Bookish girls grow up dreaming of being published-at least this one did. My sincerest gratitude to everyone who helped make my dream come true: my parents, Joseph and Constance Winfrey, who gave me a love of words and a belief that I can do anything; my husband, LaMarl Harris, who graciously suffered the messy and all-consuming process of birthing this book; and my friends and fellow writers-Andrea Plaid, Christopher MacDonald-Dennis, Deesha Philyaw, Stephanie Gilmore, and Carolyn Edgar-the best and brightest support group a girl could have. And to the hundreds of women I interviewed for this book: I see you sparkling. Thank you for trusting me with your stories. I hope I did them justice.
Black women possess so much joy and love, yet we are told that we do not deserve this. Then there is systematic oppression keeping our access to love, respect, joy, and highest self-worth at arm's length. Through this collage I incorporated rich color, shapes, and atmosphere that aim to recontextualize this narrative…. Art is powerful in the way that we can create our own universe in which our dreams and visions for the future come true.
-Adee Roberson
ABOUT THE COVER
Illustration by Adee Roberson ( using a photograph by Jamel Shabazz from the collection "Back in the Days."