05/20/2024
Join us in welcoming our guests today Ivy Hill Authors, Arthur Ruben and Eleanor Cooney join us by phone from New York. Tara Gibson will join us in studio from Brevard County. You can hear us live on AM 1510 wwbc, FM 94.7, 99.9 and 100.47 every Monday 1pm EST
IVY HILL : purchase on Amazon or wherever you buy your books!
What happens when a loving family man dies suddenly and a stranger takes his place?
IVY HILL is a thoroughly American coming-of-age story set in the mid-20th century. Earthy, realistic, and mordantly funny, it is rich with details of that iconic era. It is also a timeless, universal tale of redemption, morality and conquering adversity, with nearly-mythic elements anyone from any century and virtually any culture would recognize: there’s a wicked giant, a good grandmother and a bad one, a “ghost” or two, and even, in a manner of speaking, a dark potion.
And at the center of the story, an innocent child.
Love, death, danger and fate intertwine in this novel, which was inspired by author Arthur Ruben’s actual life. It takes place in Brooklyn from 1952-1957, then Newark from 1958-1970. Ruben’s protagonist, five-year-old “Eddie,” is devastated following the death of his beloved 34-year-old father. He waits in vain and with a slowly breaking heart for Daddy to return. His mother’s disastrous remarriage, plus the family’s wrenching move from Brooklyn, NY, to the Ivy Hill section of Newark, NJ, turns Eddie’s life inside out. Over the next thirteen years, he is transformed from helpless brokenhearted child into an entirely different creature. The post-war society he was born into is also transformed: the repercussions of that potent and turbulent time, still in living memory-Viet Nam, Woodstock, the Mansons, and especially now, civil rights-are with us to this day, and will resonate with millions of readers.
Tara Gibson All Black Impact Foundation
Mission
ALL BLACK Impact Foundation’s (501c3) mission is to provide collaborative community-based resources to youth and their families in underserved communities to promote growth and advancement through educational, professional, and personal development programs, workshops and events.
Vision Statement
ALL BLACK Impact Foundation envisions that all people have access to unique community resources that empower individuals and families to seek and sustain a better life.
Core Values
Community – we are committed to inspiring collaborative relationships based on the unique needs of individuals and families in each community we serve.
Opportunity – we are committed to ensuring individuals have opportunities to engage in collaborative and meaningful experiences.
Respect – we are committed to treating all people with respect by exhibiting civility, kindness, and compassion and ensuring their opinions, desires, and ideas are heard and understood.
Education – we are committed to supporting a culture of greatness by providing opportunities where individuals and families are empowered to learn and excel.
ABIF Programs
Rich Kidz Biz Financial Literacy Program
Our financial literacy partner has provided us access to their financial literacy program that we use to educate our youth on the importance of sound money management.
Give A Kid An Experience
We believe that providing a child an unforgettable experience makes a greater impact in the life of that child. During the Christmas holiday we partner with other nonprofits to do just that. Over the past 2 years we have taken groups to an Orlando Magic basketball game and a Jacksonville Jaguars football game.
Hot Holiday Meal
For the past 3 years we have partnered with the Hassell Foundation to provide over 1,600 free hot meals to people in the community on Thanksgiving Day.
Break The Huddle – Speaker Series
We travel to speak to our youth in order to help motivate them and keep them on the right track. If you would like to invite us to come speak, email: tara@allblackab.com