Educating youth about Black history
Life is over when you take your last breath, until then, you can achieve any goal you set forth. Oni Adunni is a prime example of somebody taking advantage of life, as she has done extraordinary things and continues to set new goals at age 87.
Adunni is a woman best described as a flower forever changing through the seasons. Adunni is a retired college professor whose perseverance enabled her to obtain a master’s degree at age 67, complete 13 marathons as a senior citizen, and co-authored her first book with her son to educate Black kids on history.
“My husband always told our kids to travel and explore the world, so when he passed, our son Mailk wanted to spread his father’s message of traveling to the youth, and that’s when we started thinking of ways to do that,” Adunni said as she explained what led to them coming upon the decision of creating a kids book.
Malik’s Magic African Alphabet Hat was created as the best way to emphasize the importance of traveling while educating the youth.
“This book is the final product of a 17-year-long process,” said Mailk. “My father always encouraged me to travel the world, and when I finally did, I would bring him back a hat from every country I visited. When he passed away, we buried those hats in their original countries. While living in Japan, I decided it was time to finish and release the children’s book in his honor, using the hat as a symbol of his sage insight into the magic of travel. I partnered with my mother, Oni Adunni, in telling this story because her use of rhyme, gift with words, and lived experiences were so crucial in bringing this idea to life.”
The book follows the story of a father who promises to take his son to Africa but passes away before he has the chance to. He does, however, leave behind a magical hat that enables his son to journey to the edges of Africa, from Angola to Zambia, and acquire the important lessons that can only be learned through travel.
“Knowing that I can honor my late husband’s wishes and help educate children brings joy to my heart and a greater purpose to the book,” Adunni said as she spoke about the meaningfulness of the book. “My inspiration in writing is to be of service to the kids and help them be better readers.” Adunni has been on a mission of getting their book into schools across the nation being successful in states like Missippissi, Chicago, and D.C.
You can find the book on Amazon. You can also visit their website at MaliksMagicHat.com.
