Venue

: The Great Hall
: 1119 Eighth Avenue (enter on Eighth Avenue)
Seattle, 98101 United States + Google Map

This event is sold out. A Standby Line will NOT be available.

Note: Town Hall events are approximately 75 minutes long.

Live Captioning and ASL interpretation will be available for this event.

Headshots of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Brad Smith

Civics

In her five years as Governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer has steered her state through some of the most challenging events in Michigan’s history, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a five-hundred-year flood, the rise of domestic terrorism, and the fight to protect reproductive rights. Now she shares a candid and personal account of her life and career, full of insights that guided her through a global pandemic, showdowns with high-profile bullies, and even a kidnapping and assassination plot.

In her new book True Gretch, Whitmer reveals the principles and instincts that shaped her career, from her early days as a lawyer and legislator and her 2018 election as governor of Michigan, to the innovative actions she took as she led the state through a series of unprecedented crises. Her motto in politics, she writes, is to “get shit done.”

Along the way, Whitmer tells stories about her family, her lifelong clumsy streak, the wild comments she’s heard on the campaign trail, her self-deprecating social media campaigns (including her star turn as a talking potato with lipstick), and the slyly funny tactics she deploys to neutralize her opponents.

Written with Whitmer’s trademark sense of humor, True Gretch is not only a compelling account of her journey, but also a blueprint for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community, their country, or the world.

Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan and a rising figure in U.S. politics. Known for her bold and plainspoken style, Whitmer is a national voice on the rights of women, voters, and the LGBTQ+ community. She is a lifelong Michigander who first ran for office at age 29, has served in both state houses, and has never lost an election. Whitmer is the proud mother of two daughters, a huge Detroit Lions fan, and the subject of the song “Big Gretch” by rapper GMac Cash. True Gretch is her first book.

As Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith oversees the company’s efforts on critical technology and societal issues, including AI, cybersecurity, privacy, and environmental sustainability. Leading a global team, he has authored the bestselling book Tools and Weapons, urging the tech sector to take more responsibility. Known as a “de facto ambassador for the technology industry,” Smith frequently testifies before the U.S. Congress. He joined Microsoft in 1993, resolved major antitrust controversies, and advanced privacy protection and immigrant rights.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle.