In Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, we sit with Darlene Okpo at Adanne Books & Co. about the purpose and niche of independent bookstores and the challenges of running one largely alone. Okpo explains her motivation as an NYC educator and African American studies major who saw students and adults disengage from reading when schools and institutions didn’t reflect their interests or Black history; she emphasizes listening to customers, curating books by and about people of color, and creating a healing community space. 

Visit Adanne Bookshop: https://adanne.co/

Instagram: https://adanne.co/pages/instagram.com/adanne.co

Connect: Jacquees Thomas @_ThatsPeace 

Sign up for News and Great Gifts for Book Lovers AbakeBooks.com

In Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, we sit with Darlene Okpo at Adanne Books &amp; Co. about the purpose and niche of independent bookstores and the challenges of running one largely alone. Okpo explains her motivation as an NYC educator and African American studies major who saw students and adults disengage from reading when schools and institutions didn&rsquo;t reflect their interests or Black history; she emphasizes listening to customers, curating books by and about people of color, and creating a healing community space.&nbsp;
Visit Adanne Bookshop: <a href="https://adanne.co/">https://adanne.co/</a>
Instagram: https://adanne.co/pages/instagram.com/adanne.co
Connect: Jacquees Thomas <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_thatspeace/?hl=en">@_ThatsPeace&nbsp;</a>
Sign up for News and Great Gifts for Book Lovers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abakebooks.com/">AbakeBooks.com</a>

BLK LIT highlights the creative wordsmiths of our current and past generations. We will delve into the history, purpose, and personalities behind each literary work, spending an intimate amount of time with each writer’s expression through orated excerpts or reenactments, content dissection, direct dialogue with the writers, and the host’s final thoughts. BLK LIT is the home for lovers of literature by wordsmiths of culture. 

BLK LIT highlights the creative wordsmiths of our current and past generations. We will delve into the history, purpose, and personalities behind each literary work, spending an intimate amount of time with each writer&rsquo;s expression through orated excerpts or reenactments, content dissection, direct dialogue with the writers, and the host&rsquo;s final thoughts. BLK LIT is the home for lovers of literature by wordsmiths of culture.&nbsp;

BLK LIT

BLK LIT highlights the creative wordsmiths of our current and past generations. We will delve into the history, purpose, and personalities behind each literary work, spending an intimate amount of time with each writer’s expression through orated excerpts or reenactments, content dissection, direct dialogue with the writers, and the host’s final thoughts. BLK LIT is the home for lovers of literature by wordsmiths of culture.

ADANNE BOOKSHOP - Listen To Your Community

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b5308410-a033-4aff-a475-b4cf00b58ea3/transcript

At The Lit Bar in Mott Haven, Bronx, with the founder Noelle "Santos" Brown in season two of “BLK LIT,” spotlighting women preserving Black stories by opening bookstores across the metro area. Brown describes opening The Lit Bar in 2019 after learning the Bronx’s last bookstore (a Barnes & Noble) was threatened, motivating her to create a community literary resource. Brown discusses her audacity and willingness to learn, her curated approach to serving the Bronx’s diversity, and why more bookstores in the Bronx would strengthen the local literary ecosystem. She frames The Lit Bar as an evolving legacy, focused initially on literacy activism and now on creating jobs and a growing economy in her community.

Visit The Lit Bar: https://www.thelitbar.com/

Connect: Jacquees Thomas @_ThatsPeace 

Sign up for News and Great Gifts for Book Lovers AbakeBooks.com

At The Lit Bar in Mott Haven, Bronx, with the founder Noelle "Santos" Brown in season two of &ldquo;BLK LIT,&rdquo; spotlighting women preserving Black stories by opening bookstores across the metro area. Brown describes opening The Lit Bar in 2019 after learning the Bronx&rsquo;s last bookstore (a Barnes &amp; Noble) was threatened, motivating her to create a community literary resource. Brown discusses her audacity and willingness to learn, her curated approach to serving the Bronx&rsquo;s diversity, and why more bookstores in the Bronx would strengthen the local literary ecosystem. She frames The Lit Bar as an evolving legacy, focused initially on literacy activism and now on creating jobs and a growing economy in her community.
Visit The Lit Bar: <a href="https://www.thelitbar.com/">https://www.thelitbar.com/</a>
Connect: Jacquees Thomas <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_thatspeace/?hl=en">@_ThatsPeace&nbsp;</a>
Sign up for News and Great Gifts for Book Lovers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.abakebooks.com/">AbakeBooks.com</a>

The LIT BAR - A Hybrid Bookstore & Wine Bar in the Bronx

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/91561d8f-4e44-44b2-9281-b4bf0043c1ce/transcript

Listen to Season Two of BLK LIT. 

 

 

Listen to Season Two of BLK LIT.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

BLK LIT: Season 2 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/da58d84c-11f3-49e5-98cb-b4b90102d75f/transcript

In this lively roundtable discussion, host Jacquees Thomas sits down with some of her favorite book influencers to unpack the fictional novel Sky Full of Elephants. Joining the conversation are Jordan Hernandez, founder of Completely Booked; Chase Griffin and Shaquille Anderson, co-founders of Booked and Busy Book Club; and Anne, creator of LaGringaBaiana.

Together, they dive into each guest’s personal journey and the inspirations behind their literary platforms while exploring the complex themes woven into Cebo Campbell’sSky Full of Elephants. The discussion highlights the layered perspectives of characters like Sydney and Charlie, the emotional weight of forgiveness and identity, and the possibility of adapting the novel into a series.

The panel also reflects on the unspoken influence of setting; how Alabama’s charged history and the ocean’s symbolic presence act as characters of their own, shaping the narrative’s depth and impact.

This episode offers an intimate look at the power of literature to inspire community and culture—and how that same community can uplift an artist’s perspective, even in the absence of mainstream media support.

Connect:

Jacquees "Peace" Thomas @_ThatsPeace 

Jordan Hernandez @_CompletelyBooked 

Chase Griffin & Shaquille Anderson @BookedandBusyBookClub_

Anne @LaGringaBaiana

Read:SKY FULL OF ELEPHANTS 

Learn More:CeboCampbell.com

Special Thanks to @CeboCampbell 

In this lively roundtable discussion, host&nbsp;Jacquees Thomas sits down with some of her favorite book influencers to unpack the fictional novel Sky Full of Elephants. Joining the conversation are Jordan Hernandez, founder of Completely Booked; Chase Griffin and Shaquille Anderson, co-founders of Booked and Busy Book Club; and Anne, creator of LaGringaBaiana.
Together, they dive into each guest&rsquo;s personal journey and the inspirations behind their literary platforms while exploring the complex themes woven into Cebo Campbell&rsquo;s Sky Full of Elephants. The discussion highlights the layered perspectives of characters like Sydney and Charlie, the emotional weight of forgiveness and identity, and the possibility of adapting the novel into a series.
The panel also reflects on the unspoken influence of setting; how&nbsp;Alabama&rsquo;s charged history and the ocean&rsquo;s symbolic presence act as characters of their own, shaping the narrative&rsquo;s depth and impact.
This episode offers an intimate look at the power of literature to inspire community and culture&mdash;and how that same community can uplift an artist&rsquo;s perspective, even in the absence of mainstream media support.
Connect:
Jacquees "Peace" Thomas <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_thatspeace/?hl=en">@_ThatsPeace</a>&nbsp;
Jordan Hernandez <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_completelybooked/">@_CompletelyBooked</a>&nbsp;
Chase Griffin &amp; Shaquille Anderson <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookedandbusybookclub_/?hl=en">@BookedandBusyBookClub_</a>
Anne <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lagringabaiana/">@LaGringaBaiana</a>
Read: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Sky-Full-of-Elephants/Cebo-Campbell/9781668034927">SKY FULL OF ELEPHANTS&nbsp;</a>
Learn More: <a href="https://cebocampbell.com/">CeboCampbell.com</a>
Special Thanks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/cebocampbell/?hl=en">@CeboCampbell&nbsp;</a>

Roundtable Discussion: Sky Full of Elephants

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/bc31c986-632e-454b-8501-b346016f9726/transcript

ADANNE BOOKSHOP - Listen To Your Community

BLK LIT

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