Flapdoodle spreads message of diversity
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YOUNGSTOWN -- A photograph titled, "Hair Like Mine" by Pete Souza in 2009 captured a moment between Barack Obama and a 5-year-old black child who wanted to touch the then-president's hair -- just to see the texture was like his.
Steven Bernard Brown, an author and illustrator known by the pen name "Dynamo Flapdoodle," has written more than 20 books, many of them based around multiculturalism.
Thinking of moments like the one shared between that child and the first black president in U.S. history, Brown said he hopes to inspire on a smaller scale that same type of awe in black children throughout the Mahoning Valley.
The Youngstown State University graduate's presence during visits to area schools has already drawn some attention, he said.
"One of the few black kids in this class I visited looked at me holding my book and he questioned, 'You did this?" Brown said. "The student continued questioning, 'You made this?' and I said 'yea I did.' His mind was just blown by the fact the he saw a brother in front of his face who created something like this."
It's moments like those that exemplify part of why Brown wrote titles like "Brown Skin…Brown Skin… so Beautiful Where Do I Begin?" so that black children can see themselves in places they never imagined, especially those raised in the Youngstown area like him.
GROWING UP IN YOUNGSTOWN
Living on the East Side of Youngstown in the late 1980s to early '90s, Steven came of age during the early stages of the crack epidemic, which saw increased use of the highly addictive substance.
"People started talking about this thing called crack, and we didn't know about it but then all of a sudden out of nowhere, overnight it was everywhere; overnight there was a change and everyone had a gun," Brown said.
Brown remembers the shift the community took from one of nurturing to one that slowly became shrouded in violence.
However, Brown said he was fortunate enough to avoid being swept into that life -- something he largely credits to being able to bear witness to a 55-year strong marriage between his parents and being part of a large, loving and supportive family.
Earlier on, Brown said education was a priority for him.
"I was active in sports, played basketball, and my love of reading is where I found my solace," Brown said. " If I ever wanted a book I went to the library. I look at it now as reading being the foundation of all education. I couldn't get to the next steps in math or social studies without it."
Coming from a strong military background, Brown has seen uncles, fathers and brothers wear the flag on the uniforms of several branches of the military.
One of his favorite titles he's written is "Booker T learns the Fallen Soldier Table," a symbolic ceremony and memorial to honor fallen, missing or imprisoned military members. Brown said he wanted to break down his book to be easily digestible for children's understanding.
After spending several years living in Cleveland, Steven came back to Youngstown to take of his brother, a disabled veteran.
GAINING EXPOSURE
He said his wife, a teacher in Boardman, introduced him to a literacy coach that helped get his books exposure in the Boardman Local School District.
"They bought so many books and asked me to read at their schools, and that's where it really got started and I realized that people were enjoying and liking my work," Brown said.
Brown said writing is about knowing your audience and knowing what you're doing to avoid controversy.
Aside from books that tackle multiculturalism, Brown also writes books teaching kids how to deal with heavy subjects such as mental health and bullying.
Inspiration for Brown comes for many sources around him. "First Old Cat," his second book, was inspired by his nieces during their childhood.
'My dad used to sit in the chair in front of the TV and pretend to be asleep. My little nieces would come near him and he'd grunt and they'd run away," Brown said. "The image was always in my head, and I just started sketching."
Across the Mahoning Valley, Brown has done speaking engagements at a number of schools. He teaches how to write books and shares his messages of encouragement and inspiration.
In October, he plans on releasing a new book in time for Halloween. Brown is also busy trying to expand his brand into a YouTube channel of educational videos.
For now though, Brown said you can find his work on Amazon or Dynamoflapdoodle.com. He also can be contacted on social media under the moniker of his pen name, Dynamo Flapdoodle.
To suggest a Saturday profile, contact Features Editor Burton Cole at bcole@tribtoday.com or Metro Editor Marly Reichert at mreichert@tribtoday.com.
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