Summer Reading: ALF Oregon Senior Fellow Authors
The ALF Oregon Senior Fellow Network is filled with incredible writers, many of whom have recently published books! If you’re looking for some topical summer reading or a wonderful book to share with your children, here are some Senior Fellow authors for your home library!
Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work by Shari Dunn (Class 31)
Qualified: How Competency Checking and Race Collide at Work (HarperCollins) is a sharp, necessary look at how workplace bias is disguised as concern over “competency.” Shari Dunn unpacks how Black professionals and people of color are subjected to relentless scrutiny in hiring, promotion, and leadership—while white counterparts are assumed qualified. Blending research, history, and lived experience, Dunn reframes imposter syndrome as systemic misidentification. As Book Riot writes, “I often feel like a book being described as ‘timely’ is played out, but that is exactly how I’d describe Dunn’s Qualified.” A must-read for anyone serious about workplace equity.
Lyrics for Lara by John Frohnmayer (Class 2)
Lara, a museum director, has agreed to come to Roseburg to aid Stoney, her lawyer friend, in finding out who is kicking poor people out of trailer parks. David, singer, guitar player, and heart-breaker provides the lyrics, and Lara, as usual, finds plenty of trouble.
Lyrics for Lara is John Frohnmayer’s third in this series. The fourth will be out before the end of the 2025.
Two of John’s other trilogies on sports and philosophy are also available: Carrying the Clubs, What Golf Teaches Us About Ethics, 2019 and Skiing and the Poetry of Snow, 2020.
A Kids Book About Pride by Kendall Clawson (Class 28)
In June, we celebrate Pride, but what does that mean? Everyone wants to be accepted just as they are, and Pride is all about honoring and encouraging people to be their most authentic selves! To help kids understand the enduring bravery of LGBTQIA+ people, this book includes the story of a moment in history which sparked the fight for freedom and acceptance for this community and beyond―something worth celebrating every day.
A Kids Book About Hope by Kali Thorne Ladd (Class 30)
What does it mean to have hope? Hope is trusting that good things are possible, no matter the circumstances. It’s also something we all have inside and can give to those around us. Hope is a powerful choice we can make to bring about change, healing, and light to the world we all share.
Be sure to check out Kali’s TEDx Talk called Why Hope and Love Changes Everything for Children.
How We Do Family: From Adoption to Trans Pregnancy, What We Learned About Love and LGBTQ Parenthood by Trystan Reece (Class 46)
As featured in People magazine: One LGBTQ family’s inspiring, heartfelt story of the many alternative paths that lead to a loving family, with lessons for every parent.
In this inspiring memoir, Trystan shares his unique story alongside universal lessons that will help all parents through the trials of raising children. How We Do Family is a refreshing new take on family life for the LGBTQ community and beyond. Through every tough moment and touching memory, Trystan shows that more important than getting things right is doing them with love.
The Creative Alchemy Cycle: Activate Your Creativity to Wake Up and Get Free by Sarah Greenman (Class 40)
The Creative Alchemy Cycle is a year-long journey that will deepen your relationship with the natural world, shake up limiting beliefs about your own creativity, and inspire you to make your own mark.
At a time when we are experiencing shock waves of collective grief due to racism, sexism, late-stage capitalism, colonialism, and compounding climate loss, Greenman lays out a nature-centered approach for embodied healing, joyful expression, and meaningful action. Her work offers a radical invitation for readers to tap their creativity as a force for social change. With deep permission and generous guidance, Greenman reminds us why creativity is a powerful tool for healing, justice, joy and collective liberation.
Live. Love. Leo. by Judge Kemp (Class 40
"Live. Love. Leo." is a semi-biographical collection of 55 poems following a long journey of self-discovery and self-expression. These poems reflect thoughts, ideas, and observations on the ever-elusive pursuits of happiness; family; life; social (in)justices; political impacts; LGBTQAI2s+; and racism. The poetry is personal, playful, funny, painfully expressive, visually descriptive, and emotionally haunting. "Live. Love. Leo." honors Black people and anyone who may identify as LGBTQAI2s+. The book also contains original, custom artwork by local Portland artist Chris McMurry.
The Joyful Village: The Power of Intergenerational Solutions by Derenda Schubert (Class 33)
And finally, dropping this summer, Joyful Village: The Power of Intergenerational Solutions, a nonfiction book about bridging the generations together to build cohesion within families, neighborhoods, communities, and our country. When we bring the generations together, solutions for families, cities, and our country are stronger and inclusive.
Derenda Schubert, PhD wrote this book because her own life experience as a granddaughter, daughter, sister, aunt, and mother, plus her professional experience as a psychologist, taught her that by building cohesion among the generations, we create a powerful safety net of care. Given the challenges and stresses facing families and elders in our country, Derenda recognized the need for naturally-occurring antidotes that took advantage of the strengths of each generation.
Are you an ALF Oregon Senior Fellow who’d like to be featured in the Senior Fellow library? Please reach out to Operations Manager Rene Bordelon at rene@alfo.org.