I didn't have a very clear idea of what I wanted to do as a young person at all. I knew I needed a job, and I wanted to do something that didn't bum me out.
I was the first person of color to be the director of the National Book Foundation. It's been an extraordinary experience, and I hope it remains so until the bitter end when I leave in December. Publishing and books can feel exclusive. It can be a really difficult community to be a part of. People are really proud of what it means to make a book and to live in the world of books. It's a relationship business. I wanted it to feel like a party for everyone. I didn't want people to feel they weren't the right color or age for the party, or that they didn't live in the right place to be invited. I wanted to make this be something that all people can enjoy.
