The Reading Is Freedom Podcast is more than a conversation—it’s a movement.
This podcast is dedicated to unlocking our minds and reclaiming our power through literacy. Each episode explores the deep connection between reading and true freedom—because when we can read, think, and understand for ourselves, we move differently in the world.
We dive into real conversations that matter to the Black community—how to build a culture of literacy in our homes, support our children, and break cycles that have held us back for generations.
You’ll hear from authors, educators, parents, community leaders,
It Wasn't because of the Whuppings it was in Spite of them.
“I got whupped and I turned out fine.”
But did you turn out fine because of the whuppings—or IN SPITE of them?
That’s the conversation I had with my father, and that’s where this episode begins.
We have got to stop calling whuppings, yelling, threatening and intimidating our children Black culture. We have to be willing to examine where these behaviors came from, how they were passed down, and the physical, emotional and mental damage they can leave behind.
Some of us survived it. But at what cost? We for damn sure do not have to keep passing it on.
🔥 This conversation is necessary. And we have to keep having it UNAPOLOGETICALLY.
🎧 Click the link and listen to “It Wasn’t Because of the Whuppings—It Was In Spite of Them.”
Then LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE & SUBSCRIBE. Let’s talk about it.
https://www.amazon.com/H-R-Healed-Empowered-Resilient/dp/B0FCFJWP59/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2TQCO8I0M37HO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.5s5jS_TY6JCUUFqcJuU_h8HzSTEYgVSMyKyT_j-EJ5zgXB05LwlZ49ELwwdPRGaHeRlU4l0Xm8HbcFf6-rSUAxvPhGuy3OBSPEeois8tXfhM6Chh2Nu3VUQEL3YeP4fE-qgWN4_d8nLQ-UJzlBQzgicbt6MMnQ-cmsY-ABHkllcszPAXuBTsH9jew1OkOs3tGnd1jMlW94rCoIYDG4s53LIALs49t0thSxb9CfTQDJg.Khjb9G8R6H3KQdGhXGUTcW7BxpP5Bxbf_VbQV_FgcSI&dib_tag=se&keywords=h.e.r.+healed+empowered+resilient&qid=1789957248&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks%2C225&sr=1-2
https://abclearntutoring.com/
https://abcread.org/
26 Aug 2026
The Literacy Crisis is Deeper Than: "These Kids Can't Read and Write."
A Texas teacher broke down over his 17- and 18-year-old seniors who, according to him, struggle to read and write.
But my question is: Was it just they didn't know how to read or are they disconnected from the literature that they are being asked to read?
In my latest episode of The Reading Is Freedom Podcast, I dig deeper into this conversation.
Because we cannot talk about Black children struggling with literacy without also talking about the educational system they have spent years navigating.
We have to talk about the Eurocentric curriculum that was never created with Black children in mind.
We have to talk about the lack of culturally relevant literature.
We have to talk about what happens when children spend year after year reading books and studying history where their lives, their communities, their voices, their brilliance, and their experiences are either pushed to the margins or completely absent.
And then we wonder why some children become disconnected from reading.
Representation is not just about making Black children feel good. It can be a doorway to engagement. When children encounter literature that reflects who they are while also expanding their understanding of the world, we give them another reason to connect with reading.
Yes, our children need strong phonics instruction.
Yes, they need vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
Yes, they need to be challenged academically.
But they also need books that make them WANT to read.
We can't wait until children are 17 and 18 years old to become alarmed about literacy.
This conversation needs to start much earlier.
🎙️ Listen to the full conversation on my YouTube channel, Reading Is Freedom.
And after you listen, I want to hear YOUR thoughts.
LIKE. SUBSCRIBE. COMMENT. SHARE.
Let's keep having the conversations about literacy that our children deserve.
READING IS FREEDOM.
https://abcread.org/
https://abclearntutoring.com/
https://readingisfreedommovement.com/
https://www.amazon.com/H-R-Healed-Empowered-Resilient/dp/B0FCFJWP59/ref=sr_1_1?crid=372GJIH0O9SSF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CQKHIC5QXN5HLr0IbcOrSpHvZJXd_PRClTf_dZfyr-5YOAeS8aO-DSRjREecgZm-jYj2OeFrjv_3pHzUQsAjlbDH29h9N2_x5JayvrQQBnU._CAqgaW8CevH1uswNnYBU4M87lAT8t1feXR94Fpitlc&dib_tag=se&keywords=h.e.r.+healed%2C+empowered+resilient+book&qid=1787708204&sprefix=%2Caps%2C147&sr=8-1
30 Jul 2026
The Right To Rest!
What if rest isn't a luxury—but a form of liberation?
In this episode of Reading Is Freedom, I explore the powerful connection between literacy, history, and our right to rest. Drawing inspiration from Rest Is Resistance by Tricia Hersey, we examine how centuries of anti-Black racism conditioned Black people—especially Black women—to believe our worth is measured by how much we produce.
This mindset didn't happen by accident. It is rooted in a system that treated Black bodies as property and labor rather than as fully human beings deserving of care, restoration, and peace.
Together, we'll unpack why reclaiming rest is an act of resistance, healing, and self-preservation. It's time to reject grind culture, honor the wisdom of our ancestors, and give ourselves permission to slow down, breathe, daydream, and restore our minds, bodies, and spirits.
Because freedom isn't just about what we fight against—it's also about what we allow ourselves to experience.
🎙️ Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and don't forget to subscribe to Reading Is Freedom on YouTube for more conversations that help us unlock our minds, reclaim our power, and build a culture of literacy.
https://abclearntutoring.com/
https://abcread.org/
https://www.amazon.com/H-R-Healed-Empowered-Resilient/dp/B0FCFJWP59/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RQH5FAWX26YT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.xyig7WAJ9j17pGhh831eQYRVOETsQbdnv_ZOqI6NMvata-En71ZgxgTCDWi3LiqR863n22Vm9YoE0NJbKWdLtpEqKOVgbst7_YHDb5XmqUk.iFq7P26Uu_7qWJqQIp2DqQObvZZXpQY7yxyi3e8QIjM&dib_tag=se&keywords=h.e.r.+healed%2C+empowered+resilient+book&qid=1785446303&sprefix=%2Caps%2C269&sr=8-1
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Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
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Engagement
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