The very first time I met James Baldwin
was in L.A. I was an activist, I was a
graduate student,
nobody knew my name. I was active in L.A.
snick and he happened to be in town.
I was actually charged by my
organization to ask him if he would do a
benefit party for us and I'm like really
really nervous this is James Baldwin
like one of my heroes and so I went to
an event where he was speaking and
afterwards I walked up to him and told
him of who I was and then I was a member
of snick and we were wondering if he
would do a benefit for us and he looked
at me and he said "Why certainly my
darling." And that was the beginning of a very long friendship including
the time he helped to spark the campaign
for my freedom especially
internationally. There was that open
letter that ended with the words if if
they come for you in the morning they
will be coming for us at night.
