Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny »

Hill Harper is an accomplished film, television, and stage actor currently starring in the hit CBS drama series CSI: NY. A volunteer for the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization in Los Angeles, he frequently speaks to schools and youth groups. Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a B.A.; cum laude with a J.D. from Harvard Law School; and earned a masters in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government.

Now in paperback: the New York Times bestselling book of inspirational advice and wisdom for young women from the powerhouse public speaker, star of CSI: NY, and bestselling author of Letters to a Young Brother

• Does life sometimes seem so much harder for girls?

• Do you ever feel insecure, pressured, or confused?

• Do you wish you had someone to give you honest advice on topics like boys, school, family, and pursuing your dreams?

• Do you want to make a positive impact on the world, but don't even know how to begin?

In the follow-up to his award winning national bestseller, Letters to a Young Brother, actor and star of CSI: NY shares powerful wisdom for young women everywhere, drawing on the courageous advice of the female role models who transformed his life.

Letters to a Young Sister unfolds as a series of letters written by older brother Hill to a universal young sister. She's up against the same challenges as every young woman: from relating to her parents and dealing with peer pressure, to juggling schoolwork and crushes and keeping faith in the face of heartache. Hill offers guidance, encouragement, personal stories, and asks his female friends to help answer some truly tough questions. Every young sister needs to know that it's okay to dream big and to deFINE her own destiny. This is a book that will educate, uplift and inspire.

Including original contributions from:
Michelle Obama
• Angela Basset
• Ciara
• Tatyana Ali
• Eve
• Malinda Williams
• Chanel Iman
• Kim Porter
• and many more.

Foreword   Gabrielle Union     XI
Introduction     XIX
Empowerment 3.0
"Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why)"   Nikki Giovanni     3
Young Sistah: Your FINE Destiny     5
E-mail: Teased for Being Outstanding   Michelle Obama     11
Designing Your Destiny in This New-School World     13
E-mail: Divine Purpose   Tavis Smiley     21
Sistahs: As Unique as Snowflakes and Fingerprints     23
E-mail: It's a Hard-Knock Life for US   Eve     30
The J.J.: Journaling & Journeying Through Life: The Power of One     32
E-mail: No R-E-S-P-E-C-T   Alfre Woodard     42
The Difference Between Need and Purpose     44
E-mail: My Morals for Success?   Ciara     52
E-mail: Too Much Pressure!!   Sanaa Lathan     54
Relationships: Family, Friends, and Boys
Ain't Nothin' but a "G" Thang: GOSSIP     59
E-mail: Gossip Girls   Jasmine Guy     70
The Parent Trap: You Can Choose Your Friends, but You Can't Choose Your Family     72
E-mail: OOOOHH BABY!!   Shar Jackson     78
E-mail: Make Me Beautiful!   Chanel Iman     79
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.: How a Boy Should Treat You     81
E-mail: Boys, Boys, Boys...   Nia Long     90
E-mail: Dating My BGF   Kim Porter     91
The Taboo Topic: SEX     93
E-mail: No Hook-Up/Hurt Feelings   Blair Underwood     98
E-mail: The Dating Game   Lauren London   Evan Ross     100
Sex, Lies, and Texting: The Lies Boys Tell     102
E-mail: Cheating and Lying!?!   Blair Underwood   Terri J. Vaughn     109
E-mail: Love, Sex, and STDs   Shahdae Janelle Holland     111
Daddy's Little Girl: How Shadows Can Loom Large     113
E-mail: Quality Man   Ruby Dee     121
Overcoming Obstacles
Breakup, No Makeup     125
E-mail: Heartache   Niecy Nash     129
E-mail: I Don't Wanna Look Like a Clown   Kenya Moore     131
Words Have Power: The B, H, and T Words     133
E-mail: Nappy-Headed, Well, You Know!   Devynity     139
Double Jeopardy: Racism and Sexism as Obstacles to Success     142
E-mail: Million-Dollar Baby   Cathy Hughes     149
Food for Thought     151
E-mail: Is My Fat Phat?    Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford     156
E-mail: The Not-So-Celebrity Fit Club   Chariesse Griffin     158
Hillified Hugs: Dealing with the Blues     160
"It Really Hurts": Dealing with More Than Just the Blues     165
E-mail: Lonely and Depressed   Bishop Noel Jones     171
Your Future
Educatin' Excellence     175
E-mail: Do I Really Need to Go to School??   Dr. Melissa Nobles     183
The New Cool Money Rule     185
E-mail: Own Business/Own Boss   Marvet Britto     190
The Deadliest Trap: Staying Out of the Debt Pit     193
E-mail: Unhappy and Unorganized   Christina M. Gomes     199
The Linked S's: Savings and Self-Empowerment     202
E-mail: Jane of All Trades, Master of None?   Angela Bassett   Nicole Loftus     212
Careering and Steering     215
E-mail: Career Choices   Candace Bond Mckeever     222
E-mail: When I Grow Up, I Wanna Be ...?   Sharla Crow     224
The Wonderment of Life
Chocolate Cake and Four-Letter Words     229
E-mail: A Dream Deferred   Congresswoman   Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick   Malinda Williams      234
Your Heart: Always Follow It (Except with Boys)     236
E-mail: Me and My Boyfriend   Tatyana Ali     241
Throwing Off Limitations     243
E-mail: Ayudeme!   Zoe Saldana     248
Seeing Rainbows: Wonderment of the Everyday     250
E-mail: Dreaming Big???   Tavis Smiley     256
Keys to REAL Happiness: Faith and Service     258
E-mail: Voting and Politics   Michelle Obama     266
Final Letter: Time to Make History     268
E-mail: The Secret of How to Be Happy (Growing to Be Me)   Nikki Giovanni     275
Acknowledgments     277