Mm-hmm

... at the very least a concentration.

But it was, I mean, it, it, it just opened up-- It, it was like I had, um, I'd been in this desert [laughs] for a really long time, and now the rain was coming.

You know? I felt so, so satisfied and, um, and also so excited to, to learn more.

I was introduced to Henry, Henry Louis Gates Jr. there in an African American history class and to the slave narratives, which I had never heard of, you know, and, um, in, in college.

Um, and so this idea that I could then maybe, uh, connect my major of journalism with this, this personal urge to tell my family's story in connection with Americans, American history, it started to become like a real thing for me, that this was possible, and for me, it felt, like, necessary.

Yeah.

And I, and I do, I, and I do feel like it's now and, you know, obviously everyone is not going to be able to do it or be called to do it, but I guess I just am wanting to like lift up people who are feeling called to do it and, and hoping that those, those projects are, are being, you know, lifted up and, and spotlit.

And can you talk about what was the reason that you decided I need to write this historical slash memoir slash lyrical beautiful book?

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to reflect on this.

You know, I always knew some parts of my paternal family's history.

And as soon as I learned certain things about that part of my family, I always wanted to know more.

I was fascinated about it.

My grandfather had told me a little bit about his grandparents when I was 12.

And from that point on, I just wanted to know more about them.

When you start talking about when you go back, this is what you're going to find about yourself, that whole section.