Description:
Former cabinet secretary, organizer, congresswoman, and New Mexico 2026 gubernatorial frontrunner Deb Haaland shares her story, offering a powerful and personal look at what it means to be "the first."
Nothing about Deb Haaland's upbringing or family history set her up for a life of firsts: the first Native American woman elected to chair a state political party in the United States, one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress, the first Native American to serve in a presidential cabinet. A thirty-fifth-generation New Mexican and member of the Pueblo of Laguna, Haaland has lived a remarkable life shaped by poverty, alcoholism, and single parenthood. After a late but meteoric rise in politics, she stepped down from her cabinet position as secretary of the interior in January 2025 to run for governor of New Mexico in the 2026 election. In A Voice Like Mine--titled after Haaland's congressional campaign slogan, "Congress has never heard a voice like mine"--she shares the personal history that inspired her courage to organize, run for office, and be a leader. She tells the stories that have defined her life in politics and beyond, from working in her grandfather's cornfield to fighting for change in the halls of Washington, DC. Throughout her journey, Haaland has drawn on her heritage in her activism and service, leading with humility, purpose, and a commitment to "leave the ladder down" for those who follow.Brief description: Deb Haaland, a thirty-fifth-generation New Mexican, organized for President Obama, led the New Mexico State Democratic Party to victory, and became one of the first Native women to serve in the US House of Representatives. She also made history as the first Native American appointed to a US president's cabinet. A military kid, a single mom, and a Pueblo woman, Haaland has championed working families, fought to give underserved communities a voice, and taken action to address the climate crisis. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Review Quotes:
"In A Voice Like Mine, Deb Haaland tells her story of courage and perseverance as a Pueblo woman growing up in a military family, organizing her community, serving in Congress, and becoming the groundbreaking Interior Secretary. Through it all, Haaland leads fiercely--for her ancestors, for her family, and for New Mexico. Her powerful story is an inspiration, reminding us that we are all a part of something bigger than ourselves."
--Senator Elizabeth Warren
--Louise Erdrich "A Voice Like Mine is filled to the brim with love and poetry. There is a bright kind of clarity here, an undeniable ringing of truth throughout, given to us through stories of family and perseverance, woven together beautifully across the hard won life of a Native woman who overcame countless impossible barriers to gain a position at the highest level. (If that isn't enough, we are gifted recipes along the way.) This is a book about how we recover what is lost, gather and hold up everyone's voice. Generous and bold, it sits calmly inside the kind of strength vulnerability inspires, which is expansive, can expand us if we let it. This book is a gift, Deb Haaland is a force."
--Tommy Orange "Deb Haaland is an auntie in the truest sense of the word. Her positive impact on Indian Country will be felt for generations, while never forgetting to keep the ladder down for the next generation of Native women leaders to climb. We're all better off because of her leadership and heart for her people."
--Peggy Flanagan (White Earth), Lt. Governor of Minnesota "Deb Haaland is a generational leader. With striking honesty and an enormous heart, she weaves a story only she can. From her upbringing as the granddaughter of grandparents taken away to Indian boarding schools and the youngest daughter of a Vietnam War veteran, to her experience as a single mother who found sobriety through the twelve-step program, to her meteoric rise from small business owner and get out the vote organizer to the first-ever Native American cabinet secretary in United States history. Deb's is an American story for the ages. Her voice is one this nation needs to hear, now more than ever."
--Julian Brave NoiseCat "In this poetic, humorous, sometimes heartbreaking account, Deb Haaland shows how stories and traditions have kept Indigenous communities together. She tells of how her family has survived over generations and reveals how these time-honored beliefs still provide sustenance and guide us. This memoir is also a testament to the beauty of the Southwest, its landscape, skies, and all living beings therein, all of which continue to nurture us and help us honor our ancestors."
--Luci Tapahonso "Deb Haaland reminds us of what is possible when you embrace opportunity and serve with heart. Elected alongside her as one of the first Native women in Congress, I've seen her courageous, fierce leadership up close. A Voice Like Mine shares her inspirational story and a blueprint for lifting up communities and creating space for those too often left out."
--U.S. Representative Sharice Davids, Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin "A convincing and down-to-earth account of a remarkably varied life."
--Kirkus