We had the good fortune of connecting with Terry Preston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terry, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
I have many favorite quotes, but one that resonates with me is from Frank Seaphinin: “There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.”As a child I struggled with reading and with the help of my mom and a amazing Teacher Mrs. Henry I was placed in a fantastic reading program similar to Hooked on Phonics and improved my reading skills, but I truly believe I became an avid reader after reading Donald Goines novels. In retrospect, I can only laugh because his writing was extremely risque. Now, I am not advocating that we allow our children to read books that are inappropriate for their age, but I do believe that as parents or mentors, we should do everything we can to help our children find the perfect book that will change their perspective on reading.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

When I had to make the difficult decision to place my husband on Hospice care in 2009, my life was forever changed. No one can prepare you for this life-altering decision; what I didn’t realize was that God had a plan for me, but it was going to take a few different paths to get there.  So, after becoming dissatisfied with my life, I decided to pursue one of my lifelong ambitions of traveling the world in 2016. When a loved one dies, your perspective on life changes, and I realized I wanted to live a full and meaningful life. So I decided to relocate to the beautiful country of Nicaragua. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete my entire journey, but that was all part of the plan. Shortly after arriving back in the states I saw a job posting for a Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator and thought it would be a great fit for me based on my personal hospice experience as well as my previous hospice volunteer work and I got the job. As a Volunteer and Community Outreach Coordinator with Hospice, I am in charge of matching amazing volunteers with families who need a break from caregiving. As a former caregiver, the demands can be extremely stressful, leaving little time for yourself. Our volunteers are there to sow seeds of love and compassion into the lives of those facing an end-of-life illness.

But my story doesn’t end there; in 2019, we were all confronted with the uncertainties of what had previously been our normal way of life. For me, it was a matter of becoming acquainted with this new virtual life and adapting to sudden changes. I thought of ways that I could give back during this time and recalled seeing a Facebook post of a teacher who read bedtime stories every night to her students. I thought the Teachers’ idea was amazing and felt I would also be great at reading to children online, but in order to make this happen I first needed to get some children’s books.So, instead of receiving traditional birthday gifts,I decided to ask for  56 books for my 56 birthday from family and friends.The response was over the top amazing and by the end of my birthday month, I had collected over 200 books, and the spark of my true passion and new career as the founder of The Radikal Reader’s Clubhouse was birthed.

Children’s books with black and brown characters were nonexistent when I was a child. I wanted to highlight books that represented everyone in The Radikal Readers Clubhouse, so I sought out authors and illustrators who had created amazing diverse children’s books. Facebook became a useful tool for finding new authors with the help from groups such as Black Children’s Book week and Black Children’s Authors and Illustrators.

What I want the world to know is that many families, especially in rural areas, do not own a single book. This still amazes and saddens me.The mission of The Radikal Readers Clubhouse is to change this by providing books and reading resources to underserved communities. We want to ensure that every child can find their adventure by turning the pages of a book.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I usually gravitate to spots with live music, such as Sweet Georgia Juke Joint and City Winery, However I love a free outdoor concert and Atlanta is home to many. When I first moved to Georgia, one of the first places I went to see a live concert was Centennial Park, Usher was just a teen and the opening act for Gladys Knight at the time. For many years, I looked forward to Wind Down Wednesdays at Centennial Park and was one of the places I would take my family when they came to visit. I wish they would bring this free outdoor event back to the park because the energy from the people was always amazing. I am a city girl who enjoys the fact that Atlanta and its surrounding areas have some of the best live music in the country. In terms of restaurants, I enjoy trying foods from various cultures, like Desta’s Ethiopian restaurant and Ike’s Cafe and Grill authentic African cuisine and  for you Vegans I highly recommend Bar Vegan at Ponce City Market they have great food, cocktails and  vibe is contagious, and you can’t leave Atlanta without trying a Slutty Vegan burger.

Georgia is fantastic because there is always something interesting to do. There are numerous restaurants, clubs, theaters, parks, and museums. One of my very favorite museums is the Apex Museum, which is the oldest Black History museum in Atlanta. It’s a real hidden gem. I also recommend taking in a show at the stunning Fox Theater, which has incredible acoustics. Finally  if you love wine you can book one of the wine tours leaving from downtown Atlanta that will take you to the beautiful North Georgia wineries where you and your crew can visit some incredible local wineries, dine at some great German restaurants and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of driving.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to shout out to all of The Radikal Readers Clubhouse members and supporters, Longleaf Hospice and Palliative Care and Green Park Apartment Community who have been instrumental in supporting our mission of sowing seeds of love, literacy and compassion into our amazing communities.

Instagram: @theradikalreadersclubhouse

Facebook: The Radikal Readers Clubouse

Youtube: The Radikal Readers Clubhouse

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.