Aaron Maybin is barely 30 years old and yet he has lived a number of experiences that make both his work and his thinking far beyond his years. Maybin, a former NFL first round draft pick, artist, writer, father, and teacher offers critiques and analysis on the church, politics, education policy, and criminal justice reform just to name a few, through a lens of a young man coming of age at a period in America's history as pivotal as the Civil Rights era of the 1960's. A native of Baltimore, Aaron was front and center when his hometown erupted into chaos following the death of a young man in police custody. These very same areas that have been left in the conditions that they were in since the riots of 1968 following the assassination of Dr. King, but Freddie Grey wasn't the first to have been killed by law enforcement as Baltimore and Aaron knew all too well. These truths can be found in the profound images captured in the paintings, photography, and sketches that are throughout the book. Nonetheless, while Maybin doesn't shy away from the darker parts of his reality and the conditions of his people you are not left feeling hopeless. There is as much light and love as there is grit and mourning. Collectively with each poem and essay Aaron takes you on a journey with him through his progression and shares his dreams, his prayers, his passion and determination to be a part of the change he seeks for his children and all of those growing up in Baltimore and similar cities. The theme of reaffirming and encouraging our youth and black girls and women does not go unnoticed and while this collection of work is clearly a window into the maturation of one man - it is also a snapshot of the shared feelings of many of his generation. By the time you come to it's end you will be reminded of Psalm 30:5 "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" and a renewed faith in where we go forward as a people despite all that we have collectively overcome.