More than Ready: Be Strong and Be You . . . and Other Lessons for Women of Color on the Rise

by Cecilia Muñoz

Overview

Advice and inspiration for women of color seeking new heights of influence, from the "incredible" top Latinx advisor to President Obama (Jennifer Palmieri, author of Dear Madam President).


Women of color today are contributing to an unprecedented wave of "firsts"-whether they are the first in a family to attend college, the first to serve as CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or the first in public office, women of color are reaching new heights of influence.

Cecilia Muñoz was a first, too, and she knows what it means to make her way without exemplars to follow. The first Latinx to lead the White House Domestic Policy Council, Muñoz draws lessons from the challenges she faced as the senior Hispanic person in the Obama White House and as a longtime powerful voice in the Civil Rights Movement. She shares her insights, along with those of some extraordinary women of color she met along the way, as an offering of inspiration to women of color who are no longer willing to be invisible or left behind.

Full of invaluable lessons about working through fear, facing down detractors, and leading with kindness, Muñoz provides the thoughtful insight and tactical tools women of color need to be successful-without compromising who they are.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580059480
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	04/07/2020
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Cecilia Muñoz served for eight years on President Obama's senior staff, first as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, then as Director of the Domestic Policy Council. She is now the Vice President for Public Interest Technology and Local Initiatives at New America and a Senior Fellow at Results for America. She lives in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Author's Note ix

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Starting Out 7

Chapter 2 Sharp Elbows and Other Tools 25

Chapter 3 Dealing with Doubt from Outside and Within 49

Chapter 4 On Fear and Fearlessness 71

Chapter 5 Finding Heroes 95

Chapter 6 Daring to be Disliked 111

Chapter 7 Facing Setbacks 129

Chapter 8 In Defense Of Kindness 147

Chapter 9 Family Matters 169

Chapter 10 Life Beyond Work 187

Editorial Reviews

"In More Than Ready, Cecilia Muñoz poignantly captures the challenges that women of color face as they try to compete on an uneven playing field, coupled with uplifting advice from her experiences rising to the height of her profession. Cecilia gives us insight into the critical lessons that helped her realize she, and we, are more than ready. If only I could have read this book when I began my career."—Valerie Jarrett, former Senior Adviser toPresident Barack Obama and author of FindingMy Voice

"It was by watching incredible women like Cecilia Muñoz I learned the important life lesson that if you don't look like everyone else in the room, your perspective matters more, not less. When Cecilia spoke in meetings with President Obama, she did so with a powerful combination of integrity, wisdom, experience and empathy. She was often the only Latina in the room and often had the most insightful observations to make—the one thing that hasn't been said already that the President needed to hear. I have learned much from her and glad others will now have the chance to do so as well."—Jennifer Palmieri, former White House Communications Director and author, Dear Madam President

"Muñoz provides reassurance and guidance for any woman who has also found themselves the first or only woman of color at the table... Women in all phases of life should find encouragement from Muñoz's experiences and thoughtful, tested, career-centered advice."—Library Journal

"Cecilia is a wise guy who happens to be a woman, a 'domestic' worker whose 'house' work included the White House's public policy, an 'only' and a 'first' too many times in her life as a Latina. She shares with us what her triumphs and mistakes have taught her, stories that clear the way for women following in her brilliant path."—Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street

"Americans are slowly, sometimes reluctantly, coming to understand that power and success comes in many shapes and sizes. Following the adventures of Cecilia Muñoz, a self-described 'diminutive Latina,' as she scales the heights of domestic policy-making and finds herself at President Obama's elbow, will inspire an entire generation of America's next leaders."—Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of New America, author of Unfinished Business

"It has been my pleasure to work alongside Cecilia Muñoz while I served as the first Latina Secretary of Labor under the Obama administration. Cecilia's experience provides valuable lessons, especially to young people looking to make their way, wondering whether their voices matter."—Hilda Solis, Chair of theLos Angeles County Board of Supervisors and former Secretary of Labor

From the Publisher

02/21/2020

Muñoz, former White House adviser and senior staff member, offers encouragement for women of color who have been called into higher positions of influence in their workplaces or communities. Having experienced discrimination as a Latina in U.S. politics, Muñoz provides reassurance and guidance for any woman who has also found themselves the first or only woman of color at the table. Muñoz recounts successes and support from her ascent through nonprofit and government work but also setbacks and bias (deliberate or not) encountered by herself and other colleagues. The result is a toolkit of thoughtful, tested advice from which readers can draw inspiration. Muñoz relays advice from her peers and also personal heroes, including Michelle Obama and Deesha Dyer, and how they overcame challenges during Obama's administration. Unfortunately, the adversity women experience isn't always external, so Muñoz additionally provides strategies for overcoming fear and self-doubt. VERDICT Women in all phases of life should find encouragement from Muñoz's experiences and career-centered advice.—Jennifer Clifton, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis

Library Journal