1 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to willge F Daily with 2 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: me your girl Danielle Moody recording from the Home Bunker, Folks, 3 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: everywhere that you look right now around the world, there 4 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: are protests that are taking place. You can look to 5 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:32,240 Speaker 1: China at the protests against the continued after three years 6 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: severe COVID nineteen lockdown zero COVID policy that the Chinese 7 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:44,479 Speaker 1: have had in place since the pandemic began. Now in 8 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: our minds, we experienced a fraction of what it is 9 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: that the Chinese have been experiencing every day for the 10 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: last three years, which is that there is no normal 11 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: day to day life. There is rapid testing on a 12 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: regular basis. There is quarantine to the point where you 13 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 1: are removed physically removed from your home, from your apartment building, 14 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: put into a government housing area. Children have been taken 15 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: away from their families, Schools have been shut down, and 16 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 1: this continues as they move to enforce their zero COVID 17 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: policy in a country that has literally billions of people. Well, 18 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: protests have broken out in multiple cities simultaneously against the 19 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: Chinese government. Why is this such a big deal? Because 20 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: the Chinese are not allowed to protest because protest and 21 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: protesting without violence from the government is a privilege. It 22 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: is a privilege that we have in this country that 23 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: still hangs onto democracy by a thread. But it is 24 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: not something that is experienced in other nations, namely a 25 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: communist country like China. But these people are taking to 26 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 1: the streets because they have had fucking enough. They've had enough, 27 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: they've had enough, and they want their lives back. They 28 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: want the ability to see people, they want the ability 29 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: to shop, they want the ability to go out right again, 30 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: all of the things that we've taken for granted because 31 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: this country, at you, after the vaccines rolled out, we 32 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: kind of threw up our hands and said, COVID is done, 33 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,239 Speaker 1: so we're over it. We know that COVID is still 34 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 1: an issue, but it is not a raging issue that 35 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 1: it was because of the vaccine push and roll out 36 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: that the Biden administration did, thankfully right with the ability 37 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: to save people's lives. But we also know that more 38 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: than a quarter of the population in the United States 39 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 1: still is not vaccinated, and that even the third or 40 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: fourth boosters where we are right now are very low 41 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: in terms of the folks that have received them. So 42 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: it is not to say at all. I'm not looking 43 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: at the Chinese and saying well, you should be like America, 44 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: because no. But at the same time, it's when is 45 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 1: enough enough? Right, Like when will they relax restrictions? When 46 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: will people be able to have their lives back? And 47 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: so these demonstrations that are taking place are really one 48 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 1: brave right, but also show the breaking point that the 49 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: Chinese people have gotten to. And right now, unfortunately the 50 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: police are on the hunt for protesters who you know, 51 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 1: they will serve considerable jail time, if not worse. So 52 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: as this continues and we continue to follow this story, 53 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: I send out like my thoughts and solidarity to the 54 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: people of China who are at their wits end. Switching 55 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: gears now to a place that we have been covering 56 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: on this show and that I have written about, which 57 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: is Iran and Iran's continuing crackdown on the youth led 58 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 1: and women led protests for freedom for women in Iran 59 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 1: have been going on now for over well over a month. 60 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: Protesters have been sentenced to death, people have been shot 61 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: killed right because they women in this country no longer 62 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 1: want to live under this authoritarian regime where even the 63 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,840 Speaker 1: slightest slip in a hey job, or wearing a hey 64 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: job that people don't like, or showing a little bit 65 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: of skin that the morality police have driven women following 66 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: the death of Manz Mahisma in that country, the young 67 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 1: twenty three year old woman who was stopped by morality 68 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: police was detained and then ended up in a coma 69 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: and then dead, all because they did not like the 70 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: way at her head. Job was set on her head 71 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: and she twenty three years old just killed and to 72 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: women in that country and their allies have taken to 73 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: the streets and have been taking to the streets four 74 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: weeks now, you know. And now Iran is center stage 75 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: again because of the World Cup. Now at the time 76 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: that I am recording this, we don't know who will 77 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 1: have won the game, the Men's World Cup game, which 78 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 1: is going to decide who goes on further in the 79 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: match and who goes home. But this has become like 80 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: a geopolitical moment because of the men's soccer team speaking 81 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: out on behalf of the women of Iran and the 82 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: men's soccer team of Iran not singing the national anthem 83 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: in solidarity with the people of Iran who have been protesting. 84 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: But get this because again, folks like, we can say 85 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: whatever the fuck it is that we want to say 86 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: about other countries and their treatment of women and their 87 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: treatment of marginalized people, but like, I'm kind of wondering 88 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: when other countries they're going to start protesting the United 89 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: States because while we want to look at Ibron and say, oh, 90 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 1: my goodness, I can't believe that the cops are doing, 91 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: you know, are beating these people, are killing them or 92 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: jailing them and torturing them, which is atrocious. We also 93 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: live in a country that has just overturned women's ability 94 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 1: and people with uterus is to have an abortion right, Like, 95 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: who's who's pedestal? Are we standing on to say that 96 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: one country's treatment of women is wrong while I'm looking 97 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: around and I'm saying, and women in this country are 98 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: also treated as second class citizens. Yeah, we're able to 99 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: currently wear what it is that we want, right, but 100 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: black women have had to fight to be able to 101 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: wear their natural hair in a professional setting, particularly at 102 00:07:08,640 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: the army, which brought that to center stage. In the military, 103 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: women have had to fight for the ability to be 104 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: in the workforce. We're still fighting for equal pay, which 105 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: is not the law of the land in this country now, 106 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: we're fighting to hang on to the patchwork of protections 107 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: for abortion that we have. So it's like, sure, you 108 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: want to show solidarity with these authoritarian regimes, but we're 109 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: supposedly living in a fucking democracy and women and people 110 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: of color in this country are treated like trash, right, 111 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: So when when are people going to decide like, oh, 112 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: we're not coming to the United States to play in 113 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: your games or to you know, we're going to show 114 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: solidarity with black people in this country, with women in 115 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: this country. They don't, right, because America has the best 116 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: kind of fucking pr ever, Oh, we're a democracy kind of. 117 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: It's why my other show is called democracy Ish because 118 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: it kind of isn't. So what has been brought to 119 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: the attention right now is these two teams are going 120 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: to take center stage. Is this I just want to 121 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: lift this up because it's being reported from CNN and 122 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: it's something that people need to pay attention to because 123 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: you we look at these games and we think to ourselves, well, 124 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: why won't these athletes you know, take a position, and 125 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: then when we do, we applaud them. But I also 126 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: want us to think about what happens to their families 127 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: at home. What happens to them when they go home? Right, 128 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: So CNN is reporting this. The families of Iran's World 129 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: Cup soccer team have been threatened with imprisonment and torture 130 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: if the players fail to quote unquote behave ahead of 131 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: the match against the USA on Tuesday, a source involved 132 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: in this security of the game set Following the refusal 133 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: of Iranian players to sing the nation's national anthem in 134 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 1: their opening match against England on November twenty first, the 135 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: source said that the players were called to the meeting 136 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: with members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC. The 137 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: source said that they were told that their families would 138 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 1: face violence and torture if they did not sing the 139 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: national anthem or if they joined in any political protest 140 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 1: against the Tehran regime. The players sang the anthem before 141 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: their second game against Wales last Friday, which saw two 142 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: to one victory for Iran. The source, who was closely 143 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: monitoring Iran's security agencies operating in cutter over the World 144 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: Cup periods, said that dozens of officers from the IRGC 145 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: have been drafted in to monitor the Iranian players, who 146 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: are not allowed to mingle outside the squad or meet 147 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 1: with foreigners. There are a large number of Iranian security 148 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: officers and cutter collecting information and monitoring the players. So 149 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: I just, you know, again, want to make it really 150 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: clear that protesting is a privilege, and we should not 151 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:29,200 Speaker 1: place our privilege and our values in this country on 152 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: other countries and other people because we have no idea, 153 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: no idea what the fuck they face when they go 154 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 1: back home and what their families face. Because you see, 155 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: when you are on the world stage and you put 156 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: on the uniform of your country, you are representing that country. 157 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:58,199 Speaker 1: And while for all of these athletes this is the 158 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: culmination of career goals right for us, it's a game 159 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: that we like to watch. For them, it's everything that 160 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: they've been working for their entire lives, and it's also 161 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 1: the ability to protect to safeguard their families, right, to 162 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: protect them financially, to protect them with their fame. So 163 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: a misstep by this Iranian men's soccer team shouldn't be 164 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: looked at as oh, they don't support women. They would 165 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: love to, but what does that mean for their safety 166 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: and the safety of their family that is not even 167 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:48,239 Speaker 1: there on the field. So just want people to understand 168 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: that these countries, these authoritarian regimes, these dictatorships, these you know, 169 00:11:54,080 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 1: communist nations that have zero, zero tolerance whatsoever for dissent, 170 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: that when we see these brave and courageous people taking 171 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: to the streets, it is worth our time, our commentary, right, 172 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: and our solidarity to uplift these stories, particularly when we 173 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,320 Speaker 1: know the danger that they are facing. In our minds, 174 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: we can't even grapple with what happens to people that 175 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: are caught in places like Russia, like Iran, like China 176 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: for speaking out against their government and just know that 177 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: in doing so here right like the ability for me 178 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 1: to have shows where I can wag a finger and 179 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: talk about this country's inability to live up to its 180 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: creative liberty and justice for all. It is a privilege 181 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: for us to be able to be on social media 182 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,599 Speaker 1: and share our anger and our rage and our frustration. 183 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: It is a privilege that can easily be taken away 184 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,840 Speaker 1: because that is what the Republican Party as they look 185 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: at these authoritarian regimes, that's what they want. They don't 186 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: want democracy and the ability to vote and the ability 187 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: to organize and protest and demand better. They want us 188 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 1: just to shut the fuck up, keep our heads down, 189 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 1: work right, and just be concerned with our little peace 190 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: right of the scraps that they give us. So when 191 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: we protest, when we are fighting, it is so that 192 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:49,200 Speaker 1: we preserve our ability to have liberty ish in this country, 193 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 1: and doing so when we know that other people would 194 00:13:54,800 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: be killed for it. I couldn't be in Russia or 195 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:05,840 Speaker 1: China or Iran because I am black, because I am queer, 196 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 1: and because I am a political commentator. That is a 197 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,880 Speaker 1: privilege I have in this country that I would not 198 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 1: have in other places. So I just I don't want 199 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: us to look at these games and to look at 200 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: what is happening in China, and look at what is 201 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: happening on the streets of Iran and not recognize the 202 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: power and the courage and the bravery that these women, 203 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: these people are showing. It is worth our time and 204 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: attention to continue to lift it up on whatever platforms 205 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: it is that we have. Coming up next, folks, on 206 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: my continued conversations with young queer people. Again, you know, 207 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: I say this because in other countries, in other countries, 208 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: it is not okay to be gay, it is not 209 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: okay to be non binary. It's not okay to be 210 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 1: trans It's barely okay here. But here we've come to 211 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:23,200 Speaker 1: a place where schools still have GSAs, where there are 212 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: clubs and organizations and safe spaces that are created for 213 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: young queer people not to feel alone, and It Gets 214 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: Better project continues to lift up LGBTQ youth so that 215 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: we don't see the rash of suicides that we did 216 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: in the early two thousands that sparked that It Gets 217 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: Better project. And so I'm just so grateful for these 218 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: young people to come on to woke a F to 219 00:15:55,040 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: talk about what it is like to be in high 220 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: school right now, what it is like to be out 221 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: in Red States as a young person, and the support 222 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: that they get or don't get, and what they think 223 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: about being used as a political football. So today I 224 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:22,240 Speaker 1: sit down with ray Sweet Sandoval to discuss more on 225 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:28,800 Speaker 1: why It Gets Better project is important, why it is necessary, 226 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: and why it is something that we should not take 227 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: for granted. Ever, that conversation is coming up next, folks. 228 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: I'm really excited to welcome to will Gate f for 229 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,560 Speaker 1: the first time to round out our conversations that we've 230 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: been having with a youth, Queer youth that attended the 231 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,359 Speaker 1: Youth Summit that is hosted by the It Gets Better Project, 232 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 1: and so now I have the delightful pleasure of speaking 233 00:16:57,040 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: with Ray Sweet Sandoval, who is the education coordinator at 234 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 1: the It Gets Better Project and heads the It Gets 235 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: Better Youth Voices Program. Ray, um one, thank you so 236 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 1: much for for making the time to join woke. Ass Um. 237 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,600 Speaker 1: The first question I want to ask you is about 238 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: the Youth Summit, and UM, you know, give us a 239 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 1: little bit of background about the summit, about how the 240 00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: young people come together, UM, and what what happens while 241 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: they're that they're all together. Yeah. Absolutely, and thank you 242 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: so much for having me, Um, for having us, UM, 243 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: I'm really excited. UM. Yeah, the the this was the 244 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: first youth summit that we've had. UM. The Youth Voice 245 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 1: program is actually fairly new. UM. We started in during 246 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: Pride of twenty twenty and UM it's really like grown 247 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: since then. UM. And we've been working with you know, 248 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 1: a group of anywhere between like five to thirteen kids 249 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: for a full year, really just working with them to 250 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 1: help share their voice on issues and topics that are 251 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:10,920 Speaker 1: important to them. And we just knew we wanted to 252 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:12,919 Speaker 1: bring them all together because they're from all across the 253 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: US and they, like some of them, have never met 254 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: another queer young person or a queer adult, and there's 255 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: so much we can do online, and there's so much 256 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: that we've been doing online, but there's also only so 257 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: much that you can do online, and so it was 258 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: just really exciting for us to bring them all into 259 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: the same space. And really the goal was to there's 260 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: this quote by ed Adrian Marie Brown that I love 261 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:49,640 Speaker 1: and we love them, but this quote that it goes 262 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 1: something like, there's a conversation in the room that only 263 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: these people can have right now. Find it And that 264 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 1: was like kind of my mindset going into the summit 265 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: and creating these summit was, let's create a space where 266 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: it is so unique and it is so special. That 267 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: is like centering and uplifting and focusing on these queer 268 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,719 Speaker 1: young people and having them find the conversations that they 269 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 1: that they need to have, And it was really it 270 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: was really special, and I think we did that. What 271 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 1: are some of the conversations that the young people were 272 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: having together? What was top of mind? I mean, there 273 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 1: was a lot, there was a lot of conversations that 274 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 1: we had um but some of the ones that really 275 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: like stood out to me were we had a lot 276 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:46,200 Speaker 1: of conversations around shared identities and shared passions and shared experiences, 277 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: but in a way that like, some of them have 278 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 1: these shared identities or there's these shared experiences, but they 279 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: have very different perspectives on them or very different experiences 280 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: within those. One of the conversations that I found really 281 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: interesting was the conversations around religion, because a lot of 282 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: them grew up in very religious households and some of 283 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: them are religious, some of them aren't, And that was 284 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 1: just a really I don't know, just such an interesting 285 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: conversation for these young people to have and just to 286 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: be so open and vulnerable about. We also talked a 287 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: lot about perceptions, especially as like trans young people, like 288 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: how they're perceived in the world and how they navigate that. 289 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:33,959 Speaker 1: And a lot of them are non binary or trans, 290 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 1: and they just have so many different experiences even though 291 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: they share that identity. So I just, yeah, a lot 292 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 1: of really interesting conversations around identities and their different experiences 293 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: within those identities. You know, I often Ray talk about 294 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: on Woke a f being black and queer myself and 295 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: but recognizing what a challenge is now nowadays. When I 296 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: was growing up, you know, while don't ask, don't tell 297 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:12,640 Speaker 1: was considered a celebration, I was considered something good that 298 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: was happening. It's just like, great gay people exist, just 299 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: don't talk about it, don't say anything. And now we're 300 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: back in that space as you you know, know about 301 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 1: legislation that has rolled out in Florida and in Texas. 302 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: How do the young people that you work with, how 303 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: do they internalize that? What do they think about these 304 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:41,439 Speaker 1: don't say gay bills and books being banned? I'll say what, 305 00:21:41,600 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: from what I've noticed, there's two reactions. One is, well, 306 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: that's a generalization, but what has stood out is rage, 307 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,959 Speaker 1: just complete anger and yeah, just being fed up and 308 00:21:56,040 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: like rightfully so. And then the other reaction is exhaustion, 309 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: Like these kids just want to be kids and the 310 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: fact that they are put in these positions to have 311 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: to think about, you know, all of these politics and 312 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: all of like being used as political pawns, and they 313 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: just want to live and they just want to live authentically, 314 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: and they just want to love who they want to love, 315 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:22,679 Speaker 1: and they want to be who they want to be. 316 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 1: And it's honestly, just like it's not that like it's 317 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 1: not like I think, um, one of these voices mentioned 318 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: like it's not that out there, like it's not wild 319 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: to like be this, But the way that society and 320 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:45,360 Speaker 1: the politics treats them, it's difficult to navigate, and they're 321 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: exhausted and they just they just want to they just 322 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 1: want to be and there's a lot of burnout, especially 323 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 1: as young activists. I mean, they're very, very involved in 324 00:22:55,480 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: a lot of activist spaces and it can just be 325 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: so exhausting, especially you're just trying to be a young person. 326 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: You're just trying to you're just trying to exist. Yeah, 327 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,600 Speaker 1: and so those are kind of the ways that they've 328 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: been internalizing it. One of the things that I talk 329 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 1: to a lot of people about is the emotional and 330 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: spiritual safety of young people in this time. And so, 331 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: as the education coordinator, how do you talk about mental health? 332 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 1: What kind of tools and advice you know, do give 333 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: the young people that are a part of the It 334 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: Gets Better project, but also just in general who may 335 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: be listening, you know to this episode. Now, what advice 336 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,160 Speaker 1: do you have for them in order to take care 337 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: of them themselves in the face of so much vitriol? Yeah, 338 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: That's a really good question. It's something that we're always 339 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,480 Speaker 1: trying to navigate, UM, because so much of this work 340 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,480 Speaker 1: is deeply personal and you give a lot of yourself 341 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 1: to this work of sharing your story and being vulnerable 342 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: with a large audience. That's that's a huge part of 343 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: this work. And the biggest thing that we really like 344 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: stick to is like it's it's it comes down to consent, 345 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: Like what are you consenting to give to this platform, 346 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: Like what do you UM, what energy do you have, 347 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,719 Speaker 1: and just checking in and like being human about it 348 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 1: and just saying like if you are exhausted and you 349 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: don't have the energy to like speak on this topic, 350 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 1: you don't have to. And just but if you are 351 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: energized and you're and you're either feeling very passionate or 352 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: or full of rage or whatever it is, if you're 353 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: feeling those emotions and you need a place to let 354 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: it out, like we want this to be a space 355 00:24:54,720 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: for that. UM. But really like really leaning into UM 356 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: giving what you want to give, and also just like 357 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: leaning into the community of it all UM. You know, 358 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: the youth voices We meet twice a month over zoom 359 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,919 Speaker 1: UM and a part of it is a collaborative space 360 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: of how can we better amplify their voices? And then 361 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: another part of it is just checking in how are 362 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: you doing? How is school? How are called applications? Going? 363 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: Um and just being in community together. UM. Another resource 364 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 1: that it Gets Better has actually um been been a 365 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: part of is imy um i am I, which is 366 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:40,199 Speaker 1: a digital mental health tool where young people can you know, 367 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: just kind of go through it, spend like five minutes 368 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,959 Speaker 1: or something in there and um they you know, you 369 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: can go through these activities of like you know, breaking 370 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 1: down your gender identity or like exploring pronouns or you 371 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: know doing breath breath breathwork for for anxiety or stress. UM. 372 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: So imy is like the best resource that I can 373 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 1: shout out when it comes to mental health. Definitely, Oh well, 374 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,479 Speaker 1: I'll definitely have to put that in the notes of 375 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: the of the show so that people can check that 376 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:12,919 Speaker 1: out right just with the you know, a couple of 377 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: that with the minute that we have left for people 378 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: that want to get involved in the It Gets Better project. 379 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 1: Because you all have done such amazing work, you continue 380 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:30,399 Speaker 1: to do such amazing work. How can either lgbtq I 381 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:37,520 Speaker 1: A adults or allies get involved. It Gets Better is 382 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: really all about storytelling and so engaging with those stories, 383 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 1: like that's the best way to get involved is going 384 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: into our our YouTube channel, our Twitch channel and watching 385 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: these stories, sharing these stories. But we've also have a 386 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: lot of resources around the stories. As the education coordinator, 387 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: I'm really excited about our EEDU Guides, which is like 388 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: fully fleshed out lesson plans that educators or GSA leads 389 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 1: can like bring into a classroom, bring into a club, 390 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: and it gives you, you know, a guide on how 391 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: to introduce these stories in those settings. There's a lot 392 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,240 Speaker 1: of like fun activities to do around them. There's discussions 393 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: that you can have around them, so like just taking 394 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: it that step further, and it's also just a way 395 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:26,679 Speaker 1: to open up a space to have those conversations to 396 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,360 Speaker 1: begin with. So yeah, definitely just engaging in the stories 397 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:34,800 Speaker 1: and UM and talking to young people about the stories 398 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 1: and how they feel and what they resonate with. Ray, 399 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 1: thank you so much for making the time to join 400 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: woke app and thank you for the work that you're 401 00:27:43,359 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 1: doing with it Better it Gets Better projects. I always 402 00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: have such issues saying that, UM, and just thank you 403 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:55,400 Speaker 1: for introducing us to these wonderful youth voices that we've 404 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to share with our audience. Really appreciate you. 405 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for having us. It was an 406 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:03,959 Speaker 1: honor and I'm just I am so appreciative of you 407 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: giving your platform to the young people that we work with. 408 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:12,639 Speaker 1: I'm excited for people to hear what they had to say. Absolutely, 409 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: thank you. That is it for me today. Dear friends 410 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: on Woke app as always, power to the people and 411 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 1: to all the people. Power, get woke and stay woke 412 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: as fuck.