February 19, 2024 • 23 mins
It’s another epic Black History Month Celebration at Malik Books!
Author Tammy Wallace gets very candid with Malik about the experience that inspired Sasha Lynn Big Dreams: Inspiring Youth to Reach for the Stars
Former NYPD officer Edwin Raymond talks about his book An Inconvenient Cop: My Fight to Change Policing in America
Minda Harts opens about her books The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table and Right Within: How to Heal from Racial Trauma in the Workplace
And Malik and April (his secret weapon) rake a road trip to Cincinnati, Ohio!
E-mail Malik@MalikBooks.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
My league Buds has all the knowledge you want. My
league bus has all the knowledge you need.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
League, But yet they have all the books that the
whole wild world was a bad league books.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
We was by that.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We curated another Black history celebration. It was themed History
Comes Alive. We don't want to just live in the past,
but we want to live for today and the moment
of the time that we live in. But we took
you back to a history that was hidden back back
(00:38):
during President Lincoln's time when we had a black designer
whom was the personal that she was a slave, don't
get me wrong, but she was also the designer for
President's Lincoln's wife and she designed the these noble dresses.
(01:02):
Her name was Elizabeth Kirkley, and a lot of people
don't know much about her, but she's kind of the
first American designer, contort designer, you know, high end fashion,
and she was the talk of all society of her
(01:22):
time for the dresses that she designed for President Lincoln's wife. Now,
right now it lose me her name, so I just
refer to her as the first lady of President Lincoln.
But she was a fabulous designer and dressmaker and she
(01:43):
was talked to a monks, all the different women in
high society of that time. So you know, so she
Abraham Lincoln in case she lost the president that I
was trying to allude to. But she eventually won her freedom,
(02:05):
well not necessarily won her freedom, but she paid for
her freedom through the moneies that she was able to earn.
And so that was a prolific story of a hitting gym,
a hidden figure in history. And her name is they
called the Lizzie, the Elizabeth Kirkley. And so we had
(02:30):
the author who did a presentation about her. Her name
is Ce George and Sea. She wrote the book The
Elizabeth Kirkley Story just out. We gotta add Malik books,
of course, but see George and Ce delivered a wonderful
presentation depicting a hitting gym and a special time when
(02:51):
despite slavery, we are honored by.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
The resilience of Elizabeth Kirkley.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Also at the Black History celebration, we and Jay Jackson
turning up the tombs with his magnificent singing performance, as
well as Thomasina who is a Broadway performer.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
We also had that magnificent Charles Small three to zero
Day turned up the mall with the magnificent Jazz plan
and you know Malik Books was doing his thing rocking
books with.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Our heroes and shiros.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So we curated a wonderful list of different art books,
coffee table books, children books and novels that and memoirs
that featured our heroes and shiros.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
We also had Corella Augustus.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
In the house who wrote the book Black Hollywood Reimagining
iconic movie Moments. We also had ce George and c
signing her book The Elizzie The Elizabeth Kirky Story. We
also had the founder of the Cross Colors there was
hot back in the day and his foundation there as
(04:03):
well as the Arizona State University Design Institute was on
set showing people fabric designing sketches and so forth. All
of this was brought forth through partnerships with the Lamurk
Park book fessor who produced the event, Cynthia Exem and
Molique Books, as well as our sponsor Westfield Covid City.
(04:27):
So this was a magnificent day celebrating Black history.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
All month long.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Well, hey, like I do always if they walk in
and their author on the spot, I interview him for
Meleik's bookshelf, bringing a world together with books, culture and community,
and this lovely young lady, Tammy Wallace came in with
her beautiful book called Sasha Lynn Big Dreams. Will always
(04:59):
say the often could tell you more about that book
than I can, so let's hear it.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Well, the book was inspired because my Olympic dreams were
taken from me. And despite what you go through in life,
you still got to push through. So I didn't get
to go to the Olympics, but a lot of my
friends did. But Sasha in my books, she went to
the Olympics. So I read, you know, I pretended I
Wassasha in the book, and I made sure that she
went to the Olympics, and despite the obstacles in her life,
(05:26):
she overcame them.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
That's real talk, because one thing I've learned about life,
You're going to experience some obstacles.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Now some worse than us.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But what I'm finding out is everybody is going through
something that we might look like this on the outside,
but on the inside and in our world, something is
going on that we keep private, and it's a very
private thing that you open it up and sharing with
the whole world.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Talk to me about that.
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Well, it's kind of deep is it?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Okay? Okay?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I was violated at fifteen by my track and field coach,
who at the time was an NFL player, and they
like stole my dreams to become an Olympian. At the time,
I was third in the nation for a ride of
San Diego State, but my mental wasn't there. So let
the obstacles get in the way, you know, So I
had to push through. So pushing through is where this
(06:22):
book came from.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Absolutely, you know that says a lot about your character
and how you can overcome adversity.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I mean impactful.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
And you know what you experienced is a form of
death emotionally and spiritually. I might be physically here, might
be physically walking around and engaging, but actually a part.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Of you was killed that at that time.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yes, and so, and it takes strength and encourage to
open up and share your story. Thank you, and I
appreciate you stepping up and share with me.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I didn't know that. You know, you dropped the bomb
on it. You dropped the bomb on my audience here
on the Leak's bookshelf. What else you want to say
about this wonderful book. I just want you guys to
know that Sashalin.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
It came from a place of I started writing it.
It was a dark place, but writing it helped me
bring it.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
To the light.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
So it inspires me. And I'm going to work on
a second book. Wow, yeah, to keep going. I got
to keep going to reach the youth.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yes, who is Tammy Wylace now?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Tammy Wallace now is a author? Painter, do meditation. I
fish and I still you know what, I'm still quick.
I could still run, just not as fast as like.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, well you look like you look fit.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I know about that running now. I know about sprinting.
I know about speed. You know I'm coaching leak you're.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Talking to now. I'm a former Olympian. I'm a former sprinter.
You know what what you found out about me? Usc
usc you right? I did? Yes, we used to run
against San Diego State.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Really yeah, yeah we used to. We used to open
up our first meet and uh yeah San Diego. So
this is wonderful, wonderful. I see did we share something
in common?
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Track?
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I can't get out the I'm gonna pull up. I
think you should try.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Let's just raise the twenty meters to see who win.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Well, I know I'm gonna lose. I'm gonna pull up man,
because my lamb treet is tight. They feel like Miami
Vice locks.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Maddy.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate thanks for opening
up and sharing. Thank you and all the best. Thank
you Peace.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
This is a double feature here at Melik Books. But
this brother came all the way from New York and
he's at Malik Books and he's gonna be doing a
discussion tonight with Darnell Moore.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
But right now I handcuffed him.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I'm gonna do an interview with him from my audience
on Malik's Books show.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Now his name is with Raymond. He wrote this book.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Call an Inconvenient Cop, My Fight to Change Policing in America.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Now, like I always say, if I got an author,
they can tell you more about that book than me.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Drop it my brother, peace, Peace, Brother Belik Edwin Raymond,
as you said, author of an Inconvenient Cop, My Fight
to Change Police in America. Fifteen years ago, I joined
the police department with a mission to understand policing better,
to see what can be done from the inside right,
get an inside perspective, to see what can be done,
(09:35):
to see how we moved the needle in the right
direction when it comes to policing, primarily because of the
ways that police treated me and also the you know
what I was seeing in the nation, first with my
friends locally and then eventually in the nation.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
So fifteen years later I got the book.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
I just retired from the police department to pursue this
and I'm ready to ready to do this work.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Well, what was the inspiration, brother, Because being an author
ain't always financially friendly. So you took a leap of
faith now, so you know, I mean being a police offer,
especially in why p D, they pay pretty well. So
all the benefits a lot of risks exactly. And so
(10:21):
talk to me, my brother, because this is a deep book.
It's a deep story. It's a deep passion and I
got you right now.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
So share that with me.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Yeah, well, that's what it is. It's the love for
the people. You know, this is risk.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
A lot of people don't understand the risk aspect. So
I appreciate you for even understanding that I walked away
from a career, you know, in the rank of lieutenant
and as you said, it pays pretty decent.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
You know, it doesn't matter what the stock market is doing.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
Doesn't matter how many tickets you sell, how many books
you sell every two weeks, that paycheck hits to go
from that into this life where you know there's a
lot out there's some financial risks, but again we come
from people that have taken the ultimate risks.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
So you know it's of that. It is what it is.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
You know, I gotta do what I gotta do for
the people. Uh, the knowledge that I've poured into myself
since my late teens. You know, I'd be a fraud
if I don't, if I don't take that knowledge and
apply it in a way to move this needle.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Woo. You're doing it for the culture. You're doing it
for the future. You're doing it for our children.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I say here at Elite Book children are one hundred
percent of our future. Now you have you played witness
to incidents and circumstances and situations, and fifteen years as
an NYPD, something happened physically, mentally and emotionally that affected you.
(11:48):
Can you share that with my audience?
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (11:53):
You see, Initially I didn't want to be a whistleblower.
That's not what I thought I was going to do.
I thought I was going to get in a sentence
from within, get into a position of leadership and power
and do things differently for the area that I'm responsible
for and use, and hopefully hope to show that as
a blueprint that we don't have to police the detrimental
ways that we've been seeing.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
But the system is the system.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
So obviously they came from my throat and had to
shift and you know, adjust the plans and instead became
a whistleblower and activist seven years ago and.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
This is what it's been since. But you know, yeah, wow, well.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
That's amazing because you put a target on your back.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
And that's amazing because when you approach me and you say, hey,
I'm a cop, former cop.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I got a book and we organize event. I was like,
I know celebrities and I was like what. I was like,
what could because simply because cops in the commune, there's
a disconnect.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
You know, all across this nation we viewed firemen as
good guys and cops as bad guys. We know that
every cop ain't a bad guy. You know, it's a
bad system that you tried to work on the inside
and change and putting yourself at great wisk to be
an activist.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
So in closing because we got a.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Show to put on later on, and I know you
want to mingle with our moderator tonight people are coming
in and your final thoughts, because I was shocked when
you said that you had celebrities. So I was like,
what kind of cop is this? You know, so you
touch on being an activist and you know, we're we're
(13:44):
you going from here.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Yeah, So as a activist that's also a law enforcement
you know, I'm so one of an anomaly, especially because
I'm willing to speak out publicly, and that's that's helped
me grow an amazing support system, you know, of influences
and celebrities, et cetera. A lot of activists, even people
that normally would never stand next to a cop, they
(14:06):
still give me a level of respect. But what I'm
hoping that folks can do and understand is this issue
with policing criminal justice system in general. It's a big
issue and we need a multifaceted approach. The perspective of
the inside is something that's been missing from the conversation.
You know, we either get the folks that believe cops
(14:27):
can do no wrong, or we get folks that believe
cops need not exist.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
We need more of that.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
I don't know if it's the middle ground, but it's
still a perspective that's needed and that's what I'm here
to offer the justice minded.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, thank you, my brother, thanks for sharing those thoughts
with my audience on release bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (14:44):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Where can they find you?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Oh, I mean, I'm based in Brooklyn. You'll see me
all around New York City, but on Instagram it's just
Edwin Raymond on et Raymond Underscore, Edwin Raymond NYC on
Twitter and then just Edwin Raymond on Facebook.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Let me tell you where you can get the book,
and you can get it that Malie Books, so he
Malik books dot com will visit my stoves in westbo
Cover City, Mare and Bolwin Hills.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Mam, thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I'm blessed today because of a beautiful young lady by
the name of Mendi Menda Hearts has walked into Malik
Books and she's the author of the memo what Women
of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at
the Table.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
And she got another one, this or second book, and
she's working on the third one.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
It's called Right Within How To heal from racial trauma
in the workplace. Now, I can tell you something about
the book, but the author is right here, so let's
hear from her.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Let her break down both of these two beautiful books.
Let's start with the memo.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
Well, thank you mister Malie for having the memo, and
right within in your beautiful bookstore, get down to one
of the locations you need to have. The memo is
about being a woman of color in the workplace, corporate America, academia.
You know that there's a war on DEI, so we
need to equip ourselves with the tools so that we
can move forward. And if you've experienced any racism or
(16:07):
discrimination in the workplace, you got to get right within
because healing is for us. And happy Black History Month.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Being God, we having a big, big celebration kicking off
Black History or February third right here at Westfield Cob
City Mall, and we bringing in common. That's our headliner.
But I know one thing, your third book is coming out,
and we need to make sure, absolutely sure that we
able to do something and connect with you. You know, money, economics, business,
(16:38):
that's a real good subject matter. Because I want you
to ask tell my audience on Malise's bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
How important is entrepreneurship?
Speaker 7 (16:49):
It's so important. I spent fifteen years in corporate America,
and then I was able to create economic wealth for
myself and for my family. I'm first generation college student,
and now I am and have my own business. I've
had it since twenty fifteen, and I'm just blessed because
it doesn't even It's not only a seat for me,
but it's creating seats for other black people too.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Now can you describe the business that you're in. Is
it consulting? Tell us?
Speaker 7 (17:14):
Yeah, So now I'm a consultant. I speak at Fortune
five hundred companies like Nike, Google, Amazon, and I talk
about how we create more equality in the workplace.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh wow, that's very actually, and I see you have
especially about dealing with how to heal from racial trauma.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
So you basically have experienced this yourself.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
Unfortunately. Yes, I was always the only black woman in
corporate America in the room. And sometimes we deal with
we call the micro and macroaggressions. And so my first
manager he saw that I had burnt orange fingernail polish
on and he said, you people love your bright colors
and he joked around for fifteen minutes about how black
people like bright colors. That's my manager and he would
do that for years and years and say certain things
(17:57):
and you don't realize how those slight impact your mental health.
And so Right Within is just saying, you know how
Lauren Hill said, how you're gonna win if you ain't
right Within that that part is on us.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Well, you know that's I think.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
I think if you black in America, you're going to
experience some level of discrimination and racism workplace, just being
in society, in the community, and so well, I would
say this experience is the best teacher. So you offer
some of your insights and experience to other Fortune five
hundred companies and when you speak.
Speaker 7 (18:33):
With them, I do, and so I'm a top speaker
and they call me in to have these conversations because
I get practical tools. So both of my books, the
Memo and Right Within, have practical tools on how we
make work work for us and not everybody else.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Well, you know they say black women has a double negative,
you know, being at your woman and being black.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And you know the memo right here that we just
got finished talking about Right Within, But the Memo is like,
as a woman of color, how to get a seat
at the table.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Yes, because we deserve it. Audrey Lord said, beware of
feeling you're not good enough to deserve it. You deserve humanity, dignity,
equity in the workplace. And so the memo is the
game plan for how we get ahead.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Oooh. Absolutely, women are the mother of civilization, the first
teacher of.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Society.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, and if a mother and a woman is that
important in society, then certainly she deserves a seat at
the table and more and more. Yeah, any final thoughts
you would like to share with my audience on Malise's bookshelf.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
Get down to Malie's bookshelf right now, get my books,
get all the books here and tell somebody else because
reading is fundamental.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
There you have it, Thank you, We appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
This week me and April traveled to Cincinnati where it
was host of the Winter Institute that was put on
by the ABA, which is American Book Association. Now they
the biggest association. All the excellers in America mostly primarily
independent or some type of affiliation with books. So they're
(20:12):
the biggest bookstore association in America. And many of us
traveled all across this nation to one destination, Cincinnati, Ohio.
We stayed downtown and it was a phenomenal weekend where
we were inspired, encouraged, and enlightened by different things that
(20:33):
we can do to improve upon our business as booksellers
create contacts. Increase revenue is one of the biggest topics there.
I know, that's one of the reasons why I'm there,
not just to meet contacts, not just the network. You know,
I'm here to meet publishers, but I also want to
increase revenue. This is a growing industry, a changing industry,
(20:57):
and more information you have, which is key, knowledge is power.
So it was a great and eventful weekend. I didn't
expect to, you know, for it to solve all the
problems or have all the answers, but I knew certainly
I would gain knowledge in wisdom and hopefully understanding, and
bring that information back to be bigger and better. And
(21:21):
on med April, we were encouraged, we were excited. We've
gained a lot of information and met a lot of
new people. And let me tell you something. You know,
I anticipating, you know, that's a different kind of weather
than California. But the weather out there was pretty good.
I said, wow, I said, I guess. It was in
his fifties sixties, so it didn't have the clement weather
(21:44):
that Cincinnati, Ohio and some of those states in that
region typically have. So we went at the right time
and the right moment, I tell you. And it was
a grand event, a grand event. We hate good.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
I say.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Somebody was health conscious because most of the food was
pretty healthy, and I got them met. There was a
lot of vegetarian options and healthy options, and so that
was striking for a convention because normally be heavily meat,
but this wasn't. I've got a chance to meet a
lot of different authors, a lot of different stories.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Met a lot of different reps.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It was just a fun field weekend of conferences, information
and laughter. I connected with some of the black bookstores
independent bookstores around the nation as well. We met up
in a couple of rooms, took some pictures, talked, made
some suggestions that we could take back to the ABA
(22:52):
for future.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Conferences, you know, because we want to be represented. We
want to make sure that.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Our voices heard and that in the conference reflect our
issues and concerns as well. So we met up and
discuss those types of things, and so that was wonderful
and encouraging. It was just a blessed weekend I must
have met. I was definitely definitely want to debriefing and
(23:20):
implement all the wonderful and encouraging ideas from the Winner Institute.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
So that's what took place throughout the weekdays this last
week before our Black History Celebration where History Comes Alive.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Thanks for listening to Maleak's Bookshelf, where topics on the
Shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Maleak Books. See you next time
My league Buds has all the knowledge you want. My
league bus has all the knowledge you need.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
League, But yet they have all the books that the
whole wild world was a bad league books.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
We was by that.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
We curated another Black history celebration. It was themed History
Comes Alive. We don't want to just live in the past,
but we want to live for today and the moment
of the time that we live in. But we took
you back to a history that was hidden back back
(00:38):
during President Lincoln's time when we had a black designer
whom was the personal that she was a slave, don't
get me wrong, but she was also the designer for
President's Lincoln's wife and she designed the these noble dresses.
(01:02):
Her name was Elizabeth Kirkley, and a lot of people
don't know much about her, but she's kind of the
first American designer, contort designer, you know, high end fashion,
and she was the talk of all society of her
(01:22):
time for the dresses that she designed for President Lincoln's wife. Now,
right now it lose me her name, so I just
refer to her as the first lady of President Lincoln.
But she was a fabulous designer and dressmaker and she
(01:43):
was talked to a monks, all the different women in
high society of that time. So you know, so she
Abraham Lincoln in case she lost the president that I
was trying to allude to. But she eventually won her freedom,
(02:05):
well not necessarily won her freedom, but she paid for
her freedom through the moneies that she was able to earn.
And so that was a prolific story of a hitting gym,
a hidden figure in history. And her name is they
called the Lizzie, the Elizabeth Kirkley. And so we had
(02:30):
the author who did a presentation about her. Her name
is Ce George and Sea. She wrote the book The
Elizabeth Kirkley Story just out. We gotta add Malik books,
of course, but see George and Ce delivered a wonderful
presentation depicting a hitting gym and a special time when
(02:51):
despite slavery, we are honored by.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
The resilience of Elizabeth Kirkley.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Also at the Black History celebration, we and Jay Jackson
turning up the tombs with his magnificent singing performance, as
well as Thomasina who is a Broadway performer.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
We also had that magnificent Charles Small three to zero
Day turned up the mall with the magnificent Jazz plan
and you know Malik Books was doing his thing rocking
books with.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Our heroes and shiros.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
So we curated a wonderful list of different art books,
coffee table books, children books and novels that and memoirs
that featured our heroes and shiros.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
We also had Corella Augustus.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
In the house who wrote the book Black Hollywood Reimagining
iconic movie Moments. We also had ce George and c
signing her book The Elizzie The Elizabeth Kirky Story. We
also had the founder of the Cross Colors there was
hot back in the day and his foundation there as
(04:03):
well as the Arizona State University Design Institute was on
set showing people fabric designing sketches and so forth. All
of this was brought forth through partnerships with the Lamurk
Park book fessor who produced the event, Cynthia Exem and
Molique Books, as well as our sponsor Westfield Covid City.
(04:27):
So this was a magnificent day celebrating Black history.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
All month long.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Well, hey, like I do always if they walk in
and their author on the spot, I interview him for
Meleik's bookshelf, bringing a world together with books, culture and community,
and this lovely young lady, Tammy Wallace came in with
her beautiful book called Sasha Lynn Big Dreams. Will always
(04:59):
say the often could tell you more about that book
than I can, so let's hear it.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Well, the book was inspired because my Olympic dreams were
taken from me. And despite what you go through in life,
you still got to push through. So I didn't get
to go to the Olympics, but a lot of my
friends did. But Sasha in my books, she went to
the Olympics. So I read, you know, I pretended I
Wassasha in the book, and I made sure that she
went to the Olympics, and despite the obstacles in her life,
(05:26):
she overcame them.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
That's real talk, because one thing I've learned about life,
You're going to experience some obstacles.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Now some worse than us.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
But what I'm finding out is everybody is going through
something that we might look like this on the outside,
but on the inside and in our world, something is
going on that we keep private, and it's a very
private thing that you open it up and sharing with
the whole world.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Talk to me about that.
Speaker 5 (05:52):
Well, it's kind of deep is it?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Okay? Okay?
Speaker 4 (06:00):
I was violated at fifteen by my track and field coach,
who at the time was an NFL player, and they
like stole my dreams to become an Olympian. At the time,
I was third in the nation for a ride of
San Diego State, but my mental wasn't there. So let
the obstacles get in the way, you know, So I
had to push through. So pushing through is where this
(06:22):
book came from.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Absolutely, you know that says a lot about your character
and how you can overcome adversity.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I mean impactful.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
And you know what you experienced is a form of
death emotionally and spiritually. I might be physically here, might
be physically walking around and engaging, but actually a part.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Of you was killed that at that time.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Yes, and so, and it takes strength and encourage to
open up and share your story. Thank you, and I
appreciate you stepping up and share with me.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I didn't know that. You know, you dropped the bomb
on it. You dropped the bomb on my audience here
on the Leak's bookshelf. What else you want to say
about this wonderful book. I just want you guys to
know that Sashalin.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
It came from a place of I started writing it.
It was a dark place, but writing it helped me
bring it.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
To the light.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
So it inspires me. And I'm going to work on
a second book. Wow, yeah, to keep going. I got
to keep going to reach the youth.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Yes, who is Tammy Wylace now?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Tammy Wallace now is a author? Painter, do meditation. I
fish and I still you know what, I'm still quick.
I could still run, just not as fast as like.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, well you look like you look fit.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
I know about that running now. I know about sprinting.
I know about speed. You know I'm coaching leak you're.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Talking to now. I'm a former Olympian. I'm a former sprinter.
You know what what you found out about me? Usc
usc you right? I did? Yes, we used to run
against San Diego State.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Really yeah, yeah we used to. We used to open
up our first meet and uh yeah San Diego. So
this is wonderful, wonderful. I see did we share something
in common?
Speaker 5 (08:17):
Track?
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I can't get out the I'm gonna pull up. I
think you should try.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Let's just raise the twenty meters to see who win.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Well, I know I'm gonna lose. I'm gonna pull up man,
because my lamb treet is tight. They feel like Miami
Vice locks.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
Maddy.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Thank you for having me. I appreciate thanks for opening
up and sharing. Thank you and all the best. Thank
you Peace.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
This is a double feature here at Melik Books. But
this brother came all the way from New York and
he's at Malik Books and he's gonna be doing a
discussion tonight with Darnell Moore.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
But right now I handcuffed him.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I'm gonna do an interview with him from my audience
on Malik's Books show.
Speaker 1 (08:59):
Now his name is with Raymond. He wrote this book.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Call an Inconvenient Cop, My Fight to Change Policing in America.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Now, like I always say, if I got an author,
they can tell you more about that book than me.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Drop it my brother, peace, Peace, Brother Belik Edwin Raymond,
as you said, author of an Inconvenient Cop, My Fight
to Change Police in America. Fifteen years ago, I joined
the police department with a mission to understand policing better,
to see what can be done from the inside right,
get an inside perspective, to see what can be done,
(09:35):
to see how we moved the needle in the right
direction when it comes to policing, primarily because of the
ways that police treated me and also the you know
what I was seeing in the nation, first with my
friends locally and then eventually in the nation.
Speaker 5 (09:49):
So fifteen years later I got the book.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
I just retired from the police department to pursue this
and I'm ready to ready to do this work.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
Well, what was the inspiration, brother, Because being an author
ain't always financially friendly. So you took a leap of
faith now, so you know, I mean being a police offer,
especially in why p D, they pay pretty well. So
all the benefits a lot of risks exactly. And so
(10:21):
talk to me, my brother, because this is a deep book.
It's a deep story. It's a deep passion and I
got you right now.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
So share that with me.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Yeah, well, that's what it is. It's the love for
the people. You know, this is risk.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
A lot of people don't understand the risk aspect. So
I appreciate you for even understanding that I walked away
from a career, you know, in the rank of lieutenant
and as you said, it pays pretty decent.
Speaker 5 (10:41):
You know, it doesn't matter what the stock market is doing.
Speaker 6 (10:43):
Doesn't matter how many tickets you sell, how many books
you sell every two weeks, that paycheck hits to go
from that into this life where you know there's a
lot out there's some financial risks, but again we come
from people that have taken the ultimate risks.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
So you know it's of that. It is what it is.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
You know, I gotta do what I gotta do for
the people. Uh, the knowledge that I've poured into myself
since my late teens. You know, I'd be a fraud
if I don't, if I don't take that knowledge and
apply it in a way to move this needle.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
Woo. You're doing it for the culture. You're doing it
for the future. You're doing it for our children.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
I say here at Elite Book children are one hundred
percent of our future. Now you have you played witness
to incidents and circumstances and situations, and fifteen years as
an NYPD, something happened physically, mentally and emotionally that affected you.
(11:48):
Can you share that with my audience?
Speaker 5 (11:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (11:53):
You see, Initially I didn't want to be a whistleblower.
That's not what I thought I was going to do.
I thought I was going to get in a sentence
from within, get into a position of leadership and power
and do things differently for the area that I'm responsible
for and use, and hopefully hope to show that as
a blueprint that we don't have to police the detrimental
ways that we've been seeing.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
But the system is the system.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
So obviously they came from my throat and had to
shift and you know, adjust the plans and instead became
a whistleblower and activist seven years ago and.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
This is what it's been since. But you know, yeah, wow, well.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
That's amazing because you put a target on your back.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
And that's amazing because when you approach me and you say, hey,
I'm a cop, former cop.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
I got a book and we organize event. I was like,
I know celebrities and I was like what. I was like,
what could because simply because cops in the commune, there's
a disconnect.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
You know, all across this nation we viewed firemen as
good guys and cops as bad guys. We know that
every cop ain't a bad guy. You know, it's a
bad system that you tried to work on the inside
and change and putting yourself at great wisk to be
an activist.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
So in closing because we got a.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Show to put on later on, and I know you
want to mingle with our moderator tonight people are coming
in and your final thoughts, because I was shocked when
you said that you had celebrities. So I was like,
what kind of cop is this? You know, so you
touch on being an activist and you know, we're we're
(13:44):
you going from here.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Yeah, So as a activist that's also a law enforcement
you know, I'm so one of an anomaly, especially because
I'm willing to speak out publicly, and that's that's helped
me grow an amazing support system, you know, of influences
and celebrities, et cetera. A lot of activists, even people
that normally would never stand next to a cop, they
(14:06):
still give me a level of respect. But what I'm
hoping that folks can do and understand is this issue
with policing criminal justice system in general. It's a big
issue and we need a multifaceted approach. The perspective of
the inside is something that's been missing from the conversation.
You know, we either get the folks that believe cops
(14:27):
can do no wrong, or we get folks that believe
cops need not exist.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
We need more of that.
Speaker 6 (14:32):
I don't know if it's the middle ground, but it's
still a perspective that's needed and that's what I'm here
to offer the justice minded.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Well, thank you, my brother, thanks for sharing those thoughts
with my audience on release bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (14:44):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Where can they find you?
Speaker 6 (14:46):
Oh, I mean, I'm based in Brooklyn. You'll see me
all around New York City, but on Instagram it's just
Edwin Raymond on et Raymond Underscore, Edwin Raymond NYC on
Twitter and then just Edwin Raymond on Facebook.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Let me tell you where you can get the book,
and you can get it that Malie Books, so he
Malik books dot com will visit my stoves in westbo
Cover City, Mare and Bolwin Hills.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Mam, thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
I'm blessed today because of a beautiful young lady by
the name of Mendi Menda Hearts has walked into Malik
Books and she's the author of the memo what Women
of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at
the Table.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
And she got another one, this or second book, and
she's working on the third one.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
It's called Right Within How To heal from racial trauma
in the workplace. Now, I can tell you something about
the book, but the author is right here, so let's
hear from her.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Let her break down both of these two beautiful books.
Let's start with the memo.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
Well, thank you mister Malie for having the memo, and
right within in your beautiful bookstore, get down to one
of the locations you need to have. The memo is
about being a woman of color in the workplace, corporate America, academia.
You know that there's a war on DEI, so we
need to equip ourselves with the tools so that we
can move forward. And if you've experienced any racism or
(16:07):
discrimination in the workplace, you got to get right within
because healing is for us. And happy Black History Month.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Being God, we having a big, big celebration kicking off
Black History or February third right here at Westfield Cob
City Mall, and we bringing in common. That's our headliner.
But I know one thing, your third book is coming out,
and we need to make sure, absolutely sure that we
able to do something and connect with you. You know, money, economics, business,
(16:38):
that's a real good subject matter. Because I want you
to ask tell my audience on Malise's bookshelf.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
How important is entrepreneurship?
Speaker 7 (16:49):
It's so important. I spent fifteen years in corporate America,
and then I was able to create economic wealth for
myself and for my family. I'm first generation college student,
and now I am and have my own business. I've
had it since twenty fifteen, and I'm just blessed because
it doesn't even It's not only a seat for me,
but it's creating seats for other black people too.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Now can you describe the business that you're in. Is
it consulting? Tell us?
Speaker 7 (17:14):
Yeah, So now I'm a consultant. I speak at Fortune
five hundred companies like Nike, Google, Amazon, and I talk
about how we create more equality in the workplace.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Oh wow, that's very actually, and I see you have
especially about dealing with how to heal from racial trauma.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
So you basically have experienced this yourself.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
Unfortunately. Yes, I was always the only black woman in
corporate America in the room. And sometimes we deal with
we call the micro and macroaggressions. And so my first
manager he saw that I had burnt orange fingernail polish
on and he said, you people love your bright colors
and he joked around for fifteen minutes about how black
people like bright colors. That's my manager and he would
do that for years and years and say certain things
(17:57):
and you don't realize how those slight impact your mental health.
And so Right Within is just saying, you know how
Lauren Hill said, how you're gonna win if you ain't
right Within that that part is on us.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
Well, you know that's I think.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
I think if you black in America, you're going to
experience some level of discrimination and racism workplace, just being
in society, in the community, and so well, I would
say this experience is the best teacher. So you offer
some of your insights and experience to other Fortune five
hundred companies and when you speak.
Speaker 7 (18:33):
With them, I do, and so I'm a top speaker
and they call me in to have these conversations because
I get practical tools. So both of my books, the
Memo and Right Within, have practical tools on how we
make work work for us and not everybody else.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Well, you know they say black women has a double negative,
you know, being at your woman and being black.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
And you know the memo right here that we just
got finished talking about Right Within, But the Memo is like,
as a woman of color, how to get a seat
at the table.
Speaker 7 (19:01):
Yes, because we deserve it. Audrey Lord said, beware of
feeling you're not good enough to deserve it. You deserve humanity, dignity,
equity in the workplace. And so the memo is the
game plan for how we get ahead.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Oooh. Absolutely, women are the mother of civilization, the first
teacher of.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
Society.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, and if a mother and a woman is that
important in society, then certainly she deserves a seat at
the table and more and more. Yeah, any final thoughts
you would like to share with my audience on Malise's bookshelf.
Speaker 7 (19:38):
Get down to Malie's bookshelf right now, get my books,
get all the books here and tell somebody else because
reading is fundamental.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
There you have it, Thank you, We appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
This week me and April traveled to Cincinnati where it
was host of the Winter Institute that was put on
by the ABA, which is American Book Association. Now they
the biggest association. All the excellers in America mostly primarily
independent or some type of affiliation with books. So they're
(20:12):
the biggest bookstore association in America. And many of us
traveled all across this nation to one destination, Cincinnati, Ohio.
We stayed downtown and it was a phenomenal weekend where
we were inspired, encouraged, and enlightened by different things that
(20:33):
we can do to improve upon our business as booksellers
create contacts. Increase revenue is one of the biggest topics there.
I know, that's one of the reasons why I'm there,
not just to meet contacts, not just the network. You know,
I'm here to meet publishers, but I also want to
increase revenue. This is a growing industry, a changing industry,
(20:57):
and more information you have, which is key, knowledge is power.
So it was a great and eventful weekend. I didn't
expect to, you know, for it to solve all the
problems or have all the answers, but I knew certainly
I would gain knowledge in wisdom and hopefully understanding, and
bring that information back to be bigger and better. And
(21:21):
on med April, we were encouraged, we were excited. We've
gained a lot of information and met a lot of
new people. And let me tell you something. You know,
I anticipating, you know, that's a different kind of weather
than California. But the weather out there was pretty good.
I said, wow, I said, I guess. It was in
his fifties sixties, so it didn't have the clement weather
(21:44):
that Cincinnati, Ohio and some of those states in that
region typically have. So we went at the right time
and the right moment, I tell you. And it was
a grand event, a grand event. We hate good.
Speaker 5 (21:59):
I say.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Somebody was health conscious because most of the food was
pretty healthy, and I got them met. There was a
lot of vegetarian options and healthy options, and so that
was striking for a convention because normally be heavily meat,
but this wasn't. I've got a chance to meet a
lot of different authors, a lot of different stories.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Met a lot of different reps.
Speaker 2 (22:29):
It was just a fun field weekend of conferences, information
and laughter. I connected with some of the black bookstores
independent bookstores around the nation as well. We met up
in a couple of rooms, took some pictures, talked, made
some suggestions that we could take back to the ABA
(22:52):
for future.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Conferences, you know, because we want to be represented. We
want to make sure that.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Our voices heard and that in the conference reflect our
issues and concerns as well. So we met up and
discuss those types of things, and so that was wonderful
and encouraging. It was just a blessed weekend I must
have met. I was definitely definitely want to debriefing and
(23:20):
implement all the wonderful and encouraging ideas from the Winner Institute.
Speaker 8 (23:27):
So that's what took place throughout the weekdays this last
week before our Black History Celebration where History Comes Alive.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Thanks for listening to Maleak's Bookshelf, where topics on the
Shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Maleak Books. See you next time
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