News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Nov. 27, 2019: She has overcome economic instability, childhood sexual abuse, and even a past suicidal attempt to becoming a political pundit on MSNBC, the chief public affairs officer of MoveOn.org and working for former President Barack Obama as the regional political director in the Office of Public Affairs.
Now Caribbean American Karine Jean-Pierre, 42, is telling of her pains and gains in her new memoir ‘Moving Forward: A Story of Hope, Hard Work, and the Promise of America.’ It is an immigrant story and a story of Thanksgiving.
Jean-Pierre’s parents were immigrants from Haiti who moved to Martinique and then the US like most immigrants, to seek a better life for their family.
She was born in Martinique and once they migrated to the US, her father became a cab driver and her mother worked as a home health care worker while also running a hair salon.
In the book, she opens up about growing up as the daughter of poor Haitian immigrants, about being sexually abused and her struggle with depression and once trying to take her life.
“In terms of the sexual abuse, my mother knows about it, but we never discussed it. It happened, they were made aware of it, but we never sat down and talked about it,” she recently told Shondaland. “With my suicide attempt, my mom doesn’t know about it. My sister found me [in my car in the garage], brought me in the house, and we never spoke of it.”
Jean-Pierre also chronicles her path from New York’s Haitian community to working in the Obama White House, and offers a blueprint for anyone who wants to change the face of politics.
The book is also a call to action in today’s tough political environment.
“We need your voice. Now more than ever,” Jean-Pierre recently told Culturess. “So much is at stake right now. Get involved. Volunteer in your community. Volunteer at the college. Volunteer for a campaign. Run for office at the college. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with but get in the game. Now more than ever we need more younger people engaged.”
Jean-Pierre is married to CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux and they are parents to 5-year-old daughter Soleil. Get the book here.
