SELF PORTRAIT

■ DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: Sept. 5, Litchfield, Ill. ■ FIVE PEOPLE I WOULD INVITE TO A FANTASY DINNER PARTY: President George W. Bush; Mike Hemphill, director of Presidential Leadership Scholars; Diane Blair, author and University of Arkansas political science professor; and John Lewis, civil rights leader.

■ A BOOK I RECENTLY READ AND LIKED: For Colored Girls Who

Have Considered Politics by Donna Brazile, Yolanda Caraway, Leah Daughtry, Minyon Moore and Veronica Chambers.

■ MY FAVORITE MEAL: Sushi.

■ SOMETHING I ALWAYS HAVE WITH ME: Glasses.

■ MY MOST PRECIOUS CHILDHOOD MEMORY IS: Just of being at my grandmother’s house in the country outside Arkadelphia. We went all the time and that was to me, just being a

little boy and being able to go out and explore. ■ I WANT TO BE THOUGHT OF AS: Someone who really cared about public service. ■ SOMETHING NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ME IS: I have a huge infatuation with studying past presidents. It’s kind of a geek-out thing for me.

■ I WISH I COULD: Teach full-time.

■ MY FAVORITE PLACE ON EARTH IS: Probably Annapolis [Md.]. It’s a real off-the-grid place for me. I think it’s probably one of the things that allows me to go and do, having that place to unwind.

■ THE BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT WAS: A teacher told me, “If you ever learn to accept criticism, you’ll go far.” ■ ONE WORD TO SUM ME UP: Determined.