by Taiye Selasi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am so very grateful to God, and (in alphabetical order, from the bottom of my heart) Andrew Wylie, Ann Godoff, Anne Carol Edelberg, Anthony Campbell, Ashish Bhatt, Auntie Allison, Auntie Ertharin, Auntie Gail, Auntie Harriet, Auntie Joy, Auntie Judith, Auntie Renée, Auntie Simi, Carlos Watson, Avery Willis Hoffman, Catherine Coker, Charity Hobbs, Cheryl Faye, Cousin Alex, Damon Darryl Hamilton, Dan Urman, Daniele Novello, David Adjaye, David Holloway, Deborah Holloway, Dela Wosornu, Derrick Ashong, Dr. Juliette Tuakli my beloved mum, Dr. Lade Wosornu my brilliant father, Dr. Wilburn Williams my dearest dad, Edem Wosornu, Edward Williams, Elaine Markson, Eliza Bentley, Elizabeth Janus, Elizabeth Shipman Lee, Ellah Allfrey, Ernest Marshall, Eyi Williams, Fabio Berardo, Fiorhina Perez-Olive, First Corinthians Baptist Church, Ford Morrison, Francesco Aureli, Francesco Clemente, Gabriele Paoletti, Gabriella De Ferrari, Garry Bromson, the Geezer Gang, Genevieve Dadson, Genevieve Helleringer, Gianna D’Amore, the Harlem Arts Alliance Creative Writing Workshop, Heather Charisse McGhee, Ileane Ellsworth, Ingrid Barnsley Juratowitch, Jamakeah Barker, James Connolly, Jamin Gilbert, Jeanine Pepler, Jenny Calixte, John Earl Jelks, John Freeman, John Kuhn, John Reed, John Pepper, John Simms, Joy Hooper, Joy Sacca, Judas Hicks, Julia De Clerck-Sachsse, Kamin Mohammadi, Kate White, Kathryn Getty-Williams, Kathy Trotter, Keith Davis, Kendrick Forte, Kevin Quinn, Khadija Musa, Khameron Juttla, Kirsti Samantha Samuels, Kofi Owusu, Kristina Moore, Kurt Gutenbrunner, Kyle Juttla, Lanita Marie Tolentino, Laura Armstrong, Lauren L. Messelian, Lauren Zeifman, Lexa Marshall, Lindsay Whalen, Lord Patten of Barnes, Lou Gutenbrunner, Mai Gianni, Margaret Yee, Maria Manuela Enwerem Bromson, Mary D’Amore, Masao Meroe, Matthew Jacobson, Maureen Brady, Melanie Harris Anderson, Michael Ryan Robinson, Michaeljulius Youmanli Idani, Monte Harris, Muina Wosornu, Naima Jean Garvin, Nike Jonah, Nonking Eheh, Olukemi Morenikeji Abayomi, Omar Hakim, Pablo Mukherjee, Paola Pessot, Patricia Nelson, Patrick Marber, Paulo Perez Mouriz, Peggy Broderick, Pier Francesco Grasselli, Piero de Mattia, Pino Scarpato, Pradip Krishen, Rachel Watanabe-Batton, Raman Nanda, Rayya Elias, Rekha Thakrar, Renee Epstein, Rita Pacitti, Robin Holloway, Roszella Turner-Murray, Sadia Shepard, Saffron Juttla, Sangna Karir, Sarah Chalfant, Saskia Juratowitch, Sékou Neblett, Sergio Taranto, Sheila McKinnon, Shelby Nicole Washington, Slice( ) Mango, Sukari Helena Neblett, Suketu Mehta, Tamara Juttla, Taneisha Berg, Tawan Davis, Teju Cole, Thembi Ford, Professor Toni Morrison, Uncle Ade, Uncle Kojo, Uncle Remi, Uncle Yinka, Venetia Butterfield, Victor Magro, Vivian Kurutz, W. Watunde Omari Moore, Wilfred Finn, Yemeserach Getahun, and, above all, the first person I ever loved, Yetsa Kehinde Adebodunde Olubunmi Tuakli-Wosornu, my extraordinary and eternal journeymate.