Vanessa Priya Daniel with Naomi Ishisaka — 'Unrig the Game'

Third Place Books is thrilled to welcome community organizer Vanessa Priya Daniel to our Seward Park store for a discussion of her new book, . She will be joined in conversation Naomi Ishisaka, social justice columnist for The Seattle Times. This event is free and open to the public.

For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here.

This event is free to attend. RSVP is recommended in advance.

"Essential reading for everyone who wants progressive movements to win. A guide for women of color leaders to reclaim our power"—LaTosha Brown, Co-founder of Black Voters Matter and Southern Black Girls Consortium
"I didn’t know how much I needed this book until I turned the pages."
—Linda Sarsour, Author of We Are Not Here to Be Bystanders
“An immeasurable gift to anyone trying to understand the conditions in which women of color make the impossible possible." —Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, former co-executive director, Highlander Research & Education Center
In the U.S., many of the most significant social justice victories of our time have been spearheaded by women of color leaders. From the streets, to the ballot box, to elected office, no other demographic group stands up more consistently and unequivocally for human rights, democracy, and the planet. Remarkably, they’ve accomplished this despite conditions—in their fields and organizations—that make leadership uniquely treacherous for them. For women of color leaders, the game is rigged. How much more could humanity be winning if we unrigged it? What might be possible, in this clutch moment of history, with so much on the line, if movements stopped benching our best in ways that negatively impact the scoreboard for everybody?
Unrig the Game equips us to support effective women of color leaders so we can all win. A former community and union organizer who started one of the largest foundations to resource women of color-led organizing, Vanessa Priya Daniel draws on candid interviews with forty-five prominent women of color movement leaders, along with her own experience at the helm of an organization, to offer an on-the-ground perspective of the obstacles leaders face, how they navigate them, and how allies can show up. Daniel highlights the unique strengths and “superpowers” these leaders bring to the fight for social change, while debunking the myth that identity alone makes a transformative leader.
For women of color leaders, this book is a balm, a sister circle, and a master class. For everyone, it is an essential tool to realize the world we all deserve.

Vanessa Priya Daniel has worked in social justice movements for twenty-five years as a labor and community organizer and funder. She founded and served for seventeen years as executive director of Groundswell Fund, a leading funder of women of color-led grassroots and electoral organizing. She is a recipient of the Smith College Medal, was featured by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as one of fifteen “Influencers” who are changing the non-profit world, and by Inside Philanthropy as one of the “Top 100 Most Powerful Players in Philanthropy.” Daniel has written for The New York Times and other publications.

Naomi Ishisaka is the Assistant Managing Editor for Diversity and Inclusion and the Social Justice Columnist for The Seattle Times. She is a journalist and photographer who focuses on racial equity and social justice.

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Third Place Books, 5041 Wilson Avenue South, Seattle, United States