The community reading engagement program, Silicon Valley Reads, is back in 2024 with the theme, A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today. The program will focus on environmental sustainability with a selection of books and programs that explore the challenges and opportunities of creating a more sustainable future, not only in Santa Clara County but worldwide.
Registration is now open for the Silicon Valley Reads kickoff event. NBC Bay Area reporter Damian Trujillo will moderate a conversation with the featured authors and contributors: Heather White (One Green Thing), Lily Brooks-Dalton (The Light Pirate) and Favianna Rodriguez, president of the Center for Cultural Power and teen climate activist Alexandria Villaseñor (contributors to All We Can Save). Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from this esteemed panel, ask questions and have your books signed by the authors after the event!
The kickoff is on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at the Visual Performing Arts Center (VPAC) at De Anza College at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. It will be simultaneously live streamed by the Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley. Register below for this free event. Please note: you can change your response at any time by emailing siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com.
- Click here to register for the in-person event
- Click here to register for the live-streamed event
Featured Books for 2024
Silicon Valley Reads has carefully selected three books that encapsulate the spirit of the theme and encourage meaningful conversations.
“All We Can Save” (Non-fiction)
Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson with featured contributors Favianna Rodriguez and Alexandria Villaseñor.
“All We Can Save” shares the wisdom and experiences of dozens of women actively contributing to environmental initiatives in the United States. These women are scientists, journalists, farmers, lawyers, teachers, activists, and innovators, who come from different backgrounds. Their diverse perspectives offer a range of ideas and insights on how we can swiftly and significantly reshape society for a sustainable future. The president of the Center for Cultural Power, Favianna Rodriguez and teen climate activist Alexandria Villaseñor contributed essays featured in the book.
“One Green Thing” (Non-Fiction)
Heather White
Environmentalist Heather White offers an accessible guide to taking action for a more sustainable world. Through heartwarming and humorous anecdotes from her upbringing in East Tennessee to her experiences parenting in Montana, White demonstrates how people can contribute to the environmental movement. She encourages self-discovery, helping readers align their personalities, interests, and strengths with meaningful actions.
“The Light Pirate” (Fiction)
Lily Brooks-Dalton
Set in a world where Florida faces the relentless onslaught of extreme weather and rising sea levels, “The Light Pirate” is the story of a small coastal town preparing for a powerful hurricane. Divided into four parts—power, water, light, and time—this Good Morning America Book Club pick novel mirrors the rhythms of the elements and the gradual transformation of the world as we know it. It serves as a contemplation of changes that challenge our comfort zones and a reminder of the untamed beauty and strength of nature.
Attendees are encouraged to visit the Euphrat Museum of Art located adjacent to the VPAC lobby for “Sacred Terrain,” an exhibition focused on the beauty and healing power of the natural world that features Bay Area artists, including Favianna Rodriguez. The Euphrat Museum of Art will be open from 6 – 7 p.m. before the program, and after the program until 9 p.m.
Throughout February and March 2024, Silicon Valley Reads will offer a diverse range of free virtual and in-person public programs suitable for all ages. Programming will cover a vast range of environmental and sustainability topics that include author talks, panel discussions, educational events, demonstrations, home and garden, outdoor events, activities for students, storytimes, and more. The complete schedule of events will be published on the SiliconValleyReads.org website in early 2024.
For more information about Silicon Valley Reads, please visit SiliconValleyReads.org.
