Author uses local settings to reach childrenBY GRACE WAITE JONES
Staff Reporter
Meet the Imani family who lives in East Cleveland. Nine year old Jamaal, his father Omar (who works at General Electric), mother Linda, a nurse, and Jamaal's sister Aisha, also known as "Punkin". These and other characters are the brainchildren of 34 year old Keesha McMillian, who has been writing books for
children and teenagers since 1992. Macmillan's first book, "Who Am 1?" introduces the Imam family and their friends and is geared to children between the ages of 5-12. A second book, "Who Am I? Book II: Challenges" explores topics that include a death in the family caused by a child's access to a
loaded handgun, surviving the violent drug culture of the streets, experiencing racism, and being made homeless because of a family member's drug activity. Like McMillian's subsequent publications: "The Struggle Continues: Living In The Hood," and "The Struggle Continues: Living In The Hood, Survival; "Who Am I?: Book II" is. about drug prevention and, cultural awareness and is
aimed at reaching older adolescents and teenagers who are confronted with a multitude of new challenges while, growing up. In McMillian's fifth book, "God's Greatest Treasures," we meet Naja, a little girl whose birth was accompanied by two angels who told her parents: "Your child is a princess. You must
help her find her rightful riches." The book follows Naja's search for those riches until she comes to realize the greatest treasure of all is God's love. According to McMillian, this book was written "to help educators, parents and children recite and practice very basic and fundamental understandings of God's ultimate place in our, lives Born in Brooklyn, New York, Keesha McMillian is the third of four children. When she was nine the family moved to Cleveland Heights where Keesha attended school. She continued her education at Cheyney University and later at Cleveland State University where she received a master's of education degree in community agency planning. At the time she first
began writing, Keesha was employed as a prevention services director at the East Cleveland Neighborhood Center the organization for which the two "Who Am I" books were produced. At the Center she met some of the physical and story models for the vignettes in her books, and with the assistance of coworkers LaSonya Reese, Torman Jahi and Alfred Mason, along with input from artists Thomas Baylock
and Chris Cook, and photographer Bill Fogel, Keesha's second career was born. Now working as a clinical therapist for the Center for Families' and Children's Services at RapArt, Keesha says she began writing because, "While working with children in East Cleveland I realized there was no curriculum that reflected or spoke to the needs of African American children in such a way that they could embrace
concepts of survival, self sufficiency and prevention, and family and community empowerment" Each book underscores the seven principals of Nguzo Saba: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics) Nia (purpose),. Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith)
all of which are meant to be lived everyday, not just during the week of Kwanzaa. Some of the books contain old family recipes or introduce the reader to people from other cultures such as Javier whose mother is from Puerto Rico, or South African leader Nelson Mandela. At least two books help readers learn sign language (through visual aids), while also recounting the very real joys and tragedies in the
lives of five "good friends:' In addition, all of the books contain worksheets or activity pages at the end of each story, which reinforces the lessons to be learned from the experiences of the characters. An absolute believer in the African proverb "It takes a whole village to raise a child" (even before
Mrs. Clinton used the proverb in a book title), Keesha always emphasizes the power of faith and the strength that comes from believing that "With God, all things are possible". She should know. During her senior year at Cheyney University Keesha was stricken with Guillian Barre Syndrome, which left her paralyzed, unable to speak and completely dependent on others Although she recovered enough to
walk across the stage (on crutches) and receive her degree, Keesha was declared 100 percent disabled. Nonetheless, she persisted and attained her postgraduate degree and entered the workforce. A member of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Keesha believes "There is always a problem, but there is also a solution. While my books are educationally based, there is always a spiritual message of hope,
faith a connection with your higher power mine being God and Jesus Christ." Top of Page | 
