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Playwright and author R. Eric Thomas on being 'Here For It'

Credit: Penguin Random House
Credit: Penguin Random House

Growing up in west Baltimore, R. Eric Thomas often felt like an outsider. He was a Black student at a mostly white private school; he was gay in a Baptist family.

Thomas’ memoir, "Here For It, or How to Save Your Soul in America," follows humorous and heartfelt detours in his journey of self-acceptance.

We hear how R. Eric Thomas got his start with a failed attempt at satire … how code-switching helped him hone his writing … and why his family’s lexicon included an opera from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Maureen Harvie produces The Stoop Storytelling Series Podcast. Before that, she was the Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.
Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.