About the Author

Dr. Atlas Helaire, III is a native of Compton, California. He grew up in the 80s - the golden era when playing outside for hours was the norm. It was also the time when gang and drug activity ran rampant in his city. His home life was the x-factor that kept him from getting involved in many of the negative elements in his immediate environment. Being from the inner city gave Atlas a hunger and thirst to overcome the conditions that plagued his community. His faith in God, coupled with his determination to excel, has helped him to make achievements he once thought were distant dreams.

Being a husband and father of five beautiful daughters is his most important job. Atlas is also a minister, poet, author, realtor, and educator. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Chapman University. After teaching for 10 years in Compton Unified School District, he pursued his master’s in educational leadership from Argosy University. He went on to earn his doctorate from Pepperdine University.

Atlas moved his family from Compton, California to Charlotte, North Carolina to enjoy a slower pace of life. He loves reading and writing during his spare time. His favorite pastime is working in the yard and maintaining his grass. Above all, he believes his purpose in life is to encourage and uplift others.

The story behind the story

This autobiographical sketch started with the encouragement of a childhood friend after Atlas was promoted to superintendent at a Career and Technical Education school. There was no shortage of tragic and unfortunate stories from the neighborhood in which they grew up, so the recommendation was that Atlas write about overcoming the negative circumstances of an environment plagued with gang violence, rampant drug activity, and a subpar educational system. The result is an engaging story of how the author's life was shaped by the combination of his family dynamic, inner-city life, and his perception of what success is. His constant pursuit for perfection gave him some constructive lessons and great insights into what really matters. During his journey, he was able to reframe his understanding of what it truly means to achieve success. Atlas was able to put his life into perspective and reclaim his peace of mind.