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Black Writers Read

Nicole M. Young-Martin

Black Writers Read showcases, celebrates, and honors the words, work, and traditions of Black writers from across the country, across genres, across experiences, and across the African Diaspora. This podcast series is produced and hosted by performance poet, playwright, events curator, and educator Dr. Nicole Young-Martin. Find us on Instagram: @blackwritersread. Find Nicole on Instagram: @coco_penexplore.

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S6 · E28
September 4 · 59 min
On Black Capitalists featuring Dr. Rachel Laryea
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Dr. Rachel Laryea, which was live-streamed on June 26, 2026. Dr. Rachel Laryea is a thought leader who specializes in race and money, ethical entrepreneurship, and social good. After cutting her teeth on Wall Street at Goldman Sachs, she went on to receive her dual Ph.D. in African American Studies and Sociocultural Anthropology at Yale University. Her ethnographic research aims to understand nuanced forms of Black participation in capitalist economies. Dr. Rachel is the recipient of the National Science Foundation Research Fellowship award, and she received an honorable mention from the Ford Foundation for her research. She has held Adjunct Professor appointments at NYU Stern Business School, and worked as a racial equity investment strategist and Asset Wealth Management researcher at JPMorgan Chase. Dr. Rachel is the founder of Kelewele, a lifestyle brand based in Brooklyn, New York, that creates bespoke African travel experiences and vegan, plantain treats. Kelewele has partnered with The James Beard Foundation and Black Entertainment Television (BET), and has been featured in several global publications and media platforms, including The New York Times, Forbes, MarketWatch, and CBS. She is the recipient of the Ghana UK-Based Achievement (GUBA) award. During this episode, we talked about Dr. Laryea’s book, Black Capitalists: The Blueprint For What Is Possible (Crown Publishing Group, 2025). To many, the term “Black Capitalists” is oxymoronic. Black people were the labor force that built the infrastructure of American capitalism through the violent enforcement of legalized slavery, so they cannot, and should not, aspire to be the beneficiaries of it. But Wall Street professional and Yale-educated anthropologist Dr. Rachel Laryea poses a provocative question: What if there was a way to thrive within capitalism without diminishing someone else’s life chances through exploitative practices? There is—and Black Capitalists are showing us how. Told through Dr. Laryea's own compelling narrative—growing up the child of a single mother who immigrated to the United States from Ghana and rose to the Ivy League and on Wall Street—with original on-the-ground reporting and rigorous historical analysis, Black Capitalists challenges readers to reconsider who gets to be the beneficiary of capitalism and reckons with the responsibility that comes with using the tools of our imperfect economic system to advance social good. To learn more about Dr. Laryea and her work, please visit rachelllaryea.com. Purchase Black Capitalists from our Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/114101/9780593735046 Find Dr. Rachel Laryea on Instagram: @drlaryea Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Buy Us a Cup of Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/blackwritersread Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E27
August 29 · 58 min
The Intentionality of Interiority of Nikesha Elise Williams' The Seven Daughters of Dupree
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Nikesha Elise Williams, which was live-streamed on June 22, 2026. Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer, an award-winning author, and the producer and host of the Black and Published podcast. A narrative strategist by day and journalist always, her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Bitter Southerner, Essence, and Vox. Nikesha’s work has been supported by the Kimbilio Fiction Fellowship, the DeGroot Foundation, and the Tin House Summer Workshop. A Chicago native, she lives in Florida with her family. During this episode, we talked about her latest work, The Seven Daughters of Dupree (Gallery/Scout Press, 2026). The Seven Daughters of Dupree masterfully weaves together themes of generational trauma, Black women’s resilience, and unbreakable familial bonds. Echoing the literary power of The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis, Nikesha Elise Williams delivers a feminist literary fiction that explores the ripple effects of actions, secrets, and love through seven generations of Black women. Learn more about Nikesha Elise Williams and her work by visiting https://www.newwrites.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Read the article, "The Spirit of American Beach" by Nikesha Elise Williams for The Bitter Southerner Watch The Write Reasons interview with Nikesha Elise Williams and her editor, Alison Callahan Purchase your copy of The Seven Daughters of Dupreee by Nikesha Elise Williams from our Bookshop Find Nikesha on Instagram: @nikesha_elise Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/blackwritersread Support the show
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August 22 · 1 hr 43 min
Ancestral Recall & Comics as Social Commentary featuring Jordan Clark
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Jordan Clark, which was live-streamed on May 17, 2026. Jordan Clark has been writing comics for over a decade, with work most recently being published by Ahoy Comics, DC Comics and past stories at IDW, Image Comics and Dynamite Comics. He was also selected as an inaugural member of the Milestone Initiative at DC Comics, which is geared towards uplifting a new generation of comic creators of color. He believes fiction has the power to imagine a better world and aims to tell stories that allow readers of color to imagine themselves in that better future. During this episode, we talked about his latest work, Ancestral Recall. When Melvin’s wife mysteriously disappears, he must call on the most important Black figures of all time to help him in his search. But the futuristic Modern Living Corporation has terrible plans for her. Ancestral Recall is a culturally rich exploration of present-day social commentary and Black History that incorporates multiple genres including historical fiction, Afrofuturism and Science Fiction. Published by AHOY Comics and released on April 14, 2026, Ancestral Recall was illustrated by Atagun Ilhan with color done by Pippa Bowland and letters done by Rob Steen. Purchase a copy of Ancestral Recall from our Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/114101/9781952090448 Mentioned during the episode: Check out Jordan's podcast, White People Won't Save You! Find Jordan on Instagram: @jrsosa18 Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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August 14 · 31 min
Bonus Episode: Meet Our Associate Producer, Candace DeLeon!
Send us Fan Mail Meet a very special person and power behind Black Writers Read, our Associate Producer, Candace DeLeon! Candace DeLeon is an artist from Detroit based in New York City. She brings her talents and background in theater and administration to The Black Writers Read podcast as Associate Producer. Candace is an avid reader and has been writing since age 10. She has written plays, poetry, short stories and more. This year she plans to finish her debut novel, a work that's been in the works for a while, and enter the world of querying and publishing. Find Candace on Instagram: @subjective_adventures Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Check out our Bookshop link to purchase books featured on the podcast: https://bookshop.org/shop/blackwritersread Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E25
August 13 · 1 hr 4 min
Exploring Freedom through Horror featuring Michelle McGill-Vargas
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Michelle McGill-Vargas, which was live-streamed on May 2, 2026. Michelle McGill-Vargas writes speculative historical fiction, short stories, and flash fiction. Her work has appeared in Splickety Magazine, The Copperfield Review, and Typehouse Literary. She is a board member of the Midwest Writers Workshop and Historical Novel Society-North America. Michelle is also a writing coach for Writing Day Workshops. She currently resides in the Midwest with her family and furbabies. During this episode, we chatted about Michelle’s debut novel, American Ghoul (Blackstone Publishing, 2024). "You can't kill someone who's already dead." That's what Lavinia keeps telling her jailer after--allegedly--killing her mistress, Simone Arceneau. But how could Simone be dead when she was taking callers just a few minutes before? And why was her house always so dark? Lavinia, a recently freed slave, met Simone, a recently undead vampire, by chance on a plantation in post-Civil War Georgia. With nothing remaining for either woman in the South, the two form a fast friendship and head north. However, Lavinia quickly learns that teaming up with this white woman may be more than she bargained for. Simone is reckless and impulsive--which would've been bad enough on its own, but when combined with her particular diet, Lavinia finds herself in way over her head. As she is forced to repeatedly compromise her morals and struggles to make lasting human connections, Lavinia begins to wonder, is she truly free or has she merely exchanged one form of enslavement for another? As bodies start to pile up in the small Indiana town they've settled in, people start to take a second look at the two newcomers, and Simone and Lavinia's relationship is stretched to its breaking point. A wildly entertaining debut from Michelle McGill-Vargas, American Ghoul deftly combines horror and social commentary—with a dash of buddy comedy—in an innovative twist on the vampire genre. To learn more about Michelle and to purchase your copy of American Ghoul, please visit: michellemcgillvargas.com. Find Michelle on Instagram: @a_s_k_delta8 Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E24
August 7 · 1 hr 28 min
Johnzelle Anderson’s 'Mixtape': On Rewriting His Soundtrack of Life
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Johnzelle Anderson, which was live-streamed on April 19, 2026. Johnzelle is a licensed therapist by trade, and believes in the power of storytelling to heal, imagine, disrupt, and inspire. His writing focuses on mental health, race, relationships, and identity. He’s an avid reader and reads approximately 100 books annually. He lives in Virginia with his daughter and an energetic Sheprador. During this episode, we discussed Johnzelle’s debut memoir, Mixtape: A Memoir, which was released on March 17, 2026 by Atmosphere Press. In Mixtape: A Memoir, therapist and storyteller Johnzelle Anderson weaves a raw, lyrical portrait of resilience, identity, and healing. Born to a disengaged West African father and a volatile white mother, Anderson grows up mixed race in 1990s Roanoke, Virginia—feeling like an outsider in every room. Amid childhood abuse, neglect, and racism, he clings to the safety of his grandmother’s love and his inner voice’s promise of a better future. Told in tracks rather than chapters, Mixtape charts Anderson’s journey from trauma to triumph—from being body-shamed and silenced to building a career in mental health and forming a family of his own. Along the way, he confronts the legacy of generational pain, redefines his sense of belonging, and takes a life-changing trip to Ghana in search of the roots his father never shared. Honest, at times humorous, and unflinching in its vulnerability, Mixtape: A Memoir is a coming-of-age story for anyone unlearning and daring to rewrite the soundtrack of their life. A story about the sound and silence of survival, and the rhythms that carry us home. Mixtape: A Memoir is available in hardcover, paperback, e-book and audiobook with Johnzelle narrating the audiobook. Learn more about Mixtape and to purchase your copy of the book, please visit: johnzelle.co. Mentioned during the episode: Check out our interview with Emely Rumble, LICSW about her book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx (S6 E12): Listen on Apple Podcasts | Listen on Spotify Find Johnzelle on Instagram: @johnzelle_ Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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July 31 · 57 min
Confronting Anxiety Through Prayers and Poetry featuring Amiya Phillips
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Amiya Phillips, which was live-streamed on April 13, 2026 during National Poetry Month. Amiya Phillips is the author of the recently self-published poetry book "The Heart of the Mat", which showcases her wrestle with anxiety and how God's divine presence steps in. She has also had other pieces of her work included in the 2016 autumn publication of "A Celebration of Poets." Amiya is a native of Springfield, MA, and graduated from Worcester State University in December of 2021 with a degree in Psychology. She is currently working on obtaining her Master's of Social Work so she can work with diverse communities to improve their mental health. Released in July of 2025, The Heart of the Mat is an unfiltered collection of Christian poems. It highlights the spiritual wrestling between anxiety and faith. Through soul-searching, heartfelt reflections, Amiya Phillips invites readers into her inner struggles, where weakness meets God's perfection. This book explores the emotional and spiritual connection we have with God. In wrestling, the center of the mat is where the real action happens. That’s where Amiya finds herself, face-to-face with anxiety, round after round. But she’s not alone. This book is a reminder that even in our most difficult battles, God is always near. The Heart of the Mat provides: Affirmations about how God's love helps us to heal and conquer our challenges Praise breaks - uplifting scriptural verses and prayers A bonus interview with a Christian mental health therapist A reminder that God's faith will continue to "order our steps", regardless of the struggles we face The Heart of the Mat is available for purchase on Amazon. Read more on Amiya Phillips in this article from Bold Journey. Mentioned during this episode: Olive Tree Books 'N Voices, a Black woman-owned bookstore based in Springfield, MA: https://olivetreebooksonline.com/ Check out our interview with Dr. Latoya Bosworth, who is also mentioned during this episode! Find Olive Tree Books 'N Voices on Instagram: @olivetreebooksnvoices Find Amiya Phillips on Instagram: @amiyaphillips.author Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E22
July 27 · 57 min
Our 100th Guest, Children's Book Author, Nikki McPhetridge!
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with our 100th guest, children’s book author Nikki McPhetridge, which was live-streamed on March 21, 2026. Nikki McPhetridge is a first-time author, storyteller, and creator of Maya's Birthday Wish (Bookfox Press, August 2025). As a mother, dreamer, and believer in the power of play. Nikki brings heartfelt stories to life that celebrate kindness and imagination. As Maya's birthday approaches, she wonders what to wish for - toys, treats, or something even more special? Maya sets off on a whimsical journey through her imagination, discovering that the best wishes come from the heart! Illustrated by Noor Zaki, Maya’s Birthday Wish received the 2025 Book Fest Award. Learn more about Nikki and Maya’s Birthday Wish by visiting mayastoryland.com. Maya’s Birthday Wish is available for purchase directly from Nikki’s website and also on Amazon. Watch the recording of the live broadcast here to see the book's illustrations. Find Maya's Storyland on Instagram: @mayastoryland Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E21
July 25 · 49 min
The Journey to "Becoming" featuring Rosemary Esehagu
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Rosemary Esehagu, which was live-streamed on March 14, 2026. Rosemary Esehagu is a Nigerian-American writer and poet. Her poems have appeared in different journals, including Cool Beans Lit, Genre: Urban Arts, a little poetry, Plum Recruit, African Writer Magazine, and Elephant Journal. Her award-winning novel, The Looming Fog, was published in 2006. Her latest book is the Amazon Bestselling hybrid prose and poetry memoir titled Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming (Manhattan Book Group, February 2025). She lives in Texas and puts her psychology degree to work to explore minds to discover that which empowers us or cripples us. Her works investigate that delicate interdependent relationship between self and society, becoming and unbecoming. She is a passionate advocate for becoming our best selves by embracing all that we are and have been, both the ugly and the beautiful parts. During this episode, we talked about Out of the Cocoon. How would you live your life if you understood that every scar, trauma, or suffering can make you stronger and greater? In her memoir, Out of the Cocoon: The Journey to Becoming, Rosemary shares her story of posttraumatic growth and offers a radical perspective on abuse. Despite encountering abuse as a child and racism and trauma when she immigrated to the US as a teenager, she has found her place and is living her purpose. She uses prose and poetry to express that we can overpower and repurpose others' harmful actions. Out of the Cocoon explores healing from trauma from someone with personal experience and expertise. Learn more about Rosemary by visiting www.rosemaryesehagu.com. Mentioned during the episode: The Amadou Diallo Foundation ~ https://www.amadoudiallofoundation.org/ Find Rosemary Esehagu on Instagram: @rosemaryesehagu Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E20
July 17 · 1 hr 8 min
Writing to Feel and to Fill a Need featuring Dr. Latoya Bosworth
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Dr. Latoya Bosworth, which was live-streamed on March 8, 2026 in honor of International Women’s Day. Dr. Latoya Bosworth, who honors her paternal great-grandfather with the shortened “Dr. Boz,” is an author, forever educator, and "your favorite life coach" who holistically helps others connect more deeply with themselves so that they may connect more deeply with others in their work & community. Born Latoya Bosworth, she gave herself the pen name Brenda's Child at the age of 21, in honor of her late mother, Brenda Kay Swinton. Although she experienced early childhood and adolescent trauma, Dr. Boz attributes her healing and evolution to writing as an outlet, strong mentors, spirituality, therapy and giving back. Since 2007, she has self-published more than 15 titles in the genres of poetry, fiction, memoir, and journals. Currently, she's writing on self-help and personal growth. Dr. Boz was a longtime contributor for the monthly publication, Springfield, MA-based An African-American Point of View Newspaper, where she wrote poetry and about issues specifically impacting women of color. Her parenting and self-esteem articles have been featured on Blackandmarriedwithkids.com and ForHarriet.com. She was also an original columnist for Lioness Magazine, an online publication for women entrepreneurs. Dr. Boz continuously spreads her message of H.E.R.S. - which stands for health, empowerment, resilience and self-worth in workshops, as a keynote speaker, coach, in print and on stage. During this episode, we chatted about Dr. Boz’s latest books, Quiet Strength, Loud Confidence...Reflections and Realizations of a Free Black Woman and Joyworthy... The Little Guide to Experiencing All the Joy You Deserve. Published in 2021, Quiet Strength & Loud Confidence is an anthology of Dr. Bosworth’s personal essays, poems, and personal growth practices, arranged to guide you through the internal and external work of becoming and remaining free. If you already consider yourself free, may this book be a reminder to celebrate that freedom. If you are becoming unchained, may this book be the North Star, the moss of the north side of the tree, the drinking gourd on your way to freedom. You can experience joy every single day. That is, once you know what joy means to you. Published in 2024, Joyworthy... The Little Guide to Experiencing All the Joy. You Deserve will guide you through the process of asking specific questions that shift your perception and beliefs about what it means to create a joyful life. Each chapter highlights practices and ways of being so that even in the most difficult circumstances, there is still joy. Take it all in. You deserve it. Learn more about Dr. Boz by visiting www.brendaschild.com. Purchase Dr. Boz's books on Amazon here. Find Dr. Boz on Instagram: @brendaschild Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E19
July 3 · 1 hr 8 min
Date Like a Brand with Chief Marketing Officer of Love, Vince Hudson
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Vince Hudson, which was live-streamed on February 28, 2026. Vince Hudson is a marketing executive, author, and proud HBCU graduate who serves on the Board of Trustees at his alma mater, Dillard University. Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Vince was blessed to grow up witnessing Black love modeled daily by his parents, a marriage grounded in faith, discipline, and devotion. That living example shaped both his worldview and his work. With more than 30 years of global brand leadership experience, Vince has held senior roles across some of the world’s most recognized companies. He served as Chief Brand & Marketing Officer at BET, Senior Vice President of Marketing at American Express, and a global leadership role at Meta, driving brand growth, audience strategy, and cultural impact. His career has centered on building powerful brands that resonate across communities. Now, Vince applies that same strategic discipline to relationships in his book Date Like a Brand. As a father of three daughters, he wrote the book as both a love letter and a playbook, dedicated to helping them and others navigate modern dating with clarity, standards, and self-worth. Rooted in Shreveport. Refined through HBCU excellence. Guided by generational Black love. Vince’s mission is to help us build relationships as intentionally as we build our legacies. During this episode, we talked about his book, Date Like a Brand: A Powerful Marketing Framework for Finding and Keeping the Love of Your Life. Date Like a Brand, a relationship philosophy and playbook, treats dating as a strategic marketplace, helping you attract the right partner by defining your unique value, establishing your target audience, and avoiding dead-end "situationships". Purchase your copy of Date Like a Brand on our Bookshop. Learn more about Date Like a Brand by visiting https://datelikeabrand.com/. Find Date Like a Brand on Instagram: @datelikeabrandbook Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwrritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon Support the show
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S5 · E18
June 11 · 1 hr 24 min
Toni Ann Johnson's "But Where's Home?"
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Toni Ann Johnson, which was live-streamed on February 15, 2026. Toni Ann Johnson won the Flannery O’Connor Award for her linked story collection, Light Skin Gone to Waste. Selected for the prize and edited by Roxane Gay, the collection was also shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize and nominated for a 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. Her novella, Homegoing, published in 2021 and linked to Light Skin Gone to Waste, was selected by Katerina Stoykova as the winner of Accents Publishing’s inaugural novella contest. Johnson’s newest linked collection, But Where’s Home?, the third book in the series about the Arrington family, was chosen by Crystal Wilkinson as the winner of the Screen Door Press Prize and published in February of 2026 (Screen Door Press is an imprint of University Press of Kentucky). During this episode, we talked about Toni Ann’s latest book, But Where’s Home?. But Where's Home?, Toni Ann Johnson's new collection of linked short stories, explores the sometimes painful and often humorous experiences of the Airringtons as an upper-middle-class Black family in a predominantly white, working-class community. This book follows Johnson's previous collection, Light Skin Gone to Waste. Through multiple perspectives and moments in time, from the 1960s to 2022, readers are invited into the lives of the eldest daughter, who longs for her father's affection while striving for independence; the youngest daughter, who seeks to overcome childhood pain through music and love; a father practicing psychology while engaging in affairs with the white women of the town; and a mother dealing with infidelity while raising her daughters in a place that rejects them. Deeply emotional, funny, and unflinchingly honest, But Where's Home? lays bare the realities of Black life in America, challenging readers to confront racism, classism, colonized thinking, narcissism, abuse, and troubled parent-child relationships. Johnson's complex and interwoven characters create a kaleidoscope of truths about human nature and race relations in the United States. Purchase your copy of But Where's Home?: https://www.kentuckypress.com/9781967165032/but-wheres-home/ Find Toni Ann Johnson online: https://www.toniannjohnson.com/ Listen to our first chat with Toni Ann Johnson from Season Three here. Mentioned during the episode: Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women, and Queer Radicals by Dr. Saidiya Hartman (2019): https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393357622 Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray: https://bookshop.org/a/114101/9780593638484 Check out our interview with Victoria Christopher Murray about Harlem Rhapsody from Season Five: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-writers-read-victoria-christopher-murray/id1627999524?i=1000698295022 Find Toni Ann on Instagram: @treeladytoniann Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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May 30 · 1 hr 22 min
Bonus Episode: Representing ‘MY’ Black Experience featuring Theresa Okokon
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Theresa Okokon, which was hosted live and in-person on November 1, 2025 at The LAVA Center in Greenfield, MA. Special thanks to Straw Dog Writers Guild and The LAVA Center for co-hosting this event. Theresa Okokon is an award-winning writer, storyteller, and teacher. A Wisconsinite living in New England, she is the co-host of Stories From The Stag, which has over 23,000 subscribers on YouTube. In addition to writing and performing her own stories, Theresa also teaches storytelling and writing, coaches other tellers, hosts storytelling events, and collaborates with nonprofits on narrative-driven special projects and events. An alum of both the Memoir Incubator and Essay Incubator programs at GrubStreet, Theresa’s memoir of essays about memory, family stories, and the death of her father — titled WHO I ALWAYS WAS (Atria Books, 2025). Her essay Me Llamo Theresa, which is in WHO I ALWAYS WAS, was originally published in Hippocampus Magazine and was nominated for a 2020 Pushcart Prize. Purchase your copy of WHO I ALWAYS WAS via Black Writers Read's Bookshop link here. Please visit Theresa’s website at theresaokokon.com to learn more about her and her body of work. You can find The LAVA Center online at thelavacenter.org and Straw Dog Writers Guild online at strawdogwriters.org. Find Theresa on Instagram: @ohh.jeezzz Find The LAVA Center on Instagram: @thelavacenter Find Straw Dog Writers Guild on Instagram: @strawdogwriters Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E17
May 28 · 1 hr 1 min
The Tribulations of Triangles Featuring Charmaine Leticia Wilcox
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Charmaine Letitcia Wilcox, which was live-streamed on February 10, 2026. Charmaine Leticia Wilcox is an author, independent publisher, and the creative engine behind Triangles Publishing. Based in Las Vegas, she specializes in multi-genre narratives that bridge the gap between gritty reality and vivid imagination. From the high-stakes emotional drama of the Triangles series to the world-building depths of her fantasy work, Charmaine’s stories are defined by complex characters who refuse to be defined by their pasts. When she isn’t crafting new worlds or navigating the rigors of nursing school, she is dedicated to empowering the next generation of storytellers. During this episode, Charmaine shared an excerpt from her book, For the Sake of Love, which is the second book of the Triangles Series. Learn more about Charmaine, her work, and Triangles Publishing here. Mentioned during the episode: Black Romance Book Fest, which is scheduled for this year from May 29 - May 31 in Atlanta, GA (it is an annual convening that usually takes place at the end of May) Find Charmaine Leticia Wilcox on Instagram: @charmainetheauthor Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E16
May 23 · 1 hr 27 min
An Intimate History of Black Feminism Featuring Dr. Jenn M. Jackson
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Dr. Jenn M. Jackson, which was live-streamed on January 23, 2026. Jenn M. Jackson (they/them) is a queer, androgynous Black woman, an abolitionist, a lover of all Black people, and an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University in the Department of Political Science. Jackson’s research is in Black Politics with a focus on Black Feminist movements, racial threat and trauma, gender and sexuality, policing, and political behavior. They are the author of BLACK WOMEN TAUGHT US: AN INTIMATE HISTORY OF BLACK FEMINISM (Penguin Random House, 2024) and POLICING BLACKNESS (expected in 2026). Jackson has written peer-reviewed articles at Public Culture, Politics, Groups, and Identities, Social Science Quarterly, and the Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy. Jackson received their doctoral degree from the Department of Political Science at the University of Chicago in 2019 where they also received a graduate certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Jackson teaches courses on Gender and Politics, Black Feminism, Black Politics, and the Politics of Racial Threat. During this episode, we chatted about their book, Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism, which celebrated its two-year anniversary and the release of the paperback version of the book. A love letter to those who have been minimized and forgotten, Black Women Taught Us: An Intimate History of Black Feminism, repositions Black women’s intellectual and political work at the center of today’s liberation movements. For a new generation of movement organizers and co-strugglers, Black Women Taught Us serves as a reminder that Black women were the first ones to teach us how to fight racism, how to name that fight, and how to imagine a more just world for everyone. Learn more about Dr. Jenn M. Jackson and their work by visiting their website: https://jennmjackson.com/ Mentioned in this episode: Click here to watch Dr. Jackson's talk on Politics and Prose Watch episodes of Season 8 of That Black Couple here; Watch past episodes of That Black Couple (Seasons 1-7) here Watch episodes of We Published, Beloved here Find Dr. Jackson on Instagram: @jennmjacksonphd Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E15
May 14 · 29 min
Growing Your Roots Where You Land Featuring Cedric Muhikira
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Cedric Muhikira, which was live-streamed on January 18, 2026. Cedric Muhikira is a self-taught writer and storyteller with roots in migration, cultural fusion, and identity. Raised on stories that bridged continents and generations, Cedric has long been fascinated by the in-between spaces of belonging. He immigrated to the United States from Rwanda in 2019, and now lives in Detroit. His debut novel, Libaax: Grow Your Roots Where You Land, draws deeply from his personal experiences and the shared lives of immigrants navigating new beginnings. With themes of identity, resilience, and finding home in a foreign land, Libaax follows Ayaan's journey from displacement to self-discovery as he becomes a DJ, mixing Somali qaraami with Detroit techno. It's a story of cultural fusion, personal growth, and the universal experience of belonging.Cedric’s work explores how music, memory, and resilience help us grow roots wherever we land. To learn more about Cedric, please visit cedricmuhikira.com. Purchase your copy of Libaax: Grow Your Roots Where You Land here. Find Cedric on Instagram: @iam_thecaptain_now Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E14
May 1 · 52 min
Finding Home Through Life, Love, and Loss Featuring Denise Nicholas
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with author, actress, and activist Denise Nicholas, which was live-streamed on January 17, 2026. Nicholas's memoir, Finding Home (Agate Bolden, 2025), chronicles her time growing up in Detroit, her trailblazing acting and writing career, her personal journey, and familial loss. With eloquence, vulnerability, and resolve, Nicholas mines her six-decade journey through TV and film stardom, the complexities of her three marriages, and her reconstituting her creative life to become a celebrated novelist, reflecting on the personal, professional, and societal pressures that buffeted her throughout. Constructed of episodic reflections from both personal and professional high points and low points of her life, Nicholas navigates the intersections of love and identity, exploring how her experiences in Hollywood shaped her understanding of success, intimacy, and commitment. Her narrative is rich with anecdotes from her career in Hollywood, as an actor and, later, a successful screenwriter for television and eventually a novelist, providing a backdrop to the struggles and achievements that marked her path. She outspokenly discusses the challenges she faced as a trailblazing actress of color, shedding light on the systemic barriers and biases within the entertainment industry. Learn more about Denise Nicholas by visiting denisenicholas.net. Purchase your copy of Finding Home: https://bookshop.org/a/114101/9781572843530 Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E13
April 23 · 1 hr 8 min
Black Love & Travel Through Wanderlust Romance featuring Cher Terais
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Cher Terais, which was live-streamed on December 21, 2025. Cher Terais is a bestselling Wanderlust Romance author, cultural storyteller, and the creative force behind As Written by Cher Terais. Known for crafting love stories that travel the world while centering bold, accomplished Black women, Cher’s work blends romance, culture, and emotional depth with destinations that feel as stunning as they are intimate. Her novels—including Bali Blue, Mess on the Mara, Tempest in Tulum, and Steel Horses, Leather Roads—invite readers into stories where Black love is expansive, grown, and unapologetically global. Each book is a passport, reminding women that desire, adventure, and softness are not luxuries—they’re birthrights. Beyond the page, Cher is the founder of The Booked Club, a curated travel and lifestyle community for women who love books, beautiful experiences, and getting out into the world with intention. Through retreats, memberships, and immersive storytelling, she helps women reconnect with joy, creativity, and themselves. A former Army veteran, world traveler, and mentor, Cher speaks candidly about reinvention, womanhood after 40, creative courage, and what it means to choose a life that feels as good as it looks. When she’s not writing or building community, she’s likely planning her next escape, sipping wine, and reminding women everywhere to get booked—on the page and in real life. During this episode, we chatted about Steel Horses, Leather Roads (July 2025). A second-chance romance, Steel Horses, Leather Roads is perfect for readers who crave Black Southern romance, Cowboy Carter energy, emotionally layered storytelling, and love stories that understand: the past doesn’t stay buried—it rides alongside you. Find Cher Terais online at: cherterais.com Find Cher Terais on Instagram: @cher_terais_author Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E12
April 9 · 1 hr 11 min
Healing Through Books Featuring Bibliotherapist, Emely Rumble, LICSW
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Emely Rumble, LICSW, which was live-streamed on December 2, 2025. Emely Rumble, LICSW is a distinguished licensed clinical social worker, school social worker, and seasoned biblio/psychotherapist with over 15 years of professional experience. Committed to making mental health services more accessible, Emely specializes in the transformative practice of bibliotherapy. Rumble is passionate about advocating for the integration of creative arts in psychotherapy, mental well-being, and self-improvement. Emely champions the social model of disability and embraces a neurodiversity-affirming therapeutic approach. Emely’s work has been featured in respected publications such as Parents Magazine, ‘School Library Journal’, Dazed Magazine, Success Magazine, BronxNet News, The Bronx is Reading, Essence Magazine, CNN Health, The New York Times, Bustle Wellness and Therapy for Black Girls among other publications. Her debut book, Bibliotherapy in the Bronx (Row House Publishing, 2025), explores the modality of literature based therapy in healing practice. In this transformative work, Rumble offers readers an intimate glimpse into her journey as a psychotherapist in the Bronx, where she has spent over 14 years using books to help clients navigate complex emotions, heal from trauma, and find their voices. Through vivid anecdotes and real-world case studies, she demonstrates how literature can serve as a bridge between personal pain and collective healing. Rich with practical tips, reflective exercises, and book recommendations, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the power of words to change lives. Whether you're a therapist, educator, bibliophile, or simply someone seeking deeper understanding and growth, this book offers a compassionate, culturally affirming guide to the transformative potential of storytelling. Rumble's work is a testament to the enduring power of books to heal, empower, and liberate. In a time when the world feels increasingly divided, Bibliotherapy in The Bronx reminds us that the stories we tell—and the stories we read—can unite us in our shared humanity. To learn more about Emely and her work, please visit LiterapyNYC.podia.com. Find Emely on Instagram: @literapy_NYC Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/blackwritersread Support the show
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S6 · E11
April 2 · 1 hr 22 min
The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work Featuring Jodi-Ann Burey
Send us Fan Mail This episode features our conversation with Jodi-Ann Burey, which was live-streamed on November 18, 2025. Jodi-Ann Burey (she/her) is a writer and critic who works at the intersections of race, culture, and health equity. She is the author of Authentic: The Myth of Bringing Your Full Self to Work (Flatiron Books, 2025), which we discussed during this episode. Beyond the written word, Jodi-Ann stands out as a catalytic orator, having conducted over 100 keynotes, panels, and interviews - including TEDx. Inspired by her personal journey and professional experience in public health, Jodi-Ann is also the creator and host of Black Cancer, a podcast about the lives of people of color through their cancer journeys. Jodi-Ann is the co-creator and host of Lit Lounge, a curated book collection and author interview series, and the creator and host of Lit Lounge: The People’s Art, a monthly prose and poetry salon. An alum of Boston College and the University of Michigan, Jodi-Ann has over 15 years of entrepreneurial, corporate, non-profit and start-up professional experience. Her writing has been supported by Voices of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA), The Hambidge Center for Creative Arts & Sciences, The Virginia Center for Creative Arts (VCCA) and the Vermont Studio Center. She enjoys snowboarding, oil painting and prides herself on being a cool auntie and a reluctant dog owner. Jodi-Ann was born in Jamaica, lives in Seattle, Washington and will always call New York City home. Jodi-Ann’s Authentic delves into the dangers of disclosure in environments that aren’t built for our well-being. With insights from pop culture, academic research, and interviews with other professionals of color, Burey argues that we deserve better than shallow ploys for representation. To learn more about Jodi-Ann, please visit https://jodiannburey.com/. Purchase a copy of Authentic. Watch Jodi-Ann's TED Talk. Find Jodi-Ann on Instagram: @jodiannburey Find Black Writers Read on Instagram: @blackwritersread Find Black Writers Read online: https://blackwritersread.com/ Support Black Writers Read on Patreon Support the show
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