Welcome to alAndar (from the Spanish for "when walking"), a hopeful new podcast and video series, where singer-rapper Marcos de Jesus and writer James Noguera share and explore their individual works within their respective crafts: music and creative writing; it's like show-and-tell, but for grown-ups! On this episode, Marcos shares his beautifully passionate work-in-progress "Costly Grace," a part-gospel, part-rap song inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s last speech "I've Been to the Mountaintop."

Please like, share, comment, and subscribe to show your support!

MARCOS

- Instagram: @marcos_de_la_guagua

- Twitter: @delaguagua

- Website: MarcosDeLaGuagua.com

JIM

- Instagram: @jimnog

- Twitter: @jimnog

- Website: JamesNoguera.com

Jim Reads his flash fiction story "Snowflake" (1,100 words).

Snow descends from the sky, covering all beneath its path in a white blanket, muffling the activity of the creatures on the surface, who trudge back and forth like ants.

You are one of millions of them, making a way through the snow.

Read the story via JamesNoguera.com/stories-poems 

Support the Pod via Patreon.com/jimnog

The Bronx Overthinkers Society is a group of Bronx-born/raised individuals who work or have worked in education and who, as a whole, tend to overthink things. They are my friends. On this episode, I speak with Noman Jalal and Miguel Gil. Noman is a software engineer - and newest member of BOTS. He's also the youngest member. Miguel Gil is an educator, and is the oldest and, I would say, wisest BOT. They bring their different perspectives together to join me in a discussion of a wide range of financial topics, including, but not limited to, income inequality, hard work, luck, financial education, and social democracy. We start the conversation with the question: Should billionaires exist?

Support the Pod via Patreon.com/jimnog 

CLS is a rapper-singer based in the Bronx (IG: @cls_10451). He's also a doctoral candidate at Fordham University. In this two hour convo we talk life during the pandemic, his PhD full-ride scholarship, his recently released debut hip-hop album, Hip-Hop Evolution on Netflix, my weird relationship with hip-hop, his weird relationship with hip-hop, a musical announcement of my own, musical inspirations, and age and hip-hop.       

I highly recommend listening to CLS' eponymous debut album. It's deep, sentimental, thoughtful, and courageous. It feels modern but very much in tune with the spirits of the hip-hop OGs. And he can sing, like, legitimately. Look for it wherever you get your music.

Support the Pod via Patreon.com/jimnog 

On this episode, I read my short story "I Love You More." It was originally self-published in 2015 after failing to find a home in an online magazine after a couple of years. The impetus for the story came from a newspaper article, the title of which is revealed at the end of the story. I wanted to give the story context. I feel the story is apropos to the quarantine. 

John loves his mom. But people keep calling. People won't leave them alone. They want to see her, talk to her. He tells them she can't. No one loves his mom like he does. 

Support the Pod via Patreon.com/jimnog

John DePonte teaches for the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) at Bronx Community College. He's an exceptional educator with a broad knowledge of his subject matter and thoughtful and effective pedagogy. This is a great podcast for anyone interested in ESL instruction and/or language learning. We talk about John's teaching method; language learning, which includes various tips and tricks; and his website (link below).

Research referenced (implicitly) :

"The Effect of Language on Economic Behavior: Evidence from Savings Rates, Health Behaviors, and Retirement Assets" by M. Keith Chen

"Sex, Syntax, and Semantics" by Lera Boroditsky et al. (and because it's only a preview, click here for an insightful and apropos TED Talk by Boroditsky)

For language learning (recommended by John): Yabla.com

John DePonte's website: Speakening.com

My 2015 free ebook: Language Learning for Free

Support the Pod via Patreon.com/jimnog

Marcos de la Guagua is a multi-talented, Bronx-loving, soul-inspiring musical artist. He's gospel, hip hop, jazz - and much more. We talk about and listen to (some of) his new album titled The Mind-Game Aspects (2020). During the second half, we also touch on several other, though relevant, key topics, such as mental health, Hispanic identity, the problem with and possible solutions to words like "Latino" and "Latinx," cultural appropriation, identity politics, reparations, and even UBI.

Ibrahim Siddiq, AKA POET, is a poet, spoken word artist, and author. We mostly talked his recent collection of poems and verses called Words in Black and White. We also talked hiphop, veganism, and positivity. 

You can support the Pod via: Patreon.com/jimnog

Seko1844 is a graphic artist. Zar of the Moon is a spoken word artist. We hang out again and talk about some of the ethics around mixed martial arts, or MMA, while watching an old match between Wanderlei Silva and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. 

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCPpOkgaLdY

You can support the Pod via: Patreon.com/jimnog

Marcos is a hiphop artist. Jose is an educator. Miguel is also an educator. Jim writes and teaches. The Bronx Over-Thinkers Society (BOTS) is their attempt at having meaningful and open conversations to learn, grow, and help others. They discuss, among other things, the meaning behind the Society, vegetarianism and veganism, philosophy and philosophers, and the Bronx.

You can support the Pod via: Patreon.com/jimnog