It's Personal Podcast

Join us on this episode of the podcast as we chat with Ekiuwa Aire, founder of Our Ancestories. Ekiuwa shares her experiences growing up in boarding school in Nigeria and how her family, especially her kids, inspired her to write books that represent African history and culture.

She also discusses her biggest influence, Vasti Harrison, and how her work has impacted her own writing. Tune in to learn more about Ekiuwa's journey and the importance of representation in children's literature.

Follow Ekiuwa:

Website: https://our-ancestories.com/en-ca/pages/about

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ancestories/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/our.ancestoriess/

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

Jennifer Baker was named the 2019 Publishers Weekly Star Watch “SuperStar” because her “varied work championing diversity in publishing has made her an indispensable fixture in the book business.” She is the recipient of a 2017 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship and a 2017 Queens Council on the Arts New Work Grant (as well as the QCA Jr. Board Artistic Excellence Award) in Nonfiction. Her essay “What We Aren’t” was also listed as a Notable Essay in The Best American Essays 2018.

On Its Personal, Jennifer chats about her debut YA, FORGIVE ME NOT, and all of its meanings. Jennifer shares her thought process around the story, and how the multiple themes within the story have an impact on today's world. Throughout this chat, Jennfier also dives into her childhood and explains some of her most memorable moments in school.

Website: https://www.jennifernbaker.com/bio

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jbakernyc

FORGIVE ME NOT: https://www.jennifernbaker.com/forgive-me-not-novel

Nawal Qarooni is an educator, writer, and adjunct professor who supports a holistic approach to literacy instruction and family experiences in schools across the country. Drawing on her work as an inquiry-based leader, mother, and proud daughter of immigrants, Nawal's pedagogy is centered on the rich and authentic learning all families gift their children every day.

Upcoming book: Nourishing Caregiver Collaborations: Elevating Home Experiences and Classroom Practices for Collective Care (Stenhouse, end of '23 or early '24).

Website: https://www.nqcliteracy.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NQCLiteracy

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

Breanna J. McDaniel (she/her/hers) is the co-founder of REIYL (Researchers Exploring Inclusive Youth Literature) and an author. She’s published in myriad academic journals, an academic anthology and her debut picture book Hands Up! was published with Dial Books in 2019, while her newest picture book Impossible Moon was published with Denene Millner Books in June of 2022.

She has five forthcoming picture books, one with Dial GO FORTH AND TELL: The Life of August Baker, Librarian and Master Storyteller coming in February of 2024 and Cute Toot with Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in the Spring of 2024.

On ItsPersonal Breanna chats about growing up in the South, hard truths about her current position with education, and her soon-to-be-published picture book, Cute Toot. A podcast conversation, you do not want to miss.

Website: https://www.breannajmcdaniel.com/

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

Jamila is such a warm soul. In 2017 Jamila created a lifestyle design coaching methodology to help people find intentional, aligned, and strategic ways to transform their lives into what they want them to be.

Jamila is also the host of a podcast called Deliberate and Doing it Afraid, where stories, reflections, and revelations are shared. On Its Personal Jamila talks about the art of living, growing up in the south, design, and motherhood.

Website: https://jamilareddy.me/meet-jamila#about-bottomInstagram:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamilaReddy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamilareddy/?hl=en

Born the second of six cool kids. The South Bronx is where he first opened his eyelids. A land shrouded in bright-colored decay, the birthplace of graffiti and the hip-hop DJ! He paints fantasy worlds of elephants, and castles too! Accompanying this wonder is some whimsical truth. Charles has a voice that is seldom heard. A fusion of jazz, distorted guitars, and chirping birds.

C.G chats never being a reader, and starting to draw in kindergarten. He also talks closely about his family, and growing up with very little during the 90s. School was not great, but his family found ways to figure it out.

Author and Illustrator of "Red, Yellow,Blue and a dash of White too!"(Skypony Press) And “Boogie Boogie, Y’all”(Harper Collins)

Ashley Franklin is a professional chaser—of ideas, dreams, and, most often, her kids. She is the author of Not Quite Snow White and a contributor to Once Upon an Eid, a collection of brilliant Muslim voices and stories. Ashley lives in Arkansas with her husband, Michael, and her children, Bilal and Mikhail. You can visit her online at www.ashleyfranklinwrites.com

On the podcast, Ashley talks about raising boys and being a momma, the gifted and talented program, book deals (including The Little Mermaid), and some of her most personal writing struggles.

Website: https://ashleyfranklinwrites.com/

Instagram: ashleyfranklinwrites

Twitter: twitter.com/charcarr1

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ashleyfranklinwrites

Charlene has always loved writing. She grew up reading Dickens and Tolkien and Bronte. When she turned to contemporary books, too many were predictable, with characters that felt like paper doll cut-outs. It took time but, through the misses, she found books full of realistic characters, who messed up like the rest of us. Those were the books she was aching for, and are the type she aims to write.

On this podcast, the Canadian writer talks about her inspiration from travel (living in multiple places), growing up with brothers, adult fiction, the editing and revising process, and future writing aspirations..

Website: https://www.charlenecarr.com/about2/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/charcarr1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlenecarrwritinglife

Sarah Roughley talks about growing up in Southern Ontario writing stories about freakish little girls with powers because she secretly wanted to be one.

Sarah is also an educator/professor , and has her PhD in English.

She prides herself on wiring pieces on writing pieces about young girls that have super powers!.

On ItsPersonal, Sarah talks what she does outside of writing, storytelling in the Black and African culture, and how fantasy allows us (the world) to imagine something different.

Website: https://sarahraughley.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/s_raughley

Danielle Murrell Cox is from Montreal Quebec. She is a creator of all things. She graduated from Dawson College in 2011, and is now a graphic designer, illustrator, freelancer, and business owner.

Danielle is best know for her self-published coloring books Black Queens and Black Kinds, which went viral on social media and gave her the opportunity to have a segment on NowThisHer, amongst many other platforms.

On ItsPersonal, Danielle chats about growing up in Canada, “speaking French”, her love for art, and her supportive Black momma.

Website: https://dmcox.co/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dmcox_