BACKGROUND: The First Thirty by Jillip Naysinthe Paxson (and expanded version, The Silhouette Man) is based on the true story of Greg Forbes Siegman, his efforts to make a difference, and the first thirty things learned from the people and places he encountered (and setbacks and successes he experienced) along the way. A large part of the book revolves around Greg's exploration of and involvement in Civil Rights, Multiculturalism, International Relations and Diversity in high school, college and his first six years out of college, including: the racially-charged events that occurred while he was in high school and college (and how he and others responded to them), to the focus of his two primary papers as an undergraduate (Native American culture & the treatment of it), to the bridge-building program he launched in college (which eventually led to him being named the college's Chairman of Community Service), to the multicultural mentoring program (BrunchBunch.org) that he started after college (and the 243 consecutive weekly outings which he coordinated and personally attended), and the dream he conceived in college (and began to implement a decade later) to build bridges between people of different races and cultures together. Greg is now asked to speak about these topics at schools, nonprofit organizations and other events. The book - and, in particular, the companion worbook (A Place To Sit) - also explore issues surrounding various racial and cultural issues, and multicultural interaction in a school or work setting. The First Thirty and A Place To Sit are now used by a wide variety of groups, schools, clubs, teams, organizations and companies who are studying/working/volunteering Civil Rights/Multicultural/Diversity (or Social Action/Social Justice), or who are interested in using the books as part of a civic engagement project. 

== In 2007, The First Thirty was honored as Northeast Student Diversity Leadership Conference Multicultural Relations Book of the Year

== In 2008, a high school selected The First Thirty as their Readers Choice book for a student/staff/parents trip to Africa. In 2009, another school chose it for grade school students for the same purpose.

BIO - Greg's Bio

WEBSITES:  Greg's website  - The First Thirty website - History behind Greg's multicultural mentoring program

Sample of MEDIA & HONORS: 

= At turn of the century, Good Morning America buried a Time Capsule chronicling Greg's efforts to break down racial and cultural barriers, and promote diversity
= Greg named Scholar-in-Residence for WRO Program (South Africa) and Scholar-in-Residence for a Day at Confederation College (Canada)
= USA Today, Lexington Herald-Leader features on Greg's efforts to work with young people on dealing with intolerance for foreigners after 9-11

= Greg's program devoted to breaking down racial and cultural barriers was recognized as one of America's Promising Programs in civil rights

= Greg's efforts to bring people together of different cultures and backgrounds featured on National Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial site

= Other honors include:  Jefferson Award for Public Service, America's Daily Point of Light, CBS Tylenol Hometown Hero, honored by Hasbro as one of 30 real-life  America heroes,  CBS Tylenol Hometown Hero, Simply Family's Heroes of the Year.  Honored at Princeton as one of nation's top social entrepreneurs under 40.
= Other media includes: Volunteer Leadership Magazine, La Raza, The Washington Post, CBS, NBC, Education Week, College News, The NonProfit Times, NPR, articles in wide variety of school publications about Greg's events with students geared toward promoting diversity, multiculturalism

= Wrote guest column for Chicago Sun-Times on the impact of labels and stereotypes

EXAMPLE OF RELEVANT SPEECHES & USE OF THE BOOKS:
= Greg and Nobel Peace Prize Honoree Elie Wiesel were invited to be the two speakers at a Day of Tolerance (Greg spoke during the day, Wiesel spoke in the evening).
= Keynoted series of assemblies for school district in Kentucky post 9-11 on dealing with intolerance

= School in New York orders 400 copies of The First Thirty as part of its diversity programming

= Fraser Stryker (law firm) ordered 50 copies of The First Thirty for local students for MLK Day 2009, and additional copies of The Silhouette Man (expanded version of The First Thirty) for each of its previous Fraser Stryker Diversity Scholars

= Senior Lifestyle Corporation ordered dozens of copies of The First Thirty for staffers in one of its regions, in conjunction with MLK Day 2008

== Greg delivered a Guest Lecture for a Race & Ethnicity course at Brooklyn College.  In conjunction with the guest lecture, Washington Mutual ordered copies of The First Thirty for the students

= Keynoted Global Fair for high school students in New Hampshire
= The Multicultural Development Office at TIU organized a trip for students to the Underground Railroad Freedom Center Museum.  In advance, the MDO ordered copies of The First Thirty for all the students to read on the six hour bus ride en route to the Museum.
== The National Conference for Community and Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis ordered copies of The First Thirty for a staff-wide reading

== After an incident involving racial and cultural insensitivity, a chapter of a college organization decided to do an internal and external project involving The First Thirty.  Citing the book's emphasis on breaking down stereotypes and respecting other cultures, they said their goal was to learn more about these issues so they didn't repeat their mistakes, and to share the story and its lessons with the kids so they didn't make those same mistakes at all

= The First Thirty incorporated into Race & Culture courses at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

= A school in Illinois used Greg's story in conjunction with Schindler's List and Night as part of a unit on Tolerance and Diversity.
=  Greg led student workshop in New Hampshire revolving around labels, stereotypes, multiculturalism
= Speaking at a church in Chicago on Christmas Eve
= Delivering a speech on service (in Spanish) in Washington DC. 

= Invited to speak at universities like Boston College, GW and University of Connecticut on topic of multiculturalism and diversity.

= MLK Day 2009 Speaker for 1100 students and staff in Nebraska

"...The presentation he gave...was a great experience as well as an important lesson... It's true that in our daily life we think we live in a pretty diverse place without knowing the meaning of diversity...Greg's experiences and ideas in fact prove that we are not just born to serve our personal purposes, but we are also here to be engaged in helping others and be with others without keeping the idea of race, culture and language in mind, and always struggle to raise the flag of humanity above every other thing in the world...." - Mati, student, Sage College of Albany (NY)

"...Thank you very much to him for speaking in both English and Spanish, as our Latino community really appreciated it. He not only shared his life experiences in an inspiring way, but he also made them relevant to the Hispanic community. Thank you to him once again for inspiring our kids to be their best." -  Ivonne Tovar-Vargas, Spanish Cultural Liaison & Interpreter, Colorado

"Greg is the first speaker we ever hosted who was able to transcend both language and cultural barriers to truly connect with the hearts of our residents, cultivating their laughter, understanding and curiosity. In the past, translation has been an issue when hosting various speakers...but his simple telling of a great story diminished the necessary ennui of translation, allowing residents to fully appreciate the candid lessons offered. Many times our residents, limited in their English, were able to comprehend his words almost intuitively...." - Nina, B'nai B'rith Parkview Apts (NY), following event for Russian immigrants (done with a translator)

Richard Freedman, National Director, South African Holocaust Foundation: "It was my great pleasure and honour to meet Greg and to have read The First Thirty. It has given me much food for thought and I am quite sure will resonate with me in the years to come. Today is Youth Day in South Africa which recognises the contribution that young people have made in the struggle against apartheid and the rebuilding of our country after apartheid. It is also meant to inspire young people to take on their own potential and to find their way in the world. His book shows how that is possible and that it mostly the curved line which offers the greatest opportunity for growth and for something special to be achieved. Thank you so much for sharing Greg's story. I am sure that he will continue to be a source of courage and inspiration to all who meet him and I hope that our paths will cross again.

"...Of all the speakers wehave had who have tried to address racism and diversity issues, Greg has had the most impact on me personally...I also personally enjoyed listening to his story -- I wouldn't call it a speech because he is a born storyteller...So not only was I learning from what he was saying, but I was also learning from how he was saying it. And he did say it well. He had my undivided attention the entire time. God has gifted him with insight, compassion, humility, a teachable spirit, and he just oozes charisma..." - Kaija, staff member, Confederation College (Canada)

"I wrote an essay about Greg for a course I am taking -- comparing his story and what he's done with Ralph Waldo Emerson's book Experience, and one of Gandhi's philosophies about small actions leading to big things."  -- Andrew S, Boston College student

Gina S, student, George Washington University: "...I think it was great Greg came to talk us on a subject [diversity] that is generally taboo or ignored....I am glad Greg wasn't another one those people who says they're going to talk about a really serious subject in really difficult words..."

"An American tale with global relevance, The First Thirty illustrates the ability within each of us to help bridge the divisions that have separated so many for so long." -  Peter K, High School student (Kenya)

 "If we can only have The First Thirty prescribed as a compulsory reading matter for [every] 12 year old in [South Africa], it will make a world of difference....this book has taken me way back to my own childhood...it is an extremely interesting book, especially how a young boy had the guts to break away from the norm...." - Yasien Mohamed, Former Secretary, Pan-African Congress, South Africa

PAUL STEWART, PRESIDENT, UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORY PROJECT OF THE CAPITAL REGION, INC:  "...I found the impact of Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King on Greg's life a real delight. I loved the work toward reconciliation for young and old, rich and poor, blacks, whites and others..."

For more on Greg, go to www.GregForbes.com

For more on the book, go to www.TheFirstThirty.com