We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Miller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
David, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
As a writer of children’s literature, my number one goal is to inspire children to dream. Sadly, in many zip codes I work in across the country, Black and Latinx youth have forgotten how to dream and aspire to be great.
For this reason, I have developed a unique style for writing children’s books that incorporates creative storylines, rich illustrations, and relatable characters named after and inspired by African/African American heroes and sheroes. For example, in my new book Winnie the Wizard of Wall Street, the lead character was inspired by the legacy of Maggie Lena Walker. Walker was the first Black woman to own a bank in Richmond, Virginia, during the height of Jim Crow (1903).
Other characters like Chef Toussaint (a 9-year master chef), Booker Taliaferro Washington Green (a 10-year-old urban farmer), and Gabe Mandela Gresham (a 9-year-old urban farmer) are just a few of the unique people children meet when they read my books. In February of 2023, I have a new book dropping inspired by the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells. Ida B the Beekeeper is a fun story about a 9-year-old who raises bees and harvests honey for her family business. In my writing, I find creative ways to introduce children and families to historical figures absent from most schools’ curricula.
In an industry dominated by white writers, illustrators, and literacy agents, I write to ensure that children who look like me are afforded opportunities to see themselves on the pages of books. At a time when we talk a great deal about diversity, the children’s book industry lacks true diversity on many levels. My books instill racial pride and are an excellent resource for educators to help Black children improve racial literacy and cope with the daily microaggressions related to racism and White supremacy. For Black children, negative stereotyping and distorted media representations adversely impact their self-esteem. I believe it is the responsibility of “creators” to challenge these images and produce alternative content that highlights the best of being Black.
When I write, I realize that I stand on the shoulders of Phyllis Wheatly, Richard Wright, Ralph Ellison, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and many other Black writers who paved the way for Black literature.
I take my craft seriously and realize my historical responsibility to produce children’s books that inspire children to be great and tackle adversity regardless of their circumstances. Books played a significant role in my development as an awkward kid living on the Westside of Baltimore, and going to the library saved my life and improved my self-worth.
I can still remember how excited I got when my parent bought me new books for my birthday or Christmas. My goal is always to recreate that level of excitement with my readers. My greatest joy is seeing children’s faces light up when they receive an autographed copy of one of my books. Children love to see themselves in the pages of my books. Representation Matters!
David, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For the past two decades, much of my work has focused on developing content to teach Black male youth how to survive and thrive in toxic environments. This content includes curricula for schools, nonprofits, and other human service organizations. Dare to Be King: What If the Prince Lives? is a curriculum I wrote several years ago to provide organizations with a blueprint to address acute community issues like navigating encounters with the police, peer pressure, and gun violence.
The curriculum is based on the notion that healing circles are needed in schools, churches, and community spaces to allow Black male youth opportunities to be vulnerable and discuss issues that impact them daily. The curriculum was designed based on my challenges growing up in Baltimore, experiencing many traumatic losses to gun violence and suicides among members of my peer group. While teaching middle school, I realized many students struggled academically based on numerous environmental challenges. Many students struggled with things that people take for granted, like getting home safely after school or whether or not food would be in the refrigerator. These survival and developmental issues superseded U.S. History or Math classes.
For years I trained professionals across the country on using the curriculum to engage Black male youth. Over time I realized that while the intervention was a reliable tool for engaging Black male youth, I needed to create additional products and services to engage males at younger ages.
I started writing children’s books emphasizing Black male characters to attract populations of disconnected readers. Given the current media depictions of Black male youth, my books represent a fresh perspective designed to reshape narratives about what it means to be Black and male in America. My books are written for children and families to celebrate cultural pride and the beauty of reading. I write author books to encourage young people to put down their cell phones, pick up a book, and connect with one of my characters. We have allowed mainstream media to demonize the “Black male image” through intentional programming focused on distorted representations. My books challenge these distortions and give children and families opportunities to reimagine the Black male image.
Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress highlights that Black male youth tend to lag behind girls and other racial groups in reading. In today’s society, we have to write to compete with technology. While technology can be an excellent tool for educating young people, connecting young people to books remains essential for ensuring academic success. Unfortunately, as a society, we no longer place a premium on reading as a leisure activity. One example of this is the considerable number of libraries closing down or drastically reducing their service hours.
One of my greatest accomplishments is having several of my books in libraries in other countries. A few months ago, I was hosted by the Ghana Library Authority in Accra, Ghana. I had the pleasure of sharing my books with fifty students during a special book signing. If you travel to Accra, you will see my books in the library.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Several years ago, I pitched a book idea to a publishing company about an 11-year-old Black male who was a math genius and gifted chess player. The lead character Khalil struggled socially in school and with numerous bullying incidents. I was told by the publishing company that Black boys do not read and that investing in my book would not be a profitable strategy for the company. I was initially discouraged by the response from the company but moved forward with the project. I hired a dynamic, award-winning illustrator (Jerry Craft) and finished the book six months later.
The book was published over ten years ago but is still widely used in over forty school districts across the country. Most people would have given up based on the rejection and harshness of the publishing company. I decided to push through and have published seven additional children’s books.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
While social media platforms are essential to business development, I believe that word of mouth and developing high-quality, thought-provoking content are gold standards. My books feature unique illustrations and vibrant storylines that capture the hearts and minds of children.
Although I do not have a major publishing company behind me, my children’s books stand out when vending at trade shows, educational conferences, and community events. People are always surprised to hear that I am self-published (Indy author). This high quality comes at a great cost, personally and professionally, and I have made many mistakes along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iamdavidmiller.com
- Instagram: @uchangenow
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=563745526
- Twitter: @uchangenow