Unrig the Game - by Vanessa Priya Daniel (Hardcover)

About the Book

"As the clock counts down towards game over on our planet-as we fight to protect democracy and build a fair society-social justice movements seem to be doing just that. Women of color are top scorers for social change and responsible for many of the biggest victories of our time. From the streets, to the ballot box, to elected office, no other demographic group stands up more consistently and unequivocally against hate and injustice. Yet, in this clutch moment in history, when humanity can least afford it, the full power and potential of their leadership is too often benched by those who tear them down. Lighting The Path equips us to support our MVPs 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 Daniel draws on candid interviews with 45 different 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 skillfully spotlights the superpowers these leaders bring to social change, while rejecting the magical thinking that identity alone makes anyone a good leader inherently"--

Book Synopsis

A much-needed playbook to supporting and retaining women of color in leadership roles to create lasting change in the world, from a former labor and community organizer and founder of one of the nation's premier funders of women of color-led organizations.

"A balm and an inspiration."--Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and director of Caring Across Generations

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.

Review Quotes

"This book is a treasure! Amazing, instructive, and inspirational . . . Enlightenment, satisfaction, and enrichment for the time spent reading--especially now when there are so many demands on our eyes. Everyone should read it."--Dolores Huerta, labor leader and civil rights activist, co-founder (alongside Cesar Chavez) of the United Farm Workers union

"An excellent and necessary book . . . In my decades of work with leaders, this may be the most honest and poignant account I've read of what women of color leaders experience. A wonderful mirror for those of us who've been in the work for so long, and a guide for those just beginning."--Akaya Windwood, lead advisor, Third Act, and author of Leading with Joy

"Unrig the Game speaks to the heart of every woman of color movement leader who has been undermined, underpaid, and underestimated. This book is a reaffirmation of our experiences and our pain but also our triumphs and our potential. 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

"Reading this book is like sitting in a sister circle with some of the greatest movement leaders of our time. It is a balm and an inspiration."--Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and director of Caring Across Generations

"Brave and essential reading for everyone who wants progressive movements to win. A guide for women of color leaders to move beyond the boundaries that others have set for us, to reclaim our power and expand our imagination of what is possible. A call to bring what has battered women of color leaders out from the shadows and into the public square to be faced and changed. Vanessa invites us to the task with a collective testimony that is enthralling, nourishing, and full of heart."--LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter and the Southern Black Girls and Women's Consortium

"Vanessa has brought to life the sacrifices and sisterhood that being a social justice warrior entails. Both are crucial strategies to justice in a world we want to leave behind as our legacies."--S. Mona Sinha, global executive director of Equality Now

"An immeasurable gift to anyone trying to understand movement today, the many roles women of color leaders play, and the conditions in which they make the impossible possible. If you are looking for an accessible assessment of the conditions facing WOC leaders, a road map for being a strong WOC leader, and a guide on how to flank WOC who answer the call, then this book is for you."--Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, former co-executive director of the Highlander Research and Education Center

About the Author

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.