About this item
A moving, inspiring political memoir and progressive call to arms from the chief public affairs officer for moveon.org, chronicling her own experiences - from growing up in New York's Haitian community to working in the Obama White House and charting a path for others to help change the face of politics.Part memoir, part how-to and part progressive political handbook, Moving Forward takes the reader on a journey that begins in the Haitian American enclave in Queens, New York, where Karine Jean-Pierre grew up. Most political origin stories have the same backbone: reading the Washington Post in elementary school, skipping school to see a presidential candidate, canvassing door-to-door before they can count to ten.That story can be intimidating. It reinforces the feeling people so often have that politics is a closed system; that if you weren't participating in debate club or Young Democrats or Model UN by the time you finished high school, you have no chance in politics.That is not Karine Jean-Pierre's story. Unlike many people in politics, she is a naturalized American citizen. She wasn't drawn to politics until after college, when she realized she wanted to have an impact, to have her voice heard in the public arena and to speak for those who are silenced in our society.In Moving Forward, Jean-Pierre sets out to make politics accessible to anyone who wants to take part, no matter how or where they grew up or how young or old they might be. In the age of Trump, the need for all of us to participate has never been more crucial. The progressive cause needs us if we are to rescue the nation from Trump and the evils of racism, sexism and the Koch brothers' billions. This book will be a call to arms for those who know that now is the time we must act.
About the Author
Karine Jean-Pierre's professional experience has ranged widely from presidential campaigns to grassroots activism to local politics, to working in the White House. Jean-Pierre is the Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn and an NBC and MSNBC Political Analyst. Jean-Pierre previously served as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Martin O'Malley for President.Prior to joining the O'Malley Campaign. In 2014 she was the Campaign Manager for ACLU's Reproductive Freedom Initiate (RFI) . Previously, she managed Tish James' successful campaign for New York City Public Advocate. In 2011, Jean-Pierre served as Deputy Battleground States Director for President Obama's 2012 re-election campaign, managing the President's political engagement in key states while leading the delegate selection and ballot access process.Before joining the re-election campaign, Jean-Pierre served as the Regional Political Director for the White House Office of Political Affairs. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, she worked on the Obama for America campaign in 2008 as the Southeast Regional Political Director; she served the John Edwards for President Campaign in the same capacity.Jean-Pierre's interests demonstrate her concern for integrity and the human condition. In graduate school, she explored her Haitian roots through documentary film. Later, she worked at the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics and pushed major companies like Wal-Mart to change their business practices. While working in New York, Jean-Pierre served as Press Secretary to Congressmen Anthony Weiner, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Legislative and Budget Affairs for two City Council Members respectively in the New York City Council.Jean-Pierre joined the Columbia University faculty in 2014 where she teaches a course at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) . She received her MPA from Columbia University's SIPA in 2003.
