December 28, 2025 • 10 mins
Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks with award-winning children’s book author Alice Faye Duncan for her monthly feature VLS Journeys. Alice has two new books released in January 2026: BLUES BOY (The B.B. King Story) and THE DREAM BUILDER’S BLUEPRINT (Dr. King’s Message to Young People). The Dream Builder’s Blueprint centers on Martin Luther King Jr. and his powerful 1967 visit with Philadelphia students. Alice believes that books are gifts that create lifelong learners—and writing for children is her superpower. You can learn more about her work at http://www.alicefayeduncan.com.
The Dream Builder’s Blueprint highlights Dr. King’s appearance at Barratt Junior High School on October 26, 1967, where he delivered his iconic “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” speech. Speaking directly to students, Dr. King emphasized dignity, excellence, self-worth, and justice—messages that continue to resonate today. The speech is frequently revisited and commemorated for its timeless relevance, as noted by WHYY.
For her feature “What Is Philadelphia Reading,” Vanesse also speaks with Kevin Washington, a Philadelphia native who was a student at Barratt Junior High School and witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1967 speech firsthand. Kevin went on to become President and CEO of the YMCA of the USA, leading the nation’s largest nonprofit focused on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
Here is a link to Dr. King’s speech at Barratt Junior High School: [link here].
The Dream Builder’s Blueprint highlights Dr. King’s appearance at Barratt Junior High School on October 26, 1967, where he delivered his iconic “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” speech. Speaking directly to students, Dr. King emphasized dignity, excellence, self-worth, and justice—messages that continue to resonate today. The speech is frequently revisited and commemorated for its timeless relevance, as noted by WHYY.
For her feature “What Is Philadelphia Reading,” Vanesse also speaks with Kevin Washington, a Philadelphia native who was a student at Barratt Junior High School and witnessed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic 1967 speech firsthand. Kevin went on to become President and CEO of the YMCA of the USA, leading the nation’s largest nonprofit focused on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
Here is a link to Dr. King’s speech at Barratt Junior High School: [link here].
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, and welcome to Insight. I show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow, And as we do once
a month every month, we have the fantastic, the Fabulous,
the World Traveler Vness Lloyd's Gumbody. Glad to have you
back on these shores here in the United States of America,
because you were all over Europe, right.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I was in Europe for six weeks. I started in London. No,
actually I started in Paris, went to the Pyrenees, took
the train over to London. And I keep telling people
you better get your stuff together if you want to
go to Europe because now you have to get a
sort of like a visa to get into those countries.
And they're very strendent, so if you got a case,
(00:38):
you might not get in. Oh okay. And then I
went to bath and again all you bridgeton Fans is
a wonderful place to go. I went to Bristol because
that was where a lot of the slave traders, the
British slave traders, that's where they lived. Then it went
through Berlin. Don't go there on a Sunday because tkmax
is closed. The story is a close so on Sunday.
(01:00):
I kept saying that, and the people were like, but
we got great museums. I take the museums, but I
need a little shopping therapy.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Absolutely. Then I came went back to.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Paris, and then I finally landed in Rome and it
was glorious to be there for the jubilee. I'm working
on a piece about Pope Leo, the brother at the Vatican.
I like to call him, but I just want to
say happy new year to everyone. Twenty twenty five was
a difficult year for some, but it will get better.
All you got to do is put one foot out
(01:30):
the bed and you on. That's half the bed.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I love that attitude of twenty twenty six, great year
for us.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I hope, Oh it'll be good because you're a good person,
so why wouldn't it be good. Ah, blessings come your way.
But I got to give a shout out to my
daughter in law. I know you can use that word
now in your life. Imagine.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
I know it's awesome.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
My daughter in law, Tavia is Gumbati, who really holds
it down with my son Mikeli and my granddaughter Julianna.
I spent a week there, but it was cold, so
I said, I gotta go home.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I'm not staying in Florida. In the call who stays
in Florida? In the call?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
This morning, you know, Martin Luther King Day is coming up,
and we celebrated, and Alice Faye Duncan brought to life
a story not many people know about it, at least
I didn't know about it. One of the last speeches
Martin Luther King made to young people in the United States,
because you know, most of his speeches were made at
churches or two adults. Ironically, Alice Faye Duncan mentioned on
(02:30):
one of the people who could be my local contact
with Georgie Woods at WDAS Icon and apparently he did
this speech and if you listen to the speech, it
was sinned, chilled up and down your spine. She wrote
a picture book. She's going to be at the thirty
fourth Annual African American Children's Book Fair on Saturday, February
the seventh, from one to four pm. Gather the kids
(02:52):
in your neighborhoods. We got a lot of great authors
and illustrators. In fact, people are saying, you got that person,
you got this person. And hopefully later in the month
we'll be hearing more about the book Fair because you know,
Lorraine really knows how to do an interview. I'm just
an interviewee in training. One of the most magnificent personalities
in the children's book fair World is Alice Fae Duncan. So, Alice,
(03:16):
you're in Tennessee, right, Yes.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I am in the great city of Memphis, Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You got a lot of energy this morning. I'm just
if you can see her. We gotta do video in
twenty twenty six because you see the beautiful books and
the wonderful things that she has created. So tell us
this story. He was hearing nineteen sixty seven, and he
presented this speech at Barrett Junior High School. What made
you decide to do this story and how did you
(03:42):
find it.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I've been writing about Doctor King for thirty years, and
I was looking for some Doctor King history that had
been unexplored in the text books. I read a book
called The Radical King. It had all of his speeches,
and the Street Sweepers was one of those speeches where
he was specifically speaking to children, and I said, here
(04:06):
is the history that many young people do not know.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
The book is well researched and you found a number
of people who gone on to greatness. Kevin Washington, who's
from Philadelphia, and a lot of people might know the
name because he started he was a basketball player at Temple.
He also finished out his career as the president of
the YMCA, and he was in that auditorium that day.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yes, Kevin was like an I think he was a
ninth grader and I found him because I wanted to
get in contact with students who were present to hear
the impact of King's speech on their hearts and minds.
That day. I found Kevin. I looked him up through
the YMCA directory. I got in contact with his assistant.
(04:52):
His assistant connected me to Kevin. We interviewed, and he
was an inspiration to me for making sure that followed
through with writing the book.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Folks, if there's anyone out there who was in that
auditorium that day in October nineteen sixty seven, Barrett Junior
High School. He didn't go to a high school. He
went to a junior high school, which is significant because
those are kids that just trying to find their way
in life, let alone the tail end of trying to
find a job. The thing that was so profound and
(05:23):
The book is beautifully illustrated by Ebie Lewis, who's from Philadelphia.
You do these stories like Memphis Martin and the Mountaintop.
You do so many things that kind of tell the
history of black people through children's picture books. Why did
you pursue that avenue?
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I met Ethro Tonight, the great American poet ethro to
Night from Mississippi. I met him when I was in
the sixth grade and I was writing then, and when
I saw Ethro to Night and he told us.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
He told my sixth grade.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Class that he was writing poems and making a living.
And I knew then in sixth grade, if ethere Night,
this black dude, you know, with a scar on his face,
he survived the war, He's survived so many toils and troubles.
If he is now making poems, writing money, and I
loved writing poetry. I knew in sixth grade I am
going to write poems. And so that's the good thing
(06:14):
about the dream Builder's Blueprint. Doctor King's message to young people.
It is it's Doctor King's story in Philadelphia, but it's
told through a poem. And the poem is called a
found poem. A found poem is where you reduce the
words and a text. You reduce the words and a speech,
reduce the words in a novel down to their most
(06:38):
common denominator. To say something new, to say something important.
And so that's what I did with a Doctor King's speech.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Folks, after you listen to the rest of Lorraine's program,
I want you to go online and put doctor Martin
Luther King Junior Barrett Junior High School. It will resonate
with you and just rejuvenate you. I've played it so
many times. So, Alice, you're coming to Philly. We're excited
about that. Give us all your information about how to
(07:07):
find you.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
My name is Alice Faye Duncan. My website is Alice
Faye Duncan, and that's Faye with an E. And I'm
the author of The dream Builders Blueprint, which is doctor
King's message to young people. In that book, when he
was in Philadelphia, he told young people five things. He
told them. He said, plan for the future, he said,
celebrate yourself. He said, practice excellence, always seek justice. And
(07:32):
even when the times get hard and seem unbearable, Doctor
King told the children of Philadelphia, he said, keep moving.
So that's the book that I'm going to share when
I arrive in Philly. But also I have another new
book and it is called Blues Boy, the bb Kings Story.
It's going to be as inspiring as Doctor King.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well, you motivated me just sitting in his chair. I'm
gonna go out and do something.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
One.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'm not going to go shopping, folks, but at any ury,
because I do love the shop at any rate.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Thank you so much. I look forward to meeting you.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We've been trying to get her forever here in Philadelphia
and this is just really appropriate. Again, Alice Fay Duncan, Saturday,
February seventh at the thirty fourth Annual African American Children's
Book Fair at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. I look forward
to seeing all of you.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Thank you for the invitation, and I hope to see
everybody in Philadelphia. Zone.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
We've come to my favorite part of this segment and
have a very special guest today because we heard from
Alice Faye Duncan, and one of the junior high school
students at Barrett was there that day. His name is
Kevin Washington. He was at the YMCA in Philadelphia for
a number of years and his final stop in that
(08:53):
organization was as president CEO of YMCA of the United
States eight What a journey, What a journey.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
What did you feel that day as.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
A fourteen year old at the time, I felt joy,
I was amazed, and people were in this belief that
this this No Belt Peace Prize winner. To time out
of this busy day, come speak to kids at Barrett.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Well, let's get down to business, because we want to
know what you're reading. What book are you reading?
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Close and white Head, harllmand Shuffle, first book you read?
Speaker 6 (09:28):
Doctor Seus's probably best book you've read, Invisible Man, Ralph.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Allie, worst book you've read?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Can't think of what I try to avoid? You go
to author James Baldwin.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Buyer or borrower?
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Buyer?
Speaker 3 (09:40):
What books should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Autobiography of Malcolm.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
X, fiction or non fiction?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Folks, probably fiction?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
More you have a literary dinner named three people from
the literary community.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
You must have.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
James Baldwin, time the History Coats, Ralph Allison.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
If you wrote a book about your life, what would
be the title?
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Stay focused?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Thank you so much and you have obviously taken the
message and stayed focused, and we appreciate you taking time out.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Of your golf game.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
As always, folks, continue to read, buy a book, and
have a blessed day. And I will see you Saturday,
February the seventh at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from one
to four pm. For more information, go to the Africanamerican
Children's Book Project dot org.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And that was Vaness Lloyd's gumbody with VLS Journeys. We'll
have more insight after these messages.
Good morning, and welcome to Insight. I show about empowering
our community. I'm Lorraine Balladmorrow, And as we do once
a month every month, we have the fantastic, the Fabulous,
the World Traveler Vness Lloyd's Gumbody. Glad to have you
back on these shores here in the United States of America,
because you were all over Europe, right.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
I was in Europe for six weeks. I started in London. No,
actually I started in Paris, went to the Pyrenees, took
the train over to London. And I keep telling people
you better get your stuff together if you want to
go to Europe because now you have to get a
sort of like a visa to get into those countries.
And they're very strendent, so if you got a case,
(00:38):
you might not get in. Oh okay. And then I
went to bath and again all you bridgeton Fans is
a wonderful place to go. I went to Bristol because
that was where a lot of the slave traders, the
British slave traders, that's where they lived. Then it went
through Berlin. Don't go there on a Sunday because tkmax
is closed. The story is a close so on Sunday.
(01:00):
I kept saying that, and the people were like, but
we got great museums. I take the museums, but I
need a little shopping therapy.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Absolutely. Then I came went back to.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Paris, and then I finally landed in Rome and it
was glorious to be there for the jubilee. I'm working
on a piece about Pope Leo, the brother at the Vatican.
I like to call him, but I just want to
say happy new year to everyone. Twenty twenty five was
a difficult year for some, but it will get better.
All you got to do is put one foot out
(01:30):
the bed and you on. That's half the bed.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
I love that attitude of twenty twenty six, great year
for us.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
I hope, Oh it'll be good because you're a good person,
so why wouldn't it be good. Ah, blessings come your way.
But I got to give a shout out to my
daughter in law. I know you can use that word
now in your life. Imagine.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
I know it's awesome.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
My daughter in law, Tavia is Gumbati, who really holds
it down with my son Mikeli and my granddaughter Julianna.
I spent a week there, but it was cold, so
I said, I gotta go home.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I'm not staying in Florida. In the call who stays
in Florida? In the call?
Speaker 2 (02:07):
This morning, you know, Martin Luther King Day is coming up,
and we celebrated, and Alice Faye Duncan brought to life
a story not many people know about it, at least
I didn't know about it. One of the last speeches
Martin Luther King made to young people in the United States,
because you know, most of his speeches were made at
churches or two adults. Ironically, Alice Faye Duncan mentioned on
(02:30):
one of the people who could be my local contact
with Georgie Woods at WDAS Icon and apparently he did
this speech and if you listen to the speech, it
was sinned, chilled up and down your spine. She wrote
a picture book. She's going to be at the thirty
fourth Annual African American Children's Book Fair on Saturday, February
the seventh, from one to four pm. Gather the kids
(02:52):
in your neighborhoods. We got a lot of great authors
and illustrators. In fact, people are saying, you got that person,
you got this person. And hopefully later in the month
we'll be hearing more about the book Fair because you know,
Lorraine really knows how to do an interview. I'm just
an interviewee in training. One of the most magnificent personalities
in the children's book fair World is Alice Fae Duncan. So, Alice,
(03:16):
you're in Tennessee, right, Yes.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
I am in the great city of Memphis, Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You got a lot of energy this morning. I'm just
if you can see her. We gotta do video in
twenty twenty six because you see the beautiful books and
the wonderful things that she has created. So tell us
this story. He was hearing nineteen sixty seven, and he
presented this speech at Barrett Junior High School. What made
you decide to do this story and how did you
(03:42):
find it.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
I've been writing about Doctor King for thirty years, and
I was looking for some Doctor King history that had
been unexplored in the text books. I read a book
called The Radical King. It had all of his speeches,
and the Street Sweepers was one of those speeches where
he was specifically speaking to children, and I said, here
(04:06):
is the history that many young people do not know.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
The book is well researched and you found a number
of people who gone on to greatness. Kevin Washington, who's
from Philadelphia, and a lot of people might know the
name because he started he was a basketball player at Temple.
He also finished out his career as the president of
the YMCA, and he was in that auditorium that day.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yes, Kevin was like an I think he was a
ninth grader and I found him because I wanted to
get in contact with students who were present to hear
the impact of King's speech on their hearts and minds.
That day. I found Kevin. I looked him up through
the YMCA directory. I got in contact with his assistant.
(04:52):
His assistant connected me to Kevin. We interviewed, and he
was an inspiration to me for making sure that followed
through with writing the book.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Folks, if there's anyone out there who was in that
auditorium that day in October nineteen sixty seven, Barrett Junior
High School. He didn't go to a high school. He
went to a junior high school, which is significant because
those are kids that just trying to find their way
in life, let alone the tail end of trying to
find a job. The thing that was so profound and
(05:23):
The book is beautifully illustrated by Ebie Lewis, who's from Philadelphia.
You do these stories like Memphis Martin and the Mountaintop.
You do so many things that kind of tell the
history of black people through children's picture books. Why did
you pursue that avenue?
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I met Ethro Tonight, the great American poet ethro to
Night from Mississippi. I met him when I was in
the sixth grade and I was writing then, and when
I saw Ethro to Night and he told us.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
He told my sixth grade.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Class that he was writing poems and making a living.
And I knew then in sixth grade, if ethere Night,
this black dude, you know, with a scar on his face,
he survived the war, He's survived so many toils and troubles.
If he is now making poems, writing money, and I
loved writing poetry. I knew in sixth grade I am
going to write poems. And so that's the good thing
(06:14):
about the dream Builder's Blueprint. Doctor King's message to young people.
It is it's Doctor King's story in Philadelphia, but it's
told through a poem. And the poem is called a
found poem. A found poem is where you reduce the
words and a text. You reduce the words and a speech,
reduce the words in a novel down to their most
(06:38):
common denominator. To say something new, to say something important.
And so that's what I did with a Doctor King's speech.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Folks, after you listen to the rest of Lorraine's program,
I want you to go online and put doctor Martin
Luther King Junior Barrett Junior High School. It will resonate
with you and just rejuvenate you. I've played it so
many times. So, Alice, you're coming to Philly. We're excited
about that. Give us all your information about how to
(07:07):
find you.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
My name is Alice Faye Duncan. My website is Alice
Faye Duncan, and that's Faye with an E. And I'm
the author of The dream Builders Blueprint, which is doctor
King's message to young people. In that book, when he
was in Philadelphia, he told young people five things. He
told them. He said, plan for the future, he said,
celebrate yourself. He said, practice excellence, always seek justice. And
(07:32):
even when the times get hard and seem unbearable, Doctor
King told the children of Philadelphia, he said, keep moving.
So that's the book that I'm going to share when
I arrive in Philly. But also I have another new
book and it is called Blues Boy, the bb Kings Story.
It's going to be as inspiring as Doctor King.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Well, you motivated me just sitting in his chair. I'm
gonna go out and do something.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
One.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'm not going to go shopping, folks, but at any ury,
because I do love the shop at any rate.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Thank you so much. I look forward to meeting you.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We've been trying to get her forever here in Philadelphia
and this is just really appropriate. Again, Alice Fay Duncan, Saturday,
February seventh at the thirty fourth Annual African American Children's
Book Fair at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. I look forward
to seeing all of you.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Thank you for the invitation, and I hope to see
everybody in Philadelphia. Zone.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
We've come to my favorite part of this segment and
have a very special guest today because we heard from
Alice Faye Duncan, and one of the junior high school
students at Barrett was there that day. His name is
Kevin Washington. He was at the YMCA in Philadelphia for
a number of years and his final stop in that
(08:53):
organization was as president CEO of YMCA of the United
States eight What a journey, What a journey.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
What did you feel that day as.
Speaker 6 (09:04):
A fourteen year old at the time, I felt joy,
I was amazed, and people were in this belief that
this this No Belt Peace Prize winner. To time out
of this busy day, come speak to kids at Barrett.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Well, let's get down to business, because we want to
know what you're reading. What book are you reading?
Speaker 5 (09:25):
Close and white Head, harllmand Shuffle, first book you read?
Speaker 6 (09:28):
Doctor Seus's probably best book you've read, Invisible Man, Ralph.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Allie, worst book you've read?
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Can't think of what I try to avoid? You go
to author James Baldwin.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Buyer or borrower?
Speaker 5 (09:39):
Buyer?
Speaker 3 (09:40):
What books should everyone have in their library?
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Autobiography of Malcolm.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
X, fiction or non fiction?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
Folks, probably fiction?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
More you have a literary dinner named three people from
the literary community.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
You must have.
Speaker 5 (09:54):
James Baldwin, time the History Coats, Ralph Allison.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
If you wrote a book about your life, what would
be the title?
Speaker 5 (10:00):
Stay focused?
Speaker 2 (10:01):
Thank you so much and you have obviously taken the
message and stayed focused, and we appreciate you taking time out.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Of your golf game.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
As always, folks, continue to read, buy a book, and
have a blessed day. And I will see you Saturday,
February the seventh at the Pennsylvania Convention Center from one
to four pm. For more information, go to the Africanamerican
Children's Book Project dot org.
Speaker 1 (10:23):
And that was Vaness Lloyd's gumbody with VLS Journeys. We'll
have more insight after these messages.
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