Acknowledgments

Please forgive me if I forget to mention your name.

James Baldwin: It is in your name that I found the justice that my heart craves, the fairness that my mind seeks, the peace that my soul remembers, and the triumph that my body has been waiting for. You asked that we find you in the wreckage. We did that, “Pop.” Now we shall gather the pieces and build a fine altar to your intellect, light candles, and love you the way you loved us: with gratitude.

Jandel Benjamin: Auntie, I write because you were the first in our family to write. I saw your poems and it made me know that writing didn’t have to be an intangible dream. It didn’t have to be a hobby. It could be real. Thank you for that gift.

Sherise Bright: Your friendship/sisterhood is an entire blessing and I’m so grateful that the universe saw fit to bring us together. You are a constant source of optimism, faith, humor, and intuition. You predicted this moment and I thank you for your insight into things that cannot be seen, but only felt.

Victoria Cruz: You are a living legend. What a blessing it was for me to bask in the glory of one of our greatest foremothers. Thank you for your advocacy, grace, humor, fierceness, and love.

Valerie Complex: Your genius amazes me. I’m not sure I’ve ever met anyone so effortlessly and endlessly creative, funny, beautiful, and kind. I can’t wait for the rest of the world to know what I know: that your gifts are inspiring and life-changing. Love you, sis.

George Cunningham: It was you who gave me all that the American education complex denied by showing me the truth they never intended for me to see. It was in your course, “Reading Race,” that I learned that my perspective and purpose was not some aberration, but was actually the latest in a long tradition of resistance. I don’t know how to repay you.

Ava DuVernay: I don’t know how you find the time to do it: create an endless stream of magnificence and also embrace us and laugh with us and break bread with us and dance with us and keep us ever so close. That is nothing short of miraculous and you are nothing short of a miracle. Thank you for giving of yourself so that we all might hold our heads a little higher. I ride or die for you, sis.

Janet Jackson: You have left an indelible mark on me, not just with your angelic voice, impeccable dancing, bright smile, sauntering stage work, and fierce music, but also with your seething intelligence and unyielding social consciousness. I broke my mother’s dining room chair practicing “The Pleasure Principle” back in 1987, but it was all worth it because “Rhythm Nation” showed me, in ways accessible to an eighteen-year-old mind, that I had a responsibility to help make the world a better place for not just myself, but all those who are oppressed. Thank you.

Joan Jones: Ma, you always say, “He raised hisself,” but what you don’t know is that your courage, liberty, take-no-shit-from-nobody stance, rejection of patriarchy, skepticism of all belief, requirement of hard facts and tons of evidence, acceptance of violence as a defensive option when necessary, and insistence on being precisely who the fuck you are irrespective of who did or didn’t approve was the example that I needed to survive and thrive. You are an outlaw and a free woman. And I thank you for it.

Tron Jones: My blood brother. Thank you for your sacrifices. Thank you for your laughter. Thank you for holding on despite the things holding you back. Please—share your writing with the world.

Sally Kim: My vision board foretold of our meeting and of our melding. Thank you for your knowing eye and discerning heart, undying support, respecting what I am attempting to do and say, and for helping me to focus and fine-tune so that others might likewise respect those things. Thank you, also, for understanding my superstitions.

Kiese Laymon: Brother. You are such a tremendous source of love and light that English isn’t suitable enough to describe you. Your belief in my ability carried me high when I was extremely low. Your writing—your deep, rigorous writing—gave me permission to say what I feel I have to say. Thanks are not enough, but thank you.

PJ Mark: I have never had someone believe in my work so fiercely, fight for it with such diligence, and defend it with this level of tenacity. I heard that in the agent industry, they call you “The Pitbull,” but I think James Bond is more accurate. Thank you so much for your guidance, kindness, expertise, and no-nonsense approach to my work and my career.

Calvis McLaurin: One day, brother, it will be impossible for you to ignore your calling and you will get to work. More than politicians, pastors, priests, police, and pimps, the world needs its painters. Your brush is then pen; your pad your canvas. Go make a masterpiece. For our sake.

Ernesto Mestre-Reed: When very few others saw value in my writing, had, in fact, diminished it with their thoughts and words, had cautioned me about the “danger of becoming a Black writer,” you saw what they refused to: that the danger was present not how they imagined, but how they feared. You encouraged me to continue writing and showed me that there was inherent worth in my work. Your mentorship was invaluable. Thank you.

Toni Morrison: It was my dream for you to read this book, believe that it has merit, offer your blessing, and perhaps invite me for a cup of tea at your house so that I could tell you how without you, this book could not have been because it was your holy scripture, your complete indictment and rearrangement of the English language that inspired me to write it. You said if I couldn’t find the book I wanted to read, then I must write it. So I did. Wherever you are in the universe, it is my sincerest hope that you are pleased.

Roni Natov: “Intake of breath . . .” You have been a tremendous advocate of not just my academic success, but of my overall success. If not for your boundless kindness, support, and belief in my abilities, I’m not sure where I’d be right now. You are a joy. Thank you.

Osvaldo Oyola: You saw this work at its earliest, clumsiest stages and still thought it was worth something. Thank you for your keen set of eyes, indelible mind, and brotherhood. Started from the Cyborg, now we here!

Samora Pinderhughes: Bruh-Bruh, from the moment we met, we became family. Thank you for listening, wishing only good things for me, cooking healthy foods, letting me get sneak peeks of your music, being one of the most brilliant musicians on this planet, having a big-ass heart, and having an incredible conscience.

Robert Scott: As I wandered the halls of Brooklyn College lost, you found me, as you have found generations of others, and put me on the right track. Thank you for your careful mentorship.

Arlene Solá-Vargas: For over forty years we have shared joys and pains, triumphs and tragedies, and look at us! We made it. We made it in spite the circumstances, maybe even because of the circumstances. Thank you so much for your encouragement and for welcoming me into the family.

Adrian Techeira: My husssband. LOL! Never did I imagine that your Virgo-ness would come in handy. Thank you for your critical eye, your legal expertise, your support when I can’t operate at one hundred, the house that is now a home, and the love that is now bonded and witnessed. Thank you.

Charles, Marcus, and Victoria Thompson: One realist. One learner. One dreamer. Thank you for your undying encouragement, trusted friendship, and for choosing me to be part of your family. I’m eternally grateful.

Crystal Waterton: You, whose diapers I changed. And now you are a grown woman and creating the most brilliant of art. I can’t wait until the world learns what I already know: you are one of the most brilliant filmmakers around. Make. Your. Art. Sis!

David Wells: You have been like a true brother to me, helping me feel whole when I feel like I could fall apart, checking on me when the days are too long and the nights are troubled. I know now what they mean when they say “brother’s keeper.” Thank you.

To the Janklow & Nesbit Associates team, Ian Bonaparte and Zoe Nelson, and the G. P. Putnam’s Sons/Penguin Books USA team, Joel Breuklander, Brennin J. Cummins, Ivan Held, Christopher Lin, Ashley McClay, Katie McKee, Emily Mlynek, Gabriella Mongelli, Vi-An Nguyen, Nishtha Patel, Anthony Ramondo, Amy Ryan, Alexis Welby, and the entire Putnam sales team: You helped me pull a lifelong fantasy out of the ether and into the material world. Your commitment and teamwork is inspiring. My gratitude is never ending. Thank you.

To my blood and chosen family, who have seen me at the beginning, through my tribulations, and into my triumphs—you have been my solid ground and I love you deeply: Khadeem D. Wilson, Khadijah I. Wilson, Sandra Benjamin, Alfred Benjamin, Jr., Shahaira Davy, Justin O. Christopher, Orlando J. Davy, Jr., Sheronda Benjamin, Lenice Smith, Kayin Davy, Errol Waterton, Orlando Davy, Sr., Melissa Barnaby Hernandez, Christian Alcazar, Chastity Hernandez, Angel Bright, LaFawn Davis, Hilda and David Sola, Sr.; Eduardo Sr., Eduardo Jr., Isabella, and Daniel Vargas; David Jr., Laurie, and Olivia Sola; Tron Jr., Taina, Destiny, and Terrence Jones-Bosse, Julian and Milagros DeJesus, Dorothy, Simon, Nneka, Nya, and Jordyn Spence; Tiffany, Lole Sr., Lole Jr., Rowan, and Ivan Techeira, Jennifer Jacinto, and Tina Honeycutt; Beth, Tara, and Matthew Benjamin-Botas; Dawn Benjamin and Anthony Purge, Darlene Horton, Dawn Horton and family, Jimmie Horton and family, LaMont Horton and family, Renee, Cameron Jr., and Cameron Kelly, Dondria, Gary, and Ty Gadsden; Elena, Raquel “Mama Rock,” and Howard “Pop” Pinderhughes; my Jones aunts: Angela, Laverne, Mallie, Mary, and Rita; My Jones cousins: Cheryl, Christine, Christopher, Daniel, Eric, Ebony, Elijah, Isiah, Jacob, Jamal, Jason, Jordan, Joshua, Justin, Kelly, Lashawn, Michael, Monae, Sean, Shauna, Stephanie; Lester Wint, Shannette Duncan-Wilson and family, Nicole Wilson, Starr Lester and family, Keesha Peets and family, James Peets and family, Scooner, Glenn, and Deena McCray and family, Willie “DJ Ill Will (Your Wifey’s Favorite DJ)” White, Daniella “DAN-NELA” White, Octavia “Tay” Davison, William “Goddy” White, Jr., Rashawn “Red” White, Quincy “Penguin” White, Kimora “Whoop De Whoop” Simon, Summer “Zibba Zobba” Simon, Ashley “Ash Cash” Saint Louis, Reina Monserate, Scorpio Simon, and the entire Davison and White families, Michelle and Dream Holder, Tanya Edwards; Songhai, Glenn, Caleb, Kendi, Eli, and Taylor Deveaux; Karen and Joe McCord, Lori Petty, Anaya McLaurin, Stephanie Acevedo-McCardle-Blunk, Miles Law, Paula Bryant (Brion), Margaret Prescod, Chanda and Kevin Hsu Prescod-Weinstein, Mary, Cheryl, Wanda, Felicia Diane, and Dawn Carpenter; Baldwin the cat, all the Benjamins, Betheas, Denmarks, Gaineses, Hines, Joneses, and Wilsons. Thank you.

Your unfathomable creativity, artistic achievements, and shining genius made it possible for me to imagine a reality where I had a chance: Wallace Thurman, Gloria Naylor, Alice Walker, Octavia Butler, Zora Neale Hurston, Chinua Achebe, Michelle Alexander, Maya Angelou, Kola Boof, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Edwidge Danticat, Debra Dickerson, Tananarive Due, Nikki Giovanni, Max S. Gordon, Joseph Illidge, Lorraine Hansberry, Ernest Hardy, James Earl Hardy, E. Lynn Harris, N. K. Jemisin, Jamaica Kincaid, Gabriel García Márquez, Ayana Mathis, James McBride, Herman Melville, Nell Irvin Painter, Gabby Rivera, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Danyel Smith, Brandon Thomas, Jean Toomer, and Isabel Wilkerson.

When I was lost, your voice and your song guided me home: Aaliyah, Marsha Ambrosius, Ashford & Simpson, Bobby and IZ Avila, Bahamadia, Anita Baker, Big Freedia, Black Stax, Radha Blank, Mary J. Blige, Boyz II Men, Brandy, Dennis Brown, Foxy Brown, Bry’Nt, B.Slade, Cakes Da Killa, Tevin Campbell, Mariah Carey, Chika, Sam Cooke, Bernadette Cooper, D’Angelo, Frenchie Davis, Deadlee, Smoke E. Digglera, Johnathan Douglass; Earth, Wind & Fire; Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, En Vogue, Rachelle Farrell, Aretha Franklin, Rah Rah Gabor, Kenneth Gamble and Leon A. Huff, Medino Green, “Cat” Harris-White, Donny Hathaway, Lalah Hathaway, Lauryn Hill, Whitney Houston, Phyllis Hyman, Stasia “Stas” Irons, Freddie Jackson, Mahalia Jackson, Millie Jackson, Luke James, Jidenna, Syleena Johnson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Kevin Kaoz, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Ledisi, Lady Leshurr, Le1f, Ari Lennox, Lil’ Kim, Enongo “Sammus” Lumumba-Kasongo, Cheryl Lynn, Janelle Monae, Stephanie Mills, Laura Mvula, Meshell Ndegeocello, Mr. Strange, New Edition, Kimberly Nichole, Gene Noble, Jessye Norman, Sinead O’Connor, Rahsaan Patterson, Leontyne Price, Prince, Rapsody, Della Reese, Rihanna, Amber Riley, Minnie Ripperton, Diana Ross, Sade, Salt-N-Pepa, Bobby Short, Nina Simone, Bessie Smith, The Staple Singers, Sandra St. Victor, Donna Summer, Sylvester, Tank and the Bangas, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Monifah and Terez Thorpe, Tina Turner, Tweet, Usher, Dionne Warwick, Jody Watley, Vesta Williams, Angela Winbush, Stevie Wonder, and Nicole “Lady” Wray.

Seeing you on screens and stages, as well as behind them, gave me self-esteem and the gift of daring to follow a dream: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Adepero Adoye, Kofi Agyemang, Erika Alexander, Alana Arenas, Nicholas L. Ashe, Reginald L. Barnes, Angela Bassett, Nicole Behari, Asante Blackk, Nahum Bromfield, Yvette Nicole Brown, Roscoe Lee Browne, Jade Bryan, Dyllón Burnside, LeVar Burton, Rosalind Cash, Diahann Carroll, Rashan Castro, Rodney Chester, Denzel Chisholm, Stanley Bennett Clay, Michaela Coel, Ryan Coogler, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Laverne Cox, Julie Dash, Loretta Devine, Aunjanue Ellis, Yance Ford, Dawn Lyen Gardner, Marla Gibbs, Rashad E. Greene, Danai Gurira, Lisa Gay Hamiton, dream hampton, Winnie Harlow, Jackeé Harry, Brian Tyree Henry, Monique Angela Hicks, José Hollywood, Gwen Ifill, Dominique Jackson, Michael R. Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Jharrel Jerome, Christopher Jirau, Mustapha Khan, Regina King, Eartha Kitt, Kasi Lemmons, Deondray & Quincy LeNear-Gossett, Donja Love, Moms Mabley, Tina Mabry, Rajendra R. Maharaj, Sara’o Maozac, Sonequa Martin-Green, Sampson McCormick, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Akili McDowell, Edgar Mendez, S. Epatha Merkerson, Janet Mock, Indya Moore, Stacey Muhammad, Terrence Nance, Niecy Nash, Adaora Nwandu, Lupita Nyong’o, LaWanda Page, Keke Palmer, Tammy Peay, Numa Perrier, Tonya Pinkins, Patrik-Ian Polk, Billy Porter, Aamer Rahman, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Dee Rees, Della Reese, Shonda Rhimes, Beah Richards, J. August Richard, Bobby Rivers, MJ Rodriguez, Anika Noni Rose, Angelica Ross, Shaun Ross, Aston Sanders, Narubi Selah, Gabourey Sidibe, Justin Simien, Madge Sinclair, Brian Michael Smith, Justice Smith, Jussie Smollett, Doug Spearman, Darryl Stephens, Tika Sumpter, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Andre Leon Talley, Regina Taylor, Lorraine Toussaint, Cicely Tyson, Leslie Uggams, Gabrielle Union, Alok Vaid-Menon, Pernell Walker, Kerry Washington, Benjamin Charles Watson, Jr., Alek Wek, Rutina Wesley, Emile Wilbekin, Paul Winfield, Oprah Winfrey, George C. Wolfe, Charlayne Woodard, Tyquane Wright, and Bradford Young.

Your unmatchable skill and enviable diligence are wonders to behold. Thank you: Simone Biles, DeWanna Bonner, Elena Delle Donne, Gabby Douglas, Candice Dupree, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Natasha Howard, Mae Jemison, Allie Quigley, Caster Semenya, Courtney Vandersloot, Dwyane Wade, Serena Williams, and Venus Williams.

Thank you for the beauty of aesthetic truth: Derrick Adams, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jamal Campbell, Olivier Coipel, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Jermaine Curtis Dickerson, Bilquis Evely, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Ramona Fradon, Paul Gagner, Vashti Harrison, Phil Jiménez, Kerry James Marshall, Jamie McKelvie, Kadir Nelson, Mikael Owunna, Jennifer Packer, Gordon Parks, Aaron Radney, Khary Randolph, Trina Robbins, Roger Robinson, Will Rosado, Jacolby Satterwhite, Augusta Savage, Ashleigh Shackelford, Liam Sharp, Alma Thomas, Hank Willis Thomas, Alberto Vargas, Kara Walker, Kara Mae Weems, Kehinde Wiley, and Ashley A. Woods.

Your vision helps me to navigate unkind terrain. Thank you: Gloria E. Anzaldúa, Ella Baker, Joseph Beam, Derrick Bell, Charles M. Blow, Tarana Burke, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Angela Davis, Joy DeGruy, Mona Eltahawy, bell hooks, Barbara Jordan, Barbara Lee, Audre Lorde, Manning Marable, Marlon Riggs, Assata Shakur, Harriet Tubman, Desmond Tutu, and Malcolm X.

Your courage is a balm, but also a shield. Thank you for service and sacrifices: Mumia Abu-Jamal, Phillip Agnew, John Amaechi, Robert Bailey, Dee Barnes, Jesse Ray Beard, Mychal Bell, Richard Blanco, Lanisha Bratcher, Robyn Crawford, Wade Davis II, Anita Hill, Rachel Jeantel, Marsha P. Johnson, Carwin Jones, Gia Marie Love, Erica Malunguinho da Silva, Erica Malunguinho da Silva, Antron McCray, Michel’le, Wes Moore, Bree Newsome, Stella Nyanzi, Bryant Purvis, Raz-B, Kevin Richardson, Sylvia Rivera, Yusef Salaam, Karol Sanchez, Raymond Santana, Theo Shaw, Bryan Stevenson, William Dorsey Swann, Ciara Taylor, Zaya Wade, Jewel Thais-Williams, Korey Wise.

I learned at the altar of your boundless wisdom. Thank you for being my teachers: Moustafa Bayoumi, Prudence Cumberbatch, Michael Cunningham, Stacy D’Erasmo, Wendy Fairey, Howard Firestone, Pamela Grace, Irene Horowitz, Rosamond King, Jerome Krase, Laura Mattiga, Jenny Offil, Laurie Pea, Alexis Emilia Pierre-Louis, Madelon Rand (RIP), Joan Reale, Dorothy Rompalske, Ramsey Scott, Robyn C. Spencer, Ellen Tremper, Brooke Watkins, Salim Washington, and Kee Yong.

Thank you for your gifts, and your commitments to the word and the truth: Ashley Akunna, Zaheer Ali, Michael Arcenaux, Eroc Arroyo-Montano, Kenyette Barnes, Regina N. Bradley, Yaba Blay, Richard Brookshire, Jericho Brown, Clay Cane, Jasmyne Cannick, Maisy Card, Rebecca Carroll, Cody K. Charles, Roger Cipo, Hillary, Lemu, and King Kinti Crosley-Coker, Brittney Cooper, Timothy DuWhite, Chana Ginelle Ewing, Ayesha K. Faines, Kimberly N. Foster, Donte Gibson, Kieron Gillen, Jenn Jackson, Fatima Jamal, George M. Johnson, Myles E. Johnson, Kimberly Jones, Sarah Karim, Ibram X. Kendi, R.O. Kwon, Angel Laws, Creighton Lee, Inigo Leguda, Jamilah Lemieux, Felice León, Maurice Lucas, Tamika Mallory, Shane McCrae, Tiq Milan, Darnell L. Moore, Isabelle Mosado, Frank Mugisha, Eddie Ndopu, Mark Anthony Neal, Tambay Obenson, Oronike Odeleye, Josh Odom, Nnedi Okorafor, Daniel Jose Older, José Guadalupe Olivarez, LaSha Patterson-Verona, Brontez Purnell, Imani Perry, Tony Puryear, Helen Phillips, Ayanna Pressley, Donovan X. Ramsey, Franchesca Ramsey, Kiley Reid, Sonya Renee, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Namwali Serpell, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Danez Smith, Kaila Adia Story, Rebecca Theodore-Vachon, Steven Thrasher, Ezinne Ukoha, Ocean Vuong, Imani J. Walker, Lawrence Ware, Kirsten West-Savali, G. Willow Wilson, De’Shawn Charles Winslow, Ravyn Wngz, Ashley Yates, Damon Young, and Hari Ziyad.

Thank you, squad, for lifting me up, having my back, and “holding me down”: Clinton Adams, Irva Adams, Robert Agyemang, Trey Alexander, Yasmin Ali, Henry Anderson, Keisha-Gaye Anderson, Torrese Arquee, John Avelluto, Ivan Baptiste, Monique Baylor-McCall and family, Marie-Helene Bertino, Lemmie Blakemore, Karen Blitz, Jonathan Lee Bowles (you got next!), D’Ambrose Boyd, Jason Boston, Beqi Brinkhorst, Daniela Brown, Zedrick Brown, Aishah Bruno, Quonnetta Calhoun, Horace & Bryant Campbell-Coleman and family, Tyrone H. Cannon, Bernadette Canty, Ray Caspio, Seve Chambers, Madonna Charles, Sandra Clarke, Don “DJ” Davis, Kiev Davis and family, Camille DeBose, Lisa Del Sol, Gwen Devoe, Gerado “Gee” DiFeo, Robert Finley, Jr., Zinga A. Fraser, Erika Frierson, Steven G. Fullwood, Stephen Funches, Tungi Fussell, Alyssa Gargiulo, Tanisha Green, Natalia Guarin-Klein, Feargal Halligan, Justin LaRocca Hansen, Mobina Hasmi, Addie Hopes, Reginald Idlett, Lacy D. Jamison, Loretta Jenkins, James W. Jennings, Tasha Jones, Vondia “Peaches” Jones, Thomas Jordan, Greg Jurick-Blackshear, Meghan Keane, Jennifer Kikoler, David Kim, Amy Klopert, Kevel C. Lindsay, Katy Maslow, Dina Maugeri, Shayne McGregor, Kristen Meinzer, Kamela Mohabeer, Cristina Moracho, Cynthia Naughton-Goodman and family, Doreen Naughton, Michelle Naughton and family, Natalie Naughton and family, Nicole Naughton-Lincoln and family, Pamela Naughton-Allen and family, Barry Nelson, Kevin Dwayne Nelson, Karen Parker, Bernadette Parker-Canty, Lucille Pascall, Bones Patterson, Audrey Peterson, Anthonine Pierre, Alexzia Plummer, Temika Polk, Cory Provost, Anthony Punt, Rhea Rahman, Shais Rison, Carrie Roberts (RIP), Maya Rock, Marlene Saez, Michael Santana, Crystal Schloss, Jeffrey Severe, Nichole Simon, Mark Simpson, Jared Shuler, Kevin Smith, Moraima Smith, Nicole St. Clair, Tyrone “Flyronee” Stevens, Aimee Stevland, Renee Straker and family, Bernard Tarver; Mammen, Betsy, Saramma and Suma Thomas; Lealand Thompson, Randi Vegh (RIP), Melissa Velez, Stanley Walker, Raina Washington, Darryl “The Griot” Watson, Zora Wells, Jackie Williams, Trina Yearwood, and Keith Zackowitz.

To the entire Son of Baldwin community: Thank you for the discussions, the disagreements, the laughs, the tears, the love, and the pain. You have elevated me and provided sanctuary. You educated and enlightened me. Y’all are so, so dope. Thank you so very much.

To my JanFam, my Rhythm Nation: You are all black diamonds: Shawn Arnold, Vincent Bernard, Roger Brown, Elgin “Emperor” Charles, Michaela Harrison, Lamont Hicks, Harold Jacobs, Gray Lappin, Jordan Listenbee, J. C. and Mike Litherland-Neilson, Ify “Angie” Olie, Denise P. Oliver, Ralphie Scarborough, Robert Snowden, and Thomas “Trey” Simpson.

To my Marlboro Projects family: Through all the ups and all the downs—and those downs were ROUGH!—we found community. Thank you.

To the booksellers, libraries, readers, and all makers and lovers of books: Thank you. A special thank you to Sarah McGrath at Riverhead, Peter Blackstock at Grove, Kate Medina at Random House, Alison Lorentzen at Viking, Erin Wicks at HarperCollins, and Barbara Jones at Henry Holt.

To oppressed peoples caught up in the prison industrial complex: May true justice, rehabilitation, and reconciliation prevail.

Shout out to sex workers and to every House of every Ball. May you all be Safe.

Halsey Street: You are forever in my heart.

We speak your names: Tanisha Anderson, Ahmaud Arbery, Ricky Beeks, Sean Bell, Sandra Bland, Muhlaysia Booker, Rekia Boyd, Rashawn Brazell, Kalief Browder, Venida Browder, Michael Brown, Eleanor Bumpurs, Philando Castile, Stephon Clark, Coobah, John Crawford III, Kaladaa Crowell, Michelle Cusseaux, Amadou Diallo, Jamie Doxtator, Henry Dumas, George Floyd, Janisha Fonville, Ezell Ford, Korryn Gaines, Eric Garner, Erica Garner, Pearlie Golden, Ramarley Graham, Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray, the Grenfell Fire victims, Sakia Gunn, Akai Gurley, Latasha Harlins; Markis, Hannah, Jeremiah, Devonte, Abigail, and Ciera Hart; Yusuf Hawkins, Stephen Hicks, Tony Hughes, Kyra Inglett, Malik Jackson, Botham Jean, Atatiana Jefferson, Marquis Jefferson, Duanna Johnson, Kendrick Johnson, Kathryn Johnston, Bettie Jones, India Kager, Oliver Lacy, Stephen Lawrence, Errol Lindsey, Renisha McBride, Tony McDade, Laquan McDonald, Natasha McKenna, Brandi Mells, Ernest Miller, Margaret LaVerne Mitchell, Kayla Moore, Shanta, Jeremiah, and Shanise Myers, Yahira Nesby, Islan Nettles, the New Cross house fire victims, Sean Reed, Bailey Reeves, Tamir Rice, Aura Rosser, Relisha Rudd, Walter Scott, Anthony Sears, Konerak Sinthasomphone, Eddie Smith, Raymond Smith, Aiyana Stanley-Jones, Curtis Straughter, Breonna Taylor, David Thomas, Emmett Till, Tituba, Mary Turner, Matt Turner, Nia Wilson, and too, too many others.

To the Native, Indigenous, First Nation People whose land I was born and natured on: Thank you.

To the entire African diaspora and all marginalized peoples everywhere: Together we can create a movement. Together we can smash injustice. Love makes us capable of both things.