This interview was in the Holiday Issue of A Distinctive Style eMagazine

Antwone Quenton Fishers life story played out on the silver screen in 2002 in the self-titled movie “Antwone Fisher” and in the New York Times best seller “Finding Fish.”  Last month we had a chance to speak with Antwone about his journey from abuse to his current day success as an author, screenwriter and family man.

Beginnings

Born to a teenage mother in an Ohio State prison, Antwone Fisher immediately became ward of state. He never knew his father and found out years later that his father was murdered in the prime of his life. After spending the first couple of years of his life with a loving foster-family, Antwone was transferred to a new foster family, the Pickett’s. The Pickett’s appeared to be well-to-do community people but the fact is their home would create a nightmarish existence for Antwone for years to come.

Unwanted

Day after day Antwone suffered new levels of cruelty and humiliation in the Pickett’s household, where three other foster children were also living. Mrs. Pickett had her favorite amongst them and would make certain that the others felt unwanted. One example of her cruel behavior stands out in Antwone’s memory when he was about 4 years old. It was Christmas time and there were many gifts piled under the tree but like previous years there were no gifts tagged with his name. Antwone had learned how to lick his wounds and continue on though, and found other things to do to distract himself from the neglect. Caseworkers made several notes about Antwone’s behavior in his case file, several of these are detailed in Finding Fish, but the Pickett’s were never investigated.

Invisible

By the time Antwone turned 17 he had decided he could no longer tolerate the abuse, and was living on the streets of Cleveland. When I asked Antwone about his experience as a homeless teen he told me “I saw everyone and everything, but no one saw me, no one noticed me… people can’t believe that a young boy could be homeless…it’s easier to look away.” Antwone used writing, mainly poetry, as a means of escape from his harsh reality. Years later he would go on to publish a best selling book titled “Who Will Cry For The Little Boy?” a collection of poems including poems he had written during a short stay at an orphanage.

Antwone’s life on the streets came to an end when he enlisted in the Navy. This gave him an escape from homelessness and an opportunity to explore new places for the next 11 years. During that time Antwone met Commander Williams. Williams, a Navy Psychiatrist, was helping Antwone through some emotional difficulties. Williams quickly came to know how and why the troubled young man ended up in the Navy. During one session with Commander Williams suggested to Antwone the idea of searching for the family he never knew.

Piecing a life together

Antwone took Commander William’s advice and began searching for his family with only one piece of the puzzle – his birth fathers name, Edward Elkins. He ordered an Ohio phone book that turned out to have hundreds of Elkins listed, but as if guided by ancestors that had long since passed away, Antwone picked one number from that list and dialed it. A woman by the name of Annette Elkins answered. She turned out to be his fathers younger sister, and of course, Antwone’s Aunt. Within a few months of that miraculous phone call Antwone met many new family members, including his mother Eva Mae.

A Story to Tell

A short time after Antwone completed his service in the Navy he found a job as a security guard at Sony studios in Hollywood. It was during this time that his passion for writing allowed him to complete his first screenplay for the Antwone Fisher movie. Through a strange twist of events the script landed in the hands of Academy Award winning actor, Denzel Washington. Denzel already knew Antwone as the security guard at Sony, but what he didn’t know was the script was Antwone’s personal story. Denzel would not only play the part of the Navy Psychiatrist, but the Antwone Fisher movie became Denzel’s directorial debut.

New Works

Antwone has just completed the script for Training Day 2 and written a new book due out in 2009 titled “A Boy Should Know how To Tie a Tie” inspired by Reverend Pickett. Antwone told me “He (Rev. Pickett) would always wear a tie and I would try to see how he tied it but I never did learn how to do that.”  The book will serve as a guide for fatherless young men to learn basic skills a father would teach his son.  Antwone’s poetry will also be published in a soon to be released book by award winning poet, professor and activist Nicky Giovanni. Antwone continues his work as an advocate for abused and neglected children and has given numerous speeches at events focusing on child protection.

A Successful Man

When I asked Antwone about his successes which include receiving the NAACP Image Award in 2003, and a nomination from the Writers Guild of America in 2002, he humbly told me “they are just awards, I set them on my mantle piece and sometimes I feel like it’s not even my name on the name plate.” He went on to tell me that he believes his bigger purpose is helping children and teens that have experienced abuse. Antwone also touched a little on the things that held him together when he was at the lowest point in his life… “I imaged myself loved, I imagined myself as somebody.” He went on tell us “I use to see families together and I dreamed of having a family of my own someday.”

That dream has come to fruition and has quite possibly given Antwone his greatest sense of purpose and belonging…his own family, a wife of ten years, LaNette, and two daughters.

Who Will Cry for the Little Boy?”
by Antwone Fischer

“Who will cry for the little boy, lost and all alone?
Who will cry for the little boy, abandoned without his own?
Who will cry for the little boy? He cried himself to sleep.
Who will cry for the little boy? He never had for keeps.
Who will cry for the little boy? He walked the burning sand.
Who will cry for the little boy? The boy inside the man.
Who will cry for the little boy? Who knows well hurt and pain.
Who will cry for the little boy? He died and died again.
Who will cry for the little boy? A good boy he tried to be.
Who will cry for the little boy, who cries inside of me?”

To read more about Antwone Fisher, or to purchase his books or find out about speaking engagements please visit www.antwonefisher.net