Aliu lands book deal on how he confronted racism in hockey

Former pro hockey player Akim Aliu has a graphic novel in the works that tells his story and how he overcame racism and poverty. The 32-year-old Aliu was born in Nigeria to mixed-race parents and then lived in Ukraine before the family moved to Canada. Aliu's allegations three years ago of being the target of racial slurs led to the resignation of Calgary Flames coach Bill Peters.

Aimed for an audience of 8- to 12year-olds, Aliu shares his journey of dealing with the difficulties of assimilating in Ukraine and Canada. It details the hazing and systemic racism he experienced pursuing his dream of playing pro hockey before eventually finding his voice in forcing the sport of hockey to confront its bias toward people of color.

Aliu's nickname, “Dreamer,” has taken on a deeper meaning over time. People initially began calling him that because Aliu was Nigerian, just like former NBA star Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon.

Today, the nickname better describes the person he's become.