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Rising: From a Mud Hut to the Boardroom ― and Back Again
An identity that spans the globe.
In this astonishing memoir, Graci Harkema revisits her experience growing up as an adoptee from the Congo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She traces her path to claiming and living her own story, becoming a successful consultant on diversity, equity and inclusion, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, and women in business.
Born amid civil unrest in a mud hut in the Congo and weighing a mere three pounds, Harkema was left at an orphanage, where she was not expected to live another day. But that afternoon, a visiting American missionary saw her sleeping in a doll’s bed and heard a voice inside her say, “This is your daughter.”
Her childhood was spent wishing to be lighter and blonder, like her siblings and classmates. Out of fear of standing out even more from her peers, Harkema kept her sexuality a secret, only coming out of the closet years later―during a job interview! Eventually, she learned to see her identity as her superpower, instead of her shame.
Today, Harkema helps embrace diversity and drive inclusion to ensure open and safe work environments. She is committed to empowering employees to perform to their potential as their authentic selves―setting an example as she continues to live her own story, journeying to meet her birth mother, to discover one more piece of herself.
In this astonishing memoir, Graci Harkema revisits her experience growing up as an adoptee from the Congo in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She traces her path to claiming and living her own story, becoming a successful consultant on diversity, equity and inclusion, racial justice, LGBTQ+ equality, and women in business.
Born amid civil unrest in a mud hut in the Congo and weighing a mere three pounds, Harkema was left at an orphanage, where she was not expected to live another day. But that afternoon, a visiting American missionary saw her sleeping in a doll’s bed and heard a voice inside her say, “This is your daughter.”
Her childhood was spent wishing to be lighter and blonder, like her siblings and classmates. Out of fear of standing out even more from her peers, Harkema kept her sexuality a secret, only coming out of the closet years later―during a job interview! Eventually, she learned to see her identity as her superpower, instead of her shame.
Today, Harkema helps embrace diversity and drive inclusion to ensure open and safe work environments. She is committed to empowering employees to perform to their potential as their authentic selves―setting an example as she continues to live her own story, journeying to meet her birth mother, to discover one more piece of herself.
216 pages, Hardcover
Published April 18, 2023
3 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
April 22, 2023
Graci Harkema is my friend and I’ve been waiting for her to write this book for several years now. I have heard bits and pieces of her past over the years as our friendship deepened and I’ve gotten to witness some of her story unfold in real time over more than a decade. It is an incredible journey that feels like a miracle at times.
Over the years, Graci’s perseverance and relentless positivity have pushed her forward and helped her overcome obstacles and difficult times. As her confidence in herself grew, she began sharing her story with others and sharing more of her ⎯ including the tough stuff that many people wouldn’t want others to know. It is an incredible and moving story that continues to bring tears to my eyes on every retelling.
This book is the story of a baby girl born in a mud hut in the most impoverished of circumstances who goes on to run her own DEI consulting and public speaking firm. Told through her DEI lens, Graci shows how impactful moments in her life have become a through-line to the important work she does today and why she is able to connect with people where they are.
This is a memoir with a purpose, just like I believe Graci’s life is. Her purpose and the power of her story is to connect with people and help them see how differences can cause harm, but also how acceptance and connection with others has the power to overcome these differences and remove fear and barriers. We all have different lived experiences, and appreciating the differences and being aware of them can change the landscape for the better.
Graci’s story is an incredible journey that serves as a bright light and reminds us that incredible things can happen. It also challenges all of us to live authentically and honor our differences.
Over the years, Graci’s perseverance and relentless positivity have pushed her forward and helped her overcome obstacles and difficult times. As her confidence in herself grew, she began sharing her story with others and sharing more of her ⎯ including the tough stuff that many people wouldn’t want others to know. It is an incredible and moving story that continues to bring tears to my eyes on every retelling.
This book is the story of a baby girl born in a mud hut in the most impoverished of circumstances who goes on to run her own DEI consulting and public speaking firm. Told through her DEI lens, Graci shows how impactful moments in her life have become a through-line to the important work she does today and why she is able to connect with people where they are.
This is a memoir with a purpose, just like I believe Graci’s life is. Her purpose and the power of her story is to connect with people and help them see how differences can cause harm, but also how acceptance and connection with others has the power to overcome these differences and remove fear and barriers. We all have different lived experiences, and appreciating the differences and being aware of them can change the landscape for the better.
Graci’s story is an incredible journey that serves as a bright light and reminds us that incredible things can happen. It also challenges all of us to live authentically and honor our differences.
June 17, 2023
Great biography and really “workbook” on how to be a better ally for disenfranchised individuals in our society and resource to the person finding themselves mired in that world of disadvantage. This is however steeped in a personal and humble story of the author coming to terms with her own identity in an all too common place, a community in America with poor understanding, empathy, acceptance, and self-awareness; caught in their inappropriately attributed virtue of homogeneity.
April 29, 2023
Graci has been an inspirational figure in my life since the day I met her 5 years ago. Some of her journey I knew as I watched it unfold in real time; but her memoir brings her ability to inspire to a whole new level. What I love most about this book is that while she shares her story of her life with the world, she seamlessly teaches us how to "embrace diversity, overcome bias, increase equity, and rise in inclusion" at the same time. It's a moving autobiography and an emphatic call to action at the same time with tangible lessons on how to be an Ally. Most importantly, she effortlessly reminds the reader of the power of feeling seen- that we are never as alone in our experiences as we all too often think we are. An absolute must read!
January 30, 2024
I loved this 🤍Graci’s story is amazing - inspiring, empowering, vulnerable, authentic, and joyful! She has such a big heart and powerful voice and I’m so glad she put pen to paper & share! 🎉🎉🎉
December 23, 2023
Graci has an amazing story and a talent for seeking authenticity and relevance. She is leading her best life, and using her own experiences to share with others and facilitate change: I happen to live in the same town and our paths have crossed. I knew she was working in DEI. I did not know her own struggles. I am overwhelmed with pride in her willingness to share her experiences to build empathy. She has greatness in her bones and is sharing that greatness with the world around her.
January 21, 2024
Such a good story. So many personal connections in this book. Everyone will find a piece of themselves here. And everyone will learn things they didn’t know they needed to learn, about people & inclusion. If you aren’t sure what this means … then u need to read this book.
March 20, 2024
This is a missionary story
This is a transracial adoption story
This is an immigration story
This is a sexual assault survivor story
This is a first girl on the high school foot ball team story
This is a work to put yourself through college story
This is closeted LGBTQ story
This is a pray away the gay- lack of acceptance story
This is a coming out story
This is a finding and meeting your birth mother story
This is a choosing a high powered job to define you and then unchoosing it story
This is a publicly resigning, calling out your employer for discrimination, national news level story
This is a fish out of water story
This is a looking for and beginning to find your authentic self story
This is a guide book for allyship WITH SOURCES IN EVERY CHAPTER ...story.
This is Graci Harkema's story ...and I am so very glad she shared it with the rest of the world.
This is a transracial adoption story
This is an immigration story
This is a sexual assault survivor story
This is a first girl on the high school foot ball team story
This is a work to put yourself through college story
This is closeted LGBTQ story
This is a pray away the gay- lack of acceptance story
This is a coming out story
This is a finding and meeting your birth mother story
This is a choosing a high powered job to define you and then unchoosing it story
This is a publicly resigning, calling out your employer for discrimination, national news level story
This is a fish out of water story
This is a looking for and beginning to find your authentic self story
This is a guide book for allyship WITH SOURCES IN EVERY CHAPTER ...story.
This is Graci Harkema's story ...and I am so very glad she shared it with the rest of the world.
October 23, 2023
This book was loaned to me through a friend and it held particular interest that it was written by a local woman. I quickly became interested in Graci as she has a very unique story. The author describes her many varied life's experiences from very early adoption, being black in a white family, sexual abuse at an early age, coming out, over achieving for acceptance, and a deep and abiding faith in God and support from her family. Very well written with references at the end of the chapters for further study and help if interested.
May 12, 2023
I remember meeting Graci for the first time at a networking event for the LGBTQ+ chapter of the GVSU Alumni Association and hearing her talk about the events that kick off this book. It's really cool to see all these years later her dream of sharing her story with the world come to fruition! I admire her courage and determination to share her story in an honest and vulnerable way :) Congratulations, Graci!
January 27, 2024
I met Graci while working at a law firm in Michigan, and I knew there was something special about her. Graci is an amazing woman, inspiration to many, and engaging speaker. She never ceases to amaze or inspire me. If you're looking for a great book to read or a push to be your authentic self, read Rising. She has lives an extraordinary life, and her memoir is just as extraordinary.
May 7, 2023
Graci is a friend of mine and former colleague at Teksystems. I am really proud of the courage she had to share her journey - which is incredible. I hope it will help inspire others to live authentically, genuinely, and happily!
May 3, 2023
I highly recommend this beautifully written journey through the author’s life! Inspirational and eye opening! Touched my soul.
June 29, 2023
Graci’s memoir is full of intersectionality, which brings an important truth to each reader: we are all inextricably connected, and nothing-no pain, no experience, no growth-is wasted.
January 2, 2024
graci is such an amazing role model for the queer girls in west Michigan ! I am so happy I got to hear her story.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews