This Is My America(91)
Black Lives Matter.
Kim Johnson
* prisonpolicy.org/reports/money.html
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Criminal Justice Organizations Innocence X is fictional and not grounded in the operations and practices of actual organizations that are dedicated to this work. The websites of the following organizations provide information about work in criminal justice reform:
The Innocence Project focuses on DNA testing for exonerations and criminal justice reform. innocenceproject.org
The Equal Justice Initiative was founded by Bryan Stevenson. The first book you should pick up is Just Mercy, Mr. Stevenson’s memoir. eji.org
The Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization, provides facts and analysis for the media and the public. deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf
Prison Policy Initiative is a nonprofit and nonpartisan group that researches the harm caused by mass incarceration. prisonpolicy.org/reports/money.html
Suggested References
The topics of racism, injustices in criminal prosecution, and police brutality are unfortunately controversial issues. Some people may resist or even attack efforts to shine a spotlight on American law enforcement and our justice system. But it is this critical juncture that must be examined, as it sits at the crossroads of racial equality. Below are some references that I would suggest if you are interested in the topic and want to learn more.
Alexander, Michelle. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. New York: New Press, 2010.
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. Between the World and Me. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2015.
Crenshaw, Kimberlé W. “From Private Violence to Mass Incarceration: Thinking Intersectionally About Women, Race, and Social Control,” 59 UCLA Law Review 1418 (2012).
Du Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt). The Souls of Black Folk. The Oxford W. E. B. Du Bois series. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
DuVernay, Ava, director. 13th. Forward Movement, Kandoo Films, Netflix, 2016. netflix.com/title/80091741.
Goffman, Alice. On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014.
Kendi, Ibram X. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. New York: Nation Books, 2016.
King, Gilbert. Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America. New York: Harper, 2012.
Kuklin, Susan. No Choirboy: Murder, Violence, and Teenagers on Death Row. New York: Henry Holt, 2008.
Moore, Wes. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2010.
Rothstein, Richard. The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. New York: Liveright Publishing, 2017.
Stevenson, Bryan. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2014.
Thompson, Heather Ann. Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy. New York: Pantheon Books, 2016.
Wytsma, Ken. The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Books, 2017.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost, thank you, God, for leading me in a purpose-driven life.
Kevin and my littles, J and W: I love you to the depths of the earth and the heights of our universe. May the world never rob you of your innocence. It’s your love that drives me, and I always try to be everything to you. J—I know you love me the absolute most (I tell myself this when you follow me to the bathroom). W—I’m so proud of who you’ve become. One day, when you’re older, your comics and moviemaking skills will dazzle the world. Kevin—Thank you to my loving husband for giving me space to write. I know I’m a lot! Zipping and running everywhere, taking on new things, and being called to serve. I’m so fortunate to have you and know there is a lot you sacrifice also for this to happen. Thank you to the Johnson extended family for all your support and the stacks of books and conversations on race, justice, and politics.
Thank you to my mother, who cultivated greatness in all her children (and our extended immigrant and African family). We might not always do everything the way you like, but you raised God-fearing children who are grounded in your values. You taught us the meaning of hard work. Your daughters are purposed to touch the world in different ways. Thank you for taking me to the public library, which was my reading foundation. To my dad, who loved to read. It planted a seed.
To my sisters, the real AQs—Kawezya, Kalizya, Kanyanta, and the ones who are the true Ks—we should be the ones with a reality show. WE grinding all day, every day. To Kal and KK: You’re my biggest fans, always pushing love and greatness. You make my cheeks blush when you share with the world how proud you are of me. To my brilliant baby sis, Kawezya: You were the first person I let read my stories. You answered my legal questions, shared your experiences with a death penalty pro bono case, and made countless connections to attorneys working pro bono to appeal death penalty sentences. Thank you for responding to all those last-minute requests and rambling emails and texts. I can’t wait for you to begin your writer journey. We have to have another brainstorm session at our faves, either Calabash or BusBoys and Poets in DC, so we can begin that co-writing project we’ve been mulling.
To my extraordinary agent, Jennifer March Soloway: Thank you for finding me in the query trenches and taking a huge chance by signing me. You gave me confidence to share an unfinished project. You offered a few weeks later, and I’ll never forget that moment. You have taught me so much, and your incredible support means everything to me. Our author-agent relationship is magic. Thank you for all that you do.