FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARCH 28, 2019 • KIDS & EDUCATION • THE QUEENS COURIER 39
kids & education
Queens-born author looks to help teens aff ord higher ed
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
A distinguished author from Far
Rockaway is raising funds to launch an
undergraduate scholarship for low-income
students of color.
Now residing in Los Angeles, Atiba
Rogers, 29, who self-published her fi rst
poetry book “Colossal Heart” in August
2017, is using proceeds from her book
sale to contribute to a still-in-the-works
scholarship fund for underrepresented,
low-income graduate students of color.
On March 23, Rogers attended the
annual Freedom Writers Women’s Expo
showcasing African American authors
at SQPA Beacon Community Center at
108-35 167th St. in Jamaica, where she
sold paperback copies of her book and
lapel pins.
“I sold six copies of my books that day
making $81.00 and I sold two pins also,”
said Rogers. “So far, the total that I have
towards the scholarship is $423.23 since
having the book signing event from the
funds raised there for the scholarship.”
In an interview with QNS last year,
Rogers said that “Colossal Heart” was
written on the train during her commutes
to class at StonyBrook University.
Rogers’ book of poems stemmed from
her personal experiences with love, lust,
loss and growth. It is broken into four
sections: bemoan, expressionist, exhibitionist
and lion with each part giving
voice to the memories of diff erent areas
of Rogers’ life.
With the fi rst anniversary approaching
on the publication of her book, Rogers
said she plans to return to New York City
— where most of her audience is concentrated
— to host a fundraising event for
the scholarship.
According to Rogers, she created the
scholarship due to the hardships she
endured while a student in school.
“When I was in journalism school I had
a very hard time coming from a low-income
background and being an immigrant
I couldn’t apply to certain things
because I only had a green card, and I
couldn’t apply to internships in Long
Island because you need a car in Long
Island,” said Rogers, who is now pursuing
a career in teaching.
Originally intended to assist low-income
journalism students of color, the
scholarship fund will be open to low-income
students of color pursuing other
career paths as well.
“If they need a stipend or something for
traveling, or if they need it to buy a laptop,
they can use it for whatever they need
because I wish I had probably like $2,000
to buy a car,” said Rogers. “I just want to
be that beacon of hope for students to let
them know that there’s someone else out
there who’s probably going through what
you’re going through or went through
and wants to help.”
Rogers plans to call the scholarship
the Roy Simon Rogers Foundation in
honor of her late father, who taught her
the importance of obtaining an education.
She would like to raise a minimum
of $2,000 to give to two students in need
of fi nancial assistance.
“I just want underrepresented students
from low-income backgrounds to be
off ered the equal opportunities to achieve
their goals,” said Rogers. “Creating this
scholarship in my father’s name is very
important because all he wanted for his
children was to ‘go to school and get an
education.’ To him education is our only
way out of poverty, but students also
need their fi nancial means met. Th is way,
young scholars can receive educational
support and have time to focus on pursuing
their passions.”
Photo taken by Shantel Isaac
Atiba Rogers
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