I'm Not Going To Disappear.

I Think I Did Very Well Against Everyone Who Tried To Defend Me.

For Me, The Bold Jazz Of John Coltrane And Miles Davis Reflected The Bold Attitude In African-americans Finding Their Political Identity And Voice.

Center Is A Very Tough Position To Play.

When I Was 17, I Worked In A Mentoring Program In Harlem Designed To Improve The Community. That's When I First Gained An Appreciation Of The Harlem Renaissance, A Time When African-americans Rose To Prominence In American Culture. For The First Time, They Were Taken Seriously As Artists, Musicians, Writers, Athletes, And As Political Thinkers.

My English Teacher, Dr. John Lindstrom, Taught Me An Appreciation For The Written Word. Until His Class, I'd Dabbled In Journalism And Essay Writing. But When He Selected One Of My Essays As The Best In The Class, It Gave Me The Confidence To See Myself As A Writer.