Silicon Valley Reads 2024
A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today
De Anza Hosting Jan. 31 Kickoff and Euphrat Exhibit
De Anza College will host the Jan. 31 kickoff – and a related artist event on Jan. 24, along with an exhibition at the Euphrat Museum – for the 2024 Silicon Valley Reads campaign. The kickoff will feature four writers and activists aligned with the theme:
“A Greener Tomorrow Starts Today," highlighting books and programs that explore the challenges and opportunities of
creating a more environmentally sustainable future – both locally and worldwide.
The 7 p.m. kickoff on Wednesday, Jan. 31, will be held in person at De Anza’s Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC) and simultaneously livestreamed by the Commonwealth Club of Silicon Valley. Admission is free and advance registration is required for both.
During the kickoff event, NBC Bay Area reporter Damian Trujillo will moderate a conversation with four of this year's featured authors and contributors: Lily Brooks-Dalton, author of "The Light Pirate;" Favianna Rodriguez and Alexandria Villaseñor, contributors to "All We Can Save;" and Heather White, author of "One Green Thing." (Rodriguez will also speak on campus next Wednesday, Jan. 24. (See below for details.)
"Sacred Terrain" at the Euphrat
The VPAC will open its doors at 6 p.m., an hour before the kickoff event, so those
attending in person can also view a related exhibition in the adjoining Euphrat Museum of Art, which will be open from 6-7 p.m. and after the program until 9 p.m.
The exhibit, "Sacred Terrain," explores the beauty and healing powers of plants and the natural world – and our need to honor and protect both. Featured artists include Laurin Chichkanoff, Barnali Ghosh, Meesha Goldberg, Liz Hickok with Phil Spitler, Pantea Karimi, Katherine Levin-Lau, Favianna Rodriguez and May Shei.
(Artwork at right: Morphological Complexity by Liz Hickok)
Additional Appearance: Favianna Rodriguez
- Wednesday, Jan. 24: 10-11 a.m.
- Media & Learning Center (MLC) Room 109
Artist and activist Favianna Rodriguez will also visit campus to speak with students in CHLX 10: Introduction to Chicanx and Latinx Studies, taught by Alicia Cortez. This appearance is open to all De Anza students and employees.
Rodriguez's work includes visual and public art, writing, cultural organizing and power building – with a focus on migration, gender justice, climate change, racial equity and sexual freedom. She is president of the Center for Cultural Power and a recipient of the Atlantic Fellowship for Racial Equity for her work on racial justice and climate change. (Photo by Scott La Rockwell)
Dozens of Free Events
The Silicon Valley Reads campaign includes dozens of free events to be held at locations across the region in February and March. Everyone in the De Anza College community is invited to
- Read one or all of the featured books
- Attend events — there's something for everyone
- Engage with others in discussion and share perspectives
You can read more about this year's featured books and authors below.
The Light Pirate
Set in a world where Florida faces the relentless onslaught of extreme weather and
rising sea levels, this novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton tells 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 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.
All We Can Save
Edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, “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. Favianna Rodriguez, president of the Center for Cultural Power, and teen climate activist Alexandria Villaseñor contributed essays featured in the book.
One Green Thing
In this nonfiction work, 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.