Florida native Jessica McBride always thought of herself as a Southerner. A colleague’s question about her lack of a Southern accent led her to explore ways in which the South’s stereotypes have been challenged by current events. Using the past and present, she leads us to an optimistic and hopeful view of our future.

Jessica McBride is an educator with a 25-year career spanning teaching from elementary to graduate school. She founded the Imani Dance Program for Youth Development, a nonprofit that teaches adolescents self-esteem through the performing arts and is the author of several books.