The Ballad of Eques May

About the Book

I stumbled upon Mayisha Akbar for a newspaper story after her Jr. Posse riding outreach was just beginning to take off in the Compton, CA community. She insisted the kids who flocked to her corrals -- which actually spanned a number of neighborhood backyards -- do well in school or they wouldn’t be able to help tend her horses. Through May’s equestrian after-school activities the kids learned self esteem, teamwork and horse husbandry. The Compton Jr. Posse still lends their appearance to community parades, exhibits and always leaves observers begging the question: “Compton has horses?” Akbar’s motto is: “Keeping kids on horses and off the streets.” I just admired this woman so much, she had to be epitomized.

About the Author

Deborah Paul returned to school in the 1990s earning a journalism degree from Cal State University Dominguez Hills. After graduation, she was hired as a newspaper reporter for the South Bay Weekly section of the Los Angeles Times. Later, she was asked to come back to CSUDH to teach journalism and be advisor to the campus newspaper. Eventually she landed at Orange Coast Magazine as their Charitable Events editor and upon retirement, still contributes articles and columns to the Peninsula News on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Currently, she has self-published four-of-five children's books in her ballad series. Her fictional stories are inspired by real people she has interviewed or who have left an indelible mark on the quiet display of human kindness. She resides in Rancho Palos Verdes married to Jim, her husband of many adventures.