Guest: Mahogany L. Browne - Award-winning writer, playwright, organizer, educator, Lincoln Center's inaugural poet in residence, and founder of the Woke Baby Book Fair

Episode Summary:

In this powerful conversation, Mahogany L. Browne shares her journey from a young mother who almost dropped out of college to becoming Lincoln Center's inaugural poet in residence. We explore how she learned to bet on herself when no one else would, the difference between naming problems and solving them, and why service doesn't have to be selfless to be meaningful. Mahogany discusses her acclaimed novel Chlorine Sky, the importance of creating spaces where marginalized voices can thrive, and how to turn opposition into rocket fuel for your dreams.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The universal experience of playing both victim and perpetrator in our relationships
• How poetry serves as a mirror but isn't therapy - and why both are needed
• The importance of choosing critics who want you to succeed
• Building sustainable service models that feed the giver too
• Creating spaces for voices that haven't been heard
• Turning rejection into motivation and opposition into opportunity
• The difference between naming injustice and taking action to change it

Guest Bio:

Mahogany L. Browne is an award-winning writer, playwright, organizer, and educator whose work spans poetry, young adult literature, and community building. She is the inaugural poet in residence at Lincoln Center and founder of the Woke Baby Book Fair, where she creates spaces for marginalized voices to be heard and celebrated. Her books include the award-winning Chrome Valley, the frequently banned Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice, and her novel Chlorine Sky. She has been recognized for her unwavering commitment to lifting up other voices while refusing to play small in a world that often asks artists and activists to diminish themselves.

References mentioned in the interview:

• Mahogany's books Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice, Chrome Valley
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison - the book that changed everything for young Mahogany
• Mahogany’s Substack

Lift Mahogany Up:

• Follow her on Substack for her latest thoughts and work
• Buy two copies of her books (gift one!) and start a book club discussion
• Attend or support the Woke Baby Book Fair
• Invite her for conversations and speaking engagements that matter
• Share her work with the truth-tellers in your life
• Create spaces in your own community where marginalized voices can be heard – be part of the ripple effect that says everyone deserves to play big

Nominated by: Desha Philyaw, who said: "She is one of one. She is genre bending, white poetry, adult fiction. It's her heart that's on the page. Mo is eternally gracious, patient, insightful. She has a vision. And she's just bringing people along and beyond."

Mahogany's Nomination: She nominates Hala Alyan who "writes about the atrocities and the dreams deferred from love torn relationships. As a mother, author, curator, anthropologist, and psychologist, she's a cultural worker who remains a beacon of resilience to us all."

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The Uplifters Podcast celebrates the courage it takes to build a life that matters. Each week, we share stories of people who refuse to let circumstances define them, proving that ordinary people can create extraordinary change.