Will I Always Be A __ In America?

"I love America more than any other country in this world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually." 

--James Baldwin

Since its inception, America has struggled to find a solution as to how Black, brown, and white people can peacefully coexist, leading one to ask: Does America truly wish to solve its racial inequality problem? Will I Always Be A ___ In America? is a question that most people of color-especially Black men-ask themselves as they attempt to navigate through daily life in America. This book is a collection of ten essays that provide reflections on issues regularly faced by people of color living in the United States, and includes the titles, "We Want to Live," "My First Confrontation with a Police Officer: Three Decades Later, I Cannot Forget It," and "The Neighborhoods I Live and Run Through: Are They a Symbol of Optimism or a Death Trap?" Each essay ends with a question that the reader is invited to answer.

John Reaves' goal is to share his thoughts on and experiences with these issues and how they impact Black men, as well, in some instances, to provide recommendations on a path forward. The essays are designed to be a quick read with questions Reaves hopes can be answered and resolved before another century passes. Nonetheless, no person of color in 2020 should be asking themselves, "Will I Always Be a ___ In America?"