Second Chances, by Pamela Connell

African Derivatives and a Modern Day Cult

Second Chances: African Derivatives and a Modern Day Cult by Pamela Connell initially began as a way to celebrate African art and culture. However, the book evolved to address other topics, including systemic racism, race relations in a U.S. Midwestern city, faith, and the political climate leading up to the 2024 presidential election.

Connell, a middle-class White woman, through reflection on landmark events and by showcasing her sketches of African masks and sculptures, engages the reader in confronting the enduring American caste system, including ignorance, complicity, and apathy. In addition, Second Chances investigates the allure of modern-day cult figures, particularly Donald Trump, and how power, fear, and belonging manipulate followers.

A blend of art, history, psychology, sociology, and moral inquiry, Second Chances is a snapshot of an artist’s personal journey exploring race and caste through the lens of art and media. The candor of the writing, the poignancy of the story, and the author’s handmade pictures will hook the reader. The last chapter highlights the story of Jonah and the whale, and second chances for the people of Nineveh in biblical times. It concludes as a call for second chances for the American people—to reckon with the past, awaken to the present, and envision a more just, compassionate future.