Three of the most influential women in the United States will be appearing at the Enoch Pratt Free Library over the next two months to talk about their political careers, their new books and why women should run for elected office.
Nancy Pelosi, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Stacey Abrams will be appearing at a free author event as part of Pratt’s “Writers Live” series at the Central branch on Cathedral Street, and presumably at least one of them will be prepared to discuss the political future of another powerful American woman, U.S. vice president and likely Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Pelosi, a Baltimore native, is scheduled to take the stage on August 8 to talk about her book, “The Art of Power,” which describes what it means to make history as the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Pelosi, who grew up in Baltimore’s Little Italy as the daughter of Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro Jr. and sibling of Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro III, never ran for public office until she was 46. She first became speaker in 2007 and remains a powerful figure in national politics.
She will be followed six weeks later by Supreme Court Justice Jackson, who is scheduled to speak about his new memoir, “Lovely One,” on September 21st.
Jackson is a Harvard Law School graduate who worked as a public defender. Her memoir describes her family’s journey to recovery from racial discrimination. In 2022, she became the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.
And on Sept. 25, voting rights pioneer Abrams will read from her new children’s book, “Stacey’s Voice.” Abrams is credited with encouraging Black voters in the 2020 election and helping Joe Biden win her home state of Georgia, becoming the first Democrat to win the presidency in 30 years.
Abrams’ children’s book tells the story of an elementary school student who decides to take action when he realizes some of his classmates can’t afford the taco and pizza lunches that other kids enjoy.
While the Pelosi and Abrams readings are sold out, tickets for Jackson’s reading can be reserved beginning at noon Friday at calendar.prattlibrary.org. The Pratt reading will also feature a discussion with Loyola University Maryland professor and author Carsonia Wise Whitehead.
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