This Is Where We Begin: The Bookshelf by Harvey & Smith Impact

We built The Bookshelf for the people we work with every day. Nonprofit leaders. Public servants. Organizers. Educators. People reshaping systems in real time. People who do not need inspiration. They need tools.

Our collection spans multiple categories, but Justice and Liberation is where the work often starts. These titles confront the roots of systemic harm and offer frameworks for action. We sell them because we use them. In board retreats. In strategy sessions. In direct response to urgent questions. Every purchase supports our Microgrant Fund, which provides direct support to under-resourced grassroots groups across New York and New England.

Three titles that continue to shape our work:

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis

This is essential reading for any organization engaged in public advocacy. Davis draws powerful connections between global resistance and local organizing. We use this text to support nonprofits developing campaigns that challenge systems of policing, surveillance, and displacement.

We Do This ’Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba

Kaba writes with precision and care. Her work is practical and deeply relevant for anyone building alternatives to punishment. We have used this book with nonprofit staff revisiting internal accountability, with public school leaders addressing harm, and with grassroots coalitions planning community safety work.

Abolition for the People edited by Colin Kaepernick

This anthology is a strong entry point for shared learning. The essays are accessible and well suited for staff development, political education, and institutional reflection. We recommend it to organizations navigating mission drift or seeking deeper alignment around justice.

These are not abstract texts. They live in the work. That is why they are on our shelf.

Explore the collection: harveysmithimpact.com/thebookshelf