Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice by Yusef Salaam

A Brief Book Review

You may have seen Yusef Salaam at the recent Democratic National Party Convention in Chicago last week. I had the chance to meet Yusef in Detroit earlier in 2024 as part of an Emgage sponsored Black History Month event. I was intrigued by his story and inspired by his resilience and passion for making the world better, even though he was egregiously wronged. I also really wanted to learn the true impact of our flawed criminal justice system upon the lives of urban youth, especially in the shadow of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Hence, I will give a quick book review on his critically acclaimed book, Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice.

The book is a memoir published in 2021. Yusef was a young 15 year old Black high school student in New York City when he was detained by the police along with 4 other youth, all Black or Latino, for allegedly assaulting and raping a jogger in Central Park in 1989. The attack drew national attention, and without any real evidence, these 5 youth - the Central Park 5, were made convenient scapegoats. They were falsely accused by police who were blinded by bias, tricked into incriminating statements, poorly represented by defense lawyers, and then thrown into a prison system which quickly put the kids into a maximum security adult prison for life.  Donald Trump bought full page ads at that time demanding the death penalty be reinstated for these young men, putting the men and their families through years of harassment and intimidation. 

However, in 2002, through the work of the Innocence Project,the confession of the actual criminal, and DNA evidence, the charges against the men were thrown out and they were released. Their ordeal is captured in many documentaries, including the award winning Central Park 5, and When They See Us.

How did Yusef clung to his humanity with his original false conviction and subsequent years in prison? He writes, “the fire that was meant to destroy me, to consume me whole, became the light that illuminated my purpose.” He recounts the overwhelming disbelief when he was convicted, and his realization that the criminal justice system was not there to protect people like him. He immersed himself with reading and arming himself with knowledge. He found mentors in the prison system that protected him from some of its harsh realities. He received constant support from his single mother, who organized a support network of other parents with incarcerated children.

Maintaining hope in such trying conditions does not come easy. “My pain became my purpose. My suffering gave me strength. What was meant to destroy me only made me more determined to live a life of purpose.”   Yusef maintained the belief that this injustice will be corrected. Believing that there will be eventual justice was the key to his resilience, and it derived from his deepening faith and hope for the future. 

What is the difference between false delusions and hope? Was Yusef deluded and naive in thinking he will be released? That the real criminal will confess? That he will survive a brutal adult maximum security prison physically and mentally intact? Are WE deluded into thinking there could be a future where there is a mutiracial democracy where all children have freedom and opportunity? Will there be peace with justice for Palestinians, for hostages and oppressed everywhere, for those suffering in Sudan, Kashmir, Burma, China and elsewhere across the globe? Will the cancer be cured? Will the surgery be successful? Will I still have a job next year? Some convictions are based on fact, but there are always varying levels of uncertainty.

The choice to have faith is important, but it must be backed up by some action and work towards the desired outcome. Yusef did this in prison, by studying and leading his fellow prisoners. We can also do this in our own lives by working towards a desired outcome, however formidable the odds. The only thing in your control is the decision to put the work in, not the final outcome. Depending on your eucemnical bent, the final out come is either in the hands of God, or up to the machinations of the universe. 

Yusef’s faith and work paid off. The Central Park 5 were released and exonerated.  Yusef kept true to his purpose, and committed himself to helping other people unjustly convicted. He worked for the Innocence Project, and started giving motivational talks across the country. His advocacy and hard work drew respect: He was recruited by local activists in New York City to run for a seat on the City Council. In a profound turn of events, he won the election in 2023 to  become one of the overseers of  the very police that unjustly imprisoned him years ago. 

Some of the ironies in this story are simply too great to ignore. Yusef was named by his parents after the Prophet (Joseph).  Much like the prophetic story of Joseph, whom Yusef quotes in his book, the falsely accused prisoner was cleared of wrongdoing, his character and wisdom was recognized, and he was privileged with a role as a leader. In another ironic twist, Donald Trump, who demanded that the Central Park 5 be given the death penalty, has now himself become the convicted criminal. Even now, Trump refuses to believe the innocence of the Central Park 5. He refuses to apologize for his call for their death, and he also refuses to believe his own criminal convictions. 

Yusef’s story was highlighted at the Democratic National Party National Convention in Chicago on 8/23. Both Yusef and others with the Exonerated 5 spoke about the flawed criminal justice system, and Trump’s flaunting the rule of law. Although the pain of the ongoing genocide in Gaza is high, the harm Trump will cause to millions of people of color is too great to ignore. At the very least, we should have empathy for those who are willing to block Trump at any cost, including by supporting Harris.

In person, Yusef is thoughtful, quiet yet commands respect. There is trauma from the years of being accused of heinous crimes and living in prison. His story of maintaining hope and fighting on despite insurmountable odds is inspirational. “We are often told that we should be silent, that our experiences are invalid, that our pain doesn't matter. But our stories are powerful, and they need to be told.” The reader of Better not Bitter will be thinking about Yusef’s story for a long time, both what he has written and what is still yet to be.

Watch the full DNC speech here!