In Volume Four: Chapter Twelve, we welcome North Carolina-based Poet, Writer, Life Coach, Animal Advocate, and Entrepreneur, Jolanda Malone.

Jolanda's non-profit organization Beartha was founded in January 2001 and named in honor of her grandmother Bertha. She says of living with her grandmother " growing up in the South Bronx we lived in a house that felt like a mansion. She always welcomed her home to neighbors , friends, families, people that needed help, and furry friends. She helped so many people get on their feet, rescued stray cats, and provided a safe haven that made people feel welcomed. Bertha means "Bright One" and she surely did Brighten my life and inspired me to make a community that Humans, Animals, and Nature will be important and can come together. This Non-Profit Organization is in Honor of her and how to left the world a better place than she found it".

She says that the core values of the organization is to L.I.V.E.:

Love: To Live a Life where you leave the world a better place than you found it through moving in LOVE

Inspire: We want to INSPIRE people to love their self and others

Visualize: To Visualize your dreams and goals and Know you are capable of leaving the world a better place than you found it.

Educate: To Educate the community on how they can leave the world a better place.

Connect with Jolanda:
Website: beartha.org
IG: @beartha919

Recorded spoken word performances in this Chapter include:

Ashley Lumpkin: Inheritance
IG: @lumplestiltizken
Website: lumplestiltizken.com
Twitter: @alump

Gabriel Ramirez: Whenever I Look Over My Balcony
IG: @ramirezpoet
Twitter: @ramirezpoet
Website: ramirezpoet.com

Summer Durant : Future not Fetish
IG: @summeraen
Website: summeraen.com
Twitter: @summera3n

Steven Willis: How The Hood Loves You Back
IG: @stevenantoinewillis
Website: stevenwillispoetry.com
Twitter: @stevenawillis

Ifrah Hussein: Tell Us
IG: @ifrahhussein
Twitter: @ifrahhussein_

Connect with, then listen and subscribe to the following podcasts we recommend:

The Words I Never Said podcast
IG: @gods_ink_spokenword

Life as We Grow It podcast
IG: @lifeaswegrowit
Twitter: @lifeaswegrowit

The Spoken World podcast
Twitter: @spokenpodcast
Website: thespokenwordpodcast
IG: @thespokenworld

Unspoken Words podcast
IG: @unspokenwordspodcast
Twitter: @beckythepoet
YouTube: Unspoken Words
Website: beckythepoet.com

Journey with Mpho podcast
IG: @journeywithmpho
Website: journeywithmpho.com