1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Native Lampod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: Reason Choice Media. 3 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 2: Well come, well come, well come, well come, well come come. 4 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 3: Let's be real. 5 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 4: Like the same white people that were poor in seventeen 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 4: seventy six when they said we the people, but if 7 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,479 Speaker 4: you aren't white, rich and own property, you can't vote. 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 3: Those same white people are the ones that are out here. 9 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 4: Fighting against the democracy, fighting for president that didn't actually 10 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 4: fight for any of their rights, fighting for a president 11 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 4: that also picked up they're checks and their taxes, fighting 12 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 4: for president that didn't give them health care, fighting for 13 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 4: a president then give about their education. They're out here 14 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:41,919 Speaker 4: literally fighting against their own interests. 15 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 3: That is what they're fighting for. 16 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,560 Speaker 4: And at this point I think the only thing they're 17 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 4: fighting for is white supremacy. Is too uphold white supremacy 18 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 4: because they don't have shit that we don't have shits. 19 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 3: They don't have shits. The only thing they have is 20 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 3: their white skin. 21 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: All right, everyone, welcome home. 22 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 5: This is a Native Lampod Mini pod and we are 23 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 5: thrilled to be joining today by an incredible hero. Young 24 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 5: people make waves, and she is no exception. We witnessed 25 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 5: her unlawful arrest in DC just a few weeks ago, 26 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 5: as DC continues to be under occupation by the federal government, 27 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 5: and I got to tell y'all, this particular young lady 28 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 5: is someone who I was like, now, this is who 29 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 5: the ancestors are speaking through, and I just really want 30 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 5: to commend you for your courage, for your bold voice, 31 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 5: and if any, we want to welcome you home to 32 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 5: Native Lampid. 33 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 3: Are so happy to have today. Thank you so much 34 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 3: for having me. I've seen all of you on TV 35 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 3: various times, so excited to be here. 36 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 5: We're very grateful to share space with you. I would 37 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 5: love if you would be so kind to just share 38 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 5: what happened when you were detained and what your experience 39 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 5: was in being detained by these officers who did all 40 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 5: the things including pepper spray you, if any please talk 41 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 5: about your experience and what other young people are going 42 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 5: through in DC right now. Well. 43 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 3: Uh, first of all, I was out doing cop watch 44 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: with an organization called Harriet's Watter's Dreams. They're also in 45 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 3: partners with three DC. UH, So what we were doing 46 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 3: was lawful and legal. We've done it for years. My 47 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 3: experience with the Metro Transit police that detained me specifically, 48 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 3: one officer named Sergeant Dial was that I was singled 49 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 3: out from the rest of my group and I was 50 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 3: brutalized and arrested. When I was pepper sprayed, they like 51 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 3: subsequently poured water like all down the front of me, 52 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 3: so like the pepper spray kind of like spread down 53 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 3: to everything that you could imagine. So I was kept 54 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 3: in multiple police cars for hours. They took me to 55 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 3: the hospital. They didn't do much, but I was arrested 56 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 3: at ten I didn't get processed until six am. And 57 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 3: throughout all that time, I was handcuffed with my hands 58 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 3: by my back, either in a police car or at 59 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: the hospital for a few hours, and I was getting 60 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: pepper sprayed over and over and over again throughout the night, 61 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: like anytime I sweat or cried or anything like that. 62 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 3: And also the whole front of my clothes were wet. 63 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 3: So yeah, it was I don't know, I feel like 64 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: mentally very different. I've been doing this work for a while, 65 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 3: it's not my first time being arrested. It's my first 66 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 3: time being arrested in about five years. But yeah, this 67 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 3: one was like very different, and it might be because 68 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 3: of the context of everything else that's going on with 69 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:54,119 Speaker 3: young people, with undocumented people, with documented people who migrated 70 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 3: to this city, who are being snatched off the streets, 71 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 3: never to see their families again. You know, I was released. 72 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 6: The next day. 73 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: I was in a lot of pain, but I was 74 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 3: released the next day. People's lives are being changed by 75 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 3: the ways in which the Trump administration, Janine Piro being 76 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 3: our new ag and also our mayor really just kind 77 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 3: of not really doing much of the way of like 78 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 3: actually fighting this. 79 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 6: You know. 80 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, people from DC get sent all over the country 81 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 3: when they get incarcerated. There's no state prison, and there's 82 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 3: no then we have like about thirty five hundred beds. 83 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 3: There's nowhere to hold all these people, so they end 84 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 3: up getting sent anywhere that they can fit them. And 85 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 3: this will be black people disapportionately that are impacted in 86 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 3: the district by this. 87 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: Aphene, can I ask you. We spoke about Mayor Bowser 88 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: and how she's interacted with the Trump administration. We spoke 89 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: about it on last week's episode of NLP, and I 90 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: noted in conversations I had in person with people and 91 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: in a lot of the com that some people were 92 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: taken aback by our response and pushed back a little 93 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: bit and said, listen, Mayor Bowser is in a very 94 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: difficult spot. You know, why would we criticize this black 95 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: woman mayor who's doing the best that she can. And 96 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 1: they thought we were a little insensitive and perhaps naive 97 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: uh to the position that she's in. And just so 98 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: you know, our position was, if you're not going to 99 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: win with Trump, and why not be a revolution. I'm 100 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: just curious what you might say to people who have 101 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: that pushback for us, and maybe even you, I would. 102 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 3: Say that even up until this occupation, Mayor Bowser, throughout 103 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 3: this entire year has been taking tiny steps or big 104 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 3: steps depending on what you're what you're thinking about, towards UH, 105 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 3: the Trump administration and being in line with their agenda. 106 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 3: You know, home rule is a very sensitive topic. Even 107 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 3: if they they could institute a control board and not 108 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 3: even have to repeal home rule, and they the institute 109 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 3: control board in Congress, and our autonomy would essentially be cooked. 110 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:10,360 Speaker 3: I understand that fear, but you know, everything that Trump 111 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 3: asked for the mayor to put in our budget to 112 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 3: like get repealed, it happened. Sanctuary city status. She tried 113 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 3: to repeal that through the budget. That is not a 114 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 3: budget item, so our council stripped that out. She also 115 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 3: wanted to do away with rank choice voting that was 116 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 3: a democratically voted on ballid initiative. She wanted to do 117 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 3: away with tip wage worker raises. That was another democratically 118 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 3: voted on ballid initiative that was voted on twice. Over 119 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 3: seventy percent of the city wanted to see tip wage 120 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 3: workers get a raised, and the city council they partially 121 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 3: funded rape choice voting, they didn't fund it fully like 122 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 3: there was like they said they were going to, and 123 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 3: they completely did away with I eight two, which is 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 3: the tip the raise for the tip wage folks. So, 125 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:01,359 Speaker 3: I mean, it's it's kind of hard for me to 126 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 3: feel sympathy for her, especially at this time with my 127 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 3: history of like organizing against her, protesting against her, like 128 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 3: even meeting with her, talking with her. Muriel has never 129 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 3: been interested in like justice or like the interests of 130 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 3: working class people or addressing them or the material conditions 131 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 3: of people that live in Ward seven or eight, like 132 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 3: where the blackest part of the city. She's never been 133 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 3: invested in that. So I'm genuinely not surprised that she's 134 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 3: acting this way now, and I really feel like if 135 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 3: people have like issues with people criticizing her, they really 136 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 3: need to look back at her record in the way 137 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 3: that she has presented herself as a mayor, as a 138 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 3: black queer person, as you know she says she is, 139 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: she has not been. She has not legislated like a Democrat. 140 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 3: I'll just say it like that. 141 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: Well, because I'm going to pass the mike to you, Andrew, 142 00:07:57,760 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: But just because it's people who don't live in DC 143 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: may not be as familiar with d C home Rule. 144 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: So just for our viewers and our audience, d C 145 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: Home rule is shorthand essentially for legislation that passed in 146 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: Congress in nineteen seventy three that gave the d C 147 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: residents some autonomy before that when President Nixon was in office. 148 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: Before that, essentially Congress controlled d C and so you know, 149 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: they would appoint commissioners and appoint the member of Congress here, 150 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: a d C home rule allowed for elections here, even 151 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: though d C is a place where there is taxation 152 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 1: without full representation in Congress. 153 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: So sorry, Andrew, No, no, it's like they had a 154 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: territorial governance, you know, structure, what century are we in 155 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 2: here in America? 156 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 6: And that's partly why, you know, for those of us 157 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 6: who visit d C or go there for work, you 158 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 6: see that statehoods for d C, you know, plates and 159 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 6: the advocacy around that. It is bigger than a number 160 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 6: of states that are represented by two US senators in 161 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 6: the US Senate. They got more population. Yet Eleanor Holmes 162 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 6: Norton is a delegate, uh, non voting delegate to the Congress. 163 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 6: Except for very special situations, I think she can count 164 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 6: for quorum. But that's about that. That's about the whole 165 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,839 Speaker 6: of it. I just I want to salute you Sis 166 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 6: for the courage, frankly by what you've been standing on 167 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 6: quite fearless, and actually I don't think any of us 168 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 6: are without our levels of fear. But you absolutely present 169 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 6: quite fearlessly, I think, giving cover and also permission for 170 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:40,599 Speaker 6: the people who want to be with you to be 171 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 6: with you. I would, I would. I'm stepping back from 172 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 6: just sort of this current situation. I'm actually curious sort 173 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 6: of where did this get seated? Where are you from? 174 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 6: Where did you grow up? Like what what put you 175 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 6: on this path? Because I think there's something to be 176 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 6: taken from that and to be shared, you know with 177 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 6: our listeners around how you got to this this moment 178 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 6: that you've been built for. 179 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you know, I'm an armie brad. I was 180 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 3: born in Germany, so we did a little bit of 181 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 3: moving all over the country Baskett most of my time 182 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 3: really in Maryland. You know, I had like a very 183 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 3: I had a childhood with a lot of stuff, and 184 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 3: I lived in the neighborhood with like really like all 185 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,480 Speaker 3: we always lived in like really well resourced neighborhoods. I 186 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 3: was a cheerleader for like twelve years. I played lots 187 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 3: of instruments when I was younger. So like, I feel 188 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: like I really got an opportunity to fully like self determined, 189 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 3: and that has really lended to like the way that 190 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:42,439 Speaker 3: I imagine myself as an advocate, an organizer and like 191 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 3: quote unquote like political figure. And my entry point into 192 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 3: the movement was the George Floyd uprising. Before that, I 193 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 3: was like a full time college student. I was doing 194 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 3: I wanted to be a policy advisor, so I was 195 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 3: doing political science. I wanted to go to law school, 196 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 3: you know, do like campaign work and stuff like that. 197 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 3: And Yeah, then the George Wood Uprising happened, and pretty 198 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 3: much my entire life change from there, like I got 199 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 3: pulled into like just more radical organizing spaces. My first 200 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 3: organization was Fruiting Friders d C. From there, I started 201 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 3: working for the Movement, working with the Movement for Black Lives. 202 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 3: I got a job of working families party and like 203 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 3: I've just done, I've done like a lot of different 204 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 3: organizing congressionals, AM electoral organizers with congressional campaign in Maryland, 205 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 3: legislative work, legislative advocacy in Maryland, the state of Maryland. 206 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 3: And yeah, now I work for an organization called their 207 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 3: Budget Coalition, So I do budget equity work in DC. 208 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 3: Which is also why like my view of Muriel is 209 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 3: very it's deep in the line items like girl, your 210 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 3: your budget tells the story what your priorities are, and 211 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 3: time and time and time again, like this is what 212 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:58,160 Speaker 3: has been. So I don't know, I think there are 213 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 3: many different things that push me to where I am 214 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 3: like now, and like my level of political thought. I 215 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,360 Speaker 3: read a lot. I have a lot of really great mentors, 216 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 3: most of them are black women shout out. So yeah, 217 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 3: like I don't know, I'm really grateful, I'm really blessed, 218 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 3: And yeah. 219 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,679 Speaker 5: I love that Andrew did that, because I do think 220 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 5: that there's always a story that we have that anchors 221 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 5: who we become, the missions we fulfill, the purpose in 222 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 5: life that we that we chase. So I'm so grateful 223 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 5: for your upbringing and for the courage it birthed in you. 224 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 5: But I also love what you said at the end 225 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 5: about budgets. I worked for the Congressional Black Caucus coming up, 226 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 5: and my forever boss, Congressman Cleever, used to say, your 227 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 5: budget will tell you where your heart is, and that's 228 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 5: the reason why the CBC would always introduce an alternative 229 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 5: budget to tell people where their heart should be. But 230 00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 5: on this same issue, when the CBC was founded, they 231 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 5: had sixty one recommendations they took to Richard Nixon. In 232 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 5: those recommendations was DC statehood. In the nineteen seventy two 233 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 5: Gary and Deanna National Black Political Convention, in that agenda 234 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 5: was statehood for DC. The Black Papers process that we 235 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 5: just went through with State of the People, there is 236 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 5: a DC statehood paper for people who, just like Tip 237 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 5: mentioned earlier, may not understand DC home rule and it 238 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 5: why it matters. Can you speak to a little bit 239 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 5: about why this is a fight for the whole of 240 00:13:36,559 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 5: us and not just for the residents of DC. 241 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:42,560 Speaker 3: Absolutely, DC is an experimenting ground for like all the 242 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 3: things they want us try to spread throughout the country. 243 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,719 Speaker 3: Because of our lack of statehood, you know, there are 244 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 3: some ways where, especially even if you think about our 245 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 3: budget process, like the mayor proposes are budget, the Council 246 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 3: legislates the budget, votes on the budget, and then the 247 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 3: Congress approves our budget most of the time. Most of 248 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 3: the time, as for the most part, they've never really 249 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 3: intervened with our affairs, but then we saw congressional interference 250 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty three with our criminal code. We've also 251 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 3: seen some congressional interference around like our marijuana laws and 252 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 3: like our ability to have shrooms recreationally, with things that 253 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: were also voted on democratically thro valid initiative. So the 254 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 3: issue of statehood for DC is so important because DC 255 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 3: is no longer necessarily a majority black city. It's a 256 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 3: polar plurality black city. It's about forty three to forty 257 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:36,239 Speaker 3: six percent black now, and it's also being rapidly gentrified. 258 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 3: It's and a lot of that is because, like the 259 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 3: Mayor does some she does some work throughout the year, 260 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 3: but the Council really only has like seventy days to 261 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 3: really look at a budget proposal in DC, and that's 262 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 3: what's legislated in the Home Rule Act, So they only 263 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 3: have seventy days to like really try to create an 264 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 3: environment where transformative change could happen through a budget. And 265 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 3: it's like severely stunted. So who you are mayor is 266 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 3: in d C is very important because of that, and 267 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 3: because we don't have like senators, we don't have like 268 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 3: you know, we don't have real voting members in Congress. 269 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 3: There are many things that directly affect DC. DC pays 270 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 3: the highest federal tax rate that we don't actually get 271 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 3: a real say on. So not only are we bearing 272 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 3: the brunt of like the most like the cruelty of 273 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 3: whatever administration is in office, we are also like not 274 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 3: able to fully represent ourselves as a district and as 275 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 3: a city state whatever, you know. And there's seven hundred 276 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 3: thousand people in the district of the District of Columbia, 277 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 3: So we're bigger than a couple of states, Like we 278 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 3: have bigger populations in a couple of states. 279 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: That thank you so much, thank you, go ahead, I 280 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: just wanted to say thank you Lafi for joining us. 281 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: We really appreciate your time and just all the information 282 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: you provided and look forward to seeing your future work 283 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: and activism. So we appreciate it. 284 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 6: I think, I know you got to bounce. But last thing, 285 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 6: we love to leave people with something and something to do. 286 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 6: What what would look like support for you all and 287 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 6: your movement work in d C from people across the country. 288 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 6: What does support look like? What would you admonish us 289 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 6: to do well? 290 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 3: I would say number one, like, definitely talk to your 291 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 3: representatives about statehood. Statehood is a national issue for DC, 292 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 3: and DC should be the fifty first state, So that's 293 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 3: number one. And I would say number two for people 294 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:46,239 Speaker 3: that live in black cities like Chicago, like Oakland, Atlanta. 295 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 3: He ain't mentioned it yet, but a mean places like that. 296 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 3: This is a time to really get deep into like 297 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 3: the quality of relationships that you have. We need to 298 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 3: beginning to know each other. We need to be building 299 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 3: relationships of trust. We need to be organizing in a 300 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 3: way that will position us to act courageously and collectively. 301 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 3: And yeah, like we can do it. We do have 302 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 3: the power to do like to to do something this 303 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 3: is not happening to us. We can stop this. Uh 304 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:24,000 Speaker 3: and yeah, like, it's just you have to be able 305 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,640 Speaker 3: to be a part of that collective responsibility and take 306 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 3: up that mandate of being an active part of the 307 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 3: revolution of the culture whatever whatever you want to call it. 308 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,199 Speaker 6: Just be an actor. Yeah, I love that, love that. 309 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 6: We know you've got a balance. But thank you so much, 310 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 6: and we wish you well. 311 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 3: Oh sure, well, thank you so much. 312 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: Thank you guys for tuning in. A Feenie is so great. 313 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: I can't wait to see what's in store for her 314 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: and what she has more specifically in store for us. 315 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:52,639 Speaker 1: And again, if you like this conversation, A lot of 316 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: people don't know the politics of the nation's capital. So 317 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: even if you don't live here, if you're one of 318 00:17:56,320 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 1: the cities she named, please drop this in your group, chat, spread, review, subscribe, 319 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:04,679 Speaker 1: all of that. Not just to build an audience, but 320 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: to build community at a time such as this. So 321 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,919 Speaker 1: we're inviting you all into a space where you have 322 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: a seat at this table and you can participate in 323 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: this conversation. So please be sure to spread this conversation 324 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: and start your own community work, and hopefully Afeenie can 325 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: offer you some guidance here this conversation I hope can 326 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:23,960 Speaker 1: offer you some guidance here. Thanks for tuning in to 327 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: this mini pod, and welcome home y'all. Native Land Pod 328 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 1: is a production of iHeartRadio and partnership with Resent Choice Media. 329 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 330 00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.