We Go High: How 30 Women of Colour Achieved Greatness against all Odds

by D.K. Publishing

Follow the life lessons of 30 remarkable women of color who are making their mark on society and culture.

"When you are struggling and you start thinking about giving up, I want you to remember something ... and that is the power of hope." -Michelle Obama (White House speech, 2017)

We Go High brings together the inspiring stories, motivational quotes, and personal philosophies of 30 influential women of color who have sought to overcome challenges in their lives.

From activists to scientists, artists to sporting icons, each woman's story is different-but all have in common a deep-seated resilience to fight against the prejudices and barriers to success that women of color face on a daily basis. The book features political powerhouses such as Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams, as well as businesswomen like Arundhati Bhattacharya and Angelica Ross, and writers Michaela Coel and Amanda Gorman.

With 30 stunning, specially commissioned portraits, We Go High not only celebrates these remarkable women's achievements, but uncovers the personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drive them.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, History

192 pages, Hardcover

Published June 28, 2022

About the author

Dorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.

Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.

Source: Wikipedia.

Reviews

[Mallory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book quite a bit and I would like to see more books like this get published. I do wish it had been a little bit longer and gotten a little more info into each of the women. I liked that a few of the write ups had interviews with really interesting people, like the school teacher of a scientist that helped develop of the vaccine for Covid-19, but a lot of the material overall was the basics I knew. I did like that while I had heard of quite a few of them women chosen for this book there were also several I had not. I also really appreciate that the women were diverse not just with ethnicity but with sexual orientation and with the arenas of their success. I enjoyed that we had everything from political women to social activists to athletes. There is not one path to be strong, but a theme in several of the vignettes the theme was being true to yourself and I think that is the perfect message to send to the young girls that can not read this.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a raffle from Bookish First and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this! I hope we get more books like this one.

We Go High is about 30 women of color achieving greatness. It’s covers several different categories (journalism, politics, STEM and more). Something I really appreciated about this book was there are several queer women and a trans woman included. It makes my heart happy.

I loved the different types of stories this book had in it. While all of these women faced adversary in some way, many times in the form of racism and/or sexism (misogynoir in many cases), all of their stories still captured their personalities and let the uniqueness of each woman shine through.

We do get several women from various countries from around the world, but easily half of the women in this book are from the USA and if there’s ever a follow up version, I’d love to see more about amazing women outside the US, and especially women from the global south.

The mini biographies were great and they give a lot of detail in a short amount of pages. I would absolutely love more, but I’m sure I can find memoirs or biographies that have even more detail about these women. Along with the stories, the book also has a picture of each woman and then beautiful flora illustrations on every page. The interior of this is so pleasing and I could definitely stare at the detailed plants forever.

Lastly, I wish there had been more inclusion in regards to physical disability. There is one story that mentions depression and suicidal ideation.

CWs: Racism, misogyny, sexism, violence, transphobia/transmisia, general queerphobia/queermisia, gun violence, medical content, sexual assault, sexual violence, bullying, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, religious bigotry, death, grief, abandonment, islamophobia, colorism, mental illness

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Go High is an easy read you can finish in a few hours. What I appreciated about this collection of women of color and their achievements is that I saw faces I knew and faces I didn’t know. I also loved that DK Publishing includes a section for women in the food & beverage industry because that is something I’ve never seen before in books of this style.

Great read and I appreciated my copy, I won it as a giveaway on Goodreads.

[Dorothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book about women of color succeeding despite all odds set against them. I would definitely call this book, "Black Girl Magic!" Loveeeeeeee it!!! :) #keepwinningmysisters

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Go High by Nicole Ellis is a beautifully compilation of stories about many well known black and brown women and some that are not. The book is full of activists, athelets, scientists, business women, journalist and artists. The illustrations by Natasha Cunningham phenomenal. The book is full of beautiful women, vivid colors and flowers. This would make a wonderful gift and outstanding coffee table book.

Not only does Ellis give us a history lesson on many well-known women, she introduces us to women that we may not know or have heard of. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I cannot wait to share it with my daughter. She will have the opportunity to see people that look like her. We Go High showcases incredible women and their achievements. Women overcoming adversity not because of, but despite the bad reputation we have been given for so long. It is wonderful to see a work of art that celebrates women who have changed society’s thoughts and attitudes.

It is about finding your voice, overcoming and believing in yourself. Just because someone tells you no, it does not mean that is the end of your story. I recommend this book to everyone wanting to learn about strong women especially to young girls and boys. It demonstrates diversity, self-worth and perseverance.

Thank you NetGalley and D.K. Publishing for gifting me an eARC and the opportunity to read this incredible work of art. The opinions expressed in this review are mine.

[Krysten · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really great to learn about some amazing women of color and I was sad it was so short. I wanted to know more! But I do love the visuals and how each woman is portrayed. Definitely have some new role models to look up to and hope to support them in each of their journeys in whatever ways I can. Def something to have in schools and for teen and youth of color to read.

[Amalfi Disla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una excelente selección de mujeres que se han destacado en diferentes áreas, han cambiado paradigmas y mejorado el mundo.

[Artemisa Perucho-Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you, BookishFirst and DK for this ARC of We Go High in exchange for an honest review!*

We Go High, by Nicole Ellis, gives a brief overview of 30 women of color who have achieved greatness despite the odds being stacked against them. I loved the illustrations and clear writing that delivered the important details of each of these brave and fascinating women without any fluff.

I went into this book with the desire to learn about women of color who are changing the world today, and that's exactly what I got. I only knew about 1/3 of the women in the book, and had read news stories about a couple more but had forgotten their names. Once I sat down to read this book, I was swept away and couldn't put it down. I kept telling myself, "one more story", and then couldn't stop myself from reading the next one.

I thought I knew quite a bit about some of the ladies detailed in this book, but was pleasantly surprised by some facts that I had backwards. For instance, it was NOT Cesar Chavez, but Dolores Huerta who coined the phrase "sí se puede". MIND BLOWN at how time and time again history gives credit to men for something that's been ideated by a woman.

I appreciate that the author, Nicole Ellis, shares about herself in the introduction and could easily have been one of the women that star in the pages of her own book.

My only criticism of the book is a misspelling of Maya Angelou (as Maya Angelo) in Amanda Gorman's section. Because of the type of book this is, there should've been more careful attention to detail in correctly spelling the names of the women that come up throughout the text.

[Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to BookishFirst for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

We Go High by Nicole Ellis is an amazing compendium of the stories of women of color. The book includes the stories of everyone from the Vice President Kamala Harris to writers like Amanda Gorman, who did the amazing inaugural poem at President Joe Biden's election. According to the description, this book "not only celebrates these remarkable women’s achievements, but uncovers the personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drive them."

Here is an excerpt from Amanda Gorman's pages:

"Amanda Gorman made history on January 20th, 2021, when
she became the youngest inaugural poet ever in the United States.
At just 22, she joined the ranks of the linguistic greats, including
Maya Angelo, Robert Frost, and Miller Williams.
On that historic day, she stood in front of the Capitol and the nation
and spoke with an animated voice, filled with emotion. She described
herself as a “skinny Black girl, descended from slaves and raised by
a single mother,” who can dream of being president one day,
“only to find herself reciting for one.” Her poem “The Hill We Climb,”
spoke deeply of loss and the fragile state of the nation. She also spoke
of the possibility of a new day through unity, reconciliation, and
bearing the weight of the full truth."

Overall, We Go High is a wonderful tribute to women of color everywhere. One highlight of this book is how it highlights people who are not often included. I think that featuring marginalized people is so important. Another highlight of this book is the amazing full-color art that decorates each woman's pages. It's a blend of photography and digital artwork and fully celebrates each woman. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in June!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book and what a great addition to any library - at home, school, and everywhere else. While every person can find a profile in this book which will inspire them, I think this book is especially valuable for young girls who will see themselves in these stories.

Narrowing down a book like this to 30 impactful women of color is naturally going to be incomplete and far from comprehensive, but Nicole Ellis does a great job picking out some superstars from disparate fields from science to politics to sports to journalism to entertainment, etc. Equally important is that this is a contemporary book that is very up-to-date; this isn't a static profile that you'll find in a history book; these are women who are continuing to break barriers today and blazing a path for others.

Each profile is about 3-4 pages long and includes some background information while focusing on how each woman has made her mark in her field or in the industry despite many challenges (societal expectations, discrimination, racism, politics and policies, etc.). Each profile also includes each woman's voice in the form of inspirational quotes sometimes about how she achieved her goals or overcame obstacles, sometimes succinctly highlighting what she was up against. The artwork throughout the book (just look at the cover!) is also stunning. I found myself looking into several women after reading her profile just to find out more. Even though there were several I didn't know before reading the book, their accomplishments and long-term impact are awe-inspiring.

Many thanks to Penguin Random House and Bookish First for an early copy.

[Alisha (booksmellz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: Racism, colorism, misogyny, sexism, violence, transphobia, homophobia, gun violence, mentions of drug and alcohol addiction, sexual assault, sexual violence, bullying, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, religious bigotry *

*The author has marked biographies at the beginning of the novel with * to indicate profiles that detail trigger experiences

From activists to sporting icons, bakers to scientists, journalists to actresses’, We Go High tells the stories of 30 influential women of color who have strived to overcome challenges in their lives. Paired together with stunningly beautiful portraits from Natasha Cunningham, Nicole Ellis celebrates these women of color’s achievements as well as their personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drives them to be remarkable.

I loved all the different types of women and their stories that were given in mini biographies - there were a lot of details given in the short amount of pages. This works great because this book is aimed for a younger audience (middle grade/young adult) that opens the door for more research to dive into.

I have known about 90% of the women mentioned in this book, but there were a handful of them I didn’t know. Such as Dr. Kissmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett, who was a leading viral immunologist to help create the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Or Sônia Guajajara, a Brazilian Indigenous activist, environmentalist, and politician.

Overall, I feel like this is an amazing book about amazing women of color for those of all ages to enjoy, though especially those in middle or high school as a stepping stone to further research and knowledge.

[Mj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a short summary of the achievements of 30 women of color. Sadly enough I was only familiar with eight of these amazing women. I would imagine most other Caucasian women would have a similar experience. Unless the woman is someone like Michele Obama, Simone Biles, or recent rising poet Amanda Gorman these women have been overshadowed by men or those who are not of color.
Nicole Ellis’s book was attractive with illustrations of flowers throughout. There were categories such as Politics, Culture, Sports, Journalism, etc. to indicate what these women were known for. Many had to overcome adversity to achieve success and had advice for other young women of color. Enough information was given to whet the interest of a reader to do more research on certain individuals if desired.
For me, I think this book was valuable not only in being introduced to some high achieving women I was not familiar with, but also developing a greater understanding of what it takes for a woman of color to succeed and what her true feelings are as she interacts with people around her in this world where she is in a minority.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book introduces readers to 30 women of color who are noteworthy in a variety of occupational fields and positions of societal significance. Several of the women are well known including Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Abby Phillips, Simone Biles and others while many of the featured women work “behind the scenes” yet have significant influence on a variety of issues. Each “story” is brief but gives us pictures of bravery, trailblazing and often intense oppression and personal struggles.
I really enjoyed the layout of the book in sections addressing the areas of influence and features 3-4 women in each category. The stories are brief yet complete enough to give the reader important facts about each woman’s societal influence while offering some personal insights that make each account more interesting. And making the book even more appealing is the stunning artwork - each portrait surrounded by creative and beautiful floral designs! The book would make a beautiful gift.
Thanks to BookishFirst and Penguin Random House for the Advanced Reader Copy.

[Penny lurkykitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Go High is a phenomenal and necessary book. It describes the lives of 30 women who are leaders in the fields of culture, politics, STEM and business, activism and social justice, film and television, sports, journalism, food and drink. Some of the women I already knew about, for example Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai. Others were new to me, for example Arundhati Bhattacharya and Angelica Ross. I learned something about even the women I was already aware of. The accomplishments and challenges of each woman are discussed. Each has paved the way for others to follow.
This book is beautifully presented using a combination of text, photography and colorful artwork. It comes at a time when women, especially women of color, are under attack. We Go High is a book that educates both young people and adults and should be in every school and public library. It is also a pleasure to read. Thank you to BookishFirst and DK Publishing for a complimentary copy.

[Anisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to see that I had won this book and have the opportunity to review it. I immediately was excited because I love any book that is used to empower young girls and inspire them with stories of other incredible and successful women who look like them. I really liked how the book included well known women of color but also women that most people probably had not heard of. I thought this was a good way of introducing young girls to the prospect of them being able to reach the same level of success. I also liked that there was history in it and I learned things that I didn't know before. The other thing I liked was the simple publication of the book and how beautiful and captivating the pages and cover are. The cover also does a great job of exuding the strength and power that these women have. I also love any book that puts the focus on women of color and this book does just that.

[Alexis]

"We Go High" is a wonderful reading experience and is a book that I learned so many amazing and important things through reading. This book features many prominent and lesser known, but still just as important, black women who have made an impact on their communities and on the world. I think that in the state of the world that we are currently in, it is important to learn about and understand these women's journeys and how they have impacted both black culture, the race wars, the social injustices, as well as impacted the white or other privileged. communities by educating them on what they could do better. I think that it is always great to learn new things especially when they can assist me in better putting aside my prejudices and learning how to use my own white privilege to uplift the voices of those who many not always be able to be heard due to their lack of privilege.

[Tee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful collection!

We Go High features several different stories about brown and Black women, some of whom are well-known and others who are not. As a Black woman myself, I truly enjoyed getting to learn more about various scientists, journalists, activists, business women, artists, and athletes. It's so inspiring, and honestly make me proud.

I hope more people have the chance to read this book, people of all backgrounds, but especially other brown and black women and girls. Seeing women who look like me overcome adversities, despite the bad reputation and stereotypes so many of us face, was truly special. It's all about finding your voice, believing in yourself, and celebrating our strengths.

The illustrations in this book (by Natasha Cunningham) were also really gorgeous! It really added color to this already amazing celebration of these fabulous women!

I'm so grateful that I've had the chance to read this collection!

[Charity Rau · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for the classroom! There are so many great stories about women and their accomplishments. I also really liked how they have the women divided up into groups according to their accomplishments. For instance there was a sports section and a world leader section and so on. They were also a lot of great pictures to accompany the stories. I really liked how the stories dug into the women's past and showed how despite difficult circumstances and trying times, these woman still worked hard to achieve their dreams and make a difference in the world. It's great for all students, to help them understand how just one person can make a difference, but especially for young girls. In today's uncertain times, it is great for young girls to have some positive role models to look up to and to follow in their footsteps so that they may also accomplish their dreams.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really interesting compilation of stories. There are figures highlighted who were very well known to me and other figures that I'd never heard of. With both, there was still something new that I learned about them and their journey. I also really enjoyed the artwork - the pictures are gorgeous renditions of the individuals - with the vibrant colors and flowers, it really pulls the book together in a way that using individual headshots/pictures would not have done.

Overall, I think this is an important book to have in anyone's collection. It demonstrates the importance of diversity and spotlights some of the incredible women of color who have risen to high levels within their respective areas of expertise.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & author for an advance copy of the book to read and review.

[Lovebooks1995 · Rating 5 out of 5]

From activists to scientists, artists to sporting icons, each woman’s story is different—but all have in common a deep-seated resilience to fight against the prejudices and barriers to success that women of color face on a daily basis. Featuring political powerhouses such as Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams, businesswomen like Arundhati Bhattacharya and Angelica Ross, and writers like Michaela Coel and Amanda Gorman, We Go High not only celebrates these remarkable women’s achievements, but uncovers the personal beliefs, attitudes, and determination that drive them.
A stunning g book of resilience and how they become the most amazing woman out there! This book is an inspiration to many little kids out there and how they are as awesome and amazing as the people in this book! The cover is awesome too I loved it! I love this book!

[Mamabookowl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fantastic! It is a much needed book in our world. I love learning about different races and cultures and this book hits the nail on the head. This book shines a spotlight on Black women and their accomplishments, and it's exactly what our society needs.

It is the year 2022, and racism is STILL a thing. Blacks are still pushed under the thumbs of white people, and it's absolutely disgusting. This book is encouragement not just to the Black community, but also to females. To see Black women rise above the struggles life throws at them to achieve their dreams is awe inspiring. There are women named in this book that I have not heard of. It's great to read and get to know them.

I honestly cannot express enough how happy it makes me to see books such as this, celebrating the successes of women, Black women. Achievements in every area possible. All I gotta say is; you go girls!

[LittleBookLoves · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Go High is a remarkable accumulation of stories about different women of of color who have made a huge impact on society and the world as a whole. The author did a fantastic job of highlighting a multitude of women. I found it not only informative and insightful but also educational. I loved thr inclusion of direct quotes from the different individuals included in this book. Also, the book is visually beautiful from cover to cover. The internal artwork is very detailed and colorful. The designs further emphasize the beauty of the individual stories within. I also liked that the the individuals were divided based on career/field, which really highlighted individuals the reader may not necessarily be familiar with. Ultimately, I would recommend We Go High to everyone for many reasons. It is educational, inspiring, and reminds us all that we can be successful no matter what.

[The Rogue Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fantastic addition to my diverse bookshelves.I loved the amount of stories (just right),the writing style (an in your own words essay),and how colorful the book is. You can tell no detail was left to chance.

This was obviously a labor of love for everyone involved and it shows!

Learning about different humans that have found success is a balm to the soul, especially knowing what it took to get there. We live in a world that is difficult and harsh,so it's great to find these reminders of perseverance.
We all need reminders to keep going, even in the face of adversity. In that sense, I can't help but applaud the timing of this book. It is simply perfect.

Beautiful colors,real people telling their own stories. This title achieves inspiration without exploitation.

This book is an exercise in hope, one that every person of color should read.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the years, every time I picked up a DK published book......I've always liked it......& this one follows right along in that vein. It seems like DK always puts together a very nice quality package, using quality paper, pictures, artwork & editing. This is a really well done book, highlighting/featuring a variety of women of color. Each profile tells a bit about the person, their struggles to achieve their goals/plans....and the title is really accurate .....how they achieved so much, each against such unlikely odds. It's quite an inspirational book, for all women! I think it's a great book for everyone to read!
I won a complimentary hardcover in a Goodreads First Read Giveaway, listed by publisher D.K. Publishing, in return for reading it & offering my own fair/honest review. These opinions are my own.

[Marie-Ange Janvier · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should be read by all women and men! Not just women of color! Everyone has a wife, sister, daughter or cousin that could get inspired by these stories. This book showcased the achievements of women in color in different disciplines whether be in STEM, sports , politics,media and yes even the food industry. What I liked about the book it not only focuses on the success but the challenges each one of them had to face in order to stand out in their field. What you find is the common thread, there is a double standard for success for women of color but they are able to go above it with dignity and respect and still thrive. Where the title of the book says :”We go high “. I think this book nailed it well about the common obstacles and what it takes to navigate this territory among the different respective fields. Highly recommend this book.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains short biographies about 30 women of color--many of them who refused to give up even when the odds were stacked against them. There are 181 pages of actual information in the entire book, along with a full-page color photo, so you can easily see that if you are looking for something more in-depth--this won't give you that; however, the author did a great job of choosing what basic information to include.

This would be a great book for middle and high school libraries as it provides enough of a background that it would benefit those looking for inspiration as well as students who need to choose someone to write a report about. Also keep in mind those National History Day competitions; this is a great starting point for assignments like that.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting, beautifully illustrated book detailing a brief synopsis of the lives of ‘how 30 women of color achieved greatness against all odds.’ The book proceeds to explore each of the women’s lives, with an interesting technique of showing black and white pictures of the individuals against backdrops of colorful illustrations of floral designs. Although the descriptions are fairly brief, they encapsulate the most impactful parts of each woman’s life. This is written in a format that will be appealing to all ages, from young adult on. The book is organized into eight main categories, within which, each woman’s life is featured, depending on their speciality. Truly an inspiring book for young women of all ethnicities.

[Marvelous Geek · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I received a free copy from NetGalley, all opinions are my own*

"When they go low, we go high"

I feel like this is such an important book for people of all ages, The achievements of BIPOC women are often erased from history, and it's important to acknowledge all they've done for our society. I'd like to know more about the author because I can't seem to find a lot of information about them anywhere so I'm kind of curious. Other than that I really enjoyed this book!

[Ashly Shroyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky for me that I won this in a Goodreads giveaway!

I loved the variety of women that were chosen. It was well written making it a fast read that still stirred your emotions. This is a great read to introduce 30 amazing women. My one critique is that the first few sections had shorter bios of the women and I wanted more personal details along with their life successes.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite quote of this book comes from Delores Huerta. “It’s a common story; some women create movements out of love, that are then co-opted by someone more favored by society. History is rewritten and we lose our hero.” This book does a wonderful job of helping us reclaim those heroes while inspiring all readers, especially women and girls of color, in following in their footsteps.