Audiobooks narrated by Janina Edwards

The World Is Waiting for You: Embrace Your Calling and Manifest the God Dream Over Your Life

Foreword by Viola Davis From award-winning actress Edwina Findley Dickerson, a faith-full and laugh-out-loud guide to manifesting your “God Dream” and creating the life you’ve always wanted. Is it possible that everyone on earth was born with a special superpower, talent, and gifting to change the world? Is there a divine calling and awe-inspiring “God Dream” over their lives that’s higher than their wildest imagination? If so, what is the secret to discovering this grand vision, and supernaturally manifesting it here on earth? The World Is Waiting for You, written by award-winning actress Edwina Findley Dickerson, takes readers on a humorous and faith-filled ride, sharing incredible supernatural stories of how God radically manifested His divine dream for Edwina’s life, and how you, too, can manifest the fullest expression of your purpose and calling. From living in poverty in her twenties to becoming a millionaire in her thirties, Edwina shares hard-won wisdom regarding unleashing your highest vision, discovering and surrendering to God’s plan, strategically preparing for the life you are praying for, developing a passion for service, and making bold faith-moves in the manifestation of your “God Dream.” Through spiritual insights, practical strategies, and revelations from other celebrities and faith leaders, The World Is Waiting for You, guides readers along the incredible path of discovering and fulfilling their divine purpose, and overcoming the road blocks that often stand in the way. With a special focus on using your gifts to positively impact others, this refreshing book helps readers tap into the supernatural “God Dream” that is assigned to their lives, and unleash the faith, tenacity and confidence to make that divine vision their daily reality.

Edwina Findley Dickerson (Author), Edwina Findley Dickerson, Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity

Slaves to Fashion is a cultural history of the black dandy, from his emergence in Enlightenment England to his contemporary incarnations in the cosmopolitan art world. Interpreting performances and representations of black dandyism in particular cultural settings and literary and visual texts, Monica L. Miller emphasizes the importance of sartorial style to black identity formation in the Atlantic diaspora. Dandyism was initially imposed on black men in eighteenth-century England, as the Atlantic slave trade and an emerging culture of conspicuous consumption generated a vogue in dandified black servants. 'Luxury slaves' tweaked and reworked their uniforms, and were soon known for their sartorial novelty and sometimes flamboyant personalities. Tracing the history of the black dandy to contemporary celebrity incarnations, Miller explains how black people became arbiters of style and how they have historically used the dandy's signature tools to break down limiting identity markers and propose new ways of fashioning political and social possibility. She considers the black dandy in relation to nineteenth-century American literature and drama, Du Bois's reflections on black masculinity and cultural nationalism, the modernist aesthetics of the Harlem Renaissance, and representations of black cosmopolitanism in contemporary art. Contains mature themes.

Monica L. Miller (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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Front Porch Wisdom: Navigating Leadership Pressures and Barriers as a Woman of Color

Unlock your potential with Front Porch Wisdom, a powerful guide for women of color navigating the complex landscapes of leadership. Authored by Dr. Froswa' Booker-Drew, Front Porch Wisdom fills a crucial gap in leadership books by focusing on faith and workplace journeys unique to women of color. Each chapter is an invitation to explore tools and insights tailored for nonprofit management, corporate environments, and beyond. With wisdom accumulated from a lifetime of leadership and community engagement, Dr. Booker-Drew offers a safe and reflective space for thinking, learning, and growing as a leader. Front Porch Wisdom offers women the opportunity to emphasize the importance of faith and personal values in leadership roles; learn practical tools and strategies for navigating corporate and nonprofit sectors; hear real-life stories and experiences from women of color in leadership; experience reflective exercises designed to encourage personal and professional growth; and uncover insights into overcoming unique challenges faced by women of color. Whether you are stepping into a leadership role or seeking to refine your existing skills, Front Porch Wisdom is your companion in climbing the leadership ladder with confidence and grace.

Froswa' Booker-Drew (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor

From the Thurber Prize-winning author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker comes a pioneering collection of Black humor from some of the most acclaimed writers and performers at work today A critic explores the paradox of finding community in "the dozens" while grieving. A violent town ritual causes an all-too-familiar moral panic. An email thread between friends on why we need an updated Green Book but for public toilets. All across the nation, "Karens" become illegal overnight. These are just a few of the hilarious worlds contained in Damon Young's groundbreaking anthology featuring the best, funniest, and Blackest essays, short stories, letters, and rants. With words that roast, ignite, and burn while connecting to and coalescing around a singular thesis, That's How They Get You emphasizes how and why Black American humor is uniquely transfixing. This is a mixture of not just observational anxieties and stream-of-consciousness lucidities but also acute political clarity about America. Edited and with an introduction by Damon Young, the critically acclaimed author of What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker, the collection features new material from an all-star roster of contributors, including Hanif Abdurraqib, Mahogany L. Browne, Wyatt Cenac, Kiese Laymon, Deesha Philyaw, Roy Wood Jr., and Nicola Yoon.

Damon Young (Author), André Santana, Cary Hite, Chanté McCormick, Damon Young, Deanna Anthony, Jaime Lincoln Smith, Janina Edwards, Je Nie Fleming, Ozzie Jacobs, Ryan Vincent Anderson, TBD (Narrator)

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Octavia E. Butler: H is for Horse

An homage to the childhood genius of Black science fiction writer Octavia E. Butler. The figure of the horse, at once earthly and transcendent, represented the contradictions of freedom and captivity that enabled young Octavia to develop her nuanced sense of voice and place. Drawing on previously unknown archival research, this volume illustrates how Butler's development as a writer was tied to her extraordinary resourcefulness and self-awareness growing up as an awkward, bookish Black girl in segregated, Cold War Pasadena. She persistently re-visited and revised her early writings on teenage angst, Martians, Westerns, and racial politics. In one way or another her supernatural characters defied the constraints of gender, race, and class with equine-inflected resilience. In the spirit of Butler's passion for library research, this book is comprised of twenty-six short A-Z chapters. It is part childhood biography, art and literary analysis, and memoir. It interweaves the author's personal recollections with scholarly musings on poetry, film, and literature inspired by Butler's encyclopedic reading habits and experiments with genre. Just as cross-species kinships are at the heart of her Afro-futurist, eco-feminist storytelling, Butler demonstrates that coming-of-age is an ongoing process and key to healing our damaged planet.

Chi-Ming Yang (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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The Vice President's Black Wife: The Untold Life of Julia Chinn

Award-winning historian Amrita Chakrabarti Myers has recovered the riveting, troubling, and complicated story of Julia Ann Chinn (ca. 1796–1833), the enslaved wife of Richard Mentor Johnson, owner of Blue Spring Farm, veteran of the War of 1812, and US vice president under Martin Van Buren. Johnson never freed Chinn, but during his frequent absences from his estate, he delegated to her the management of his property, including Choctaw Academy, a boarding school for Indigenous men and boys on the grounds of the estate. This meant that Chinn, although enslaved herself, oversaw Blue Spring's slave labor force and had substantial control over economic, social, financial, and personal affairs within the couple's world. Chinn's relationship with Johnson was unlikely to have been consensual since she was never manumitted. What makes Chinn's life exceptional is the power that Johnson invested in her, the opportunities the couple's relationship afforded her and her daughters, and their community's tacit acceptance of the family—up to a point. When the family left their farm, they faced steep limits. Johnson's relationship with Chinn ruined his political career and Myers compellingly demonstrates that it wasn't interracial sex that led to his downfall but his refusal to keep it—and Julia Chinn—behind closed doors.

Amrita Chakrabarti Myers (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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Welcome to Pawnee: Stories of Friendship, Waffles, and Parks and Recreation

Jim O’Heir, who played Jerry (or Garry or Larry) on Parks and Recreation and co-hosts the hit podcast Parks and Recollection, brings fans a heartfelt behind-the-scenes look at one of America’s most beloved sitcoms, brimming with never-before-told stories featuring the cast and crew, along with dozens of unseen photos! For seven seasons, Leslie Knope and the Parks and Recreation gang charmed millions of viewers with their quirky antics and unwavering positivity. The sitcom continues to be a fan-favorite for streaming services today, nearly a decade after its finale. Now for the first time, Jim O’Heir, who played the lovable Jerry (or, well, Garry/Larry/Terry/Barry, depending on the episode), invites readers back to Pawnee for an exclusive look behind the scenes. Joined by some of his Parks and Rec pals, including Chris Pratt, Retta, Rob Lowe, and showrunners Greg Daniels and Mike Schur, O’Heir reveals how this “little show that could” came to be, thanks to the tireless dedication and comedic genius of Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, and the rest of the gang. As the show found its footing, the cast quickly bonded into a tight-knit family. Here O’Heir shares all his favorite unforgettable memories both on and off camera, from hilarious unscripted moments and epic dance-offs in the hair and makeup trailers, to iconic birthday parties at Rashida Jones’s house and quiet bonfires in Nick Offerman’s backyard. Welcome to Pawnee is O’Heir’s loving tribute to Parks and Recreation, imbued with the same warmth and humor that endeared the show to millions.

Jim O'heir (Author), Adam Verner, Eva Kaminsky, George Newbern, Janina Edwards, Jim Meskimen, Jim O'Heir, Roger Wayne, TBD (Narrator)

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The Icon and the Idealist: Margaret Sanger, Mary Ware Dennett, and the Rivalry That Brought Birth Co

A riveting history about the little-known rivalry between Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett that profoundly shaped reproductive rights in America In the 1910s, as the birth control movement was born, two leaders emerged: Margaret Sanger and Mary Ware Dennett. While Sanger would go on to found Planned Parenthood, Dennett’s name has largely faded from public knowledge. Each held a radically different vision for what reproductive autonomy and birth control access should look like in America. Few are aware of the fierce personal and political rivalry that played out between Sanger and Dennett over decades—a battle that had a profound impact on the lives of American women. Meticulously researched and vividly drawn, The Icon and the Idealist reveals how and why these two women came to activism, the origins of the clash between them, and the ways in which their missteps and breakthroughs have reverberated across American society for generations. With deep archival scope and rigorous execution, Stephanie Gorton weaves together a personal narrative of two fascinating women and the political history of a country rocked by changing social norms, the Depression, and a fervor for eugenics. Refusing to shy away from the enmeshed struggles of race, class, and gender, Gorton has made a sweeping examination of every force that has come in the way of women’s reproductive freedom. Brimming with insight and compelling portraits of women’s struggles throughout the twentieth century, The Icon and the Idealist is a comprehensive history of a radical cultural movement.

Stephanie Gorton (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator)

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How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music

Drawn from NPR Music’s acclaimed, groundbreaking series Turning the Tables, the definitive book on the vital role of Women in Music—from Beyoncé to Odetta, Taylor Swift to Joan Baez, Joan Jett to Dolly Parton—featuring excerpts of archival interviews, essays, and best album and song shoutouts. What if the history of popular music could be seen through the lens of the women who made it? This remarkable anthology expands on NPR Music’s celebratory and provocative multi-platform series Turning the Tables, examining the crucial and historically understated role women have and continue to play in popular music. Before Turning the Tables launched in 2017, best album lists in magazines or online included few works by women, and female artists would claim only a few places of honor in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But Turning the Tables helped change that. How Women Made Music inaugurates a new phase in NPR’s ongoing mission to infuse canon-making with life. With an introduction by acclaimed critic and Turning the Tables co-founder, Ann Powers, and edited by co-founder Alison Fensterstock, this impressive history draws from every Turning the Tables season and is enhanced with new material—representing more than fifty years of NPR’s exclusive coverage of women in popular music—as well as new text, interviews, and reporting from deep inside the NPR archives, including: Joan Baez talking about nonviolence as a musical principle in 1971 Patti Smith describing art as her “jealous mistress” in 1976 Nina Simone, in 2001, explaining how she developed the edge in her voice as a tool against racism. Taylor Swift talking about when she had no idea if her musical career might work Odetta on how shifting from classical music to folk allowed her to express her fury over Jim Crow Destined to become a classic, this incomparable volume is not only a vital record of history; it reveals much about how music is made, how musical lives are maintained, and how tastes and trends change from generation to generation.

Alison Fensterstock, National Public Radio, Inc. (Author), Alison Fensterstock, Ann Powers, Chanté McCormick, Hillary Huber, Inés del Castillo, Janina Edwards, Maggie-Meg Reed, TBD (Narrator)

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Ida, in Love and in Trouble

For fans of Bridgerton and The Davenports comes a sweeping historical novel from bestselling author Veronica Chambers about courageous (and flirtatious) Ida B. Wells as she navigates society parties and society prejudices to become a civil rights crusader. Before she became a warrior, Ida B. Wells was an incomparable flirt with a quick wit and a dream of becoming a renowned writer. The first child of newly freed parents who thrived in a community that pulsated with hope and possibility after the Civil War, Ida had a big heart, big ambitions, and even bigger questions: How to be a good big sister when her beloved parents perish in a yellow fever epidemic? How to launch her career as a teacher? How to make and keep friends in a society that seems to have no place for a woman who speaks her own mind? And - always top of mind for Ida - how to find a love that will let her be the woman she dreams of becoming? Ahead of her time by decades, Ida B. Wells pioneered the field of investigative journalism with her powerful reporting on violence against African Americans. Her name became synonymous with courage and an unflinching demand for racial and gender equality. But there were so many facets to Ida Bell and critically acclaimed writer Veronica Chamber unspools her full and colorful life as Ida comes of age in the rapidly changing South, filled with lavish society dances and parties, swoon-worthy gentleman callers, and a world ripe for the taking.

Veronica Chambers (Author), Janina Edwards, TBD (Narrator)

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Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad

"There are five square knots on the quilt every two inches apart. They escaped on the fifth knot on the tenth pattern and went to Ontario, Canada. The monkey wrench turns the wagon wheel toward Canada on a bear's paw trail to the crossroads--" And so begins the fascinating story that was passed down from generation to generation in the family of Ozella McDaniel Williams. But what appears to be a simple story that was handed down from grandmother to mother to daughter is actually much, much more than that. In fact, it is a coded message steeped in African textile traditions that provides a link between slave-made quilts and the Underground Railroad. In 1993, author Jacqueline Tobin visited the Old Market Building in the historic district of Charleston, South Carolina, where local craftspeople sell their wares. Amid piles of beautiful handmade quilts, Tobin met African American quilter Ozella Williams and the two struck up a conversation. With the admonition to "write this down," Williams began to tell a fascinating story that had been handed down from her mother and grandmother before her. As Tobin sat in rapt attention, Williams began to describe how slaves made coded quilts and then used them to navigate their escape on the Underground Railroad. But just as quickly as she started, Williams stopped, informing Tobin that she would learn the rest when she was "ready." During the three years it took for Williams's narrative to unfold--and as the friendship and trust between the two women grew--Tobin enlisted Raymond Dobard, Ph.D., an art history professor and well-known African American quilter, to help provide the historical context behind what Williams was describing. Now, based on Williams's story and their own research, Tobin and Dobard, in what they call "Ozella's Underground Railroad Quilt Code," offer proof that some slaves were involved in a sophisticated network that melded African textile traditions with American quilt practices and created a potent result: African American quilts with patterns that conveyed messages that were, in fact, essential tools for escape along the Underground Railroad.

Jacqueline L. Tobin, Raymond G. Dobard (Author), Janina Edwards, Leon Nixon, TBD (Narrator)

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The Movement: How Women's Liberation Transformed America 1963-1973

A comprehensive and engaging oral history of the decade that defined the feminist movement, including interviews with living icons and unsung heroes—from former Newsweek reporter and author of the "powerful and moving" (New York Times) Witness to the Revolution. For lovers of both Barbie and Gloria Steinem, The Movement is the first oral history of the decade that built the modern feminist movement. Through the captivating individual voices of the people who lived it, The Movement tells the intimate inside story of what it felt like to be at the forefront of the modern feminist crusade, when women rejected thousands of years of custom and demanded the freedom to be who they wanted and needed to be. This engaging history traces women's awakening, organizing, and agitating between the years of 1963 and 1973, when a decentralized collection of people and events coalesced to create a spontaneous combustion. From Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, to the underground abortion network the Janes, to Shirley Chisolm's presidential campaign and Billie Jean King's 1973 battle of the sexes, Bingham artfully weaves together the fragments of that explosion person by person, bringing to life the emotions of this personal, cultural, and political revolution. Artists and politicians, athletes and lawyers, Black and white, The Movement brings readers into the rooms where these women insisted on being treated as first class citizens, and in the process, changed the fabric of American life.

Clara Bingham (Author), Aida Reluzco, Angel Pean, Billie Fulford-Brown, Cassandra Campbell, Clara Bingham, David Sadzin, Eunice Wong, Gibson Frazier, Janina Edwards, Kamali Minter, Kevin R. Free, Keyonni James, Natalie Naudus, Sunny Lu, TBD (Narrator)

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Audiobooks Narrated by Janina Edwards