I’m delighted to highlight my first-born–the writer, illustrator, reporter, and author, Al. Al is often asked if he plays sports because of his height and his family background. At one point, he felt bad that he couldn’t answer that question without having tried at least one sport. He’s played basketball, baseball, soccer, ran track, and swam. Out of all of the sports, he liked and stuck with swimming. Not to mention he’s a great swimmer and the best junior lifeguard there is. (Yes, black boys can swim!) But, being involved in sports is not Al’s forte. He enjoys artistry, graphics, fine arts, writing, cartoonist, and video game design. He wants to create a graphics and art design firm.

Finally finding his niche, Al joined Sparkman High School’s journalism class and became the illustrator and reporter for the Crimson Crier Newspaper. I’m so glad that he’s understanding his worth and value as a black Christian teen after being bullied at the age of twelve. As parents, we have to do a lot of building self-esteem and self-worth, instilling greatness, praying and speaking positivity into his life, and encouraging him that he can do whatever he wants to do. No parent wants their child to be bullied or to be the bully. It’s really disheartening to hear and see your child wanting to give up on life because he’s DIFFERENT and not feeling like he belonged in certain groups.

Al has accepted that he doesn’t have to be what people want him to be or what they think he should be. Write on, Al. You rock! To purchase Al’s book click here: Al’s Book #blackboysrock #Classof2017