Chris Asante asked Jeff Hobbs:

Hello Jeff, You book is heart wrenching. As an African from Ghana who lives in North America, I want to know how well your book has been received by the immigrant community who are raising intelligent black kids like Robert Peace?

Jeff Hobbs Hi Chris -- first I am SO sorry it's taken me a year to respond. That is only the case because I am a tech-moron and didn't realize that these questions don't pop up on my phone. But thank you for reading and for reaching out -- it means an awful lot. Over the past year I've visited a lot of schools around the country, mostly urban public high schools but also private schools and juvenile halls. I've also had the opportunity to interact with parents and those with college aspirations tend to have a lot of questions about Yale in particular and the transition. Seems like Rob and his story does spark a kind of social curiosity in people, which is not surprising as curiosity was one of his great traits. I'd say that most of these interactions are about details of experience, theirs and Rob's, and not so much about judgment of institution or character. I did meet a Ghanaian writing student who shared that since she considers herself African, not African-American, she constantly finds herself translating her thoughts and insights for everyone, which she said was exhausting. Thank you again and all the very best, sincerely, Jeff

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