Dr. Tamecca Rogers Bio
Dr. Tamecca Rogers holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a Master’s in Business Administration, and a Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Dr. Rogers served five years as a hospital corpsman in the United States Navy and a combined six years as a high school instructor and college enrollment counselor. She has also held adjunct professor positions at multiple postsecondary institutions. She has worked at Tulsa Technology Center since 2010 and currently holds the position of the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is the proud mom of Ian, Chazen, and Keith, and lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma with her family.
Dr. Rogers has written several stories with her ten-year-old son, Keith, including Now You’re It: Journaling to Perseverance, which celebrates the achievements of 35 groundbreaking people of color from the past and present. She also wrote Daddy, Can I Decide?, a picture book about allowing every child to determine their own future, and Mommy May I Be Me?, a story that creates awareness of how young minds develop while encouraging parents to be more open-minded and accepting of their children’s sound decisions. She also wrote the children’s book Girls Can Be Anything with her eight-year-old cousin London Love. The book looks at the lives of four little girls on Inauguration Day and their reaction to Kamala Harris’ achievement in becoming the first black woman vice president of the United States. Finally, Cornrows: My Hair, My Roots, is a children’s book that details the cultural and historical significance of cornrows and locks in modern American culture.
Dr. Tamecca Rogers & co-author Keith Ross
What inspired you to start writing and become a published Author?
As a child, I would always write in diary’s and journals. It just made me feel good. As, I became an adult, I stopped writing, for fun. I became busy with work, school, and taking care of my children. As the world was turned upside down with the pandemic, my everyday life changed. I started journaling again as a stress reliver mechanism. I worked from home and my youngest son had to go to school from home. So, we were literally together 24/7. I had to realize, my son was going through his emotional struggles, as well. He is a social person. He loves his friends and his teachers. I encouraged him to write or draw about his feelings and we discussed it whenever he was ready to talk about it.
While at home, I feel as if we went through so much trauma. As a Black mom of three sons, I have already had “the talk” with my boys. However, with my youngest son, I just touched the surface of the hurtful topic. As mothers, we try to protect their innocence for as long as we can, but unfortunately, with the world we live in, we are forced to have that talk, sooner, rather than later. During our time at home together, I had to talk to him about Ahmaud Arbery getting gunned down while jogging unarmed in a neighborhood and not less than a week later, I had to talk to him about George Floyd, while we watch as he was murdered, laying on the ground, begging police for his life, struggling to breathe, handcuffed, with a knee on his neck, blocking his carotid artery. George used his last breaths to call out for his momma. These situations that continues to happen is exhausting to say the least. And as a parent, I was struggling with having these conversations with my 9-year-old.
To make a long story short, I felt if I was struggling with these sorts of conversations and topics, other parents and caregivers could be struggling with the same thing. Therefore, environmental situations, raw feelings, and parenting inspired me to write books, articles, and blogs that would help both children and adults. The books are thought provoking, uplifting, and encourage conversations about racism.
Can you tell us a little about your book(s) and where our readers can find out more about them and you?
I have co-authored 5 books with my ten-year-old, son, Keith Ross. He made sure we had some bilingual books. He said, “Mom, it would make my Spanish speaking friends in my class so happy, to see Spanish words too.” Our bilingual books are Daddy, Can I Decide?, a picture book about allowing every child to determine their own future, Mommy May I Be Me?, a story that creates awareness of how young minds develop while encouraging parents to be more open-minded and accepting of their children’s sound decisions, and Cornrows: My Hair, My Roots, is a children’s book that details the cultural and historical significance of cornrows and locks in modern American culture. Keith has also co-authored, Now You’re It: Journaling to Perseverance, which celebrates the achievements of 35 groundbreaking people of color from the past and present. Additionally, I wrote the children’s book Girls Can Be Anything with my eight-year-old cousin London Love. The book looks at the lives of four little girls on Inauguration Day and their reaction to Kamala Harris’ achievement in becoming the first black woman vice president of the United States.
All of my books are available on Amazon.
Dr. Tamecca Rogers recently you and your son Keith Ross was featured in TulsaKids Magazine. Can you tell about that experience for you and your son?
I absolutely enjoyed doing the interview with TulsaKids. It felt good telling my story because I know, my story is a shared story by so many Black moms. TulsaKids allowed me to be my authentic self, without judgement, and I love them for that.
Keith Ross loved it for other reasons. LOL He loved that his picture was on the cover and that he was recognized at his school by his principal, teachers, and friends. He enjoyed going to different places and looking in the magazine rack to see himself on the front cover of the magazine. I definitely love his reaction.
I absolutely love how you write books to bring awareness and educate the readers. What is the reason you and your son started writing books that will help bring awareness and educate those who read your books?
I think I pretty much answered that question in a previous question. However, I would like to add that while Keith was doing school at home, for the last year or so, we noticed that there were hardly any children books that had black and brown people in them, and especially not as the main characters. I attempted to order some, but a lot of them were sold out. So, I figured it is very important for children to see themselves represented in a positive light in books and in media. I decided Keith and I will do our part. We have started and so far, we have enjoyed the journey.
What has been your most significant achievement as a writer thus far? Where do you see yourself as an Author in the next five years?
I feel that my most significant achievement as a writer has been the extra intentional time I have spent with my son and the purposeful discussions we have. In the age of Fortnite and other video games, it’s hard to compete for time.
In five years from now, I hope we land on the New York Best Seller list.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers who would like to become an Author in the future?
I would say, just write. Write about what you are passionate about, gather your ideas and write….and always be authentically, you.
Where can your books be purchased?
All of my books can be purchased on Amazon at:
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Tamecca-Rogers/e/B08NLRQFYK?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1621458936&sr=8-1
Do you have any upcoming books to be released?
Yes, right now, I am in the illustration phases of a children’s book titled, Who Said You Can Touch My Hair?Who Said You Can Touch My Hair? is a funny story about how a Black girl feels when other people try to touch her hair. While sometimes it is stressful for her, she opts for a humorous approach to teach others why it is not okay to touch a Black girl’s hair and how compliments can be insulting. This story enlightens and educates many kids and adults about how to respect and include.
Additionally, I am working on a Black Wall Street series, that will include ten books that highlights the people of Black Wall Street in 1921. This story has been untold in homes and our educational system. This story is a huge part of Oklahoma and American History and Keith and I will do our part in getting the story out.
Dr. Tamecca Rogers, tell the audience about your position as Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Equality for Tulsa Technology Center.
In my current position as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Equality for Tulsa Tech, I advance and sustain the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the District. I assist in developing and executing a cohesive plan to align and integrate a range of new and existing initiatives, policies, systems, and procedures that will foster an inclusive District climate to ensure that all staff and students have the opportunities to be successful.
You are the Founder of Inspire Publishing LLC, what is the main purpose of starting your own publishing company?
The main purpose in starting my own publishing company, was to show my son how to set up a business. Creating a business and establishing your own LLC, is a skill set that is not taught in schools. I want to give my son the tools (knowledge) to become successful in whatever he decides to do with his future. In order to provide him with that, he has to know his options.
The other reason in starting my own publishing company, is not waiting for a door to open for us. Meaning, sometimes to get your books published, by a publishing company, it could be a long drawn out process. By creating our own publishing company, we gave our own selves the door, and walked through it by self-publishing our own books.
I have read a lot of great things about you Dr. Tamecca Rogers. You are a very inspirational business woman who motivate others to exercise and live a healthy lifestyle. As a Session Facilitator with Better Fitness & Training what services do you offer clients?
I don’t offer services per se. I lead online workout classes and share my personal experiences for motivation and inspiration. I am authentic about my journey and lifestyle. Meaning, sometimes I don’t do everything perfectly but I inspire to be and get BETTER each day. The healthy lifestyle is a journey that many of us are not use to. Therefore, we have to change our mindset and many times, unlearn, what we have thought was true our entire lives. In turn, that’s a process that doesn’t happen overnight; so, we have to fight for our health but at the same time, we have to give our selves grace and the love that we so easily give others.
What are some inspirational words you would leave with our readers?
Always be authentically, you.
Dr. Tamecca Rogers and her son co-author Keith Ross
Dr. Tamecca Rogers praying with her three sons
