Remember, You Are a Wiley - by Maya Wiley

About the Book

"A moving, politically-charged memoir of surviving trauma and the power of activism from MSNBC legal analyst, professor, civil rights lawyer and former New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley. 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"--

Book Synopsis

A moving, politically-charged memoir of surviving trauma and embracing the power of activism from MSNBC legal analyst, professor, civil rights lawyer and former New York City Mayoral candidate Maya Wiley.

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.

Review Quotes

"Powerful...This memoir will help remind us of what has been, as well as what we need to do to create the society we want to see."--Amsterdam News

"An inspiring read: "--Booklist

"The making of an activist lawyer...A candid self-portrait of a determined woman." --Kirkus

"Remember You Are Wiley is a book that offers hope and inspiration in a moment of division and political unrest in America. Everyone who knows Maya Wiley knows that she speaks truth to power at a time when we desperately need it. It's clear from this book that the Wiley family made Maya the fierce truth teller she is today and we can all learn important lessons from their example that lives through her. This inspiring history of activism and a family legacy of social justice and civil disobedience are essential to understanding why she is the essential voice for this moment in American political history."

--Zerlina Maxwell, author of The End of White Politics

"Maya Wiley's story of her fascinating family is a powerful testament to the perils and possibilities of building a multiracial democracy in America. And she is a perfect and important narrator of our past and present challenges and times."--Joy-Ann Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author Medgar & Myrlie and The Man Who Sold America

About the Author

Maya Wiley is president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human, the nation's oldest and largest civil rights coalition. She is a former legal analyst on MSNBC. A life-long civil rights advocate and a civil rights attorney, she mounted a historic performance in New York City's 2021 Democratic mayoral primary, contesting to be the first woman Mayor on a reform platform. Prior to that race she served as senior vice president for social justice at the New School University and as a member of the graduate faculty at its Milano School. She was the first Black woman to serve as Counsel to a New York City Mayor, Maya's expertise and compassionate approach was (and remains) almost unprecedented in the world of advocacy, activism and politics. She also serves as the Joseph L. Rash Jr. Chair of Civil and Human Rights at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Harlan, their three cats and her revolving door of young adult children, two of whom are biological and others happily inherited.