Silicon Valley Reads: Harnessing the Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope
Virtual kickoff event takes place Jan. 27
By Staff Report
Silicon Valley Reads is a county-wide community engagement program that offers free events and activities centered around books and a different theme every year.
Last year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme was “Connecting.” As our community continues to adapt to life during a pandemic, Silicon Valley Reads 2022 will move the community forward with the theme “The Power of Kindness, Resilience & Hope.”
Three memoirs were selected, with each embodying this theme from a different perspective. They include:
- See No Stranger by Valarie Kaur: A synthesis of wisdom and a chronicle of personal and communal history, See No Stranger is part memoir, part practical guide to changing the world.
Author Valarie Kaur, renowned Sikh activist, filmmaker, and civil rights lawyer, ignited the hearts of millions around the globe by sharing her compelling story and declaring Revolutionary Love as the call of our times: a radical, joyful practice that extends to others, to ourselves, and to our opponents. A No. 1 Los Angeles Times best seller.
- Enough About Me by Richard Lui: Lui made the difficult decision to leave his dream job as an NBC News/MSNBC anchor to help care for his ailing father in San Francisco.
It was a difficult time, and through the challenge he realized that doing this selfless act had a positive overall impact on his well-being. He decided to dig deep into exploring acts of compassion from the lens of a reporter. Part scientific, part emotional, his journey is one that many will relate to.
- A Dream Called Home by Reyna Grande: A beautifully written immigrant’s story that quickly engages the reader.
Reyna crosses the border at 9 years old and perseveres through many difficulties to find her way to the University of California, Santa Cruz. With a passion for writing and the resilience to push forward, her story enlightens us to the challenges so many confront in making a home in America.
All three award-winning authors will participate in a virtual panel discussion hosted by the Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley and moderated by Sal Pizarro of the San Jose Mercury News at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 27. The authors will share their compelling stories which give hope to the future. Pre-registration is required for this event. The public can register for this free event and hundreds more at www.siliconvalleyreads.org/events.
For young readers, four books were selected to accompany the main selections.
The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates (pre-K to K), The Girl in the Gold Dress by Christine Paik (1st to 3rd grade), SHINE! by JJ and Chris Grabenstein (4th to 8th grade), and Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorrum (high school). Schools and libraries will be hosting virtual visits from three of these authors.
This year, events will be a combination of both virtual and in-person, as guidelines allow. Partnering with libraries, schools, and community organizations, more than 130 free events are scheduled and accessible to the public throughout the months of February and March.
Events for all ages include author visits, book discussions, meditation, yoga, tai chi and compassion classes, teen conversations, arts and crafts for children, explorations of faith including a tour of the San Jose Sikh Gurdwara, story walks, art exhibits, museum tours, read alouds in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Mandarin, celebrity readings by county supervisors, an in-person movie screening of Sky Blossom followed by a discussion with director/author Richard Lui, and many more programs around kindness, resilience, hope, and the 2022 book selections.
All are welcome and encouraged to join. See the full schedule of events and register online at www.siliconvalleyreads.org/events.