A Dark Journey to a Light Future


Book Description

Tommie Mabry tells the inspirational story of his life growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, his troubled youth and how basketball changed and redirected his life. He played on various teams as a youth in Jackson, for the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzlies, at Lawson State in Birmingham, Alabama, and finally for Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi.




A Dark Journey to a Light Future


Book Description

I knew since I was young I would get out. The judge told me that with my attitude I would be dead or locked up in five years, and I said “okay” with a grin. When I was released the next day, the judge did not know that he created a monster within me—his word fueled a fire inside me that was burning all along. God has ordained each of us for greatness. Unfortunately, the wiles of worldly convictions and possessions provide detours and stumbling blocks. This is the true story of the experiences of a young, African-American child, destined by God—fighting against the status quo of his violent and discouraging surroundings—to walk in the path of greatness. This is the story of Tommie Mabry—a boy who discovers that he can rise above his surroundings and situations to be the man that God intended him to be.




If Tommie Can Do It, We Can Do It


Book Description

“If I can do it, you can do it; if Tommie can do it, we can do it!” Remember Tommie’s four b’s and the quote he lives by: Be confident, be determined, be motivated, and be yourself! “I cannot walk in my future with my foot in my past.”




Dark Journey: Star Wars Legends


Book Description

The New Jedi Order continues as Jaina Solo struggles with anger and despair after the Jedi Knights’ harrowing adventure behind enemy lines. Though the Jedi strike force completed its deadly mission into Yuuzhan Vong territory, the price of success was tragedy: not everyone made it out alive. In a daring getaway, hotshot pilot Jaina Solo stole an enemy ship, taking along her fellow survivors—and leaving behind a huge piece of her heart. With the enemy in hot pursuit, Jaina is forced to seek haven in the unprotected, unfriendly Hapes Cluster, where the Jedi are held responsible for a past tragedy—and where the royal family has grim plans for their famous Jedi guest. Even more sinister are the intentions of the Yuuzhan Vong, desperate to capture Jaina for a hideous sacrifice. Grief-stricken and obsessed with revenge, Jaina is blind to these threats—and to the overpowering evil dangerously close to consuming her. In the coming conflagration, Jaina will be fighting not for victory or vengeance, but for her very being.




The Dark Path


Book Description

A young man struggles to reconcile God, faith, and sex as he stumbles toward finding himself in this "brave and irreverent" (Details) memoir. Since childhood, David Schickler has been torn between his intense desire to become a Catholic priest and his equally fervent desire for the company of women. Things don't get any clearer for Schickler at college, where he initiates serious conversations about becoming a Jesuit just as he enters a passionate relationship with a vivacious, agnostic young woman. Setting out on a journey to understand the balance between a life of faith and life in the real world, Schickler comes to terms with this dichotomy and learns that the answers he seeks aren't clear-cut--no matter how long he treads the dark path. Candid and funny, lyrical and blunt, The Dark Path is an evocative portrayal of one man's struggle with faith and women . . . both of which he tries to love with bold, bracing honesty.




Perspective!


Book Description

Understand Where Your Students are Coming From! The factors that influence students’ beliefs and attitudes about the value of formal education are complex and expansive, especially with respect to marginalized student populations. Motivational speaker and master storyteller Dr. Tommie Mabry builds from personal experiences as a child labeled "at risk" to promote empathy and understanding in motivating the success of youth. Written in a clear style, this practical guide leads educators through shifting student perspectives on the value and benefits of formal schooling, beginning first with teacher self-examination of their own perspectives. Perspective is a holistic construct that encompasses mindset, emotions, effort, and outcomes. Layered with effective methodologies, chapters address a range of critical topics important to this view of perspective, including extensive information on Building positive relationships Drawing on educators’ empathic capacity Engendering trust Practicing culturally responsive teaching Igniting students’ passions Written with an emphasis on marginalized students and adverse childhood experiences, the concepts and strategies are applicable across all student populations.




A Psychotherapist's Dark Journey Into the Suicidal Mind


Book Description

This work approaches the mind of the suicidal person from the perspective of a person on a dark journey that involves the suicide life story, stress and problems of living, dark ideas, dark emotions, dark physiology, hopelessness, and psychache. The work of the psychotherapist is to join the suicidal person on the dark journey, understand from the person's experience how suicide has come to make experiential sense, and finally affirm and validate the dark journey. In so doing, the psychotherapist builds a healing relationship that offers hope, relief, and skills to redirect the journey to one of light, hope, and possibilities. A multimodal, stage process model of suicide risk assessment and intervention is provided to guide the therapist. Case vignettes are used to illustrate the application of this model to therapeutic practice. Finally, the critical areas of risk management and self-care for the psychotherapist are covered to protect him or her from the emotional and legal challenges of this most difficult work.




Future Rising


Book Description

A scientist offers compelling visions and potential pitfalls of the future—in “a journey through time, space, and the human experience” (Dr. Tanya Harrison, coauthor of For All Humankind). Humanity has gained the ability not only to imagine the future, but to design and engineer it. At times entertaining, and at others profound, Future Rising provides an original perspective on our relationship with the future. As a species, we’ve become talented architects of our future—yet we often struggle to come to terms with what this means. As innovation and rapidly shifting norms and expectations drive our world at breakneck speed, we sometimes need to find a still, quiet place to pause and think. Future Rising creates such a place, where we can take advantage of our species’ knowledge of world history and the importance of science to piece together a positive future. To create a good future, we must rediscover the past. Our relationship with the future is inextricably intertwined with where we’ve come from, who we are, and what we aspire to. Future Rising starts at the beginning of all things with the Big Bang and traces a pathway along the emergence of intelligent life, through what makes humans uniquely capable of imagining and creating different futures. In a series of sixty short reflections, Andrew Maynard, a former physicist and nationally recognized expert in technology and society, will take you on a journey into: What “the future” actually is How it molds and guides our lives How we can use the history of the world to change our future “A thoughtful and thought-provoking response to the moment we’re in, chronicling how we got here, where we’re going, and what role we have in that journey.” —Ramona Pringle, Director of Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor, Ryerson University




Light in Dark Times


Book Description

What will become of us in these trying times? How will we pass the time that we have on earth? In gorgeously rendered graphic form, Light in Dark Times invites readers to consider these questions by exploring the political catastrophes and moral disasters of the past and present, revealing issues that beg to be studied, understood, confronted, and resisted. A profound work of anthropology and art, this book is for anyone yearning to understand the darkness and hoping to hold onto the light. It is a powerful story of encounters with writers, philosophers, activists, and anthropologists whose words are as meaningful today as they were during the times in which they were written. This book is at once a lament over the darkness of our times, an affirmation of the value of knowledge and introspection, and a consideration of truth, lies, and the dangers of the trivial. In a time when many of us struggle with the feeling that we cannot do enough to change the course of the future, this book is a call to action, asking us to envision and create an alternative world from the one in which we now live. Light in Dark Times is beautiful to look at and to hold – an exquisite work of art that is lively, informative, enlightening, deeply moving, and inspiring.




Two Spirits, One Heart


Book Description

Marsha Aizumi shares her compelling story of parenting a young woman who came out as a lesbian, then transitioned to male. Two Spirits, One Heart chronicles Marsha's personal journey from fear, uncertainty, and sadness to eventual unconditional love, acceptance, and support of her child who struggled to reconcile his gender identity. Told with honesty and warmth, this book is a must-read for parents and loved ones of LGBTQ+ individuals everywhere. In the past decade. Marsha has traveled the world sharing her journey and joy of parenting her trans son to diverse places such as religious groups, colleges and LGBTQ+ and PFLAG organizations. "Two Spirits, One Heart is honest and impactful, and I am immensely grateful to both Marsha and Aiden for sharing their personal journey with everyone. As Executive Director of PFLAG National—an organization focused on the journey of parents and families of LGBTQ+ people—I’m moved by Marsha's passion to make this world a better place for all people, and by her unwavering love for her trans child.” —Brian K. Bond, Executive Director. PFLAG National “Marsha and Aiden have written a must-read book that has helped generate conversations around inclusion and the importance of support and allyship in the LGBTQ+ space. We would highly recommend providing copies for employees, especially for those active within Employee Resource Groups, as we have received endless positive feedback.” —Emma Hamm & Joseph Pawlicki, Co-Heads of Out+Ally ERG at Subaru of America, Inc.