Welcome to season 2 of With ClariTea. I am so happy you're still here or you've joined me! I started this podcast to share my stories because sharing real, wholehearted, and vulnerable expressions of our lived experiences gives others to live freely.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with AJ from @readingwithglamour. Her energy is just as beautiful as she is and it all shines through in this episode. Fun fact, we met while we were both newly minted TFA Corps members in 2007 in Houston at our summer institute training. Years later, we reunited for a conversation that is real and full of hmmmm’s and right’s because we need to have conversations about experiences to rid us all of the shame that dealing with them in silence brings us.

Who is AJ? Reading fuels her soul, books are her business, and literature is her love language. When it comes to influencing people to read, AJ infuses fun, humor, beauty, style and charisma. AJ highlights and promotes books written by BIPOC authors as well as faith-based books. She started posting book reviews on Instagram, @readingwithglamour, in May of 2020 as a therapeutic exercise. Little did she know, it would turn into more than she could imagine.  As a Literary Influencer, AJ has partnered with publishing companies such as Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, and W.W. Norton and Company.  In addition, she has interviewed authors such as Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child, Elizabeth Nyamayaro, Executive Director of United Nations Women, and Jason Wilson, the author of Battle Cry and Cry Like A Man.  AJ is an Elementary School Counselor by day and a Book Pusher by night. Stone Mountain, Georgia raised her, and Houston, Texas pays her!

I am beyond excited to share her story and our conversation with you! If you are enjoying the show, let me know what you think! Please be sure to rate and subscribe to my show. Connect with me and tell me what you thought about this episode. I would love to hear from you.

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