Royal Oak-Based Author Releases Anti-Bullying Book

ROYAL OAK, MI — Royal Oak-based author Rasheda Kamaria Williams shares how girls today can handle relentless bullying and how her own brutal childhood teasing paved the path to adulthood success in her new book, “Be EmPOWERed: How to Live Above and Beyond Life’s Drama.”

The book is part journal, part interactive guidebook. Williams, an award-winning mentor and chief empowering officer for Empowered Flower Girl explains, "Empowered Flower Girl does workshops in schools but this is something girls can carry with them and have as a resource when things get challenging. Not just with bullying but other drama that happens in life. Divorce, fight with parents, news a closed loved one is diagnosed with an illness or having trouble staying afloat academically. This book is about how we work through it and move forward."

Williams was largely inspired by her own experiences. She says “When I was in middle school I was called 'weird,' or 'nerd.' I competed in oratorical contests and I was bullied for speaking proper English. I’m African American and went to a school 85% African-American but kids bullied me because they thought I was acting white." Fast forward to adulthood. Williams explains "I started writing the book a while ago but I put it on the back burner because I was getting requests from schools to talk to their girls, who were worse than the boys cyber-bullying. One day I was presenting and one of the teachers said ‘Where’s your book?’ I told them ‘Good question. Where is it?’ I made a plan to get it published. I decided now’s the time. I just made it happen. I transformed my career this year. I quit my job as a communications professional at a university in June to pursue my passion and make a difference in young people’ lives full-time."

What’s one thing Williams wants to share with children who are bullied? "The things they’re teased about now will more than likely make them successful adults. Typically when people are picked on and excluded it’s because there’s something that’s special about them. They may not see it but in my experience it’s like we’re the chosen ones. We’ve been excluded and put down but we’ll rise."

Williams' book release party is Nov. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Good Cakes and Bakes (19363 Livernois Ave., Detroit). VIP tickets are $15 and include a copy of the book, treats and raffle tickets.

Photo via Rasheda Kamaria Williams