I LIVED TO TELL THE STORY

Fighting for a cause.

Growing up in Co-op City in New York, Mallory was often in trouble, skipping school, breaking curfew, and dating a series of dangerous men and boys, including “a high-stakes robber.” Giving birth to her son Tarique gives her the momentum she needs to start living more responsibly. In an attempt to provide for her child, she takes a job answering phones for a lawyer “in the movement,” a job that changes her life. Working her way up the ladder, she eventually becomes executive director of the National Action Network, a group whose rallies she had attended since childhood. As she rises through the ranks, Mallory finds herself co-chairing the Women’s March, a decision that exposes her to accusations of antisemitism. The stress of the situation culminates in a trip to rehab, where Mallory overcomes an addiction to pills. She returns to work, this time co-founding an organization called Until Freedom that becomes involved in protests around the killing of Breonna Taylor during the Covid-19 pandemic. By the end of this journey, Mallory learns to care not just for her community but also for herself, concluding, “I was born fighting for freedom and I will die fighting for freedom—but this time freedom will include me.” This busy life story is full of passion, vulnerability, and light. At times, the sheer volume of events the author describes eclipses the emotional weight of certain moments. Overall, though, this is a deeply felt account.

A Black female activist’s gripping memoir.