Liberation is Lit Podcast
Welcome to the Liberation is Lit podcast, where the power of storytelling meets the force of social change! In this podcast, we believe in the profound impact of stories – stories that amplify voices, challenge norms, and foster understanding.
Whether you're a literature enthusiast, an advocate for social justice, or simply someone who believes in the transformative power of stories, you're in the right place. Tune in, and let's embark on a journey together – one where every story has the potential to change the world.
Liberation is Lit Podcast
We All Come with Purpose (with Rian Jenkins)
In this episode, we interview Rian Jenkins, a poet, author, and community activist. Rian discusses her journey as a writer, the various genres she works in, and her inspiration to write. She talks about her upcoming releases, including a children's book and a middle-grade novel, and her initiatives like the all-Black author book drive. Rian also delves into her mentorship efforts, the importance of representation in literature, and how she uses her poetry to speak life and address social issues. The episode highlights her commitment to impacting her community positively through storytelling and mentorship.
00:00 Welcome to the Liberation is Lit Podcast
00:37 Meet Rian: A Prolific Writer
01:40 Exploring Rian's Literary Works
04:56 Rian's Passion for Youth and Community
09:25 The Power of Poetry and Spoken Word
12:16 Balancing Multiple Roles and Staying Grounded
15:38 Upcoming Projects and Events
19:28 Advice for Making a Positive Impact
21:06 Where to Find Rian Online
23:12 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
Rian’s Books
Where to Find Rian
Thank you for being part of the Liberation is Lit podcast! If you have stories to share, want to suggest topics, or just want to connect, find us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @liberationislit or visit our website at liberationislit.com. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving a review! Remember, your voice matters, and together, through the lens of stories, we're making a difference in the world.
Hey, y'all welcome to the liberation is lit podcast. Our storytelling meets the force of social change. I'm your host Tayler Simon. And in this podcast, we believe in the profound impact of stories and I'm super lit to be here. Poetress didn't poet poetess. I can't do words today and author and I'm so excited to talk about books and everything that she's doing in the community. So, hey, Rian
Rian N:How are you?
Tayler Simon:good. So to kick us off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself as a writer and what genres you write in and what inspires you to write?
Rian N:Well, I'm currently, well, I'm in three different genres now. Like my first genre that I started in was poetry. So my first, Three books was a poetry anthology. So that that was very ironic that my first book, even I wanted to be a novel, was a poetry anthology because when I first fell in love with writing was through poetry, crazily, it wasn't reading other people's poetry. It was me writing my own poetry. I'm now learning now to discover other people's poetry and whatnot. I'm indefinitely through teaching., I taught, I, wrote a novel as young as 12. And yeah, as I, my disclaimer is not something I would publish. I have to read, I have to edit it. It was not appropriate for my age. So I was trying to be too grown. So definitely, I will say, the, this is book number four, number five, book number five is going to be released, March 7th will be my first middle grades novel, which is called reverse., let me go back to the poetry anthology. So the first poetry anthology is called Queen's Heart., it is basically a compilation of like different topics from relationships to spiritual matters, to social matters, to Queen's anthem, which is affirmation through affirmation. Poetry for women, reminding us of our power, what we are have the ability to accomplish and then, confessions is pretty much if you had the courage to say something, what would you say? So I deal with childhood neglect. I deal with, matters of the heart when you have someone who you know isn't good for you. I deal with education and how teachers are still waiting for our flowers. I just released my first children's book, which I believe is a love letter to our black boys. It was ironic when my son was graduating from high school that I came up with this book idea, this children's book idea. It is my first picture book, my first children's book that is available now., it's called A Blessing for the World. And then by the 7th, I will release my middle grades novel, which is a preteen love story. loosely based on my middle school experience, where you have two best friends from the womb who they decide, well not they decide, he decides Donovan is two main characters, two narrators. Donovan goes to Monica and says, I like you, like you. And she's like, I don't know about that because you've been my homie since the womb. So what, what are we supposed to do with this? So when she finally discovers, I really like you. Her daddy's like, excuse me, 12 year old, we're not doing this. So it's called Reverse because they keep going back and forth in their feelings. And then in the middle, well, I'm going to say the middle. I know sometime in April, I will be releasing my second children's book, which is called Heaven's Jewel. That's actually a poem that I wrote. And I changed the words to fit affirmations for a young lady, a young girl, same illustrator. Her name is Naima Witted. She's actually a freshman in college. Yeah. She illustrated the first book and she's illustrating this book. So we're looking to debut that in April. So what inspires me to write, I just believe is a gift that I've been given, that definitely has been passed down. Both of my grandmothers were great storytellers. My mother was an English teacher, an awesome writer, a great storyteller. All of my aunts and my uncles great storytellers, and I just believe, I'm just putting it on the paper.
Tayler Simon:Wow, you are staying busy with these books. I didn't know you had three coming out in the first half of the year.
Rian N:Yeah. Yeah. I feel like I'm playing catch up because this is, this is something that honestly, genuinely, I, when I started publishing, when I started writing in, I never saw myself publishing until about I was 20. Someone introduced publishing to me. I got scared of it. Thought it was too much money. And then. If you go to my Google Docs, Tayler, it's nothing but story ideas, play ideas. So I'm playing catch up. now that I'm full time out of the classroom, launching my first, you know, fully launching my publishing brand, I feel like I'm playing catch up. And there's a lot that the world needs to see and hear.
Tayler Simon:Yes, and you talk about, finally, stepping away from the classroom and supporting young people in ways outside of the classroom after being such an amazing teacher before. I want to talk about how your work as a writer. intersects with your work with young people and why are you passionate about working with young people?
Rian N:Well, I'll admit it's two different ways they do and do not intersect. Given my sweatshirt, your kid's favorite teacher. I was your kid, someone out there. I was your kid's favorite teacher, but, I'll admit when my mentoring group, which I've been working with on and off since about 2005, we're slowly transitioning to a nonprofit every now and again. We bring writing in the aspect of reflection. Like we, at our last meeting, we were listening to Doechii's Grammy acceptance speech and we broke it down as, okay, what were your takeaways? What did you learn from her? There's a famous Netflix video. Where they have all these famous black actors and it's like, dear black woman, and it's like Angela Bassett and Jill Scott. So we'll watch videos like that where they'll have to break it down and give me a takeaway, goal reflection. That's how we do writing. I haven't done quote unquote a writer's workshop with them yet, which I hope I'm wondering why and maybe because I'm still trying to figure out my girls. But another way I connect writing and reading is, I do an all black author book drive which this is, we're going into, I just realized we're going into year four. So it started off, Jared Johnson was populating, The little library boxes outside neighborhoods and got an overhaul of books. So he was like, we don't need any more books. So I collected all these books from my students at the time. And I was like, what am I going to do with these books? And then at the time I was connected with Omari Fox. And he said, well, we have these block parties through serve and connect, bring your books out there and give them out. And it just started almost like, I want to say in an addiction because I was buying books, knowing that I did not need to spend that type of money, but I loved the love on their faces, the joy on their faces. But I was very purposeful. Like Jared was purposeful where I got books by black authors. So it went from me getting donations from friends and family members to me connecting with actual authors, published authors and asking them, can you donate? You actually donated two boxes of books, which I am extremely grateful for. So I reach out to authors. I reach out to people. And when I get enough books, I connect with a community event that will allow me to give out some events. I've been able to give out two or three books. It's just a beautiful thing to see the joys on their faces. Cause sadly, as you know, as you say on your podcast and you promote all throughout your social media, sadly, our voices are the ones that are being put to be erased. And I just believe in the power of reading the power of the kids, knowing their voices and also seeing their faces in books. Like, I don't know when it clicked for me when I was getting ready. When I realized there's a lot of authors out there that don't look like us, but they're writing our stories. No, no, no.. So, so I'm just very passionate about that. So, it's really been really dope. Like people like Jacqueline Woodson donated three of her books. Yeah. Like, I just, I just went through my email, went through all my bookshelf and just emailed all these people. So some responses I have from received, some I have, Janae Marks from, the. She actually donated some books and she's going to be on my podcast in a couple of weeks. So it's, it's blossoming into something that, cause people, cause what it is, I show them the video, they see what I'm doing and I'm, I'm extremely grateful for that. So I'm fine now, which is doing maybe two or three events a week. Cause there's a lot to collect these donations and give them out, but it's something I'm definitely passionate about where. If they don't have access to it, to it at school, they have it in their own home and they can share it with their friends. So,
Tayler Simon:I love that work and I love how you have always been so ingrained and embedded in the community and I know we first crossed paths in like the poetry community. I think the first event was the Black Nerd Mafia event, which my shirt, I'm repping Black Nerd Mafia today. So I, I knew I had to talk to you because you were so embedded in the community and, you're such, you have such a powerful voice as a poet. So I definitely want to talk about how you use your voice and your poetry your spoken word during these difficult times.
Rian N:well, I also being that I'm a person of faith. They said, you know, life and death is in the power of the tongue. So whatever poetry I speak, I wanted to speak life like there's some stuff I write that people will never see the light of day because I know it's not going to speak life and what I mean by speak life is I want to affirm the God in you. I want to remind you the power that you possess. But I also want to speak power to situations that need to be, what's the word I want to say? Taken down per se. So that's why like one of my poems that I wrote, Mama, What are You Teaching Me? It was based on, at the time I was teaching and I don't remember if this was the same year, but I know that we're in close in age range. In years, cause I forget when I have certain students, but I remember on two separate occasions, two young ladies, I taught came in the classroom, very distraught, very upset. So you hold them at the class. What's going on? I watched my mom get beat by her boyfriend. I watched my mom get beat. And that stayed with me. Of course, you can, you try to coach them through it. I remember afterschool program from the time I saw her that morning to the time she left, she didn't want to go home. And it was just like, I just felt that. So I wrote that poem. And it was basically a message to our mothers. You have to be very cognizant of who you bring in your household and who you decide you want to bring into your life. Because this can, create damage on these young ladies. Cause in the poem, the lady ends up saying, even though I hated that for you, I'm still repeating the same thing that you did. So it's like, I want to bring, light to things where it needs to be light. I want to also expose what needs to be exposed. Like I constantly talk about, racial matters and whatnot and just, just how we just want to be as black people treated as humans. That's who we are. Like, stop, stop playing. Like, we don't, we're like, we're not significant. That is just that is just my heart. That's just my soul. And that's the only thing I know how to do. Eventually, I will touch more into love poems. I think it would help Jesus if I had a man. But, but I did just perform at a Valentine's event. It was Valentine's date with a therapist. And I had a poem that I wrote out of inspiration. Our couples, I knew, married couples, I knew, but it was called, it's more than just, I love you. So I do tap, tap in that for the most part. Well, for the most part is edification, edification, building up women, building up our men, and just letting them know that we're awesome, powerful beings. And I want to salute that.
Tayler Simon:I love that. And that definitely comes through in your poetry. And so you do a lot between coming to all these performances and doing book giveaways and mentorship and podcast. You do so much. And honestly, I'm like, I don't know how you have the time to
Rian N:Really Tayler?
Tayler Simon:But I know, I know. But what keeps you grounded to keep going to do this work?
Rian N:Definitely my faith in God. And even when I feel like I am doing too much, you constantly, well, number one, I constantly hear you have the grace to do this. And I know what he's not going to give me the heart to do things. And then I can't do it effectively. I do realize I'm still working on time management and whatnot, because being a full time entrepreneur and trying to launch things, it can be a lot and overwhelming, but at the same time, you can find yourself wasting time. So that's something I'm honing on. So just knowing that God put me on this earth to do great and awesome things. And I just believe I don't want to leave. I don't I want to leave here empty. Like I want, I want him to be able to say to me, you did everything that I wanted you to do. And that's what keeps me going. And then every now and again, you'll run into someone, some people I know, but the biggest blessing is people I don't know. Like, I remember being at the Jubilee festival and this one girl was like, I love you and I love your stuff. And I was just like, okay, I'm still learning how to receive that. But that just says so much. And it's like, Even though people talk about the algorithm and how it's negative and how no, I believe in putting your light out there because at the day, we're supposed to be light on this earth. We're supposed to be salt of the earth and we're supposed to bring a positive influence that will impact this world in a grateful way. And that's what keeps me going. There are times I just feel like chilling. I don't want to go to an event today. But you do because you want to be supportive and you, you realize the cause. Like when I think about my mentoring group, That started, I think, around 2005. It's morphed into different ways. But I remember one year wanting to quit and one of my parents. Oh, I have her fourth daughter in the program and she was like, quit for what? Like, do you understand the impact? And then we've even got to the point now where my girl, the group I'm with now, this is our second year. Last year was our second year we were able to offer an endowment. So offer money to our graduating seniors, whether it's towards your books or towards your dorm room. And we were not only able to offer the one girl who was going off to school, we had two others who were already in school. So we gave them something. So I am, I'm just, it just gives me joy to make sure I'm doing everything that God has placed in me to do at a bigger level.
Tayler Simon:And I think that's so important for us to remember is that we all have purpose and to keep working towards things that are bigger than us.
Rian N:Yes. Mm
Tayler Simon:During these difficult times, especially it's like, oh, what can I do as 1 person and we all got if we all believe that, oh, I'm just 1 person. I can't do anything then that's going to make a bigger impact than we when we all lean into our gifts and being a light in the world. So that's going to make all the difference. What are some of your upcoming projects that you have going on besides all of the books that you're releasing?
Rian N:Now one book I did not mention that. I say April, but we may be looking at May. I don't know. It is my fourth poetry anthology called Eminence. I'll admit I'm still working on that. And then my editor, I just saw on Facebook, she hasn't been feeling well. So I guess it's kind of good. I've delayed it. So you have that coming up. I'm actually going to be at an event next thursday, I think it starts at five. It's going to be at Burke High School in Charleston, South Carolina. It's a literacy event. I actually met this young lady at another literacy event in Charleston. Through Patrice, Grimble, who she is, she calls herself the SC book gal, but, was at a literacy event with her and met this young lady who's the literacy coach at Burke High School, and she's doing an event next Thursday. I want to say the event starts at five, so, check my social medias and I'll, I'll be posting it. Then, I want to make sure I'm quoting this, the, the Richland Library is doing what's called XS, you know, it's like a book festival. I know you know about it.
Tayler Simon:Read freely.
Rian N:Yes. Yes. So I will be a vendor there, but before I'm a vendor there, I'll be vending with you at Soda City. I think on the 15th of March, I think. Yes, which I'm so excited. So, cause that's going to give me a taste of being out there. And, I'm vending with that. And then, the tell me the, I got too much going on my head. What's the name of the festival? Richland library.
Tayler Simon:Read freely.
Rian N:Okay. That is the last weekend in March. And that, will be. Basically a whole y'all if you love reading you need to be there like I just saw the list of authors and panels and it is going to be so dope and I'm going to be a vendor out there myself, which I truly do appreciate Richland Library. If you are a local author, get your books on the shelves, it access you to another whole, Form of what's going on. Or I forgot this Friday I'm performing. There's a young lady's called speak easy is actually a mentoring group for young ladies and she wanted to put on performances. art show, poetry. So she's bringing a whole bunch of women together to perform. So I'm performing that on Friday. I feel like it's something else, but things are evading me. But, and then at the end of May, I know this is way off, but the Richland County is called the Richland. Let me make sure I tell you exactly who it is. It's called the Richland County public education partners. They're doing, like it's called the Literacy Leap Book Fair read and meet local with local authors and they're focusing on children's authors because going into the summer and summer reading. So they're having authors set up as vendors and they're having special guests come in. They haven't really advertised it yet, but just mark it on your calendar. Go ahead and save the date. May 31st.
at R2i2 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM I just signed up for that today. So, and I'm pretty sure there are gonna be some other events in between. Like I definitely, I'm dragging my feet, but I definitely wanna put on my own spoken word show like a concert. So I'm learning like vendors and where to plan. I definitely want to do some book signings, like get with places like Barnes and Noble, hopefully All Good Books, and do some book signings with my children's books. So, definitely stay tuned. You follow me on social media, it's literally my, what you see on the screen are RianNJenkins, all social media, my website. Um, I will post all that information.
Tayler Simon:Thank you so much for sharing that. You got a lot going on again. So I'm just so grateful for all of the work you do. And my last question for you is what advice would you offer listeners who want to make a positive impact in their communities?
Rian N:At the end of the day, And when I answer that question, I forgot to mention my podcast. I mentioned that afterwards, but, Tayler says something very important. You're at the end of the day, we all come with purpose. So there's something in you that this world needs and I need you not to feel as you are being insignificant because not everybody knows your name or you're not being received. You don't receive all the awards. No, something you will do impact this world in a great way. And it may not be known as views. It may not be known as you go on viral with the fact that you made someone feel like a better person, but you have to figure out within yourself. What is that thing that. will help someone become a better person. Whether it is you offering fashion sense, maybe you helping people learn how to cook, build gardens. You have to figure out what, what brings you joy and how you want to radiate that joy to other people. But don't ever feel like what you can do can't impact people in a positive way. We are meant to be good to each other. We're not meant to be negative. Life happens and that's the reason why we have some people that do some awesome, dirty, evil stuff. Nevertheless, there has always been good in us and we have to tap into that and find our way to a spread joy as much as possible. So yeah.
Tayler Simon:Y'all heard it here folks, and I know Rian started talking about where you could find her online, social media, RianNJenkins. Where else can people find you online, including your podcast?
Rian N:Well my, well everything is under RianNJenkins. You can go to my website and it will take you to all my social media feeds, which is Riannjenkins. com. So as far as podcasts are concerned, you can access that everywhere. Apple, Spotify. Amazon, , YouTube is the Crowned by Neshelle podcast. We do not have set dates. A matter of fact, our next two dates are in our neck. Matter of fact, our next three dates are March. March 2nd, 3rd, and 4th are my next two podcast dates. My next three dates. So basically I get with my guests and find out. What we can talk about and what dates we can meet. And based on that, I scheduled my dates with my last podcast. I just did last night with a mentee, former student is we talked about what adults need to understand, like what are her points that hit hard was she said, just because I voiced my concern doesn't mean I'm being disrespectful. And we know that old school parents, you can't say what you don't like. You're being, it was a good discussion. So you can access on my Instagram page, my Facebook, but always on YouTube, always on, as a matter of fact, on Spotify now. And then actually tomorrow night at eight o'clock, we always stream live, mostly through Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. I'm meeting with my brother. His name is Rich Hall. He owns Rich Cuts. He's a barber. He has an awesome story. That's why I called it his, podcast episode, the redemptive code. He has some hard challenges, some hard times, but he turned those things around. He's an entrepreneur doing awesome, great things for our neighborhood, for our kids. He's an awesome father. And I just want to bring light and hope to those of you who you have some family members who are going through and you're just like, they're going to be into this. And I want to show proof people do change their lives around. So I'm really excited about that.
Tayler Simon:So y'all go support Rian's work. Get her books, which I'll link all below in the show notes and come see us at Soda City when we're together. But thank you so much for being on the podcast today. And thank y'all listeners, not readers, sorry, but y'all are readers too, for being a part of the Liberation is Lit podcast. If you have stories you want to share, come Or just want to suggest any topics or want to connect. You can find us on TikTok at liberation is lit, or visit our website. Liberation is lit. com. If you enjoyed the episode, please consider leaving a review and remember your voice matters. And together through the lens of stories, we're going to make a difference in the world. Until next time.