Don't let the bastards get you down -- Raised to make trouble -- Question authority -- It's not the work, it's who you work with -- Going for broke in Texas -- Don't wait for instructions -- Everything you need to know in life, you can learn on a campaign (and other lessons on raising activist kids) -- Say yes -- What would Ann Richards do? -- Resilience -- If it was easy, someone else would be doing it -- All in -- The resistance is female -- Epilogue: "Feminist" is not a passive label -- Afterword -- Acknowledgements.
Summary:
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 -- 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.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.