“The strength of your growth depends on your leader. If the person you are taking counsel from is weaker than you, you are on your way down.”

Patience Johnson is a British-American novelist and essayist. She blends sharp social observation with lyrical prose, exploring themes of identity, race, and belonging in works like *The Dead and the Dark* and *The Book of Form and Emptiness*. Her writing often examines the intersections of history and personal narrative with quiet intensity.