“We inculcate young people with the message that if they don't succeed, it is merely of their own doing. They should have worked harder, we say. They should have made better decisions. This message is especially present in communities of color.”

American writer, poet and scholar

Clint Smith is an American writer, poet, and scholar. He is best known for How the Word Is Passed, which became a number one New York Times best seller and won the 2021 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction. He has also published two poetry collections, Counting Descent in 2016 and Above Ground in 2023. His work spans nonfiction and poetry, with writing that has drawn wide recognition in both forms.