I have many people to thank for their help in writing and editing this volume. I would first like to thank the contributors for permitting me to share their work with you. I am grateful for the assistance of the coeditors of the Critical America Series, Professor Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic, of the University of Colorado Law School, who led me to New York University Press and who were extremely generous with their time throughout the editorial process. I should also like to thank Adrien Wing, who encouraged me to pursue this project and provided invaluable assistance along the way.
An acknowledgment is also due to several research assistants— Mark McPherson, Monu Joseph, Julie Ralston, Beth Corriea, and, especially Peter Masaitis, who went beyond the call of duty in assisting me with this project. His creative input, substantive editing, and critical feedback helped to shape and define the structure, organization, and content of the book. I thank Donald Weise and Jeff Park for helping me conceptualize the project and for reading early edits of the essays. I am extremely appreciative that Kimberle Crenshaw took time out of her busy schedule to write the foreword. Her work continues to push us to think critically and carefully about Black identity politics. I am grateful for the research support provided by Hugh and Hazel Darling Law Library at UCLA and for the financial support provided by UCLA’s Chancellor’s Office. Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Giovanna Tringali, without whose support, encouragement, and patience this project would not have been possible.