Everything Worth Fighting For: An exploration of being Black in
America takes the reader on a journey of discovery into the many
layers of Black life. From coming to understand the value in elder
wisdom to struggling with the dangers facing Black youth, the book
paints a picture of a multi- faceted existence. It is a resistance to
narrowing perceptions and a call for society to never forget that
there is so much more to any Black person than meets the eye. Ahanu
writes in the introduction, "There is magic in our own
experiences. Lessons learned and insight gained. It is our
responsibility to share that with others. We have to tell what we
know. We have to act like we know. It may mean standing alone. It may
mean facing the unsettling of every bit of comfort we have
established. We have to understand that sometimes interruption can be
glorious freedom. Think about all that we have faced and still face
in this country. We continue to push on fully aware that regardless
of the achievements, the strides, and the resilience there are still
those who will never see the amazing for what it is. Yet here we are.
Here we will be. Still magic." Everything Worth Fighting For:
An exploration of being Black in America also looks at the role
of the artist as an activist and at the creation of art as a radical
means of expression. Ahanu shares his experiences and offers his
perspective on arts activism as a way to frame this new work. This
book not only intendeds to engage, it is also intended to inspire,
affirm, challenge, and push people's thinking. It is recognition of
the beauty of being Black, of the struggles of being Black, and a
scathing rebuttal to those who see Black life as anything less than
amazing.
With this collection, Dasan Ahanu shows himself as a southern
storyteller who uses his poetry as a tool for conveying messages and
for giving voice to the lived experiences of those who find
themselves at the center and in the margins.