After a summer hiatus, we’re back! For our first episode back, I had the chance to speak to Kendra James, author and podcast producer at Crooked Media. We discuss Kendra's memoir 'Admissions,' which recounts her experiences as a Black girl at Taft School. Our conversation delves into our shared experiences of Black girlhood, the complexities of writing a memoir, and of course, all of the books that shaped Kendra’s reading experiences as a kid.&nbsp; 00:00 Welcome Back to Unbound00:32 Introducing Kendra James01:36 Diving into Kendra's Memoir03:31 Kendra's Childhood Reading Influences05:16 Exploring Historical Fiction and Girlhood15:29 Harry Potter and Fan Fiction Beginnings25:47 Boarding School Expectations vs. Reality30:56 Navigating Identity and Social Dynamics at Taft41:04 Reflecting on Early Career Challenges41:40 Navigating DEI Work in Independent Schools43:12 Self-Reflection and Program Issues44:33 Subtle Racism and Personal Experiences49:26 Writing a Memoir: Process and Boundaries52:57 The Journey to Publication01:03:39 Bookish Lightning Round01:14:11 Final Thoughts and Future Plans For a full list of books mentioned, join the <a href="https://unboundpodcast.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unbound community on Substack&nbsp;</a> <a href="https://rep.club/products/admissions?_pos=1&amp;_sid=83027ceb4&amp;_ss=r" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James&nbsp;</a>Follow Kendra James on instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kendrajames_/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@kendrajames_</a> Follow Mbiye Kasonga: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mbiye_k?igsh=MXQ0emYwYWx2M2E5MA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mbiye_K</a> Produced by <a href="https://www.moyomedia.me" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Moyo Media.</a>

Memorializing Black Girlhood with Kendra James 

For this episode of Unbound, I’m talking to writer, editor, and author of A Hundred Other Girls, Iman Hariri-Kia!&nbsp; Tune in as we discuss: <ul><li>The complexities of girlhood being reflected in Young Adult fiction</li><li>The publishing industry’s relationship with the Romance genre&nbsp;</li><li>Book Tok as a tool for community</li><li>The disparity of sex education in America</li><li>The methodology behind writing a sex scene&nbsp;</li><li>Her sophomore novel, coming soon, The Most Famous Girl in The World&nbsp;</li></ul> I am left with the thoughts of how our own familial love can be reflected in fiction writing and being a character in New York’s story rather than New York a character in mine.&nbsp; For a full list of books mentioned, join the <a href="https://unboundpodcast.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unbound community on Substack&nbsp;</a> Follow Iman Hariri-Kia on instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/imanharirikia?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&amp;igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@imanharirikia</a>Follow Iman Hariri-Kia on TikTok:<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@imanharirikia?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@imanharirikia</a>Visit <a href="mailto:imanharirikia.inquiries@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Iman Hariri-Kia</a> website: <a href="https://www.imanharirikia.com/about" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.imanharirikia.com/about</a>Check out Iman’s Substack: <a href="https://imanharirikia.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cherry Picked</a> Follow Mbiye Kasonga: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mbiye_k?igsh=MXQ0emYwYWx2M2E5MA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mbiye_K</a> Produced by <a href="https://www.moyomedia.me" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Moyo Media.</a>

Taking Romance and Commercial Fiction Seriously with Iman Hariri-Kia

For the first episode of Unbound I knew that I had to start off by talking to beauty and culture writer and author of Homebodies, Tembe Denton-Hurst!&nbsp; Tune in as we discuss: <ul><li>The intimacy of reading&nbsp;</li><li>Being both a deep reader and a deep writer</li><li>Representation in children’s fiction</li><li>The key elements of space and place within Homebodies</li><li>The promise that New York City holds&nbsp;</li></ul>Leaving me to ruminate on books as affirmation and answering the question of do we truly have to like the protagonist in the books we cherish. For a full list of books mentioned, join the <a href="https://unboundpodcast.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Unbound community on Substack&nbsp;</a> Follow Tembe Denton-Hurst: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tembae?igsh=OWxwbzV2cG8zczA0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@tembae</a>Check out Tembe’s Bookish Substack: <a href="https://tembe.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Extracurricular Substack</a>Follow Mbiye Kasonga: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mbiye_k?igsh=MXQ0emYwYWx2M2E5MA==" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@mbiye_K</a> Produced by <a href="https://www.moyomedia.me" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Moyo Media.</a>

Deep Reading and Deep Writing with Tembe Denton-Hurst 

Unbound is a bookish podcast focused on highlighting the culture and craft of books. Join me, Mbiye Kasonga for genre-spanning, in-depth, and thoughtful conversations that will inspire listeners to read more books.&nbsp;