It's Personal Podcast

About It's Personal Podcast

Welcome to ItsPersonalPodcast, hosted by Gary R. Gray Jr.—teacher, writer, storyteller, and kid from Preston now teaching in Singapore. This ain’t your typical pod. No fancy edits. No perfect soundscapes. Just real talk. Sometimes it’s Gary, solo, diving deep—into childhood, into choices, into what it means to be growing, moving, becoming. He peels back the layers, questions his “accomplishments,” wonders out loud if he’s living a full life. It’s vulnerable. It’s honest. It’s personal. Other times, he brings folks along—educators, authors, parents, artists, people who carry stories in their pockets and wisdom in their scars. Especially those from the Global Majority. The ones often unheard. The ones worth listening to. Together, they talk identity, joy, loss, memory, meaning. They ride the back roads of becoming. This space is human. Unscripted. Yours. Find Gary everywhere @GaryRGrayJr.

Publisher

Gary R. Gray Jr

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Sept 2018

Latest episode

7 Jun 2025

Latest episodes

157 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   7 Jun 2025

   Ep. 144 Nina Mata on her debut picture NEW, family and writing for celebrities

   Author Nina Mata discusses her debut children's book, cultural roots, and the influence of family and heritage on her storytelling in an interview with the host.

2. 

   21 Apr 2025

   Ep. 143 Betty C. Tang on Parachute Kids, Identity, and Growing Up Immigrant

   In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Betty C. Tang—author and illustrator of the powerful graphic novel Parachute Kids. We talk about her childhood, the real-life inspirations behind her work, and how identity, immigration, and family shaped the heart of her storytelling. Betty opens up about the emotional roots of Parachute Kids and what it means to tell stories that matter. This one's full of heart, art, and personal truth. 📚 Parachute Kids is available wherever books are sold! Follow Betty C. Tang: 📸 Instagram: @bettyctang [https://www.instagram.com/bettyctang] 🐦 Twitter/X: @bettyctang [https://twitter.com/bettyctang] 🌐 Website: www.bettytang.com [http://www.bettytang.com/]

3. 

   5 Mar 2025

   EP.142 Quartez Harris chats NEW BOOK and what happen on his writing journey

   Quartez Harris, a poet and teaching artist whose work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Ohio Poetry Association's Poet of the Year for his collection We Made it to School Alive. Quartez is set to release his debut picture book, Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer, with Little Brown in January 2025.   Born in Springfield, Ohio, he faced significant challenges due to a learning disability but found strength in words. As a second-grade teacher, he captured his students' voices and experiences, inspiring his impactful poetry. Join us as we explore his journey, the stories behind his work, and his commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices in literature. Listen to audio versions here: Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/t.. [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjY5Q2x4NElWWWozd2JFRWUxbWh6SC1Kd1Zfd3xBQ3Jtc0tra01aNFdvVXQzazE5MVBiOVpWQzAtOThMWHJ2c21VSzlid29OUWxOOWkxZEFGVEpWSFRjdm5neUMzTUZsbUN3VE9sVEgxUEZXb2lXSHJxbHFCNHdQYmVXUjZZZmFCWmlhcUwwMVFkcTZaX000S3o5SQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fca%2Fpodcast%2Ft..&v=zQcM1I9hgN4]. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2f3XyNg.. [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGxTWG1ITmU0X3lDSUloQ1kxbWNWaWhPbkthUXxBQ3Jtc0ttaXQ4TmZHUGtlSEpqNFUxeC1EbDhaa2RUU2RPTmp4WExnNmcyQkV0WE5nc0xncUZkSlZ1LWx5UHl3QlZnb1RHQnNuR0R5LWZ5NnZsc3Q1ZW5kRjdDak1sUjB1R2hPZl9qaVhXSlV1ZWJpZk93V3VjOA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Fshow%2F2f3XyNg..&v=zQcM1I9hgN4]. Zencastr: https://zencastr.com/It-s-Personal-Po.. [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVZpN0lmaFdhUXpTNk1iSlhpZzZwNmVNOF82UXxBQ3Jtc0tsWTd2LVhjWE5wUkZJY0RDclpmRU12NDVBU3U2Uzd6S055N1Q5cWozOFM4U1hfSndFM3FuV0FVaDd0RXJpRlc5WWo0SVp5WFBKY3NhdUdyZjhEMEdrS2VIREhmcV93WEhYTzZsZWZJN3RpY0pMS1Bybw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fzencastr.com%2FIt-s-Personal-Po..&v=zQcM1I9hgN4].

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

17 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

36

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact It's Personal Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.