1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,280 Speaker 1: Where I ground myself from this moment is what can 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: I do? How do I make certain that I don't 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: save my small little corner of the world and lose 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: my soul. We all have something we can do. We 5 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: all have a way that we can be engaged and intentional. 6 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: We don't all have to be out there, and by God, 7 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: no one should be called U ponem to sacrifice their 8 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: wives the way we've seen havepen in recent days. But 9 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: that does not exempt us from holding ourselves responsible for 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: the world that we want to create, the world we 11 00:00:30,120 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: want to be a part of. 12 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,519 Speaker 2: Hey Ba fam Instrgral Mandy Money, welcome back to Brown Ambition. 13 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 2: I always want to keep it a buck with y'all. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 2: I came into this episode today to this conversation that 15 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: you're going to hear feeling scared, feeling exhausted, feeling a 16 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 2: little bit helpless, but honestly feeling so damn grateful, because 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: in what world could I have planned a better time 18 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 2: to sit across from even virtually the incredible Stacy Abrams, 19 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 2: an icon, a hero of mine, and I know of 20 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 2: so many of yours. I actually booked this interview last year, 21 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 2: I think December November last year, and yeah, what a 22 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 2: time to have Stacy on the show. We're talking about 23 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 2: the killing of Alex Pretty, the death of Renee Good 24 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 2: at the hands of Ice. They're murders, i should say, 25 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 2: their tragic and unjustified slayings in the street in broad 26 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: daylight by an unhinged federal agency that has been given 27 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 2: a blank check to apparently murder American citizens and to 28 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 2: kidnap children and their families across this country and have 29 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 2: been able to do it for over a year now. 30 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: And on top of that, we're also looking at potentially 31 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: another government shutdown on January thirtieth, that if we do 32 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: not fight for and yes, actually fight for a shutdown, 33 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: and we'll talk about this with Stacy as well, you'll 34 00:01:55,520 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 2: understand why she says a shutdown is actually necessary, despite 35 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 2: the pain it may cause. Temporarily a matter of life 36 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 2: and death. Stacy Abrams is more than a political leader. 37 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: She's a voting rights champion and entrepreneur, A best selling author. 38 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: She served as the minority leader in the Georgia House 39 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: of Representatives, built one of the most influential voter engagement 40 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: organizations in the country, and has twice run historic campaigns 41 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: for the governor of Georgia, and I will never forgive 42 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 2: my home state for fumblin' a Stacy Abrams administration. 43 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: Where were you the King? 44 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: Stacy's the founder of multiple companies, the author of both 45 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 2: nonfiction and fiction bestsellers, and she's the host of one 46 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 2: of my favorite podcasts, Assembly Required, where she breaks down 47 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 2: the state of our democracy and what we can do 48 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: about it. Today, we're going to be talking about her 49 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 2: Ten Steps framework, which is giving us a language and 50 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 2: tools to meet this moment exactly where we are. Stacy 51 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: breaks down what that actually means for our rights, our safety, 52 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 2: our money, and our ability to build the lives we've 53 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 2: been working so hard for. We get into how authoritarians 54 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: use chaos in violence to make us feel small, what 55 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 2: nonviolent not passive, but what does nonviolent resistant really look like? 56 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 2: And why status does not equal safety anymore. Something I 57 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 2: ain't gotta tell Uba Fan. We've been knowing this, but 58 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 2: status cannot even save anyone anymore, not for us, not 59 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 2: for them, not for anyone. We're going to talk about 60 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: the economy and the shame we may feel having been 61 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: impacted by layoffs, having been impacted by the increasing cost 62 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: of living, navigating debt, also navigating our own dreams, our hopes, 63 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: and aspirations. Stacey's going to talk about how she herself 64 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 2: navigated six figure debt in the public eye. She's going 65 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: to share a little bit about her unsexy but I 66 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: think kind of sexy money systems that help her keep 67 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 2: taking those big swings anyway, And because you know that 68 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 2: we believe joy is a form of resistance around here, 69 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 2: we also make space to talk about what she's watching 70 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: to bring herself some comfort these days. So if you've 71 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 2: been feeling like you're in that functional freeze, you're scrolling 72 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 2: while you're caregiving, job hunting, all the things, and you're 73 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: just thinking, not today, I cannot possibly do one more thing, 74 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 2: this episode is for you. Stacy is going to give 75 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: you concrete steps, including a toolkit that I'm going to 76 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,119 Speaker 2: link to in the show notes, so you can pick 77 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:17,160 Speaker 2: just one action to take from that toolkit today and 78 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,720 Speaker 2: feel like you actually do have power. Power can lead 79 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 2: to change. Here's my conversation with the Great Stacy Abrams. 80 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,960 Speaker 2: First and foremost, it's really nice to have you back. 81 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 2: It's been a few years since you were on originally. 82 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: And you guys continue to grow. So thanks for not 83 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: getting this little people. Oh stop it. 84 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: I was like, and now there's something right, and Stacy says, yes, 85 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 2: all right, well let's get into it. I want to 86 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 2: start a quick intention. I try to do the episodes 87 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: that feel big just to kind of ground myself. So 88 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 2: what I wrote down is that my intention is I 89 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 2: want bea faan our listeners to listen to this conversation 90 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 2: and feel a little less helpless and a lot more empowered, 91 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 2: which I know is going to happen because you're here, 92 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 2: and for you too, I want you to feel seen 93 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 2: as a whole person, as a leader and entrepreneur, but 94 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 2: as a woman as well, and not just a headline, 95 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 2: not just that is she kind of run? Won't she run? 96 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: All that? 97 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: So that's the intention for today's show. 98 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: Maybe I appreciate that, thank you, and it is received. 99 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 2: All righty, let's get into it. Stacey, welcome back to 100 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,280 Speaker 2: Brown Ambition. The last time you were here, we were 101 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 2: talking all about you know, your your life is a 102 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: business battie, and your book level up and the invisible 103 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: forces that can hold businesses back. But today we're switching 104 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: this up a little bit. It's all about our rights, 105 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: our safety our democracy, and it's your work, incredible work, 106 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 2: the work you've done to develop your ten Steps campaign 107 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 2: where you've laid out ten steps to autocracy and I 108 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 2: have to say, reading them all, I'm like, oh, we 109 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 2: did it, check check check check. But you've also counteracted 110 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 2: that with your ten Steps to Freedom framework, and we're 111 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: going to get into all that. Before we do, though, 112 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: I just want to say we're recording this on Monday, 113 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 2: January twenty sixth. I know many of us, including myself, 114 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: are coming into this conversation feeling scared, feeling sad, tired, 115 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:18,239 Speaker 2: and just really craving maybe some clarity in some direction. 116 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 2: I'm a mom, I'm a black woman trying to build 117 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 2: a life in this community like we all are, and 118 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 2: I just hope this conversation allows us supposed to be 119 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 2: real about what's happening. So with that in mind, when 120 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 2: you look at everything that's been unfolding, the killing of 121 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: Alex pretty, the just three less than three weeks since 122 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 2: the killing by I se Rene Good, where is your 123 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: head and you're heart at right now? 124 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: Mandy, thank you for having me. I will tell you 125 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: before this conversation, I was recording my podcast of Something 126 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: Required and we have this a block that we do 127 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:57,160 Speaker 1: where I talk about news or thoughts of the day, 128 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: and over the weekend a scripture kept playing in my head. 129 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: And it's the scripture from Matthew and Mark. It's when 130 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: Jesus says it, you know, depending on which version of 131 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: the Bible, which prophet you're reading, a possible you're reading. 132 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: He says, well, good, how does it profit a man 133 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: to inherit the world but lose his own souls? And 134 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: so often we think about that in the context of 135 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: the evil doer, of the oligarch, of the authority hearing. 136 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 1: But what it's resonated for me is what is my 137 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,240 Speaker 1: responsibility to protect my peace, to protect my family, to 138 00:07:43,240 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 1: protect my community at the expense of others? What am 139 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: I thinking that? Do I think I'm the hero in 140 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: the story if I'm not taking action because my world 141 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: is this and because I'm protecting this small thing, those 142 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: I don't know, those I haven't had a chance to meet, 143 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: sacrificing news. And I say it that way because the 144 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: goal of this onslaught, the goal of this murder and killing, 145 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: this propaganda, this oppression, it is designed to make us 146 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: feel small and powerless. It is designed to strip us 147 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: of our sense not just autonomy and agency, but effectiveness. 148 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: And when I think of Jesus in that moment, he's 149 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: not just talking to the people who say they have power. 150 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: He's talking to the people who think they've already forfeited 151 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 1: their cap And so where I ground myself in this 152 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: moment is what can I do? How do I make 153 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: certain that I don't save my small little corner of 154 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: the world and my soul. We all have something we 155 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 1: can do. We all have a way that we can 156 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: be engaged and intentional. We don't all have to be 157 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: out there, and by God, no one should be called 158 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: the poems to sacrifice their wives the way we've seen 159 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: happen in recent days. But that does not exempt us 160 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 1: from holding ourselves responsible for the world that we want 161 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: to create, the world we want to be a part 162 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 1: of it. And so that's where I sit. It's this 163 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,199 Speaker 1: tracing of my obligation and how I can be most 164 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: present and most useful, because it's not just about the 165 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: bad guys doing worse, it's about the good guys believing 166 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:39,839 Speaker 1: we can do better. 167 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean the images that we've seen from Minneapolis, 168 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 2: the streets full of I mean, I don't, I can't. 169 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 2: I don't know how many tens of thousands of people 170 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 2: I look to those images and I find a lot 171 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: of hope, and I feel their bravery for going ou 172 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 2: out there and fighting, and yeah, thank you for well. 173 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 2: You mentioned your podcast as simply required, and I have 174 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 2: to say that. I mean, obviously I'm from Atlanta, I'm 175 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 2: from Georgia, and you mean a lot to me. And 176 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: I try not to let that get in the way, 177 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 2: but your podcast, I really have to say, it's been 178 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 2: a solve and a salve and a balm to my soul. 179 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: It really is. I re listened to your episode from 180 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 2: last week, which which was covering Renee Good just to 181 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 2: kind of crown myself and to remember that there is 182 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: a lot to be done. And I thank you for 183 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 2: those words and that reminder and spoken like a true 184 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:42,719 Speaker 2: daughter of a reverend. Yeah now, right now, I mean 185 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: you've already said, you know, I'm not going to be 186 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 2: seeking any elected office in twenty twenty six, but you 187 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 2: are busier than ever. You have your podcast, you recently 188 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: released the third in your Avery Keene series. Stacy Abrams 189 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 2: is not someone to sit around and do nothing, and 190 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: you said, the most effective thing I can do now, 191 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: the way I can serve now is by continuing to 192 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: do this important work. And a big piece of that 193 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 2: now is your Ten Steps campaign. So for Brown ambition 194 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 2: listeners who are hearing about it for the first time, 195 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 2: tell us a little bit about it and what your 196 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 2: hope is for this campaign. 197 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: Sure, look, we are all frightened and overwhelmed. And that's 198 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 1: the point. We are in the midst of what is 199 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: described by most scholars as a competitive authoritarian nation. We 200 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,599 Speaker 1: are no longer a functioning democracy as we understand it. 201 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,040 Speaker 1: We are a competitive authoritarian country. Another term of art 202 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: for that is innocracy. And part of mission is that 203 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: we don't know it. We don't understand it. We just 204 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: think stuff is bad. And so the Ten Steps campaign 205 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 1: is really born of two responsibilities. One, so we got 206 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: to recognize where we are. And so the ten Steps 207 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:58,119 Speaker 1: to authoritarianism and atocracy really are here the guide posts, 208 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: but also here are the explainers. When you see something 209 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: happen and you think, well, is this part of their 210 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: Michiga answers, yes, and here's how you know it. So 211 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: when thousands of black women lost their jobs in the 212 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: federal government, that was part of step four. Gut the government, 213 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,400 Speaker 1: so it doesn't work for others. But they don't put 214 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 1: up a big scien saying we're doing step four. What 215 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 1: they do instead is they fire all of these people 216 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,199 Speaker 1: who have been responsible for making sure we get what 217 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,839 Speaker 1: we need. That when you need your Social Security check, 218 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: you have someone to call. That when your kid has 219 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: an IEP and you need to make sure that they are, 220 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 1: you know, managing it properly, you've got someone to call. 221 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,959 Speaker 1: But instead we no longer have a functioning Department of Education. 222 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: And so ten steps to authoritarianism and hypocracy. It's to 223 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: lay out the ten things that you have to look for, 224 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 1: and look at the fact that we have someone in 225 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,959 Speaker 1: charge of health and human services who doesn't leave in 226 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: health or human service. That's step five. Installing lawyalists, and 227 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: our conversation about Minnesota and New Orleans and Charlotte and 228 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:07,439 Speaker 1: Chicago and Portland in DC and San Francisco and Los Angeles, 229 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: that's all step nine. That's normalizing state violence. And so 230 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,679 Speaker 1: I want people to be able to recognize what it is. 231 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: But then the second job is that we've got to 232 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: activate because they don't get to win just because this 233 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: is what they're doing. They've got a head start because 234 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:27,439 Speaker 1: they control the mechanisms of government, but they can't control us. 235 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: And so the ten steps to freedom and power are 236 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: about how do we activate ourselves? How do we commit? 237 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,080 Speaker 1: How do we share? How do we organize and mobilize, 238 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,319 Speaker 1: how do we disrupt and protest? How do we litigate? 239 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: How do we elect? But those component pieces are things 240 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: that we know have worked in nations that have faced 241 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: authoritarian rise. This is what they've done to win. Nonviolent, 242 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: which is not the same as peaceful. I just want 243 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: put that out let men come back to if you want, 244 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 1: but nonviolent ways that you can moss. Those two things, 245 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: recognizing and activating lead us to the third, which is 246 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: the thing that makes me the most excited. And it's 247 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: why brand ambition is so important. It's what do we demand? 248 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: What is it that we actually want? I don't want 249 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: what we had, because if what we had worked, we 250 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: wouldn't be in the mess we're in now. So what 251 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: is it that we should have had all along or 252 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 1: that we can imagine now? So we've got to recognize 253 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 1: we have to activate and we have to build the 254 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: thing that we need. And that's the ten Steps campaign. 255 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: We're a wayfine, and we connect people, we connect organizations, 256 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: and we connect folks to ideas, concepts, and resources so 257 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: we can build our way to the better America that 258 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: we've with there, aymen. 259 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and we'll make sure to put the full toolkit 260 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: in the show notes for y'all. I'm also thinking, you know, 261 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: I have a six year old, and I'm like, how 262 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 2: do I sneak how it's it's sort of like a 263 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 2: curriculum almost. I mean, I feel like this could be 264 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: a you know, this could be any framework for any 265 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 2: educators across America. What do we got to do to 266 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,520 Speaker 2: get this in textbook form? I don't know, but as 267 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 2: a parent, I think it's so important. I feel like 268 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 2: you've given me some of the language I can use 269 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 2: to explain it to my six year old. It was 270 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 2: really tough yesterday. We're snowed in. We got like eighteen 271 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 2: inches of snow. I'm from Georgia, but girl, they got 272 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 2: me out here in New York and I did like 273 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 2: twenty inches of snow. And I have my six year 274 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: old and my two year old and they're running around 275 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 2: and they don't care, and I'm watching, you know, I'm 276 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: on my phone with the group chat's popping off, and 277 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 2: I got the same different angles of this killing coming through, 278 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 2: and the kids are sensing a difference, and it's like, 279 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 2: why is mommy so agitated? Why so. 280 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: Sad? 281 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 2: And I'm you know, trying to find the words, and 282 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 2: I find this framework too, you know, even just like 283 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 2: sharing that's a part of the ten steps, sharing and 284 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 2: staying informed and then sharing that. It felt like I 285 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 2: did a little something just by trying to explain to 286 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 2: my six year old no what I says and that 287 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,920 Speaker 2: took a minute, because you know, but thank you so 288 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 2: much for that. I mean, Brown Ambission listeners, we are 289 00:15:53,480 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 2: extremely educated. We are the ninety two percent. And I 290 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 2: think what a lot of listeners have told me is 291 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: that it's not so much about always knowing what to 292 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 2: do and the steps to take. Unfortunately, we've been through 293 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 2: this many many times, a big, you know, moment like this, 294 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: and often it's the overwhelm and the feeling in this 295 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 2: space like there's so much happening. We're caregiving where we are, 296 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 2: you know, we are for ourselves and for our family 297 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 2: and trying to make ends meet and all of that, 298 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 2: and what do you say to someone who may be 299 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 2: feeling like it's too much and just not today, not today, please, no, 300 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 2: don't ask me for anything. 301 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: So I say, we don't all have to do the 302 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: same thing, but we all have to do something. And 303 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: what I mean by that is part of the effectiveness 304 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: of oppression is crowding out our sense of agency, making 305 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 1: us think that it's not worth it, or that we're 306 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: too tired, that it can't be done. And so if 307 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: you do something, even if it's a small thing, that's 308 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: something reconnects you to the larger intent and our responsibility. 309 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 1: Our resilience is not that we don't get beaten down. 310 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: It's not that we don't hurt. It's that we don't 311 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: stay down. We don't stay in our arm. We let 312 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: that spar tissue become protective armor. And to the rest 313 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: of the ninety two percent, we've got a lot of 314 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 1: harmor But the way we rebound is that we don't 315 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 1: deny the pain. We don't pretend it didn't happen. We 316 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: don't pretend in ignorance that others seem to feel comfortable with. 317 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 1: We confront it. But we confront it knowing that we 318 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: can't do everything everywhere, all at once. But we can 319 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: do something somewhere soon, and so we find that thing. 320 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: So if it's sitting with your six year old and 321 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,920 Speaker 1: having this conversation, that might feel small, but that six 322 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 1: year old becomes that twenty year old who's prepared to 323 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: stop this from happening again. And I'm going to do 324 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,439 Speaker 1: a little plug because it's something you said about your 325 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: six year old. So last year I published a book 326 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: called Stacy Speaks Up, and I have a kid series 327 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: and the three books in the series. One is about 328 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 1: how do you learn to lose well and deal with bullies? 329 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 1: The second one is about facing your fears but also 330 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: expanding your community, and the third one is how do 331 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 1: you fight back against power? How the kids find power 332 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: when they don't think they have it? And I write 333 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: each of these because it's what I've learned to deal with. 334 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: And the reason I tie it back to this question 335 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: is that you know, I write these books for kids, 336 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: but I think the adults who read it hopefully will 337 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: hear it too. We have lost so much in such 338 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: a short period of time, and for many of us, 339 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 1: we've been losing since we got We have been told 340 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: that we are not enough for the moment that we're 341 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 1: in the attacks on DEI are broad attacks that attack 342 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: race and gender, and ability and class, but they always 343 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: come back to us. And we've been told we're not enough, 344 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: but we are. In fact, we're so much more than 345 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 1: enough that they are terrified of us. And we've been 346 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: told that the powers that be are so overwhelming that 347 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: we have no purchase in pushing backs. But we do, 348 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: and we know we do, because that's why those in 349 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: Minneapolis stood outside in the freezing cold, demanding. But they 350 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: also film things, they said things, and they are forcing 351 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: a conversation. They are forcing the fight. I know how 352 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: hard this is, I know how overwhelming it feels. But 353 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: part of what we tell our kids, we got to 354 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: tell ourselves that we are more than adequate for this moment. Well, 355 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 1: we got to take some breaks so that we can 356 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: get back in the fight. 357 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: Hey, ba fam, we got to take a quick break, 358 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 2: pay some bills, and we'll be right back. 359 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 1: You gave me. 360 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 2: One of my favorite sort of mantras is joy. Joy 361 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 2: is often a form of resistance. And I wondered, I 362 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 2: know it's been a heavy couple of days, but if 363 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 2: I could just ask, you know, what's giving you little 364 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 2: pockets of joy? Are there any small is it music, 365 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 2: is it a show? Is it anything of comfort that's 366 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 2: reminding you that, Okay, there's small moments of joy to 367 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 2: be found. 368 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: My joy starts with my family. We've had a rough year, 369 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: so beyond the followed democracy and the rise Withthoritarians, both 370 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 1: my father and my sister have been navigating some really 371 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,919 Speaker 1: serious health concerns, and for the first time in you know, 372 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 1: almost a decade, we were all together for the holidays. 373 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: I've got five brothers and sisters and you know, six 374 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: nieces and nephews and in laws, and for all of 375 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: us to be together, and for all of us to 376 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: be there, to be together, it's just a joy I 377 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:57,479 Speaker 1: carry with me. But I also I have relished being 378 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: able to go back to comfort shows for me when 379 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:03,879 Speaker 1: show I love a lot that I'm rewatching right now 380 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: is elementary, uh the years ago. And I love it 381 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: because it's one of the best examples of not just mystery, 382 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 1: but like a really excellent friendship. There is no sexual attention, 383 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: there's no will, they won't say. It is entirely about 384 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: how they learned to be friends for each other, two 385 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: very different people. It's lovely and it's lovely to kind 386 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: of visit Joan and Sherlock and the Brownstone and yeah 387 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: there's mayhem, but yeah, he's like I remembering, right, is 388 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: that Lucy? That's the Lucy leu One and Johnny Lee Miller. 389 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: She dated Angelina Jolie. I didn't know that anyway, And 390 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: they say, and Lucy, whose clothes are she's she's like 391 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: quite a close source. But watching them, my girl. Yeah, 392 00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 1: it's it's fun and it's been a nice little respite. 393 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: I think you'll appreciate. My comfort watch was ever after 394 00:21:59,400 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 2: this weekend. 395 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 1: That makes sense. 396 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 2: It's on Hulu right next to Abbot Elementary. It's a 397 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: good one. 398 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 1: There actually picks up that sort. It's still so good. 399 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,160 Speaker 2: It's held up so well. We bout down Drew Barrymore, 400 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness. Yeah, it's still so good. Yeah, little 401 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 2: pockets of joy. Yeah, I mean, and then you can 402 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 2: sort of come back to reality. I love talking to 403 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 2: you just in general, because you challenge me to defy 404 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:28,600 Speaker 2: being pigeonholed and to embrace all the different you know, passions, 405 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 2: the creativity, the different ideas that you may have in 406 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 2: a time where it's like, you know, focus on one 407 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 2: thing it's like, hell, no, we're gonna do We're gonna 408 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 2: be business owners, we're gonna write books, We're gonna you know, 409 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 2: just use all of the talents that we've been gifted with. 410 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 2: And at the same time, like, I just feel like 411 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 2: you're someone who's like really grounded and really sound financial 412 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: wisdom you have and we've talked about it before. You know, 413 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 2: you've talked about, you know, running a gubernatorial campaign and 414 00:22:58,080 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: having a bunch of debt at the same time. Six 415 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 2: your debt, which I feel like is so so relevant 416 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 2: and so relatable. A lot of us are walking around 417 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,919 Speaker 2: with this debt that is honestly no shame tied to it. 418 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 2: It's long term unemployment. You mentioned three hundred thousand women 419 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 2: of color lost their jobs at the beginning of the year. 420 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 2: I coach a lot of them. They're still looking, you know. 421 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 2: And what would you say to someone who's feeling like 422 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 2: I've I've got these financial challenges and I just don't 423 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 2: know if my dreams can come to fruition at this 424 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 2: time and maybe feeling yeah, that little bit of shame 425 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 2: about it. 426 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 1: I start with something you just said. So when people 427 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: say pick a lane for me at my responses, I did, 428 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: and it's a highway. And so sometimes in these moments, 429 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:45,239 Speaker 1: our responsibility is to change lanes. We keep thinking that 430 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: because we pick this plane, that's where we have to stay. 431 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: But my life is compelled. In my life and my brain, 432 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: it compelled me to be on this multi wane freeway, 433 00:23:55,440 --> 00:24:00,080 Speaker 1: and sometimes these moments force us to change length. It 434 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: doesn't mean we've abandoned anything, and it doesn't mean our 435 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 1: destination isn't the same. It just means we figured out 436 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: maybe we've got to shift over to get there. And 437 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: I would remind folks that whether it was because of 438 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 1: your choice, or because of the perfidy and the ignominy 439 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: of an administration and a political party that despises Americans, 440 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 1: whatever forced this to happen, or an old archy, or 441 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: just some cowards in corporate who decided that DEI or 442 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: three letters they're afraid of even though diversity, equity and 443 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: inclusion is in our DNA. No matter what precipitated this, 444 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: we got to live with what happened. But that gives 445 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: us a chance to think about what would we have done, 446 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: what could we do? What did we always wanted to 447 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 1: but never did? And the other part is once you've 448 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: fallen as far as you can follow, or as far 449 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: as you think you can fall, and the worst and 450 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: you still can get back up, that's an extraordinary gift. 451 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 1: It doesn't feel like a gift. It feels like when 452 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:07,679 Speaker 1: you wish somebody giving me the receipt to return it. 453 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: But debt to me has been that way. When there 454 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: is debt, you've got to figure out other ways to 455 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: solve problems. When I was a minority leader in Georgia, 456 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: I didn't have the resources of the majority. In fact, 457 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: they call you minority leader. They give you leader to 458 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,680 Speaker 1: make you feel good. They could put minority so you 459 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: never forget your close. And when I stood for minority leader, 460 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: i'd say that, you know, I told my colleagues, look, 461 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 1: I've been a minority for a very long time. I'm 462 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,679 Speaker 1: really good at it. And part of being good at 463 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: it was that I knew how to get things done 464 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: without the resources, without the accents, without the platform, and 465 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 1: sometimes with people coming after me simply because I existed. 466 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: They weren't mad at what I was doing. They just 467 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 1: didn't want me to be the one taking the action. 468 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: And I bring the Schull circle because for those who 469 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: have lost their job. They did not take your mind. 470 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:06,720 Speaker 1: They didn't take your capacivey. They took your platform, And 471 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:11,480 Speaker 1: too often mean mistake our position for our powers. The 472 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: position you held is not your power. It was your platform. 473 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: Your power still with you. So you've just been forced 474 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: to shift how you're going to use that power. You've 475 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: been forced to excavate another dimension to it. It's like 476 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 1: discovering that you thought you had the ability to sling 477 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,919 Speaker 1: webs from your wrist, but you also can walk through walls. 478 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: We got to find the other powers that we had, 479 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: and sometimes we won't look until hardship forces it. Shame 480 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: exists when we have made a mistake that we should 481 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:49,080 Speaker 1: be accountable debt. Unless you've stolen something or you mismanaged 482 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: it and you don't feel bad about it, that's not 483 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: an area of shame. That's an area of growth opportunity. 484 00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 1: But it's also the result of centuries of sustain behavior 485 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: that it made it harder for some of us to 486 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 1: make mistakes because we are watching people who have squandered 487 00:27:06,560 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: trillions get multiple bites at the apple, and so a 488 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: few thousand dollars or few hundred thousand dollars does not 489 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: diminish your intellect, your capacity, or your potential. 490 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 2: Sometimes I just like to google how many rich white 491 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 2: guys have filed bankruptcy and you know. 492 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: And become President of the United States. 493 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 2: And no one cares, and it's fine. It's another Tuesday. 494 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:32,399 Speaker 2: Money habits are really important. We talk about that a 495 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:35,959 Speaker 2: lot on the show. What's like one unsexy? But are 496 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 2: you still? Are you still following a budget? I know 497 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 2: you're an Excel sheet girl, but what's like one unsexy 498 00:27:40,880 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 2: money habit that you have that you feel like has 499 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 2: helped you move on from that to, you know, be 500 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 2: more financially stable and take new entrepreneurial risks. 501 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 1: It's two things. So I have in my Excel spreadsheet, 502 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 1: I have my budget for the year. Then I have 503 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,000 Speaker 1: a tracking budget, and I make myself sit them side 504 00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 1: by side. So I make a copy and I rename 505 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 1: it and has a tea beside it. One tells me 506 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: what I thought I was going to do, and the 507 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: other told me what reality told me I had to do. 508 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: And too often we erase each month of mistakes, or 509 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 1: we adjust the budget to reflect our reality. That that 510 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,800 Speaker 1: then gives us amnesia, but it also gives us plausible diviability. 511 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: It's an unsexy thing to have to confront what I 512 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: thought I was going to do and match it to 513 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:28,920 Speaker 1: what actually happened. But in that process, I got to 514 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: figure out what was what did or did not happen? 515 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: What did I do, what did someone else do? What 516 00:28:34,560 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: did the fates do? But by having that juxtaposition, I 517 00:28:37,920 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: get a better sense. And the second is I have 518 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: an account that I set up that I can get to, 519 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: but I've got to go through lots of stuff to 520 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 1: find the password. But I've gotten money that just automatically 521 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: goes It's like two hundred and fifty bucks a month 522 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: or something that I don't get to touch that account. 523 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: I don't get to see the balance because I don't 524 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,440 Speaker 1: have the password to go back into my like is 525 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:04,040 Speaker 1: a Google password manager app? 526 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: Ye? 527 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: I gotta work to line it exactly. But because it's there, 528 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: it doesn't feel like a safety net, but it feels 529 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 1: like an opportunity. And there's gonna be a moment where 530 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm like, Okay, I'm going to look at it. We've 531 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: got to give ourself permission to just set it and 532 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: forget it, because there's going to be an idea I 533 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 1: have or thing I want, and it's going to be 534 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: compelling enough, and I'm going to go grow all the rigmarole, 535 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: go find out how to get to that's set up. 536 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: And we live in an age where it's not that 537 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 1: hard to start this kind of account. But it also 538 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: gives me permission to have this dream that I'm not 539 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 1: yet ready to articulate. It's growing just because I was 540 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: willing to let it home. So this is more than 541 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: like an emergency fund. 542 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 2: We're talking just like a freedom fund, like if a. 543 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 1: Friend says I want it. So one thing I'm thinking about. 544 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: I have a friend who's starting a business and ask 545 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: me to to invest. I think I might go and 546 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 1: tap this fund and say, okay, I can't be one 547 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 1: of your six figure investors, but if five figures helps, 548 00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,200 Speaker 1: I can do this. If four helps, I might be 549 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: able to help. But instead of us waiting until we 550 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 1: have everything, I want to make sure I've got something 551 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: for the moment where it matters. And maybe I'm the 552 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: person who invests in Mandy Inc. And then in a 553 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: few years you come back with a twelve x multiple 554 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: and we are both really really happy. 555 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean for BAFAM. If you haven't read the 556 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 2: book Level Up yet. It talks a lot about your 557 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:37,719 Speaker 2: background stacy as an entrepreneur. I mean, you've invested in companies, 558 00:30:37,720 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 2: You've invested in your own companies. As someone who's looking 559 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,640 Speaker 2: at these different business opportunities, is what's going to make 560 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 2: you say yes right now? Like what's so cool about 561 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 2: your friend's business? I'm just curious. I'd love to be 562 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 2: in a position and maybe talking to you, maybe I 563 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 2: already am in a position to be able to help 564 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 2: fund someone's dream and make it happen. 565 00:30:57,800 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 1: And I'm going to tie this back to Ten Steps. 566 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,000 Speaker 1: Because we are spending so much of our time fighting 567 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: the decimation of our democracy, we forget why we have it. 568 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: The whole point is that we should have the right 569 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: to thrive, and we cannot allow them to rob us 570 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: of the freedom and power to thrive. And that's why 571 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: I fight for democracy, not because I like the abstract 572 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: concept of democracy, but because I want to be able 573 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: to choose what I do. And so the Ten Steps 574 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 1: campaign for me is as much about what comes after 575 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: we win as it is about the fight that we 576 00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,160 Speaker 1: have to be a part of. And I say that 577 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:38,480 Speaker 1: to say, when I invested I've invested in a few 578 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: friends companies, and sometimes it is a four figure check, 579 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: sometimes it's a five. I have never yet been in 580 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 1: a position where six figures as possible. But there are 581 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: two things I don't do. One, I don't deny myself 582 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: the opportunity to be an investor because I don't think 583 00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: i'm enough of One and what I mean by that 584 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: is if so, I have a dear friend who has 585 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: an AI company that he started, and I'm helping him 586 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: connect with potential customers because he's helping entrepreneurs. But he 587 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: said you and do you want to invest? And he 588 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: gave me the number. I'm like, I don't have that 589 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:13,480 Speaker 1: kind of cash. I don't know why you've thought it, 590 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: But can I give you this much? And he said yes. 591 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 1: And so the first thing is if I think it's 592 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: a good enough idea to tell other people, then it 593 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: should be enough for me to invest. And so I 594 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 1: need to know if there's a business plan, there is 595 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,000 Speaker 1: an exit strategy, meaning do you plan to grow this 596 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: and run it or do you plan to grow this 597 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: and sell it. Either one works, but you need to 598 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: be able to tell me which one it is. You 599 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 1: need to have thought about it enough that you have 600 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 1: a plan for what happens next. And then three, how 601 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:44,840 Speaker 1: are you investing in it? And this is one of 602 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: ten things that you're doing. I am not one to 603 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 1: cast as versions at people doing multiple things, but I 604 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: need to know where on the list is this thing, 605 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 1: and if it's high enough on the list that you 606 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 1: are making the priority, then it's valuable enough to me 607 00:33:00,760 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: to put something into it. 608 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,520 Speaker 2: Hey, ba, fam, we got to take a quick break, 609 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 2: pay some bills, and we'll be right back. 610 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. 611 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 2: I mean when it comes to the ten steps, I 612 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 2: think about the pieces of your framework for freedom around 613 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 2: mobilization and not doing things alone. And I love the 614 00:33:19,520 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 2: idea of, yeah, linking arms with someone and helping them 615 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 2: get that across the finish line, something I forgot to 616 00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:27,959 Speaker 2: touch on which I'm struggling to find a good segue, 617 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,040 Speaker 2: so I'm just gonna make it a hard one. Let's 618 00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 2: talk about January thirtieth, a few days away, another government 619 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 2: shutdowns looming. I'm married to a federal worker that sucks. 620 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 2: Happy to have his health insurance, however they suck. However, 621 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,520 Speaker 2: in your you know, your most recent episode of assembly 622 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:49,719 Speaker 2: required you know you're speaking about how a shutdown in 623 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 2: this case to be worth it if it means saving lives, 624 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 2: and I would love to talk about that a little 625 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 2: bit with it coming up, and with seems like a 626 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 2: lot of people taking some action calling they're like officials 627 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:02,680 Speaker 2: to get them to vote no on this budget, which 628 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 2: would include billions of dollars in funding for ice. 629 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 1: There is a tendency in American politics for us to 630 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: see this as a Democrat versus Republicans, and that's because 631 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 1: that's how the system is designed. We are not in 632 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 1: normal times, and therefore we cannot construct our responses using 633 00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 1: a benign binary of democrat versus republic We are now 634 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: in a situation where it's the regime and power a 635 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:35,839 Speaker 1: Republican regime because it is who holds the power. They 636 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 1: hold the House, the Senate, the Presidency, and they've appointed 637 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,560 Speaker 1: the majority of the court, so the regime and power 638 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:48,439 Speaker 1: is Republicans. They have countenanced the murder of American citizens 639 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:55,040 Speaker 1: for exercising constitutional rights and have refused investigatory responsibility. They 640 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 1: were willing to hold hostage senior citizens and children in 641 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: the disabled under the last shutdown in order to avoid 642 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: giving access to healthcare because the money for healthcare was 643 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:09,960 Speaker 1: siphoned off to pay for billionaire tax cuts. So that's 644 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: where we are. So we're no longer in the polite 645 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:20,080 Speaker 1: binary of democrats as republicans. We are in authoritarian versus democracy. 646 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 1: So which do you want? And because we are not 647 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: in the normal fisticuffs world, part of our responsibilities that 648 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: we can't use the same tools to fight back. I 649 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: believe in non violence because it is actually the most 650 00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: effective means of civil resistance. But nonviolence is not the 651 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:42,800 Speaker 1: same as peaceful, and it is not the same as passive. 652 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 1: We have power, Our legislators have power, and sometimes your 653 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,680 Speaker 1: power is not the ability to pass legislation. 654 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 3: It's to be the sand in the gears to stop 655 00:35:54,200 --> 00:35:57,160 Speaker 3: that from happening. A really crass way I used to 656 00:35:57,160 --> 00:35:59,280 Speaker 3: say it at the Capitol was, look, my job isn't 657 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 3: My job is to stop stupid or at least slow 658 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:05,240 Speaker 3: it down. In this case, we have to stop evil 659 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 3: or at least slow it down. And anyone who says slow, 660 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,720 Speaker 3: we can't do that because these are the consequences. 661 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 1: Who are you protecting this for? They have shown they 662 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:22,160 Speaker 1: will operate with impunity, and if they know that, if 663 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 1: they are willing to do more harm. We will refuse 664 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,560 Speaker 1: to do good, then we are giving them power without 665 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 1: a fight. I completely get it. When I was leader, 666 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 1: it was part of my job to sometimes cooperate with 667 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: the other side, even though I didn't like it. Well, 668 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 1: what I refuse to ever do, and my colleagues will 669 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 1: tell you there were values that I refuse to compromise. 670 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 1: You can compromise your vision, meaning how quickly do we 671 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:51,400 Speaker 1: get to what we want, but you can never compromise 672 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: your values. And there was a Democrat I think it's 673 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,879 Speaker 1: Tom Scusey of New York who Excuseie of New York, 674 00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:02,719 Speaker 1: who just announced a statement he regrets having voted as 675 00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 1: a Democrat. He was one of the sevenths who voted 676 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 1: for that DHF buzz the budget last week, and he 677 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 1: says I was wrong. I did not think about what 678 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:13,200 Speaker 1: it meant. What does it mean to give billions more 679 00:37:13,719 --> 00:37:18,520 Speaker 1: to people who will shoot Americans, will tackle them to 680 00:37:18,560 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 1: the ground, will take away, We'll spray them with chemical 681 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 1: agents and then shoot them prone. That's what we're dealing with. 682 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:32,759 Speaker 1: And there is no compromise, there is no cajoling, and 683 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: there is no performative pragmatism. This is about what do 684 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 1: we need from our government and what do we need 685 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,879 Speaker 1: from those who speak on our behalf? And we need 686 00:37:43,920 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: them to fight and there are very few tools to 687 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:50,120 Speaker 1: fight when you're in the minority, but refusing this budget 688 00:37:50,160 --> 00:37:51,239 Speaker 1: is one of those tools. 689 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:53,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and obviously we've had Chuck Schumer come out and 690 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 2: say that Democrats are going to vote no on this bill, 691 00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:58,920 Speaker 2: which does give some hope. 692 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:04,760 Speaker 1: And I think I appreciate the phook, but I believe 693 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: and trust, but verify. So we got to call them, 694 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,920 Speaker 1: not because they said they would, but because we got 695 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,200 Speaker 1: to remind them of what they said. And we've got 696 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: to stick with them and stick to it until they 697 00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 1: do so. Press statements are great, but actions matter. So 698 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:24,480 Speaker 1: we cannot hope that this is what happens between now 699 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:26,400 Speaker 1: and the thirtie. I think we have to do. 700 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 2: This episode's coming out on Wednesday, 'll, so you've got time, 701 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:32,399 Speaker 2: all right, we have time. I'm going to make sure 702 00:38:32,440 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 2: all of those same links to where you can find 703 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:37,160 Speaker 2: your elected officials contact in phone. It's important to call right, 704 00:38:37,280 --> 00:38:39,040 Speaker 2: not just I mean you can send it on you 705 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 2: can copy and paste a script if you'd like, but 706 00:38:41,000 --> 00:38:43,200 Speaker 2: actually picking up that phone, letting your voice be heard 707 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 2: that that matters, right. 708 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: I was listening to I can't remember what I was 709 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:51,720 Speaker 1: either reading or listening to, but they said, what would 710 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 1: you do if your life depended on it? So how 711 00:38:55,920 --> 00:38:58,040 Speaker 1: hard would you work if your life depended on it? 712 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,440 Speaker 1: And would you do send an email and hope that 713 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 1: somebody read? What else would you do? So let's let's 714 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:07,040 Speaker 1: treat it as though our lives depend on it, because, 715 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,160 Speaker 1: based on what we've seen happen not just in Minneapolis 716 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 1: but across this country for the last year, our lives 717 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 1: depend on us. 718 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:20,160 Speaker 2: It's quite sad to me. I had this thought, and 719 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:22,120 Speaker 2: I know, you know, my therapist would say thoughts are 720 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:25,040 Speaker 2: just thoughts, they're not real. But my thought was it 721 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:26,720 Speaker 2: was a white man who was killed in the street. 722 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 2: Maybe people will care more now, maybe we will have 723 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 2: more action. And you do see this uprising and it 724 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,640 Speaker 2: almost is like even scarier. I don't know what that 725 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:39,439 Speaker 2: says about. You know, this says a lot about folio 726 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 2: racism and systemic racism and all of that. But I 727 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:46,520 Speaker 2: hope and I'm more in the loss of Alex pretty 728 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:48,239 Speaker 2: And is it pretty partty? I don't want to say 729 00:39:48,239 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 2: it wrong. 730 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:49,960 Speaker 1: Is it just pretty pretty? 731 00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 2: Mostly party and Renee Good and I want, I mean, 732 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,239 Speaker 2: I think that they were They're so brave and they 733 00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 2: were obviously activists and they were being good citizens. And 734 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,640 Speaker 2: I hope that it wasn't in vain. You know, it 735 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:06,040 Speaker 2: was unnecessary, it was tragic, but please don't let it 736 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 2: be in vain. And yeah, I take I take to 737 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:10,920 Speaker 2: heart what you said, what would you do if your 738 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,320 Speaker 2: life was on the line. 739 00:40:13,560 --> 00:40:18,840 Speaker 1: Well, on the podcast today which will come out on Tuesday, 740 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,480 Speaker 1: I was talking to Aaron Ryan, who's the host of Hysteria, 741 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 1: and she and I really have that conversation. And the 742 00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:31,839 Speaker 1: reality is in this moment because we are fighting an 743 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:36,240 Speaker 1: enemy that is in pursuit unadulterated power. That's what author 744 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:43,480 Speaker 1: tarnanism means. And in this reality, status is not safety. 745 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:46,720 Speaker 1: Your status based on your race, based on your gender, 746 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:51,560 Speaker 1: based on your economy, those that status no longer provides safety. 747 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:56,160 Speaker 1: And for the Brown ambition audience, our status has never 748 00:40:56,239 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 1: been safety. So our urgency is even higher because if 749 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:05,480 Speaker 1: their status cannot protect we who have no status, well, 750 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:10,360 Speaker 1: whose status has been diminished over time and sharp release 751 00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:15,080 Speaker 1: by this administration, cannot presume that it will protect us. 752 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:20,160 Speaker 1: Our citizenship doesn't protect us. Our presence in this country 753 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:24,800 Speaker 1: doesn't protect us. The Second Amendment did not protect Ale's pready, 754 00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:29,600 Speaker 1: and so status is no longer safety, which is why 755 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:32,360 Speaker 1: our safety has to be in our numbers. Our safety 756 00:41:32,360 --> 00:41:34,839 Speaker 1: has to be in our intention and the whole point 757 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:37,600 Speaker 1: of the Ten Steps campaign is to connect us to 758 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:41,120 Speaker 1: one another, connect us to resources, and connect us to 759 00:41:41,239 --> 00:41:44,920 Speaker 1: the halfways that we know can work to get us 760 00:41:45,160 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 1: to what we actually deserve. 761 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:49,560 Speaker 2: A lot a time like this, Stacey, I just again 762 00:41:49,640 --> 00:41:51,400 Speaker 2: thank you so much for your time. I know you 763 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 2: have to go the Ten Steps to Freedom and the 764 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:59,560 Speaker 2: Framework to Freedom all in the show notes BAFAM, and honestly, 765 00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:01,880 Speaker 2: thank you for giving something concrete we can hang on to. 766 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:05,680 Speaker 2: If anyone's feeling disempowered or unsure what to do or 767 00:42:05,719 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 2: kind of in that functional freeze, all I have to 768 00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:09,799 Speaker 2: do is them They'll link to this toolkit and it 769 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,560 Speaker 2: really gives just if you do one thing ba Fam, 770 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,120 Speaker 2: just pick one thing from the list, do it today 771 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:17,879 Speaker 2: as you're listening to this, and you'll feel that much 772 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,880 Speaker 2: more empowered. And Stacy Abrams, such an honor. Thank you 773 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:24,040 Speaker 2: so much for your time and for all that you're doing. 774 00:42:24,920 --> 00:42:26,560 Speaker 1: It's always a joy to be with you. Thank you 775 00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:29,800 Speaker 1: so much, Manby, Thank you all right, take care. 776 00:42:34,480 --> 00:42:36,560 Speaker 2: And before I go, BA Fam, I want to shout 777 00:42:36,560 --> 00:42:39,720 Speaker 2: out the team that helps make Brown Ambition possible. Huge 778 00:42:39,800 --> 00:42:43,760 Speaker 2: thanks to my fam at iHeartRadio, Katrina Norvel and Jenna Cagel, 779 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:47,880 Speaker 2: my worker Bees behind the scenes, booking assistant Brittany Laier 780 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:52,040 Speaker 2: and virtual assistant Cameron McNair who keeps organized, and of 781 00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,080 Speaker 2: course my editor Courtney Dean. Thank y'all so much for 782 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:58,160 Speaker 2: supporting the show. If you love Brown Ambition, share it 783 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:00,840 Speaker 2: with a friend, tag us on social and don't forget 784 00:43:00,840 --> 00:43:03,719 Speaker 2: to leave a comment or review. Until next time. By 785 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:04,640 Speaker 2: BA Fam