Devale Ellis pens children’s book on #BLM: ‘It’s my life’s journey’
The actor teamed up with his wife, Khadeen Ellis, on the project
If you’re still looking for a way to help your kids understand what’s going on in the world, Devale Ellis has you covered.
The actor, former NFL player, and podcast host has recently added author to his extensive resume thanks to the release of his latest project, “The Ellises and the Time Machine: Why do we have to say Black Lives Matter?”
The children’s book was created as a resource to help parents of all backgrounds guide kids’ questions about this critical topic.
Sparked by his then 9-year old’s question one day, Devale and his wife, Khadeen Ellis, paired up to provide an answer to his curiosity that was peaked by seeing his favorite athletes support the BLM movement on national stages.
Read More: Devale Ellis on shocking ‘Sistas’ finale and pursuing his dream job
A thoughtful and informative journey was started right then and there, all encompassed by love, as the family discusses tough history lessons together.
“I would say living, learning, and giving. That’s my life’s journey,” Ellis said during a recent interview with theGrio. “I want to live my life to the fullest. I’m going to learn as much as I can, and I want to pay it forward. I feel like if you’re not of service to people, then what was your point of being on this earth?”
The Ellises, who have quite the following thanks to their podcast, Dead Ass, and their Youtube channel, The Ellises, are no strangers to sharing their family dynamic and expressing the importance of Black lives and family values with their many fans.
Read More: Khadeen Ellis encourages women to ‘be relentless in your pursuits’
DeVale, who currently stars on BET’s Sistas, revealed that one particularly challenging childhood experience helps him continue to conquer his fears.
“It’s my first day of school and the school bus comes to pick me up. As a matter of fact, I was four. And my mom goes, ‘OK, now you have to get on the bus.’ And my father goes, ‘Hey, you know, don’t cry, make friends.’ So I remember walking towards the school bus and being so scared, and I remember saying to myself, ‘Don’t look back, because if you look back, you’re going to want to cry.’
So I just walked on the school bus and my mom said she cried because I never looked back. But for me, it was facing that fear and saying, ‘This is something that I’m afraid to do, so if I attack it 100%, I’ll conquer it.’ And that has always been on my mind in anything I do,” he shared.
“When I was in the NFL, returning my first punt, I remember the school bus. There are 11 dudes trying to kill me. I’ve got to catch this ball and I’ve got to hit it. Who knew the school bus could instill so much strength and courage?”
“The Ellises and the Time Machine: Why Do We Have to Say Black Lives Matter?” is available for purchase here.
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