(Reviewed by JD Jung)
“Everything we do in life is an audition for something. We just don’t know what for yet.”
Journalist, commentator, and Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Jonathan Capehart relates his life experiences in his memoir, Yet Here I Am: Lessons from a Black Man’s Search for Home. He recounts painfully growing up with a cruel stepfather, searching for identity and navigating life and career as a gay black man. However, there’s so much more. In fact, there is something for everyone to personally take from this book.
He shares the valuable lessons he has learned throughout his career. Among them is that he went anywhere his talents were sought, often with meager or no pay. He also learned that you are not as invisible as you may think. People are always watching, rendering judgements about you based on clues you don’t realize you’re providing. These insights helped him to eventually achieve his professional goals. He would make each job work for him and not take one solely for the money.
That said, his journey has been far from easy. New York slapped him down more than a few times, and he shares how he tended to withdraw into himself. He has also experienced severe panic attacks. Somehow, he manages to maintain a positive tone throughout the book, which is a testament to his resilience.
What I particularly appreciate is his fearless commitment to the truth. He provides examples of when he wrote unpopular opinions, no matter what side was involved, no matter the consequences. This often meant taking on a “sacred cow” to get to the truth.
I admit I have been a fan of Jonathan Capehart for years, enjoying his shows regularly on MSNBC. Even if you are not familiar with him, you will appreciate Yet Here I Am, his journey to self-awareness and thoughts of the future of the world. You may even see yourself and others a little differently.
