WEBVTT - Violence and Trauma Recovery 0:00:05.160 --> 0:00:07.720 What's her family? I'm to meet A D. Mallory. This 0:00:07.880 --> 0:00:12.079 your and we are your hosts of street politicians the 0:00:12.160 --> 0:00:17.880 place me what's up nice? How are you today? I 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:19.960 am blessing Holly fav and Queen how are you doing 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:25.280 to that? So we are just returning from trade weekend. 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:27.720 I said trade week because I feel like I was 0:00:27.760 --> 0:00:30.600 there for a long time. In fact, when we take 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:34.080 one of the interviews that's coming up in the show today, 0:00:34.400 --> 0:00:37.239 I was actually on my way to the airport and 0:00:37.320 --> 0:00:41.040 the only time that Mayor Ross Baraka had was right 0:00:41.080 --> 0:00:43.560 in that moment, and so we just stopped and got 0:00:43.600 --> 0:00:47.280 on and did the interview with him. And I'm glad 0:00:47.320 --> 0:00:49.920 you did that and now and we'll be showing folks 0:00:49.960 --> 0:00:53.320 in a few moments um what took place in that interview. 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:57.360 But Trade weekend was I'm really proud of you. You know, 0:00:57.600 --> 0:01:01.040 I was there before you and so you were not 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.640 there for the very first event, which I thought was 0:01:04.680 --> 0:01:06.399 just so I mean, it moved me and it kind 0:01:06.440 --> 0:01:09.880 of set the tone for the rest of the weekend 0:01:10.280 --> 0:01:13.880 from my perspective because I was there when they did 0:01:14.040 --> 0:01:17.759 a ribbon cutting, which was actually a rope cutting at 0:01:17.800 --> 0:01:22.240 how the homemade ice cream. It is a Houston based business. 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:24.840 I think it is Houston base, but certainly, UM, we 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:28.360 were at a Houston location and a large part of 0:01:28.400 --> 0:01:33.480 their employee base are people who have disabilities, and so 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:36.480 all of the employees UM who have who are who 0:01:36.560 --> 0:01:39.520 have different issues, they were coming out. They were so 0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:43.919 happy to see Trade there. UM hundreds of people showed 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:47.119 up to get free ice cream. The mayor was there 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:51.400 supporting Trade, UM and I and this partnership gives Pimity 0:01:51.480 --> 0:01:54.720 opportunity to bring more people, people who look like us 0:01:54.800 --> 0:01:58.480 to the work force and UM and to this partnership 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:00.760 with how the homemade ice cream. And I think it 0:02:00.880 --> 0:02:04.520 was just a real example of who he is and 0:02:04.600 --> 0:02:08.480 setting the tone for what the life of traded truth means. 0:02:08.760 --> 0:02:12.560 I don't think that he is going to receive his 0:02:12.720 --> 0:02:17.239 full acknowledgement and flowers until much later on in life, 0:02:17.440 --> 0:02:20.519 because the best is yet to come. But at this point, 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:23.640 if tomorrow, which you know it won't happen, of course, 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:26.160 but if tomorrow Trade just said, um, you know, I'm 0:02:26.200 --> 0:02:30.920 going to to another country on finished for whatever reason. Uh, 0:02:30.919 --> 0:02:33.560 He's done a lot. He's done a lot of great work, 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:39.560 and the the the I guess the example of that 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:45.079 or the roots of the work, the the evidence of 0:02:45.160 --> 0:02:50.400 his work was all over an entire weekend, several days 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:54.840 of individuals showing up to support him, to show their love. 0:02:55.639 --> 0:02:59.720 A Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee being in the building, she 0:03:00.040 --> 0:03:03.799 always saw a supports Trade Rihanna Taylor's mother to meet 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:08.320 the palmer. Who else did George Floyd's family supported him? 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:12.359 Of course, you know his George Floyd's cousin two d 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:15.519 is what we call her. She was with us all weekend, 0:03:15.960 --> 0:03:18.520 but you know, her mom and her aunts and others 0:03:18.800 --> 0:03:21.800 just being there to let Trade know that he is 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:25.720 he is loved and appreciated. And of course attorney he married, 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:29.959 who is going to be the next Attorney General of 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:33.560 the State of Texas. And you know, until Freedom was 0:03:33.600 --> 0:03:35.760 in the building. So it just was a great weekend 0:03:36.160 --> 0:03:38.120 and I'm really glad that we took the time to 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:41.560 spend with our brother Trade. To Trude, yeah, it was. 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:45.640 It was amazing. Just just Trade stamina is just amazing 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.240 to me. It's not like he was just present. You know, 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:51.320 it's easy to just come and be present, but to 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:54.720 be directing, to be organized in every event for four 0:03:54.800 --> 0:03:57.760 days streight where it is probably about an hour two 0:03:57.840 --> 0:04:01.600 in between each event. You know, he's full driving, hands on, 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:04.920 making sure that everybody who came there with him was 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:07.920 taking care of He's checking on you every five seconds. 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:11.320 You're good, everything is good, you know, And understanding being 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:14.840 an organizer, being an organizer, being that plane doing all 0:04:14.880 --> 0:04:18.200 those things, and understanding how wanted two events. I have 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:21.320 you exhausted, But to watch this man constantly do that 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:25.200 for four days straight without rest, which is phenomenal man. 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:27.680 And he had so many different artists, you know, Trades 0:04:28.200 --> 0:04:31.320 first and foremost, he's a rap artist and he least 0:04:31.600 --> 0:04:35.320 he's real passionate about it's his music. So a lot 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:38.719 of artists came out and show love. Yet you know, Davies, 0:04:38.800 --> 0:04:41.919 you had Herbo, you have my Boy to Rest, to Sean, 0:04:42.480 --> 0:04:50.320 you had um um so many I can't even you, 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:56.400 said Chappelle. There was a lot of people the way. 0:04:56.640 --> 0:04:58.640 It was just so many people that just came up 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:02.280 the show love for Trade Man and being his brother. 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:04.880 You know, I'm proud just to be able to say 0:05:04.920 --> 0:05:09.760 I know Somebney like Trade is just phenomenal. So so 0:05:10.120 --> 0:05:12.719 if you haven't been to Trade aides slash trade weekend 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:16.480 slash Trade week You're missing a big thing. Man. It's 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:19.000 it's it's it's a phenomenal event. So shout out to 0:05:19.160 --> 0:05:23.200 brother Yes, shout out to our brothers. So and you know, 0:05:23.320 --> 0:05:27.840 the other thing that I was really proud of is 0:05:27.880 --> 0:05:32.400 that throughout the entire weekend, you know, I didn't see 0:05:32.480 --> 0:05:38.000 many violent outbursts or people who were, you know, so 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:40.240 frustrated in the heat that you know, we can get, 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:43.520 we can get really really like frustrated, and it could 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:45.760 be a lot of tension. You couldn't really see that 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:49.920 because I think that Trade sets intention uh to be 0:05:50.160 --> 0:05:54.320 a person who folks know that what he's about is 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:58.840 extremely positive. That doesn't mean in any way, shape or 0:05:58.880 --> 0:06:01.520 for him, and he won't chat because he will Uh. 0:06:01.640 --> 0:06:06.360 He's definitely a man's man. But Um, there's something about 0:06:06.440 --> 0:06:09.720 the energy of people around that they know this is 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:12.680 not the time. And there's certain people who I how 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.200 I noticed school who I think would never come around 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:18.880 because it's not the type of environment that they are 0:06:18.920 --> 0:06:23.320 looking to foster. And it just kind of brings me to, um, 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.200 what I've been seeing you talk about over the last days. 0:06:26.200 --> 0:06:32.440 Although UM, I am always cautious and concerned whenever I 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:37.920 feel like you are engaged in conflict with people who 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:43.440 I think are um, you know, real extra sensitive people 0:06:43.480 --> 0:06:47.919 who can't take a lot of UM critique. UM. You 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:50.840 take a lot of people who have so much to 0:06:50.880 --> 0:06:53.520 say about what you should do, what you did, what 0:06:53.640 --> 0:06:57.680 you didn't do, what happening your younger ears, people talking 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:01.400 about your life, your career, um, and you deal with it. 0:07:01.600 --> 0:07:04.880 And even though at times I'm sure it's frustrating, it's 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:08.760 when people say things that's just not true, especially people 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:11.560 who you actually know. But you do deal with it 0:07:11.640 --> 0:07:13.760 and and and really brush so much of it all. 0:07:14.040 --> 0:07:17.720 But not everybody has the same ability to do that. 0:07:18.160 --> 0:07:21.200 And what I know is from a lot of people, 0:07:21.360 --> 0:07:25.080 but particularly a lot of cowardly men, is that their 0:07:25.240 --> 0:07:29.000 response to dealing with someone that puts a mirror up 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:32.720 to them is not always safe, it's not always good. 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:35.200 And I think that a lot of the people who 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:41.240 you particularly challenge are individuals who have already proven themselves 0:07:41.640 --> 0:07:45.440 to be, uh, you know, to be to be folks 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:49.520 who are not They're not they're not they're not, in 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:55.440 my judgment, really, they have no real care about community. 0:07:55.760 --> 0:07:58.880 They're not really trying to save lives. They're not really 0:07:58.960 --> 0:08:04.360 invested in anything that would bring positivity or change or 0:08:04.840 --> 0:08:08.080 uplift man. I mean even some of them will challenge 0:08:08.120 --> 0:08:10.960 you like, well, why haven't you done this or that? 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:13.520 But they've never done it. They never would, they never 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:17.400 participate and invest in those things. And so I'm always like, 0:08:17.480 --> 0:08:20.840 why do we even waste side time talking to these individuals? 0:08:21.120 --> 0:08:24.920 And I guess there's a method to your strategy of 0:08:25.000 --> 0:08:31.440 making sure that you provide alternative um message to our youth, 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:35.319 But it just gets frustrated to watch sometimes because I 0:08:35.360 --> 0:08:38.280 don't feel like those individuals that you're talking to or 0:08:38.360 --> 0:08:41.080 about are ever really gonna change, because it seems like 0:08:41.120 --> 0:08:44.960 they've been sent here by somebody or something to do 0:08:45.080 --> 0:08:48.959 exactly what they're doing, which is to cause disruption. Disruption 0:08:50.480 --> 0:08:53.760 I think for me, if you don't know, if you 0:08:53.840 --> 0:08:58.360 allow negativity and allies to be louder and the truth, 0:08:59.240 --> 0:09:03.280 if you allowed those who are dismissing misleading our youth 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:07.720 to be front and center, to have all promotion, to 0:09:07.800 --> 0:09:13.280 utilize every platform they can to deliver their message, but 0:09:13.440 --> 0:09:16.400 you don't utilize We don't utilize our voices and our 0:09:16.440 --> 0:09:19.280 own platforms to deliver the counter message that can actually 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:22.000 save our kids lives, then we're just as guilty as 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:24.280 they are. You know, if if we're just sitting that 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:27.920 back watching these people spread these lives and say a 0:09:27.920 --> 0:09:31.360 bunch of bullshit, as I say, that really ain't true, 0:09:31.840 --> 0:09:35.200 you know, and advocate for a lifestyle that's detrimental to 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:39.680 these kids lives, to promote certain things that are detrimental 0:09:39.760 --> 0:09:43.199 to the survival, and and and and leading the culture 0:09:43.600 --> 0:09:47.959 into a direction that is ultimately a dead end. Then 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:50.360 what do what? What? What is the work for for me? Right? 0:09:50.760 --> 0:09:54.960 If for me the people say you're you above this? Myself? 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:59.440 If I'm from this community, right and I know that 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.920 there are people peopalize their platforms that have a real 0:10:03.960 --> 0:10:07.959 stronghold on my community, right, and I because I left 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:10.400 because I'm able, I've I've been blessed enough to be 0:10:10.480 --> 0:10:15.160 able to afford a different basic residents. Do I'm not 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:18.200 kid that kids that come from where I come from 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:21.560 or being misled and misguided or being forts and said 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:24.600 that I know it's not real? Then what is my work? Right? Who? 0:10:24.679 --> 0:10:26.680 Who am I actually here to say? Well? Am I 0:10:26.760 --> 0:10:28.800 just because then at that point you would call me 0:10:28.840 --> 0:10:31.160 a cloud chair. You could say that I'm an ambulance chase. 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:34.680 And I'm just doing this because I've left the real work. 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:36.840 The real work is cheering form. And these young kids 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:40.319 that thought, just like I did at sixteen and fifteen 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:44.160 and fourteen, that that you know, whoever was gangster was 0:10:44.280 --> 0:10:45.880 one who was causing all the trouble. And if you 0:10:45.920 --> 0:10:48.040 pulled out your gun and you talk all of the 0:10:48.320 --> 0:10:51.160 piling stuff and you was rougher, tougher than everybody, then 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:53.719 that made you real, That made you a man. If 0:10:53.760 --> 0:10:57.320 I leave the community that at fourteen and thirteen and fifteen, 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.360 that was my mentality. And because I don't have to 0:11:00.360 --> 0:11:02.480 deal with that no more, and I transformed and I 0:11:02.600 --> 0:11:05.960 understand something different, and I don't come back and give 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:09.720 real understandings about that to these kids, then what exactly 0:11:09.760 --> 0:11:12.120 what I'm What exactly am I doing? How am I 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:14.120 How am I doing any work? What is the work 0:11:14.120 --> 0:11:15.920 I'm doing? I'm going to talk to the quiet to 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:19.160 preach all the people that know you're the anti violence organizations. 0:11:19.160 --> 0:11:22.040 I'm sitting in the rooms with the anti violence organization, 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:25.920 people who who already know that where the money is, 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:28.840 who already know about violence who already changed their lives. 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:30.880 So if I'm just talking to y'all, oh dad, I'm 0:11:30.920 --> 0:11:32.880 in those rooms and ain't none of these kids I'm 0:11:32.880 --> 0:11:35.400 trying to say, if I'm not on the platforms where 0:11:35.440 --> 0:11:38.560 you got academics and whacking them talking this dumb ship, 0:11:38.840 --> 0:11:40.760 I want to bring six knine of life and try 0:11:40.800 --> 0:11:42.800 to make it seem like the lifestyle that he chose, 0:11:43.080 --> 0:11:46.280 and then the decisions that he chose are what you 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:48.800 should be doing, because that's that's not an alternative to 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:51.960 street life. Of God, right, if people are making people 0:11:52.040 --> 0:11:55.800 think that what's six nine did is something to be celebrated, Oh, 0:11:56.040 --> 0:11:58.360 you know, we don't want to talk about street life. No, 0:11:58.480 --> 0:12:00.680 we don't want to talk about criminals. You know, we 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:03.760 don't advocate for street life. But letting kids believe that 0:12:03.840 --> 0:12:07.040 you can put hit to the people, you can cause violence, 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:09.920 you can run around in the streets and cause violence 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:12.040 and get people shot at, you can tell people to 0:12:12.040 --> 0:12:15.119 shoot other people. And then when you're being held accountable 0:12:15.160 --> 0:12:17.520 for the crimes and the life stide that you chose, 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:19.760 when the police come to you and say hey, you 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:21.560 did this and this and this and this is what 0:12:21.960 --> 0:12:26.040 the consequences are for that unless you tell on somebody else. Right, 0:12:26.080 --> 0:12:27.680 And when you decide that, you know what, I don't 0:12:27.679 --> 0:12:30.240 want to deal with my own consequences, so I'm gonna 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:33.280 make sure that somebody else deals with the consequences today actions, 0:12:33.320 --> 0:12:35.520 so I don't have to deal with mine. Right. Not 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:37.720 only do you lack of techrity, but you give a 0:12:37.760 --> 0:12:40.240 false narrative to these kids who in the streets that say, 0:12:40.280 --> 0:12:43.160 you know what, I could keep doing crime because all 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:45.720 I gotta do is tell on somebody else and I'm 0:12:45.720 --> 0:12:48.319 not gonna go to jail. There's no real consequences to 0:12:48.440 --> 0:12:51.080 what happens, right, So people think that's not a way 0:12:51.120 --> 0:12:54.640 to stop crime and stop shooting the violence in our community. 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:57.440 The way is to say, hey, listen, the consequences in 0:12:57.440 --> 0:13:02.880 the street life is jail or death. You can't escape it. Right. 0:13:02.920 --> 0:13:05.240 So when when you let them think that, then a person, 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:07.640 a logical person, says, I really don't want to go 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:10.320 to jail and I don't want to die, so I 0:13:10.480 --> 0:13:13.880 want to choose something different. And that's the reality of 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:16.000 what it is. So when people trying to say, oh, 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:17.560 you you want to be in the streets, No, I 0:13:17.559 --> 0:13:19.000 don't want to be in the streets. I don't want 0:13:19.000 --> 0:13:21.120 nobody to be in the streets. But I don't want 0:13:21.200 --> 0:13:23.920 us to celebrate coward behavior. I don't want us to 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:28.720 out advertise and and continue to perpetuate and uplift people 0:13:28.720 --> 0:13:31.240 who are just cowards. I just that's not what it is. 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.960 And it's not about street like that's in every aspect 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:36.280 of the world in and it's the movement that we 0:13:36.320 --> 0:13:39.480 would we have cowards who would sell us out immediately 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:42.520 because they don't want to deal with key there ride 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:44.680 with you all the time and be with you, and 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:46.760 then something come back and it's a little bit of 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:49.040 heat on you. They separate you, they self from you, 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:51.680 They tell what you said, Oh, this person is doing 0:13:51.720 --> 0:13:54.760 this is a coward mentality. So it has nothing to 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:58.400 do with criminology or the streets. It's about integrity. So 0:13:59.120 --> 0:14:01.240 unfortunately this is my job, and I know it's my 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:05.520 job to because because every time these things happened, my 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:09.320 spirit is not at rest right. I can't be quiet 0:14:09.320 --> 0:14:12.240 when I see things like this. I'm immediately drawn to 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:14.360 say it might you have to say, I don't care 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:17.280 how quiet I try to be. My spirit is not 0:14:17.360 --> 0:14:19.920 okay with it, and if if if I was supposed 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:21.400 to be quiet, then I would be able to just 0:14:21.480 --> 0:14:23.080 rub it off and be like, you don't bother me, 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:25.800 It don't matter to me. But everybody has a different 0:14:25.920 --> 0:14:28.720 role play, and I believe that my role is really 0:14:28.760 --> 0:14:32.800 transforming the street minded individual who've been lied to to 0:14:32.880 --> 0:14:35.560 understand the realities that what's really going on the streets 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:37.520 and what's going on in life and how it's going 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:40.640 to affect you ultimately. You know, I respect what you're saying, 0:14:40.640 --> 0:14:44.320 and I feel like it that applies to so many 0:14:44.320 --> 0:14:48.400 places in our lives. Um. You know, I feel that 0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:54.320 we are living in a time when they're so much 0:14:54.960 --> 0:14:58.200 happening all around us, and we all have to home 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:03.760 in on the thing things that we can influence, how 0:15:03.840 --> 0:15:07.400 we can use our voices to be more impactful and 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:12.880 not more harmful. UM. And I think our use are 0:15:13.000 --> 0:15:18.640 really crying out for people to help find another way 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:22.320 and to show them that there is a better way 0:15:22.360 --> 0:15:26.320 to go about into approach uh the lifestyle that they're 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:30.080 trying to live. But there are voices out there that 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:34.560 drown out, UM, the sounds of anything positive. There are 0:15:34.680 --> 0:15:39.360 people who see an opportunity of paycheck right They see 0:15:39.480 --> 0:15:42.760 not just a paycheck, but they also see their own 0:15:42.920 --> 0:15:47.480 fame being wrapped up in just getting in where they 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:52.120 fitted and flowing what the with the the current culture 0:15:52.240 --> 0:15:56.280 and climate, and that's really dangerous because our children get 0:15:56.280 --> 0:15:59.080 caught up in that, um and they're you know, over 0:15:59.080 --> 0:16:02.440 the last few weeks, I've really been deeply reflecting on 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:08.480 how will we address the issues externally but really have 0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:13.640 a double down focus on issues that are happening happening internally. 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:15.600 And I think that's what I do. You're saying, so 0:16:16.000 --> 0:16:19.720 you know, it's it's it's it's not easy, um, And 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:23.400 certainly it will come with a lot of criticism and 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:26.880 a lot of people who feel like, you know, they 0:16:26.880 --> 0:16:29.080 tell us all the time we should we we we 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:33.280 shouldn't be fighting polices or or fighting with government, that 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:36.280 we should just focus on building in the community. But no, 0:16:36.440 --> 0:16:39.400 we have to call out injustice, we have to call 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:43.640 for righteousness, and it's hard work. So we all have 0:16:43.760 --> 0:16:46.960 across to there, we all have, you know, And I 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:52.440 think for me, you know, whatever, I speak to women's 0:16:52.560 --> 0:16:57.040 rights and try to talk about the support that women need, 0:16:57.160 --> 0:17:00.080 the support that we're not getting, and the ways in 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:03.600 which we are often abused and harmed by our own men. 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:06.840 Those are moments when people say to me, well, why 0:17:06.840 --> 0:17:09.199 do you have to talk about that? You know, just 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:13.000 stick with this other thing. Don't focus on that because 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:16.479 it makes people feel like I'm being divisive. But the 0:17:16.480 --> 0:17:18.879 truth is the truth, and we have to tell it 0:17:18.920 --> 0:17:23.400 in order for things to get better. So that's the deal. Um, 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:26.040 you know. I guess for me, the thought of the 0:17:26.160 --> 0:17:35.760 day today is wrapped around this concept that. And it's 0:17:35.800 --> 0:17:37.760 so funny as you were saying what you were saying 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:42.639 about how you know you you just your spirit won't rest. 0:17:43.200 --> 0:17:48.080 I was listening to Dick Gregory speaking and he said, 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:54.080 when the universe chooses you to where the glasses and 0:17:54.160 --> 0:17:57.960 you put them on, there's rules that come with wearing 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:03.119 the glasses. And he said that once you have them on, 0:18:04.080 --> 0:18:07.520 you can't see things as people would want you to 0:18:07.560 --> 0:18:10.639 see them. You actually see them as they offer. And 0:18:10.680 --> 0:18:15.520 therefore you are burden with the responsibility to talk about 0:18:15.600 --> 0:18:18.879 and to speak truth to power. And at that point, 0:18:19.160 --> 0:18:22.960 when you're doing that, it's hard. It's hard. And I 0:18:23.000 --> 0:18:25.960 think my thought of the day today is around me, 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:29.440 around what Dick Gregory is saying that some of us 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:33.480 have the glasses on and we can see things that 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:37.119 just need to be addressed, um, even though it's really 0:18:37.160 --> 0:18:41.080 really an uncomfortable place to be. So that's my feelings 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:45.720 for today, and it leads us sort of into what 0:18:45.760 --> 0:18:48.600 we've been talking about for these episodes. I think we're 0:18:48.720 --> 0:18:53.639 up to episode four where we're really focusing on violence, intervention, 0:18:53.680 --> 0:18:56.639 and awareness because what we don't want to see is 0:18:56.680 --> 0:19:00.159 that because of all this tension and beefs and every thing, 0:19:00.200 --> 0:19:02.480 it's in the music, it's in the culture, it's an 0:19:02.480 --> 0:19:05.600 outside people, stressed out, people, got ment to health issues. 0:19:05.960 --> 0:19:09.480 You see so much happening. We don't want there to 0:19:09.560 --> 0:19:12.560 be an excuse made to take us back to the 0:19:12.680 --> 0:19:16.879 nineties crime bill, um, where you know, our people are 0:19:16.920 --> 0:19:19.919 just being locked up because folks are so frustrated that 0:19:19.960 --> 0:19:22.600 they and so afraid that they just starting the fall 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:26.239 for more police and more punitive measures to deal with 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:30.880 real serious community crises. UM. So you know, I guess 0:19:30.920 --> 0:19:32.960 I'm walking around with a little bit of burden on 0:19:33.080 --> 0:19:36.000 me today. I get it to make it a lot man, 0:19:36.119 --> 0:19:38.760 and I walk around with that burden. We both we 0:19:38.920 --> 0:19:41.959 both have very heavy loads to bear, you know. And 0:19:42.000 --> 0:19:43.840 I guess that's why God chose us to do this 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:46.720 work together. So you know, I appreciate you for the 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:50.879 work you do. And I know sometimes my voice, you know, 0:19:51.000 --> 0:19:54.439 at times it is a little scary, not really scary, 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:56.439 but it it's like you wish that I had I 0:19:56.480 --> 0:19:58.600 didn't have to say that. Sometimes I wish I didn't 0:19:58.640 --> 0:20:00.399 have to say a lot of things I do. But 0:20:00.480 --> 0:20:04.040 I know, coming from this hip hop culture, understanding the 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:06.439 impact that it has on the madge of these kids. 0:20:06.840 --> 0:20:08.760 You know, when I when I went and talked and 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:12.160 in these precincts and I went to different detention centers 0:20:12.200 --> 0:20:15.320 and wrikers outland, I sat down with these sixteen and 0:20:15.400 --> 0:20:19.919 seventeen year old understanding how the people that they follow 0:20:20.040 --> 0:20:23.439 in this culture musically and everything impacts the decisions that 0:20:23.480 --> 0:20:26.560 they need to actually put them in prison. Understanding that, 0:20:27.119 --> 0:20:29.679 you know, I feel like I have a higher you know, 0:20:29.960 --> 0:20:34.480 calling I have a responsibility because I understand how serious 0:20:34.520 --> 0:20:37.480 that is. I understand how your favorite artists and people 0:20:37.520 --> 0:20:40.679 you respect can literally dictate the outcome of your life, 0:20:40.800 --> 0:20:43.560 especially when you when when you just in these streets 0:20:43.600 --> 0:20:47.320 and in this culture. You know, so my moral compass 0:20:47.440 --> 0:20:51.840 is never gonna allow me too sit back and watch 0:20:51.880 --> 0:20:54.480 people intentionally just mislead these kids. Like you said, I 0:20:54.520 --> 0:20:56.600 got the glasses on, so I'm gonna have to call 0:20:56.640 --> 0:20:58.800 it how I see it. So that brings us into 0:20:58.880 --> 0:21:02.320 this episode, which is gonna be a very informative episode. 0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:04.800 Two people that we love who are on the front 0:21:04.800 --> 0:21:09.520 line doing this work. We have the esteemed Honorable Mayor 0:21:09.640 --> 0:21:13.359 of Newark, Ross J. Baracca, and we also have someone 0:21:13.400 --> 0:21:16.880 who we works very close with. She is the director 0:21:16.920 --> 0:21:20.320 of the New York Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery Center 0:21:20.400 --> 0:21:23.439 in Newark, and she's gonna bring to you all of 0:21:23.440 --> 0:21:26.520 the efforts that are being done together. There should be 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:29.680 a dope show. I'm interested to hear them once again. 0:21:29.800 --> 0:21:32.959 These are two our friends, because we have friends do 0:21:33.040 --> 0:21:35.920 dope work. So I'm definitely looking forward to this episode. 0:21:36.760 --> 0:21:44.960 Let's get into so first, before we get started, usually 0:21:45.000 --> 0:21:49.960 for our Streets is Talking segment, we have our brand expert, 0:21:50.560 --> 0:21:55.000 Miss LaToya Bond to come and showcase a small business 0:21:55.040 --> 0:21:57.520 and we certainly want to keep that going and so 0:21:57.640 --> 0:22:01.359 we'll be back to that in the next episode. Before today, 0:22:01.520 --> 0:22:04.720 we want to show you a video about the work 0:22:04.760 --> 0:22:08.280 that is happening in Newark. It's actually a click um 0:22:08.320 --> 0:22:12.600 that the media has done an interview on the work 0:22:12.680 --> 0:22:16.560 that's happening to prevent violence in Newark, New Jersey. So 0:22:16.600 --> 0:22:18.800 we want to watch it together so that as we're 0:22:18.840 --> 0:22:22.960 talking to Mayor Baraca and also Miss Lakeisha Juri, who 0:22:22.960 --> 0:22:26.280 works for the mayor, and it's really, as my son 0:22:26.400 --> 0:22:30.800 has said, she is managing the violence intervention and trauma 0:22:31.240 --> 0:22:34.760 worked for the mayor on his hat. Before we talk 0:22:34.880 --> 0:22:37.560 to them, let's watch this video and just get a 0:22:37.640 --> 0:22:40.879 real understanding of what it is that they're doing a 0:22:40.960 --> 0:22:44.399 real hands on way on the ground in Newark, New Jersey. 0:22:46.800 --> 0:22:49.280 In the wake of George Floyd's murder last year, new 0:22:49.400 --> 0:22:52.480 Or Mayor Robs Baraka announced the city would divert five 0:22:52.520 --> 0:22:56.080 percent of its police budget to community based anti violence programs. 0:22:56.400 --> 0:22:59.080 News Twelves Brian Dona Hue got the first look at 0:22:59.080 --> 0:23:04.480 a summer program created as part of that initiative. But 0:23:04.560 --> 0:23:06.720 I've been working and trying to get myself together on 0:23:06.760 --> 0:23:09.639 the sidewalk outside the small Wellness center in the Newark 0:23:09.680 --> 0:23:13.440 neighborhood battered by drug violence and hardship. The stories pour 0:23:13.640 --> 0:23:17.359 forth of a torrent of trauma. There's Todd Carter, who's 0:23:17.400 --> 0:23:20.400 been shot twenty times, just recently home in Newark after 0:23:20.440 --> 0:23:24.399 an eight year federal prison sentence for dealing drugs. So 0:23:24.440 --> 0:23:26.080 now they put you back in the world. They expect 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:27.600