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Microsoft’s associate general counsel shares his rise from underprivileged childhood in Brooklyn to the top of the technology and music industries with Jon Fortt, a top tech journalist at CNBC.
RESERVATIONS ARE CLOSED but there are still seats. Come to the auditorium and check in at about 3:30 p.m. After the discussion, there will be a Q&A period and a book signing and sale with Watchung Booksellers.
Open Book / Open Mind is sponsored by Montclair Public Library Foundation, Watchung Booksellers, the New Jersey Council on Humanities, Anonymous, David and Mary Lee Jones, Dr. Alex and Doris Malaspina and our Underwriters. To support Open Book / Open Mind and other library programs, click here to donate.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bruce Jackson is an associate general counsel at Microsoft and managing director for strategic partnerships out of the office of the president at Microsoft. Born in Brooklyn, he studied law at Georgetown University and spent a decade working in entertainment law with some of the top music talent in the country. Since then, he has received Microsoft’s diversity award, participated in Microsoft’s law and corporate affairs’ diversity efforts, helped launch Microsoft’s Elevate American Veterans Initiative, and worked to develop its diverse recruitment pipeline. Never Far from Home is his first book. He is a resident of Montclair.
ABOUT THE BOOK
"As an accomplished Microsoft executive, Bruce Jackson handles billions of dollars of commerce as its associate general counsel while he plays a crucial role in the company’s corporate diversity efforts. But few of his colleagues can understand the weight he carries with him to the office each day. He kept his past hidden from sight as he ascended the corporate ladder but shares it in full for the first time here.
"From public housing in Brooklyn's Crown Heights to working for Microsoft’s president, Brad Smith, and its founder, Bill Gates, to advising some of the biggest stars in music, Bruce Jackson’s Never Far from Home reveals the ups and downs of an incredible journey, how he overcame many obstacles and the valuable lessons learned along the way."--Simon & Schuster
“Bruce Jackson's portrait of New York is as nuanced as it is hopeful. In grappling with the complexity of his own childhood—from poverty's pernicious effect on his neighbors to early encounters with a flawed criminal justice system—Jackson asks his readers to confront the systemic inequalities that continue to plague communities of color across our nation. Jackson's own story of success... inspires us to continue the fight for a world where no one is underestimated and opportunity comes to every single zip code.” —U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
ABOUT THE CONVERSATION PARTNER
Jon Fortt is co-anchor of CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” (M-F, 4PM-5PM). He created the weekly segments, “On the Other Hand” on “Squawk Box,” a one-man debate; and “Working Lunch” on “Power Lunch,” which features his in-depth interviews with news making CEOs such as Microsoft’s Sayta Nadella, Amazon’s Andy Jassy, AMD’s Lisa Su and Sanofi’s Paul Hudson. He is a resident of Montclair and a member of the Open Book / Open Mind advisory Committee.
