But, too often, the stellar work of grassroots leaders in communities of color is not lifted up to spark meaningful national change.

In this age of deep and complex policy challenges,  what makes a good leader?

In the book, we write that a 21^st Century leader should be “a problem solver, a lifelong learner, and an ethical example to others” with “a penchant for action and a commitment to reflection and collaboration.”

For Week 5 of the Race and America’s Future Virtual Book Club, we look at the direction of new leadership in America. Today’s starter questions:

• Who is the best leader you know? What qualities make her or him a great leader?
• How do we prepare the next generation of leaders to build and sustain a fully inclusive nation?
• What lessons on leadership have you learned in the run-up to the 2010 midterm elections?

We look forward to your comments in this week’s conversation.

- Stewart Kwoh

Stewart Kwoh is co-author of Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America's Future and is the founding president and executive director of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) based in Los Angeles.