Remember, You Are a Wiley

by Maya Wiley Narrated by Maya Wiley

Overview

A moving, politically-charged memoir of surviving trauma and the power of activism from MSNBC legal analyst, professor, civil rights lawyer and former New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley.

Born in a country that has repeatedly traumatized her and her loved ones, Maya Wiley grew up in a household that prioritized activism, hope, and resilience above all else. This attitude landed her father on President Nixon's enemies list as her mother organized third-party political platforms. Still, they modeled hope for their children. In the decades since, she has borne witness as presidents and political figures used racism and fascism to gain power, and as cities have again and again elected white men, effectively shutting out people of color and women from having a political voice. As a result, she has been forced, time after time, to confront death, injustice, and indifference-just as her Civil Rights activist parents did before her.

After a mayoral race that further exposed our country's deep divisions, Maya is ready to share her story and that of her parents: one of passion, possibility, and compassion in the face of fear and injustice. She takes readers through her unconventional upbringing, her father George Wiley`s tragic death and the resulting trauma, as well as how her experiences spoke to racial, gender, and class identity. Against this painful backdrop, Maya charts her journey of coming into herself and finding hope in a dire political landscape. She also digs into how her previous struggles informed her platform, driving her to represent those who have similarly felt voiceless or ignored. In facing and sharing her own past, Maya shows readers how they too can remain optimistic in the face of adversity.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Remember You Are Wiley is a book that offers hope and inspiration in a moment of division and political unrest in America. Everyone who knows Maya Wiley knows that she speaks truth to power at a time when we desperately need it. It’s clear from this book that the Wiley family made Maya the fierce truth teller she is today and we can all learn important lessons from their example that lives through her. This inspiring history of activism and a family legacy of social justice and civil disobedience are essential to understanding why she is the essential voice for this moment in American political history."

—Zerlina Maxwell, author of The End of White Politics

"Maya Wiley’s story of her fascinating family is a powerful testament to the perils and possibilities of building a multiracial democracy in America. And she is a perfect and important narrator of our past and present challenges and times."—Joy-Ann Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author Medgar & Myrlie and The Man Who Sold America

"Powerful...This memoir will help remind us of what has been, as well as what we need to do to create the society we want to see."—Amsterdam News

"An inspiring read:"—Booklist

"The making of an activist lawyer...A candid self-portrait of a determined woman." —Kirkus

Kirkus Reviews

2024-07-10
The making of an activist lawyer.

In a forthright memoir, Wiley, an attorney, a New York City mayoral candidate, and a former legal analyst for MSNBC, pays homage to her parents, both civil rights activists whose examples served her as she navigated racism, sexism, and personal trauma. Her father, George Wiley, was a charismatic Black organic chemistry professor and civil rights and economic justice activist; her defiant white mother, Wretha Whittle, left her Southern Baptist family to enroll at Union Theological Seminary and mentor girls in East Harlem. The couple met at Syracuse University, where George was a newly hired faculty member and Wretha, a graduate student. Together they worked at the Syracuse chapter of CORE, tackling racial discrimination in housing, jobs, and schools. In 1964, James Farmer asked George to serve as associate national director of CORE in its New York City headquarters, an opportunity undermined by rivalries and ideological conflicts within the organization. The family—now including Maya and her older brother—relocated to a gentrifying Black neighborhood in Washington, D.C., where their home became a center of civil rights activity. Maya’s life was upended at age 9 when her father fell off their recently acquired cabin cruiser and drowned. Only she and her brother were on board, unable to save him. Beset by anger, fear, and guilt, she was later diagnosed with PTSD. As a biracial student, Wiley struggled to fit into “the color palette” of Washington’s public schools, Georgetown Day School, the Field School, Dartmouth, and Columbia Law School. She never lost sight of her parents’ ideals: doing an internship in the Philippines investigating human rights violations and serving a federal clerkship and positions at the ACLU, the U.S. attorney’s office, and the George Soros Open Society Institute, all confirming her commitment to progressive change.

A candid self-portrait of a determined woman.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160483825
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	09/17/2024
Edition description:	Unabridged

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