more palatable in white classrooms and later in corporate offices. No one shrunk himself. We were full there.

Getting kicked out of school for a violent action is something that could really destroy someone’s life. I don’t believe that we have an infinite number of things like that that we can overcome in our lives. So I would have a very hard time forgiving myself for exposing myself to the same type of risk again.

emerge, and the money you make the company and the strength of your relationships are your leverage to access them. Always make your boss look good to her boss and make sure your boss knows you’ve done so. Value is measured by outcomes and not process. No points awarded for trying hard. No bonuses for sending the most emails. Do your job first

I started to understand that I too did not exist only in contrast to whiteness. I just existed.

Black people in New York City. He believes Black Magic exists in our closeness and access to God. But why should we have such special access? Pastor Jamison believes the reason is our desperation. We believe because we’re desperate. Where the tangible world has given us pain and dead ends, we have turned to the supernatural.

Nobody used the tinny, nasally droning we sometimes forced to seem

Instead I continued to pursue exploring and entering slightly forbidden worlds to learn for the sake of advancing Black people.

lead to doors closing for many more deserving, better fitting Black people who come behind you.

My takeaway is always that it was designed. And because it was designed, we can design something else. Because it was built, we can build something else.