In the season one finale of Red Hen Radio, we’re taking you out of the studio and into the heart of Los Angeles’s indie literary scene. Audio editor Piper hits the streets to visit two extraordinary independent bookstores—Octavia’s Bookshelf in Pasadena and Underdog Bookstore in Monrovia.

Meet Nikki High, founder of Octavia’s Bookshelf, Pasadena’s first indie bookstore dedicated to highlighting books by BIPOC authors. Nikki shares how her lifelong devotion to reading, community care, and representation sparked the creation of her shop, and why cozy, safe spaces matter.

Step inside Underdog Bookstore, led by Kealie Mardell-Carrera, whose mission is to raise up LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, and neurodiverse authors through intentional curation, community programs, and all with the help from a four-legged “employee” Ninkasi.

Hear why buying local isn’t just a transaction, it’s a community investment that fuels literacy, empowers authors, and keeps cultural spaces alive.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing!

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

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Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.

In this thoughtful episode, Kate Gale sits down with poets M. Soledad Caballero, Jose Hernandez Diaz, and Jason Schneiderman for a candid conversation about what it means to write, teach, and stay grounded in an increasingly chaotic world.

The episode opens with a conversation about the pressure and promise of releasing creative work during turbulent times. Follow along as the discussion shifts from books shaping these writers’ current reading lives and how early influences evolve as artists mature, to the role of phones, screens, and social media in shifting our attention and how it reshapes the way students encounter art.

This episode is a reminder that poetry is a lifeline.

Listeners also get to hear these poets' poetry in this exclusive episode with Red Hen Press authors.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing!

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

• Instagram: @redhenpress

• Threads: @redhenpress

• Twitter/X: @redhenpress

• BlueSky: @redhenpress.bsky.social

• TikTok: @redhenpress

• Facebook: Red Hen Press

Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.

In this episode of Red Hen Radio, we celebrate Filipino American History Month with two brilliant voices shaping today’s literary landscape. Monica Fernandez, Red Hen’s Media Director, sits down with Jhoanna Belfer, founder and owner of Bel Canto Books in Long Beach, and author E.P. Tuazon, whose short story collection A Professional Lola explores family, identity, and humor in unforgettable ways.

Immerse in the Filipino culture as our guests chat about the thriving literary community hub, Filipino American storytelling and representation in publishing, cultural recognition in pop culture, family traditions and mouthwatering food memories, and books and authors shaping a new era of Filipino American literature.

This conversation is a celebration of heritage, identity, and the joy of seeing yourself reflected in the stories shared to the world.

Catch a new episode of Red Hen Radio every month for an in depth conversation into publishing!

Did you know you can grab the resources shared on this episode on Substack? For a list of what was talked about, please visit: https://redhenpress.substack.com/

For a readable enjoyment, read the transcript of our website here: https://redhen.org/red-hen-radio/

Don’t miss out on all things Red Hen!

• Instagram: @redhenpress

• Threads: @redhenpress

• Twitter/X: @redhenpress

• BlueSky: @redhenpress.bsky.social

• TikTok: @redhenpress

• Facebook: Red Hen Press

Catch up on our books!

• Bookshop.org: Red Hen Press

• Store: https://redhenpress.myshopify.com/

• Website: https://redhen.org/book/

Red Hen Radio is produced by the powerhouse team at Red Hen Press.