There was an article written in the Black Wallstreet Times that talked about how reading for pleasure has gone down about 40% for Americans within the last 20 years. For Black people that number looks even more dismal. Well if you've guessed the main reason are the internet, social media and electronic devices you are absolutely on point. In this episode I'm talking about how pleasure reading is almost obsolete and how we can change this negative into positive with persistency and consistency. The link to the article is below.

https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2025/08/28/reading-for-pleasure-has-dropped-40-over-the-last-two-decades/

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Picture books are typically associated with young children. We assume because they are filled with illustrations that you must be 8 years old or younger to read them. That is quite the contrary. These books teach us how to have empathy, to have a higher level thinking and they usually have a wide vocabulary. This is why people of all ages can enjoy a picture book. In this episode I talk about how we can read picture books at any age and I give 10 recommendations of books that I believe are some of the best books to be read aloud.

"When you don't understand racism/white supremacy what it is and how it works then everything you think you understand will only confuse you."- Neely Fuller, Jr. This is the quote that I think about constantly when it comes to the deficit, disparities and lack that Black people have been dealing with ever since the inception of this settler colonial project we call America. We can't talk about the high illiteracy rates in our Black communities without putting the focus on where it started which is the denial of our basic human God given right to learn how to read. Even though we didn't create the problem WE still have a responsibility of solving it because, it has been adversely affecting our ability to thrive as a people. This is why in this episode I give a mini breakdown on why having Black people be in a perpetual state of illiteracy, aliteracy and not be educated was a necessary to evil to our enslavement. I also talk about why this was the reason I started ABC READ, INC. , the nonprofit organization that was founded to develop and nurture a culture of literacy in our Black and underserved communities throughout the city of Cleveland. I understood that reading was and will always be connected to our freedom and no one was/is coming to save us and we must save ourselves.

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In this episode I'm addressing the article that The Grio wrote entitled, Trump Abolishing Education Department spells doom for Black America. I'm reminding us of how we should not be surprised or scared not one iota of what the president elect and his cabinet plan to put in place and take away because their actions are aligned with the white supremacist values that America holds so near and dear to their devlish hearts. The question is what are we going to do about it?!Are we going to curl up in a corner, be scared and talk about how we're doomed or are we going to get back to the mindset that our ancestors like Thomas Sankara, Marcus Garvey and Harriet Tubman had when fighting back against a system that has always intended to destroy our humanity. We can wait no longer. The Time Is Now!

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In this episode the esteemed educator Ebony Donley and I are discussing what cause and effect is and how this is one of the foundational components that is needed to have strong reading skills. We also show you our creative and artistic way to teach show what cause and effect is for your child or students. As always grab your pen and paper for the gems and jewels that are being dropped in this episode.

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Yup you read that read that right. Alot of students from elite colleges like Stanford and Columbia are struggling to read the books that have been assigned to them in their classes because they did not develop the skills that are needed to read a book in its entirety. In this episode I'm talking about the article that I read in The Atlantic that is bringing awareness to the fact that a lot of these students weren't being properly prepared to read books while in middle or high school due to the focus on standardized testing. Grab your notebooks and pens because this is an episode that you do not want to miss. The link to this article is down below.

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/

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One of the most talked about movies of this year so far is Inside Out 2. This movie in my opinion gave a good description of what emotional intelligence looks like. It was very relatable and on time especially during these very challenging times where we're seeing an uptick in mental health issues. In this episode I'm talking about how I learned three important things from watching this movie. So grab your notebooks and pens because I'm dropping gems in here that I believe can help us get a better handle on how to regulate our emotions all while strengthening our literacy skills.

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You betta read the book and don't mess up on no words or I'm gonna give you a whuppin!

What's your problem why can't you figure out that math problem?!

How many times have we went off on our children because, they didn't get their homework done right?

How many times have we threatened them for not completing their homework?

What happened to us leading with love, grace and mercy when dealing with our children?

In this episode I talk about why in the Black community we have normalized beating and going off on our children when we want them to do their work. We have simply threw out the aspect of leading with love and thinking we're supposed to always lead with discipline and punitive tactics. I'll of course be addressing where that toxic mindset comes from, the results of choosing trauma based parenting and 5 ways we can begin to make a radical shift away from these trans-generational child rearing tactics. This is the episode that you do not want to miss.

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If you need a pre-k-4th grade reading tutor

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In this episode I'm on my solo box talking about the beauty and power of being silent. This topic came about because of a question that a teenager blurted out in a quiet classroom which was "why is it so quiet?" I remember I wanted to address this issue because I wrote it down in my notebook the day it happened which was April 17, 2024. This notion of having to have noise, distractions or constant talking or always doing something is something that we have normalized in the Black community. However, I want us to start digging deep and force ourselves to have a mind shift so we can begin to normalize being at peace. Let's begin to normalize being still. In the stillness and peace this is when the growth occurs. Be sure to have your notebooks and pens ready because I'll be sharing with you 3 important benefits to being silent.

Do you want to start the conversation about your favorite book? Are you trying to find creative ways to get your loved ones to read more? Then, click the link below to grab your favorite merch that has been reminding the people on the importance of reading.

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How many of you grew up being told to do this or that by your parents/caregivers but alot of times wasn't shown how to do it? It was almost like you were expected to know and when you didn't get it right you got in trouble for it. Unfortunately when we take that approach as adults it actually is handicapping our children and leading down the path of becoming insecure, not feeling valued or supported which leads to dependency. Well in this short episode I give 3 ways in which we can start to shift our mindset in our parenting approach so that we can build healthy, secure and empowered children who will grow to be builders and thinkers with a limitless mindset that can change the world.

Click the link below to purchase your Reading Is Freedom merch.

https://readingisfreedom.store/

Click the link to donate to our organization ABC READ, INC.

https://abcread.org/

Click the link below if you are in need of pre-k-4th grade reading tutor.

https://abclearntutoring.com/