Punching the Air

Dr. Yusef Salaam was just fifteen when he was wrongly convicted in the “Central Park jogger” case, along with four other boys now known as the Exonerated Five. In 2002, after the young men spent years behind bars their sentences were overturned, and they were fully exonerated. Their story has been documented in award-winning film The Central Park Five and acclaimed Netflix series When They See Us. Yusef is now a poet, activist and inspirational speaker who lives in Atlanta, GA. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from President Barack Obama, among other honors. www.yusefspeaks.com.Ibi Zoboi holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her novel American Street was a National Book Award finalist and a New York Times Notable Book. She is also the author of Pride and My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich, a New York Times bestseller. She is the editor of the anthology Black Enough. Born in Haiti and raised in New York City, she now lives in New Jersey. www.ibizoboi.net

‘Zoboi and Salaam have created nothing short of a masterwork of humanity, with lyrical arms big enough to cradle the oppressed, and metaphoric teeth sharp enough to chomp on the bitter bones of racism. This is more than a story. This is a necessary exploration of anger, and a radical reflection of love, which ultimately makes for an honest depiction of what it means to be young and Black in America.’ – Jason Reynolds, award-winning, bestselling author of Long Way Down‘Punching the Air is the profound sound of humanity in verse. About a boy who uses his creative mind to overcome the creativity of racism. About a boy who uses the freedom of art to overcome his incarceration. About you. About me. Utterly indispensable.’ – Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stamped and How to Be an Antiracist‘In this beautifully rendered book, we are reminded again of how brilliant and precarious our Black Lives are and how art can ultimately heal us.’ – Jacqueline Woodson, award-winning, bestselling author of Brown Girl Dreaming Praise for BLACK ENOUGH, edited by Ibi Zoboi ‘A powerful collection that opens the reader’s eyes to the breadth and diversity of contemporary experience in America’ – June Sarpong, author of Diversify‘A breath of fresh air . . . nuanced and necessary.’ – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)‘The stories, all worth savoring, share a celebratory outlook on black teenagers fully and courageously embracing life.’ – Publishers Weekly (starred review) Praise for AMERICAN STREET by Ibi Zoboi ‘Self-assured, elegant and utterly captivating.’ – The New York Times‘Fierce and beautiful.’ – Booklist (starred review)