1 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to PM Mood then no Talking Points, no bullshit 2 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: podcast that takes you behind the curtain, off the red carpet, 3 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: and to the front lines of progress with change makers 4 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: and innovators that are doing the work to shift our 5 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: culture and expand their social impact. I am so excited 6 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: to welcome to PM mood. Actor, author, activists, all around, 7 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: just goodhearted human Hill Harper, Thank you so much for 8 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: joining me. We are you know. I tell folks now 9 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: that come on and do the show. We can't escape Corona, 10 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: PM Mood. The whole idea behind the show was to 11 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: talk to folks like yourself in order to understand how 12 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 1: you utilize your social platform to increase your social impact. 13 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: And I think that now more than ever, as we're 14 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: all living in the midst of a global pandemic, we 15 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: need folks like you to be on the ground doing 16 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: the work. And so you are and you are coming 17 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: to us from Detroit, Michigan. And I think that in 18 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 1: the midst of all of this, with the sheltering at 19 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: home and the quarantining and the social distancing and the 20 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: washing your hands, we're forgetting about those folks who haven't 21 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: been able to have the ability to do any of 22 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: the things I have just listed. Ever specifically, you have 23 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: been working with folks in Flint, Michigan. Who, if I'm 24 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: not mistaken, we are going on what six years with 25 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: them not having water? Six years? Yes, so in a 26 00:01:55,240 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: with a pandemic that acquires us right in order or 27 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: to stay safe, to wash our hands, to um to do, 28 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,760 Speaker 1: to wash our surfaces, and all these things explain to us. 29 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: Give give, give me the picture of what is going 30 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: on in Flint, what has been going on, and now 31 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: what has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Okay, so wow, 32 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: that's a huge and long story. I'll try to be 33 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: as concise as possible. But about five years ago I 34 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 1: was invited to Flint to do a community event in 35 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: the city. Um it was Ryan Kugler. This is previous 36 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: Black Panther. Yeah, Jesse Williams and a group of singers 37 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: and other folks. We came in to do this event 38 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,679 Speaker 1: to basically support the community. His brother came up to 39 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: me after as a hill opera. Man, I read your books. 40 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 1: I love you, brother, and I know you're committed, but 41 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: but but you got to promise me someone. I was 42 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: like what man? He said, Man, we got so many 43 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: celebrities coming here. They come in, take a selfie, and 44 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 1: then we never see him again. Yeah, they're using us 45 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 1: for publicity, but they're actually not staying around to see 46 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: if anything happens. He said, promise me you'll come back, 47 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: and I said, brother, I promise. And so I've gotten 48 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: more and more intrenchimauty because you become friends with the peat, 49 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: with folks there, you become rooted in the community. So 50 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: I've gone back and back and back and held a 51 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: number of events and all sorts of different things started doing, 52 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: using which my mother was very happy about, using my 53 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 1: law degree. Finally, we created a Social Justice Law partnership 54 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: to get folks to register for the lawsuit where we're 55 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: trying to establish a Flint Victims Fund, much like the 56 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: nine to eleven Victims Fund, because you don't know how 57 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: led impacts you over time, and all of these kids 58 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: have been poisoned and we don't know when certain learning 59 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: disabilities make crop up. They may not be showing symptoms. 60 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: Now we need a victims fund so you can so 61 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: there's money available. If there is special needs, you can 62 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: be able to come to the victim's fun just like 63 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: the nine eleven victims, the first responders. A lot of 64 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: the medical problems didn't show up the first year or two, 65 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: but they started to present themselves. So same thing. So 66 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: doing that work, meeting a lot of people. As soon 67 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: as this crisis hit, started getting a DM on my Instagram. 68 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: Hey Hill, you know we've met a direct message on 69 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: my Twitter, some emails, some texts. Yo're there's a crisis 70 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: within a crisis happening. We need help. This is a 71 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: water desert. So just for instance, just I need to 72 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,159 Speaker 1: paint the picture. Flynn is one of the poorest cities 73 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: in America. Forty one percent of the folks who live 74 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: there live below an already very low poverty line. Most 75 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: of the people who are that make up that forty 76 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: one percent or African American women age twenty three to 77 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: thirty five, many of whom are single moms. You're talking 78 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 1: about folks who are still there, and people have the 79 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 1: audacity to hit me and say, man, you're doing more 80 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: a flint. Why are people still living there? I mean, 81 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: if it's that bad, they should leave. And it's like, 82 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,720 Speaker 1: I want to be leaving. And it's the same thing 83 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,839 Speaker 1: that people said during Katrina. Leaving requires resources yeah, in 84 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: order for you to flee, whether whether it's in the 85 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: wake of a hurricane or a global penn and people 86 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: fled New York and our out all over the place 87 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: because they have the ability to do that. People don't 88 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: understand it requires means economic mobility and mobility period but 89 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: based on economics is one of the biggest privileges that 90 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: anyone can Yep, if you're in a war torn country, 91 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: why don't you just leave? If they're a refugee, if 92 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: you're in a refugee camp, why don't you just leave? 93 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: You know, it doesn't work that way, It doesn't work. 94 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: So the people who had the means to lead Flint 95 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: have left. Okay, the people who are still there it is. 96 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: It is sad, and it's hurtful. And not every single 97 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: person there And I'm not casting. There are people there 98 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: who are really trying to Like I'm from Flint, I'm 99 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: gonna stay here and see it recover. And even though 100 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: I could leave. So there are those folks, But there 101 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 1: there are many people there that just don't have the 102 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 1: ability to and and and also a water desert happened, 103 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: you know, much like we talked about food deserts. Why 104 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: doesn't happen because even in wealthy communities, you saw that 105 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: folks were having trouble getting water at a point, right, 106 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: so just think about a place like Flint. So we 107 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: decided to put together I decided to put together very 108 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: quickly a gofund me campaign. Um the initial raised was 109 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: twenty four thousand to try to get about ten thousand 110 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 1: gallons of fresh water there. Um Ian levan Zant challenged 111 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: me and said, you didn't shoot high enough. You got 112 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: to raise that to fifty thousand. She helped with a 113 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: lot of her supporters to give, you know, relatively small 114 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: amounts because it was all about you know right now 115 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: is you don't want to ask people to over extend 116 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,040 Speaker 1: because there's a lot of economic uncertainty. But right because 117 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: and give, and it's a lot of people giving, it 118 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: adds up. And so we've made it up to fifty 119 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: seven thousand dollars. We just had this morning another five 120 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: thousand gallon giveaway on the east side of Flint, whereas 121 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: there's a large Latino population and you know, again two 122 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: and a half hour line of cars. The need there 123 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: is so extreme h and obviously this is triash. So 124 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 1: we're doing these things there's like get water there because 125 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 1: they need it now. Um. And we want to create 126 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 1: more sustainable solutions over time, and that's part of the 127 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: work we want to do. But right now it wasn't 128 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: time to just have a form to talk about sustainable solutions. 129 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: It's about, hey, folks need water right now. We got 130 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: to get it there within this crisis. He'll tell me, 131 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: you know, what is Governor Whitmer doing? What? What? What is? 132 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 1: What is? What are you know? And look, I watched 133 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: the news. I have to do for so for my living. Um. 134 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: But Governor Whitmer, she's being held in a lot of ways, 135 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: you know, uh, dealing with the shutdown, dealing with these 136 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: arm militias that are storm in the Capitol building, these 137 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: arm white men. Um. But this flint problem, like I 138 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: said at the beginning, has been going on for sixty 139 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 1: six years that we know about. So let's just say 140 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: that because people been drink and poison water there. But 141 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: it wasn't until you know, six years ago that it 142 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: became a national crisis and national situation. Um, what if 143 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: anything is the state government doing to help the people, 144 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 1: because wonderful like we you know, I I there's a 145 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: leader of an organization called Color of Change Rashad Robinson, 146 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: and he says that we can we cannot, you know, 147 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: we cannot use charity as a way to get us 148 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: out of systemic problems. Right. You are doing wonderful work 149 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: as a as an incredible philanthropist, as an activist, but 150 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 1: we can't. We can't goodwill our way out of this. Right, 151 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: this is this is a systemic policy problem. So what 152 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: if anything is the government doing there? You know, I 153 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: asked that very question and very frustrated. You know, there's 154 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: a wonderful Lieutenant governor here named Garland Gilchrist who's a 155 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: brother who I know, and I text him about these 156 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: issues because clearly there's the lack of political will to 157 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: solve this problem is abhorrent and it's and it's evidence 158 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: and it's it exists over two administrations. And part of 159 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: the platform of the campaign platform was look Governor Schnyder, 160 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: look what he did to this community. And then now 161 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 1: you've been in office long enough to solve it. The 162 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: same problem happened, and let's be very clear, and I 163 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: know we're not you know, and listened, the same problem 164 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: happened with the right to literacy case. Then and I 165 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: don't know if you know much about it, and a 166 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,199 Speaker 1: lot of people don't know about this case, but tell 167 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: me here in Detroit there was a group of young 168 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: African American scholars who were under educated in terms of 169 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: just they filed a brilliant lawsuit all right to literacy. 170 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 1: I have a right to be taught. Wow, right to 171 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: go to a school that educates me. We have a 172 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: public system, and I went to a system that did 173 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 1: not do that. The previous administration and other folks fought it. 174 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,319 Speaker 1: It ended up going moving into way through the court system, 175 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: and the governor said, hey, um, you know, I support 176 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 1: these brothers. I support I support the scholars, but they 177 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: did not settle the case since she's been in office. 178 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: And then finally, because of pressure last week, she said, 179 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to settle the case. Problem is she waited 180 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: so long that the Court of Appeals, which we know 181 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: has been act with folks that may not be that supportive, 182 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: have have have picked up the case. So they're gonna 183 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: they're gonna rehear the case that these these young scholars 184 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: won in district federal district court. Because of dragging feet 185 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: on these types of things. So I never want to 186 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: do I don't do comparative harm. Well, I'm not. I'm not. 187 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 1: I'm not comparing harm, but I am comparing political will 188 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: in this example I'm about to give in very short order, 189 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: in the state of Michigan, when the horrific acts of 190 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser at Michigan State gained attention around I believe 191 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: it was thirty two or twenty eight gymnasts or I'm 192 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 1: not sure the exact number, but it's in around that number. 193 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 1: Horrible acts that was settled with those gymnasts. I believe 194 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: the number was around five hundred million dollars within a 195 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 1: matter of I think three months, national attention, a spotlight. 196 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: Obviously there was political will. A city of one hundred 197 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:16,720 Speaker 1: thousand people that has been poisoned has not gotten a settlement, 198 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: and it is shameful. It's shameful on all of us 199 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: that have allowed it to continue. I look at I 200 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 1: put myself in there too. I'm not saying, oh, you know, 201 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: everybody else. You know, I'm just as at fault for 202 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: not pushing and and and and sounding the bullhorn hard 203 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 1: enough and loud enough to create political will. But it 204 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 1: is a shame. There's no question these people should be 205 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: suffering the way they are, there's no question that there 206 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 1: shouldn't be some type of remedy already in place. I 207 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,480 Speaker 1: believe we are very close, very close to a settlement. 208 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:51,600 Speaker 1: But the numbers I've been hearing are abhorrent, abhorrently loved. 209 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: Can you tell me the level of harm? Can you 210 00:12:55,360 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: give um, give us a snapshot as to why it 211 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: is so difficult to take out these horrific pipes, and 212 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,679 Speaker 1: why that kind of construction infrastructure building has not been underway? 213 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: Or am I wrong? Has it been underway? And it's 214 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: just not it hasn't gotten everywhere yet. But I mean again, 215 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 1: you bring up very good examples of cases that we 216 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: look at and we say, how did that happen so quickly? Right? 217 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 1: Why was this expedite it? Why is it six years 218 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: and we haven't seen massive infrastructure development happening to help 219 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: these sick people? Okay, so well, it's obviously it's because 220 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: the people there are poor and are people of color. 221 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 1: And you know folks that get ignored the most are 222 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: poor people, period, no matter what race. Right, If you 223 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,680 Speaker 1: don't have power, if you don't have the economic ability 224 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: to support candidates and all of those things, you get ignored. 225 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 1: Now you add on to that issues around race, these 226 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 1: around justice and all of that. Now there has been 227 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: piecemeal work done. Part of the problem. I mean, if 228 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: you really want to talk about the real, the real 229 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 1: injustice and the real diabolical issue goes all the way 230 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: back to General Motors. General Motors had a plan in Flint, 231 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: and they were noticing that their engines were corroding. The 232 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 1: engines that they were building were corroding, and they switched 233 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: water supply. They noticed that after Flint switched the water 234 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: supply to the Flint River, their engine started corroding. They 235 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 1: were like, we can't have corroding engines we're building, we're 236 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: building parts. So they switched. They got their own water supply. 237 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: But rather than actually notifying the community, rather than actually 238 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: going out there and say, hey, there's a problem, that's 239 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: all they did. And who knows who they told or 240 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: didn't tell. But then, knowing the engine's corroding but not 241 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: the internal organs and systems of huge human beings, it's 242 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: more concerned about the engine than the people. And that 243 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: that's a shame. And clearly so was State and of 244 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: of of Michigan, and clearly many other politicians and whoever's 245 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 1: so you have all of that leading up, so now 246 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: you have an extreme lack of public trust. So even 247 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: though folks have been told that they've switched back to 248 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: the Detroit River water supply, they still have the same 249 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: pipes in their house, and they know that there was 250 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: corrosion with that other water supply. So just because of 251 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: the different water supply, what makes me trusted? Now? I 252 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 1: did get a text or I got a text from 253 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: a woman named Ebony whose daughter has exema and the 254 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: water burnts her face. Okay, and her daughter's so, and 255 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: it's a shame you talk about these and you hear 256 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: that whatever all these stories to. Ultimately, the folks in 257 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: Flint don't have zero trust in what they're being told. 258 00:16:07,080 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: And so independently, you know, we've had some water testing done, 259 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: we're doing what we can, but they have been piecemealing, 260 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: taking up pipes and putting pipes back out. They haven't 261 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: done it in all the houses. Part of the issue 262 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: to me is is for not a huge comparatively amount 263 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: of money. I believe we ran the numbers that around 264 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: seventy million dollars in terms of they could put whole 265 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 1: house filtration systems in every home, so it would make 266 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: it agnostic to what even the water supplied that was 267 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: coming through the door is. Right, So at least you 268 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: have a filtration system that's attached to your main waterline, 269 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: it's treating and filtering the water that's coming through your 270 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: whole house. And those are the types of things that 271 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: would engender public trust. But again those are the types 272 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 1: of things that only get done in wealthy community these 273 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: where people have the political power to increase the political will. 274 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 1: You know, I'm interested to see what's going to happen 275 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: with this settlement as we're tracking the case. The other 276 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: challenge we've been we've been having is getting people to 277 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: sign up, because again it's like those studies where you 278 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: shock a dog and they jump the first time you 279 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:22,800 Speaker 1: shock them, keep shock them, they keep jumping, But after 280 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:25,840 Speaker 1: a while you keep abusing them and shocking them and 281 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: they stop jumping. Yeah, in Flint, I've had all these 282 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: town halls and different things saying hey, let's sign up, 283 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 1: you know, sign up for this lawsuit. The more people 284 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: are signed up, the more sense of message that this 285 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: fund should be bigger. And folks are like why just 286 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 1: because they I mean at some point in time, right, 287 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:48,479 Speaker 1: like you're saying, you you just give up, right, And 288 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: it's and it's not, And it's not through the lack 289 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:55,760 Speaker 1: of trying and the anger and the screaming and the protest, 290 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: and you know the amount of celebrities that come through. 291 00:17:59,680 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 1: But at some point in time, right, like I have, 292 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,719 Speaker 1: I am exhausted. I have exhausted every effort that I 293 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: can put forward. And to that extent, hill, how do 294 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: you get other celebrities like yourself, other folks that have 295 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,800 Speaker 1: the platform, have the means, have the bullhorn to be 296 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: consistent with their work in Flint and not just doing 297 00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,639 Speaker 1: what the gentleman had told you, popping in for the selfie, 298 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: popping in for the hashtag and then going back to 299 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: their lives. And look, I appreciate you know, any bit 300 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 1: of time, any bit of effort and money that people 301 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: put in, but we know that consistency, especially in politics 302 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: and policy, is what wins the game. Consistency, right, and 303 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: consistent voice and bullhorn, even if you have to pass 304 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: the baton. It is a relay race, a marathon times 305 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: you know a million, So how do you get people 306 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 1: to stay involved or come back? What do you do well, 307 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:12,360 Speaker 1: to be honest, you know, folks need an easy runway 308 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: to do this kind of work. I'll be honest because 309 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: because celebrities are so called celebrities or people with platform, 310 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: they're no different than anybody else. And for the most part, 311 00:19:23,720 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: most people aren't doing You're like, most people are lazy 312 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:34,160 Speaker 1: as hell. Well, people doing what they want to do, 313 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: which is take care of themselves and their family and 314 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 1: out Once those bands start extending outwards, you'll do what 315 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: you can. You'll write a check, or maybe you put 316 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 1: in a tie, you know, a church, or there's one 317 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: part to care about that's more local or what have you. 318 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: So I never begrudge to anybody for doing anything or 319 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: not doing anything. You know, I never begrudge that. But 320 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 1: it's not you know, at the end of the day, 321 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,679 Speaker 1: I encourage people if if my whole thing is what 322 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: makes your heart be faster, If you hear something when 323 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: you read about it, or you hear about it and 324 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: your heart starts to kind of and the hair on 325 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: your back of your neck starts to stick up, that 326 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: means you're passionate about it, and therefore follow that passion 327 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 1: and do something around it, and then maybe you get 328 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: deeper because it happens organically. The flint. Me getting involved 329 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: with flint happened organically. I didn't go searching out flint 330 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: or a cause around water. It happened because the more 331 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: I started to learn, the more of the hair stood 332 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: up on my back of my neck, and the more 333 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: mested I got. Because you started to see the level 334 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: of injustice and just the level of harm. You know, 335 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,320 Speaker 1: there are people who bought houses for sixty five or 336 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: seventy thousand dollars. Their whole life savings went into that house, 337 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: and now the house toreth five thousand dollars, you know, 338 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: And so there's this old adage where people say it's 339 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 1: expensive to be poor. These are the people that, you know, 340 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: when when when the rest of America catches a cold, 341 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: they catch the coronavirus, you know, they catch the foot yeah, yeah, yeah, 342 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:13,919 Speaker 1: you know, they aren't asymptomatic, you know, carriers. It is. 343 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: So that gets me, and so I can't do it 344 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:18,919 Speaker 1: all obviously, and people say, well, how come you're not 345 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 1: over here there? This is I'm doing this And then 346 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 1: and then I got because of this work. I got 347 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: engaged in Newark because Newark has a lead poisoning problem. Right, 348 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 1: No one's really talking about it. But the kids in 349 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: New York are experiencing lead poison, okay, you know, And 350 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 1: that's that's that's a real tricky thing because people are like, hey, 351 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:43,399 Speaker 1: there's a great African American mayor who has a history 352 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: of being an activist. How are you going to talk 353 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: bad about the Newark situation. It's like, you just got 354 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: to tell the truth, you know. I mean, if the 355 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: kids have lead in their system, doesn't matter who, it 356 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: doesn't matter who. Yeah, you gotta stop it. And so 357 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: the so I think a lot of the activism, least 358 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 1: for me, happens organically, and I think the same for 359 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: everybody else. But part of it has to be an 360 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: easy entree. So it has to be the first touch 361 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:15,359 Speaker 1: or the first touch point is like, hey, it's a 362 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 1: low lift, could you do this? And maybe they get 363 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 1: engaged and get invited back and they get deep more 364 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: deeper game. Just like what happened me at Flint. I 365 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,520 Speaker 1: got invited to an event that I did not put on. 366 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: I decided to take the time to go because I 367 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 1: cared about that community and I cared about the issue. 368 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: But then once I got there, I got a little deeper. 369 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: You know, you have been involved in advocacy and activism 370 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: since probably the beginning of your Hollywood career, right, Yeah, 371 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 1: it started in college, so for me in college, so 372 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: it just continued. It just became a part of my life. 373 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,360 Speaker 1: So it started college, then in grad school and then 374 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: just continue. And I know that you don't like to 375 00:22:56,359 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: tell people what they should do, but but do you 376 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 1: think that it is do you think that there is 377 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:08,359 Speaker 1: a responsibility specifically for you know, those in Hollywood that 378 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: are people of color, that are black and brown folks 379 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: that have made it to use their platforms to do 380 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: more so then you know, um celebrate and uplift themselves. 381 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: Like do you think you know there is a responsibility 382 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 1: that is there or it should? It should? This just 383 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: be to each their own. Let me let me Okay, 384 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,199 Speaker 1: I'm of two minds and so and I know I 385 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: know you're gonna be like, well, now I'll choose to 386 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: I'm of two minds. One is I say, follow your heart, right, 387 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: whatever your heart is, follow that. But but saying that, 388 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: I know that if you're even a semi conscious black 389 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 1: person in America, that your heart is telling you to 390 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: get involved and be and use your platform to make 391 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:01,480 Speaker 1: some type of change, right, even if you're just even 392 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 1: relatively aware of the world. You know. That's why when 393 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: you hear you know, and this is related to the 394 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 1: last dance, when you hear something that's you know, come 395 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:18,440 Speaker 1: up again because of the documentary, you're Michael Jordan's say, 396 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: even conservatives by shoes. I was not going to get 397 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,440 Speaker 1: involved in Jesse Houns versus Harvey Gant Senate race where 398 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan could have turned the tide for Harvey Gant 399 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: and to replace Jesse House. He was so popular in 400 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,919 Speaker 1: North Carolina that to have Michael Jordan come out for 401 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: Harvey Ghant and the race was so close it even 402 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: angers me to this day he would have the audacity 403 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: to even defend that choice, because when you talk about 404 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: the power of allowing abject racists to hold office because 405 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: you need to make a little bit more money selling 406 00:25:02,840 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: one more pair of shoes, shame on you man. That 407 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: it's it's it's not defensible. That's a shame. And and 408 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: Harvey Gatt is somebody that my family has known for years. 409 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: My grandfather had a pharmacy in a small town in 410 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,159 Speaker 1: South Carolina called It was called Piedmont Pharmacy. But the 411 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: town was called Seneca, South Carolina. And I used to 412 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: spend my summers there. It's about four miles from Clemson University. 413 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,360 Speaker 1: And they called him doctor. They called him Doc Hill. 414 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: That's how I got my name, you know. He was 415 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: he was Dockhill, and my mother was Maryland Hill. And 416 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: and I would spend summers there looking popsicles and and 417 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: reading common books in the pharmacy. But Harvey Gamt was 418 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: the first African American to desegregate Clemson. And he was 419 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 1: called all types of n words and word go home 420 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 1: signs everywhere. And on the weekends he would come stay 421 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: in my family's place, Doc Hill's place, and became friends 422 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 1: with my parents and my aunt. And he's somebody who 423 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: has represented a fight good for inclusion and justice his 424 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: entire life. And for you, someone who has a platform 425 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 1: to not be able to do. And it's a soft lift, man, 426 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: I mean it was, Jessica. It literally it was what 427 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:34,439 Speaker 1: showing up in hand And yeah, some interviews soft lift 428 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,359 Speaker 1: And you're like, I'm not political, what what? No one's 429 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 1: asking you to go out and talk about the President 430 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: United This is from North Carolina. This is a one state, 431 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:49,360 Speaker 1: one center race against two specific people, and you can't 432 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:51,679 Speaker 1: get involved. So that's part of my point. So I 433 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:56,879 Speaker 1: agree with you from the standpoint of absolutely there is 434 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,680 Speaker 1: a responsibility. But at the end of the day, I'm 435 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,040 Speaker 1: not telling you what you should be responsible for. But 436 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:05,639 Speaker 1: if if, if it's if it's clear and cut and 437 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: dry and it's right there in front of your face 438 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 1: and you don't do anything, then that that's your your 439 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:15,439 Speaker 1: selfish mf and and that's all you are. Yeah, I mean, 440 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,360 Speaker 1: but that that's you know, and that that's kind of 441 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,439 Speaker 1: my feeling in general, which is that you know, and 442 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 1: the world has changed a lot. Look, I'm not gonna 443 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: tell uh Michael Jordan how he should have acted. Well, no, 444 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,800 Speaker 1: I would have because I you know, again, it was 445 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:32,959 Speaker 1: about money, right and at the end of the day, 446 00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: you know, when you think about like, you're not gonna 447 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: take at all with you, right, Like at that point 448 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,120 Speaker 1: he'd made a lot of money. So what you're gonna 449 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:44,119 Speaker 1: piss off white people for for what, you know, maybe 450 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: maybe a year or maybe a cycle. They're still gonna 451 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: buy your shoes. Michael Jordan, as great as he is, 452 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 1: will never be considered the greatest athlete of all time 453 00:27:54,320 --> 00:28:00,359 Speaker 1: like Muhammad Ali become because Muhammad Ali was literally willing 454 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:05,359 Speaker 1: to sacrifice his years in his entire career for people, 455 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: and Michael Jordan wasn't even willing to sacrifice selling another 456 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 1: pair of shoes. It wasn't even the choices were you know, 457 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: Muhammad Ali lost three years of his prime literally because 458 00:28:18,240 --> 00:28:21,199 Speaker 1: he took a stance he would not allow himself to 459 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:25,560 Speaker 1: go shoot uh some Asian folks who never called him 460 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 1: the N word, you know as he put it. So 461 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's a shame, you know, for that. 462 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to get bogged out on that because no, 463 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,719 Speaker 1: I mean no, no, no, but I down the more 464 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,120 Speaker 1: becomes a distraction. To be a distraction, you know, I 465 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:44,400 Speaker 1: don't think is I want people to do what's in 466 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 1: their heart. Yes, and and and if if what's really 467 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: really really in your heart, I need to sell another 468 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: pair of sneakers, then that's just you just got to 469 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 1: lick yourself in the mirror and say, really, how did 470 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: that mentality come in? You know, It's like if you 471 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 1: told me, like I don't want to miss a game, 472 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: like that's I'm a basketball player. I don't want to 473 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: miss a game to go do a rally. I got you. 474 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: That's that's what you do for a living. Don't miss 475 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: a game. But this is sounds sneakers is the reason 476 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: you justify, you know, and and to your point, how 477 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: much money do you need at the end of the day? 478 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,479 Speaker 1: I think, I mean, you know, honestly, at the end 479 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: of the day, who's the bigger you know what I'm saying. 480 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: Colin Kaepernick, you know, is arguably a bigger name now 481 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: that he's act then he was then honestly than he 482 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: was when he was gone. Yeah exactly. Yeah. Um, So 483 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: before I let you go to questions, Uh, one, you 484 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: have letters to a young brother, manifest your destiny. Um, 485 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:47,600 Speaker 1: tell us a bit about that book and specifically now too, 486 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: because you know, trying to manifest anything right in again 487 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: in the midst of a global pandemic. We you know, 488 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: these young people that are supposed to be graduating heading 489 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: out into the world. You know, we're for the first time, 490 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: we are not leaving a world that is great for 491 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:12,400 Speaker 1: young people to be inhabiting, right um, uh, to be 492 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 1: taking over. We're leaving them with climate change, We're leaving 493 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: them with a wider racial wealth gap. We're leading, leaving 494 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 1: them with a broken healthcare system, broken education system. So 495 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: just talk a bit um about that book. Everybody feel better. 496 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,840 Speaker 1: I'm just honest. That's what I right, That's what I'm saying. 497 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 1: That's why it's it's it's it's it's you have to 498 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: laugh sometimes, because if you really don't in your years, 499 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 1: Oh I'll just cry all day. Yeah, there's that meme 500 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,520 Speaker 1: or whatever it is where they have I don't have 501 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 1: you ever seen it, but it just makes me chuckle. 502 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: Kermit the frog is talking to a little girl and 503 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: she says, oh, you're a cookie monster, and then he 504 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 1: cut to him throwing himself off a building. I've worked 505 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: my whole life. I'm Kermit, you know. And you also 506 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: saw me cookie, you know. So you gotta just the 507 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: safe they got, vitel, whatever it is. We we have 508 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: all these ills, but the beautiful thing is we still 509 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 1: have breath in our body and life and ability to think, 510 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 1: and we can do this together, y'all. I truly believe that. 511 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:17,000 Speaker 1: I really believe that as people get more conscious and 512 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: more enlightened about their power, understanding their power, we are 513 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: we are powerful together. But but there have been forces 514 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:30,640 Speaker 1: at Bay and social media and technology has been used 515 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,600 Speaker 1: just like propaganda back in the day, to divide people, 516 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: to divide us and make us think that our interests 517 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: are are different. It's not true. And so we have 518 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: to do more. We work together, and and and and 519 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: and really work hard together, we can solve many of 520 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: those problems you just talked about. That is my That 521 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: is my hope. That is my hope. So the final 522 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: question that I always ask people that join PM mood 523 00:31:56,320 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 1: is this, how do you get in the mood to 524 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: change the world. I breathe, I read, I opened my ears, 525 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:18,840 Speaker 1: and listen to the people who actually number one already 526 00:32:18,880 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: know the answers. We don't have to go into any 527 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: community and solve a problem for somebody. They already know 528 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: the answers in their community. We just have to listen 529 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: and then help them get the leverage or power that 530 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: they need to get the resources to implement the solutions. 531 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: So and then I have to energize. So breathe, suld center, read, 532 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 1: educate and understand, listen to the people, and then get 533 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: the energy required to make a change. The reason why 534 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: I always reference physics is that I truly believed when 535 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: you talk about physics that you know, the only way 536 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: to move a mass that is stuck or in stasis 537 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: is with an equal or greater amount of energy to 538 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 1: the mass. Right. If we're talking about solving big problems, 539 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: we need big energy to do it. And and and 540 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: I'll say this quite honestly, and and and and somewhat sadly, 541 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: is that the people who have completely antithetical values to 542 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 1: myself have out energized most of us. They talk louder, Yeah, 543 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:33,960 Speaker 1: they they out energy you. They lie more, tall, louder, 544 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: and bully you and push you around. And we have 545 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 1: let it happen. We've allowed it to happen, and we've 546 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: tried to come no, let's just be conciliatory. We had 547 00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 1: eight years of conciliatory behavior in sixteen hundred Pennsylvania Avenue 548 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: and basically everything that's that was passed during that time 549 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:56,200 Speaker 1: is gone. Yeah, that's a deep and judges are gone. 550 00:33:56,720 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: They they they have out energy, out of energy. Um, 551 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: good people, and it's time for those of us that 552 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:11,399 Speaker 1: I did a talk at at a retreat called Mind 553 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:14,320 Speaker 1: Body Green, called Revitalized, where I called it now my 554 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: stay m F. I won't say it on here, but 555 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 1: now I'm a stay you can. I'm gonna stay, motherfucker. 556 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 1: And and that's what the title of speech was. I said, 557 00:34:23,640 --> 00:34:25,439 Speaker 1: you know, there's a lot of us walking around saying, 558 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 1: now my stay going to yoga class. Oh yes, I 559 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: blessed the God, and you be spiritual, be strong. But 560 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 1: while someone else is just like Malcolm said, put that 561 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: knife in your back nine inches. If they pull it 562 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: out three that's that's not progress. So it's time to 563 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: I don't mind the now my stay because that centers you. 564 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:47,640 Speaker 1: I need to breathe, and we need to let people's 565 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: blood pressure come down what they need to be healthy. 566 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:52,040 Speaker 1: So and the Noma stay is great. But after you 567 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 1: don't then my stay get up and say hmm no, no, 568 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:57,440 Speaker 1: this ain't gonna work. We're gonna do it this. I'm 569 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 1: not gonna let you, you know, punch me in the 570 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:02,040 Speaker 1: face right, left and center. Just like you mentioned that 571 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:06,280 Speaker 1: the Governor's legislative, you got people showing up there with gums, 572 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:10,960 Speaker 1: being aggressive, chasing down reporters, you know, coughing on people, 573 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 1: doing all these aggressive things. All that is, if you 574 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:18,400 Speaker 1: want to boil down, is energy. Energy, and I'm not 575 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:21,719 Speaker 1: saying it's energy directed in a very certain aggressive type 576 00:35:21,719 --> 00:35:23,480 Speaker 1: of way. I'm saying, you don't have to be that 577 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,279 Speaker 1: type of energy, but you have to match that level 578 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 1: of energy. Yes, you know you say that, and I'll 579 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 1: just say this, you know, is that when Michelle Obama 580 00:35:34,880 --> 00:35:38,280 Speaker 1: said when they go low, we go high. My feeling, 581 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,160 Speaker 1: you know, was more on the Eric Holder side. When 582 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,160 Speaker 1: they go low, kick them in the knees, like when 583 00:35:44,200 --> 00:35:46,759 Speaker 1: they you know what I'm saying, like, you can't. You know, 584 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: you cannot rationalize the behavior that we've been seeing exhibited 585 00:35:50,840 --> 00:35:53,280 Speaker 1: over the last three and a half years. You cannot 586 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: rationalize it. You can't ignore it. But you have to 587 00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:00,359 Speaker 1: match it. To your point, you have to match energy 588 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 1: with energy because the belief that we have that this 589 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:07,160 Speaker 1: is all just going to go away, right, it isn't right. 590 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 1: And so you know what we do now to dig 591 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 1: in and to restore and to reenergize is really going 592 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:17,960 Speaker 1: to be what makes what makes our future or breaks up. 593 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: And to your point, this has been going on a 594 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,600 Speaker 1: long time. This is the organization around putting the mechanisms 595 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:27,319 Speaker 1: in place of what we're seeing right now has been 596 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: going on a long time. There was a guy that 597 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: I was in Harvard Law School with who I'm not 598 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:34,399 Speaker 1: going to say his name, but he would go away 599 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: to these conservative I always had arguments with him in 600 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,719 Speaker 1: class over policy and all sorts of things, and he 601 00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:41,720 Speaker 1: would always go away. But we were, you know, outside, 602 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 1: we were cordial and he would ob would say, man, 603 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: where you going to say, oh, man, I got a meeting, 604 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: And he'd be going to these meetings in Boston with 605 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 1: different think tank groups literally plotting how they're going to 606 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,360 Speaker 1: Jerrymander eight overt State House, Ye legislature. I mean, this 607 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 1: sup court system didn't happen like magical. This has been 608 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 1: energized planning a blueprint and then also certain things the 609 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: use of technology that they didn't even anticipate before to 610 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 1: to to actually heighten the your ability to spread message 611 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 1: and get in galvanized support, so through lies, through mis 612 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 1: misinformation and all those things. So we have to match. 613 00:37:26,880 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 1: It doesn't have to be the exact same way, but 614 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:35,400 Speaker 1: they have to match the energy and the amplification. Hill Harper, 615 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: thank you so much, Thank you so much for the 616 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 1: work that you do. Thank you so much for joining 617 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 1: me on PM mood Um and I hope that you 618 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,680 Speaker 1: can continue to keep up your energy because we need 619 00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:50,800 Speaker 1: your passion, your grace, um and your work to continue. 620 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:54,240 Speaker 1: So thank you. I'm not going to stop, Please don't. 621 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:59,440 Speaker 1: I keep doing shows like these discussions is so important. 622 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:01,640 Speaker 1: I believe in it. It's what I can do, and 623 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,839 Speaker 1: it's what I do do, so I will continue. Thank 624 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: you so much. Stay safe out there, all right, thanks 625 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:11,320 Speaker 1: so much. Thanks for listening to this week's PM Mood. 626 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,440 Speaker 1: My political podcast, woke AF Daily is on Patreon for 627 00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: just five dollars a month. That's five new hour long 628 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:23,399 Speaker 1: shows every week for just five dollars a month. Join 629 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:27,000 Speaker 1: the conversation now at patreon dot com slash woke AF 630 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: and you can continue listening to PM Mood every week 631 00:38:30,360 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: absolutely free. Now more than ever, we see the importance 632 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 1: of independent media, so thank you for your support, and 633 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,760 Speaker 1: as always, stay in the PM mood to change the world.