Summary
By any yardstick you want to use, Dawayne Williams had a very tough childhood. He and his younger brother were raised in the projects in Washington, DC by a single mom while his dad (who denied paternity) was in and out of prison for a variety of criminal offenses. Consequently, Dawayne grew up without a male role model to emulate. So it's no surprise that he joined a street gang as a junior high school student to deal crack and weed and woo older women until he ended up shot and stabbed multiple times and behind bars like his absentee father. This autobiography is written in vivid words that jump right off the pages. Since being born again, Dawayne has found Jesus and sworn off most of his profligate ways once and for all, though he does confess to falling off the wagon occasionally.
About the Author
Dawayne Williams has defied and prevailed beyond the many stereotypes that society has about young African American men. In his book, Reputations Fade Away, he courageously tells the story of his journey from a street hustler to a dedicated father. Williams shares the details of his past lifestyle to give others an understanding of the challenges young African Americans face, and to inspire youth to write their own stories as a path to healing. As an adolescent lured by easy money, Williams got involved with the crime that plagued the Washington, DC area in the 1980s. Living the street life, he realized that the path he walked was endangering his life and the lives of others. Several times Williams barely escaped death, and he began to realize that his life had been spared for a purpose. His new book, Reputations Fade Away, is an important part of that mission.
