WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:05.719 It was an average day for author Rashon Darling when her youngest daughter, Olivia, 2 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:12.119 came home from school in tears. Someone made fun of her curly hair. 3 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:17.519 As she comforted her daughter, a floodgate of memories opened up of her 4 00:00:17.559 --> 00:00:23.760 own childhood struggles with feeling different because of her distinctive curls. Growing up by 5 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:30.440 Rachel in Hartford, Connecticut, Rashon knows firsthand the challenges of embracing uniqueness. 6 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:37.039 Motivated by her daughter's experience and fueled by her own journey of self acceptance, 7 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:43.240 she embarked on a mission to spread a message of self love and confidence. 8 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:51.320 The result a heartwarming and much needed children's book that not only celebrates curly hair, 9 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:59.759 but empowers young girls everywhere to embrace their individuality with pride. So if 10 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:02.759 you have you have a curly girl in your life, you once were a 11 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:07.959 curly girl, or you can relate to your uniqueness making you feel like an 12 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:14.920 outsider, This episode is for you. Grab your tea, coffee, or 13 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:26.359 a glass of wine and let's talk things. Hello everyone, Welcome back to 14 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:32.159 the Let's Talk the Things podcast, where we discuss the importance of personal growth, 15 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:38.040 travel, music, and wellness while encouraging you to live fearlessly and fabulously. 16 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:42.879 I am your host, Ash, and this week we are talking to 17 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:49.760 Things with the author of the children's book The Curl Girls Were Sewn Darling. 18 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:53.560 Hi, Shane, how are you hey, Ash? How are you good? 19 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:59.680 Good? Thanks for coming to talk the things with me to celebrate Women's 20 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:02.760 Month. Yes, awesome month for a lot of fabulous women. Right, 21 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:07.159 so right, right, we have to celebrate ourselves, so we get a 22 00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:12.360 whole month, and it's actually a long month, so I can appreciate that 23 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:15.520 it is it is. I can see who they like better. Listen. 24 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:16.599 I didn't want to say it, you know what, Since you said it, 25 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:24.000 I'm just going to agree. So as I'm sure you know. When 26 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:30.280 we have guests, I like to begin each episode with our listeners and mine 27 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:36.639 too. My favorite segment that Nason Safe. So I'm going to read a 28 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:40.360 couple social media or not a couple, a few social media posts or comments 29 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:46.400 that listeners sent in, and if you think it sounds crazy or concerning, 30 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.360 you would respond and say that Nason safe or it doesn't sound like a good 31 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:54.000 idea, and briefly explain why, and then if you agree, you would 32 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:59.520 say the same thing. Just explain why makes sense? Mm hmm. All 33 00:02:59.639 --> 00:03:07.159 right. So the first one is life hack, stop dealing with people who 34 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:09.879 kind of like you. I agree with that. I agree with that. 35 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:16.120 Why surround yourself with people who aren't all in for you? I think that's 36 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:21.280 a waste of your energy exchange with someone else who's just kind of halfway in. 37 00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:27.159 So definitely agree absolutely, And if anything, it can be dangerous, 38 00:03:27.800 --> 00:03:31.159 you know, just being in an environment with somebody that doesn't really like you 39 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:37.520 exactly. That's the person you have to watch out for. Absolutely, So 40 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:44.680 we say swerve to that. That no sound safe? That no sounds safe? 41 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:50.439 Okay. The next one, the person said, do you ever feel 42 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:54.479 like you're in season five of your life and the writers are just doing outrageous 43 00:03:54.479 --> 00:04:01.000 stuff to keep it interesting? Listen another word right there. That is absolutely 44 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:04.439 true. And you know, but I think when we look back on the 45 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:09.319 seasons that we're in, they're not. You always look back at them with 46 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.840 some rolls colored lenses, right, So they don't it doesn't always seem as 47 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:15.560 bad. But when you're in it, it just seems like they're just throwing 48 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:19.279 everything at you. It's what do they call that jumping? The shark when 49 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:24.519 they're on TV shows, that's that phrase where they get to the last season 50 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.439 or towards the end of the show and they just start doing whatever. That's 51 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:30.560 kind of how it feels, right, Yeah, yeah, you're right, 52 00:04:30.600 --> 00:04:33.199 And like you said, hindsight is twenty twenty because when you're in it, 53 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:35.439 it feels like the end of the world. But when you look back, 54 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:41.879 you're like, I was really going crazy over that. When you're in things, 55 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:44.959 you think it's the end of the world, you know, but when 56 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:48.160 you look back, you're like, that was maybe even saving me, because 57 00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:51.800 how many times have we been brought through things in our life, you know, 58 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:55.800 whatever that may be, and you look back and you're like, thank 59 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:59.680 God that happened. I have five situations I can name off the top of 60 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.759 my head where I am I'm grateful that and you know, and you're familiar 61 00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:10.920 with what I have received after going through those situations, then God is good. 62 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:17.959 No, all the time, you heard my prayers? Okay, the 63 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:25.439 next one, Wow, Audacity was on sale in twenty twenty three. Oh 64 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:30.319 my goodness, And just in twenty twenty three. That not sounds safe, 65 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:32.279 right, that's all the time. I don't agree with that. It wasn't 66 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:35.800 just twenty twenty three. It's been like that for I would say at least 67 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:40.040 the last four years. I would have to agree with you on that. 68 00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:46.759 I mean, twenty twenty three was rough, but I would have to agree. 69 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:50.279 Like ever since the Panera, Bread, Panasonic, whatever we want to 70 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:58.000 call it, I just feel like we're slowly getting back to like some type 71 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.560 of normalcy. But people still have that. So you're right, you're right. 72 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.600 Maybe it's on Clarence now, maybe that's the difference why there's a little 73 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:12.800 bit more happening. It's on sale, absolutely absolutely, Okay. Next one, 74 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:18.160 the secret to clear skin is not letting anyone's son take your fore idiot. 75 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:26.360 I must agree with that. I think it is one of the top 76 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:30.680 three secrets of clear skin, next to actually washing your face and eating the 77 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:41.160 right things. Listen, stress causes wrinkles and pimples, right, And if 78 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:45.680 you let some of these men stress you out, you're going to be applying 79 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:49.240 all kinds of night cream. And we just so far as expensive. It 80 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:54.120 is very expensive. And if you have children, that's already enough, right 81 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:58.240 there, So why go throw some man into the mix to mess it all 82 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:05.800 up? No? Okay? And then last but not least, break the 83 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:12.319 pattern of over break, the pattern of over nurturing while you under receive. 84 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:16.839 You deserve more than bread crumbs. M hm, yes, I can say 85 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:20.519 that to a lot of my friends. We have these discussions. You deserve 86 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:25.000 more. You have to love yourself more. It's it's kind of funny. 87 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:28.839 I've read this book out. Sorry a little quick segue, but it's called 88 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:32.160 one Word That'll Change your Life. And you choose a word instead of a 89 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:36.879 resolution. You choose a word every year, and you kind of wait for 90 00:07:36.920 --> 00:07:40.439 that word. You get inspired by that word. You sit in silence, 91 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:45.519 meditate so that you can receive that word. And my word was worthy and 92 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:50.199 and that is definitely you have to understand that you are worthy of all the 93 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:56.120 good things in life. That you deserve a loaf of bread, a fresh 94 00:07:56.160 --> 00:08:01.720 one straight out the bakery oven and not just crusty old bread. I love 95 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:05.399 that. That's beautiful. I have to pick up that book. I love 96 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:09.600 reading, so I'm always interested in learning about new books. I love that. 97 00:08:09.720 --> 00:08:13.160 I'll send it to you. I'll send you the link. Thank you. 98 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:18.399 Yeah, that would be great. So, as you know, we 99 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:26.720 celebrate women regularly on this podcast. However, we are celebrating ourselves a little 100 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:31.399 bit more this month in honor of Women's History Month. For me, I 101 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:35.919 just think that who we are as women and even how we show up in 102 00:08:35.960 --> 00:08:39.159 the world really sets the example for the next generation. Right, So, 103 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:46.639 whether you're a mummy and auntie, a godmother's sister, et cetera, children, 104 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:50.960 particularly young girls, are always watching, right because we were young girls 105 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:56.120 once too, and a lot of what we learned was what we observed. 106 00:08:56.120 --> 00:09:00.600 It's not necessarily what our mothers, on, sisters, cousins told us, 107 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:05.799 but just how we observed and how we watched them carry themselves. So that 108 00:09:05.960 --> 00:09:09.519 said, I wondered if you could share a little bit about what inspired you 109 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:18.279 to write a children's book centered around self confidence and specifically embracing curly hair. 110 00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:22.279 I think for me, so, I'm biracial, and I grew up in 111 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:28.440 an area that was pretty diverse. I didn't really get to know my mother's 112 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:31.279 side of the family. My mother is white, so I don't really know 113 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:37.159 them. So I was always around the aunties, my black aunties, right, 114 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:41.759 the family members that taught me about hair and all of those things. 115 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:46.840 And growing up in the nineties, So I'm saying the nineties. I'm an 116 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:50.559 eighties maybe, but growing up in the nineties, the hair to have was 117 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:54.639 that straight doobie right, so keep your dooby fly. I did not have 118 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:58.039 that hair. I had very very curly hair, and already being biracial in 119 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:03.919 a place where isn't predominant, you could probably count on one hand how many 120 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:07.200 black and white families that you saw in our community. I always kind of 121 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:11.080 felt like an outcast. So you want to fit in, So I would 122 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:13.200 I mean, I relax my hair. My hair should not be the hair 123 00:10:13.240 --> 00:10:18.159 that you would relax it is. It's not thick if there's just a lot 124 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:20.639 of it, so I would relax it. I would straighten it all the 125 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:26.440 time. I would iron it with an actual iron, because the flat irons 126 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:30.879 want like a big thing back then, so they were very expensive, so 127 00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:35.559 you're using and so it was always just wanting to feel like I was a 128 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:41.360 part of something and not feeling confident and who I was. When I thought 129 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:45.039 about this book, Olivia, you know, my little one. She had 130 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:48.360 come to me crying that someone at school had made fun of her hair, 131 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:52.960 and they even the other day someone made fun of her hair. They said 132 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:56.279 it looked like a sponge, you know. So she's like, oh, 133 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.759 you know, I want straight hair, and I want Disney princess hair, 134 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:01.799 straight hair like the other little girls in my class. And I'm like, 135 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:05.159 no, we're not going to repeat history. Your hair is beautiful, it's 136 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:09.759 magical. She said, no, no, I don't think it is. 137 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:13.399 And I was like, the best way for me to prove that to use 138 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:18.480 to show you. And little kids love books, they love cartoons, they 139 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:24.200 love fantasy and magic and superheroes and princesses. And princesses are great, but 140 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:28.240 I think superheroes are a little bit more powerful. And so when I wrote 141 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:33.440 the book, I decided that I would create a book four curly haired superheroes 142 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:37.240 that would prove to her and other little kids how beautiful their natural hair is. 143 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:41.960 I love that, and I just want to say, you, look, 144 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.759 you didn't tell Auntie Ash because I would have to march on to that 145 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:52.559 school and talk to those two girls. But I digress. But no, 146 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:58.480 seriously, I think that's really powerful. I think it's also helpful that you 147 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:03.519 have, you know, similar hair texture to her, so at least she 148 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.720 can look at you and say, okay, well, you know the person 149 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:11.480 I admire the most. The first woman that's an example for me has curly 150 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.360 hair too. However, as we all know, you're at school like most 151 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:18.600 of your day than most of your life as you're growing up, right, 152 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:24.240 So, like you said, it really matters, you know, the conversations 153 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:28.519 that you have or the things that little girls and boys say to you. 154 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:31.360 And I will say, I think the children now have it a little bit 155 00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:37.200 better because there's more talk about embracing natural beauty and your girls and stuff like 156 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:43.159 that. Whereas even when I came here from Jamaica, like I wanted straight 157 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:46.279 here because that's what you see, Like, that's what the magazines were showing. 158 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:50.080 You know, it didn't matter your skin color. What you saw in 159 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:54.320 the magazines was everyone's hair was bone straight. Whether it was their real hair 160 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:56.240 or not, we didn't know, but it was straight. That's all you 161 00:12:56.279 --> 00:13:03.039 saw, you know. And I think at a book like this is just 162 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:09.440 so important because it's really important that little girls can see themselves in other people 163 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:13.679 and know that they're not alone. Yeah, representation matters, And I know 164 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:16.960 that that's a tagline that people like to say, but I had a book 165 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:22.679 launch and we had some of the little kids from where I'm a part of 166 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:28.639 an organization that is focused on the well being of black children specifically, And 167 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:31.879 you had a lot of children there that just embrace the idea. They're all 168 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.080 there with their natural curls. We had kids from the community, and they 169 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:39.919 wanted to know what their special powers were and they were happy that the kids 170 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:43.440 looked just like them. And I purposely had the children the different characters. 171 00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:48.720 They're different shades of brown, right, They've got different hair textures, so 172 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:52.000 every little girl and boy can feel as if they're represented in that book. 173 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.960 Growing up, you don't see that the children's books I saw, you know, 174 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:58.440 you would have books with a lot of animals. Those were cool, 175 00:13:58.440 --> 00:14:03.279 But then the book books that you would want to read about a little girl 176 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:07.159 like you, they never actually looked like you. And even some of the 177 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:11.759 ones that maybe had your skin color, the hair that they drew on them 178 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:16.759 or depicted was still straight m exactly. And that's who they want to be 179 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:20.440 like. Those are their heroes. You know, they look to their parents, 180 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:22.559 we're great, we love them. They know this. But I think 181 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:26.799 of Olivia, she cares more about what her friends think about her right now 182 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:31.039 than what her parents think about her. And so I can tell her she's 183 00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:35.120 beautiful a million and one times, but if someone else at school is saying 184 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:39.039 the opposite, how do you combat that? And so this book was a 185 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:41.080 way to try to do that. And I'm actually going to her school next 186 00:14:41.080 --> 00:14:45.440 week to read to her class because you know, I want her to feel 187 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:50.840 special and I want the other kids to feel special. Her classroom it's diverse, 188 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:52.200 but there are a lot of straight haired kids, but there are a 189 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:56.039 couple that aren't, and you know, I want them to feel just as 190 00:14:56.039 --> 00:14:58.840 special as she does. I love that. And speaking of that, you 191 00:14:58.840 --> 00:15:05.200 know, storytelling in general, in what ways do you think that storytelling can 192 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:11.360 help children, you know, navigate and overcome any feelings of insecurity or even 193 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:16.879 a difference in their social settings, like at school. Everyone loves a good 194 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:20.840 story, right, So even as adults, when you go to let's say 195 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:24.000 you go to a conference and there's a keynote speaker, the one telling you 196 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:28.240 about a new policy or procedure is not the interesting one. It's the one 197 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:33.320 that's talking about themselves or talking about an experience that they had. And kids 198 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:35.960 are the same way. They want to talk about their experiences. They want 199 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:39.919 to feel that they're included in a group. And the way you get to 200 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:43.120 that is by storytelling. You know, there are a lot of great books 201 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:46.720 out there about loving yourself and loving your hair, but a lot of those 202 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:52.000 aren't story books. They're usually you know, I look beautiful because I have 203 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.559 brown skin, and I look beautiful because i've but it's never a story. 204 00:15:54.600 --> 00:15:58.279 And so kids like the pictures of those books, but they're not connecting with 205 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:03.320 what the cares are saying because it's not an actual story. What I like 206 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:07.240 about my book is that it's a story. It's going somewhere. We're going, 207 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:11.279 you know, starting my second book now because it's an adventure. Now, 208 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:15.159 we've already established where the girls have started, I guess, somewhat of 209 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:18.320 an origin story, and now they're going to have some adventures. That's a 210 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:22.080 little bit different than a child empowerment book. Kind of combined the two. 211 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.480 I guess you could say I love that. I love that, and without 212 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:30.919 giving the book away, because we want people to go out and buy it 213 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:34.159 for their children and you know, their nieces and nephews, what would you 214 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:42.159 say is your favorite part of the book. When Olivia realizes that she has 215 00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:48.360 power and uniqueness within herself to give to the world. I think that is 216 00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:52.720 super important. Everyone wants to feel as if they are needed. Yeah, 217 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:56.759 like, who wants to feel disposable? Who wants to feel unnecessary? In 218 00:16:56.759 --> 00:17:03.360 this world? Everyone wants to feel needed. And I just I love when 219 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:04.960 people get the book. You'll see there's the part when she starts to think 220 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:08.000 about whether or not this is a movement she wants to be a part of, 221 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:11.880 and you'll see something forming in the background of where she is, and 222 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:15.400 it's super cool. I didn't ask my illustrator to do that. She came 223 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:18.440 up with it. Shout out to her. She's awesome, awesome. She 224 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:22.359 lives in Columbia, so she is at Latina. She understood the assignment. 225 00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:29.559 I had an illustrator prior to her that she went into labor early so she 226 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:33.119 couldn't actually start the way I wanted her to. But this illustrator, she 227 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:37.119 I told her what I wanted and she delivered. I didn't have to go 228 00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.880 back and forth with her. So, Adriana, you are awesome, and 229 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:42.000 you know I can't wait to work on the second book with her. I 230 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:45.839 love that. I love that. No, that's amazing. What was I 231 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:48.759 going to ask you? Oh, this is what I was going to say, 232 00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:52.519 lost my train, I thought. So when I was reading the book, 233 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:57.920 I thought of a conversation that I had with one of my friends actually 234 00:17:57.960 --> 00:18:03.000 this time last year for Women's History Month. Her name is Kimberly Patterson, 235 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:07.559 and she's an actress and a makeup artist and all the things, and she's 236 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:12.440 so sweet and so kind. But we were talking about growing up, you 237 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:18.599 know, and being children, particularly in Jamaica, but just growing up and 238 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:23.000 being in an environment where you're really good at a lot of things. Right, 239 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:29.000 So you're really good at a lot of things. And in Jamaica they 240 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:32.599 have this saying that you know, you think you're enough, you know, 241 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:36.400 if you're like extra or you're into a lot of things, and people kind 242 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.279 of define it differently, but as children, I would say, somebody enough 243 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:45.359 is somebody that's like always raising their hand for extra assignments or you know, 244 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:48.200 the classes about to end, and they have one last question like it's just 245 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:52.759 too much, Like why do you think you're so good at everything? And 246 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:59.519 there were so many similarities just about being a child that has something special about 247 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:03.319 you, right, so, whether it's your looks, you know, your 248 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:07.839 hair, your skin tone, but when you realize you have this thing and 249 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:11.119 you're met with you know, she thinks she's all that, or I don't 250 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:14.759 want to be her friend because she's different, it makes you not want the 251 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:18.119 thing anymore. Right, So it's not even just with hair, but there's 252 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:22.160 such a deeper lesson in that, and so I think it's just such a 253 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:27.319 beautiful thing to have this out there, but particularly for Olivia, you know, 254 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:33.680 to have this as just a way for her to kind of have something 255 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:40.000 to confirm that she is everything she's supposed to be, because, like you 256 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:44.400 said, she's had this book, the book has been out, you know, 257 00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:48.640 you guys have had the conversation, but she still had an encounter with 258 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:52.839 somebody that said something about her hair. You know, it's going to happen 259 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:56.240 to her still. Like unfortunately, as a parent and as an auntie, 260 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:00.680 you can't protect her, you know, from everything. But I think it's 261 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:07.319 just so important to know that she has that, and that all little girls 262 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.039 and little boys that are different will have that. And just basically to say, 263 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.880 when you're reading this book, or when you're reading the book to your 264 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:18.680 children, or when you give it to your niece or nephew or Whoever, 265 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:22.480 I don't even think it's just about hair. I think the broader message in 266 00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:27.160 the book is to just accept the things about you that's our unique and I 267 00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:33.599 think that's just such a lovely message. It is because you always feel I 268 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:37.319 think every child goes through this, regardless they want to admit it or not. 269 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:42.799 No one feels one hundred percent just self confident. There's always something that 270 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:47.160 you feel like you lacking. Whether you're the most beautiful person or the best 271 00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:51.000 athlete, there's always something that you feel like you're lacking. And we need 272 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:56.839 different mediums, different products that we produce that feed into these children so they 273 00:20:56.359 --> 00:21:00.880 that little percentage that you know, they feel like they're life. Maybe it 274 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:03.240 doesn't completely close that up for them to make them feel whole, but it 275 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:07.119 maybe it does it temporarily, or maybe it keeps building on that until they 276 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:11.920 start to feel that way. Yeah, no, that makes sense. And 277 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:15.599 let me ask you this, who was the person for you that made you 278 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:21.240 accept you know, your curly hair, or you know, even you being 279 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:25.880 biracial, whether it was somebody famous or you know, someone in your community. 280 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:30.680 I think some of it so it's twofold, I guess, so friends, 281 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.839 I actually have a lot of friends that are Puerto Rican. Two of 282 00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:38.480 my best friends are Puerto Rican and they had curly hair like me. So 283 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:45.400 I felt that connection with them because they looked like me. A lot of 284 00:21:45.400 --> 00:21:48.279 people think I'm Puerto Rican anyway, and growing up in Connecticut where we grew 285 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:53.279 up, you were either Puerto Rican, Caribbean, American, or white. 286 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:57.039 That was it. There was just nothing in between, and so everyone just 287 00:21:57.079 --> 00:22:00.279 assumed. So that made me feel like I was a part of a group. 288 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:04.839 And then, honestly, Mariah Carey was a really big part of my 289 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:10.319 childhood. I remember being ten years old or no. Eight, so this 290 00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:15.279 was nineteen ninety and my mom had brought home this cassette tape and she put 291 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:18.640 on this song and I'm like looking at the little jacket of the cassette tape 292 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:22.279 and I'm like, wow, like this lady looks like me and you know, 293 00:22:22.920 --> 00:22:23.680 and my mother was like, oh, yeah, you know, this 294 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:27.160 is this is Mariah, Like she's a new singer. And I remember listening 295 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.480 to her songs and all of her songs I just felt, even at eight 296 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:34.799 years old, that I could relate to. She has a song on one 297 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:38.720 of her albums called Outside and it's talking about always feeling like you're on the 298 00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:42.319 outside of everything. So her music was just so relatable. But she also 299 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:47.359 looked like me, so, you know, to the point where since I 300 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:49.839 was in fourth grade up until even now, when I see people from back 301 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:53.799 home, they call me little Mariah. That's like, that's been my nickname 302 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:59.279 forever. Oh my gosh. I love that. It's kind of like a 303 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:02.039 full circle moment. At least it sounds like that. You know, you 304 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:06.720 probably had so many moments where you wanted to fit in and you know, 305 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.559 you felt a certain way, and you didn't have a book like this, 306 00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:12.880 So like, how amazing is it that you're able to create something for your 307 00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:17.599 daughter and for this generation that you're gonna, you know, continue on. 308 00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:22.759 I just honestly wish I would have written it sooner because I have Chloe, 309 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:27.000 you know, and Chloe's got super curly hair. She's wanted straight here from 310 00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:32.640 time to time. It wasn't yeah, and her I just love her curls, 311 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:37.359 like they're just they're the little boy one like that. I'm like, 312 00:23:37.400 --> 00:23:41.880 wait, what you know, but you still you still want it. You 313 00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:45.440 want what you don't have sometimes and if other people don't look like you who 314 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:49.160 wants to stand out. Some people love to stand out, so but some 315 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.119 people really just want to blend in with the group because the more you stand 316 00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:56.039 out, the more likely you're going to be a target. That's what Kim 317 00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:00.640 and I were talking about. Like, so then you end up wanting to 318 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.359 stay in a shell. And it's so funny because I think there's like three 319 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:07.000 parts, right, Like, you start to very young wanting to fit in, 320 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:10.400 and then you're like, Okay, I don't like what this is doing, 321 00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:11.960 so let me just shell myself, let me be like everybody else, 322 00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:15.440 let me just get out the way. And then you get to a point 323 00:24:15.480 --> 00:24:18.640 where you're like, wait a minute, I don't want to be like any 324 00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.799 of you. I don't really care what you think of me, you know 325 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:25.920 what I mean. But it takes some life experience to get to that point. 326 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:30.920 And maybe with books like this, children will get to that point faster 327 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:34.160 than let's say we got to that point, you know exactly. Even when 328 00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:37.519 I talked to kids about the book. I read to another school last week 329 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:41.400 and there weren't many curly kids. I think there was maybe one curly kid 330 00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:45.920 in the class, And I asked the kids afterwards, you know, what's 331 00:24:45.960 --> 00:24:49.920 your superpower? And they start to share all their different superpowers, and I 332 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:53.000 said, even if you don't have curly hair, there's something that you have 333 00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:57.039 that no one else has, and that's your superpower, and that's the thing 334 00:24:57.079 --> 00:25:00.559 that you have to build on. These are kindergarteners, and they were just 335 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:02.079 they were so on it. They're like, oh, well, I can 336 00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:03.400 climb really high. I'm going to work on that. You know. It 337 00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:07.319 was so cute, But there's just there's something that you have that every person 338 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:11.599 has. I'm you know, I'm a Christian and I believe in God, 339 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:15.839 and I believe that God gave all of us gifts so we can come together 340 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:19.680 as one whole. That's why we're all good at so many different things and 341 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:25.160 we're not all the same. Absolutely, I think that's so true. I 342 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:29.240 think that's so true. And I think that's that's great that you're capturing that 343 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:33.839 essence that kids have. Unfortunately, as we get older, just by sheer 344 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:37.880 nature of society and our environment, we tend to lose that as we get 345 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:41.279 to be adults. But I just know that when you're a child, you 346 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:45.799 really think you can do any and everything. You know, so this is, 347 00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:49.720 like, I think, the perfect age group to kind of capture that 348 00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:55.079 or instill that in them, that yeah, you really do have powers, 349 00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:59.559 you know exactly, and you know Olivia being a part of it. She 350 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:03.519 and I an interview last week or the week before for one of the local 351 00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:07.839 news stations, and she spoke, yes, yes she. I mean she 352 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:11.559 she did such a good job. But her being so little and being able 353 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:15.680 to do that, she didn't think it was impossible. She was nervous, 354 00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:18.359 but she didn't think it was impossible, and this book is helping her to 355 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:22.240 see that nothing is impossible for you, Like it's almost she kind of helped 356 00:26:22.240 --> 00:26:26.720 write this book. She gave me the idea and even when I was going 357 00:26:26.799 --> 00:26:30.359 through the characters, she's the one that helped me pick out what they were 358 00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:33.960 wearing and what they would look like and what they should do next. So 359 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:37.839 she I probably should have given her co author credit, to be quite honest, 360 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:41.559 because she definitely helped me with all of this. But I always say, 361 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:45.400 this is your book, and it makes her feel proud. I love 362 00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:51.079 that. No, that's really important because it's it's really her story, Like 363 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.880 you said, it's her you know, her friends. I think you said 364 00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:56.480 your niece. Did you include your niece in it too, So it's her 365 00:26:56.519 --> 00:27:00.759 friends that are the characters. But the book is dedicated to my nieces because 366 00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:04.759 I have so many nieces so and they're all curly girls. So it's you 367 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:08.599 love that and you know it's funny. I was thinking, as you were 368 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:14.799 saying in the classrooms that there were not a lot of curly kids, and 369 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:19.039 I was wondering, I wonder how many kids might have had their parents straight 370 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:25.039 in their hair. Well, I think where we live, they're probably naturally 371 00:27:25.079 --> 00:27:33.279 straight. Oh oh, ok, got it, okay, but you have 372 00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:37.759 a couple that are so yeah. I was just curious, But no, 373 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:47.880 it makes perfect sense. What advice would you give to parents or caregivers or 374 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:52.759 just family members who are supporting their child, you know, struggling with self 375 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:57.799 confidence because of their parents or uniqueness. I think nowadays, maybe back in 376 00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:03.000 the day, parents were too busy working. Now it's parents are too busy 377 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.920 in their phones. And I can be guilty of that as well. I'm 378 00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:08.880 scrolling, scrolling, scrolling When you know, my child gets home from school 379 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:12.119 and I haven't seen her all day. I should be taking the time to 380 00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:15.880 talk to her and so I'll have to actively say, Okay, get off 381 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:18.279 your phone. There's nothing that is more important on your phone than this child 382 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:23.160 here and sit down. She has like a little table and the in our 383 00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:26.880 kitchen area, and I'll sit with her and ask her about her day, 384 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:30.480 because you're not going to know what your kids insecurities are and unless you talk 385 00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:36.720 to them. Yeah, and it's good that she feels comfortable to talk to 386 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:41.759 you because you taking the time and sitting with her and making her feel comfortable 387 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:45.519 to talk to her will give you opportunities to hold her comfortable to say like 388 00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:48.759 Olivia, well, you know she tells you she got in something with her 389 00:28:48.839 --> 00:28:52.319 little girlfriend, Like you know, you shouldn't have said that to her, 390 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:56.160 or you know, if you pushed her, if you called her a name 391 00:28:56.200 --> 00:29:00.720 that wasn't nice. That's not what we do. Children need those conversation because 392 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:03.799 we thought them. They think like that's okay, they do, and even 393 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:08.240 if you're not having it with them. So I think as parents we have 394 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:11.640 to make sure we're modeling the behavior that we want our children to exhibit. 395 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:18.039 So I know that with me and Danny, if we get into a disagreement 396 00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:22.000 and we never really truly argue, and the things we disagree about are the 397 00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:26.559 silliest things imaginable. But it's important for me, if we're in the car 398 00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.960 and we're having this disagreement, for us to talk about it afterwards, and 399 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:34.480 for me to say, Okay, I was wrong, which honestly, i'm 400 00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:37.839 wrong, probably more than Oh this is recorded. Maybe I shouldn't have said 401 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:45.599 that, but I'm wrong more than i'd like to admit. But it's an 402 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:49.279 opportunity for her to see that you have to take that accountability for your actions. 403 00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:55.079 It's really important because I didn't see that modeling growing up. I read 404 00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:59.279 something that was it was some BuzzFeed thing and it was like were you a 405 00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:04.160 parent to find child, And it essentially talked about how your parents treated you 406 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:07.000 as if you were a peer instead of a child. So when they had 407 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:11.079 issues, they're coming to you. They want you to choose a side. 408 00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:15.440 That sort of thing. So the way you could go to your parents, 409 00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:18.640 I couldn't do that. I didn't have that opportunity to really go to my 410 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:23.799 parents because they were still growing themselves somehow, right, So I didn't know 411 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:27.920 that. So even now I think with Danny's so good about wanting to talk 412 00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:32.960 things through. I don't like to have a lot of conversation, but he 413 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:34.799 has kind of forced that on me, and I'm glad he did because now 414 00:30:34.839 --> 00:30:37.880 we can show O, Livia and Sean and Chloe that, Okay, this 415 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:42.359 is how you're supposed to have a relationship. Like it's not just I'm going 416 00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:45.839 to get mad and walk away because I'm right, and I don't care about 417 00:30:45.880 --> 00:30:48.240 what you have to say. No, we have to talk, we have 418 00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:52.759 to communicate. Yeah, And I think that's wow, that's so important what 419 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:59.839 you just said, because, as I said earlier, children are always watching. 420 00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:03.359 I mean, and I know this to be true because you know, 421 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:07.400 with a five year old, she mimics us in so many different ways, 422 00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:11.559 and she does not miss a trick. She doesn't miss anything at all. 423 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:15.880 She will pick up on things, and not just with us, but with 424 00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:18.759 her older sister since you know, Shan's away at school, and I just 425 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:25.519 love the way Chloe treats her and she's just very sweeter. She's not as 426 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:30.960 nice to Chloe as Chloe as to her, but she's very sweet. But 427 00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:33.519 she wants to be like her big sister. So I'm glad she has that 428 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:40.400 model of such a good person. To patten herself after absolutely, because listen, 429 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:44.400 there's lots of situations where the older sibling is up to no good, 430 00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:49.359 So you know, it's always a blessing when you have older children that can 431 00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:53.799 lead by example. And luckily for her, you know, Chloe's still there 432 00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:57.279 so she can still you know, kind of see her actions and how she 433 00:31:57.319 --> 00:32:02.519 carries herself. So I think that's great to listen. It is twenty twenty 434 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:10.119 four, and this year we are decreasing overwhelm and increasing productivity, which is 435 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:15.599 why I use Audible to listen to my favorite books when I'm on the goal. 436 00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:22.440 Audible makes it easy to listen anytime anywhere, while traveling, working out, 437 00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:29.359 taking a bath, seasoning the meat or cauliflower for my vegetarians you decide, 438 00:32:30.119 --> 00:32:35.720 and to help you start your audiobook journey, we have partnered with Audible 439 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:40.720 to offer our listeners a free thirty day trial. So don't just take my 440 00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:50.640 word for it. Visit audibletrial dot com backslash Ltdt to start your free trial 441 00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:58.880 today. Okay, last question before our last segment. What message do you 442 00:32:59.079 --> 00:33:05.400 hope that young readers, especially those who might face similar challenges that you talk 443 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:08.200 about in the book. What do you hope that they take away from the 444 00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:14.559 book that they are powerful and that they are magical, and that they're amazing 445 00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:22.160 just the way they are. Love that perfectly said, perfectly said. Okay, 446 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:29.160 So for our last segment, I am going to ask you five rapid 447 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:34.279 fire questions and I would like you to answer with the first thing that comes 448 00:33:34.319 --> 00:33:37.880 to mind, and it could be a word or a sentence. Ready, 449 00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:44.559 yeah, all right. First question, what is the silliest way that you've 450 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:59.119 gotten an injury? Being in Jamaica last year and tripping over the stare and 451 00:33:58.200 --> 00:34:05.960 are sweet and rolling my ankle? Oh no, after telling me myself to 452 00:34:06.079 --> 00:34:08.360 watch out for the stair and telling my husband to watch out for the stair 453 00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:12.760 and I tripped on the stair, So I felt that was very good. 454 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:20.519 Talk about that the zone see if not at all at all, that is 455 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:25.239 hilarious. But I'm glad you're okay, crazy got you? Okay? Next 456 00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:32.159 one, what's more important to you in life? Excitement or stability? Stability? 457 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:38.199 I've had enough excitement in my life, and any particular reason why besides 458 00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:43.079 the fact that you've had enough excitement. I just grew up in a very 459 00:34:43.079 --> 00:34:47.280 tumultuous household, and then my first marriage was not a bed of roses. 460 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:52.679 So give me stability any day. Love it, love it. Okay. 461 00:34:52.800 --> 00:35:00.000 The next question, what do you think it means to be healthy to make 462 00:35:00.039 --> 00:35:04.960 sure that what you are putting into your body, whether it's from a mental, 463 00:35:05.039 --> 00:35:09.639 spiritual, physical, food, making sure that it's something that isn't going 464 00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:15.519 to hurt you. I love that, and a lot of times people miss 465 00:35:15.639 --> 00:35:19.000 the mental and like you know, environment part about it, So I'm glad 466 00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:27.119 you said that. Next question, what is something that makes you feel unstoppable? 467 00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:35.440 A really really nice dress and a pair of heels that are high enough 468 00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:44.400 to be sexy, but low enough for me not to kill myself, low 469 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:49.960 enough for you not to drop down? Makes sense? Great answer, okay. 470 00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:53.280 And the final question, it's a yes or no answer, and I 471 00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:57.639 feel like I should say it's a yes or yes answer because I won't tolerate 472 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:00.480 to know. But this is your answer, so I'm staying all of it. 473 00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:07.280 But I would like you to explain why are you prode of yourself? 474 00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:15.800 Yes? Absolutely, And I'm proud of myself because i know where I've come 475 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:19.239 from and i know the things that I've had to do to get to where 476 00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:22.519 I am now, and and my husband and I will speak about this all 477 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:27.719 the time, but two kids from Harford, Connecticut are living our best lives 478 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:31.480 in San Diego, California, and it's beyond our wildest dreams to have such 479 00:36:31.480 --> 00:36:37.360 a life, a fulfilling life with love and with some excitement, not the 480 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:42.559 kind that will cause me to be good excitement, good excitement and just fun. 481 00:36:42.679 --> 00:36:45.400 It's just it's a fun life that we have. I love that. 482 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:51.679 I love that, and see, excitement can be good when it's how it's 483 00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:54.559 supposed to be, when it's fun, you know. Safe and safe, 484 00:36:54.719 --> 00:37:02.480 yes, because we are big on safety on this Podcas, But no, 485 00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:07.400 I love that. I love that, and I am proud of you because 486 00:37:07.519 --> 00:37:10.079 I think it really I mean, this is your first book. I don't 487 00:37:10.119 --> 00:37:13.599 know if I mentioned that, but this is your first book. So it's 488 00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:16.400 not to say you know, you're an author and you just decided to write 489 00:37:16.400 --> 00:37:22.480 a children's book. The fact that you thought so much of what your daughter 490 00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:25.840 was going through to write something that could help other people, I think that's 491 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:29.880 really amazing because you didn't have to do that. You could have just helped 492 00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:34.400 your daughter and move on, you know, but you did something that included 493 00:37:34.400 --> 00:37:38.639 her friends, and I just think that's really really amazing. Thank you, 494 00:37:38.679 --> 00:37:42.599 and I am proud of you too. I love your podcast. I'd love 495 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:45.360 to listen to it. So you're doing some amazing things, and I know 496 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:49.360 this is not a part of it, but I want you to remember how 497 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:53.199 special you are and to be proud of how strong you are. Oh, 498 00:37:53.280 --> 00:38:01.840 don't make me cry. Thank you so much. I really really deeply appreciate 499 00:38:02.199 --> 00:38:06.920 appreciate you saying that I'm trying to keep it together because you know, bat 500 00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:10.840 Ya don't cry, but I really I really appreciate it. It means a 501 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:15.000 lot to me, just because you know, this, as you know, 502 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:21.000 just came out of me wanting to do something for myself and just feeling that 503 00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:24.639 there's not a lot of podcasts, you know, especially within our diaspora that 504 00:38:24.719 --> 00:38:30.559 are just you know, more positive, like not centered around like gossip or 505 00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:35.039 the man woman argument. And even when we have those discussions, I feel 506 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:38.039 like they're very positive, you know. As you know, I had your 507 00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:43.440 lovely husband on here, who's like one of my bestest friends, and I 508 00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:47.039 just love the environment. I think it's fun and I love that people feel 509 00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:52.519 comfortable. I tell people all the time. I just think it's so it 510 00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:55.320 makes me feel so good inside that people trust me to come on my podcast 511 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:59.559 and not even tell them what I'm going to ask them, you know, 512 00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:04.840 Like that's a lot of trust because you don't know, like if you go 513 00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:08.719 somewhere and you're going to talk about God knows what, you have to trust 514 00:39:08.719 --> 00:39:14.199 that person to know they're not going to ask you questions or say anything salacious. 515 00:39:14.280 --> 00:39:17.039 So that definitely really really means a lot to me. So thank you 516 00:39:17.159 --> 00:39:21.960 so much, You're welcome, and thank you for having me on. Of 517 00:39:22.119 --> 00:39:27.039 course, well that concludes this episode. Again, thank you so much for 518 00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:30.760 coming to talk the things with me and for writing this book, and I'm 519 00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:37.199 certain it will help so many young girls just feel seen. And oh before 520 00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:40.679 I forget, before we go, can you please tell everyone where they can 521 00:39:40.760 --> 00:39:45.880 purchase the book and anything else that you want to share. So you can 522 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:52.280 purchase it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. Target has it online now, 523 00:39:52.559 --> 00:39:57.840 and if you go to Instagram, you can follow the page just the 524 00:39:57.880 --> 00:40:01.800 official Cirl girls and there's no underscore between each of it. So we have 525 00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:05.159 some information on there and we have a pop up shop, so if you 526 00:40:05.199 --> 00:40:08.280 want some merchandise, we've got that as well. Where's a pop up shop 527 00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:12.480 going to be? It's a virtual pop up shop, so you can just 528 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:16.159 oh you can just order online. Oh nice, that's new. I love 529 00:40:16.239 --> 00:40:22.320 that. Nice, very nice. Well everyone, if you haven't already, 530 00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:28.320 please remember to follow us on Spotify and Apple podcast so you're notified when a 531 00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:34.000 new episode is released. And if you enjoyed the podcast, please leave us 532 00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:37.320 a five star rating on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.