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The Purpose of Power
- How We Come Together When We Fall Apart
- Narrated by: Alicia Garza
- Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins
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Publisher's summary
An essential guide to building transformative movements to address the challenges of our time, from one of the country’s leading organizers and a co-creator of Black Lives Matter
“Excellent and provocative ... a gateway [to] urgent debates.” (Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, The New Yorker)
Named One of the Best Books of the Year by Time • Marie Claire • Kirkus Reviews
In 2013, Alicia Garza wrote what she called “a love letter to Black people” on Facebook, in the aftermath of the acquittal of the man who murdered seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin. Garza wrote:
Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter.
With the speed and networking capacities of social media, #BlackLivesMatter became the hashtag heard ’round the world. But Garza knew even then that hashtags don’t start movements - people do.
Long before #BlackLivesMatter became a rallying cry for this generation, Garza had spent the better part of two decades learning and unlearning some hard lessons about organizing. The lessons she offers are different from the “rules for radicals” that animated earlier generations of activists, and diverge from the charismatic, patriarchal model of the American civil rights movement. She reflects instead on how making room amongst the woke for those who are still awakening can inspire and activate more people to fight for the world we all deserve.
This is the story of one woman’s lessons through years of bringing people together to create change. Most of all, it is a new paradigm for change for a new generation of changemakers, from the mind and heart behind one of the most important movements of our time.
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Critic reviews
“The Purpose of Power is a must-read. Anyone interested in turning the page of our contemptible past toward a brighter future should put this book on their reading list." —Congresswoman Barbara Lee
“‘Black lives matter’ was Alicia Garza’s love letter read around the world. The Purpose of Power is another love letter that should be read around the world. It speaks to all that molded Garza, all that molds organizers, all that molds movements.” —Ibram X. Kendi, author of #1 New York Times bestseller How to Be an Antiracist
“I can think of no greater guide to the difficult work of building movements than Alicia Garza and no greater tome of wisdom for this age than The Purpose of Power, a precious offering to a nation navigating unprecedented crises, for whom movements remain our only saving grace.” —Ai-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and author of The Age of Dignity
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A blend of social commentary, biography, and intellectual history, Until I Am Free is a manifesto for anyone committed to social justice. The book challenges us to listen to a working-poor and disabled Black woman activist and intellectual of the civil rights movement as we grapple with contemporary concerns around race, inequality, and social justice.
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Great book, couple pronunciation glitches
- By Sara T. on 06-18-22
By: Keisha N. Blain
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White Feminism
- From the Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind
- By: Koa Beck
- Narrated by: Koa Beck
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Addressing today’s conversation about race, empowerment, and inclusion in America, Koa Beck, writer and former editor-in-chief of Jezebel, boldly examines the history of feminism, from the true mission of the suffragists to the rise of corporate feminism with clear-eyed scrutiny and meticulous detail. She also examines overlooked communities - including Native American, Muslim, transgender, and more - and their ongoing struggles for social change.
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Visionary!
- By J. F. Beck on 01-06-21
By: Koa Beck
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AOC
- The Fearless Rise and Powerful Resonance of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
- By: Lynda Lopez
- Narrated by: Cary Hite, Marisa Blake
- Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Lynda Lopez's AOC investigates the many meanings of this remarkable young woman. Contributors span a wide range of voices and ages, from media to the arts and politics. Published on the one-year anniversary of her leap to power, this audiobook will be a must-have collector's item for her many fans.
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Enlightening
- By Jean on 09-16-20
By: Lynda Lopez
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America's Original Sin
- Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America
- By: Jim Wallis
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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America's problem with race has deep roots, with the country's foundation tied to the near extermination of one race of people and the enslavement of another. Racism is truly our nation's original sin. "It's time we right this unacceptable wrong", says best-selling author and leading Christian activist Jim Wallis. Fifty years ago, Wallis was driven away from his faith by a white church that considered dealing with racism to be taboo.
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Important book, but narrator was an amateur
- By RevReader on 06-01-18
By: Jim Wallis
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Blackout
- How Black America Can Make Its Second Escape from the Democrat Plantation
- By: Candace Owens, Larry Elder
- Narrated by: Candace Owens, Larry Elder
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Black Americans have long been shackled to the Democrats. Seeing no viable alternative, they have watched liberal politicians take the Black vote for granted without pledging anything in return. In Blackout, Owens argues that this automatic allegiance is both illogical and unearned. She contends that the Democrat Party has a long history of racism and exposes the ideals that hinder the Black community’s ability to rise above poverty, live independent and successful lives, and be an active part of the American dream.
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Thought provoking!
- By Girl with curls on 09-16-20
By: Candace Owens, and others
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Fight Like a Mother
- How a Grassroots Movement Took on the Gun Lobby and Why Women Will Change the World
- By: Shannon Watts
- Narrated by: Shannon Watts
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Fight Like a Mother is the incredible account how one mother’s cry for change became the driving force behind gun-safety progress. Along with stories of perseverance, courage, and compassion, Watts shines a light on the unique power of women - starting with what they have, leading with their maternal strengths, and doubling down instead of backing down.
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Wow!
- By Joy McManus on 06-24-19
By: Shannon Watts
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Disintegration
- The Splintering of Black America
- By: Eugene Robinson
- Narrated by: Alan Bomar Jones
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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The African American population in the United States has always been seen as a single entity: a "Black America" with unified interests and needs. In his groundbreaking book Disintegration, longtime Washington Post journalist Eugene Robinson argues that, through decades of desegregation, affirmative action, and immigration, the concept of Black America has shattered.
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Written for Popular Consumption
- By Catherine S. Read on 06-03-11
By: Eugene Robinson
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Viral Justice
- How We Grow the World We Want
- By: Ruha Benjamin
- Narrated by: Ruha Benjamin
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Long before the pandemic, Ruha Benjamin was doing groundbreaking research on race, technology, and justice, focusing on big, structural changes. But the twin plagues of COVID-19 and anti-Black police violence inspired her to rethink the importance of small, individual actions. Part memoir, part manifesto, Viral Justice is a sweeping and deeply personal exploration of how we can transform society through the choices we make every day.
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Fantastic book!
- By Avie Kearney on 05-21-23
By: Ruha Benjamin
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The Audacity of Hope
- Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
- By: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
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In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. Now, in The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics: a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the "endless clash of armies" we see in Congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of "our improbable experiment in democracy".
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My Fellow Conservatives, Give This A Listen
- By Dallas D.L. on 02-12-15
By: Barack Obama
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The Devil You Know
- A Black Power Manifesto
- By: Charles M. Blow
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 6 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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From journalist and New York Times best-selling author Charles Blow comes a powerful manifesto and call to action for Black Americans to amass political power and fight white supremacy.
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A radical plan for Black liberation
- By Elizabeth on 01-27-21
By: Charles M. Blow
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How We Get Free
- Black Feminism and the Combahee River Collective
- By: Keeanga -Yamahtta Taylor
- Narrated by: Lisa Reneé Pitts
- Length: 6 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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The Combahee River Collective, a path-breaking group of radical black feminists, was one of the most important organizations to develop out of the antiracist and women's liberation movements of the 1960s and 70s. In this collection of essays and interviews edited by activist-scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, founding members of the organization and contemporary activists reflect on the legacy of its contributions to black feminism and its impact on today's struggles.
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Crucial history
- By Laura T on 10-04-18
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Conditional Citizens
- On Belonging in America
- By: Laila Lalami
- Narrated by: Laila Lalami
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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What does it mean to be American? In this starkly illuminating and impassioned book, Pulitzer Prize-finalist Laila Lalami recounts her unlikely journey from Moroccan immigrant to US citizen, using it as a starting point for her exploration of American rights, liberties, and protections.
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Blew my mind!
- By Leila Jaafari on 10-20-20
By: Laila Lalami
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A Nation of Nations
- A Story of America After the 1965 Immigration Law
- By: Tom Gjelten
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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In 1950, Fairfax County, Virginia, was 90 percent white, 10 percent African American, with a little more than 100 families who were "other". Currently the African American percentage of the population is about the same, but the Anglo white population is less than 50 percent, and there are families of Asian, African, Middle Eastern, and Latin American origin living all over the county. A Nation of Nations follows the lives of a few immigrants to Fairfax County over recent decades as they gradually "Americanize".
By: Tom Gjelten
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Why I Stand
- From Freedom to the Killing Fields of Socialism
- By: Burgess Owens
- Narrated by: Rich Cade
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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American Individualism has been the crown jewel of a nation that has prioritized God, family, and freedom to out-dream its obstacles. It is the freedom of this individual spirit that is under attack by its adversarial ideology, Marxist Socialism. This destructive ideology has resulted in “killing fields” of bodies, souls, and dreams of billions worldwide. Consistent is the destruction of manhood, womanhood, the family, and every pillar that supports love of God and country. Why I Stand documents an ideology that uses trust to divide and betray.
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Eye opening!
- By Susan Nelson on 03-04-19
By: Burgess Owens
What listeners say about The Purpose of Power
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Sandy Brooks
- 01-24-21
Great book.
A great book for this time. Everyone should read it. Very well written, and it keeps your attention.
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- Molly
- 09-12-22
prophetic and instructive book
Alicia is a sage of movements and powerbuilding. I found her insight and wisdom extremely informative as I think about how to make change in this broken world. I highly recommend this book.
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- Scott
- 02-09-21
Essential reading for all who wish to contribute to creating a more just, healthier and loving world.
This is one of the most astute and accessible narratives about what it is to work as an organizer for social change- the empowerment of individuals and communities to discover, struggle for and (sometimes) achieve their aspirations - with respect, compassion and dedication to the upliftment of others. Alicia Garza’s book is, however more than this. It is a sophisticated primer on what its title says: the purpose of power. It cuts through the hype, misinformation and misuse of power (sometimes unwitting) to distill some of the key and essential elements of organizing for and achieving community power; not power for power’s sake, but rather for inclusivity and unleashing the creative, loving and responsible potential of compassion and relationship. This book is a masterpiece. (And an even greater delight to hear it read with the sentiment intended by Alicia Garza herself.)
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-27-21
wonderful
I loved every bit of it. Well written and well read. Great insight into life.
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- Richard King
- 11-17-20
Organizations!
Keep mutual respect in your heart and think with openness, yes both at the same time.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Molline Smith
- 04-17-21
SEE US ALL!!
This is where I am and I'm sure I'm not alone at the age of #thirty-fine. Thank you for seeing me and us all. For gifting us with these words. These are the words I needed to hear!!!! At times, I feel so alone in my struggle to redefine and shift the landscape of Real Estate Development in one of the richest counties in the nation. Thank you!!!
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- The Alchemist
- 11-04-20
A second read...
... my first read was filter through my own identity and whatever residual-isms lurk within... and that’s how I wanted to respond throughout... there is a fine line between critique and bashing/blaming and an even greater danger of alienation when you paint w too broad a brush.... so bc of that - I need to read again and try to remove some of my masks so I can hear what the sister is saying in an effort to understand and not simply respond.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Ag
- 10-28-20
Thank you
Thank you Alicia for sharing your story and the power of movements and what it takes to build one.
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- Jules
- 06-27-22
Brilliance
If you find yourself reading reviews of this book, chances are, it’s for you. Garza clearly covers how we got to the point today of fascist ideas controlling America, and Organizing 101, through a needed intersectional viewpoint. I turned to this book to help me understand how to be better at organizing for change in my own community, and it revealed many important truths for me. It’s also about what is needed to build across difference to achieve the kind of world we all, and our babies, need. So grateful.
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- M. J. Lovejoy
- 11-20-20
Brilliant!
The history of turn rise of the neo liberal right wing was my favorite part, great information and context- thank you for all your brilliant work! 🙏🏽
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2 people found this helpful