Coincidences of Coincidences. Look Who Came To Dinner on Mt. Pleasant. The Great Whatever is What It Is - Personal Book Tour

In 1992, I was an undergraduate student working with Carol Boyce Davies in London, having my worldview reshaped and my understanding of global history realigned. To be honest, I thought I knew much, but I knew very little (a truth that continues today - the more I know, the less I know).

I've written about this before, especially as I justified my research, grant proposals, conference presentations, and reports. I was 19 then - wide-eyed and adventurous, living the life of an American, studying the Bard, traveling. Meanwhile, in countries across Africa, civil wars were breaking out, families were displaced, and the numbers of refugees were increasing. I did not know Sudan then. It took an article in the New York Times, From Hell to Fargo, to piqu my interest and reshap how I know life.

In 1999, 200 Lost Boys of Sudan were relocated to the City of Louisville and through the Kentucky Refugee Mission, I began to volunteer. I mentored many (and they mentored me) I also began teaching their story alongside books such as Heart of Darkness, Things Fall Apart, Waiting for the Rain, and Cry The Beloved Country. We discussed my cousin's work, Hoops4Hope, too, and asked the question, "Why refugees? How? What is our local responsibility to a globe that is unlike here? How do all these histories connect?"

I remember seeing I Heart Huckabees for the first time and laughing with the character, Mr. Steve Nemieri, who became "the coincidence" throughout the film. I loved the term, and even had my students write about individuals who were coincidences in their own lives - you know, those who appear in your life and cause you to question your world when you see them.

Fast forward to Connecticut when The Good Lie came out. I took Fairfield students to the opening in Greenwich and met some of the cast, knowing that the same guy from I Heart Huckabees was in the film.

Then, last fall, I was sent a manuscript to vet and within pages I thought, I bet this is the work of Ger Duany, the Sudanese-American actor, model, and activist. Sure enough, it was. And now Walk Toward the Rising Sun is out. I'm proud of his work and love the human being that he is. He shares much in his memoir, but the words don't capture what a genuinely kind, interested, engaging, and witty human being that he is. He's one of a kind and what an honor to know him

Well, last night Ger trained from New Jersey for dinner, conversation, a fire (thanks, Chitunga) and human connection. It was a great evening of heart-felt, deeply connected life work. Funny, because with knowledge of this book coming out this Fall, I got permission from the publisher to have Ger and the book put into our NCTE proposal (the only one kept after going online) this fall. So, Ger, Jessica, William and I can continue the work. We will be presenting and I can't wait.

Now I need to watch I Heart Huckabees again, as it was a philosophical romp that whimsically played with life's meaning and potential. Knowing Ger was on Mt. Pleasant last night, just to hang out, offers another another coincidence to the entire tale. What a joyful, meaningful evening - my heart and brain appreciated every second of it.

Here's to the friendship, future gatherings, and a continued commitment to the world!