A long way from the block

Eso Won Books which means "Water Over Rocks" in the Ethiopian Amharic language was founded in 1989. During this episode we discuss James Fugate's upbringing in Detroit before eventually making his way to South Central Los Angeles. He talks about his passion for books and what it's meant to be apart of a bookstore that's been a beacon of light and culture in the Historic Leimert Park community.

During this episode we discuss Al's early childhood with his mother and how she supported him and continues to be a powerful example in his life. We also discuss his passion for music, writing, poetry, nature and travel. And how he came to know Butterfly from the hip-hop group Digable Planets is his brother.

For this too-short conversation, I sat down with Romeo Regalli, chef and co-owner of Ras Plant Based, located in Brooklyn and New York's West Village. We discussed his upbringing in Ethiopia, embedded in family and community. He described his sense of purpose to make the world healthier and happier one meal at a time, the core of his work, and we dished about his restaurant's original Brooklyn location and its new location in the West Village. From menu to decor, his approach to plant-based Ethiopian cuisine is unique and creative. Romeo's partner in Ras is his wife, Milka Regalli.
https://www.rasplantbased.com

Liza Jessie Peterson’s parents provided her with a grounding that allowed her, she says, to teeter at the edge of the cliff but never jump. The artist, activist, poet, playwright, and actor had early success as a model but discovered it wasn’t her true path. In this episode, she shares how her writing career began with journaling and poetry, eventually leading to her performing and honing her skills at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe. We discuss in detail her memoir, All Day: A Year of Love and Survival Teaching Incarcerated Kids at Rikers Island. We also dive into her one-woman play, The Peculiar Patriot, performed at more than 35 prisons across the country and resulting in her documentary Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices From a Plantation Prison. Lastly, we talk about her passion for ancient Egyptian history and culture, which inspired her to take a life-changing trip to visit the temples and pyramids.
https://www.lizajessiep.com

My first interview with Yogi has been my most downloaded and listened to podcast so far. It resonated with so many different people and received so much positive feedback I was excited that he agreed to do a part two.

In this episode I talk with Yogi about some of the most influential people from my youth that came from Highland Park such as Ricky Williams, Charles Steel, Titus Fisher as well as others. Highland Park was the name of the local recreation center that served as the hub for everyone who grew up in East Dago ( City Heights). We would meet there for everything from playing carroms, ping-pong, strike-out, basketball in the cage, tackle football, dice games to the legendary blues brothers setting up their turntables and playing music in the summertime.

We also broaden our discussion to include some of the legends from other neighborhoods throughout the San Diego area. Yogi's impressive basketball career at Hoover High led him to friendships with many of the other great San Diego athletes like, Percy Gilbert, Carl Fisher, Tyrone Miller, Lawrence West, Norman Baker, Sleepy Caldwell and many others.

Since some of these stories and memories took place nearly 40 plus years ago there were a couple of details that I'd like to correct. Percy Gilbert is 5 years older than Yogi, not 5 years younger. And his Hoover High teammate’s name was Mike Hyatt not Mike Haupt.