Back in 2010, Ebony Walden was a city planner who looked at her life and decided to trade the blueprint for a blank page. She spent eight months backpacking across 15 countries and 5 continents. She didn't just pack a bag and cross borders; she stepped into a new journey where she didn't just find the world, she also found herself.

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, Ebony and I discuss what it really means to leave a predictable career behind, why every major life transition starts with the simple act of quitting what no longer serves you, and how stepping into the unknown opens up entirely new spaces for personal growth.

Today, Ebony is an author, filmmaker, and creator. Her upcoming memoir, "Where I’m From: A Poetic Journey Across Five Continents", isn't just about a passport full of stamps. It’s an invitation to drop the armor, risk the unknown, and discover and love different cultures not as a digital aesthetic, but in the raw and beautiful truth of the present moment.

Merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackInTheStacks

CONNECT WITH EBONY

Web: https://ebonywalden.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebonywalden80/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@ebonywalden80

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ebony.aroundtheworld

Click here to watch “Black Beyond Borders”

When society looks at athletic giants like Marshawn Lynch, Steph Curry, or Deion Sanders, it loves to reduce them to a single script: the 'beast' to be feared, managed, or objectified. On this episode of Black in the Stacks, I sit down with Dr. Gary F. Green,II, a former college athlete turned author, to look at how these iconic figures frustrate those racist cultural boxes. We talk about womanist theological ethics, embodied spirituality, and how athletes can break free from moralized frameworks to reclaim their true physical agency. 

Dr. Green shares insights from his journey across sports, the Black church, and higher education and how he incorporated what he learned from Black stand-up comedians to break down these heavy dynamics in his book, “Playing the Game: Embodied Brilliance Beyond the Moral Limits of Race in Sport.” The book also examines everything from the double-edged sword of athletic tropes to the revolutionary power of play.

Dr. Green is a professor, consultant, and a curator of conversations that expose hierarchies of power that play out in plain sight. He is also the designer and founding director of Racial Intelligence Systems at United Theological Seminary, a three-tiered reconditioning program designed to develop racial acumen among the faculty, staff, and students.

CONNECT WITH DR. GREEN

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgreenideas/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@drgreenideas

Web: https://www.greenideasconsulting.com/about

Book: https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9798889833581/Playing-the-Game 

What happens when that tired old storytime at the library gets all the way turnt up? Billy Allen is what happens. An award-winning librarian, community leader, and innovator, Mr. Billy, as he's known online, carved his own path by bridging hip-hop instrumentals while reading and sometimes rapping popular children’s books, to make a one of a kind experience no library had ever seen. Often imitated but never duplicated, Billy has taken the library world by storm using his passion for inspiring lifelong learning to redefine what a library can be for the next generation. 

As Manager of the newly built NoMa Library in Wilmington, Delaware, Billy is leading the vision of a modern “Think. Do. Hub.”— a library that blends technology, entrepreneurship, workforce development, creativity, and community engagement. He has built a national reputation for making libraries exciting, relevant, and impactful through social media, strategic partnerships, and innovative programming. 

FOLLOW MR. BILLY!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3kingvisions/

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@3kingvisions

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@3kingvisions

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3kingvisions/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@3kingvisions

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, we’re sitting down with literary agent and mastermind behind Highly Lit, R’Chelle Lynn. She’s in the business of helping authors—especially authors and creators of color—ditch the hustle burnout, build brand longevity, and turn complex stories into visual gold.

R'Chelle is a former English teacher turned brand strategist with a deep-rooted love for books and the business behind them. She’s passionate about helping authors map their careers and build sustainable careers while navigating their publishing pathways and positioning themselves for traditional publishing success. With a background bridging education, marketing, and storytelling, she brings a rare combination of creative insight and strategic thinking to the author space. A passionate book content creator and developmental editing student, she's committed to growing a platform where authors don't just write, they thrive.

Connect with R'Chelle

Black in the Stacks is back!!

Anayo Awuzie is the founder and editor-in-chief of Carefree Magazine, a slow storytelling platform publishing personal essays by Black women around the world—exploring the in-between spaces of Black womanhood where healing, identity, and everyday life unfold.

You can pre-order "Black Women in Bloom" by visiting www.carefreemag.com/book.

What happens when the stories we read fail to reflect the skin we live in? On this episode of Black in the Stacks: Where the Culture is Kept, we explore the vital necessity of representation in literacy and the journey of navigating the world with a rare condition.

Marquita chats with Megan Cauthen, the founder of The Golden Impact and author of the children's book Nellie & Ollie: A Friend Like Me. Megan shares her firsthand perspective on growing up with albinism and how her personal history inspired her to write for the next generation.

We discuss:

-The transition from lived experience to the written word.

Megan believes that our differences are our greatest strengths. This conversation is an honest look at how we can use storytelling to foster confidence and intentional growth.

Click to View Pod Merch

📲 Be sure to follow Megan on one or ALL of her social media platforms below for updates on the release of her book:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HdcnehcpS/?mibextid=wwXIfr

IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_golden_impact_?igsh=bzNneGU5YjkzbDR6&utm_source=qr

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@megan.cauthen?_r=1&_t=ZP-953Hav1nRS2

On this episode of Black in the stacks, Marquita chats with Kayla Turner Thomas about her film debut, "Framing Freedom: The Inspiring True Story of Black Landownership in Mississippi. It's a gripping feature length documentary told through the lens of Thomas’ grandfather, Henry Harris, a retired second-generation farmer whose father, John Harris, managed to buy and keep farmland while Jim Crow laws were still in effect.

The film combines interviews from historians that give insight into what factors and events contributed to massive Black land loss like mob violence, federal loan discrimination, and the impact of the Great Migration. Aiming to enlighten and inspire, Farming Freedom also looks ahead to the opportunities for closing the wealth gap between non-Black and Black landowners today.

Kayla Turner Thomas, a producer and 2x Emmy-nominated creative services professional, has worked in local television for nearly 15 years. Raised on family land in the Mississippi Delta, Thomas is a proud product of Bolivar County public schools. She studied Media and Communication Arts at Pace University, Westchester, and is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/blackinthestacks

Connect: www.blackinthestacks.com

Film: https://filmfreeway.com/FarmingFreedom

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, Marquita chats with Kaetrena Davis Kendrick about the systemic causes of low morale and workplace harm within library environments, recognizing and naming instances of workplace harm, and practical strategies for personal recovery after such experiences. 

Kaetrena Davis Kendrick is a dynamic and uplifting researcher, leader, consultant, and coach. Her mission is to inspire authentic collegiality, and to promote well-being, share the gifts of creativity, and cultivate empathetic, engaged leadership in the workplace. She also helps people who are struggling in dysfunctional workplaces recognize, reconcile, and begin to recover from their experiences.

Learn more about Renewals by visiting www.renewalslis.com.

Listen & Subscribe: blackinthestacks.podbean.com 

On this episode, Marquita chats with Christopher Fleming, aka "The People's Librarian", about his idea that libraries don't fail because people don't care, but because the systems (how they talk, work, and move) aren't built with intention and how poor institutional design can lead to both poor patron engagement and staff frustration.

On this episode, Marquita chats with documentarian and journalist, Brandis Griffith Friedman, about her documentary, Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs. The 30-minute documentary focuses on the changes, misconceptions, and current state of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the stories of the students themselves and expert insights. Brandis Friedman is the Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Anchor for “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW.

Watch the Documentary: https://tinyurl.com/3pszhwfk