Imagining a World Without White People ft. Sky Full of Elephants Author Cebo Campbell

BA Fam, Buckle up! This week’s episode is a ride.

Mandi sits down with author Cebo Campbell to talk about his debut novel “Sky Full of Elephants”, a bold, emotional story that begins with every white person in North America vanishing and unfolds into a layered exploration of Blackness, identity, and healing.

Cebo opens up about the personal roots of the story, the inspiration behind its unforgettable characters, and how fiction helps us imagine freedom. He also shares his journey from broke front desk clerk to building a million-dollar creative agency and why giving yourself permission to fail might be the key to your best work.

 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

-The real-life microaggression that inspired the title *Sky Full of Elephants*

-What it’s like to grow up biracial in a 98% white town—and how that shows up in fiction

-The power of water, lavender, and legacy in Black storytelling

-Cebo’s career pivot from college football to creative strategy to published author

-Why writing a bad book might be the first step to writing a great one

 

📚 Cebo’s Must-Reads:

-Things Fall Apart* by Chinua Achebe

-Wretched of the Earth* by Frantz Fanon

-Of Water and the Spirit* by Malidoma Patrice Somé

 

Get your copy of  Cebo Campbell’s Sky Full of Elephants https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Sky-Full-of-Elephants/Cebo-Campbell/9781668034927?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadzSs7U21rdopv9UaOsrLUlGDvv4aSMyfv_f1b8RxTjZSf4SCnJATZCLJAmZQ_aem_an5Xr1qUaPdkH3wkKBIgxA

 

BA Takeaway:

Your story matters—even the messy parts. And sometimes, the boldest thing you can do is write it down, by hand, and bet on yourself.

 

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