the Other Wes Moore (2010) (32 page)

REENTRY

SOCIAL SERVICES

TUTORING

Acknowledgments

This book is a culmination of support from friends, family, and mentors from all aspects of my life, and for all of them I am eternally thankful.

But, most important, my first acknowledgment goes to my God and Creator. To Him goes all the glory.

Micha Bar-Am once said, "If you're too close [to events], you lose perspective. It is not easy to be fair with the facts and keep your own convictions out of the picture. It is almost impossible to be both a participant in events and their observer, witness, interpreter." Therefore, I went into this process with a tremendous amount of humility and uncertainty--both about whether or not to take on the endeavor and how the final product would ring true to its intent.

There were countless people in my life who helped me make this decision and transition to the literary world. To Terrie Williams: before anyone else, you believed in my ability to develop a story that is transcending. You are an angel and a guide. To my book agent, Linda Loewenthal, thank you--you helped me shape this project from a reluctant idea to a proud reality. To Cindy Spiegel and Julie Grau, whose reputation in this industry truly precedes them, you took a big bet on an unproven entity and threw your overwhelming support behind it. Sally Marvin, Barbara Fillon, Karen Fink, Avideh Bashirrad, Tom Perry, Debbie Aroff, Carol Schneider, and the entire Spiegel & Grau team, from editing to production to marketing--I could not have aligned myself with a better shop and a more committed and talented group of literary activists. Mya Spalter, you have helped guide this process from jump and I am sincerely grateful. And to my editor, Chris Jackson, you are part genius editor, part psychiatrist! I am thankful for your God-given skill, your diligent eye, and your belief in this project's purpose. To you all, thank you.

To my researchers, William Davis, Nikki Moore, Ginger Wilmot, Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu, and Patricia Nelson, your diligence made this project more than simply a story--it added the context to the anecdotes. To my "ghostreaders," Ian Klaus, Randy Baron, Mustafa Riffat, Taiye Tuakli-Wosornu, and Shani Moore Weatherby, you never hesitated in reading and rereading my drafts and keeping me focused. Your fingerprints are all over this, and I am honored to have such talented friends and family. And to my "author friends," Craig Mullaney, Alex Kotlowitz, Jared Cohen, Nate Fick, Paul Rieckhoff, Steve Mariotti, Bill Rhoden, Khephra Burns, Susan Taylor, Reverend Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, Hsu-Ming Teo, Angela Giltrap, and Mirta Ojito, thanks for the help and warm embrace into the club.

I am thankful for the transparency and honesty of Wes, his family, and his friends. Mary, Nicey, Woody, Coach, Alicia, and all the others, you gave me hours of your time and, most important, your trust. This project was not an easy one to navigate, but your openness helped ease the process. To the family of Bruce Prothero, your strength and the memory of Bruce sat with me every day, and always will.

There are a handful of people who, very early on, believed in this project and lent their voices and influence to make it happen: Juan Williams, Armstrong Williams, Dr. Ben Carson, Dr. Sampson Davis, Mayor Cory Booker, Geoffrey Canada, Stephen A. Smith, Judge Gerald Lee, Tavis Smiley, Reverend Dr. Brad Braxton, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, the Honorable William Cohen and his wonderful wife, Janet Langhart Cohen, Ambassador James Joseph, and Dr. Na'im Akbar. Thank you for your early and stalwart support.

Very special thanks and a debt of gratitude go to my maternal and paternal family. You have been the roots that have allowed me to grow, and I know that without you there could be no me. There are countless people who grace this group, but to every Moore, Thomas, Flythe, Anglin, Avant, Banks, Blue, Boyd, Broadnax, Cannon, Carolina, Clarke, Coleman, Crawford, Drayton, Duncan, Dwyer, Hackett, Jarvis, Moyston, Simmons, Traylor, and Weatherby, thank you. Special acknowledgment goes to Mama Win, whose love and example are extraordinary and overwhelming. Have faith, not fear! My mother, words can hardly express what you mean to me; you are the epitome of love and compassion, and the kind of parent and friend I hope to be. You wore sweaters so we could wear coats. Dawn, my soul mate and battle buddy, years after marrying you I still get butterflies when I am around you! "Even when the skies are gray, you will rub me on my back and say, 'Baby it will be okay.'" To my sisters, Nikki and Shani, and Rita and brothers Jamaar and Earl, you have always kept me grounded and I am eternally grateful to be your brother. To Mama Gwen; Pandora Flythe; my aunts Pam, BB, Donna, Dawn, Evelyn, Toni, Tawana, Michelle, Valerie, Thea, Camille, Karen, Cheryl, Ellen, Iris, Carol, Connie, Cookie, Osie, Angie, Mira, Linda, Pam, Mary, Helen, Edna, Vicki, Gail, Alexis, Debbie, Thursa, and Lark; to my uncles Howard, Ralph, Ty, Gerald, Bernie, Bobby, Sonny, Cecil, Derek, Garrick, Harold, Donyell, Milton, Robert, David, and Kermit; to my cousins Denise, Phil, Marcus, Tenai, Elijah, Adrian, Aaron, Erroll, Lamar, La-Toshia, Ciara, Christian, Julisa, Tamara, Mimi, Michael, Paul, Ryan, Wayne, Carlton, Maurice, Taira, Nikki, Craig, Terrell, Guy, Phillip, Fred, Roland, Patty, Linette, Annette, Lisa, Karen, Blossom, Dorice, Ladrice, and Naquan--your gentle love and generosity helped fuel my journey. I have hundreds of family members, from Washington State to Washington, D.C., and in dozens of nations around the world, and I am thankful for all of you.