Juneteenth︱Andre Keitt

Middletown Juneteenth 2023 is right around the corner! Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated on June 19th to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans. In today's episode, Ayanna and Christy chat with Andre Keitt, renowned storyteller, who will be performing at this year's Juneteenth celebration. We will also share excerpts from a previous interview with Erica Hunter, founder of the Middletown Ujima Alliance and coordinator of the Middletown Juneteenth celebration and Liberation Day Parade. Middletown Ujima Alliance (MUA) works collaboratively to foster an authentic sense of diversity, equity, and inclusion in an effort to uplift, build and restore unification within the Middletown community. Thank you so much for listening!

https://www.culture21.net/
https://www.facebook.com/MiddletownUjimaAlliance/
https://www.facebook.com/andre.keitt/

Book Recommendations

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Opal Lee and what it means to be free : the true story of the grandmother of Juneteenth  by Alice Faye Duncan

My Name is Not Fridayby Jon Walter

Conjure Women: A Novel by Afia Atakora.

This podcast uses music by Ashutosh, under a creative commons license:
Time by ASHUTOSH | https://soundcloud.com/grandakt
Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

Transcript

Cate: 0:13

Welcome to Middletown Strong.Looking up with Russell Library.I'm Cate Tsahalis,and today's episode is all about Juneteenth.The Middletown Juneteenth celebration is an event you will not want to miss.Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated on June19th to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.In today's episode,Ayanna and Christy chat with Andre Keitt,who will be a featured performer and storyteller at this year's Juneteenth event.We will also play some excerpts with Christy and Jay's previous interview with Erica Hunter,founder of the Middletown Ujima Alliance.Erica is heading up the celebrations for the Liberation Day Parade and other Juneteenth celebrations.The Middletown Ujima Alliance works collaboratively to foster an authentic sense of diversity,equity,and inclusion in an effort to uplift,build,and restore unification within the Middletown community.Thank you so much for listening.

Christy: 1:24

Hello and welcome to Middletown Strong,looking up with Russell Library.I'm Christy Billings,along with Iyanna McKennon.Thanks Ayanna for being a big part of this,this interview.

Ayanna: 1:34

I'm not behind the mic too often,and now we're back to back.

Christy: 1:37

I love it and love it.It's great.Um,so to this year,we wanna talk about the Middletown Juneteenth celebration.And let me tell you,it's an event you don't wanna miss.So Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrated on June19th.It is now a federal holiday to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.Uh,we're gonna be talking with some folks,um,live,and also we're gonna do a little bit of a piece of some excerpts from mine and Jay's previous interview with Erica Hunter,who is the founder of the Middletown Ujima Alliance.She's heading up the celebrations for2023for the Liberation Day Parade,another Juneteenth events.And let me tell you,there is a lot of events.Um,the Middletown,Ujima Alliance,m u a works collaboratively to foster an authentic sense of diversity,equity,and inclusion in an effort to uplift,build,and restore unification between the middle within the Middletown community.So,we wanna talk today,um,before we get to Andre,who's gonna be,uh,Andre Keitt,who's gonna be our featured storyteller this year at Juneteenth.We wanna kind of break it down for people.Yeah,a little bit about what's going on in June so that they don't miss any of these really amazing events going on right here in Middletown.Absolutely.Yeah.

Ayanna: 2:56

Uh,Middletown is,um,in the running to be the biggest,have the biggest celebrations,uh,in the state now.Right.We absolutely,we've watched,uh,Christy and I have been able to watch these,um,events grow,um,way beyond expectations.So that's,it's been really dope to see,um,Juneteenth grow,um,from just one event,um,on the holiday to now,um,events,events with an s,um,all throughout June.So we're,we're excited to be able to,um,support,um,and,and we,uh,we're talking,Chris and I talk a lot,um,offline,right?About how we can,how we can support,um,events.And so Juneteenth was one that was kind of near and dear to us.Right.And so we,um,have table,we table events all the time and,and when the community,um,has stuff,we're,we're always.Uh,front and center and,uh,when we did Juneteenth one year,um,we were there and,and we felt like we didn't have a whole lot to offer,be beyond,um,you know,pencils in a couple books,like what we usually kind of bring to the table.And,um,we came back and when we sat down right?And we were like,how do we show up,um,in a,in a more impactful way?Um,and so we sort of,we,we called Erica and we were like,um,where,where are the meetings?Yeah,where are the meetings?We,we want to be down,we wanna,um,join and see,um,what support is needed,like straight from straight,from the horse's mouth,so to speak.Um,and so we've been able to,uh,not only figure out,um,what's being coordinated and,and what events are coming,um,and to be able to give you a really good quality preview.Um,but we're actually collaborating and,and will be,uh,front facing in,in some of these events.So that's dope.

Christy: 4:47

And I'm over here nodding,but that's not helpful cause nobody can see me doing this.But yeah,so last year,uh,the Middletown Eugene Alliance gave out a total of$4,000in scholarships to three students.And by the time our interview,um,airs this year that that application deadline will have passed.But for next year,for any of you folks that have seniors for next year,uh,you must be a graduating senior of color and a current resident of Middletown.Um,and some other,um,community service application,part of the application process.So,um,definitely keep that in mind if you have a senior for next year,um,and get your hands on some money,uh,for college.So that is one of the things that Erica does.Um,Uh,

5:34

she,

Christy: 5:35

uh,has things that she does all year long,but another event for June is,um,gonna be Walk to Live Ayanna.You wanna talk a little bit about that in our partnership?

Ayanna: 5:44

Definitely,yeah.And I wanna make sure that,um,we are directing folks,uh,to Culture20one.net.Uh,this is where you can get all of your information,uh,from the Middletown Ujima Alliance,um,if you need it.So Walk to Live is,uh,happening.Oops,Sunday,June4th.Uh,so make sure you save that date.Um,and on the fourth,uh,9:00AM brighten early,uh,get your walking shoes on,get your tank tops,cuz it will probably be hot.Um,and we'll be outside.We will be,uh,on the beam and track.Um,and we will be,uh,the library will be there.We'll be hanging out with,uh,Erica with the Middletown Gmail Alliance.Um,and there will be a great event,uh,there.Um,and so$2,uh,per lap,we'll get you,uh,around the track.And we're,we're trying to get folks walking,obviously.We wanna get you to build a team.Um,and$25will get you an unlimited laps.Uh,so that's what we're shooting for,right?We want you out there,we want you to keep walking.Uh,so it's nine o'clock and I think,uh,if I'm not mistaken,the end time is6:00PM Yes.6:00PM Right.So you have a lot of time.Yeah.You have a lot of time out

Christy: 6:50

there.$25and you can just hang out.Exactly right.

Ayanna: 6:53

You can go take a break,you can come back.Um,but we definitely want you,uh,want you out there with the unlimited.Um,but we will also,the library will be there and we also have collaborated with uh,Lynette Coleman.So shout out to the American Heart Association.Uh,we will be doing free blood pressure readings,um,and we've also collaborated with Hunter's Ambulance.To do,uh,CPR demos.So we also wanna make sure that we are,uh,speaking to the health aspect,um,and making sure that all,besides walking to live,that we're also showing you,um,about heart health.Right?We're talking a lot about heart health and,um,and making folks aware.And so that is happening,um,on June4th once again.So definitely make sure you're out and supporting the Jema,the Ujima Alliance.

Christy: 7:38

Uh,so we wanna cut a little bit to,um,Erica talking a little bit about what she ha uh,what her greatest hope is,um,for the coming years.I think

Erica: 7:50

with everything that's going on,um,as far as like even with the gay prior community with M mua,um,and with other,even with the library of,as far as like what we all do,I think Middletown literally can be the blueprint,um,for other cities.Yes.Um,because.There's not a lot of,um,pulling,um,from each other.Um,as far as like,you know,the,the library actually has great,great programming.And if you can get some of the other inner cities to fall in line with what they're doing here,they'll have great library programs in like the Hartford community or the New Haven community.They're great,they're bigger cities,but there's not that many libraries,especially in New Haven.I know the one in the,um,black community is like stepson library,right on Dix Dixville Avenue,right.In the plaza.Mm-hmm.And they're,they're actually trying to revamp that is revamp that now.But when you,I know there's,gay pride is heavy in New Haven,but it's not as,it's not as it is here.Like this is like the capital of Connecticut Right,right now.Right.People know about it coming in and out,and so they're able to actually come to Middletown.To enjoy the smaller town,the smaller city,but it's a prideful city.And now here you ha are having little middle town celebrating Juneteenth and like trying to do like in a big way.And you have like different towns that celebrated it last year or have done other things.

Christy: 9:26

But I think this could actually be a blueprint,especially

Erica: 9:31

if the organizations and the committees or alliances are ran on one accord.Um,there's no dictatorships.I believe that everybody has input and puts their ideas together.And if everybody really,really wants to be there and do the work,if the work can get done and everybody's voices are getting heard,then these three things can actually branch out and be the blueprint.For Connecticut,because my idea,my goal for M MUA is to really take it statewide.Basically wanting to start a New Haven chapter.So New Haven Ujima Alliance,and then maybe Bridgeport Ujima Alliance,Hartford Ujima Alliance,and um,branch it out.And eventually monies that are raised or whatever,you know,my goal is to do something like Woodstock and get land and have a huge state,um,Juneteenth festival where everybody comes together all over the state.And that's not gonna happen next year or two years,but,you know,I do see it happening.

Christy: 10:34

Uh,we'd like to come back and talk a little bit about jubilation in the park.Oh yeah.Jubilation

Ayanna: 10:39

in the park.So,um,another event that's happening,and this,um,has been happening,this is an event that has been happening,um,with Juneteenth.Uh,but this is the first time we'll be outside.So this is the actual jubilation in the park.Last year we,uh,the Middletown new Gmail Alliance had jubilation in the church.Uh,and so shout out to Shiloh Baptist,uh,for hosting that event for the M mua.Um,this year the jubilation in the park will be held on the Union Green,so right,uh,across from Mondos.If you're familiar with the,uh,downtown area,um,there will be a lot of fun.There'll be poetry,there'll be dancing,there'll be singing literal jubilation,um,for you all.Should there be,should that be,um,hopefully a part of your day?

Christy: 11:21

Hopefully.Um,well,until the evening,most likely.Oh,mo

Ayanna: 11:25

more than likely.Um,it is,what time is it starting?Four o'clock.4:00PM Um,more than likely4:00PM until,um,you are tired of,of being ju jubilation.Jubilee.Jubilated jus Yes.Um,I'm a librarian.I know words.

Christy: 11:45

Absolutely.Um,

Ayanna: 11:48

but yes,that'll,that will be happening as well.And um,we're very excited that.Um,I know that that is a passion of Erica's is being able to,to be out,um,and actually celebrating outdoors.And so I'm glad that we,uh,she was able to get that together.Um,so yeah,that's another one other event,um,that you are able to attend that is free of charge.Um,and so we just want,uh,to see the community outside and celebrating together.So make sure that you can attend that again,culture20one.net.Um,if you need this information again.

Christy: 12:20

So I,I'm gonna have Erica talk a little bit about her work,um,in Middletown and what the community all year long,this past

Erica: 12:28

Christmas,the LA the Chris,um,the season before that Last,um,Thanksgiving2020,we did Thanksgiving,um,give giveaways to the,um,the homeless community and

Christy: 12:38

those in shelters instead of

Erica: 12:40

Thanksgiving this year,I actually did Christmas in2021,so we did368meals.To,um,the homeless,um,people that were living in shelters as well as elderly housing communities right here in Middletown,also in,um,new Britain as well.And we did up near,um,C B H communities to the Eddie Shelter,but we also did the women batter shelters that had like infant babies in there.So on top of not only giving out368meals we did presents so people in shelters received gifts and the babies at the shelters,we,um,gave them like newborn outfits.It was like they got like,everybody got like a bag and they were able to open'em up and there was like maybe like six or seven outfits or toys and stuff in there for them.And I have to really thank the community in Middletown for that because not one time since I've started doing what I've been doing,if I say that I need help with something,the donations start coming in.It's like I put together a plan.And they actually run with it with me.And it's like,not one person's trying

Christy: 13:41

to win the marathon.Everybody's trying to

Erica: 13:43

cross the line together.And that's a great feeling when you actually come from a community that is unified in certain things.We might not all,like I said,see the same.

Christy: 13:51

Um,we

Erica: 13:52

might not all have the same political ideas and views,right?We might not agree on the same topics,but the things that are concerning as far as homelessness and um,domestic violence and stuff like that,

Christy: 14:03

everybody

Erica: 14:04

takes the same stand for it.I mean,there's zero tolerance for certain issues.And I'm so glad that we here in Middletown actually feel we're like a middle ground.And it's funny that we are called Middletown.We're like that middle ground,um,city that we actually have our same point of views and share them and not really go at each other and nobody's trying to outshine the next person.It's like,I don't mind.It's just,I'm just like the forefront person.But if somebody else has to do it,I'm coming right behind you to help you as you've done with me.

Christy: 14:32

So this year,the main event,June19th event,main event is still two parts.So I don't know how Erica does all of this.This is astounding.Um,but she put together a parade and then,uh,a celebration in the park following the parade.So I'll give you the details.Um,the first annual Juneteenth Parade starts at11:00AM June19th on Main Street,begins North end and ends at South Green,followed by the Liberation Day Festival at Harbor Park around1245.So Ayanna,we have so much to unpack with just that I know statement.There is so much happening.So take it away.

Ayanna: 15:18

Yeah.The,the Liberation Day Festival,um,is going to be,Amazing.Um,there will be no shortage of things to see,no shortage of things to do,no shortage of things to eat.Um,shout out to all the vendors,shout out to everyone,um,that will be attending,that will be serving,um,all of the community organizers.Um,again,like,like you just said,Erica is a powerhouse,um,to have all of these connections.It is so intriguing.As a,as a coordinator,we,our jaws are dropped,like we absolutely.Um,because we are in awe.Yeah.We know what it takes,um,to put on events.Um,and we sometimes run around in circles to put on two hour events,um,let alone to put on multiple events,um,in a month.So we continuously take our heads off,um,to Erica,but the Liberation Day Festival,so it's starting around one,so it's starting at1245.We'll be working with,um,Andre Keitt,who we will hear from very shortly.Um,the Great Heart.Grio,one of my very dear friends,um,who is a wonderful storyteller.If you don't get to do anything else,I really hope that you get to hear his rendition of the history of Juneteenth,um,because it will blow your mind and you will walk away,um,with just a renowned,a renewed sense of,um,just your history.Like the,what you will learn,what you'll walk away with.Um,you'll be entertained,you'll be educated.Don't miss that.You,you can't miss it.Um,and he's such a dynamic speaker.Um,so that will be happening.Um,there will be,again,vendors,there will be partying.There will be it,it's,it's a Liberation Day festival.And if you're familiar with the holiday,um,then you know that it is a time for celebration.Um,it is a time for community.It is a time for inclusivity.Um,and so there will be no shortage,um,of that.There will be,there will be a cake,there will be a bake off.Um,and so registration for the bake off has ended.And so all that you have to do when you arrive is have your bellies empty and ready.Uh,for cake,pound cake,red velvet cake.I'm,I'm ready.I'm,I'm just ready.Um,last year we,um,had like,soulfully vegan was there.Um,Harold Hart had his,um,had the barbecue on lock.I,I mean,I don't remember how many lines I jumped in and out of,um,just trying all this amazing stuff.I mean,just,yeah,it was,it was,it was nuts,gluttony on a whole nother level,and I just serious had to make peace with that,

Christy: 18:01

but yeah.Oh,just amazing food and all in one place.All in one

Ayanna: 18:06

place.Um,and just the,the energy.Was,it was just a different level of,um,community,which is really nice to see,um,when you're not used to being celebrated in that way.Um,very cool.And,and it's just again,um,very reminiscent of the way that Middletown has continued,um,to progress,right?Yeah.Yeah.Um,so it is just a,um,always a joy to be a part of these events.Always a joy to,to help coordinate and put these on and be a part of this community.

Christy: 18:41

A hundred percent.So the parade that's gonna happen right before this,this,this big event down at Harbor Park,the parade.So again,the,the registration will have ended,but you can come watch.Um,people will be,uh,fly their,fly,their Juneteenth pride,ride with pride.Um,and,um,folks are gonna.Get into the Juneteenth spirit and decorate their cars.Um,motorcycle clubs have been asked to participate so that,uh,folks,uh,could have registered their club and the club with the most representation will win a trophy.So it'll be really interesting to see that the folks that come out,and I believe there's drill teams that have been practicing too.Yes.So there'll be,um,folks that have worked really hard to participate in the parade and it's really good that we can come out and support these folks.

Ayanna: 19:31

A hundred percent.And we didn't even talk about,um,how we are showing up,right?So Right.The library,rest of the library,uh,we will be there front and center.Um,we have a book every way.We will be having some books.Um,and we are doing something particularly special,um,this year.I don't know if you wanna talk

Christy: 19:46

about that.Sure.Yeah.So we,we wanted to make an impact.We felt we wanted to be supportive.And,uh,this is a time for self care,uh,for folks that have been through pretty rough times.So we have books to give away on mental health,and we have books that support people,uh,while they're going through times that are very,very difficult.Um,we wanted this to be,um,impactful in ways that we had not done in years past.So come check out our books.We do have a limited amount to give out,but we know all our listeners will show up and be like,I heard you,I heard you exactly talking about on the podcast.What book do you have for me?

Ayanna: 20:21

Oh,please make my heart happy and say that,

Christy: 20:24

and we,and we will totally have a book for you.So,uh,we,we,uh,will be at,um,at Harbor Park and you'll be able to,uh,chat with us a little bit and,uh,pick up your,your book.Um,I want,before we get to Andre,I want to just have Erica talk a little bit,uh,some last words from her.Um,I had asked her,uh,if she had a book or a film to share about Juneteenth,and this is what she said.

Erica: 20:51

Um,Not a film.I think that in general about Juneteenth is obviously,we all know that that was an event.We call it Juneteenth because it was the last,um,Texas being the last date to get notice.But,um,literal history will tell you that Delaware was still,in fact,an enslaved state.Um,um,slaves were still not freed in that state.Um,but it's something that's celebrated that didn't need to happen.It shouldn't be a celebration in the first place because,um,people shouldn't have been enslaved to begin with.However,um,we can't change history.All we can do is,um,celebrate where we are.And technically that is our independence day.That is,um,our emancipation day,if you wanna call it our jubilation day.So there's so many different words for the word freedom,but we still have to be mindful that there's certain liberties.We're still fighting for.Um,and the liberty to be totally free means that

Christy: 21:57

we are free from

Erica: 22:00

profiling,that we're free from being looked at.Like,and it still goes along with profiling,whether it be in a store,whether it be driving,um,whether it be somebody already having a preconceived notion

Christy: 22:15

that,um,a certain group of people are

Erica: 22:18

gonna act a certain way.Mm-hmm.And,um,to my community itself,um,we have to stand together,um,and do better.Um,if we do stuff,if we do better for ourselves,then the sky is the limit.We have to come together.Um,we're stronger together.And that's in whether you're white,black,Spanish,Asian,Indian,it doesn't matter.You're stronger together and you can make much more of an impact.Um,then you can't do it by yourself.It's just like a fist.You might be able to move something with your finger,but if you ball up all five fingers and you make,that's a mighty,that's a mighty blow.So that's what everybody is.It's a whole fist that can make a mighty blow.So you,you can't just do,it's that inclusion word again.Every,everything needs to be inclusive in that.So it's like you,we gotta be able to work together to get,get the kinks out,and then come together to be better.

Christy: 23:32

Let's introduce our guest

Ayanna: 23:34

back.Backward.Backwards,backwards.Rewind.

Christy: 23:38

So,welcome to Middletown Strong,looking up with Russell Library.I'm Christy Billings,along with I am McKenna.That's me.And our guest.

Ayanna: 23:47

Yes.So I will,I will take,I will take over,I will take the honor of introducing our guest,um,because I just happen to know our guest,um,from way back,um,oh my gosh.Over30years.

Andre: 24:03

And I know how that could be.Cause you were like25

Ayanna: 24:06

and I get Exactly.Exactly.Um,Andre,so you were in vitro when I was.Exactly.There you go.Which is honestly probably true.That's probably not even a lie.Um,Andre Kit,um,the Great Heart Grio,um,renowned Hartford storyteller.Um,if you haven't heard his voice,um,yet,you are in for a treat.Um,you will be performing,uh,live at the Juneteenth Juneteenth Liberation Day Festival,uh,here in Middletown at Harbor Park,June19th.Uh,so please make sure that you come out,um,and hear that it's,you are in for a treat.Let me tell you.Um,Andre,

Christy: 24:42

welcome.

Andre: 24:43

Thank you for having me.Thanks for reaching out and I can't wait till the19th Juneteenth The actual day of Juneteenth Yes.To come out with you guys and have some fun and party a little bit.Yeah.Celebration

Christy: 24:56

will be

Andre: 24:56

fun.Yes.So,so thank you for welcoming

Christy: 24:59

me here.We'd love to hear a little bit about your performing,um,for,for Juneteenth,but also just in general,your storyteller.What is

25:08

like,

Christy: 25:09

what is that,like?

Andre: 25:11

What is storytelling like?It's just,it's natural as what we do when we sit down at a kitchen table and start talking and we have something that we just think is a good,something to retell.I'm being careful about saying good story to retell because everything doesn't make a good story,but things that you would be surprised about make really good stories.I guess all I'm trying to say is it's the informality of it.The spinning of tails,the weaving of tails.And I just started doing it because I like to talk,I like to run my mouth.And when I found out people would give me money to do it,I'm like,I know that's right.I'm serious.Cause I was just doing this for free.My sister one time says,well,you know,we're not paying to come see you for Kwanza.We saw you in the living room at Christmas.So that's,that's how,that's how family does.So the thing about it is,is that,and I mentioned my family because they are who have kept me humble.You know,I don't have the opportunity to get a big head because my coattail will be pulled and my big head will be popped with a pen in a minute.Cuz they'll let you know.We knew you when you was like little.Don't remind you Rusty.Unwashed.Unclean.Oh gosh.Really?Said you was a little boy.We knew.We knew you.I always made funny faces.I always,and I used to get in trouble.I used to get in trouble at the dinner table.My mother go,why are you doing that?You're supposed to be eating.Mm-hmm.So I always been,um,a clown.Um,and I don't know how I mixed being a clown with being shy because as a child I was very,very shy.But I became,you know,as,as an adult,I realized I was only shy at certain particular times.Like when we had family over that was extended family,not our immediate family,my sister and my brother,my mother and my father.But when we had extended family,aunts and uncles and other cousins,I,you know,just withdrew because their personalities appear to be a whole lot more,I don't know,mad.Like stronger.Yeah,stronger.Stronger.So I just said,okay,well,Let them,let them do it.But at home I remember just being silly and talking and laughing and joking and I'm the older of,out of three siblings,so you know,I quickly had to become a leader because that's what my parents,you know,they raised you,the oldest,you have to set example.You had to say they,this is the oldest.Yeah.And even they didn't even like make it formal that you have to set an example.I just got my behind beat one time cuz Yeah.Yeah.I,when I,well I grew up,we got behind beat at home,you didn't do what you're supposed to do.Spare the rods,spoil a child.And I can't say that that's completely wrong.I don't have any children,so I can't really be an aficionado on that.I'm just gonna speak as far as me,I think my parents saved my life by being strict disciplinarians.Whether it was psychologically or physically,yes.Mm-hmm.Yeah.But I remember when we were little,tiny kids.My sister and brother and I were home,and I don't know why.My mother stepped out for something for a short period of time and we had eaten breakfast and so we had grits,we had eggs.Mm-hmm.And I don't remember what else we had,but my sister decided she did not want what was on her plate.So she went back in the kitchen and she scraped it back into the pot.Oh.I thought nothing of it that she didn't want it.She didn't have to eat it.Okay.I'm eating my food.This is before I understood my role as a big brother.So my mom comes back and she goes,who put this back in the pot?Oh,she did.She put it back and then she didn't want it.My mother properly tore my behind up because my sister was near the stove.Hmm.But she never told me.And I said,I didn't know while she was like hurting me.I didn't know I was supposed to do it.And she's like,what you supposed to know?And that's your sister and from now on,da da da.Well,she never had to tell me that again.I was like,okay.Because my thing was,I'm not getting okay in trouble like this.Mm-hmm.This was awful.You know,it ain't,this is not happening anymore.So I became the patrol.Right.Vigilant.I was a vigilant.Yeah.Say,Hey,hey,don't do that.What are we doing?Hey.Yeah.What?Yep.What's going on?And so my mother would come home and something was out of place.Or broken.Or broken especially or damaged.My mother would say Who did it?And we'd be standing here looking at her cuz we're not gonna say we did it.She'd come to me.Did you do it?I'd say,I didn't do it.She go to my sister second.I didn't do it.Go to my baby brother.Did you do it?I didn't do it.Oh,Mr.Nobody's been here.Okay.Everybody's getting it.Everybody's in trouble.And so when I figured out that everybody was,I already learned,okay,I have to watch this,but now I,I have to make sure I watch what they're doing so I can cop a plea because I'm not getting your behind beating.No,I'm,if I make any mistakes,that's on me,but don't do anything.So I started telling on him.Okay.Right.Oh man.I was like,oh no,she did it.Oh,no,no,no,no.He did it.

Christy: 30:42

Siblings.Shout out to siblings.No.

Andre: 30:45

So I was not getting a beating for nothing,you know?No,no,no.Absolutely.And as a grown person,I'm not going,don't lie on me.Don't say I did something because I make enough mistakes on my own.I'm really good at it.I don't need any help.One of my superpowers making this mistakes,you know?But my whole thing is how do I recover from this?Right.And so I have a lifelong lesson of how to recover from my mom and dad.My mother especially.She was the disciplinarian.My father was a good cop.

Christy: 31:16

You need both.You need the balance.You do.Mm-hmm.You do.

Ayanna: 31:19

I,um,so speaking of,uh,rusty unwashed kids,uh,um,so Andre,you and I know each other,um,from,um,library work,right?So back when,uh,I was a young and a young unwashed rusty baby.You never,I used to.I,uh,no,I,yeah,I was good.Um,I used to be running around,uh,and Harvard Public Library,uh,where my mom has worked for a very long amount of time.Hi mom.Um,and Andre,you were also there.Hey,miss song?Yeah.Okay.Uh,you were there also in the library.So my,my question is,how did your storytelling,um,move you

Christy: 32:01

into,into library work?

Andre: 32:03

Well,it,it wasn't Okay.My storytelling moved me into library work because I graduated from South Carolina State University in1986and in1980,well the summer of86,no,summer of87,cuz I worked for a little while,uh,at another company.But summer of8087,I called the library and I said,I'm working at Camp Current,I'm the program manager at Camp Current.Mm-hmm.And they're looking for activities and I'm trying to plan out my activities for the summer.And I called the library and they said,well,Gertrude Blanks,yes.The storyteller,Gertrude Blanks,everybody remembers her.Mm-hmm.She has retired and so we would've sent her,but she's not gonna be able to come.And I said,well,what does she do?And they named all the things and each thing in succession that they named that she did,I said,oh,I can do that.And I can do that too.Well,long as short of the whole thing is,I never worked at that camp one day because I was going to apply for Gertrude blank storytelling job.Wow.Wow.That's,and that's how I got into the storytelling.And that first year that I was there doing the storytelling,I don't care what I did.Well,Gertrude did it like this and Gertrude did it like that.Absolutely.And I was like,she did it in heels.I can't,

Cate: 33:28

that is not

Christy: 33:30

little different.Right.This is

Andre: 33:31

gonna be a little different here.And I walked bouncing in there.You know.Okay.I had the Jerry curl down to my shoulders.It looked good.I had a good Jerry Curl though.I had one of those good Jerry curls.Mine didn't.Anyway,I had a good Jerry Curl curl.We gotta

Christy: 33:45

find one of them bitches.Okay,you got it.Ooh,we gonna look.We,we'll,

Andre: 33:50

and then I,you know what?I'm proud of them because I know what care I took to make it good.It,because at the,even at the time,Jerry Crows getting jokes and I was like,ah,no,I can't,not this one that can't,no,I can't go out like that.So I made sure that mine didn't do all the things that people were making fun about.So I had that.And,uh,I was a young black male.Mm-hmm.And the library took a chance on hiring a young black male to do outreach work.I was frankly told by my boss at the time,one of the best bosses I ever had.She said,um,we took a chance.How do we know that you weren't gonna be out somewhere?Um,Drinking a beer or something.And I was like,and it never even crossed my mind to do anything like that because of how I was raised.And I was just out of school.I,I went to an H B C U where they also train you as a African American to go out there and,you know,do things in a dignified way,in a certain kind of way.So when she said that,I thought,well,I,I get why you would think that,but that's just

Christy: 34:53

awful.I'm sorry.That's,it is

Andre: 34:55

a little awful.But I enjoyed her candor.Mm-hmm.She didn't have to tell me that.She didn't,no,she didn't have to tell me that.So I,I,and also,when you are sure and confident to have agency about yourself and do what you're supposed to be doing,keep your nose clean,uh,do the work that you,you know,you for which you're compassionate,it just kind of rolled right off me.And that's been actually,I don't know,I guess a good foundation for my career because.I've often been a young black man in a room,in a seat,in,in white places.A young black man in white places.The library world is very,oh my goodness.And back then it was so conservative.Mm-hmm.Uh,I remember the,uh,first time my boss as well.Uh,the dress code is that you have to wear a tie.And I said,I do outreach.I'm gonna be at the schools.I'm gonna get beat up.I'm,I'm not wearing,I'm not wearing,I'm wearing a tie.I'm wearing a tie running back up to my car trying to get back here,so I'm not gonna do that.She goes,well,at least have it on you.I said,so I can wear it on demand?No,I'm not doing,I mean,I was rebellious.At the same time,very grateful for the opportunity,but I knew it was like,no,there's something outright about that.So I went to the handbook and the handbook did not say you had to wear it.So I photocopied that page and I said,I'd like to have a meeting with you.And I had a meeting with her and I said,well,the handbook says so and so and so and so,and here it is right here.And she looked at me like,like I said,she was a really good boss.That's awesome.But a lot of time what happens is we get hired,we are young professionals first,but we're never gonna get away from being young,black professionals.And you hired me because you liked my resume.Mm-hmm.But people do not have the courage of their convictions all the time,and they aren't sure.And she admitted she as much as admitted,we took a chance.So in her taking a chance,she was learning about me and my people.And I was learning about her stuff that I already knew,because many times it's me and the white spaces.But,um,at the end of that meeting I said,okay,here's a copy of the,that page.She goes,no,I was gonna give it back to her.I said,no,that's your copy.And she did not like that at all.She looked at me,didn't that up,like,what?But I wasn't gonna wear a bow tie on command.I knew what was gonna make me function well and efficiently out in the public,and there was no way that I was gonna go and,um,set it up so that I looked intimidating in any kind of way.Because,you know,we're also constantly battling a,how do we fit in so that we can relate so that when I walk into a school,a museum,or a library,that that's why you're seeing job,uh,descriptions can work with diverse populations.Mm-hmm.You know,you really have to be able to do that.Um,I,I majored in English.At school so that I can make sure that I can make the transition,I can do an Ebonics in a minute.Um,I,to top that off,I majored,uh,minored rather in French so that some circles I can,you know,say a couple phrases here and there.Don't try to,you know,catch me too long on it.Anything in French sounds good though,you know,you know,I could be saying I gotta go to the bathroom,but you don't know.Mm-hmm.I'm like,oh,that sounds so good.Absolutely.But where is it?Where is the bathroom?So,no,that's,that's how I got started.Right.Really tell my grandmother,uh,mama Thompson,she would tell us stories and I would listen to him and,uh,you know,when we get older,we keep telling the same stories over and over and she would.Just start recanting this story that she told us millions of times.And my sister and my brother,they got tired of hearing the stories.But it's like,you know when you read a book again or see a rerun on television,I know people don't know what reruns are anymore,but if you see something that you've seen before,the second and third and even sometimes the fourth time,if you see it,you go,I did not catch that the first time.Mm-hmm.So that's what happened with Mama Thompson.Her telling me stories,I'm like,I don't remember that part,but I need to.And as a junior at South Carolina State in the summer,I would come home here to Connecticut and work and I had two and three jobs.So,you know,cause I like clothes and I like stuff and I'd like just have my own money.So I would teach a drama class at a community center during the day and go clean bathrooms that night.Yeah.So that's just how it was.And when I went back to school,you know,I,you know,buy clothes and.Have money for rent,cuz I have my own apartment and everything.But I remember,um,saying somebody should write Mama Thompson's stories down.Um,nobody's writing them down and she's not gonna be around forever.And,and I think it'll be a shame for these really good stories.They're rich to just go somewhere,you know,be gone into the abyss somewhere.And my family was looking at me like,it's

Christy: 40:10

just stories.It it,well

Andre: 40:12

it's just stories and duh,you're majoring in English,you are the one who's gonna be around.Cause I'm like,why won't they listen?Why won't they write'em down?And then when I realized like,Hey dummy,you're the one who's gonna be writing them down and if you don't it's not gonna happen.Absolutely.Took a boom box,went into the room with Mama Thompson and said,put the boom box down.Yeah.There was a thing called boombox.You guys put that boom box down.Yeah.Cassette tape in it.And I put record,pushed record.And I said,mama Thompson,tell me some stories.And she said,Explicative Explicative.Tell me some stories.She would not tell the story whenever she thought she was being recorded.Writing it down.You know,she only wanted to tell you the stories when she felt like telling you the story.It's like,I what?Making a big production out of this so she wouldn't do it.So,um,I started whenever she would tell the story,so I'd be right back.Go out in the hall?Yeah.Wow.Steph down writing it down.Come back and say,okay.You said go Salles.Did what?Oh,that was real funny.Hold on.Be right back.Go ahead,put some more down.And I got those stories.That ain't no joke.I have those stories and I need to find a literary agent because I've put together at least six Wow.Picture books.That have not been published.I need a p I need to publish.I,I had came to a close call with a major publishing house that I won't mention because I,I never went,I never did the corrections they asked me to do and went back to them.Cause life happened.Mm-hmm.Mm-hmm.When life happened,that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.Life happened and I never really,I mean,so there's these,and I tell those stories and everybody loves'em,but I would love to see them on the shelves here at the Russell Library.A hundred percent.And I think,think people would like it.You just need an

Christy: 41:59

illustrator.

Andre: 42:01

Ooh,I do need an illustrator.You know anybody?

Christy: 42:04

Don't know anybody,but I'm sure if you're listening Right,we could find one.Listen,networking is a powerful tool.

Andre: 42:12

Yeah.And I'm gonna be real particular about how they draw Mama Thompson.I know that's right.Mm-hmm.Because she wore those big church hats.Mm-hmm.Okay.So you have to be able to,if you can't get that attitude,That's where I got the attitude

Christy: 42:25

from.The attitude.I love it.Yes.Mm-hmm.Right.Because it's not just wearing the hat.It

42:29

is

Christy: 42:29

the,the posture.When you're wearing that,well,you change

Andre: 42:31

anybody,any you,if you get dressed up,don't you walk different?Absolutely.Yep.Because you know you look good.

Christy: 42:37

Mm-hmm.Yep.Today my hair just happens to be done.I'm,I'm moving different.So you moving not a lie to you.

Andre: 42:42

Yeah.It hits different.You move

Christy: 42:44

different.Yeah.Yeah.Definitely.When people were doing interviews on Zoom,one of the things we do here is coach people when they're getting a job.And we said,it doesn't matter,you dress up,wear your shoes.Yes.Like wear your good clothes because you're gonna have your attitude much different than if you're in your pajama bottoms.

Andre: 43:01

Yeah,you are.Yes you are.Unless you're a professional and you've been doing it a while,cuz I mean,some of my Zoom things,I mean there was a lot of flip flop days,but

Christy: 43:11

you couldn't tell,you wouldn't.That's No,no,that's fine.But if you're doing an interview and I had people that said to the people they were interviewing to stand up.Oh no.Isn't that awful?It just seems like.I don't wanna work for that company.

Ayanna: 43:26

Technical difficulty.Uhoh,computer crashed right there never to come.

Andre: 43:33

No.Or do like the kids you want me to stand up or go?Huh?You know,the kids always say,they repeat the question.You ask them or they going,they're stalling.Yeah,yeah,yeah.I need a little time.It's like,and,and the kids now with me,I stop and say,you heard me?Mm-hmm.I'm not

Christy: 43:49

gonna say that.I'm not repeating myself.Right.Absolutely.What are you stalling for?You

Andre: 43:53

know what you have to do?Well,you know,let's face it,kids don't realize we were kids before and so they don't believe,they think they invented those tricks.And I'm like,absolutely man.You gotta get up on your,your your trick game.You gotta work on your tricks game.It's shallow.

Christy: 44:11

It's generally shallow.

Ayanna: 44:13

I love pointing that out when me and my,uh,my son,my14year old have conversations.And I'm like,Fran,I wasn't,

Christy: 44:19

it wasn't that long ago.Don't give,gimme more credit,please.Right.I tell my kids I have the wisdom.Okay.

Andre: 44:27

Okay.That you

Christy: 44:28

wish you had.Okay.Right.Yep.Absolutely.Can you share like,a little bit of any of the stories from your grandmother?I,I know,um

Andre: 44:37

Ooh.Oh yes.Oh yeah.I love it.I love it.I can say,yeah,yeah,yeah.I was,I was hoping you would do that.So in the book that I wrote called Early Sunday Morning,it talks,it introduces Mama Thompson's character or who she is as a character.And her favorite color is purple.She loves purple.She loved purple.And it,it talks about her house on Golf Avenue in South Carolina,in Orangeburg,South Carolina.It talks about her clean,tight white house,little white House.And in one of the stories I talk about,um,Her dog,she and her dog Peanut,and she,um,is on the phone talking to her girlfriend,Ms.Thelma.And while she's talking to Ms.Thelma,who is her good friend,but also her hairdresser and Ms.Thelma Own,uh,owns a beauty salon that's really like a built in rehabilitated portion of a porch at her house.Cuz you know,she got her hair done over there and Mama Thompson would go over there at least once a week and go get her hair done.Mama Thompson was a cafeteria lady at the high school that my mother and father went to.So I could just see her giving my dad like extra hard time.No.Oh no.No,not at all.She's,you know,cuz they loved my father,so you get extra potatoes.Oh,gotcha.Okay,okay.You get extra food.Yeah.And this is when cafeteria ladies were really cooking in the kitchen.So my dad,it's really good food.Pretty good.I see.But this particular day,mama Thompson,she's on the phone talking to Ms.Thelma and.Peanut starts barking his head off and she goes,Thelma,hold on.Hold on a minute.Thelma Peanut is out there barking his head off,something that's going on out there.Hold on.And she puts down the phone on the top of the.Um,of the chest.It was a,it's a freezer,those big chest freezer she puts because while she's on the phone talking to Thelma,she was bagging up vegetables that she was gonna put down in this freezer.Multitasking.Yeah.She was talking to her and it was like Ziploc bags all over the place.Mm-hmm.Maybe this was before zip I back,but plastic bags she put,well no.Ziploc's been around for a while cuz Mama Thompson used to freeze.She would freeze you.You standing,I'm gonna freeze you.So she was freezing her stuff,putting her stuff down in there.She said,hold on,Thema.She puts the phone down on the top of the,the lid of the closed freezer chest freezing.She,uh,clicks on the back.Porch light,and you can hear her heels clicking on the steps as she goes down the stairs into the backyard.She goes around the corner to the side of the house where she's got,um,a homemade pen that she made from a mattress,and you can see a peanut between the springs and the mattress.And he's sticking his nose through there and she's like,peanut,what's the matter with you out here barking your head off?You're gonna make people trying to get sleep out here?And she reaches under and she pats him in his head and he's barking.And she goes,something's going on out here.Now you trying to tell me what is it?And of course,because she's out there,he calms down.And then she's,she's okay.And I want you to be quiet now,keeping people awake out here.She goes back up the stairs,clo turns off the light in the backyard is,you know,blanketed in darkness when she clo because there's a bright light that just lights up that whole backyard.She go back in the house,she says,now Thelma,I don't know what it was,but whatever it was,it was Spooking Peanut and he wanted to warn me about it.So there's some things that happen.Um,I'll tell you what happens and if I ever get this book published,people can come see it.Yes.And read it.Read it.But basically what happens is there's some boys that keep going in her backyard,taking all her fruit off the trees and eating them.And they were out there this particular night and Peanut was letting her know,they out here getting your,your,your apples and your,your stuff again.Right?And,uh,she goes back,the end of the story is she goes back out there and she's watching her favorite show on television.It's um,like church chatter or something like that.And it's the,the show's telling her all about everything that's going on in the church world.And it's also a hat fashion show.She goes,Ooh,I like that.And there's some little girls that,um,Like our twirling,uh,baton.And she talks about how the oldest one who's twirling the baton is shaking her behind too much.Look at her,shaking her behind like that.And then she says,my grandbaby's Bebe and Stephanie could do this.I know it.And then she hears the barking again.She goes,they're back.And she puts the remote down and she goes out to the back porch.She pushes open the screen door real slow and slides out into the backyard.It's dark out there,but the boys can see her.And they said,they go the old lady,and then she picks up her broom and holds it like it's a gun and she lights some firecrackers and throw'em.In the end,they said she got a gun and she can shoot

Christy: 49:52

that

Cate: 49:52

thing too run.

Andre: 49:56

Now she doesn't really.I'll tell you the truth,since you know we are all adults here,it was really a gun.Wow.But when I wrote the story,it was when the gun violence began to get so big.I said,I don't want to glamorize,glorify and sound like I'm approving gun violence.So I had to,I mean,it's so funny how the world,it's a children's book,but back in the day you could have done that.But the things are so different now.I had to change it to firecrackers in a broom and mm-hmm.The way I've done it,I don't think it waters it down to,it doesn't adulterate it.It's still funny.And I wanted people to laugh and I wanted you to hear the lines that Mama Thompson told me that they said they go,that old lady,she got a gun too.And when she shot,she shot up in the air.For real?Mm-hmm.She can shoot

Christy: 50:44

that thing too.Run.

Andre: 50:45

Right.Mama Thompson telling me that story,she was buckled over laughing.She cuz she just loved the fact that.She was a old woman that scared these kids away.Mm-hmm.She ain't,they never came back.I bet they never

Christy: 50:58

came.Right.Because I wouldn't come back either.Exactly.I don't even wanna mess with,you know?Absolutely.See that house

Andre: 51:03

right there?That old lady with the gun lived there.Right.Don't go over there.Don't,

Christy: 51:07

don't be taking fruit from there.Nothing.Nothing else.Find somebody else back.She had taken back like her pro,like her property,her stuff.Mm-hmm.Mm-hmm.And like you're saying,I grew up in the country,that would've been a normal part of the conversation.Nobody would've thought twice about it.Mm-hmm.Mama Thompson ain't take no mess.That's what I'm mean,that's,she sure didn't,that's,that's what I'm hearing.

Andre: 51:26

She,I mean,I got a bunch of them stories like that about she,you know,people were trying to mess with her and they would look at her and think,look at this old lady,and they could do whatever they want to,but she,

Christy: 51:35

they were wrong.Yeah.I,I love the way you told the story though,because I could picture Exactly.Yes.What,what you were talking about.You took us there like in a only like the language.Beautiful.Yes.But you took us there.I could immediately picture exactly where we were.I love the freezer a bit.Even though she's on the phone,she's still working,she's busy.Mm-hmm.And then,um,you know,peanut mm-hmm.The clicking of her heels,you can hear the sounds.Yes.Um,I don't know if you mentioned a smell at all,but for some reason I could like picture peanut like out there,running around and,and to me,like the outside at night.Mm-hmm.Just the way it's a different scent.Mm-hmm.Just,um,like being at camp.Mm-hmm.It's fun.It's

Ayanna: 52:18

funny the different places that a story can take you,right?Yeah.Like,Um,just your experience versus mine.I,I went to high school in South Carolina.I used to live with my grandma,um,for a little bit,and she had a tight white house in the country,um,with some,uh,well,I forget what,she was growing in the back,I think figs.Mm-hmm.Um,and,um,I could,I picked,I was picturing my grandma's house.Mm-hmm.Good.And right.And so I was,I was hearing her,her heels clicking on her back porch.Mm-hmm.And it is,it's so interesting the way that a story can take,can take that type of form on a,on a person is so,it's so magical almost

Andre: 52:56

what I believe.I,I believe a few things about storytelling.Number one.It can be a performance,but it doesn't have to be a performance.It depends on what the topic or subject is.So for me it's almost like I'm giving voice to Mama Thompson cause she's not here anymore.So I'm gonna give voice to her.Yes.So,and also I believe,um,this is to me kind of a foundation of storytelling period,or acting period is our job is not to make you believe anything.Our job is to believe it ourself.Go on that journey and hopefully take you along with us.Mm-hmm.So I was glad to hear you say that you saw those things because in the difference between the storytelling as opposed to reading you the book is that all the illustrations that I see,it's my job to find language to create

Christy: 53:46

those pictures.Yeah.

Andre: 53:47

Yeah.So I'm painting mental pictures.Literally painting mental,mental pitches.Because if you are listening to a podcast such as this one or you're somewhere and you don't have,all you have is oratory.You don't have visual.My job is to bring the vigil.

Christy: 54:04

Yes.Yeah.It's like a,took us right down the path.Mm-hmm.And you know,I,I love it.It's sort of like you we're going outside with her and what's gonna happen,you know?Oh

Stephanie: 54:13

yeah.I was glued.I'm like,what's happening?What's

Christy: 54:16

happening next?Is peanut okay?Mm-hmm.

Andre: 54:18

Well,you want,you want to build suspense?Mm-hmm.Okay.You,I,I inject humor into almost everything because I do believe that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.There you go.I actually believe that.And if the,the sugar is the humor,then the rest is self-explanatory.Absolutely.

Christy: 54:36

Oh,yes.So talk a little bit about when we're gonna be doing the Juneteenth storytelling.

Andre: 54:42

So for Juneteenth,um,I have some stories in mind.I'll probably do.A Mama Thompson story.Great.Oh,I can't wait.Um,out of the many that I have,I'll probably do a Mama Thompson story,but I also have stories by,you know,literary giants like Langston Hughes.Mm-hmm.Um,and,um,stories from a collection of,uh,stories that I read.First read at South Carolina State when I was,I major,uh,minored in English.So,um,a lot of literature.And one of the books that we studied in one class was called The Best Short Stories by Negro Writers.Now this was the eighties,so it was called The Negro Writers.If you go for that same book right now on your shelf,it'll be the best short stories by African-American writers.And it's a collection of really wonderful stories of,uh,famous,uh,writers that they pulled together.And,uh,there are two stories.I gotta say.There are two of my favorite stories in the world.One is called The Revolt of the Evil Ferries.I won't be doing that one that day.It's by Ted Poston.Um,and I'm gonna have to look that up though.Yeah,look up the Revolt of the Evil Ferries.I,I don't know if you'll find it as a standalone,but you may find it in that collection that I mentioned,and it has to do with colorism.Uh,but it's set in a school,uh,elementary school.In the1940s and how every year the school does a production called,uh,sleeping Beauty.Mm-hmm.And this little boy is a dark-skinned,brown-skinned boy.And he wants to play the good fairy and not the bad fairy because the good fairies are always the light-skinned children.And the dark ones are play the bad fairies.And this is their production that they do every year.And so this particular year he wants to,um,he's determined to be a good fairy.So right when they announce that they're gonna be having the auditions,he goes out and buys some Palmer Skin success that's bleaching cream.So he wants to bleach his skin and he thinks I can be light enough by the time it's time to audition.His mother knows differently.And she goes out and buys cheese cloth cuz that's what they used to make the wings.And she starts dying at black.Cause you going be,she knows you going be,you know,she,she doesn't have the heart to say it to him.She just starts getting them ready.So that's one of the stories that come from that book.But the one that I'm going tell that day is called Thank You ma'am.And that story is about,um,Life lesson learned,um,that was taught in,taught in a place that was unusual.You would think that home training would've been an important aspect in this story,but it teaches you the value of home training.And if you don't get it at home,cuz back in the day when I was a kid,your neighborhood,your whole neighborhood,they were your parents.They watched out for you.They told your parents if you didn't do what you're supposed to do.And this story has glimmers of that in it.

Christy: 57:48

I love that kind of element and a story because that's what neighborhoods used to be,

Andre: 57:52

right?And so I thought for Juneteenth,which has to do with emancipation and freedom,that this is a part of that freedom that propping up.Mm.

Christy: 58:02

Very good.I can't wait.And I'm definitely gonna look up.I wanted to write it down,but I'll just listen.Re-listen,right?Re-listen

Ayanna: 58:09

again.Well,we'll ask you again off,off,uh,once we stop the recording.Um,so talk,talk to us about what you are are also currently doing,uh,the day job.You,you have a lot of things going on.

Andre: 58:21

I have a lot of stuff going on.Um,I am a freelance artist,um,speaker,writer,and event planner.Mm-hmm.And,and I just wanna say something about that really quick.Growing up they,people would say guidance counselors,teachers,you know,people of influence that we're trying to put in place to guide me.Mm-hmm.As well as other students would say,find one thing.And do one thing and do that really well,that should be what you do.Then as I got older,they would say,find one thing in which,for which you have passion and make that your one thing that you do.The theme here is that I was told to find one thing to do,and as a kid I would be like,but why?I have more

Christy: 59:12

than one thing.I have many things,

Andre: 59:14

and do I need to do one thing and I do them all?Well,well,I didn't think that what I thought was,I'm gonna be bored if I have one thing and I don't want one thing.I never wanted to do one thing,and I've always had a certain set of skills that led me to do different things.That's right.Yeah.And so as an adult,64years old.I,I don't have a problem saying that.I am still doing a lot of different things.One of the things that you might be alluding to,um,my is my job with the Farmington Historical Society and I've been working,I want to hear more.

Christy: 59:54

I brought,I brought paperwork.That's exactly what we're talking about.Okay.Let's,

Andre: 59:57

let's,let's go there then.Let's get on into it.I wanna know more.This sounds really fascinating.It is one of my most exciting projects at this time.Um,I do,uh,I'm doing a freelance contract with them and I'm their consultant,uh,on contract with them for a temporary amount of time and I'm into my second year with them.And,um,I give them a certain amount of time during the week,so it'll allow me to do other things as well.I like having a flexible mm-hmm.Schedule so that I can accommodate doing many different things.Um,but with them,they've hired me to come on as a consultant to do,uh,their education and,um,programs,and I've been enjoying it specifically to take the,uh,Amistad Freedom Trail tour that they've had for,they've had that tour for a very long time,and to their credit,they looked at the script and they said,you know,we've been telling this story from a white perspective for so long,and they were,they were woke and they said,we shouldn't be doing this.And first approached me in2016and said,Hey,we've been doing it this way and we believe it's a1984model and we want to change it.And I thought that's really funny that mm-hmm.You called the1984model,but they wanted to change it.That's right.So they were seeking to have me rewrite the script.Well that summer in August my mother became ill and subsequently died.And so all talks about anything.Yeah,it just stopped.And um,then they've had,within their organization,individuals had some illness and some death,so it just wasn't to be at that time.Uh,fast forward to2021and a good friend of mine,Tammy Denise,who is the Connecticut Freedom Trail Outreach Director,she was in conversation with the Farmers and Historical Society and they expressed,again,their desire to,you know,Tweak,improve the script.And she says,I know someone who can help you do that.And she told them about me and they said,we know him.We talked to him before.Right?Okay,that's,it.Does not look for anybody else.Just call me.That's the person.So just by the way it came about,I knew I was the person,a natural fit to do that with them.And by that time,however,again,to their credit,in2020,the researchers at Farmington Historical Societies,three ladies,uh,Joanne Lawson,Sarah Willett,and Kim Silva,she's a deaf and mute woman,Kim,uh,Kim Silva.And they researched and had been researching for the Historical Society for a very long time.And uh,by that time they had written.A new script much better,which they,they were ready to launch it in2020,right.At the onset of the pandemic.Mm.So it didn't happen

Music: 1:03:25

again for some reason.Not a

Ayanna: 1:03:26

universal

Music: 1:03:26

barrier.Right.Yeah.But for a reason.

Andre: 1:03:28

Yeah.I think that,you know,they just wanted me to come around and they didn't know it yet.Right,right.No,it

Christy: 1:03:36

was just,it was gonna happen in the stars.

Andre: 1:03:37

Yeah.So in2021,when Tammy told them about me,I met them.They had the script,and so I had a really good,I call it the woke project,and I call it the woke script.They presented that with me and I didn't have to now do what I thought I was gonna be doing some years before.And that was start from scratch,rewriting everything,doing all the research.It was there.It was a wonderful outline,a perfect template.And so the four of us sat down and we read through the script.And I was able to go,the storyteller in me came out and said,okay,this part right here,we can do this and that part,let's do that.And one part in particular to giving an example of what I mean about taking what they had so dutifully put together and saying,okay,this is really,really good,but we can bring some dimension to this right here.And the example is a young woman at the time in the18hundreds by the name of,um,what's her name?Coles.Charlotte Coles.She was the daughter of Samuel Coles,who was a big time abolitionist,spent a lot of his money after the Amistad.Mende were set free by the United,one of the United States first civil rights cases.They were set free,but they had no place,they had no funds to get back to Africa.And the Farmington,Connecticut,that village was an abolitionist village.So Samuel Coles being a prominent figure in that,uh,village,helped spend money to get them to Farmington for eight months.So she came from great lineage.Mm-hmm.And in her letters,we have,her letters we're reading.And this is what I mean by,I took the letter and they were just merely Charlotte,Cole said this,and then they would read the letter.Well,one of the things I discovered that they knew,that I saw in the letter was that Charlotte had jungle fever.

Christy: 1:05:51

When you

Andre: 1:05:52

know,you know,and you laugh.Mm-hmm.She,I do not know.You have not,not she.I knew she wasn't gonna have a clue.Oh,I'm sorry.I'm cracking up.So,in the African American community,in our culture,Let me give you the Spiegel version of it.Wonderful.I love it.I love all of it.And the African American culture,it's a thing called,it's a thing called Jungle Fever.And Spike Lee exemplified that in his movie,jungle Fever.Yes.And so now you remember the movie,in that movie,whenever,in that movie he showed the example of what I mean,and what it is,is if there's a white person that likes somebody black,it's kind of derogatory because you know,now you're saying we come from the jungle.But that's what it is,is that's phenomenon is called Jungle Fever and Charlotte.Had jungle fever because in her letters we read that she thought one of the Amistad Mende was cute and she was batting her eyes at him.And while,so,while they were reading that part and we were like pouring over the script trying to edit it,I said,wait,right,there's,there's

Christy: 1:07:03

something,there's some heat here.Hold on

Andre: 1:07:05

a second.We have got to this.Yes.We can't just read this letter.We have to,first of all,one of y'all gonna play Charlotte.Right?Right.Because we need a white lady for that part.Right?And so Sarah Willett,who was the young,who is the youngest of them,she,she got voluntold,right?Voluntold.I said,I think you should do it.She goes,well,Andre,I'm older than that person.I said,okay,fine.But I still think you,because she's got a youthful spirit.It.And I said,I think you can do it.She goes,well,I'm gonna have to use a lot of moisturizer.But so I mean,it became,it became,I mean,I'm telling you,the editing,the editing sessions became so real.Yes.That I've said to them,I said,all this energy right here,we need to transform this into this script.Yes.Because this is what,what you believe was happening.Absolutely.And not only do I believe it's happening,you,you can't do a tour the way we've done it before.We have to really trans make it transformative and make it to a point where you,as a,a young adult,you as a person who's going on this tour,and if you are a school kid,you can have something for which you can,to which you can relate.Mm-hmm.Okay.And this was a way for us to take history.And not fictionalize it,but make it relevant in a21st century.

Christy: 1:08:37

Because people don't,people don't change.People don't change.They love they care.

Andre: 1:08:42

And if people can't figure out a way to express for something to relate to them,cuz we're selfish.We want things to relate.We want to be able to relate to it and we want to it to relate to us.And if we don't find,that might lose you.Gloss over.You get bored.Lose it.Yeah.For sure.You know?Thank you for the exploitation.So no,we have,we have a jungle fever moment and we have a Karen moment.Oh,

Ayanna: 1:09:10

now ping me.

Music: 1:09:12

Okay.That's more universal of a

Andre: 1:09:13

term.We need a caring moment.So,I mean,because of social media,Karen.Mm-hmm.That became a thing.So of course we need that in our script.So there's a caring moment in there.That's all I'll say.All right,

Christy: 1:09:28

we have to,so tell folks where they can come to Yes.To do these

Andre: 1:09:31

tours,to do this.So the tours are at Farmington Historical Societies,um,um,freedom Trail in Farmington.You start off the tour at75Main Street at the,uh,church,which is the United Church of Christ,uh,United Church of Christ Congregational,which is at75Main Street.The tour starts there,and during the summer,we will be doing most Saturdays,and it starts at10o'clock.You can go to Eventbrite to get the tickets.You can go to our website to get a link to Eventbrite,and you'll see more information about the Amistad tours.The title of the tour is Odyssey of the Amistad,A Trail to Freedom.

Christy: 1:10:20

And that's the Historical Society website?Yes.Okay.

Andre: 1:10:23

Historical Society website.Or you can go to our Facebook page where we have pictures and stuff.Yeah.Very

Christy: 1:10:30

exciting.Yeah,I'm going.I know.That's it.It's a,it's a thing.It's a field trip.Exactly.Right?Mm-hmm.We

Ayanna: 1:10:36

gotta go together.We should go together.

Andre: 1:10:38

Go together.When you get to each site,um,this is part of making it,um,what's different about this than it was before.We also have an individual at each site,a brown or black person at each site,except for where it's not necessary.Mm-hmm.It's not necessary because sometimes it just wasn't necessary.So we have some one portrayed Fanny Freeman,who is a free,uh,business woman who ran an in with her husband.She's there.I,I already told you,Charlotte,Coles is there.Yep.You're gonna meet Charlotte and she's gonna be,you know,giddy about her business.But Charlotte,Coles remember,was almost like a20th century mahari be because,um,she would be outside of the,um,the courthouse,right.And she would beri so,you know,part of the story,she would be writing down the names of people going inside of the anti abolitionist,uh,meetings.Her brother owned an abolitionist bookstore in Hartford,so her family was pre-eminent in,um,the abolitionist,um,movement.We're gonna meet,um,Peter Freeman,a black governor,and we talk about the whole institution of black governorship.So yeah,

Christy: 1:12:00

this,this is fascinating.And

Ayanna: 1:12:03

I,yeah,and,and if you,again,if you've ever,um,been able to see Andre perform.Um,hear him speak,you know,that,that the humor that he brings,that that piece that he brings to his storytelling is just,it's so fun.Um,it's so exciting.And you're,you're gonna take away some information and education that you did not have

Christy: 1:12:21

before.Right.Cuz these stories are difficult.They're

Andre: 1:12:24

difficult conversations.Yeah.They're,they're already difficult conversations.And again,to Farmington historical society's credit,I have to give them credit because I,when they told me what they wanted,I said,you sure you wanna do that?Right.This is,isn't that critical race theory?Mm-hmm.You sure?And see,cause we can take it there.We can take it there,but you gotta remember,this is Farmington,I'm a black guy.Right,right.And the PPO come,you know,

Christy: 1:12:51

I just wanna know.Right,right,

Andre: 1:12:53

right,right.Tell me if that's what you really want to do now.Mm-hmm.Right.Because I,I had in no way want to do two things,water it down.Mm-hmm.And I surely don't want tokenism to take place.Yes,absolutely.So if I'm gonna take this on,it had to be,and they wanted it.And let me tell you,the reviews have been,we've been getting raed reviews.Yes.

Christy: 1:13:15

Yeah.The real story is better than anything else.Mm-hmm.It's,it's,uh,it would be a shame to not have it be the real

Andre: 1:13:22

Well people,when they see that you're authentic about it,it's like,oh,they're not doing the white savior part.Right.They're really talking about,my objective was to turn this into a love story between two groups of people.Thanks.And you've got the white people who were in,uh,Farmington,everybody in Farmington didn't want them there,didn't want the mende there after the,uh,the Amistad.Yeah.After they,they,but most of the people,that's why they were known as an abolitionist village.More people did.And the other part is the black people that came there,the Amistad mende themselves,because there was a mystique about them who are,I mean there were newspaper articles all over the place,uh,Melo,dramatic plays written about their escape and how they got there.So there was a predisposed disposition about them,and there was some dispositions about them that were wrong.There was some prejudgment that was about,so at the end of the story,when they leave grown men,we know this from Austin Williams'letters that grown men were actually crying that they were leaving.Mm-hmm.They fell in love with that,those people.And they showed them that they were not savages and they were compassionate people.And the mende learned about the white people.They learned their whole culture.One of the,uh,Mende children,uh,was the little girl named Margo.And Margo is the only one who left and went back to Sierra Leone and came back.Wow.She went Toland College.

Christy: 1:15:04

No kidding.Yeah.I hadn't,I didn't know that part of the story.Mm-hmm.That's fine.That's great.Wow.What,what has surprised you the most about your,your storytelling journey and,you know,being able to do these kinds of things?What has surprised you the most?

Andre: 1:15:20

You know,it's not really that big of a thing,but,and you gonna probably think it's kind of like,but now,but what surprised me was when the,um,pandemic came.Mm-hmm.And I said,oh my goodness,I'm gonna be homeless.Who's gonna,the first thing that anything ever gets cut out is the arts.Right.True.So,schools aren't calling me.Mm-hmm.I'm not gonna be,I thought,oh boy.I bet this is a,the work was me going someplace and doing something.Absolutely.So what surprised me was what happened to my business.

Christy: 1:15:55

I bet it exploded.

Andre: 1:15:56

It exploded in a way that I just,and you know,I was,I'm so grateful because,um,that Zoom thing,I should buy stock in that,because

Ayanna: 1:16:09

I'm telling you,whoever came up Yes.I mean,one day,you know,they were just,They were just whoever they were before2020,right.Started with it was,it was the thing.

Andre: 1:16:18

You can't,you can't,you can't do anything because you can't go there.But Zoom was like,oh yeah,you can,right?Oh yeah.You can't.

Ayanna: 1:16:24

And we even utilized you,we,we,uh,did a program on June team.Right.When,um,what,two years ago?Was it2020?I don't remember.It could have,it could could've actually been the June of2020.

Andre: 1:16:35

All I know is I was so shocked.But the whole time,this is where my acting ability came in,cuz I was like,I'm gonna be cool about this.Yeah,cool.As I'm telling you.And people were asking me,well,can you do this?Can you do that?And I was like,yeah.Sure.I go offline and go,oh my God.Alright.Okay.I called my friend who's a,um,my friend Larry,who is a audio director at Connecticut Public Television.I said,okay,Larry,I need help.We're gonna do what?Okay.Just gimme the script.It's possible.

Ayanna: 1:17:07

Right.And we,I mean,we silently having our own panics,right.Because we're like,how do you work this thing?Absolutely.What happens if it crashes?Um,because what are we,and we're at home.Mm-hmm.So,Lord,help me with the wifi.Mm-hmm.Instead,please be stable and things crash,everything.

Christy: 1:17:20

Oh yeah.And people have multiple devices so they're echoing.Mm-hmm.Like crazy.Mm-hmm.

Andre: 1:17:24

Yes.So when you asked what surprised me in the last several years,that has been one of the mm-hmm.Biggest surprises that,you know,the world could continue Right.Without,uh,us having to actually touch people and be someplace

Christy: 1:17:41

you needed it even more.

Ayanna: 1:17:42

I was gonna,I was just gonna say,if anything else,I think people realized.That the arts,um,that,that people's mental health was so outta whack that the arts and stuff was so necessary and that we will make this thing happen.And it made

Andre: 1:17:54

be a better,it made me a better artist.Mm-hmm.It did.Because it's like I have to translate this energy over these wave lines.And I'm telling you,it wasn't One day,I,I started a virtual camp.Camp Keitt Yes.And your daughter was there?Yes,she was.Let me tell you.She was,she made,it was virtual.Yep.You know,while we were all scared in our houses,uh,what do they call it?Um,quarantine gift in place.Mm-hmm.What they called it in something in place.Lockdown,sheltered.Yeah.Shelter in place.While we were doing that,I started a virtual camp and I had been wanting to do a virtual camp for a long time.

Christy: 1:18:32

Just didn't have the,the means in there.

Andre: 1:18:33

Well,I never,I just didn't figure the buy-in.Who's,you know,what it was.I was,I was afraid no one's gonna do this because,I have competition with video games and videos,and I don't who's gonna sit down and do this.So when Covid came,I thought something hit me one day.God,Andre,if not now when?Mm-hmm.And I was like,I'm gonna do Camp Kit now.This is the time.Yes.I called my friend up,I said,I need a theme song.Let's start doing what you,what do you have?Listen,she and I over the phone,love it.Let's write this camp Kit song.Mm-hmm.And,uh,let me tell you,the only time that I realized I,I mean the competition was tough,is when I saw Kid's Ankles,they did a cartwheel past the screen.I said,well,I don't have that one.You know,that could've been mine at one point.You know,let me tell you,I wanted,I said I want20kids.Mm-hmm.And I think I had15and.Oh my goodness.One day after it was over with I,I mean the cameras were off.Everybody was,and I was like,oh my God,what was I gonna do with twin kids?Thank God I didn't get that might have been the day that I saw the ankles go by,because you're like,John.John,okay,John,okay.Forget John.Listen,the people who are here still with me.Cuz you're like,you're in that camera trying to keep up people.So that was a surprise.Mm-hmm.

Christy: 1:19:59

Yeah,absolutely.We,we had a lot of experience trying to pivot and do that kind of thing.So I love that though because so much more necessary,like people really,um,the kids that had that experience,experience will never forget that.Right.And for the

Ayanna: 1:20:14

parents,I mean,I remember,um,I remember,um,being at home,um,certain days and.It just wasn't enough to do.And,and when you have a future theater kid,because I'm,I'm saying it out loud,I know that my,my child,um,oh my goodness.Yeah.She's preparing herself right now.Is she gonna buy you a house?Um,please.Um,you,I just,there wasn't enough to keep her entertained.It wasn't enough,um,to do.And so Camp Kit saved,saved me that summer.I was so glad for her,a man,and,and she would get hurt.She would get her crafts and she would get a gun.I remember we did,they did,um,a hat.They did their attitude.Mm-hmm.Mm-hmm.I remember that class.And she would be so excited to come and tell me what she made.Um,and so I just remember very fondly being excited for you for that.The camp went well.Um,and that it,it really impacted the way you wanted it to.It did.Really did.Me as a parent was like,

Andre: 1:21:12

to answer your question,there were like,and,and I think that's a good question to ask like any of your guests.Mm-hmm.Because.Strengths,people's strengths.Unfortunately,ugly sides of people came out during that time too.Ugly things about our world came out then too.But the good stuff that came out that rose to the top,it was a surprise,but it was like a pleasant surprise.Yes.Like and you held fast to that.You did.Because we just needed,I mean,not that we don't need it now,but there was a point where the world was just,you needed something to hold onto for your sanity.

Christy: 1:21:52

We,yeah,absolutely.So let's just end with our juneteenth time and date.So folks come and here,

Ayanna: 1:22:00

Andre.Yes.Come down.We will be.Congratulations a hundred percent.We'll be at,uh,Harbor Park,at the Juneteenth Liberation Day Festival.Uh,the festival starts at one.Um,I don't.Have the time that you'll be on off the top of my head.So get there at one,come hang out with us the whole time.That's,that's what I'm telling you.Will you have food?We,there will be so much food.Oh.So okay.We're good.Yeah,we'll feed you we'll make sure you're good.Um,we keep y'all the sun.Um,okay.Yeah,because I'm remember the thing.Um,but yes,please come down.There will be so much food,so much fun.There will be a celebration.Shout out to Erica Hunter again in the Middletown Ujima Alliance for continuing,um,to make this one of the biggest Juneteenth festivals in.Thank you.Erica State.Yes,you are.Um,my hero,my she-ro um,and we,I think we're gonna head out.I think it's about time.Thank you again,Andre,

Andre: 1:22:51

I look forward to seeing you guys soon.

Ayanna: 1:22:53

Of course.

Christy: 1:23:04

Welcome to Shelf Life.I'm Christy Billings.Along with Kate McCarthy Bond and Stephanie Rush.

Stephanie: 1:23:11

Hi.

Kate: 1:23:11

Hey,

Christy: 1:23:12

and today we are going to be talking about Juneteenth and we are gonna be talking about some books,uh,around that topic.So I'm sure a lot of people by now,uh,are aware of what Juneteenth is,but we're just gonna back up a little bit just in case we have some listeners who,um,have heard a lot about Juneteenth and,and really don't quite know what it is.Mm-hmm.So,Juneteenth is a holiday because on June19th,1865,a little over two years after President Lincoln declared all enslaved persons free major General Gordon Granger and the Union Army troops marched to Galveston,Texas to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation and free the last enslaved Black Americans in Texas.As our director said,people didn't have Twitter back

Stephanie: 1:23:59

then.Mm-hmm.So they didn't know.They didn't

Christy: 1:24:01

know.And so some folks who were,uh,on the outskirts,uh,far away from towns and and places like that didn't know and were being kept in slavery.Yeah.Even though they were emancipated.Mm-hmm.So this day celebrates,uh,emancipation for folks who have been,had been enslaved.Um,and so we're gonna talk a little bit today about some titles around this topic.Kate,do you wanna start with yours?I really like the cover.Yeah.So

Kate: 1:24:31

the story I read today is called.Opal Lee and what it means to be free.The true story of the grandmother of Juneteenth.And um,what's really interesting about this is when Opal Lee was89,she walked from her home in Fort Worth to Washington,DC to call for Juneteenth to be named a national holiday.And um,so this story talks about,um,it's a biography and it describes the story of what happened to Opal Lee when she was a youth.And they're at a family picnic.It's a happy Juneteenth picnic.They're celebrating and a bunch of kids come over and listen to Oly tell her story.Mm-hmm.Um,because the kids are saying,great grande dear,tell us a Juneteenth story.And so she tells the story of when she had been in Texas,um,She,uh,her grandfather told them freedom stories on his wooden porch.And so she remembers his words and those stories and in between telling her story and,um,the current day,uh,so it's kind of like a little back and forth,but she goes through and she tells the story.Um,she was12when an angry neighbors burned down her family's Texas home because of the color of their skin.And from that day forward,Opal decided to speak up for equality.She became a teacher,she became

Christy: 1:25:57

a community leader,a civil rights activist,and she passed down the stories of all those struggles and,um,

Kate: 1:26:04

When she was younger to others so that they wouldn't forget.Um,and her favorite holidays,Juneteenth.And,um,it's,so,it's her true story of one woman's belief that remembering the past is the key to a better future.As Opal Lee brought the story of Juneteenth to the nation,she called Americans of Every Background to embrace the hope and spirit of Juneteenth full freedom for all.It's a really great story.Um,the cover is,um,her as a,as a young girl,um,silhouetted behind her is her silhouette.As an older woman,I'm,I'm actually.Putting on my storytelling,uh,skills here and showing the book.Yes.But only the two people in this room can see it.

Stephanie: 1:26:52

So,but describing it for our listeners,but describing

Kate: 1:26:55

it for our listeners,and it's just a really,um,it is a beautiful cover.And on the back,um,is Opal Lee surrounded by all these kids from different backgrounds listening to her story on Juneteenth.

Stephanie: 1:27:08

I love what you said,you were reading the Inside Flap about people from all different backgrounds,being able to appreciate that.And I think that's a huge piece of this that I wanna highlight,um,that Juneteenth is not just for black Americans to celebrate.It's not just for Black Americans to know about.It's for everybody to understand.Exactly.Right.Yeah.And eventually come to celebrate.Mm-hmm.Absolutely.And the,the back of that book is,is a really good,um,demonstration of that,that the story is for everyone.Exactly right.And it

Kate: 1:27:37

does.Um,and even in the story,there's a wonderful illustration.Um,Where she is has gathered,the children have gathered with her,they're under this tree,and Op Lee is wearing purple and she's got her hands raised to the sky and her face to the sun.And she's got all these kids around her and her grandson is asking her to tell the story.

Stephanie: 1:28:01

And that's really cool.Beautiful.It's so beautiful.And it's also like joyful,joyful.And I can imagine that the story is not easy for her to tell,but she's telling it in a way that is making it joyful for her.Exactly.Yeah.And the,the illustrations really are really depicting that.It's beautiful.Yeah.

Christy: 1:28:17

I love the celebratory piece.Mm-hmm.Because so often,yeah.When we talk about these very difficult topics,we don't allow people to have the celebration.Mm-hmm.Right.And that is so important.And we,we missed that piece.We were talking a little bit about the historical side too,about how we have some books today to talk about that,um,we didn't get to hear about in school.Yeah.Or some of the mm-hmm.The reconstruction error type,uh,Uh,peace with Jim Crow laws.Mm-hmm.It's not necessarily taught Right.Should be.And so we're catching people up.We have some great books to catch people up on their history.Yeah.Steph,we

Stephanie: 1:28:54

talk about yours.Yeah.So before I go into my book,I wanna say something that connects to something you said in the intro,Christy.Um,you were talking,and I didn't practice this piece ahead.I don't have notes on this,but it just came to me.So bear with me as I sort through my thoughts.Um,I will try to do them delicately.Um,Christy said something about,um,people not knowing mm-hmm.That they were free.And I think this is a good moment to kind of talk about,um,freedom of information and,um,the library being a place for people to get that information.And I had touched last month,um,during our trans rights discussion that,um,a lot of things are under attack right now.And the thing that is under attack right now that we had discussed with the,with the book,banning and is people's right to information and people's right to know their history.Accurate information.Mm-hmm.Exactly.And that is a huge piece of this conversation.Specifically.I,I will admit,I didn't know what Juneteenth was until three years ago,and I'm sure other people listening are in the same boat.Absolutely.I'm embarrassed I didn't know about it.Right.Right.It's partially my fault,but it's also partially I wasn't taught.And I think this conversation today is crucial in that if you don't know,it's okay.But when you know better,you do better.Mm-hmm.And when you know the accurate history,you do better.Um,and so the book,woo.I'm,I'm getting,I'm getting a little emotional.Um,so the book I brought today is just that.Um,and so I read this book almost three years ago and um,in June,2020when everybody was posting their black squares on social media,I was there,I was part of it.I will admit,um,when everyone was like,oh,racism still exists.I guess we should talk about it.And um,admittedly that's when I read this book.So I'm,I'm,I'm gonna cop to the fact that three years ago I was really starting,I was really starting from scratch.Yeah.Um,or maybe not from scratch,but starting from a place that,um,I should have been further along but wasn't.Um,and in order to pull up my thoughts on this book,I actually went back to the review I'd written three years ago to see what I had written at that point.And I kept a lot of it.So,um,the book I wanna talk about today is called Stamped Racism,anti-Racism in You,A remix of the National Book Award-winning stamped from the beginning by Jason Reynolds and Abram x Kendi.Jason Reynolds is a children's and young adult author,and Abram x Kendi is a scholar.And they came together to write a younger,a young adult version of this book.Um,and so I wanna start with a quote from the introduction that really stuck with me.The introduction goes,no power lasts forever.There will come a time when Americans will realize that the only thing wrong with black people is that they think something is wrong with black people.Dr.Ebra,max Kendi,and reading that quote again three years later feels the same.It's very powerful.Very powerful.Feels the same.And so I feel like this book is really important,um,especially this version of it.And I'll tell you why.So I read this in June of2020,and this is not a book you should read in one sitting.It's really more just saying,it honestly reads like a textbook,but with a narrative.But I was so.Baffled and fascinated by the new information I was reading.I couldn't put it down.Like I said,I don't recommend reading it in that format,but I have two modes in reading.I either read it all at once or I don't read it at all.So I had a really hard time slowing down with this.I probably will revisit it and slow it down,but I read it just like in one sitting cuz I was just astounded by the information I was,I was getting

Christy: 1:32:29

Right.That hadn't really been available.Right.To people prior to2020.

Stephanie: 1:32:34

And so,um,this is part history book,part narrative Storytelling.It's a middle grade and young adult,um,story by Jason Reynolds.And he takes Dr.Ibram X.Kendi stamp from the beginning,which is a more academic book that's like a thousand pages.It's,it's a real hunker of a book,very academic,and it takes that,I can make it light.It takes that and it makes it accessible for younger readers and anyone who's looking to do the work on the level that they're at.And I,I wanna reiterate that the level that you are at,If you are not at the level that you think you should be,fine,start here.If you are behind where you think you should be or if you wanna get,like,this is where you start.This is to get you further ahead.Yeah.This is a great place to start.And if you're feeling embarrassed that it's2023and you're just starting,welcome,just start.Start.Like you may feel behind and yeah,maybe you are behind,but like starting is better than staying behind.Yeah,absolutely.Um,and so this is a book about race and race and race relations in the United States,and it traces the historical context of racism in America.But it's not just a book that has facts and figures.It's not just a history book.It also,it gives you the historical facts and it weaves in personal narratives to illustrate how black Americans feel about the racism in our country.It's not,this is what happened,it's also.This is how we feel and how we're still feeling and how we have felt.Um,and what it also does is shed light on the things that we've been taught to believe and it breaks down some of those beliefs as incorrect and how we can use that knowledge to continue to break down racist thoughts in daily life.So this is a book that.It is historical.Mm-hmm.It's informative,but that narrative piece really helps you see the why.And I don't know about you,but as I'm somebody who,when I'm learning something,I'd like to know the why behind it.It really helps me unlearn and relearn things.And hearing the why from these narrative pieces is super helpful to the all over learning of this book.So that is stamped Racism,anti-racism menu,a remix of the National Book Award-winning stamp from the beginning by Jason Reynolds and Abram X Kendi.And I need someone else to talk right now because I think I'm fresh outta words.Yeah,that's a lot of words.It's a lot.Yeah,it's a lot.

Christy: 1:34:44

I'm gonna talk a little bit about two fiction books,just to Oh,good.Just to balance us out a little bit.But,um,I,I really appreciate both of you guys.We wanted today to be intentional.Yeah.And we've,we've thought a lot about our episode.Um,we are coming to this place as three white women and we are,you know,learning.Every day.Mm-hmm.Um,and we own things that we made mistakes with mm-hmm.Because we came here,you know,in by sort of a rocky path mm-hmm.To say the least.Mm-hmm.Um,so I picked two titles.One is called,my Name Is Not Friday,by John Walter,um,sort of upper middle grade fiction,and another,uh,novel called Conjure Women by AIA AC Abra.And,uh,I really am enjoying both of these books.I have not finished,um,them yet,but I,I,um,wanna talk a little bit about,my name is Not Friday first.Um,he,this young man,um,lived,uh,right,right,right around the time of the Civil War.Uh,he and his brother Samuel,um,I'm sorry,Samuel and his brother Joshua were both freeborn black boys living in an orphanage during the Civil War.And,uh,one is,They're called opposite sides of coin.One is supposed to be the good,the other,the bad,but they're inseparable.Um,and.Samuel takes the blame for Joshua's latest prank,which is a really awful prank,and he is sold into slavery,uh,on a Mississippi cotton plantation.Uh,it's an incredible story.He's given the name of Friday because of the day of the week that he's sold on.Oh,he is bought by a young.Boy who's close to his age for$600.And so this is now his,he's,you know,in a horrible position and he's trying to make sense of all of this.It's told through his eyes.So it's told with an innocence,um,that I've,I just could weep over,you know,he's trying to,um,make sense of this and survive.And,um,incredible story.Uh,John Walter,uh,is actually British,so I thought it was an interesting way that he's telling the story from Oh,a completely different perspective,huh?Yeah.Yeah.So I,I highly recommend it.Like I said,I'm,I'm about halfway through,so I'll revisit that at some point.Yeah.Uh,conjure women.Oh my goodness.So,uh,Afia Atakora debut novel opens with the ominous sound of a baby's cry.It's her dutiful response to that cry that we meet Ru,a second generation healer and recently freed slave tending to a post eman emancipation town in an unnamed part of the American,uh,south.The town is the home of former slaves,but of course,all is not well here.Uh,from the beginning,the setting evokes much of the complicated history of slavery in America and the promise of freedom in the reconstruction era.Um,I am enjoying this book so much.Um,Ms.Rue is the,uh,is following in her mother's footsteps.Her mother May Bell,um,was,uh,the town's midwife in healer and she has passed and now she's reluctantly taken her place.Uh,there's a baby that's born with a call.And strange black eyes.And this boy is,they've named him Bean.Uh,and other children start to fall Ill.And now they're saying,is Ru a healer or a witch?Um,so the interesting thing is this is based in part a narratives of formally enslaved people gathered by the works pro progress administration in the1930s.So this novel gives these characters,you know,the complex lives that they have.Um,but there's also beautiful mother child relationship.Um,there's.Flashbacks,they're,they're very well marked,which is,you know,the different dates to slavery,time wartime,and then jumps to the future.Um,life in the intermediate aftermath of slavery is powerfully rendered in this very impressive first novel.And that's from a Kirks review.Um,I highly recommend both books

Stephanie: 1:38:58

for Christy.Shout out to you for every week convincing me to read a book I wasn't gonna read before.I'm like,okay.Every time I'm like,I've seen that book around,but you always managed to convince me.Sell it.Yes.Sell it.So good.Love

Christy: 1:39:14

it.Well,that's great cuz it's probably gonna be a,a books and bruise book coming up.Perfect.Or,or a book discussion book in the future for sure.I want Perfect.I want people to read this and talk about it.There's so much to

Stephanie: 1:39:24

unpack here.Yeah.So something

Kate: 1:39:25

interesting you said about the,the book is that,is it.Based on some narratives from,from actual narratives or

Christy: 1:39:35

Yes,actual narratives of formally enslaved people,um,gathered by the works.Progress administration in the1930s.Wow.So,yes,it's,it's based on true stories.Wow.And we haven't heard a lot of true stories.Nope.You know,from that timeframe.Yeah.I,I think now that this was published in2020.Mm-hmm.So,but that,that is interesting to me because that meant it was in the works before2020.Right.Hmm.So that's very interesting because I think now it would much more of these types of books will

Stephanie: 1:40:06

be published.Yeah.And this whole conversation of is she a healer or is she a witch?Mm-hmm.I feel gets at this really primal question about women in general,but specifically women of color.Absolutely.Like,are they using their powers for good?Well,and who gets to decide that?Who gets to decide that perception?Yeah.

Christy: 1:40:27

You're free,but you're still,as a woman,you are still bound by all kinds of very,uh,hard decisions.

Stephanie: 1:40:35

Yeah.Mm-hmm.Yeah.No.So Christy,this is fiction.Is it like magical realism,would you say?No.Okay.No.

Christy: 1:40:41

Um,there is spells.Okay.But,um,they're all done within the,the regular confines of,of reality.

Stephanie: 1:40:48

Okay.So it's,it could be historical fiction,really.So historical,but it's contemp,but it's contemporary or.Nope.Not contemporary.Um,it's not fantasy.Not fantasy.Okay.That's

Christy: 1:40:59

right.Not magical realism.

Stephanie: 1:41:00

See,I thought this was fantasy cause it's called conjure women.But the more you talked about,I was like,oh,the context is very different cuz the language matters and the language

Christy: 1:41:09

in this book is so rich.

Stephanie: 1:41:10

I know you love language in your books,Christy.So we had talked about We did,yes.And Shannon and I had talked about this too.So this is a future episode,Kate and anyone listening,um,Christy and I,and then separately,um,Shannon and I had talked about,um,this idea of reading pathways and reading doorways,um,on,so one of the,one of the other podcasts I listened to talks all about this.Like,what are your reading pathways?What are your doorways?And the four are,and I found an article about it that I shared with Shannon the other day,so we could use the article next time.But,um,it's what's,what's the number one thing that pulls you into a book or Yeah.Or strikes you about a book language setting,plot character.And everybody has one that stands out more.Mm-hmm.And all books have all of them,but it's the one that speaks to you most is what you're most drawn to in books.Oh,I'm a plot reader.I care about what the plot is first and foremost.And the way,if you don't know what your reading pathway or doorway is,the best way to figure it out is to describe a book to somebody that you really loved,that you loved.And notice how you describe it.Are you talking about the plot?Are you talking about the characters?Are you talking about the setting or are you talking about the language?I thought you were gonna say watch

Kate: 1:42:17

the person and see how they react.I was like,

Stephanie: 1:42:19

oh,well that too.Um,yeah,like I know when I describe a book,I will tell you the plot,I'll tell you about the characters too.And sometimes I'll tell you what it's said,but like,I'm like,here's what the book is about.Whereas Christy language.Yeah,a hundred percent.Yes.Or like my mom,Character.She'll be like,it's about a mother and a daughter.I'm like,cool,what are they doing?Right?But she's like,no,it's about the relationship.I'm like,okay,but what are they doing?Right?You want the plot,I wanna know what's happening.Um,and it's just like a really interesting way to know yourself as a reader.So,um,we'll do a full episode on this at some point,but listeners out there I was gonna say,yeah,I'll have to do a full episode on this.Yeah.It's

Christy: 1:42:53

something to think about for people.Mm-hmm.Because I think it helps you pick your,your books and it also helps people recommend books to you.Yes.If you know your pathway

Stephanie: 1:43:01

in doorways and it helps you be a recommender.It does.Um,as a librarian,absolutely.As librarians,we know people are like,what should I read?Right.Well,I don't know.You as a reader,what are you looking for?What did you like,like,what did you like about that last book?So that's the same thing with Reader's Advisory.If somebody says,oh,I liked this book,because you can even probably pick out their reading pathway.Hmm.Um,so if a kid comes to me and says,I like a book about Ha.Haunted House.I'm like,oh,cool.Plot reader.I got you.Right,because Interesting.Yeah.It's easier for us to recommend.Yeah.Even,even the book I talked about today,stamped,it's non-fiction,but the plot,I say plot loosely,but like what this book is about is why I picked it up.Yeah.Like the,the core,the meatiness of like the topic.Because it had narrative.It did

Christy: 1:43:46

have narrative.Yeah.And I think that's a,a really good way for people to learn,like you said,to unlearn.Yeah.So what a what a what a great recommendation.

Stephanie: 1:43:54

Yes.Yes.Narrative is really important to learning and unlearning.Absolutely.

Christy: 1:43:58

So let's do titles.Kate,you wanna just talk about your,your title again?

Kate: 1:44:01

Yeah.So I talked about,um,Opal Lee and what it means to be free,the truest story of the Grandmother of Juneteenth Art by Couture,a Bobo.And the author is,sorry,that's,we covered it up.The author is Alice Faye Duncan.

Stephanie: 1:44:19

Okay.And I did stamped racism,anti-racism in you.A remix of the National Book Award-winning stamped from the beginning by Jason Reynolds and Dr.Abram x Kendi

Christy: 1:44:29

and Matu.My name is Not Friday by John Walter and conjure women by,uh,Afia Atakora.I wanna make sure I'm saying correctly.Mm-hmm.Um,I noticed she has some,uh,stuff on YouTube.I definitely wanna,you know,hear a little bit about her as an author,and maybe we'll revisit some of our,our picks at a later date.I'd love to.Yeah.So thanks everybody for listening to Shelf Life.Bye

Kim: 1:44:53

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