Shambrekia Wise tells her story of growing up in a small, low-income Arkansas town with less than 1,000 residents, but having a loving community and developing her passions for science, adventure and learning about the world through books. After getting her Master’s Degree in Public Health, she opens up about being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, turning to write as a healing process, and publishing her first book. She then tells the story of traveling with her 6-year old daughter, Sandy, and experiencing new adventures together but also coming to terms with racial and class inequality. She explains how it was Sandy’s desire to help other kids to travel that led to the creation of the “Sightseeing with Sandy” children’s book series. Shambrekia shares how she and Sandy co-created the series as a way to empower kids to explore the world without the financial burden of travel and to inspire kids to learn about other cultures until they are able to visit those places in person. Shambrekia breaks down the statistical benefits of child travel on improving educational performance and explains the boost in curiosity and confidence kids get from traveling. She then talks about Sandy’s empowering experience co-creating the book series and helping to market the books. She concludes by sharing her top overall parenting tips, her favorite travel destinations, and her Top 5 Hip Hop MCs of all time. FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT www.TheMaverickShow.com
Episode #90: Empowering Kids to Explore the World through Children’s Books with Shambrekia Wise
Episode Summary
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About the Guest
Shambrekia Wise
Shambrekia Wise is an author, entrepreneur, public health professional, Gates Millennium Scholar, mother, and lover of travel. She and her 6-year old daughter Sandy have created the “Sightseeing with Sandy” project, a Children’s Book series that provides young kids the opportunity to travel the world without parents experiencing the financial burden or the COVID-19 health risk that comes with it. The book series is designed to take kids across the world to learn about and appreciate other cultures, and inspire kids–especially Black kids and other children of color–to be their own heroes, pilot their own journey and inspire their interest in world travel. The Sightseeing with Sandy website contains resources that supplement the book series, such as a blog for parents wanting to travel with children, additional travel pictures for kids to see, and fun recipes from around the world that families can prepare and eat together.
What You'll Learn
- The statistical benefits of child-travel on educational performance
- How to empower kids to explore the world through Children’s books
- The value of co-creating a project with your child to help others
Links From the Episode
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SHAMBREKIA’S TOP 4 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATION
SHAMBREKIA’S TOP 3 BUCKET LIST DESTINATION
SHAMBREKIA’S TOP 5 HIP HOP MC’S OF ALL TIME
CONTACT SHAMBREKIA
Time Stamped Show Notes
[3:58] Shambrekia’s Background Story
- How Matt met Shambrekia on an event at Texas and on Paris which is Diner en Blanc
- Shambrekia’s story and experience her hometown
- Shambrekia taught values and love by family
- Shambrekia is an explorer since childhoo
- dShambrekia had an asthma for about 8-10 years and got inspired by her pediatric pulmonologist
[18:59] Shambrekia’s experience in Science and Creative writing
- Shambrekia went to Canada and got amazed by teachers in chemistry and biology
- Shambrekia studied on University of Tennessee on Knoxville
- Started working on the Federal Government on 2010
- Diagnosed of multiple sclerosis on 2015
- List of things Shambrekia want to do and writing a book is one on them
[28:43] Shambrekia and her daughter got an idea to create a book
- Her daughter Sandy gives an idea about books
- Show love and exploration through the books
[32:06] The values you get from the book
- It helps the children to create wide imagination and a goal in life
[42:09] Process of creating the book with her daughter Sandy
- The perspective of a 6-year-old Sandy while reading the book
- Empowering the next generation
[45:55] Sandy’s involvement in marketing and promotion of the book
[49:10] The lighting round
- #1 book Shambrekia recommends
- The person with whom Shambrekia would most like to have dinner
- #1 parenting tip of Shambrekia for raising a child
- Shambrekia’s top 4 favorite travel destinations
- Shambrekia’s top 3 bucket list destinations
- Shambrekia’s top 5 hip hop mc
[ 56:53] Contact Shambrekia
