What's Good in the Hood

host of Malik's Book Show. Well, we're on episode twenty. Wow, I dubbed it up and this is an exciting episode because I'm gonna be talking about on a segment about community, I got a couple of communities on this episode. As a matter of fact, we went downtown and we fed the homeless. This is what my wife wanted to do for her birthday. She didn't want gifts. She told people, Hey, don't buy me no gifts, donate some money. I want to feed the homeless. So we went downtown l A

and she fed the homeless. And that was an experience, and we're talking about that experience on this segment featured on episode twenty. Also, I got a chance to talk with the principle of Environmental Charter Middle School, and she talked about the environment and the Carmen printing and some of these things that they're doing at this charter school because we went there and did a book fair, So I'm gonna be discussing that conversation on this episode as well.

And lastly, my book review is on a book the schedule to be released April twelve, but we are hosting this beautiful actress, Garcelle at Malik Books when they Love Me as a book tour at Malik Books, I'm doing my book review or Love Me as I Am by Garcella. What made you want to give food and clothes instead of receiving gifts for your birthday? What? What made you want to do that? Though? Well, this is something I do a lot, but just for my birthday, I don't know.

Something just came over me and said, well, you already been blessed me the last why don't you just bless others? And I've come up with me feeding a homeless, feeding the less unfortunate. Um, I want to give away my closet or I'm gonna purs my cause in shelter. I'm gonna do something once a week in a month of

April to celebrate my birthday. Instead of gifting me, I'm gonna give to others, so I've asked my loved ones, who I know that's gonna give me something, that does something for me every year, don't don't give me anything, just donate to my cause. And they have shown up for me in a tremendous way. They were homeless, they were hongry and still had a smile in your face.

The little girl was about to jump in the pool, homeless, living in a tent and had a swimming pool right down here downtown l A. And she was looked like she was happy, you know, just as happy, just as happy. We don't have to be I know one thing. This was an experienced for me, Just thankful you open your

heart to let me be part of it. Like I said, you could invite somebody else to on his journey, on his you know, but invited somebody else down here to give out the food, but invited me And last three hours passed out food. And I just felt thankful. Ain't grateful because we forget the little things and we forget, you know, our blessings. One young lady saying you happy birthday,

How do you feel about that? It was beautiful. She just thought a thing, and you have birthday, And she was telling everybody else and telling everybody else is saying yes, yes, telling everybody else the same. Just she was thankful and grateful. They all came out their chancing saying happy birthday and gave you some love. You came down here to give

him some love. Besides seeing you emotional and joyful about giving to the homeless today, seeing that young kid she couldn't have been no more than ten years old, with a pool with water in it, blow up fool with water in it, and was happy in the midst of all them homeless tents you know, had the music going. They're about the party and everything. It's hot outside like degrees. God was mirmorable. A couple of thoughts that I want to get down. If it ain't one thing, it's another.

Isn't that the truth about life? If it ain't one thing, it's another, It's all about balance. But that is challenging. And when your balance, something else is put on the scale. If it ain't one thing, it's another, that's just reality. It's almost like the way the heart beats up and down, up and down, up and down. If you live long enough, you will experience what I'm saying right now. The question is how you deal with it because it's always something

to do. You know, the kids come home, they say, oh, you gotta don't work. No, I don't have no harry. They don't want to do nothing right, they don't want to get better. You gotta push them to get better. You know, life is not stagnant. Life is moving. It's dynamic, it's not static. So therefore you need to always try to keep pushing forward. You don't want to. I got workers, you know, on my staff, there's no customers. But it's

still something to do. It's still something to improve, it's still something that if it ain't one thing, it's another. You see what I'm saying. Never get complacent, never settle. Always keep striving because if it ain't one thing, it's another. And let me tell you something, Um, the only way you get better, the only way you improve, the only

way you continue to go up. And that means what you're gonna go down to, that means what you're gonna flip flop, you're gonna fall, You're gonna have to get up. You're gonna have to figure out how to keep moving upward. And doesn't mean you go backwards. Because if it ain't one thing, it's another. So expect that as a reality. To expect anything less than not if fooling yourself, you're

deceiving yourself. And let me tell you, if you want to move in this world, you need to expect change and you need to understand that today is sunny tomorrow in my rain. But if it ain't one thing, it's another. It's always gonna be something, always gonna be a challenge, always gonna be you know issue. But it's always gonna be some some sunny days. It's always gonna be you know, some violence moments, they're always gonna be that successful time.

There's always gonna be all of that possessing just a moment of time. It's like life. If it ain't one thing, it's another. So you know, prepare yourself for that, but don't dwell on that, don't focus on that. Enjoy the moment. Life is about moments. Man, we have moments. I'm sitting right now doing this podcast. This is a moment. This is what I'm feeling. Um, this is what I'm thinking, it is what i'm sharing. But this is just a moment.

You see what I'm saying. That's how life is. If it ain't one thing, it's another and that's what you that's how you have to you know, moving this world is that expect change, Expect obstacles, expect success if you're looking for sussect because some of us not, some of us is not. Some of us a challenge by what ever, just trapped trapping our thoughts and trapping our mind, trapping us from just doing what we need to do to you know, to move in a way that would create

the world that we want. So I whoop. You enjoy this segment called if it Ain't one thing, It's another. Upcoming community events that will be hosted at Malik Books is the one and only the Beautiful Pop Culture Garcel. You know, the actress just on the Beverly Hills Real Beverly Hills Housewives as well as the show called The Real.

Well guess what She's gonna be doing a book signy at Malik Books April eleven at six thirty pm her new book called Love Me As I Am signy hosts of that Malik Books in the Westfield Coast City Mall and on April thirty and planning a big event around independent booksellers. They were gonna have twenty authors and Our headliner is to very Cruise. He's gonna be headline our Independent book Store Day, so you want to come out. It's fun for the families, all ages. April thirty, from

twelve to seven is the event. Now it's a free rent, but you got a register for the Terry Crews book signing his book Tough My Journey to True Power. Tough My Journey Through True Power by Terry crew book signing April thirty, Independent Book Store Day. Bus rs repeat. Go to Malik books dot com under events and register for the Terry Crews book signing at Malik Books on April thirty,

Independent Bookstore Day. We just launched the book will bill two months ago and I feel very fortunate and bless um. The first time we did an event, it just spread it like WildFly one viral, people emailing US and DM and US and contacting us. And yes, it's hard to have libraries at schools right now. That's because you have not a lot of spaces for them. So because it's amazing, thank you, thank you. Yeah, we we feel very fortunate.

This idea we had about, you know, just before the pandemic, and uh we went to work on it while the pandemic and put it all together. God make it a lot easier. Come out to the kids, and children and the youth, go anywhere, celebrate books. Absolutely. How long you've been the principal here? Three? Okay? So how many of these environmental childhood middle schools? Are middle schools? Are two middle schools? There's sports schools. There a few middle schools.

To high schools. Okay, to middle to high schools. I say, and and and then they all started at the same time. Are the main high school I believe was almost twenty years the old here going on ten years and ten years, ten years and then their be that night is I believe eleven or thirteen years on? Is it the emphasis on environmental I'll see the plants, I see culture, everything to do. They have everything, the water, they understand, how they into systems, how they impactic THEO system, how this

earth is theirs. Um, regardless of what anybody else says, We'll take them. Every student before the pandemical they move those three days, two nights, camping trips create charge every year. UM, we're all about that. Yes, what Um? So you're teaching sustainable yeah, sustainable practices. We're teaching about your carbon footprint.

So you have a green Ambassador's class where every student has to take every year that they're here, and they're realizing how they can impact and cycle and compost um waste of virgin all of those things. I say, I see, I see. I have a podcast, Leek's Bookshew, So I want to feature someone sharing Environmental Charter School in Inglewood. Yeah, let me have your name again, Dr Matthews. Geneva Matthews got a doctorate's in um do doctorate in Educational Leadership

and Social Justice. Okay, okay, yeah, so all of those things you can apply right here Environmental Charter Middle School and Inglewood. You know, I love I love my babies. I love them. Ten years. I've seen so many students come and go and to have them. Sometimes they go to our local high schools. They come back in the summer after school. Sometimes as they shoom away like you're supposed to be in your new community, like go enjoy where you are. But they're telling me that they're like

building recyclable clubs at their school. They're telling them like, well, why are we throwing the food waste from lunch in the trash? Do you know what you can do? With that, and so they're making it creates the change age in so we're happy they're not going to just to our school all the time, because if you just go to our schools, right, and you're also only gonna impact us when you're supposed to impact your community. I didn't and I wasn't super environmental conscious when I came here. I

was still using reusonable water bottles. I now bring my UM. I have two kids under four, me and my husband, and so if they don't eat all their vegetables, will put it in a baggy and we'll bring it here to our compost because it feels a little better because those little ones. Sometimes it's waste a lot of food and it feels bad with that, but now at least can do something with that instead of just feeling like my trash can is full of unusedful food went bad.

UM So they know they have reusable water bottles. They know that, and I think the pandemic have made a little hard to be environmental constious because we're also trying to be safe, which is still we're trying to find that balance, like how do you also you have the mask, but you're supposed is a disposable one you're supposed to use all the toilet paper, these napkins. You used to use towels, Now they want to use individual towels to

wash your hands. So it's like it felt like a little bit of a step back, and we're trying to save ourselves. And then I think it's having a negative impact on the world. So it's trying to find that balance. That's that's true, right there. She is our green she is. She's amazing. It's amazing, she's amazing. Okay, ambassador, she's the green ambassador, she is the and she still is, she still is, she still is. You know you mentioned that balance and treating that. You know that infinite you know,

you know, equal balanced on each side in life. We know that the minute you find that balance, some other storm hits. Every time I feel like it's quiet, I'm like, okay, alright, I we had a day. I thought, yeah, I think I gotta get over that. I think I got a question. Is there ever such things about because you know it's you know, the formula just keeps changing. You gotta dept trying to just continue to build my wisdom to realize that similar to the ocean, like the way. You don't

stop coming, don't stop, won't stop. But you're all built for it, even though you feel yes, But it's a lesson to be learned. And everything that we see in nation even lose track. If you study the way of the end, you see how they work collective. Yes, everybody have a purpose. And Yes, Malik Books is proud to be partnering where Harper College new publication Finding Me by

Viola David. You heard me, the actress Viola Davis. Or April and Evening with Viola Davis and virtual event to talk about her new book, Finding Me, a memoir about the life and career of Viola Davis. So that's April four pm Pacific time. Go to Millie books dot com the register for the event. I can find no other title more important than do a book review for this episode because I have a huge upcoming event. A special guest, a beautiful soul, a successful pop culture actress coming to

Malik Books. She's smart, she's beautiful, she's inspiring, and she's raw. With this new memoir, unforgettable roller coaster ride that charts the many ups and downs both personly and professionally she's experienced in her three decades of acting career, creating her massive, famed star on the Jamie Fox Show, The Beverly Hills, house Wise, and The Real I'm speaking about the talented actress Garcella Barvo her new book, Loved Me As I

Am Said, to release April twelve. Loved Me As I Am brings together the voice of both the good girl and the rebel to deliver unflinching examination of her success and ongoing challenges as a mother, a wife, a daughter, a simbling and friend. Loved Me As I Am is a new holst barred look at one woman's extraordinary journey and newfound and refreshing approach to a new and more

exciting life. The book has some incredible and extraordinary pictures of our Garcella growing up and throughout her acting and most successful career as an actress. These pitches are an exclusive look as a child, as an actress and mother, just reflecting her personal life as well as many celebrities

that she's meant and had relationships over the career. I think one of the highlights of the book is when Garcela opens up about loving herself first, understanding who she is first, and appreciating who she is for she wrote a letter to herself acknowledging that she is enough. But along the way, something happens where you forget those things

that we remember when we were young and innocent. But along the way she wants to please everybody and help everybody, and you can lose yourself in that, trying to make be somebody different in somebody, some for somebody else. Well, guess what, at this moment in time, And even though it took decades and decades and most of cardselves life, she's found herself loved me as I am, not love

me as someone else wants me to be. So in this Discovery There's No Holds Bar book, Garcella reveals the emotional suffering she experienced from the emotional battles between a revalous nature and her desire to be a good girl. It's not easy being a successful actress and mother in Hollywood, and particularly she had a child at the beginning stages of her career and it didn't land slider, it only

elevated her. And so that's a testament to women in their careers that you can have at all as well doesn't mean you're not gonna have challenges and ups and downs and doubts because Garcella reveals it all into no holds book Love Me As I Am. Another gym in the book that you'll find is Garcella Jims and the one that stuck out to me was the one she said for me, friendship without intentional participations is just lips service.

And let me tell you something that hit me, because we all have had friends that only offered up lift service they don't participate is one sided and that's not a real friendship. As we get older, we get a little wiser hopefully, but listen to Garcella gyms give a lot of flavor to this book. I hope you enjoyed my book review of Love Me As I Am by Garcelle, So pick up your copy today and if you're in

Los Angeles. April eleven, at six thirty pm, stopped buying the League Books in the Westfield Co City Mall because we are hosting to Love Me As I Am book tour with the beautiful actress Garcella signing her new book and discussing her new book at Mileage Books, moderated by Sherry Sherpert and Christine Quinn. Thanks for listening to me Leak's Bookshelf where topics on the shelf, our books, culture and community. Be sure to subscribe and leave me a review.

Check out my Instagram at Mileage Books. See you next time.