From the Rearview Mirror: Reflecting on Connecting the Dots - Softcover

Milliken, Mr. Bill

Softcover

ISBN 10: 140193790X ISBN 13: 9781401937904

Publisher: Hay House, 2012

Synopsis

     From the Rearview Mirror is the story of Bill Milliken’s journey from an affluent Pittsburgh suburb to the streets of Harlem and the Lower East Side of New York City in the 1960s, on to communal living in Georgia in the 1970s, to working with multiple presidential administrations in Washington, D.C. He struggled with an undiagnosed learning disability in school, believing he was dumb and had nowhere to go. After connecting with the Young Life outreach program at the age of 17, however, he found his calling doing street work with homeless, addicted, and other at-risk teens in the turbulent ’60s. Bill and his colleagues founded what grew into Communities In Schools, a highly effective organization working to bring services to young people and prevent them from dropping out of school. Along the way, Bill struggled with bringing his personal life into alignment with his ideals, coming to terms with organized religion and his own spiritual path, and creating the family and community he’d always longed for.

About this title

About the Author:

Bill Milliken has been a tireless advocate for disenfranchised youth and one of the foremost pioneers in the movement to connect schools with community resources to help troubled students graduate and succeed in life. In 1977, he and others developed a model organization, now known as Communities In Schools, which he served for more than 25 years as national president and currently as vice chairman of the board. Bill has advised U.S. Presidents of both political parties and has received numerous awards, including the Edward A. Smith Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership, the Champion for Children Award from the American Association of School Administrators, the National Caring Award from the Caring Institute, the Temple Award for Creative Altruism from the Institute of Noetic Sciences, the national Jefferson Award for Public Service, and an honorary doctorate from Bard College. He is the author of Tough Love; So Long, Sweet Jesus; and The Last Dropout.

Contact: founder@cisnet.org

Review:

“Bill Milliken is a rare human being who possesses heart, wisdom, and compassion. Read From the Rearview Mirror and relish the goodness of this man.”

— Goldie Hawn, entertainer and philanthropist

“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke of the need for a dedicated circle of transformed nonconformists to offer hope to a world in crisis. Bill Milliken is one of those nonconformists who demonstrates that our small efforts to guide and invest in the next generation will pay great dividends. May we all be inspired by his life and his lessons.”

—Dr. Robert Franklin, president, Morehouse College

“Bill has gone where the heartache is—met school dropouts on rooftops and street corners and changed the way we think about public education in this country. In this book, we see where his passion comes from and how it was shaped by failure as much as success. Inspiring, courageous, and well-written!”

— Marjory Zoet Bankson, the author of The Call to the Soul and Creative Aging

“People think of me as a hip-hop pioneer and serial entrepreneur, but I’m also someone who has worked hard for many years to integrate spiritual values and practice into my everyday world and to help others do the same. It is from this perspective that I’m delighted to recommend this wonderful book by my good friend Bill Milliken.”

— Russell Simmons, producer, entrepreneur, and author

“Bill Milliken shares his 50-year journey of personal, professional, and spiritual challenge and triumph, loss and growth, hope and reconciliation. He also throws in a few miracles along the way. It’s a fascinating story of a remarkable life, and a road map for others who want to make a difference in this world.”

— Stedman Graham, best-selling author, educator, and entrepreneur

“One of the extraordinary blessings I’ve had in my life is the unique relationship I’ve had with Bill Milliken.  What began as a quest to solve a critical problem in American education evolved into a spiritual journey with a selfless, wise, compassionate person who guided me to my life’s purpose. We will never know the true impact of Bill’s work. Generations of families have been saved by his prescient observations of how to ‘love a child to success.’ We talk about one-of-a-kind people in life. He truly is one of a kind.”

— Elaine Wynn, director, Wynn Resorts, and national board chair, Communities In Schools

About this edition

• Publisher: Hay House
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 140193790X
• ISBN 13: 9781401937904
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240