Today we’d like to introduce you to Saba (Sean) Stewart.
Hi Sean, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My love for writing started when I was a child, watching my Mother write notes, grocery lists, and letters to family and friends. I remember being fascinated by the way she held the pen in her hand, and with each pen stroke effortlessly expressed herself. Looking back this was the earliest memory that I have of witnessing firsthand the creative expression of the written word. From that moment, I attempted to reenact each pen stroke with precision until I developed the ability to write my own words to communicate and express myself. I fell in love with the visual aesthetic of language, and the art of storytelling.
In first grade, I learned to write cursive and took calligraphy classes after school. I started writing poetry, and wrote my first poem about my cat named Charlotte, and eventually would write and illustrate my first storybook in elementary school entitled The Fountain of Youth. Although both of these literary manifestations were of poor quality, each would be a precursor to my career as a writer and poet.
I’ve always been hyper-vigilant and observant of my surroundings. One thing I noticed early in my educational experience was that a majority of the books we were offered didn’t contain images or text that resembled myself or people that looked like me. The stories and books we read were difficult to relate to, and the history being taught was being told from a single narrative. I found myself searching for something that couldn’t be found in school.
As time went on, I began to develop unhealthy relationships with my teachers and felt disconnected from the learning environment. I started to veer away from my initial love for writing, and gravitated towards peers with a perception of being smart as not being cool. I found myself running from true love, and instead of wanting to be an athlete rather than a writer. Athletes were cool. Writers were not.
“How could I be a writer and still be cool?” I often thought to myself. Then it hit me! I could write rhymes, which is theoretically the same thing as writing poetry; just over instrumentals. I grew up listening to Hip-Hop and R&B music, and identified with the culture as a young black male.
In 7th grade, I recorded my first rap verse over a classic song called “Back In The Day” by Ahmad with my best friend Santo. We only used notebooks to write lyrics and verses in, and became obsessed with Hip-Hop culture. Hip-Hop gave us a feeling of liberation, and each verse, each lyric was a form of creative expression; and that was poetry to me. Behind closed doors, I still wrote poetry and short stories but typically kept them to myself. From time to time, I would write poetry for the girls that I was interested in. What you won’t do for love!
While I loved 7th grade and was finding my niche, I began getting into my fair share of trouble in school. My parents pulled me out of public school for the first time in my life, and placed me in a private school where I was one of two black kids in my 8th grade class. I was reminded of this fact each day, and was involved in several incidents that would have resulted in my expulsion. I used my notebooks as an escape; to write my deepest feelings, thoughts and reflections. Meanwhile, my relationship with my parents began to dissolve, and I continued to switch schools up until my junior year when I arrived at Central High School.
My entire family went to Central including my Dad, my cousins and eventually my little brother Kyle. Central was like a brand new world. The classes they offered were nothing like I had experienced in previous schools, and offered classes like theater, Swahili, music production and College Prep English. I had finally found a home. Not only had I found a home, but I was surrounded by peers that looked like me, that were attending these phenomenal classes. I often reflect on the notion that if I had attended Central for the entirety of my High School career, how much that would have benefited me as a writer. However, I don’t believe in coincidence.
The only silver lining was being compensated for my injuries, and I used the money to purchase industry-standard studio equipment. Myself, and two of my friends Bill (A-One) and Rico (Tek) started a Hip-Hop crew called the Facility. We wrote and recorded our own music for roughly two years straight. These were some of the most creative years of my life, and the moment in my life where I started to feel the energy of the creative process. It was like standing in a pool of creativity, riding the wave, and documenting the process.
After writing, and recording for two years, I found myself teaching preschool at the same preschool that I attended when I was a child. I had always loved kids, but due to my experience in the learning environment, being a teacher was the last thing I thought I’d be doing as a profession. After my first day, I fell in love with the job and for the first time, I felt like I was making a positive impact on someone’s life. One of my coworkers at the time who’s name was Mrs. Grace, and I remember her saying to me; “You really have a gift! You should start taking classes to be a licensed preschool teacher.” It was the first time that I had been affirmed by any adult outside of my family. She recognized something in me that I did not see in myself. This communicated two things that I’ve come to realize as an educator; 1.) The power that words hold; and 2.) The power that a teacher holds. From that moment, I believed wholeheartedly that my purpose in life was to be a teacher. Instantly, I enrolled at Saint Paul College with the intention of earning my license in Early Childhood Education.
After my rollercoaster ride of experiences in school, I was now an educator and attending college to earn my teaching credentials. I have to recognize the professor of my Foundations of Child Development course at Saint Paul College, Linda Coleman. It’s hard for me not to get emotional when I think about her…She was the first teacher that I have ever had that believed in me, and convinced me that I belonged; that despite what anybody said, I was capable, I was intelligent, and I could do anything! Words cannot convey the impact that she has single-handedly had on my life.
In the summer of 2006, another opportunity presented itself through a conversation with a childhood friend named John, who had just returned from college. He was the site coordinator of a program called Freedom Schools; a 6-week summer literacy program sponsored by the Children’s Defense Fund. He was looking to hire a handful of college students who were interested in teaching to be servant leader interns in the program.
I had never heard of Freedom Schools, but the idea of working with children alongside my childhood friend was something that I couldn’t pass up. I was required to attend 10 days of national training at the Ella Baker Child Policy Institute in partnership in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was CDF Freedom Schools’ national training that restored my childhood love for writing, and has been instrumental to my career as a writer.
This was my first time being exposed to books and literature that were primarily written by black authors and authors of color. Each training involved us diving deep into the text that was rooted in black history, and was told from an Afrocentric perspective. The books were vibrant in color, and had a historical component that spoke to my spirit. My first year of Freedom Schools reconnected me with my Ancestors, and was the catalyst of my career as a writer.
During this time, I transferred from Saint Paul College to Metropolitan State University, and began taking classes in the urban teaching program. I have to recognize a professor of mine named Bruce Drewlow, who would begin each class by reading a children’s book, followed by a culturally relevant discussion around the text. He also was the first teacher that recommended, and encouraged us to respond to the assigned readings with our artistic medium. I chose to write poetry as a way to process and reflect on the text, and to share my perspective on society, history, and anti-racism. Until this day, Bruce has held onto the poems that I wrote, and is one of my biggest supporters.
In 2017, I experienced what many people would call a spiritual awakening. I attended Freedom Schools’ national training, and this time around was the most inspirational and invigorating since my first year being an intern. After returning to Minnesota, I was feeling this unfamiliar energy in my body. There was this squeezing sensation in my heart, and at first, I started to panic. I thought to myself, “Shit! Am I having a heart attack?” Suddenly, this voice inside of me said, “It’s time to write!”
So, I started writing a poem. And after writing the first line, I was no longer in control of my pen. Not a word, punctuation, or even the title. It was like the universe was using me as an instrument, and I was creating on a level that I had never experienced. I cried like a baby while writing an entire poem from beginning to end. After finishing the poem, I cried tears of joy as my heart continued to beat like a drum.
I thought to myself, “Is this the feeling that Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou had when they discovered they were writers?” My heart began to beat so hard, it felt like it was jumping out of my chest. And a voice said to me, “Yes. Yes. Welcome home.” I continued to cry and felt a sense of euphoria, almost like I had won a championship after putting in so much work. For the first time in my life, I believed wholeheartedly that I was a writer. I felt like a kid again, and would go on to spend the ensuing years filling notebook after notebook. I had rediscovered my inner child, and was truly living in my Second Childhood.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A few months into my senior year at Central High School, the administration called me into the office to deliver some unfortunate news. Since, I had transferred from Highland Park, which had quarterly classes; to Central, which had semester classes; I was not going to graduate. According to administration, my credits were “not equivalent,” and I needed a total of 17 credits to graduate. It’s a few months into my senior year. There was no possible way to earn that many credits without having to attend High School during the day, then Night School for the rest of my senior year. At first I attempted to do the impossible, but ultimately I rebelled. By Winter Break, they showed me the door and told me not to come back (not to let it hit me in the ass on my way out). I was devastated.
I started working full-time at Walgreens, and taking classes at the alternative learning center nearby. While working the register in-between customers, I’d write poetry and rhymes on any piece of paper I could find. Many of them were scraps, sometimes envelopes, and pieces of writing pads that sat next to the registers; most of which I still have in old shoeboxes in my storage along with old notebooks filled with random jottings.
That summer, I was in a near fatal car accident which shifted the trajectory of my life. Obviously, I survived but the physical and psychological impact caused me to be extremely pessimistic, and angry. The doctors informed me that I would have a significant limp for the rest of life, and essentially I had a physical disability. My only escape was my notebook, and I wrote rhymes and poetry to express all the feelings and emotions I was carrying.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a proud Father, published writer, and business owner.
In 2017, a poem I wrote entitled “Like A Hawk” was chosen to be a part of an anthology called Minnesota’s Best Emerging Poets of 2017. This was my first published poem, followed by a poem entitled “Garden” that was published by Nanty Greens, an art organization based out of Nigeria.
We’ve written social-emotional learning content for the 360 Impact/Schoolz program. We also partnered with the faith-based organization, the Sisters of Saint Joseph to create and curate an interactive art exhibit called Labyrinths, an infusion of poetry, graphic design, and affirmations inspired by the intersectionality of nature and spirituality.
In 2019, I founded a publishing company called Second Childhood Publishing. The purpose was not only to publish my own writing, but to own my intellectual property, and establish a company that would increase the representation of black and indigenous writers.
In 2020, we developed a partnership with a youth organization called The JK Movement which serves youth in the Twin Cities Metro area. Together we created the children’s book series The Adventures of Johnny Knuckles. The series begins with the first book Breaking The Ice, followed by Breaking The Cycle (2022). Each book is a culturally relevant story that all children can relate to, and is a perfect resource for youth programs, educators and families.
And finally…Our first volume of poetry is set to release prior to the conclusion of 2022, entitled Second Childhood: A Collection of Poems & Reflections. This work is a literary manifestation of a dream I’ve had since I was a child. My first volume of poetry is a culmination of work written over the course of a decade; a vulnerable and unfiltered documentation of what it looks like, sounds like and feels like to navigate through a system of oppression.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be myself and my entire family going up North during the summers. My Father owned a bus company, and would pack up the entire family, then drive several hours out of the city. I have significant memories of my cousins, my brother and I following animal trails, bird watching with binoculars, building fires, and camping together as children. This was my introduction to nature which is a significant theme in my writing, and I often write about my relationship with nature, and refer to myself as a black nature writer. It’s also one of the many ways I choose to honor the land.
Pricing:
- $15.00 The JK Movement presents: Breaking The Ice (paperback book)
- $15.00 The JK Movement presents: Breaking The Cycle (paperback book)
- $10 The JK Movement presents: Breaking The Cycle (Coloring & Activity Book)
Contact Info:
- Website: secondchildhood.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/second_childhood_/
- Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/latest/home?asset_id=1876144299371855&business_id=324126498483471&nav_ref=pages_classic_isolated_section_inbox_diode
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SecondChildpub
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv8so3cU3_c
