Elizabeth came from a struggling middle-class family in Oklahoma City. After a heart attack put her father out of work, she helped out by babysitting, waitressing, and sewing, all while shining as a star member of her school's debate team. Debate taught her how to fight with her words, a skill that eventually won her a state championship and a college scholarship. As a lawyer and a law professor, she learned why it was so difficult for working-class families like her own to advance economically. Today, she continues to fight (with her words) for the poor and the middle-class through her role as a senator. Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted emphasizes the importance of being outspoken-of using your words to fight both for yourself and for those who need your help.