“When I was a child, my parents took my brothers and me to Port-au-Prince during the summer so we could get to know the country of our ancestors. Because Haiti is an island, the beach is everywhere. Haitians are particular, even snobby, about beaches.”

Roxane Gay is an American writer and professor. She is known for her essays on gender, race, and culture, including the bestselling *Bad Feminist*, and her contributions to contemporary conversations on identity and social justice. Her work blends sharp critique with accessible storytelling.