Overview

In Living in the Middle: A Life Between Belonging and Becoming, Dr. Samuel S. Dinga shares his remarkable journey from the lively town of Bali Nyonga, Cameroon, to the serene, snow-covered streets of central Wisconsin. Born a twin into a noble family with deep ancestral roots, Dinga's early years are immersed in his family's rich traditions. But his pursuit of higher education takes him across the Atlantic, plunging him into the complexities of a new world. As he navigates the harsh realities of American life-from enduring his first brutal winter and deciphering the labyrinth of the US healthcare system to confronting systemic racism and raising a biracial family in the Midwest-Dinga finds himself in a deep liminal space. He is no longer fully Cameroonian, yet not entirely American. With heartfelt honesty, this moving memoir explores the universal search for identity. Living in the Middle is a powerful testament to the challenges of assimilation, the strong bonds of family, and the understanding that true belonging isn't tied to a single place but is woven from the vibrant fabric of our lived experiences.

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9781957296814

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Reviews

Dr. Samuel S. Dinga vividly embodies the Achebian axiom that ""the world is like a mask dancing. If you want to see it well, you must not stand in one place."" Born a twin, Dinga has understood duality intimately since birth, but it is his remarkable versatility-forged in the liminal space between his Cameroonian roots and the American Midwest-that has opened vistas he could never have envisioned. Living in the Middle is a vibrant testament to that ever-shifting, panoramic vision. -Dr. Kehbuma Langmia Howard University ""In simple, clear, elegant prose, Samuel Dinga expresses the quiet, unyielding fire of one who crosses great distances-not in miles alone, but in meaning-turning his humble Cameroonian beginnings into a hard-won place in the American story."" -Martin Jumbam

Author Information

Dr. Sam Dinga began his academic journey studying Law and Political Science at the University of Dschang, Cameroon, before moving to the U.S. in 2002. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Sociology and a master's in Human & Community Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and later completed his doctorate in Higher Education Leadership at Edgewood University.Driven by a profound commitment to service, Dr. Dinga founded the Makah Foundation in memory of his late sister, Makah Rosemary Dinga. Today, he resides with his wife, Amy, and their five children. When he isn't working, Dr. Dinga is an avid reader and political observer who enjoys unwinding with action movies and firing up the grill for friends and family.

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