Abstract This chapter begins by acknowledging the nexus between the
research that evolved into the pages of this book and the author’s own
story. That story springs from a childhood that was immersed in vibrant
oral histories, and influenced by wise and powerful Black matriarchs. It is
because of her own story that the writer was drawn to critical race theory;
a revolutionary movement that challenges the prevailing racial hierarchy
with the stories of those who live on the margins. This chapter moves on
to provide a summary of the content of the remaining chapters.
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