On The Record

Baltimore author D. Watkins on his latest memoir, "Black Boy Smile"

D. Watkins explores what it means to be a son and father in his latest memoir, “Black Boy Smile.” Credit: Legacy Lit/Hachette/author's website

D. Watkins is tired of the lies. Lies about being tough, about not feeling pain or loss or rejection.

In his latest book, ‘Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments,’Watkins shows how he learned to face those lies and push through to the truth. He hopes everyone, especially young Black men and boys, find that strength from his stories

On April 12th, D. Watkins will be in conversation with author Shanita Hubbard at Enoch Pratt Free Library. They will be discussing Hubbard’s debut book, “Ride or Die: A Feminist Manifesto for the Well-Being of Black Women.”

This interview originally aired on August 1, 2023.

Sheilah Kast

Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.

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Melissa Gerr

Melissa Gerr is a Senior Producer for On the Record. She started in public media at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minn., where she is from, and then worked as a field producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. She made the jump to audio-lover in Baltimore as a digital media editor at Mid-Atlantic Media and Laureate Education, Inc. and as a field producer for "Out of the Blocks." Her beat is typically the off-beat with an emphasis on science, culture and things that make you say, 'Wait, what?'

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Maureen Harvie

Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.

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