BY: T.J. LOVE

Black people are the most vilified, antagonized, unduly criticized people walking God’s green Earth. And I love my community, I honestly do. But we are not beyond reproach. There are many topics that are still taboo in the Black community because of deeply entrenched misogyny and the traditional need to “keep up appearances” in the street.

My grandmother used to tell my cousin and I, 'no matter what happens in this house, don’t let it spill outside.' Everyone doesn't need to know your family's business, so that may be fine for keeping certain internal conflicts from being exposed to the outside world, but when it applies to things like mental illness, homosexuality, etc., it’s suppressive and disabling.

As far as the burgeoning topic of gender identity and sexuality are concerned, we are still very oppressive towards our own because of the deep-seated hypermasculinity that pervades each and every level of our community and it is viscously damaging. AVP spokesperson Sue Yacka told The Daily Beast that of the 17 homicides of trans and gender-nonconforming people in 2017 the project has counted so far, 16 were people of color. Additionally, fifteen had been transgender women and thirteen had been Black transgender women. “This is that we know of,” said Yacka. “The figure may be much higher, due to misgendering and misnaming often by police and local media.” It appears that Black men are still afraid of being caught with trans women because of what they perceive their peers will think about them, conflating trans women as "men in women’s clothing." That perception is incredibly damaging and perpetrates violence against trans women.

We don’t afford trans women the same rights we give cisgender women because we still conflate genitalia for gender. Admittedly, I am unpacking the same damning concepts and misconstructions because of the socialization I’ve been exposed to all my life where masculinity is constantly being subjected to social cues and critiques, whether it be from family, music or relationships, our manhood is always co-opted by socialization.

So why wouldn’t I buck against gender identity? Shouldn't I be upset if I dated someone I thought was a cisgender woman, but was actually a transwoman - ain’t I 'gay' for that? My homies may turn on me, so shouldn't I hide the fact I ever did that? What will everyone think?

While I don’t excuse that mentality at all, I understand where it comes from. It takes a lot to undo the destructive, primal, chest-beating, psychosomatic reaffirmation of masculinity and what makes a man 'a man.' But rather than address those issues, it is significantly easier for many men to abandon all understanding and tolerance and simply be an asshole. But in being an asshole, the assertion that transfolk aren’t worth learning their identities and respecting them enough to address them as such, as well as not being antagonistic towards them is exactly the fight our community goes through. Yes, our discrimination is different systematically, but the origins are the same: 'I don’t value you as a human being therefore I don’t give a shit about who you are and what you stand for and I will dehumanize your existence at any opportunity that I get.' That is hypocritical. 

We can’t exclaim that “Black lives matter,” but then exclude Black trans folk because they don’t fit in with our heteronormative concepts. We don’t need to demand that transfolk meet our comfortable sensibilities - we need to meet their humanity at the base level. It literally costs you nothing to respect pronouns and identities. You’re not subscribing to some sort of wicked agenda - you’re just being a decent human being.

I currently date a transwoman. She is 'genderfluid' meaning she identifies either as a woman or agender. Currently, her pronouns are “she/her" but a lot of genderfluid people identify as “they/them." She was afraid to come out to me because she felt like it might scare me off, which is the same fear a lot of transfolk probably feel.

They may wonder: is this person going to reject me?

Is this person going to hurt me?

Is this person going to kill me?

An interesting aspect of our relationship is the conversations we have about her identity and how she’s learning a lot about herself every day, which she imparts on me daily. We hit bumps in the road, because I’m still unpacking a lot of things myself. I’m learning how to unlearn all these aspects of toxic masculinity that have been dormant in me all my life. I still deal with little microaggressions that want to come out of my mouth and I have to censor myself a lot because I don’t want to be insensitive or unconsciously cruel. I still find myself on social media, speaking in trans spaces and stepping on toes by centering the conversation on me, but I realize how wrong that is. Sometimes, I find myself misgendering people and apologizing profusely for it, which is usually met with “don’t be sorry, be better." Initially, it hurt my fragile male ego to be told that, but I understand. How many times have we as black people had to defend our humanity to white people and how tiring does it get? It is just as exhausting for a trans person to constantly repeat “I identify as this, my pronouns are these, please learn them.”

After I let her know it was safe to come out to me and that she would never have any issues with me understanding and accepting who she was, I asked her what she deals with mentally, what goes on in the mind of a genderfluid person. Individually, sometimes she feels feminine, but most of the time, she feels like she’s genderless, neither masculine nor feminine. We talk often about trans-affective subjects and I’ve learned that although it’s often exhausting to keep asking researchable things, she enjoys educating me, a luxury a lot of heterosexual cisgender partners are not afforded.

I feel like it’s strengthened our bond even further. I’ve never dealt with a person quite like her and I feel privileged to know her, let alone be with her, in a world where she is targeted as a woman of color, as well as a member of the LGBT+ community. I feel like my role as an ally has increased and that makes me elated, because I genuinely care about her struggles, as well as the struggles of everyone else who has to deal with the stares and the aggressions and the violence and the condescension on social media and beyond. I stand for all oppressed people and believe in empowering the Black community with knowledge that will foster understanding, acceptance and tolerance.

We should all stand united, shoulder to shoulder, especially in these times where we all have targets firmly painted on our backs.

Through October 15, Our Voces will be featuring posts for Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting Latinx and Hispanic kid lit authors. This past week they interviewed Darlene Campos to get her thoughts on various things. In the article, Campos spoke on the first time she saw herself represented in literature.

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“‘The House on Mango Street’ by Sandra Cisneros! I read it for the first time when I was 13 years old and I could relate to the characters and the story line so well... For the first time ever in my school assigned readings, the main character was a Latina, just like me.”

— Darlene Campos

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Campos also spoke on her first novel, Behind Mount Rushmore, her next project, Summer Camp Is Cancelled, and also, her hopeful future for Latinx books.

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“I want today’s Latinx kiddos to see themselves in main characters and be inspired to write their own stories to share with the world. I’d especially like to see graphic novels starring Latinx characters. ”

— Darlene Campos

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You read the full article here. Campos will also be giving donating 100% of her royalties to ongoing hurricane relief through October 15.

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

BY DARLENE P. CAMPOS

Writing, like many careers, has its risks. There is no guarantee a writer will be a bestseller or have their story made into a movie. However, many writers did not go into this field for fame and money—they write because it is their passion. While writing carries its risks, it is not impossible to become a successful writer over time. Here are five writers who started from humbled beginnings.

Sandra Cisneros

You may know Cisneros from her novel The House on Mango Street. In addition to this novel, Cisneros is the author of many books as well as a past winner of the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship and the Texas Medal of Arts. Cisneros’ childhood was not an easy one. She grew up in poverty, constantly relocated, and with six brothers, she often felt isolated in her own home. It was this isolation that led Cisneros to writing and she composed her first poem at just ten years old. When one of her high school teachers encouraged her to keep writing, Cisneros took the advice and was later admitted into the Iowa Writers Workshop. It was at this workshop that Cisneros discovered her writing voice. She is now considered one of the most influential writers of this generation.

Stephen King

Best known for his horror stories, Stephen King’s works have become synonymous with terror and fright. He is known for several novels including Carrie, It, and The Shining. Before King became the writer he is today, he had a difficult childhood. His father left the family when King was only two years old, making King’s mother the sole provider for him and his brother David. When King grew up, he was barely able to support himself and his wife Tabitha due to unemployment. He made some income by selling short stories to magazines, but it was not enough. It was around this time that King began drafting Carrie. He became so frustrated with the novel that he initially threw it away in the garbage, but Tabitha encouraged him to finish it. Carrie proved to be King’s big break, thanks to his wife!

Gabriel García Márquez

García Márquez is best known for his novels One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera. However, like many writers, García Márquez’s past was a struggle. Before he started writing One Hundred Years of Solitude, García Márquez had the idea for the novel, but he was unsure of how to write it down. One day, García Márquez was driving his wife and children to Acapulco for vacation, the first line popped into his head and he immediately turned the car around to head home and write the first draft. To make ends meet, García Márquez sold the family car and his wife Mercedes persuaded the local butcher, baker, and their landlord to grant them a line of credit until García Márquez finished his latest book. When One Hundred Years of Solitude was finally released, it became an international success and García Márquez officially became a respected voice in literature.

Toni Morrison

Morrison is a former winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction. She is famous for her novel Song of Solomon. As a child, Morrison grew up in a difficult time. When she was around two years old, her family’s landlord set fire to their home since they had been unable to pay the rent, leaving them with nothing. Morrison’s father worked several odd jobs to support the family. Later in life, Morrison married and had two sons, but divorced soon after, leaving her to care for her two young sons all by herself. When she began writing her first novel, The Bluest Eye, she woke up each morning at 4 AM to write as her sons slept. It was Song of Solomon that gave Morrison her biggest acclaim, and with this, her writing career kicked off to a supreme start.

Octavia E. Butler

Butler is best known for her science fiction Patternist series and the Xenogenesis series. Before she became a writer, she too came from humbled beginnings. Her father died when she was only seven years old and she was raised by her mother and grandmother in a very strict household. Butler’s mother was a maid and sometimes she accompanied her to work where they witnessed and experienced racial segregation. Butler was also extremely shy and was diagnosed with dyslexia and often bullied at school. She took comfort in reading books and when she was ten years old, she begged her mother to buy her a typewriter so she could begin writing her own books. As an adult, Butler worked several jobs to support herself and woke up every morning at 2 AM to write before a long day of work. Butler would later win the MacArthur Fellowship, becoming the first science fiction writer in history to hold this award. She would go on to win many more awards for her influential science fiction works.

Yes, writing has its risks, but sometimes risks are worth taking. To writers who are just getting started, remember that you are just getting started and the future holds completed dreams. These five writers got their breakthroughs despite the odds and you can, too!

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

BY GREGORY HEDGEPETH

Every time our authors do an interview, we learn something interesting about them. Posted today at Tuscon Tales, a children's and young adult literature publication showcasing new and established writers, Darlene Campos revealed that 'Behind Mount Rushmore' was rejected 122 times.

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“Sometimes I was up until 2 or 3 a.m. just sending out queries. Fortunately, I had publishing credits to show off in my query letter, but I still received 122 rejections for Behind Mount Rushmore.”

— Darlene Campos

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But she continued to submit her book for publication and encourages other writers to do the same.

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“Writing is not easy and publishing a novel is definitely not any easier. There will be times when you feel like you’re not a good writer and you shouldn’t even try anymore, but this is not true! Rejection letters show you’re trying. Wear them like a badge of honor. Keep on writing and keep on querying even when you don’t feel the drive to keep on. Even when everyone you know tells you that you can’t, show them you can.”

— Darlene Campos

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She also recognized the importance of pushing diverse stories involving diverse characters, which was a main driver that led to publishing with Vital Narrative.

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“The press I’m with focuses on diverse books by diverse writers which was definitely a big help because we turned out to have the same goals: more diverse books for readers.”

— Darlene Campos

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Campos also gave insight on the research she completed for the book, her inspirations for characters and revealed some information about her next novel, Summer Camp Is Cancelled.

Read the entire interview here. Darlene is donating 100% of royalties to Hurricane Harvey Relief in her hometown of Houston this month. You can support here.

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 Gregory Hedgepeth is the editor-in-chief of Vital Narrative Press. You can follow him on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Feel free to follow on all three. Or maybe just two. Yeah, two’s probably good — he’s not that interesting. Gregory Hedgepeth is also the author of MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SUNRISES, THE YEAR THAT ANSWERED and A COLLECTION OF ECHOES. BUY THAT SHIT.

BY DARLENE P. CAMPOS

Floods aren’t anything new in Houston. We’ve gone through hurricanes before. We knew the neighborhoods most prone to flooding before Harvey paid us his visit. We prepared ourselves with full hoards of food, bottled water, and gas. We thought we were ready.

Harvey showed us we were wrong the minute he arrived.

Yet, unlike thousands of fellow Houstonians and Texans in other cities, I didn’t lose anything.

I didn’t lose power.

I didn’t lose water.

I didn’t lose my car.

I didn’t lose my house.

I didn’t lose my life.

The only physical loss I had was a couple of pounds because I was so petrified, I could barely eat. Harvey made me lose weight. That’s it.

Harvey also made me lose pieces of my heart. The neighborhood where I grew up is in shambles. A beloved bakery my fiancé and I visited whenever we wanted a good dessert is gone. The libraries I practically lived in during my college years are severely damaged. Watching your city, the place you call home, conquered by floodwaters is agonizing. Yet, Harvey did not take Houston’s hope. We Houstonians watched our city be ravaged by Harvey. We Houstonians have come together to rebuild.

After Harvey, I was overjoyed to be unharmed, but I felt so guilty to be spared. Why didn’t Harvey come for me? He tried. He flooded my entire street and then the water crept up to the rear of my car. By morning, the water receded. Harvey came close. For others, he came full force and showed no mercy.

I pledge to donate my royalties from September 15th through October 15th to the Greater Houston Community Foundation’s Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund. For the next month, all of my royalties will go directly to helping Houstonians rebuild their lives. Please visit https://ghcf.org/hurricane-relief/ for more info or to donate.

“And so there are claims forgiven

And so there are things that are gone

Houston is filled with promise…”

• R.E.M., “Houston,” 2008

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

BY CHERYL DYER

This interview was originally posted on ChicagoNow.

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Tony Bowers and I met through social media, a common interest in writing and mutual friends, but our greatest link is that we both grew up on Chicago’s infamous 79th Street. The Nine was the stomping ground of my hot-comb-candy-store-Reebok years, so when Tony Bowers’ collection of short stories, On The Nine, first debuted I not only had to read it, but I also had to meet the brother who captured the gritty landscape in a way that made me miss the people and places that grew me up. 

Today, I’m interviewing Tony for the Authors Interviewing Authors series for Vital Narrative Press. In it, he talks about growing up around 79th Street, the current state of things in Chicago, his upcoming work, and even Lil' Chano from 79th.    

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Cheryl Dyer: So what part of 79th Street do you hail from?

Tony Bowers: Originally, we are talking Grand Crossing, so east of Cottage Grove. We started out on 78th and then moved to 79th and Ingleside. Then, we moved further east to 79th and Clyde.

Oh, okay. I’m from way over East. I’m from 79th & Muskegon—east of everything, east of Jeffery, east of Yates. What was life like for you then?

It was pretty typical. I mean, it was the inner city, so there was some rough spots, but mainly we are talking about 79th Street over by the East of the Ryan [Motel], so there would be fights and everything that I would see, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. I had a typical childhood. I didn’t get into any trouble. My father used to send me to the store with notes for cigarettes or my mom would send me up to 79th Street to get my father out of the pool hall across the street from East of the Ryan. We used to get chicken wings from this place called Captain’s Table. So it was typical stuff. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I lived up the street from Grand Crossing Park, so I spent a lot of time outside playing baseball and football with my friends, riding our bikes. I thought the park was so beautiful. It really impacted me, because I didn’t feel as if living in the city meant anything negative.

Another favorite spot for me was on 79th and King Drive, the Whitney Young Library. I would go there every Saturday, spend two or three hours in the stacks, reading books or going to the audio-visual room listening to old records. It started there, this love of writing. It was so special when I got a chance to read from On The Nine there last year.

Another favorite thing was the Rhodes Theater. We would go there and watch the same movies over and over again on Saturday afternoons.

Nice. I remember the Rhodes Theater. They used to get the movies all late! My sister and I used to have a joke: “Everything comes to the Rhodes... eventually!” So, in writing the collection, did you learn anything about yourself? Your craft? Were there new realizations about people and places that served as inspiration?

I did discover that my mommy and daddy issues were deeper than I thought. Writing the collection helped me finally release. On the craft side, I learned how important pacing is. I like easy and fluid reads that move. I like to start out stories with the action in flux. As far as realizations, it’s always new. When I write about real places or with real folks in mind, I always see them in new lights.

So, if you had to choose, is there one piece from the collection that you would say really captures the essence of life On the Nine?

I would say “Darcy’s Garden.” It shows the mix of 79th and life in Chicago, I believe. A tragedy happens, and through dealing with that, something beautiful and positive happens.  There is a contrast. Beautiful flowers and middle class homes and broken concrete and loud city buses that spew black soot. Warmth and kindness and spent bullet casings. That, to me, is Chicago. The contrast. That's life. Look at the title of the first story, "Peppermint and Gunpowder." I think these ideas of gradation are throughout the collection, but come together in the last story.

What are your thoughts about the state of things in Chicago today?

It’s challenging, but it has always been so. I never want to be a revisionist and say everything was perfect back in the day. It is just further down the road now. The same issues exist. I love my city and I am not going to turn my back on it. I feel that as we go, so will the rest of the country. As we deal with poverty, lack of quality education and access to jobs in the inner city, that will serve as a blueprint for the rest of the nation, but we have an uphill battle.

How do we tackle it? Is there an easy answer that we’re overlooking? How can we heal our city?

No easy answer. But I believe it starts with us as individuals on many fronts. We need those day-to-day interactions, but we need to take control of the political process, then force the system to deal with the real issues. Like, why is it that the only time there is real investment is when the majority population gets interested in a community? We have TIF funds building DePaul University, a $100 million stadium, while Roseland looks like a wasteland. Englewood has gotten a facelift, but only after it was identified as desirable by those with money and power. We need to handle this. We have put up with the hypocrisy for so long, it has come to a head. That’s why I believe things seem so bad right now.

What do you think of our little brother, Lil' Chano from 79th? (Chicago’s Chance the Rapper donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools).

I love his spirit. The fact that he put up his own money as a gesture was amazing. That’s what I mean when I say individuals have to step up where they can. But, we then have to organize and have a platform where we are seeking real results. We have to get rid of Rauner. We have to hold Rahm accountable. Too much passing the buck.

True indeed.

For generations, politicians robbed this city and made our tax dollars their own, like a piggy bank. We should be able to do all the things we need without raising taxes on grocery bags and pop. It's bullshit.

What’s up next for you creatively?

I am working on a novel, A Dollar Short.

Where does A Dollar Short take us? What’s it about?

Transformation. Can a person really change? This brother Jimmy is having a hard time with that. He has lost the love of his life and never lived up to his potential because of his destructive ways. He understands he must change, but it’s kicking his ass.

Looking forward to it. Does it take place in any familiar places?

Minneapolis and all over Chicago. 79th Street will definitely be all up in it.

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“A tragedy happens, and through dealing with that, something beautiful and positive happens.  There is a contrast. Beautiful flowers and middle class homes and broken concrete and loud city buses that spew black soot. Warmth and kindness and spent bullet casings. That, to me, is Chicago. ”

— Tony Bowers

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So, as you are writing this new novel, do you have a certain process you observe? A playlist? Libations? Day writer? Night writer? Favorite writing space?

I try to be fluid. I write when I can. It’s hard during the semesters [since I'm also a college professor], but I still get it in. It can be day or night. I like Robert Glasper on the stereo. As far as libations, it depends on the time of day. I’m a brown liquor dude, so Crown Royal at 10 A.M. doesn’t work too well [Laughs].

So, last question. It’s New Year’s Eve and Tony B from 79th is having a party. You can invite five of your celebrity friends (actors, singers/rappers, athletes, writers, etc). Tell me who’s invited.

Denzel, Ava Duvernay, Nas, Jesse Williams and Toni Morrison. They have created or spoken words that have really moved the needle on the issues we spoke of earlier. They seem to tell it like it is. I love the merge of creativity and social justice. Deep wisdom from them all. I would also want Baldwin, Obama, Geoffrey Canada and Angela Davis there too, but you said five.

BY DARLENE P. CAMPOS

To my great grandfather, Jose Alcides Martinez Tobar (1903-1994), who would wake up in the middle of the night to write and drive my great grandmother, America Isidora Villamar Naranjo de Martinez (1920-1988), crazy every time he did so. Thank you for passing on your talents and determination. Thank you, great grandmother America, for always being his inspiration and making his written works possible.

To my mother, Tammy Yasmin Martinez, who has supported my writing journey since the day it began. Thank you for all the home-cooked meals, the prayers, the ridiculous jokes, and your nonsensical quirks which have appeared in every single story I have written. My love for you is so deep, there will never be a tool long enough to measure it.

To my boyfriend, David Noé Alcalá, who lets me write without any interruptions or distractions. Thank you for always boosting my mood, your hugs and kisses, and all the surprise “I Love You” text messages. I cannot wait until you are officially my husband. You make me feel emotions I did not know I had. I might be a writer, but I could have never written the love story you show me every single day. I love you, teddy bear.

To my good friend, Javier Andres Pritchard, who read the first (and terrible) drafts of Behind Mount Rushmore. I am so lucky to have had you as a reader during my early writing days. You always told me one day I would have a book published and now, here it is. Thank you for your suggestions, your encouragement, and your open ears whenever I need a friend to talk to.  

To all the creative writing/English professors and classmates I had over the years – this book would not be possible without you. Special gratitude goes out to Jessica Paige Wilson, Anthea Ara Rafique, Bertram Allan Mullin, Carla Erizbett Arellano, Donna Dennis Muñoz, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Bruce James Martin, Laurie Clements Lambeth, and Aaron Reynolds. Go Coogs! Picks Up, Miners!

To all of the wonderful English teachers I had in public school, but especially to Carol Thielemann, my second grade reading and writing teacher, Terri Cyphers, my sixth grade English teacher, Laurie Wilmoth, my seventh grade English teacher, and Carolyn Giannantonio, my ninth grade English teacher. I owe the strength of my writing skills to you. Thank you for being my foundation. A big shout out goes to Meadow Wood Elementary, Spring Forest Middle School, and Stratford High School!

To every literary journal that has published my work – thank you kindly for giving me the opportunity to share my words with your readers.

Last, but certainly not least, to Jennifer Snider-Batula. Thank you for your homemade cookies, the coupon booklets, and your wise insight on this adventure called life. You are the best co-worker and neighbor anyone could ever imagine. When Fred Rogers talked about good neighbors, he was talking about you.

The following stories were previously published in slightly different form:

• “The Friend” was previously published by The Gap Toothed Madness

• “The Dance” was previously published by RiverBabble

• “The Funeral” was previously published by Word Riot

• “The Cigarette” was previously published by Alfie Dog Limited

• “The Burst” was previously published by Connotation Press

• “The Crush” was previously published by Forever! Onward

• “Lost Angeles” was previously published by The Aletheia

• “The Fork” was the 2013 prose winner of Glass Mountain’s poetry and prose contest, previously published by The Writing Disorder and featured in Plain China’s Best Undergraduate Fiction Writing of 2013 anthology

• “The Return” was previously published by Bartleby Snopes

• “The Wedding” was previously published by Red Fez

• “The Bullet” was previously published by Elohi Gadugi and was the winner of the 2013 Sylvan N. Karchmer Fiction Prize, awarded by the University of Houston

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

Click the cover below to begin your download.

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

BY DARLENE P. CAMPOS

Charlie Hill as Jay Eagle Thunderclap

Unfortunately, Mr. Hill passed away in 2013. He was a fantastic Native American stand-up comedian and actor. In fact, he appears in the Roseanne episode “The Last Thursday in November” as D.J. Conner’s teacher. He was also a guest on The Richard Pryor Show as well as The Tonight Show with both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman. His humor definitely fits the bill for Jay Eagle’s character.

Irene Bedard as Josephine Thunderclap

Ms. Bedard was phenomenal in the movie Smoke Signals. There is a scene in the movie when she tells Victor the real story of a house fire his father was involved in. Her delivery is spot-on and most of all, her acting makes you feel like you’re in the movie with her. She is outstanding on the big screen! I can’t imagine anyone else playing Josephine other than Irene Bedard.

Graham Greene as Mr. Wayne Graywolf

I’m a huge fan of Graham Greene. He plays Mogie in the movie Skins which is based on the novel of the same name by Adrian C. Louis. If you’ve read Skins, it’s impossible to imagine another actor playing Mogie. He’s charming, funny, and can adapt easily to any role he’s given. If anyone should play Mr. Graywolf, it’s him.

Sacheen Littlefeather as Sequoia Red Cloud

If you’ve heard of Marlon Brando, chances are you’ve heard of the time he refused to accept an Academy Award for Best Actor in The Godfather. Brando sent Littlefeather in his place to decline the award as a form of protest for the unjust misrepresentation of Native Americans in the film and television industry. I admire Littlefeather for her bravery in speaking up. If you look up her speech on YouTube, she was met with some applause, but also a lot of booing. Despite this, she kept on speaking. While Sequoia might not be the most likeable character among people, she holds her beliefs true to her heart, no matter what anyone thinks. Littlefeather would be perfect for this role.

Geri Keams as Yolanda Running Bear

Keams is an incredible storyteller, though she has appeared on several television movies and shows. I love how engaging she is when she tells a story. You can find her telling stories on YouTube if you just search her name. Ms. Running Bear is known for being a quirky science teacher, so I believe Geri Keams would fit this role just right.

Gary Farmer as Ray Firebird

This role is a big role. Gary Farmer stars alongside with Graham Greene in Skins as Mogie’s friend, Weasel Tail, which is where I first discovered his acting. He’s been in Smoke Signals and Powwow Highway where he is just as mesmerizing. Ray Firebird is a major character in Behind Mount Rushmore and only a major guy can play him. Gary Farmer is that major guy!

Eric Schweig as Gray Mountain Thunderclap

Like with Graham Greene, I’m a big fan of Mr. Schweig. He usually plays a tough guy, but a tough guy with a big heart. He plays Graham Greene’s brother in Skins and he does a fantastic job at this role. He’s flawed, but honestly, he’s an excellent brother in this film. He’s best known for being Uncas in The Last of the Mohicans, but this movie does him no justice. He is seriously underrated in the industry. He’s a perfect match for Gray Mountain Thunderclap.

Michael Peña as John David Gutierrez

Who knows where Nimo would be without John David? This role requires an outspoken nature, strength, friendship, and most of all, a smart mouth. John David doesn’t hold back and for this reason, I’d pick Michael Peña to take on this role. Peña played Cesar Chavez in the film of the same name and he was Sal Castro in Walkout. In these roles, Peña gave his all to stand up for what he believed in and never backed down. Peña has just what it takes to be John David.

Elaine Miles as Mrs. Rebecca Graywolf

Elaine Miles is probably best known for her work in the television series, Northern Exposure. She also starred in Smoke Signals and Skins as well. However, I first stumbled upon her acting in the mini-series The Rez in which she plays Mad Etta in the second season. She’s hilarious and unique not only as an actress but as a person, too. Mrs. Graywolf is a role she could master right away.

Last, but not least – who would play Nimo Thunderclap?

This is kind of a funny story. About a year ago, I went to my favorite Chinese restaurant here in Houston with my boyfriend. After dinner, we needed to get a few things from the grocery store down the road from the restaurant. Once we were inside, I noticed a young man, an employee specifically, who was the EXACT description of Nimo. I mean exact as in if I could make Nimo come alive from the novel, he’d look exactly like that employee. For privacy purposes, I won’t tell you the employee’s name, but I did ask him for helping locating an item I needed. He spoke just like Nimo and had his gestures. If there’s ever a movie or TV series based on Behind Mount Rushmore, I want to find this employee and ask him he’d like another job!

You can purchase Behind Mount Rushmore by clicking here.

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Darlene P. Campos earned her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at El Paso. She also graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English-Creative Writing and a minor in medicine and Social Studies. She is from Guayaquil, Ecuador, but currently lives in Houston, TX with her husband David and an adorable pet rabbit named Jake. Her website is www.darlenepcampos.com. You can support her work here.

BY THE HABITUAL WORDSMITH T.J. LOVE

The Habitual Wordsmith T.J. Love: Let's start with your origins. Where are you from originally?

D.A. Alston: I hail from sunny San Diego. But now I reside in Atlanta.

Word. How'd you end up on the other side of the country?

Well, my grandfather started a church in California. It grew and became very popular in the city, but then he told us that God told him to move to Georgia to start a church there. Mind you, we had zero family there. But we stepped out on faith and God blessed us. Five buildings later, we're doing well and now own a movie theater as well.

That's really dope. Getting y'all Wizard Kelly on. I've been there though—moving across the country on faith. It's definitely harrowing. How has that influenced your work?

Well, I rely on my family a lot and my faith is such a huge part of who I am, in general. I try to stay pretty balanced and center myself in the midst of the craziness. So, most of my work normally has that same underlying tone towards having faith.

I feel that. I feel like you don't see a lot of that in Black writing. How does your faith shape you as a person? Why has it been so important to you?

As a person, it has gotten me through some of the hardest points in my life. It has helped me smile when I wanted to cry. It pushed me forward when I wanted to give up. It covered me when I wanted to go wild. It's just always been a positive force in my life.

Image by Couleur from Pixabay

I feel that. So that being said, let me ask you something—a lot of pro-black, “woke” folk are claiming that Christianity is the religion of the oppressor. Where do you think this idea comes from and does this affect you as a Christian at all?

Honestly, I don't concern myself with ideologies and claims from other people. I know what God means to me and what He's personally done for me in my life. That's all I stand on. I'm not living for the approval of anyone else.

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“I don’t concern myself with ideologies and claims from other people... I’m not living for the approval of anyone else.”

— D.A. Alston

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I hear you. I love people with principles. So talk to me about The Unlikely Tale of the Royal Elite Squad. What was the inspiration for that?

Well, it didn't even start off as a book idea. I was sitting at IHOP with my mother. And, because I also draw, we've been talking about creating a coloring book for years. On this particular day, I was like “maybe I'll finally do that.” So, I'm talking the idea over with her, and I was like “what if I do superheroes that are all women? All with different nationalities?” Then, I was like “what if I put a storyline to it?” And it just snowballed into the creation that it is now.

That's really unique—almost sounds like your own personal superhero origin story. Representation is a beautiful thing, especially in a world where the main protagonists have always been beefed-up white dudes. So what's next for D.A. Alston?

Representation is major. For women and people of color. Currently, I'm working on the second installment of Royal Elite Squad. I just really started writing it and I'm really excited. I'm just trying to focus and knock this out. I also have a few speaking engagements coming soon. The ultimate goal is to get a table at DragonCon to present my book.

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“Representation is major.”

— D.A. Alston

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Things seem to be coming together for you—a theme for us at Vital Narrative. What's DragonCon?

That's why I love our team. DragonCon is the Atlanta version of Comic-Con. It's the epitome of a lituation.

‘Lituation' just made me feel mad old. So it's basically a gathering of my fellow geeks, cosplaying as their favorite superheroes? How dope would it be one day to see Royal Elite Squad cosplayers?

That's the goal, though! Seeing people dressing up as characters from my book. That's the dream.

Baby steps, right? First DragonCon, then the world. I'm rooting for you.

Thank you sir. I'm excited.

Of course. Keep making us proud and keep us updated.

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T.J.'s first book of poetry, Speaking In Tongues: Love In Five Languages, can be purchased here. You can purchase The Unlikely Tale of the Royal Elite Squad by D.A. Alston by clicking here.