Myrtle Peterson earned her B.A. from Dillard University in 1952 and an M.S.W. from Columbia University in 1955 with extensive postgraduate study. A mental health practitioner, she retired in 1991 and enrolled in acting school. She has performed in “Caroline’s on Broadway” in New York City. She studies autobiographical writing at Nassau County Community College. You may reach her at:
[email protected].
Yvonne Pointer is a motivational speaker and author of the book, Behind the Death of a Child. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, including a 2001 Essence Award and the 908th Point of Light from former President George Bush. Please reach her at: P.O. Box 603456, Cleveland, Ohio 44103 or
[email protected].
Vici Howard-Prayitno is a struggling independent filmmaker and writer who decided to get married and raise a couple of kids to pass the time until she gets discovered. She loves chocolate and compliments. So if you’re a fan or producer with a massive bank roll, HOLLA BACK!!! at
[email protected].
Tracy Price-Thompson is the national bestselling author of Black Coffee and Chocolate Sangria. A decorated Desert Storm veteran and retired Army engineer officer, she is also the co-editor of Proverbs for the People, an anthology of contemporary African-American fiction released by Kensington Publishing.
Gloria Quinney is a native of Alexandria, Louisiana, and currently resides in Flint, Michigan. Gloria received her bachelor of arts degree from Grambling State University and her master of arts and master of public administration degrees from Western Michigan University. She is currently CEO of GQ Enterprises. E-mail her at:
[email protected]. Web site: http://gqenterprisesltd.net.
Tony Ramos received his bachelor of arts in journalism from California State University at Long Beach in 1979. He is president of the Allied Healthcare Group, a division of Medical World Communications. Tony is married with two children and serves on the executive board of his church, Crenshaw Christian Center in Los Angeles. He enjoys coaching his children in sports and running. Please e-mail him at
[email protected].
Dorothy C. Randle earned her bachelor of arts degree from California State University Dominguez Hills and her master of organizational leadership with high honors from Biola University in 2003. She is happily married with three children. She plans to author books on training, leadership and development. Please reach her at:
[email protected].
Carol Ross-Burnett is a gospel singer/songwriter/producer who released her first CD in 2002. She is also a diversity consultant, trainer, author and speaker. Carol holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree from San Francisco State University. Contact her at
[email protected].
Zev Roth is a freelance author living in Israel. He has published three books with Targum Press, the most recent one titled. “10.10.” His articles have appeared in Jewish Press and World Jewish Review. Zev is married and has seven children. Please contact him at
[email protected].
Nikki D. Shearer-Tillford is a writer and owns a business, The Sacred Mind. Her vision is to create messages/products that speak to the heart and mind. She conducts an annual women’s group that encourages expression of unresolved emotions through creativity. She can be reached at
[email protected].
Catina Slade has enjoyed word play ever since she wrote a poem for a childhood friend that served to mend a broken relationship. Her twofold ministry of writing and speaking has allowed her to speak life into the broken-hearted with words of hope and healing. Her two children, Cameron and Courtney, are her rays of sunshine in Los Angeles, where she is at work on her first novel. You may e-mail her at
[email protected].
Jayme Washington Smalley is a professional musician, storyteller and folk artist living in Augusta, Georgia. She enjoys traveling, cooking and crafting. Jayme has written a collection of short stories titled, As the Butterbeans Boil. Please contact her at
[email protected].
Mary Spio went on to establish herself at the top of her field, developing core technology applications for major networks including Viacom, BBC, M-NET and a myriad of Fortune 100 companies. The multifaceted Spio also engineered a fun and engaging online dating community, www.One2OneLiving.com, to turbo-boost love lives.
John W. Stewart Jr. has worked extensively in the film industry for the past twelve years. Recently, he has resurrected his childhood dreams of writing and entrepreneurship. He is currently working on a screenplay and can be reached at P.O. Box 8153, Universal City, California, 91618 or
[email protected].
Lalita Tademy, a California native, was formerly vice-president of a Fortune 500 high technology company. She left the corporate world, immersed herself in tracing her family’s history, and subsequently wrote Cane River, which was Oprah Winfrey’s 2001 summer book club selection. Her Web site is www.lalitatademy.com.
Elodia Tate is a writer, speaker and “health coach” who uses the power of storytelling and humor to encourage others to embrace a natural health approach. With Yolanda King, she recently co-authored an inspirational book called Open My Eyes, Open My Soul (www.openmyeyesopenmysoul.com). Contact her at www.elodiatate.com or 209-238-9938.
Salome Thomas-El is author of the bestseller, I Choose to Stay (Kensington, March 2003). He is an elementary school principal and national champion chess coach in Philadelphia. Walt Disney recently purchased the movie rights to I Choose to Stay (www.ichoosetostay.com). Salome Thomas-El lives with his wife and two daughters in Philadelphia.
Mary Cornelia Van Sant, known as Connie, believes that peace on Earth is achievable in our lifetime. Connie believes healing for our world begins in each of our own individual hearts and minds. She has a passion for teaching mindful meditation. This is her second story to be published in the Chicken Soup series.
Karen Waldman, Ph.D., finds her work as a psychologist extremely rewarding. She also enjoys writing, music, acting, playing in nature, traveling with her husband Ken, and spending time with their wonderful families, friends, children and grandchildren (Lisa, Tom, Lana, Greta, Alyson, Brian, Eric, Maryann, David and Laura). Her e-mail is
[email protected].
R. Jenée Walker, M.D. is a psychiatrist board-certified in child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. She practices in Charleston, West Virginia. She presents workshops across the country with an emphasis on spiritual healing. She is presently writing a book that will serve as a guide to maintaining emotional peace. Please reach her at:
[email protected].
Melanie M. Watkins, M.D. is a recent graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine. She attended University of Nevada Reno where she graduated with high honors. Her work and life story have appeared in USA Today, Chicken Soup for the Single’s Soul, Woman’s World Magazine, and This Side of Doctoring. She enjoys writing and motivational speaking. She lives with her son Jonathan in San Francisco, California. You may contact her at
[email protected].
Woody Woodburn is a sports columnist for the Daily Breeze in Torrance, California. He was honored for column writing by the Associated Press Sports Editors’ national contest in 2003 and 2001, appeared in The Best American Sports Writing 2001 and is a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. He can be reached at
[email protected].
Phyllis W. Zeno recently retired after twenty years editing AAA Going Places, a magazine that goes to 4.5 million AAA members. She is currently writing two children’s books, Look, Find & Learn: U.S. History and World History with her daughter, Linda Williams Aber. She travels all over the world with the Merry Widows, a ballroom dance group she directs. She can be reached at
[email protected].
About the cover artist:
For Keith Mallett, painting is a spiritual journey that started in childhood and continues to this day. A painter, etcher and ceramic artist, his subject matter ranges from still lifes to abstracts. In recent years, he has devoted his talents to themes that portray the beauty and strength of the African American experience. His work has been exhibited throughout the world, and has been featured in Showtime’s “Soul Food” series, Disney’s “The Famous
Jett Jackson,” TNT’s “Second String” and Woody Allen’s movies “Mighty Aphrodite” and “Celebrity.” His paintings grace the covers of several books, including Sisterfire, a collection of poems by Maya Angelou, Alice Walker and Terry McMillan. For more information, visit his Web site at www.keithmallett.com or write Keith Mallet Studios, Inc., P.O. Box 151378, San Diego, CA 92175.
Permissions
We would like to acknowledge the many publishers and individuals who granted us permission to reprint the cited material. (Note: The stories that are in the public domain or that were written by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Lisa Nichols or Tom Joyner are not included in this listing.)
A Journey on Cane River. Reprinted by permission of Lalita Tademy. ©2001 Lalita Tademy.
Five Garbage Bags and a Dream. Reprinted by permission of Darrell Jerome Andrews. ©2002 Darrell Jerome Andrews.
Something Unbelievable. Reprinted by permission of Mary A. Spio. ©2003 Mary A. Spio.
Miz Moore. Reprinted by permission of E. Joyce Moore. ©2003 E. Joyce Moore.
Living History. Reprinted by permission of Gary K. Farlow. ©2003 Gary K. Farlow.
White Water. Reprinted by permission of Jayme Washington Smalley. ©1998 Jayme Washington Smalley.
FunTown. Reprinted by permission of Yolanda King and Elodia Tate. ©2003 Yolanda King and Elodia Tate.
The Day I Walked and Walked. Reprinted by permission of Ahmon’dra (Brenda) McClendon. ©2003 Ahmon’dra (Brenda) McClendon.
Ripples in the Pond. Reprinted by permission of Tyrone Dawkins. ©2001 Tyrone Dawkins.
Black Children DO Read! Reprinted by permission of Wade Hudson. ©2002 Wade Hudson.
The Lady at the Bus Stop. Reprinted by permission of Evelyn Palfrey. ©2003 Evelyn Palfrey.
Over the Wall. Reprinted by permission of Linda Coleman-Willis. ©2003 Linda Coleman-Willis.
On Becoming a Farmer. Reprinted by permission of R. Jenée Walker, M.D. ©2002 R. Jenée Walker, M.D.
Colin Powell Letter reprinted by permission of the Department of State.
What Black History Means to Me. Reprinted by permission of John Lewis Horton. ©1992 John Lewis Horton.
Remembering Eric. Reprinted by permission of Tracy Clausell-Minor. ©2003 Tracy Clausell-Alexander.
My Father’s Son. Reprinted by permission of Mel Donalson. ©1999 Mel Donalson.
Denied the Prize. Reprinted by permission of Herchel Eugene Newman. ©2003 Herchel Eugene Newman.
In Sickness and in Health. Reprinted by permission of Dorothy Corrine Randle. ©2002 Dorothy Corrine Randle.
The Letter. Reprinted by permission of Bill Holton. ©1999 Bill Holton.
We of One Blood. Reprinted by permission of Tracy Price-Thompson. ©2002 Tracy Price-Thompson.
Where’s My Notebook? Reprinted by permission of John Wesley Stewart, Jr. ©2003 John Wesley Stewart, Jr.
It Runs in the Family. Reprinted by permission of Jarralynne Fletcher Agee. ©2003 Jarralynne Fletcher Agee.
Fried Chicken and Collared Greens. Reprinted by permission of Thyonne Gordon. ©2003 Thyonne Gordon.
Rusty Feet. Reprinted by permission of Landis Y. Lain. ©2003 Landis Y. Lain.
Walking to Wisdom. Reprinted by permission of Miiky Cola. ©2003 Miiky Cola.
Not Gone Yet. Reprinted by permission of Michelle Gipson. ©2003 Michelle Gipson.
Bad News. Excerpted from Bad News and One Game. From My Life by Earvin “Magic” Johnson with William Novak. ©1992 June Bug Enterprises; pp. 249–300.
Hand-Me-Down Love. Reprinted by permission of Greg Franklin. ©2003 Greg Franklin.
The Fragile Eight. Reprinted by permission of Isabel Bearman Bucher. ©2003 Isabel Bearman Bucher.
A Hardworking Man’s Hands. Reprinted by permission of Farrah Gray. ©2004 by Farrah Gray.
Light at the End of the Tunnel. Reprinted by permission of Leslie Esdaile-Banks. ©2003 Leslie Esdaile-Banks.
And, He Looks Just Like Me. Reprinted by permission of Ahmon’dra (Brenda) McClendon. ©2003 Ahmon’dra (Brenda) McClendon.
Excuse Me, Who’s Just Another Statistic? Reprinted by permission of Minister Mary Edwards. ©2000 Minister Mary Edwards.
Who’s That Calling My Name? Reprinted by permission of Vici Howard-Prayitno. ©2002 Vici Howard-Prayitno.
Mother-and-Son Moment. Reprinted by permission of Tinisha Nicole Johnson. ©2003 Tinisha Nicole Johnson.
Black ’n’ White Snapshots. Reprinted by permission of Judy Belk. ©2001 Judy Belk. Published in Xavier Review, Spring 2002.
I’m Coming Out. Reprinted by permission of Nicole Hodges Persley. ©2003 Nicole Hodges Persley.
The Skin We’re In. Reprinted by permission of Dominique Morisseau. ©2004 Dominique Morisseau.
Lord, When Will This Journey End? Reprinted by permission of Myrtle Peterson. ©1999 Myrtle Peterson.
Lord, Why Did You Make Me Black? Reprinted by permission of RuNett Nia Ebo. ©1994 RuNett Nia Ebo.
Majority of One. Reprinted by permission of Lisa R. Helem. ©2003 Lisa R. Helem.
Disappearing Strands. Reprinted by permission of Valerie M. McNeal. ©2002 Valerie M. McNeal.
You Go, Salt-and-Pepper. Reprinted by permission of Carol Ross-Burnett. ©2002 Carol Ross-Burnett.
Sister, I’m Sorry. Reprinted by permission of Gregory Jerome Huskisson. ©2002 Gregory Jerome Huskisson.
I Am. Reprinted by permission of Anthony Marquis Moore. ©2003 Anthony Marquis Moore.
More Alike Than Different. Reprinted by permission of Mary Cornelia Van Sant. ©2003 Mary Cornelia Van Sant.
The Nod. Reprinted by permission of Kim Louise Whiteside. ©2003 Kim Louise Whiteside.
Soothing the Soul of Racism. Reprinted by permission of Ta’Shia Asanti. ©2001 Ta’Shia Asanti.
My Mother’s Gift. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publisher Inc. ©1992 Les Brown Unlimited, Inc.
Cold Hands, Warm Heart. Reprinted by permission of Karen Waldman, Ph.D. ©2003 Karen Waldman, Ph.D.
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Saying Still to Fight On from The Autobiography of Martin Luther King by Clayborne Carson, ed. (New York: IPM/Warner Books, 2001). “Chapter One: The Early Years.” Reprinted by arrangement with the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr., c/o Writers House as agent for the proprietor, New York, NY. Copyright 1998 by The Heirs to the Estate of Martin Luther King Jr.
Bedtime Blessing. Reprinted by permission of Catina Slade. ©2002 Catina Slade.
Walking by Faith. Reprinted by permission of Deborah A. Bellis. ©2002 Deborah A. Bellis.
God Listens to Even the Smallest Prayers. Reprinted by permission of Ray Driver. ©2003 Ray Driver.
A Miracle for My Heart. Reprinted by permission of Karlene Rose Merci McCowan. ©2002 Karlene Rose Merci McCowan.
A Lesson Learned in an Answered Prayer. Reprinted by permission of Norka Blackman-Richards. ©2003 Norka Blackman-Richards.
Let the Church Say Amen! Reprinted by permission of Melanie M. Watkins. ©2002 Melanie M. Watkins.
Confessions of an Ex-Con. Reprinted by permission of Dennis Ray Mitchell. ©2003 Dennis Ray Mitchell.
Making Mistakes Is Natural from Watermelon Magic by Wally Amos and Stu Glauberman (pp. 11–18). ©1996 Wally Amos. Reprinted by permission of Wally Amos.
The Race We Run Is Not About the Finish Line. Reprinted by permission of Dachell Fran Harris. ©2003 Fran Harris.
Bondage of Fear. Reprinted by permission of Howard E. Lipscomb Sr. ©2003 Howard E. Lipscomb Sr.
From the Mouths of Babes. Reprinted by permission of Dale G. Caldwell. ©2003 Dale G. Caldwell.
Her Little Light Shined. Reprinted by permission of Arthur Bowler. ©2003 Arthur Bowler.
A Magical Moment with Ali. Reprinted by permission of Woody Woodburn. ©2003 Woody Woodburn.
Big Men, Big Hearts. Reprinted by permission of Phyllis W. Zeno. ©1991 Phyllis W. Zeno.
Guess Who We’re Playing? Reprinted by permission of Tony Ramos. ©2003 Tony Ramos.
My Momma Will Give Me More. Repri
nted by permission of Gloria Jean Quinney. ©2002 Gloria Jean Quinney.
I Am My Sister’s Keeper. Reprinted by permission of Nikki D. Shearer-Tilford. ©2003 Nikki D. Shearer-Tilford.
Meeting Maya. Reprinted by permission of Gail N. Hawkins. ©2000 Gail N. Hawkins.
Food from the ’Hood. Reprinted by permission of Jaynell Grayson. ©2000 Jaynell Grayson.
One Miracle at a Time. Reprinted by permission of Michael Lonnell Jones. ©2002 Michael Lonnell Jones.
Freedom from Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela. Copyright © 1994, 1995 by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. By permission of Little, Brown and Company, Inc.
Life After Death. Reprinted by permission of Yvonne Pointer. ©2003 Yvonne Pointer.
And the Walls Came Tumbling Down. Reprinted by permission of Cheryl Lorainne Dash. ©2003 Cheryl Lorainne Dash.
The Black Man’s Legacy. Reprinted by permission of Judith Lawrence Outten, M.D. ©2003 Judith Lawrence Outten, M.D.
The Story of the South Bronx. Reprinted by permission of Zev Roth. ©2000 Zev Roth.
A Few Kind Words. Reprinted by permission of Nancy Gilliam. ©2003 Nancy Gilliam.
Angels All Around. Reprinted by permission of Patricia Lorenz. ©1997 Patricia Lorenz.
Otis by Salome Thomas-El excerpted and adapted from I Choose to Stay ©2003 by Salome Thomas-El. Published by Kensington Publishing Corp., pp. 296–304.
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copyright © 2012 Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1-4532-7995-3 (ePub)
Cover design by Andrea C. Uva