During the last week of June, I visited a Missouri Division of Youth Services juvenile facility where I once worked. I had the opportunity to give a book talk to ten young men, focusing on the importance of fathers and literacy, the detrimental effects of fatherlessness, and the severe consequences of illiteracy.
It was surreal being back in that place after so many years. The facility hadn’t changed much, which surprised me; there had been no visible updates in the 17 years since I left. Since ending my employment there in 2007, I’ve had recurring dreams about walking into that building and working again. In most of those dreams, I was just filling in for someone on a Friday night, but never fully employed. Even after those dreams, I never thought I’d step foot in that building again.
During my presentation, I showed an interactive book trailer video and music and lyric videos that depicted characters and scenes from my novel, My Invisible Father. I talked about the characters and how the story’s plot affected them. The students were mostly attentive, and I received a few questions during and after the presentation. One student pleasantly surprised me when they mentioned that most of the teens in the group were readers.
As I was leaving, I asked who wanted a free copy of my book, and many hands went up. I ended up giving away eight books. Additionally, they extended an invitation for me to play basketball with the group someday and to speak with the other group at the facility. I’m currently making arrangements to do so before my school year begins.
I hope this marks the beginning of a long journey visiting juvenile facilities, schools, and other organizations to speak with young people about fatherhood, books, and reading. I aim to give them another perspective on achieving success in life and using my book, music, and experiences to teach valuable lessons.