THE DEEPER THE ROOTS

The story of a young man’s ascent from poverty in Stockton, California, to become, at just 26 years of age, the city’s first Black mayor.

Tubbs was not only Stockton’s first Black mayor; he was also “the youngest person…ever to be elected mayor of a city with a population of over 100,000.” In his debut book, the author movingly chronicles his life story, offering insightful considerations of, above all, the crucial role played by the three women who guided his upbringing, the challenges he faced in claiming an elite education (Stanford) and establishing a career in politics, and the representative lessons to be learned from his experiences about the nation’s abiding racial barriers. Tubbs begins with several chapters detailing his early life and the impact of losing his father to the prison system before moving on to explore the growth of his own fierce determination to succeed academically and professionally despite the odds stacked against him. The author’s voice is both accessible and authoritative, and it establishes a trust that undergirds his commentaries on topics ranging from systemic racism to educational reform to the intricacies of campaign finance. Tubbs also skillfully renders the history and evolving fortunes of Stockton, and the city’s entrenched pathologies—as well as the tenacious efforts of many of its citizens to secure a more peaceful and equitable future—form a vivid backdrop to the author’s personal story. Particularly compelling are the later chapters, which describe Tubbs’ victorious mayoral campaign in 2016 and the ideals that propelled it, along with the abuse he endured from often unscrupulous political adversaries. The scandal surrounding the author’s’ DUI conviction, which nearly ended his budding career, is treated with rare candor and self-awareness and ought to serve as a model for other memoirists. His reflections on the dynamics of disinformation campaigns and their relevance to contemporary politics could not be more timely.

An emerging political leader’s resonant and inspiring account of his life and vision for social transformation.