1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Wide 2 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: Open with Ashland Harris. Today, I can't wait to introduce 3 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: our guest, Marion Jones. Welcome to the podcast. You uh, 4 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,400 Speaker 1: one of my favorite humans. We caught up maybe what 5 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: was it two weeks ago, had such a great conversation 6 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: and we both went to the University of North Carolina. 7 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: You played hoops, yeah, and have have always been an 8 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: incredible track star. And now you're out, You're back on 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,520 Speaker 1: the grind. You were on Special Forces. 10 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you, Ashland. It has it has been an 11 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: incredible ride. To say it lightly, but it's always a 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: pleasure when I get an opportunity to to share and 13 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 2: talk with folks whom one like we have a a 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: special bond and that we made a decision to attend 15 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 2: the best university in the land. So that there's that, 16 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 2: so you know, we're very very smart individuals. But in 17 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: addition to that, Ashlynd like getting a chance to share 18 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: what I who I am with somebody whom I respect 19 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 2: at another level makes it even more enjoyable, and it 20 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: also makes the journey, which we know like can be 21 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 2: a challenging one when there are hiccups along the road. 22 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,919 Speaker 2: And to be able to communicate with somebody who understands 23 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: that and can help, like the world sip through it 24 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,400 Speaker 2: all makes it even better. So I'm just excited to 25 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 2: hop into all things. 26 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 3: Oh thank you, thank you for that. 27 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: And what I'll say is, you know, I Marion co 28 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: hosts a podcast called Second Wind, and I was lucky 29 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: enough to be on it and kind of kind of 30 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: share a little bit of my story and a lot 31 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: of it was centered around me. But what I love 32 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: so much about you is your bravery to stand in 33 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: the pain and talk about it and share your scars 34 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: and you know, come forward with your truth in a 35 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: lot of different ways and a lot of aspect like 36 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: that's there's so much courage. 37 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 3: And bravery in it. And you know, anyone who. 38 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 1: Knows your story, knows what you've had to walk through. 39 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: That's like a huge testament to your character. And I'm 40 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: grateful for you to do that because it is not easy, 41 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: and it is not easy by any means. And now 42 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: to come out and stand in your truth and come 43 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: out as being a queer woman, I just think there's 44 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: so much beauty in showing the world that no matter 45 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: what age you are, we get second chances at life, 46 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: and it's it's our job to take them and be 47 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: resilient and show up up. 48 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, no doubt. Like it's almost I almost find 49 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 2: that it's a we all. We have a certain sense 50 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: of responsibility when we have, in essence, been given the 51 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 2: baton no pun intended. 52 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 4: Or or the torch in regards. 53 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: To like someone some being felt that we would be 54 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 2: in a position when we are in on this planet 55 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 2: to have. 56 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,680 Speaker 4: A big voice, to have a big. 57 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: Presence, right, So I find that it's almost our responsibility 58 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 2: to once things happen in our life, good, bad and 59 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: everything in between, that you don't disappear that you stand 60 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: in it, even sometimes if it's funky, you standing in 61 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 2: your shit, right, And for for folks like myself and 62 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: you and others, for us to just like say, you 63 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 2: know what, I'm just gonna just be in my little 64 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: world here, right, and I'm not gonna share my experiences 65 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 2: and the good and the bad with anybody else because one, 66 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 2: maybe it's too painful, Maybe I don't want to be embarrassed. 67 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 4: Maybe it's it's going to be costly, right, Like it's 68 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 4: gonna be a financial hit to me. 69 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 2: That's all A bunch of like crap. But I've also 70 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 2: Ashland had to grow into it, right, Like I would 71 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 2: tell you, yeah, at twenty one years old when the 72 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 2: shit was hitting the fan, right, like, I was not 73 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 2: in this space. Ho no to not to share all 74 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: my stuff, like we can get into some of the 75 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 2: nitty gritty ashen but like when I was released from 76 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 2: federal prison, right and like really unsure of what the 77 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 2: future held. 78 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 4: I knew that. 79 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: I had a passion for sport, Like, you know, I 80 00:04:57,640 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 2: wanted to be competitive somehow. I was still fairly young, 81 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 2: but what would that look like in the world of sport? 82 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:09,040 Speaker 2: So you know, I wanted to try my hand in basketball, 83 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: and I did that and I made a WABA team, the. 84 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 4: Oldest rookie ever to do that. 85 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 2: That kind of fizzled out for a little bit and 86 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: then I'm like, well, well, who else are you marrying? 87 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 4: Because for so much of our lives, and I include union, yes, 88 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 4: our sport was who we are? Who are you married? 89 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: Oh? 90 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 4: I'm an athlete? Who are you Ashley? 91 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 3: Oh you're a rock soccer soccer player? 92 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 4: And beyond that, like I was just like like. 93 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 3: Who the who am I? Yeah? Who are we? How 94 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 3: do we show up, how do we move in the world? 95 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 4: Sport? And it bled into everything, It bled into relationships, 96 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 4: it bled into like and so I I'm actually so grateful. 97 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: And I know I'm just kind of going all over 98 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: the place here, but I'm just I'm grateful for the 99 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: times that I was forced to spend with my shit, 100 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: with myself. And that happened to be incarceration, right, forty 101 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 2: nine days in solitary confinement, whereby I had to say, 102 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:15,240 Speaker 2: all right, like pump the brakes, Marian, you are so 103 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 2: much more than what the world thinks you are, Okay? 104 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 2: Was I blessed Ashland to be able to run from 105 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: here to there very fast? 106 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 3: Was I blessed woman on the planet? Babe? 107 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:28,719 Speaker 4: Right? Or it's to stand a wall and right or 108 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 4: writ the layup or whatever, But that's not who you are. 109 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 4: That's what you do do. 110 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 2: Right, And you and you married, And I'm talking about 111 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 2: myself for a second, and the third person, I don't 112 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 2: always do that. 113 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 4: It you You were so much more than that. Like 114 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 4: my mom is a is a was is is a rock. 115 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 2: Star human right. She made the decision when she was young. 116 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,359 Speaker 2: She was pregnant with my older brother. I have one sibling. 117 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 2: He's one year he's five years older than me. And 118 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,239 Speaker 2: she made the decision when she she's from a small 119 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 2: country in Central America by the name of Billize, and 120 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 2: she became pregnant with my brother, with my brother, and 121 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: she made a decision. You know what, My current situation 122 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 2: is not one that I want for myself anymore, nor 123 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: my babies. So I am gonna make that trek and 124 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 2: get up to the States to try and provide a 125 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: better life for them. And in my darkest moments, ashlynd 126 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 2: And they were dark, right, I spent I told you 127 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: forty nine days locked up, right, twenty three out of 128 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 2: twenty four days unable to go outside. And sometimes because 129 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: of where I was incarcerated here in Texas, some of 130 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 2: the guards didn't even want to take me out for 131 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,559 Speaker 2: the one hour of wreck time because it was sold. 132 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 2: And in those moments from like would Mary, would this 133 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,679 Speaker 2: be what Marion lois? That's my mom's name, Marian. Also 134 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 2: I used to call her big Marion me little Marian. 135 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 2: Now it's the other way around. Is this what Marion 136 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 2: Loy's envision for her babies? 137 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: Is? 138 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 2: This? 139 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 4: Is this what and who I am? Right? 140 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 2: Is this like the products of all of the sacrifices 141 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: that she made. Yeah, And once I put it in 142 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 2: that perspective, I'm like, well, hell to the no, it's 143 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 2: not did I Did I make some poor decisions? 144 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 4: Did we go a little bit off track? 145 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 2: But that's not going to define that's not going to 146 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: define me, and I refuse to allow it. 147 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 4: To define me. Right, And so that is when the 148 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 4: growth like started. And I don't know, honestly, Ashlynd, I 149 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:45,839 Speaker 4: don't know if without having that quiet time, even though 150 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 4: it was forced upon me right. 151 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 2: To just sit with myself, if I would have come 152 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 2: to that real that that moment that. 153 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 4: I am not what I do? 154 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, and so and so when I say that 155 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 2: I'm grateful for it all, that's what I mean. 156 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 4: And when I say I mean, are there regrets? Sure? Whatever? Whatever, 157 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 4: right you know, are there moments? But man, I don't know. 158 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 2: I'm gonna tell you because I am not the woman 159 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 2: that I am today. I mean, you hear it all 160 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 2: the time from people who have perseveres and who are 161 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 2: so resilient. You hear it from them all the time. 162 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: I'm not the person who I am today. If I 163 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 2: hadn't gone through my. 164 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 3: Sky yes, yes, I agree. 165 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: I we we speak the same language. And I'll say 166 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: this for those of you who are listening or watching 167 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 1: and who who don't know the background of Marion, I 168 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 1: mean she was. You're You're the trailblazer on and off 169 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: the field. You're a phenom. I mean, how many people 170 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: can literally say, oh, I went to the University of 171 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:03,600 Speaker 1: North Carolina, played basketball one national championship and became one 172 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: of the most like fastest women on the planet. And Sydney, 173 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: you know you in two thousand and you won five 174 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 1: medals and you just you were the first black female 175 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: athlete on the cover of Vogue, Like you were everywhere, 176 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 1: like it was insane. And then what happened was, you know, 177 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: I don't want to speak for you as you live. 178 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:28,880 Speaker 3: This is there. 179 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: This is when performance enhancement drugs started really hitting the scene. 180 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 3: And like, you know, I am younger than you, and. 181 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: I understand what you sacrifice at all costs to be 182 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 1: the greatest. 183 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 4: I smiled. 184 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 2: Now, there was a time, Ashley, when I would cringe 185 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 2: when people would like make comments or you know, I 186 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: there was a lot of disappointment in all of it 187 00:10:55,679 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 2: with me, Like I dealt with the familial disappoint like 188 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 2: disappointing my family and like my close people, and that 189 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 2: is that is actually a constant that I struggle with 190 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 2: and that I. 191 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 4: Deal with often still. 192 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 2: But this idea that in the past when people would 193 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 2: come in and they would say certain things about my 194 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 2: legacy and my career and all that, and it would 195 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 2: just get under my skin and eat me up, and 196 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 2: I just kind of have to like swallow my words. 197 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 2: And now I'm at a point where like cool, like 198 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 2: what were you doing when you were twenty eighteen, nineteen 199 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: twenty three, Like did you have a microscope on you? 200 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 1: Were? 201 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 2: You're getting paid millions of dollars and everybody in your 202 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 2: circle were patting you on the back and they were 203 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 2: your yes people, And you know, I'm people listening. 204 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 4: To that, They're like, well, what is that? 205 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 2: These are people who are around you because and they 206 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: tell you yes to everything. 207 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 4: Yes, you're awesome, Yes you're beautiful. Yes that's the right decision, right. 208 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 2: And if you're around that and long enough, you start 209 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 2: to like it and you start to say, you know what, 210 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,960 Speaker 2: I have the resources and the power to only surround 211 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: those people with me and people who are going to 212 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 2: give it to me straight, like my mama, like my 213 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 2: close friends, I'm going to distance myself from them because 214 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 2: I don't have to hear them telling me that I'm 215 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 2: not great or beautiful, right, And that's what happens. And 216 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 2: so I just smile now when when you know people 217 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 2: will comment because that stuff now is. 218 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 4: We think differently. 219 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 2: We meeting elite right, like thinkers, elite musicians, elite athletes. 220 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 4: We think differently, and that people can come at us 221 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 4: all they. 222 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 2: Want, and they don't understand how when you get to 223 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 2: a certain level of maturity in your growth, Like. 224 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 3: We use that shit as fuel fuel. 225 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: Right, Like I'm training right now, ashlond for for a triathlone, 226 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,680 Speaker 2: don't triathl don't ask me how I get myself into 227 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 2: this stuff. 228 00:12:55,559 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: But because we're used to pain, what comfort and the 229 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: suffering girl and so. 230 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 2: Mean, this idea of fuel is in my everyday vocabulary 231 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 2: because triathletes they talk about fueling them, fueling their workouts NonStop. 232 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,080 Speaker 2: But I like to laugh, like I love the critics now, 233 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 2: like it's like, yes, come at me, come at me 234 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,719 Speaker 2: right now, so that just for a moment, I can 235 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 2: turn that dang mirror around and say, okay, well, tell 236 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 2: me about tell me about your twenties to thirties, right, 237 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 2: tell me about your thirties, so for me, tell me 238 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 2: about your childhood? Right, and and are you able to 239 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: now stand in it all and share with the world 240 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 2: with the hopes of making helping people realize that they 241 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 2: don't have to stay stuck there Ashley, That's where I'm 242 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:44,839 Speaker 2: at right now. 243 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 4: The mantra is what you don't have to stay stuck 244 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,959 Speaker 4: in your stuff. You don't have to. When you do, 245 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 4: you're making a decision to stay there. You don't have to. 246 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: There are resources, there are tools, things that you can learn. 247 00:13:57,200 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 2: Your failure in life doesn't have to stay there. 248 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 3: Forever, right, And that's where the power lies, no doubt. 249 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 4: And then and then the last thing that I share 250 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 4: is like, we all have setbacks, right, how can you 251 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 4: use it as a catalyst, right for your biggest comeback? 252 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 4: And they're like, no, I don't know. I was like, hey, here, 253 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 4: just just follow my journey. 254 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 255 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 4: If you if you need a living. 256 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 2: Example, right, like, log into this damn podcast, follow Action's career, like, 257 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: like you know, follow Marion on Instagram. 258 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 4: Whatever. If you're looking for it, it's. 259 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 3: Out there out there. 260 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: You just gotta like and we're humanizing it though, Like 261 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: that's the problem, is humanizing it. 262 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 3: Stay tuned, we'll be right back after this. I want 263 00:14:58,760 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 3: to I want to. 264 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: I want to talk about the price of greatness that 265 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: people don't know. Right, So people always think I want 266 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: to be rich, I want to be powerful. It's the 267 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: American mentality, right, But people don't understand the toll it 268 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: takes on being the one. 269 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 3: People don't understand the pressure to perform at all fucking costs. 270 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: People don't know the difference, like you know, ambition, expectation, 271 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:25,240 Speaker 1: like what is right? 272 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 3: What is wrong? 273 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 2: It's it's you throw you throw in that in that 274 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 2: pot of goodness that you just shared. You know, the 275 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: pressures of being a woman of color, right, yea, the 276 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 2: pressure of being a queer woman before I was even 277 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: comfortable with sharing with the world and for fear right, 278 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 2: that is going to negatively impact me financially. 279 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 4: And whatever else. 280 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 2: And that I've found and I've been able to identify 281 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 2: now Ashlyn as I'm about to turn fifty this year, 282 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 2: which is mind blowing. Like we celebrated a few years back, 283 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 2: we celebrated thirty years from. 284 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 4: The time we won the national champion, Like. 285 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 3: It's crazy. That is crazy, right, it is crazy crazy. 286 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 2: Maybe it's crazy because you know, every year during March 287 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 2: Madness they show the shot that we won, so it's 288 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 2: kind of constantly relieved. Yeah, but that's insane. But I 289 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 2: find now I can put a word to it. It 290 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 2: is a very lonely, lonely journey. People like I want 291 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 2: to be a success, like you said, I want to 292 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: be rich. I want to be on the cover of. 293 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 4: This, on the on the let me. 294 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 3: People are not ready. 295 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 4: Many people are not ready that I mean you you 296 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 4: think you see like special social especially with social media, 297 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 4: you only see the beautiful, the nice. 298 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 3: Good, the highlights, what we call the highlights. 299 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 2: People don't know that ninety nine I'm gonna throw a 300 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 2: number too. In ninety nine point eight percent of the time, 301 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 2: it is a dark place to get there. You see success, 302 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 2: you see the gold medals. You know you don't You 303 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 2: don't know that. I struggle with stuff growing up in 304 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:13,480 Speaker 2: terms of a parent whome turned their back on my fam, 305 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 2: my mom and I right, and and although I wanted 306 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 2: to be a part of his life and him see 307 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: my successes and. 308 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 4: All that, he chose not to. 309 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:24,719 Speaker 2: To the point I get to Carolina. Let me tell 310 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,320 Speaker 2: you a quick story that it always about. I get 311 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 2: to Carolina and we win. We win the national championship 312 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 2: my freshman year. My sophomore year, we make it to 313 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 2: the sweet sixteen. So we have to fly out to 314 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 2: my hometown in Los Angeles. And I were playing Stanford 315 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 2: and we're down at halftime. 316 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,200 Speaker 4: We're just struggling, and I run to the locker room. 317 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 2: But before I get there, I look into the fans 318 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 2: and I see my father. Now I hadn't seen my 319 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,880 Speaker 2: father in maybe five or six years. He had cut 320 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 2: off all communication with me, et cetera. And I see 321 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,879 Speaker 2: him right, but I'm running into the locker room, and 322 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,959 Speaker 2: it almost it makes me excite, Like you know, at 323 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 2: that point, I'm really wanting his approval. Right, Look what 324 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 2: I've been doing, Dad, right, Like I'm doing something. 325 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 4: It's big, it's great. 326 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: And he just never responded in high school and on 327 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 2: all that. And I see his face Ashlyn and I 328 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 2: and he kind of pumps me up, like. 329 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 4: Well we wound up. 330 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: Was still losing to Stanford, and that's emotional and everything. 331 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 2: And I come out and my mom had driven by 332 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 2: that point, she had moved to North Carolina, right, So 333 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 2: she was there and I came out mainly because I 334 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 2: just wanted to see him, man, I wanted to like 335 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,199 Speaker 2: hug him, and he was gone, like I couldn't never, 336 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 2: I could never find him. And that was actually the 337 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,760 Speaker 2: last time that I saw him because after I won 338 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 2: in the Olympics, a number of years later thousand, two 339 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 2: thousand and one, I get. 340 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 4: A call that my dad had passed, that my father 341 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 4: had passed away. 342 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 2: Right, And so people don't know in all of those moments, 343 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 2: all of those awards and celebrations, and like how hard 344 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 2: it was not to know why. 345 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 4: He made certain choices and we all do right, like 346 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 4: especially now that we all got different reasons why we 347 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 4: do stuff, and the idea of not having any of 348 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,880 Speaker 4: those questions answered now forever. 349 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's hard. 350 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,919 Speaker 1: It does something to someone, you know, it's hard not 351 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: I don't care how much work you do on yourself, 352 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:35,959 Speaker 1: marry and like, it does something to someone, and you 353 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: internalize that. 354 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 4: People only see ah, the gold medal, and people only 355 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:43,160 Speaker 4: see all that other stuff. They don't know that there 356 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:47,439 Speaker 4: is a demon in there that is many times you're 357 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 4: not high that you don't want the world to. 358 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: See you know you're pushing it and you're like, no, 359 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: don't come out now, come out now? 360 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 4: Why he wants to see? 361 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: Right, Like, this is what I'm going to make them 362 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 2: see exactly what they want to see, which is not 363 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 2: a queer woman of color during that time. 364 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, Like I actually no, I didn't know that 365 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: about you, Marin. 366 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 3: I didn't know that you already knew. Oh yeah years ago. 367 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 4: You know, there's when. 368 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 3: Did you when did you know? I'm curious? 369 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 4: Probably high school? Oh wow, yeah they're there. And yeah. 370 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 2: Also there's pressure that I have never even really talked 371 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 2: about Ashlyn in that my my family on my maternal side, 372 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 2: I share there from Belize, right, which is a very. 373 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:44,400 Speaker 4: They were a former British colony, right. 374 00:20:44,359 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 2: And so they're very very conservative even now, like I'll 375 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 2: tell you even now. And so growing up in a 376 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 2: household whereby I knew that it like it wasn't a 377 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 2: thing like it it better not be a thing, right, 378 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: like this is the way it should be, you know, 379 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 2: men and women and families and babies, and that is 380 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 2: how it should look. And so I have you have 381 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 2: that pressure that one again. I go back to not 382 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 2: wanting to disappoint the woman who risked it all for 383 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:24,640 Speaker 2: following and I have for her and her journey and 384 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:29,120 Speaker 2: how this will be interpreted by her and her country 385 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 2: men and women right where by now as a parent, 386 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 2: I know and of course now with my relationship with 387 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 2: my mom that has blossomed that it didn't need to 388 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 2: be that I could have one thousand percent. 389 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 4: Been able to share with her who my authentic self 390 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 4: was and she would have still loved and embraced me 391 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 4: no matter what. So if there are regrets when people 392 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 4: are like, oh there must be, let me tell you, 393 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 4: that's the fucking regret regrets or reaction for. 394 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 3: My where where past that you be? 395 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 4: You the regret that my mom and I had to 396 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,919 Speaker 4: go through so many years and decades of disconnect because 397 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 4: I felt that that was what I needed to do 398 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:25,560 Speaker 4: besides all the. 399 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 2: Other stuff, right, besides telling the world whatever when it's 400 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,119 Speaker 2: your mama, right, and and how our relationship has manifested 401 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 2: now because I'm my authentic self and wishing that I 402 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 2: could get all of those. 403 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 4: Years back right. 404 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, And it's very raw and real with me right now, 405 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 2: just because like knowing that. 406 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 4: It hurt her for her daughter to be like disconnected. 407 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:56,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I want to dive into that a little 408 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 1: bit because I can tell it's bumping you. Yeah, And 409 00:22:58,880 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: I want to talk about because I think it's really 410 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: important because you have gone through so much. You were 411 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: sentenced to fuck it you, I mean, you were locked 412 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: up and all of this stuff in the public eye 413 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: was unfolding. So many people had judgment, so many people 414 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 1: had something to say. And I'm curious because I know 415 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: I'm a mom, you're a mom. The shame and the 416 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,520 Speaker 1: private healing and that amongst those walls where you can't 417 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 1: the only person you can talk to is yourself and 418 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,920 Speaker 1: your soul. And I'm curious what that like was, what 419 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: that walk me through that? What is the difference between 420 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: the guilt and the shame? Where's the power in between it? 421 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: Where do I even begin to where do you begin 422 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: to forgive yourself? 423 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:53,640 Speaker 2: You know, you know, as I've shared the moments that 424 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 2: were the deepest and darkest were you know, during those 425 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 2: forty nine days, But they also the most enlightening because 426 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 2: you know, people will people don't know, I say, you know, 427 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 2: but people don't know when you are in what they 428 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 2: call the shoe, which is just a way for you 429 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 2: to say solitary confinement. Generally most of your privileges have 430 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:23,199 Speaker 2: been taken away, right, So I'll give a little bit 431 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 2: of background on why I was insolitary. First of all, 432 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: I was sentenced to six months in incarceration for lying 433 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 2: to federal investigators. 434 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 4: That was my offense. 435 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: And when I was initially sentenced on that particular day 436 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 2: in New York, my legal team and I went. 437 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 4: Into the sentencing. 438 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 2: Fairly confident Ashland that I would be sentenced to some 439 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 2: form of probation. 440 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 4: They do an. 441 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 2: Extensive investigation on the individual and the benefits of incarcerating 442 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 2: somebody versus them being on probation and essentially using their 443 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 2: mess to teach. So the recommendation from the court even 444 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 2: before we went into the sentencing was that Marian most 445 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 2: likely would be given probation, although we knew that there 446 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 2: was a chance that time could be had. 447 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 4: I stepped in there. 448 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,880 Speaker 2: With confidence, and so did my lab And so three 449 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 2: hours later I had to look to my left and 450 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,320 Speaker 2: my right to my attorneys and I said, hold on, 451 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 2: did I hear this guy the judge say that I 452 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 2: was sentenced to six months incarceration And they were almost 453 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 2: flabberg acid as well, like, we don't we think so 454 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,639 Speaker 2: in essence, what it came down to, and the judge 455 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 2: shared this that I was of course being used as 456 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 2: the example. You know, of course, plus athletes that were 457 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:02,440 Speaker 2: in all of this, somebody needed to be the example. 458 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 2: Found out later Ashland, and I don't mind saying now, 459 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 2: I don't need to whisper please, at that time that 460 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 2: this particular judge was up for reelection. 461 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,920 Speaker 4: And needed to have a big case, a big strong case. Right. 462 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 2: Anyways, whole other story that we won't go down to, 463 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:23,400 Speaker 2: but the whole point that when I was initially sentenced, 464 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 2: I was sentenced to some. 465 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 4: Hardcore federal prison I don't know, and I don't. 466 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 2: Even remember this in Mississippi or somewhere. It wasn't Martha 467 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 2: Stewart type like incarceration. Right. 468 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 4: Thankfully, at the last moment they moved me closer to 469 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 4: home in Fort Worth. And there's two parts of the 470 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 4: federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. It's called Carswealth. 471 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 2: There is a camp side Ashland whereby they are offenders 472 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: that like fudge on their taxes, like no, not hardcore offenders. 473 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 2: And across the street behind the barbed wire there are 474 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 2: your hardcore offenders, murderers whatever, so I was on the 475 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 2: camp side, right, and I was functioning in there. 476 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:08,880 Speaker 4: I was, you know, figuring it out. 477 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: And trying to understand and learn the prison way. 478 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 4: No background, Ashland. 479 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,360 Speaker 3: Whatever that look, I mean, nobody in my family. 480 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 2: I mean the only exposure I had to it was 481 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,560 Speaker 2: that show lock Up like lock. 482 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 3: Hell, yeah, I watched that too. 483 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 4: I love that damn show. 484 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:34,679 Speaker 3: And so I'm glad you could laugh about it. 485 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 4: Now. You have to know, right, you have to. 486 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 2: Know I didn't have any any any any prison sense. 487 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 4: And I find out quickly right that there are some 488 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 4: halves and have nots. Even in prison. There haves are 489 00:27:46,640 --> 00:27:50,359 Speaker 4: people who have a support system on the outside, people 490 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 4: whom will write them and you can call and they 491 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 4: will put money on your books so that you can 492 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 4: get commissary. And then you have the have nots. And 493 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,800 Speaker 4: these are people, unfortunately who maybe I've been in the 494 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 4: system for so long Ashland, they have no support system, 495 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:06,439 Speaker 4: so they don't have anybody who writes to them, they 496 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 4: don't have anybody who puts money on their books for 497 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,479 Speaker 4: the basic necessities. And so the way the system works 498 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:16,640 Speaker 4: is by if you're part of the have nots, you 499 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 4: have a trade, you have a skill that you and 500 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 4: essence sell so that you can have money on your commissary. 501 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 4: And I learned that. 502 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 2: Of course, I had folks supporting me, and I had money, 503 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 2: plenty of money on my commissary to buy stuff. So 504 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 2: I had a roommate who was part of the have 505 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 2: not and she offered her skill was washing clothes. Let 506 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: me tell you why it's a big thing in prison, 507 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 2: because they only have two or three washers and dryers 508 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: on the camp side and you have to stand there 509 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 2: the entire time or somebody will steal your shit. Okay, 510 00:28:46,640 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 2: w I hired her to wash my stuff because I 511 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 2: worked out a lot. Again, that's my release from it all. 512 00:28:53,480 --> 00:28:57,240 Speaker 2: I left my prison time more in shape. 513 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 4: Than when I went to the Olympics. 514 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 2: That's how much I worked out, because that I had 515 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 2: a lot of sweatsuits and I needed to wash it often. Well. 516 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 2: I started to notice, Ashland, that some of my stuff 517 00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 2: was missing, like and I'm paying her in commissary of course, 518 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 2: to make sure my stuff is And you find out 519 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 2: very quickly, Ashland, that you do not confront anybody that. 520 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:24,680 Speaker 4: You don't do that. 521 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:26,680 Speaker 2: So I have to figure out a way how to 522 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 2: tell this individual that I don't want to use her 523 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 2: services anymore in a way that she's not going to 524 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 2: take offense. And so I decided, you don't do it 525 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 2: in front of anybody else, you do it one on one, 526 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 2: which I did and then I realized later on though, 527 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 2: but what I did really was I took away her 528 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 2: ability to get anything from commissary by saying hey, in 529 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 2: the way I said it was, hey, I'm not gonna 530 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 2: I'm not going to need for you to do that anymore. 531 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: I'm going to wash stuff myself. I did it very gently, lightly. 532 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. 533 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:00,320 Speaker 2: Well, she didn't take it very well, and there was 534 00:30:00,360 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 2: an altercation to the point where I had to run. 535 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 4: I mean, there were. 536 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 2: Fistical all kinds of stuff why or had to run 537 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 2: find the guard. The guard then takes us both to 538 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,640 Speaker 2: the other side, the real prison side, while they do 539 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 2: an investigation, which took forty nine days. 540 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 4: Her word versus my word. So that is why I 541 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 4: was in solitary for forty nine days. 542 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 2: Right again, though your reaction is this, but Ashley, it 543 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 2: was such a blessing because if I was on the 544 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 2: camp side and I'm doing my job and I'm functioning, 545 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 2: and I'm doing marrying type things, which means I'm connecting 546 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:40,760 Speaker 2: with people and I'm forming relationships and I'm learning and 547 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 2: all of that. I don't know if I would have 548 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 2: had time to pause enough even in prison the camp side, 549 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,840 Speaker 2: as opposed to when I was twenty three out of 550 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 2: twenty four days where I was just by myself. And 551 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 2: so to kind of wrap this story, bring it in 552 00:30:57,360 --> 00:30:59,719 Speaker 2: for a landing, you talked about like what it all 553 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 2: looked like initially? 554 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 4: Dark? Right? I journaled a lot, I, you know. 555 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 2: Beat myself up, like how could you you know, how 556 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 2: could you have made certain choices? How how why did 557 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 2: you surround yourself with people who wouldn't be solid with you? 558 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 2: Or why couldn't you identify red flags and relationships and 559 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 2: all that? 560 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 4: And then you just get to a point, probably two 561 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 4: three four weeks. 562 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 2: Into my my time in solitaire, I'm like, well, what 563 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 2: is that? 564 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 4: Like what's that doing for you? 565 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 2: Like? Is that gonna help me when I get out 566 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 2: to figure out who I am, who I'm going to become? 567 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 4: Is that going to provide a living? 568 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:43,680 Speaker 1: Like? 569 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 3: What? 570 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: What? 571 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:44,680 Speaker 4: What? 572 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 2: And so you just I just got to a point 573 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 2: where I'm like done with the fucking tears. I'm done 574 00:31:50,320 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 2: with them I'm done with the apologies. I stood on 575 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 2: the courtroom steps after the sentencing. I stood on the 576 00:31:56,840 --> 00:32:00,959 Speaker 2: courtroom steps, and I had made the decision, even prior 577 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 2: to the sentencing Ashland, that for the last time, I 578 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 2: was going to share with the world like this is 579 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:15,479 Speaker 2: what happened, and I apologize right because also I asked 580 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 2: for acceptance with the world, right like I wanted to 581 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 2: be on the cover of every magazine, right like I 582 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 2: wanted the fame, I wanted the money, and I brought 583 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 2: this the whole world with me. And when I made 584 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:31,280 Speaker 2: certain poor choices, I disappointed many, many people, and they 585 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 2: deserved an apology. So that's why on the courtroom steps 586 00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 2: in front of I don't know somebody brought up the 587 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 2: other day, it must have been one thousand plus cameras, 588 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: I shared that I had made a poor choice, and 589 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 2: I am accepting my consequences. And the moment that I knew, Ashland, 590 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 2: that I was going to get through it all, this 591 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 2: was even before I went I surrendered and turned myself 592 00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 2: in for the six months. On those courtroom steps, my 593 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 2: mom's hand was on my shoulder, right, and she's rubbing 594 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 2: my shoulder, and she's whispering in my ear. With all 595 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,160 Speaker 2: the cameras and the questions, she said, you got this, 596 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 2: You're gonna get through this. 597 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 4: We're going to get through this. 598 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 2: And people have asked how when like that is the 599 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:24,200 Speaker 2: moment for me that I knew that it was gonna 600 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 2: be hard, right, I'm no stranger to hard stuff, to discomfort, 601 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,959 Speaker 2: as we talk about, I knew that it was going 602 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 2: to have the dark, hard moments. But then the next 603 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:39,440 Speaker 2: day we'd bring some light. And I decided while I 604 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:42,160 Speaker 2: was in the shoe, while I was locked up in solitary, 605 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 2: that when the time was right Ashland, that the world was. 606 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 4: Going to hear the whole story. They were going to 607 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 4: hear about the mess. 608 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 2: They were gonna hear how I was able to deal 609 00:33:56,320 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 2: with it, get through it, like all of it when 610 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 2: I was ready, when I also felt like my family 611 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 2: was ready. 612 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 4: At that point, I had two kids, two boys, and. 613 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's what people don't know, like you were 614 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:15,560 Speaker 1: doing this when you had two like you were a 615 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:16,320 Speaker 1: new mom. 616 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 4: Yeah. 617 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, And it was also the catalyst though, to say, 618 00:34:20,280 --> 00:34:22,719 Speaker 2: you know what, like it's time to share with the 619 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,480 Speaker 2: world what it is, because, as you know, when you 620 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 2: have kids, everything you say and you don't say. Everything 621 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:35,239 Speaker 2: you do and don't do like affects them. And so 622 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:39,680 Speaker 2: during that time when I was being investigated and everything, 623 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 2: and I'm you know, claiming that I didn't know what 624 00:34:42,480 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 2: I had been given and all that type of stuff, 625 00:34:44,680 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 2: And right, I'm turning around and coming home and telling 626 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,800 Speaker 2: my kids, like, when you make a poor choice, you 627 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:55,600 Speaker 2: tell me and we deal with the consequences, and. 628 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:57,600 Speaker 4: What a hypocrite. 629 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, like I was living and then I'm like, wait, no, 630 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,719 Speaker 2: at at one point in my kids' lives, they're gonna 631 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 2: do the timeline right, and they're gonna say, Okay, you know, 632 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:10,719 Speaker 2: mom was in lead athlete, she was this, this, this, 633 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,399 Speaker 2: and she made poor choices and then she had us 634 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,960 Speaker 2: and then she was still telling lies but then telling 635 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 2: us not to lie. What No, pump the brakes. I 636 00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 2: don't care what the consequences are gonna be, and it 637 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 2: certainly I didn't at that point know what they were 638 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 2: gonna be. But I don't care because this means more 639 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 2: to me than any of it. 640 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:32,399 Speaker 4: Right. If I lose it all, I lose it all. 641 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 2: But at least I have the respect of my babies, right, 642 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:41,359 Speaker 2: And that's I mean that was the catalyst. And so 643 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 2: now I can stand here and I go back to 644 00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:48,160 Speaker 2: this idea of pride knowing that my kids right, and 645 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 2: they're old enough now I have a twenty one, a seventeen, 646 00:35:50,560 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 2: and a fifteen, and they know the story right, and 647 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,399 Speaker 2: that they when they dissect it all, if they haven't yet, 648 00:35:58,560 --> 00:35:59,080 Speaker 2: they will. 649 00:35:59,560 --> 00:35:59,880 Speaker 3: Right. 650 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,719 Speaker 2: I've raised some incredible humans that are gonna make such 651 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:06,239 Speaker 2: an incredible impact in the world. And what I am 652 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 2: most proud of in my life to having having to 653 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 2: do that and doing that. 654 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 4: But now it's time. My quiet time is done. My 655 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 4: time now is to shout it right whoever needs to 656 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 4: hear it. People who weren't who are not even a 657 00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:26,680 Speaker 4: fan Ashland of sport, who could care less how fast 658 00:36:26,760 --> 00:36:30,280 Speaker 4: I ran, how many soccer balls you blocked, right, But. 659 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 2: They now are in some shit and they need to 660 00:36:33,120 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 2: hear from somebody who has lived it that it's possible. 661 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 4: To get out of it. 662 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 2: Yep, right, And that is the moment that you know 663 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,319 Speaker 2: what I'm gonna shout. I don't care if there's still 664 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 2: doors slam Ashton, I don't care if there's some people 665 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 2: out there that are like and I. 666 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 4: Don't want to hear from her she's a cheat, or. 667 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,240 Speaker 2: I don't want to hear from her because she lied, 668 00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 2: okay by Felicia? 669 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 4: Is that what now? 670 00:36:57,640 --> 00:36:58,760 Speaker 3: Just unsubscribed? 671 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 4: Right? Not? And my voice will not be stifled. 672 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 2: I am not going to have as you talked about earlier, 673 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 2: like my narrative written for me anymore. So and so 674 00:37:11,560 --> 00:37:14,359 Speaker 2: and that is the moment right where ah you talk 675 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:17,960 Speaker 2: about it, talk about strength, you talk about like that's 676 00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:21,880 Speaker 2: the fuel that gets me up now in all of it, Ashlyn, 677 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 2: and my my tone will change just for a millisecond. 678 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 2: I don't want anybody hearing this to think that that 679 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:34,040 Speaker 2: they're not days, they're not moment that I that I 680 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 2: sit and I stew in it, right and then I 681 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:40,400 Speaker 2: don't you know, there's not sadness and anger and humiliation 682 00:37:40,520 --> 00:37:41,319 Speaker 2: and embarrassment. 683 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,400 Speaker 4: It's not that. But I just don't stay there for 684 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 4: longer than however long, right. 685 00:37:46,719 --> 00:37:49,719 Speaker 3: No, that grief, that grief still lives within you. 686 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,279 Speaker 2: Days and that you just you're you're better equipped with 687 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 2: how to deal with. 688 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:55,239 Speaker 3: To handle it. 689 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I got to ask this as you say this, 690 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 1: it's just you know, I'm I'm you know, as we spoke, 691 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: you know a few weeks ago I am in the 692 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:07,120 Speaker 1: journey now of my second wind, and you're so true 693 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: and sure of who you are, and you talk about 694 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 1: this really important moment where your mom puts, you know, 695 00:38:13,680 --> 00:38:17,440 Speaker 1: her hand on your shoulder and just shows you like 696 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:20,320 Speaker 1: I'm here, like I got you and we're in this together. 697 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:22,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, just grace. 698 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: Who showed up for you when everyone else left besides 699 00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:31,800 Speaker 1: your mom? Because that's been my biggest struggle. I'll be 700 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: real honest, that's been my biggest struggle is when all 701 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:39,320 Speaker 1: this shit you know, happened and all these people it 702 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: opened the door all these opinions and expectations and who 703 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:45,920 Speaker 1: you were and how you showed up as a mom 704 00:38:45,960 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 1: and your character who showed up when everyone else left? 705 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:57,520 Speaker 4: It's hard. It's not hard because I don't know. 706 00:38:57,920 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 2: It's hard to express it because. 707 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:07,359 Speaker 4: People are people. And let me explain what I mean 708 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 4: by that. There are people along the way that were there. 709 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:22,920 Speaker 2: Okay, they were there when it's convenient for them. And 710 00:39:26,880 --> 00:39:30,759 Speaker 2: what's hard about it is to think about it, right, 711 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 2: like to to know that even some. 712 00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 4: Of them are my friends now, right. 713 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:41,480 Speaker 2: So that's what's hard, right, is because it's not a 714 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,640 Speaker 2: conversation that has been had with them because it's hard. 715 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:47,520 Speaker 4: And I want to say like, yeah, you were there, 716 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:53,160 Speaker 4: but when it's convenient for you, right, And. 717 00:39:56,080 --> 00:40:05,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, mama, it makes for establishing a community of friends hard, right, 718 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 2: because like I mean, and if you have that, great, 719 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:13,759 Speaker 2: but I find that like trust issues and people might 720 00:40:13,800 --> 00:40:15,640 Speaker 2: even turn it around and say, well, we don't trust 721 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 2: you married well, like I have a very very hard 722 00:40:18,680 --> 00:40:23,719 Speaker 2: time with establishing a circle because of my lack of 723 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:28,560 Speaker 2: trust that when and if things go sour, people will 724 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:33,000 Speaker 2: just disappear. I know, Mama's not disappearing. I know my brother. 725 00:40:33,239 --> 00:40:35,239 Speaker 2: I should have also said my brother and my mother 726 00:40:35,520 --> 00:40:38,920 Speaker 2: like they've always been there. But you know, and I 727 00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:41,839 Speaker 2: am confident that I have a partner now that's not 728 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,480 Speaker 2: going to disappear. And now I have brought three kids 729 00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:46,120 Speaker 2: in the world and they're not disappearing. 730 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 4: They need Venmo cash app all that. No, they're not 731 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:51,960 Speaker 4: going anywhere. 732 00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 3: But damn and they're expensive. 733 00:40:54,160 --> 00:40:59,800 Speaker 2: But beyond that, you know, there's just that that caution 734 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 2: to create a community whereby man, if hiccups happen in life, 735 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 2: and they do, and they will like who who is 736 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:13,040 Speaker 2: going to be around for it all? And I'm confident 737 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:16,319 Speaker 2: and I've put together some people now that will, but 738 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:19,680 Speaker 2: there's always that and that's a that's a that's a 739 00:41:19,719 --> 00:41:24,280 Speaker 2: lonely place to live and to function and to grow 740 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:25,319 Speaker 2: old with. 741 00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 4: And that's what I have to hold on to, you know. 742 00:41:29,200 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 4: So that's tough, that's hard. That's a really good question asked. 743 00:41:31,719 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 4: I've never been asking that. 744 00:41:36,360 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: This is wide open and I'm your host, Ashlyn Harris. 745 00:41:39,680 --> 00:41:40,560 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. 746 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,640 Speaker 1: I feel like we connect on a lot of levels. 747 00:41:51,719 --> 00:41:54,760 Speaker 1: And you know, as you know, going through my second 748 00:41:54,840 --> 00:41:58,160 Speaker 1: wind right now, and I'm grieving in the process, I'm 749 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:01,920 Speaker 1: parenting in the process, and I agree, I have moments 750 00:42:01,960 --> 00:42:03,760 Speaker 1: of great grief and shame. 751 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,200 Speaker 3: And you know, I have. 752 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,719 Speaker 1: Two very young kids who see that, you know, and 753 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 1: I I it's hard, and sometimes it's okay just to say, man, 754 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:13,920 Speaker 1: it's fucking hard. 755 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:15,080 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah. 756 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:19,520 Speaker 2: And I'll tell you, though, Ashlyn, what in an incredible 757 00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:24,320 Speaker 2: role model you are in that even when we talked 758 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,960 Speaker 2: a few weeks back and how you parents and who 759 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:33,160 Speaker 2: you are and that you are so transparent when it 760 00:42:33,239 --> 00:42:36,960 Speaker 2: comes to your babies and to your kids, and for 761 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:42,719 Speaker 2: me that was everything, right, like how all of this 762 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:50,560 Speaker 2: would shape my kids' lives. Transparency, authenticity, that they see 763 00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:53,680 Speaker 2: the good days right with mom or mom, I don't 764 00:42:53,719 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 2: know what they're what they call it, Mama, I see 765 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,359 Speaker 2: the good days, they see the hard days, they see 766 00:42:59,400 --> 00:43:01,480 Speaker 2: how you now to gate it, you talk them through it. 767 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:03,520 Speaker 2: And as they get older, I know they're they're young, 768 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,880 Speaker 2: but as you get older, like continue to do that, 769 00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:10,640 Speaker 2: just on a whatever level they're at. So I'm giving 770 00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:13,400 Speaker 2: you like high five, like thank you. We all need 771 00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:16,160 Speaker 2: we all need encouragement. And I and I'm here to say, 772 00:43:16,320 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 2: looking from the outside in and what you've shared and 773 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:22,279 Speaker 2: what I've learned about you like you, that is the 774 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:25,200 Speaker 2: example that you are setting that all of us can 775 00:43:25,239 --> 00:43:25,960 Speaker 2: look towards. 776 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:27,000 Speaker 4: So keep doing. 777 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:29,359 Speaker 3: Thank you for sure, Yeah, thank you for saying that. 778 00:43:29,440 --> 00:43:33,279 Speaker 1: And I appreciate that, and I you know, I I'm 779 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:36,040 Speaker 1: grateful that you said that, and you've taken the time 780 00:43:36,160 --> 00:43:39,480 Speaker 1: and I see a lot of myself and your struggle, 781 00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 1: and it it humanizes it for me and and. 782 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:46,200 Speaker 3: It lets me know I'm gonna be okay too, no doubt. 783 00:43:46,200 --> 00:43:52,200 Speaker 1: And I appreciate your vulnerability and your honesty and and 784 00:43:52,239 --> 00:43:54,480 Speaker 1: this is the big part, you know, and this is 785 00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:56,960 Speaker 1: the next part. I want to talk about your willingness 786 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:02,200 Speaker 1: now to come out public and be in the public 787 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 1: eye again and really start talking about it, because if 788 00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,840 Speaker 1: you didn't choose to do that, we wouldn't be having 789 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:14,879 Speaker 1: these incredible conversations and you know, just share space and 790 00:44:14,960 --> 00:44:21,520 Speaker 1: feelings if you chose to continue working on yourself behind 791 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:23,759 Speaker 1: the scenes and not in the public eye. So I'll 792 00:44:23,800 --> 00:44:26,160 Speaker 1: want to ask that question because you did decide to 793 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:29,600 Speaker 1: do Special Forces, which is such a course you did. 794 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:32,279 Speaker 1: Of course you did Special Forces. I mean, what are 795 00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 1: we talking about? But I want to know why you chose. 796 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:38,120 Speaker 1: You know, you spoke about it a little a little bit. 797 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:41,360 Speaker 1: I want to know why now have you made the 798 00:44:41,480 --> 00:44:45,640 Speaker 1: choice to really come out and talk about what you 799 00:44:45,719 --> 00:44:50,680 Speaker 1: went through and talk about your story and your life. 800 00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:53,600 Speaker 4: Well, there are a lot of layers to that. 801 00:44:56,080 --> 00:45:00,640 Speaker 2: I'll speak on the Special Forces opportunity in that. 802 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:07,879 Speaker 4: It was I don't know, it is God in some. 803 00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:10,160 Speaker 2: Way because I had made the decision about a year 804 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:17,600 Speaker 2: and a half ago that the story in my head 805 00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:22,120 Speaker 2: and heart and body wasn't helping anybody, right, like, just 806 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:26,960 Speaker 2: stay in there, and how to strategically start to share 807 00:45:27,160 --> 00:45:32,080 Speaker 2: with people who I am, Why I am who I 808 00:45:32,280 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 2: More importantly, see myself becoming because I think we're all 809 00:45:37,040 --> 00:45:44,080 Speaker 2: a work in progress, yes, and like, yeah, how do 810 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:48,880 Speaker 2: I do that authentically? I stem from a culture where 811 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:51,960 Speaker 2: you don't really put your dirty laundry out there, right, 812 00:45:52,040 --> 00:45:55,319 Speaker 2: Like it's kind of looked looked down on to do that. 813 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,200 Speaker 2: And then you start to realize, well, Mary, and you 814 00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:03,520 Speaker 2: need to come into you know, it's not going away. 815 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:06,359 Speaker 2: So how do I leverage that in a way that 816 00:46:07,760 --> 00:46:11,480 Speaker 2: truly and truly shows who I am? Right, There's no 817 00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:13,320 Speaker 2: way that I could have come back on the scene 818 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,799 Speaker 2: Ashland and not it not be authentic, right, Like. 819 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:20,120 Speaker 4: It almost had to be right, yeah. 820 00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:21,759 Speaker 2: And so the idea that when I came back on 821 00:46:21,800 --> 00:46:24,000 Speaker 2: I didn't even realize that it was a thing Ashland, 822 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:27,240 Speaker 2: that that people didn't realize that I was out or whatever, 823 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:31,240 Speaker 2: because for my time, you know, the decade that I 824 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:33,960 Speaker 2: made the decision to be in my community and my 825 00:46:34,080 --> 00:46:37,120 Speaker 2: family and raise my kids, like I was out right, 826 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:40,480 Speaker 2: like yeah, and so when I made a decision to 827 00:46:40,880 --> 00:46:43,840 Speaker 2: like be back in the world, it was almost like 828 00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 2: somebody said, wait, you know, the world doesn't know that, 829 00:46:47,640 --> 00:46:48,000 Speaker 2: like you. 830 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:50,720 Speaker 4: Have a partner. I was like, oh, okay, so that's 831 00:46:50,760 --> 00:46:54,480 Speaker 4: I guess I got to share that so that and 832 00:46:54,560 --> 00:46:57,400 Speaker 4: so it was it was almost like a flippant type 833 00:46:57,440 --> 00:47:00,439 Speaker 4: thing that I'm like, hey, y'all, it's pride, this last 834 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:02,680 Speaker 4: year pride or something like, it's pride, and and it 835 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:05,879 Speaker 4: really resonates with me because right, this is who I am. 836 00:47:06,560 --> 00:47:11,080 Speaker 4: And again, the reason that I think it came across 837 00:47:11,200 --> 00:47:16,279 Speaker 4: so authentically was because it wasn't a thing yo, like, 838 00:47:16,400 --> 00:47:19,280 Speaker 4: this is it. But the Special Forces thing was important 839 00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:24,880 Speaker 4: because one we crave and I know you experienced this 840 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:29,080 Speaker 4: as well, but I need some type of physical challenge. 841 00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:31,719 Speaker 4: It's I guess I need that. It's in my it's 842 00:47:31,719 --> 00:47:33,040 Speaker 4: in my DNA. 843 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:38,560 Speaker 2: And and having having had to distance myself from it, 844 00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:42,360 Speaker 2: like competitively for lots of reasons, but also because of 845 00:47:42,480 --> 00:47:46,120 Speaker 2: age and injury and grade four arthritis in both knees 846 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:48,759 Speaker 2: and that type of stuff, and I. 847 00:47:48,760 --> 00:47:49,680 Speaker 4: Moved away from. 848 00:47:49,600 --> 00:47:53,920 Speaker 2: It, but it's still ah, right, Like, the Special Forces 849 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:56,640 Speaker 2: was a very interesting for me, and that I would 850 00:47:56,680 --> 00:48:02,960 Speaker 2: be challenged physically, I would be child emotionally and mentally, 851 00:48:03,080 --> 00:48:06,280 Speaker 2: and it would give me a platform to be able 852 00:48:06,320 --> 00:48:10,200 Speaker 2: to say, yo, I'm back, this is who I am, 853 00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:11,560 Speaker 2: this is where I'm at. 854 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:14,960 Speaker 4: And so that's what I made the decision. 855 00:48:14,600 --> 00:48:17,960 Speaker 2: To do it, and it checked all of those boxes, 856 00:48:18,719 --> 00:48:22,680 Speaker 2: and I felt, you know, anytime you I have a 857 00:48:22,840 --> 00:48:29,319 Speaker 2: love hate relationship with the media, understanding and making the 858 00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:33,920 Speaker 2: decision right. Making the decision, Ashley, though, to sign up 859 00:48:33,960 --> 00:48:37,640 Speaker 2: for a show whereby I don't have editing rights was 860 00:48:37,680 --> 00:48:40,319 Speaker 2: a scary one because at the end of the day, 861 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:43,759 Speaker 2: I don't know how they can edit however they want 862 00:48:43,840 --> 00:48:48,359 Speaker 2: to make whomever look like. 863 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:50,640 Speaker 4: Like a god or the devil, right, And so by. 864 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:53,560 Speaker 2: Making the decision and putting myself back out there and 865 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:57,879 Speaker 2: making that scary choice that Okay, I'm gonna like put 866 00:48:57,920 --> 00:48:59,279 Speaker 2: it in the hands of somebody else. 867 00:48:59,320 --> 00:49:01,000 Speaker 4: I'm gonna be who I am on the show. 868 00:49:01,040 --> 00:49:03,520 Speaker 2: But ultimately, let me see, let me turn on the 869 00:49:03,560 --> 00:49:06,959 Speaker 2: TV and see whom they decide to create. 870 00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:07,000 Speaker 4: Me to be. 871 00:49:08,360 --> 00:49:11,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, And you know what I was able to say 872 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:14,160 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, good decision, Mary, because 873 00:49:14,600 --> 00:49:18,000 Speaker 2: whatever they saw in how I was on the show 874 00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:21,799 Speaker 2: and how I competed and how I fought and and 875 00:49:22,760 --> 00:49:27,600 Speaker 2: was what they saw and what they made and what 876 00:49:27,640 --> 00:49:29,640 Speaker 2: they decided to portray to the world. 877 00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:31,840 Speaker 1: And you really did show that to the world. And 878 00:49:32,120 --> 00:49:36,000 Speaker 1: I want to say thank you. I appreciate all the 879 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:40,759 Speaker 1: things that you show up and continue to do to 880 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:45,319 Speaker 1: make this world better. And it really shows me that 881 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:50,680 Speaker 1: your journey, this whole redemption thing about like erasing the past, 882 00:49:50,719 --> 00:49:51,759 Speaker 1: it's really not about that. 883 00:49:52,120 --> 00:49:54,000 Speaker 3: It's the bravery. 884 00:49:53,480 --> 00:49:55,759 Speaker 1: To rise again and to grow and to lead with 885 00:49:55,880 --> 00:49:56,839 Speaker 1: honesty and love. 886 00:49:57,280 --> 00:49:59,880 Speaker 3: And a lot of people see that in you. 887 00:50:00,080 --> 00:50:03,560 Speaker 1: You and you heal them in the process of the 888 00:50:03,560 --> 00:50:06,880 Speaker 1: things that they're having to be honest and brave about. 889 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:08,839 Speaker 3: So I have to say thank you. 890 00:50:08,920 --> 00:50:11,520 Speaker 4: And that makes it worth it, Ashlyn, Right, it makes 891 00:50:11,840 --> 00:50:14,960 Speaker 4: our dark days or even our current dark days, it 892 00:50:15,080 --> 00:50:17,920 Speaker 4: makes it worth it when people see that, and maybe 893 00:50:17,920 --> 00:50:21,799 Speaker 4: they are inspired by it, maybe they're inspired to make 894 00:50:22,040 --> 00:50:24,920 Speaker 4: some type of change in their own life. Like that 895 00:50:25,080 --> 00:50:27,640 Speaker 4: to me makes it worth it. Like like we were 896 00:50:27,719 --> 00:50:31,000 Speaker 4: meant here, We were meant to be here to be 897 00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:34,360 Speaker 4: an example. Right, Yes, that's what we and I include 898 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:36,880 Speaker 4: you in this, Ashley, that's what we are doing. 899 00:50:37,040 --> 00:50:41,799 Speaker 1: So yeay, yep, second win, second chances. It's just it's 900 00:50:41,840 --> 00:50:45,759 Speaker 1: about courage and bravery. So thank you for for being 901 00:50:45,840 --> 00:50:48,600 Speaker 1: that for us, and thanks for being on wide open 902 00:50:48,680 --> 00:50:53,920 Speaker 1: and and I'm grateful for your story and all of it. 903 00:50:54,360 --> 00:50:56,239 Speaker 4: Yeah, thank you. Ashlyn, it's been, it's been. 904 00:50:56,280 --> 00:50:57,879 Speaker 3: You're the best. Thank you. 905 00:50:57,880 --> 00:51:01,160 Speaker 4: You bring me back and we can talk all of Yes, Okay. 906 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:04,160 Speaker 3: Let's do it. Yes, let's do it. Thanks everybody for 907 00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:04,799 Speaker 3: tuning in. 908 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:07,920 Speaker 1: Marion again, thank you for your vulnerability, Thank you for 909 00:51:07,960 --> 00:51:11,240 Speaker 1: being wide open, and please tell everyone about your podcast 910 00:51:11,320 --> 00:51:12,600 Speaker 1: and where they can check you out. 911 00:51:12,920 --> 00:51:17,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, check out Second Wind anywhere. If you listen to 912 00:51:17,880 --> 00:51:21,960 Speaker 2: your podcast, Ashlan will be on the show. Yes, exited 913 00:51:22,239 --> 00:51:24,920 Speaker 2: to be able to share all the goodness that you 914 00:51:25,040 --> 00:51:27,640 Speaker 2: all already that are listening know that she is, but 915 00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:28,359 Speaker 2: to be able to. 916 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:31,080 Speaker 4: Give talk to you about it, it was a pleasure. 917 00:51:31,120 --> 00:51:32,040 Speaker 4: So thank you, Thank. 918 00:51:31,880 --> 00:51:36,960 Speaker 3: You, appreciate it. Go heels yay, go heels. 919 00:51:38,719 --> 00:51:42,640 Speaker 1: Wide Open with Ashland Harris is an iHeart women's sports production. 920 00:51:43,200 --> 00:51:46,960 Speaker 1: You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 921 00:51:47,080 --> 00:51:48,799 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts. 922 00:51:49,080 --> 00:51:50,440 Speaker 3: Our producers are. 923 00:51:50,640 --> 00:51:56,560 Speaker 1: Carmen Borca Correo, Emily Maronov, and Lucy Jones. Production assistants 924 00:51:56,640 --> 00:52:01,720 Speaker 1: from Malia Aguidello. Our executive produce users are Jesse Katz, 925 00:52:02,000 --> 00:52:06,160 Speaker 1: Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Jenny Kaplan 926 00:52:06,320 --> 00:52:09,800 Speaker 1: and Emily Rudder and I'm your host, Ashlyn Harris,