"Intensely gripping. . . . Dr. Marsha Coleman-Adebayo's story refuses to leave the reader's memory. She is a cool force of nature whose example teaches how to stand down fear and victoriously stand up for what is right. More will be right when others join her." —Ralph Nader
"A remarkable book: absolute must reading for anyone who cares about civil rights, whistleblowers, and justice." —Stephen M. Kohn, executive director, National Whistleblowers Center
"A taut legal thriller…Marsha Coleman-Adebayo's memoir No Fear had me hooked from the first lines." —Essence
"Marsha Coleman-Adebayo's account of cowardice and betrayal at the EPA demonstrates that heroines like herself are indeed necessary. . . . The same agency that facilitated the poisoning of miners and their families in South Africa allows its own citizens to sicken and die for the sake of corporate profits. Do not ask for whom the whistle blows—it blows for all of us." —Glen Ford, executive editor, Black Agenda Report
"Dr. Coleman-Adebayo presents the public a trenchant critique of how the US government too often not only turns a blind eye, but also enables the worst kinds of human rights practices by its multinational corporations abroad. Her unique insider position and her principled commitment were what made her dangerous to the federal bureaucracy. Thankfully, she did not give up. This book is a must-read if you’re concerned with government accountability and want a rare inside look at the toll willful government negligence can take on individuals, families, and communities." —Danielle Brian, president, Project on Government Oversight (POGO)
"Marsha's insider's account, told with startling clarity, is a call to action. Her courageous accomplishments, especially with the No FEAR legislation and Coalition, have helped to fortify and protect those who take up that call." —Dr. Willard R. Johnson, MIT professor emeritus of political science
"Marsha Coleman-Adebayo clearly and engagingly tells us Americans a truth that we might not want to hear but should." —Dal LaMagna, author of Raising Eyebrows: A Failed Entrepreneur Finally Gets It Right
"This is an inspiring and worthwhile trek through one woman's brave battle against a system favoring the powerful." —Kirkus Reviews
Coleman-Adebayo's memoir recounts the legal battle culminating in the 2002 No FEAR Act, "the first civil-rights and whistleblower act of the 21st century."
Steeped in the history of the civil-rights and women's movements and blessed with a keen intellect, the author earned degrees from Barnard College, Columbia University and MIT. In 1990, she was on track toward a promising career with the EPA, considered one of the most progressive federal agencies. However, Coleman-Adebayo soon sensed that all was not well. Pay discrepancies ran along racial and gender lines, and white men dominated the ranks of the executives. During a trip to South Africa as a member of the Gore-Mbeki Commission, the author witnessed the "systematic, verifiable, environmentally devastating" effects of vanadium mining, a metal considered strategic by the CIA. She was quickly stymied by her superiors in herefforts at solving the South African environmental issues. Once she reported her belief that "the EPA [was] covering up crimes...being committed by an American multinational corporation against the people of South Africa," to theWashingtonPost,she became a whistleblower. Workplace retaliation was swift, resulting in her filing a complaint against the EPA. Weaving together her personal records with the transcript of the federal civil trial, in which she prevailed, the author provides an insider view of the legal tactics used at the highest level of government. Coleman-Adebayo also recounts the shenanigans surrounding the subsequent hearings and the strenuous political process involved in the unanimous passage in both houses of Congress of the No FEAR Act.
Though the narrative bogs down in a large cast of characters, this is an inspiring and worthwhile trek through one woman's brave battle against a system favoring the powerful.