B.O.O.K. (Beyond Our Own Knowledge) Club

Great book and discussion

Great group of men pushing the boundaries of their knowledge

I joined B.O.O.K. club early in 2021 and it’s been a great experience. Not only for the conversations but for the sense of community that Equity Leaders / NGM is creating amongst people with diverse views and similar goals around learning and connecting with others. The team makes it easy and straightforward to participate while encouraging everyone to be involved to the level of their comfort. The book choices are outside of what I would normally read which has been - which has been helpful to to challenge my thinking and get me out of reading things that simply confirm my views. The facilitated discussions really made the books come to life and I’ve very much appreciated the connections and learning along the way. I’ve recommended B.O.O.K. Club to many!

What I respect the most with this club is the safe space created so I can learn about the topic selected. The books selected cover topics I would not feel comfortable talking about outside this group as I would fear being scorned for saying the wrong thing. In B.O.O.K. club, I feel safe to be open about my thoughts on the subject. I come away with more knowledge, empathy, and personal growth to the point I would feel comfortable talking about the subject outside this club. It is a place you can challenge your inner biases, ask questions you feel awkward about, and enjoy learning about something new.

It may be obvious to say that the core benefit of a book club is in the conversations you have, but this is doubly so with B.O.O.K. Club. The topics of diversity and inclusion that are tackled in this club are so important to actively explore, because exploring them and experimenting with talking about them will change how we show up as allies when we need to, whether that's in the work place, in social situations or even out in the general public.

B.O.O.K. Club provides lots of opportunities for discussion in different modalities. The weekly discussions on the private forum provide a place to be really thoughtful about your responses. The mid-point and end-of-book discussion meetings force you to think and respond on your feet a bit more. The Q&As with the authors really gives you a chance to clarify things with an expert in their field.

All in all an excellent experience and a great opportunity to challenge yourself and grow.