Finding My Voice: When the Perfect Plan Crumbles, the Adventure Begins

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"Valerie has been one of Barack and my closest confidantes for decades... the world would feel a lot better if there were more people like Valerie blazing the trail for the rest of us."--Michelle Obama"The ultimate Obama insider" (The New York Times) shares her journey at a pivotal moment in American historyWhen Valerie Jarrett interviewed a promising young lawyer named Michelle Robinson in July 1991 for a job in Chicago city government, neither knew where that meeting might take them. Jarrett would go on to become a trusted friend and advisor to Michelle and Barack Obama -- and one of the most visible, influential African-American women of the twenty-first century.Now, in her forthright and optimistic memoir, Jarrett shares her experience as a mother, daughter, and woman who's experienced the magic that happens once we cast aside any unrealistic expectations of a perfect life or a perfect outcome. In Finding My Voice, she offers a galvanizing testament to the power in staying open to a change in course and an embrace of the uncomfortable. Only then, she argues, can we move forward together and truly learn to value--and listen to--our own voices.
"The ultimate Obama insider" (The New York Times) and longest-serving senior advisor in the Obama White House shares her journey as a daughter, mother, lawyer, business leader, public servant, and leader in government at a historic moment in American history.When Valerie Jarrett interviewed a promising young lawyer named Michelle Robinson in July 1991 for a job in Chicago city government, neither knew that it was the first step on a path that would end in the White House. They bonded over their desire to improve the lives of the people in their communities, and Jarrett soon became Michelle and Barack Obama's trusted personal advisor and family confidante, a role that would continue on the campaign trail and, later, when she formally joined the White House team. Born in Iran (where her father, a doctor, sought a better job than he could find in segregated America), Jarrett grew up in Chicago in the 60s as racial and gender barriers were being challenged. A single mother stagnating in corporate law, she found her voice in Harold Washington's historic administration, where she began a remarkable journey, ultimately becoming one of the most visible and influential African-American women of the twenty-first century.From her work on equality for women and girls, civil rights, criminal justice, and opportunities for working families, to the real stories behind some of the most stirring moments of the Obama presidency, Jarrett shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on leadership and citizenship, inspiring readers to lift their own voices.