Speaker 1: Malik Books has all the knowledge you want. Molik Books
Speaker 1: has all the knowledge you need. Books. Yeah, they have
Speaker 1: all the works, said the whole wild world want to
Speaker 1: read my Lea Books Relief's Bookshow, the podcast that brings
Speaker 1: the world together with books, culture and community, amplifying voices
Speaker 1: with inspiration. Hi, my name is Malik Mohammed, your host
Speaker 1: of Malik's Bookshelf. This is our episode number twelve. I
Speaker 1: can't believe I'm on episode twelve. No, this has been
Speaker 1: a learning experience. And like anything in life, you learn
Speaker 1: on the job, you experience as the best teacher. And
Speaker 1: so I started and in my mind I said to myself,
Speaker 1: every week, I got to get better at this. Every
Speaker 1: week I need to learn more about this because that's
Speaker 1: just how life is. So we started on episode one.
Speaker 1: Eventually we found the format. What I like to talk
Speaker 1: about is books, culture and community, and I try to
Speaker 1: bring a collection of interviews about the community, interviews about
Speaker 1: books and interviews about culture. Now, this episode number twelve
Speaker 1: my inspiration and that's what I realized I really wanted
Speaker 1: to add to my episodes is inspiration. So the inspiration
Speaker 1: for this episode it's called you are what you think?
Speaker 1: Now wise, inspiration important to me is because we we
Speaker 1: have to motivate each other. You know, human beings, we
Speaker 1: interrant and we feed on our energies. We help each
Speaker 1: other give me spirit is a receiving spirit. A lot
Speaker 1: of things I've had, I've gotten came because I gave
Speaker 1: and then I received. And I just think that, you know,
Speaker 1: as a motivating force, that it's very important and passionate
Speaker 1: to me. So that's why I said I wanted to
Speaker 1: do at that inspirational part of my podcast, Melik's Bookshelf.
Speaker 1: Now this particular episode, it's already stated that my inspiration
Speaker 1: as you are what you think. Now my interview, my
Speaker 1: book interview for this episode is a young lady and
Speaker 1: and here's the thing is that inspiration inspiration. You know,
Speaker 1: we have a lot of self published authors that come
Speaker 1: to Malik Books and their voice is not always magnified.
Speaker 1: And I always like to say, at Malak Books we
Speaker 1: give voice to the voiceless. So I got the feature
Speaker 1: a self published independent author Time of Faith, collaborated with
Speaker 1: sixteen other women to put a beautiful book out called
Speaker 1: Let the Women Speak. So I'm gonna be interviewing her.
Speaker 1: Also on this episode is an interview I did with
Speaker 1: and general by the name of Robert Foster, who is
Speaker 1: the CFO of the American Tennis Association, and it was
Speaker 1: fascinating and I learned something from our interview in conversation. Also,
Speaker 1: my book review for this episode is Kobe Bryant The
Speaker 1: Mama Mentality. I know we're still suffering from and mourning
Speaker 1: from the loss of our legendary Kobe Bryant, but I
Speaker 1: thought that his book during this time of the year
Speaker 1: in February would be an excellent book to do a
Speaker 1: book review. So stay tuned for episode twelve, The Mama Mentality.
Speaker 1: Robert Foster, your position at the American Association is once
Speaker 1: again the treasurer and chief and to law officer. And
Speaker 1: he just came into Malik Books and told me that
Speaker 1: which educated me that this is the oldest association Black associates,
Speaker 1: national sports organization in the United States. And if you
Speaker 1: want to know something more interesting, Howard University's first that
Speaker 1: what what a Dean of Women was by Lucy dick Slow.
Speaker 1: Now they just put a street on the campus of Howard.
Speaker 1: They just dedicated street to her name. She was the
Speaker 1: first winner female winner of of of our our first
Speaker 1: tournament in in to the nineteen seventeen. Associations started in
Speaker 1: the six but the first tournament was in Druid Hill
Speaker 1: Park in Baltimore, and all of the various clubs around
Speaker 1: the country black clubs because we could not we couldn't play.
Speaker 1: The Nited States Lawn and Tennis Association at that time
Speaker 1: didn't allow blacks. So you had some doctors, lawyers, plumbers
Speaker 1: put their money together, got this association to link all
Speaker 1: of these these these clubs around the country, these black clubs,
Speaker 1: and the forties they got to be about a hundred
Speaker 1: forty five clubs, National National Negroes. And by y'all becoming
Speaker 1: an association, working together collectively and unify, you open up
Speaker 1: some doors. Not only that you open up doors, but
Speaker 1: you It is probably one of the few family recreational
Speaker 1: activities outside of golf that a full family can do
Speaker 1: the rest of your life. And that's the beautiful thing man,
Speaker 1: Because it talked about discipline, good will, sportsmanship. You don't
Speaker 1: go pushing somebody off in the chest when you when
Speaker 1: you don't, you get a bad call. You have to
Speaker 1: realize what they call now emotional intelligence, what we used
Speaker 1: to call is manners Okay, okay, emotional intelligence that's what
Speaker 1: they're calling now, Matt. But it's in our arena, is
Speaker 1: at home, is manners, that's right, right, because of switch
Speaker 1: when your emotional telligent ain't right, And that's good character build,
Speaker 1: that's right, and that and that's the one good thing.
Speaker 1: And it's about problem solving out there on that court,
Speaker 1: Yes it is. So you have to realize it's more
Speaker 1: than your skilled that's right. It's high intelligence involved in right.
Speaker 1: And so this is what we're trying to not only
Speaker 1: promote the game, but to build character and our kids. Well,
Speaker 1: thank you, thank you, thank you appreciate it. Thanks for
Speaker 1: giving me a little background on Merkan Tennis Association. Yeah,
Speaker 1: the American Block Tennis Association whatever, we were the first.
Speaker 1: That's what community has all been about, the burst and
Speaker 1: inclusion even then because we were like anybody can come
Speaker 1: play with us. Yeah. Yeah, it was the term meritocracy. Whoever,
Speaker 1: whoever did the best, we don't care, Come and get
Speaker 1: our trophy, Come and get him. I appreciate I learned
Speaker 1: something today, and this is what community is all about.
Speaker 1: You know, you never know what doors and what who
Speaker 1: helped open up doors in this country that's right in sports.
Speaker 1: Appreciate thank you, Okay, appreciate you. And you just heard
Speaker 1: some viable and important community information. This helped shape shift
Speaker 1: this country and lands, you know in a way to
Speaker 1: open up doors. From Robert Foster who walked into Maleak
Speaker 1: books and it gave me some tidbits that I can
Speaker 1: put on the Leek's bookshell. Thank you Robert. My book
Speaker 1: interview for this episode is an icon. Is a legend,
Speaker 1: is beloved not only here in Los Angeles, but world
Speaker 1: Why the name of the book Kobe Bryant The Mama
Speaker 1: Mentality How Play. This book is about the mentality of
Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant, a legend, a beloved human being. Kobe Bryant
Speaker 1: had a strong mind and his game was a symbol
Speaker 1: of just how mentally how strong he was. Kobe Bryant
Speaker 1: is Black history. Kobe Blind is a legend. Kobe Bryant
Speaker 1: is one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Speaker 1: In this book, Kobe Bryant the Mamba mentality, How I
Speaker 1: Play is a reflection of his mind, of his game,
Speaker 1: of his soul, of his being and this is why
Speaker 1: he was great and he gives all types of insight
Speaker 1: in this book on how he played his game and
Speaker 1: how he played it against like a Michael Jordan's or
Speaker 1: many of the other top rated players in the NBA.
Speaker 1: So it has all a little tidbits in here about
Speaker 1: you know, the mindset of Kobe. This book is blutifully illustrated.
Speaker 1: The pictures and photographs in this book was by Andrew Bernstein,
Speaker 1: a great photographer. The introduction in this book is by
Speaker 1: Phil Jackson, one of the greatest coaches of all time
Speaker 1: in the NBA. This is a beautifully illustrated book. You
Speaker 1: want to put this book on your coffee table. Talks
Speaker 1: about how he brais down players, how he plays against players,
Speaker 1: and how he developed his game based upon what team
Speaker 1: he's going against, what players he's going against, and he
Speaker 1: talks about his defense, his offense. So he wanted to
Speaker 1: share his mentality in this book and as a big
Speaker 1: as a big piece of kobe soul and being. And
Speaker 1: he tragically he left us and we all mourned and
Speaker 1: we all suffered a great loss. But the year before
Speaker 1: he left, this book, Kobe Bryant, the Mamba mentality how
Speaker 1: I played came out. Kobe Bryant is Black history. Kobe
Speaker 1: Bryant is Black history, and is Kobe Bryant is the
Speaker 1: type of human being in person that we need to
Speaker 1: learn from and we need to continue to honor because
Speaker 1: he gave us a lot of joy, and he gave
Speaker 1: us a standard of greatness that we all can pursue,
Speaker 1: because in life, you want to pursue your success and
Speaker 1: your greatness, and sometimes you have to model yourself after
Speaker 1: those who who came before you so you can learn.
Speaker 1: He's a mentor, he's a father, he's a great basketball player,
Speaker 1: but most importantly, he was a great human being. And
Speaker 1: so if you want a part of Kobe Bryant, you
Speaker 1: need to get the Mama mentality. How I played by
Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant. So that's my book review for this episode.
Speaker 1: You got this wonderful new book, let the Woman speak
Speaker 1: by Time of Faith. Well, one thing I know about
Speaker 1: you always got that wonderful smile, You have that wonderful energy,
Speaker 1: and and I can't think of anything that this book
Speaker 1: would be different. So let me tell my audience on
Speaker 1: the Leak's bookshelf, tell me what is this book on
Speaker 1: the bottom. So this is essentially about when, like pretty
Speaker 1: much wounds that have happened in our lives and turning
Speaker 1: them into wisdom for this generation to learn and how
Speaker 1: to use their wounds and to see, look, even though
Speaker 1: it happened, it happened for my good and how to
Speaker 1: turn everything around, how to turn everything? Absolutely? Okay, would
Speaker 1: inspired you write this one? Because see the first one
Speaker 1: you wrote? What was the title of that book, sweet
Speaker 1: and Stupid? Yeah, that was a book of poetry, right, yes?
Speaker 1: And so is this a little different? This is completely different. Yeah,
Speaker 1: it's completely different. So this is actually an anthology, So
Speaker 1: it is a collection of different stories. I'm the youngest
Speaker 1: of twelve authors that all came together and we bring
Speaker 1: our own stories to the table and our different wounds
Speaker 1: and how we use those wounds for wisdom. Absolutely, And
Speaker 1: so what's the common denominator between the twelve? A common denominator?
Speaker 1: Um would be taking our place. What does it look
Speaker 1: like now to be in two thousand and twenty two
Speaker 1: as a woman of faith and all of our experience
Speaker 1: is coming together and saying what makes me powerful? What
Speaker 1: makes me um unique? What makes my voice matter? And
Speaker 1: that is the common denominator? Okay, Other than in fact
Speaker 1: y'all twelve women? Yeah, I think twelve was a sacred
Speaker 1: number you know twelve. You know twelve hours didn't make
Speaker 1: AM twelve hours to make PM. You know that twelve
Speaker 1: nights of the round Taylor right, twelve on o'clock. All right,
Speaker 1: So I think great number twelve of y'all coming together
Speaker 1: to create this masterpiece. Let the woman speak, So you
Speaker 1: are would you consider yourself that the editor and creator
Speaker 1: of the book be since it's eleven of the authors,
Speaker 1: so I am not the sole creator. Nikki Price actually
Speaker 1: came together and brought all the women together for this
Speaker 1: wonderful piece. I am a piece of the piece of
Speaker 1: the whole. What a major piece. So when you put
Speaker 1: together this book signing, you're gonna involve twelve, you're all
Speaker 1: going to be there. They're all across the world everywhere, okay,
Speaker 1: but I want to say they We're actually having a
Speaker 1: conference in Florida in the summer, so it'll be that
Speaker 1: attempt to get everyone together. I definitely have plans. Why
Speaker 1: did y'all all connected met our author? Coach? Nicky Price
Speaker 1: actually worked on She actually worked on my last book
Speaker 1: with me. She was my mother, my coach, and so
Speaker 1: she has different clients that have she's worked with them
Speaker 1: in their different endeavors with books and things like that.
Speaker 1: So she made a mass invite and all the ones
Speaker 1: that wanted to really become acome a part of this
Speaker 1: one that extra special tug. That's how she made that
Speaker 1: this So she was kind of the glue. They brought
Speaker 1: everybody together. And so in this book, um, the readers
Speaker 1: can hear stories about all over the women. Yeah, and
Speaker 1: what you have experienced in your life and uh and
Speaker 1: your outlook on life. Yes, okay, And now I have
Speaker 1: one more question. Um, you know this is my podcast
Speaker 1: called Leek's Bookshow, bringing the world together with books, culture
Speaker 1: and community. But I want to know what is on
Speaker 1: your bookshop. I know what's on my bookshelw but I
Speaker 1: need to know what's on your bookshow. Yes, on my
Speaker 1: book self. Absolutely, it's gonna be the Bible. Yes, he
Speaker 1: gives me saying to keep me home. That one, Um
Speaker 1: debt Free by Anthony O'Neil, that's my book. I actually
Speaker 1: just got emilic books alright, thank you? Yes, yes, and
Speaker 1: then Free Feeding the Soul is also on my bookshop.
Speaker 1: The y that's a blockbuster books she put out, you know,
Speaker 1: inspiring a lot of women, a lot of men. When
Speaker 1: you get sales and blow up like she done. You
Speaker 1: know I did a book review on her. Yeah, I
Speaker 1: think that was I think my very first episode. I
Speaker 1: did Feed in the Soul because it's my business. By
Speaker 1: top of the Brown. That was my first book review.
Speaker 1: So thank you, thank you, timer appreciate and so a
Speaker 1: million of them. That's the thank you, thank you. This
Speaker 1: week's episode inspiration is you are what you think. You
Speaker 1: are what you think you know. It's a great book
Speaker 1: that was written years ago. I believe his name was
Speaker 1: James Island and the book, this book that was written
Speaker 1: years ago was called as a Man Thinking Now. It's
Speaker 1: an easy read, it's a short read, but it's a
Speaker 1: very powerful book because as a man thinking, so is he.
Speaker 1: You are what you think. You are the sum total
Speaker 1: of all the decisions that you've made in your life.
Speaker 1: All we do as we live. We make decisions and
Speaker 1: judgments every day and that is the sum total of
Speaker 1: our life. But it's a reflection of how we think.
Speaker 1: If you know the thoughts of a person, you can
Speaker 1: actually predict their actions because you are what you think.
Speaker 1: And if you want to change your projection or your direction,
Speaker 1: you have to change the way you You have to
Speaker 1: change debate that is on your hook, because that's what is.
Speaker 1: It is what you are attracting, and that's what you
Speaker 1: are trying to catch. And so here's the thing. Change
Speaker 1: your thoughts, change your life. Change your thoughts, change your life.
Speaker 1: You are what you think, and as simple as that,
Speaker 1: change your thinking. I'm not saying that is not a challenge.
Speaker 1: I'm not saying that it comes not gonna come with hardship,
Speaker 1: because habits are real and we formed them in every
Speaker 1: aspect of our life. But in order to fight whatever
Speaker 1: it is in front of you just keeping you from
Speaker 1: your goal and your vision, you gotta change the way
Speaker 1: you think. If you don't like where you're at right
Speaker 1: now in your life, if you don't like the way
Speaker 1: things are going in here, like let me tell you something,
Speaker 1: start with just changing the way you think. If you
Speaker 1: don't like the issues that's going on in your relationship,
Speaker 1: change the way you think. Thinking is human and we
Speaker 1: are thinking human beings. But the way we think is
Speaker 1: how we act. We are what we think, and so
Speaker 1: it the way you're thinking is what you're attracting, and
Speaker 1: it's how you're gonna live your life. And that's just
Speaker 1: the reality. And so if you want better, if you
Speaker 1: want different, and if you want to change, change your thoughts,
Speaker 1: change the way you think. And so that's my inspiration
Speaker 1: for this segment this episode this week. You are what
Speaker 1: you think, so start there. Thanks for listening to me
Speaker 1: Leek's Bookshelf with topics on the shelf, our books, culture,
Speaker 1: and community. Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review.
Speaker 1: Check out my instagram at blik books. See you next time.