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Dear Mama, What if I told you “real gs move in silence is killing your dream? What if I told you to tell everyone and anyone you know what you want to do? What if I told you your notes app and Evernote are the keys to the manifestation of your dreams? What if I told you every time we tell our stories, we reclaim what was stolen? Every time we create, we declare: We are still here. These are our takeaways from our conversation with prolific children’s book author, Alliah Agostini, who wrote The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States & one of my favorite children’s books, Great Idea Malia.
In this episode, we explore the intersections of Black motherhood, creativity, community, and freedom. Agostini provides invaluable insights for other Black mama creatives, encouraging them to trust their journey and to navigate the world of storytelling with authenticity and courage. Her experience is a testament to the power of community and the importance of telling our own stories, especially those that uplift and educate.
In this episode, we get real about:
- Complexities of Black culture
- The importance of always telling our stories, but especially right now
- Handling critique and nurturing creativity
- Building community and managing ideas
PLUS, if you’re looking for some hope right now. We got you. In our Black Mama Say segment, where we put our own twist on sayings from Black Mamas, we talk about what’s giving us hope while this country is on fire.
SYLLABUS
To expand knowledge and combat misinformation and disinformation, we create a list of references/sources for our listeners to dive into. This list includes any books, videos, podcasts, etc. that we’ve mentioned in the episode or that will help you gain a well-informed perspective. ENJOY!
About Alliah Agostini
Buffalo, NY native Alliah L. Agostini has marketed everything from iconic brands to scrappy start-ups, but motherhood helped her return to her first love: children’s literature. She writes to spread joy and truth and to help more children see themselves reflected on the page.
Alliah is the author of many picture books and easy readers for children including Junior Library Guild Selection BIG TUNE: Rise of the Dancehall Prince (starred reviews, Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly, NYPL and Chicago Public Library Best Picture Book of 2023), Black KidLit Award-winning The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States, Oprah Winfrey: A Little Golden Book Biography, The Juneteenth Cookbook, Great Idea Malia, Blexi, Play!, Scarecited on the First Day of School, No Cat Like Tac, Art’s Art, and more.
She and her work have been featured on Oprah Daily, Essence.com, TODAY with Hoda + Jenna, Morning in America, Good Housekeeping, CNN, and NPR.
Alliah resides in New Jersey with her husband and two children. She has an A.B. and an M.B.A. from Harvard.
Connect With Alliah: Get Alliah’s Books | Website | Instagram
Responsive Reading/Church Announcements/Praise Reports/Prayer List Requests:
- Responsive Reading
- Black Mama Magic Card Deck: Card #19 “I Honor My Child’s Divine Path”
- Word From Our Ancestors: “Revolution is not a one-time event.” – Audre Lorde from her speech/essay “Learning From the 60s“
- Black Breastfeeding Week
- Dates: Monday, August 25 – Sunday, August 31st
- Theme: Boots On the Ground: Rooted in Breastfeeding Success, Grounded in Community Support
- Collection Plate Cause
- Creators Well: Website | Instagram
- Founded by award-winning poet Crystal Tennille Irby, CREATORS WELL is a series of FREE interactive writing retreats, writing and performance classes, for black girls/ femmes/ non-binary/gender-expansive youth ages 12-21 that teaches and affirms the power of their voices, pen, art, and individuality.
- Creators Well: Website | Instagram
Mac & Cheese:
Important definitions and links to books, organizations, videos, articles, etc mentioned in this episode.
- Books:
- People
- Videos
- Watch Alliah’s grandfather, Judson Price, aka Mr. Juneteenth, in Today’s Show interview, where he recounts the history of Buffalo’s Juneteenth Celebration, one of the longest-running Juneteenth Celebrations in the world.
- Definitions
- Portmanteau: port·man·teau
/pôrtˈmantō/
a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’).
“podcast is a portmanteau, a made-up word coined from a combination of the words iPod and broadcast”
- Portmanteau: port·man·teau
- Organizations:
Episodes mentions/relevant to this episode:
- Black Mama Creative Episodes Playlist: We know you got dreams. We know you wanna start something, write something, build something, have always had a dream they haven’t given birth to…This playlist is for you! We want you to know it ain’t over for you and we refuse to let you believe motherhood is the graveyard of dreams.
Black Mama Say: “What Gives You Hope.”
Connect with Dem Black Mamas: YouTube | Email List | Blusky
🗣️Engage: This is a conversation. Speak back to us! Share your thoughts about the episode using the hashtag #DemBlackMamas, DM us or email us at magic@demblackmamas.com.