Philadelphia, Pennsylvania May 20, 2021 (Issuewire.com) - Transcending stereotypes through the foundation of sports and shared experiences is the core message of the new book by former college football student-athlete Bo-Dean Sanders in “Race Against…Against Race”, published by Morgan James Publishing, now available in bookstores and online.
In the book, Sanders writes of his personal journey tackling issues of race relations. “Race Against…Against Race” is built on his college football journey, but also his individual journey tackling issues of unconscious bias, social acceptance, race relations, and cultural identity, and the positive impact multiculturalism had on his relationships in college.
Through his book, Sanders is uniquely qualified to facilitate a candid and comprehensive conversation by using a “low hanging fruit” approach before tackling the “uncomfortable conversation,” with the goal to listen, educate, encourage, and inspire.
With his perspective on diversity and inclusion, Sanders shares his experiences as a young man growing up playing high school football in Jacksonville, Florida, then as a college student who left the comfort of Cheyney University, the oldest Historically Black College-University in America for an affluent, predominantly white school, Villanova University. There, Sanders faced financial problems, homelessness, and an uncertain future. He persevered in the face of adversity and continued reaching for the Black American dream.
Sanders made friends along the way, including several famous figures from sports and business. Throughout his journey, he navigated his way through his new and different environment after realizing that he and his fellow teammates didn’t fit into anyone’s stereotypes. Sanders reveals in his book that his white teammates and roommates at Villanova became family, and his college education on-and-off the field gave him the skills to build relationships with people of different races.
Sanders was born in 1965 in Jacksonville, where he and his three siblings were raised by their single mother. He learned his values by attending his grandmother’s Baptist church. Sanders began his love of sports while watching college football on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays.
In 1981–1982, Bo-Dean represented Jean Ribault High, his all-Black high school, as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) athlete of the year in football. He started his college football career in 1984 as a walk-on at Cheyney, then transferred to Villanova where he played football on a majority white team. In 1989, he earned his varsity letter and became the first male in his family to receive a four-year, Bachelor of Arts degree.
He’s currently a board member of the Delaware County (PA) Press Club, and in addition to his entrepreneurial and professional efforts, Sanders is currently engaged in a publicity campaign for the book. Since “Race Against…Against Race” was published in late December, Sanders has appeared on a score of podcasts and video interviews in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
“Race Against…Against Race” is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BAM! Books-a-Million, and Bookshop, among others. Additional information is available through Sanders’ website, https://bo-deansanders.com/.
Sanders is represented by Jim DeLorenzo of Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations for interviews and public speaking engagements.
Media Contact
Jim DeLorenzo Public Relations jim@jhdenterprises.com (215) 266-5943
