On July 31, Derricke Dennis sat down with “celebrated author, artist, and community activist” Vernon T. Bateman as part of WISH-TV‘s “Youth Alternatives to Violence & Crime” Initiative. In this short but powerful segment, Dennis asks Bateman how he came to write children’s books. The first, Mommy I Want 2 Fly, was written for his daugther. He wrote it as a way to instill morals and values in her despite being in solitary confinement. Then, his daughter’s friends started asking for more books. As a result, he started published the book, followed by five more. You can purchase all five books here.
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Featured image: Vernon T. Bateman paints outside The District Theatre on Mass Ave. during the summer of 2016. Credit: Coalition to Free Vernon T. Bateman.