Review by Booklist Review
In this combined memoir and self-help book, Ross, coauthor of Reproductive Justice: An Introduction (2017), offers advice on how to find harmony among those with diametrically opposing viewpoints. Through her own experiences, Ross provides guidance on how to use her method of accountability, known as "The 5Cs": calling out, canceling, calling in, calling on, and calling it off. Recounting stories from her decades-long career in activism, Ross shows the 5Cs in action, finding common ground among the most unexpected people. With humor and grace, Ross describes her time in the field doing "opposition research" to deprogram hate-group defectors. "Picture a three-hundred-pound Black woman at a Klan rally. I was as stealthy as fireworks." In another story, Ross, herself a survivor of sexual abuse, establishes a weekly book club in a prison with a group of incarcerated rapists looking to establish an anti-rape movement. For those who would like to see less condemnation and more empathy in the world, Calling In provides a framework for navigating disagreements and finding compromise with just about anyone.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this bracing blend of memoir and manifesto, activist Ross (Radical Reproductive Justice) details her decades of fighting for reproductive rights and calls for her fellow organizers to "build bridges instead of burning them down." The narrative hinges on Ross's work for organizations including the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the National Organization for Women, and the Center for Democratic Renewal, focusing especially on the lessons she learned from collaborating with difficult colleagues, including former hate group members and violent criminals. With straightforward language and insightful anecdotes, Ross illuminates the concrete value of bridging divides, detailing the professional successes and personal growth she's been able to achieve by remaining open to input from "spheres of influence" she'd initially dismissed. She backs up her prescriptive advice ("Value growth over punishment") with writings by psychologists and thinkers including Audre Lorde and Martin Luther King Jr. Practical without being preachy, this is an invaluable road map for navigating tricky political waters. Agent: David Kuhn, Aevitas Creative Management. (Feb.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Cofounder of the National Center for Human Rights Education, Ross (coeditor, Radical Reproductive Justice) uses her extensive activism experience across many different organizations and decades to share the lessons she's learned about calling in potential allies instead of calling them out for unjust actions and words. She focuses on the concepts of nonviolent activism and shares ample quotes from other well-known activists to show how the notion of calling in has been around for a while and how beneficial it can be. Aimed at a liberal-leaning readership, the book still treats those who have different beliefs with goodwill, demonstrating how Ross has been able to work with people across the aisle by finding the joy in calling people in and away from hate. Half of the book focuses on Ross's own story, along with examples of situations where she applied the core concepts from her work. The latter half of the volume gives additional practical advice for real-life situations. VERDICT This is a highly recommended, necessary read for anyone who finds themself grating against those with different political beliefs. Ross's book has plenty of potential for discussions and healing relations between friends and family and maybe even strangers too.--Amanda Ray
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
