Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Distinguished Attorney, Activist, Public Intellectual, Journalist, Teacher, and Author Mya Wiley On Her New Book 'Remember, You are a Wiley' at Politics and Prose Bookstore (VIDEO)

Maya Wiley — Remember, You Are a Wiley - with Dorian Warren
 


Politics and Prose


September 30, 2024

#books #booktube


Watch author Maya Wiley's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.  
 

Born in a country that has repeatedly traumatized her and her loved ones, Maya Wiley grew up in a household that prioritized activism, hope, and resilience above all else. This attitude landed her father on President Nixon's enemies list as her mother organized third-party political platforms. Still, they modeled hope for their children. In the decades since, she has borne witness as presidents and political figures used racism and fascism to gain power, and as cities have again and again elected white men, effectively shutting out people of color and women from having a political voice. As a result, she has been forced, time after time, to confront death, injustice, and indifference--just as her Civil Rights activist parents did before her. After a mayoral race that further exposed our country's deep divisions, Maya is ready to share her story and that of her parents: one of passion, possibility, and compassion in the face of fear and injustice. She takes readers through her unconventional upbringing, her father George Wiley's tragic death and the resulting trauma, as well as how her experiences spoke to racial, gender, and class identity. Against this painful backdrop, Maya charts her journey of coming into herself and finding hope in a dire political landscape. She also digs into how her previous struggles informed her platform, driving her to represent those who have similarly felt voiceless or ignored. In facing and sharing her own past, Maya shows readers how they too can remain optimistic in the face of adversity. Maya Wiley is President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and a former legal analyst on MSNBC. She was previously senior vice president for social justice at the New School. Maya's compassionate approach was (and remains) almost unprecedented in the world of cable news, making her star power shine bright. Likewise, Maya's performance in the mayor's race, her strong social media, her extensive experience on television, and the compelling narrative laid out in her proposal, ensure her book will get tremendous coverage upon publication. She serves as the Joseph L. Rash Jr. Chair of Civil & Human Rights at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. Wiley is in conversation with Dorian Warren. Warren is co-president of Community Change and Community Change Action, and co-founder of the Economic Security Project. Warren taught for over a decade at the University of Chicago and Columbia University. He's the co-author of The Hidden Rules of Race, co-editor of Race and American Political Development, and has penned numerous academic articles. Dorian previously worked as a guest host and contributor at MSNBC. He sits on several boards, including the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Education Fund Board and The Nation Magazine Editorial Board. As a commentator on public affairs, Warren has appeared regularly on television and radio and has also written for The New York Times, Newsweek, and Ebony.com, among others. 
 
 

George Wiley (1931-1973)
 
Wiley (right) with Johnnie Tillmon (left)
BornFebruary 26, 1931[1]
Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedAugust 8, 1973 (aged 42)
Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, U.S.
Body discoveredChesapeake Beach, Maryland, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Rhode Island (BS)
Cornell University (PhD)
Employer(s)Syracuse University
University of California, Berkeley
Children2, including Maya

George Alvin Wiley (February 26, 1931 – August 8, 1973) was an American chemist and civil rights leader. He was a founder of the National Welfare Rights Organization.

Early life and education

Wiley was born in Bayonne, New Jersey, the son of a postal clerk and one of six children. Wiley's family eventually moved to Warwick, Rhode Island.

Wiley earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Rhode Island in 1953. Working with Jerrold Meinwald, he received a doctorate in organic chemistry from Cornell University in 1957.[2] Wiley fulfilled a six-month ROTC obligation as a first lieutenant in the United States Army at Fort Lee, Virginia; and subsequently accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Career

Wiley taught for two years at the University of California, Berkeley, whereupon he took a teaching position at Syracuse University in 1960. In November 1961, he founded the Syracuse chapter of Congress of Racial Equality. He was only the third Black faculty member at Syracuse.[3][4] He later was a founder of the National Welfare Rights Organization.[5]

He was listed on the Master list of Nixon's political opponents.[citation needed]

The George Wiley Award for Exceptional Performance in Organic Chemistry for students at Syracuse University is named in his honor.[6]

Personal life

Wiley married and had two children. His daughter is civil rights activist and lawyer, Maya Wiley.[7]

Death

On August 8, 1973, Wiley fell overboard while on a boat with his children on the Chesapeake Bay.[5][8] On August 12, 1973, Wiley's body was found on the shore of Chesapeake Beach, Maryland after a three-day search.[9]

Further reading

 

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