Real Ballers Read

In this live recording special, we talk with our mom about the book that changed her relationship to reading, Disappearing Acts by Terry McMillan. She takes us back to the '90s and surprises us with stories we've never heard before... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with our dad, Robert Menafee, about jazz and all of the things that jazz shines a light on. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we reflect on our incredible journey with this podcast. A true freestyle. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

We learned a lot about questions during this podcast, so we wanted to dedicate an episode to just asking each other fun questions and questions about questions. How many questions can you count? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with our brilliant older brother, Danny Dunson. Danny went to church on this one, sharing an interwoven story and analysis of his life and experience with Toni Morrison's classic work, Song of Solomon. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with the incredible writer, Sean Enfield about his debut collection of essays, Holy American Burnout. Sean goes deep into the questions and experiences that shaped the writing of this book and still propel his thinking today. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with the brilliant Kendall Bryant about a book that's in the hallowed halls of their personal canon, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. The story of this book for Kendall is interwoven with their history, their conception of the present, and their vision for the future. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode with our dear brother, Justus Pugh we talk about beavers, ducks, bird people, and all of the beauty of discovering the world anew through the lens of Emergent Strategy, adrienne marie brown's classic book. e --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Felton Kizer is an uncontainable creative and entrepreneur who we also know as a dear friend and brother. In this episode, we talk about a book that is as raw and truthful as he is, Prelude to King. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

We got to chop it up with our good brother Sidney, a local Chicago legend, fitness coach, entrepreneur, artist, model, and community organizer. We talked with him about his story getting back into reading in college, the importance of books to his health practices, and what home and community means to him being raised and having family all over the world. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we are joined by our exceptionally talented friend, Ashanee Kottage. Ashanee is a multi-hyphenate artist and has just published her debut poetry collection, Sand & Sweat. We talk about Ashanee's creative process, exploring the blend of personal experiences, cultural influences, and literary inspirations that shape her poetry. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in poetry, creativity, and the journey of a young artist navigating the complexities of life and art. Click this link to purchase a copy of Sand & Sweat! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with our good brother Mamadou about Aimé Césaire's book-length poem "Return to My Native Land" and how it has already shaped his thinking and storytelling. We make sense of what it means to be reading this poem in the present moment and why the poem is as relevant as ever! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Cam Burton is one of our brilliant friends who thinks deeply and humorously on a wide range of topics. In this episode, we talk about what he's been reading recently and the technological sci-fi landscape that we find ourselves in today. This one is for the main characters... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talked with our friend, Jadal Williams, a genius studying robotics for his PhD at MIT. He just came back from an exciting trip abroad where he got to see the future of robotic technology and we talked about what this future may hold for all of us... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

We sat down with the man, myth, and legend—Donta from the popular community, Gold Mouf Book Club. Through the lens of Richard Wright's memoir Black Boy, we talk about what it means to truly be radical now in 2023, the role of religion in the Black community, the power of anger, and what it means to be a Black man. You'll really enjoy getting to know Donta! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, our first-ever guest on the show, Forrest Evans, returns!! Forrest brought the heat with talking about the intimate potential of audiobooks, observing what parts of herself she's been exploring in her reading recently, and demonstrating what it means to be a leader as a librarian in this era of censorship and book bans. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this part 2 episode, we talked with Mechiya about the all the ins and outs of relationships: having emotional intelligence, processing hurt, dating, gender norms in the Black community, and friendship. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

We got to sit in person with the one and only Mechiya Jamison to talk about one of her favorite books, Assata. We talked about many aspects of liberation: organizing, education, our environment, class consciousness, climate, gender, and even the role of shame. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with Real Ballers Read legend Travis Green and his friend and co-author of the book, Forget the Alamo, Jason Stanford. We talk about the truth and myth of the Alamo, how foundational it is to Texas history, the difference between history and historiography, and how the Alamo is still relevant to this day. History buffs, Texans, or Texan history buffs, this episode is for you!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we are joined by the one and only Sean P! We talk about how he discovered his love of reading through the Navy, finding the positive in everything you read, coping with grief, and the golden age of Hip-Hop. Seanathan is a multi-talented autodidact who you'll love getting to know as much as we did! Welcome to the Sean P. Experience X Real Ballers Read... --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with Claude Johnson, the author of the triumphant 2022 book, The Black Fives: The Epic Story of Basketball's Forgotten Era. We discussed his world-spanning childhood, the incredible decades-long journey of writing his book, fatherhood, and the future of basketball. All fans of history and sports will love this one! Check out The Black Fives on Bookshop here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Delia West is an art teacher and scientist who's thinking in revolutionary ways. In this episode, we talk with her about one of her favorite books, The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, how she got back into reading, her deep passion for all things science, and what liberation looks like for her! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

It might seem increasingly difficult to be original in these times, but Chinelo proves that to be original all you really have to be is honest. In this fun conversation, we talk about our sense of fashion, fantasy novels, and the nuance of everything we've been reading recently. We know you'll love this episode. Be sure to check out Chinelo's IG page @interestedinblackbooks --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with a friend of ours, Onyi Ozoma, about a collage of different topics, including adjusting into adult life, Toni Morrison's Beloved, new music we've been enjoying, and what it possibly means to be a lost soul. This conversation was soul food for us, without the subsequent itis. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Lynnée Denise filled the silence of her pandemic with the rich sounds and legacy of Willie Mae Thorton. The outcome of that deep listening, reading, and viewing practice is Lynnée's amazing new book, Why Willie Mae Thornton Matters. In this interview, she talks about her interdisciplinary and interdependent approach to writing her book, how she came to love reading, and where she sees the legacy of Willie Mae Thornton today. Buy Willie Mae Thornton Matters Here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Blair LM Kelley, an award-winning historian, professor, and writer about her recent book, Black Folk. We talked about how she made the study of history her own, how she thinks about progress in the Black community, her gratitude to Toni Morrison, and on whether Beyonce's "Break My Soul" is a Black working class anthem. And we shared a lot of laughs along the way! Check out Real Ballers Read here Learn More About Dr. Kelley Here Buy Black Folk Here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Our guest today is an incredible reporter and journalist—Wesley Lowery. In this episode we talk with him about his recently released book, American Whitelash, and how he approaches his writing. Check out Real Ballers Read here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Our guest today is a true writer's writer - novelist, essayist, playwright, and screenwriter Trey Ellis! Trey Ellis is the author of four books and is currently a professor at Columbia University. In this episode we talk with him about his early inspiration as a reader and writer, the New Black Aesthetic and more. Check out Real Ballers Read here Check out Trey's website here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Dr. Marcia Chatelain is a professor of History and African American Studies at Georgetown University and the author of two books: South Side Girls: Growing Up in the Great Migration, and the Pulitzer Prize winning Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America. In this episode, we first learn from Dr. Chatelain about her upbringing in Chicago - all the books she could get her hands on, and all the McDonald's she could enjoy. Although Super Size Me convinced her to give up the Golden Arches for good in 2005, her explorations of gender, race, and capitalism in American history inspired her instant classic book about McDonald's years later. Class is in session with Dr. Chatelain as she shares insights on the changing landscape of Black America! Get your copy of Franchise at Mahogany Books! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Dr. Daniel Black is a professor of African American Studies at Clark Atlanta University and the author of seven novels and the new collection of essays, Black on Black: On Our Resilience and Brilliance in America. In this episode featuring him and two of his friends, Dr. Black brought us to church, brought us to the water, and brought us home to ourselves. Our conversation spans from his experiences as a young reader, to queerness and double consciousness, the problem of Black self-hatred, and naming yourself as an act of love. Dr. Black is a dynamic speaker and thinker which makes for an incredibly exciting interview! Get your copy of Black On Black at Mahogany Books! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

 Dr. Frederic Bertley is an Emmy-Award-winning science educator and immunologist from Montreal, Canada. He currently serves as the president of the nation's #1 science museum, COSI (Center of Science and Industry) in Columbus, Ohio. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Bertley about how he came to love reading, how he fell in love with science, and ask him all sorts of fun questions about science!! Dr. Bertley is a one-of-a-kind guest that brought his incredible energy and intelligence to our show and we know you'll love this episode! Check out Dr. B's Awesome show QED here --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

This April was the 30th anniversary of Race Matters by Cornel West. It's a great book that I wanted to just sit on the couch to talk to y'all about! Highly recommend reading through the book if you haven't, it's not as academic as it may seem. You can check out the book with this link. :40 How I found the book  1:39 A little context for the book  4:33 Nihilism in Black America  6:32 What does hope mean to you?  10:45 Marvin Gaye Interview  14:46 Those darn market forces! 16:27 “The Crisis of Black Leadership”  19:30 The three types of leaders 23:46 BLM and the Obama Era  26:21 Courage --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we were honored to talk with educator, teacher and writer extraordinaire, Dr. Donna Akiba Sullivan Harper. She taught at  Spelman for 32 years and was the Fuller E. Calloway Professor of English. She is also a world renowned expert on Langston Hughes and his Simple stories.  We talked about her longtime love and scholarship of Langston Hughes, the story of how Simple came to be, and the legacy of the stories today. Dr. Harper shares so many awesome stories and we shared many laughs! It was so great to talk about Simple for the third time and y'all better start reading these stories after this one!  1:12 When Dr. Harper was first introduced to Langston Hughes 4:08 Dr. Harper's relationship with her professor  7:02 Her undergraduate thesis on Langston Hughes  10:19 How her classes on Langston Hughes changed over time 19:32 How Langston Hughes wrote about women  22:52 “The Need for Heroes”  26:12 The Origin Story for the character of Simple 30:01 Black literacy and the Black press in Langston Hughes' time  35:41 People thought Simple was a real person! 38:35 Dr. Harper's 3 favorite Simple Stories  43:46 What makes Simple so relevant?  48:27 Why do many people still not know Simple?  49:23 The Danny Glover Story  55:23 Looking for Langston and Langston Hughes' sexuality  1:02 The Boondocks comparison to Simple  1:04 The Importance of Laughter  1:06 Further reading for Langston Hughes  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

We don't know everything about podcasting, but we do know that it's one of the most fun and fulfilling things we've ever done. Everyone who enjoys listening to podcasts should at least *consider* producing one because it's a great opportunity for personal growth and community-building. Here in this episode, Jan shares some of the origin story of Real Ballers Read, and offers 5 simple steps to starting your own. Connect with us on our Instagram and website. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

So in the last couple of weeks there was a small controversy on Twitter about two magazine covers, one with Jonathan Majors and another with ASAP Rocky and Rihanna. The controversy was over whether or not there is an agenda to effeminize Black men in popular media. In this episode, I wanted to talk about to two writers who had a similar debate before—Frances Cress Welsing and Essex Hemphill. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Real Ballers Read returns to Langston Hughes's legendary but long-forgotten character, Jess B. Semple in this week's podcast episode! This time with our hilarious and brilliant Uncle Chris “CockaRue” Wesson. Last summer, Uncle Chris asked if we knew Jess B. Semple and his favorite book series Simple Speaks His Mind, Simple Takes A Wife, and Simple Stakes A Claim. We had never heard of Simple, or even knew that Langston Hughes wrote more than poetry. But today we share our conversation with Uncle Chris, where he tells the story of how Simple turned him into a lifelong reader and relatable storyteller. This episode is full of laughs and wisdom, just like the Simple stories, so make sure to check it out this weekend wherever you listen to podcasts! 1:03 Chris' backstory 2:30 Chris' story of how he lost and found his love of reading 6:21 The Basketball Diaries 8:39 Bobby Seale 10:00 Discovering Langston Hughes 12:39 Buying his first copy of Simple 15:39 Miles and Jan's favorite Simple stories 18:17 The story of Chris' name 18:40 Simple: The American Folk Tale in Real Life 20:49 Look at my feet 22:54 Reading from “Feet Have a Life of Their Own” 25:12 The Bars Simple drank in vs. now 28:06 Simple, Politics and American History 32:25 “Dig and be dug” 33:19 Richard Pryor and Mudbone 35:06 When you run into the random cousin

“I call the young people who grew up in the past twenty-five years the Trayvon Generation. They always knew these stories. These stories formed their world view. These stories helped instruct young African-Americans about their embodiment and their vulnerability. The stories were primers in fear and futility. The stories were the ground soil of their rage. These stories instructed them that anti-black hatred and violence were never far.” - Elizabeth Alexander, The Trayvon Generation This week is dedicated to all the young Black people who've grown up in the Trayvon Generation. Elizabeth Alexander's essay and book of the same name guide this week's episode about what it's like living in times of anti-Black violence and not-guilty verdicts. We share how February 26, 2012 changed everything for us as Black boys, and ushered in a decade of constant fear, anger and cynicism. We address the struggles to better define what freedom might mean, with the help of many of our favorite books. Check out Growing Up in the Trayvon Generation this weekend anywhere you listen to podcasts. 1:37 Introducing the Trayvon Generation 2:57 What we remember from 2012 6:21 The Timeline of the Justice system 8:20 The medium in which we hear the news 9:21 Respectability politics 15:38 Becoming Disillusioned with politics 20:40 Turning away from social media 25:58 What does it mean to be free black man? 30:00 The Story of Herman Wallace 33:08 Finding freedom in prison? 36:50 What is freedom really? 40:00 Other books that come to mind 44:00 Time traveling to 1919 47:37 Surprise and Connectedness --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

“Usually over a glass of beer, he tells me his tales, mostly in high humor, but sometimes with a pain in his soul as sharp as the occasional hurt of that bunion on his right foot.” ~ Langston Hughes, 1961 Who is Simple??? For this week's episode of Real Ballers Read, we introduce you to one of Langston Hughes's most hilarious and lesser known characters: Jess B. Semple, nicknamed “Simple”. Simple and his stories are a celebration of many of the black folks that Hughes encountered in Harlem. Through short dialogues between himself and Simple, Hughes brings readers' attention to the humor, rhythm and blues of everyday Black life. We've been laughing and learning so much along the way of reading Hughes's Simple stories, and we're excited to share that with you this Black History Month. Podcast dropping today everywhere you listen! :40 Miles' trip to Ghana 4:02 Homegoing 6:15 Jan's trip to DC 8:15 Jan Claiming Author Status 10:28 Simple 15:07 Langston Hughes' explanation of Simple 20:29 How People Talked then vs Now 22:39 Internet Culture and Attention Spans 29:06 “Temptation” by Langston Hughes 34:31 The importance of rhyming --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, Miles talks about The Spook Who Sat By The Door by Sam Greenlee. He reads a short passage from the book, talks about the questions it raises and the book's influence on Nipsey Hussle. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

“Are you sure, sweetheart you want to be well? …Cause wholeness is no trifling matter. A lot of weight when you're well.” Toni Cade Bambara opens her novel The Salt Eaters with these lines - questioning both the protagonist AND the reader to decide if they want to take on the weight of wellness. Reading this book is unlike any other reading experience we've had. It feels like trudging through mud, and in this episode Akili assures us that that means that The Salt Eaters is working!?!? Akili shows us, and all our listeners, what it means to be a smart Black man, as he makes one of the hardest books ever look easy, and hits on the many interesting points listed below: 1:35 The Story Behind Akili's names 6:41 Listening to only jazz for a year 9:25 Akili's reading journey 12:04 What it means to be a smart Black man 15:44 “When you want something, you have to go after it” 19:35 Trudging through mud with the Salt Eaters 20:46 Taking the Wakanda Leaf to the Ancestral plane 24:51 Who is the main character? What's going on? 26:33 How the Salt Eaters deepened Akili's understanding of wellness 31:52 How Akili would teach The Salt Eaters 37:30 Toni Cade Bambara's legacy 40:02 The Character of the South in the book 45:43 Akili's time as a rapper 48:30 30 minute freestyles 53:17 It's not hard to be smart for 60 minutes --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

“I have closed novels and stared at their back covers for a long moment and felt known in a way I cannot honestly say I have felt known by many real-life interactions with human beings, or even by myself.” ~ Zadie Smith On this week's episode of Real Ballers Read, we dive into one of the most thought-provoking essays by the brilliant Zadie Smith, “Fascinated to Presume: In Defense of Fiction”. Here's a fun contribution to the conversation started by @booksarepopculture on Black bookstagram's preference for fiction or nonfiction. What's your go-to genre?? The bros got a whole *concept map* of all the connections we made to Zadie Smith's essay. This was a fun conversation that somehow covered bell hooks, Toni Morrison, Captain Underpants and the new culture wars in the same episode. Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts. . . . 2:57 The Story Behind this episode 7:42 The first paragraph of “Fascinated to Presume” 9:24 Having fluid or “inconsistent” personalities 10:56 Ways we've felt more secure 12:26 Relating to fictional characters 13:34 To Kill A Mockingbird 16:05 Your Blues Ain't Like Mine 19:36 Feeling seen by people vs. books 21:52 What happens to people when the news cameras leave? 23:47 The Dance of Human Interaction and its absence in reading 26:27 Trick Mirror 28:16 The Potential for Radical Change 32:44 American Dirt 38:02 Is it irresponsible to write from someone else's point of view? 42:10 What does harm mean in a literary sense? 46:41 Trigger warnings at the start of books? 47:31 Sisters of the Yam by bell hooks 52:18 Stanley Crouch 54:16 John Howard Griffin and Black Like Me 55:45 Limits of empathy 57:38 The illusion of the self 59:30 Reading as a writer vs. as a casual reader 1:01 Consumerism as an identity 1:06 The Reader decides to believe or not 1:07 What we want from good fiction 1:14 Difference between acting and writing 1:16 Cultural Appropriation as a verbal container 1:23 Does this essay convince us to read more classics? 1:31 Hector Abad quote --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Introducing… Dr Eve L. Ewing as the newest guest on the Real Ballers Read podcast!! We talked with Dr. Ewing about the power and problems of reading, why the way we frame education matters, and the two Audre Lorde essays that Dr. Ewing is constantly learning from: “Poetry is Not a Luxury” and “The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action.” We've been dreaming to host Dr. Ewing on our podcast since Day 1 because of her incredible artistry, scholarship and organizing. We look up to her as a Chicago writer (in the traditions of Gwendolyn Brooks and Sandra Cisneros) and could not be more excited to share our interview with you today. 1:37 Eve's powerful quote from Black Futures 2:29 Eve's journey with reading 3:21 The fugitive element of children's inner lives 5:12 The different performances of intelligence 7:36 Black people were forbidden from reading and writing 9:24 The difference between school and education 9:55 The Crazy Story of How Frederick Douglass Learned to Read 13:44 Knowledge Systems… Western and Non-Western 18:02 Eve's Analysis of U.S. Education in Four Frames 18:38 1. The presumption of competition 21:29 2. Compulsion 22:51 Chicago teachers COVID strike 24:48 Culturally responsive pedagogy 25:19 Eve's visit to a school on the Yurok Reservation 28:02 One of Eve's favorite memories teaching 29:30 Ableism and different ways of accessing knowledge 32:59 Audre Lorde's Sister Outsider 34:07 The importance of rereading and continuous learning 35:17 Read popular quotes in CONTEXT! 36:00 The kind of writer Eve wants to be 37:22 Passage from “Poetry is Not a Luxury” 42:08 Why you should buy books! 43:51 Passage from “Transformation of Silence into Language and Action” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

"Teamwork and intelligence wins championships." In this episode, we talk about Michael Jordan's 1994 book, I Can't Accept Not Trying and what we can learn from his mindset in trying to accomplish our own goals in 2023. 1:43 Story behind the book 2:44 I Can't Accept Not Trying… what does that mean? 4:27 Why are people afraid of failure? 5:32 Difference between faith and hope 7:19 Why people listen to athletes 14:13 The teams around Michael Jordan 19:28 Fear is an illusion 20:59 Boxing 23:30 What success looks like for Jan 27:06 What success looks like for Miles --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk about why it's important for Black men to read! This is a topic we've been thinking about for a long time and want continue thinking and talking about with others. Let us know your thoughts and questions! :32 Why is it important for Black men to read? :49 Reading as a practice of listening 3:39 The Fear of not being heard 6:22 Why Reading has so many positive side effects 9:30 Miles' general theory for the difference between why Black Men and Black Women read 11:23 Stereotypes of Black men talking about Black men 17:15 Topics and Issues Around Black men that must be addressed 17:15 Our relationship with ourselves 18:07 Our relationship with Black women 19:01 Our relationship with the queer community 20:17 The education system 24: 46 Our journey with Real Ballers Read 28:20 Owning who we are --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, Jan and Miles reflect on their year of reading! They talk about their favorite books, reflect on how reading fit into their lives and think ahead to what they are excited about reading in 2023. 1:09 Miles' reflection on his year in reading 5:08 Year of Moving 6:33 Jan's reflection on his year of reading 11:13 Jan's pace of reading 12:45 Jan's Year of Poetry and Plays in 2023 15:02 Miles Intention for 2023 17:24 The Library --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Y'all - Jan's first book is coming out this weekend!! It's a Happy Birthday Pub Day for my bro!! Watering Whole is a chapbook of poems that are inspired by Jan's personal and cultural relationship with water. Jan has studied water through the lens of Black art and history, environmental justice, technology and spirituality, and his insights all come to the surface in this incredible collection. You will come away from this book with a newfound perspective and appreciation for the all-life-giving source that is water! In this week's podcast episode, Jan details his story with water, the challenges and lessons learned from writing, and why he's excited about publishing the book. He also reads three of his poems!! You can order your copy of Watering Whole below starting tomorrow Saturday, December 17th. Buy Watering Whole Here 1:46 How Jan's describes his new book Watering Whole 3:59 A Site of Trauma, a Site of Transcendence 4:59 Jan's first real memory with water 7:10 “Blessing from the Big Blue Bay” - poetry reading 8:20 Music's influence on Jan's poetry 9:10 Meeting Jacqueline Woodson 10:57 Toni Morrison's Beloved 12:08 “The Way of My Beloved”- poetry reading 14:53 Water hollows the stone 15:30 Bruce Lee 18:55 The consequence of changing our relationship to water 19:36 Objectifying water 22:14 “Our Choice”- poetry reading 24:35 “For the Mountains On My Shoulders” 25:55 The story of how the book came together 31:45 Publishing is a team sport 33:27 How you can get a copy --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Because sometimes somebody can give a sermon through words that subtly, yet significantly, respects our humanity. And sometimes somebody can give a sermon without saying a word. Our newest guest on the Real Ballers Read podcast is one of our favorite bookstagrammers and low-key authors - Daniel Cast!! We've been vibing with his reflections and recommendations for more than a minute, so it was great to finally chop it up with Daniel about The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, why art is alive, his love of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and more. Daniel is dope and definitely somebody for everybody to watch out for and listen to. Check out the full run down of the episode below and tune in this weekend wherever you listen to podcasts! And hey - who else out here is a Flamin' Hot Cheetos fan?? 0:48 A note on Daniel's incredible captions 3:02 How Daniel found the Undocumented Americans 5:17 Everyone has a story 7:05 Black and brown bodies 8:00 How Daniel relates to the book 11:16 Seeing a sermon in action 14:15 How Daniel expresses himself through writing 16:05 What is so important about language? 18:13 Music is alive 19:51 Voodoo 22:54 Songwriters that Daniel loves 24:29 Writers that Daniel loves 28:21 Telling stories in very little words 29:53 Album transitions 31:53 How Daniel approaches his book reviews 34:56 The difference between LA people and Compton people 39:52 Daniel's journey to being a multi-creative 42:46 Daniel's crazy hilarious snacks story 46:10 Flamin' Hot Cheetos' origin story 47:43 How Daniel describes his writing 50:28 The story behind Daniel's book --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

“The word art does not encompass the full meaning of the word” For this week's episode of Real Ballers Read, we interviewed our sister Vera Grace (they/she), who is easily the wisest, coolest, and most creative person we know!! Vera just returned from a life-changing trip to Namibia and Southern Africa, where they deepened their study of Black agricultural practices. We had an awesome time catching up and getting to reflect on her experiences together. It's amazing how we can know our sister our entire lives, and still learn so much about them and from them in this episode. She so fluently expresses their relationships to urban farming, dance, poetry and critical writing, movies, music, education, traveling, and our grandmother that she's named after yet never got to physically meet. Vera's our younger sister and our biggest inspiration. We look up to her in so many ways and it was a huge honor to have them on the show. Every one of her answers left us speechless, so we're sure you'll love listening to this episode as much as we did. 0:56 Vera's love of movies 1:43 Being a slow reader 2:03 The Influence of maya Angelou 3:56 Vera's favorite movie 5:48 Vera's favorite movie scores 7:05 The Meaning of Art 7:34 Art and Dance 9:04 When Vera Started to Love Dance 12:31 Vera's story with writing 13:53 Being the Only Black Student in a Class 16:09 Poetry is not a luxury! 20:33 Vera's connection to her grandmother 22:32 A ❤️ Story from a Research Presentation 24:53 Story of our Grandmother 29:21 The Origin story of Vera's research project 35:56 Her approach to research and relationship to academia 40:42 Organizing around dreams and visions 45:38 Traveling to Africa for the first time 50:45 The Connection Between African Americans and people from South Africa 58:15 The Welcoming garden in Cape Town 1:03:57 You can't describe African concepts in English vernacular 1:09:48 Everyone should go to Africa 1:11:18 Wakanda Forever 1:14:00 What are African-Americans like? 1:16:53 Solidarity between Africa and the Diaspora 1:21:15 Vera's relationship with bell hooks 1:26:17 Writers who talk like they write 1:29:31 What Vera is dreaming about 1:36:26 What has been bringing Vera joy --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

In this episode, we talk with Shanita Hubbard, the author of the new book Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women. We had an awesome time hearing from Shanita about her journey writing Ride or Die, why we must stop imposing and glorifying a Ride or Die mentality on Black women, how she's growing as a parent, her favorite hip-hop artists and more. This is an incredible book and an incredible episode! You'll love it as much as we did. Ride or Die Book Link Shanita's Website 0:00 Shanita Hubbard Intro! 2:21 The Black community's response to Shanita's book 3:55 bell hooks' legacy 6:05 What is a Ride or Die? 12:39 Shanita's Story with the term 15:51 What Shanita felt writing the book 22:20 The Cost of the Ride or Die mentality 27:25 Shanita's relationship with hip-hop now 30:43 F-R-E-E F.N.F 33:34 Sexual Freedom and Patriarchy 36:58 What Shanita has learned as a parent 44:36 Praising Black women without dehumanizing them 46:46 What Restorative Justice can look on a community level 52:12 Shanita's Top 5 (SPECIAL EDITION) 59:40 Future Top 5 entries from new rappers 1:09:41 Anti-Blackness disguised as fandom 1:13:46 The Uses of Anger for Shanita 1:17:44 Shanita's Book Recs --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

Anthony Ireland is a graduate of Loyal Marymount University, he played nine years of basketball professionally in Europe, and he is the founder of the AI three Leadership Academy and host of the Grind podcast. In this episode, we talk about his love of basketball and reading and his journey with both over the years. You'll love this conversation as much as we did! :46 What Anthony has been up to recently 1:43 Anthony's non-profit 3:07 Why Anthony Pursued Basketball in the first place 4:23 What kept Anthony in the game 5:14 What LMU was like 6:44 What he learned from being there 7:32 Anthony's journey with reading 11:00 DREAM BIG 12:45 Transitioning from college to Pro in Europe 15:00 Favorite memory from Europe 16:03 Crazy European Fans 18:06 Being Black in Europe 19:47 Malcolm X 22:24 Being a Multifaceted Person 25:00 Starting his Basketball Academy 28:00 Anthony's podcast 31:10 The 5 AM Club 36:00 Anthony's Book Recommendation --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/realballersread/support

To celebrate our 50th episode, Real Ballers Read had a special guest on today's podcast: Symone Speech!! Symone is the Executive Director, college advisor and NCAA specialist for @ccachicago , a volleyball coach, retired pro athlete extraordinaire, and Jan's fiancé. In this episode, we hear Symone's incredible story from not making tryouts as a 7th grader to making it as a pro volleyballer in Italy and Germany - with a super successful D1 college career at Georgetown University in between. Along the way of her athletic career, self-help and fantasy books helped her navigate many challenges and triumphs. The main one that we discuss in this episode is Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday, which helped her define her values and commit to serving others in her post-pro athlete life. This is a really fun family episode so make sure to check it out asap!! Everywhere you listen to podcasts and on YT. :30 Symone's Intro 1:33 Books that Symone grew up on 2:30 Symone's first time playing volleyball 4:00 Symone's recruiting process 6:31 Committing to Georgetown 9:00 Playing professional volleyball overseas 13:00 One of Symone's biggest challenges 15:51 Where Symone feels she is in her growth journey 16:58 Shameless self-promotion 17:55 What Happens when you gift books… 19:03 Subtly Not Giving A F*K 21:34 Balance 24:25 Retiring from the game 26:00