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The women in Matthew Pons’ analysis class were crushing it. He saw them putting in the time to work through lots of problems, ask questions, share ideas, and seek out help when they needed it. But as he spoke to them one day he realized with some surprise that they didn’t feel like they were crushing it. In fact, they felt like they were barely surviving. Matthew gave them a pep talk. He let them in on the secret that everyone struggles in math, even their brilliant professors who have PhDs in the subject. But they didn’t believe him. Was it because he was their professor and they figured he was just trying to be nice? Was it because he was a man and couldn’t possibly understand the self-doubt women face after years of being underestimated simply because of their gender? This got Matthew thinking: “Who would they believe?”

That’s when the idea for Living Proof was born. Living Proof: Stories of Resilience Along the Mathematical Journey is a book that was published in 2019 jointly by the MAA and the AMS (available for free download). It is a collection of stories written by 41 highly-successful mathematicians about issues they’ve grappled with in their math education or careers and how they’ve responded to these challenges. These are the stories that do not often get told out loud. They are whispered, usually among friends, or in places where someone feels safe to let their guard down. Some are about struggling to understand mathematical concepts, feeling isolated and losing confidence. Some are stories that shine a light on the racism and sexism marginalized mathematicians in our community have experienced. Every author’s journey includes obstacles overcome. Some have helpful and hopeful messages, while others still stand as a challenge to the math community to do a better job welcoming and supporting anyone who has an interest in mathematics.

While the narratives shared in the Living Proof book represent a wide range of experiences, we knew that there were still so many stories to share. So, in the Fall of 2019, we launched the Living Proof blog, hosted by the AMS. There, many more mathematicians shared their personal stories of hardship and triumph. Students wrote about the difficulty of learning during the pandemic and the importance of remembering why they “fell in love with math in the first place” to help them get through it. Professors shared the novel challenges of teaching in a pandemic, often with greatly increased demands at home. Some gave examples of how the shift to remote instruction provided some unexpected benefits and broadened technological skill sets; others reflected on the emotional burdens, and emotional connections, of supporting students during this upheaval. Some stories from the AMS blog highlighted how a supportive departmental community could make all the difference in helping someone achieve their goals, while others described how doing mathematics could provide a “safe space” for people as they faced personal challenges in their lives. Each narrative was as unique as the person telling it.

Recently, the AMS made the decision to end its hosting of blogs. Since there are still so many voices we need to hear, we are delighted to find a new home at the MAA in Math Values. Each month, another member of our community will share how they are Living Proof that it is possible to find a path to fulfilling one’s goals—and even thriving—in this community. These narratives will continue to help us identify how we can improve. They will also help us to discover the incredible strengths we have to build on. We hope you’ll join us.

Testimonios, a new publication from MAA/AMS, brings together first-person narratives from the vibrant, diverse, and complex Latinx and Hispanic mathematical community. Starting with childhood and family, the authors recount their own particular stories, highlighting their upbringing, education, and career paths. Testimonios seeks to inspire the next generation of Latinx and Hispanic mathematicians by featuring the stories of people like them, holding a mirror up to our own community.

The entire collection of 27 testimonios is available for purchase at the AMS Bookstore. MAA members can access a complimentary e-book in their Member Library. AMS members can access a complimentary e-book at the AMS Bookstore. Thanks to the MAA and AMS, we reproduce one chapter per month on Math Values to better understand and celebrate the diversity of our mathematical community with folks who are not MAA members.