Libraries Are Hubs for Citizening - Story 1

How To Citizen with Baratunde

iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture, News, Technology

4.4 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 April 2025

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Watch this first video story from the Week of Citizening on Instagram or LinkedIn: https://newsletter.baratunde.com/p/1st-story-libraries-are-hubs-for?r=204q7

What if every library in the world was a hub for citizening—a space where people could come together, tell their own stories, and build new ones? It’s already happening. And Cossit Llibrary in downtown Memphis is leading the way.

🎙️ Meet Ena Esco — Innovator-in-Residence for podcast programming. In a city that’s majority Black and shaped by deep economic challenges, Ena is turning a traditional library into a platform for power.

Inside this public library you’ll find:

📸 A podcast studio

🎥 A video + photo lab

🎭 A performance space

All free. All open to the public.

“We live in an era where a lot of people are being silenced. I’m proud to mentor folks and watch them realize: they can say what they truly want to say.” — Ena Esco

This is what it looks like to practice power. To citizen.

🔗 Want more stories like this? Visit https://stories.howtocitizen.com

Story produced by Tess Novotnoy

This is part of the Week Of Citizening stories jointly amplified by How To Citizen, Jon Alexander, and Baratunde Thurston

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	The championship is back in the bay for the first time in 40 years.
0:06.3	On the new limited podcast series, Dub Dynasty, we hear from head coach Steve Kerr on how
0:11.4	Steph Curry almost never even joined the Warriors.
0:15.1	In fact, I thought we had a draft day deal to end up getting him to Phoenix.
0:19.5	For the entire behind-the-scenes story of Golden State's incredible 10-year run,
0:24.2	listen to Dub Dynasty on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
0:33.4	I'm ready to fight.
0:34.6	Oh, this is fighting worse.
0:36.0	Okay, I'll put the hammer back.
0:37.7	Hi, I'm George M. Johnson, a bestselling author with the second most banned book in America.
0:43.4	Now more than ever, we need to use our voices to fight back.
0:46.7	Part of the power of black queer creativity is the fact that we got us, you know?
0:52.6	We are the greatest culture makers in world history.
0:57.2	Listen to Fighting Words on the IHeart Radio app,
1:00.1	Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
1:06.3	Are your ears bored?
1:08.3	Yeah.
1:09.2	Are you looking for a new podcast that will make you laugh, learn, and say,
1:13.6	Yeah.
1:15.3	Then tune in to Locatora Radio Season 10 today.
1:18.8	Okay.
1:20.0	Now that's what I call a podcast.
	...

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