Her convictions seems to have been shaped by her experience of working on tough political battles concerning everything from crime to health care to same-sex marriage to climate change to immigration to education to the economy. This was not so much about ticking through a list of hot-topic issues but proving she intimately understands the numerous challenges facing the country. And what America sorely needs now is knowledge and experience to guide it! Harris knows the day by day effect that political decisions have for countless people and the consequences of not taking action. She feels the urgency. She cites specific examples of cases she's been both instrumentally involved in and others she's engaged with as part of a much larger process.
She was raised in Oakland, California, the daughter of immigrants who met as activists in the civil rights movement when they were graduate students at Berkeley. Growing up in a community that valued social equity, Harris herself never hid her passion for justice. She became a prosecutor out of law school, a deputy district attorney, and quickly established herself as one of the most innovative change agents in American law enforcement. She progressed rapidly to become the elected District Attorney for San Francisco, and then the chief law enforcement officer of the state of California. Senator Harris became known for bringing a voice to the voiceless. In The Truths We Hold, Harris offers us a master class in problem solving, in crisis management, and leadership in challenging times.
Additionally, she proudly writes about her personal background as the daughter of a biologist born in India and a professor of economics born in Jamaica. That a woman of mixed heritage has now reached one of the highest political positions in the country is so encouraging and important. We follow how she met and married her husband and became the mother to two step children as well as the emotional rollercoaster of her election campaigns. She explains why having Sunday dinner with her family is so important to her. She gives an intimate view of both the personal challenges she's faced and how setbacks have only fueled her to work harder. It's inspiring to read how her values and sense of justice drive her to enact real progress.
This might have been an extended political campaign pamphlet with narrative controlled in a way to be personable without tipping into anything too revealing and that's fine, we get to read it now. Something she asserts towards the end of the book is that “words have power.” This book is filled with pledges and promises that Harris will do her best to realize, as she has clearly communicated the shared struggle, the shared vision and the shared purpose.
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Interestingly, one of the first on my kindle last year was 'Becoming' by Michelle Obama.
This book written soon after the power couple where out of white house, begin with how they miss the place and it gives insight into how much work it takes to become successful and all the struggles along the way. She went from living in a little Chicago apartment to studying at Princeton and Harvard, and ultimately becoming the First Lady.
The book is divided into 3 categories each portraying different stages of her life : Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More. Becoming Me gave insight into Michelle Obama’s past and her backstory. Michelle’s childhood and seeing her development from a child to an adult. There was lot of determination and perfectionism even in her early days.
Becoming Us explores the next chapter of her life in university and her meeting Barack Obama. In this section, Michelle described how she felt like an outsider since she was one of the few black students in the school. Luckily, she was able to find good friendships and relations, including Barack Obama.
Finally, Becoming More is about her life in politics and becoming the FLOTUS. In this bittersweet section, Michelle describes all of the struggles of being in the spotlight and having your voice heard. She gives advice about dealing with criticism and how to be confident. My favorite quote from this book is: "If you don't get out there and define yourself, you will be quickly and inaccurately defined by others."
Michelle say she do not like asking children what you want to be, as we all are constantly becoming. Each decision we make shape us. She wanted to become a lawyer, went to best colleges and went to the best law firms on the 47th floor she realised, that was not what she wanted to be. She felt it was okay to change. She felt unhappy. When she told this to her mother, she said first you make money and then think of your passion. She was a box checker, controlled; then she met Obama. He was like a wind, all over the place. He would think at night, and Michelle would be worried what he is thinking, he would say he was thinking of income and inequality. He had a wonderful optimisam about time. They had to meet councillor. She was raised in a house which was a square, but Obama was raised and was different. So she had to hold the four squares of her house.
Michelle thought love was being near, but for Obama as he grew up his mother was not near him but loved each other a lot. So she had to change her perception. Marriage was and is not a cake walk. It's becoming. Today there is so much of choice, which earlier generations did not have. What comes with choice, is the challenge of choice, you can't have it all, you need to learn and understand what to embrace. Politics was always Nasty and she did not think Obamas tempermetem would match this, he being a decent man. So she had to take of the wife hat and put on her citizenship had to let him campaign for the office. You don't know what the future would be when your husband become the President.
There was pressure from the time they decided to context. First was winning their own people, as it was not expected that the black would win, even they had not expected to win. The truth from the book resonate with each people's becoming.
There would be tragic shooting, senseless, there was outrage and shock, funerals and mourning and this was becoming a pattern. When the weight of the world was on his shoulder, she was his shoulder. She became the calm in his storm. Beauty of children and family, and trying to do everything excellently, living impact is what she tried to be. When you live in a bubble, your children live outside the bubble, so when Trump said Obama was not born in this country, and was a threat was not true, reckless and threat to their family. He put family in jeopardy.
We can disagree even with president. Bad things happen when people are made to be afraid. Her sense of optimisam continue. We can't hand over future generations crap, but hope. We have to be optimistic. Becoming.
Words matter. Is what she said.
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There was another one by Titled 'What Happened' By Hillary Clinton, on her experience as Democratic parties nominee in 2016 election. Did not read it; but in concludes by Bill Clinton saying 'Keep Going'.
Hillary Clinton has many to her credit like, 'Stronger Together' with Tim Kaine as VP candidate with chapters like Growing together, Safer together and Standing together; 'The book of Gutsy Women' with her daughter Chelsea; 'Hard Choices' memoir of 2009 to 2013 - US secretary of state; 'Living History' as a sitting Senator from New York; 'An Invitation to the White House: At home with history' a coffee table book describing life in White house and a couple of Children's book before that.
Am no one to say this; but can't resist: Go Girls, Proud of you :-)
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