Rashaan Jermaine Canady grew up in the University section of the Bronx, New York. His love of bodegas was birthed by the kindness and community-focused nature of the owners who owned the bodega across the street from his apartment building. Rashaan's desire to properly represent Puerto Rican culture, past generations, and the history-rich aspects of the Bronx borough as a whole, inspired the story found among the pages of this book.After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country during multiple deployments to include peace keeping missions in Kosovo and combat operations in Iraq. For gallantry in combat, Staff Sergeant Canady was awarded the Silver Star Medal as well as the Purple Heart Medal after sustaining severe injuries in support of "Operation Iraqi Freedom."A proponent of higher education, Mr. Canady has enjoyed a diverse educational journey obtaining an associate degree in General Studies from Central Texas College, a bachelor's degree in Political Studies from Charlotte University, a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from American Military University and a Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW) from Kennesaw State University for which he was the recipient of the MAPW's exceptional engagement award among his cohort.A Horatio Alger Fellow, Rashaan currently devotes his time to mental health advocacy.