William Albert "Bill" Stokes died last week. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Seven years ago, he taught me one of the most enlightening, compassionate lessons of my life at a moment when I was way out of my comfort zone. The day after he and I co-hosted a mostly improvisational show in front of an African American audience, I wrote this blog post. It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life. ----------------- BACK IN BLACK I have always had an affinity for African American people. Their music always moved me more than the bland songs sung by white performers. Their distinctly different clothing choices made me want to be colorful like them instead of rigid and uniform