Misadventures of an Urban Nerd: I'm BB

Introduction Part 1

INTRODUCTION

I was born in Houston, Texas, the eldest of three children. My parents were Robby and Wilford. I have three sisters Kimberly, Donna, and Nikki, whom I love dearly. I am especially thankful to my Sister Kim, who through her eyes I have always been able to see myself as a better brother, uncle, son, and man.

I have always known I was different since I was very young.

I grew up in the inner-city and was almost a casualty of profiling in the educational system. Administrators tried to classify me as learning-challenged, something that was, and still is, commonly done to black boys. My mom was a fierce advocate for me. She knew I was a voracious reader and had an advanced vocabulary that came from being a card-carrying member of the library since I could hold a book. My mother fought to get me into a magnet school where I thrived. You see I was not learning-challenged, I was simply bored with the stagnant curriculum in public schools.

Growing up in the inner city was challenging for a bookworm, Sci-Fi, comic book geek like myself. Comic books especially allowed me to explore the incredible universe of super beings with super human powers that they used to do incredible things for mankind. I grew up in the 1970's so there were very little black, super hero characters. I guess that is why I fell in love with Storm from the X men at an early age because she was the personification of an African goddess who wielded the powers of the earth's elements. I was enchanted.

Growing up I found myself relying on a more make believe world that allowed me to be anyone or anything that I wanted to be and it was definitely in stark contrast to the limited vision of what sometimes my family, friends, teachers, community or society thought I could become.

As I grew older I found an incredible community and network of nerds, many of which were from similar marginalized cultures like my own. It seems that being a nerd for many marginalized groups was a coping mechanism that allowed us to be free of societal norms and think, learn and grow on our own terms.

That is why I created the series, Misadventures of an Urban Nerd and the character of BB to commemorate the struggle and achievements of all of the nerds, geeks, bullied individuals or just different folk who refused to conform but instead chose to walk in their own truth, no matter how quirky and distinctive that walk might be.

Now, here's BB!