YouTube channel. Snowbound Books will have copies of The Purposeful Warrior available for purchase at the event, and Benson will be signing books following the program.
In addition to this event, Achatz highlighted other upcoming library programs, including concerts on the library steps, film screenings, and a new fall series focused on writing workshops. The library continues to build a robust schedule of offerings aimed at engaging the Marquette community on multiple levels.
For those who’ve never attended a PWPL event before, Achatz sees this evening with Secretary Benson as an ideal introduction; an event that reflects the library’s commitment to conversation, learning, and public connection.
More details about this and other library programming can be found at https://pwpl.info.
