LISTEN UP

For our 8th and final episode of season 1 Shawn passes the mic to Olympian and Aquatics Educator Jamal Hill, a native of this city of Champions. Besides winning Bronze at Tokyo 2021, Mr. Hill is also known for his game changing non-profit: Swim Up Hill, the mission of which is to provide specialized swim education that is tailored to the specific needs of low-to-middle income communities which continue to be affected by disproportionately high drowning rates. Please enjoy, and thank you for listening to IPL's Listen Up podcast.

To celebrate Native American Heritage month, FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAYS presents a story written by and featuring a Lipan Apache. In the mystery novel, Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger, Ellie is determined to solve the mystery of the death of her cousin who appears to her in her dream right after his death. Ellie is gifted with the ability to ask ghosts of animals to return from the afterlife (like her ghost dog Kirby) and the Lipan Apache culture, spirits, and beliefs are real to her. Will Ellie get the justice she seeks?

Out of all of our senses, vision seems to be the most important to the vast majority of us. The eye is a major, miraculous sensory organ - we humans rely very heavily on our sight to process information about the world around us. Eyes serve a key role in social interaction. Eyes represent so much to us culturally and spiritually - ranging from the Mal de Ojo to "windows to the soul." Yet when it comes to self care, most of us overlook the importance of eye care beyond the occasional eye exam. Today's episode serves as a reminder to be kind to your eyes, perhaps incorporate a few of the suggestions to ease dryness and fatigue, and learn a succession of simple acupressure exercises to soothe all-too-common eye strain.

In our 7th episode of Passing the Mic, Shawn speaks with John Paizis of Performing Arts Studios West. Mr. Paizis’s studio serves individuals with developmental disabilities and has been a community institution since the mid-1990s. The rich history of the acting studio is covered in this chat, along with some personal history of the founder. Listen in to hear how Mr. Paizis is fostering an impressive range of talent including actors, musicians, composers, and production industry professionals.

In this 6th episode of Passing the Mic, Adult Librarian, Stacie Galli speaks with the co-founders of the specialty coffee house Sip & Sonder, Amanda-Jane Thomas and Shanita Nicholas. The women provide insight into their approach to running a successful business, emphasizing the importance of intentionality in their work, why it was important to them to open Sip & Sonder in Inglewood, and how they were able to stay open during the pandemic. The women also highlight the nonprofit they started, Sonder Impact, and how it is an important component of their approach to entrepreneurship.

FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAYS presents Kindred by Octavia Butler, published in 1979. Enjoy this classic science fiction which incorporates time travel and is modeled on slave narratives.  Told from the point of view of the protagonist, Dana, who travels back in time to save the life of a drowning white boy and risks losing her life in process. This book skillfully captures a variety of subject matter and genres as it combines the storytelling of a slave memoir, the excitement of fantasy, and an intriguing historical lore. This is a novel of rich literary complexity. 

Join us for NIGHTMARE BEFORE BEDTIME a Storytime series for Adults and Teens. This installment is a short story taken from Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz published in 1991 to keep you up at night. It is a tale of two brothers who create a doll named Harold to keep them company but the doll comes to life. Nighty night...

Today's episode focuses on Mindful Movement, with expert advice from Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness, by Susan L. Smalley, PhD and Diana Winston, teaching us that "[l]earning to be aware and to relate to your body and to relate to your body with acceptance and kindness, rather than suppression, seems to improve how you treat your body." Listen in and try the guided Walking Meditation. 

In this 5th episode of Passing the Mic, Shawn speaks with Penny Pearl, one of the many talented Soul Line Dancing teachers who utilize the outdoor space of Inglewood Public Library to keep seniors active and moving. The conversation covers topics such as: the definition of Soul Line Dancing, the differences between Soul Line Dancing and Zumba, some of Penny’s favorite artists to dance to, how Penny took up the hobby, and just how important this activity is for the social, physical, and mental well-being of those who take part.

FIRST CHAPTER FRIDAYS presents the first of fifteen short stories entitled The Master of the Minimalist written by Amy Hempel. Longlisted for the Pen/Faulkner Award, one of Time's 100 Best Books of the Year, and one of NPR's Best Books of 2019, Hempel reveals writing at her most compassionate and spirited, as she introduces characters, lonely and adrift, and searching for connection.  Ravishing, heartbreaking, and powerfully concise, Sing to It is an “exquisite collection” (The Wall Street Journal) and a “quiet masterpiece by a true American original” (NPR).