How does a healthy and concerned community respond to the call to save our children? With a literary "Hug of Love!"
During the respite moments of summers between the years 2002-18, urgent calls to the virtual world went out,
via email, by Professor C.S. Turnipseed, a former English teacher, of the Los Angeles Unified School District and currentl professor of history at Mississippi Valley State University. Her message, while focusing on the youth, challenged all concerned to deal with the intolerable and unthinkable conditions that children face on a daily basis in the inner city communities and schools of America.
To the astonishment of Prof. Turnipseed, of the thousands who responded with their words of encouragement and voices of inspired thought, the most remarkable were the reverberating messages from the children/youth of America.
The impact of the children's advice through their amazing insight and wisdom is unparalleled.
The anthology's preface is written by internationally acclaimed syndicated columnist, Dr. Julianne Malveaux. Dr Malveaux offers a real assessment of the youth mortality rate in the nation's capitol--Washington, DC.
Structured into three phases this compilation is further delineated by symbols of the Adinkra system. The ancient African Akan Nation is credited with establishing the Adinkra system nearly two hundred years ago. Amazingly, just as with other inspired spiritual writings and drawings, the aesthetically beautiful symbols and their meanings are just as relevant today as they were at any point in our history. All phases are all prefaced by ancient wisdom and reflected upon with messages of hope, healing and observances by visionaries of our day ... everyday people with something important to say!
PHASE I From The Mouths of Babes--These writings reflect the voices of our children, from the "ghetto," the "lower/under class," the "slum," the "war zones of the inner cities" bringing clarity and resolve to the question, "What must we (the village) do to show support and love for each other and ultimately save one another?"
The experiences of the youth culture today demonstrate a fundamental disconnect, to many people of the previous generations. The young writers selected for this publication masterfully describe the challenge they face in dealing with that pain. They discuss their joys
and register their hopes for the future. These submissions are primarily student's from public schools and summer camp environments. The officiating instructors were teachers from around America; primarily those of, Creative Writer Instructor Farika Berhane and Professor C.Sade Turnipseed. All writing and introspection workshops were held in both rural and urban spaces at the heart of "America" Detroit, MI; Palo Alto, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Northridge, CA; Inglewood, CA; Oakland, CA; Washington, DC, Louisville, MS; Ackerman, MS; Greenville, MS; Indianola, MS.
Please enjoy this literary embrace of love!
