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The ALOUD series hosts Coogler and Coates for intimate conversation

LOS ANGLES SENTINEL — Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler welcomed many to a night of Black excellence as they discussed Coates’ debut novel, The Water Dancer. Held at West Angeles Cathedral, The Library Foundation of Los Angeles’ ALOUD series welcomed the two to celebrate The Water Dancer, and more. The Water Dancer written by Ta-Nehisi Coates is his first fictional novel and New York Times #1 Best Seller. His debut novel follows a young Hiram Walker who was born into bondage and lost his mother and the memory of her. Hiram is saved from an accident by an unknown force, which grew newfound urgency on his private rebellion. He then uses his talent to go on a journey into the war on slavery, finding his chosen mother and love, determined to leave the only home he knows. The novel travels through his findings on several plantations, his return to home and the mastering of his gifts, as he reconstructs the story of his biggest loss.

Published

7 years ago

October 28, 2019

Oakland Post

Ta-Nehisi Coates & Ryan Coogler engaging in a one-on-one about the fictional novel, The Water Dancer (Photo by: Michael Rueter)

Author Ta-Nehisi Coates and Director, Ryan Coogler Sat Down for an Intimate Conversation Surrounding the Black Experience and Coates debut novel, “The Water Dancer”

By Saybin Roberson,

Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ryan Coogler welcomed many to a night of Black excellence as they discussed Coates’ debut novel, The Water Dancer. Held at West Angeles Cathedral, The Library Foundation of Los Angeles’ ALOUD series welcomed the two to celebrate The Water Dancer, and more.

The Water Dancer written by Ta-Nehisi Coates is his first fictional novel and New York Times #1 Best Seller. His debut novel follows a young Hiram Walker who was born into bondage and lost his mother and the memory of her. Hiram is saved from an accident by an unknown force, which grew newfound urgency on his private rebellion. He then uses his talent to go on a journey into the war on slavery, finding his chosen mother and love, determined to leave the only home he knows. The novel travels through his findings on several plantations, his return to home and the mastering of his gifts, as he reconstructs the story of his biggest loss.

The event opened with a performance from Senegalese drummer Malik Sow and his collection of drummers. Together, Coates and Coogler explored the Black experience through the lens of the novel’s protagonist Hiram story and the strength exuded by Black culture.

The conversation began as Coogler asked Coates of his craftsmanship, which the author then detailed it took 10 years to write The Water Dancer. Coogler asks, “At what point did you think you had something?” Coates explains his formula, stating the first draft was terrible. Also adding that of the 10 years, he didn’t feel a true piece was created until just a year ago when he found the key element of the story.

“You can’t talent your way to writing, it’s built, it’s a made thing. The real thing you have to do, you got to go back to that bad writing, you’ve got to revise. You have to get to bad to not-so-bad,” he says and the crowd laughs.

With Coogler and Coates having a prior relationship, the conversation was fluid and friendly. Coogler explained he finished the book moments before, said he enjoyed and connected to the book thoroughly. Highlighting the common thread and truth of slavery being violence, rape, and bondage, but for this novel, it focused much on emotional trauma.

“I think it’s necessary to tell those types of stories, but what I wasn’t ready for was the type of violence that this focused on, which was not physical violence but emotional,” Coogler says. “I never seen a work that was like, very razor-sharp focused on emotion.”

Coates responds, detailing his intention and the most striking aspect that drew him to the story, was the destruction of families. “What got me and what I finally actually got what I thought I was reading about, was the destruction of family,” he says. “In slavery, if somebody sells your kid, that’s just as good as killing your kids. You’re never going to see them again.”

“I had seen the physical [violence] and how bad it was, I wanted to go here, I wanted an opportunity to write a different kind of narrative.”

The two go through elements of the novel, reading an excerpt with a gut-wrenching monologue from a freed-slave who felt she was still in bondage because her family had not come to freedom with her. Coogler goes on saying he couldn’t read the novel without thinking of mass incarceration, Coates agrees.

The conversation travels to therapy, how creating is a form of therapy. As well as the process of becoming and remaining inspired when you have nothing, which according to history is the way of Black culture.

Coates relates this to the protagonist Hiram’s story, “He has to realize it’s not what’s being advertised to him that’s the story he should embrace.”

The Water Dancer, much like the conversation between the two creatives touches on topics and extremely prevalent ideas in today’s society. The notion of taking back our story like Coates’s main character Hiram does. In conjunction with taking back our strength as Coogler promoted in his recording breaking box office hit, “The Black Panther.”

“It’s not what they did to us,” Coates says in his closing statement, “it’s what we did.”

This article originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

1 week ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY