By Michael D. Wynne
In my many years of interviewing such a wide variety of authors, I find that each author does have a personal and unique story, though not every story is worth public reading (that probably includes me!). But, just every once in a while, I meet a new and burgeoning author whose story is so riveting, so moving, and so important that their words just jump right off the page and affect me, as they would most likely affect you also. Zoltan Powell of CenLa is one such person. One day, I will look back and remember that I had the honor and pleasure of meeting him and had the opportunity to share his most moving story with you, the readers.
Zoltan was born in an orphanage in Romania. “The conditions were really horrendous compared to American standards,” shared Zoltan. “You ate out of a dumpster when you were hungry. You never had your own bed. The beds were soiled with feces and the stench of urine. We would shower only twice a week and we, about 500 kids, would share the same hot water. When it was time to get dressed, the clothes were thrown in the center of the room and we would have to forage for something to wear. Sometimes (boys) would have to wear a dress or receive 2 left shoes to wear…”
All of this was because of a governmental decree. “I was born of a decree enacted by Nicolae Ceaușescu, the last Communist leader of Romania,” says Zoltan, “During his tenure, he enacted a law called the ‘Decree 770.’ This decree was to reverse the low fertility rate of Romania and increase the population. I am the result of this decree.”
Now, an average person might sink into the lower depths of humanity after living such an early tragic life like that, but not Zoltan. Zoltan is truly special and has turned his down-trodden life experiences into now making the world a better place to live.
Adopted by an Oklahoma couple into less than perfect conditions led Zoltan to being sent to boarding school, the Red River Academy in Lecompte, LA, and this led Zoltan to his eventual emancipation from that couple.
Zoltan then sought a degree in Integrated Studies, combining “the four pillars of our social structure – health, business, law, and technology,” Zoltan notes.
As has often been said, he has taken lemons and made lemonade out of his life. He has created his own important business, the “Tabula Rosa Immersion.” Tabula Emersion translates to “clean slate.” His life’s clean slate goal now is to help better foster care systems in the U.S.
When asked what helped him steer his life towards the better, Zoltan said, “The opportunity to go to college was one of the greatest things in my life. But the greatest thing was actually obtaining a degree with the rough background that I had.”
Zoltan has written and published a most remarkable book on his life’s journey, “Tabula Rasa; Beyond a place called there … ” He wants to share and enlighten the world with his story and the story of what many orphans have had to go through. “It is about the way I was born, the reason I was born. Orphanages are an unspoken subject in the U.S., often like addiction and religious topics. They are often pushed to the background. I want to bring a light to the foster care system and orphanages for the next generation to better understand.”
Zoltan is well on the road to accomplishing his goals. “I would like my books proceeds to go to the foster care system around the U.S. I have partnered with Tim Tebow Orphan Care Foundation, the Tupelo Children’s Mansion and the Children’s Advocacy Network in CenLa.”
His book is a must-read and is now available on Amazon. Here is the link:
