When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry, a sea we must wade We’ve braved the belly of the beast We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace And the norms and notions of what just is Isn’t always just-ice
These are the opening lines from The Hill We Climb, written and delivered by the nation’s first-ever youth poet laureate, Amanda Gorman, at the inauguration of President Joe Biden in January of 2021.
The words of this talented, young Black woman still ring powerfully now, three years later.
As we move through the month of February, we are reminded of not only Ms. Gorman, but of so many amazing Black individuals from history—far back and recent—as well as those around us now, and those youth who are going to be the incredible Black individuals of the future.
We are reminded of the sorrows of that history, as well as the triumphs. We read about it in our history books, and we see it now on our televisions and computers.
“What just is isn’t always justice.”
Path To Publishing sees all of this too, and Gorman’s words speak to us not just about their own message, but about the movement that we are beginning around race relations with PTP Press’s traditionally-published novel The Price We Pay.
In this novel, we follow Zenetta Henchman as she wrestles with this big history, this complex present, an uncertain future, and things bigger than any teenager should have to deal with yet so many already do in real life.
our people diverse and beautiful will emerge, battered and beautiful When day comes we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it
Zenetta is all of us—diverse, beautiful, battered—yet also what all of us could be: brave enough to see the light and be it. Join us in celebrating all the young Zenettas of our country, in reading this novel and examining everything around and within us, in supporting a novel approach to changing the conversation about race. Climb this hill with us.
We invite you to find out more about The Price We Payand Zenetta’s journey by signing up for our email sequence.
You can also pre-order a hardcover copy of The Price We Pay from Amazon.