Bush book club
What we’re reading and why
We’re so glad you’re here! The Bush book club is open to anyone in our region who is curious, loves to learn new things, heard about it through a friend or accidentally found us while looking up bean recipes. (We’re not that Bush®. We’re named after Archie.)
This summer, we asked our entire staff to read john a. powell’s, “The Power of Bridging: how to build a world where we all belong.” We invite you to join us.
We’re feeling not just the uncertainty of our times but also the long-growing divide between people, in our work and our personal lives. And like others, we’re looking for answers—or at least a lighted path to move us closer to one another.
We think john’s book might offer that inspiration. Some of us have read it, and the rest of us are eager to crack it open!
We don’t yet know what we’ll discover together. We think we’ll find very practical ways we can get better at making more room for more perspectives. At the very least, we opened a door to a possibility, and we’re staying curious about what we might learn that can help us do more good for everyone in the region.
How to get a free copy of the book
We’re offering free copies of the book to anyone in our grantmaking region—Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.
Our only ask is that you try something you learn in the book. There are reflections at the end of each chapter to try out. Pick 1 or 2 or as many as you want. Grab a book buddy and do them together. We just hope it inspires action!
Special shout out to our local partners, Black Garnet Books, for helping us fill all the Bush book club orders!
You are welcome to order 1 copy or 5 or a box full of them. Individuals, organizations or groups are welcome to put in their orders.
Directions for how to do that are on Black Garnet Book’s website. If you are local, you also can stop by the store to get your copy and pick up something else for your reading list!
More ways to turn learning into action
The Othering & Belonging Institute has been doing the work of belonging and bridging since 2012. The author of the book we’re reading, john a. powell, is the director there.
They’ve shared their resources with us and all of you. These are great tools and guides for anyone who wants to put their learning into action—and connect with others!
And if you have an idea for how we might partner with others to spread more of this goodness, please drop us a note at staff@bushfoundation.org.