Pictures by Irina Perry

Columbus, Ohio-based Attorney Emmanuel Olawale hosted winners of the K-12 New Americans Book Fair Essay, Short Story and Drawing competition, as they received their cash prizes at the reception.  

Accompanied by their parents and family members, nine of the 13 winners in the different categories received their cash prizes and copies of personally signed book of the Attorney, “The Flavor of Favor: Quest for the American Dream. A Memoir.”  

“It’s an honor to host all of you,” Attorney Emmauel Olawale told the young writers.

“I am also an immigrant from Nigeria. What we are celebrating is literature and writing. Everything you see here today, me being a lawyer, all started from writing.”

Olawale said that “being able to express myself through poetry, being able to express myself through letters, and being able to express myself through journaling, that it grew to a point where I am just reading anything I could lay my hands on as a kid got me to where I am today.”

“As I continued to write and my writing grew, I kept doing well in school. If you keep doing well at something, you want to keep at it. When I now see kids who were just like me, who loved writing, who liked to express themselves through their work it made my heart swell with joy.

Attorney Emmauel Olawale, who was one of the professionals that presented certificates to the children at the New Americans Book Fair on Saturday, September 20, 2025, said “when I saw them read their essays and what they painted at the book fair I asked what other prizes they were receiving. I was motivated to add cash prizes to their rewards for their success.”

“Everyone is the winner. Anytime you pick up your pen to write on or your pencil to draw you’ve already won. The fact that you can put your thoughts into some kind of depiction you have already won.

“Apart from writing to make money, it is also a therapy. Painting is therapy. Most people are not able to express their emotions, but artists and writers are able to do that not just for themselves but also for others,” said Olawale.

“I am so impressed by all your work. Don’t stop writing, don’t stop reading. The only way you can become a better writer is to become a better reader. The only way you can become a better painter is to keep painting more. What we are celebrating here is much more than what you think it is. When I first came to this country one of the things I dreamt of was to be able to talk to young people like this. Education is very important. Whatever God gives you is meant for you to encourage others.”

“This is an historic moment for the children, the New Americans magazine and the New Americans Book Fair that we are here at the Olawale Law Firm in recognition of the performance of the children in the Essay, Short Story and Drawing competition at the 2025 book fair. We are grateful,” said Deba Uwadiae, publisher of the New Americans magazine and convener of the New Americans Book Fair.

“We are thankful to Attorney Emmauel Olawale for adding cash prizes to what our children had already won and received,” said Amadou Bah, parent of one of the winners.

Payton Brinson, one of the winners in the drawing category, expressed appreciation to the Attorney Emmauel Olawale and presented the New Americans Book Fair 2025 t-shirt on behalf of other winners.   

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