About
Jahmal Cole is an author and community activist. "Hip-hop music artist like Nas, and authors like Claude Brown, inpsired me to dream bigger than my surroundings." I'm an echo of inner-city altruism that's been camouflaged by depriciation and bandannas.
EDUCATION
Actively involved in education, Cole holds a Bachelors degree in Corporate Communications/Public Relations from Wayne State College. He received a Masters degree in Internet Branding/Marketing from Full Sail University.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
A native of Waukegan, IL, Jahmal Cole has shown a commitment to youth and community. Cole has raised over $5,000 for the Red-Cross Victim-Relief Fund. CIn 2003, Cole founded Role Model Movement, an organization of three authors and two civic leaders who are committed to developing leadership in underserved youth.
Children's Research Triangle: Associates Board
Children's Home + Aid: Associates Board
Illinois Education Foundation: Mentor
UCAN: Volunteer
Greater Chatham Alliance: Member
Story Behind The Book
Often without options, inner-city youth escape the realities of a bleak future on the basketball court or by listening to hip-hop music. They accept where they’re at because that’s the only place they’ve ever been. But Jahmal Cole dared to dream for more. Hustling and grinding his way, Cole defied the odds and left the inner-city streets of Chicago to pursue college, a basketball career, and his love for writing rhymes that spoke of real life emotions and challenges. Athletes and Emcees is a compilation of the lessons he learned and how he used his two favorite pastimes to further his education and break the cycle of poverty and hopelessness which plague many of today’s urban teens.
Reviews
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Jahmal
Cole is a spirited, hilarious, and charming writer. He has a knack for creating
memorable turns of phrase, and there is something improvisational and informal
about his prose style that really appealed to me. I liked the fact that he
solicited quotes from ordinary people to print on the back cover and when I
took a minute to visit his website, I found that it looked quite professional.
I saw immediately that where marketing is concerned, the author is both
ambitious and enterprising, two qualities that will stand him in good stead as
he pursues a wider readership. </span></p><p></p>
<p align="right" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;"><strong><em><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Writer’s Digest</span></em></strong><em><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></span></em></p><p></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></span></p><br /><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></span></p><br /><p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">From
my initial meeting of Jahmal until today I have been nothing less than
impressed with this extraordinary young man. His vision, determination, and
positive attitude are rare these days among young people, and it’s especially
refreshing to see such traits come from someone with a challenging upbringing
such as Jahmal. I have forwarded his book <em>Athletes
& Emcees</em> on to my younger siblings and some of my peers, as well, as a
testament to determination, and as he puts it, “to hustle or grind” no matter
the circumstance. Without arrogance, flash, or attitude, this young man has
achieved amazing accomplishments and will only continue to do so. He will truly
be an asset wherever he may end up. </span></p><p></p>
<p align="right" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;"><strong><em><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Chicago Sun-Times</span></em></strong><em><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></span></em></p><p></p>
<p align="right" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Rory
Foster/Advertising Director</span></p><p></p>
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