Your download is on its way!

‍ ‍

“You can’t save the world, but you can take care of the postage stamp in your yard.”

‍ ‍

Ann Patchett, 62, best-selling author of 17 books, winner of the PEN/Faulkner award, Pulitzer Prize finalist, winner of the Women’s Prize For Fiction in the UK, the President’s National Humanities Medal, named Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the world, and owner of Parnassus Books in Nashville, told a crowd recently as part of the Chicago Humanities, that stories frame everything.

‍ ‍

In an on-stage conversation with Lisa Lucas, former senior vice president at Knopf Doubleday, and former executive director of the National Book Foundation, Patchett says, “What we all need is a sense of community, something we feel good about, that is something I am thrilled to be a part of.”

Her mission to use storytelling for leadership and change is aligned with the work of Kendall Cherry, Founder and Chief Storyteller at The Candid Collective, who is leading a Storytelling workshop at Take The Lead’s Power Up Conference August 26.

In the era of “fake news,” the power of the media to shape our understanding of reality is undeniable. Sexist news coverage is nothing new for women, but in an election year, it’s crucial we remain vigilant and outspoken. In this episode, Gloria urges us to be conscious, careful, and critical about women’s representation in the media and gives us concrete tips for how to recognize and leverage our own power to change the narrative.

By Kimberly Langen

I was born to missionary parents living in Uganda, and some of my earliest memories were shaped by seeing communities facing extreme poverty. When we left the country as Idi Amin was coming to power, I remember making a quiet promise to myself that I would spend my life finding ways to help others and create meaningful change wherever I could.

I later became a teacher, and it quickly became clear to me that many highly motivated students were quietly being left behind. The education system was largely focused on helping students reach minimum standards, but I believed many students needed something more challenging, rigorous, and meaningful. That belief eventually became the foundation for Spirit of Math.