NYC anti-poverty advocate releases gripping memoir on her battle with cancer

Jennifer Jones Austin speaks with New York City first lady Chirlane McCray during her book event at the Brooklyn Historical Society.

Jennifer Jones Austin, New York City native, nonprofit executive and child advocate released her debut book “Consider It Pure Joy” on March 1 with book signings in New York City followed by a book tour stopping in cities across the country.

On March 19, Jones Austin signed books and spoke at the Brooklyn Historical Society. New York City first lady Chirlane McCray delivered opening remarks and the Rev. Emma Jordan Simpson, executive pastor of Concord Baptist Church of Christ and Jones Austin held a dialogue about the book.

Starting with her healthy days just before her diagnosis, “Consider It Pure Joy” chronicles Jones Austin’s experience with a rare form of leukemia. From the moment her family learned she had a 99 percent chance of not surviving the disease to the nationwide search for a bone marrow donor to cure her and the rollercoaster ride of ups and downs throughout, Jones Austin’s memoir is an intimate picture of her harrowing experience. She takes readers on an arduous journey of successes and setbacks — and everything in between — as she finds joy and peace in the midst of her suffering. Evoking a strong sense of understanding, “Consider It Pure Joy” is a relatable memoir readers will devour in one sitting.

A fourth-generation leader of faith and social justice, Jones Austin is the CEO of Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, leading poverty fighting, policy and advocacy efforts to strengthen and empower the disenfranchised and marginalized communities. She is a sought-after speaker who appears regularly on television and radio, and at community and professional events. She has served on numerous boards, including the National Marrow Donor Program, the Icla da Silva Foundation and the New York Blood Center, all of which were instrumental in her search for a bone marrow donor.

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