But even though he had not planned on being a writer, Baker had a very good reason for switching careers. “I grew up in… a pretty bad area,” Baker said. “I saw nine of my friends murdered before they were 20 years old.”

By the mid 1980s, drugs had begun flooding Baker’s northeast neighborhood. By the late 80s, local news media kept a running count of murders in the nation’s capitol, murders that resulted from a raging drug war. Cocaine and crack dealers competed for sales and control of turf. Hundreds of residents were wounded and killed – most of them young African American men.

When one of Baker’s closest friends died, it caused him to go into what he calls a “deep hole.” Daily, he wondered which of his friends might be next.

Later, he felt inspired to do something for kids.

“I wanted to take energy and do something positive…. I left engineering and my mom was disappointed, but I wanted to inspire kids,” he said. At age 21, he would form a company, DBW, Inc., using the initials of his grandparents, and set out to teach every child, especially African American children, about the great heritage and contributions of Africans and African Americans, and the beauty of the African American race, he would later tell a reporter at the HBCU Network.

“If African American children understood their TRUE heritage, selling drugs would be beneath them,” he said. “If African American children understood that they come from greatness, thoughts of killing someone like themselves would be unthinkable.
Each one of them would know that they have the potential to literally change the world.”

The former engineer figured that African American youth needed inspiration and guidance. Guidance, for little girls, comes in the form of Princess Briana.

Princess Briana is the story of a young princess from a far-away African country. When her invitation to Princess Camp arrives in the mail, Briana is excited at the chance to meet other princesses. At Princess Camp, though, she is told that no girl can be a “real” princess unless she has blonde hair and blue eyes. When beautiful African Queen Zorra takes Briana under her wing, Briana learns that she doesn’t have to fit a mold to be a beauty.

Princess Briana is Baker’s fourth book and with this one - as with all his books - he wanted to make a difference for kids and young women. Baker wants every girl from every race to enjoy his book, and he gets very excited when he talks about Princess Briana.

“In every part of our country, when something is unique or rare, it’s valued,” Baker says. “When it comes to human beings, being alike is more valued. I wanted kids to see that if my nose is different, it’s valuable. If my hair is kinky, that’s okay…. I wanted them to be inspired and be happy with what God gave them.”

When asked who influenced him in his life and in his book, Baker is quick to answer.

“My grandmother, my mom, and my Aunt Daisy,” he said. “I wanted girls to see strong role models of beauty. Princess Briana is the kind of book that I think every little girl needs, should have, and will enjoy. This book is saying that all types of beauty are acceptable and should be praised. Every girl from every race can enjoy that.”

Baker talks of getting a letter from a girl named Briana who had alopecia, which caused her hair to fall out. Her aunt bought the book for her, and it inspired the little girl to enter a national competition. Stories like this are ones that Baker cherishes.

“She saw Briana in the book and got courage to love herself,” he said.

Books can teach, inspire and entertain, Baker said, and he’s working to write for all age groups and all races. That includes a book that will encourage young boys to control their anger, as well as a non-fiction book for young adults. Baker said that Just Like Me, Incorporated is also on track to add books for White, Asian, and Latino kids.

“I recognize a shift in the industry,” Baker said. “This country is becoming more diverse than alike…. I’m hitting more of what people want. I want to be the largest children’s media corporation in the world. I had the idea to make books that will represent everybody… whoever you are, the books are just like you.”

Oh, and although she was disappointed at her son’s new vocation all those years ago, Baker’s mother came around. “My mom is one of the biggest supporters now,” he said. And obviously, Baker’s new career fits him.

“God has laid out a lot of things in my life. I was on vacation in California when I started writing things down, and I thought ‘Why am I doing this?’ As I looked at it, it became clear. I know I was meant to help people.”