From celebrated ballerina and New York Times bestselling author
Misty Copeland, a heartfelt memoir about her friendship with trailblazer
Raven Wilkinson which captures the importance of mentorship, shared
history, and honoring the past to ensure a stronger future.
Misty Copeland made history as the first African-American principal
ballerina at the American Ballet Theatre. Her talent, passion, and
perseverance enabled her to make strides no one had accomplished before.
But as she will tell you, achievement never happens in a void. Behind
her, supporting her rise was her mentor Raven Wilkinson. Raven had been
virtually alone in her quest to breach the all-white ballet world when
she fought to be taken seriously as a Black ballerina in the 1950s and
60s. A trailblazer in the world of ballet decades before Misty's time,
Raven faced overt and casual racism, hostile crowds, and death threats
for having the audacity to dance ballet.
The Wind at My Back tells the story of two unapologetically Black
ballerinas, their friendship, and how they changed each other--and the
dance world--forever. Misty Copeland shares her own struggles with
racism and exclusion in her pursuit of this dream career and honors the
women like Raven who paved the way for her but whose contributions have
gone unheralded. She celebrates the connection she made with her mentor,
the only teacher who could truly understand the obstacles she faced,
beyond the technical or artistic demands.
A beautiful and wise memoir of intergenerational friendship and the
impressive journeys of two remarkable women, The Wind at My Back
captures the importance of mentorship, of shared history, and of
respecting the past to ensure a stronger future.
