Demetrius “Meach” Dallas is a Cleveland native and the author of State Babies, a memoir based on his experiences growing up in Cleveland and East Cleveland.

Raised among the neighborhoods of Saint Clair Avenue, East Cleveland, and surrounding communities, Dallas draws from personal memories of family, friendship, loss, violence, and the experiences that shaped his childhood. His story is deeply rooted in the people and places that influenced his life, particularly his mother, Henrietta Bell, and his siblings.

Through State Babies, Dallas shares his story in his own voice, preserving memories of his childhood and the events that changed his family forever. His goal is not only to remember those he lost, but also to reflect on the choices, relationships, and experiences that helped shape who he became.

Demetrius “Meach” Dallas is proud to call Cleveland home.