Demetrius the Phoenix

If Demetrius Minor had a Spirit Animal, then it would undoubtedly be a Phoenix. This mythical bird, worshipper of the sun, lived an extraordinarily long life before being swallowed by flames and reduced to ash only to re-emerge as a new creation destined to live another 500 years. In spite of his young age, Demetrius has lived a hundred lifetimes in three decades and, adversity after adversity, he continues to rise, and he continues to choose kindness, strength, and optimism.

Demetrius was 29 when it was revealed to him that he was adopted. The story that unfolded about his mother and father set him on a course that challenged his reality, trajectory, and faith. His biological mother, Wanda, lived a hard life: in out and out rehab facilities, on and off the streets, in and out of jail. Nothing was certain for her, and nothing was safe. She knew she could not bring a child into the world she knew, so Wanda made the decision to bring her baby into a better life through another family.

In the late summer of 2014, Demetrius made the choice to meet Wanda. He traveled to a nursing home where she was being cared for after a catastrophic car accident. Paralyzed and unable to speak, Wanda communicated with her son with her eyes and, in a way only a mother can, with her heart. That was the only time Demetrius had with her as she passed away a few months later.

No one would fault him if he said he had been cheated; Wanda never saw him graduate high school or get married; he never took her on a tour of the White House; she never read any of the books he published. Demetrius did not see it that way, though. Instead, he chose to focus on being grateful for the things Wanda did for him - she gave him life and a better chance than she had. This young man stood in a proverbial pile of ashes and stretched his wings, a Phoenix ready to take flight and soar higher.

But an ember still smoldered among the dust and two weeks later, a flame whipped out of the pile and struck Demetrius - his Mom, Marcella Minor, died.

Demetrius's heart was broken. The woman who adopted and raised him, taught him how to tie his shoes and tell the truth, made him laugh, prayed for and with him, who gave him everything she could was gone.

It was Marcella who saved her son's poetry in a scrapbook and often encouraged him to publish it. It was Marcella who received the honor of dedication in Demetrius's first book of poems called Sunflower Seeds: Poetry in a Pandemic.

A raw emotional testimony to the depths of our country's political and cultural divide, the poems enveloped in Sunflower Seeds reveal facets of Demetrius's heart that speak to his courage and convictions. He wrestles with injustice, violence, and loss while holding onto hope with an iron grip. Readers are invited to explore their own hearts, particularly when it comes to anger and revenge; Demetrius challenges himself to be better and invites us to do the same. The Phoenix is said to have a beautiful and melodious song, and Demetrius has put words to it.

For Demetrius, work in the pro-life arena is not political, it's personal, and it goes well-beyond any discussion of birth and abortion. Perhaps it's because Wanda was a victim of the criminal justice system or maybe because Demetrius is an evangelical preacher or possibly he wants to dispel the stereotype African Americans are forced to live with every day - most likely it is all of the above and more - Demetrius works tirelessly for prison reform and the abolishment of the death penalty. He speaks, writes, and advocates for anyone who is knocked down by injustice.

As the Phoenix worships the sun, Demetrius worships the Son. His faith in Jesus is contagious. In fact, one night when the fire alarm blared through the corridors of his apartment building, he met a neighbor in the parking lot while waiting for the fire department to give them the green light to return to their homes, and two months later that neighbor was baptized by Demetrius himself!

To read Demetrius's words is to be invited into his heart. In his own words, from the poem A Bed of Roses:

"Avenging the hurt quickly became a motive

But the truth is I was in no position to inflict pain

Because even if I was granted the right

It would only replace my own guilt and shame"

How could someone not be inspired by this individual? How could anyone turn a blind eye to his convictions? Demetrius Minor is not perfect, but he is striving to become better with every hardship and pain. Can anyone say the same about us?