Books and Blogs Written by Fellows
Are you a Fellow who has published a book or blog? We would like to add your publication to our virtual bookshelves. Please email us at info@lgcchicago.org.
Little Black Pearls for Little Black Girls
by Dominique Jordan Turner (LGC Fellow since 2016) and her daughter, Kennedy Jordan Turner
Dominique Jordan Turner and her daughter, Kennedy Jordan Turner, have published this book to inspire young women and encourage mother-daughter activities. Kennedy has illustrated the book. Dominique, CEO of Chicago Scholars, says, "As moms and caring adults, we must work a bit harder to ensure that our little Black girls grow up to be strong and confident women who understand their true power, beauty, intellect and value to the world. We want to make sure that women and little girls recognize that they have superpowers. The goal is to inspire girls to believe in themselves and believe in the skin that they’re in.” Filled with beautiful pearls of wisdom to inspire pride and confidence, each chapter includes an activity that promotes conversation, confidence, and a deeper connection to one another. Read more here.
The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy
by Katherine Gehl (LGC Fellow since 2001)
Business leader and path-breaking political innovator Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter take a radical new approach. They apply the tools of business analysis to show how the political system functions just as every other competitive industry does, and how the duopoly has led to the devastating outcomes we see today. Using this competition lens, they identify the most powerful lever for change—a strategy comprised of a clear set of choices in two key areas: how our elections work and how we make our laws. Their assessment and recommendations cut through the endless debate about various proposed fixes, such as term limits and campaign finance reform. The result: true political innovation. This nonpartisan guide outlines profound challenges of our political system and provides solutions for reshaping the system for the benefit of all. Read more here.
All That’s Holy: A Young Guy, an Old Car, and the Search for God in America
by Tom Levinson (LGC Fellow since 2009)
There's nothing more American than a road trip—and a spiritual road trip at that. From mosque to synagogue to chapel to coffee shop, Tom's entertaining and erudite stories of conversations with the faithful and the seeking get to the heart of religion in America today. All That's Holy is a fascinating conversational collage set against the backdrop of the author's deepening appreciation, both intellectually and spiritually, of his own religious roots. "Tom has written an engaging and lucid personal essay on a timely and timeless subject."—Joyce Carol Oates, author, A Garden of Earthly Delights, Big Mouth & Ugly Girl, and I'll Take You There. "Tom has given us a spiritual Odyssey, an extended adventure in the new meaning of faith and hope. Eloquent, heartfelt, and true, this is a book America needs."—James Carroll, author, Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews and American Requiem, National Book Award winner. Read more here.
Messy Penny
by Roopa Weber (LGC Fellow since 2012)
Roopa is a first time children’s book author who has created the Penny the Peacock series. Her inspiration for Penny came from the values and love provided by her mother. She wanted to find an avenue to instill her mother’s wisdom in her own daughter and carry the message forward generationally. The main character is a lovable peacock who, through her adventures, realizes that the simple things in life are the ones to treasure the most. Messy Penny is the first book of the series and focuses on how true beauty comes from the happiness in one’s heart. The series promotes and fosters self confidence in children of all ages. Read more here.
Karma Kollection™ Blog
by Roopa Weber (LGC Fellow since 2012)
Roopa created the Karma Kollection™ blog to inspire better lives through kindness and gratitude. Karma Kollection was designed to reinforce the concept that good actions create good karma—in essence it’s a cause and effect. It is rooted in parenting, but can extend to all facets of life and learning. Karma Kollection was formed to honor Roopa's mother and teach her daughter about the power of positive thinking, good intentions, and making a big difference in little ways. We are all created with special gifts—some more obvious than others. It’s extracting these gifts in ourselves and others that is the purpose. And so, this blog is an avenue for discovery. Read more here.
In Living Color: An Anthology of Contemporary Student Writings on Race
by Dr. Karen Reardon (LGC Fellow since 1998)
This is a newly published book that compiles the contemporary essays of La Salle University students on race relations in the U.S. What began as a classroom exercise graduated to a book project. Karen Reardon, Ph.D., J.D., challenges La Salle University students in her business law courses with a written assignment asking students to connect their study of law and ethics to current events and their lived experience. When given the opportunity, the students, she found, routinely gravitated toward issues related to discrimination and race relations. Read more here.
Auténtico: The Definitive Guide to Latino Career Success
by Andrés Tapia (LGC Fellow since 2008; Daniel Burnham Fellow)
Latinos are on the way to being one-third of the U.S. population by 2050. They're changing the country's talent, marketplace, and political landscapes in unprecedented ways. So why is it there are so few Latino executives and senior leaders? Authors Andrés Tapia and Dr. Robert Rodriguez call it the "4% Shame"—the low percentage of Latino corporate executives today. This book digs deep to understand the external forces of conscious and unconscious biases, and the internal forces that create tensions for many Latinos about whether to assimilate, opt out, or double down on their cultural identities in their quest to get ahead. Insights have been gleaned from interviews with 20 successful Latinx Boomer executives and focus groups with dozens of GenX and Millennial Latinx leaders, and interpreted through the lenses of the authors' two very different personal experiences as Latino leaders in corporate America. Read more here.
The Five Disciplines of Inclusive Leaders: Unleashing the Power of All of Us
by Andrés Tapia (LGC Fellow since 2008; Daniel Burnham Fellow)
Authors Andrés Tapia and Alina Polonskaia, senior leaders at Korn Ferry, argue that to build sustainable diversity and inclusion, organizations need to have inclusive leaders at all levels. They draw on Korn Ferry's massive database of 3 million leadership assessments to reveal the essential qualities of inclusive leaders. They discuss the personality traits these leaders share and detail how to develop the five disciplines of inclusive leadership: building interpersonal trust, integrating diverse perspectives, optimizing talent, applying an adaptive mindset, and achieving transformation. This book will help leaders foster the skills to deal with today's complex challenges and create a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for all of us. Read more here.
In Charge: The Energy Management Guide for Badass Women Who Are Tired of Being Tired
by Dr. Arin Reeves (LGC Fellow since 2003)
In her new book, In Charge, Dr. Arin N. Reeves offers women a path to a successful and meaningful life, by helping women eliminate energy drains, manage what needs to be done, and bring more of what makes them happy into their lives. Through dozens of stories from real, badass women who have taken steps to be “in charge” of their lives despite circumstances that left them stretched too thin, stressed out, and just plain pissed off, Reeves demonstrates tools and techniques you can use to better manage your energy all day, every day, to accomplish all you need to do and regain a sense of control. Read more here.
We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy
by Dr. Eboo Patel (LGC Fellow since 2015)
From the former faith adviser to President Obama comes an inspirational guide for those who seek to promote positive social change and build a more diverse and just democracy. Named “one of America’s best leaders” by U.S. News and World Report, Eboo is founder and president of Interfaith America, the leading interfaith organization in the United States. Under his leadership, Interfaith America has worked with governments, universities, private companies and civic organizations to make faith a bridge of cooperation rather than a barrier of division. Read more here.