Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you; But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV)
DEFYING MASSIVE ODDS
‘LOOK AT ME NOW…HEYYYYY’ — A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Dee “lilD” Porter is the mastermind behind the book entitled, “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed,” which is a nearly a month removed from its ceremonious release.
DUNCANVILLE, Texas — Dee Porter wasted little time Tuesday morning taking to the airwaves, where she informed her hundreds of thousands of listeners of an awe-inspiring development that, years ago, seemed virtually improbable.
But God…
“I always said that what I went through would make a dope movie, and when one of my friends wrote a book, she really encouraged me to do the same,” Porter, during a recent exclusive interview with Making Headline News, explained, recalling the turbulent, tear-jerking, seemingly insurmountable events that led to her composing her first book. “I toyed with the idea in 2017, and finally got serious in 2018.”
And so it came to pass, the much-anticipated written work by Porter, the ever-so-popular midday disc jockey for Dallas/Fort Worth’s 97.9 The Beat.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Porter is the mastermind behind the book entitled, “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed,” which is a nearly a month removed from its ceremonious release.
A book that is comprised of 88 pages, Porter’s “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” is foreword by Charlamagne Tha God, the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club With DJ Envy and Angela Yee.
A book signing for Porter’s book is scheduled for October 10 from 7-9 p.m. at Pan-African Connection Bookstore Art Gallery and Resource Center in Dallas, located at 4466 South Marsalis Avenue.
A second book signing will take place October 12 from 3-5 p.m. at Dock Bookshop, located at 6637 Meadowbrook Drive in Fort Worth.
From there, Porter will engage in a nationwide book tour that will commence in Shreveport, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, and Cincinnati.
Other cities will be added at dates and times to be announced, Porter said.
A book that is comprised of 88 pages, Porter’s “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” is foreword by Charlamagne Tha God, the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club With DJ Envy and Angela Yee.
A book Porter needed just shy of a year to complete — “I began writing it in January 2018 and finished it in December 2018,” she said — “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” is deemed a “diary,” of sorts, one that depicts the life of a homeless radio superstar in the making, according to a detailed synopsis of this book at Amazon.com.
Widely known as “lilD,” Porter was once a part-time employee for a Cleveland, Ohio-area radio station — she worked one day a week for $13 an hour — yet she couldn’t afford pay rent and was ultimately evicted from her residence. Consequently, she was forced to move into a motel and often had to settle for staking out in her car when she couldn’t afford a room.
A book Porter needed just shy of a year to complete — “I began writing it in January 2018 and finished it in December 2018,” she said — “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” is deemed a “diary,” of sorts, one that depicts the life of a homeless radio superstar in the making, according to a detailed synopsis of this book at Amazon.com.
Still clinging to massive dreams of ultimately landing a huge break in this ever-so-competitive radio industry, Porter essentially was faced with two options: return to her native establishment of Shreveport and hit the figurative reset button. Or strategically devise ways to conquer homelessness.
As far as she was concerned, the latter undoubtedly was her only recourse.
That’s because instead of returning to Louisiana, Porter sensed it would be in her interest to stay in Ohio and chase her dreams. Even it meant staking out in a motel or often using the back seat of vehicle as a sofa and mattress.
“If you want something, no matter how unattainable it may seem to other people, if you’re willing to sacrifice for it, your gifts will make room for you. Stay focused.”— 97.9 The Beat Disc Jockey Dee ‘lilD” Porter
To her credit, that’s just what she did.
For her valiant efforts, coupled with some proverbial bend-but-don’t-break faith, this vibrant, brilliantly gifted radio personality had eventually captured the favorable results she so desperately sought.
“I know my purpose is to help others realize their worth earlier in life than I did, and this book is part of my purpose by showing people that there’s beauty in the struggle,” said Porter, adding that at least two more books are on the horizon (“I don’t give away the titles, but they’re both autobiographical,” she acknowledged).
“You will make it through. The universe makes a way for those who align their thoughts and actions to their goal. I’m proof of that.”
Still clinging to massive dreams of ultimately landing a huge break in this ever-so-competitive radio industry, Porter essentially was faced with two options: return to her native establishment of Shreveport and hit the figurative reset button. Or strategically devise ways to conquer homelessness.
As expected, the feedback since the October 10 release of “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” has been overwhelmingly favorable.
“The select people who have read it told me they couldn’t put it down,” Porter said. “Some cried, and overall, they all said they appreciate my transparency.”
As Porter explained, exemplifying transparency, by all accounts, was a foregone conclusion, particularly when she had fully grasped the vision to assemble her book.
“A few people asked why I chose to be so open about the things I’ve been through,” she said. “For me, I’m strong enough to have dealt with it, so I share in an effort to help others deal with their struggles.
SEASON OF THE REBIRTH
For her valiant efforts, coupled with some proverbial bend-but-don’t-break faith, this vibrant, brilliantly gifted radio personality had eventually captured the favorable results she so desperately sought.
“Homeless have faces,” Porter continued. “It’s not always the face of the alcoholic on the corner or the drug addict in the alley. Your coworker could be homeless. Most of us are a couple of paychecks away from a shelter. If you’re couch-surfing, sleeping in your car, or sleeping in a nasty motel for the week…you’re homeless. Homeless have faces: at one time, it was my face.”
All of which practically sums up why this rising Texas superstar disc jockey deemed it essential Tuesday morning to vividly recall her humble beginnings immediately after taking to the airwaves, where she informed her hundreds of thousands of listeners of an awe-inspiring development that, years ago, seemed virtually improbable.
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EDITOR’S NOTE:If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder and Publisher for Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former staff reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, send email to [email protected] or to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
ABOUT ANDRE: Andre Johnson is a longtime sports journalist and a 2000 graduate of the University of the Memphis with Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. A native of Memphis, Johnson is a former sport reporter Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper and Memphis Sport Magazine. He worked as full-time staffer for The Commercial Appeal from 2000-2002, in which he was the beat reporter for the Memphis Houn’dawgs of now-defunct American Basketball Assocation and the Memphis Xplorers of the arenafootball2 league. He has interviewed numerous sports personalities, most notably Archie Manning, LeBron James, George “Iceman” Gervin, Issac Bruce, Laila Ali, Vince Carter, Paul Westphal, Phil Jackson, Ken Hamlin, Cortez Kennedy, Michael Oher, Kobe Bryant, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, James Harden, Patrick Willis, Stanley Morgan, Dirk Nowitzki, Rick Carlisle, Mark Cuban, Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, John Force, Lamar Odom, Alexandra Stevenson, Derek Fisher, Penny Hardaway, Phillip Rivers, Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh, Tyreke Evans, Kirk Ferentz, and O. J. Mayo, among others. To reach Johnson, send email to: [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
Andre Johnson 
A book Porter needed just shy of a year to complete — “I began writing it in January 2018 and finished it in December 2018,” she said — “Route 2: My Choice To Struggle To Succeed” is deemed a “diary,” of sorts, one that depicts the life of a homeless radio superstar in the making, according to a detailed synopsis of this book at Amazon.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you are an entrepreneur, business owner, producer, author, athlete, musician, barber, life coach, motivational speaker, cosmetologist, tax preparer, model, or pastor/minister who is seeking exposure and would like to share your story with an in-depth news feature, call Reporter Andre Johnson at 901-690-6587 or Facebook message him under “Andre T. Johnson” for details.
