From the row houses of Baltimore to the stoops of Brooklyn, the New York
Times bestselling author of The Cook Up lays bare the voices of the most
vulnerable and allows their stories to uncover the systematic injustice
threaded within our society. Honest and eye-opening, the pages of We
Speak for Ourselves "are abundant with wisdom and wit; integrity and
love, not to mention enough laughs for a stand-up comedy routine"
(Mitchell S. Jackson, author of Survival Math). Watkins introduces you
to Down Bottom, the storied community of East Baltimore that holds a
mirror to America's poor black neighborhoods--"hoods" that could just as
easily be in Chicago, Detroit, Oakland, or Atlanta. As Watkins sees it,
the perspective of people who live in economically disadvantaged black
communities is largely absent from the commentary of many top
intellectuals who speak and write about race. Unapologetic and
sharp-witted, D. Watkins is here to tell the truth as he has seen it. We
Speak for Ourselves offers an in-depth analysis of inner-city hurdles
and honors the stories therein. We sit in underfunded schools, walk the
blocks burdened with police corruption, stand within an audience of Make
America Great Again hats, journey from trap house to university lecture,
and rally in neglected streets. And we listen. "Watkins has come to
remind us, everyone deserves the opportunity to speak for themselves"
(Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling author) and serves hope to
fellow Americans who are too often ignored and calling on others to
examine what it means to be a model activist in today's world. We Speak
for Ourselves is a must-read for all who are committed to social change.
