Book and reading clubs bring people together, expose participants to different perspectives, and encourage growth. Recently, six faculty and staff experienced all that and more during a meeting of the JEDI Reading Club, where they discussed the book, “The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimaging Ourselves” by Shawn A. Ginright, PhD.

In the book, “the author argues that achieving meaningful social change demands a commitment beyond traditional problem-solving approaches,” explained Steve Ciesielski, assistant dean for student success in the School of Nursing, who took part in the club. “He emphasizes the importance of leaders shifting their mindset from one of judgment to one of curiosity and self-reflection. This shift opens the door to reframing relationships, redefining problems, and exploring new approaches to address them, ultimately creating a stronger foundation for transformative outcomes.”

Organized by the JEDI Office and the Bellack Library, the reading club gives participants the chance to engage with others in shared learning about different topics. Readers not only read the book, but also receive an overview and can access an article or podcast about the book, and then have a discussion. 

“One of our central JEDI Core competencies is JEDI as a lifelong learning process and ultimately we can become a community of engaged JEDI learners,” said Callie Watkins Liu, director of JEDI Education and Programs. “Often it can feel like ‘someone else’ is the expert, but anyone can engage in learning and have a conversation with other people together in order to deepen that education.”

In addition to the JEDI Reading Club, Gayun Chan-Smutko, an associate professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and associate chair of the Genetic Counseling department, and Mike Boutin, assistant dean for faculty and student success, are leading a reading club within SHRS that will read the book a chapter at a time over a series of months. 

“Between our one-time reading club, and the deeper book engagement that Guy and Mike Boutin will be leading, the IHP will have an opportunity for expanded capacity to engage in transformative rather than transactional relationships, just as ‘The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves’ describes,” said Watkins Liu.