Make Trouble standing up, speaking out, and finding the courage to lead

"From the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a memoir about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice"--

Main Authors: Richards, Cecile (Author), Peterson, Lauren (Author)
Format: Books Print Book
Language: English
Published: New York, NY : Touchstone, 2018.
Edition: First Touchstone hardcover edition.
Subjects:
Summary: "From the president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a memoir about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice"--
"To make change, you have to make trouble. From Cecile Richards--president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund for more than a decade, daughter of the late Governor Ann Richards, featured speaker at the Women's March on Washington, and a 'heroine of the resistance' (Vogue)--comes a story about learning to lead and make change, based on a lifetime of fighting for women's rights and social justice. Cecile Richards has been an activist since she was taken to the principal's office in seventh grade for wearing an armband in protest of the Vietnam War. She had an extraordinary childhood in ultra-conservative Texas, where her civil rights attorney father and activist mother taught their kids to be troublemakers. In the Richards household, the 'dinner table was never for eating--it was for sorting precinct lists.' From the time Richards was a girl, she had a front-row seat to observe the rise of women in American politics. She watched her mother, Ann, transform from a housewife to an electrifying force in the Democratic party who made a name for herself as the straight-talking, truth-telling governor of Texas. But Richards also witnessed the pitfalls of public life that are unique to women. Her experiences paint a powerful portrait of the misogyny, sexism, fake news, and even the threat of violence confronting those who challenge authority. As a young woman, Richards worked as a labor organizer alongside women earning minimum wage, and learned that those in power don't give it up without a fight. Now, after years of advocacy, resistance, and progressive leadership, she shares her story for the first time--from the joy and heartbreak of activism to the challenges of raising kids, having a life, and making change, all at the same time. She shines a light on the people and lessons that have gotten her through good times and bad, and encourages readers to take risks, make mistakes, and make trouble along the way. Richards has dedicated her life to taking on injustice, and her memoir will inspire readers to hope and action."--Dust jacket.
Physical Description: xii, 276 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN: 9781501187599
1501187597
9781501187605
1501187600
Author Notes: Cecile Richards is a national leader for women's rights and social and economic justice. She began her career fighting for better wages and working conditions in the labor movement, then moved back home to Texas to help elect the state's first Democratic woman governor: her mother, Ann Richards. She went on to start her own grassroots organizations, and later served as deputy chief of staff to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. In 2011 and 2012, she was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. As president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund for more than a decade, Richards worked to increase affordable access to reproduction health care and strengthen the movement for sexual and reproductive rights. She is a frequent speaker and commentator on issues related to women's rights and activism. She and her husband, Kirk Adams, have three children and live in New York City and Maine. She spends most of her free time baking pies.