GRITTY AND REALISTIC “LITTLE BARRIO,” A COMIC BOOK VERSION OF THE SOUGHT-AFTER “FROM THE BARRIO TO THE BOARD ROOM,” TO BE RELEASED THIS JULY
Author Robert Renteria partners with Smarter Comics™ to bring his life-inspiring story to younger children
AURORA, Ill. (March 18, 2010) – From English to Spanish and now to graphic novel, “Little Barrio,” a comic book based on the book, “From the Barrio to the Board Room” by Robert Renteria as told to Corey Blake, will be released this July by Writers of the Round Table Press, providing a resource for schools, governments and parents, or anyone who wants to promote education, a sense of pride and accomplishment, and self-esteem within the youth of today’s communities.

Renteria has partnered with Smarter Comics™, a new company owned by Franco Arda based in Silicon Valley that creates comic books by taking popular non-fictions books, summarizing them and illustrating them into a comic. “Little Barrio” is the biographical story in comic form of Renteria’s life that has taken him from the ghetto of East LA to being a successful businessman and now civic leader. Round Table Companies President Corey Blake will oversee the creation of the comic book with Creative Director Nathan Brown. Brown will collaborate on the illustrations of the 50 page book with artist Shane Clester, who has drawn for leading comic book publisher IDW, Hasbro, Scholastic, Macmillan, and Times of London.

“The idea of a comic book is a natural for The Barrio,” said Renteria, who for the past year and a half has been on an aggressive mission to pull people from the barrios and ghettos by teaching them that anything is possible when one makes the right choices. “Working with Smarter Comics™, we have a great opportunity to play a bigger part in changing the landscape of our youth across America. As we continue to grow in the educational area through our curriculum From the Barrio to the Classroom, ‘Little Barrio’ will play the role of a champion for younger kids who have lived and are currently living my past lifestyle. These little kids need positive role models, too, and this comic book will be instrumental in opening doors for them.”

The comic book developed as a result of a presentation of the From the Barrio to the Classroom curriculum at the Chicago Principal and Administrators Annual Conference in February, where Renteria, Chief Executive Officer of From the Barrio Foundation Corey Blake, and Executive Vice President of the Foundation Cheryl Maraffio received numerous requests for a medium to deliver Renteria’s story to younger children. “From the Barrio to the Board Room” is suited for youth in seventh grade and above. “Little Barrio” will be geared toward fourth- to sixth-graders.

“Our goal is to use the comic book in conjunction with another version of the curriculum that will be delivered nationwide,” said Blake. “We’ll also be producing it in Spanish immediately and hope to bring it into Mexico quickly.”

The Smarter Comics™ series offers readers a fun way of reading non-fiction in comic book style, appealing to those children and adults who prefer to read engaging stories in a less traditional manner. Younger children sometimes interact better with a simpler, more graphic story, and educators can still teach the fundamentals of the story with a comic book.

“‘Little Barrio’ will be the first book of the Smarter Comics™ series,” said Arda. “We’ll launch the Internet platform shortly thereafter so that readers will be able to buy digital comics for their PC, iPhone or Kindle. It’s an exciting project to be involved with.”

“Little Barrio” is the next step in a passionate mission for Renteria, Blake and Maraffio. Currently The Foundation donates the curriculum, developed by teachers, community leaders and advisors, which has been used by more than 3,000 Chicago city students as well as other at-risk youth and adult organizations around the country.

To learn more about “Little Barrio,” From The Barrio Foundation, the book and its curriculum or to read more about Renteria’s story, please visit www.fromthebarrio.com or contact Corey Blake at 224.475.0392.