By Van Stone
Khalid Moffitt is an author, poet and promoter who rose from imprisonment and gunshot victim to citywide critical acclaim.
In 1992, following several hardships, including serving a prison sentence for illegal activities and having been shot while driving away from a dispute, Moffitt began his professional writing career from a hospital bed.
As far as his prison time goes, it was in December of 1992 that Moffitt, the drug dealer, was incarcerated at Graterford Prison located in Pennsylvania. He also served prison sentences in Somert set and Waymart prisons. Moffitt came out of prison a changed young man.
Prison helped Moffit turn his life around, He was fortunate to avoid a 150-year judgment, which the district attorney was seeking. Standing before the judge, he was only 17 years-old at the time his illegal activity came to a crash.
Moffitt overcame another life threatening dilemma. This this time he was the victim.
In 2008, Moffitt was shot during a argument between his younger brother and an acquaintance of his younger brother at a North Philadelphia home.
Moffitt had just begun finishing his first book for self-publishing when he was asked by his younger brother to accompany him to a friends house to help mediate a dispute. Shortly after arriving, Moffitt’s brother and his friend began yelling at each other. The friend left his home, made a threatening comment about arguing with Moffitt’s younger brother, and began firing at close range, shooting him in the throat.
Moffitt was driving his car to avoid trouble when the friend openedfire on both Moffitt and his brother. Still, his brother took a hit from the shots fired, as the shooter fled the scene.
No one seemed to hear the shots fired. And by the time the police came on the scene Moffitt had rushed his brother and himself to the nearest hospital where police assisted getting both he and his brother to emergency. Moffitt’s brother was hit far worse than he was. The shooting resulted in his brother being paralyzed at the waist. Moffitt survived the gun shot to the neck.
While thinking about how hard it was to live as a young man in the big city of “Brotherly Love”he finished his self-published book, “Love & Life in My Language.”
The book is in paper back and it has about 40 poems, which he personally penned. The 52-page book delivers, 20 love poems, and 20 life poems in his own expressions. The book was released in March of 2009.
He had at least two book signings and two local radio appearances. And he has sold over 200 copies to date. Moffitt says his book is “STILL SELLING” and he is “STILL WRITING”.
Moffitt, a 35- year- old African American living in Philadelphia, did not graduate from high school, but worked his way through the mean streets of Philadelphia to obtain a GED with hopes of pursuing a college degree. To that end, he conitnued his sudies at Community College, where he majored in International Business, and Psychology.
Moffitt enjoys nature, traveling, movies, swimming, and tennis, mind boggling puzzles, creating new ways to change the world and life, and people who are the same each day, no matter what others feel or say.
Although Moffitt faces many challenges and committments, there’s nothing that means more to him than his literature. He has been writing since the age of ten, and continues daily. Poetry is his passion and form of expression.
Moffitt, who is a member of the NAACP and the Writers Guild of America, describes himself this way, “I am a self-published author and while releasing my book, “Royal Man Expressions” my own publishing company was born and bears the same name.”
The company–Royal Man Expressions– also has a greeting card component currently in the makings, according to Moffitt, who is also writes in the hip-hop and R&B music genres.
“I have written and completed 72 songs. The words that I’ve written have given me the inspiration, along with the encouragement from others to become a motivational speaker, I have spoken to children and adults about life, success, failure, never giving up … no matter what; to name a few topics. I also have an internet talk show entitled “Royal Talk with K. Moffitt”. This is the same concept, but world issues are also discussed,” he says.
“By living in Philadelphia all of my life, I have designed a fitted hat collection labeled: “PHI Headwear”. This concept was created because many Philadelphians refer to our hometown as “PHI” and some sports scoreboards do the same,” said Moffitt, “PHI through my definition, even though created from the word Philadelphia, stands for: “People Having Independence”. I’ve sold 150 hats to date.”
Moffitt is currently a contributor to the Philadelphia Front Page News, an online newspaper, and has made appearances on local cable TV programs watched in North and West Philadelphia homes. He is a committee member, Vice President, for Philadelphia LAP Committee, serving both the Philadelphia County and the city of Philadelphia.
Khalid Moffitt can be reached for book readings, signings and appearances at (215) 391-0033.
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