The Diversity Code

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks go to God first, last, and in the cracks and crevices in between; my two Maries—my mother, Ethel Marie, and my grandmother, Cliffie Marie, who provided the foundation I stand upon daily; my best friend and rock Adrienne H. Bennett; all of my friends but special thanks to my dream team of girlfriends who provide laughter and steel-tipped boots to keep me on track, most notably Larrye J. Murrell, Joy A. Springfield, Cherry Muhanji, and Jessica Kerrigan; the entire Stites family (Mark, Leigh, Ashley, Emily, and Kathryne), who fed me enough to write ten books; my faithful, fluffy writing companions, Hilbert Ray and Henry Jay; my literary agent, Sha-Shana Crichton of Crichton & Associates; and my editor, Christina Parisi ...