WEBVTT - Organizing Playbook: MAGA Marva’s Takeover at FAMU 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:04.080 Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership 0:00:04.120 --> 0:00:06.000 with Reasoned Choice Media. 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:11.200 Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome was that was that 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:15.680 was of good afternoon, everyone, everyone's, everyone's. I should say 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:21.239 thank y'all for joining us for our solo pod. For 0:00:21.320 --> 0:00:23.360 those of you all who have been rocking with us 0:00:23.360 --> 0:00:25.560 on this for a couple of for a couple of 0:00:25.560 --> 0:00:28.320 weeks or months, I should say, you know that we've 0:00:28.320 --> 0:00:33.000 been trying to organize this, these particular lives to be 0:00:33.120 --> 0:00:37.240 around well. The process of organizing, how do we movement build? 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:41.080 How do we how do we bring together people with 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:44.599 share belief systems who are either excited or agitated by 0:00:44.600 --> 0:00:49.560 the same thing, get us on common accord and uh 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:53.560 define a clear objective and go after it. And over 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:58.400 the last couple of weeks, I've been personally involved as 0:00:58.400 --> 0:01:00.840 an alumni of Florida and Universe City and as a 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:05.960 former member of the university's board of trustees, involved in 0:01:06.000 --> 0:01:11.000 the pushback effort at Florida and M University, which of 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:15.039 course is the largest single campus HBCU in the country. 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:21.440 I would argue probably responsible for the production of more 0:01:21.600 --> 0:01:25.280 of Florida's black middle class than any other singular institution. 0:01:25.520 --> 0:01:29.399 But together with our other HBCU partners, the others being 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:33.080 private throughout the state, and obviously brothers and sisters at 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:36.200 PWIS as well, you know, I've come together to really 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:41.039 have significant impact. And of late the university has been 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:44.720 in an effort to find a new president. Not an 0:01:44.800 --> 0:01:51.360 uncommon thing. However, what does strike uncommon in this situation 0:01:51.560 --> 0:01:54.720 has been the really heavy hand of the far right 0:01:54.920 --> 0:01:58.000 in this state, and frankly, i'd argue, maybe suggest in 0:01:58.040 --> 0:02:01.639 this country to really want to take over the helm 0:02:01.840 --> 0:02:06.080 of Florida m University at every level, wholesale university president, 0:02:06.440 --> 0:02:10.160 chair of the university's board of trustees. You know, we've 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:12.840 already heard them speak out loud about their efforts to 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:16.680 purify these campuses, to get rid of certain books, to 0:02:16.720 --> 0:02:22.600 extinguish a way, a certain curriculum, And honestly, I fear 0:02:23.960 --> 0:02:27.080 that in this situation, everything they have already told us 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:31.279 out loud, everything that they think about us from DEI, 0:02:31.600 --> 0:02:34.920 which they are the masters of right, didn't earn it 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:39.840 all the way down to what we've seen happen to 0:02:39.919 --> 0:02:44.360 our museums, our books. The Librarian of Congress, who was 0:02:44.400 --> 0:02:47.959 accused by the White House Press secretary of putting improper 0:02:47.960 --> 0:02:53.360 books at the at the Congressional Library, which by the way, 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:57.200 collects two copies of every single book that has ever 0:02:57.280 --> 0:03:01.320 been copywritten in this country. That's as job. But leasing 0:03:01.440 --> 0:03:05.760 books out to young students that are inappropriate just a 0:03:05.840 --> 0:03:09.400 quick correction, a matter of secretary. The Library of Congress 0:03:09.440 --> 0:03:12.360 does not have an interface with the public subs that 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:15.560 they can books. They can't check them out, can't get 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:17.720 a card and go and take books off the shelf, 0:03:17.720 --> 0:03:19.280 take them home and read them. Okay, you have the 0:03:19.280 --> 0:03:21.600 local public library. That's not what the Library of Congress's 0:03:21.680 --> 0:03:24.160 job is. Let's look that up, especially when you're speaking 0:03:24.200 --> 0:03:27.320 from the perch of the presidential podium. That being said, y'all, 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:31.120 I digress. This is a real serious matter, a serious topic. 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:35.000 And whether you are a alumnus of an HBCU and 0:03:35.080 --> 0:03:38.840 alumnus of FAM, a supporter of those institutions or support 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:42.760 specifically at Florida a m university, if you care about HBCUs, 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:46.680 if you care about the future of the contributions that 0:03:47.360 --> 0:03:51.240 black folks make in this country writ large period, then 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:54.480 you've got to be paying attention to what's happening when 0:03:54.520 --> 0:03:58.360 they go after again the largest single campus HBCU in 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:03.840 the country in the top one hundred rated by Princeton 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:09.400 Review Time magazine. All of the evaluators who put us 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.080 in good company with some of our private HBCU partners, 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:14.320 really at the top of the heap, and our recruitment 0:04:14.320 --> 0:04:18.920 and retention, graduation and then placement of black people from 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:24.000 all parts of the world in this country. That process 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:26.680 at Florida am University has consumed a lot of us 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:30.360 because we don't just see it as a candidate that 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:33.800 has not qualified for the position. We see a candidate 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:36.799 and not qualified for the position. Yes, that was forged 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:39.680 into a list of finalists of which she was not 0:04:39.720 --> 0:04:43.279 an initial part of. But we also see the play 0:04:43.480 --> 0:04:48.040 behind the play, and even if the candidate that they 0:04:48.080 --> 0:04:51.120 selected is not complicit with it. You've heard of the 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:55.480 term useful idiots and those of folks who may pursue 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:58.480 a mission and may not be aware of the mission 0:04:58.480 --> 0:05:01.240 behind the mission. I don't know what it's true about that. 0:05:01.320 --> 0:05:03.960 I don't know what's false about it either, but I 0:05:04.040 --> 0:05:06.560 do know what I hear from Trump. I do know 0:05:06.600 --> 0:05:09.719 what I hear, and I've seen from DeSantis. I know 0:05:09.880 --> 0:05:14.159 that their leadership style is that of a totalitarian leader, 0:05:14.200 --> 0:05:17.680 a dictator of some sort, a strong man, and that 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:20.320 they both frankly have the same Achilli's heel, which is, 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:25.159 while they project an image of strength, all powerful, all knowing, 0:05:25.240 --> 0:05:30.240 all seeing, I know very specifically into Santis case, he 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:32.880 really is a four year old throwing a temper cancer 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:35.839 when he doesn't have his way. There's some thing strong 0:05:35.880 --> 0:05:38.760 about that. There's nothing strong about strong arming people, using 0:05:38.800 --> 0:05:42.800 the weight and power of the government and taxpayers resources 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:45.960 to beat people into complicity. See that they do what 0:05:46.040 --> 0:05:51.039 you want them to do well. I've invited a few friends, experts, 0:05:51.120 --> 0:05:55.680 folks who have a relationship with Florida University but are 0:05:55.920 --> 0:06:00.200 expert in other places as well. One of my yes, 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:03.560 maybe having a few technical problems, so we may bring 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:05.640 her in a little bit later. I hope Monica is 0:06:05.680 --> 0:06:07.640 able to join us, but right now I want to 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:16.560 invite on doctor Kanisha Grant, tenured professor at the Howard University, 0:06:17.520 --> 0:06:20.360 a graduate of Florida a M University, a former student 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:24.599 government vice president at the Campus of fam you Uh, 0:06:24.640 --> 0:06:29.240 and a dear, dear, dear personal friend. Doctor Grant welcome. 0:06:30.120 --> 0:06:32.000 Hopefully we can bring a guest you go, guess you go. 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:34.480 Hey there, Doc, welcome. 0:06:34.160 --> 0:06:36.919 Hey, hey, thank you for having me. I'm so happy 0:06:36.960 --> 0:06:37.400 to be with you. 0:06:37.520 --> 0:06:40.679 I appreciate that you see. Normally, my good friend doctor Grant, 0:06:40.680 --> 0:06:43.600 as you know, she does the Christian Amanpour and she's 0:06:43.960 --> 0:06:48.400 Al Jazeera and she's doing all the international things. But 0:06:49.360 --> 0:06:54.440 like all good rattlers, when we hear a call, we 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:57.080 show up. Uh, and we show up ready for it 0:06:57.120 --> 0:06:57.680 to go down. 0:06:58.040 --> 0:06:58.280 Uh. 0:06:58.320 --> 0:07:03.360 And Kanisha, I'm so sorry, doctor Grant. I just want 0:07:03.400 --> 0:07:05.880 to I want to one thank you for making time 0:07:06.000 --> 0:07:08.680 to congratulate you. She is one of the youngest tenured 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:14.880 professors at Howard University and is again continue to give 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:19.360 back to the College of Love and Charity. But Knisian, 0:07:19.400 --> 0:07:21.960 you know this well. Fam You told us to fight 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:25.080 and win whatever the battle be. That is in ol 0:07:25.120 --> 0:07:28.440 al Mamria, which we both know well. So the battle 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:33.320 is upon us. Tell me, in your own words, what 0:07:33.480 --> 0:07:37.880 about this presidential search process and where we are in it, 0:07:38.400 --> 0:07:40.160 which you can bring people up to speed on which 0:07:40.160 --> 0:07:43.080 I've not done yet. That gives you the greatest degree 0:07:43.080 --> 0:07:47.200 of concern heartburn, not for yourself, per se but for 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:48.240 the future of the institution. 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:53.040 There are so many answers to that question. So first 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:54.720 let me say thanks for being out and happy to 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:56.440 be here, Thank you for inviting me. I can be 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:58.280 Kindichians today. I don't have to be doctor Grant. I 0:07:58.320 --> 0:08:03.160 mean the world is about slip up. No, I mean 0:08:03.200 --> 0:08:07.040 like called Mekindicia. But in terms of what is I 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:10.240 think wrong, I come to this as a scholar. I 0:08:10.280 --> 0:08:12.200 come to this as a person with a PhD. 0:08:12.520 --> 0:08:12.680 Right. 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:14.640 I come to this as a person who is considered 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:17.640 being in university leadership. And so the thing that strikes 0:08:17.720 --> 0:08:21.440 me first as a function of my lived experience, is 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:26.120 that an individual who's wholly unqualified to be an academic, 0:08:26.440 --> 0:08:31.120 to be leading an academic institution, to be leading academicians, 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:36.080 would think that they could just show up and do 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:38.520 the job. That an academic institution is no different than 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:40.880 any other institution. I think it's the thing that I 0:08:40.880 --> 0:08:43.920 find most defensive. I show up at Howard University every day, 0:08:43.960 --> 0:08:45.760 and I show up to fight for fam you today 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:50.760 with the understanding that academic institutions are not corporations. They 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:53.600 are different, They are set apart. They are places where 0:08:53.600 --> 0:08:56.079 we create new knowledge there are places where we shape 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:58.600 the minds of young people. There are places where you 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:01.240 have space to think, where we are supposed to be 0:09:01.320 --> 0:09:03.719 trying to make the world a better place. They are 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:07.319 not corporations. My students are not my customers. And so 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:09.280 the idea that this person would show up with a 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:12.520 clear without a clear understanding of what academia is, what 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:14.400 we're doing, what we're about, what we value, what we 0:09:14.480 --> 0:09:19.079 care for, I find problematic as a scholar, but then 0:09:19.120 --> 0:09:22.840 as a rattler, as a person who bleeds orange and green, 0:09:22.920 --> 0:09:26.360 who believes that like who I am is powerfully and 0:09:26.480 --> 0:09:30.160 positively shaped by Famiu's role in my life, I am 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:33.520 pissed off that this person would show up with a 0:09:33.640 --> 0:09:37.240 lack of understanding about our culture, about what family means 0:09:37.280 --> 0:09:40.480 to us personally, about what it means to the state, 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:43.240 about what it means for upward mobility for people in 0:09:43.280 --> 0:09:46.480 the state of Florida. But the people on this stream 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:50.280 right now, you and I are first generation college graduates, 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:53.120 right and in your particular case, the people who come 0:09:53.200 --> 0:09:56.720 behind you end up getting baccalaureate degrees because that's what 0:09:56.840 --> 0:09:59.720 college does. The people who come after you generally do 0:09:59.760 --> 0:10:02.520 better as a result of your having participated. And so 0:10:02.559 --> 0:10:05.040 I think the things that frustrate me are the deep 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:08.440 lack of qualifications, the deep lack of understanding, not to 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:14.040 mention the issues around process. How did this person get 0:10:14.080 --> 0:10:17.480 to be in the pool of finalists is a question 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:19.440 that I have as a person who knows how search 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:22.960 committees work. Why is it the case that Florida is 0:10:23.000 --> 0:10:24.880 a place where government is supposed to be in the 0:10:24.920 --> 0:10:28.080 sunshine and Florida and them, it's supposed to be a 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:32.000 public institution, Yet they have these presidential searches set up 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:34.200 in a way where you can't know anything about what's 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:36.000 happening until it's almost finished. 0:10:36.040 --> 0:10:36.480 That's right. 0:10:36.520 --> 0:10:39.520 So these kind of inconsistencies are the things that are 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:42.480 under my skin, in addition to the fundamental misunderstanding of 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:44.679 what we are doing at a place like Famue. 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:47.320 Yeah, Canisia. You mentioned something I think we should deepen 0:10:47.360 --> 0:10:48.839 into because a lot I've seen a lot of folks 0:10:48.840 --> 0:10:51.360 say or call and text and ask how did this 0:10:51.440 --> 0:10:54.000 happen at fam You like, what is going y'all sleep 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:56.080 at the wheel? What's going on? And I try to 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:58.480 explain to them what you just alluded to, which was 0:10:59.800 --> 0:11:04.440 in the quest to really control all instruments of the state. 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:07.960 The government has gone against the will of the people, 0:11:08.000 --> 0:11:11.640 which said we want sunshine, We want to know every 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:14.800 if we elect you in or if you serve the 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:19.400 public in a public position, a public facing position paid 0:11:19.400 --> 0:11:22.160 for by my tax dollars here in this government, what 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:26.080 you do in that position, the negotiations you have, who 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:30.040 you communicate with, how you communicate with them. That all 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:33.000 becomes available for the public to scrutinize, to make sure 0:11:33.040 --> 0:11:35.160 that everything is on the up and up, to reduce 0:11:35.240 --> 0:11:37.880 corruption and the kind of grip that you see happening 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:40.720 when people don't get to see what's happening behind the process. 0:11:40.920 --> 0:11:43.640 It used to be when a presidential search process opened 0:11:43.679 --> 0:11:47.520 in the state of Florida, everybody knew it. You saw 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:52.760 candidate applications as they were rolling in quite literally. And 0:11:52.840 --> 0:11:58.679 since the days of Rohnda Scientis and the few years 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.720 of Rick Scott as governor, we've seen a shutting down 0:12:01.760 --> 0:12:05.800 of that process. They have decided to close the process 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:09.440 from the public until the committee that has been assigned 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:13.280 to vet the candidates come out with their set of recommendations. 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:15.440 And what a number of universities have done in this 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.120 state is they've gone through that secretive process and then 0:12:18.160 --> 0:12:22.880 the committee produces one name, one name that they would 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:26.199 recommend for consideration out of god knows how many applicants, 0:12:26.360 --> 0:12:29.480 and the public has no clue what happened behind those 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:31.400 closed doors and how we got there. In our case, 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:34.959 typically the process has been to produce three names from 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:38.800 that process. In this case, family produced how many names 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:40.560 from their search committee? 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:43.680 It was four? And originals about how we got to 0:12:43.720 --> 0:12:44.280 those four? 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:44.680 Right? 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.480 So originally the idea that that was that there were 0:12:47.520 --> 0:12:51.360 three candidates, that these candidates were traditional candidates, individuals who 0:12:51.440 --> 0:12:57.040 have higher education experience. And then word is that suddenly 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.679 there was a fourth candidate, a non traditional candidate, I 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:02.040 think is the language that they would use, who was 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:05.800 added to this set of three kind of standard issue 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:07.960 candidates that we would expect to see in this kind 0:13:08.000 --> 0:13:11.040 of search. And so then the question becomes, well, how 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:14.080 did that happen? And why is that person there? And 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:16.760 what purpose does this person serve? And if we had 0:13:16.760 --> 0:13:19.280 three and then we ended up with this extra person, 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:20.920 how do you go from being the extra person to 0:13:21.000 --> 0:13:25.320 the whole president? Right? Make that make sense? And so 0:13:25.400 --> 0:13:28.400 I want to like Okay, I work in an academic exstitution. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:29.760 I know what it means to be looking for a 0:13:29.840 --> 0:13:31.800 job while you have a job, and that's kind of tricky. 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:33.960 So to the extent that they want to make the 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:38.880 case that maybe we shouldn't tell a lot about the 0:13:38.920 --> 0:13:41.520 presidential Search Committee because we don't want to discourage people 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:44.080 from applying. Maybe, right, But I think there can be 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:47.600 some space between this person submitted an application, or even 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:49.920 here are all the names of people who submitted applications 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:54.319 and nothing at all. Right, Like, I'm not suggesting that 0:13:54.440 --> 0:13:57.800 every bit of everything and every conversation necessarily needs to 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:01.400 be open to the public. I understand what confidence confidentiality is, 0:14:02.040 --> 0:14:03.800 but I think it's also the case that we can't 0:14:03.840 --> 0:14:06.719 go from just knowledge that a search is happening to 0:14:07.160 --> 0:14:09.240 here are the finalists. There has to be some way 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:10.319 to do something in between. 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:13.400 You know, you're saying going from you know where the 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:17.280 confidential process is. Well, I don't know about y'all, you 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:21.200 all on the viewing end, but I am pretty new 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:24.840 to hearing that a public search process, that a public 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:28.560 of a entity like a university can conduct a search 0:14:28.600 --> 0:14:32.120 process and require the members of the committee who are 0:14:32.120 --> 0:14:37.120 part of the Presidential Search Committee to sign non disclosure agreements. 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:44.440 They NDA's that I guess supposedly are legally binding. We're in. 0:14:44.560 --> 0:14:46.240 They can't talk about the process. So the reason why 0:14:46.240 --> 0:14:49.360 doctor Grant Canisha mentioned we don't know how this sports 0:14:49.440 --> 0:14:51.840 person got there. What we do know, and it's on 0:14:51.880 --> 0:14:54.120 the record. They were not one of the three that 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:56.600 were recommended by the search firm. They were not one 0:14:56.640 --> 0:15:00.800 of the three shortlisted candidates who the search identified as 0:15:00.880 --> 0:15:04.600 qualified to move forward to take the time and attention 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:08.840 of the President's Search Committee to then interview that those individuals. 0:15:09.040 --> 0:15:12.720 So the fourth candidate who was added, and again we 0:15:12.760 --> 0:15:15.280 don't know what the motivations were, We don't know who 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.720 made the motion, how it was seconded, what the debate 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.400 consisted of, any of that. They then elevate out of 0:15:20.440 --> 0:15:23.840 it as the fourth candidate in the process, and when 0:15:23.840 --> 0:15:27.800 it becomes our view of it, the only unqualified candidate, 0:15:27.880 --> 0:15:31.880 not by just our assessment. I trust doctor Greenston's assessment 0:15:31.880 --> 0:15:35.840 because she is an academician. She understands the academies of 0:15:37.080 --> 0:15:42.680 the nuances of within the academy. But this is clearly 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:46.680 unqualified based off the job description that you the board 0:15:46.680 --> 0:15:49.640 of Trustees advertised when you were recruiting candidates. So how 0:15:49.640 --> 0:15:53.480 do you go from advertising these criteria to a candidate 0:15:53.480 --> 0:15:56.680 who doesn't possess the collective of that criteria, to that 0:15:56.720 --> 0:16:00.120 candidate then being your recommendation for president. Matt ask you 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:02.560 your reaction. I know you listened like I did to 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:05.960 the presidential search interviews that were made public. When you 0:16:06.040 --> 0:16:09.320 heard the candidate Marbat Johnson say, I always knew in 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:11.960 my profession, at some point in my career that I 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:16.720 wanted to go sunset in academia, and so I knew 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:18.800 I was going to round my way back to this, 0:16:19.400 --> 0:16:22.960 and so it is all fitting. And I'm thinking, Wow, 0:16:23.560 --> 0:16:25.800 if I knew I was gone, if this was a 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.240 thing I wanted to settle up on before I die, 0:16:28.280 --> 0:16:31.120 I want to go into academics. I'm thinking I might 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:33.200 do some things to put me on that trajectory. Tell 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:37.240 me if you envisioned yourself Kenisha as a president one day, 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:41.920 what steps might seem just base level basic things you do. 0:16:43.000 --> 0:16:47.200 Well, You might move to Syracuse from Florida and live 0:16:47.200 --> 0:16:50.120 in the snow for five years working on a PhD 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:53.040 so that you could be credentialed in the way that 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:54.440 scholars are credentialed. 0:16:54.880 --> 0:16:57.880 You might Syracuse University at or PhD. 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:03.840 Sorry and Andrew was at the graduation, and so you 0:17:04.000 --> 0:17:07.720 might also though, like let's say for some reason she 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:11.399 decided not to get a PhD. I have issues with that, 0:17:11.480 --> 0:17:13.800 but I maybe could find a way to get past it. 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:17.200 Maybe if you wanted to be a leader of a 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:21.160 university one day, you would immerse yourself in higher education things, 0:17:21.520 --> 0:17:23.960 which she argued a little bit that she did, but 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:26.280 it was like, this is mostly about your work in 0:17:26.359 --> 0:17:30.600 K twelve. That work is really important work. There is 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:34.000 no way to discount it. Period. Yes, but K twelve 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:37.520 work is not higher ed work. It's two different things. 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:40.560 And so I think if she wanted to be involved 0:17:41.040 --> 0:17:43.040 in higher ed as a leader in higher ed, it 0:17:43.119 --> 0:17:46.200 might be useful to just be around, right, like if 0:17:46.240 --> 0:17:49.840 you are in Florida and you are from Florida, and 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:53.080 I think she talks about like loving Fami you in particular, Well, 0:17:53.080 --> 0:17:55.440 why we don't know you? You know, like I don't 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:57.840 have no pictures of you at the Classic, I haven't 0:17:57.880 --> 0:18:01.480 seen you at the Orange Bowl, Like what is happening? 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:03.640 Why don't we know? If you love fam you so much? 0:18:04.840 --> 0:18:06.920 Where the pictures are you at Buday, Like, we don't 0:18:06.920 --> 0:18:09.520 have any evidence to support these claims that she's making 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.920 about being truly interested in higher education or even being 0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:14.040 truly interested in fam You. 0:18:14.320 --> 0:18:17.040 It's also possible if you have a full time career 0:18:17.240 --> 0:18:19.480 that you could take up in that jump ship. You 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:23.120 could learn the academy from you know, again, you don't 0:18:23.160 --> 0:18:25.679 have to be a PhD most institutions to be an 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.760 adjunct professor. You can come in. She's a specialist as 0:18:28.800 --> 0:18:31.200 a lobbyist. She is very good at lobbying. I've worked 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:34.520 with Marvel before in that capacity around broadband issues, and 0:18:34.560 --> 0:18:39.720 I salute her in that work. However, my opposition is 0:18:39.920 --> 0:18:42.879 completely and totally rooted not in a friendship, in an 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:46.200 affiliation and what we may have done together as it 0:18:46.280 --> 0:18:49.560 relates to various projects of import but whether or not 0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:53.720 you meet the expectations that I would have for my 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:56.720 alma mater, the university where I was an SGA president, 0:18:56.720 --> 0:18:58.800 where I served on the board of trustees, where my 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:03.280 sister went behind me and graduated and went on to 0:19:03.520 --> 0:19:07.600 get our law degree. Like, you got to come very 0:19:07.600 --> 0:19:11.080 different for that conversation than you do. If you're asking 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:12.639 me about whether or not I'll write a letter of 0:19:12.640 --> 0:19:18.240 recommendation for your appointment to the twenty first century innovation 0:19:18.840 --> 0:19:25.399 and technology and gigabytes of Internet access or whatever that is. 0:19:25.560 --> 0:19:28.280 Those are those are just those are just different things. 0:19:28.320 --> 0:19:33.120 And so I know that we can be alarmists sometimes, 0:19:33.240 --> 0:19:36.560 you know, when we get really egged up on our end. 0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:41.280 But if you were to draw this to its fullest conclusion, 0:19:41.920 --> 0:19:43.960 what would you And I know you're an academician, so 0:19:44.000 --> 0:19:46.280 you're not in the field of speculation. But if we 0:19:46.320 --> 0:19:49.280 could play for a moment, knowing what you know about 0:19:49.359 --> 0:19:52.320 Rond De Santis, governor of Florida, Knowing what you know 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:56.600 about Donald Trump and the policy se is pursued up 0:19:56.640 --> 0:19:59.479 to this point, Knowing what you know about Rick Scott, 0:20:00.040 --> 0:20:02.240 the former governor of the state of Florida now US Senator. 0:20:02.359 --> 0:20:07.120 All three Republicans, all three have engaged with this candidate 0:20:07.160 --> 0:20:09.960 Marca Johnson, and have in the case of Rick Scott 0:20:10.000 --> 0:20:13.560 in both Rondo scientists made appointments of her to various 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:18.240 boys and commissions. Knowing that if we were to put 0:20:18.280 --> 0:20:21.160 it out there, they type, you know, she's their type girl. 0:20:22.280 --> 0:20:26.960 What could you imagine might be in the making or 0:20:27.040 --> 0:20:31.359 fam you with that kind of background and what and 0:20:31.400 --> 0:20:33.480 what we know about what their supports looked like for 0:20:33.520 --> 0:20:39.000 our institution. And I'm hearing doctor Grant that a Tony 0:20:40.840 --> 0:20:43.880 Monica is in the waiting rooms. I want you to production 0:20:43.960 --> 0:20:46.880 to go ahead and bring Monica out so she can 0:20:46.960 --> 0:20:49.480 join us as as Kennicius substances the question. 0:20:50.760 --> 0:20:54.119 Yeah, so you're right that I am a scholar and 0:20:54.119 --> 0:20:56.840 not a strategist. But at the same time, the work 0:20:56.840 --> 0:20:59.240 that I study is about how politics changes over long 0:20:59.320 --> 0:21:02.359 swats of time fifty years in most instances, And so 0:21:02.440 --> 0:21:04.160 when I think about this, I think that we can't 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:06.600 think about it as what's happening today, but we have 0:21:06.640 --> 0:21:09.680 to think about ourselves as being located in a long 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:12.600 strategy and feel how you want to feel about the 0:21:12.600 --> 0:21:16.360 Republicans but they're masterful strategists, and feel how you want 0:21:16.359 --> 0:21:18.840 to feel about Marvel. But at this point it's not 0:21:18.840 --> 0:21:22.000 about her anymore. This is about understanding the bigger thing 0:21:22.040 --> 0:21:25.239 that's happening here. So to answer your question directly, what 0:21:25.359 --> 0:21:29.040 I think is happening is their attempt to fundamentally reshape 0:21:29.359 --> 0:21:32.560 the society as a whole and black people in it. 0:21:33.359 --> 0:21:36.040 So we go back. I want to remind people paying 0:21:36.080 --> 0:21:39.360 attention or the viewers here that some of this might 0:21:39.400 --> 0:21:41.800 seem disconnected. But I would say starts with the attack 0:21:41.880 --> 0:21:43.000 on critical race theory. 0:21:43.119 --> 0:21:43.359 Right. 0:21:43.600 --> 0:21:45.880 Critical race theory is actually an idea that comes out 0:21:45.880 --> 0:21:47.840 of Harvard Law. That is like a thing that you 0:21:47.920 --> 0:21:50.280 only deal with in law school. But you know those 0:21:50.280 --> 0:21:52.600 words because they made you know those words, and you 0:21:52.680 --> 0:21:55.520 know those words because they use them as code language 0:21:55.840 --> 0:21:59.120 to get people to stop thinking about what's happening in history. 0:22:00.040 --> 0:22:01.880 I'm thinking about what's happening in history when it starts 0:22:01.920 --> 0:22:03.800 to repeat it. So we're not gonna know that this 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:05.959 has already happened because we haven't read the history. So 0:22:06.240 --> 0:22:08.480 put that in your mind, and then next to it, 0:22:08.520 --> 0:22:11.040 I want you to have this idea that fam You 0:22:11.280 --> 0:22:15.159 is a place where a person like me, single parent, household, 0:22:15.280 --> 0:22:18.560 first generation goes on to get the highest level of 0:22:18.680 --> 0:22:22.399 education possible. Right, Like, there is no indicator when I 0:22:22.480 --> 0:22:24.680 walk onto the campus of fam You for the first 0:22:24.680 --> 0:22:26.920 time that my life will ever be what it is today. 0:22:27.200 --> 0:22:28.600 Fam You is a life changer. 0:22:28.720 --> 0:22:28.880 Right. 0:22:29.080 --> 0:22:31.280 Family is a place where you can go and be 0:22:31.480 --> 0:22:35.280 a new person. Does this set of people who are 0:22:35.320 --> 0:22:39.360 seeking to change society. Seek to have me replicated over 0:22:39.400 --> 0:22:43.440 and over again. Andrew Gillen replicated over and over again. No, 0:22:43.520 --> 0:22:45.320 they don't want that, right, So I want you to 0:22:45.359 --> 0:22:47.240 not know your history. I want it to be the 0:22:47.280 --> 0:22:49.600 case that you don't have the ability to change your life. 0:22:49.720 --> 0:22:52.040 I'm always yelling at you to pull yourself up by 0:22:52.040 --> 0:22:55.880 your bootstraps, but God forbid, I actually give you some bootstraps, right, 0:22:56.080 --> 0:22:57.920 and you not only pull yourself up, but you pull 0:22:57.960 --> 0:22:59.720 your family up behind you. I think this is a 0:22:59.760 --> 0:23:03.919 bad about dismantling who we are as a people. I 0:23:03.960 --> 0:23:06.800 think this is about sending Black people backwards. And I 0:23:06.800 --> 0:23:10.159 think this is about undoing institutions that have anything to 0:23:10.240 --> 0:23:14.119 do with making us better. And I think Marva is 0:23:15.040 --> 0:23:17.800 maybe a happy messenger for that, and maybe not. I 0:23:17.840 --> 0:23:20.439 think she might think that she's doing great things, but 0:23:20.480 --> 0:23:22.640 I think that she is a symptom of a broader thing. 0:23:22.960 --> 0:23:25.600 And we have to be less concerned about her now 0:23:25.640 --> 0:23:28.800 that she has gotten well, now that she's at this 0:23:28.880 --> 0:23:33.560 point in the process, yeah, and more worried about, Okay, 0:23:33.560 --> 0:23:35.720 what's the bigger thing that's happening that we might have been, 0:23:35.880 --> 0:23:37.359 we might have missed, or might not have been paying 0:23:37.359 --> 0:23:37.840 attention to. 0:23:38.080 --> 0:23:54.360 That's powerful me. Monica Harris Williams. I want to all 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:58.280 the names right. I introduced you before you were you 0:23:58.359 --> 0:24:00.800 were with us, so that the audience familiar with you. 0:24:00.920 --> 0:24:02.919 I want to just drag you right on into this. 0:24:03.680 --> 0:24:07.200 Maka is an attorney also by by training and profession. 0:24:07.760 --> 0:24:11.520 And I had just left the question with Kanisha on 0:24:12.040 --> 0:24:15.879 what might we derive from people like Rick Scott, Donald Trump, 0:24:16.280 --> 0:24:19.200 Ron de Santis appointing this woman, bringing her into the fold, 0:24:19.480 --> 0:24:22.760 What what what could we possibly derive from that as 0:24:22.800 --> 0:24:26.520 a signal of what their plans may be for the institution. 0:24:26.960 --> 0:24:29.320 And I want to now lean, you know, sort of 0:24:29.440 --> 0:24:32.800 lean on you around this question of what is the 0:24:34.600 --> 0:24:37.840 as you understand it, where we are in the process 0:24:38.040 --> 0:24:41.960 her selection by the Board of Trustees, a condition I 0:24:42.000 --> 0:24:45.680 covered already. You know this, this very trunk created process 0:24:46.040 --> 0:24:48.400 that keeps the public out into their very last minute. 0:24:48.880 --> 0:24:52.000 Everybody's calling us, texting you, asking us, how do we 0:24:52.080 --> 0:24:53.680 let this happen? And fam you it's a fate of 0:24:53.720 --> 0:24:56.560 complete She is the next you know, the thirteenth President, 0:24:56.560 --> 0:25:00.680 thirteenth and unlucky number. Even hotels admit the thirteenth floor anyway, 0:25:00.480 --> 0:25:02.560 So how do we get here and how do we 0:25:02.640 --> 0:25:05.359 let the doors fly open here? Can you please, for 0:25:05.440 --> 0:25:11.120 the record straighten where we are in the process. Number one, 0:25:11.320 --> 0:25:15.880 Monica that there's some steps remaining. And then two, if 0:25:15.880 --> 0:25:17.480 I'm not a rattler, if I'm not a fam you 0:25:17.520 --> 0:25:20.199 and maybe I didn't go to college, why is this 0:25:20.320 --> 0:25:20.960 important to me? 0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:24.880 Yeah? So, first of all, thank you for the patients 0:25:24.920 --> 0:25:25.760 and for inviting me. 0:25:26.640 --> 0:25:29.440 So I think where we are in the process is 0:25:29.480 --> 0:25:34.040 the Border Trustees has tentatively approved her to be the 0:25:34.040 --> 0:25:38.200 thirteenth president. Now it's contingent upon them negotiating her employment 0:25:38.200 --> 0:25:41.399 contract because there's a salary involved in that. There's some 0:25:41.440 --> 0:25:44.200 other things that are involved in that too, and so 0:25:44.240 --> 0:25:47.119 there's a negotiation of her employment contract that has to happen. 0:25:47.280 --> 0:25:49.600 And then once that's. 0:25:50.440 --> 0:25:55.520 Negotiated between the Border Trustees and her or her attorney. Arguably, 0:25:55.560 --> 0:25:57.760 based on the statute, the state of Florida can only 0:25:57.800 --> 0:25:59.879 where the university system can only provide tw hundred and 0:25:59.880 --> 0:26:03.199 fifty thousand dollars towards her salary. So the remaining amount 0:26:03.200 --> 0:26:06.160 of that money has to come from an alternative source. Right, 0:26:06.240 --> 0:26:09.720 So the statue from our recollection is pretty vague on 0:26:09.760 --> 0:26:12.360 what that alternative source is. Typically it comes from the foundation. 0:26:13.320 --> 0:26:16.720 And so once that is approved, and once the contract 0:26:16.720 --> 0:26:18.680 is negotiated, it will go to the Board of Governors, 0:26:19.000 --> 0:26:21.720 and the Board of Governors will either say yes or no. 0:26:22.080 --> 0:26:25.879 Typically they're probably going to say yes, they will interview, 0:26:25.920 --> 0:26:30.560 they will interview her. I've not seen a situation where 0:26:31.119 --> 0:26:33.560 in this new process where the Board of Governors has 0:26:33.560 --> 0:26:37.119 said no to the Board of Trustees or particular universities 0:26:37.160 --> 0:26:39.960 selection of a president. I could be wrong, You're probably 0:26:39.960 --> 0:26:46.160 more okay, So I would say that that's probably other 0:26:46.240 --> 0:26:50.360 than the negotiation of her employment contract. That's the next step, right, 0:26:50.400 --> 0:26:52.280 So there are some additional steps that have to go 0:26:52.320 --> 0:26:53.680 along before she's permanent. 0:26:53.720 --> 0:26:55.200 So I hear a lot of people saying. 0:26:55.200 --> 0:27:00.080 She's the thirteenth, she's the thirteenth, she's the thirteenth selected tentative. 0:27:00.080 --> 0:27:02.919 New subjected, Yeah, tentatively. 0:27:03.040 --> 0:27:04.679 Because there's a lot of other steps that have to 0:27:04.720 --> 0:27:05.880 go along the process. 0:27:06.880 --> 0:27:08.520 And so go ahead. 0:27:08.840 --> 0:27:10.440 Don't go to that second question that I asked you, 0:27:10.440 --> 0:27:12.359 because I want you to further on this one. I 0:27:12.400 --> 0:27:15.680 want you to further on the Board of Governors does 0:27:15.720 --> 0:27:18.639 not typically disagree with the board of trustees from a 0:27:18.720 --> 0:27:22.399 university and their recommendation for their president. But in this case, 0:27:22.920 --> 0:27:25.880 I want you to just illuminate how active this board 0:27:25.920 --> 0:27:30.320 of governors has been up into including the day before 0:27:30.359 --> 0:27:33.920 the vote. Something very interesting happening in the process. Can 0:27:33.960 --> 0:27:35.160 you bring us a speed on that. 0:27:35.640 --> 0:27:38.600 Yeah, so if you all recall, for those who have 0:27:38.680 --> 0:27:40.560 not been really kind of paying attention to the process. 0:27:41.560 --> 0:27:43.639 Any board of member of a board of trustees, for 0:27:43.760 --> 0:27:47.040 any member of the any university in the state university system, 0:27:47.440 --> 0:27:50.679 a trustee must be confirmed by the Senate. There was 0:27:50.720 --> 0:27:54.240 a trustee that was there tentatively, Ernie Ellison, who was 0:27:54.359 --> 0:28:01.919 there during the selection process, and I think what happened, 0:28:01.960 --> 0:28:06.160 from my understanding, is that Trustee Ellison, mister Ellison, questioned 0:28:06.160 --> 0:28:09.760 the process, the selection process in terms of how miss 0:28:09.840 --> 0:28:13.080 Johnson elevated to the four finalists. There was some questions 0:28:13.119 --> 0:28:16.680 about perhaps there was not necessarily impropriety, but there were 0:28:16.680 --> 0:28:19.160 some questions and conversations about how it is she got 0:28:19.200 --> 0:28:22.480 to be one of the four. And he apparently made 0:28:22.480 --> 0:28:22.879 a motion. 0:28:23.680 --> 0:28:26.600 It did not pass, but to hold the process, you 0:28:26.720 --> 0:28:28.680 need to stop this process. 0:28:28.600 --> 0:28:31.320 The process correctly. Did they stop it or to you 0:28:31.320 --> 0:28:33.600 know undo it. He just said, let's pause it, which 0:28:33.640 --> 0:28:35.480 is right to take a look at it, since there's 0:28:35.480 --> 0:28:38.880 so many questions and to eliminate any notion of impropriety 0:28:38.960 --> 0:28:39.960 or look of impropriety. 0:28:40.080 --> 0:28:41.800 Let's take a look at this process. 0:28:41.440 --> 0:28:43.360 And just pose it for a second, just to answer 0:28:43.360 --> 0:28:45.880 the questions that are out there in the public sphere. 0:28:47.040 --> 0:28:49.959 People didn't like that he was not confirmed by the Senate. 0:28:50.640 --> 0:28:51.680 So the day. 0:28:51.520 --> 0:28:56.040 Before the vote, the Board of Governors selects a person 0:28:56.320 --> 0:28:58.160 to become onto the trustee board. 0:28:59.480 --> 0:29:02.080 He's pulled off the board. He comes off in the 0:29:02.080 --> 0:29:03.640 middle of this process. 0:29:03.360 --> 0:29:04.080 Right, correct. 0:29:04.080 --> 0:29:05.200 And then and. 0:29:05.120 --> 0:29:08.040 Then so he's pulled off the board. The Board of 0:29:08.120 --> 0:29:12.520 Governors selects another person, appoints another person to be on 0:29:12.560 --> 0:29:15.400 the Board of Trustees, who also happened to also be 0:29:15.520 --> 0:29:20.480 on the selection committee. Right, He's let's the vote happened 0:29:20.520 --> 0:29:24.320 on Friday. He was appointed on Thursday afternoon. There's been 0:29:24.320 --> 0:29:27.560 no confirmation from the Senate. Right, so you're appointed on date, 0:29:27.600 --> 0:29:30.400 you're pointed on Thursday, you on the board on Friday, 0:29:30.520 --> 0:29:33.600 and you have the opportunity to vote. Because there's apparently 0:29:33.640 --> 0:29:35.520 a loophole in the statue. And you know, I've been 0:29:35.560 --> 0:29:37.240 kind of looking at this to figure out whether or 0:29:37.280 --> 0:29:40.240 not his vote was legitimate vote, because you do have 0:29:40.320 --> 0:29:44.480 to be confirmed by the Senate. So there, to me, 0:29:44.880 --> 0:29:48.320 there's a I'm gonna use shadiness in my opinion and 0:29:48.400 --> 0:29:50.840 my estimation. I don't think they would do that with 0:29:50.960 --> 0:29:53.760 any other university in the state university a system. To 0:29:53.760 --> 0:29:57.960 be frank, I think it's questionable how someone can become 0:29:58.000 --> 0:30:00.440 a trustee on day one and vote for the next 0:30:00.440 --> 0:30:03.280 president on day two. Would arguably you've not sit on 0:30:03.320 --> 0:30:05.440 any of the interviews. I will suggest that you have 0:30:05.560 --> 0:30:07.840 not paid attention to any of the things that have 0:30:07.920 --> 0:30:11.080 happened throughout the process of the week, and so kind 0:30:11.080 --> 0:30:13.160 of like coming in blind and saying, yeah, I'll pick 0:30:13.200 --> 0:30:15.720 that person. And so I think people have a right 0:30:15.800 --> 0:30:19.360 to question the process from the beginning to the end, 0:30:21.120 --> 0:30:24.920 question whether or not there's been some undue inappropriate influence 0:30:25.040 --> 0:30:28.440 from other people relative to that particular trustees and other 0:30:28.480 --> 0:30:31.680 trustees of the eight that voted for her. So there's 0:30:31.720 --> 0:30:34.840 a lot of questions, a lot of red flags yellow 0:30:34.840 --> 0:30:37.680 flags for me throughout this whole process, and so people 0:30:37.720 --> 0:30:41.840 have a right to be extremely concerned about what's going on. 0:30:43.040 --> 0:30:44.720 So I want to. I appreciate you bringing us to 0:30:44.760 --> 0:30:46.840 speed on that. So y'all got it, got a new 0:30:46.920 --> 0:30:50.880 board member the day before the board in full is 0:30:50.920 --> 0:30:53.360 to select who they want to be the next president 0:30:53.440 --> 0:30:56.200 of the university. Now, I just want to pull back 0:30:56.240 --> 0:30:59.000 with our remaining few minutes and I'll invite Lolo in 0:31:00.160 --> 0:31:05.000 to address any pressing questions. Is we talk very specifically 0:31:05.000 --> 0:31:08.719 about FAM you and I'm sure there are people here 0:31:08.760 --> 0:31:11.680 who are not family graduates maybe could care less about 0:31:11.920 --> 0:31:15.120 their atlas, but they may themselves being to graduate and 0:31:15.160 --> 0:31:18.320 therefore are are listening, and they may not be at all, 0:31:18.680 --> 0:31:21.480 but are just curious about this conversation. I want you 0:31:21.520 --> 0:31:25.360 all each Monica, you'll go first, just to enlighten us 0:31:25.520 --> 0:31:31.680 from your perspective, why should anyone around the country care 0:31:31.800 --> 0:31:34.400 about what's happening as it relates to this process. 0:31:35.760 --> 0:31:38.440 I think the first for me, if you are a 0:31:38.480 --> 0:31:43.000 graduate of an HBCU, particularly a public HBCU, this should 0:31:43.040 --> 0:31:44.280 be very concerning for you. 0:31:44.440 --> 0:31:44.680 FAM. 0:31:44.720 --> 0:31:49.440 You is the largest arguably public HBCU in the country, 0:31:49.560 --> 0:31:53.200 and so if MAGA, if they're able to manipulate the 0:31:53.240 --> 0:31:56.040 process to do what they've done with us, to me, 0:31:56.160 --> 0:31:59.160 that would suggest that there are smaller universities that should 0:31:59.160 --> 0:32:00.720 be on guard. I mean, you saw what they did 0:32:00.760 --> 0:32:04.680 to Harvard, and Harvard's a huge private institution, right. I 0:32:04.720 --> 0:32:07.800 think for me, it's kind of the dumbing down of America. 0:32:08.160 --> 0:32:11.560 Right. If your goal is to eliminate. 0:32:11.240 --> 0:32:14.120 The workers, the people that are on the ground, the 0:32:14.160 --> 0:32:16.640 people that are undocumented workers, and you're shipping them out. 0:32:16.720 --> 0:32:18.720 Somebody has to do that work, right. 0:32:19.160 --> 0:32:21.640 If someone's going to do that work, the way you 0:32:21.640 --> 0:32:23.840 get those people to do the work is you ensure, 0:32:24.040 --> 0:32:27.480 in my opinion, that the folks are not college educated 0:32:27.560 --> 0:32:30.600 or you're not leaning them towards the college education track. 0:32:30.720 --> 0:32:30.880 Right. 0:32:31.360 --> 0:32:34.440 I'm not going out to pick blueberries for eleven dollars 0:32:34.480 --> 0:32:36.520 an hour. I'm just not doing that, right. The folks 0:32:36.520 --> 0:32:39.200 that are at HBCUs, who are getting at education are 0:32:39.240 --> 0:32:42.280 not going to do that. But if you dumb down America, 0:32:42.400 --> 0:32:45.360 you come in, You control what's being taught, what people 0:32:45.400 --> 0:32:49.520 are allowed to say, challenging the First Amendment, people's a 0:32:49.600 --> 0:32:56.800 right to gather and protest. It looks a lot like fascism. 0:32:56.840 --> 0:32:59.120 I know that's a little boogey word that everybody's kind 0:32:59.120 --> 0:33:02.560 of throwing out there, but it's starting at the university level. 0:33:02.600 --> 0:33:04.520 It will actually started at the K through twelve level 0:33:04.560 --> 0:33:05.040 in Florida. 0:33:05.640 --> 0:33:08.880 I think you know where Florida is, everybody else goes. 0:33:10.040 --> 0:33:12.400 And so I think, and I said this before Project 0:33:12.440 --> 0:33:13.200 twenty twenty five. 0:33:13.520 --> 0:33:14.080 You saw it. 0:33:14.240 --> 0:33:17.040 People who are in Florida saw it before it went national. 0:33:17.520 --> 0:33:19.200 And so what I would suggest is you need to 0:33:19.280 --> 0:33:21.120 kind of keep your eyes open because if they can 0:33:21.160 --> 0:33:23.400 do it in Florida, they will absolutely. 0:33:22.960 --> 0:33:24.000 Do it anywhere they want. 0:33:24.400 --> 0:33:27.880 And the goal, in my estimation, is to control what's taught, 0:33:28.520 --> 0:33:32.160 to control speech on the university level. Universities or places 0:33:32.200 --> 0:33:36.200 where people have the ability to exchange thought, to have 0:33:36.280 --> 0:33:38.480 discuss We may not agree on everything, but it's a 0:33:38.560 --> 0:33:42.600 place where you can engage in free thought, free thought 0:33:42.640 --> 0:33:47.440 and discussion without any punishment. Generally speaking, the goal in 0:33:47.440 --> 0:33:51.280 my mind is to limit that or to stop eliminated 0:33:51.400 --> 0:33:54.920 or reduce it significantly where you're just kind of creating 0:33:54.960 --> 0:33:58.640 these cutting paste folks that kind of go, yeah, go 0:33:58.760 --> 0:34:01.360 along with whatever it is you're saying, and just kind 0:34:01.360 --> 0:34:04.080 of regurgitating the nonsense and information that's provided to you. 0:34:04.280 --> 0:34:08.360 So it's scary. I think that we need to be 0:34:08.440 --> 0:34:12.520 on extreme high alert. And I think that Florida is 0:34:12.560 --> 0:34:15.360 a chess case for where everything else is going to go. 0:34:16.440 --> 0:34:17.080 I appreciate that. 0:34:17.160 --> 0:34:21.160 Again, I agree with most of what Monica said. I 0:34:21.200 --> 0:34:26.000 think she's sitting in nails on the head. There's a 0:34:27.239 --> 0:34:29.080 story that we could tell about what's happening to fam you, 0:34:29.120 --> 0:34:30.640 in part because it's happening to fam you and that's 0:34:30.640 --> 0:34:33.359 what we care about. So yes, but I think there's 0:34:33.400 --> 0:34:35.920 a broader story that we could tell about black colleges 0:34:36.000 --> 0:34:38.040 in general. But I would tell a story about like 0:34:38.920 --> 0:34:42.080 black institutions in general. So we talk about black college, 0:34:42.360 --> 0:34:44.960 we talk about black church. If you're listening in You 0:34:45.000 --> 0:34:47.480 and the Links and you in D nine and all 0:34:47.480 --> 0:34:50.399 of these kinds of things. Like, it is the case 0:34:50.440 --> 0:34:53.040 that these places exists because we were in a society 0:34:53.040 --> 0:34:54.759 in which we were segregated, and we had to go 0:34:54.800 --> 0:34:56.319 off and make our own space and all of this 0:34:56.400 --> 0:34:58.920 kind of thing. So we have done that, but as 0:34:58.960 --> 0:35:01.880 society of all, we did that and did other things. 0:35:02.239 --> 0:35:06.000 But these places that we created that we own have 0:35:06.120 --> 0:35:09.239 been safe places for us to think, to organize, to live, 0:35:09.280 --> 0:35:11.680 to be. And so what does it mean for folks 0:35:11.680 --> 0:35:14.560 to come in and undo this kind of safe space? 0:35:14.600 --> 0:35:16.960 I think to the extent that I'm worried about anything. 0:35:17.000 --> 0:35:20.640 It's about like where this ends? Today? Has spam you? 0:35:21.120 --> 0:35:25.160 Is it the ame church? Tomorrow? Are they going to 0:35:25.200 --> 0:35:27.920 start telling adultas that the Deltas can't? I don't know, 0:35:28.040 --> 0:35:30.680 march about stuff like where does this end? Would be 0:35:30.680 --> 0:35:33.960 the question that I have. And I think to the 0:35:34.120 --> 0:35:36.520 point that we are kind of alluding to, but that 0:35:36.560 --> 0:35:40.360 I want to be very explicit about. This feels like 0:35:40.719 --> 0:35:42.920 an attempt to reshape society. And I would say it 0:35:42.920 --> 0:35:44.880 feels like trying to be friendly, but like they have 0:35:44.960 --> 0:35:48.520 been very clear that they seek to reshape our society. So, 0:35:48.920 --> 0:35:52.160 if we're going to make America great again, which America 0:35:52.200 --> 0:35:53.080 are we making it great? 0:35:53.239 --> 0:35:53.279 Like? 0:35:53.600 --> 0:35:55.480 Are we making it great like the America where I 0:35:55.600 --> 0:35:56.399 was enslaved? 0:35:56.560 --> 0:35:57.080 Is it great? 0:35:57.160 --> 0:35:59.360 Like the one where I didn't have access to abortion? 0:35:59.600 --> 0:36:02.320 Is it great? Like the one where I was even 0:36:02.480 --> 0:36:05.279 further disenfranchised than I currently am? 0:36:05.400 --> 0:36:05.480 Like? 0:36:05.560 --> 0:36:07.880 Which one are we trying to get back to? And 0:36:07.920 --> 0:36:09.800 so I think that we have to take these things 0:36:09.840 --> 0:36:13.640 as a note that they're coming for us. And they 0:36:13.680 --> 0:36:16.359 start with the educated negroes, but it don't end there. 0:36:16.840 --> 0:36:17.799 It's everybody that. 0:36:17.800 --> 0:36:20.680 They get it that's real, you know, the only other. 0:36:21.719 --> 0:36:25.920 So a few quick responses. One, when you talk about 0:36:25.920 --> 0:36:30.040 who they came for. First, we know that when first 0:36:30.080 --> 0:36:34.319 generation black folks go, they get their degrees. Oftentimes they 0:36:34.360 --> 0:36:39.400 turn right back around. They're paying rents and mortgages, intuitions 0:36:39.600 --> 0:36:43.760 and mentoring cousins, siblings, and friends on what it means 0:36:44.160 --> 0:36:46.400 to change your life. That you and I came up 0:36:46.520 --> 0:36:49.000 right next to each other cause you saw the same 0:36:49.040 --> 0:36:51.600 stuff I did. You experienced the same stuff that I did. 0:36:51.880 --> 0:36:53.520 And guess what, I made a choice to do it 0:36:53.560 --> 0:36:55.960 different this day, and this is how it's turning out. 0:36:56.000 --> 0:36:58.879 And you can make the same choice. My older four 0:36:58.920 --> 0:37:01.200 brothers didn't go to college because they weren't smart, the 0:37:01.239 --> 0:37:04.040 avenues weren't there, and they didn't necessarily pursue them. When 0:37:04.040 --> 0:37:06.360 I did, what happened the same. My two behind me 0:37:07.040 --> 0:37:10.719 did the same damn thing. And one of the board 0:37:10.760 --> 0:37:16.240 chair at Florida and the board chair Hopeful, Devron Gibbons 0:37:16.360 --> 0:37:19.719 is I've noticed going around basically talking in audiences that 0:37:19.760 --> 0:37:23.920 are not us, basically slamming family alumni about what alumni 0:37:23.960 --> 0:37:26.359 giving levels are right if you meant that in love 0:37:26.400 --> 0:37:30.200 and in charity and in friendship with the institution that's 0:37:30.200 --> 0:37:32.759 your vice chair of the board and hoping to be chair. 0:37:33.080 --> 0:37:35.960 You wouldn't go to disparate audiences that aren't us and 0:37:36.040 --> 0:37:37.880 talk that up. You would find a loving way to 0:37:37.920 --> 0:37:41.640 communicate it. So even black folks can be co opted 0:37:41.719 --> 0:37:47.440 and take on the majority white man perspective of treating 0:37:47.440 --> 0:37:51.680 our institutions in US very paternalistically like they are the deciders. 0:37:51.719 --> 0:37:54.600 They know better, and pity, pity, pity, pity, pity you 0:37:55.440 --> 0:37:59.319 the reason they come after those who excel in this 0:37:59.440 --> 0:38:03.600 society and chop the heads off first, because the effect 0:38:03.719 --> 0:38:06.640 that we have on those who we're in close association 0:38:06.800 --> 0:38:10.400 with can then also be cut off. Donald Trump has 0:38:10.520 --> 0:38:15.640 given no apologies, neither has Rohnda Santis about the insecurity 0:38:15.680 --> 0:38:19.320 they have with their children having to compete with us. 0:38:20.040 --> 0:38:22.240 You see, they've been sold alive for so long about 0:38:22.239 --> 0:38:26.400 being better, set apart, excellent in all ways, with no 0:38:26.520 --> 0:38:30.320 competition and no comparable in close distance, and then reality 0:38:30.520 --> 0:38:34.040 it me right. Then they meet you, and they meet Lolo, 0:38:34.600 --> 0:38:37.600 and they meet Monica, and the story continues, and then 0:38:37.640 --> 0:38:41.680 that life starts to be peeled apart because in competition 0:38:42.400 --> 0:38:46.200 and the cream rises We're going to rise. Period. That's 0:38:46.200 --> 0:38:48.840 why we are the way we are at FMU and 0:38:48.840 --> 0:38:51.759 other hbc us because we are taught to believe that 0:38:51.800 --> 0:38:54.920 we can do wherever and be wherever our mind and 0:38:55.000 --> 0:39:07.040 our effort will take us. Lolo is in here, and 0:39:07.080 --> 0:39:09.520 I want you, Lolo, to let us know if there's 0:39:09.640 --> 0:39:12.279 some questions with our final five minutes that we've got 0:39:12.280 --> 0:39:17.480 together that KG is going to speed through. And I 0:39:17.480 --> 0:39:18.240 don't want to shut. 0:39:18.120 --> 0:39:23.520 Up, I do have so Whitney Scott and Allison Smith 0:39:23.640 --> 0:39:26.440 asked something there is like a similar question. Whitney says, 0:39:26.480 --> 0:39:30.320 I am alone. How can I get involved? I'm ready 0:39:30.360 --> 0:39:32.920 to get my boots on the ground to protect the 0:39:32.960 --> 0:39:35.560 future of Van You and a lot of people said 0:39:35.560 --> 0:39:37.200 the same thing, like what are the next steps? 0:39:37.200 --> 0:39:38.040 What can we do about that? 0:39:38.040 --> 0:39:39.600 That's where we were going to actually wrap what was 0:39:39.600 --> 0:39:41.200 gonna be on next steps, But KG, I want you 0:39:41.239 --> 0:39:44.040 to go directly to that. We've already let folks know 0:39:44.120 --> 0:39:50.680 that while the process is along, that it is not complete, 0:39:51.280 --> 0:39:53.040 and that means that there are other things that can 0:39:53.080 --> 0:39:55.400 be done. What would you want people to do leaving 0:39:55.480 --> 0:39:57.360 this if they want to take action? 0:39:58.440 --> 0:40:00.120 So the first thing I want people to know is 0:40:00.120 --> 0:40:03.560 that they're like ratlers thinking about this, and so you 0:40:03.600 --> 0:40:05.560 at home, you're thinking about it. You stressed out, me too, girl. 0:40:06.239 --> 0:40:09.000 But I'm calling my ratler friends to see what we 0:40:09.000 --> 0:40:10.399 can do. And one of the things that I will 0:40:10.440 --> 0:40:12.960 ask Whitney in particular to do is go to Keepers 0:40:12.960 --> 0:40:16.440 of Flame eighteen eighty seven dot com into your information of. 0:40:16.440 --> 0:40:18.919 The Flame eighteen eighty seven dot com and we'll also 0:40:18.920 --> 0:40:20.000 include in the show notes. 0:40:20.920 --> 0:40:25.720 Yes, and so as soon as we have a worked 0:40:25.800 --> 0:40:28.520 out destination for you a thing for you to do, 0:40:28.600 --> 0:40:30.120 we are going to email you. And when I say 0:40:30.120 --> 0:40:32.120 as soon as, I mean like check your email. We 0:40:32.160 --> 0:40:34.879 will be in touch soon this week, within the coming day. 0:40:35.000 --> 0:40:39.280 Is it is it? Is it free? Is it too free? Okay? Okay, 0:40:39.360 --> 0:40:39.680 in the. 0:40:39.640 --> 0:40:42.279 Coming days, we'll have something to tell you. Certainly they 0:40:42.320 --> 0:40:43.120 can do it this week. 0:40:43.680 --> 0:40:46.399 Yes, But if you're going to that website, you can 0:40:46.480 --> 0:40:50.040 enlist your name and your email addressing, contact information, and 0:40:50.080 --> 0:40:53.640 that's how you'll you'll the informational filter. Yeah. 0:40:53.680 --> 0:40:55.760 And the other thing is that I want to say 0:40:56.280 --> 0:40:58.439 that I have been in conversations with people who are 0:40:58.480 --> 0:41:01.840 like ready to cut their spite their face. Bam, you 0:41:01.960 --> 0:41:04.759 is my house. That's my yard. That's not Marve's yard, 0:41:04.760 --> 0:41:06.880 that's not Ron Desant's yard. And if you want to 0:41:06.880 --> 0:41:08.759 come from my yard, you're gonna have to come through me. 0:41:09.320 --> 0:41:12.200 And so I'm not about to not send money to 0:41:12.280 --> 0:41:15.359 take care of my cousins in school because Marva's there. 0:41:15.560 --> 0:41:18.200 I'm not about to not go to homecoming because Marva's there. 0:41:18.239 --> 0:41:20.600 I'm gonna go to homecoming. And when Marve started talking, 0:41:20.640 --> 0:41:23.279 I might, you know, turn around and not, you know, 0:41:23.440 --> 0:41:26.000 have something say to Marvor. But I'm gonna go to 0:41:26.040 --> 0:41:28.120 my homecoming. She's not gonna run me out of my house, 0:41:28.120 --> 0:41:31.040 all right, She's not gonna run me away from my foundation. 0:41:31.160 --> 0:41:32.480 And so the other thing that I would say to 0:41:32.520 --> 0:41:34.759 Route is who are paying attention? Is you could be 0:41:34.840 --> 0:41:37.080 mad at the governor, you'd be mad at Marva, but 0:41:37.120 --> 0:41:39.600 don't take that out. That's our house, that's our yard. 0:41:39.640 --> 0:41:41.759 We defended at all costs, and they have to do 0:41:41.800 --> 0:41:43.640 what we say do, not the other way around. 0:41:43.760 --> 0:41:46.560 That's real, Monica, You're back in this. I want we 0:41:46.560 --> 0:41:50.120 were just sharing what could people do? And I think 0:41:50.200 --> 0:41:52.440 KGI wrap that well. So I want you to take 0:41:52.480 --> 0:41:56.479 this next question, lo Low, if there is one more 0:41:57.239 --> 0:41:58.960 that we may have time to hit before. 0:41:59.560 --> 0:42:02.880 So the last question. We had a few more, but 0:42:02.920 --> 0:42:04.560 I think you all did a really great job of 0:42:04.600 --> 0:42:07.920 answering them. The last question would be why does this 0:42:07.960 --> 0:42:10.680 even matter? And I've seen a lot of people in 0:42:10.719 --> 0:42:14.280 the comments, people are talking about them being nervous about 0:42:14.280 --> 0:42:18.120 this happening that their HBCU Tennessee state in general, I 0:42:18.120 --> 0:42:21.080 mean in particular. So if you all wanted to answer 0:42:21.360 --> 0:42:23.000 or talk to that question. 0:42:23.000 --> 0:42:27.680 Yeah, Monica, you want to hit that the threat that 0:42:28.760 --> 0:42:31.080 appears to be. Well, there was the question which is 0:42:31.120 --> 0:42:33.200 why does it matter? Which I think you all kind 0:42:33.200 --> 0:42:35.840 of hit on a little bit two questions back. But 0:42:36.880 --> 0:42:39.880 if you're at an HBC and you're worried about this 0:42:39.960 --> 0:42:45.080 coming down your street, what do you say? I mean, 0:42:45.120 --> 0:42:46.600 I think you just have to stay vigilant. 0:42:46.640 --> 0:42:48.399 I think Kenisian mentioned it. 0:42:48.480 --> 0:42:52.520 One of the things I really tell alumni is HBCUs, 0:42:52.560 --> 0:42:57.360 particularly public HBCUs, we cannot just solely rely on state dollars. 0:42:57.600 --> 0:43:01.160 We've got it as alumni, give back and give back consistently, right, 0:43:01.640 --> 0:43:03.640 That's the first thing. Secondly, you just have to kind 0:43:03.680 --> 0:43:06.279 of stay involved and engaged. You can't just be engaged 0:43:06.480 --> 0:43:10.000 once a year during homecoming. You have to stay engaged 0:43:10.040 --> 0:43:13.880 and stay vigilant consistently throughout the year. The third thing 0:43:13.920 --> 0:43:15.640 I will say is a lot of this has to 0:43:15.680 --> 0:43:17.200 do with and people hate to go back to this, 0:43:17.239 --> 0:43:19.879 people got to vote. Some of this has a lot 0:43:19.920 --> 0:43:22.080 to do with the fact of who's in office. Like 0:43:22.120 --> 0:43:25.280 in Florida, the person, the person that makes these decisions 0:43:25.280 --> 0:43:27.640 and placing these people on the board of trustees is 0:43:27.680 --> 0:43:28.560 the governor. 0:43:29.000 --> 0:43:30.719 The board of government, the board of governors. 0:43:30.760 --> 0:43:33.839 The governor puts those people in positions, puts those people 0:43:33.880 --> 0:43:36.520 in those positions. The folks on the board of trustees, 0:43:36.880 --> 0:43:38.879 the governor appoints those individuals. 0:43:39.239 --> 0:43:40.960 So a lot of this kind of goes down. 0:43:41.000 --> 0:43:43.759 I know people hate to say that, but you got 0:43:43.760 --> 0:43:46.120 to stay engaged in your alumni you have and your 0:43:46.120 --> 0:43:49.799 alumni association, stay engaged, and you with your school and 0:43:49.840 --> 0:43:53.160 give back consistently, increase those give rates. 0:43:53.480 --> 0:43:55.320 And then you got people have to vote. 0:43:55.360 --> 0:43:57.680 I mean, bottom line, And I know people hate when 0:43:57.680 --> 0:43:59.879 you say that, but that really is what this is. 0:44:00.560 --> 0:44:03.000 But but for but for with the governor that we have, 0:44:04.920 --> 0:44:06.200 things could look a lot different. 0:44:07.000 --> 0:44:08.000 I just leave that there. 0:44:08.800 --> 0:44:12.520 That's real. That's real. I wouldn't be moderating this panel 0:44:12.600 --> 0:44:14.880 had it looked quite different. And I'm joking, but I 0:44:14.920 --> 0:44:20.080 will say this there might well quite serious. I will, 0:44:20.160 --> 0:44:23.719 I would, I would. I would only add to what 0:44:23.840 --> 0:44:28.600 Monica said that in this day and age, the reason 0:44:28.640 --> 0:44:31.040 why you have to care about what is happening at 0:44:31.120 --> 0:44:36.280 FAM you is because they chose the largest single campus, 0:44:36.480 --> 0:44:41.120 HBCU to try to infiltrate from MAGA first. And it's 0:44:41.160 --> 0:44:43.160 their belief. And by the way, if you watch Trump 0:44:43.160 --> 0:44:45.239 at all, if you watched the sentence at all, it 0:44:45.320 --> 0:44:46.880 was the first thing this net is did. He punched 0:44:47.160 --> 0:44:50.640 Walt Disney World. Trump gets in office, he punches all 0:44:50.640 --> 0:44:53.479 of us, right, Ain't nobody left safe? And the reason 0:44:53.560 --> 0:44:55.800 they do that is if you take out the biggest, 0:44:56.000 --> 0:44:59.239 baddest thing you see on the block, no disrespect to 0:44:59.239 --> 0:45:04.919 anybody else, then everything else falls falls like the house 0:45:04.920 --> 0:45:11.400 of cards. And so know that this is them perfecting 0:45:12.200 --> 0:45:15.520 the strategy of what it means to not just get 0:45:15.560 --> 0:45:20.040 into Harvard, into Columbia and destruct those institutions because the 0:45:20.160 --> 0:45:23.040 kids can't get it. But it is to come now 0:45:23.880 --> 0:45:28.880 for black folk who you already think nothing of, You 0:45:28.960 --> 0:45:31.080 already say we don't earn what it is that we've got. 0:45:32.560 --> 0:45:35.400 You already think that we're not worth the time that 0:45:35.560 --> 0:45:40.280 is spent or the resources that are allocated. So now 0:45:40.480 --> 0:45:42.719 let's just figure out how we start to you know, 0:45:43.200 --> 0:45:46.960 take those away too. Look, y'all, over the course of 0:45:47.080 --> 0:45:49.640 history we have to learn from it. Cinicians already alluded 0:45:49.680 --> 0:45:53.440 to this. We had slavery, we had emancipation. After emancipation, 0:45:53.520 --> 0:45:56.239 we had reconstruction. Right, things started to look better, at 0:45:56.280 --> 0:45:58.000 least they said they were going to be better. And 0:45:58.000 --> 0:46:00.160 then what did they do? They caught it back and 0:46:00.200 --> 0:46:02.880 we had Jim Crow. And then we have, you know, 0:46:02.920 --> 0:46:05.279 the answer to Jim Crow, where we then get equality 0:46:05.400 --> 0:46:08.480 laws and amendments of the constitution that make us more 0:46:08.520 --> 0:46:10.319 full and more hole in the eyes of the law. 0:46:10.920 --> 0:46:13.560 And guess what, y'all, We then go on to elect 0:46:13.560 --> 0:46:17.280 a black president and then a woman nominee, a black 0:46:17.280 --> 0:46:20.520 woman to come to have the audacity to pursue the 0:46:20.560 --> 0:46:23.919 position as well. And now this society, based off its 0:46:23.960 --> 0:46:27.840 majority's actions, are in full cell panic. And we're going 0:46:27.920 --> 0:46:30.520 back to the take back. You make a game and 0:46:30.560 --> 0:46:33.560 you get a clawback, and this clawback now is coming 0:46:33.680 --> 0:46:37.520 up all of our avenues, all of our avenues, Kanisha. 0:46:37.520 --> 0:46:41.320 As we round out right now, I want you to please, please, please, 0:46:41.360 --> 0:46:45.279 because this is a large part about organizing, is when 0:46:45.280 --> 0:46:47.840 you get a setback as big as the one that 0:46:48.040 --> 0:46:51.200 was delivered to those who care about fam you and 0:46:51.280 --> 0:46:54.640 his future with the Board of Trustees deciding as it 0:46:54.800 --> 0:46:58.319 did to elevate Marva to the Board of Governors as 0:46:58.360 --> 0:47:02.719 its next president. That's a big, big setback. But contextualize 0:47:03.280 --> 0:47:07.239 a setback when we're thinking about a war, right, so 0:47:07.320 --> 0:47:11.200 a battle of a president or of any battle that 0:47:11.280 --> 0:47:14.439 you're in, and contextualize that in the scope of a war. 0:47:15.640 --> 0:47:18.160 Yeah, So I will say I think two things, one 0:47:18.160 --> 0:47:20.319 on fame you and then maybe one more broadly. The 0:47:20.360 --> 0:47:23.840 first is that the rallies, as we say, will strike 0:47:23.880 --> 0:47:26.840 and strike and strike again, and so it's three strikes, 0:47:26.840 --> 0:47:30.040 it's not one strike. And so you have to remember always. 0:47:30.320 --> 0:47:33.640 So first of all, we have feelings, right, and so 0:47:33.719 --> 0:47:35.840 feel your feelings right, you're mad, you jumping up and 0:47:36.080 --> 0:47:38.279 like you want to punch the all whatever. You are 0:47:38.280 --> 0:47:41.920 allowed to have your feelings. But after you let your 0:47:41.920 --> 0:47:44.799 feelings pass through, then it's time for work. And so 0:47:45.000 --> 0:47:48.359 we did suffer a major setback. But This is a 0:47:48.440 --> 0:47:51.880 battle in a larger war for our university, for the 0:47:51.920 --> 0:47:54.960 soul of Famu, and for I would say, the whole society. 0:47:55.600 --> 0:47:58.080 Education is a piece of a bigger thing. And so 0:47:58.160 --> 0:48:00.360 once you get your emotions out, I think you have 0:48:00.440 --> 0:48:03.640 to take a step back and realize, Okay, this is 0:48:03.680 --> 0:48:06.440 a small piece of a bigger thing. Let me attack 0:48:06.520 --> 0:48:09.240 the bigger thing. How do you eat an elephant? An elephant, 0:48:09.239 --> 0:48:11.600 You eat it bite by bite, right like. You can't 0:48:11.600 --> 0:48:14.520 get overwhelmed. You can't drop out because something went badly 0:48:14.640 --> 0:48:16.799 or went wrongly. You have to keep at it. One 0:48:16.800 --> 0:48:18.840 of the things that I tell my students at Howard, 0:48:19.800 --> 0:48:22.120 and one of the things I say often is I'm 0:48:22.200 --> 0:48:25.279 reminded about Melissa Harris Perry, who was talking one day 0:48:25.320 --> 0:48:29.319 about the movement, and she talks about how it was 0:48:29.360 --> 0:48:34.680 the case that individuals lived and died enslaved, lived and 0:48:34.760 --> 0:48:38.239 died as enslaved people, and every day they woke up 0:48:38.280 --> 0:48:42.040 and fought, never knowing when freedom was going to come. 0:48:42.840 --> 0:48:45.360 You have to carry your water, you have to carry 0:48:45.360 --> 0:48:48.160 your ball down the field. Maybe freedom will come for 0:48:48.280 --> 0:48:51.279 you while you are alive. The people who got emancipated 0:48:51.320 --> 0:48:54.799 didn't know emancipation was coming. They didn't have Twitter, they 0:48:54.800 --> 0:48:56.480 weren't on TikTok, they didn't have a way to know 0:48:56.480 --> 0:48:58.000 that it was about to happen. But they got up 0:48:58.040 --> 0:49:00.920 and fought anyway. Some of them got up, fought, lived 0:49:00.960 --> 0:49:03.960 and died with nothing. And so happened that some of 0:49:03.960 --> 0:49:06.640 them got up, fought, lived and saw the other side. 0:49:07.000 --> 0:49:09.840 And so if my ancestors, you know, we're in the 0:49:09.880 --> 0:49:14.799 fields of Georgia, slaving away right in Chris County, who 0:49:14.840 --> 0:49:19.120 am I today to say that I'm too tired to 0:49:19.200 --> 0:49:22.319 fight for the institution that has changed the life of 0:49:22.360 --> 0:49:25.560 this same family from Chris County, Georgia. I can't do that, 0:49:25.920 --> 0:49:29.040 and I would suggest that you can't either. And so 0:49:29.120 --> 0:49:31.479 today we're talking about FAMU, but we could be talking 0:49:31.520 --> 0:49:34.240 about what's in the library at your local elementary school. 0:49:34.520 --> 0:49:37.239 We could be talking about heads start funding for your 0:49:37.239 --> 0:49:39.839 baby and her daycare. We could be talking about any 0:49:39.920 --> 0:49:42.600 number of educational things that are not just about college, 0:49:42.920 --> 0:49:45.319 but that are about making life better for people. And 0:49:45.360 --> 0:49:47.000 if we got to fight to make sure that these 0:49:47.040 --> 0:49:49.560 babies are okay, I think that's a worthy fight that 0:49:49.600 --> 0:49:51.960 we can deal with. It ain't enslavement and if they 0:49:52.000 --> 0:49:53.960 can do it in this slavement, surely we could do it. 0:49:54.000 --> 0:49:54.640 Here's for mmm. 0:49:54.800 --> 0:49:57.839 Girl, that's a word you just preached, You preached, and 0:49:57.960 --> 0:50:00.640 you were closing on that, yall. I want to welcome 0:50:00.680 --> 0:50:03.480 everybody home who decided to tune in. Know that we're 0:50:03.520 --> 0:50:05.680 going to stay on this not only because it's failed, 0:50:05.960 --> 0:50:08.959 but we will continue to project out so that all 0:50:09.000 --> 0:50:11.480 of us get to see ourselves in this picture. If 0:50:11.520 --> 0:50:13.319 you don't see it clearly, we want to make it 0:50:13.360 --> 0:50:16.279 clear for you, for those HBCUs that are afraid of 0:50:16.280 --> 0:50:18.640 what's coming down the tracks. 0:50:18.640 --> 0:50:19.000 For you. 0:50:19.239 --> 0:50:22.160 We got to get in communication and coordination and in 0:50:22.239 --> 0:50:27.200 contact with each other because the battle. Know this, if 0:50:27.239 --> 0:50:29.200 we do what we're supposed to do and hold our 0:50:29.200 --> 0:50:32.279 ground and keep fighting until there's no longer breath in 0:50:32.320 --> 0:50:34.440 our bodies. But so long as we have it, we 0:50:34.480 --> 0:50:37.520 will fight. Let me tell you, they'll think twice about 0:50:37.560 --> 0:50:39.560 the next time that they want to come after us. Right, 0:50:39.800 --> 0:50:41.920 So the lesson is going to be the shot of 0:50:41.920 --> 0:50:44.799 the bout has come from them. And now we got 0:50:44.840 --> 0:50:47.480 to sink the ship. And when we sink the ship, 0:50:48.000 --> 0:50:49.879 that means that ship ain't coming for you at least 0:50:49.880 --> 0:50:52.160 no time soon so y'all help us sink this ship 0:50:52.200 --> 0:50:54.440 right now, because whether you know it or not, we 0:50:54.560 --> 0:50:56.520 all in the boat together. Man, We are all in 0:50:56.560 --> 0:51:00.000 this together. Lolo, thank you very much facilitating the question, 0:51:00.440 --> 0:51:03.960 kg dtr Grant, Kenesha, all the names, all the things, 0:51:03.960 --> 0:51:07.960 all the fields. I love you like my little sister, 0:51:07.960 --> 0:51:10.440 because you are and I am so proud of you 0:51:10.480 --> 0:51:15.360 and the knowledge you dropped today extremely extremely important and powerful. 0:51:15.560 --> 0:51:17.279 Y'all are going to hear from her again because we're 0:51:17.280 --> 0:51:19.839 bringing her back to talk about her book on Natal 0:51:19.960 --> 0:51:22.560 Damn Pod. Thank y'all, welcome home. This has been an 0:51:22.560 --> 0:51:23.040 episode of. 0:51:23.080 --> 0:51:26.280 Our mini pod on organizing, Stay connect and don't forget 0:51:26.440 --> 0:51:31.239 to meet us here into the next Monday or the monday, not. 0:51:31.280 --> 0:51:33.959 This upcoming but the one after every other. All right, y'all, 0:51:34.000 --> 0:51:34.760 take care of peace. 0:51:49.320 --> 0:51:52.560 Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio and partnership 0:51:52.560 --> 0:51:56.799 with Reason Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 0:51:56.880 --> 0:52:00.880 iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or where ever you listen to 0:52:00.920 --> 0:52:01.840 your favorite shows.