Authors. And then to be simply made of the intensity of an audience in a Community Like ours with the killing of george floyd it is challenging and introspective and quiet and devastating i was always aware my value is determined by my skin color first and foremost. A poet and essayist a professor of poetry at yale and we find her in her home in connecticut. I really miss talking to you in front of a Live Audience im glad we can make this work but i have to say i will miss that. So thank you and welcome. Thank you for having me. Before the pandemic that you would imagine you would be traveling and talking about this book in front of Live Audiences . I thought as close as i could come to have conversations with different people across the country and try to make that happen this is the next best thing. And to speak to a wide range of people before the election to think how we managed to get ourselves where we are. The things that i say about doing these conversations on the stage is tha