August 13, 2025 • 31 mins
Elijah gets you caught up on his past and current week, while also answering your email questions.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:23):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. I'm
indeed your host. I'm excited to be with you today.
As always, we have a terrific show lined up for
you today. It is a beautiful morning here in the
Pacific Northwest. The rain is coming unfortunately, but again I
think it's needed in certain places with the wildfires, not
(00:57):
just here but around the the country. But we desperately
need a little bit of rain. So as much as
I complained and carry on about gray skies, I'm looking
forward to cooler temperatures and a little bit of drizzle
as we close out the week here. I hope that
(01:19):
your your past week went well. I hope that you
you've gotten up to a great start this week and
you're planning some fun things for the weekend. I know
I will be doing that all as well. On the
home front, as usual, everybody's working hard. I think with
the upcoming school year, we are getting ready for that.
(01:47):
I hosted a very small backpack drive this week and
we purchased backpacks for kids in the Seattle school area.
We do this every year. This year was more behind
the scenes, kind of quiet, I think because I've taken
some things off of my schedule, uh and been less
vocal about the work that I'm doing, it kind of
(02:12):
flew under the radar. We want to thank everybody who
who donates the team Win free on a monthly basis.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You are the reason that we were.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Able to provide backpacks and pencils and crayons for kids.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
We also were able to help a few.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Families with some some gift cards to Walmart.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You know, I think it's important that we continue to
service our community and in a multitude of ways, and
we couldn't do any of this with without all of you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Physically, Mentally, I'm doing okay. I'm still not sleeping great.
I've had a few setbacks here the last couple of nights,
you know, but we are, you know, working through that.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You know, my mood is good.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You know, I try not to let it hamper my day,
you know, I try to process it for what it is.
And I am getting the help that I need to
get better with my sleeping. So outside of that, things
are going well. Working out is going really well. Again,
I always shout out Peloton. You know, They've been big
(03:25):
in my in my wellness journey and I don't know
where we would be without them, quite frankly, So shout
out the Peloton. My Kidtle's doing good, the missus is
doing good, and as I said, there's not much to
report on the home front. I am excited about the
(03:47):
upcoming school year, you know, I'm very optimistic that it
is going to be a great year, and I am
intrigued on seeing what the new leadership has in store
for everybody in the building. So I'm looking forward to
getting started with that. Shout out to my fabulous producer,
(04:12):
Greg Nice. He always puts the show in positions to succeed,
and he once again has gone into the email bag
and pulled out some great questions that I'm going to
answer here momentarily, and as always, please send your questions
to me at Elijah dot Winfrey at gmail dot com,
and I'll do my very very best to get these
(04:33):
questions on and get an answered. You all never disappointed,
never disappointed. Let's let's let's get into some of the questions.
That was a short little soliloquy on my past week
and current week. Not too much is happening, which is
(04:53):
a good thing. But it'll pick up here as we
get rolling into this year and there'll be more things
to do with with Team win Free. I I before
we get to the first question, I want to again
say I will be reading to a group of children
(05:15):
here in Washington State at the Tuck Willis Center on Friday,
and I am excited about that. In collaboration with Restoration
of the Arts, they do a fantastic job with kids
and and getting them ready for for for elementary school
(05:35):
and beyond. They host the multitude of plays. Deborah, who
is the founder, is an incredible friend. We like to
call each other cousin. You know, she is an incredible
force and I enjoy collaborating with her. We're also going
to be collaborating with her during the holidays when we
(05:59):
adopt families, and we'll have a list of toys that
the kids are wishing for, so stay tuned for that.
That's down the road. But I'm looking forward to reading
Friday and interacting with the kiddos doing their masterpiece workshops,
so that will be fun. All right, Let's get into
(06:21):
some of these amazing questions that you've sent in. This
first question is from Mariah in Atlanta, Georgia. Mariah writes, Elijah,
how has your past week been? Anything exciting or unexpected
happened in your personal life or community work. My past
week has been good. Everything's been decent. Things have you know,
(06:43):
been on schedule. There hasn't been nothing that's been really exciting.
I live a basic, boring life. Nothing unexpected has happened.
The community work can ten years. Of course, I'm always brainstorming.
I'm always reaching out the families and community leaders to
(07:05):
see how we can best serve you know, folks in
the community.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I'm always working on that personal life, you know. Again,
it's nothing major, just going on outside of I guess
maybe this is silly to say, but I haven't shaved
or gotten a haircut in a while since mid June.
(07:35):
I'm kind of letting thinks I've been letting things go
and I like it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I do.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I'll get myself here together soon. But you know, outside
of that, it's been business as usual in.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
My personal life.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Next question is from James in Tacoma, Washington. James Wright,
what's been the highlight of your current week so far?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I think the highlight.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
This week has been the backpack drive. You know, I
feel good when I do things like that. You know,
it's all about service for me. You know, I found
my calling and whenever I'm engaged in the community in
(08:37):
a very personal way, it moves me. No matter how
big the event is or how small it is, I
am always moved and shopping for backpacks and crayons and
pencils and things like that. I like doing that gives
me a sense of purpose and I really enjoy it.
So that's I would say, that's that's the highlight that's
(08:59):
far the week. Next question is from Angela in Chicago, Illinois.
Angela Rights, Elijah. You've been hosting The Elijah Winfrey Show
for years now. Do you ever still get nervous before
going live?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Positively yes, with everything that I do, But it's only
for like thirty seconds, you know, I think once I
start talking, you know, I give myself that wiggle room to,
you know, make a mistake, maybe a big mistake right
(09:39):
as I'm talking, you know, not nothing catastrophic or offensive,
but I kind of let go of the rope and
what's gonna come out, It's gonna come out. It's like
when I'm hosting the show, I don't have a script, right,
so I'm going off the top of my head and
what's in my heart. I feel like for me and
(09:59):
this is just me now, I feel like it's more
authentic when I do it that way because the thoughts
are coming as I'm talking, and it it kind of
cleans itself up to where you're understanding what I'm saying
and what I'm trying to say. So after the first
thirty seconds, I kind of flow, and you know, I
(10:20):
really enjoy it that way. And that's not to say
that I can't read from a script, because I can.
I just choose to do it this way. This is
the most comfortable for me. But yes, I get nervous
in everything I do. It doesn't matter what it is,
writing a book, this show, playing golf, you know, you
(10:44):
name it. You know, it takes a few minutes or
a couple of minutes for me to kind of buy
my footing. But once I do, you know, I just
let it flow and what's gonna happen is gonna happen.
I'm gonna stutter, I'm gonna, you know, misspeak. I don't
pronounce a ton of words really well, but I'm not
afraid to go there. It just it lets the listeners know,
(11:08):
like you that you know I'm human. You know I'm
not AI. I'm human. So yes, I do get nervous
for sure. Next question is from devn in Brooklyn, New York.
Devin Rights, how do you prepare yourself for each episode,
especially when you have big guests? So that's a good question, Devin.
(11:35):
When I say I don't go from a script, you
know I don't, But that doesn't mean I don't write
down things that I want to talk about or have
a have bullet points that I want to talk about.
So I do prepare. I do do my homework the
night before or the morning of, right if I want
(11:58):
to cover something. And as far as like you know,
having guests on the show, again, we go through, you know,
that conversation with the guests and we just say, you know,
we're gonna talk like we're just having coffee or dinner
or lunch, and it's just gonna be a casual conversation
(12:19):
about you know, autism or low homelessness or whatever their
passion is and what they're doing in the community. I
think it's important that we that we do that, and
I try to stay committed to that, and it keeps
me centered. So I'm always prepared, and you know, I
(12:43):
let things kind of fall into place, and they normally do.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Great question.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Next question is from Samantha in Austin, Texas and Samantha
RTEs speaking of nerves, what about when you speak to
large crowds. Do you still feel the rush of butterflies
or has it become second nature? I feel the rush
(13:13):
of butterflies. I think when I'm speaking two people, there's
a crowd in front of me, there's more butterflies, right,
But the same thing happens. Once I get going, it
kind of flows and I do my very best to
stay on topic. Does it always happen that way? No,
(13:33):
Sometimes you vi'er off and you have to find your
way back. And I think that happens to everybody who
speaks in front of front of people. You know, you
you deviate from time to time. Uh, and again, you know,
there's really no script for me. But I do have
bullet points that I want to cover and I want
to talk about.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And you know that normally works.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And you know it's it's I'm not gonna say it's
second nature, you know, because there's still a process where
nerves are involved. You know, I just tell myself, you know,
you're no different from anybody else. Once you get going,
do your best to flow and stay on topic and
be confident and even if your voice shakes a little bit,
(14:22):
you know, have the confidence to push through and find
your way. And it's worked. It's worked. Next question is
from Caleb in Charlotte, North Carolina. Caleb writes, Elijah, we
heard you have an upcoming reading event where kids and
your work with Restoration of the Arts. What can families
(14:44):
expect that day? So it's going to be more like
a like a masterpiece theater. So I think I'm going
to read to the group, going to answer some questions.
This is my first masterpiece reading in collaboration with Restoration
(15:04):
of the Arts. You know, I know they've done things
like this before. So I got to get Deborah on
this show to really answer this question, because she would
be better at answering this than than I. I think
what families can expect from me is, you know, the
reading of Juneteenth. Little East celebrates Juneteenth, h and answer
(15:27):
some questions about you know, the writing process and and
and what it's been like for me, and just continuing
to educate the kids on on Juneteenth and other important
topics pertaining to African American culture that I can provide. So,
you know, I think they can expect that there will
(15:50):
be copies of the book that I'll sign uh and
and leave with restoration of the arts. So it'll be
a very fun day, and you know, I think we're
all going to do our parts and make it pretty
special for the kiddos. Next question is from Rachel and Denver, Colorado.
Rachel Wrights Elijah, what does an event like that mean
(16:13):
to you personally and how does it connect with your mission?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I think.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Personally it means a lot, because my goal is to
try to connect with the youth as much as I
can and give them a sense of direction and purpose,
you know, as far as them creating dreams and setting
(16:50):
up goals to get there, and as far as it's
connecting to the mission.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
A lot of these these kids come from low income areas,
and you know that's part of what we do at
Team Winfrey and helping, you know, low income families. You know,
we want to try to bridge that gap and make
that connection and sustain those relationships. And I think we
(17:24):
we we've done a good job in doing that. And
you know, this kind of work kind of keeps us
all connected. So I hope that answered your question, Rachel,
but personally it means so much, so much. Next question
(17:48):
is from Marcus in Seattle. Marcus Rights, Elijah, how was
Team winn for doing these days? Any new projects or
initiatives in the works. You know, we just finished the
backpack Drive. We normally started to ramp up again, you
know as the holidays approach, we try to stay a
(18:10):
couple of months ahead. So right now, I don't want
to say we're in a lull because we're still handing
out grocery gift cards. We're still pretty active in the community.
With the help of my good friend mister d Gerald Donaldson.
We're always brainstorming on ways we can help families from
(18:34):
an individual standpoint, from a mentoring standpoint. So you know,
we're always working on ways to get better as a nonprofit,
and we are you know, we're partnering with individuals who
(18:59):
were entrenched in the community, who are telling us where
the needs are are needed most so, and we're we're
we're doing a lot of the work behind the scenes.
So you know, we don't Yeah, my directors don't. They
don't post often and and and sometimes I'll post a
(19:20):
little bit about the work that we're doing, but we
want to make sure that that work is complete before we,
you know, share any of that process of what it
was like. So great question, Martus. Team Winfrey is doing really,
really well. Next question is from Brianna in Philadelphia. Brianna Wrights,
(19:43):
you just completed your fifth children's book, Congratulations. Can you
give us a sneak peek at what it's about.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I can't. I'll say this much. It's about responsibility, and.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
It's I worked really hard on this story because I'd
been writing the story before I wrote my Juneteenth book,
Little E Celebrates Juneteenth. So I had been piecing this
story together because this story is I think it's a
pretty deep story and I had to like break it
(20:25):
up because I would have an idea, and before I
would lose the idea of my head, I would write
it down, like a passage or a page. I would
write it down and kind of save it and then
go back and critique it and then you know, kind
of pick up the pace. Like in my head, I
knew what I wanted the story to be and what
it I wanted it to look like and sound like.
(20:47):
So this one took a little bit of time. Right
the juneteenth book, I wrote that fairly quickly. There were
a lot of things in my mind when I was
writing that. But when I would when I got that
book almost done, I had already started writing the next
one about responsibility, right, and a lot of this, a
(21:09):
lot of this story ties into things that I saw
growing up, pertaining to myself and other kids around me.
So I can I can only tell you that it's
about responsibility. And yes, this is book number five, and
(21:31):
this is fourth in the Little Eat series, if I'm
not mistaken, And no, this is third in the Little
E series.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
And I just I really enjoy this process.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
You know, I've taken a little break from writing right
now a journal, but I haven't written any stories outside
of finishing this book. So I've kind of given myself
a little bit of break to kind of you know,
refresh and reset before I think about, you.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Know, what's next for for Little E.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
But I wanted I want to thank everybody too for
for for purchasing Little E Celebrates June Team.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I really appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
It meant a lot too, and it still means a
lot because some of you are still out there purchasing
the book. So thank you for the support on that end. No,
it just shows you that there are good people in
the world who sees your work and you know, they
really respect it, and they like it and they admire it.
So once it's out there, you know, I'm sure there'll
(22:37):
be people that critique it and and and you know
may not be for them, but you know that that's
just the the chance you take and releasing your work.
You know, I can put it out and I can
live with you know, the results. So again, thank you
so much. All right, let's take a couple more questions
(22:58):
here before we wind down the show. This next question
is from Omar and Sacramento, California. Omar rights, out of
all your books so far, which one has been the
most fun to write? And why it's always my next book. Right,
So the book about Responsibility is it's my favorite. I
love them all, I really do. But the next book
(23:21):
is always the best book, I think because I feel like.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
The more.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'm starting to understand the writing process, I feel like,
the better the stories will be. And that's not to
say any of the stories have been bad at least
I don't think so. But the more I feel like
I can go a bit more, I can get deeper
in the story. And I'm understanding.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I took this.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Online like training or course or whatever you want to
call it, you know, about writing, because I do want
to get better at it. You know, I do take
it serious, and I feel like this fifth book will
definitely illustrate that. Now I am going to be looking
(24:10):
for a new illustrator because my illustrator in the Little
Eat series has moved on to another career path or choice,
and I congratulate her on that. So we'll start that
process in September of finding an illustrator and then we'll
get to work on illustrations and I'll update you on
(24:32):
that process as well. So out of all the books,
this fifth book is the best book. Next question is
from Hannah and Birmingham, Alabama. Hannah writes, Elijah, do you
see yourself continuing the Little East series or are you
thinking about starting something brand new? No, I think I'm
(24:53):
going to continue to Little Eat series at least for
another book or two, and after that, I've kind of
started writing a memoir about my life. Right so as
I'm journaling, I'm also writing about you know, my my
(25:15):
my journey and you know, the ups and downs and that.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
So that'll probably be the next.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Maybe the next direction I kind of head towards it
is finishing that and then getting that out. But I
still have some things that I want to accomplish with
with Little E and just stay tuned on that front.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Stay tuned.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Last question is from Luis in Orlando, Florida. Louise writes, Elijah,
with all you do writing, coaching, posting, speaking, and nonprofit work,
how do you keep your energy and passion going week
after week? This is a I get this question a lot.
I've learned to kind of pace myself.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I don't always do a good job at the pacing,
but I do put things in place, and I try
my very best to be really good about my my wellness.
You know physically and mentally.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
So I think.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
As long as I can stay in the moment and
I don't burn the candle at both ends, we're gonna
be okay. You know. You know, I don't I don't
have any excuses, you know, for burning out, because I
do know better. Outside of late May, I've done a
(26:49):
really good job at really pacing myself. And I think
that was the eye opening moment for me. And late
May when I really was crashing, uh, and I did
a I you know, I did a pretty good job
of hiding it, but I was no energy or very
(27:09):
low energy. I wasn't moody, but I had a hard
time finding my center. And that opened my eyes to
really taking some time this summer to really focus on
me and getting things right. And uh, you know, I'm
on I'm on the right path. I've done that. You know,
(27:30):
this summer has been probably one of the best summers
that I've had in a long time, and you know,
I just want to build on top of that and
you know, focus on the good things that I'm doing,
you know in the wellness department, that that's making me
a better person. And you know, I think as long
(27:53):
as I do that you know I'm gonna be okay,
and you know I want to have a good school year.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
You know, you know I work hard in the community.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I work hard on these ideas pertaining to my nonprofit,
and I also want to I want to channel that
uh into the school and I want to be present more.
Last year was really tough because I was pretty sick.
A couple of times that were pretty bad. I'd gotten COVID,
and you know I didn't. I didn't really feel like
(28:26):
I recovered as well as I would have liked to.
And again, I think when you when you start pushing
yourself and you feel like you can do more when
really you should pull back and do less, you start
to see that you're you're doing more harm to not
only yourself but the people around you. Right, you want
to be as close to one hundred percent as you can.
(28:48):
You don't want to walk into anything at twenty thirty
percent or even fifty percent. You want to be as
close to one hundred as you as you possibly can
get to. And you want to have energy. You know,
when you're when you're doing these things, you know otherwise
things fall flat. So I work on things week to
(29:08):
week to get better. I think working out. I think walking.
I mentioned that before walking it's been so beneficial, uh
in my recovery process. And I'm in a good place.
I'm in a good place now outside of sleep. I
really gotta work on I gotta work on getting this
sleep thing down because that does take a toll eventually
(29:31):
in the long run. Uh and it and it can
create a ton of chaos. So rest assured on working
on that. But that's how I deal with things, Luis,
I am taking things slow and steady, right, Slow and
steady wins the race. All right, that's it for questions,
and we have come to the end of the show.
(29:54):
As always, I want to thank you all for tuning
in and downloading the show. It really means a lot
to me. All the live listeners today, thank you so much.
We see you, we acknowledge you, we appreciate you very
very much. Do me a favor as we kind of
wind down the week. Here we are at hump day
(30:16):
right with Wednesday, do me a favor. Get out in
your communities this week and this weekend and check in
on your family and friends. Put a smile on someone's face. Remember,
doesn't take a lot of energy to do that at all.
I want to thank you for listening to the Elijah
Very Show. Please be sure to download this show whatever
(30:38):
you download your favorite podcast, So next week to take care.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
God bless I bid you
Speaker 1 (31:02):
And the
You're listening to The Elijah Winfrey Show, a space for inspiration, impact,
and community connection. Each week, Elijah shares the latest on
his work in the community, answers listener questions, and reflects
on the week that was, from acts of kindness to
real conversations that matter. This is where purpose meets positivity.
(00:23):
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Here's your host,
Elijah Winfrey.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Hello, folks, and welcome to the Elijah Winfrey Show. I'm
indeed your host. I'm excited to be with you today.
As always, we have a terrific show lined up for
you today. It is a beautiful morning here in the
Pacific Northwest. The rain is coming unfortunately, but again I
think it's needed in certain places with the wildfires, not
(00:57):
just here but around the the country. But we desperately
need a little bit of rain. So as much as
I complained and carry on about gray skies, I'm looking
forward to cooler temperatures and a little bit of drizzle
as we close out the week here. I hope that
(01:19):
your your past week went well. I hope that you
you've gotten up to a great start this week and
you're planning some fun things for the weekend. I know
I will be doing that all as well. On the
home front, as usual, everybody's working hard. I think with
the upcoming school year, we are getting ready for that.
(01:47):
I hosted a very small backpack drive this week and
we purchased backpacks for kids in the Seattle school area.
We do this every year. This year was more behind
the scenes, kind of quiet, I think because I've taken
some things off of my schedule, uh and been less
vocal about the work that I'm doing, it kind of
(02:12):
flew under the radar. We want to thank everybody who
who donates the team Win free on a monthly basis.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You are the reason that we were.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Able to provide backpacks and pencils and crayons for kids.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
We also were able to help a few.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Families with some some gift cards to Walmart.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You know, I think it's important that we continue to
service our community and in a multitude of ways, and
we couldn't do any of this with without all of you.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
So thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Physically, Mentally, I'm doing okay. I'm still not sleeping great.
I've had a few setbacks here the last couple of nights,
you know, but we are, you know, working through that.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
You know, my mood is good.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
You know, I try not to let it hamper my day,
you know, I try to process it for what it is.
And I am getting the help that I need to
get better with my sleeping. So outside of that, things
are going well. Working out is going really well. Again,
I always shout out Peloton. You know, They've been big
(03:25):
in my in my wellness journey and I don't know
where we would be without them, quite frankly, So shout
out the Peloton. My Kidtle's doing good, the missus is
doing good, and as I said, there's not much to
report on the home front. I am excited about the
(03:47):
upcoming school year, you know, I'm very optimistic that it
is going to be a great year, and I am
intrigued on seeing what the new leadership has in store
for everybody in the building. So I'm looking forward to
getting started with that. Shout out to my fabulous producer,
(04:12):
Greg Nice. He always puts the show in positions to succeed,
and he once again has gone into the email bag
and pulled out some great questions that I'm going to
answer here momentarily, and as always, please send your questions
to me at Elijah dot Winfrey at gmail dot com,
and I'll do my very very best to get these
(04:33):
questions on and get an answered. You all never disappointed,
never disappointed. Let's let's let's get into some of the questions.
That was a short little soliloquy on my past week
and current week. Not too much is happening, which is
(04:53):
a good thing. But it'll pick up here as we
get rolling into this year and there'll be more things
to do with with Team win Free. I I before
we get to the first question, I want to again
say I will be reading to a group of children
(05:15):
here in Washington State at the Tuck Willis Center on Friday,
and I am excited about that. In collaboration with Restoration
of the Arts, they do a fantastic job with kids
and and getting them ready for for for elementary school
(05:35):
and beyond. They host the multitude of plays. Deborah, who
is the founder, is an incredible friend. We like to
call each other cousin. You know, she is an incredible
force and I enjoy collaborating with her. We're also going
to be collaborating with her during the holidays when we
(05:59):
adopt families, and we'll have a list of toys that
the kids are wishing for, so stay tuned for that.
That's down the road. But I'm looking forward to reading
Friday and interacting with the kiddos doing their masterpiece workshops,
so that will be fun. All right, Let's get into
(06:21):
some of these amazing questions that you've sent in. This
first question is from Mariah in Atlanta, Georgia. Mariah writes, Elijah,
how has your past week been? Anything exciting or unexpected
happened in your personal life or community work. My past
week has been good. Everything's been decent. Things have you know,
(06:43):
been on schedule. There hasn't been nothing that's been really exciting.
I live a basic, boring life. Nothing unexpected has happened.
The community work can ten years. Of course, I'm always brainstorming.
I'm always reaching out the families and community leaders to
(07:05):
see how we can best serve you know, folks in
the community.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
So I'm always working on that personal life, you know. Again,
it's nothing major, just going on outside of I guess
maybe this is silly to say, but I haven't shaved
or gotten a haircut in a while since mid June.
(07:35):
I'm kind of letting thinks I've been letting things go
and I like it.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
I do.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I'll get myself here together soon. But you know, outside
of that, it's been business as usual in.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
My personal life.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Next question is from James in Tacoma, Washington. James Wright,
what's been the highlight of your current week so far?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I think the highlight.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
This week has been the backpack drive. You know, I
feel good when I do things like that. You know,
it's all about service for me. You know, I found
my calling and whenever I'm engaged in the community in
(08:37):
a very personal way, it moves me. No matter how
big the event is or how small it is, I
am always moved and shopping for backpacks and crayons and
pencils and things like that. I like doing that gives
me a sense of purpose and I really enjoy it.
So that's I would say, that's that's the highlight that's
(08:59):
far the week. Next question is from Angela in Chicago, Illinois.
Angela Rights, Elijah. You've been hosting The Elijah Winfrey Show
for years now. Do you ever still get nervous before
going live?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Positively yes, with everything that I do, But it's only
for like thirty seconds, you know, I think once I
start talking, you know, I give myself that wiggle room to,
you know, make a mistake, maybe a big mistake right
(09:39):
as I'm talking, you know, not nothing catastrophic or offensive,
but I kind of let go of the rope and
what's gonna come out, It's gonna come out. It's like
when I'm hosting the show, I don't have a script, right,
so I'm going off the top of my head and
what's in my heart. I feel like for me and
(09:59):
this is just me now, I feel like it's more
authentic when I do it that way because the thoughts
are coming as I'm talking, and it it kind of
cleans itself up to where you're understanding what I'm saying
and what I'm trying to say. So after the first
thirty seconds, I kind of flow, and you know, I
(10:20):
really enjoy it that way. And that's not to say
that I can't read from a script, because I can.
I just choose to do it this way. This is
the most comfortable for me. But yes, I get nervous
in everything I do. It doesn't matter what it is,
writing a book, this show, playing golf, you know, you
(10:44):
name it. You know, it takes a few minutes or
a couple of minutes for me to kind of buy
my footing. But once I do, you know, I just
let it flow and what's gonna happen is gonna happen.
I'm gonna stutter, I'm gonna, you know, misspeak. I don't
pronounce a ton of words really well, but I'm not
afraid to go there. It just it lets the listeners know,
(11:08):
like you that you know I'm human. You know I'm
not AI. I'm human. So yes, I do get nervous
for sure. Next question is from devn in Brooklyn, New York.
Devin Rights, how do you prepare yourself for each episode,
especially when you have big guests? So that's a good question, Devin.
(11:35):
When I say I don't go from a script, you
know I don't, But that doesn't mean I don't write
down things that I want to talk about or have
a have bullet points that I want to talk about.
So I do prepare. I do do my homework the
night before or the morning of, right if I want
(11:58):
to cover something. And as far as like you know,
having guests on the show, again, we go through, you know,
that conversation with the guests and we just say, you know,
we're gonna talk like we're just having coffee or dinner
or lunch, and it's just gonna be a casual conversation
(12:19):
about you know, autism or low homelessness or whatever their
passion is and what they're doing in the community. I
think it's important that we that we do that, and
I try to stay committed to that, and it keeps
me centered. So I'm always prepared, and you know, I
(12:43):
let things kind of fall into place, and they normally do.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Great question.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Next question is from Samantha in Austin, Texas and Samantha
RTEs speaking of nerves, what about when you speak to
large crowds. Do you still feel the rush of butterflies
or has it become second nature? I feel the rush
(13:13):
of butterflies. I think when I'm speaking two people, there's
a crowd in front of me, there's more butterflies, right,
But the same thing happens. Once I get going, it
kind of flows and I do my very best to
stay on topic. Does it always happen that way? No,
(13:33):
Sometimes you vi'er off and you have to find your
way back. And I think that happens to everybody who
speaks in front of front of people. You know, you
you deviate from time to time. Uh, and again, you know,
there's really no script for me. But I do have
bullet points that I want to cover and I want
to talk about.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
And you know that normally works.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
And you know it's it's I'm not gonna say it's
second nature, you know, because there's still a process where
nerves are involved. You know, I just tell myself, you know,
you're no different from anybody else. Once you get going,
do your best to flow and stay on topic and
be confident and even if your voice shakes a little bit,
(14:22):
you know, have the confidence to push through and find
your way. And it's worked. It's worked. Next question is
from Caleb in Charlotte, North Carolina. Caleb writes, Elijah, we
heard you have an upcoming reading event where kids and
your work with Restoration of the Arts. What can families
(14:44):
expect that day? So it's going to be more like
a like a masterpiece theater. So I think I'm going
to read to the group, going to answer some questions.
This is my first masterpiece reading in collaboration with Restoration
(15:04):
of the Arts. You know, I know they've done things
like this before. So I got to get Deborah on
this show to really answer this question, because she would
be better at answering this than than I. I think
what families can expect from me is, you know, the
reading of Juneteenth. Little East celebrates Juneteenth, h and answer
(15:27):
some questions about you know, the writing process and and
and what it's been like for me, and just continuing
to educate the kids on on Juneteenth and other important
topics pertaining to African American culture that I can provide. So,
you know, I think they can expect that there will
(15:50):
be copies of the book that I'll sign uh and
and leave with restoration of the arts. So it'll be
a very fun day, and you know, I think we're
all going to do our parts and make it pretty
special for the kiddos. Next question is from Rachel and Denver, Colorado.
Rachel Wrights Elijah, what does an event like that mean
(16:13):
to you personally and how does it connect with your mission?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
So?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
I think.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Personally it means a lot, because my goal is to
try to connect with the youth as much as I
can and give them a sense of direction and purpose,
you know, as far as them creating dreams and setting
(16:50):
up goals to get there, and as far as it's
connecting to the mission.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
A lot of these these kids come from low income areas,
and you know that's part of what we do at
Team Winfrey and helping, you know, low income families. You know,
we want to try to bridge that gap and make
that connection and sustain those relationships. And I think we
(17:24):
we we've done a good job in doing that. And
you know, this kind of work kind of keeps us
all connected. So I hope that answered your question, Rachel,
but personally it means so much, so much. Next question
(17:48):
is from Marcus in Seattle. Marcus Rights, Elijah, how was
Team winn for doing these days? Any new projects or
initiatives in the works. You know, we just finished the
backpack Drive. We normally started to ramp up again, you
know as the holidays approach, we try to stay a
(18:10):
couple of months ahead. So right now, I don't want
to say we're in a lull because we're still handing
out grocery gift cards. We're still pretty active in the community.
With the help of my good friend mister d Gerald Donaldson.
We're always brainstorming on ways we can help families from
(18:34):
an individual standpoint, from a mentoring standpoint. So you know,
we're always working on ways to get better as a nonprofit,
and we are you know, we're partnering with individuals who
(18:59):
were entrenched in the community, who are telling us where
the needs are are needed most so, and we're we're
we're doing a lot of the work behind the scenes.
So you know, we don't Yeah, my directors don't. They
don't post often and and and sometimes I'll post a
(19:20):
little bit about the work that we're doing, but we
want to make sure that that work is complete before we,
you know, share any of that process of what it
was like. So great question, Martus. Team Winfrey is doing really,
really well. Next question is from Brianna in Philadelphia. Brianna Wrights,
(19:43):
you just completed your fifth children's book, Congratulations. Can you
give us a sneak peek at what it's about.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
I can't. I'll say this much. It's about responsibility, and.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
It's I worked really hard on this story because I'd
been writing the story before I wrote my Juneteenth book,
Little E Celebrates Juneteenth. So I had been piecing this
story together because this story is I think it's a
pretty deep story and I had to like break it
(20:25):
up because I would have an idea, and before I
would lose the idea of my head, I would write
it down, like a passage or a page. I would
write it down and kind of save it and then
go back and critique it and then you know, kind
of pick up the pace. Like in my head, I
knew what I wanted the story to be and what
it I wanted it to look like and sound like.
(20:47):
So this one took a little bit of time. Right
the juneteenth book, I wrote that fairly quickly. There were
a lot of things in my mind when I was
writing that. But when I would when I got that
book almost done, I had already started writing the next
one about responsibility, right, and a lot of this, a
(21:09):
lot of this story ties into things that I saw
growing up, pertaining to myself and other kids around me.
So I can I can only tell you that it's
about responsibility. And yes, this is book number five, and
(21:31):
this is fourth in the Little Eat series, if I'm
not mistaken, And no, this is third in the Little
E series.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
And I just I really enjoy this process.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
You know, I've taken a little break from writing right
now a journal, but I haven't written any stories outside
of finishing this book. So I've kind of given myself
a little bit of break to kind of you know,
refresh and reset before I think about, you.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
Know, what's next for for Little E.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
But I wanted I want to thank everybody too for
for for purchasing Little E Celebrates June Team.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
I really appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
It meant a lot too, and it still means a
lot because some of you are still out there purchasing
the book. So thank you for the support on that end. No,
it just shows you that there are good people in
the world who sees your work and you know, they
really respect it, and they like it and they admire it.
So once it's out there, you know, I'm sure there'll
(22:37):
be people that critique it and and and you know
may not be for them, but you know that that's
just the the chance you take and releasing your work.
You know, I can put it out and I can
live with you know, the results. So again, thank you
so much. All right, let's take a couple more questions
(22:58):
here before we wind down the show. This next question
is from Omar and Sacramento, California. Omar rights, out of
all your books so far, which one has been the
most fun to write? And why it's always my next book. Right,
So the book about Responsibility is it's my favorite. I
love them all, I really do. But the next book
(23:21):
is always the best book, I think because I feel like.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
The more.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
I'm starting to understand the writing process, I feel like,
the better the stories will be. And that's not to
say any of the stories have been bad at least
I don't think so. But the more I feel like
I can go a bit more, I can get deeper
in the story. And I'm understanding.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I took this.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Online like training or course or whatever you want to
call it, you know, about writing, because I do want
to get better at it. You know, I do take
it serious, and I feel like this fifth book will
definitely illustrate that. Now I am going to be looking
(24:10):
for a new illustrator because my illustrator in the Little
Eat series has moved on to another career path or choice,
and I congratulate her on that. So we'll start that
process in September of finding an illustrator and then we'll
get to work on illustrations and I'll update you on
(24:32):
that process as well. So out of all the books,
this fifth book is the best book. Next question is
from Hannah and Birmingham, Alabama. Hannah writes, Elijah, do you
see yourself continuing the Little East series or are you
thinking about starting something brand new? No, I think I'm
(24:53):
going to continue to Little Eat series at least for
another book or two, and after that, I've kind of
started writing a memoir about my life. Right so as
I'm journaling, I'm also writing about you know, my my
(25:15):
my journey and you know, the ups and downs and that.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
So that'll probably be the next.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
Maybe the next direction I kind of head towards it
is finishing that and then getting that out. But I
still have some things that I want to accomplish with
with Little E and just stay tuned on that front.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Stay tuned.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Last question is from Luis in Orlando, Florida. Louise writes, Elijah,
with all you do writing, coaching, posting, speaking, and nonprofit work,
how do you keep your energy and passion going week
after week? This is a I get this question a lot.
I've learned to kind of pace myself.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Now.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I don't always do a good job at the pacing,
but I do put things in place, and I try
my very best to be really good about my my wellness.
You know physically and mentally.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
So I think.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
As long as I can stay in the moment and
I don't burn the candle at both ends, we're gonna
be okay. You know. You know, I don't I don't
have any excuses, you know, for burning out, because I
do know better. Outside of late May, I've done a
(26:49):
really good job at really pacing myself. And I think
that was the eye opening moment for me. And late
May when I really was crashing, uh, and I did
a I you know, I did a pretty good job
of hiding it, but I was no energy or very
(27:09):
low energy. I wasn't moody, but I had a hard
time finding my center. And that opened my eyes to
really taking some time this summer to really focus on
me and getting things right. And uh, you know, I'm
on I'm on the right path. I've done that. You know,
(27:30):
this summer has been probably one of the best summers
that I've had in a long time, and you know,
I just want to build on top of that and
you know, focus on the good things that I'm doing,
you know in the wellness department, that that's making me
a better person. And you know, I think as long
(27:53):
as I do that you know I'm gonna be okay,
and you know I want to have a good school year.
Speaker 3 (28:00):
You know, you know I work hard in the community.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
I work hard on these ideas pertaining to my nonprofit,
and I also want to I want to channel that
uh into the school and I want to be present more.
Last year was really tough because I was pretty sick.
A couple of times that were pretty bad. I'd gotten COVID,
and you know I didn't. I didn't really feel like
(28:26):
I recovered as well as I would have liked to.
And again, I think when you when you start pushing
yourself and you feel like you can do more when
really you should pull back and do less, you start
to see that you're you're doing more harm to not
only yourself but the people around you. Right, you want
to be as close to one hundred percent as you can.
(28:48):
You don't want to walk into anything at twenty thirty
percent or even fifty percent. You want to be as
close to one hundred as you as you possibly can
get to. And you want to have energy. You know,
when you're when you're doing these things, you know otherwise
things fall flat. So I work on things week to
(29:08):
week to get better. I think working out. I think walking.
I mentioned that before walking it's been so beneficial, uh
in my recovery process. And I'm in a good place.
I'm in a good place now outside of sleep. I
really gotta work on I gotta work on getting this
sleep thing down because that does take a toll eventually
(29:31):
in the long run. Uh and it and it can
create a ton of chaos. So rest assured on working
on that. But that's how I deal with things, Luis,
I am taking things slow and steady, right, Slow and
steady wins the race. All right, that's it for questions,
and we have come to the end of the show.
(29:54):
As always, I want to thank you all for tuning
in and downloading the show. It really means a lot
to me. All the live listeners today, thank you so much.
We see you, we acknowledge you, we appreciate you very
very much. Do me a favor as we kind of
wind down the week. Here we are at hump day
(30:16):
right with Wednesday, do me a favor. Get out in
your communities this week and this weekend and check in
on your family and friends. Put a smile on someone's face. Remember,
doesn't take a lot of energy to do that at all.
I want to thank you for listening to the Elijah
Very Show. Please be sure to download this show whatever
(30:38):
you download your favorite podcast, So next week to take care.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
God bless I bid you
Speaker 1 (31:02):
And the
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!