Hi Derrick, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hmm. Where do I begin…I’d say this plethora of fascination with storytelling started at the age of nine. When I experienced the beautiful modern marvel in Pittsburgh, PA called the “Steel Phantom.” Coined a “hyper coaster” by roller coaster enthusiasts around the world, a roller coaster over 200 feet, it was the centerpiece of Kennywood Park as it raced through over 3,000 feet of track at speeds up to 80 mph, flipping riders upside down four times. It was an experience, rather than a ride because it allowed me to face a fear of mine in a controlled environment and let go. To think my late father who had forced me to ride the coaster would result in a love of it is a bit mind-blowing. Who knows he probably didn’t want his son to be a “punk” in those times.

After I got off the Steel Phantom though, I had this sudden rush of excitement to ride them all and only then I knew fear was not in my playbook.

I know, it sounds weird, but my fascination with roller coasters then turned into amusement parks, which led me to fall in love with books, which then led to writing stories that reflect my many points of view. I love writing stories just as much as I love amusement parks. Now at my age after obtaining my Bachelors at CUNY – New York City College of Technology, I have traveled the world to give my professional opinions on Amusement Parks, written a successful children’s book titled, Aarav’s Note, and will release my debut novel titled Seropositive very, very soon. My ultimate dream though is to take all my written projects and create a Theme Park of my own.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d be lying if I said it was a smooth ride. it was NOT easy. After losing my dad a year after graduating High School, I suddenly had to become an adult overnight. Granted my mom had a full-time job, she couldn’t keep up with supporting me financially when she had to still raise my two much younger sisters. I quickly climbed the job ladder working at several fast food and fine-dining jobs to go after my dreams. It took me 10 plus years off and on to receive my bachelor’s with high honors.

In addition, I didn’t identify as a gay man before my dad passed. In fact, I knew I had feelings toward the same sex at a young age. So much so that one of my close relatives who I’d rather not say decided to take advantage of me. You read that right. I think that was part of the reason why I didn’t want to be gay nor be attached to the negative depictions of gay men. I suppressed all those feelings for as long as I could until I actually got a chance to work for Magic Kingdom down in Orlando, FL. Seeing so many people like me live freely was refreshing and made me feel comfortable to act on my emotional, physical, and sexual feelings toward men who like men.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Myōōzik Entertainment Group?
My pride and joy, Myōōzik Entertainment Group is a print media company that specializes in books, musicals, and more around minority experiences. It started off as stories that reflect my life of course to cope but quickly turned into something much bigger. My first children’s book, “Aarav’s Note” I self published back in 2020 and was welcomed with positive feedback. It is the start of something I want as a continuation story, but I also want other people to tell their stories with us. It is also a small real estate team that specializes in renters, first-time home buyers, commercial properties, and more. My goal with real estate is to help people find something that “feeds their soul” rather than a dream property.

What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is seeing other people happy in their element. I loathe when I can sense when someone isn’t happy with their life choices. They tend to lash out at others and a downward spiral occurs. It’s just not healthy.