The Donny G Story: Don't Quit!

Publisher Marketing: DONALD and GLENDA, had the American dream, but it came at a high price, as their gifted and bright 17-year-old son's spirit had become so broken that the only peace he could find would come from thoughts of suicide. Donald's namesake, or. . . "DONNY G" had lost his will to keep on going. This is his story as recounted by his mother and father. These events did not take place in the Jim Crow South of the 30s and 40s, nor the turbulent civil rights era of the 50s and 60s. These events occurred in the affluent Cleveland suburb of Eastlake in the past decade. The Paradox... After many years of hard work and determination, their persistence to get there family out of the ghetto was finally realized with the purchase of their Dream Home. In 1994, in an upscale Northern state, one would not believe that a real life "A Raisin in the Sun" could be lived out at this time, nor at this place . . . and yet it was. Glenda is a strong-willed, supportive spouse and protective mother. Donald Sr., a strong father and husband, who takes his role as provider, and protector to heart. It is through his voice that the story of "Donny G" unfolds. Donny G is the apple of his parents' eyes. A gifted student and all-around good kid, whose hopes of being more almost abruptly ended. His spirit severely broken by acts of racism, and brazen discrimination at the hand of educators nearly cost this family a God-given gift, their son. We expect teens to have misunderstandings and to test boundaries among themselves to establish rank; it is a part of growing up. However, the dynamics change when adults abuse their power, and undermine the trust parents place in a system, which gives them unlimited access to influence the minds of their children. Donny G. endures one heart-breaking episode after another until out of shear desperation concluded that his only out would be to end it all, to take his life. The shocking reality that this joyful, charismatic, outgoing son, whose bright future was all but assured, sets the family on a new course to fight the very institution and their pernicious, insidious racial discriminatory practices that were consistently ignored. Every conscientious parent invests in making sure their children are in a learning environment where they are intellectually challenged, and inspired to think and develop, but not at the expense of being crushed by those entrusted in academia. -Time after time, unconcealed racism on an institutional level (from educators) made it clear there was no place, nor interest in cultivating Donny G's talents . . . not even in sports. Despite being voted by his peers "Class" President, the teachers and administration found a loophole that stripped him of his Presidency, and made him share it with another individual. At some point, as in the poem, the dream imploded. Unlike the climate of the 50's when such unbridled bigotry was standard in cities throughout the South, where historically as a nation there was intense struggle in race relations. However, we are not referencing 40 years ago in the rural South. No, these actual events took place a few short years ago, in the late 1990s, in an urban community in the North.