Letter from Lamonte Jones

Sunday, March 27, 2005

Mr. Salzman,
I was once asked, ‘When I become a successful politician and write my book, how will I begin.’ I replied, not with my birth but with a brief encounter when I was a student at Jonas Salk Middle School in Sacramento, CA. I was play-fighting with one of my peers when you pulled me aside. We had a brief conversation in which you asked me, "What do you like?" I hastily replied, “Politics.” You gave me your card and said to give you a call. From that call came an internship in the state department of education. Since that time I have been heavily involved in politics: participating on the annual Capitol-to-Capitol Sacramento delegation and serving as the student board member for Sacramento City Unified School District. I am now a freshman at Morgan State University in Baltimore and intend to go to law school to practice corporate law, and then to run for office. I just wanted to let you know that our chance encounter had a lasting impact on my life. Thank you for those five minutes of your time. Rest assured that the future first African-American United States Senator from California will start his book with your name.

My meeting with Noah Salzman at Jonas Salk Middle School was the most touching five minutes life could offer me, helping me to discover my passion for politics when I was just thirteen years old.

-Lamonte Jones