Description
Growing up in the crime-ridden streets of Los Angeles’ South Central, Darrell Gartrell could easily have become just another statistic. But a backpacking journey across Europe changed his fortunes forever. Eventually, he landed in Osaka. There, he became the first African-American to teach English focused primarily on urban culture. His academy, called Wisdom21, was an instant hit. But doing business in Japan was to come at a heavy price, and Darrell’s unlikely success meant that he attracted, not only the upper echelons of polite society, but of the feared ‘yakuza’ (Japanese mafia) as well. Darrell shares his experiences here, in 21 Years of Wisdom – One Man’s Extraordinary Odyssey in Japan. His story is a poignant African-American biography and penetrating Japan travel memoir; chronicling a fight for survival in a strange land; paving the way for those in search of wisdom-in the 21st century. Darrell Gartrell was born and raised in Los Angeles’s South-Central area. Following the death of his father to cancer, he and his 4 sisters were raised by their mother who steered him away from the pitfalls that befell many of his peers. He struggled to finish a BS degree in finance at CSULA, while working nights at the Federal Reserve Bank. Darrell’s life was changed forever after a chance meeting which led to a backpacking expedition across Europe and then later to Japan. There, he became the first African-American to teach English with an urban focus. Patronized by the upper echelons of Japanese society, he drew the attention of the ‘yakuza’ or mafia as well. He shares his heart-felt story – the journey to opening a countrywide network of language academies – in his memoir, 21 Years of Wisdom – One Man’s Extraordinary Odyssey in Japan. He is currently working on the followup to the story, “My American Homecoming”, which describes the hardships of integrating back into American society after two decades abroad. Scheduled release date in July 2021. Aside from writing, Darrell’s interests include travel, foreign languages, enjoying all kinds of music, watching NBA basketball and exercising. He reads as much as he can and enjoys spending time with his lovely young daughter. Today, Darrell lives in Savannah, Georgia and is collaborating on a screenplay of his first book. You can contact or follow Darrell at the following: Email: corp_pro@hotmail.com Personal Blog – www.darrellgartrell.com (being upgraded) Or hook up through Facebook, Linkedin,Twitter or Instagram
