Who doesn’t love the sound of the drummers and the marching band parading through the football field, crisp fresh fall air, and grilled turkey legs?? Well, this young lady by the name of La-Donia Alford-Jeffries decided to relay her experience to kids all across the world. She put that experience into a book, titled ‘Homecoming’.
LaDonia’s first pregnancy was the inspiration behind the book. She couldn’t attend her own Homecoming, at North Carolina A& T one year due to expecting her first child. A bit dissapointed, she tried to dismantle her fantod by writing down cherished memories of past homecomings she enjoyed and relayed these experiences to not just her own, but to other children as well. She even tried searching for books on the topic of homecoming, but couldn’t find any. She did find some literature on HBCU’s but none about the actual experience detailing homecoming, and sororities, and other events that take place during this sacred time.
That’s when she decided to write and self-publish her own book- a 26 page children’s book, unveiling a story of two African-American parents who brought their three young children to their first homecoming where they visit the fraternity and sorority plots and the buildings where their parents took classes. In the story, the family also enjoy a football game, the drum major, and eat fried food at a tailgate party.
“This may be the teacher part of me, but I remember thinking I want young children to have a book with characters that look like them and characters that they can relate to in terms of what’s happening in their community,” Alford-Jeffries told Greensboro News & Record. “I just want kids to be excited about college, she said. “If homecoming is what does it, fine by me”.
Walmart has the book available for $15. Click the link to purchase the book.
