Current and former Ensley residents encouraged to share stories about their community during “Ensley Engaged’’ event on Dec. 3.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Former and current Ensley residents and business owners are invited to visit the McAlpine Recreation Center on Monday, Dec. 3 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to share their stories about life in Ensley. Doors will open at 5 p.m. The address is 1115 Avenue F.

Andre Perry, an award-winning writer from Washington, D.C., will be present to collect the memories for a future book project. Perry, who studies race and structural inequality, education and economic inclusion, is writing a book on uplifting positive assets in majority-black communities. A chapter in his book will feature Ensley.

The Dec. 3 event, known as “Ensley Engaged,” will be an opportunity for Ensley residents, business owners and others to learn more about his project and to share their stories with him. Perry is looking for input from all walks of life, especially Ensley business owners. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Root. He has made appearances on CNN, MSNBC, NPR, NBC and ABC.

Currently, Perry is a writer and researcher at Brookings Institution's Metropolitan Policy Program, a national think tank. On Dec. 3, the City of Birmingham and Ensley Alive will join him for "Ensley Engaged.’’

"From research on African-American talent in technology to the issues associated with black wealth creation and home ownership, Andre Perry's work has influenced the nation on the importance of black economic empowerment,’’ said Mayor Randall Woodfin. “He is one of the greatest black scholars of our time and this book project presents an opportunity for the nation to read the story of Ensley and Birmingham.’’