In this episode I talk about the importance of being unapologetically Black. I'm reminding us of how aspects of our culture like helping our grandparents or grandparents cook, visiting our family down south or having those conversations with our elders in the garden , is not only building literacy skills it's also preserving our heritage. I'm also going down memory lane by sharing some of my memories of the times I spent with my late grandmother Gloria Sallee Rice. She was an integral part as to how I started to become more conscious and I began to develop a love of Black history. I also talk about different forms of literacy and how it's not just relegated to reading and writing only. Finally, I tie everything together with the foundational core of this episode which is having confidence in ourselves, knowing who we are and loving who we are which is one of the tools of linking reading to freedom.  So buckle your seatbelts because I'm taking y'all on a Black empowerment journey!