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ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I want to acknowledge my mother, Jerrie L. Hatten, for always believing that I could do great things, even when I was clinging to life as a preemie and the doctors had given up hope. Thank you for your strength, tenacity, persistence , and refusal to let anyone block your success or the success of your children. I’d also like to thank my many friends and family whose understanding and support propelled me forward during those times when I wanted to give up. A very special thank you to my editor, Carey C. Newman, Gladys S. Lewis, Jenny Hunt, Jordan Rowan Fannin, and all the members of Team Baylor UP for your patience, encouragement, and guidance. This book couldn’t have happened without you. I also want to thank Katya Gibel Mevorach for your enthusiasm and support of me and this project from the very beginning. Shanna Greene Benjamin, Karla Erickson, Michelle Nasser, and Angela Onwuachi-Willig, thank you for reading early drafts of my manuscript and being the best colleagues, sistah-friends, and writing buddies that a girl could ask for. I also want to thank Sylvea Hollis for spending days with me in the coffee shop when I needed company. Thanks to members of the Grinnell College English Department and the Gender, Women’s & Sexuality x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Studies Program, especially Astrid Henry and Heather LobbanViravong for your encouragement, mentoring, and support of my scholarship. The seeds of this book were planted when I was a graduate student at The Ohio State University. I want to thank Judith Mayne, Terry Moore, Valerie Lee, and Ruby Tapia for your mentoring and encouragement during the early stages of this project . I’d also like to thank Valora Blackson and Megan Chawansky for your support and encouragement. ...

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