January 14, 2024 • 32 mins
Malik looks back on the year that was...which featured some incredible highs (Cedric the Entertainer! Omar Epps!) and some devastating losses (his beloved mother).
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
My League Buns has holl the knowledge you want. My
league bus has how.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The knowledge you need. My League Bus.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yet they have out the books.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That the whole wild World one of thread League books. Welcome, Welcome,
Welcome to Mlak's Bookshelf, bringing a world together with books.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Culture and community.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hi, my name is Malik, your host of Malik's Bookschef.
We're going into twenty twenty four, but before I go
into twenty twenty four, I got to talk about twenty
and twenty three, so stay tuned.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
For this episode.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Year in Review twenty and twenty three. Happy, Happy New Year.
WHOA we got through twenty twenty three. Now we own
the twenty twenty four. But before I can go into
twenty twenty four, I got to recap twenty twenty three
(00:57):
Malik's Bookshef Year in Review because we had an extraordinary year.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
We had a lot going on, and not only malik.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Books and my podcast, but also in my own personal life.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So I gotta recap.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I gotta do a review because it was an extraordinary
year of some highs and some lows, but we had
some great times, we had some wonderful times. We had
some big players that came through Malik Books, and I
was able to do podcasts on them. CEC The Entertainer,
(01:39):
Omar Epps, Ericle sile Renee Watson, Everide Williams, Deborah Lee
and Marie nick Stone, Leslie Odom Junior, Max Greenfield, Kwame, Alexander,
super Nova, Slum and the Ultimate Queen of Four all
(01:59):
did podcasts with Meet twenty twenty three, and that's you.
These are icons, big names, big followers, movies and shakers.
These people have touched the lives of so many people
in so many different ways. But Malik had the opportunity
to feature them on Malik's Bookshelf and that was extraordinary.
(02:22):
And it's more to come going into twenty twenty four.
But I had to highlight some my top interviews on
my podcasts. These interviews are still available. That's the beauty
about the podcast is that these featured interviews are still
available for your listening on all platforms you listen to
(02:44):
your podcasts, so ain peep it out because they some excellent,
extraordinary interviews with extraordinary people.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
But last year twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Malik, it's all about community, you know, I say, Malik's
Bookshelf bringing a world together with books culture and community.
Our community outreach last year was incredible. I mean, we
did so many activations and events and I need to
just talk to you about some of those highlights. We
(03:21):
organized a Juneteenth event at the Westfield Clova City Mall,
had dancers, Josoboso to clown music and so much more.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But the title of that event was Freedom to Read
and Write Celebration.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So we embraced the fact that we could read today
and we could write today because there was a time
in America.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That we wasn't allowed.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
It was against the law, and you were stone to death,
killed to death, shot to death, beat to death just
from reading and writing, you know. So hey, that's a
legacy and part of American history. So we wanted to
celebrate the fact that we got the free them today.
And let me tell you something, anything you want to find,
you can find in a book. So we gave a
celebration to encourage writing, to encourage reading, because if you
(04:10):
want to elevate in this world, it's going to require
some reading, let me tell you that, and some writing.
Well anyway, because we organize panels where you know, people
who have a story and a history that they want
to talk to the people about put it in the
book for them.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
So we had publishers black publishers.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Who talked about their contribution to help expire writers to
write their story and write their book.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We also organized this event in partnership.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
With the It was called the Park Book Fair, and
we partnered with them and brought Omar Epps Earthless Sound.
There was two headliners and it was an extraordinary event.
We also participated in an event called Winter Wonderland.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And we gave away two thousand books.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
That's right to the community. Two thousand books. Look, the
community has been good to Malie Books and this was
our way of giving back to the community. So we
gave away two thousand books at the Winter Wonderland at
the ball and Hills Crenshaw Posta and that felt good
because books are life changing, change your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Change your life now.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
We also in September then an event called Back to
Schools that was organized by It's Bigger than Us and
we partner with them to also raise enough funds to
give away two thousand books at that event. It's moments
like that and activations like this that we feel so
(05:51):
great about the movement that we're creating. That's right because
if you want something lasting, it got to be a movement.
And we are about life changing and using books that
you do that one book at a time.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Now, I've said this many times.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I'm a book activist and this is how I activate
in my community and advocate for my community by giving
books to our community. I've been a book active since
nineteen ninety and I love.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
What I do and I do it with a passion.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We've hosted book events and book signings and meeting Greeks,
seminars and workshops at Malik Books. We featured Cedric the
Entertainer and we took over the Westfville Cove City Mall. Boy,
oh boy, the whole mall was like, man, what's popping
at Malik Books. Well, the people came out and showed up.
When Cedric came to the neighborhood, Cedric the Entertainer meeting
(06:51):
Greek book signing at Malik Books was an extraordinary event.
The community showed up. He loved it, he thanked us.
And let me tell you, we can roll that over
to the two events we did during the Pan African
Film Festival. We hosted the Black Hollywood event, which we
brought in Corella Augustus and few of the featured actors
(07:15):
in an actress's his book called Black Hollywood Reimagining Iconic
Hollywood Movies. We also did another event in conjunction with
the Pan African Film FEA with Evany K. Williams who
wrote the book Better on Black, so we featured her
at Corella Augustus. We did an explosive two events doing
(07:38):
the Pan African FILMFIRS at the Ball in Hills, Crenshaw, Maul.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
That was extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Now, now let me tell you about this event that
we partnered with b Shop, which is part of the
LA Unified Ski School District. But b shop means Black
Scholars Achievement Plan, all right. This is an initiative to
make sure that underserved children and n la UNSD is
served with certain resources such as books. So we partnered
(08:06):
with B side and they created an event called the
b SET Family Reunion.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
This event featured Omar Epps.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
So what happened is b SET partnered with Malee Books
and sponsor six hundred books.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Did you hear me?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Six hundred books of Omar new book Nubia The Awakening
and Nubia The Reconing. So six hundred books Omar Epps
signed and they gave away these books to the community.
So that was a wonderful, wonderful event and experience, and
(08:45):
we blessed the community and Omar coming out to be present,
be available for our community was extraordinary. Some of the
other book fairs that we hosted was at Lamert Park
element Mentory, Frank d Parent forty second Street, Open Magnet
Charter School, and let me tell you if we did
(09:07):
many more, and these book fairs were extraordinary. We entertained,
we play our theme song, and it just was a
festive event where the kids come out, we talked to
them in the auditorium, We break out the bookmobile, We
spread out the wealth of books. And it means so
much when you see some of these kids, light bulbs
(09:27):
cut on and the excitement of this in them, and
even when the parents come pick up the school and
they see the bookmobile and the love and the gratitude
and the appreciation for us being on the ground we
brought in. We brought out Reverend Ruthless with.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
The Golden Toothless. He came and entertained the kids.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
He was extraordinary, magnetic and we greatly appreciate the love
him and his family gave two Eligue books. It was
extraordinary when we put on these book fairs, to see
the joy and the happiness and the laughter and me,
he's getting there. A lot of these kids, many of
them don't like to read. So we there to try
to create excitement and energy and fun for the kids
(10:09):
to appreciate and love.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
To read, read to achieve. Readers are leaders, and leaders
are readers.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
So when we bring out that book with Bill and
we put on and host a book fair, it's to
bring joy and happiness to the gift of reading to
our youth and our young and our students.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
But let me.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Tell you this, because what made some of these book
fast soul, strut, earth and awesome and incredible is we
partner with the Piskey Media and Black Infinity Group and
gave away twenty thousand dollars in two twenty three work
(10:55):
for books to underserve schools in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Let me say that again.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
We partner with Pinskey Media and Black Infinity Group and
gave away twenty thousand dollars in books to our students
and youth and underserved schools in Los Angeles. Then you
know that got to make you feel good that got
to make you feel like you're making a I'm a
book active and I'm so grateful that people see my
(11:26):
mission and help and aid me in doing these extraordinary things.
And if you listening to this podcast, help us. We
can use as much capital and funds as possible. Help
us to give our books in our community. Help us
to make these extraordinary book festivals. Help us to go
(11:46):
to these schools and bring books and help our next
generation love to read because readers are leaders and we
got to help them to see the importance and the
appreciation for reading books. Let me say this, books is
the gift that keeps on giving. And our children are
(12:06):
one hundred percent of our future.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Without that generation, we got no future.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So we got to invest in our youth and our
young and our students so that they can become the
next generation of game changes.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
So help Elik Books. Get in touch with me Elik Books.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Three two three five one three five three five eight.
That's my number direct if you want to call, and
you can also send me an email at Malite at
melitebooks dot com. That's right, Malite A l i k
at malikbooks dot com.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Help us to help others. We all grow together, more together.
Let's give together. Help us.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We can't continue just to use our capital in order
to serve this need.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
We need others to help us so we can do more.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
If you close your hand and your fingers you make
a fist.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
It becomes stronger.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
So you see, when you open your hand and everything
is separate, you can do. Your strength is less put together.
If we close the fist, we can accomplish more. So
help us. We gotta go fund me. We gotta go
fund me on go fund me under milig Books. You
can go there and donate money, but help us, don't.
We need your health to continue to help the next generation.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
And that's a call to action.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
We need your help and I'm not ashamed or afraid
to act.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
We need your help, So help us now.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I'm honored. I was honored last year. I was immensely
honored last year. One of the biggest highlights was that
we were selected to be a special seller at the
La Times Book Festival in twenty twenty three. We hosted
all the books at the children Pavilion.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
We being the special seller, got a chance to meet
some prolific and extraordinary authors and it's an amazing undertaking,
don't get me wrong, And it requires a lot of
volunteers and a lot of work, and.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
It's back breaking. It ain't easy.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
But we were honored and we're gonna be that again
in twenty twenty four, the special seller at the La
Times Festival Books coming up in April.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
We're gonna be the special seller again in twenty twenty four.
But listen, that was an honor.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
It was extraordinary, and we felt like instead of just
bending there and having our book, which we are, we're
gonna have the big ten and the bookmobile.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
We're gonna we got.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
A twenty by twenty and the book mobile gonna be
out there in twenty twenty four, just like it was
out there in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
We're gonna break it on out.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
We're gonna have a wealth of books to inspire the
next generation of change.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
We got books for adults too, so come on through,
all right. So we're gonna.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Have the big wheels, the big guns. It's going down
this year twenty twenty four. But I'll tell you this,
last year, I was honored. It was our first time
ever being special seller. We've always been over the years
at the La Time but this time, you know, we
was an official bookseller for the children Pavilion and we're
honored to be that again in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
So hey, y'all come on out. But that rate there
was huge for us.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
That was big for us because that's a month myself undertaking,
and we did it and we did it, and we
did it and people enjoyed how we rant it, operated
it and it was a wonderful experience. And I just want,
you know, you gotta come on out. It's a great event.
It's a great book festival. And twenty twenty four on
(15:51):
that right, but that was abuge, that was big and
I was an honor and so you know, a lot
of this was the highs of last year from Elise bookshelf,
from Elite Books. But on another note, you know, everything
ain't always up. Sometimes things are down. And some of
(16:12):
the things that were very I guess disappointing was you know,
their counting me had affected a lot of businesses, not
just Malite Books. Some businesses probably made the biggest profits
they ever made, but many didn't. And twenty twenty three,
(16:33):
you know, people had to decide whether or not they
wanted you.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Know, gas or book. You know, when them gas prices
started shooting up, people got to decide.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
When food prices started shooting up, these affecting certain goods
and products, right, So to me, it affected ourselves because
people don't have the same disposable income.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
People using their credits to live on. I'm saying not everybody,
but a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
And all I'm saying is, I've talked to a lot
of retailers in our locations and their sales was down,
you know, and we can't wait to December in order
to increase ourselves. We can't wait to December for to
go out with a bang for the year just because
of the holidays. You know, it matters the other leven
(17:25):
months as well. And throughout the year we saw a
down trend. We saw a down trend in seals. It
didn't stop us from giving our books. It didn't stop
us from trying to raise money to give our bull
it didn't stopped us from our core mission. What I'm saying,
it didn't stop us from doing the work to still
(17:48):
make a change. And the difference despite ourselves being down,
you see.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
So you know that's a.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You know, that was a downturn for only twenty.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Three to see.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Sales decreasing the way that they did, and it wasn't
a small percentage did to decrease.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
And like I said, people have to decide book gas.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Gas, book food, book book food, you know, because the
data ones making out like a bandit to making more
money than ever. The food industry as well as the
oil industry, they you know, and oil is affecting everything
else because that's how products are transmitted through trucking and
shipping and so and when that started going up, everything
(18:33):
else is going you know. So the inflation and recession
and it kind of it affected our business, affected many
of them.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
But so that was.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
A you know, a downturn, and that was something that
is a downward aspect of twenty twenty three that.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know, in the year and review. I did a
lot of episodes last year.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Listen, I'm almost at a hundred, and this year I'm
going to hit a hundred. I'm on here, I'm going
to hit that one hundred, you know, this year, I
think I'm in the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
High eighty eight. I really don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
As I'm taping this podcast, I don't even know what eversdone,
but I think it's eighty eight. I think I'm not sure.
Don't quote me on it, but anyway, I'm going to
bust through one hundred this year.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
You got it.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
But I'm still talking about twenty twenty three and the lowest,
I mean, the lowest point of my twenty twenty three
happened to me personally.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And I lost my mother.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
In twenty twenty in June of twenty twenty three, and
I've done a podcast on that. I opened up and
i shared with my audience, you know, my thoughts about death,
about life, about my mom. And that was a painful
(19:55):
time for me, and it's still a painful time for me,
you know, losing your mom. Now, that relationship with mom. Now,
I know everybody got a relationship with their mom. I
think most people do. But I had a great relationship
with my mom. I loved my mom. You know, she's
my first teacher. She taught me how to walk, taught
(20:17):
me how to read, she taught me love, kindness. She
taught me about the meaning of caring and embracing family.
I loved the vacations we went on. I loved the
special moments we had with our birthdays. I've loved, you know,
(20:42):
the closeness and tightness we had growing up as a family,
and wasn't a big family, but we had a loving family.
You know, I grew up going to the church. I
grew up, you know, I remember those days. Look, if
you ain't go to church, we couldn't even go outside
(21:03):
and play. You know it is you know what I
got out of that. What I got out of that
is that as a parent, you have to make commitments
and you have to teach the next generation, particularly your children,
that if you if you desire certain things in life, then.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
You have to do other things to get those things. Meaning.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
So when when when my mom thought that church was
a way to teach us to love God and to
love others, and to teach us.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Certain values and principles.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
And she felt that if it was mandatory that we
go to school, then it should be mandatory that we
go to church. So, hey, we had to go to
church otherwise, she led. She she told straight up.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Look, you don't go to church because you used to
get a certain name.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I don't want to go Okay, well then you want
to go bad and go outside. And in my day, hey,
we all played outside, All the kids knew each other,
we all had fun outside, so we look forward to
those movement. Nowadays, people don't even go outside, don't even
know na I was at a restaurant having a meal
with my wife the other day and look about fire
houses down where I live. Is a neighbor been here
(22:25):
probably for twenty years too. Guess what, didn't even know
because he had kids the same age as our kids.
Kids don't we ate, We don't know the neighbors, We
don't know the kids. You know, it's crazy, but hey,
I know we ain't know any ones like that. A
lot of people like that. It's like, man, but you know,
we gotta do better. We gotta do better because that's
you know, you should know thy neighbor. You know, know
(22:47):
thy neighbor, and the kids should know each other and play.
But when I grew up, we all knew the neighborhood.
We all knew everybody, We all knew the kids, we
all knew the parents. And believe me, you know, they
tight you up just like your parents tighten up when
I was growing up, Like you know, you out there
doing sit not against what that neighbor gonna tighten you
up too.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
So but anyway, my mom was just special man.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
And the vacations that we went on, man, was extraordinary,
and it taught me the importance of vacation and going
away with family.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
And we went a lot of places together.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
During the summer and just had a wonderful time all together.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
And I just have so.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Many fond memories of a mom and just losing her,
you know, was devastating, and I really, you know, was
in a in a in a in a funky space,
you know what I'm saying. But you know, here's the
thing is that I have to realize that what don't
care you make you stronger.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
You know, things are meant to be the way they are.
You're supposed to outlive your parents.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
You're supposed to be there and available when they pass away.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You're supposed to it.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Will always happen that way, but in most cases, you
know it does. And here's the thing is that you're
you're supposed to witness death. That's the point that I'm
trying to really make here.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And and you're.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Supposed to witness the death of something that you really
love and that you really enjoy, and that this all
and that all is left is just memories. You're supposed
to go through through that cycle. What I'm saying, and
you have to embrace that cycle. And if you don't,
because there are a lot of people who never handle
(24:39):
death properly and they wind up homeless, on drugs, you know,
all kinds of things that happen in life, all because
they didn't process that grief and that and that disappointment
and that lost properly.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
So you've got to process.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
This right because it's meant to go through this, but
not all of us are able to deal with it
effectively and EFFICI league and able to get pass it.
But the only thing that I know is time subtlers
all argument. No matter how I feel, it's only through
time am I able to really get with it. I
always tell people, Man, when you going through that, man
(25:13):
get the work, find something you love to do and
stick with it. And so that keeps your mind off
of whatever it is that's bringing that hurt and that
grief and that thing. But the reality of the irony
not a reality, because it's reality too, but it's irony too.
Five months later, five months later, in de summer, late
(25:37):
de summer, I lost my big Suss.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Let me say that again.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Five months later, I lost my big Suss, and it
felt like her loss felt like a band aid for
the loss.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Of my mom was ripped off.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Now I'm grieving off all over again. Now I'm charged
with the task of now burying my sister. I got
to go at the beginning of juant She passed away
at the end of December, but I had all kinds
of things going on with the stores and the holidays,
so I had to make arrangements during this time to
(26:21):
have the service in the first week of January sixth,
that Saturday, so I had to go back to DC,
Maryland to bury my big sister. I had to host
the service at her the church that she was a
member of.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
It was a wonderful service. But in twenty twenty three,
I lost my mom. Then I lost my sister.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And before I lost my sister, in November, I lost
my high school coach, whom was instrumental in putting me
on my road to where I'm at in California, l
helping me to get a scholarship to USC making me
(27:12):
number one in the country in the hundred meters in
track and field.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
That's who I lost. Also in twenty thirty three, my
high school coach who I loved, who.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Impact my life, my career, my l passion, my love
for track and field. I lost them in November, I
went back to his funeral, and then in December, late
December lost my sister, Big sus, whom was my protector
(27:56):
for many years in elementary when I was bullied, when
I was ridiculed for whatever reason, my big sister came
to my defense. She didn't start bullying them. She was
(28:17):
a fighter, She had a strong personality. She was my protector.
She helped me to get strong alone as well as
well as my dad. She helped me to understand you
gotta fight back sometime. She helped me to while I'm
in school being picked on and bullied. She helped me
(28:38):
stand strong, stand on my two feet, defend myself. My
Big suss I'm gonna miss her, ooh, I'm gonna miss her.
But these are the things that have happened in my
life in twenty twenty three, and this is one of
(28:59):
the reasons why I my podcast was a little delayed
because of my grieving and all the circumstances that I
was dealing with. I had to step back for a
little bit to gather myself, gather my thoughts, deal with
these issues. Bury, my sister. But hey, these are my tasks,
(29:29):
these are my trials, and this is my opportunity to
see who and what I am and how I.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Deal with this. What don't care? You make it stronger?
I said that earlier.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
How I'm feeling. I'm grateful. I'm thankful because in the
midst of all the darkness and all the things that
might go straight, there's a tomorrow. There is joy, there
is happiness, there's laughter in the midst of all that. Hey,
(30:04):
there's a time for everything. It's a time for warts,
the time for peace. It's time to cry, it's time
to laugh. That's all life is a heartbeat. But at
the end, even though these matters happen, I got to
be grateful. Man, Hey, that could have been me too,
(30:26):
or you know, I got to be grateful for what
I have and what I don't have, because sometimes the
thing we don't have is what's saving our lives. The
things that you want and pray for might the very
thing to kill you take you out. So just be
still and look at what you do have and be
(30:47):
grateful because there's always rain, but there's always sunshine. Find
that sunshine, search for that rainbow at the end, all right,
It's just you know, part of life.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
We we gotta grow from all the.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Circumstances that we have to deal with. So I had
two big guns, pass away mother and big sus in
twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
So I I, you.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Know, I'm thankful that it's over and I'm in twenty
twenty four. But that was that that that came with
some pain, that came with some sorrow, that came with
some sadness. And you know, any I could be feeling good,
I could be feeling radiant, I could be feeling energetic
and passionate or what have you, and just full of joy,
(31:40):
and it might be one word or something I saw,
and it can just change your mood, change your feelings
right there on the dime. And that's just what I
got to deal with, what you got to deal with.
But life is good, Life is magnificent, Life is extraordinary.
(32:04):
So enjoy every moment and every time because none of
us promised tomorrow. So give thanks every day for having life,
for having what you have, and be grateful. Thank you
for listening to this podcast. You're in Review twenty twenty three.
Thanks for listening to Malak's Bookshelf where topics on the
(32:26):
shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Malak Books. See you next time.
My League Buns has holl the knowledge you want. My
league bus has how.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
The knowledge you need. My League Bus.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Yet they have out the books.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That the whole wild World one of thread League books. Welcome, Welcome,
Welcome to Mlak's Bookshelf, bringing a world together with books.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Culture and community.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hi, my name is Malik, your host of Malik's Bookschef.
We're going into twenty twenty four, but before I go
into twenty twenty four, I got to talk about twenty
and twenty three, so stay tuned.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
For this episode.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Year in Review twenty and twenty three. Happy, Happy New Year.
WHOA we got through twenty twenty three. Now we own
the twenty twenty four. But before I can go into
twenty twenty four, I got to recap twenty twenty three
(00:57):
Malik's Bookshef Year in Review because we had an extraordinary year.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
We had a lot going on, and not only malik.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Books and my podcast, but also in my own personal life.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
So I gotta recap.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
I gotta do a review because it was an extraordinary
year of some highs and some lows, but we had
some great times, we had some wonderful times. We had
some big players that came through Malik Books, and I
was able to do podcasts on them. CEC The Entertainer,
(01:39):
Omar Epps, Ericle sile Renee Watson, Everide Williams, Deborah Lee
and Marie nick Stone, Leslie Odom Junior, Max Greenfield, Kwame, Alexander,
super Nova, Slum and the Ultimate Queen of Four all
(01:59):
did podcasts with Meet twenty twenty three, and that's you.
These are icons, big names, big followers, movies and shakers.
These people have touched the lives of so many people
in so many different ways. But Malik had the opportunity
to feature them on Malik's Bookshelf and that was extraordinary.
(02:22):
And it's more to come going into twenty twenty four.
But I had to highlight some my top interviews on
my podcasts. These interviews are still available. That's the beauty
about the podcast is that these featured interviews are still
available for your listening on all platforms you listen to
(02:44):
your podcasts, so ain peep it out because they some excellent,
extraordinary interviews with extraordinary people.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
But last year twenty twenty three.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Malik, it's all about community, you know, I say, Malik's
Bookshelf bringing a world together with books culture and community.
Our community outreach last year was incredible. I mean, we
did so many activations and events and I need to
just talk to you about some of those highlights. We
(03:21):
organized a Juneteenth event at the Westfield Clova City Mall,
had dancers, Josoboso to clown music and so much more.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
But the title of that event was Freedom to Read
and Write Celebration.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So we embraced the fact that we could read today
and we could write today because there was a time
in America.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
That we wasn't allowed.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
It was against the law, and you were stone to death,
killed to death, shot to death, beat to death just
from reading and writing, you know. So hey, that's a
legacy and part of American history. So we wanted to
celebrate the fact that we got the free them today.
And let me tell you something, anything you want to find,
you can find in a book. So we gave a
celebration to encourage writing, to encourage reading, because if you
(04:10):
want to elevate in this world, it's going to require
some reading, let me tell you that, and some writing.
Well anyway, because we organize panels where you know, people
who have a story and a history that they want
to talk to the people about put it in the
book for them.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
So we had publishers black publishers.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Who talked about their contribution to help expire writers to
write their story and write their book.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
We also organized this event in partnership.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
With the It was called the Park Book Fair, and
we partnered with them and brought Omar Epps Earthless Sound.
There was two headliners and it was an extraordinary event.
We also participated in an event called Winter Wonderland.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
And we gave away two thousand books.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
That's right to the community. Two thousand books. Look, the
community has been good to Malie Books and this was
our way of giving back to the community. So we
gave away two thousand books at the Winter Wonderland at
the ball and Hills Crenshaw Posta and that felt good
because books are life changing, change your thoughts.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
Change your life now.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
We also in September then an event called Back to
Schools that was organized by It's Bigger than Us and
we partner with them to also raise enough funds to
give away two thousand books at that event. It's moments
like that and activations like this that we feel so
(05:51):
great about the movement that we're creating. That's right because
if you want something lasting, it got to be a movement.
And we are about life changing and using books that
you do that one book at a time.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Now, I've said this many times.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I'm a book activist and this is how I activate
in my community and advocate for my community by giving
books to our community. I've been a book active since
nineteen ninety and I love.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
What I do and I do it with a passion.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
We've hosted book events and book signings and meeting Greeks,
seminars and workshops at Malik Books. We featured Cedric the
Entertainer and we took over the Westfville Cove City Mall. Boy,
oh boy, the whole mall was like, man, what's popping
at Malik Books. Well, the people came out and showed up.
When Cedric came to the neighborhood, Cedric the Entertainer meeting
(06:51):
Greek book signing at Malik Books was an extraordinary event.
The community showed up. He loved it, he thanked us.
And let me tell you, we can roll that over
to the two events we did during the Pan African
Film Festival. We hosted the Black Hollywood event, which we
brought in Corella Augustus and few of the featured actors
(07:15):
in an actress's his book called Black Hollywood Reimagining Iconic
Hollywood Movies. We also did another event in conjunction with
the Pan African Film FEA with Evany K. Williams who
wrote the book Better on Black, so we featured her
at Corella Augustus. We did an explosive two events doing
(07:38):
the Pan African FILMFIRS at the Ball in Hills, Crenshaw, Maul.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
That was extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Now, now let me tell you about this event that
we partnered with b Shop, which is part of the
LA Unified Ski School District. But b shop means Black
Scholars Achievement Plan, all right. This is an initiative to
make sure that underserved children and n la UNSD is
served with certain resources such as books. So we partnered
(08:06):
with B side and they created an event called the
b SET Family Reunion.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
This event featured Omar Epps.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
So what happened is b SET partnered with Malee Books
and sponsor six hundred books.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Did you hear me?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Six hundred books of Omar new book Nubia The Awakening
and Nubia The Reconing. So six hundred books Omar Epps
signed and they gave away these books to the community.
So that was a wonderful, wonderful event and experience, and
(08:45):
we blessed the community and Omar coming out to be present,
be available for our community was extraordinary. Some of the
other book fairs that we hosted was at Lamert Park
element Mentory, Frank d Parent forty second Street, Open Magnet
Charter School, and let me tell you if we did
(09:07):
many more, and these book fairs were extraordinary. We entertained,
we play our theme song, and it just was a
festive event where the kids come out, we talked to
them in the auditorium, We break out the bookmobile, We
spread out the wealth of books. And it means so
much when you see some of these kids, light bulbs
(09:27):
cut on and the excitement of this in them, and
even when the parents come pick up the school and
they see the bookmobile and the love and the gratitude
and the appreciation for us being on the ground we
brought in. We brought out Reverend Ruthless with.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
The Golden Toothless. He came and entertained the kids.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
He was extraordinary, magnetic and we greatly appreciate the love
him and his family gave two Eligue books. It was
extraordinary when we put on these book fairs, to see
the joy and the happiness and the laughter and me,
he's getting there. A lot of these kids, many of
them don't like to read. So we there to try
to create excitement and energy and fun for the kids
(10:09):
to appreciate and love.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
To read, read to achieve. Readers are leaders, and leaders
are readers.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
So when we bring out that book with Bill and
we put on and host a book fair, it's to
bring joy and happiness to the gift of reading to
our youth and our young and our students.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
But let me.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Tell you this, because what made some of these book
fast soul, strut, earth and awesome and incredible is we
partner with the Piskey Media and Black Infinity Group and
gave away twenty thousand dollars in two twenty three work
(10:55):
for books to underserve schools in Los Angeles.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Let me say that again.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
We partner with Pinskey Media and Black Infinity Group and
gave away twenty thousand dollars in books to our students
and youth and underserved schools in Los Angeles. Then you
know that got to make you feel good that got
to make you feel like you're making a I'm a
book active and I'm so grateful that people see my
(11:26):
mission and help and aid me in doing these extraordinary things.
And if you listening to this podcast, help us. We
can use as much capital and funds as possible. Help
us to give our books in our community. Help us
to make these extraordinary book festivals. Help us to go
(11:46):
to these schools and bring books and help our next
generation love to read because readers are leaders and we
got to help them to see the importance and the
appreciation for reading books. Let me say this, books is
the gift that keeps on giving. And our children are
(12:06):
one hundred percent of our future.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Without that generation, we got no future.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
So we got to invest in our youth and our
young and our students so that they can become the
next generation of game changes.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
So help Elik Books. Get in touch with me Elik Books.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Three two three five one three five three five eight.
That's my number direct if you want to call, and
you can also send me an email at Malite at
melitebooks dot com. That's right, Malite A l i k
at malikbooks dot com.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Help us to help others. We all grow together, more together.
Let's give together. Help us.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We can't continue just to use our capital in order
to serve this need.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
We need others to help us so we can do more.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
If you close your hand and your fingers you make
a fist.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
It becomes stronger.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
So you see, when you open your hand and everything
is separate, you can do. Your strength is less put together.
If we close the fist, we can accomplish more. So
help us. We gotta go fund me. We gotta go
fund me on go fund me under milig Books. You
can go there and donate money, but help us, don't.
We need your health to continue to help the next generation.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
And that's a call to action.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
We need your help and I'm not ashamed or afraid
to act.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
We need your help, So help us now.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
I'm honored. I was honored last year. I was immensely
honored last year. One of the biggest highlights was that
we were selected to be a special seller at the
La Times Book Festival in twenty twenty three. We hosted
all the books at the children Pavilion.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Last year.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
We being the special seller, got a chance to meet
some prolific and extraordinary authors and it's an amazing undertaking,
don't get me wrong, And it requires a lot of
volunteers and a lot of work, and.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
It's back breaking. It ain't easy.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
But we were honored and we're gonna be that again
in twenty twenty four, the special seller at the La
Times Festival Books coming up in April.
Speaker 1 (14:27):
We're gonna be the special seller again in twenty twenty four.
But listen, that was an honor.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
It was extraordinary, and we felt like instead of just
bending there and having our book, which we are, we're
gonna have the big ten and the bookmobile.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
We're gonna we got.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
A twenty by twenty and the book mobile gonna be
out there in twenty twenty four, just like it was
out there in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
We're gonna break it on out.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
We're gonna have a wealth of books to inspire the
next generation of change.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
We got books for adults too, so come on through,
all right. So we're gonna.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Have the big wheels, the big guns. It's going down
this year twenty twenty four. But I'll tell you this,
last year, I was honored. It was our first time
ever being special seller. We've always been over the years
at the La Time but this time, you know, we
was an official bookseller for the children Pavilion and we're
honored to be that again in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
So hey, y'all come on out. But that rate there
was huge for us.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
That was big for us because that's a month myself undertaking,
and we did it and we did it, and we
did it and people enjoyed how we rant it, operated
it and it was a wonderful experience. And I just want,
you know, you gotta come on out. It's a great event.
It's a great book festival. And twenty twenty four on
(15:51):
that right, but that was abuge, that was big and
I was an honor and so you know, a lot
of this was the highs of last year from Elise bookshelf,
from Elite Books. But on another note, you know, everything
ain't always up. Sometimes things are down. And some of
(16:12):
the things that were very I guess disappointing was you know,
their counting me had affected a lot of businesses, not
just Malite Books. Some businesses probably made the biggest profits
they ever made, but many didn't. And twenty twenty three,
(16:33):
you know, people had to decide whether or not they
wanted you.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Know, gas or book. You know, when them gas prices
started shooting up, people got to decide.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
When food prices started shooting up, these affecting certain goods
and products, right, So to me, it affected ourselves because
people don't have the same disposable income.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
People using their credits to live on. I'm saying not everybody,
but a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
And all I'm saying is, I've talked to a lot
of retailers in our locations and their sales was down,
you know, and we can't wait to December in order
to increase ourselves. We can't wait to December for to
go out with a bang for the year just because
of the holidays. You know, it matters the other leven
(17:25):
months as well. And throughout the year we saw a
down trend. We saw a down trend in seals. It
didn't stop us from giving our books. It didn't stop
us from trying to raise money to give our bull
it didn't stopped us from our core mission. What I'm saying,
it didn't stop us from doing the work to still
(17:48):
make a change. And the difference despite ourselves being down,
you see.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
So you know that's a.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You know, that was a downturn for only twenty.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Three to see.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Sales decreasing the way that they did, and it wasn't
a small percentage did to decrease.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
And like I said, people have to decide book gas.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
Gas, book food, book book food, you know, because the
data ones making out like a bandit to making more
money than ever. The food industry as well as the
oil industry, they you know, and oil is affecting everything
else because that's how products are transmitted through trucking and
shipping and so and when that started going up, everything
(18:33):
else is going you know. So the inflation and recession
and it kind of it affected our business, affected many
of them.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
But so that was.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
A you know, a downturn, and that was something that
is a downward aspect of twenty twenty three that.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know, in the year and review. I did a
lot of episodes last year.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Listen, I'm almost at a hundred, and this year I'm
going to hit a hundred. I'm on here, I'm going
to hit that one hundred, you know, this year, I
think I'm in the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
High eighty eight. I really don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
As I'm taping this podcast, I don't even know what eversdone,
but I think it's eighty eight. I think I'm not sure.
Don't quote me on it, but anyway, I'm going to
bust through one hundred this year.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
You got it.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
But I'm still talking about twenty twenty three and the lowest,
I mean, the lowest point of my twenty twenty three
happened to me personally.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
And I lost my mother.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
In twenty twenty in June of twenty twenty three, and
I've done a podcast on that. I opened up and
i shared with my audience, you know, my thoughts about death,
about life, about my mom. And that was a painful
(19:55):
time for me, and it's still a painful time for me,
you know, losing your mom. Now, that relationship with mom. Now,
I know everybody got a relationship with their mom. I
think most people do. But I had a great relationship
with my mom. I loved my mom. You know, she's
my first teacher. She taught me how to walk, taught
(20:17):
me how to read, she taught me love, kindness. She
taught me about the meaning of caring and embracing family.
I loved the vacations we went on. I loved the
special moments we had with our birthdays. I've loved, you know,
(20:42):
the closeness and tightness we had growing up as a family,
and wasn't a big family, but we had a loving family.
You know, I grew up going to the church. I
grew up, you know, I remember those days. Look, if
you ain't go to church, we couldn't even go outside
(21:03):
and play. You know it is you know what I
got out of that. What I got out of that
is that as a parent, you have to make commitments
and you have to teach the next generation, particularly your children,
that if you if you desire certain things in life, then.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
You have to do other things to get those things. Meaning.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
So when when when my mom thought that church was
a way to teach us to love God and to
love others, and to teach us.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Certain values and principles.
Speaker 2 (21:49):
And she felt that if it was mandatory that we
go to school, then it should be mandatory that we
go to church. So, hey, we had to go to
church otherwise, she led. She she told straight up.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Look, you don't go to church because you used to
get a certain name.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
I don't want to go Okay, well then you want
to go bad and go outside. And in my day, hey,
we all played outside, All the kids knew each other,
we all had fun outside, so we look forward to
those movement. Nowadays, people don't even go outside, don't even
know na I was at a restaurant having a meal
with my wife the other day and look about fire
houses down where I live. Is a neighbor been here
(22:25):
probably for twenty years too. Guess what, didn't even know
because he had kids the same age as our kids.
Kids don't we ate, We don't know the neighbors, We
don't know the kids. You know, it's crazy, but hey,
I know we ain't know any ones like that. A
lot of people like that. It's like, man, but you know,
we gotta do better. We gotta do better because that's
you know, you should know thy neighbor. You know, know
(22:47):
thy neighbor, and the kids should know each other and play.
But when I grew up, we all knew the neighborhood.
We all knew everybody, We all knew the kids, we
all knew the parents. And believe me, you know, they
tight you up just like your parents tighten up when
I was growing up, Like you know, you out there
doing sit not against what that neighbor gonna tighten you
up too.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
So but anyway, my mom was just special man.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
And the vacations that we went on, man, was extraordinary,
and it taught me the importance of vacation and going
away with family.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
And we went a lot of places together.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
During the summer and just had a wonderful time all together.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
And I just have so.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Many fond memories of a mom and just losing her,
you know, was devastating, and I really, you know, was
in a in a in a in a funky space,
you know what I'm saying. But you know, here's the
thing is that I have to realize that what don't
care you make you stronger.
Speaker 1 (23:52):
You know, things are meant to be the way they are.
You're supposed to outlive your parents.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
You're supposed to be there and available when they pass away.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You're supposed to it.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Will always happen that way, but in most cases, you
know it does. And here's the thing is that you're
you're supposed to witness death. That's the point that I'm
trying to really make here.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And and you're.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Supposed to witness the death of something that you really
love and that you really enjoy, and that this all
and that all is left is just memories. You're supposed
to go through through that cycle. What I'm saying, and
you have to embrace that cycle. And if you don't,
because there are a lot of people who never handle
(24:39):
death properly and they wind up homeless, on drugs, you know,
all kinds of things that happen in life, all because
they didn't process that grief and that and that disappointment
and that lost properly.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
So you've got to process.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
This right because it's meant to go through this, but
not all of us are able to deal with it
effectively and EFFICI league and able to get pass it.
But the only thing that I know is time subtlers
all argument. No matter how I feel, it's only through
time am I able to really get with it. I
always tell people, Man, when you going through that, man
(25:13):
get the work, find something you love to do and
stick with it. And so that keeps your mind off
of whatever it is that's bringing that hurt and that
grief and that thing. But the reality of the irony
not a reality, because it's reality too, but it's irony too.
Five months later, five months later, in de summer, late
(25:37):
de summer, I lost my big Suss.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Let me say that again.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
Five months later, I lost my big Suss, and it
felt like her loss felt like a band aid for
the loss.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Of my mom was ripped off.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Now I'm grieving off all over again. Now I'm charged
with the task of now burying my sister. I got
to go at the beginning of juant She passed away
at the end of December, but I had all kinds
of things going on with the stores and the holidays,
so I had to make arrangements during this time to
(26:21):
have the service in the first week of January sixth,
that Saturday, so I had to go back to DC,
Maryland to bury my big sister. I had to host
the service at her the church that she was a
member of.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
It was a wonderful service. But in twenty twenty three,
I lost my mom. Then I lost my sister.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And before I lost my sister, in November, I lost
my high school coach, whom was instrumental in putting me
on my road to where I'm at in California, l
helping me to get a scholarship to USC making me
(27:12):
number one in the country in the hundred meters in
track and field.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
That's who I lost. Also in twenty thirty three, my
high school coach who I loved, who.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
Impact my life, my career, my l passion, my love
for track and field. I lost them in November, I
went back to his funeral, and then in December, late
December lost my sister, Big sus, whom was my protector
(27:56):
for many years in elementary when I was bullied, when
I was ridiculed for whatever reason, my big sister came
to my defense. She didn't start bullying them. She was
(28:17):
a fighter, She had a strong personality. She was my protector.
She helped me to get strong alone as well as
well as my dad. She helped me to understand you
gotta fight back sometime. She helped me to while I'm
in school being picked on and bullied. She helped me
(28:38):
stand strong, stand on my two feet, defend myself. My
Big suss I'm gonna miss her, ooh, I'm gonna miss her.
But these are the things that have happened in my
life in twenty twenty three, and this is one of
(28:59):
the reasons why I my podcast was a little delayed
because of my grieving and all the circumstances that I
was dealing with. I had to step back for a
little bit to gather myself, gather my thoughts, deal with
these issues. Bury, my sister. But hey, these are my tasks,
(29:29):
these are my trials, and this is my opportunity to
see who and what I am and how I.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Deal with this. What don't care? You make it stronger?
I said that earlier.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
How I'm feeling. I'm grateful. I'm thankful because in the
midst of all the darkness and all the things that
might go straight, there's a tomorrow. There is joy, there
is happiness, there's laughter in the midst of all that. Hey,
(30:04):
there's a time for everything. It's a time for warts,
the time for peace. It's time to cry, it's time
to laugh. That's all life is a heartbeat. But at
the end, even though these matters happen, I got to
be grateful. Man, Hey, that could have been me too,
(30:26):
or you know, I got to be grateful for what
I have and what I don't have, because sometimes the
thing we don't have is what's saving our lives. The
things that you want and pray for might the very
thing to kill you take you out. So just be
still and look at what you do have and be
(30:47):
grateful because there's always rain, but there's always sunshine. Find
that sunshine, search for that rainbow at the end, all right,
It's just you know, part of life.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
We we gotta grow from all the.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
Circumstances that we have to deal with. So I had
two big guns, pass away mother and big sus in
twenty twenty three.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
So I I, you.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Know, I'm thankful that it's over and I'm in twenty
twenty four. But that was that that that came with
some pain, that came with some sorrow, that came with
some sadness. And you know, any I could be feeling good,
I could be feeling radiant, I could be feeling energetic
and passionate or what have you, and just full of joy,
(31:40):
and it might be one word or something I saw,
and it can just change your mood, change your feelings
right there on the dime. And that's just what I
got to deal with, what you got to deal with.
But life is good, Life is magnificent, Life is extraordinary.
(32:04):
So enjoy every moment and every time because none of
us promised tomorrow. So give thanks every day for having life,
for having what you have, and be grateful. Thank you
for listening to this podcast. You're in Review twenty twenty three.
Thanks for listening to Malak's Bookshelf where topics on the
(32:26):
shelf are books, culture, and community.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review. Check
out my Instagram at Malak Books. See you next time.
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