Janisse Ray

Janisse Ray grew up in the poor, rural south. From the time she was born until she left for college at eighteen, Janisse lived in the family home that was located in the southern Georgia county of Appling, on the outskirts of the small town of Baxley. Janisse's father, Franklin, was a salvage dealer. Unfortunately, the junkyard was located just beyond the small yard of the cozy family home. Janisse and her siblings were ashamed of the family business and would tell others that their father was a salesman. The yard was cluttered with dilapidated cars, auto parts and "junk" of every description.

Even though Janisse's mother was a traditional southern wife who did everything in the house and pitched in outside as well, Janisse somehow came by feminism easily. She could never understand why she couldn't play football or baseball with her brothers or why she...