Allasica Byrd is only 32 years old, but she has already faced more trials and tribulations - including having a near-death experience – than most individuals will endure in a lifetime.
Byrd is sharing her story in a three-volume series “When the Delta Byrd Sings.” The first volume was a gospel CD released in December 2018 with the songs “The Lord’s Prayer” “God Specializes” “Troubles of the World” and “RunAlong,” which is the No. 1 song from a children’s band TheMcknight3. The second volume was a book released Feb. 17 and the Volume 3 is a movie to be released during the summer.
Byrd held a book signing at the Travelers Hotel in downtown Clarksdale Thursday night.
“It’s about a love lost, betrayal and redemption of what I went through,” Byrd said. “I almost passed away at the age of 25 due to working multiple jobs, trying to have my own businesses. So I was saving money, raising children on my own. My brother passed away all of the sudden.”
RIPP Entertainment Films will begin filming the movie Saturday, April 13 on one of Byrd’s rental houses. Byrd is the producer.
One of Byrd’s early jobs began when she was in junior high all the way up to when she graduated from Clarksdale High School in 2005. She had a candy company with 10 employees and made $600 a week off of sales.
“I had to do what I had to do because I came from, we would say, a less fortunate environment,” Byrd said. “I had to do what I had to do to pay bills.”
Byrd started The Delta Byrd store in Clarksdale on Dec. 7, 2016. It sells vintage art, small bites of southern foods and more. She owns the real estate company Byrd Family 7 Investments and will open another store The Byrd Cage in the next two months.
“I’m an entrepreneur mind,” she said. “I have an entrepreneur mindset.”
Byrd has also been a traveling respiratory therapist for 12 years, which is a skill she learned at Coahoma Community College.
Byrd now hopes her experiences provide a valuable lesson for everyone in Clarksdale.
“I am one that I love my community,” she said. “I want them to see that Clarksdale is a diamond in the rough. I want them to see the beauty in our community. I want them to know with this book and this film that’s coming out and with this CD that through pain and whatever you’re going through, you can make it. You will live and you will make it if you dig deep enough and believe and only believe.”
Byrd is a member of Union Grove Baptist Church in Clarksdale and has a strong faith.
“Keep going, keep praying and don’t stop until you get to where your dream has been,” she said.
Byrd’s CD can be purchased at The Delta Byrd for $7 and her book can be purchased at The Delta Byrd and on www.amazon.com for $17. She said an announcement is coming soon with more information on where the movie could be seen.
