As I began the twilight years of my life, I look back and think how blessed I was being born to Henry and Emma King. My father was a school teacher, and my mother was a housewife/substitute teacher when I was growing up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. My Grandmother was a school bus driver, and my Grandfather worked on the railroad and started a cab service. What made them so special was that they always preached the value of hard work and going to school with their lack of education. If I were to describe my life, it was like a hand made quilt. Each square and tread ended up making a beautiful blanket that impacted growing up Black in America. Growing up back then, we lived in a neighborhood, not a hood where you could borrow sugar from a neighbor, and people struggled but valued working. Their work ethic was impeccable.