Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward, by Valerie Jarrett (Viking, New York, NY, 2019, 305 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

As a woman who went from being a quiet girl in Chicago to one of the most visible and influential African-American women of the 21^st century, Jarrett’s stories will inspire readers to overcome adversity and find their own voices. “FINDING MY VOICE” is an intimate view of Jarrett’s extraordinary life culminating in a hopeful message that is needed as much today as ever before.

July 5, 2019 (San Diego) - More than 30 years ago both I and Valerie Jarrett worked at City Hall in Chicago, one floor apart, me in the Purchasing Department on the 4^th floor and Valerie in the Law Department on the 5^th floor. Never in my wildest of imaginations would I have thought that I would be here in California writing a review of her insightful and thought provoking book; Finding my Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward. Perhaps Valerie could say the same about her journey.

Hear our radio interview with Nancy Corran and Jane Via by clicking the orange arrow above.

By Miriam Raftery

May 21, 2016 (San Diego) – You may be surprised to learn that although the Catholic Church officially refuses to allow ordination of women as priests, a reform movement within the church called Roman Catholic Women Priests includes 200 women priests who have already been ordained  by male Catholic bishops. 

East County News Service

Photo: Pope Francis, from his Twitter feed

March 27, 2016 (San Diego) – On Good Friday, Pope Francis washed the feet of European immigrants including Christians, Muslims and Hindus, demonstrating his outreach to people of all faiths and calling for world peace. 

In his Easter Sunday mass at the Vatican, the pontiff stated, ““This day invites us not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, an ever more numerous throng of migrants and refugees, including many children, fleeing war, hunger, poverty and social injustice.”

He also criticized those who seek to stop migrants fleeing persecution in the Middle East and North African from seeking a safe haven in Europe and other regions.

By Leon Thompson, host of East County Magazine’s Tribal Beat on KNSJ Radio

March 30, 2015 – (Vatican City) – Pope Francis, on a flight to Rome, declared to reporters, “In September, God willing, I will canonize Junipero Serra in the United States.”

In other words, the Pope intends to make Junipero Serra a Roman Catholic saint.   However Junipero Serra is no Saint to indigenous people.

East County News Service

December 29, 2014 (San Diego)—Pope Francis, who has voiced concerns over climate change impacts, is set to issue an edict calling on 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide to take action on climate change—and a San Diego scientist may have played a role in influencing the Pope to take action.

Pontiff named Time Magazine's Man of the Year

By Miriam Raftery

January 2014 (Rome)--On New Year’s Day at the Vatican, Pope Francis issued an impassioned plea for world peace.  He told the thousands of faithful gathered there that we are all part of the same human family, and we share a common destiny.

“This brings a responsibility for each to work so that the world becomes a community of brothers who respect each other, accept each other’s diversity, and takes care of one another,” the Pope said.

Then he did a remarkable thing.  Pope Francis laid aisde his prepared speech, and asked, “What is happening in the heart of man? What is happening in the heart of humanity?”  Deploring the violence in nations around the world, he said, “It’s time to stop.”