Ronnie Sidney, II spent several years in special education after being diagnosed with a learning disability. He kept is higher education goals in focus and ultimately earned his Master of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014 and became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Virginia in 2017. Sidney founded an expressive writing program for offenders called Creative Medicine: Healing Through Words. After a trial of this program at a local penitentiary, he expanded the program into an LLC with a mission is to holistically improve participants' lives through therapeutic writing and dialogue. Sidney has authored books like the best-selling Nelson Beats the Odds, Rest in Peace RaShawn and Tameka’s New Dress with a goal to boost confidence in children, promote reading and help them be socially aware. His amazing work has been featured on several television outlets including NPR, Fox and Friends and NBC.

As a mental health therapist how do you get to help people?R: I get to work with youth and their families on an outpatient basis. We develop goals and objectives to help them overcome their issues. I do therapy at a clinic and also the school setting. I live in a rural community and the youth live nearly 4o minutes away from the nearest counseling center. School based counseling makes it easier for youth and family to access services.

What is your idea behind founding “Creative Medicine: Healing Through Words”?R: While at Old Dominion University, I hosted an open mic called Etymology. During that period of time I was writing a lot of poetry and it helped me through some difficult times. While I was in my final year at VCU, I started a therapeutic writing group at the Northern Neck Regional Jail. My original goal was to turn it into a therapeutic writing program I could host at libraries, schools and prisons.

What inspired you to come up with the “Nelson Beats the Odds” book series?R: I spent seven years in special education and I wanted to inspire struggling students to overcome their challenges. My former special education teacher encouraged me to tell my story and I took it literally. I wanted to write the book I wish I had when I was in middle school. I didn't want to just limit the series to special education, so I included four other characters who go through various challenges young people face.

What challenges did you face during your school days? What needs to be changed in our education system to make it conducive to learning for students with disabilities?R: During school I had a number of behavioral and academic challenges. I was placed in special education and didn't realy understand what the service was for until I got to college and decided to research it. The stigma of being in special education was immense in middle school. During the first week of high school I was placed in a self-contained special education class. It was one of the most disheartening experiences I've ever had. During the same year, I had a pre-algebra teacher tell me I wasn't going to college. I had to learn how to advocate for myself to get placement in classes that prepared students for college.
Schools in Virginia are now more inclusive and that would be my biggest change. In Virginia we also have the I'm Determined program which empowers students to understand their disability and encourages them to advocate for themselves. Schools shouldn't throw a student away because they have a disability, find unique ways to personalize their educational experience.

What are your other hobbies?R: Writing has always been a hobby of mine. I enjoyed collecting sports cards growing up.

What is your favorite place to visit? What do you love about that place?R: One of my favorite places to visit was Brother George's book store on 35th street in Norfolk, VA. At the time I was thirsting for literature and knowledge on Black history. He had a plethora of books on the topic and during the weekend he would invite speakers to host lectures. It was also a great place to hang around and discuss politics, culture, religion and entrepreneurship. I tell people I learned more in the store than I learned In college. Sadly Brother George passed away five years ago.

What is your suggestion for families of children with disabilities to empower their children?R: My suggestion is to focus on your child's strengths and passions. I feel like schools focus so much on the deficits that it causes parents unnecessary anxiety. My shortcomings are only a small part of me, there is so much of me that you will miss if you only focus on what I struggle with.

What tips/advice do you have for those in our community who are interested in developing apps?R: My advice to those interested in developing apps is to nail down vision for your app. Next, find a developer who is open to your ideas and can offer suggestions to help enhance the process. I found my developer on upwork.com.

Any special message for our community?R: In 2020, their will be no more ceilings. When individuals can see their is no limit to their potential, it energizes them to push through adversity and grow.