All Episodes

What happens when that tired old storytime at the library gets all the way turnt up? Billy Allen is what happens. An award-winning librarian, community leader, and innovator, Mr. Billy, as he's known online, carved his own path by bridging hip-hop instrumentals while reading and sometimes rapping popular children’s books, to make a one of a kind experience no library had ever seen. Often imitated but never duplicated, Billy has taken the library world by storm using his passion for inspiring lifelong learning to redefine what a library can be for the next generation. 
As Manager of the newly built NoMa Library in Wilmington, Delaware, Billy is leading the vision of a modern “Think. Do. Hub.”— a library that blends technology, entrepreneurship, workforce development, creativity, and community engagement. He has built a national reputation for making libraries exciting, relevant, and impactful through social media, strategic partnerships, and innovative programming. 
FOLLOW MR. BILLY!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3kingvisions/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@3kingvisions
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@3kingvisions
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3kingvisions/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@3kingvisions

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, we’re sitting down with literary agent and mastermind behind Highly Lit, R’Chelle Lynn. She’s in the business of helping authors—especially authors and creators of color—ditch the hustle burnout, build brand longevity, and turn complex stories into visual gold.
R'Chelle is a former English teacher turned brand strategist with a deep-rooted love for books and the business behind them. She’s passionate about helping authors map their careers and build sustainable careers while navigating their publishing pathways and positioning themselves for traditional publishing success. With a background bridging education, marketing, and storytelling, she brings a rare combination of creative insight and strategic thinking to the author space. A passionate book content creator and developmental editing student, she's committed to growing a platform where authors don't just write, they thrive.
 
Connect with R'Chelle
https://www.instagram.com/rchellelynn/
https://www.threads.com/@rchellelynn 
https://rchellelynn.substack.com/
https://www.tiktok.com/@rchellereadsalot 

Black in the Stacks is back!!On this episode, I chat with Anayo Auwzie, the brilliant mind behind Carefree Magazine, a digital platform that is both a mirror and a window into the lives of Black Women across the diaspora, sharing stories of life, love, adventure and everything in between. We also discuss how Anayo is turning her platform into a physical coffee table book called "Black Women in Bloom." The book features 30 essays from women sharing their compelling stories, including one from Anayo herself. Anayo Awuzie is the founder and editor-in-chief of Carefree Magazine, a digital platform that publishes personal essays by Black women around the world—exploring the in-between spaces of Black womanhood where healing, identity, and everyday life unfold.
Anayo Awuzie is the founder and editor-in-chief of Carefree Magazine, a slow storytelling platform publishing personal essays by Black women around the world—exploring the in-between spaces of Black womanhood where healing, identity, and everyday life unfold.
You can pre-order "Black Women in Bloom" by visiting www.carefreemag.com/book.To learn more about Black in the Stacks and purchase merch, visit www.blackinthestacks.com.

What happens when the stories we read fail to reflect the skin we live in? On this episode of Black in the Stacks: Where the Culture is Kept, we explore the vital necessity of representation in literacy and the journey of navigating the world with a rare condition.
Marquita chats with Megan Cauthen, the founder of The Golden Impact and author of the children's book Nellie & Ollie: A Friend Like Me. Megan shares her firsthand perspective on growing up with albinism and how her personal history inspired her to write for the next generation.
We discuss:
-The transition from lived experience to the written word.-Why diverse characters are essential for childhood development.-The reality of life with albinism and the power of reclaiming your own narrative.
Megan believes that our differences are our greatest strengths. This conversation is an honest look at how we can use storytelling to foster confidence and intentional growth.
 
Click to View Pod Merch
 
📲 Be sure to follow Megan on one or ALL of her social media platforms below for updates on the release of her book:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HdcnehcpS/?mibextid=wwXIfr
IG: https://www.instagram.com/the_golden_impact_?igsh=bzNneGU5YjkzbDR6&utm_source=qr
TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@megan.cauthen?_r=1&_t=ZP-953Hav1nRS2
 

On this episode of Black in the stacks, Marquita chats with Kayla Turner Thomas about her film debut, "Framing Freedom: The Inspiring True Story of Black Landownership in Mississippi. It's a gripping feature length documentary told through the lens of Thomas’ grandfather, Henry Harris, a retired second-generation farmer whose father, John Harris, managed to buy and keep farmland while Jim Crow laws were still in effect.
The film combines interviews from historians that give insight into what factors and events contributed to massive Black land loss like mob violence, federal loan discrimination, and the impact of the Great Migration. Aiming to enlighten and inspire, Farming Freedom also looks ahead to the opportunities for closing the wealth gap between non-Black and Black landowners today.
Kayla Turner Thomas, a producer and 2x Emmy-nominated creative services professional, has worked in local television for nearly 15 years. Raised on family land in the Mississippi Delta, Thomas is a proud product of Bolivar County public schools. She studied Media and Communication Arts at Pace University, Westchester, and is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/blackinthestacks
Connect: www.blackinthestacks.com
Film: https://filmfreeway.com/FarmingFreedom

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, Marquita chats with Kaetrena Davis Kendrick about the systemic causes of low morale and workplace harm within library environments, recognizing and naming instances of workplace harm, and practical strategies for personal recovery after such experiences. 
Kaetrena Davis Kendrick is a dynamic and uplifting researcher, leader, consultant, and coach. Her mission is to inspire authentic collegiality, and to promote well-being, share the gifts of creativity, and cultivate empathetic, engaged leadership in the workplace. She also helps people who are struggling in dysfunctional workplaces recognize, reconcile, and begin to recover from their experiences.
Learn more about Renewals by visiting www.renewalslis.com.
 
Listen & Subscribe: blackinthestacks.podbean.com Connect: www.blackinthestacks.comShop: www.etsy.com/shop/blackinthestacks
 
 

On this episode, Marquita chats with Christopher Fleming, aka "The People's Librarian", about his idea that libraries don't fail because people don't care, but because the systems (how they talk, work, and move) aren't built with intention and how poor institutional design can lead to both poor patron engagement and staff frustration.Christopher Fleming is a public library leader and librarian with over a decade of experience in community engagement, access, and organizational improvement. Rising from frontline service into management, he applies systems thinking, data-informed strategies, and is the creator of the "Library Systems Persuasion Model", which examines how people, processes, and institutional design influence engagement and outcomes.

On this episode, Marquita chats with documentarian and journalist, Brandis Griffith Friedman, about her documentary, Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs. The 30-minute documentary focuses on the changes, misconceptions, and current state of Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the stories of the students themselves and expert insights. Brandis Friedman is the Alexandra and John Nichols Chief Correspondent and Anchor for “Chicago Tonight” on WTTW.
Watch the Documentary: https://tinyurl.com/3pszhwfk
 

On this episode, Marquita chats with author Tonya Abari about her latest publication, a picture book titled "The Six Triple Eight: A True Story of the Black Woman Battalion of World War II."
Tonya not only created a picture book about The Six Triple Eight's legacy, she is also involved in retired Army Master Sergeant Elizabeth Helm-Frazier's letter writer campaign to get 10,000 letters to the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend, and the U.S. Postal Service to issue, a Forever Stamp honoring the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion—an enduring tribute to their service, sacrifice, and trailblazing legacy.
Sign the petition here: www.change.org/p/honor-the-6888th-central-postal-directory-battalion-with-a-u-s-forever-stamp
Send Your Letters Here:The Stamp Project, P.O. Box # 616, Bowie, Maryland 20718
Email: the6888stampproject@gmail.com
 
Buy the Book Here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-six-triple-eight-tonya-abari/1146795671

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, Marquita chats with Dr. Shaundra Walker about the importance of HBCU libraries, the significance of HBCU week, and her life working in academia. A proud HBCU graduate, Dr. Walker works as an academic Library Administrator and is also a professor of library science. She received the 2020 DEMCO Outstanding Librarian of the Year Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, authored grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts and co-edited the book, The Black Librarian in America: Reflections, Resistance and Reawakening. 

On this episode of Black in the Stacks, Marquita talks with author J. E. Thomas about her love of literature, how she pivoted out of her communications career, and her latest publication, The AI Incident. The book follows Malcom, who has developed a plan to finally get adopted before it’s too late. But then on Visiting Professionals’ Day, his new school invites the head of Colorado's fastest-growing artificial intelligence company to give a presentation, and events are set in motion that create . . .THE  INCIDENT
JE Thomas  loves great food, fun-loving pets and friendly people. She writes middle grade and YA books featuring those who have a lot to say—but don't often take center stage. And, a fun fact about her - she always includes the name of at least one of her dogs in every story.
Learn more about J.E. Thomas via her website at www.jethomasauthor.com

In this episode of Black in the Stacks, Marquita chats with author Khadijah VanBrakle about her interests, her views on why it’s important that children and teens who are both Black American and Muslim, like her three daughters, see themselves on the printed page, and how Gilmore Girls inspired her latest novel, My Perfect Family,
 
My Perfect Family follows 16 year old Leena, who has always wanted a big family, as she discovers she has a Muslim grandfather and aunt she never knew about, and learns that family comes with tangled histories she may not be able to heal.

A candid interview with Christina Dotson as we discuss her background, her interests and her debut novel, "Love You to Death." 
About the Book: Best friends, Kayla and Zorie, crash an Antebellum-themed hashtag#wedding deep in the backwoods of hashtag#Georgia and end up taking a murderous "road trip from hell." 

The crucial role of Black people as educators, strategists, fundraisers and advocates plays a huge role in ensuring that Black minds flourish.
In this episode, Marquita chats with Dr. Karida Brown, a sociologist, professor, oral historian, and public intellectual whose research centers on the fullness of Black life. Dr. Brown’s latest publication, "The Battle for the Black Mind" offers an explosive historical account of the century-long struggle for Black educational justice in America, revealing how early segregated systems laid the groundwork for present-day inequities. The book doesn’t just focus on oppression. It highlights the enduring fight by Black communities to foster thriving educational environments and concludes with a powerful call to action for the continued empowerment of Black minds.
They also chat about what creative works are occupying her time, what brings her joy and what she hopes readers take away from her latest publication.
 
This episode was recorded prior to the Juneteenth holiday.

In this episode, I chat with Erica Ware, a veteran librarian with 18 years of experience, who champions comic books and graphic novels as legitimate forms of reading. Despite often being dismissed by some as "not real reading," these formats are powerful tools for information reception. Erica, a dedicated film buff with a degree from Georgia State University and a lifelong fan of comics, shares her journey into library management and how she leveraged low literacy statistics to establish a successful graphic novel program. We also discuss the community's efforts in archiving history and her future aspirations beyond the library.