"Good morning, y'all. I want to tell you a story."

So begins Jesmyn Ward's revelatory, uplifting, and gorgeously illustrated meditation on dedication, hard work, and the power of perseverance that she first wrote for Tulane University’s 2018 commencement. Her talk focused on the value of hard work and the importance of respect for oneself and others. Speaking about the challenges she and her family overcame, Ward inspired her audience with her meditation on tenacity in the face of hardship.

Here, in book form, Ward's inimitable voice shines through as she shares her experience as a Southern black woman and addresses the themes of grit, adversity, and the importance of family bonds. Her moving words will inspire readers as they prepare for the next chapter in their lives, whether, like Ward, they are the first in their families to graduate from college or are preceded by generations, or whether they are embarking on a different kind of journey later in life. 

Beautifully illustrated in full color by Gina Triplett. Jesmyn Ward is New York Times bestselling author, and has twice won the National Book Award. This a very sweet little book; an excellent, inspiring present.

Hardcover, 64 pages. 2020.