Books & Books and Miami Book Fair present…

An Evening with Tim Shriver

In conversation with Loretta Claiborne

The Call to Unite: Voices of Hope and Awakening

(The Open Field, $25)

Thursday, April 8, 7pm EST

PURCHASE BOOK + TICKET HERE

From some of our most prominent spiritual and religious leaders, poets and thinkers, singers and writers, a book of wisdom to light our way in dark times.

At the start of 2020, in what felt already like an age of disorder, our world faced one of the gravest global challenges in a century. Covid-19 raced around the earth, and chaos erupted. Yet in the midst of this crisis, billions of human beings responded with love. Across the globe, people sought to connect, whether in person from a socially distant six feet or via a screen from 10,000 miles away.

In that moment, Tim Shriver saw an opportunity for those hungry for community to answer a call to heal, a call to hope, a call to unite. He asked monks and nuns, artists and activists, nurses and doctors, ex-presidents and ex-cons to come together to share messages of inspiration, transformation, and love. This book captures the spirit of that 24-hour event.

Featuring stories and insights from Bishop TD Jakes, Elizabeth Gilbert, Van Jones, Amy Grant, Dr. Rheeda Walker, Pastor Rick Warren, Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Jewel, Deepak Chopra and many others, The Call to Unite offers readers a book of wisdom to turn to in hard times – filled with prayers, poems, spiritual insights and lessons to live by that will stand the test of time.

Those seeking affirmation, solace, and inspiration need only look inside for guidance in finding the light in any crisis. Only in embracing each other can we amplify the love that creates our global community. Only in coming together can we be our happiest, and our best.

About the Author:

Tim Shriver is the founder of UNITE, the long-time Chair of Special Olympics, a bestselling author, a former teacher, a founding force of the social and emotional learning movement, a film producer, a husband, father, and grandfather, and a seeker of unity in society and in himself.

About the Moderator:

Special Olympics athlete Loretta Claiborne is the Chief Inspiration Officer for Special Olympics. For Loretta Claiborne, Special Olympics revealed the champion within — even after many years of having her talents and abilities denied and ignored by others. When Loretta found Special Olympics in 1970, her energy and her gifts found an outlet. Her anger was channeled to excelling as a world-class runner and becoming an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities. Today, Loretta is one of the most accomplished and celebrated of all Special Olympics athletes. She has competed in more than 26 marathons, finishing with the fastest 25 women runners in the Pittsburgh Marathon and twice with the in the Boston Marathon. She won gold medals in the 1991 and 1999 Special Olympics World Games half-marathon. Loretta holds honorary doctorates from Villanova University and Quinnipiac College, speaks five languages, has a black belt in karate, was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award and sits on the Special Olympics International Board of Directors. For more information on Loretta, please visit www.lorettaclaiborne.com.