November 25, 2025 • 56 mins
“Basic Blaque After Dark” is an online show and segment of the Da Crew Podcast, hosted by award-winning author, certified parent coach, licensed social worker (LSW), and speaker, Blaque Diamond.The show airs live every first and third Friday of the month at 8 p.m. EST and is streamed on various platforms including YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and Facebook. Topics discussed on the show focus on a range of subjects, including mental health, foster care, adoption, and general empowerment, often featuring candid conversations with special guests such as other authors and experts.For more information and to tune into the show, you can visit the Da Crew Podcast on Spreaker or follow the host’s official Author Blaque Diamond Facebook page for updates on upcoming episodes and guests
The founder of the Youth Writers Challenge (YWC), an initiative in the Baltimore/DMV area, is Patricia Johnson-Harris. She was interviewed by the host of Basic Blaque After Dark, an online show hosted by an author known as Blaque Diamond.About the Founder and the Organization
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
The founder of the Youth Writers Challenge (YWC), an initiative in the Baltimore/DMV area, is Patricia Johnson-Harris. She was interviewed by the host of Basic Blaque After Dark, an online show hosted by an author known as Blaque Diamond.About the Founder and the Organization
- Founder: Patricia Johnson-Harris founded the YWC in 2011 to promote writing opportunities for youth.
- Organization: The program is a non-profit initiative operating under the name Youth Writers Rock (YWR).
- Mission: Johnson-Harris is committed to increasing the number of young writers in the program, offering educational opportunities to improve communication skills, and working with volunteers to help young people hone their craft.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Ladies and gentlemen, I have your attention.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Please.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
The show starts in ten line eight, seven, six, five,
four three two one.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Got it gives you exactly what you ask for. Tonight
we are diving deep into the world of storytelling, empowerment
and youth creativity. I am more than honored to welcome
(02:06):
a phenomenal woman, a visionary leader, and the founder of
Youth Writers Rock, and that's none other than Patricia Harris.
Youth Writers Rock is transforming the lines of young people
by giving them the tools, confidence, and opportunity to tell
their stories, publish their books, and stand proudly in their voices.
(02:26):
So lean in, relax, and get ready. Tonight's conversation is
going to inspire, empower and shift your perspective on what
our children are capable of when they are seeing, supported
and given access. But first, I have something special for
you tonight, and I'm so happy to get this basic
Black after Dark presents Thereatha Franklin Tribute Ticket Giveaway. That's right,
(02:53):
you heard me, The Areatha Franklin Tribute Ticket Giveaway. You
can win free tickets to the Power Tribute Show featuring
the uncomparable Karen Thennet. She's gonna be performing Aretha Franklin's
Greatest Hits at the Gordon Center in Owens Mills, Maryland
on December sixth at seven pm. And these tickets was
(03:14):
donated by Youth Writers Rock founder At Harris. So thank
you so much, Pat for donation of these tickets. And
I'm gonna tell you how you can enter listen to
their Wretha Franklin trivial question tonight this episode. You're gonna
email your answer to Basic B A S I C
(03:36):
Black B L A q U E Essentials E S
S E N T I A L S at gmail
dot com, and the first correct answer wins the ticket.
The wine will be announced on Basic Black after Dark
on December fifth, and that show is at eight pm. Okay,
(04:01):
so I'm going to repeat this later on because I'm
going to give you the trivia question, but right now
we're going to dive into tonight's show, So please join
me in welcoming Pat Harris back to Basic Black after Dog.
Pat has been on the show several times since she
had a mission of the Youth Writers Rock. She is
even brought in some of her talented youth writers during
(04:21):
her past episodes to talk about their creative journeys. And
when I say that these youth are talented, they have
books out there. They are authors, they are young authors,
and I know they have to be proud because I'm
proud of them every time I see them. These are young,
inspiring authors on the rise. So I want you guys
to keep your eyes out for them because they're doing
some wonderful things.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Welcome, Pat Harris, Thank you, Black Diamond, thank you. It's
always always a pleasure, always a pleasure. After Dog Soul.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I'm just always excited when you come because I love
watching the youth. I love hearing what they're doing. I
love learning about the new books, and I love hearing
the graduations. You just do everything for them, you and
your team. It's just remarkable. It's so unbelievable. You know,
from the birth of these youth writers Rock that's forked
(05:19):
the creation of youth writers Rock.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah. Yeah, I really appreciate it. I really appreciate that
you provide for me and the young authors. I think
when they get on the show, this is their six
variance of actually on the interview out their book. You know,
they took maybe a total of eight months to really
(05:48):
get that book written, to get it published, to get
the illustration done on that book, and they put a
lot of time and commitment into that book. So I
think when they get the opportunity to actually talk about
their experience and talk about, you know, the subject of
their book, it really just gives them a lot of confidence, right,
(06:09):
and it gives them that opportunity to say, Hey, I
did an interview on Basic Black Show, and it really
really every time after we do a show, the parents
actually called me and be like, thank you so much
for that opportunity. So we couldn't do that without you,
And so I just wanted to say thank you, and
we appreciate this platform that you provide, not just for us,
(06:33):
you know, but for other authors.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And for.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Providers, you know, just for everyone. You just provide that
platform for us, and so I just wanted to say
thank you for this opportunity tonight. But for those who
may not know, again, my name is Patricia Harris. I
am the founder of Youth Writers Challenge, which is a
five oh one C three organization where we provide a
(06:58):
platform for or insided youth to creatively creatively express their
thoughts and ideas. And under the Youth Writers Challenge, umbrella,
we created a writing program called Youth Writers Rock. And
so with Youth Writers Challenge, we actually challenge the students.
We go to different venues like mals or book events
(07:23):
or fashion shows and things like that, and we will
actually have the students all come out and perform, you know,
whether they're writing poetry or they're dancing, they're singing, or
they're rapping. We allow them that platform to be creative.
And out of doing Youth Writers Challenge, we noticed that
(07:43):
they were a lot of great writers. Even song singers
are writers, right, they got to write their lyrics. Even
rappers are writers, right, they got to write the lyrics
to their songs. And so we really wanted to tap
more into that writing creativity, and so we started Youth
Writers Rock in twenty seventeen and it has just flourished
(08:04):
since then. We have to date nineteen authors that have
graduated the program that are now published authors. Their books
can be found on any book sites, so we're talking
in Amazon, Bonds and Nobles, some of the Greetings and
reading sites. Their books are in the Library of Congress,
(08:28):
and their books are in Baltimore County and Baltimore City
public libraries. And we actually have two books in PG
County libraries. So we're working towards getting more of their
books out in the libraries in Ellicatet City, some of
the libraries in Laurel, and some of more of the
books in the libraries in PG County, right, So we're
(08:50):
really trying to spread the word or to just make
sure the books are available for students that are in
the school systems to kind of pick up this book,
turn to the back of the book and see that,
you know, some of their own age wrote this book,
and if they can do it, you know they can
do it as well. You know, if I see a
young person's face on the back of a book, then
(09:11):
I'm going to be more encouraged to say, hey, if
they could do it, I could do it as well.
So we're really trying to make sure all of the
books are in the library so all of the students
have access to reading those books that the Youth Writers'
Rock students are writing. So that's what we do. We
have coaches that are authors themselves, they're editors, you know,
(09:32):
they are teachers, and they are business professionals, so they've
actually walked that line of starting from the very beginning
of the concept of writing the book all the way
to the end of completing the book and sending the
book off to the publisher. So the students that participate
(09:52):
in Youth Writers' Rock commits to a six month program
that we meet on Saturdays, and to kind of see
all of them go all the way through that process
until their book is done is just fascinating and we
enjoy and love every minute of it. Me the coaches,
(10:13):
the parents, you know, they come, they come from session
to session and just kind of sit in. But it's
really a great bonding group that we have when we
do our sessions and the students leave knowing, you know,
and and meeting new friends that they didn't have when
they first walked into the session. So they really stay
connected to one another even after the session is over.
(10:35):
So I appreciate that bonding aspect of the program as well.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
So soad, how did the early vision differ from what
the program has grown into today.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I really they come to the session, and they come
to the session, and we we we write the book
and then they you know, at the end of it.
I didn't really think so far out of it, but
now when we're doing these sessions, we're thinking beyond the book, right,
We're thinking, how do we turn this book into a
(11:10):
short film, or how do we turn this book into
a play, you know, how do we use these students
to actually do the illustration themselves? You know, how do
we use the students to do the music to go
along with the book, you know, or to go along
with the playwright, or to go to go along with
(11:32):
the short film. So now we're actually looking at the book,
but also what else can we do with that book,
Like in terms of we don't want them to just
be authors. We want them to be playwrights. We want
them to be screen rights, we want them to be directors.
We want them to be the illustrators, you know, we
want them to come up with the stage plot of
(11:54):
the play, you know, and things like that. So we're
looking a little beyond the book.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
At this point.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right, the book is kind of at the starting point, right,
So I think what a lot of authors don't realize that.
You know, once you write a book, you really then
become a business person.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Right.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Your book is your business. Right, You have a product now, right,
so you go to different events and you sell your product. Right,
So we in the sessions we teach them about being
a business person. Right, we go through how to sell
a book, you know, how to approach a person or
when they approach you about your book, you know, how
(12:31):
do you present yourself to them? You know, how in
the quick thirty or sixty seconds do you grab their
attention and get excited about wanting to read more about
your book. We teach them that. But now we just
want to tag something onto their names. Besides author, we
also want to say that they're either an actor or
an actress, or playwright or a screenwright. And so where
(12:55):
my vision for it is still creating authors, right, because
that's that's a legacy, right, that's something that will always
be with them. Once you're an author, You're gonna always
be an author. Your book is gonna always be out there. Right,
That's the one thing that never dies or never goes
away is a book, right, whether it's hard copy or online,
(13:17):
it's gonna always be out there. And so they will
always forever be an author. And that's something no one
can take from them. But then with them, but then
I'm sorry, I'm.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Hoping that they understand that they're always going to be
an author. They can't get away from that. You know,
what I wanted to know about them was what changes
do you see in students once they realize their voices matter?
Because I don't think some of them act I wrote
this book. It's not just me sitting with a bunch
of people on a Saturday and we're just writing something.
(14:02):
I am a published author.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've seen some of your youth at the graduations and
at their events, and I'm looking at them and I'm
marveling at the I'm just looking at this grin on
their face. But what I see more than the grint
on their face is the grin on their parents' face
that they were there to support their children through this
journey and sometimes it's not easy. But I give kudos
(14:26):
to the parents for encouraging their children to stick with
it and to stay with it, and it's just so
important for them to be a part of it. So
how do you realize and what you see in your
students that their voice matters.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think, like you said, in the beginning of going
through the process of writing the book, I think they're
having more fun of it, right, They're not realizing what
the end result is going to be. You know, once
that book is actually published, they don't. I don't think
they get the gist of it right. But they're enjoying
the process of being creative, right and coming up with
(15:04):
the characters of the stories and the line that the
details of the stories, and who's going to be the
main character, you know, or the good guy and who's
going to be the bad guy and the story. They
get excited about that, and I think at that point
they're not really thinking about, all, right, what happens once
(15:24):
this book is published. But at the graduation, I think
because we make it so that that's the first time
they see their book in their hand, because we want
them excited when they're on that stage, when they're walking
across the stage, we kind of want them to get
so excited that they want to just get back to
grabbing onto their book, you know. But once they actually
(15:45):
see the book and they see their photo on the
back of the book, and they see their names on
the front of the book, I think it's when it
really hits them like I wrote this book, you know,
like I published a book. That's me. I think from
that point on, because we immediately start to try and
do book events right after, right, we don't want to
(16:06):
lose the momental, right, they're excited about their new book.
We don't want to lose the momental. So we start
immediately right at the Guard graduation doing a book signing
so they can kind of get that feel of being like, oh,
this is about me today, like I'm the author today.
And then we schedule some other events where they can
(16:26):
do the same thing, do some book signings and do
some public speaking. And I think once they realize that
they are an author, right, and this is me, this
is mine, I did it, I created it, they start
to be even more confident. Right. They start to feel
(16:47):
a lot more excited about their accomplishment and what they did.
You know, they just wasn't in this room for six months,
but this they are. Actually they have created something that
no one else has created. Right. Their book is their book, right,
And you start to see the confidence come out in them.
You start to see that they're proud of themselves.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Their parents are very proud of them, but they are
proud of themselves and what they've created and what they've done.
And you can see that in them when they start
to talk about their book, and it's always I did this,
I wrote this, you know, I'm an author. You know,
they take ownership of it, and they take that back
to their friends and families, They take it back to
(17:31):
the other students in their classrooms and their teachers. You know,
they just become a more confident person knowing that they
accomplished something that many of us still have not been
able to do yet.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
You know, as adults, many of us say, oh, yeah,
I'm going to write this book. I just I started it,
but I didn't finish it. You know, I got to
get back to it. But they actually committed six months
and got their book done, and so.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You should be You mentioned representation. When the youth writers
place a strong focus on representation, how does students respond
when they see other authors who look like them.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I think when they see the authors that look like them,
they get more excited because I think they fill a bond,
right even though they may not personally know them, they
still field a connection in a bond because they know
that they've gone down that same path that this other
author has gone down. So, during our sessions will bring
(18:35):
some of the authors back that have graduated previous youth
writers' rock sessions where you'll bring them back and kind
of let them speak about their experience and what it's
been like for them. And after they've finished speaking, just
to see the new authors connecting with that that person
with that author, it's really encouraging to say, they're really
(18:59):
trying to get more information from them. They really want
to see how their book relates to their book. And
I think even in some of the book events that
we do, we we did AFRAM this year, the African
American Heritage and they actually started going to some of
(19:19):
the tables where they were authors that and talking to
them and kind of talking to them about their book
and asking for more information about the book that that
author has written. So it's kind of I think opened
them up a little more, you know, to wanting to
know more about other author's experience of writing a book
and and how long it took them to write the book,
(19:41):
and you know what resources that they use for their books.
So it's definitely broaden their range of reading, you know,
or different types of ways of becoming an author or
writing a book and different things like that. And again
it really just kind of makes theF a little more
confident in what they've done and they're more open to
(20:05):
talking about what it is that they've done, and experience
that they've had, experience that they've had. Love sharing that
love sharing that people one of.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The things you had mentioned when they went to afram
There's also a Baltimore Book Festival dedicated to children as
well for children authors, So you may want to look
into that for next year as well as the educational week.
They have them in the schools education week and sometimes
you may get a student that may belong to the
school that's doing education Week and they can do some
(20:38):
just get in contact with the principal and maybe that
youth can bring their books and sell them to you know,
some of the students that's there and that you know,
just being a student of the school and we wrote
the book that that's that's just overwhelming for that student
to share what it's cohorts that and it's peers, I've
written this book and I'm bringing here in your school
(21:01):
right out to the schools as well, because I think
that happens around November that they do that. But the
Baltimore Book Festival, I believe that in I think it's August.
I think it's the early part of August that the
book Festival is in. So try that because they have
a whole section just for them for the children to
(21:23):
do their book. They have older authors too, but they're
definitely doing children's books in that area, so I think
that might be something that would be good.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Treating more of that more. So definitely, definitely definitely to well,
especially the Baltimore Book Festival. I can definitely look up
that information. But the parents actually have been reaching out
to the student schools and and a couple of them
were successful at actually you know, the principal allowing us
(21:59):
to to come in usually during lunch break or write
at the their library time, just kind of allowing the
students to talk to the other students about their book
and bringing copies up their book as well. So we
we you know, I absolutely love that and always let
the students know that I'm available to come be a
support for them whenever they want to do that in
the school system. But thank you Black Diamond for that.
(22:24):
Definitely going to look into the Baltimore They.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Will let them. Also try the Regional Flowers Museum because
they have a children's days there there as well, so
you might want to try that with them, and it's
very popular. They definitely encourage the youth to come on
anybody there to children's author author. I think that they
would be wonderful for people to see that these are
children that's doing that, and I believe they put their
(22:51):
names and their pictures up, so it will definitely bring
the people out. You may want to try some of
those places as well, even the places that we go
to as adults. Know, if they have an area for
children authors, children book authors, it doesn't necessarily mean that
their children, but they could have written a children's book,
and but you have they've written children's books, So I
(23:12):
would definitely go and just put it in there. Don't
think it's just for you know, the adults. You know,
the writing process for young authors. Could you walk us
through the writing journey from ideas to publish books for
a child in your program?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, absolutely. We try and get to
know a little more about the students in the program,
you know, and try and get to know them so
that and allow them to get to know one another
before we jump right into writing the book. So we
have a couple of sessions of just you know, icebreakers
(23:47):
and bonding, you know, and getting them a little comfortable.
You know, a lot of them are nervous when they
come in. Again, they don't a lot of them don't
know each other, right, so you're you're in a session
with maybe ten students and you're not familiar with them.
So we do take the first couple of sessions to
just kind of get them a little more relaxed and
(24:08):
get them, you know, so that they can learn a
little bit about one another. And our icebreakers allows us
to do that and allows them to kind of ask
each other questions and get to know one another. But
once we start that journey, you know, of trying to
just kind of get from them what they love to read,
(24:29):
what they liked to watch on TV, what movies were
they interested in, you know, so we're kind of pulling
some of that information out from them, you know, one
at a time. You know, what was your favorite movie?
What was what was why was it your favorite movie?
What did you like most about that movie? You know,
if you liked Black Panther? What was it about Black Panther?
(24:50):
Was it the costumes? You know, was it the characters
in there? You know, different things like that. So we'll
kind of first pull from them what was more exciting
for them, you know, again, whether reading the book or
watching something on TV or watching the movie. And then
once we've kind of gotten all of that information down
on the board, right, they're just throwing content out at us,
(25:12):
and we're on the board writing that stuff down, right,
just kind of getting as much information as we can
from them. And then we started asking them what do
you think would be, you know, a good movie to
go to the theater and roche would it be this,
this and that? And so they actually have to go
through the process of narrowing down what their book is
(25:33):
going to be about. You know, they might start out
or like maybe ten ideas and then we have to
narrow that down to five ideas, and then they have
to vote and come up with the concept of their book,
you know. And like the last class we did, which
was very surprising to me, which really shouldn't have been,
was that they all wanted to do something about social media.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
They all kind of agree, you know, when they were
voting on their book type topic, the majority of them said,
we want to talk about influencers or social media, you know.
And so when we put it all out there, just
based on what they say and they like to read,
they like to see on TV with shows they love
(26:19):
with movies they like, you know, they actually decide what
the concept of the book is going to be about
by a voting system. Voting yeah, yeah, So that's that's
kind of how here we go into the pillars of
how to write a book. You know, your characters, you know,
(26:41):
you gotta you gotta have some good characters, but you
got to have that one character that's that's that's not
so good, you know, to make the book really interesting.
And so once we can get the concept of the book,
then we can start to develop the story. And so
that part sometimes take a couple of sessions before we
can even narrow it down to what the top of
(27:03):
the book is going to be about. But that's husually
that process of process of deciding the book, deciding the
book to you.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
You have them going from in the beginning you mentioned
about marketing with them, you know, and how to present
theirself and represent themselves, and then the networking. I would
just love to see these little people walking around networking
with with other authors, whether they're adults or whether they're
other children, because just to watch them go from table
(27:36):
to table and ask questions and share their information. My
my thing is that when they're doing all of this
surprises the process for their children. But I know they
have to be beaming and standing back proud watching their
their little people running around and doing all of this.
You know, is there a change that they tell you
that they see within their child, even in their child's schoolwork,
(27:59):
because that that's important.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yeah, I mean, the parents and I and I always
let them know, like, you know, please share any anything
with me, you know, the good, the bad or whatever.
But once they've gotten their book, you know, and they're
around friends and family and they're telling them about their book,
you know, please share with me, you know, how how
they're doing with that, and just the parents sending me emails,
(28:25):
you know, or even just calling me and just letting
me know that they've received phone calls and emails from
the teachers saying that, you know, there's definitely a difference,
Like they didn't know what really was going on. They
really wasn't informed that they were writing a book. But
they noticed that they're participating more in class, right, They're
(28:45):
they're raising their hands, you know, they're thinking a little
more outside of the box, right because they're they're tapping
into being a little creative, you know, right, and being
a little more descriptive about things. So now they're they're
they're participating a little more in class. And what they're
also doing is they're open to working more with their classmates,
(29:05):
you know. And and they get that from collaborating with
the other students when they are writing their books. Their
characters might be different, but they have to collaborate because
there will be some dialogue exchange between their characters. Right,
So there were a lot of one on one with
the students, you know, just kind of working through their
chapter together and their chapter together in that sense of
(29:30):
that'shing with the other students to the classroom, and their
teachers recognize that and and and really reached out that
the parents to say this is absolutely great, I love it,
and then the parents will share that information with me,
you know. So, but like seeing these students at these
tables when when people are approaching them, just the confidence
(29:51):
of them standing up and saying, Hi, my name is Dylan,
and I'm an author. I wrote this book. You know
it would it be okay if I tell you a
little more about it, right, just just seeing them doing
that exchange, you know, with these people that are standing
in front of their tables, it makes me very proud. Right,
they've come up with their own script, you know, that
(30:13):
works for them to kind of sell that book. And
it's just really encouraging that what we're doing is working. Right, Like,
we're not on TV, we're not getting all the praise,
and we don't want that, right because this is way
bigger than me or my husband, But it just makes
me so proud to kind of just see them in
(30:34):
that interaction with someone and feeling confident about what they're
trying to sell is amazing to me. And it's just
kind of like every time I see that, I'm like, man,
this is this is great. Man, this is this is great.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
You mentioned collaboration, the power of community and collaboration, You
writers challenges more than a program, it's a community. What
makes the community elements so important? How are some of
the key partners or supporters to have helped elevate your mission?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Communities? Every with these students going from these through another
grade and some moving from one school maybe middle school
to high school or elementary school to middle school, they're
going to come across different students, right, different personalities and
different things like that, and they'll just need to know
(31:29):
how to move in this different atmosphere and being able
to have speakers come in and talk to them about that,
being able to take them out to different events, they
can actually engage with different people and learn how to
connect with that person. You know, one person might be
(31:49):
easier to speak with, one person might not be. But
if you talk to them and ask them the right questions,
they will open up to you a little bit more.
And so when we're at these events and we're at
these festivals or we have speakers, they start to learn
a little bit about communicating with a person and figuring
(32:10):
out what's the best way to communicate with this person
that is standing in front of me, right in front
of me right having uh Chom City Jazz, which is
which is one of our biggest, biggest supporters and sponsors,
Roger Harris, he will come out and talk to the
kids on a business level, right, a little bit about
(32:31):
the business we might have, uh the editor come out
and talk a little bit more on on from that
aspect of now that you've written the book, right, this
is what we have to do to make the book
and you know where you can hold a book and
publish the book. And so they talk a little bit
about it from that perspective, but we try and bring
(32:54):
different professionals to come in and talk to these students
so that they'll learn a little more or about who
in the community is a part of them branding this
book or you know, creating this book, and whether it's
the publisher, the marketing or the promoter, you know, the library.
You know, they all can get they get a little
(33:16):
sense of everybody that's a part of what they're trying
to brand and what they're trying to build. And so
we have a lot of different people coming in to
speak with the students so that they can get a
little a little bit from each one of those that
are their community. As an author, they're all going to
be Are.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
There any specific social emotional learning things that emerge often
in your students' stories.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Absolutely come up with the concept of their book. And
I think at any given time time we don't know
really what they're going through at home, right We don't
know emotionally all the time what they're feeling. But when
(34:11):
they start throwing these ideas out about this book, we
can kind of get a grasp of Okay, they want
to talk about bullying, you know, let's let's let's talk
a little more about that. You know, is this something
you've experienced before, Is this something you've witnessed before? The
(34:31):
not the last book, but the book before that. The story.
The book was called Mixed Paths, and there were two stories,
two friends going through two different challenges in their home.
One was not having a good relationship with her mother.
It wasn't the daughter mother relationship that she wanted to have.
(34:54):
She she felt like she was not loved enough right.
And then the other side of the store was a
young man who felt like, you know, his mom passed away,
his dad was locked up, his grandma is sick, and
he's feeling like he's in a bad place, and he
(35:14):
doesn't want to get in trouble, and he doesn't want to,
you know, be a part of a gang, and he
feels like he needs to get away, you know. So
sometimes the story really evolve around what's happening in these
students' life, and again, we give them the platform to
talk about it, and then we help to kind of
(35:34):
put that into a book, and it really allows them
to open up and then talk to other people about
what they're feeling or what they're experiencing or what they're
going through, so definitely. You know, the book sometimes can
be a topic of what they're actually going through in
their personal lives, and we then talk through that with
(35:57):
them and then talk with the parents about that and
then try and provide any resources we can to help
them with that and the.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Can you share one or two transformative success stories from
your program.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Well, like I said, bullying one one of these gentlemen,
one of the women. There was four students. Three of
the four students had been bullied before. The fourth student
was a bully, you know, and from from what he
explained to us, But when they each share their stories
(36:39):
and talked about what that was like for them, how
that made them feel, he didn't apologize to them, even
though they they were not in the same schools, they
didn't live in the same areas, But he apologized to
them because he was like, I just didn't think about that.
I didn't know how that was making those kids feel.
(37:02):
When I was doing that, all I thought that it
was cool, you know, because the other guys was doing it.
And so he apologized to them even though he didn't
directly have any impact on them, he just felt bad
that he didn't think about their feelings. You know, and
so I think when we come up with the topic
(37:23):
of the book and we have these discussions, especially around
those topics that can deal with, you know, mental illness,
or the impacts of feeling you know, lost or not
loved or you know, any of that. Once we have
those conversations around that, it allows them to feel more
(37:46):
open to kind of really telling what was on their
mind or what they were feeling. They don't feel like
they got to hide anything. We give them the floor
to just be open and honest and let them know that,
you know, we're there for them. So having him stand
there and say, I'm apologizing to you, to you and
(38:06):
to you because I didn't know how you know, you
guys were feeling. I didn't know, you know, how they
were feeling, and I didn't mean to kind of make
them feel that way. That I think was significant to
allowing the other three to talk even more about what
they was feeling, and that they would come home and
not want to even tell their parents what were happening.
(38:27):
They would just go to their room and close their
doors and deal with it themselves. But now they they
are actually talking about it on a platform where other
people are listening, you know, they're giving advice to parents
on if your child is doing this, you might want
to talk to them because they might be hiding something
from you. So after that, we decided to go on
(38:49):
different panels, and the students were really just kind of
giving everyone in the audience those clues that they should
be looking for, you know, or if their child and
they just feel like nobody's gonna listen to them or
believe them. And it was really interesting to see so
(39:09):
many adults raise their hands and ask these four students
that were on this panel of ways to figure out,
you know, signs. Basically, if I see signs, what am I?
What should I do?
Speaker 2 (39:22):
You know?
Speaker 3 (39:23):
From this perspective of the students. So there's definitely been
some experiences that I've seen coming out of these sessions
and that the students have experienced coming out of these
sessions that relate to their everyday lives.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
M You can't keep it in there because it's always
going out. When you go in there to ask for
the book, the book is gone, and then you got
to go on a waitness. I wanted to let you
know that that's good, that's good thing, So I went
back again to ask for the book and it wasn't there,
(40:16):
So I said, what do you mean it's not here?
You're gonna carry this? No, somebody took it out. So
I'm very happy and pleased to see that the book
is going on. You mentioned something that I want to
talk about. What would you say to a child who
is afraid that the story that they're writing isn't good enough?
How would you encourage them to keep going and to
(40:36):
keep writing.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
I would just kind of I want to ask them
why they think it's not good enough, right, just to
try and understand their mindset or their thought about their book.
But what if we do throughout the whole process, you know,
because as their creating the book, you know, as they're
writing kind of what they think this character should be
(41:04):
saying to that character, they're sharing it with the other
students in the class, right, so everybody's kind of sharing
a little bit about their character. And depending on what
chapter a in, they're going around the room almost like
a table reading, if you will, and the other students
are kind of saying, man, that was great, right. They're
getting validation, They're getting validations from their co authors that
(41:28):
are sitting there at the table with them, And I
think that kind of gives them, you know, the good
feeling up all right, this is I'm writing good. I'm
doing good because my you know, sometimes I love the kids,
but sometimes they are very honest, right, and they're very
blood So if they don't like something, they gonna tell
(41:48):
you they don't like it, right. But I think getting
that validation from their peer helps them to say, Okay,
I'm on the right track. I'm going to keep on going.
Even if we, you know, get to a particular part
of the chapel of the book and we will give
some suggestions, Hey, how about he said this way, or
(42:08):
how about we switch this word with that word? You know,
so we always kind of get their input, you know,
we'll ask them like, how what do you think about this?
We don't just go in and make any changes without
them knowing what, you know, what we think we should
kind of add or take out, but explaining it to
them why this would kind of sound better when reading
(42:30):
the book, you know, if we do it this way.
But I don't think we really allow it to get
to the point where they're ending the book feeling like, oh,
this wasn't good, because throughout the whole process we're engaging
them in it, you know, and where saying this is great,
what do you think about this? What else would you
like to add to it? They're they're in the process
(42:53):
every step of the way, and I think before the
book is actually done, they read it from beginning to end.
And then if it's something that they don't, you know,
really understand or don't agree with, you know, we do
have the option to go back and change it. But
because we're getting their input in every step of the
way and asking them what do you think? How do
you feel about it? We're really trying to eliminate getting
(43:16):
to the end of the book and ready to send
it off to the publisher and someone's feeling like, I
don't I don't think this is a good book, you know,
But we we we have those round tables with the
other students so that they could feed off of one another,
and they could give suggestions to one another, and they
can ask questions to one another.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Have you ever thought about having the students sit in
on a podcast where their book was reviewed and someone
is talking to them about the book.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
That is a great idea, and we have ideas and
we have you know, anyone I.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Do, And she's on it tonight. You have something for
Your name is Patria Patrice Grenville. She is here, She's
got hey, hey, hey up. She is one of my
solters reviews. So I was thinking instead, I was hoping
she didn't go off before I mentioned it. But I
think that that would be wonderful because she does a
wonderful job. She always had these little quirky questions and
(44:19):
you know about I'm not gonna give it away. I'll
let her do it on her own show, but she
does that with the with her guests, and I would
love for her to review a book with your youth
and then ask them that question. Hope you understand what
question I'm talking about, because it's like a stopper, and
I think that they would they would love to answer
that question. It would be really exciting for them and
(44:42):
it gets them to say something.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Now.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
So I'm going to pass your information over to her
so she can context you too have a reviewed, because
I think that that would be a wonderful thing for her.
Speaker 3 (44:53):
I think that they would absolutely enjoy that. I think
they would think that they were love that opportunity to
be a.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Questions.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Like I said, they now now I love talking about
the book they love talking about the book, and and
then they even a lot of times go into yeah,
because we're gonna write another book, and I have to
be like, wait a minute, you know, uh, but that
would be a wonderful opportunity. Please share my information. I
would love for them to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
But you mentioned that you were trying to get into
other jurisdictions, been out of the state as well your program.
Speaker 3 (45:40):
Yes, we've actually been contacted by someone in Delaware from
a book event that they do every year in North Carolina,
Carolina and in New York. So I have been speaking
with them all with them on trying to bring the
(46:03):
program there, but definitely having someone that can host it,
you know, in in that particular state wherever we are.
But it's definitely something that's on top of the radar.
Having found out all of the details, specifically from New
York and Delaware, there's been constant contacts with those two
states up bringing Youth Writers Rock to those two locations.
(46:28):
And so we're still trying to you know, figure that
piece of it out, you know, in terms of a
location for the sessions, you know, would it's still be
a six month program because it's starting out what we
need to extend that and make it a little longer
than six months, you know, just those you know logistics basically,
But it's something we're working on and it's definitely, you know,
(46:51):
at the very top of our radar. The key thing
to any place that we do it at is funding.
While the program is for the students, you know, we
have to find funding to cover the expenses that go
along with that program. You know, we have coaches, we
have constant we have field trips, we have to do
(47:14):
the students have to have T shirts, backpack, school writing supplies,
you know, and then the wishing piece of the book
and all of that requires some funding. So that's another
big part of it that we'll need to find funding
in both of those states to to to have the program.
For the.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Funding in the schools the majority of the schools do
some of them don't even know what to do with
the money, so they want.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Yeah. I recently did a seminar seminar with one of
the teachers union and talked about the program, and a
lot of the teachers that were on that seminar actually
reached out to the teaching union asking, you know, how
how can we get that in in our school. How
can we make this part of the curriculum, you know.
(48:06):
So I know that the teachers are asking, you know,
the teachers Union, we need you know, telling them we
need this, what can we do? And so I do
know that they are looking into ways to fund the program,
you know, inside of the school system. And so that
was a really great experience that I was invited to
(48:30):
talk about the program at a teacher's seminar, I mean conference,
and teachers are really excited about it and and really
would like to see that as part of the curriculum
in this schools.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
When New York City has a new man, so you
may want to hit him up because he's probably gonna
need something that's going to push him to the top
to let people know that he's serious. Well, can you
you know, you go to and need He's definitely being
watched by higher ups, So I think some letters going
out to him, even if the students are writing letters
(49:07):
to him, and they just opened some doors for that.
How can supporters, partners or volunteers get involved in the
next chapter of the Youth Writer's Challenge.
Speaker 3 (49:20):
We're always looking for supporters and supporters. One of social
events with the students, right, So it's not just coming
to session. We're gonna write right right, you know. We
we do social ice creams, We do piece of parties,
you know, like I said, we have speakers come in.
Sometimes we'll stop session early and do a little short
(49:42):
movie with the students. We take them on field trips.
Depending on what their book is about, we might take
them to a museum, or the students was writing about
their hip hop book, we took them to a hip
hop museum in d C. So they can get some
inspiration from that. So we do a lot of activities
with these students where we require more than just the
(50:04):
coaches to come and support them, you know. So we're
always looking for supporters in that aspect of it. People
can always go to char I mean city, always go
to youth Writers Rock dot com. There is a donate
button at the top of it. You can also purchase
the books on youth Writers Rock dot com. And some
(50:25):
people have just really in wanting these students to succeed
with their book, have just kind of sent in donations
in support of the book or supported the program by saying,
I'm gonna buy backpacks for all your students. So I'm
gonna provide you with boxes of school supplies for all
your students and things like that, so they can actually
(50:47):
support the financially or with donations anyway they want to,
because like I said, it's it's it's a nonprofit right.
We don't have a steady grant. You know, we do
a lot of fundraising, so a support on any life
would be helpful to the program to the program.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
Wow, Pat, thank you, Thank you so much for blessing
us tonight and for the work you continue to do.
The UPLI the power and impify the voices of our youth,
youth writers, challenge and changing lives one story at a time.
We honor you for your dedication, your vision, and your heart.
And to my basic Black after Dark family, thank you
(51:25):
for tuning in, thank you for showing up, and thank
you for supporting platforms that celebrate growth, healing and creativity
in our communities. Now, I didn't forget about our trivia
question for those tickets to see the performance and tribute
to Aretha Franklin. So here's the question. Which Aretha Franklin
(51:47):
album was the first to win a Grammy Award for
Best Female R and B Vocal Performance. Now, the first
person that gets it right and correct, of course, will
win the tickets, but you must email me at Basic
Black Consentials at gmail dot com. That's B A S
(52:10):
I S B L A q U E E S
S E E N T I A L S at
gmail dot com. The winner will be announced on my
December fifth podcast and the show is on December sixth
at seven o'clock at the Gordon Center here in Owen's Mills.
(52:33):
So I want to repeat the question again because I
had some people that I asked that question and they
got it wrong because they wasn't listening to the questions.
So I'm gonna go this south again. Wire your Free
Aretha Franklin album was the first to win a Grammy
Award for Best Female R and B Vocal Performance. Again,
(52:54):
the first person to get it right and send it
to my email, you will be notified that you are
the and you are to pick your tickets up on
call and you'll be ready and available. I want you
to tell me how the show was, because I love
them meet the Franklin But I had a little accident
my foot to I ain't be able to make it
out there. But again, good luck to everyone you could
(53:15):
also watch this in the replay. If you know somebody
that lives in the state of Maryland and you're not
in this state, let them know about this trivia question.
Maybe they're gonna be the lucky one that wins the tickets.
He almost gave the answer away right now.
Speaker 3 (53:28):
What I had to say next, I gotta just say something,
So make.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
Sure you join us for our next episode. That one
is also going to be in December, in the nineteenth.
Now in December fifth, we have something going on with
December to nineteenth. We're gonna welcome the Distinguished Author's Guild
Award winners. You already know it's gonna be powerful, it's
gonna be inspiring, and it's gonna be a night you
don't want to miss. Until then, stay real, stay silent,
(53:57):
and stay beautifully authentically. Ye, this is Black Diamond and
you've been listening to Basic Black after Dark. I want
to thank you for keeping it basic. Good night, Pat.
Your students should enter the Distinguished Authors Guild Award winners
because there's children that enters that as well. So I
continue the information with that as well, because they they'll
(54:20):
be one woman interviewing those winners. In about three weeks
when the nineteenth, so we'll be sharing some information and
owner and founder of it, I'm going to be interviewing
her as well when they start going back and accepting applications.
So collaborations are welcomed as well as individual authors. But
(54:43):
I think that some of your children will be happy
to travel. Now they would have to probably go to Chicago,
but that's a big deal for Yeah, I think that
they would love it. So yeah, hey, you get a
chance to stay over at the hotel. They get a
chance to mingle and the network with some older people,
(55:05):
and I think that they would have a blast with
it as well, and also with my sisters. Anybody that
wants to enter, we'll be talking about it. No, this
is the Distinguished Author's.
Speaker 3 (55:18):
Guild Distinguished Authors distinguish.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yeah, so anyone can can enter that, and I think
that they would enjoy it and they would be excited
with all the promos that come up. But I'm not
going to keep talking about it because all night and
talk about it. My sister, you can join as well.
And I joined it as well, and I walked away
a winner this year, so I'm very happy with that
(55:43):
congratulation so much so, again, thank you off for tuning in.
Please watch the replace, share it with everyone that you know,
especially if you have family that's even close to the
DMV area, so they can learn more about the youth
writers challenging youth at his rock program, as well as
trying to get these tickets because I understand the show's
(56:05):
gonna be it's gonna be a great.
Speaker 3 (56:07):
Show, talk about.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
Hands down, you know it's gonna be something. Don't eat
before you go, though. Good night everybody, and thank you
so much for joining. That's how I appreciate that. Thank you,
thank you,
Ladies and gentlemen, I have your attention.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Please.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
The show starts in ten line eight, seven, six, five,
four three two one.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Got it gives you exactly what you ask for. Tonight
we are diving deep into the world of storytelling, empowerment
and youth creativity. I am more than honored to welcome
(02:06):
a phenomenal woman, a visionary leader, and the founder of
Youth Writers Rock, and that's none other than Patricia Harris.
Youth Writers Rock is transforming the lines of young people
by giving them the tools, confidence, and opportunity to tell
their stories, publish their books, and stand proudly in their voices.
(02:26):
So lean in, relax, and get ready. Tonight's conversation is
going to inspire, empower and shift your perspective on what
our children are capable of when they are seeing, supported
and given access. But first, I have something special for
you tonight, and I'm so happy to get this basic
Black after Dark presents Thereatha Franklin Tribute Ticket Giveaway. That's right,
(02:53):
you heard me, The Areatha Franklin Tribute Ticket Giveaway. You
can win free tickets to the Power Tribute Show featuring
the uncomparable Karen Thennet. She's gonna be performing Aretha Franklin's
Greatest Hits at the Gordon Center in Owens Mills, Maryland
on December sixth at seven pm. And these tickets was
(03:14):
donated by Youth Writers Rock founder At Harris. So thank
you so much, Pat for donation of these tickets. And
I'm gonna tell you how you can enter listen to
their Wretha Franklin trivial question tonight this episode. You're gonna
email your answer to Basic B A S I C
(03:36):
Black B L A q U E Essentials E S
S E N T I A L S at gmail
dot com, and the first correct answer wins the ticket.
The wine will be announced on Basic Black after Dark
on December fifth, and that show is at eight pm. Okay,
(04:01):
so I'm going to repeat this later on because I'm
going to give you the trivia question, but right now
we're going to dive into tonight's show, So please join
me in welcoming Pat Harris back to Basic Black after Dog.
Pat has been on the show several times since she
had a mission of the Youth Writers Rock. She is
even brought in some of her talented youth writers during
(04:21):
her past episodes to talk about their creative journeys. And
when I say that these youth are talented, they have
books out there. They are authors, they are young authors,
and I know they have to be proud because I'm
proud of them every time I see them. These are young,
inspiring authors on the rise. So I want you guys
to keep your eyes out for them because they're doing
some wonderful things.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Welcome, Pat Harris, Thank you, Black Diamond, thank you. It's
always always a pleasure, always a pleasure. After Dog Soul.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I'm just always excited when you come because I love
watching the youth. I love hearing what they're doing. I
love learning about the new books, and I love hearing
the graduations. You just do everything for them, you and
your team. It's just remarkable. It's so unbelievable. You know,
from the birth of these youth writers Rock that's forked
(05:19):
the creation of youth writers Rock.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah. Yeah, I really appreciate it. I really appreciate that
you provide for me and the young authors. I think
when they get on the show, this is their six
variance of actually on the interview out their book. You know,
they took maybe a total of eight months to really
(05:48):
get that book written, to get it published, to get
the illustration done on that book, and they put a
lot of time and commitment into that book. So I
think when they get the opportunity to actually talk about
their experience and talk about, you know, the subject of
their book, it really just gives them a lot of confidence, right,
(06:09):
and it gives them that opportunity to say, Hey, I
did an interview on Basic Black Show, and it really
really every time after we do a show, the parents
actually called me and be like, thank you so much
for that opportunity. So we couldn't do that without you,
And so I just wanted to say thank you, and
we appreciate this platform that you provide, not just for us,
(06:33):
you know, but for other authors.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
And for.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Providers, you know, just for everyone. You just provide that
platform for us, and so I just wanted to say
thank you for this opportunity tonight. But for those who
may not know, again, my name is Patricia Harris. I
am the founder of Youth Writers Challenge, which is a
five oh one C three organization where we provide a
(06:58):
platform for or insided youth to creatively creatively express their
thoughts and ideas. And under the Youth Writers Challenge, umbrella,
we created a writing program called Youth Writers Rock. And
so with Youth Writers Challenge, we actually challenge the students.
We go to different venues like mals or book events
(07:23):
or fashion shows and things like that, and we will
actually have the students all come out and perform, you know,
whether they're writing poetry or they're dancing, they're singing, or
they're rapping. We allow them that platform to be creative.
And out of doing Youth Writers Challenge, we noticed that
(07:43):
they were a lot of great writers. Even song singers
are writers, right, they got to write their lyrics. Even
rappers are writers, right, they got to write the lyrics
to their songs. And so we really wanted to tap
more into that writing creativity, and so we started Youth
Writers Rock in twenty seventeen and it has just flourished
(08:04):
since then. We have to date nineteen authors that have
graduated the program that are now published authors. Their books
can be found on any book sites, so we're talking
in Amazon, Bonds and Nobles, some of the Greetings and
reading sites. Their books are in the Library of Congress,
(08:28):
and their books are in Baltimore County and Baltimore City
public libraries. And we actually have two books in PG
County libraries. So we're working towards getting more of their
books out in the libraries in Ellicatet City, some of
the libraries in Laurel, and some of more of the
books in the libraries in PG County, right, So we're
(08:50):
really trying to spread the word or to just make
sure the books are available for students that are in
the school systems to kind of pick up this book,
turn to the back of the book and see that,
you know, some of their own age wrote this book,
and if they can do it, you know they can
do it as well. You know, if I see a
young person's face on the back of a book, then
(09:11):
I'm going to be more encouraged to say, hey, if
they could do it, I could do it as well.
So we're really trying to make sure all of the
books are in the library so all of the students
have access to reading those books that the Youth Writers'
Rock students are writing. So that's what we do. We
have coaches that are authors themselves, they're editors, you know,
(09:32):
they are teachers, and they are business professionals, so they've
actually walked that line of starting from the very beginning
of the concept of writing the book all the way
to the end of completing the book and sending the
book off to the publisher. So the students that participate
(09:52):
in Youth Writers' Rock commits to a six month program
that we meet on Saturdays, and to kind of see
all of them go all the way through that process
until their book is done is just fascinating and we
enjoy and love every minute of it. Me the coaches,
(10:13):
the parents, you know, they come, they come from session
to session and just kind of sit in. But it's
really a great bonding group that we have when we
do our sessions and the students leave knowing, you know,
and and meeting new friends that they didn't have when
they first walked into the session. So they really stay
connected to one another even after the session is over.
(10:35):
So I appreciate that bonding aspect of the program as well.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
So soad, how did the early vision differ from what
the program has grown into today.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I really they come to the session, and they come
to the session, and we we we write the book
and then they you know, at the end of it.
I didn't really think so far out of it, but
now when we're doing these sessions, we're thinking beyond the book, right,
We're thinking, how do we turn this book into a
(11:10):
short film, or how do we turn this book into
a play, you know, how do we use these students
to actually do the illustration themselves? You know, how do
we use the students to do the music to go
along with the book, you know, or to go along
with the playwright, or to go to go along with
(11:32):
the short film. So now we're actually looking at the book,
but also what else can we do with that book,
Like in terms of we don't want them to just
be authors. We want them to be playwrights. We want
them to be screen rights, we want them to be directors.
We want them to be the illustrators, you know, we
want them to come up with the stage plot of
(11:54):
the play, you know, and things like that. So we're
looking a little beyond the book.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
At this point.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Right, the book is kind of at the starting point, right,
So I think what a lot of authors don't realize that.
You know, once you write a book, you really then
become a business person.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Right.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Your book is your business. Right, You have a product now, right,
so you go to different events and you sell your product. Right,
So we in the sessions we teach them about being
a business person. Right, we go through how to sell
a book, you know, how to approach a person or
when they approach you about your book, you know, how
(12:31):
do you present yourself to them? You know, how in
the quick thirty or sixty seconds do you grab their
attention and get excited about wanting to read more about
your book. We teach them that. But now we just
want to tag something onto their names. Besides author, we
also want to say that they're either an actor or
an actress, or playwright or a screenwright. And so where
(12:55):
my vision for it is still creating authors, right, because
that's that's a legacy, right, that's something that will always
be with them. Once you're an author, You're gonna always
be an author. Your book is gonna always be out there. Right,
That's the one thing that never dies or never goes
away is a book, right, whether it's hard copy or online,
(13:17):
it's gonna always be out there. And so they will
always forever be an author. And that's something no one
can take from them. But then with them, but then
I'm sorry, I'm.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Hoping that they understand that they're always going to be
an author. They can't get away from that. You know,
what I wanted to know about them was what changes
do you see in students once they realize their voices matter?
Because I don't think some of them act I wrote
this book. It's not just me sitting with a bunch
of people on a Saturday and we're just writing something.
(14:02):
I am a published author.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
You know.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've seen some of your youth at the graduations and
at their events, and I'm looking at them and I'm
marveling at the I'm just looking at this grin on
their face. But what I see more than the grint
on their face is the grin on their parents' face
that they were there to support their children through this
journey and sometimes it's not easy. But I give kudos
(14:26):
to the parents for encouraging their children to stick with
it and to stay with it, and it's just so
important for them to be a part of it. So
how do you realize and what you see in your
students that their voice matters.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think, like you said, in the beginning of going
through the process of writing the book, I think they're
having more fun of it, right, They're not realizing what
the end result is going to be. You know, once
that book is actually published, they don't. I don't think
they get the gist of it right. But they're enjoying
the process of being creative, right and coming up with
(15:04):
the characters of the stories and the line that the
details of the stories, and who's going to be the
main character, you know, or the good guy and who's
going to be the bad guy and the story. They
get excited about that, and I think at that point
they're not really thinking about, all, right, what happens once
(15:24):
this book is published. But at the graduation, I think
because we make it so that that's the first time
they see their book in their hand, because we want
them excited when they're on that stage, when they're walking
across the stage, we kind of want them to get
so excited that they want to just get back to
grabbing onto their book, you know. But once they actually
(15:45):
see the book and they see their photo on the
back of the book, and they see their names on
the front of the book, I think it's when it
really hits them like I wrote this book, you know,
like I published a book. That's me. I think from
that point on, because we immediately start to try and
do book events right after, right, we don't want to
(16:06):
lose the momental, right, they're excited about their new book.
We don't want to lose the momental. So we start
immediately right at the Guard graduation doing a book signing
so they can kind of get that feel of being like, oh,
this is about me today, like I'm the author today.
And then we schedule some other events where they can
(16:26):
do the same thing, do some book signings and do
some public speaking. And I think once they realize that
they are an author, right, and this is me, this
is mine, I did it, I created it, they start
to be even more confident. Right. They start to feel
(16:47):
a lot more excited about their accomplishment and what they did.
You know, they just wasn't in this room for six months,
but this they are. Actually they have created something that
no one else has created. Right. Their book is their book, right,
And you start to see the confidence come out in them.
You start to see that they're proud of themselves.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Their parents are very proud of them, but they are
proud of themselves and what they've created and what they've done.
And you can see that in them when they start
to talk about their book, and it's always I did this,
I wrote this, you know, I'm an author. You know,
they take ownership of it, and they take that back
to their friends and families, They take it back to
(17:31):
the other students in their classrooms and their teachers. You know,
they just become a more confident person knowing that they
accomplished something that many of us still have not been
able to do yet.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
You know, as adults, many of us say, oh, yeah,
I'm going to write this book. I just I started it,
but I didn't finish it. You know, I got to
get back to it. But they actually committed six months
and got their book done, and so.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You should be You mentioned representation. When the youth writers
place a strong focus on representation, how does students respond
when they see other authors who look like them.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
I think when they see the authors that look like them,
they get more excited because I think they fill a bond,
right even though they may not personally know them, they
still field a connection in a bond because they know
that they've gone down that same path that this other
author has gone down. So, during our sessions will bring
(18:35):
some of the authors back that have graduated previous youth
writers' rock sessions where you'll bring them back and kind
of let them speak about their experience and what it's
been like for them. And after they've finished speaking, just
to see the new authors connecting with that that person
with that author, it's really encouraging to say, they're really
(18:59):
trying to get more information from them. They really want
to see how their book relates to their book. And
I think even in some of the book events that
we do, we we did AFRAM this year, the African
American Heritage and they actually started going to some of
(19:19):
the tables where they were authors that and talking to
them and kind of talking to them about their book
and asking for more information about the book that that
author has written. So it's kind of I think opened
them up a little more, you know, to wanting to
know more about other author's experience of writing a book
and and how long it took them to write the book,
(19:41):
and you know what resources that they use for their books.
So it's definitely broaden their range of reading, you know,
or different types of ways of becoming an author or
writing a book and different things like that. And again
it really just kind of makes theF a little more
confident in what they've done and they're more open to
(20:05):
talking about what it is that they've done, and experience
that they've had, experience that they've had. Love sharing that
love sharing that people one of.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The things you had mentioned when they went to afram
There's also a Baltimore Book Festival dedicated to children as
well for children authors, So you may want to look
into that for next year as well as the educational week.
They have them in the schools education week and sometimes
you may get a student that may belong to the
school that's doing education Week and they can do some
(20:38):
just get in contact with the principal and maybe that
youth can bring their books and sell them to you know,
some of the students that's there and that you know,
just being a student of the school and we wrote
the book that that's that's just overwhelming for that student
to share what it's cohorts that and it's peers, I've
written this book and I'm bringing here in your school
(21:01):
right out to the schools as well, because I think
that happens around November that they do that. But the
Baltimore Book Festival, I believe that in I think it's August.
I think it's the early part of August that the
book Festival is in. So try that because they have
a whole section just for them for the children to
(21:23):
do their book. They have older authors too, but they're
definitely doing children's books in that area, so I think
that might be something that would be good.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Treating more of that more. So definitely, definitely definitely to well,
especially the Baltimore Book Festival. I can definitely look up
that information. But the parents actually have been reaching out
to the student schools and and a couple of them
were successful at actually you know, the principal allowing us
(21:59):
to to come in usually during lunch break or write
at the their library time, just kind of allowing the
students to talk to the other students about their book
and bringing copies up their book as well. So we
we you know, I absolutely love that and always let
the students know that I'm available to come be a
support for them whenever they want to do that in
the school system. But thank you Black Diamond for that.
(22:24):
Definitely going to look into the Baltimore They.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
Will let them. Also try the Regional Flowers Museum because
they have a children's days there there as well, so
you might want to try that with them, and it's
very popular. They definitely encourage the youth to come on
anybody there to children's author author. I think that they
would be wonderful for people to see that these are
children that's doing that, and I believe they put their
(22:51):
names and their pictures up, so it will definitely bring
the people out. You may want to try some of
those places as well, even the places that we go
to as adults. Know, if they have an area for
children authors, children book authors, it doesn't necessarily mean that
their children, but they could have written a children's book,
and but you have they've written children's books, So I
(23:12):
would definitely go and just put it in there. Don't
think it's just for you know, the adults. You know,
the writing process for young authors. Could you walk us
through the writing journey from ideas to publish books for
a child in your program?
Speaker 3 (23:27):
Yeah, absolutely, you know, absolutely. We try and get to
know a little more about the students in the program,
you know, and try and get to know them so
that and allow them to get to know one another
before we jump right into writing the book. So we
have a couple of sessions of just you know, icebreakers
(23:47):
and bonding, you know, and getting them a little comfortable.
You know, a lot of them are nervous when they
come in. Again, they don't a lot of them don't
know each other, right, so you're you're in a session
with maybe ten students and you're not familiar with them.
So we do take the first couple of sessions to
just kind of get them a little more relaxed and
(24:08):
get them, you know, so that they can learn a
little bit about one another. And our icebreakers allows us
to do that and allows them to kind of ask
each other questions and get to know one another. But
once we start that journey, you know, of trying to
just kind of get from them what they love to read,
(24:29):
what they liked to watch on TV, what movies were
they interested in, you know, so we're kind of pulling
some of that information out from them, you know, one
at a time. You know, what was your favorite movie?
What was what was why was it your favorite movie?
What did you like most about that movie? You know,
if you liked Black Panther? What was it about Black Panther?
(24:50):
Was it the costumes? You know, was it the characters
in there? You know, different things like that. So we'll
kind of first pull from them what was more exciting
for them, you know, again, whether reading the book or
watching something on TV or watching the movie. And then
once we've kind of gotten all of that information down
on the board, right, they're just throwing content out at us,
(25:12):
and we're on the board writing that stuff down, right,
just kind of getting as much information as we can
from them. And then we started asking them what do
you think would be, you know, a good movie to
go to the theater and roche would it be this,
this and that? And so they actually have to go
through the process of narrowing down what their book is
(25:33):
going to be about. You know, they might start out
or like maybe ten ideas and then we have to
narrow that down to five ideas, and then they have
to vote and come up with the concept of their book,
you know. And like the last class we did, which
was very surprising to me, which really shouldn't have been,
was that they all wanted to do something about social media.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Right.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
They all kind of agree, you know, when they were
voting on their book type topic, the majority of them said,
we want to talk about influencers or social media, you know.
And so when we put it all out there, just
based on what they say and they like to read,
they like to see on TV with shows they love
(26:19):
with movies they like, you know, they actually decide what
the concept of the book is going to be about
by a voting system. Voting yeah, yeah, So that's that's
kind of how here we go into the pillars of
how to write a book. You know, your characters, you know,
(26:41):
you gotta you gotta have some good characters, but you
got to have that one character that's that's that's not
so good, you know, to make the book really interesting.
And so once we can get the concept of the book,
then we can start to develop the story. And so
that part sometimes take a couple of sessions before we
can even narrow it down to what the top of
(27:03):
the book is going to be about. But that's husually
that process of process of deciding the book, deciding the
book to you.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
You have them going from in the beginning you mentioned
about marketing with them, you know, and how to present
theirself and represent themselves, and then the networking. I would
just love to see these little people walking around networking
with with other authors, whether they're adults or whether they're
other children, because just to watch them go from table
(27:36):
to table and ask questions and share their information. My
my thing is that when they're doing all of this
surprises the process for their children. But I know they
have to be beaming and standing back proud watching their
their little people running around and doing all of this.
You know, is there a change that they tell you
that they see within their child, even in their child's schoolwork,
(27:59):
because that that's important.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Yeah, I mean, the parents and I and I always
let them know, like, you know, please share any anything
with me, you know, the good, the bad or whatever.
But once they've gotten their book, you know, and they're
around friends and family and they're telling them about their book,
you know, please share with me, you know, how how
they're doing with that, and just the parents sending me emails,
(28:25):
you know, or even just calling me and just letting
me know that they've received phone calls and emails from
the teachers saying that, you know, there's definitely a difference,
Like they didn't know what really was going on. They
really wasn't informed that they were writing a book. But
they noticed that they're participating more in class, right, They're
(28:45):
they're raising their hands, you know, they're thinking a little
more outside of the box, right because they're they're tapping
into being a little creative, you know, right, and being
a little more descriptive about things. So now they're they're
they're participating a little more in class. And what they're
also doing is they're open to working more with their classmates,
(29:05):
you know. And and they get that from collaborating with
the other students when they are writing their books. Their
characters might be different, but they have to collaborate because
there will be some dialogue exchange between their characters. Right,
So there were a lot of one on one with
the students, you know, just kind of working through their
chapter together and their chapter together in that sense of
(29:30):
that'shing with the other students to the classroom, and their
teachers recognize that and and and really reached out that
the parents to say this is absolutely great, I love it,
and then the parents will share that information with me,
you know. So, but like seeing these students at these
tables when when people are approaching them, just the confidence
(29:51):
of them standing up and saying, Hi, my name is Dylan,
and I'm an author. I wrote this book. You know
it would it be okay if I tell you a
little more about it, right, just just seeing them doing
that exchange, you know, with these people that are standing
in front of their tables, it makes me very proud. Right,
they've come up with their own script, you know, that
(30:13):
works for them to kind of sell that book. And
it's just really encouraging that what we're doing is working. Right, Like,
we're not on TV, we're not getting all the praise,
and we don't want that, right because this is way
bigger than me or my husband, But it just makes
me so proud to kind of just see them in
(30:34):
that interaction with someone and feeling confident about what they're
trying to sell is amazing to me. And it's just
kind of like every time I see that, I'm like, man,
this is this is great. Man, this is this is great.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
You mentioned collaboration, the power of community and collaboration, You
writers challenges more than a program, it's a community. What
makes the community elements so important? How are some of
the key partners or supporters to have helped elevate your mission?
Speaker 3 (31:05):
Communities? Every with these students going from these through another
grade and some moving from one school maybe middle school
to high school or elementary school to middle school, they're
going to come across different students, right, different personalities and
different things like that, and they'll just need to know
(31:29):
how to move in this different atmosphere and being able
to have speakers come in and talk to them about that,
being able to take them out to different events, they
can actually engage with different people and learn how to
connect with that person. You know, one person might be
(31:49):
easier to speak with, one person might not be. But
if you talk to them and ask them the right questions,
they will open up to you a little bit more.
And so when we're at these events and we're at
these festivals or we have speakers, they start to learn
a little bit about communicating with a person and figuring
(32:10):
out what's the best way to communicate with this person
that is standing in front of me, right in front
of me right having uh Chom City Jazz, which is
which is one of our biggest, biggest supporters and sponsors,
Roger Harris, he will come out and talk to the
kids on a business level, right, a little bit about
(32:31):
the business we might have, uh the editor come out
and talk a little bit more on on from that
aspect of now that you've written the book, right, this
is what we have to do to make the book
and you know where you can hold a book and
publish the book. And so they talk a little bit
about it from that perspective, but we try and bring
(32:54):
different professionals to come in and talk to these students
so that they'll learn a little more or about who
in the community is a part of them branding this
book or you know, creating this book, and whether it's
the publisher, the marketing or the promoter, you know, the library.
You know, they all can get they get a little
(33:16):
sense of everybody that's a part of what they're trying
to brand and what they're trying to build. And so
we have a lot of different people coming in to
speak with the students so that they can get a
little a little bit from each one of those that
are their community. As an author, they're all going to
be Are.
Speaker 2 (33:40):
There any specific social emotional learning things that emerge often
in your students' stories.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Absolutely come up with the concept of their book. And
I think at any given time time we don't know
really what they're going through at home, right We don't
know emotionally all the time what they're feeling. But when
(34:11):
they start throwing these ideas out about this book, we
can kind of get a grasp of Okay, they want
to talk about bullying, you know, let's let's let's talk
a little more about that. You know, is this something
you've experienced before, Is this something you've witnessed before? The
(34:31):
not the last book, but the book before that. The story.
The book was called Mixed Paths, and there were two stories,
two friends going through two different challenges in their home.
One was not having a good relationship with her mother.
It wasn't the daughter mother relationship that she wanted to have.
(34:54):
She she felt like she was not loved enough right.
And then the other side of the store was a
young man who felt like, you know, his mom passed away,
his dad was locked up, his grandma is sick, and
he's feeling like he's in a bad place, and he
(35:14):
doesn't want to get in trouble, and he doesn't want to,
you know, be a part of a gang, and he
feels like he needs to get away, you know. So
sometimes the story really evolve around what's happening in these
students' life, and again, we give them the platform to
talk about it, and then we help to kind of
(35:34):
put that into a book, and it really allows them
to open up and then talk to other people about
what they're feeling or what they're experiencing or what they're
going through, so definitely. You know, the book sometimes can
be a topic of what they're actually going through in
their personal lives, and we then talk through that with
(35:57):
them and then talk with the parents about that and
then try and provide any resources we can to help
them with that and the.
Speaker 2 (36:05):
Can you share one or two transformative success stories from
your program.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Well, like I said, bullying one one of these gentlemen,
one of the women. There was four students. Three of
the four students had been bullied before. The fourth student
was a bully, you know, and from from what he
explained to us, But when they each share their stories
(36:39):
and talked about what that was like for them, how
that made them feel, he didn't apologize to them, even
though they they were not in the same schools, they
didn't live in the same areas, But he apologized to
them because he was like, I just didn't think about that.
I didn't know how that was making those kids feel.
(37:02):
When I was doing that, all I thought that it
was cool, you know, because the other guys was doing it.
And so he apologized to them even though he didn't
directly have any impact on them, he just felt bad
that he didn't think about their feelings. You know, and
so I think when we come up with the topic
(37:23):
of the book and we have these discussions, especially around
those topics that can deal with, you know, mental illness,
or the impacts of feeling you know, lost or not
loved or you know, any of that. Once we have
those conversations around that, it allows them to feel more
(37:46):
open to kind of really telling what was on their
mind or what they were feeling. They don't feel like
they got to hide anything. We give them the floor
to just be open and honest and let them know that,
you know, we're there for them. So having him stand
there and say, I'm apologizing to you, to you and
(38:06):
to you because I didn't know how you know, you
guys were feeling. I didn't know, you know, how they
were feeling, and I didn't mean to kind of make
them feel that way. That I think was significant to
allowing the other three to talk even more about what
they was feeling, and that they would come home and
not want to even tell their parents what were happening.
(38:27):
They would just go to their room and close their
doors and deal with it themselves. But now they they
are actually talking about it on a platform where other
people are listening, you know, they're giving advice to parents
on if your child is doing this, you might want
to talk to them because they might be hiding something
from you. So after that, we decided to go on
(38:49):
different panels, and the students were really just kind of
giving everyone in the audience those clues that they should
be looking for, you know, or if their child and
they just feel like nobody's gonna listen to them or
believe them. And it was really interesting to see so
(39:09):
many adults raise their hands and ask these four students
that were on this panel of ways to figure out,
you know, signs. Basically, if I see signs, what am I?
What should I do?
Speaker 2 (39:22):
You know?
Speaker 3 (39:23):
From this perspective of the students. So there's definitely been
some experiences that I've seen coming out of these sessions
and that the students have experienced coming out of these
sessions that relate to their everyday lives.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
M You can't keep it in there because it's always
going out. When you go in there to ask for
the book, the book is gone, and then you got
to go on a waitness. I wanted to let you
know that that's good, that's good thing, So I went
back again to ask for the book and it wasn't there,
(40:16):
So I said, what do you mean it's not here?
You're gonna carry this? No, somebody took it out. So
I'm very happy and pleased to see that the book
is going on. You mentioned something that I want to
talk about. What would you say to a child who
is afraid that the story that they're writing isn't good enough?
How would you encourage them to keep going and to
(40:36):
keep writing.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
I would just kind of I want to ask them
why they think it's not good enough, right, just to
try and understand their mindset or their thought about their book.
But what if we do throughout the whole process, you know,
because as their creating the book, you know, as they're
writing kind of what they think this character should be
(41:04):
saying to that character, they're sharing it with the other
students in the class, right, so everybody's kind of sharing
a little bit about their character. And depending on what
chapter a in, they're going around the room almost like
a table reading, if you will, and the other students
are kind of saying, man, that was great, right. They're
getting validation, They're getting validations from their co authors that
(41:28):
are sitting there at the table with them, And I
think that kind of gives them, you know, the good
feeling up all right, this is I'm writing good. I'm
doing good because my you know, sometimes I love the kids,
but sometimes they are very honest, right, and they're very
blood So if they don't like something, they gonna tell
(41:48):
you they don't like it, right. But I think getting
that validation from their peer helps them to say, Okay,
I'm on the right track. I'm going to keep on going.
Even if we, you know, get to a particular part
of the chapel of the book and we will give
some suggestions, Hey, how about he said this way, or
(42:08):
how about we switch this word with that word? You know,
so we always kind of get their input, you know,
we'll ask them like, how what do you think about this?
We don't just go in and make any changes without
them knowing what, you know, what we think we should
kind of add or take out, but explaining it to
them why this would kind of sound better when reading
(42:30):
the book, you know, if we do it this way.
But I don't think we really allow it to get
to the point where they're ending the book feeling like, oh,
this wasn't good, because throughout the whole process we're engaging
them in it, you know, and where saying this is great,
what do you think about this? What else would you
like to add to it? They're they're in the process
(42:53):
every step of the way, and I think before the
book is actually done, they read it from beginning to end.
And then if it's something that they don't, you know,
really understand or don't agree with, you know, we do
have the option to go back and change it. But
because we're getting their input in every step of the
way and asking them what do you think? How do
you feel about it? We're really trying to eliminate getting
(43:16):
to the end of the book and ready to send
it off to the publisher and someone's feeling like, I
don't I don't think this is a good book, you know,
But we we we have those round tables with the
other students so that they could feed off of one another,
and they could give suggestions to one another, and they
can ask questions to one another.
Speaker 2 (43:36):
Have you ever thought about having the students sit in
on a podcast where their book was reviewed and someone
is talking to them about the book.
Speaker 3 (43:50):
That is a great idea, and we have ideas and
we have you know, anyone I.
Speaker 2 (43:57):
Do, And she's on it tonight. You have something for
Your name is Patria Patrice Grenville. She is here, She's
got hey, hey, hey up. She is one of my
solters reviews. So I was thinking instead, I was hoping
she didn't go off before I mentioned it. But I
think that that would be wonderful because she does a
wonderful job. She always had these little quirky questions and
(44:19):
you know about I'm not gonna give it away. I'll
let her do it on her own show, but she
does that with the with her guests, and I would
love for her to review a book with your youth
and then ask them that question. Hope you understand what
question I'm talking about, because it's like a stopper, and
I think that they would they would love to answer
that question. It would be really exciting for them and
(44:42):
it gets them to say something.
Speaker 1 (44:43):
Now.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
So I'm going to pass your information over to her
so she can context you too have a reviewed, because
I think that that would be a wonderful thing for her.
Speaker 3 (44:53):
I think that they would absolutely enjoy that. I think
they would think that they were love that opportunity to
be a.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Questions.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
Like I said, they now now I love talking about
the book they love talking about the book, and and
then they even a lot of times go into yeah,
because we're gonna write another book, and I have to
be like, wait a minute, you know, uh, but that
would be a wonderful opportunity. Please share my information. I
would love for them to be able to do.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
But you mentioned that you were trying to get into
other jurisdictions, been out of the state as well your program.
Speaker 3 (45:40):
Yes, we've actually been contacted by someone in Delaware from
a book event that they do every year in North Carolina,
Carolina and in New York. So I have been speaking
with them all with them on trying to bring the
(46:03):
program there, but definitely having someone that can host it,
you know, in in that particular state wherever we are.
But it's definitely something that's on top of the radar.
Having found out all of the details, specifically from New
York and Delaware, there's been constant contacts with those two
states up bringing Youth Writers Rock to those two locations.
(46:28):
And so we're still trying to you know, figure that
piece of it out, you know, in terms of a
location for the sessions, you know, would it's still be
a six month program because it's starting out what we
need to extend that and make it a little longer
than six months, you know, just those you know logistics basically,
But it's something we're working on and it's definitely, you know,
(46:51):
at the very top of our radar. The key thing
to any place that we do it at is funding.
While the program is for the students, you know, we
have to find funding to cover the expenses that go
along with that program. You know, we have coaches, we
have constant we have field trips, we have to do
(47:14):
the students have to have T shirts, backpack, school writing supplies,
you know, and then the wishing piece of the book
and all of that requires some funding. So that's another
big part of it that we'll need to find funding
in both of those states to to to have the program.
For the.
Speaker 2 (47:33):
Funding in the schools the majority of the schools do
some of them don't even know what to do with
the money, so they want.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Yeah. I recently did a seminar seminar with one of
the teachers union and talked about the program, and a
lot of the teachers that were on that seminar actually
reached out to the teaching union asking, you know, how
how can we get that in in our school. How
can we make this part of the curriculum, you know.
(48:06):
So I know that the teachers are asking, you know,
the teachers Union, we need you know, telling them we
need this, what can we do? And so I do
know that they are looking into ways to fund the program,
you know, inside of the school system. And so that
was a really great experience that I was invited to
(48:30):
talk about the program at a teacher's seminar, I mean conference,
and teachers are really excited about it and and really
would like to see that as part of the curriculum
in this schools.
Speaker 2 (48:45):
When New York City has a new man, so you
may want to hit him up because he's probably gonna
need something that's going to push him to the top
to let people know that he's serious. Well, can you
you know, you go to and need He's definitely being
watched by higher ups, So I think some letters going
out to him, even if the students are writing letters
(49:07):
to him, and they just opened some doors for that.
How can supporters, partners or volunteers get involved in the
next chapter of the Youth Writer's Challenge.
Speaker 3 (49:20):
We're always looking for supporters and supporters. One of social
events with the students, right, So it's not just coming
to session. We're gonna write right right, you know. We
we do social ice creams, We do piece of parties,
you know, like I said, we have speakers come in.
Sometimes we'll stop session early and do a little short
(49:42):
movie with the students. We take them on field trips.
Depending on what their book is about, we might take
them to a museum, or the students was writing about
their hip hop book, we took them to a hip
hop museum in d C. So they can get some
inspiration from that. So we do a lot of activities
with these students where we require more than just the
(50:04):
coaches to come and support them, you know. So we're
always looking for supporters in that aspect of it. People
can always go to char I mean city, always go
to youth Writers Rock dot com. There is a donate
button at the top of it. You can also purchase
the books on youth Writers Rock dot com. And some
(50:25):
people have just really in wanting these students to succeed
with their book, have just kind of sent in donations
in support of the book or supported the program by saying,
I'm gonna buy backpacks for all your students. So I'm
gonna provide you with boxes of school supplies for all
your students and things like that, so they can actually
(50:47):
support the financially or with donations anyway they want to,
because like I said, it's it's it's a nonprofit right.
We don't have a steady grant. You know, we do
a lot of fundraising, so a support on any life
would be helpful to the program to the program.
Speaker 2 (51:05):
Wow, Pat, thank you, Thank you so much for blessing
us tonight and for the work you continue to do.
The UPLI the power and impify the voices of our youth,
youth writers, challenge and changing lives one story at a time.
We honor you for your dedication, your vision, and your heart.
And to my basic Black after Dark family, thank you
(51:25):
for tuning in, thank you for showing up, and thank
you for supporting platforms that celebrate growth, healing and creativity
in our communities. Now, I didn't forget about our trivia
question for those tickets to see the performance and tribute
to Aretha Franklin. So here's the question. Which Aretha Franklin
(51:47):
album was the first to win a Grammy Award for
Best Female R and B Vocal Performance. Now, the first
person that gets it right and correct, of course, will
win the tickets, but you must email me at Basic
Black Consentials at gmail dot com. That's B A S
(52:10):
I S B L A q U E E S
S E E N T I A L S at
gmail dot com. The winner will be announced on my
December fifth podcast and the show is on December sixth
at seven o'clock at the Gordon Center here in Owen's Mills.
(52:33):
So I want to repeat the question again because I
had some people that I asked that question and they
got it wrong because they wasn't listening to the questions.
So I'm gonna go this south again. Wire your Free
Aretha Franklin album was the first to win a Grammy
Award for Best Female R and B Vocal Performance. Again,
(52:54):
the first person to get it right and send it
to my email, you will be notified that you are
the and you are to pick your tickets up on
call and you'll be ready and available. I want you
to tell me how the show was, because I love
them meet the Franklin But I had a little accident
my foot to I ain't be able to make it
out there. But again, good luck to everyone you could
(53:15):
also watch this in the replay. If you know somebody
that lives in the state of Maryland and you're not
in this state, let them know about this trivia question.
Maybe they're gonna be the lucky one that wins the tickets.
He almost gave the answer away right now.
Speaker 3 (53:28):
What I had to say next, I gotta just say something,
So make.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
Sure you join us for our next episode. That one
is also going to be in December, in the nineteenth.
Now in December fifth, we have something going on with
December to nineteenth. We're gonna welcome the Distinguished Author's Guild
Award winners. You already know it's gonna be powerful, it's
gonna be inspiring, and it's gonna be a night you
don't want to miss. Until then, stay real, stay silent,
(53:57):
and stay beautifully authentically. Ye, this is Black Diamond and
you've been listening to Basic Black after Dark. I want
to thank you for keeping it basic. Good night, Pat.
Your students should enter the Distinguished Authors Guild Award winners
because there's children that enters that as well. So I
continue the information with that as well, because they they'll
(54:20):
be one woman interviewing those winners. In about three weeks
when the nineteenth, so we'll be sharing some information and
owner and founder of it, I'm going to be interviewing
her as well when they start going back and accepting applications.
So collaborations are welcomed as well as individual authors. But
(54:43):
I think that some of your children will be happy
to travel. Now they would have to probably go to Chicago,
but that's a big deal for Yeah, I think that
they would love it. So yeah, hey, you get a
chance to stay over at the hotel. They get a
chance to mingle and the network with some older people,
(55:05):
and I think that they would have a blast with
it as well, and also with my sisters. Anybody that
wants to enter, we'll be talking about it. No, this
is the Distinguished Author's.
Speaker 3 (55:18):
Guild Distinguished Authors distinguish.
Speaker 2 (55:23):
Yeah, so anyone can can enter that, and I think
that they would enjoy it and they would be excited
with all the promos that come up. But I'm not
going to keep talking about it because all night and
talk about it. My sister, you can join as well.
And I joined it as well, and I walked away
a winner this year, so I'm very happy with that
(55:43):
congratulation so much so, again, thank you off for tuning in.
Please watch the replace, share it with everyone that you know,
especially if you have family that's even close to the
DMV area, so they can learn more about the youth
writers challenging youth at his rock program, as well as
trying to get these tickets because I understand the show's
(56:05):
gonna be it's gonna be a great.
Speaker 3 (56:07):
Show, talk about.
Speaker 2 (56:11):
Hands down, you know it's gonna be something. Don't eat
before you go, though. Good night everybody, and thank you
so much for joining. That's how I appreciate that. Thank you,
thank you,
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