An Eye on “I” in September

The first sub-Saharan African to hold the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan has led an extraordinary life of service to the global community. Wednesday, September 5 at 7:00pm at the Sixth and I Synagogue he will share some of his experiences and knowledge that he has memorialized in his new book, Interventions: A Life in War and Peace in conversation with David Ignatius. Immediately following Mr. Annan will sign books for a limited period of time. A single ticket for the event is $36 and includes one book. Two guests may attend for $45 and receive one book. This signing is being presented in collaboration with Politics & Prose. There will be no walk-up box office sales.

Thursday September 20 at 7:30pm international recording artist, actor and activist Wyclef will also appear in conversation at Sixth and I promoting his memoir Purpose: An Immigrant’s Story. His Washington stop on the book tour is one of the very few in which he will also perform a set of his latest music before signing books. Tickets are $35 and include 1 copy of the book. Doors for this event open at 6:30pm.

District of Connections

Building a personal and professional network is not always an easy thing to do, particularly in Washington. Even after you may feel you have built a solid network of good people around you, it can still be difficult maintaining those relationships. Each relationship with a colleague, friend or family member requires energy, attention and work. Rather you are a young adult or seasoned professional, now is always the perfect time to learn new skills or brush up on old ones to help you understand and navigate relationship building with substance and style.

Two standout books penned by African Americans that share a wealth of knowledge are The Personal Touch: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today’s Fast-Paced Business World by public relations and advocate, Terrie Williams and the classic Success Runs in Our Race: The Complete Guide to Effective Networking in the Black Community by George C. Fraser. The latter many consider required reading for someone looking to build his or her career. Both books fully grasp the idea that networking is not about the quantity of connections but the quality of connections. In a city built on connections and learning how to connect the dots, these are two books that you should definitely check out.