No, You Shut Up: Speaking Truth to Power and Reclaiming America

For the radical revolutionaries. This one is for us.<br /><br />I have been obsessed with Democratic commentator Symone Sanders since the day she served Kenneth Cuccinelli a much needed clap back on live television when he told her to "shut up" on CNN during an interview alongside Chris Cuomo. No. YOU SHUT UP. When Symone told Cuccinelli that he in fact needed to be the one to shut up, and that in no way, shape, or form would he be allotted to speak to her that way, I felt it with every vein in my body. She was speaking on behalf of all of us.<br /><br />Black people are, and have collectively BEEN tired of "shutting up" to the demands of the white man. No but really, we are tired, we are through, and we will let our voices be heard loud and clear. This made for the perfect Audible listen (read by Sanders) and I loved hearing about not only her upbringing, but her time as Press Secretary for Bernie Sanders' 2016 Presidential Campaign, and now as Joe Biden's 2020 Campaign Advisor. One thing is for sure - Sanders is not only sharp AF, but ridiculously inspiring. While listening I found myself asking myself "What more can I be doing - I mean, ACTIVELY doing?"<br /><br />As a black woman living in this country I found this to be a necessary title to digest and was so glad I did. I recommend this to all of the radical revolutionaries. the millennials. and even the (true) white allies. <br /><br />This is by no means an original quote, but hearing Symone say it made it somehow stick with me. Moving forward I refuse to let my voice to be silenced. I refuse to settle for less than what I want, less than what I demand:<br /><br />"Ask for what you want." - Symone Sanders

I'm not big on politics, but this book was very informative, especially Sanders's experience as a Black women in politics.

I absolutely love her drive and tenacity...During her search for a job in politics she stated that she was told NO 27 times....she had the drive to continue despite being told no so many times. Symone's book was a well thought out reference guide that we will be able to go back and constantly use as a navigation tool through the world of politics. This young woman is an amazing, smart, sharp role model for our youth. This young woman was a national press secretary in her twenties....that's an amazing career milestone. Of course, her recount on Ken Cuccinelli telling her to shut up (because of course, he was no match for her intellect at all) and Symone having to properly put him in his place was priceless. I also enjoyed her recount on meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders, which solidified her position on his 2016 Presidential Candidacy. This book was a light book that was easy to follow as well as completely understand. I also enjoyed the fact that she narrated the book herself....who better to tell the story!

I <i>really</i> wanted to like this book. Ostensibly, it's about how "we the people" can reshape the political parties by being part of them and working within them to get them to focus on what we think is most important. Sanders focuses on the Democratic party since that's where her own work is. She also uses lots of stories from her own life to illustrate some of the points she makes about not taking no for an answer, asking for what you want, being willing to hustle when you need to, and deciding on your own boundaries so that you know when it's time to walk away.<br /><br />Problems: No discussion about the role or influence of money in politics. Lots about the need to vote but nothing about gerrymandering or voter suppression. This is really surprising in a book published in 2020. And, to me, it marred the book. <br /><br />It felt like a justification for working for Bernie in 2016 and Biden in 2020, which to me doesn't matter because, in the end, it didn't feel like she told us how to get either of the candidates to listen to the broader "We" rather than those already on the inside. That said, it could be useful for those interested in working on a political campaign.

File under the Alyssa Mastrimonico, Stacey Abrams political memoir of "this is how I reached unlikely success in electoral politics" and some life advice along with some humorous or self-deprecating stories. The difference here is that Sanders is young and often that shines through. Sometimes it's just in pronouncements she makes about modern political history or ignorance of the language of movements (using "strike line" in her conclusion instead of picket line?). Other times her confidence sounds a bit like she's bought into her own hype - a surprising amount of the book is spent detailing how she was rushed in announcing her Biden 2020 job and couldn't personally call every one of the candidates she'd spoken to about working on their campaigns. I was just kinda like "Listen, I'm pretty sure Kamala didn't cry herself to sleep over this." In terms of career advice, I'm not sure that I really gleaned much from Sanders's advice - basically she took a million internships, acquired a lot of professional references and worked on as many campaigns and npo's as she could.<br />However, Sanders also brings the tea about her role as Bernie's press secretary and the (micro)aggressions she faced in that role. This dishing the dirt on the Sanders campaign and her time at CNN almost pushed it to 3 stars, though it also has me wondering how this could impact future job prospects on major campaigns.

Really enjoyed this book. Part of what made it so enjoyable for me was that Symone Sanders is from Omaha, a place I lived for thirteen years. She told stories of her life in Omaha and her life in Washington, DC. She is a voice that should be listened to and heard. I hope my girls will read this book, too.

I am a fan of Symone Sanders and very much enjoyed reading this book. She is an excellent Author

I went to college with Symone and have followed her journey. It was exciting to have the chance to read her book. She was so down to earth - it felt like we were having a conversation by her writing style AND the fact that I listened to it via audio book. I loved her candor and real ness. Having grown up in Omaha, north Omaha and then Benson - I could vibe with what she was talking about and appreciate her experiences as a POC (which I am not). I’m so proud of you girl! Great book. Great call to action. I learned. I related. I got called to action. Well done.

I practically finished this book weeks ago, definitely over a month ago. I just couldn’t get myself to listen to the last 10 minutes of the audiobook (on Libro.fm, where purchases support independent bookstores instead of lining the pockets of Bezos). Silly Anna.<br /><br />First, it was because I didn’t want the book to end. Then, I just couldn’t concentrate. Well I finished it.<br /><br />It’s a good book, not spectacular, but it was good for me. I’m looking forward to hearing from Sanders more in her professional career.

An influential young voice in politics. If she’s made this many inroads, and mastered so many pathways to impact by age 29, imagine what she has to offer to our nation’s future. Someone to learn from and watch—this book has practical information too, for those who wish to get started in influencing policy.