Drama High: Street Soldiers

L. DIVINE In April of 2001, L. Divine began work on her series of books for young adults appropriately titled Drama High. As a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District, L. Divine noticed a rapid decline of literacy among youth. Her motivation for writing for teenagers was to create material that would simply inspire them to read for pleasure. Drama High, the premiere African American young adult fiction series, takes the reader on the familiar roller coaster ride that everyone knows and experiences in high school. We follow the main character, Jayd Jackson, through her first-person experiences with friends, boys, enemies, teachers, and family. Although this series focuses on the life of Jayd Jackson, a young black girl from Compton, CA attending a predominantly white high school in the South Bay of Southern California, the premise and issues are universal. The books have caught on quickly. L. Divine has had excellent reviews in Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, Essence and Ebony magazines as well as several newspapers. The public has shown special interest in her series and it is swiftly growing in popularity. There are currently 15 volumes in publication, which debuted October, 2006. When not writing, L. Divine guest lectures and holds workshops for writers and young adults and provides individualized curriculum instruction through her organization, Empowered Readers Academy. She is also involved in community activities and serves as a writing expert on various panels. L. Divine served as a Visiting Scholar in the Center for the Study of Women at UCLA and continues to be an active member of academia, researching issues in African Diaspora and Women's Studies. An avid volunteer, L. Divine continues to serve communities who would not otherwise have access to the novels by donating her time and books to local schools and community programs focusing on African American teenagers. L. Divine has every intention of pursuing her goal: inspiring young people to read for pleasure. She already has plans for her second series, Drama U, which will focus on Jayd's college experience. L. Divine was raised in Compton, California and has lived all over Los Angeles, as well as in Jamaica, West Indies. She now resides in Atlanta with her daughter and son.