{"product_id":"i-dont-swim-a-memoir-9798218539894","title":"I Don't Swim: A Memoir","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhen Helen Miller was asked why she never joined her family in the water, she found herself contemplating the reasons she didn't swim. Most significant were opportunity and accessibility. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlthough her parents were part of the Great Migration of Black families to the North to escape racism and poverty, they did not have access to public or private pools or beaches. Helen considered that her parents' and her inability to swim was related to something bigger: the history of Black Americans. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHelen Miller's story reflects her life's journey against the backdrop of that history, including the Civil Rights Movement and the continuing presence of racism. Yet, because of the love and support she received, she accomplished much in her lifetime, earning three degrees, practicing law, and serving sixteen years in Iowa House of Representatives. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHelen's story describes not only what she's lived through and witnessed, but what she sees for the future: hope. As she tells her grandchildren, \"Do your best because things have changed. You, too, can become president of the United States or anything else you want to be.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eMiller, Helen:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - HELEN MILLER is a retired lawyer and state legislator. She was born in Newark, New Jersey, and earned a bachelor of arts degree from Howard University, a master's degree from Our Lady of the Lake University, and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center.She served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives for sixteen years and was the first minority to serve on the House Agriculture Committee. Additionally, Miller chaired the Iowa Board of Parole from July 2019 to July 2021.Miller shares the events of her life in the context of the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, during the times when Blacks were finding and projecting their voices onto the tapestry that was and is America.","brand":"Waverly Avenue Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51325427908882,"sku":"9798218539894","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_e1095dc4-5207-4d2c-baa8-19496ef2da72.jpg?v=1748733530","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/i-dont-swim-a-memoir-9798218539894","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}