“If criticism is valid, then you take steps to change for the better. If criticism is plain mean, you learn patience. People only see the silver lining—the awards and adulation—not realizing that it took years of constant excellent work to get to where I am. History is a cruel discipline. I know that 50 years from now, a younger historian will say Ambeth Ocampo was wrong, that he was an idiot. We do the best we can, using the tools at hand. If someone can do better later, we hope they are kind in the assessment of those who came before them.”