Judge A Book From Within, Not Just The Cover - Naomi | Ep. 50

In this episode of Creative Roots, Tae sits down with his cousin Naomi from Nae’s Bookshelf — an avid reader, content creator, and advocate for literacy and representation.

Naomi is currently a student at North Carolina A&T State University with plans to pursue a career in law, but her love for reading started long before that. Coming from a family of educators, she turned that passion into action by creating a free book pantry outside of her church, making books accessible to her community.

This conversation goes deeper than just books.

We talk about:
The importance of representation in literature
Discovering and supporting Black authors
The current challenges facing libraries and access to books
How reading shapes perspective, purpose, and growth
Turning passion into impact within your community

Naomi also leaves us with a challenge at the end of the episode — one that encourages everyone watching to engage, reflect, and grow.

Whether you’re a lifelong reader or just getting started, this episode offers something meaningful for everyone.

Thanks for listening! If this episode hit home, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share it with a fellow creative on their journey. 

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Tae-@taewiththeedits
Shamar-@alanluxstudios

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Our family, education, my grandfather, education, education, mom, education, uneducation. So it's like that's truly where it started. For me, I feel like that's one of the things that hurts a lot of children now. And occasionally I do talk about it on my book page.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

Not only is um like books taken out at middle school the art itself, you know, because you get a lot of that in elementary, but then middle school it kind of phases out, and then for black boys, the main thing that they have to gravitate toward is sports.

SPEAKER_02 0:33

They have an African-American section with African-American novels, different genres. And yes, they are spread out, you know, around, but go pick up a different book from each genre. What I have for both of you, I actually have a charge for both of you.

SPEAKER_03 0:49

Truth in the air, let it speak.

SPEAKER_00 0:57

And we are rolling. Oh, so I didn't mention this. He may speak from time to time from back yonder.

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

So don't don't be scared or freaked out.

SPEAKER_02 1:10

Can we look that way or we don't look that way?

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Oh, we look that way. Okay. We look him dead in his face.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Yeah, because it's normally right there with the camera.

SPEAKER_03 1:21

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 1:22

How many years you got left in school? You're almost done, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:26

I have one more year.

SPEAKER_00 1:27

That's what I thought.

SPEAKER_02 1:28

I um could have graduated early, but I told my advisor, I was like, let's just spread the courses out so we can truly figure out everything. And we don't, I don't have to rush. So we're taking, I have next year, that's my last year, but I'm prepping now to take the LSAT um and get my law school applications together.

unknown 1:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:54

So you really gonna, you really gonna do that, huh?

SPEAKER_02 1:57

Yes. Um, it's downpacked. My mind was like, I don't know where we want to go. Um, just for a little bit because I had an internship at the Smithsonian last summer, and it really connected a lot of things for me with like the history and like the literature and just everything. And so I was like, oh, do we want to go somewhere else with this? And I was like, no, we still want to do law. We just may want to do something different in law.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

So what you mean different? What we what are we doing, eh?

SPEAKER_02 2:31

It's it's like I wanted to do civil rights, okay, civil rights law, and just coming to the realization that it's a lot of work, and it's a different kind of work that I don't want. It's a lot of stress um without the good billable hours. So I would rather do something that I enjoy that's a lot less stressful, and that may make me about the same amount of money because I don't want to do corporate law.

SPEAKER_00 3:08

Is corporate law that bad?

SPEAKER_02 3:10

Corporate law is like 90 to 100 hours a week at a minimum that you do a week. No, yeah, no, and you get paid, but that's stress.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

You have to have a high tolerance for stress to deal with that. No, no, I already do 60 in a week.

SPEAKER_02 3:38

And that's enough.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

That's more than enough. That's a lot, that's a whole lot. So have you watched any of the episodes? Okay, so I don't need to explain much of anything then do I?

SPEAKER_02 3:53

Could you give me a like? I watched like some of the clips and stuff, but like I guess just what were you going to say?

SPEAKER_01 4:01

We're already recording, and he's gonna put this in there. He don't edit nothing. And now I'm about to jump in here with the intro. Oh, but you were doing an intro. Hey, what's going on, good people? Welcome back to another episode of Creative Roots Podcast where seeds song become visions grown. I am your host, Tay. And I am Shamar, Tay's trusty sidekick. Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back. Yo, and I'd like to give a shout out to Allen Love Studios. I like to thank us. Give a shout out to Charlotte Podcast Studio. I would like to thank us. And big ups to the art box Charlotte.

SPEAKER_00 4:47

I would like to thank us again and again. So listen, we are sitting here with one of my little cousins. And y'all know I love my family. And y'all know I support almost everybody that I possibly can. Yes, I said almost. Listen, this young lady is, as y'all heard, about to be going to law school. And I think that it fits with what she does. Naomi is the owner of Naomi's bookshelf. Did you make that a business yet?

SPEAKER_02 5:31

I didn't make it a business yet. It's just a name.

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Well, we're gonna say it's a business today. Listen, this young lady is a reader of all readers, okay? I'm going to let her introduce herself and explain everything that she wants to talk about today.

SPEAKER_02 5:48

Yes. Um, hi everyone. My name is Naomi, and I'm so glad to be here and thankful that y'all allowed me um inviting me to come and speak with you all.

SPEAKER_00 5:59

Because we don't invite everybody.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

Go ahead, yes. Um, I read, like you said, lots of books. Um, I enjoy just reading everything. Uh Nay's bookshelf is my tag. And I really just love supporting black authored um people and books. And I do occasionally step outside of that and read a bit of everything, but we love supporting our own. And like y'all were doing like for us, by us, like that's what I like.

SPEAKER_03 6:34

Like, yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

If you don't know, you need to know now. But that's that's me. And I just literature and reading, that's life. Like, without books, I don't know what I would do.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Without a camera. Or music. I don't know what I would do. Like, I will let you take the camera as long as I still have music. But then I might have to fight you for the camera back because that's my main uh creative source. So Nay, I've been doing photography and videography. Yes, I said it. You don't have to jump in and correct me. I'm just saying. Just saying. 2026, Tay Doo Picks. 2026, Tay Do Picks.

unknown 7:27

Hello.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

15 years. With that, what seed was planted that got you into the whole uh book reading space?

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Um, well, as you know, and for those of you don't know, like our family education, my grandfather, education, education, mom, education, uneducation. So it's like that's truly where it started, you know, just having to be around things in that nature. Um, but just having my mom go on the weekends to Imagine on downtown and be like, okay, pick out any books. And we go just about every two weeks or every month, whenever we would have time. So that's really what sparked it. Um, but I will say I did take a break from reading. And a lot of people do like, you know, you take a break and then you come back. And I kind of took a break during middle school. You know, that's when you're trying to figure things out.

SPEAKER_00 8:36

Like trying to figure out life with all the the imbalances. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Imbalances and everything. So trying to fit in. So I was like, you know what, we're gonna take a break from reading. But then high school, that's when I started to tap back into it my junior year. Um, I had, or I think it was like my junior year going to my senior year, had my first car. So I'm like, okay, where am I going after I get outside of school? Like it's 215. I would have track practice, or like when we didn't have track practice, okay, where am I doing? So one of my friends, she would go to the library sometimes study. So I was like, okay, let's just go. Go. I'm seeing all these books. I'm like, oh, I like this. And then truly my senior year, I was able to get out of class early. Um, so I just went to the library. One of the first books that I picked up, and that is my favorite book, is In the Go by Beverly Jenkins. And it's a historical romance. Um, so it was the combination of both my worlds that I love. And I was like, oh my gosh, like, why did I stop reading? This book is amazing. Um, and it just went from there. Uh, and just really exploring everything because that's why I tell people, when you're, if they ask me like, Naomi, like, I want to start reading again, what do I do? Go to the library, and I say the library because you don't have to pay for the books.

SPEAKER_00 10:05

Correct.

SPEAKER_02 10:06

If you go to Barnes and Noble's, or if you go to another bigger place, like you're paying$20 for a book you may not even read.

SPEAKER_00 10:14

Or like. Or like.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

Or like.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Like you might not like that book.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

Yeah, you may not like it. And it's to me, it's no point when you can go to the library and find that same book. And if you don't like it, you can return it this next day. And I just tell people like, go to the library, pick one or two books out of every genre. And if you like black author books, at least in Charlotte, they have an African-American section with African-American novels, different genres. And yes, they are spread out, you know, around, but go pick up a different book from each genre. If you don't like romance, okay, try it. You may find an author you like. Or if you like thriller, you may find another one you like and just go from there. Read 15, 30 pages. Me personally, I hate the first chapter of every book, so I skip it and just start reading. Like, I hate the first because it's so simple. Skip the setups.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

I don't I don't need the intro. Let's get right into the meat and potatoes.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Okay, I can figure out the characters later. I will figure out the dynamics. Oh, that's Stacey. That's how, yeah, we could do that in chapter two. But that's what really started it. And I truly enjoy like being able to just explore different worlds. And for me, I speak on this occasionally, but I do have um some mental health issues, I guess you could say. I have PTSD and I experience anxiety. And reading is what truly during that time and still now is like an escape for me when it is like those rubber patches. And it's like telling people, like, yeah, like if that's what you want to make reading, make that your escape. Like you can go into so many different worlds other than what you're living in presently.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

True. I agree. And the the same thing for me is like with music, I can put on instrumentals and just be somewhere else. You know, um holding a camera, I'm able to capture a whole new world. I'm able to, in a sense, really create one. Um even with, you know, the mental health things, uh ADHD, I got OCD. It's crazy. I've learned how to control both of them, give or take. I was looking for the same. Why are you looking up here? I don't know if we control it or not. You know, but you know, I I can understand. You know, I don't I don't think I had PTSD from anything except maybe all them whoopings or something. But outside of that, outside of that, thanks, Mom. Outside of that, you know, no, I'm I'm okay. You know, but um hey, I'm glad real quick.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

Um, you said you well, you said middle school. I went to junior high. But you said you stopped then. That's where we had, what was it called? The scholastic book sale or something. I used to get my jam off with that.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

Yes, but see, I think for us, the scholastic book fair, I feel like stopped in middle school.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_02 13:36

I don't think we got it in middle school anymore. I think maybe like you know what you're right.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

I think well, I was junior high, so set I went seventh grade, eighth grade. Eighth grade was the last year that they did it, and then my ninth grade they didn't. So you might be right.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

Mm-hmm. Yeah, and I for me, I feel like that's one of the things that hurts a lot of children now. And occasionally I do talk about it on my book page, is like the effect of not having either the resources or not seeing people that look like you, especially for children when you're reading. And the scholastic book fair, we were talking about this in one of my courses recently, is when you go to visit these book fairs, you don't see young black children who look like you on these book covers that are one of the main fronting books that they show off. And I understand you can't curate different, you know, setups for each school, but I think if it's something that you truly cared about in these book organizations that do come to schools, if you truly cared about literacy for these kids, you would find a way to curate for different schools. Going to predominantly black and Hispanic schools, and I come and I see, don't get me wrong, everybody loves Juni B. Jones, but like I see Juni B. Jones or Dork Diaries, which has white characters as the main characters. There's barely any, and there were, but you didn't see those as the first books that you can go and pick out, which sucks. And then you do get to middle school, which is one of the most significant times where you do need to get literacy and really capture those things because this is when kids start to slip. They don't go to summer camps anymore because it's this weird age where they don't want to, or they've aged out. And it's like, well, now I don't have the book there. Now we don't take trips to the library in class anymore. That's not in our schedule anymore. You don't go to the library outside of this. So when do I have time to have that exposure? And then if you do have somebody that comes, you don't even have books for that look like me. So do I want to pick up the book? No. I mean, yes, you're going to, but if I see, especially young black males, that's something that is really important to me because it's a lot less that look like them with a positive light in literature.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

And that sucks. And talking to a lot of like my black male friends, like, I'm like, okay, what's your perspective on this? And what is your perspective on that?

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Which part? Because you said a lot, girl.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

It was a lot, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Like the the books not being in the forefront, especially for men. I see remember being in elementary middle school, and the majority of the books I remember were more um what do you call it? They had the animals, the talking animals. You know, like one of my favorite book was um, what was it? A mouth The Mouse and a Motorcycle. And you know, when you're that young, you're not thinking about who wrote it. You just knowing that you like this book. And to get older and realize that a lot of the things that we uh consume are not written by us, is you know, it's always gonna be an issue. Um, and it's a deeper issue when you make it one, right? Good or bad. So with that, knowing that um I forgot the question, because I went left, Shamar, don't you say nothing.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Right. But black males. Black males, yeah. Yeah, us being not being represented. Yes. What's your perspective?

SPEAKER_00 18:07

I don't like it. You know, and because like you said, it's it's the the perception of what we see on TV. You know, we're in the hood, we're broke, we don't have any money, we're not making it. And then the black people that you do see on TV, they're you know, they didn't grow up like us. They're not in the in the role. They're not in the hood. I'm trying to be smart over here. They're not in the hood, you know. They already have a nice job, they've been adopted by a white family, um, or dad is a lawyer like Fresh Prince. You know, the uncle was a lawyer, so you have that, but to see that in books, all the books that I know of, uh Jamal was not the smart kid.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

You know, uh Greg, uh Tony was not, you know, they were in trouble. And my take on that is that is feeding into this negative perception because hearing that even when black people go out of town, I mean out of the country, people in those countries only know what they see on TV. It is very uh detrimental. Did I use that word right? It sounds right. It sounds real good. Very, very detrimental. Very.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:27

And for me to add to that, uh I agree, right? Uh as far as the black males, but also to your point, I was thinking about it. Not only is um like books taken out at middle school, the art itself, you know, because you get a lot of that in elementary, but then middle school it kind of phases out. And then for black boys, the main thing that they have to gravitate toward is sports. Yep. And everyone does not do sports. You know, I'm one of them, Tay is another one, you know what I mean? So we had nothing really, right? Um, and that's one thing that we are uh doing, uh focusing on trying to get uh not trying, excuse me. We are going to be rolling out a uh summer program for photography and uh media and uh video and stuff to give those uh black boys and girls uh an opportunity outside of the sports world, you know? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:14

And that's amazing. And I outside of like reading, I always tell people like I always advocate for the arts and the humanities because just being in this field now, there's not much representation of us in these fields and dominating in these fields. Right. But even being able to just freely roam around in these spaces without being like, oh, like that's why why you doing that? Like you should be doing this, or especially the sports aspect, um, being pushed towards that and not being able to explore what you really might enjoy. And that is something that's is a lot of that can be a stress reliever for a lot of kids and just a healthy outlet. Um, I don't know if you all have seen in New Orleans, they have the black masking Indians, um, I think that's what they're called, and they like do the beating on their outfits, and some of the older people who are more experienced in it, they take the kids in and they're like, This is your activity in the evening, and they make it a program for them. And it's so cool to see that and just like wow, this is really important and really good, whether it's reading or whether it's art. Like you're taking young kids who may be doing something totally different in the evening or pushing them towards sports. Not saying sports is bad, but having that opportunity. To do something cool and creative and then be proud of yourself at the end of it. Um, I don't know if you've seen that on your feed. No?

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Crazy enough, I don't be on social media. I tell it, I say it all the time. Like, did you see? I'm like, no, I didn't see it at all. And then I get stuff sent to me, and I'm like, eh, I might check it later.

SPEAKER_03 22:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

You know, but I'm I'm really not on social media later. I am on there long enough to pose for creative roots, um, get caught up in the doom scrolling for 10, 15 minutes, and I'm like, what am I doing? You know, um, because that's the thing for me. I feel if I can spend my time an hour scrolling, that's an hour I could have been educating myself.

SPEAKER_03 22:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

You know, and I prefer a physical book over a digital book, you know, like a Kindle or something like that is cool. You know, uh what is it? It's another one that's similar to a Kindle, but it's just the pages of the book. I don't know, maybe I'm thinking extra old too, because um I don't know. But at the end of the day, I feel being able to have that physical book to highlight things, to put tabs and put markers on them to come back, you know, um, I feel that is prevalent. I do think that pushing this quote unquote agenda to get kids to, you know, read, you know, more than what they do, um, more than what they do in school, because now they they go to a school and they're on a laptop, they're on a computer. Um, how how much are you retaining, you know?

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

And then books, some books can tell true history, you know. And like they say, if you want to hide something from a person, especially a black person, put it in a book.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

Yeah, and we've we've seen it a lot recently that it is true. Um, and I will say I am like a physical book person too. Like, give me a physical copy of the book. I don't want to read online, but I have started reading Kindle Unlimited, which is on my phone. And it does have me like, it's just I think more convenient for me, like traveling and stuff. So it's like, oh, I can just swipe on my phone. Um, and the library has it too, where you can read digitally as well. And that's why I tell people like, you have no, you have no like excuse. You can do it digitally, you can do a physical book, you can do an audio book now. So you still can get something like pick one, find one with which which works best for you. And in the um Kindle, there are a lot of black author books on there as well, smaller, like indie authors, which is very important because yeah, you support your bigger authors, but you also need to support the up-and-coming authors as well.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

Maybe it opens a door.

SPEAKER_02 25:18

It opens a door and it allows you to see a different perspective as well outside of our mainstream authors. Like, I do like our mainstream authors because I do, I indulge. But like, if you don't like a Tony Morrison, um, there are books for you. And some people, I feel like we need to meet some people where they're at. Yes, everybody can't understand a Tony Morrison. And if you have read a Tony Morrison or have read even like five pages, you see why. Me personally, I don't enjoy Tony Morrison. I don't know about you, but it is, I just can't get into it.

SPEAKER_00 26:06

Who is Tony Morrison?

SPEAKER_02 26:09

So she is a, I'm trying to think, what's one of her popular books? Um, she is an older or more seasoned black female author. Um what is that book? And I don't want to say the wrong book. Okay, I was right. Um, like Beloved or The Bluest Eye.

SPEAKER_00 26:38

She looked like she deep. Oh, okay. I know who you're talking about now. I see. Listen, I've heard her speak. I've seen clips of her speak. This woman is highly educated, yes, and she does not tone down the way she speaks. You have to be elevating to her level or on it. Other than that, it's like, wow, that was deep. I don't know what she said, but I know it was deep. Yeah, very so yeah, yeah. I I could get into it, but I feel I would have to listen. Um, I would have to watch read the way that I normally do, I would have to listen. I would have to read along with her voice, catch her cadence, catch, you know, the the emphasis on the words, and then I would say, okay, I can get like I can be deep. You know, um, I have no problem with highly intellectual um authors, uh speakers. I can I might not be able to fully repeat what you said, but I know what you said.

SPEAKER_02 27:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

You know.

SPEAKER_02 27:49

And that's what matters.

SPEAKER_00 27:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 27:51

That's what matters. Like, it don't matter. Long as you can translate it and understand it in your mind, that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

Yeah. Because if you can understand it, nine times out of ten, you can be the one to break it down for other people, make it a little more simple, and then pass them the book. And then if they can't understand it, I mean, now you have a book friend for life.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

Yes. And like for her, one of the books that I got to read from her first, which I don't recommend anybody start reading her books with, is The Bluest Eye. And everybody has different opinions. Um, I just think it's a it's a heavy book, as in just the material that she discusses. And she goes into it so deep. It's like if you're not meant, I wasn't prepared for that going into the book. I'm not thinking based off of the description, that's what it's gonna be about. Um, but it is it's a very good book, and she's a very good author. But also, I was looking at this video as well, where it was saying that some communities within the black community, depending on the way you grew up, books like that don't appeal to you and you won't find it interesting. So uh, and a lot of some people in the book community look down on urban fiction or urban novels, which can be sort of an easier read, or it just focuses more on an urban lifestyle, an urban black lifestyle. And some people just don't like the way that it's written or the things that they discuss in those books.

SPEAKER_00 29:45

Um but if it's reality to the artist, it shouldn't matter. In order to say artist, not just that author, but anybody that is writing that, you know, like NWA caught a lot of it, you know, and with what they were putting in their music. And it's like this is their lifestyle. And, you know, excuse us for acknowledging it, but this is what we deal with. You know, Uncle Luke, you know, with the the Miami bass and you know, the booty shaking, like that's what they experience, you know. So I I feel you can't take something away from an artist because you don't understand it or because you don't resonate with it. You're just not that target audience. And I think a lot of people fail to realize that you are somebody's target audience. And if you jump in straight into Tony and she's way on another level, you're not her audience. You can grow to get there, yes, but right now, no, no, Boogle, no, go that way. You know, the urban books, if it's an easy read for you, if it's relatable, you know. I'm pretty sure like any other story, it's a story. You know, any other book, there's a story. And you have to conclude to that story, you know, what am I getting out of this book? Yeah, you know, what where's this book taking me? You know, you you watch movies like A Boys in the Hood, and it's like, dang, that happened at the end. Dang. But then you have other books like um, not books, but movies like um Love Jones. Love and Basketball. That's one of my favorite movies, too. You know, and and people gotta realize that some of these movies were books first. A lot of people don't know that, even though it says based on the novel, da-da-da-da, by so-and-so. We we we don't read the credits at the beginning. But yeah, so anyway.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

Yeah, I mean, and I will say I was one of those people who and I it was the urban fiction that I read. And some people do really enjoy the book. I personally don't, but I had to go outside of that author and explore it, and which I did. And one of my favorite urban fiction authors right now is Draquel J. And she puts a lot of her books on like Kindle Unlimited, she has paper copies. Um, but it's like a whole reality TV show, and that's what I tell people is like you in urban fictions, for like some people, this is their TV show. For me, it is my TV show, and like you were saying, you can get genuine lessons and understandings out of these books, and you do the same concepts that you can get out of your modern regular romance novels or just novels, you can get out of this. These are legit thrillers, these are mysteries, they have plots just like any other book, it's just not written in a typical English American language for you. It has African American vernacular English, which that's a whole nother discussion, but that's that's a language, and that's what's in this book for that audience. So it's so many places for people to pick up a book and just start reading. And if that genre don't work for you, honey, try another one until you find what works.

SPEAKER_00 33:37

So assuming you've been through that, you know, going through the different genres, the different authors, what is your what are your top three genres? You gotta have three, Nate. Come on.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

I'll say romance is my number one genre. Nonfiction is my second one. Um and then I'll probably say thriller is my third one because I feel like a lot of my books have an intertwining of all three of those different genres. Or it may not be labeled as a thriller, but it's definitely a thriller, or it has just a lot of suspense. But I just love romance, like I love romancing my life. I just romance is so nice, and I love to see black romance because you don't get to see that on the screen all the time. Because I love movies, and I what I don't get to see on TV, I get to read in a book.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

And the books are more detailed regardless of the genre. There's a lot more detail. Um, there's a lot more color in it. You can vividly see a picture the way you imagine it compared to what you're being told to see. Because movies based on books are typically stripped down anyway.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

Yeah. And you can create that character in your mind, which you want them to look like. I mean, yeah, they're gonna give you the description, but you can make it your own. And then like nonfiction, I really like learning about history. Um, and just breaking down number one, what I'm learning while I'm in my courses at school, and what can I find that's related to that outside of here in my books? Um I don't know what's a favorite, actually, I do know. Um, I think it's called Between the World and Me by Tana Hesi Coates. Um this was I think this is when I got back to reading again. And it was truly just encapsulating of his experience, but how he was writing, he was telling a story in his story, but he was writing a letter at the same time and speaking to his son and to see his HBC experience. He went to Howard and how he wrote about that. It was just so detail-oriented. He gave his experience of being a black man in America, especially a young black man, and telling his son different things to just be aware of or his experience. And I love to be able to see, like I'm a black woman, I know my experience. So I want to see my counterparts' experience. And that this book is amazing. And if you have seen Equalizer 2 with Denzel, he gives this book to the young man that was in his apartment complex, and he told him to read it. And once you read it, come back, then we can I didn't know that.

SPEAKER_00 37:17

Did you know that, Shamar? I didn't know that. Yeah, like I never paid the book any attention, but I remember the scene. No, I didn't. Yes, he said it's so plain, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:31

Um what are your favorite genres? Or do you do you have do you girl?

SPEAKER_00 37:38

I watched it.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

When I say she over here interviewing you. Right. I love it. I like Did you just say you don't read?

SPEAKER_00 37:48

I just said I don't read. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 37:50

I said I watched that's what I heard.

SPEAKER_02 37:52

It was that pause. Right, right. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 37:56

That still will not be edited out. But I I I watch a lot more movies than I read. I don't really read a lot. Um the biggest thing I do read, which seems so stereotypical, is the Bible. I started reading um Good or God. Um, I guess my thing is development. I have another book. Oh, I can't remember the name of it, and I see the cover plain as day. Um I don't remember it, and I don't have a picture of it. But um two other books that I started reading. The Cure.

SPEAKER_02 38:34

I haven't heard of that.

SPEAKER_00 38:36

I don't know who the author I don't remember who the author is, but The Cure is just basically like walking you through things as, you know, a Christian, and what happens when you choose this path compared to that path, and is like very, very relatable. Um it gets very deep about half of chapter one. So don't skip that chapter. That chapter, it sets things up and asks questions. So by the time you get to chapter two, you're basically building your life story. Um, but I don't I don't really have a genre that I read. I just like that looks interesting. And then I hit play on the audiobook. You know, so yeah. Because you knew it was coming.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

Yeah. Um I enjoy, so the first book that came to mind was um the two West Browns. So it was two about black men. So two black men with the same name live completely different experiences. It was a true story, so it's nonfiction. Um, I like um development books as well. I like um business books. That's kind of boring, though. That's more me learning. But um, anybody likes uh bio, I was about to say biopics. That was gonna be like I don't read either, but no, I like to uh read autobiographies uh of successful uh black and brown people too. So that's what I enjoy.

SPEAKER_02 40:13

Yes, I'm trying to get into the development books, the self-development. I just it's very few. It'll I'll pick it up and I read it, and I'll be like, okay, no more for another six months. Oh, but my favorite, I will say I did read one, I think within the last year. Um what is her name? The young lady. Oh gosh, she has the big fro. Um, she is on social media a lot. She makes the videos.

SPEAKER_01 40:49

You're talking about Tabitha Brown.

SPEAKER_02 40:50

Yes, Tabitha Brown. She has a book and it talks about um her faith, but then also, let me see if I can find the book.

SPEAKER_00 41:01

Um Welcome to the Digital Library.

SPEAKER_02 41:05

Yes, feeling feeding the soul, because it's my business, finding our way to joy, love, and freedom. And she has recipes in it. Um and she just talks about a lot of things. And this book really got me when I was going through a few things, and I was just like, oh my gosh, like she's really like this is really feeding my soul. Um, and it is, like I said, faith-based. So sharing her experiences of a lot of different things. Um, and it was just a really good book. I think that's the only way I can read self-development books. It's like you gotta have some. I can't read like a manual of like God said do this.

SPEAKER_00 41:53

Yeah, please do this. No, this is how you should do it. That does not this is the best way to do it. Don't do it this way. Yeah, no, I don't I don't need an instructional book either. Like, I mean, it's okay if the instructions are kind of like a lesson that someone would put on YouTube. You know, trying to do X, Y, and Z, well, this is what I've tried, and this is what worked for me. You know, here are my top five steps. Number one is this, and then you describe it like you do it that way, fine. But I know the other thing too is some of these audiobooks, some of these authors are dry. There's no feeling, there's no change in tone, you know. Um but when you and then when you read it, it's even worse. You can hear the dryness. And that's crazy to hear somebody else's voice dry in your head. That's just that's just crazy. I I'm gonna digress because I was about to say something. I'm gonna let it go. But tighten up with these, these, um, these books. Okay, Shamar, I'm done. I'm done. Cause I know you're gonna say something. Don't look at me. Anyway, so Nay, you read a plethora of books since elementary, taking a break, middle school, jumping back in high school, now you're in college, and then you are about to go and be in law school. All these books you've read, your favorite topics, your favorite genres, um, favorite authors, um, have you had to deal with people like well, let me dial back. How is your support system? Like, when you tell people, oh, I read, you know, are people happy, excited, or do you get those naysayers that's like, what you reading for? You know they made that a movie, right?

SPEAKER_02 43:56

Yeah, I'm not in. Anymore. And I think it's just number one, the way sad not not I'll say sadly for other people who may not present themselves a certain way. I think because I present myself a certain way and when I do speak, it's not a surprise to people.

SPEAKER_00 44:22

Um it's a noticeable correlation.

SPEAKER_02 44:26

Yeah. So it's not like, oh, um, but I do think that, well, number one, I have a great support system. That number one comes to me and it's like, Naomi, I don't know what I should read next, or Naomi, I just read this book. You may really like it. So I do have a great support system within that. My mom actually just asked me, I think two nights ago, that she was looking for a book and what should I, what should she look up? And I was like, exactly what you just told me, just look that up. Um, and that's a great feeling, being able to have people come and ask you for recommendations on books and just knowing that I can know how to point you in that direction. I may not read that book myself, but I've heard about the book, or I just know what you need to look up. I think also on a social media aspect, I think that number one, reading is a bit of a niche thing. So the support there, you make your own communities, and which I have been able to do. And I love that community. They're very supportive, um, very supportive. And I think that you um it's hard to get your way into that community to make it bigger. But like, for example, one of the things that blew up recently was my Mona Leo post. I curated different books that match her new album, and I got so much support from that. And it was like, oh my gosh, like this is amazing. Um, and then also just walking on campus, this was last year. Yes, this was last year during campaign season on campus, and a young man was like, Yeah, like you do the videos about the books, and I forget that people can see my videos, and it throws me off. Like some people be like, Nay, and nobody really calls me Nay except for like two people, which are my other friends. And so it's like to hear people say, I'm like, why are you calling me Nay? But it's like you're calling me Nay because you look at my stuff. And so when he told me that, and he was like, Yeah, like I see your videos, da-da-da. Keep going, I was like, oh wow. So the support is there. Um, you just have to keep going, especially on social media, like, and I just don't have as much time to constantly put out videos, but the support is there and it is nice.

SPEAKER_00 47:24

So I heard you say two things, three things actually. I forgot one, hopefully it comes back, but I heard you mention a course. I heard you mention, well, we talked before the camera started rolling, um, the ALA, American Library Association, right? So you have a course. Is that what I heard?

SPEAKER_02 47:51

Um, like in like a class that I'm taking in school?

SPEAKER_00 47:57

No, I thought you were saying that you have a course. Like, these are ways to X, Y, and Z when it comes to reading. I heard that wrong. Don't worry about it.

SPEAKER_02 48:06

No, it's okay. Um bypass that.

SPEAKER_00 48:09

It's not getting edited tomorrow. Um, but with the ALA, um, how is your relationship with them or the way you support?

SPEAKER_02 48:23

So the ALA is the American Library Association, for those who don't know. Um, and they really support libraries and having, I guess, uh equitable access in different communities and resources. And I truly love what the ALA does. And it's amazing to see how much they've stood up to a lot of different political powers within the last six, not even six months. And I think a lot of people forget that. It hasn't even been six months yet. Um, but when President Trump was taking away, and he did take away a lot of funding from the IMLS, which is the something museum library services. And they are the governments for international. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 49:34

I'm probably wrong, but it sounds good. It sounds real good.

SPEAKER_02 49:38

They um they give funding, government funding, to libraries and museums all over um the United States. And a big chunk of their funding was cut. Um, and the ALA stood up to this and was like, no, like libraries depend on this funding, and which a lot do. This is how they keep their doors open, their lights on, their bills paid, and paying their librarians. Librarians don't get paid a lot already, and now you're cutting my funding. Um, but I like to support where I can and just make people aware of what they're doing, because there are a lot of people in our community who don't look at the news. Number one, because you go through a lot of stuff that's on the news daily, so you don't care to look at it. So finding ways to show, and this is also just my career as well, the political side of things for libraries and how they're being affected in this administration. And the ALA is the way that I've been able to do that, um, just by showing, like, oh, this is the new policy that they're working on. This is what their attorneys and their general counsel is fighting right now. And you need to pay attention to this because that's why when you go to your library, you won't be able to check out as many books. Or that book that you've been waiting and that they were going to buy, they're not buying anymore because they lost the funding to buy that book. And a lot of people didn't realize that. Um, unless if you're an avid reader, you noticed on their um digital services, a lot of books were cut. Or now you have to wait 60 plus days to get the book that you put on hold because they only have one of those books. And that's because they lost that funding to get three more of that same book. So that's sort of that relationship. Um and just really exploring the different ways to get involved in policy within education, but libraries. And I like to really put an emphasis on third spaces because the library is a third space. Um, or it is a third space, but it's becoming less of that now. And it is such an important third space because you there's so many different resources in the library.

SPEAKER_00 52:17

Right.

SPEAKER_02 52:18

There's so many resources, social services. Um like librarians are low-key social workers who don't have the title of a social worker because there's so many different things that a lot of people don't know you can get from the library that they have.

SPEAKER_00 52:34

Interview skills, resume writing, uh, filling out job applications. Those are just a few things that I remember when I was in middle school, high school. Um they do have courses, but of course, most people don't go into the library to know that they're offering this, you know, famous authors, you know, or just book signs in general are at libraries. You know, it's a very quiet thing. The only time the majority of people go to a library is to vote. And they don't even look at the books.

SPEAKER_02 53:11

No.

SPEAKER_00 53:12

They go in, they vote, they leave. The population, I didn't do a fact check, so correct me if I'm wrong. However, the number of library cards has been decreasing over the years. And I remember a time you had to pay for it. Now I I might have had to pay because I'd have lost like two or three, but I know I had to pay for at least one library card, you know. But to be the a spokesperson, you know, freely to help educate other people, like, hey, they they doing some stuff over here. I commend you for that.

unknown 53:55

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 53:55

Because a lot of people don't.

SPEAKER_02 53:57

And it it's a lot of people who don't realize how much policy and law affects your daily life, or you can't comprehend the written correlation between the two. You can say it and you are telling me your issue, but you don't know what policy matches with that, or what organization is trying to resolve that issue. So you're sitting here telling me, like, yeah, like my library doesn't have more than three computers, or my library doesn't have a lot of books in here. Okay, you're telling me this issue. I bet you there's a policy that matches this that can resolve. And there are there is an organization that's working towards trying to combat that. But you you need that middle middleman. And there are a few other creators who do the same thing that I look up to. Um, and it's like, yes, like you can talk about books all day. We can sit here talk about books all day, but let's talk about the things, how you get that resource. How are you accessing that? They are being diminished as we speak. Um and there's there's not a lot of people talking about it. And it's sad because you're sitting here telling me your issue, but you're not trying to fight this issue. Um and yes, genuinely some people don't know, which is why you know you need more people to do it.

SPEAKER_00 55:56

But you need more people to speak out on it.

SPEAKER_02 55:58

You need so many more. You have these messy, you know, things that go viral. Okay, that's not what needs to go viral right now. We got 20 other issues that are way more important.

SPEAKER_00 56:12

Way more.

SPEAKER_02 56:12

Y'all are sitting here talking about certain authors that you don't really like right now, or like I was saying, about the urban fiction and how it's not really a book. That's not what we need to talk about. Because the book that you really like right now, other people can't even find that book in the library because of an issue that you know of that you're not speaking about because you choose to speak about a whole nother issue.

SPEAKER_00 56:37

So stop being silent about the important things. Yes, stop being so vocal about the things that don't matter.

SPEAKER_02 56:44

Please.

SPEAKER_00 56:45

Message.

SPEAKER_02 56:46

Please, please.

SPEAKER_00 56:48

So, with that, in that space, that's where Nay's bookshelf comes in. And you have basically a free bookstand. It's free, right? I know it's free, but I just want to make you hear you say just come pick up the book and make sure you bring it back.

SPEAKER_02 57:05

So actually, then that's what a lot of people got confused with is that you don't need to bring the book back.

SPEAKER_04 57:12

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 57:13

And if you, I mean, if you don't like the book, yeah, you can bring it back to give somebody else a chance to read it. Um, and then it's also more so, I guess, a church ministry thing. I'm the main bookkeeper, but um it's with um the church and it's there. Um, but you take the book, please keep it. I want it to be your book, I want it to be your space because if you're like me and you really enjoyed that book, you want to be able to go pick up that book three more times. My favorite book, Indigo, I've read that book about six times. Um, so keep the book. And we try to replenish the books if the community isn't bringing more books back to the Little Free Library. Um, but yes, it's it's a way to number one give back because I even realize myself I have some of these books that I don't even care to keep. Like, yes, you do have those books that you're like, nah, I want to keep this because this is gonna be on my bookshelf forever. But everyone has books that you don't read no more that you don't even care about. So I always say give it to somebody else. Give somebody else a chance to have that experience that you had. Um, and there's so much more that I want to do in that space. And it'll probably have to wait, you know, a few years. Um, but the goal for me is to be able to have like a book truck that I'm able to travel with to different communities to give communities, uh, marginalized communities, um, to give them the chance to own their own book. And I talked about this on my page a little bit, that ownership of a book means so much more than what people realize. Being able to own anything, that means something to you because it's yours. And you're proud to say, oh, that's my book. Oh, I've read it. Oh, I can tell you all about it. And you won't forget the book, you won't forget the concepts because you can always go back to it. And I have been blessed with that experience. Being able to have a bookshelf, multiple, one at home, one at school, being able to have an overflow of books that I can't even put all my books in my bookshelf. I want other kids to have that experience that may not be able to afford to pay for those books. Um, and that's really where it started from. And just knowing that the church supported it so much and was like, oh my gosh, like this is great. And even seeing some of the church members indulge and going to get books, it's like, yes, like please, please take the book and don't bring it back. I don't want to see the book. If you like that book, I don't want to see that book again. Keep it, keep it, keep it. And one of the things that we're doing in April is we're doing a free book fair where we have received donations from church members, and we've also been able to partner with two community organizations that um house books and give them to organizations or events like what we're doing. And we're allowing community members to come and pick up two to three books for themselves. You don't have to pay for anything. And this is so important to me because this is a scholastic book fair, but you don't have to pay for it. And yes, some of the books are like donated, so they're not all fresh new books, but you don't necessarily need a fresh new book to get that same experience. Um, but to be able to provide a free event where people don't have to pay, you don't have to pay a dime for this book.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:56

What day is this, oh?

SPEAKER_02 1:01:58

This is April the 11th, um, from 12 to 3.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:02

Where?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:03

At Grace Memorial Missionary Baptist Church.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:07

Send me the information so I can put it in the description.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:10

Okay. Yes. It's it's like April 11th.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:18

Okay. I'm dating in my head. I got it. Yes. We're good.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:24

Um, so that was just a thumbs up, sir. Oh, I just seen something move.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:33

I was like, wait a minute now, hold on. Um, so I'm gonna ask this question. Do you see yourself writing a book? Um, let's go. What we writing? What we writing?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:45

You're like the second or third person to ask me this. I it's not something that has been in the forefront of my mind.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:54

And but it's definitely been a thought, correct?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:57

It's been a thought.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:58

I'm writing a book.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:00

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:03

I'm writing a book.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:04

What book?

SPEAKER_00 1:03:05

I don't know yet, but I'm writing one. I'm definitely writing one. I've been told the way that I uh do certain things, I need to write a book. The way I talk to people, educate people, and me, I'm just talking. You know, but people like, you know what, that that's a lot of wisdom. You should write a book. I don't think I'm gonna go that deep with it, but I'm I'm gonna write a book. It's on my agenda of to-do lists. Or as I said, lists. It's it's on multiple lists. I'll get there one day. So, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:42

I'm excited.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:43

I think you should write a book too. Yes, just say yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:47

Yes, it will be later down the line. But I think if I did write a book, it will probably be a historical romance. Just because how much I enjoy reading them and knowing that I could find a piece of history that has impacted me the most and be able to do something with it.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:17

Um doing a documentary too.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:20

Really? On what?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:22

I I can't say yet.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:24

Oh, okay. I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:25

I can't say yet. If if if I go through with this plan, when you go through. No, I definitely say if in this case. But when I go through with this specific documentary, eyebrows will be raised. There's gonna be so much controversy, so many people that will be educated. And again, just eyebrows raised. That's all I'm gonna say.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:05

It's so many things that need to have eyebrows raised.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:09

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:10

So many things.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:15

I'm I'm still working mentally through the the process, but yeah, that yeah, I'll go through with that that specific documentary. Yeah, it's gonna be crazy.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:32

Yes, there's so many things. That's why I love books too, is that there's so many things that have eyebrows raised that you need to know about that you don't know about. And the thing for me has been going to ANT, Aggie Pride. Aggie pride? Yes. Going to A and T. And seeing that there's so many pieces of history and just things that people generally know now, and that's not the way that it's truly told or should be told and is in history. Um it's sad because you have to pay to know what's right. You have to pay to have your eyebrows raised. I should not have to pay for that. And being able to find books that display the same information that I'm paying for, that other people in my community who don't have the opportunity or didn't have the opportunity to go to school and learn that same information, it's like, yes, because when I'm learning about Equiano, um, or when I'm learning about um Omar Ibensid, I think that's how you say his name, you should be doing the same. Because why do I have to pay money to learn about one of the only written autobiographies of a transatlantic slave narrative written by a man who didn't leave his faith and tricked his slave masters to believe that, yeah, I'm Christian, but I'm still practicing practicing my Islamic religion? Why do I have to pay to learn about that? Or why do I have to travel all the way to Washington, D.C. to the African American History and Culture Museum to learn about that? I shouldn't have to do that. So, how can I get my community to have their eyebrows raised just by going to the library or just by me making a five to 10 second video? It doesn't take a lot.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:02

And boom, there you have it.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:06

Yeah. So being on social media is definitely a plus. Um, because again, you get to educate, inform, um occasionally entertain. You know, those are the main three reasons why anybody is on social media or, you know, watches TV. Um, so nay. All the books, all the years, everything that you are about to do, including write this book. She's writing a book. I don't care what she says. We're gonna talk. She's gonna write a book. It might be a couple of years, but she's gonna write this book. What seed or seeds will you plant for other people um in general, or within this uh space of knowledge from books?

SPEAKER_02 1:09:06

I think okay, I'll speak on a few things. This seed that I'm planting now is by number one, having my social media account. So by connecting with people who are just now entering reading or who are like, oh my gosh, like seeing your videos, you make me want to read now, which I've heard from a few people on campus or just my friends, and they have gone and picked up a book. Now I'm pretty sure they've also had other influences, but that's the seed that's being planted. Um, and I think the seed that I hope to plant for anybody is that no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, no matter what your literacy rate is, or how you understand certain words, you can find a book that you can read. Um, and there is a book for you. And if you find just that one book, I promise you, you can find 10 other books that stem and have the same ideas from that book. And I promise you, you will grow so much. And that's truly just what I hope to plant for anybody. Um, and also the mental health aspect of it as well. A lot of things that I do now, um, I always try to bring back to that because it's something that's important to me. And it's like you can find peace and solace in a book. You can do so many things with just even a hundred pages, fifty pages, a poem. If you want to read a poem, read that poem. You're reading something, and that's what matters.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:19

Well said, very well said. So let the people know where they can find uh Nay's bookshelf and your social media stuff.

SPEAKER_02 1:11:32

So you all can find me at Nay's Bookshelf, which is N-A-E-S, and then Bookshelf B-O-O-K-S-H-E-L-F. Um, and that's on TikTok and Instagram, the same same header. Um, and that's where you can find me and look at all my videos, send me a message. I try my best to respond. Um uh try my best to respond, but that's where you can find me at.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:05

Cool. So listen, we are at the end. Yes. This is. I thought you were about to say so. So this is a space where I open the floor for you to ask me a question, make a statement, a comment, whatever. So what do you have for me? Or Shamar. Uh hey, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:35

What I have for both of you, I actually have a charge for both of you.

SPEAKER_04 1:12:40

Ooh.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:40

Um to read something that's outside of your comfort zone. And read at least one book that's outside of what you would typically read. And you don't have to read it in a certain time frame. And if you don't like it, that's fine.

SPEAKER_04 1:13:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:00

But read one book that you haven't that's outside of what you would typically read.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:06

I'm gonna go get one of these romance novels. I would think the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:10

I definitely might go get one of them, because that is definitely outside of what I would read.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:19

That's what, and I would just, however, just text me and be like, hey, I picked up this book, it's what I'm reading. If you don't like it, you don't like it. That's fine. That's what I want y'all to do. And then my question. Yes, my question would be what has been maybe the most impactful book that you've read thus far?

SPEAKER_00 1:13:57

There was a book about the music industry and how to get in it. Um or how to move. Because, you know, like Shamar said, I I'm into, you know, business books, you know. Um I don't remember the name of that book, but right after that I read another book, and it just opened your mind to the possibilities and things that you don't think of. Umpactful, it it basically says, listen, do this, not that. Um and then Master P wrote a book. He basically laid out all the information you needed. And at the time I was heavy into doing music, and you know, I'll say it gave me a different outlook on business in general. Um but yeah, I don't remember the name of that book, but whatever book that was, it basically was like, hey, whatever it was speaking on, I just generalized it. And it gave me more business sense, not just for the music industry. So yeah, I don't remember the name of that book, and I still have that book.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:25

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:26

I still have it, but I don't remember the name of it because it's one of those was like, oh yeah, I remember that book.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:34

Well, I know mine. So I misquoted the name earlier. The name of the novel is The Other Westmore. One name, two fates. So two boys, two black boys that grew up in the same city. They both have the name Westmore. They had different upbringings. One of them ended up being a successful author and military officer. The other Westmore ended up in prison for murder.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:01

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:02

So that reading it, and this is, you know, a real story about two Westmores. Reading that told me that, hey, I can go down whatever decisions I make can lead me down either one of those paths. I can either be successful or I can end up a statistic, if you will. I have a second book. This one is called Tuesdays with Maury. Maury was a professor, college professor, and one of his students came back years later, and he would spend Tuesdays with the professor. That's the final course, uh, because the professor was on his deathbed, and on Tuesdays they would have their final lesson. So uh Maury would share his uh thoughts and everything that he learned about life and what life means. So that was an impactful book as well, to be able to look at life differently, you know, because I think everyone has the question of why am I here? What is the purpose, you know? And that kind of helped shaped um my thinking of life and my uh outlook on life.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:05

That's really cool. And I've I've seen both of these books, and I have looked at the other Westmore, but I haven't picked it up. So now it's good. It's added to my list. Oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:20

Look at her. I got something added to her list.

SPEAKER_04 1:17:25

Look at that.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:28

Listen, I just re-downloaded Kindle on my phone, and I'm looking at these books like, yo, I did not finish that one. And yeah, I'm gonna have to get back on here and at least press play. One book that I am um pushing myself to get back into, um, John C. Maxwell, developing the leader within you. That is supposed to, if I remember correctly, if I if it's that one, that's one of those books that's supposed to help reshape your mind. And um, I mean, like I said, the developing the leader within you. Like you know you're a leader and you know you have influence. This is how you shape it and fix it to be more effective. Um so I'm I'm into that one. Um I think I got to chapter one and I was distracted. And but chapter one was good enough for me to say I need to go pick that book back up.

SPEAKER_01 1:18:32

Well, we know she don't read chapter one.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:34

Right. Straight missed.

SPEAKER_02 1:18:37

It depends on the book, but yeah, no.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:39

Uh two books that was recommended to me Negroes with Guns and We Will Shoot Back.

SPEAKER_03 1:18:51

Hmm.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:52

So I got yes. What? Negroes with guns and we will shoot back. All right. And it's basically like educational books of like, hey, black people have had guns. This is what happens with us having guns throughout the tenure of firearms. Okay. Yes. You know. Um, and then I think we will shoot back is more like, hey, you know, like some people say, we're not our ancestors. I think it goes further down that that that um I want to say plight. It goes further down that that storyline.

SPEAKER_01 1:19:30

Um very bold title, I'll tell you that much. Very bold.

SPEAKER_02 1:19:34

I definitely will look into the Negroes with guns because I'm very interested. The civil rights movement is one of my favorite moments of history, um, just because of how transformational it was for black people. But I really love looking into the different philosophies of like Martin Luther King Jr. in um Malcolm X and the Black, well, Malcolm X, comma, the Black Panther Party. Um, and just looking at the description of it speaking on Huey P. Newton, but then it also has the first chapters, the introductory chapters with Martin Luther King Jr. is very interesting. Um, so I'm definitely gonna look into that book.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:23

See? You got one too. I got one too. Well, Nay, I greatly appreciate you coming out here. Yes, I greatly appreciate the educational uh moments because I learned some stuff, you know. Um, I hope y'all got something out of this too. In conclusion, thank y'all for tuning in to another episode of Charlotte. But I was about to say the wrong thing. I'm sorry, where we at? Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Creative Roots Podcast, where seed stone become visions grown, shot and recorded, right?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:04

Exclusively at Charlotte Podcast Studio, aka your favorite cousin house.

unknown 1:21:11

Who gonna break, who gonna know?

SPEAKER_00 1:21:12

Shout out to Aliex Studio, Charlotte Podcast Studio, and Rbox Charlotte, and in that moment, we out.