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This piece is authored by Lindsay Meyer-Harley , founder of Still We Rise by Lindsay Meyer-Harley , a community for good. Join us in subscribing to her work which dives into what's happening in politics - locally, nationally and worldwide - sharing action steps and ways we can collectively rise up for all. 
After this week’s record-breaking No Kings Day protests - where streets across the country filled with people demanding an end to authoritarianism - it’s clear we’re living through a moment of mass mobilization. The energy is high, the stakes are higher, and everywhere you look, people are stepping up.
But after showing up, the question becomes: what now? One answer is to keep learning. Time to log on with Lindsay Meyer-Harley .
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When things get loud on TV, in the streets, in our heads, I recommend finding a quiet place to reset and diving into a book. Books are the salve to a weary soul. They bring us into different worlds, different times, and give us necessary perspective when things feel unhinged. They allow us to sit still (unless you’re multitasking to an audio book, of course) and calm our bodies. They invite us to expand our minds. 
Here are the titles I recommend to get you through the toughest of times. They are books I’ve read and loved over the years, ones I gift to loved ones, and come back to like old friends. They will teach you, hold your emotions, stir rage inside and ultimately bring you back to your humanity; the only thing that will save us.
All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
This book is a beautiful and profound exploration of love in its many forms. hooks focuses on how love can be a transformative potential and a force for personal and societal change.
Just Kids by Patti Smith
A vulnerable memoir that chronicles her early life and her time in New York City, focusing particularly on her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. This deeply personal story of love, art, and the bohemian lifestyle that defined a certain era of creativity in the late 60s and 70s. Patti Smith captures the intensity of her and Robert’s bond in a way that leaves you rooting on the tremendous love that friendship can bring. It’s also a wonderful look at New York City during a time when artists and creatives were seeking to carve out their own identities.
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
This read will stop you in your tracks. It’s is a powerful and poignant memoir about the injustices within the American criminal justice system. Stevenson, a lawyer and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) [ [link removed] ], an organization the Still We Rise community has proudly raised money for over the years, tells the story of his work defending people who have been wrongfully convicted, marginalized, or given disproportionately harsh sentences. Stevenson takes you into the jail with him, you meet his clients and learn their stories and root for their freedom.
Bryan Stevenson has worked on cases that involve death row inmates, juveniles sentenced to life imprisonment, and others who face systemic injustice. His work goes beyond legal defense and he ties these issues issues of racial inequality, the legacy of slavery, and the criminalization of poverty in the United States. His work and legacy is one all Americans need to learn.
Ultimately Stevenson shines a light on the transformative power of mercy.
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
A beautifully written exploration of the intersection between Indigenous knowledge, botany, and ecological wisdom. Kimmerer, a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, blends her scientific background with her cultural heritage to offer a unique perspective on how humans can connect with the natural world.
The book is structured as a series of essays that reflect on the ways in which plants, and the natural world more broadly, teach us about life, reciprocity, and sustainability. Kimmerer uses her scientific understanding of plants and ecosystems alongside Indigenous teachings that emphasize gratitude, respect, and the interconnectedness of all living things.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
This is a gorgeous and richly detailed novel that spans multiple generations and immerses the reader in the complex, intricate lives of a family living in South India. The Covenant of Water has deep character development and vivid storytelling which spans nearly a century of history. The book is a multi-generational saga that touches on the universal themes of love, loss, inheritance, and the mysteries of the human body, much like Verghese's previous works. 
I Shall Not Hate: A Gaza Doctor's Journey by Izzeldin Abuelaish
A memoir all should read. It’s a deeply moving and powerful account that chronicles the personal and professional life of Abuelaish, a Palestinian doctor who witnessed and survived unimaginable personal loss, his three daughters and niece, who were killed during an Israeli airstrike in 2009. 
The book is both a testimony to the brutality of conflict in Gaza and an inspiring story of resilience, forgiveness, and the possibility of peace as well as the need to hold onto hope for that peace. It’s an important account of living under Israeli occupation written by a man who continues to seek peace.
The 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones
The New York Times Magazine’s award-winning reframing of American history that placed slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our collective national narrative. The book offers a revealing new origin story for the United States, one that not only helps explain the persistence of anti-Black racism and inequality in American life today, but also the roots of so much of what makes the country unique. It’s an incredibly important book that spans 400 years of our history. 
I sell the incredibly powerful children’s companion title in my shop, Born on the Water, available HERE [ [link removed] ]
Never Forget Your Name: Children of Auschwitz by Alwin Meyer
A gut-wrenching, powerful book that tells the heartbreaking stories of the children who survived the horrors of Auschwitz, one of the most infamous Nazi concentration camps. The title refers to what the children went through, even having their names stripped from them during their time in the concentration camps. For many reclaiming their names and personal histories became an act of resistance to the dehumanization they suffered. The resilience of these young survivors is remarkable, especially considering what they experienced at such tender ages. We don’t often hear from the children of events such as these and their voice is incredibly valuable and adds to the narrative of war and the post-traumatic experiences in the aftermath.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Coates writes to his teenage son, Samori, offering him a profound reflection on race, identity, history, and the reality of being Black in America. He shares his own personal experiences growing up as a Black man in America, combining his personal narrative with greater historical context and larger societal nuances. The book is beautifully and intensely introspective and will help shape the America you see here on out.
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
A massively important and transformative exploration of the social hierarchy that underpins much of the global power structure. Wilkerson examines the legacy of caste systems across the world including the United States, India and Nazi Germany. This groundbreaking work describes how societies are organized hierarchically, often without the individuals within them recognizing the full extent of the societal divisions and the implications it causes. Her thesis is that caste, not race, is the underlying structure that defines the social order and perpetuates inequality, discrimination, and oppression. The book’s core claim is that racism in the U.S. (and other societies) is part of a larger system of caste. An incredibly important read.
If you’re looking to buy any of these titles, I urge you to borrow them from your local libraries, borrow them from friends, or purchase from independent book stores or online at Bookshop.org [ [link removed] ]. Also, consider starting a book club with your community and get together to discuss. I promise you’ll deepen your connections and learn new insights!
Now, what books are on your shelf? Which do you reach for over and over? Share with the community by leaving a comment!
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