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Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America

Karine Jean-Pierre

3.84 · Rating details · 92 ratings · 29 reviews

"One of the most important voices of her generation." --Joy-Ann Reid

"A useful roadmap for all of us about how to make a difference." --David Axelrod

" Moving Forward will inspire you." --Valerie Jarrett

An inspiring political memoir from Karine Jean-Pierre, Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn, chronicling her path from New York's Haitian community to working in the ...more

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Hardcover, 288 pages

Published November 5th 2019 by Hanover Square Press

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Dec 28, 2019 Jean rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, autobiography, civil-rights, memoir, non-fiction, politics, race-issues

I have seen Jean-Pierre on television so decided to learn more about her by reading her recently published memoir.

Jean-Pierre was born in Martinique. Her parents were born and raised in Haiti. They immigrated to New York when she was young. She obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University. She had a tough life growing up, but she does not get bogged down in it. The book focuses on hard work and determination to reach her goals in life. I had the feeling the book ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 Monica rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: aoc, aoc-female, biography-memoirs, female-author-nonfic, kindle_nonfiction, nonfic_challenge_2020, obscure, pub_2010s, soc-sci-politics, rwc-2020

Karine Jean-Pierre is a very appealing personality with a very compelling story. The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Jean Pierre tells the story of growing up in a strict household with parents combating an unfair stigma of bigotry, particularly towards Haitians in New York City. Jean-Pierre is careful not to make this a story of racism, bigotry and hate but a story of what made her the person that she is. What molded her. Jean-Pierre's story is familiar to many, a young, driven, high achieving ...more

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Sep 06, 2019 Donna Hines rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley

Late bloomers this one is perfect for you....
Never give up hope as hope is the backbone behind the promise of America or is it?!
I can relate to much of what Karine discussed in terms of constantly moving from one opportunity to the next in believing that one closed door is not a curse but a blessing. That notion that hard work gets you your place in line has always been a staple to the America we used to know and love.
That moment of never losing sight of a goal when you may not have a goal set Late bloomers this one is perfect for you....
Never give up hope as hope is the backbone behind the promise of America or is it?!
I can relate to much of what Karine discussed in terms of constantly moving from one opportunity to the next in believing that one closed door is not a curse but a blessing. That notion that hard work gets you your place in line has always been a staple to the America we used to know and love.
That moment of never losing sight of a goal when you may not have a goal set in stone is courageous while not living a life of fear in expanding upon your horizons is to be applauded.
My main problem is that the hiring process seems to gravitate towards the younger group, the college grads, with relocation in mind.
For those of us with families who are older, fixed in finances, without relocation on menu, having been out of market longer than 6 months via long term unemployment we are often over looked for the lower wage workers who don't require the same benefits or requirements. Sadly in many areas nepotism in hiring along with corruption is the going rate these days.
Secondly, it can't be overstated we all need that one person, that one shining light, that one who believes in us to help open certain doors. Connections, networking, flexibility, and wealth is all needed with flex schedules which is often at the expense of raising families or other commitments and or constraints. We as humans are meant to work together and not isolated and alone.
While I'm currently locked into poverty I can relate to the idea of hard work, hope, perseverance as I welcome anyone to read my profile but my issue lies in the fact that many prospective employers tell you to 'dummy down on resumes' when your qualifications ,education, & experience make you overqualified. So the notion that you should expand in a variety of areas sounds nice but isn't realistic for everyone.
Many of us suffer from our current state of the economy, the recession that for many of us never ended, the lack of high paying living wage and or full time employment opportunities and the day to day paycheck to paycheck survival mode required today.
Those of us who haven't endured PTSD, trauma, abusive relationships are way ahead of the game which I empathize with her for coming forward to discuss her sexual abuse by her relative.
What I can note is we all have a story to tell and I'm appreciative she was able to tell her own.
While I've never heard of Karine Jean Pierre prior to this; I feel as though I know her on a more personal level as her thoughtful reflection was motivational and inspiring on many levels. Her acknowledging my tweet was also appreciative.
She has had a rather interesting life professionally and personally and we can all take something away from it and use it toward the common good.
With the current hateful atmosphere that is spewed from the highest office of the land I applaud her for wanting to have a call to action in not only voting but in getting involved at any level of government and politics. We all need to stay united and do our part. Having once married into politics and having a family deeply rooted in politics it's not for the faint of heart as you must be thick skinned and not let every action or inaction affect one's viewpoints reminding oneself of the reason why you are there.
She has listed a group of those she follows and or admirers for anyone who wishes to become better acquainted with her inner circle.
She has also told a story of a life of hard knocks, downfalls, dilemmas, and reality checks that many of us can relate too in some form or fashion.
So with all this comes the notion if you just work hard enough, if you just put that good foot forward, if you just don't lose hope but life also throws us curves and that too is fine as long as everyday is used to stay on target as each new day is a blessing.
Thank you to Karine her publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this honest review. ...more

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Aug 17, 2019 Chantale Onesi-Gonzalez rated it really liked it

Shelves: galley

As my first review on Net Galley, I am feeling a great deal of pressure to get this right, but Karine Jean-Pierre has made my job much less difficult with her lovely memoir. Moving Forward focuses on her childhood in Queens and the daily work that is required of the eldest child of an immigrant couple, her own journey to naturalized citizenship, and her subsequent lively political and media career.

Sharing the same birth year I felt at one with Jean-Pierre as she traced her youth and early ...more

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May 18, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this one. In her foreward, Jean-Pierre says it's aimed at younger folks who may be considering a career in politics, but there's plenty for us older folks whose windows of opportunity are not wide open. Sometimes I wish I hadn't been such a late bloomer professionally, because I could have gone in a lot of interesting directions—politics being one of them, maybe. Not that I have any issues with what I'm doing now, but at almost 56 there are a lot of cool options that I'm just not going ...more

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Aug 11, 2019 Nann rated it really liked it

A breath of fresh air in the political memoir genre!

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Aug 11, 2019 Janet rated it liked it

Shelves: zz-2019ng-when-i-read, k-e-k, skimmedthru-or-didn-t-finish

When it is hot as heck outside and there is nothing cool to do but reading as everything else makes you end up a sweaty mess, it is the perfect day for a speed reader.

I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do .

Most political origin stories have the same backbone. A bright young person starts
When it is hot as heck outside and there is nothing cool to do but reading as everything else makes you end up a sweaty mess, it is the perfect day for a speed reader.

I received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

Most political origin stories have the same backbone. A bright young person starts reading the Washington Post in elementary school. She skips school to see a presidential candidate. In middle school she canvasses door-to-door. The story can be intimidating. It reinforces the feeling that politics is a closed system: if you weren’t participating in debate club, the Young Democrats and Model UN you have no chance.

Karine Jean-Pierre’s story breaks the mould. In Moving Forward, she tells how she got involved, showing how politics can be accessible to anyone, no matter their background. In today’s political climate, the need for all of us to participate has never been more crucial. This book is her call to arms for those who know that now is the time for us to act.

First off, I had to look up who exactly the author is - (per Wikipedia) "Karine Jean-Pierre is a Haitian-American political campaign organizer, activist, political commentator, and lecturer in international and public affairs at Columbia University. She is the senior advisor and national spokeswoman for MoveOn.org and a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. MoveOn is a progressive public policy advocacy group and political action committee. Formed in 1998 in response to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton by the U.S. House of Representatives, MoveOn.org has raised millions of dollars for liberal candidates in the United States of America."

I expected more from this book - when I looked I saw that Miss Jean-Pierre's twitter feed has exploded lately with the racism comments on TV in regards to the POTUS and other US politicians. (This problem is not unique to the USA, trust me.) The book was just ... middling. It did not capture my attention which made no sense given its hot-button topics so I just skimmed through it. So, it may be for you, it may not --- ergo, a middle-of-the-road 2.5 stars rounded up to 3. (and tht is being generous!) ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Charlotte Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction, politics

Since the 2016 election of Donald Trump, I have been plugged into American politics; whether it be reading countless books on the topic, watching American news shows, or reading British coverage of the happenings, I'm fascinated. Karine Jean-Pierre is one of the faces I've seen across the coverage so when I saw she had a book out I was intrigued to learn more about her story.

A Haitian gay black woman in today's America, Karine gives insight into an upbringing very different from my own. She Since the 2016 election of Donald Trump, I have been plugged into American politics; whether it be reading countless books on the topic, watching American news shows, or reading British coverage of the happenings, I'm fascinated. Karine Jean-Pierre is one of the faces I've seen across the coverage so when I saw she had a book out I was intrigued to learn more about her story.

A Haitian gay black woman in today's America, Karine gives insight into an upbringing very different from my own. She delves into the secrecy perpetuated in Haitian culture, stigma surrounding mental health issues, the problem with affiliating yourself with a political candidate and much more. For the most part, my attention was grabbed and I needed to learn more about the idea of canvassing and campaigning for a particular candidate. This was particularly interesting when it came to the portions about Obama.

However, there were a few things that lowered my opinion of this book and the first one was the medium itself. I listened to Move Forward on audiobook and unfortunately, despite the author's eloquence on television, I found the narration to be stilted with odd pauses in the middle of sentences. Also there are some tough topics discussed including suicide, sexual violence and sexual abuse and I felt that these were handled quite clumsily. Of course it is Karine Jean-Pierre's story so it is hers to tell, but I felt like these topics came up out of the blue and were spoken about in such a matter of fact way that it was difficult to concentrate for a few minutes after each of these sections. I'm glad that she was honest about difficulties in her life but I feel that some people may be triggered by the way they were presented.

Overall, I sped through this book and it gave me a real insight into the life of Karine Jean-Pierre. If you are interested in American politics and are familiar with the author's television appearances, you may enjoy it but I feel that it would be better read on the page rather than listened to.

3 out of 5 stars! ...more

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Oct 26, 2019 Barred Owl Books rated it it was amazing

“One of the most important voices of her generation.” —Joy-Ann Reid

“A useful roadmap for all of us about how to make a difference.” —David Axelrod

“Moving Forward will inspire you.” —Valerie Jarrett

An inspiring political memoir from Karine Jean-Pierre, Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn, chronicling her path from New York’s Haitian community to working in the Obama White House, and offering a blueprint for anyone who wants to change the face of politics.

Most political origin stories have the ...more

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Dec 26, 2019 Maria rated it it was amazing

It was refreshing to hear (I read the audiobook) this author in her words and inflections of her story and her ascent to a successful but, more importantly, fulfilling career in politics. This book is both autobiography and self help.

Jean-pierre’s own story of being from an immigrant Haitian family who relocated from Haiti, to Martinique, to France then settling in Long Island and the socio economic challenges that that entailed (and sexuality- which is not a main theme) alone is compelling. ...more

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Dec 22, 2019 B rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 28, 2019 Tricia Sean rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-to-infinity, african-american-lit, memoir, my-2019

This book was part political how to book and part memoir. The memoir part was a 5 star read. The political how to part was slightly wanting and although I find it a must read for High Schoolers and college students today, it was lacking for a former political science major.
I read it as an ARC giveaway and I definately want my 19 year old college sophomore daughter to read it. I enjoyed it and I'm a fan of Jean-Pierre from seeing her on AM Joy and respect her work.
I rate it a 3.5 (round to a 4)

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Oct 19, 2019 Rebecca rated it liked it

Shelves: nonfiction

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. I always like watching KJP on AM Joy so I was very interested to read this. However, I didn't feel the text captured how dynamic she seems on TV. Instead, it seemed stilted, not at all like I expect KJP would seem telling her story in speech. Still, I really enjoyed the family stories, particularly how her parents and she and her siblings grew up. Not quite what I expected but a ...more

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Dec 22, 2019 Laura rated it liked it · review of another edition

While interesting (and completely in line with my political sensibilities), Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America just didn't capture my imagination or my heart the way I'd hoped it would. I appreciated the supporting materials - especially the recommendations of Twitter feeds and books.

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Nov 20, 2019 Shannan Harper rated it it was amazing

I've never heard of the author until i saw her book. I thought it was very inspirational some of the things she went through, from her beginnings on a small island to working on the campaign of the first black president of the Untied States. It was a very good book and gave good insights on what can happen when you are able to work hard despite your beginnings.

I received a copy of this book for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own

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Oct 29, 2019 Kathleen Gray rated it really liked it

An intriguing memoir. I was not familiar with Karine Jean-Pierre before reading this but I plan to look for her now. To be fair, she's not the only child of immigrants to become deeply involved in politics but her story is unique in its way. It was the family stories more than the politics I found most interesting. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This would be a good YA read- inspirational and educational.

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Nov 08, 2019 Terrance Stroud rated it it was amazing

Moving forward is a must read that will reaffirm your belief in the America Dream. Karine-Jean Pierre's dynamic memoir tells the story of a Caribbean American woman who has become a force in the political, progressive and media world. I love watching her on TV but I love her book even more. Moving forward is a perfect holiday gift for anyone who dares to dream BIG!

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Jan 13, 2020 Alexi Reed rated it really liked it

This was a very inspiring book! As someone who's really confused during this time of an interesting administration, it made me feel motivated and that hope is not lost. It was also reassuring to see that she changed her career path from pre-med to politics and ended up in the White House. If you're looking for an easy, motivating read, I would definitely read this book.

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Dec 14, 2019 Chris rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, who-runs-the-world-girls

I always have enjoyed seeing Karine Jean Pierre as a commentator on MSNBC. Taking this journey in Moving Forward to learn about her story as a Haitian-American woman and her ability to confidently navigate a career in public policy/campaigns/TV only adds to my love of her fresh perspective.

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Nov 20, 2019 Erin rated it really liked it

3.5 but I'm rounding up. Jean-Pierre's writing can be clunky, but I believe she is writing to reach a wide range of readers. Her life has been interesting and she pounds away at my core belief: people are everything, networking is everything.

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Feb 15, 2020 Pete Stoppani rated it liked it

The bio parts are interesting but most of the book is about politics since about 2008 which are well-covered but repetitive for anyone that has kept up. For anyone else, it’s a good skimmer to extract the bio bits .

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Dec 30, 2019 Barbara Edema rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Karine Jean-Pierre's memoir is inspiring. Her personal story is riveting and her plan for how we can all be part of America shows the importance of all stories and voices. I heard her voice as I read the book. She feels like a good friend. A friend who makes me want to be a better citizen.

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Dec 26, 2019 Patricia A. Korol rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Optomistic

An insider's knowledge and insight helps to make sense of the up is down political story. Karine Jean-Pierre is a bright spirit shining her light into a dark period of our country 's history.

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Dec 14, 2019 Brian rated it it was amazing

Karine’s story is amazing and inspiring, a reminder that we all can help make a difference and live the true American Dream while doing so. Loved it!

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Jan 05, 2020 Debra rated it liked it

Great read providing Karine’s background and how she got into politics, and really helpful to understand political work and the organization required.

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