Resist

Resist the patriarchy. Resist racism. Resist the status quo. Readers resist, just by reading widely and always learning.

I’ve never thought of myself as an activist, but I certainly want to stay open to ideas. I’ve always believed in the civic duty of voting but it’s never meant more to me than it did in November of 2016. I had many discussions with friends and clients of all political persuasions, yet I often felt like I didn’t have enough facts in my grasp. The books in this category are an effort to remedy that.

Over the last year or so, I’ve also understood how much my education (decades ago now) lacked regarding the African American experience, both past and present. 2017 has been a year to remedy that with reading.

Feminism comes easily to me, since I grew up when Ms. magazine and Gloria Steinem were in the news. I still have a pin from the ERA—equal rights amendment—fight. This year, I’m intentionally adding feminist voices to my collection and to-be-read list.

Politics and history change every day, and 2017 has been more active than most. But what’s behind the votes, the parties, the media? I want to know the deeper stories, the back room deals, the personalities.

I know it will take me longer than just one year to complete this self-education and resistance. And I’m okay with that.