Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, comes to Austin to discuss her instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times: How to Reclaim Your Power, Fight for Freedom, and Reimagine Democracy.

Free with RSVP · Doors at 6:00 PM · Conversation at 6:30 PM · Thursday, October 1 · First Austin, 901 Trinity Street

Perryman has spent the last several years arguing against threats to democracy in courtrooms across the country, and her book turns that experience toward a simpler question a lot of people are asking right now: what can I actually do? Expect a practical, direct conversation about power, courage, and where ordinary people fit into this moment, followed by audience Q&A and book signing.

Copies of Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times will be available for purchase from First Light Books at the event.

Proudly presented in partnership with Democracy Forward and the LBJ Foundation.

ORDINARY PEOPLE, EXTRAORDINARY TIMES

The future of our country lies in all of our hands. From protecting voting rights and public schools to finding courage in the face of fear, Skye Perryman makes the case that defending democracy isn't the job of lawyers or politicians alone—it's a role for every one of us, seasoned and brand-new activists alike.

Drawing on her frontline experience challenging threats to democracy in courtrooms across the nation, Perryman combines gripping personal stories with practical "how-to" guides that empower readers to take action in their own communities.

Accessible, hopeful, and deeply practical, this inspiring book shows that the path forward begins not in the halls of power but at our kitchen tables, in our neighborhoods, and through the everyday choices we make to speak up, build community, and protect our future.

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"A manual for people who are tired of wringing their hands and are ready to roll up their sleeves." —Hillary Rodham Clinton

"This book is for all of us, regardless of your politics." —Michael Steele, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee​

"Skye Perryman offers not more angst and the obvious, but real direction." —Annie & Willie Nelson

"A must read and must do." —Stacey Abrams

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About the author

Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward and a TIME 100 honoree, is an attorney and internationally recognized leader at the forefront of advancing democracy and individual rights.

Perryman was named one of the fifty people shaping American society in 2026 by The Washington Post and under her leadership, Democracy Forward has been heralded as a "human rights hero" by the American Bar Association, securing major court victories that have protected due process, free speech, healthcare, education, economic opportunity, reproductive freedom, and more.

Perryman frequently appears on NBC, MS NOW, CNN, and NPR, and her work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Time, and Newsweek. A popular speaker at venues including SXSW, Aspen Ideas, and The Texas Tribune Festival, she is recognized for blending legal expertise with accessible, inspiring storytelling.

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About the conversation partner

Emily is the co-founder and CEO of The 19th. The idea for this newsroom was born out of the 2016 election, when Hillary Clinton lost to Donald Trump following a campaign thatfar too often centered around questions of a woman candidate’s “electability” or “likeability.”

At the time, she had a newborn, and The 19th was just a kernel of an idea: What if there was a news organization that normalized women’s leadership, and centered gender in politics and policy, instead of repeating the same old tired tropes?

Before The 19th, she was editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune, a local news startup and the largest statehouse news operation in the nation. She is immediate past co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board. In 2020, she was named to Fortune’s “40 Under 40” list.

Emily started her career at The Dallas Morning News, where she broke national stories about sexual abuse inside Texas’ youth lock-ups, reported from inside a West Texas polygamist compound and uncovered “fight clubs” at state institutions for people with disabilities.

A native of Washington, D.C., she graduated from Northwestern University in 2003 with dual degrees in journalism and American history.

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