Defying the Odds: “Refusing to Give Up” When Life Gets Hard

By Sherman E. Tate and Tracey Lynn Roland

Defying the Odds is about the everyday life of a young girl growing up in the projects. It reveals many experiences the average person in America may not ever see or experience. Defying the Odds shows that one can overcome any and all situations and become a success in life.

Imagine not ever knowing your father because he died while you were very young, too young to even know what happened. Imagine a brother being murdered, used as a human shield. Imagine another brother dying in prison. Imagine losing your mom to a terrible disease. Yes, we all experience death in our families, but how many of us experience death like this, over and over again?

Defying the Odds reveals the determination of one young girl who is singled out by a family that has the resources to show her a life far beyond the projects. A business owner teaches her the value of money and the importance of saving for the future so that there is never a need that cannot be met.

This book paints a clear and undeniable picture of the unrelenting determination of one young woman who came through some most difficult times and yet refused to give in to the beckoning of wrong turns that presented themselves on a daily basis in the projects that she called home. It is an inspiring story and one that should be shared with the countless number of young boys and girls who exist in similar circumstances throughout America.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524610302

Sherman E. Tate

Tracey Roland’s life began in Little Rock, Arkansas. Her story begins as a child in Highland Court surrounded by death, destruction, crime and drugs. She found solace and mentorship from several people who took her under their wings. I want you to question yourself by asking these questions so that you can reflect. 1. What would you do if you saw your mom being beaten with a bat? 2. Did any teacher inspire you as my teacher did? 3. Did you also face death of your loved ones in a brutal way? 4. Have you been burdened with family responsibilities at a very young age?

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Copyright © 2016 Tracey McMillon. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse   10/10/2016

[Edited 08/23/2019]

ISBN: 978-1-5246-1031-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-1030-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016909122

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

PROLOGUE

W e all encounter difficulties in our lifetime; it’s inevitable. I like to compare life to that of a boxing match. Life is the boxing ring and the referee, our experiences. You do all you can, to prevent adversities from knocking you out. When a boxer is struck with a hard punch and hits the mat, he has to the count of ten, to get up. Life is quite similar. It’s inevitable that we will experience challenges that may try to knock us out, but, we have the opportunity to bounce back. That’s the heart and soul of this book - it will encourage you, if you are ready, to take on the challenge of Defying the Odds.

Tracey Lynn Roland

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to my mother, Earlene Scott-Johnson, who loved all eight of her children immensely, yet ruled with an iron fist. I also dedicate this book to my husband, Francis McMillon, and my children, Geremy L. Scott and Jayde B. Littles.

IN MEMORY

Earlene Scott Johnson

December 13, 1947 - June 13, 2009

Michael Lynn Roland

November 11, 1950 - May 22, 1970

James Edward Pearson

November 8, 1965 - October 28, 1990

John Eric Scott

May 5, 1976 - September 12, 1991

Gone too soon!

CONTENTS

Prologue

Dedication

In Memory

Foreword

About the Author

Acknowledgements

Highland Park 1942

I Am Poor

Blood Is Thicker

Becoming

Shattered!!!

Life Line

Living Large

Creating a Future

Epilogue

About the Book

Book Review

FOREWORD

I have known Tracey Roland since she was a young girl growing up in a public housing project in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was always smart and had good people skills, even at that young age. Tracey was one of my wife’s students and was frequently at our house. In fact, she would, from time to time, be asked to babysit our young daughter. I am particularly proud of Tracey because she did not allow herself to become trapped or victimized by her surroundings. She knew that education was her opportunity to move forward, creating a better life for herself and her family. Tracey always impressed me as a person who wanted more than a better life for herself; she wanted to be in the position of making extraordinary things happen for her as well as others. When faced with uncertain and turbulent circumstances, accepting the challenge required to make a positive change is difficult. While change is inevitable, it takes courage to move forward and not look back. It takes courage to embrace the notion that you have what it takes to chase your dreams and make them come true. It is especially challenging when you see very few of your friends talk about wanting out of the projects to have a better life for themselves and their families. When you know that