Member-only story

Our Laundry, Our Town: A Journey of Dirt and Resilience

Chinua Achebe

·7.8k Followers· Follow

Published in Our Laundry Our Town: My Chinese American Life From Flushing To The Downtown Stage And Beyond

4 min read · 3 weeks before

843 View Claps

78 Respond

Save

Listen

In the heart of Milwaukee, where poverty and inequality are as common as the cold winter wind, there is a place where people go to wash their clothes. It's called the Coin Laundry, and it's the setting for Matthew Desmond's powerful and moving book, Our Laundry Our Town.

For years, Desmond lived among families who struggled to keep their clothes clean. He chronicles their daily lives, their struggles, and their dreams in this eye-opening work of narrative journalism. Our Laundry Our Town is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing our most vulnerable citizens.

Our Laundry, Our Town: My Chinese American Life from Flushing to the Downtown Stage and Beyond

by Alvin Eng

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	19171 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	204 pages

A Journey of Dirt and Resilience

The Coin Laundry is more than just a place to wash clothes. It's a community center, a place where people can come to socialize, share stories, and lend a helping hand. It's also a place where people can escape the stigma of poverty.

For the families Desmond follows, laundry is a constant struggle. They often have to choose between buying food or paying for laundry detergent. They may have to wash their clothes in the bathtub or by hand. And they often have to deal with the shame and embarrassment of not having clean clothes to wear.

Despite these challenges, the families Desmond meets are resilient. They work hard, they take care of their children, and they never give up hope. They are determined to make a better life for themselves and their families, and they believe that having clean clothes is an important part of that journey.

The Power of Laundry

Laundry may seem like a mundane task, but it is essential to our well-being. It keeps us clean and healthy, and it helps us to feel good about ourselves. For the families Desmond follows, laundry is a source of pride. It is a way to show the world that they are not defeated, that they are still fighting.

Our Laundry Our Town is a powerful and moving book that tells the story of poverty and inequality in America through the lens of laundry. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing our most vulnerable citizens.

Praise for Our Laundry Our Town

“A powerful and moving book that will change the way you think about poverty.” — The New York Times

“A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing our most vulnerable citizens.” — The Washington Post

“A powerful and important book that sheds light on the hidden world of poverty in America.” — The Guardian

Our Laundry, Our Town: My Chinese American Life from Flushing to the Downtown Stage and Beyond

by Alvin Eng

4 out of 5