Two of San Francisco’s most well respected women in politics and media talk about their careers advising candidates, and analyzing and reporting the news of the day.

Never in my Wildest Dreams: A Black Woman’s Life in Journalism (Berrett-Koehler Publishers)

Belva Davis (with Vicki Haddock)

This honest and inspiring memoir traces a reporter’s rise from a childhood in the crowded projects of Oakland to a career that spanned five decades. KQED TV host Belva Davis, the first black female television journalist on the West Coast, reported on everything from the 1964 Republican Convention (where racists physically and verbally attacked her) to Vietnam War protests, the People’s Temple tragedy, the assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the AIDS epidemic, and the 2008 election of President Barack Obama. No wonder Davis, now in her 70s, has been referred to as “The Walter Cronkite of the Bay Area.”

Belva Davis has received eight local Emmys and many other awards, including honors from the International Women’s Media Foundation, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Northern California chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She continues to host a weekly news roundtable and special reports at KQED, one of the nation’s leading PBS stations.

Campaign Boot Camp 2.0: Basic Training for Candidates, Staffers, Volunteers, and Nonprofits (Berrett-Koehler Publishers)

Christine Pelosi

Christine Pelosi has led leadership “boot camps” in over thirty American states and three foreign countries. Her book draws on a lifetime of grassroots experience in political campaigns. Along with examining the expanding role of social media and technology in modern campaigns, this updated version edition of her 2007 book offers practical advice about setting goals and shaping a message, and offers quotes on running successful campaigns from a diverse array of public figures, including Donna Brazile, Willie L. Brown, Bill Clinton, Mahatma Ghandi and George F. Will. This book is a must have for anyone interested in public service, or just fascinated by politics.

Christine Pelosi serves as interim Executive Director of the Young Democrats of America, conducts leadership boot camps for candidates and nonprofits across the country, and teaches the Public Service Leadership Boot Camp for UC Berkeley extension in San Francisco. She is the author of Campaign Boot Camp: Basic Training for Future Leaders, a book used in her leadership trainings for candidates and causes.