Behind the Pages: Shannon Luders Manuel Reveals the Untold Inspirations Behind The One Who Loves You
MDH: It’s not unusual for there to be some negative impact on a child who grows up with an absent parent. This is especially so when a child is not able to see that parent, to see themselves in the family that raises them—also known as genetic mirroring. But your father wasn’t fully absent. You knew he was out there, and you did see him from time to time. Do you think you would have felt more secure in your racial identity had he been a more regular presence in your life, or did you feel more keenly the absence of a father figure?