Black History Month: Past, Present & Future
Welcome to Rise Urban Nation with host Taryell Simmons. In this dynamic episode, educator, author, and community leader Ronald Preston Clark joins the conversation to discuss expanding education beyond school walls. Together, they explore Clark creative evolution, independent literary publishing, and his transformative mentorship organization, Club FBS.
Clark explains how transitioning away from a single school building allowed him to impact youth across the broader community.
The creative journey of developing Nadir St. James in Black Bliss Volume One enabled uninhibited, authentic storytelling around Black masculinity and healing.
Clark details why directing readers to buy books from author websites preserves royalties and fosters direct relationships with supporters.
The growth of Club FBS into an impactful program combines literature, financial literacy, and sneaker incentives at the University of San Diego.
Clark shares his Split in Half philosophy, ensuring youth learn vital cultural and life lessons years earlier than previous generations.
Alternative Education Pathways: Redefining educator roles beyond conventional classroom settings to build autonomous community programs.
Literary Craft Evolution: Transitioning from young adult literature to mature, layered narratives depicting vulnerability and adult Black manhood.
Independent Author Economics: Maximizing creative revenue by leveraging direct sales platforms and professional editorial teams.
Culturally Centered Mentorship: Equipping young Black men with financial literacy, historical awareness, and curated literature through Club FBS.
Mastery Before Marketing: Developing profound excellence and patience in professional craft rather than seeking instant recognition.
Prioritize mastery of your craft so that opportunities, grants, and partnerships seek out your expertise organically.
Direct your audience to purchase independent products through owned platforms to ensure sustainable creative income.
Teach essential life, financial, and historical lessons to young people as early as possible to accelerate their personal development.
Surround creative and entrepreneurial ventures with skilled collaborators and trusted advisors to ensure top-tier execution.
Ronald Preston Clark is an author, educator, and community builder based in San Diego, California. He is the author of the award-winning novel Vinny and the novella collection Black Bliss Volume One, as well as the founder of the youth mentorship organization Club FBS. Discover his literary work at https://rprestonclark.com and support his mentorship programs at https://clubfbs.com.
Taryell Simmons: Welcome back to Rise Urban Nation, where we unite, uplift, and ignite stories of Black entrepreneurs, creatives, and community builders. What if your calling in education did not require you to work inside a single school building? What if your classroom was culture, your curriculum was literature, and your impact extended beyond the bell schedule? Today guest has done exactly that. He is an author, educator, cultural storyteller, and founder of a mentorship movement for young Black men. His latest work, Black Bliss Volume One, is bold, raw, layered, and necessary. Welcome back to the show, Ronald Preston Clark.
Ronald Preston Clark: Glad to be back, brother. That was an awesome introduction; I might have to steal a couple of those bars you dropped.
Taryell Simmons: You give me all the ammo I need. You have been my brother from day one, even before Rise San Diego leadership cohort. Walk us through your career. What was your early journey in education like, and what is it now?
Ronald Preston Clark: Once I realized that being a teacher is just one job under the title of educator, I saw that I could educate in multiple spaces outside traditional school walls. I fell into education after moving back to San Diego from New Jersey while pursuing screenwriting at UCLA. I worked multiple jobs, including as a classroom assistant at the Charter School of San Diego. I fell in love with the students. The best educators teach from love. I worked at Mountain View Christian Academy and Gompers Preparatory Academy, where I stepped in to teach eighth grade. Later, I spent three pivotal years teaching at Urban Prep Academy for Young Men in Chicago, which shaped me into the educator I am today. After returning to San Diego as a Dean of Students, the position was dissolved mid-year. That challenge pushed me to launch Club FBS, supported by our first grant from the San Diego Foundation and Pamela Gray-Payton, alongside joining the Black InGenius Initiative at the University of San Diego.
Taryell Simmons: Let us talk about your book, Black Bliss Volume One. It explores friendships, masculinity, vulnerability, trauma, vices, and identity. What compelled you to write these raw, adult stories?
Ronald Preston Clark: In 2021, I signed with a literary agent who read the last ten pages of my first novel, Vinny. I initially wrote a sequel, but my agent noted it read more like a treatise than a novel. Seven years had passed since Vinny, and I wanted to put fresh work in readers hands. I structured Black Bliss Volume One as two novellas. The first novella, 21, A Love Letter, revisits the characters from Vinny as young adults. The second novella features a new character, Nadir St. James, following a 31-year-old Black man navigating life after a toxic relationship. Writing Nadir allowed me to write without inhibition, embracing adult themes, humor, and complex realities of Black manhood.
Taryell Simmons: Was there any fear regarding how these narratives would be received, or challenges you faced as a Black male writer telling emotionally complex stories?
Ronald Preston Clark: There is always fear when stepping outside the clean-cut parameters people associate with you. But people who know me intimately understand my complexity. Putting the Vinny story first gave readers a familiar foundation before introducing the more mature voice of Nadir St. James. It reflects my growth as a writer and storyteller.
Taryell Simmons: What advice would you give to independent authors regarding publishing and marketing?
Ronald Preston Clark: I publish using Kindle Direct Publishing on Amazon because uploading is accessible, but I direct buyers to my own website. Amazon takes a large percentage of royalties, whereas selling directly allows authors to retain profits and offer personalized, signed copies. Furthermore, invest in top-tier editing. For Vinny, I used a proofreader, story editor, and emotion editors to map the reader experience. For Black Bliss, Cheryl Carr provided editorial oversight. Excellence in production ensures readers respect your work.
Taryell Simmons: How does having a literary agent impact your goals for screen adaptations?
Ronald Preston Clark: Agents help navigate traditional publishing houses and film options. Having spent years in screenwriting in Los Angeles, my ultimate goal is adapting my books into limited television series consisting of seven to ten episodes. A limited series provides the necessary runtime to honor the depth of the characters and narrative without rushing the plot.
Taryell Simmons: Tell us about Club FBS and why you focus on sixth through twelfth-grade Black young men.
Ronald Preston Clark: Club FBS stands for Finances, Books, and Sneakers. It is my heart in organizational form. We provide culturally relevant literature, mentorship, and financial literacy. Bringing my brother-in-law, Brandon Johnson, onboard expanded our curriculum to include financial literacy. We host sessions on Saturdays at the University of San Diego, creating a safe, rigorous space where young men learn Black history, financial principles, and critical thinking. If a student stays with us from sixth to twelfth grade, he reads at least 55 books by Black authors.
Taryell Simmons: What should entrepreneurs, educators, and creators understand about building outside traditional systems?
Ronald Preston Clark: Focus on being exceptionally good at your craft before chasing marketing or accolades. Skills must justify the opportunities you seek. Career growth requires patience, continuous practice, and dedication. Strive to be so distinct and skilled in your work that your contribution cannot be easily replicated.
Taryell Simmons: Where can listeners find your books and support Club FBS?
Ronald Preston Clark: You can purchase books directly at https://rprestonclark.com. To learn more, donate, or get involved with our mentorship work, visit https://clubfbs.com and follow @ClubFBS on social media.
Taryell Simmons: Thank you, Ronald. Keep shaping narratives and uplifting our community. Peace.
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