Barbara Lee, Member of Congress 9th District, California (Congress of the United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.)

Dear Ms. Deborah Day:

I write this letter to congratulate you on the publication of your book, Mindful Messages, Healing Thoughts for the Hip and Hop Descendants from the Motherland.

Mindful Messages is an insightful and innovative approach to educating our African American youth about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, sexuality and other social concerns. The mixture of poetry, African proverbs and anecdotes, coupled with startling facts and statistics, provides a compelling educational tool that resonates with adolescents and will be appreciated by adults.

As someone with a long standing commitment to winning this battle against HIV/AIDS, I am always grateful for meaningful and informative contributions to the overall dialogue regarding this pandemic. Mindful Messages is a book that should be read by everyone and utilized as a thought provoking teaching tool. In a time when we are all struggling to determine the best ways in which to educate and save lives, Mindful Messages provides a viable solution.

I thank you for your contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS and wish you much continued success. I look forward to working with you in the future on this issue.