According to USNews, Mississippi has a poverty rate of 21.9% compared to a national average of 11.8%. In 23 Miles and Running, Pinkins shares his journey-with a deep sense of humility and the realization that he is not an anomaly. Just as there were many others like him walking those rows of cotton back then, there are many children still in the Mississippi Delta who continue to grow up in poverty. This book asks readers if they have: Ever considered what it's like growing up in one of the most poverty-stricken areas in America; chopping cotton for a living, and doing whatever it takes just to get by? Ever wondered how it feels to literally get lost in a foreign country, engulfed by the culture and communities surrounding you? Ever thought about the unique and unbreakable bonds built between those who go into combat together? Ever imagined what it would be like to fly aboard Air Force One, sleep in the White House, or shake the hand of a President of the United States? Pinkins' story speaks to the underdog-the people in society who are facing seemingly insurmountable odds-and lets them know that they can overcome and achieve anything.