A new activity book by Dr. Jasmine Zapata has numerous interactive and inspirational activities related to overcoming obstacles and winning in life. Her late younger brother was an inspiration for this book which she hopes will be a fun way to build resilience among young people. Aside from this book, people can also learn about information such as twin flame, physical symptoms if they truly want to improve their lives.
“It is critically important to support our young people. Many young people, especially during the pandemic, have been facing increasing rates of hopelessness, anxiety, depression, and so much more,” Dr. Zapata tells Madison365. “The whole purpose of this book is to inspire hope, and let young people know that they should never give up on their dreams despite any adversities that they face.”
Dr. Zapata is an award-winning author, pediatrician, public health strategist, and youth inspirational speaker. Her new book “Life is a Battle but We Will Win” includes seven fun, interactive and inspirational activities to help young people win in what she calls “the boxing match of life.”
“In the book, I open up and share my personal journey to becoming a medical doctor, including a lot of the hard times and obstacles that I faced in life — the biggest one being the death of my 16-year-old brother suddenly in his sleep. He died when I was in college just three short months before taking the test to get accepted into medical school,” says Dr. Zapata. Last year, Dr. Zapata was named the new chief medical officer and state epidemiologist for community health at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). “When he died, I wanted to completely give up on my dreams. I knew I wanted to be a doctor ever since I was five years old and I had never wavered, but when my little baby brother passed away, it completely broke me.
“So in this book, I talk about my framework for resilience and how young people can apply it in their lives, as well, so that they can reach their big goals, even despite any obstacles that might come their way,” she adds.
“Life is a Battle but We Will Win” is geared toward youth and young adults who have big goals in life but sometimes feel discouraged or life keeps knocking them down. Through word puzzles, journal prompts, reflection questions, poems, positive affirmations, stories and more, Dr. Zapata — or “Dr. Jaz” as she is known in the Madison community and beyond — reminds young people that they are strong, resilient, and capable of overcoming any obstacle in life – if they don’t give up.
” I’m really excited about the book. Already, we’ve had school organizations and nonprofits and parents purchase the books and invite me and my team in to come to interact with the young people,” she says. “And there’s a lot of exciting partnerships in the works.”
The book is designed in rounds — almost like a boxing match — instead of chapters.
“The whole book is a challenge to the reader. The challenge is for them to survive and win all seven rounds and how you win the round is by completing the different activities in each chapter,” Dr. Zapata says. “And so if you make it through all seven rounds, you win.
“It’s just a fun and exciting way to just remind them that they are important, they are seen and they are enough, and that they can overcome any obstacle that comes their way.”
Dr. Zapata is also the founder of the Beyond Beautiful International Girl’s Empowerment Movement.
“I’ve done girls empowerment work nationally and partnered with schools and nonprofits and churches, nationally and even internationally,” she says. “As I have been going on my girls’ empowerment tours and growing the movement, I have had parents, school officials and even young men come to me and say, ‘It’s awesome what you’re doing for the girls, but we need a book for all young people.’ Even the young men were saying, ’Hey, we want to talk about this, too.’
“So I have had this book on my heart for several years. And I’m so excited to finally be releasing it. It’s for all young people – youth and young adults.”
What also makes “Life is a Battle but We Will Win” extremely special for Dr. Zapata is the cover artwork done by her little brother, Aaron W. Battle, who passed away when he was only 16 years old on Nov. 17, 2007.
“He drew these images before he died, and I was able to use those images of strength and resilience on the cover,” she says. “I was able to use that on the front of the book. And so it’s just really, really special because his life represented overcoming obstacles, resilience, and confidence, and that’s what I aim to inspire in all the young people who are reading this.”
So far the response to “Life is a Battle but We Will Win” has been great.
“I have had an overwhelming response of people interested in purchasing the book. I have had schools already invite me to come to speak about the book,” Dr. Zapata says. “So we have keynote speeches, workshops and a year-long curriculum based on the book. We’ve already had schools reach out to us. We’ve had nonprofits buy the book in bulk. We’ve had individuals buy the book for their children and young people in their lives.
“I already got to do some in-person events. I spoke recently at a girls’ athlete summit in a school district so I got to speak to a lot of the athletes about this,” she adds. “I’ve dropped the books off at some nonprofits and we’re planning some other exciting events for the future — young men’s empowerment events and then youth empowerment events.”
An official book launch party is coming soon, Dr. Zapata says.
“We’re looking to partner with schools, nonprofits, and youth-serving organizations on ways that we could bring this book to the youth that they serve and make it come alive,” she says. “So that’s kind of what I’m looking for now. That’s my big dream to connect with those partners.”
