Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Remember, You Are a Wiley

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available
A moving, politically-charged memoir of surviving trauma and embracing the power of activism from MSNBC legal analyst, professor, civil rights lawyer and former New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley.
Born in a country that has repeatedly traumatized her and her loved ones, Maya Wiley grew up in a household that prioritized activism, hope, and resilience above all else. This attitude landed her father on President Nixon’s enemies list as her mother organized third-party political platforms. Still, they modeled hope for their children. In the decades since, she has borne witness as presidents and political figures used racism and fascism to gain power, and as cities have again and again elected white men, effectively shutting out people of color and women from having a political voice. As a result, she has been forced, time after time, to confront death, injustice, and indifference—just as her Civil Rights activist parents did before her.
 
After a mayoral race that further exposed our country’s deep divisions, Maya is ready to share her story and that of her parents: one of passion, possibility, and compassion in the face of fear and injustice. She takes readers through her unconventional upbringing, her father George Wiley‘s tragic death and the resulting trauma, as well as how her experiences spoke to racial, gender, and class identity. Against this painful backdrop, Maya charts her journey of coming into herself and finding hope in a dire political landscape. She also digs into how her previous struggles informed her platform, driving her to represent those who have similarly felt voiceless or ignored. In facing and sharing her own past, Maya shows readers how they too can remain optimistic in the face of adversity.
  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      April 1, 2024

      Wiley, the Joseph L. Rash Jr. Chair of Civil & Human Rights at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and a former legal analyst on MSNBC, writes a politically charged memoir about civil rights, her childhood, and her parents. Prepub Alert.

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      August 1, 2024
      The child of a white Southern mother and a Black chemistry professor father turned civil rights organizer, Wiley, a lawyer, social justice advocate, and former New York mayoral candidate, witnessed key developments in the 1960s racial justice movement. While her parents, George and Wretha Wiley, led voter education drives, organized chapters of CORE and the SDS, and hosted such legendary figures as Dr. Spock, James Farmer, and Tom Hayden in their home, Wiley struggled to find her place as a child of two races and cultures, never feeling completely welcome or understood by either. A tragic boating accident, during which Wiley and her brother attempted to communicate their distress to unresponsive white beachgoers, offered indelible lessons on the consequences of racial inequality and white indifference. Whether addressing police reform under Mayor Bill de Blasio, representing low income women of color through the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, or through her run for mayor of New York on a platform of human-centered, progressive values, Wiley has followed her parents' mantra: "I'd rather work for some goal that I valued, rather than giving up because I can't win." An inspiring read.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Kirkus

      August 15, 2024
      The making of an activist lawyer. In a forthright memoir, Wiley, an attorney, a New York City mayoral candidate, and a former legal analyst for MSNBC, pays homage to her parents, both civil rights activists whose examples served her as she navigated racism, sexism, and personal trauma. Her father, George Wiley, was a charismatic Black organic chemistry professor and civil rights and economic justice activist; her defiant white mother, Wretha Whittle, left her Southern Baptist family to enroll at Union Theological Seminary and mentor girls in East Harlem. The couple met at Syracuse University, where George was a newly hired faculty member and Wretha, a graduate student. Together they worked at the Syracuse chapter of CORE, tackling racial discrimination in housing, jobs, and schools. In 1964, James Farmer asked George to serve as associate national director of CORE in its New York City headquarters, an opportunity undermined by rivalries and ideological conflicts within the organization. The family--now including Maya and her older brother--relocated to a gentrifying Black neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where their home became a center of civil rights activity. Maya's life was upended at age 9 when her father fell off their recently acquired cabin cruiser and drowned. Only she and her brother were on board, unable to save him. Beset by anger, fear, and guilt, she was later diagnosed with PTSD. As a biracial student, Wiley struggled to fit into "the color palette" of Washington's public schools, Georgetown Day School, the Field School, Dartmouth, and Columbia Law School. She never lost sight of her parents' ideals: doing an internship in the Philippines investigating human rights violations and serving a federal clerkship and positions at the ACLU, the U.S. attorney's office, and the George Soros Open Society Institute, all confirming her commitment to progressive change. A candid self-portrait of a determined woman.

      COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Loading
Check out what's being checked out right now This service is made possible by the local automated network, member libraries, and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.