One Wisconsin man’s story is so captivating that Chicago publisher, Dr. Dennis J. Woods, not only published his book, but has written a movie script for it.
Woods wants to convert Paul Lamar Hunter’s new autobiography, “No Love, No Charity: The Success of the 19th Child,” into a screenplay called The Two Faces of “E.” Hunter will be at the Fifth Annual BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta, GA. from Oct. 23 through the 28th. The annual event brings together film lovers, producers and actors. There will be screenings and panels throughout the week.
Besides Hunter’s book, Life to Legacy, LLC has published “The Man Behind the Music:” The Legendary Carl Davis. Woods has wrote books such as “Counterfeit Charisma,” and “Unlocking the Door: A Key to Biblical Prophecy.” He has also appeared on local television shows, as well as The Tavis Smiley Show and The Tom Joyner Show, to name a few.
Woods said Hunter’s story is so compelling that it deserves to be shared with the masses.
“It is my hope that this is not just a Black story, but an American story,” he said.
As the 19th child of 21, Hunter had an interesting childhood, to say the least. He grew up in Racine, WI. With both of his parents working, his older siblings played a huge role in his upbringing. His father was an assembly line worker and his mother devoted her time helping others.
“My father worked all the time, and the money he received, he would give to my mom to pay the bills, but she gave it to the [church] saying that the Lord would provide,” Hunter said.
This brought tension into the home, as well as financial troubles. They would argue over that and the energy she was putting into the homeless shelter she created. Eventually, Hunter’s father had had enough and left the family to stay with his mother in Mississippi.
Despite the drama, Hunter’s early memories of his family are filled with love, but once his father died in a car accident when he was 8-years-old those warm feelings fled. His mother began to neglect her children more and more, not for drugs, alcohol or other addictions, but to help others.
“Sometimes we had to go without food or clothes because she said helping others was doing the Lord’s will so she would neglect us,” Hunter said.
His mother dedicated all of her energy to helping the strangers who came to her homeless shelter, one of those being Woods, who was once homeless. Her family came last. If that wasn’t bad enough, Woods, said that people at the shelter could call her mother, but not her children.
“We were not allowed to call my mom, mom or mother; we referred to her as ‘E’ instead,” Hunter said.
Even with the unusual and dysfunctional home life, Hunter did not allow his circumstances to prevent him from being successful.
At 40, he went back to college and became the first of his brothers and sisters to graduate. He received his B.A. in Business Administration from Upper Iowa University. When he was younger he attended Jackson State, but had to drop out when he got sick. His mother didn’t believe her children should pursue higher education because she wasn’t educated, Hunter explained.
“I used to tell her I would be the first to graduate high school and college,” he said.
My mom did not want me to graduate from college. It wasn’t the norm in the Hunter family. No one laid the foundation until I did.”
When Hunter received his Associate’s Degree in 2005, his mother refused to come. None of his siblings attended either. He went to the shelter to show his mother his certificate, but instead ended up taking a photo with some of the homeless people.
“She said a child is not supposed to be successful in life until the parent was deceased,” Hunter said.
Years before Hunter published his book through Woods’ publishing company, Woods had published Hunter’s mother’s book, “Love and Charity, The Life and Story of Louise Hunter, and The Love and Charity Homeless Shelter.”
“She was so dedicated to the mission she had started and she is well respected, yet she wouldn’t come to his graduation, she would tell her kids they wouldn’t be anything in life,” Woods said.
“The real deal behind all of that is that this lady had serious self hate that she really projected onto her kids,” he said.
Woods said knowing both sides of the story is what inspired him to turn the Hunter family’s story into a film.
Hunter’s ability to turn his situation around and uplift himself when no one else would is what makes the story so powerful, Woods said.
“We hope it will inspire people to not let their past or lineage bound them,” he said. You can overcome obstacles of family dysfunction by your desire to achieve.”
Even with the letdown and disappointment, Hunter said he has learned to forgive her.
“I hold no grudges or animosity against my mom because she gave me life. Her parents were not perfect and as a parent myself I am not perfect. Parents make mistakes, but I also believe a parents’ job is to motivate their children and encourage them, not tear them down.”
He wants to share his story with the world and hopes to meet with President Barack Obama and be a guest on all of the major news shows. For now, he’ll work on the obtaining his Master’s in Public Education.
“No Love, No Charity: The Success of the 19th Child,” can be purchased on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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