The story of a transgender trailblazer, reflecting on masculinity, blackness, community, and the American South—told in her own words.
LESSONS FROM THE LAST WORLD
by Raquel Willis
St. Martin’s Press, Spring 2022
Raquel Willis is a powerful woman. But growing up as a young boy in the South made being herself almost impossible. In this moving and provocative memoir, Raquel relives the many risks she faced in her struggle to become a fierce advocate for her community—and the powerful woman—that she is today. Today, she is known as a transgender trailblazer, both for work with the Transgender Law Center and speaker at the National Women’s March. She offers intimate reflections on masculinity and blackness, informed by a tumultuous relationship with her father. From a childhood built in opposition to expectations, all the way through her transition at a flagship Southern university, Raquel demonstrates that her story is but one thread in the larger tapestry of Black trans American life; a tapestry that has never truly been chronicled from this millennial, Southern perspective.
Raquel Willis is a Black queer transgender activist, writer, and speaker who has dedicated her life to inspiring and elevating marginalized individuals, particularly transgender women of color. In 2018, she was named a Jack Jones Literary Arts Sylvia Rivera Fellow. She is the founder of Black Trans Circles, a project of the Transgender Law Center. In 2018, she was named an Open Society Foundations Soros Equality Fellow. Her writing has been featured in Out, Essence, Autostraddle, Buzzfeed, Medium’s Cuepoint, ForHarriet,The Root and VICE.
There are three important laws in Ezomo’s village: Don’t go to The Valley, don’t go out at night, and never, ever, ever open the door that protects them all. But when Ezomo encounters the leopard believed to have killed his father, he and his two friends embark on a journey that leads them past the boundaries set by their elders. Ezomo’s mother immediately falls deathly ill, and Ezomo doesn’t believe that it’s a coincidence. Eventhough he wasn’t able to save his father, Ezomo hopes he can save her. He receives a hint that the cure can be found behind the village door, in the Valley. With his friends by his side, Ezomo discovers the true history of his village, and that cautionary tales exist for a reason.
Adelle and Connie have been best friends for years, united by their love of a little known novel called 
A thing you were: Ellis and Easton have been inseparable since childhood. Their friendship is unbreakable or so Ellis thought.
12 NOTES is a self-development guide that will affirm that creativity is a calling that can and should be answered, no matter your age or experience. Drawing from his own life, and those of his many creative collaborators past and present, Quincy Jones presents readers with lessons that are hardworking and accessible, yet speak to the passion of self-expression. He includes sections as deep as how to transform grief into power, and as practical as how to set goals and articulate intentions through daily affirmations. Weaving his story throughout, Jones lets readers in on his own creative process, as well as the importance of letting honesty, hard work, and good relationships drive your career.