ANTHONY HAMILTON

CHLOE: Hey Corner! We have Anthony Hamilton here! It is so great having you on The Corner with us! What do you think of Common’s concept of reaching out to youth to read more?

ANTHONY: I think it is a great thing to reach back to the kids. I have been thinking lately I want to go to schools and read to kids.

CHLOE: You started singing in the church choir as a kid. Was there a lot of pressure for you to continue singing gospel when you signed to Uptown Records? Do you miss singing in church?

ANTHONY: Along my journey, there have been people who tell me to go back to singing gospel. However, I feel like I never left the church and I take the church on the road with me.

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JERMAINE DYE

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

CHLOE: Welcome to the Corner Jermaine Dye! Thank you for stopping by to chat with us. How do you prepare for a game?

JERMAINE: My day usually consists of watching videos to get ready for the game, then I go to batting practice and I always eat a healthy meal.

CHLOE: That’s pretty interesting. You know here on the Corner, we are all about reading and discussing books. As a kid, did you read a lot?

JERMAINE: As a kid I never read that much because I was always going from one sport to another. I was very busy with sports, but I enjoyed reading books we read in school.

CHLOE: I’m sure a lot of kids can relate to being real busy and trying to balance everything. What advice can you give kids who play sports to balance their time?

JERMAINE: Always practice and develop a routine that works for you and never give up.

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LISA LESLIE

WNBA

CHLOE: Hey Corner! We have the beautiful, the talented Lisa Leslie on The Corner today!!! How exciting is it to have you here Lisa. Thank you so much for joining us. So, what have you been up to lately?

LISA: I have been in the Bahamas shooting a new reality show called Superstars. It will air on ABC after the NBA finals.

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NIKKI GIOVANNI

CHLOE: Hi and welcome to the Corner Ms. Giovanni! Thank you for stopping by; it’s definitely an honor to have you here. When did you first figure out you had a special gift? Do you remember that special moment?

NIKKI: I am an Eastern Tennessean by birth. We have a strong story telling tradition probably because we had very limited television and very limited radio. I am also the baby in my family so I had to learn to speak loudly and quickly to be heard. My sister and I spent our summers with our grandparents. We went to a Baptist church and I went to camp. All of this played into my idea of history and entertainment.

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ADEWALE OGUNLEYE

CHICAGO BEARS

CHLOE: Thanks for stopping by the Corner. How do you prepare for a game?

ADEWALE: I prepare in many ways. Preparing for a game is equivalent to preparing for a test is school. I study film of the other team. I read my notes that my coaches give me. Then, I go out on the practice field and practice the things I want to do on game day.

CHLOE: Cool! As a kid, did you read a lot?

ADEWALE: I read all the time. I started reading the comics in newspapers and it turned into a passion. Now, I love to read. So, no matter how busy I get I try to find some time to read. Keeps my mind sharp.

CHLOE: During volleyball season , I practice for 3 hours a day, and right from practice, I have to quickly eat and then hit the books. It is hard to find time to pick up my favorite book to read. If my schedule is that crazy just playing high school volleyball, I can imagine how hard it is for you.

What advise can you give kids who play sports to balance their time?

ADEWALE: I would suggest that all student athletes concentrate on school first. Get all your school work done first. When its time to practice you will be free to concentrate on your sport.

CHLOE: That’s a good point. I do lose focus on the game when I know I have a lot of homework to do. I’m going to remember that! So, What advise would you give to kids trying to become the next famous pro player?

ADEWALE: See answer #3. The rest will take care of it’s self.

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LUOL DENG

CHICAGO BULLS

CHLOE: Hey Luol, thanks for coming to The Corner today. Ok, first of all, to set the record

straight, how tall are you?

LUOL: I’m 6′9.

CHLOE: You lived a lot of places. How many languages do you speak and how did you learn so many languages?

LUOL: I speak three languages, Dinka, Arabic, and English. Basically everywhere I have lived my family and I had to learn the language. So in South Sudan we speak Dinka, Egypt was Arabic and in England and the US it’s English. They all have their positives. I still consider Sudan and London home.

CHLOE: Many kids in America take a good education for granted. What is your opinion of getting a good education?

LUOL: Education is most important. Nobody can reach their goals without the proper education. Athletes can’t play without getting the grades and one day when the games are over, you will always need your degree.

CHLOE: When did you get involved in basketball and how do you like playing for the Chicago Bulls?

LUOL: I started playing basketball with my brothers in Egypt. It’s a dream come true to be playing in the NBA and the Bulls.

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EMMANUEL JAL

AUTHOR/ WAR CHILD

CHLOE: Hello Emmanuel! Thank you so much for joining us on The Corner. It’s really an honor to have you here. I don’t see this as any regular interview because as I’m talking to you, I’m thinking of what your eyes have seen. How did writing and expressing yourself help you deal with the pain that you experienced?

EMMANUEL: It was very difficult at first. For the first month, my nose would bleed every time I worked on the book. I would have nightmares about the things I had seen, and it was hard to try and think about those memories again after all these years had passed.

I asked someone why my nose was bleeding and they told me that the reason I was bleeding was that I was holding all my emotions inside. I wasn’t crying, I was just holding all the stress internally and this was causing my nose to bleed whenever I thought about the book. But the process was good for me, because I was able to finally let everything out and soon, my nose was not bleeding anymore and I started having less nightmares. So the book was a form of therapy for me.

CHLOE: Wow. Although you are a thousand miles and years away from your childhood, do you ever go back to that place in time in your mind?

EMMANUEL: Sometimes I do when I am speaking and talking about the book, but now I am able to use those memories to deliver a positive message.

Like how diamonds have to go through all different kinds of stages before they become beautiful, I feel like my story has done the same.

It is not easy for me to talk about my childhood, but I think the message I am able to deliver with it is something that is valuable.

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BILAL

CHLOE: Hi Bilal. Welcome to the Corner! I actually started listening to your music when I heard you in Common’s song “Faithful”. I love your style because you are so unique. Who or what inspires you?

BILAL: What inspires me is life and everything about it. Everywhere I look, I find inspiration whether it’s good or bad.

CHLOE: Do you write all of your own music?

BILAL: Yes, most of it.

CHLOE: Cool! How do you find such creative lyrics for your music? Where does it come from?

BILAL: I speak from my heart and try not to take myself so serious.

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CHLOE: Will.i.am thank you for stopping by The Corner. It really means a lot for you to take the time to talk to us teens and not AT us. What do you think of Common’s concept of bringing teens together in a positive way to express ourselves?

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CHLOE: I want to tell you, I absolutely love your music, especially “Get By”.  Does reading play a part in inspiring your lyrics?

TALIB: My parents teach, so reading and writing was stressed in my household. My lyrics are full of literary references. Most successful MCs did well in school, and reading enhances your vocabulary.

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