"Life is all about making choices" (Road to Barrister: An Urban Monologue, page 61). Every day we wake up, we have a choice. We choose to get out of bed on the right side or the wrong side. We choose whether it will be a good day or bad. We choose whether we are going to be happy or not. Road to Barrister: An Urban Monologue (RTB) by Yusef Poole can help anyone identify those choices; now, this Discussion Book can help evaluate the consequences of those choices. Poole is one of very few guys in his neighborhood with whom he grew up who never sold drugs. Imagine the temptation he had to overcome . . . the pressure. So what made him different? Surprising to some, Poole describes himself as "no different from the next person". In his early years, he saw the world for what it is, he was able to discern the difference between good and evil, and he chose sensibly. His priorities included God, family, academics, and finally, law school. Along his journey, he kept his eyes open and realized some essential truths regarding his success, why he chose the way he did, and he came to understand some of the problems plaguing society. Poole puts transparency to the test by describing personal events-failures and successes-that led him to make wise choices. In RTB, he identifies choices and pitfalls, and provides a template, if you will, on how to make the right decisions in life. He provides a guide for others to achieve success. As students work through The Discussion Book, they have access to highly desirable and necessary real world skills such as: -Collaboration -Critical Thinking -Problem Solving -Creative Innovation -Communication They will discover in realistic terms, through someone else's eyes, that every cause has an effect. Ideally, they will see the hardship that comes along with addressing issues by trial-and-error, and come to understand true advantages of learning from the mistakes of others versus having to personally endure those mistakes.
About the Author: Yusef Poole, a native of New Haven, Connecticut, is the eldest of three children raised by a single mother in an environment where drug dealing ran rampant. Mr. Poole, however, sought a different route. As his refuge, Mr. Poole pursued his education with purpose. He graduated with a B.A. from Yale University in Sociology with a concentration in African Studies. He then went on to receive a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1999. During law school, he spent a semester abroad in Holland at the University of Leiden, studying coursework in European institutional law and private international law. He is currently licensed to practice law in Connecticut and Georgia. Poole now resides in Atlanta, Georgia and works as a Staff Attorney for Clayton County, Georgia government. Since a youth himself, Poole's passion has been working with young people to help them achieve their fullest potential. He has worked with several youth service organizations and now, tying in his faith with community involvement, is an active leader in the teen ministry of a local church. Attorney Poole appears on numerous websites and in articles, both online and in print. He appeared in the first issue of Rae's Teen Magazine in January 2010 on www.enoughentertainment.com. In April 2010, he was featured live on WTNH-Channel 8 on "Connecticut Style." Poole was the keynote commencement speaker at the 2010 graduation of Wilbur L. Cross High School. Poole was interviewed live in August 2010 on a new television show called "Stepping Out on Faith" on Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters, and was featured in the re-launch inaugural issue of "We Are Clayton" Magazine (October - December, 2010). In June 2011, he was honored with the 2011 Youth Advocacy Award by Youth Continuum, Inc., a Connecticut non-profit organization focused on eradicating youth homelessness. In October 2011, he was interviewed on the Sean Edward Morning Show on 1570 AM (Morrow), and was honored by Written Magazine and Hammonds House Museum as one of three Emerging Authors for 2011. Attorney Poole's first book, an inspirational memoir, is entitled Road to Barrister: An Urban Monologue.