Super Kids of the Metro
KEITH ROSS' CREATIVITY AND IMAGINATION HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN CO-WRITING FOUR BOOKS WITH HIS MOM.
BY ERIN PAGE . PHOTOS PROVIDED. Penning Perseverance Keith’s story
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Inclusion includes biographical information about, expressive imagery of and engaging activities related to 45 leaders of color. “It’s important to know about history,” said Keith, who hopes kids who read his book will be inspired to make a difference, too. “They can be successful and take a stand, just like Martin Luther King, against how people are treating us right now.” The development of that first book has snowballed into three more, picture books Daddy Can I Decide? and Momma Can I Be Me? as well as a children’s book on Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre. When schools closed in the spring and Rogers was engaged in Keith’s at-home education, she realized there were no characters in his school books who looked like them. “How uninspiring is it when you see no one that looks like you — from the teachers and textbooks to even the posters on the walls,” said Rogers.
Becoming an author Keith brings a wealth of imagination and creativity to the book projects. Mom and son write the books together, feeding off each other’s ideas, and Keith has been responsible for developing kid activities in Now You’re It to help readers connect on a deeper level. He’s also engaged in the business aspects, interviewing and hiring illustrators for each book as well as setting and meeting deadlines. Though it’s hard to choose, Keith’s favorite individuals depicted in Now You’re It include some he learned about through his research, like track star Usain Bolt, and others he was already familiar with, like Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges. When Keith and Rogers face writers’ block, they often watch documentaries together, and the movie Ruby Bridges made a lasting impact on them both, depicting the journey of 6-year-old Bridges, who was the first African American child to desegregate an all-white elementary school
Much has changed in fourth-grader Keith Ross’ life since the beginning of the pandemic. But that hasn’t stopped the charismatic 9-year-old from chasing his dreams. After transitioning to all-virtual school and more time spent at home, Keith and mom Dr. Tamecca Rogers, who’s pivoted to working full-time from home, began brainstorming a project to inspire creativity and give purpose to pandemic life. The Tulsa residents both love to read and write, so they landed on the idea of writing an interactive book and jour- nal highlighting the achievements of African American heroes. Now You’re It: Journaling to Perseverance. An Interactive Journal Highlighting the Achievements of African Americans While Encouraging Literacy, Crit- ical Thinking, Perseverance, Diversity and
44 METROFAMILYMAGAZINE.COM / DECEMBER 2020
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