Publicists often advise authors to be ready at a moment's notice to give the "elevator speech" about their books to anybody and everybody who will listen. Dr. Melissa V. Harris-Perry, the Tulane University professor, MSNBC commentator and pundit, is no stranger to media interviews. When she talked to Diverse weeks before the book was due out, she was still working on that sound bite about her latest book: "Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America." In her book, Dr. Harris-Perry explores the Black woman's challenge to move beyond race and gender stereotypes to be recognized as an authentic individual. The book is not only about how others perceive Black women, but also about how Black women perceive themselves. As Dr. Harris-Perry demonstrates, the indelible, distorted images constrict and shape how Black women act or fail to act in the political arena for their own good. The professor aptly describes the Black woman's constant battle to be recognized as a fully human, authentic individual.