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MLS Inter Miami CF

Honoring Juneteenth: Inter Miami CF Goalkeeper Drake Callender Inspires Youth with his New Children's Book

June 19, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Inter Miami CF News Release


To commemorate Juneteenth, Inter Miami CF is proudly collaborating with standout goalkeeper Drake Callender in a meaningful community initiative that fully embodies our Club motto, "Freedom to Dream."

On Monday, Callender inspired elementary school students at the Foundation of Community Assistance & Leadership (FOCAL) program with a special book reading. Callender read from his very own children's book, which he co-wrote with former teammate DeAndre Yedlin, featuring illustrations by Aude Brisson. The children's book titled X Marks the Spot is centered around an African American boy named X and the importance of being mindful of yourself and your surroundings.

Drake engaged the young students with his reading, incorporating the importance of Juneteenth into his storytelling. As part of the activity, Drake and his wife Kyra toured the school, engaging with and answering questions from the group of children who eagerly interacted with them.

"This Juneteenth I had the opportunity to give back to the next generation. The importance of having a vision for the future is necessary for our growth as a community," said Drake. "With this in mind, I decided to do a book reading at Focal Community Center in Miami with local kids at their annual summer camp. The book of choice is a book that I co-authored with my best friend and ex-teammate DeAndre Yedlin and is called X Marks the Spot. It's the first book of the Mindfulness Expedition series that uses storytelling to encourage mindfulness practices. Our vision to help kids retain and develop their mindfulness skills would not be possible without our ancestors making the necessary sacrifices to gain independence and freedom. Juneteenth not only represents the struggles we went through but the resilience and strength our people had to fight for what was right."

FOCAL Miami's mission is to provide Educational, Vocational, and Social Services to individuals and families of predominantly low-income communities. Special emphasis is placed on youth to ensure that each child has an opportunity to reach a level of independence and normalization in order to become a productive citizen.

Keep an eye on Drake Callender's social media channels for updates on when the book will be released and where to get a copy.

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