Democratic Activist Katherine Adam Collaborates on Book with Noted Social Critic

Katherine Adam is the Outreach Coordinator for the Philadelphia GROW Project of the Drexel University School of Public Health, which serves the needs of low-income children. She recently co-authored a book with noted social critic Charles Derber, a Professor of Sociology at Boston College. We’re going to talk with Katherine today about how she become involved in politics and the GROW Project, and how she ended up collaborating with Professor Derber on The New Feminized Majority: How Democrats Can Change America with Women’s Values.

Welcome Katherine. It’s wonderful to have you with us.

Thank you so much for having me.

Let’s get started with finding out more about you. Where did you grow up? What’s your educational background? And what do you do for fun?

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where I lived until I went to college. I attended Boston College, where I met Charlie. I studied sociology and music in college, and music is a big hobby of mine. I play cello.

Tell us about the GROW Project.

The Philadelphia GROW Project is a research and advocacy organization within the Drexel University School of Public Health that studies how hunger and poverty affect the cognitive, emotional, and physical development of children under three years old. As the Outreach Coordinator, I engage in direct service with low-income families who are identified as experiencing hunger or basic needs problems.

If I remember right, you had to relocate when you took on this position at the GROW Project. Was that difficult for you?

I was really excited to move to Philadelphia, both because of the city itself and because of the Philadelphia GROW Project. I was really looking forward to working with women and children in Philadelphia, and getting to know a new place.

How did you get involved in politics?

When I moved to Boston for college, I didn’t know a single person. I starting volunteering for the Howard Dean campaign as a way to meet other progressives and make friends. I got involved in my college Democrats group and volunteered on over a dozen campaigns, then secured an internship with Senator John Kerry.