Remington, Remington: A Tale of Two Cities, takes a look at the fictional town of Remington, Illinois, that, like so many communities across this country, needs healing as it has become more diverse in population while not adapting for that diversity in the ranks of leadership. The tale starts out in 2019 and looks at the intersectionality of the various systems within a city and how the multigenerational Templeton family navigates those systems while black. It gives a glimpse into the love life of Sierra, a fast-climbing career-oriented woman looking for love. It also takes a look at the corporate life of Frank as he navigates supporting multiple family members through the pandemic with his wife Nina. It delves into the impact of overt and systemic racism in Remington, where the Templetons live, work, and play - just northwest of the city of Chicago. Many people think that money and status exempts people of color from experiencing racism, but as you will see for this family, even living in a 20,000 square foot custom built home sitting on the best golf course in the Midwest with a patriarch who has risen to become the CEO of a Fortune 100 company cannot shield the Templetons from the systemic racism and racial insensitivities in some of the people they encounter. People who hold fast to their old beliefs and what they have heard about black people as a guiding force to double-down on legacy and tradition over progress.
The book takes its subtitle from the fact that these two separate viewpoints create two unique cities existing in one sprawling metropolis. Like so many cities in America, Remington is experienced one way for the white residents it was designed and built for and another way for its black residents who must assimilate and dim their individual lights in order to fit in for the comfort of white people. Exposing the kind of racism that is invisible to people who are not directly impacted by it can be like trying to teach a fish about water. Though they’re in their natural element which literally supports their very existence, they don’t actually see this invisible construct unless and until they experience the discomfort of being “pulled from the water” - as they are forced to face the reality of those who are regularly drowned by the very thing that enables some others to thrive.
Remington, Remington: A Tale of Two Cities
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
MICHELLE BANNISTER WILLIAMS
Born into a family of six, Michelle Bannister Williams grew up in Toledo, Ohio where she lived before going to college at Eastern Michigan University. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations with a minor in Communications. Armed with her degree, she has worked in the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industry in Sales and Business Development for over twenty-five years. Driven by a passion to help others, Michelle has served as a mentor and trainer to countless people in her field over the years.
For the last fifteen years, Michelle stood at the forefront of a new initiative geared towards challenging diverse groups of people to acknowledge their unconscious biases as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (D.E.I.) Educator and consultant. To fortify this work, Michelle completed a certification in Leading Diversity Equity and Inclusion at Northwestern University to strengthen her skills as a D.E.I. Educator and presenter in 2020. Having grown up as a black woman in mostly white spaces, she enjoys gently challenging narratives around racism and exposing the lasting impact of systemic racism in America. Helping others identify systems in need of dismantling, Michelle is skilled at addressing diverse audiences and regularly shares her experiences with others via various speaking engagements. She is also very active in Be the Bridge, a national organization that combats systemic racism while supporting those in need of healing and restoration. In 2021, she became a certified facilitator for Undivided, Inc. where she hosts virtual and online classes to help facilitate racial solidarity and help people develop a personal strategy to recognize and combat racism in the communities where they live, work, and play.
Always looking for ways to impact her local community, Michelle serves on the Board of Director’s for the Greater Joliet Area YMCA where she is on the DEI Committee and Long-Range Planning Committee.
Michelle’s first book, Remington, Remington: A Tale of Two Cities, is an expression of her deep desire to combat destructive constructs in society that reinforce discriminatory behavior. She intends to create conversations around the content of this book to help normalize discussions around race relations; especially in spaces where the ‘elephant in the room’ has been avoided for far too long in environments ranging from churches, school systems, and work. Michelle recognizes that racism is closely tied to the other “isms” that marginalize people of color and others.
Michelle married Sean (pronounced see-on) Williams Sr. in Dayton, Ohio in 1999 and moved to Plainfield, IL in 2000. Together, they have raised three sons Sean Jr, Ian, and Seth.
Everything that Michelle embraces and practices in her professional and personal life speaks to the following philosophy:
“Unless all of us are free, none of us can truly be free”
