WEBVTT - Civic Cipher 032021 Ramses Ja & Dr. Camilla Westenberg 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.920 Welcome to another episode of Civic Cipher. I'm your host, 0:00:03.000 --> 0:00:05.440 Ramsey's job. Big shout out to my man c Ward, 0:00:05.559 --> 0:00:10.559 who is indisposed this evening but very much with us 0:00:10.560 --> 0:00:15.760 in spirit. And yeah, a lot of stuff to talk 0:00:15.800 --> 0:00:21.120 about this week. But one of the best things that 0:00:21.160 --> 0:00:23.239 has happened to us is that we were able to 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:28.280 book a guest, my favorite guest who has been on 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:32.080 the show before, but you know she's she's she's in 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:36.800 high demand these days. Her name is doctor Camilla Westenberg 0:00:37.479 --> 0:00:40.199 and she is joining us in the studio again for 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:43.920 Civic Cipher. So once again, welcome, thank you, of course, 0:00:46.760 --> 0:00:50.839 and today we're going to talk a little bit about 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:54.440 a lot or if it's meaningful, we're going to talk 0:00:54.480 --> 0:00:59.160 a lot about some specific things. But I've been trying 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:04.800 to really put this show off until I get to 0:01:04.840 --> 0:01:10.000 a point where I have the support or the the 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:15.240 knowledge and the and the language necessary to articulate what's 0:01:15.280 --> 0:01:18.959 going on fully. The issue, of course I'm talking about 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:25.320 is the voter suppression initiatives that have been taking place 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:26.240 across the country. 0:01:26.920 --> 0:01:28.800 Now. Most folks refer to them as. 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:34.039 Initiatives to protect the integrity of voting, or you know, whatever, 0:01:34.040 --> 0:01:36.240 there's this pretty language around all of them, and so 0:01:37.200 --> 0:01:42.120 it doesn't cause many people's ears to perk up. But 0:01:42.240 --> 0:01:47.840 my understanding is that historically black folks have been able 0:01:47.880 --> 0:01:54.160 to really see what's underneath those that language, really what 0:01:54.240 --> 0:01:57.160 it is, you know, going back to Jim Crown even 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:03.360 further back in in some instances, and what's happening now 0:02:04.480 --> 0:02:11.280 in mass across the country is exactly the same. It's 0:02:11.320 --> 0:02:17.480 it's perhaps the climate also kind of lends itself to 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.520 some of this stuff actually making some progress in us 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:26.400 really losing our capacity to vote or otherwise it's becoming diminished. 0:02:27.440 --> 0:02:30.880 And in the past few episodes that we've you know, 0:02:31.000 --> 0:02:35.640 mentioned these voter suppression initiatives, you know, I have not. 0:02:35.720 --> 0:02:39.120 Been able to peel away many layers there. 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:41.840 But I want to take this show, the next show, 0:02:41.919 --> 0:02:46.640 perhaps even the show after that, to really dive into that, 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:50.239 really rout out the source of this and and really 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:53.800 examine what it is and really explore what it is 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:56.760 that we can do about it, because I think, at 0:02:56.840 --> 0:02:59.960 least for me, you know, I haven't been the most 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:02.680 most active politically speaking. 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:03.640 Person my whole life. 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:07.200 You know, more recently I've been made aware of exactly 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:11.600 how much is you know, working against me? You know, 0:03:11.720 --> 0:03:16.400 and these systemic issues that I refer to, how ingrained 0:03:16.440 --> 0:03:18.520 they are in life, and things that I take for 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:21.000 granted actually can be challenged, but I would never think 0:03:21.040 --> 0:03:25.320 to challenge them. So I have to imagine that there 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:28.079 are lots of folks out there who have a more 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:31.560 passive type of attitude when it comes to oh, well, 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:34.800 that's just the way it is. And what I want 0:03:34.800 --> 0:03:37.400 to do is empower them while I'm being empowered to 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:46.320 actually take action against these initiatives, these campaigns to really 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:53.480 further disenfranchise us, and to keep the systems in power 0:03:53.480 --> 0:03:56.720 and in place that are currently in power and in 0:03:56.720 --> 0:04:01.760 place above and beyond you know, what we're able to 0:04:01.760 --> 0:04:05.560 see and feel in our day to day lives to 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:07.760 any significant degree. I know this, a lot of us 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:10.880 encounter a lot of surface level stuff. But the systems 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:12.760 in place to keep us in the communities and keep 0:04:12.840 --> 0:04:17.000 us in the and the existing framework and limit our 0:04:17.040 --> 0:04:19.239 mobility and our options, those are the things I'm referring 0:04:19.279 --> 0:04:25.320 to specifically. So one thing that we were able to 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:29.520 talk about is, well, before I go any further, I 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:32.839 don't think I give you a proper introduction, and I 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:35.640 want to make sure that I do this the right way, 0:04:35.800 --> 0:04:40.840 So I will do my best to introduce you to 0:04:40.839 --> 0:04:42.560 to folks that haven't heard you on the show before. 0:04:42.680 --> 0:04:45.919 And then I want you to come in behind me 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:48.960 and make sure that you fill in the gaps. So 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:58.240 doctor Camilla Westenberg, when I met her, she was a professor, 0:04:58.960 --> 0:05:09.680 an English professor at Phoenix College and she was the. 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:11.520 Chair person or what's the word I'm looking for. 0:05:13.800 --> 0:05:18.600 I coordinated developmental English during that time, and I was. 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:21.760 Advisor advisor, that's the word I'm looking for for the 0:05:21.800 --> 0:05:28.760 Black Student Union. And the reason that that's of particular 0:05:28.800 --> 0:05:32.040 importance to me is, well, you know, I don't use 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:34.720 words like advisors because she was my teacher. She still 0:05:34.760 --> 0:05:41.239 is my teacher. You still are my teacher. But doctor 0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:44.720 Westenberg caught me at a time in my life when 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:52.400 things weren't so pretty, and she found that I was 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:55.039 just kind of blown in the wind. I'll spare you 0:05:55.040 --> 0:05:58.360 a long story, but she discovered me around campus and 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:03.520 had no real direction, and she asked me to do 0:06:03.920 --> 0:06:06.720 some things. And for those of you who are aware 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:10.680 of the dynamic that exists with. 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:16.040 Black women who are older. 0:06:15.720 --> 0:06:19.520 Than you you understand that usually when someone tells you 0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:23.560 to do something, you do it. So I'm not going 0:06:23.640 --> 0:06:25.719 to go against the grain there. She she asked me 0:06:25.800 --> 0:06:33.039 to enroll in her African American literature class class, which 0:06:33.080 --> 0:06:35.600 I did because I didn't want to see her again 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:36.120 and not have. 0:06:36.360 --> 0:06:37.640 Enrolled in the class. 0:06:38.800 --> 0:06:40.160 But this is all out of love. 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.240 And it's it's a time in my life I'll never forget. 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:44.440 It's it's the it's really the basis of who I 0:06:44.480 --> 0:06:47.760 am as an adult and as a professional. And then 0:06:48.600 --> 0:06:51.839 further along in the story, of course, she asked me 0:06:51.880 --> 0:06:52.560 to attend. 0:06:52.320 --> 0:06:53.679 The Black Student Union meetings. 0:06:54.040 --> 0:06:59.520 Later, we had some conversations about leadership potential and. 0:06:58.720 --> 0:07:00.640 She asked if I'd be interested in stepping into a 0:07:00.720 --> 0:07:01.360 leadership role. 0:07:01.440 --> 0:07:03.839 Ultimately, I became the president of the Black Student Union, 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:06.880 and you know, on and on. 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:08.200 The rest is history. 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:12.480 So her functioning in those capacities really was very significant 0:07:12.520 --> 0:07:17.239 to me. She's also a member of the Alpha Kappa 0:07:17.400 --> 0:07:30.560 Alpha sorority. She serves as the vice chair of. Okay, 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:33.119 I'm gonna get this wrong, but it's the Maricopa County 0:07:33.160 --> 0:07:36.640 Chapter of the naa C second vice president. Sorry, the 0:07:36.640 --> 0:07:47.080 America County and she is affiliated with the Lynks, and. 0:07:49.400 --> 0:07:51.840 I have to say, top Ladies of Distinction, Top Ladies 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:54.040 of Distinction, the National Council of Negro Women. 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:58.920 I have to give them love, Okay, I need I 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:00.960 need people to understand who they're talking. 0:08:00.680 --> 0:08:01.840 To and who are listening to. 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:06.920 That's just involved in community service, very stations, okay, okay, 0:08:07.520 --> 0:08:10.680 but very much a person who's visible out in the streets, 0:08:11.120 --> 0:08:14.800 out in the real world, someone who has. 0:08:16.480 --> 0:08:20.040 Created a path for people like me to go from 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:24.600 not really having a clear purse purpose or a real 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:29.480 defined sense of you know, self and my identity. There's 0:08:29.520 --> 0:08:31.880 reasons for that. You know, I had some some issues 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:34.240 that I was dealing with at that age, but just 0:08:34.280 --> 0:08:36.559 kind of keeping me straight and true and and some 0:08:36.600 --> 0:08:38.960 of those had had to do with you know, MLK 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:44.640 Youth celebrations, HBCU college fairs, hip hop to Vote, summits, 0:08:45.200 --> 0:08:47.920 you know, all things that that you put on. 0:08:48.559 --> 0:08:53.000 Over the years, and that well we all put on. 0:08:53.320 --> 0:08:56.720 Really you were you were you were the advisory and 0:08:56.840 --> 0:09:00.400 so at least in the community where I live here 0:09:00.400 --> 0:09:05.040 in Phoenix, Arizona, an extremely influential person, woman who commands 0:09:05.080 --> 0:09:07.720 respect in every room she walks in if I'm able 0:09:07.760 --> 0:09:09.480 to go to a place, whether it's like the best 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:13.800 time because everyone stops and you know they part like 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:16.040 you know, it's a let her walk in and so forth, 0:09:16.080 --> 0:09:18.400 and so again, an honor for you to be on 0:09:18.440 --> 0:09:19.000 the show. 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:24.040 A pleasure to be here, it really. 0:09:23.840 --> 0:09:25.679 Is, absolutely so. 0:09:27.320 --> 0:09:30.600 The last time you were on the show, we talked 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:44.720 a lot about your longstanding relationship with white supremacy, with segregation, 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:47.600 with you know, these are things that you actually live 0:09:47.720 --> 0:09:49.040 through in your lifetime. 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:51.600 I remember you mentioned. 0:09:53.440 --> 0:09:57.080 Something on the last episode about not being able to 0:09:57.120 --> 0:09:59.800 try on shoes in a store because you were black 0:10:00.280 --> 0:10:03.040 when you were a little girl. I remember you saying 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:10.080 something about you your mother, I believe, having to take 0:10:10.200 --> 0:10:13.960 a portable bathroom with you in the car on road 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:17.679 trips because you would not have been allowed to use. 0:10:19.160 --> 0:10:19.439 Right. 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:22.560 And so this was during your lifetime, and since then, 0:10:23.320 --> 0:10:26.080 you know, let laws have been passed and things like 0:10:26.120 --> 0:10:29.400 that to prevent that, but you you experienced it firsthand. 0:10:29.440 --> 0:10:31.640 And then of course when you were born, that was normal. 0:10:32.280 --> 0:10:34.840 It was normal to be second class citizen and not 0:10:34.880 --> 0:10:37.559 be afforded the same opportunities, rights and privileges as. 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:40.400 White folks in this country. 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:44.800 So in my belief, you have a unique perspective of 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:48.200 the goings on today, and again, it's very meaningful that 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:50.040 you would show up today and we'd be able to 0:10:50.040 --> 0:10:50.960 talk about. 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:52.640 Some of the things that are happening. 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:56.880 So again, one of the things that we were able 0:10:56.920 --> 0:11:02.640 to talk about on the show so far is the 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:07.360 success that was achieved in Georgia with respect to electing 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:14.000 Joe Biden President of the United States. And one such 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:21.200 initiative that took place that helped fuel his election in 0:11:21.280 --> 0:11:26.240 Georgia Turning Blue, was a campaign called Souls to the Polls. 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:31.760 And I want you to talk about what Souls to 0:11:31.800 --> 0:11:33.200 the Polls was. 0:11:34.360 --> 0:11:40.640 And you know what has happened as a result of that. 0:11:42.160 --> 0:11:46.240 Well. Souls to the Polls was an initiative by Stacy 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:55.120 Abrams and it was an effort and an energy of 0:11:55.160 --> 0:12:00.480 pulling African Americans together collectively at a time when it 0:12:00.520 --> 0:12:03.920 was convenient for them to go to the polls and vote. 0:12:04.800 --> 0:12:08.280 So Sunday worked well for them. Black folks go to 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:13.280 church and to save their souls, and they just moved 0:12:13.360 --> 0:12:17.479 right onto the polls to continue to save their souls 0:12:17.559 --> 0:12:23.000 and their lives. And that is what that initiative was 0:12:23.120 --> 0:12:26.360 and there were there were many other ways in which 0:12:27.200 --> 0:12:34.960 individuals would into the community to try to get people 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:39.600 first registered and then to mobilize it. So there was 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.640 and this is across the country. This is across the country. 0:12:43.679 --> 0:12:50.160 There was a considerable effort to get individuals registered to vote. 0:12:50.280 --> 0:12:53.920 That was the major thing, and then after that deadline 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:57.679 to continue and go to the next level and encourage 0:12:57.720 --> 0:13:01.240 them to go to the polls and to actually vote. 0:13:01.760 --> 0:13:05.560 So it was a matter of getting into places where 0:13:05.600 --> 0:13:08.320 you know people are, whether it's a barber shop, whether 0:13:08.360 --> 0:13:11.440 it's a beauty shop, whether it's a restaurant, whether it's 0:13:11.480 --> 0:13:14.280 soul food, whether it's at the park. It was a 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:18.440 matter of going to places where you could find, in 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:25.280 this instance, African Americans who would vote. Because we were 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:30.920 really working to get Barack Obama to become president. That 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:34.880 concept of having an African American as a president is 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:39.559 something that was always articulated, but you never really really 0:13:39.600 --> 0:13:42.840 really thought that it would happen. You know, you would 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:45.680 say to a little boy, oh, you could be president 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:46.120 one day. 0:13:46.160 --> 0:13:46.760 You need to do that. 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:49.480 You can be president. But for it to really happen, 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:57.000 to reach that plateau wasn't something that we thought along 0:13:57.080 --> 0:14:04.200 the way that could actually be achieved necessarily. And when 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:07.960 Barack Obama came along and we had advanced along the 0:14:08.000 --> 0:14:13.440 way and progressed in politics, we saw that the opportunity 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:17.360 was there, and the community came together to make it happen. 0:14:18.200 --> 0:14:21.160 And one of the things that we have to remember, too, 0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:25.960 is that many of the movements that we have had 0:14:27.040 --> 0:14:31.040 as it relates to the black experience in America, has 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:37.640 been led by a religious leader of some sort, whether 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:41.640 it was the Reverend doctor Martin Luther King, whether it 0:14:41.680 --> 0:14:42.680 was Reverend l. 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:43.280 Sharpton. 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:46.720 You know, there were ministers there, the Reverend Jesse Jackson. 0:14:47.000 --> 0:14:53.280 They were also always ministers. When you think of the 0:14:53.360 --> 0:14:57.040 Muslim faith, that was right, Yeah, there was always someone 0:14:57.240 --> 0:15:00.800 there of the faith who had faith. I'm not a 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:05.480 very religious person, but there was a faith there that 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:11.920 allowed those individuals to come to the forefront and to 0:15:12.000 --> 0:15:15.800 speak to the people and to motivate the people to 0:15:15.920 --> 0:15:19.600 do what they needed to do to assure that we 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:24.200 got where we were going to get. And you know, 0:15:24.320 --> 0:15:31.160 it was a progression. From segregation to integration was a progression. 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:32.800 And when it. 0:15:32.720 --> 0:15:38.040 Finally reached that point, the president. My goodness, we really 0:15:38.120 --> 0:15:42.960 came out in force to make sure that that could happen, 0:15:43.120 --> 0:15:47.120 and it did. It did, and you have so many 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:51.280 people who were elated. We have some people who left 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:55.800 this earth who saw it happen and they were in tears. 0:15:55.880 --> 0:16:00.400 My mother who lost it ninety six years old when 0:16:00.560 --> 0:16:04.400 I called her that evening when it was announced. Can 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:11.720 you imagine? Can you just imagine to have a black president? 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:16.360 And he did a marvelous job in the midst of 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:23.400 being restricted in a number of ways by Congress. There 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:27.680 were so many that we were still held back. We 0:16:27.720 --> 0:16:31.680 should have had a person of the Supreme Court. He 0:16:31.840 --> 0:16:36.600 was to do that, he was do that, but Congress 0:16:38.480 --> 0:16:40.720 saw to it that he did not have that opportunity 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:43.440 and will not even interview his recommendation. 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:49.240 And so we still have a long ways to go. 0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:56.960 As a matter of fact, at this particular juncture, I 0:16:57.000 --> 0:17:03.440 won't say that we've stepped back, you would say, but 0:17:04.440 --> 0:17:08.879 I think what has happened is, as someone said, those 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:11.399 individual and I'm trying to decide which had am I 0:17:11.480 --> 0:17:15.160 wearing right now, because all of the organizations with which 0:17:15.200 --> 0:17:20.680 I'm affiliated they are none partisan, and so I'm speaking 0:17:20.720 --> 0:17:26.960 from a policy perspective. Okay, from a policy perspective, when 0:17:26.960 --> 0:17:32.120 you look at the Constitution and the rights of individuals, 0:17:33.400 --> 0:17:43.359 we have a population of individuals who do not leave 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:50.600 in the Constitution or the equality of all people. And 0:17:50.680 --> 0:17:59.199 they have taken off their sheets, yes, and so we 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:02.160 know who they are are now, Yeah, we know who 0:18:02.200 --> 0:18:06.359 they are. When I drive around and I see the 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:11.000 flags or I see big trucks passing me with flags, 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:14.080 that to me, that equates the it's a. 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:15.040 Sign, it's a symbol. 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:19.280 I know, I know who I am looking at, and 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:22.960 I know it is someone that does not want me 0:18:23.280 --> 0:18:31.000 to be here, at least holding myself in a certain position. Absolutely, okay, 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:34.359 they would like for me to be subjected to them. Yes, 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:39.639 and so yeah, the signs are there, and we know. 0:18:40.119 --> 0:18:43.000 I'm glad that you brought that up because we've actually 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:44.320 talked about that before on the show. 0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:47.280 With respect to the flags, and you know, the way 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:50.640 that what I always say is. 0:18:53.720 --> 0:18:59.000 People having a flag in the country, especially we're not 0:18:59.040 --> 0:19:01.119 on the coast when I'm born ring, you know, people 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:03.760 having a flag in a place like where I live 0:19:03.800 --> 0:19:07.560 in Phoenix. It's like wearing a shirt with your address 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:10.160 on it in your own house, you know, Like, who 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:11.720 are you really trying to show that to? 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:15.080 What? Why is it that? Why are you going so hard? 0:19:15.840 --> 0:19:18.600 Who needs to see that? Like, we know where we are. 0:19:18.640 --> 0:19:20.840 This is clearly as America. We're not. We didn't just 0:19:20.880 --> 0:19:21.119 get here. 0:19:21.160 --> 0:19:23.399 We're deep in the middle of the country where the 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:24.360 state is landlocked. 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:27.320 Yeah, but when they began that, I wanted to flip 0:19:27.320 --> 0:19:30.280 the switch on them with that. I really think we 0:19:30.320 --> 0:19:32.520 all should have gotten flags and started I mean, we 0:19:32.560 --> 0:19:33.240 really took. 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:37.159 It away or owned it ourselves. Yeah, it belongs to 0:19:37.160 --> 0:19:40.359 all of us. That's that's the us, absolutely. 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:42.080 But so. 0:19:44.160 --> 0:19:49.159 Not to get too far away from it, the. 0:19:47.640 --> 0:19:52.760 Souls to the poles. So I think it's worth mentioning that. 0:19:54.280 --> 0:20:00.359 Historically, So once upon a time, when when black people 0:20:00.400 --> 0:20:05.879 first got the right to vote, my understanding is that 0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:08.679 black people exercised that right to the degree that they 0:20:08.680 --> 0:20:13.600 were able. There was of course tremendous aggressive voter suppression initially, 0:20:14.920 --> 0:20:19.520 but you know, if, if and when and where they could, 0:20:19.560 --> 0:20:23.880 black folks got out and voted right, that was the 0:20:23.880 --> 0:20:27.120 primary means of making sure that your voice was heard. 0:20:27.160 --> 0:20:29.520 Once upon a time, there was no Instagram to share photos, 0:20:29.560 --> 0:20:31.439 there was none of that stuff back in you know, 0:20:31.520 --> 0:20:39.600 the nineteen early nineteen hundreds, late eighteen hundreds. 0:20:38.440 --> 0:20:38.840 And so. 0:20:40.359 --> 0:20:48.200 Over the years, my understanding is that black folks have become, 0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:54.520 or the feelings has been, that that system does not 0:20:54.680 --> 0:20:59.240 work for black people, It does not accurately reflect their voice. 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:02.800 They feel further disenfranchised. In fact, and I shared this 0:21:02.840 --> 0:21:04.640 on the show before, but I saw something on Netflix 0:21:04.640 --> 0:21:08.000 once upon a time, this might have been three four 0:21:08.040 --> 0:21:12.959 months ago, where it quantified the value of a vote 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:20.840 from a white male in Wisconsin and compared the value 0:21:20.960 --> 0:21:25.439 of that vote to a person just anybody living in 0:21:25.480 --> 0:21:29.160 southern California. As it turns out, that vote from Wisconsin, 0:21:29.359 --> 0:21:31.680 a place where there's not a lot of population, actually 0:21:31.760 --> 0:21:37.359 carries about one point seventy five percent voting weight, and 0:21:37.400 --> 0:21:40.760 then the person in California it's like a fraction of 0:21:41.520 --> 0:21:46.760 a percent. And so historically, my understanding is that black 0:21:46.760 --> 0:21:50.359 folks have really felt that their vote doesn't really count 0:21:50.400 --> 0:21:56.880 for as much, and so the engagement, the drop off 0:21:56.880 --> 0:22:01.280 in terms of the engagement over the years, it certainly 0:22:01.720 --> 0:22:07.480 is based on something, right, So these initiatives, these souls 0:22:07.520 --> 0:22:10.399 to the polls, and of course, obviously with Obama becoming 0:22:10.520 --> 0:22:14.320 president that I believe is something that can speak uniquely 0:22:14.359 --> 0:22:17.080 to the black experience and let folks know, hey, look, 0:22:17.080 --> 0:22:18.600 if we do this all together, we can get out 0:22:18.600 --> 0:22:23.320 there and make it happen. And it's interesting that there 0:22:23.359 --> 0:22:27.720 are these forces that attack that. One fact, no one's 0:22:27.960 --> 0:22:32.240 canceling Instagram accounts, because the Instagram accounts don't change elections. 0:22:32.640 --> 0:22:35.080 No one's canceling, no one's coming to your job, and 0:22:35.240 --> 0:22:35.920 you know, none of that. 0:22:35.920 --> 0:22:36.560 Sort of stuff. 0:22:36.880 --> 0:22:41.479 But they will do their best to keep you from voting. 0:22:42.320 --> 0:22:45.600 And my understanding is that there was a bill that 0:22:45.640 --> 0:22:53.760 was introduced in Georgia that no voting would be able 0:22:53.800 --> 0:22:58.480 to take place on Sundays. And you know and I 0:22:58.560 --> 0:23:03.720 know as black people, that that bill exists solely to 0:23:03.880 --> 0:23:09.600 counteract the effects of the polls campaign and to and 0:23:09.720 --> 0:23:14.120 to decrease the amount of overall votes in the next 0:23:14.600 --> 0:23:19.840 election in Georgia. And as it turns out that past 0:23:19.960 --> 0:23:22.960 or that my understanding is that that that passed. It 0:23:23.040 --> 0:23:31.320 was close, but it did pass, and it's heartbreaking, but 0:23:31.359 --> 0:23:34.359 I don't want to dwell on that. It shows the 0:23:34.440 --> 0:23:35.280 motivation and. 0:23:35.240 --> 0:23:36.040 The intention. 0:23:37.400 --> 0:23:41.720 That's happening across the country. Okay, since the loss of 0:23:41.760 --> 0:23:53.880 the presidential election. There has been a movement in states 0:23:54.600 --> 0:23:59.000 and basically read states across the country to change the 0:23:59.119 --> 0:24:01.400 laws as relates to voting. 0:24:04.160 --> 0:24:08.000 And I firmly believe that when. 0:24:09.480 --> 0:24:12.640 And soulds to the polls and that that is one 0:24:12.720 --> 0:24:18.719 of them. Another is having to if you've missed so 0:24:18.920 --> 0:24:26.560 many opportunities to vote, then your record, your name is 0:24:26.640 --> 0:24:29.359 taken away from the permanent. 0:24:30.800 --> 0:24:32.399 Registry for voting. 0:24:32.520 --> 0:24:34.280 Actually, hang on one second. I want to talk about 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:36.679 that one, but real quick, I got to do this. 0:24:37.840 --> 0:24:40.040 If you're just tuning in the civic cipher, I'm your host, 0:24:40.119 --> 0:24:45.560 Ramsy's Jah. Our guest today is doctor Kimille Westenberg, and 0:24:45.720 --> 0:24:50.320 we're discussing some of the voter suppression initiatives that have 0:24:50.359 --> 0:24:56.560 been campaigned and are now coming to vote around the country. 0:24:57.400 --> 0:25:01.680 And you mentioned the the removal of the early. 0:25:03.320 --> 0:25:04.119 Well, okay, go ahead. 0:25:04.160 --> 0:25:08.160 Well, it's under certain conditions. If you have missed voting 0:25:08.760 --> 0:25:12.240 X number of times, then your name will be removed 0:25:12.800 --> 0:25:14.919 and you may not be notified of that. 0:25:15.720 --> 0:25:17.160 You will not be and. 0:25:17.000 --> 0:25:20.000 So if you're expecting to get your ballot, you will 0:25:20.040 --> 0:25:23.520 not get it because they've removed your name. And so 0:25:23.640 --> 0:25:26.439 that's another way to suppress the vote simply because you 0:25:26.480 --> 0:25:32.000 have missed voting two times it's two or three. And 0:25:32.040 --> 0:25:37.440 then another one is that if you don't have identification, 0:25:37.800 --> 0:25:43.639 then you have to get a notarized document. Well, the 0:25:43.880 --> 0:25:48.320 fact is everyone isn't capable of doing that. You have 0:25:48.440 --> 0:25:52.040 some people who live in the country, they are long 0:25:52.200 --> 0:25:55.199 distance away from a notary they may not have some 0:25:55.280 --> 0:25:59.360 people may have never had anything notarized. Just the process 0:25:59.400 --> 0:26:04.440 of going through to get that done can be problematic 0:26:04.800 --> 0:26:09.560 for a number of African Americans and other minorities as well. 0:26:10.000 --> 0:26:12.680 And so that's another way to suppress the vote. 0:26:13.800 --> 0:26:17.680 I think it's key to mention here that for those 0:26:17.760 --> 0:26:21.600 that don't know that are listening to this conversation, historically, 0:26:24.720 --> 0:26:31.320 when less people vote, it favors Republican outcomes. 0:26:31.440 --> 0:26:32.120 That's true. 0:26:32.960 --> 0:26:40.080 Another thing is that these type of practices, coupled with jerrymandering, 0:26:41.040 --> 0:26:49.560 helps further ensure favorable outcomes for Republicans. Black people in 0:26:49.640 --> 0:26:54.200 it by and large tend to vote Democratic Democrats. And 0:26:54.600 --> 0:26:57.160 I will add to that that in terms of the 0:26:57.240 --> 0:27:02.840 ideological landscape of this country, most of the people that 0:27:02.880 --> 0:27:09.399 live in this country tend to have a more liberal 0:27:09.680 --> 0:27:14.199 philosophy or belief system, and that is reflected in the 0:27:14.240 --> 0:27:19.040 way that they vote. And so the Republican establishment or 0:27:19.240 --> 0:27:23.840 the establishment, if you will, that we trace a lot 0:27:23.920 --> 0:27:29.879 of what we call white supremacy back. It looks like 0:27:30.440 --> 0:27:34.000 what the Republican Party looks like today. That's just what 0:27:34.040 --> 0:27:37.760 it looks like and to largerie what it is, you know. 0:27:38.119 --> 0:27:40.760 And obviously as of late, they're not really too concerned 0:27:40.800 --> 0:27:47.920 with hiding that, but it behooves them to suppress as 0:27:47.960 --> 0:27:51.560 many votes as possible because historically folks that do vote 0:27:51.640 --> 0:27:55.720 Democrat have all their ducks in the row. Their whole 0:27:55.760 --> 0:27:58.320 life is built around voting. They have the for the 0:27:58.320 --> 0:28:01.399 most part, have the financial freedom to take time to 0:28:01.440 --> 0:28:03.240