I wrote this book to inspire and encourage other trailblazers facing crossroads in their lives to listen to their hearts - do what's right - stand up for justice.  Not only will other lives be enriched, so too, will your own.

 

Cathy Harris is a Watchworthy Whistleblower -- a female to reckon with...Glamour magazine salutes women who've risked it all to do what they knew were right. 

- Glamour Magazine

Ms. Harris' actions directly led to changes and as a result, every air traveler in America is safer in the knowledge that he or she is less likely to be an innocent victim of America's war on drugs.  The members of this body commend Ms. Cathy Harris and respectfully urge her commendation.

- Georgia House of Representatives

Cathy Harris challenged her employer, the U.S. Customs Service, not only to preserve her integrity, but also to defend the rights and dignity of Black women who travel internationally --- and she won't back down...

- Essence Magazine

Failure was not, is not an option for Cathy Harris. The ordinary woman have gone ahead through an uncharted wilderness and cleared a path for others to follow.  She is a visionary, and most importantly, she is just like you and me.

- Upscale Magazine

Harris, who is African-American, is one of the loudest whistleblowers in the U.S. Customs Service.

- The Source Magazine

Atlanta's Whistleblower Cathy Harris is a modern-day Rosa Parks.

- Georgia Sentinel Newspaper, Andre White, Editor 

Harris’ story is compelling because she is the rare exception – a whistleblower that made a difference.  Many can learn from her, so they can stand a better chance of demonstrating courage without martyrdom.

- Government Accountability Project, Washington, DC

Cathy Harris is an ordinary person with extraordinary courage and hope.  She is a courageous resister seeking a better world.  

- Smith College, Mickey Glazer, Retired Sociology Professor

There is a real common ground between EEO reprisal victims and whistleblower reprisal victims. Very frequently the issues are overlapping.  Ms. Harris was both a discrimination complainant and whistleblower, who stood up and challenged both systems and successfully educated the American public.

- Mark David Conrad, Retired Customs Internal Affairs Manager & Attorney

Cathy Harris whistleblowing activities brought light to a grave situation.  She should be commended and Congress needs to prove it is serious by ending second-class status for government whistleblowers.  

- Doug Hartnett, Employment Attorney, Washington 

Cathy Harris is an individual whose creativity, unbridled talent, ingenuity, strong sense of justice and profound thought is helping others to transcend boundaries and create options.  She is a woman who is in the business of uplifting and empowering her community.  

- BSI International

Ms. Harris is very candid about her life experiences, and she is definitely not afraid to walk the walk. 

- Dare 2 Care Technologies

This book provides a gripping account of incidents and gives suggestions on what you can do should you become the target of unscrupulous search policies.

- Black Enterprise Magazine

Ms. Harris' book is well-researched.  She had the strength to take a stand against a large bureaucracy and because of her actions, she will surely go down in history.

- Black Butterfly Press, Maxine Thompson, maxtho@aol.com

 Cathy Harris has taken her stories to Congress, public forums, TV talk shows, radio and newspapers.  This book is an insider's look at racism at the Customs and Border Protection and Harris doesn't hold back on anything.

- The Oakland Tribune, Chauncey Bailey, Urban Affairs Reporter

There is a wealth of information and I found the book to be an educational and a well-written book.  You will definitely not be bored!

- R.A.W. SISTAZ Book Club, SISTAZ@aol.com

Ms. Harris' book is an eye-opener on a significant scale.  I have unequivocal faith that the content is true.  She was thorough in her research information and the presentation of it.  The education that she provides is invaluable.  Her reports have forever altered how I feel about international traveling.

- Sandra Renee Hicks, Freelance Writer, Washington, D.C.

Torturous abuse was not limited to Saddam’s dungeons! Harris’s book will expose ugly acts of racial profiling all over the U.S. 

- Temple University, Linn Washington, Jr., Journalism Professor & Award Winning Writer

Cathy Harris brought light to a dark situation.  Even though she wanted to quit many times, she just couldn’t after hearing the stories of other women who thought they had no recourse. Her book will continue to educate many for years to come.

- Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Manager

All voyagers – planes, trains, and automobiles must read Cathy’s book.  The statistics that she gathered are not printed for your skimming pleasure.  She put her life on the line!  Kudos…to Cathy for being such a devoted watch-woman.

- Rolling Out Newspaper, Atlanta, GA

Harris’s whistleblowing ignited a flurry of news articles and T.V. features on airport profiling.  Her book exposes how she put her life on the line and suffered mightily for her actions.  

- National Alliance for Positive Action, Earl O. Hutchinson, Los Angeles 

 Cathy Harris brought her fight to Chicago!  As a result of her crusading to different cities, she wrote a book that will protect international travelers and employees.

- Chicago Defender Newspaper, Chinta Strausberg, Investigative Reporter

Black women were handcuffed to beds and laxatives were poured down their throats. Investigations found all of Ms. Harris’s allegations to be credible.  Her book outlines every step travelers must take to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of racial profiling.

- Arthuretta Martin, Singer and Motivational Speaker, Washington, DC

Unless the Customs and Border Protection is continuously monitored, nothing will stop them from going back to their old ways.  Ms. Harris’ book is essential to understanding your rights when you travel out of this country.

- Former State Representative & Attorney Arnold Ragas, Stone Mountain, GA

A hundred years ago, when slavery was still the law of the land in the south, free blacks were forced to carry travel papers everywhere they went in the U.S.  Ms. Harris’ book has done a great job exposing egregious practices and now people need to carry her book just like travel papers in the past. 

- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Washington

A “Rocky Horror Show” is what awaits, not only selected Black and Hispanic travelers, but also African Americans working for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection who don’t want to go along with the harassment of people of color.  Cathy Harris’ book expose the dangers of "Traveling While Black." 

- XMRadio.com, Dr. Barbara Reynolds, “Reynolds Rap”

The Miami Herald found dozens of examples in which Customs employees at all levels either kept their jobs and pay grades or were promoted after such misdeeds as sleeping with a paid informants, skimming seized cash, and even sexually assaulting female subordinates. I am sure Cathy Harris was truthful in the information she provided in her book.

- Miami Herald Newspaper, David Kidwell, Investigative Reporter 

The stories I heard from hundreds of women were nothing short of “sexual abuse.”  Even though the historic lawsuit was finally settled, the only educational tool for the American public in the future will be Cathy Harris' book. 

- Ed Fox, Class-Action Attorney for 89 Black Women Intl.  Travelers, Chicago

If you are Black, the next time you are coming back home from abroad, especially from the Caribbean or Africa, think about Cathy Harris.  In order to keep from being abused by Customs, everyone should carry her book on them like a passport.

- Ron Parker, Community Activist, Dekalb County, GA

Sexual harassment, threats of physical violence and other acts of intimidation are tactics usually associated with ruthless criminals or dictators – but they were also used against good, hard working, honest Customs employees and international travelers. Cathy’s book will be a major eye-opener for many.  

- SIG- International.net, Sandy Nunn, Former Customs Special Agent 

Black women are independently free enough to fly all over the world, and they should not have to be disrespected by Customs agents that are intimidated by their newfound freedom.  

- Fernwood United Methodist Church, Rev. Al Sampson, Chicago 

The working conditions in the Customs Service were nothing short of “Modern Day Slavery.” A hostile work environment is not the word for it.  It’s worse…it was like working for back woods bigots…But the education that Cathy Harris’s book provides is invaluable. 

- Eileen Owens, Retired Customs and Border Protection Officer , V.P. of Customs Employees Against Discrimiantion Assn. (CEADA)

Internal Affairs were in cahoots with management!  Not only do they conjure up bogus charges against employees who file EEO complaints, but they monitor them both on and off the job.  Cathy’s  book will educate the American public on why the entire federal EEOC system must be revamped.  

- Daron Owens, Former Customs Inspector & President of Customs Employees Against Discrimination Assn. (CEADA)