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Subject: BLK

Inspirational Debut Collection Me in America Examines the Black Experience through Poetry


NEW YORK, Oct. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new voice in Black American literature, Kelvin Parker's debut poetry collection serves as both a call to action and an examination of what it feels like to navigate the Black experience in America. Inspirational, painful, and complex, Me in America shines a scrutinizing light on the complex realities of a country divided.

No matter who you are or what you look like, Me in America will leave you with a thorough understanding of racial identity in America. A collection of poems that speak to the conflicting realities of living as a Black man in a country founded on the pain, creativity, and courage of Black Americans, Parker shares a deeply personal story. Crucial themes of oppression, racism, and inequality are examined as the author celebrates how far we've come and how far we have left to go.

"Black life endures. It is an everlasting flame that lives on in all generations. It is a power that can't be stopped," shares Parker. "This book is my gift of inspiration and healing. Though oppression in America is a challenge, it's a challenge we can, and must, face together. With Me in America, I share my own story, both painful and inspirational, and ask readers to take a stand and advocate for lasting social change."

In his debut poetry collection, Kelvin Parker documents the pendulum swing from loss to love, trauma to triumph, and oppression to opportunity ? the repetitious movement that has come to define Black life in America. In three parts, Parker's collection humanizes the often-generalized stories defining the Black experience. Through Parker's dreams, desires, goals, and experiences ? from a traumatic childhood to questioning how he fits in ? the collection both personalizes and makes very real for readers the effects of racism and discrimination in America.

"The America we experience is largely dependent on the identities we hold. As Black Americans, we must constantly reaffirm our identity, adjusting ourselves to deflect from negative stereotypes that restrict our access to the 'American Dream.' As soon as we prove one stereotype wrong, we're met with another. My experience as a Black man is a testament to this," says Parker.

Offering reflections on history, scholarship, criminal justice, childhood psychology, and more, Me in America is a lesson on Black identity accessible to all readers. It will leave you with a thorough understanding of racial identity in America. The poetry collection captures the resilience, survival, and humanity of Black experiences. Though Me in America exposes discrimination, it also gives a sense of hope. In Parker's work, Black life endures.

Available at Amazon in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle formats.

About Kelvin Parker
Kelvin Parker is a poet, fashion designer, and marketing professional from Little Rock, Arkansas. He found his way to poetry as a teenager, winning his school district's annual poetry slam. Poetry is Parker's avenue for healing, and his poems speak to those that feel forgotten, unimportant, and unheard. The craft of poetry also inspires his career as a fashion designer; he meticulously uses shape and form, color, texture, and patterns for conceptual storytelling. Parker received his BFA in Fashion and MFA in Luxury and Fashion Management from Savannah College of Art and Design. Currently, Parker currently lives and works in the New York tri-state area.

For more information, go to www.authorkelvinparker.com.

Media Contact: Kelvin Parker
201.528.3206
[email protected]

SOURCE Kelvin Parker



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