1 00:00:01,440 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: On Theme is a production of iHeartRadio and fair Weather 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Friends Media. 3 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 2: You are from the time we are born. Stories surround us, 4 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: whispering wisdom, sharing histories, and planting the seeds of who 5 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: we will become. For generations, black writers have used the 6 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 2: pages of children's literature as a canvas, weaving in the 7 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 2: rich tapestries of our culture, our struggles, and our. 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 3: Triumphs outside or inside, night or day. What's imagination? We 9 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 3: all play sounds on to a friends or on our own. 10 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 3: Everyone is welcome, We all belonged. 11 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,959 Speaker 1: She was born a dreamer, a dare, a maker of. 12 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 2: Her own way, passing down our stories into traditions to 13 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 2: the next generation, ensuring the lessons that guided us continue 14 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 2: to light the way. I'm Katie and I'm Eves. In 15 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,400 Speaker 2: today's episode, Little Literature Lessons, we're exploring how black authors 16 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 2: passed down traditions and lessons through the pages of children's books. 17 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: Earlier this year, we lost faith Ringgold, the celebrated artist 18 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: and author. 19 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: She was also one of the most influential voices in 20 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 1: using kids books to pass down traditions. She dedicated a 21 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: lot of her career to uplifting the Black American experience 22 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:39,320 Speaker 1: through vibrant storytelling. 23 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 2: In her award winning nineteen ninety one book, Tarbeach, Ringo 24 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 2: transports readers to the rooftop of a Harlem home during 25 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: the Depression era. Through the eyes of young Cassie Louise Lightfoot, 26 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 2: she paints a vivid picture a family, community, and joy 27 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 2: despite the difficulties. 28 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 4: I can fly. That means I am free to go 29 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 4: wherever I want for the rest of my life. 30 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: Cassie dreams of freedom, of possibility despite limitations. Those dreams 31 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 2: echo the aspirations Faith Ringgold's own mother instilled in her 32 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: as a child. In this way, Tarbag becomes a multi 33 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:21,119 Speaker 2: layered passing of the torch from the author's ancestors to her, 34 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,000 Speaker 2: and then from Faith Ringgold to the many generations of 35 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 2: children who read her words, and. 36 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: Some of those children grew up to become children's books 37 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 1: authors themselves. After the break, we're chatting with Dalisha Mitchell 38 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 1: of Little Black Booknook. 39 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 4: I am Dalisha Mitchell. I'm a writer, author my debut 40 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 4: board book How We Play. If you are on Instagram, 41 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 4: you've seen me as Little Black Booknook. But I also 42 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 4: do like book reviews for PBS kids, so lots of 43 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 4: titles stay with us. 44 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 2: Well, welcome, Thank you for joining us in studio, Thanks 45 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 2: for having me. Are there any standout books from your 46 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: childhood that like really taught you a lesson and it 47 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 2: really ingrained in you. 48 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 4: So my parents were really intentional about me reading books 49 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 4: with black characters, which I appreciate, but also back then, 50 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 4: I feel like a lot of the books were racially charged. 51 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 4: So I'm sure like y'all probably read What was It? Ror? 52 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 4: What Is It? Ror? Thunder Here, Minecraft, thunder Here. Yeah, 53 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 4: I feel like everybody read that book. But I remember 54 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 4: reading books like Honey I Love and other Poems and 55 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 4: being so happy because they were just like relatable and fun, 56 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 4: like hanging out with your cousins and summer days with popsicles, 57 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 4: and so Honey I Love and Other Poems always stands out, 58 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 4: like I still have a copy to this day. I 59 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 4: used to like memorize it or recite them, and it 60 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 4: also was like written and like to me a little 61 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 4: bit of a sass seaway. So I remember like reading 62 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 4: them and swaying my hips and rolling my neck a 63 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 4: little bit. So I really liked that book in particular. 64 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 4: But Eloise Screenfield, Yeah, Louise Screenfield. Outside of that, I 65 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: was all about like Babysitters Club and was a Bailey 66 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 4: Science Kids Club. A lot of those kind of books 67 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 4: stood out to me back then, so those were my 68 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 4: probably favorites, and animals and goose Bumps, and I really 69 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 4: loved scary books, so Goosebumps was like top tier back then. 70 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: So when you say they resonated with you back then, 71 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: what do you mean by that. I'm trying to step 72 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: into the shoes of a child, Like when I think 73 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: of what resonates with me now, understand because I have 74 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 1: certain conditioning that's come up since then. And also, like 75 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: I know, I'm interested in certain things in society, and 76 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 1: that's why they resonate with me. When you were a child, 77 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: if you could put yourself back in those shoes, what 78 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: was it about the works that made you like, oh, 79 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: this feels right right. 80 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 4: I grew up in a really small rural town, so 81 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,120 Speaker 4: anytimes I could find books that had experiences that were 82 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 4: outside of that, I loved it because like I didn't know, 83 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 4: like what a city block was, I didn't have any 84 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 4: idea about any of those sorts of things. So for me, 85 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 4: I really liked finding books that kind of took me 86 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 4: out of my small community and put me into the world. 87 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 4: So I also enjoyed books that brought me closer to 88 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 4: my family, which was a big, big thing for me. 89 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 4: So I think that's why when I talk about like Honey, 90 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 4: I love a lot of it talked about like summer, 91 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 4: spending time together with cousins, enjoying food together, playing games together, 92 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 4: all those sorts of things. So that's something that stood 93 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 4: out to me. I also have always loved Halloween. That 94 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 4: was something big in my family. We dress up, go 95 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 4: trick or treating together. So I always seeked out kind 96 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 4: of like those horror scary stories, which there weren't a 97 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 4: lot to offer during that time. I feel like for 98 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 4: kids anyway, it was always a little too much for 99 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 4: my age range at that time. But I always seek 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 4: to find some of those more scary spooky stories outside 101 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 4: of those, or about family. 102 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I love children's books that talk about like family 103 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 2: in summertime because then, like you as a kid, you're like, 104 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: let's emulate this, like let's have this barbecue. Like you 105 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: ain't helping with the barbue at all, but you just 106 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: like we need to just delegate. Hey, let me get 107 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 2: this jump rope. We gonna do some double Dutch. She 108 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 2: make some ice cream and it's gonna be ay. 109 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 4: It's Mary Matt. 110 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 111 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 2: Did you have a book from your childhood that really 112 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: taught you a lesson or had that passed down tradition vibe. 113 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: I remember reading and when my mom got for me 114 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 1: the book but not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. She 115 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,680 Speaker 1: I think she might have gotten it from the library 116 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: for me, and I just remember, you know, thinking about it, 117 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: putting myself back in that era, like I got to 118 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: travel backward in time. I got to go on this 119 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 1: road trip. Also at the same time, I got to 120 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 1: learn a little bit more about blackness. That is one 121 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: book that stands out for me from my childhood. Before that, 122 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 1: I remember a lot of those. I don't remember what 123 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: they were called, but each one of the books had 124 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: a specific moral lesson in it. It was a whole 125 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: series of books. It was there were heartback Yes, they 126 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: were skinny, and it was like cartoon. They weren't them 127 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: in my house. 128 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 2: I do because I was bad. I was bad. If 129 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: my parents said you need this whole set, and they 130 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: would read them every day. 131 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: And. 132 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 4: I would have to go dig through the garage. 133 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: They're probably in there somewhere still, but that's what I 134 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: remember from early on. They were really trying to they 135 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: were hitting heavy with the propaganda early on. 136 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 2: No, Yeah, it was like the titles will be like 137 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 2: stop tattle telling. 138 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 4: Yes, I got straight to the point. Did it work 139 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 4: for any of us? 140 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: Not for me? 141 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 4: No, not really. They were fun. I don't know why 142 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 4: they were fun to read, because I feel like I 143 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 4: like reading them all the time. Yeah, but I didn't 144 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 4: get the message. 145 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 2: I understood what they were trying to get at, but 146 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: I was like, I'm still tattle a little bit. 147 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 4: It's a little too heavy. 148 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 1: And then back then we knew it. 149 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 2: I feel like one for me that I remember like, 150 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 2: oh yeah, like I'm getting something out of this was 151 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:01,280 Speaker 2: the story of Ruby Bridges. I was reading that when 152 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 2: we lived in Kansas, which is historically a very white place, 153 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: and I wasn't like the only black kid around, but 154 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 2: you know, one of very few. And I just remember 155 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 2: thinking like, am Igraphy Bridges not are you? And is like, 156 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 2: you know, my mom's from Jacksonssissippi, So like she didn't 157 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: shy away from talking about like racism or just like 158 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 2: the things like black people have gone through in this country, 159 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: even if I am seven years old, so like you're 160 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: gonna know about this. So I think that like really 161 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: shaped like my view of like society, like oh this 162 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 2: this how day? Uh huh. You know, I know I 163 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: know which audio and I still have that in me, 164 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 2: So like I'm interested for you, d Alisha, as an author, 165 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,119 Speaker 2: how do you navigate those topics like racism and injustice 166 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 2: or trauma in like an age appropriate way but also impactful. 167 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 4: So I think it's kind of like one side of 168 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 4: me as a black writer and creative. I enjoy finding 169 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 4: and writing books that aren't about those topics, just because 170 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 4: sometimes it's so much about that that sometimes when you 171 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 4: go to the library and you're looking for books that 172 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 4: have black characters, all stories kind of have that arc. 173 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,839 Speaker 4: You know, you got the introduction of the protagonist and 174 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 4: a problem, and then but if all the black protagonists 175 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 4: problems are racism, kids can start to feel kind of 176 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,319 Speaker 4: like that's the only story we have to tell. So 177 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 4: I seek to write more and find books that focus 178 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 4: more on stories of just black folks being black, like 179 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 4: having cookouts, getting their hair braided. Watched a new book 180 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 4: coming out that I can't wait to read books about 181 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 4: bedtime bondings and wrapping your hair up at night. I'm 182 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 4: looking for more fantasy for black kid lit too. I 183 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 4: think to approach topics on like racism or discrimination, I 184 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 4: try to make it more of this is a everybody's problem, 185 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 4: not of black problem. So how can we be more 186 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 4: inclusive to one another? On what does that look like? 187 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 4: Because when you're thinking about kids that are like four 188 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 4: and five, it's hard to get too deep because they 189 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,560 Speaker 4: don't even quite understand just yet. But just making sure 190 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:16,839 Speaker 4: if you're at the playground and everybody's over here playing, 191 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 4: is that one kid over there, invite them over to play? 192 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 4: You know, if you see a kid fall down and 193 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 4: hurt themselves by them over, if you see other kids 194 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 4: making fun of this one kid who happens to not 195 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 4: look like everybody else or have a disability, how do 196 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 4: we go about making sure that you know, they know 197 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 4: we're not having that. So I think it can get 198 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 4: really heavy sometimes, but I think there's a way to 199 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 4: always make it focused on inclusion and not so much 200 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 4: on the outright racism and oppression. Especially when you talk 201 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 4: about like zero to four age, it's really hard to 202 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 4: cover but I think all of them. Play is a 203 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 4: powerful thing we talk about. I talk about play a lot, 204 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 4: so I think making sure that we focus on including others, 205 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 4: being kind and if someone isn't, making sure that you're 206 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 4: that person that's going to stand up and make sure 207 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:06,959 Speaker 4: that you're inclusive of that person or just protecting them 208 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 4: if needed. But I feel like sometimes kid lit, especially 209 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 4: for black kids, can get really heavy on the a 210 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 4: lot of books coming out that are all about somebody 211 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 4: being discriminated against or being racist, or which are important stories. 212 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 4: So I'm definitely not saying that those are definitely important stories, 213 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 4: but I think we have to make sure that we 214 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 4: like balance out what black stories are about, because thankfully 215 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 4: we're at a point where we get to tell our 216 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 4: own stories and narratives and not have them told for us. 217 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, run in the past. Can you talk about play? 218 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 2: What lessons or values did you put in your book 219 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:44,440 Speaker 2: that you wrote about play? 220 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 4: I think for me is that like play looks different 221 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 4: for every kid, every family. I think not for me 222 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 4: as a parent to even realizing how controlling adults can 223 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 4: be about play, Like if you're too messy or don't 224 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 4: be too loud, or that's not how you play the 225 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 4: game when none of that matters to kids. I'm sure 226 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 4: all of y'all remember like making up games and you're like, Okay, 227 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 4: what's the rule? Well, no, if you get out two times, 228 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 4: then you got to be on this team and. 229 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 1: Changing in the middle of the game. 230 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 4: In the middle of the game, we're like, oh no, 231 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 4: we always argue about what are the actual rules to 232 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 4: the game. So for me, when I think about, like 233 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:19,520 Speaker 4: how I wrote my book about play and just watching 234 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 4: my son play, it's me as an adult giving up 235 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 4: the control and just letting him do his thing, and 236 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 4: even as a former teacher, just like letting them enjoy 237 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 4: themselves and figure it out because that's part of how 238 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 4: they learn through play. It doesn't have to be by 239 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 4: the book or it doesn't have to look the same way. 240 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 4: Some kids like to play by themselves in a corner 241 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 4: and that's fine. Others might just want to do something relaxing. 242 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 4: Other might want to jump off the top of a tree, 243 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 4: swing across and jump off, which I'm sure we all 244 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 4: remember that too, swinging and jumping off of the swings. 245 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 4: So I think just respecting that kids know how to play, 246 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 4: we don't have to teach them how to play. It 247 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 4: is natural for them. They're going to figure it out, 248 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 4: so just not you know, being controlling, letting kids play 249 00:12:58,280 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 4: and enjoy themselves. 250 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: I think that it's been the same over time. You 251 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: talk about how much there is around, I guess trying 252 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: to teach children empathy around. That's why the racial oppression 253 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 1: conversations come up so much. It's always about those. Is 254 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 1: it more like that in children's lit now than it 255 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: was before? Do you see a change in like maybe 256 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: a few decades ago, like how children's lit looked. Did 257 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: it focus on those types of stories as much then 258 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: as it does now? 259 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 4: As far as it comes to empathy and racism. I 260 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 4: am grateful that I am starting to see more stories 261 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 4: where that's not the primary topic. So in the book, 262 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 4: there may be an instance where someone does something or 263 00:13:39,280 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 4: says something that's inappropriate, but that's not the whole focus 264 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 4: of the book. When I think back to books like 265 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 4: when I was younger, compared to the books that I 266 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 4: read to my son, there's a lot more and just 267 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 4: being kind and joyful and enjoying each other's company in 268 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 4: general versus you know, here's a story about you know, 269 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 4: a little black boy who wasn't allowed to participate in 270 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 4: this activity and how that shaped his life and his 271 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 4: family and so on. I feel like there were a 272 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 4: lot of those kind of moral stories of racism is 273 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,319 Speaker 4: wrong back then. Now I feel like they're starting to 274 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 4: kind of be mixed into just the black experience. Like, yes, 275 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 4: we've all in this room, I'm sure experience racism, but 276 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 4: that's not our story per se. Like there's so many 277 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 4: other things that we go through from day to day 278 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 4: through time that we can talk about. So I would 279 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 4: like to say that I see now that it's more 280 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 4: focused on empathy in general and just being more inclusive 281 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 4: with others than the kind of story of black kid 282 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 4: being discriminated again, treated poorly and that's the end of 283 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 4: the story basically, because then it kind of feels like 284 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 4: that's all. That's the end of the story. We just 285 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 4: have to work through a racism. It's just, you know, 286 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 4: there's no way to work past it and through it. 287 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 2: As a children's books expert, I need your opinion on something. 288 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 2: I feel like there's been a lot of news about 289 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 2: non black writers writing about black characters. 290 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, and you. 291 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 2: Know, on one hand, people say, you know, it's just a 292 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 2: character anyone can write about it, and then on the 293 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 2: other hand, people say like, hey, like you're not in 294 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: this community, like why are you? Like what are your 295 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 2: thoughts on this? 296 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 4: So I've had lots of thoughts and conversations about this, 297 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 4: and I think for me, it always boils down to 298 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 4: why are you writing about a character that isn't representative 299 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 4: of your experience? 300 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 2: Why? 301 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 4: Like, what's the why behind that? Because at one point, 302 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 4: a lot of books were coming out that have black characters, 303 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 4: which made a lot of us happy because we were 304 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 4: just happy to see black characters. But then when you 305 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 4: would search the author's name, you know would be a 306 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 4: white woman. And for me it becomes problematic because there 307 00:15:55,160 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 4: are tons of black authors who want a shot, They 308 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 4: wanted opportunity to write stories about people who have their experiences, 309 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 4: are able to tell those stories from a genuine place. 310 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 4: So when I see people who aren't from that background, 311 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 4: it's always met with like suspicion, like, well, why did 312 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 4: you choose to make this character black? 313 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 2: Why do you think they're doing that? 314 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 4: Honestly, I think diversity became a really big thing, and 315 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 4: I think that they're able to use that opportunity to 316 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 4: pull in an audience that they wouldn't necessarily be able 317 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 4: to pull in with another white book, per se. So 318 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 4: if all the characters in the book are white, they 319 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 4: may feel like, Okay, well, this will only reach this group. 320 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 4: Whereas if I add, you know, a black character, especially 321 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 4: a black main character. I think it is important to 322 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 4: have diverse books. So as a black author, I don't 323 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 4: think my book should only include black characters. But if 324 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 4: I'm talking about the main character and their experience, I 325 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 4: just feel like it would be odd for me to 326 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 4: be like, Okay, this is going to be Billy, a 327 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 4: little white boy in Arkansas, because I have no you know, 328 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:08,880 Speaker 4: no experie that right. So I think sometimes it's used 329 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,679 Speaker 4: as a way to promote diversity, but it feels a 330 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 4: little bit like black face. 331 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 1: So you're saying that it's from the publisher's perspective or 332 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: is that from the author's perspective when they're choosing to 333 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: write the story. 334 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 4: I think it's a little bit of both. I mean, 335 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 4: publishers want their books to sell, so I think when 336 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 4: it's popular to be diverse and have diverse characters, then 337 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 4: it's like, oh, well, what if we make this character 338 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 4: black instead or Asian instead? But I feel like when 339 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 4: you're an author and you write a story, you know 340 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 4: who that character is. I shouldn't be able to just 341 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 4: like swap out the race and it's the same story, 342 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 4: if that makes sense. Like, when you're writing a story, 343 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,920 Speaker 4: your character should be a person that looks a certain 344 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 4: way and has certain experiences. I shouldn't just be able 345 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 4: to say, Okay, yesterday they were black. Oh no today, 346 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,000 Speaker 4: let's make them Asian. Tomorrow, let's make them indigenous. Like 347 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:04,120 Speaker 4: it should show some real experiences and background and references 348 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,360 Speaker 4: to who that person is in their background. So yeah, 349 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 4: should have more depth to them. But I think publishers 350 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 4: and authors both kind of push that to sale books. Honestly, 351 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 4: when it's I was gonna say, when it's on themes. 352 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: Can we get you reading some of the lines from 353 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 2: your book. 354 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 4: It starts off outside or inside or today with imagination. 355 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 3: We all play, sometimes with friends or on our own. 356 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 3: Everyone is welcome, we all. 357 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 4: Belong, and that's my favorite part. 358 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,160 Speaker 3: We saw a stack, hide and seek, explore and observe, 359 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 3: s and leap, We color and paint, cut and blue 360 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 3: read a design something new. We we have and how 361 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 3: we and how we play? 362 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 2: All right, So you know we're talking about children's books 363 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 2: passing down lessons and traditions, and as writers, you know 364 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,399 Speaker 2: that when a book comes out, it has a little, 365 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 2: you know, description. So your task, I am going to 366 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:32,040 Speaker 2: give you three words. With those three words, you're going 367 00:19:32,119 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 2: to come up with a description for a children's book 368 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 2: that has a lesson or is passing down some tradition. 369 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,200 Speaker 2: You must use those three words. The review or the 370 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,199 Speaker 2: description only about a paragraph, but you got to sell it. 371 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: Which one is going to become a bestseller? Dahalisha your 372 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: set of words, hula hoop Twins Moving, Eves your words 373 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 2: belly tomorrow and milk. 374 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: Milk that's anti black, Okay. 375 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 2: And we will hear from Eve's and Dahlicia after this 376 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 2: break and we're back. Dalicia, can you remind us of 377 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 2: your words? 378 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 4: Hula hoop Twins Moving. Ellie and Elise are eager for 379 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 4: the fifth grade talent showcase. After months of practice, they 380 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 4: finally perfected their choreography and hula hoop twirls. That is 381 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 4: until Mom gets the big news she's been waiting for 382 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 4: a promotion that causes them to move across states to 383 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 4: the Big Apple. 384 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: I'm trying to get there, five minutes is not enough, Katie, 385 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 1: I was with you. 386 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 4: Too, Okay, Okay, I'm gonna just it's not going to 387 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 4: be in the same excitement. But the lesson is a 388 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 4: lesson of resilience. You know, they're going to figure out 389 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 4: how they can still be a part of this fifth 390 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 4: grade talent showcase by working with their friends. Okay, I'll 391 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 4: finish up. It's resilience though, that's the moral. Okay, we're 392 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 4: not there yet. Okay, that's it's resilience, right, stay staying 393 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 4: rooted in the community while also, you know, having Maybe 394 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 4: they don't the next city over and they have to 395 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 4: find a way back. 396 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 2: Okay, get some editing in. 397 00:21:58,720 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 1: I like it. 398 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 2: I'm there with you. Okay, ease remind us of your word. 399 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 1: Belly, Tomorrow and Milk. Layla wakes up in the morning. 400 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 1: The sun shines through the window. It's a beautiful day. 401 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: She gets ready to have her favorite cereal in the morning, 402 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 1: Pretty Puffs. She fixes her bowl all on her own, 403 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: but oh no, the milk spills. She's sure that her 404 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: dad's going to be angry. What should she do? In 405 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: this book we have Tomorrow, Layla learns valuable lessons about 406 00:22:32,440 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: gratitude for a full belly and always having tomorrow. 407 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 4: It's like food security, y'all. 408 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 1: To be real, what I was thinking it was flash. 409 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,640 Speaker 1: It was taking me back to the things that all 410 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,120 Speaker 1: black parents say, like you already got food on the table, 411 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: We got food at home. I ain't got McDonald's money. 412 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: It's the first thing that came up in my mind 413 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: when I was thinking of bellies. 414 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:08,400 Speaker 4: And a lot of black people are lactose intolerant. 415 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: Milk. 416 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: Okay, just like that is not I believe it was 417 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: a draw. I think we're on an equal footing. 418 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 4: At least there was a lesson anything. 419 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,400 Speaker 2: I member the dad is like, oh, he gonna be abused? 420 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 2: What No. 421 00:23:35,119 --> 00:23:37,120 Speaker 1: I was thinking of this from a child's perspective, where 422 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: they kind of hype everything up in their mind and 423 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: they're like, you know, my parents are going to be 424 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:47,280 Speaker 1: really angry. I just okay, that's how I thought of it. 425 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 2: But okay, I'm glad she's not getting abused. 426 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:52,640 Speaker 1: This story would not get accepted. 427 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,399 Speaker 4: I think that's where we same where we land. 428 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 2: The first draft of many Yeah, first drafts always very rough, 429 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 2: as illustrated. 430 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:01,919 Speaker 1: That was. 431 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:05,680 Speaker 4: Not what I was expecting. 432 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:14,959 Speaker 2: I love it. Okay, delisiha. How can folks keep up 433 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: with you? Do you have any future projects coming down 434 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 2: the pipeline? 435 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,959 Speaker 4: I do. You can keep up with me on Instagram 436 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 4: at Little Black Book Nook. And I finished up my 437 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:30,360 Speaker 4: debut board book, How We Play, and I am already 438 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 4: working on my second board book with a Little Feminist 439 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,359 Speaker 4: and it's going to be about Juneteenth. So that's my 440 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 4: next big project I'm working on and still just writing 441 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 4: all the time, all day, every day. So I'm hoping 442 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 4: to tell more stories, especially for the younger age group. 443 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,960 Speaker 4: I feel like they're not enough board books with black kiddos, 444 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 4: So I think that's my lane for now. 445 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,679 Speaker 2: And now it's time for All Credits segment, where we 446 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 2: give credit to a person, place, or thing that we 447 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 2: encountered during the week, and we are joined with Dollisha Mitchell. 448 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 2: But first, Eves who are what would you like to. 449 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 4: Give credit to today? 450 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: I would like to give credit to spiritual teachers, all 451 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: of them, but also my spiritual teachers specifically. I really 452 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: appreciate all of the guidance they've given me, how generous 453 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: they are with their time and with the knowledge that 454 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: they're willing to share. I think the work that they've 455 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 1: done in my life and that they do in general 456 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 1: is very important and it's been very edifying for me, 457 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: So I'm grateful for them. 458 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 2: Dollisha, who are what would you like to give credit to? 459 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 4: I would like to give credit to Ashley from Ninguzo Babies. 460 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,920 Speaker 4: My baby and I went to a performance that she 461 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 4: put on with her puppets and it was so amazing. 462 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 4: We enjoyed it so much to see little black puppets 463 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 4: telling our stories, dancing bubbles. It was a good time. 464 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 4: So cheers some more puppetry. 465 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 2: I'd like to give credit to physical media, like family media, 466 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:12,080 Speaker 2: like the photo album, subscribe books, the VH S, VHC, 467 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 2: VHS tapes, the DVDs with the home videos on it. 468 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 2: I've been steeped in those and it's just really cool 469 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 2: to see, you know, the life of a person and 470 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:25,159 Speaker 2: how they you know, grow up and change, and how 471 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:27,680 Speaker 2: all these memories are captured and we just have them. 472 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 2: So it's nice to be able to look back on 473 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 2: those and hold them in your hand. And with that, 474 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 2: we will see y'all next week. Thanks so much for 475 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 2: joining us, Dolisha, Thanks for having me. 476 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:45,640 Speaker 3: How we play outside or inside night or day, What's imagination? 477 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 3: We all play, sometimes do with friends or on our own. 478 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 3: Everyone is welcome, We all belonged. 479 00:26:56,960 --> 00:27:00,199 Speaker 1: On Theme is a production of iHeartRadio and Fearwell their 480 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: Friends Media. This episode was written by Eves Jeffco and 481 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,320 Speaker 1: Katie Mitchell. It was edited and produced by Tari Harrison. 482 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 1: Follow us on Instagram at on Themeshow. You can also 483 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 1: send us an email at hello at on Theme dot show. 484 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 1: Head to on Themet Show to check out the show 485 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 1: notes for episodes. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 486 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,760 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your 487 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 1: favorite shows.