Why Fathers Cry with Kwame Alexander

Part II: "Portrait of a Father" with Special Guest Nandi Alexander-Hinton - Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later Special

So many of us have had a fallout with someone once held dear, or know someone in this scenario. In Part II of the Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later special, Kwame Alexander opens up about his own experience on this front in the most important conversation he’s had throughout the series – and in his life – with his eldest daughter, Nandi. 
As Kwame wrote about in his memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night, the two had been estranged for the past several years – an estrangement still in play at the time the book was released last May. Learn what brought them back together, why Nandi suggested she join Kwame on the show, and what she hopes others will glean from their discussion. 
In this deeply personal, honest, and inspiring father-and-daughter dialogue, Kwame and Nandi open their hearts and examine what each has discovered about themselves and each other – plus reveal some incredible, life-changing news.
Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later is a Big Sea Entertainment production, hosted by Kwame Alexander. Produced by Sarah Grace McCandless. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing
This episode was recorded at the Reading Culture studio, with special thanks to Jordan Booky and to our sponsor Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com). For the latest news on Kwame’s projects, head to kwamealexander.com.

Part I: "Love Lessons" with Tinesha Davis & Nikki Shannon Smith - Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later Special

It’s amazing what can happen in a year, and Kwame Alexander can speak to that firsthand, with deep heart. In Part I of the Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later special, Kwame reveals how his life has changed and what he’s learned since the May 2023 release of his memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night. 
The Why Fathers Cry podcast has always featured Kwame in conversation with other men – fathers, sons, husbands, partners. For this one year later special, we’re getting the female perspective, as Kwame is joined by two dear friends and fellow writers, Tinesha Davis and Nikki Shannon Smith. Don’t miss this candid roundtable that asks – and answers – ALL of the questions, from choices made and lessons learned, to how we grow and why we love.
Why Fathers Cry: One Year Later is a Big Sea Entertainment production, hosted by Kwame Alexander. Produced by Sarah Grace McCandless. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst MarketingThis episode was recorded at the Chautauqua Institution, with special thanks to Multimedia Producer Dave Munch and to our sponsor Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com). For the latest news on Kwame’s projects, head to kwamealexander.com.

”Why Fathers Cry” with Dr. E. Curtis Alexander

As the first season of Why Fathers Cry comes to a close, Kwame Alexander brings it full circle in this pinnacle conversation with someone who has come up in every single episode, and throughout the memoir that inspired the series: his own father, Dr. E. Curtis Alexander.The ultimate renaissance man, Dr. Alexander’s impressive repertoire includes book publisher, author, and much, much more. Join us for this an endearing, insightful exploration of what it means to give love, show love, and receive love, in a head-to-head and heart-to-heart with the very man who inspired Kwame’s own purpose and path today.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com. 

”How We Made You” with W. Kamau Bell

In this special episode of Why Fathers Cry, Kwame Alexander bears all with filmmaker,  comedian, and New York Times bestselling author W. Kamau Bell, in front of a live audience in Berkeley, California. With a deeper dive into the stories behind the stories shared in Kwame’s memoir, one poignant question leaves him speechless.
W. Kamau Bell is a virtuoso in the art of fostering meaningful and memorable discussions. His incredible body of work includes serving as executive producer and director of the award-winning Showtime docu-series, We Need To Talk About Cosby; hosting and executive producing the Emmy Award-winning CNN docu-series, United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell; and most recently, executive producing and directing the critically-acclaimed HBO documentary, 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed.
Join us for a no holds barred conversation as Kamau and Kwame reveal with both humor and heart some of their most vulnerable moments as fathers of daughters, as partners, and as sons, exploring how we can give more grace to those we love.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com. 

”Portrait of Newlyweds: 1967” with Jonathan Eig

Photos feed memories, but our literal and figurative snapshots from seminal childhood moments often informs how we later show up as parents, as partners… as people. In the latest episode of Why Fathers Cry, Kwame Alexander explores this notion with Jonathan Eig, bestselling author of six books, including his most recent, King: A Life.
 
Hailed by The New York Times as a "monumental" new biography of Martin Luther King Jr., King: A Life was also nominated for the National Book Award, featured as a Barack Obama Summer 2023 read, and recently optioned for the screen by Chris Rock and Steven Spielberg. 
 
Acclaimed as a “master storyteller” by filmmaker Ken Burns, Jonathan is a world renowned journalist and biographer, and a true expert when it comes to researching our past to understand our present. Join us as Kwame and Jonathan look at their own histories as sons, the perceptions that were formed, and how the truths they know now help them navigate the world as fathers themselves.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com. 

”Portrait of a Mother & Son” with John Haynes III

Grief takes permanent residency in our hearts. A houseguest that never leaves. In the latest episode of Why Fathers Cry, Kwame Alexander goes deep on the experience of losing his own mother, in a candid conversation with his longtime advisor and dear friend John Haynes III… who also knows this specific type of loss firsthand. 
As a leader of leaders and visionary to visionaries, John is a master in the art of understanding people. With over 25 years of Human Resources expertise in global enterprises, including his current role as Vice President HR Business Partner for Cardinal Health, John also honors his calling by serving as a life coach for emerging, established, and evolutionary leaders. He has acted as a career advisor for presidential appointees of the Obama administration, as well as a workshop facilitator, team builder, and strategic planner for numerous non-profit, commercial, and faith-based organizations. 
Join Kwame and John as they unpack learning to be fathers first by being sons, how we live with the exquisite pain of grief, and the profound moments of beauty that come with the process.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com. 

”Instructions for Leaving” with Anis Mojgani

No one knows love quite like poets, and when you bring two acclaimed versifiers together for a raw and deeply personal discussion on the topic, the result is heart-opening and heart-mending magic. In the latest episode of Why Fathers Cry, Kwame Alexander goes all in on the woes and wonders of romantic relationships with Anis Mojgani, current Poet Laureate of Oregon, two-time individual champion of the National Poetry Slam, and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam.
The author of six books of poetry, including his latest collection, The Tigers They Let Me, (Write Bloody, June 2023), Anis’ work has also appeared on HBO, National Public Radio, and in the pages of The New York Times, among other places. He is well-known and highly regarded for his performances at hundreds of universities across the U.S. and festivals around the globe.
Join Kwame and Anis for the poet’s perspective on navigating the beginning, middle, and end of coupling, including marriage and divorce, and why we’re prone to glean our definitions of how we love and want to be loved from our own upbringing.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com.

”The Gospel Truth” with Bryant Terry

How do our origins and upbringing impact the way we approach parenting? In the premiere episode of Why Fathers Cry, Kwame Alexander explores this question and more with Bryant Terry, a James Beard award-winning educator, author, artist, publisher, and, like, Kwame, father of two daughters.
As someone celebrated by San Francisco Magazine as one of the 11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene as well as Fast Company’s 9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food, Bryant knows his way around the kitchen. He also knows that what we create and serve on the table has a purpose that goes far beyond any technical expertise. Join Kwame and Bryant in an intimate conversation about what they learned from their own parents and grandparents, how it shows up for them as fathers today, and how the bread we make and break together builds community and connects us with each other.
Special thanks to our sponsors Brain Lair Books (brainlairbooks.com), Kirk & Kirk Eyewear (kirkandkirk.com), and Sleeping Bear Press (sleepingbearpress.com). 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com. 

Coming Soon: Why Fathers Cry

Hosted by #1 New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander, Why Fathers Cry explores lessons we’ve learned - and unlearned - and the ones we are still learning. Stories about longing, love, and loss. Journeys guided by faith and forgiveness - of others, yes, but also of self - past, present, and future. Aspects of fatherhood from a multitude of perspectives. And how getting vulnerable and getting real is the connective tissue that binds us together, gives us strength, defines our purpose, and feeds our soul.
Featuring intimate conversations anchored in poetry, with guests including James Beard Award-winning educator and author Bryant Terry, stand-up comedian, director, executive producer, and author W. Kamau Bell, Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani, and more. Inspired by Kwame Alexander's memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night (May 2023, Little, Brown and Company).
Premiering in Fall 2023, wherever you get your podcasts. 
Produced for Big Sea Entertainment by Sarah Grace McCandless. Studio audio engineering by Edgar Diaz. Post-production by Jeremy Brieske at Burst Marketing. Theme music, "Saint State Street," composed by Joshua Gabriel and Bryant Terry. Find out more at whyfatherscry.com.