About The Author
Almease L. Byrd, MSW, PPSC
Born in Inglewood, CA, Almease grew up in a large, lively family, where it was often difficult to be heard or seen. Her childhood and young adulthood were blighted by more than a few traumatic experiences, including abuse, divorce, and cancer. With pillars of support from her husband, children, parents, a village of family and friends, and distinguished teachers, she survived it all. Since then, Almease has made a lifelong commitment to empowering others, especially children, to foster safe and healthy ways of living. Her calling to help meet the needs of children and families, revolutionize schools’ culture and climate and advocate for oppressed, distressed groups is more prominent than ever before.
Almease is a school social worker in South Los Angeles and has abetted to promote student empowerment and create safe schools for the past 13 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology, a master’s degree in social work, and a Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the University of Southern California. Her ultimate desire is to create possibilities for children to internalize their strengths, raise their efficacy, develop nurturing relationships, and exclaim their right to safe and inclusive spaces.
In her first, but not final, illustrated children’s book, Be Safe and Mighty, Almease writes simple, concrete meanings of how to be safe across various personal and environmental milieus. The content is designed to probe discussions with early learners about thoughts, feelings, and skills essential for embracing pro-safe choices. The colorful, animated illustrations are intended for readers to make connections, inferences, and give feedback based on their ideas and prior knowledge.
As a school social worker, former adjunct lecturer, foster family agency supervisor, consultant, and community mental health clinician, Almease has serviced hundreds of children and families using evidence-based, culturally informed practices. She has designed projects, programs, and frameworks to widen the capacity for children’s safety, social well-being, and emotional intelligence. Almease is undoubtedly committed to the advancement of a just, liberated society where children know how to put safety first!
Almease continues to reside in Inglewood, CA with her devoted husband and three children, aged 21 (away in college), 12, and 1. Her interests include education policy and reform, public speaking, writing, traveling, teaching, cooking, and celebrating differences.
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
– James Baldwin