Live the Best Life Podcast with Julia Royston
Julia Royston spends her days doing what she loves, writing, publishing, speaking about her why and motto, “Helping You Get Your Message to the Masses, Turn Your Words into Wealth and Be a Book Business Boss.” Julia is the author of 140+ books, published 400+, recorded 3 music CDs and coached more than 350+ to be published authors. She is the owner of five companies, a non-profit organization and the editor of the Book Business Boss Magazine.
To stay connected with Julia, visit www.juliaakroyston.com.
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Live the Best Life Podcast with Julia Royston
Interview with Hazel Thomas and Angela Vergas
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With Dr. Julia Royston.
SPEAKER_07Hello, I'm Dr. Julia Royston. Welcome to another episode of Live Your Best Life, where I'm always seeking to bring you people, places, tools, information, and resources to help you uh live your best life. So I have a multi-gifted, multi-talented young lady on with me today. So I want her to introduce herself, tell us where she's from, give us her website and social media. I want you to get it down so you can support her and follow her and keep up with everything. She is doing all the parts, and then we'll keep the conversation going. Take it away.
SPEAKER_02All right. Hi, thank you, Julia, for having me. Angela Virgis here from Detroit area. Glad to be here. My website is Angela Virgis.net, and you can find me on Instagram at writer mama223. That's W-R-I-T-E-R M-A-M-A-223. And on Facebook at angela.verges. Last name is V as and Victor E-R-G-E-S. And I'm excited to be here with you.
SPEAKER_07I'm excited to have you. So, you know, first off, you're probably one of the you might be the first female comedian I've ever interviewed. I think I've had other comedians, but they've been the gentleman. So, you know, you you the first one I've done. So I've interviewed. So I'm super excited about that. So tell me, how did you get into it? You know, I think each of us has funny moments. But baby, thinking about getting up there on that stage with a microphone, and when people stand there, they done paid the ticket to get in to see if I'm funny. Right. I'll be just boring as all get out. So I'm like, so what made you do it? What made you start?
SPEAKER_02I have always loved humor. I just like I've always when I find something funny, I'll jot it down. I keep a little humor notebook so I can go back to it. When I do blog posts, I try to do something that I find funny and interesting. Um, and it actually happened when I was in a pageant. Uh Miss Black Fit and Fine is for women over African American women over 50. And we had to do a talent. So I'm like, oh, I like funny stuff. Let me try telling a joke. I only had to do it for a minute and a half. So I was like, maybe I could do this. And when I heard the laughter, I'm like, oh, that's kind of fun. I was nervous. I did not take that microphone out to stand. My hands were shaking, but I got up there and did my two or three. I was like, hey, I might have something here. Yeah. Think I like this. And then I took classes from there. I found out there are actually classes you can take. Um, so I did some of them during the pandemic, took some classes by Zoom. Then I've taken several in-person classes that tell you about joke structure and different things like that.
SPEAKER_07So I like it. I know. Well, I always tell people where you invest your time and where you invest your money is really, you know, uh, where your treasure is, where you're, you know, that's where you're gonna spend your time. And me, I'm in books and reading and all that. So that's where I, that's my emphasis, that's my business and all that. And so when people tell me they're interested in something and they haven't made an investment in learning more, getting better at it, I'm wondering, is it just kind of just a small hobby? Or are you willing to really improve and be better? I mean, I tell people all the time, no, I'm not the best. I do, um, you know, I have made mistakes. I will probably make mistakes in the future. So as they say, none perfect but God, but I'm gonna be a student of it. And we even when I do have a uh a mistake or a lesson, as I often say, I'm gonna remember it. I'm gonna write it down, I'm gonna video it, I'm gonna, I'm gonna uh say, okay, big girl, here's your own professional development. And I find that um, you know, people who are not willing to invest in it, I'm I'm thinking, okay, so you're just trying it out. You're not really that serious. Your heart's not in it, and all that good stuff. So tell me, what has been a great thing that has happened on stage? And then tell me one horrific thing that has happened on stage.
SPEAKER_02Uh great thing, a great thing that happens on stage is when you really get that laughter, when you hear them laughing and joke after joke, and after somebody comes up to you and says, Hey, I really like that. I sometimes I start out with shows and I and I talk about parenting and different things like that. And I had a man come up to me after the show and he said, Oh, I can really relate to your stuff about the parenting. My kids do the same thing. So just knowing that that brings somebody else a little laughter and know that they're not the only one. Yeah, absolutely. Um, I like that part of it. And on the flip side of that, too, something that's happened before is like when you don't get those laughs where you think they're gonna come, it's like, oh, okay, I guess that one didn't work as well. And you go back to the drawing board. And and it's funny you mention recording because that's what we do, and that's why we as comedians go to open mics and then you record your sets so you can hear where the laughter is coming. That way that's that's your time to practice. So if you have paid gigs, you know, people are spending spending their money to hear you be thinking about something new that you don't know if it's gonna work, right? So that's where the time and investment comes, just repeating it over and over.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, yeah, so that you get a better, I mean, even as a singer, now I I'm not gonna be standing on the stage doing no jokes. I'm I'm gonna just tell you that that's not one of those things that nobody can really coerce me. If I if I get a chuckle, even introducing a song, I'll do it. But that that's another thing that that even any artist or any creative on the stage or in the internet space or in social media is that it it's not gonna necessarily all the time work for every audience. You've got to be able to switch gears and and shift gears. You gotta know where you are, you gotta be observant, you gotta go back to class, you gotta review the videos, you gotta figure out. Um, but you know, my husband always fusses at me all the time. You just in everything, you just looking around and everything. I said, I'm observant because I need to know who I'm serving. And those large uh festivals and events, I my head is literally on the swivel. I mean, it is literally okay, there's a lot of kids here, there's no kids here. There's a lot of older people here, you know, even as a worship leader in church, and this is a sidebar for anybody listening as a prayer. When I go into a church, I'm really looking around to see who the audience is. So normally, not me, but normally in churches, come on, put your hands together, stand up on your feet, come on, uh yeah, give God some praise. You're not praising him. Oh, come on, turn to your neighbor and uh listen, I went to a church, it was a small church. It uh you know, I didn't ask how many members you had. It was probably 25 or 30 people there. They were on walkers, one lady I think had oxygen, and then another, you know, they had canes and all that. So I knew it was an older crowd, right? They uh liked all of the music, but I asked nobody to stand. You know how much that effort that would have took for them to stand? And you know, and and I'm like, honey, like my grandmama, they could just rock back and forth and side to side. I right I looked at the audience and I knew I was gonna have to come out of my comfort zone. Now, if I'm in a young audience and they teenage is 20 something, yeah, come on, look at but baby, I'm looking. Oxygen, Lord Jesus, I could have killed the lady if I so it's the knowing your audience, and you're exactly right. Going into trainings, looking at review footage. Yeah. I mean, you know, all the things.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I had another, you reminded me another episode I had. I went to an open mic somewhere, and I knew it was near a college town, but I was like, okay, we'll see who's here. I'm sitting in the car going over my lines that I'll walk up um before I went in there. I saw a table of all these young people coming in, like 10 or 12 of them. I'm like, oh, my menopause stuff is not gonna work here. I'm in there in the car, like, okay, what jokes? So when you switch it up and say, Do you see your mama fanning all the time?
SPEAKER_07Do you see your mama? You know, you gotta switch it up like that and say, you know, your mama all of a sudden break out into a sweat, and you like, why? It's 40 degrees outside and she got a fan on, you know, then yeah, but you have to be quick on it. You gotta be quick on your feet and go, no, that menopause ain't gonna work for them now, at all, you know, like that one lady from Tennessee, she does a lot of those. Well, the women are just falling out because her audience is there, is in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, so they get to it. But if you did go to us, you gotta switch it up and say your mama, your grandmama, big mama, whatever. Because yeah, you're right, you're absolutely right. But the life of a creative is is is interesting, it can be fun at times, but it can woo, it can be it could be really scary and really it can be really frightening too.
SPEAKER_06So I uh my question is have you lived in Detroit all your life?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I live places I stayed in Michigan all my life, but I've lived in other cities too.
SPEAKER_07Oh, okay, but yeah, yeah. As it said, you're a true Michigander. Oh, okay. I didn't know if you had lived outside of the Michigan area, so you used to the winters and the summers and all the stuff and everything, everything in between.
SPEAKER_02Sometimes we have all the seasons one day.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I I've been there too. I've been there too. Like, what in the world? Oh, I go in church and being cute and come out almost slip and fall in in November and December. Woo wee. It can be something they were like, oh, this is nothing, you know. And I'm like, you're a native, yeah. I know you're a native, but no. I tried to live there, dated a guy, thought I was gonna marry him. No, guy said no, and I'm glad about it. Uh I really, really am. Okay, so tell us about. Have you written another book before um Abby and Zach?
SPEAKER_02Yes, yeah, the book before Abby and Zach was menopause ain't no joke. Yeah, that's blending.
SPEAKER_07So you gotta tell us about that because we get ready to hit all the angels. Menopause, we got the kids in a minute. Go ahead. Tell me about menopause because I I'm in it. Yeah, all that.
SPEAKER_02Well, that one that book came from my my blog post because I was blogging two, three times a week over the last 10 years or so. And uh again, after I did that comedy set, I said, okay, well, I could do a book on menopause. So I pulled a bunch of my blog posts together that related to things I was going through at menopause, parenting my kids, um, how my mustache was growing, and now it's growing gray.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, look like I got a goatee. I'm like, who turned into Billy Grove gruff?
SPEAKER_02All of that. One time I got a retainer for my mouth, and my son was like, My, you got a retainer? Aren't you gonna be losing your teeth soon anyway? Uh thanks for all the support.
SPEAKER_07Thank you.
SPEAKER_02All of that ends up in the book. Chin hands, yeah. Things kids do. My son at college graduation, I say he's been in college so long, his roommates look up to him as a father figure. What? So things like that. That's how the call's book came about. It was can we get that at angelavergus.com.net should be on there or also at Amazon.
SPEAKER_07Oh, perfect, perfect. Uh, yeah, because that that could be a uh uh a great gift for somebody because especially if you know if they're they're in the height in it, we gotta find the funny in it. Yes, we gotta find the funny in it.
SPEAKER_02Laughing at life situations, that's what I mean.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, absolutely. All right, so tell us about Abby and Zach. Y'all all need to get this one too, both of them get one for mama, one for big mama, and then get the did get Abby and Zach for the little children. So, how did that come about?
SPEAKER_02Um, before the menopause, it just took them a little longer to to come to the surface and to be birthed. So they were in progress for about 10 or 11 years because I actually wrote that uh years ago, I think 2011 is when I initially started writing that, and um just finding the right publisher for it. Something fell through, and then I put it aside and I finally came back to it. But I got that idea because I teach Sunday school. Um, and I taught the six, seven, and eight-year-olds, and they are always saying such darling things. I'm always reminded of the one little girl that was our visitor, and I asked her at the end of the class, so what do you like about our church here? She's like, I like the donuts. I know you have good donuts here. I'm like, okay, that's your takeaway. Yeah, well, if that works, that keeps them coming back. That's a good thing. And we're always, yeah, we're asking them to pray, and they they're they're genuine and they're different. So that made me think, okay, how about if we have somebody praying through the alphabet? And so I have Abby and Zach who are twins, brother and sister, um, and they take turns praying for different things that start with each letter of the alphabet. And I thought that was a good way to show children how easy it is to pray and start that conversation with God.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I I think even adults, because I know some adults struggle with um praying out loud, and we always think, you know, our heavenly father, he's so busy uh with everything in the world, but he's still concerned about even the smallest, not only person, but the smallest thing. If it concerns us, it concerns him. So uh being able to be thankful for don't because it's a be uh give uh give thanks and everything. So we we thank him for the donuts too, and he's okay with that.
SPEAKER_02I've had I've had an episode before we have to pray with the front for Sunday school devotion, and they'll ask different one of us to pray. I'll just close my eyes, please don't pick me, don't pick me. Just like the kids would do, but it doesn't have to be challenging.
SPEAKER_07Right, right. It it does, it does. So uh Abby and Zach are available on your website, correct?
SPEAKER_02Yes, they're but yes, they're available on my website and on Amazon, and I always keep some with me for those who are local.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, absolutely. So if you're rolling through the, as they say, Motown City, the big motor city, if you're rolling through there, be sure and reach out to or connect with uh Angela Virgis on Facebook and Writer Mama22123. 223. I was close. Um close. Uh writer mama223 on Instagram. Instagram. Okay, so last question what's coming up next?
SPEAKER_02Um just working, mostly working on the comedy right now and doing writing with that and seeing what's gonna be next. And I'm also scheduling book launch for Abby and Zach. So I've just done like a soft launch so far. Um, so I'll be working on something in a new year and getting things out and marketing, and you can always find out on Facebook, social media what I have coming up next as well.
SPEAKER_07Absolutely, absolutely. Well, be on the lookout. It's a wonderful book. It's great to be able to um share it and not just in the faith-based community, but anybody. Uh, it'll bless anybody. The illustrations are wonderful, and it's uh a great opportunity to um introduce young people to prayer and so that they see themselves, uh, boy and girl. So it's just not the girls praying, but the boy is praying too as well. So that's a great opportunity. If you're a ministry leader, it's a great opportunity if you're a community leader or homeschool, whatever that looks like, for you to be able to introduce God to your children and then um see that in a very important light, but in a lighter setting. It's not necessarily just it doesn't have anything to do necessarily with death or dying or you know, any trauma or drama, but just in the everyday things, God can be present and we can be thankful and grateful to Him for everything and in all times. It's been my pleasure. Thank you so much, darling, for being my guest. I'm Dr. Julia Royston, praying today, tomorrow, and always that you live your best life. Until next time, be blessed. You're listening to Live Your Best Life with your host, Dr. Julia Royston, right here on envision-radio.com where praise meets talk 24-7. And we're back. Well, hello, I'm Dr. Julia Royston. Welcome to another edition of Live Your Best Life, where I'm always seeking to bring you people, places, tools, information, and resources to help you to live your best life. And so, um, as usual, as normal, as we always do right here at the Live Your Best Life show on envision-radio.com where praise meets talk, is you need to get your phone and you're going to follow and support um my guest. Or if you're old school like me, sometimes I want to write it down. So get your pen and paper ready and so that you can um subscribe, follow, like, comment, share, and tell others as well as support um my guests. So I want her to introduce herself, tell us where she's from, give us her social media and her website. Take it away.
SPEAKER_08Hi, I'm Hazel Thomas, and I'm a retired teacher, turned new author, and I was born and raised in the town of Money, Mississippi, where I went to elementary high school. And I've been fortunate enough to live all over the country. My home is currently in San Antonio, Texas. And you can find me on Hazel Thomas Author on Instagram.
SPEAKER_07Wonderful, wonderful. Do you have a website now?
SPEAKER_08Yes, I do have a website. My website is hazeway studios.com. That's hazewaystudios.com.
SPEAKER_07Okay, so let me ask you, what's Hayesway Studio? What do they do? What do y'all do at Haysways Studio?
SPEAKER_08At Haysway Studio is a place where I sell my book, and my husband, who is my illustrator, also has artwork on sale on this website.
SPEAKER_07Oh wow, that is wonderful. That is wonderful. So you definitely have to check that out because you're you're basically getting two uh creatives in one, um, the author and the uh illustrator. Okay, so let's take it all the way back. So, what made you decide to be an educator?
SPEAKER_08It all started as a little girl growing up in a little rural Mississippi. I always enjoyed teaching. I had a huge family, brothers and sisters, and so I always found myself teaching to the little ones, helping was always big. And when I was going to elementary school, which is Wooks Elementary School in Money, Mississippi, I had teachers who was simply amazing. And I often was paired up with children who had a disability. So who knew I would grow up and become a special educator for over 36 years? It was a joy, and I still enjoy visiting classroom and teaching and learning and telling different stories.
SPEAKER_07Uh awesome, awesome. Okay, so I have to ask you for you know the educational system. I retired eight years ago, so uh it'll be eight years in June. But um, so you know it's it's a rough time. But what would you tell are just one or two important things for um that you've learned over your 30 plus years? I only survived 22 years. I had another 20 years in corporate America, but 22 years in education, and then I retired. But what'll be one or two things that you would tell a um A new teacher or a new educator, you know, as they say, fresh out of college and all that good stuff. What would be one or two things as a veteran, a clearly veteran teacher, uh, one or two things that really were key for your uh career?
SPEAKER_08I would definitely tell the new ones, wipe everything off your slate, come into the classroom, forget about where children come from, because you want them to just remember and just have joy of being in your class every day. So forget everything you learn about children and just accept them as they are and do an amazing job with them, and you'll get amazing results.
unknownYeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_07I I think that's one of the biggest things is we um that's really one of the main reasons why I was asked about doing administration, but I'm like, you seem to forget the important stuff. You know, I said I'll stay boots on the ground because I knew where I was going. I knew entrepreneurship, business, and all that, what I'm doing. What I do now is what I was wanting to do then. So I'm like, I I'm not gonna invest any more than I absolutely absolutely have to in this. Now I want to do a good job and I want the kids to learn, and I want uh to do the job that you hired me for. But as far as going to the next level, no, I don't want that because I think um my real purpose is here with with the children themselves. Uh I was 10 years in high school and then 12 years in elementary. Never did do middle because they made me, they scared me. But uh elementary, I just really, as hard as it was, because it was tough, um, I felt like that was the the best place for me to be influential-wise with little ones. With the with little ones, you know, self-esteem stuff that they weren't getting at home. You know, they didn't know they were smart and they, you know, they just, you know, still finding their way. And I don't know. And a lot of people don't realize how important that is, even for uh the listeners here, how important that is to pour into little, little children as as young as they are. You know, I've been seeing some TikTok videos lately, and then, you know, they have affirmations. I'm beautiful, I'm smart, I am intelligent, I can learn, I can, and those things just are, you know, I it didn't matter what they told me in school, who said what, as they'd say the little jealous people, the little jealous girls, my parents told me. So I believed them and they did what they said. So a lot of that is you're absolutely right, you know, and I was a visitor sidebar. I was a visitor at a um the University of Louisville, and the teacher met at an event. Anyway, she's like, I do a class, and it's diversity in literature, is really where it is, but I always take it to the next level because I'm like, you're only gonna learn about half of what you need to know for the classroom in in this program. And the teacher was the first one to say, I said, no offense to your professor. She said, none taken, and you're exactly right. I said, because she still, you know, taught part-time and um she was adjunct, and she was like, This is only half. When I got to the building, I was like, I don't know nothing. I know about the lesson, I know about what I'm supposed to be teaching, but I don't have a clue.
SPEAKER_10Yes.
SPEAKER_07So that that's the reason why I'm always like, what would you tell the younger teachers? You know, I always tell them, go find the veteran teacher. Yes.
SPEAKER_08Right. And stay positive. Try to get it.
SPEAKER_07Yes. Exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_08Fill your space with positive energy.
SPEAKER_07Exactly. And then don't be concerned about the the the when the when the teacher that is exasperated and stressed out and hair standing all over her head, got that one pencil going, and oh my lord, and everything is a complaint, and everything is a you know she needs to retire. Don't get in her hair. Go go to the one who steal the kids running a room and run in his room, either one, and hug them and don't want to leave, and all that kind of stuff. That that's the place you want to be and where you want to hang out.
SPEAKER_08So that's absolutely right. Because so for so many years, I was a teacher's trainer. So I was one of those who went into the classroom and helped those new teachers.
SPEAKER_06Absolutely.
SPEAKER_08Because behavior is the number one problem that most teachers leave the profession, and of course, a lack of support from your administrators. Right, right, right. So I you know, I've seen teachers come into the classroom and they bow their head or drop their head and say, I just can't do it. I can't do it. So, yes, you can, you can do this. You make here's what you have to do.
SPEAKER_07Yeah. Well, I mean, you know, another thing too is that, you know, you're you're um, I think the administration focuses so much on the lesson, which is most important, and the learning, which is important, which and the testing and the scores and the data, that um, I think what the teacher really needs to focus on that too, and all the other paperwork and all the other meetings and all that, but understanding learning each and every child. I think, especially if you in elementary and you have one class, one child one class. Now I was itinerant, so I was the librarian and the computer. Oh, yes. I had to teach everybody, all 600. So uh it was no, I I got them by the end of the year. I knew everybody. But um, if you've got 25, you need to learn them 25, like you taking them home. Yes, you learn what they eat, how they sleep, where they live, who their people are. You need to study your students, and then you'll know what spark because everything doesn't spark every child. You know, some of them I can look at them and they go, I want this person. And then some of them, man, I gotta read them the right, act like them, they mama. And they hug me at the end of the day, and I'm like, You needed all of that? You really, I was title one, 95% free reduced. Oh, yes, a rough, rough crowd. And I'm like, You needed all of that. Oh yeah, I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Bye. You know, I'm like, oh look, girl. You know, dude, really? I didn't need all that. I just look at me and say, excuse me, and then I straighten right back up, but uh-uh. Some of them needed let's go out in the hallway. No, no, no, we need to have a conversation. Okay, so you know, and what works, but you gotta figure that out with all 20, 25, whatever you got. Because otherwise, you know, it's just gonna be uh a a rough, uh, a rough year, and and they'll try you and you try them, and it'll be a mess. And the other 22 will not have any work done. It's a mess. So prayers go out to all teachers everywhere. I don't care where you are in the world, it's just it's a rough time.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, keep doing what you do.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, yeah. All right, so tell me about your books. What got you to writing? So, so so tell the people uh about what your passion is now, since you're able to be retired, and retirement is wonderful.
SPEAKER_08Yay! I'm just having a great time of being a new author, and I'm just I think my teaching career actually inspired me to become an author because for so many of those years, for 36 years, I would read books to my students every single day. Sometimes three times a day, I would read books. So I always tell myself, wouldn't it be nice to have your own book in your hand?
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_08For 40 years, I wanted to have this huge goal, and an opportunity presented itself, and I jumped on it, and I became a children author this year, and I was just so I'm still like pinching myself. I can't believe that is happening to me. A little from the plantations of money, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_06I became money, Mississippi is what it was.
SPEAKER_08Money, Mississippi is where the Emmett Till incident occurred.
SPEAKER_07I didn't realize that.
SPEAKER_08Is it is oh wowed the civil rights movement. So I had I really had to write this book because all my life I've thought about that incident. I've taught my children about what happened, and they said, Mrs. Thomas, you were born in that town. I said, I was born in Money, Mississippi, and I had to tell the story because you cannot find this book or any book that talked about this important, this important time period of what happened. A children's book. And I did it, and I'm proud to be able to share this book with so many people. And on top of that, I have received so many awards for my book, and I'm continuing to apply for more and more and more because being a teacher, as I said, was a platform. It was a platform to me become an author because you know, as teachers, we love to teach, we truly do. Once a teacher, always a teacher. And Julian, you know what I'm talking about.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I do, I do, and I it's a calling for me because I I my dad was an educator, he was a master teacher, he was excellent, and he was like, Y'all need to get your minors, and we said, No, we're not doing it. My sister is an assistant principal to this day, so he marked all of us, you know, but it was a call for me because I didn't really want to do it at all. Yeah, and I just uh I'm glad I did. God called me to it.
SPEAKER_08So I just saw so many great teachers growing up, you know. As a little girl growing up in the civil rights movement, I can remember, I was little, but I can remember Dr. King coming to Greenwood, Mississippi and leading boycotts along Greenwood. I remember, and I remember people marching, and I was always a reader and I always love history. So the two went hand in hand.
SPEAKER_07So this is when I opened up that Jet magazine and his mom had the had the picture of him in the casket, I was like, Yeah, who would do that to another human being? Who would actually have that? And for those of you who are around the world and you're young and you're not exposed, uh, look up. Uh that's a really uh famous and pivotal um part in in history. And a young boy from the north didn't understand fully what was gonna happen and happen in the south. And the, as they say, the the corralling, the proper behavior for a young black boy was tested. And you know, he thought it was innocent, he thought it was no big deal, but it cost him his life. And so uh look up that that story and um find because that's a that's a volatile story, that's one of those stories that is rarely never told in schools.
SPEAKER_08And you you'll be surprised, Julian, how many people I've met so many people who never heard of money, Mississippi. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_07No, I've never heard of the city. No, I have I've been to Meridian, Mississippi, and I've been, well, my niece's from Meridian area, that was the big town, and then they they have uh house, you know, whole uh family compound um near there, but meridian was the the big city, and then I've been to Jackson. Yes. Um, but Money, Mississippi, I didn't have a clue that that was held there. I know the story, but I didn't know it was there.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, if you blink, you missed the town because in the early 70s there were over 500 people who lived there, and now there's less than 100. So it's a town that's well, it's still there, but it's not like yeah.
SPEAKER_07Well, the the thing too, um of with not just in Mississippi, but a lot of these small towns there um some of them are revitalizing and doing the opposite. But a lot of times the younger ones want the big city, they want the big lights, they want that that um draw, it's boring here, it's dirty. Now the older ones like me, we we we we good with the slow. We we've had enough of that. And so it just all depends on what quality of life and the quality of life you want. Um, let's see, my parents, my father's hometown, which is like Newcastle, Henry County in Kentucky, it was always 700, 720, and I think it's still about 700 that it's still you know that size. So I know what being in a small town is like, you know, being in a really small town. So so what angle do you tell the how far, especially with a children's book, and and kind of guide people who have a very um uh controversial um story and topic to take.
SPEAKER_08Right. It's one of the things I highlight in my book is actually other things I highlight, such as the blues and the his it's a historical timeline that talks about the important time period, the migration of those famous blues singers who left Highway 61 and spread their music throughout the world. And the music today is still making such an impact on the country, and you'd never hear about it. I mean, most of those musicians died of what hunger, you know, they didn't have it. Unmar Gray, but some of them I knew I actually knew some of those people, and I didn't know they were actually famous until I became, you know, a college student. I started reading, reading, reading more about it.
SPEAKER_06But a lot of people, they famous.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, I'm like, I but I talk about uh the blues singers, I talk about historical towns that my ancestors came through and planted roots, and I became the person who I am because of them. Yeah, roots in the Greenwood, Mississippi, and surrounding areas. I have family still there. In fact, I have roots still there. I mean, I still have a home in Money, Mississippi, and my family still lives in different cities: Slaughter, Mississippi, Greenwood, Leland, all these little small towns. I'm still connected, and I always will be. Absolutely. I'm just so fortunate to have been able to tell my story because so many are not able to, and and I also talk about the famous BB King, who I found out that was a relative of my mother. We they talked about it for years, but I found out, oh, he's a distant relative. Okay, you know, you find out there's so many people related to you. Cousins everywhere, distance cousins. So I'm just pleased to been able to tell the story from a children's perspective. And I tell you, it's a it's a family story because it told it's told through the lens of my mom and dad growing up in the 30s through the 60s, what they went through. And it's a real story, it's based on my grandson who's reluctant to go south because of the things he's heard on the playground. If you go down south, something's gonna happen to you, you're gonna come up missing. So reluctantly, he takes a trip with his family from Michigan to Money, Mississippi, and he ends up with a civil rights lesson that he'll never forget that ties his great-grandmother, his great-great-grandmother, and his grandmother to the civil rights movement. And I'm the grandmother. And I was born in 1960, and when I talked to my grandson about he said, Oma, grandma, you were born in. I said, Yes, it wasn't too long ago. We didn't have a whole lot of rights in this country.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, I was born in 63, so you know that's a pivotal whole lot of stuff happening in 63 and 64.
SPEAKER_08Yes, and I can remember, I can remember a lot of those. I remember the doctor's office having the black sign for black entry and the white. I remember all that. My doctor, yes, I remember. I remember not being able to go into stores when doing a boy count. I was little, but I have a great memory. I can remember all but there were some amazing people who fought for this country and are still fighting.
SPEAKER_07And I just well, the other thing too is that I'm like, um, you know, they were strong. They didn't have um maybe the the rights, but they were strong. They were willing to die for what they are. What are you willing to die for? I always tell the young one, what are you willing to stand up for? You won't even some of them won't even inconvenience themselves and come on time. I was at any sidebar. I was at an event this the uh recently, and you know, they said be set up by 12 o'clock, and people were still coming at 1215, 1220. I'm like, no, we can't, we can't we can't win nothing with y'all. I'm like, you won't even, you know, obey the simplest rules that have nothing to do with life and death. It's to your advantage, to your success. Um, so first off, uh, I know we've talked about the story, but what's the actual title of the book?
SPEAKER_08The title of the book is Money Moves a Nation: a civil rights lesson for children. And it has nothing to do with money, monetary coins, dollars, and cents, but a lot to do with what this incident did to the entire nation. It moved. I mean, when this incident happened, things started to happen in Alabama. Um, he was murdered in August, so by December, Rosie Park refused to give up her seat. People stood up, where I say moved a nation, people moved. This incident moved people in a good way. They stood up.
SPEAKER_07I I uh so I go to Montgomery, Alabama pretty much. Um I'm I have no roots south of Kentucky. I have no family, I have nothing south of Kentucky. I'm one of the few black families. Our genealogy says we're one of the few black families to be in this country that has no roots in the South. So I have a client who's in Alabama, and I think I've been in Alabama more through her than I ever have. And so that helped me um understand more, besides just the history books, actually being boots on the ground, actually seeing it for myself, you know, Martin Luther King's home and the church and Albaniza and Atlanta and all that. So that's helped me um definitely in the South and the what is it, the Peace Museum, but I call it the Lynch Museum in uh Montgomery and walk through there and you know, you could just feel it, see it, all of that. You know, it's it's uh uh eye-opening and very sobering experience. So I I highly recommend that if you have not been south, if you have not, if you've only been on the east coast, north or west, that you that you travel, that you venture, you know, our um the the uh of all the things I'm I'm not political on this um show at all, yeah, but in the climate that we're in, I mean, I'm I don't have my head buried in sand, but the climate that we're currently in, um, I'm encouraging authors, I'm encouraging everybody who's listening, and um thank you to Ms. Thomas too as well. But I feel like we have to tell the story. We can wait on somebody else. And I, yes, I know about the critical race theory, and I know and they're gonna do that in schools. And okay, well, then maybe that's not the school's responsibility. Maybe they've decided to change it. We can argue all day long whether we should, whether we shouldn't, whether we did or we didn't all day long. Because it's, you know, I feel like this educational system has done a disservice by having writing in cursive or practicing cursive to be a pastime, uh, a free time, like 10 minutes before you the bell rings to get on the bus. I mean, we can argue all day along what the good or the bad and ugly that is, and teaching to the test. That's a whole educational summit. But in in the meantime, you know, is it worth fighting that part for? Or we have a platform. Ms. Thomas has a book, she's on the tour, I have a podcast, I have a platform that I can speak to and and drive that that the importance of telling your story, telling your people's story, telling your family's story. Maybe it's time, maybe this is opportunity. I always try to see the silver lining on it. That we don't wait on nobody else. We tell our own story. I mean, you know, the um the true triple eight. Who knew that? I didn't know that story. I didn't know that until Tyler Par Perry brought it to the big screen. So I think we have an opportunity. You know, in any situation, good, bad, or ugly, it gives us opportunity. That it was horrible the things that Emittel would do with uh with stood and died. But it was through that horrible situation that a whole nation was you know, motivated, moved, and and when she put it in the jet, that's like that was a staple jet and Ebony was just on. Most black people, I'm gonna say all, but most black people's coffee table. We got it every week. And that visual, that picture as a little girl in Louisville, Kentucky, a teenager in Louisville, Kentucky. Yes. I I haven't still haven't recovered from it. And I went to the um African American Museum and then they had the display. Oh no, I didn't need to get in that line. I'd already see that visual. I didn't need to see it again. It's so traumatizing and poignant that you don't once you see it one time. That's it. You don't need to see it again. You don't need to be exposed to that again. It um causes you to be appreciative of your life and then realize that one young man's life taken in such a horrific manner uh spurred a literally a nation. So money moves a nation is clearly, clearly uh true. And and you taught us a l a great lesson today because I didn't know it was money, Mississippi.
SPEAKER_10Yes, my home.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. So what's next on the list?
SPEAKER_08Well, next I'm gonna continue to write history. I have another history book to write about the area that is not in libraries, and I'm interested in writing like a children's series, like how to read books based on my upbringing. And I'm working on that. And I'm looking forward to Is it a whole curriculum? No, it's just how to read book. You know, those little tiny books, how to read. Uh like the early readers? Yes, the early readers. So I have a background in reading, so I'm interested in bringing that to children because as I said earlier, you can't have you seen the numbers.
SPEAKER_06Have you seen the numbers for this year?
SPEAKER_07I looked up the so when I went to the university level for to deal with the teachers, I usually look up the stats of what the um testing scores are or whatever, where we are. 35% on reading level. As everybody.
SPEAKER_06No, as everybody.
SPEAKER_07That's not just black people, yeah. That's everybody. That's all the nationalities, that's all that's the average. Now, you know, there's some school districts, they're gonna be high fly as always, and then there's some school districts gonna be lower.
SPEAKER_08Right.
SPEAKER_07But on average, since they've been doing the standardized testing, 35%.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, and that's perfect. That's horrible. Yeah, that is, that's very, very low. And I grew up in a rural sitting, uh setting, you know, Wix Elementary, we is a small farming community, amazing teachers. And it was I give so much credit to them for encouraging me. Oh, absolutely. We got secondhand books, we got the books that were thrown away, and you know, we didn't have those fancy, you know. I went to a segregated school.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_08And I reflect back on that. Those teachers did an amazing job with what they had.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you probably, I'm gonna be honest with you, you probably got a better education, well-rounded, all around education than um some in some other settings. Uh, you probably did just because uh coming from culture and they not only taught you what was in the book secondhand or not, but they also taught you more about life, how you're gonna apply this to your life so that you can live better and be better. And the show is live your best life. Because that's really, really critical and really uh important, and um being able to take what you have and and turn something in it. Um I'm gonna tell you, uh in Kentucky and Jefferson County, of course, is the largest county in in Kentucky, which is Louisville, and we had busing when I was in seventh grade back in the 70s, what was it, 70 something? 76, 77. And when I retired eight years ago, I felt like the haves and the have nots still. Title I school is just I'm like, what did it do? It didn't it didn't it didn't even out the score because the certain schools are still gonna always have more than the you know, they were like, all right, we level the playing field, we redistributed the money, we know Yes, but it's just not, you know, you're right. Nah, it's not. But we do the best we can, we pour, you know. I think that was one of the hardest lessons I had uh when I came to education. Not the private school, because they always was gonna get what they want. Even though they struggle it with the private school. I was ten years in private school, so they it was gonna get it. But when I came to public school, I was like, Well, we we've done burst busing, but we still segregated, because they still have more out there than we've got over here, and and it had the numbers, you know. So many whites, so many still had the quote unquote quota numbers, but the access, uh, because of the poverty, which was the the playing field for everybody, didn't matter what the race was, it wasn't a race thing, it was a poverty thing. So that's what I saw more than the you know you know, hunger and the you know, and and not having uh doors opportunity and a whole nine yarn. So congratulations to your book. Thank you very much. You need the early readers as fast as you can get them. Okay As fast as you can get them made and get them done. Listen, start with the charter schools and the private schools and the Christian schools and then go on to the public. Uh, and so that uh hopefully the more doors will be open. I know they have less money, but they're uh a little bit more uh wide open and accepting than the public schools. They got their own agenda. Some it all depends on the principal, you know, or open the door, but it just all depends. So well, wonderful. So thank you and congratulations. Hazewaystudios.com. Not only get the books, but get access um to Mr. Thomas's uh artwork, and we're super excited about that because we love art of all kinds, and yes, I'm always I show you my little book this is a book.
SPEAKER_08Yes, supervised lesson for children.
SPEAKER_07Awesome, awesome.
SPEAKER_08And as you can see, the pictures, my husband is an illustrator, amazing, just amazing pictures, just amazing.
SPEAKER_07Yeah, so proud of him and proud of you, and glad you all can work together and uh get that done. I look for the early readers later and what the other activities you're working uh on, uh, that you continue to be inspired and enjoy your retirement and enjoy uh being an author and reading and all that good stuff.
SPEAKER_08And thank you so much for the opportunity to share. No problem.
SPEAKER_07Thank you so much, Miss Hazel Thomas. I'm Dr. Julia Royston. My prayer always is that you live your best life. Be blessed until next time. Bye-bye.
SPEAKER_08Bye-bye.
SPEAKER_05Each and every day loving with Dr.
SPEAKER_04Julia Royston.
SPEAKER_01This is UNN Urban Network News. Plans to establish the long-awaited Black History Museum in Florida are once again on hold after legislation needed to advance the project failed to clear the State House for a second consecutive year, despite repeated approval by the Senate. And speaking of Florida, a bipartisan group of lawmakers have found Black Representative Sheila McCormick guilty of more than two dozen ethics violations, including money laundering, making false statements on campaign finance reports, and seeking special favors from entities receiving federal funding. And some judge in Florida asked a black woman if she ever picked cotton before because he was thinking about sending her to do that for community service. The U.S. Embassy Port of Spain has introduced a new WhatsApp-based communication channel to strengthen outreach to American nationals residing in or visiting Trinidad and Tobago. The initiative is designed to deliver real-time updates on safety, security, and emergency situations. After new video evidence emerged, it was proven that there was a systematic cover-up when Chicago cops were caught lying about a chase that killed a black mother of six. Now it could cost the city of Chicago $27 million. Three black politicians running for elected positions in Indiana are speaking up against racist rhetoric they've endured while campaigning. The head coach of the Tuskegee University men's basketball team is suing Morehouse College and two Morehouse police officers who detained him during a basketball game. You've been listening to Urban Network News.
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