WEBVTT - We All We Got 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:19.880 Hey, ba fam, welcome back to another week, another Brown table. 0:00:20.400 --> 0:00:20.799 Now. 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:23.320 I don't know why I didn't think of this brown 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:27.080 table sooner, But when I was thinking about what I 0:00:27.160 --> 0:00:29.520 was going to say to y'all the day after, the 0:00:29.560 --> 0:00:32.519 couple of days after you know what has just happened 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:37.360 in this country January twentieth, on MLK Day of all days, 0:00:37.800 --> 0:00:39.640 I just knew that I did not want to be 0:00:39.680 --> 0:00:42.400 at the Brown table by myself. And I thought back 0:00:42.400 --> 0:00:45.519 to a couple of guests that we had not that 0:00:45.600 --> 0:00:47.239 long ago. You've both been on the show, I think 0:00:47.280 --> 0:00:50.240 in the past like six months. So we have Dsha Dyer, 0:00:50.320 --> 0:00:53.800 who of course is the author of my favorite read 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:57.279 of twenty twenty four, Undiplomatic. Yes, you know, Aaron, when 0:00:57.280 --> 0:00:58.360 you got a book, I'll have yours too. 0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:00.639 I listen, I'll get write on it. 0:01:01.520 --> 0:01:04.200 Hey, yeah, when you have your free time, just like 0:01:04.240 --> 0:01:07.280 write a whole book. It's fine. Dsha Dyer is here. 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:09.640 She was a former White House Social secretary, which I 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:11.960 learned in the last interview with Dsha does not mean 0:01:11.959 --> 0:01:16.800 social media and means she literally put on massive events, 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:21.120 massive moments, some iconic moments like the twenty sixteen party. 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:23.039 What was it the Black Party at what was the literal? 0:01:23.080 --> 0:01:27.720 Yeah, love and happiness the BT Party, Yeah, yeah, nice iconic. 0:01:27.959 --> 0:01:30.520 What's a part of the Obama administration? You got to 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:32.920 go check out her book on diplomatic It's just I 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:35.199 don't know for every I just feel like if you're 0:01:35.319 --> 0:01:38.840 someone who ever felt out of place, you know where 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:41.280 you're working, and ever felt like there were some places 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:42.880 like DC that were out of reach for you, like 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:46.440 this book is just waw Chef's kiss. And then we 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:49.600 have a friend of the show, Aaron Haynes, aka the 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:53.040 editor at large of the Nineteenth Amendment or the Nineteenth, sorry, 0:01:53.080 --> 0:01:55.559 the Nineteenth, And she has a newsletter that is called 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:59.000 the Amendment, And so y'all got to go check that out. 0:01:59.120 --> 0:02:02.640 And also, I mean I feel like at the Amendment, 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:04.280 I mean, sorry, at the Nineteenth, can I get the 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:06.760 name right? That would be the bare minimum to do, 0:02:07.600 --> 0:02:08.960 Like I will try that. 0:02:09.280 --> 0:02:11.760 It's been a long couple of days, it has not 0:02:11.919 --> 0:02:12.600 at the Nineteenth. 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:14.600 I mean y'all have been y'all have been such a 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:19.320 voice and advocate and for you know, underserved communities, for women, 0:02:19.360 --> 0:02:23.320 for bipop voices, and you just do brilliant work. But 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:25.280 I just wanted to get together with y'all and see 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:29.760 how you're feeling, and like we've been saying, like acknowledge 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:35.040 that community and being together and supporting each other and 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:39.280 creating space where we can just thrive and feel safe 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:42.200 together and support one another is So it's like the 0:02:42.200 --> 0:02:45.760 only way I can see surviving the next for plus, 0:02:45.800 --> 0:02:48.240 I don't know how many years we have ahead of us. 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:49.880 So I just want to say thank y'all for joining 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:51.440 me and welcome to the Brown table. 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:56.639 There are now too, I mean right, like it's it's 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:01.160 not you know because for all the talk that you 0:03:01.200 --> 0:03:03.960 know was around maybe eight years ago about the resistance, 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:07.960 now it's it's really just about resilience and and black 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:10.640 women being in community. Like I'm seeing so much of that. 0:03:11.480 --> 0:03:14.320 Yeah, we have to at this point because I think 0:03:14.360 --> 0:03:16.280 that that it really is that we all we got, 0:03:16.320 --> 0:03:17.840 you know what I mean, Like, I think that is 0:03:17.880 --> 0:03:20.959 the honest of God truth. And I'm hoping that the 0:03:21.000 --> 0:03:23.920 communities that we curate will be open to other black 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:27.720 women coming in these spaces, you know, like stout gatekeeping, 0:03:27.800 --> 0:03:29.440 like we all need each other at this point to 0:03:29.440 --> 0:03:30.880 survive for real, for real. 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:34.560 Talk about how are we going to talk about the gatekeeping. OMG, yes, 0:03:35.000 --> 0:03:35.800 you should come in and spy. 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:37.200 Is that what you mean by that? What do you mean? 0:03:37.240 --> 0:03:37.880 Who's gate keeping? 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:38.800 You know? I'm spicy. 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:39.960 No. 0:03:40.120 --> 0:03:42.280 I think that there is a certain I mean like, remember, 0:03:42.280 --> 0:03:44.000 I've lived in two worlds, Like I've lived in the 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:46.080 political White House world and I've lived in like the 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:50.520 Philly world, and I think that they are completely separate. 0:03:50.680 --> 0:03:52.600 I think they don't listen to each other. I think 0:03:52.640 --> 0:03:55.360 that like the political world is full of our amazing 0:03:55.400 --> 0:03:58.440 black women politicals and journalists and all that. But I'm like, 0:03:58.480 --> 0:04:00.600 when's the last time you'll actually been in the streets, 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:02.840 you know what I'm saying, Like to be honest, like 0:04:03.400 --> 0:04:06.280 you're talking from a pulpit, So when's the last time 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:08.840 you actually talked to people in the streets instead of 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:10.880 talking on behalf of people in the streets. And I 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:13.920 just I'm just hoping that we can kind of I'm 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:16.599 not trying to coom baya. We don't all need to intermingle, 0:04:17.000 --> 0:04:19.160 but there needs to be some more There needs to 0:04:19.160 --> 0:04:22.480 be some more conversations, some real conversations around stuff. And 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:25.479 like it's like, yeah, I get in no respect disrespect 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:28.240 to anybody, but I get people's profession, but it's just like, again, 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:30.760 when was the last time you actually spend time in 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:32.640 a community for real, for real, not for your job, 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:34.039 but for real. 0:04:34.200 --> 0:04:34.480 You know. 0:04:34.640 --> 0:04:37.600 So I'm hoping that we we open the flood gates 0:04:37.640 --> 0:04:39.640 and stop being all like you know, I'm over here, 0:04:39.680 --> 0:04:43.279 hoity twitty. You don't have an invite? That's just corny. 0:04:43.400 --> 0:04:45.599 You don't you don't have an invite. That's the thing. 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:50.360 M No, I think it's Crockett. Yeah. 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:53.520 I feel like she's so real, so authentic, like you 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:56.520 just know that she is still you know, down with 0:04:56.560 --> 0:04:58.680 the people, and she's like in Texas and with her people. 0:04:58.720 --> 0:05:01.039 And I think that's why it's so refreshed for me. 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:03.919 I'm like, oh, a black woman, that's not code switching, 0:05:04.640 --> 0:05:08.839 you know. Well during a congressional hearing, it's fresh. 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:13.920 That part, but like, yeah, the respectability piece really does 0:05:14.000 --> 0:05:17.840 raise questions about whose contribution is valuable, right, like who 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:21.080 does get the invite? H and who does who deserves 0:05:21.160 --> 0:05:22.760 or doesn't deserve to be in the room. And it's 0:05:22.760 --> 0:05:25.240 like no, it's I mean, like what happened to strength 0:05:25.279 --> 0:05:30.760 and numbers? You know? I think you know, and for 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:32.400 all the talk about you know, black women are not 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.279 a monolith, or you know black people are not a monolith. Well, 0:05:35.440 --> 0:05:38.880 I mean, then let's show the range of those black 0:05:38.920 --> 0:05:42.200 folks and and and and bring all of their perspectives 0:05:42.600 --> 0:05:43.760 to what this work is. 0:05:44.440 --> 0:05:46.400 Yeah, one hundred percent. And I think that that's why 0:05:46.400 --> 0:05:48.120 I feel like sometimes I go in rooms it's like 0:05:48.560 --> 0:05:50.560 we're working on behalf of black women in America, and 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:52.880 I'd be like, that's interesting because this room looks like 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:55.599 the top tier of Black women in America. So I 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:56.559 just and that's cool. 0:05:56.839 --> 0:05:59.599 These black women seem to be doing Okay, say that 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:00.640 that on mind. 0:06:00.640 --> 0:06:02.719 We should we should party, do whatever you want to do, 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:05.560 but say that, like we coming together and have a 0:06:05.560 --> 0:06:07.719 good time. Just say that because that's enough that we 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:10.320 allowed the joy like that. But don't be like, you know, 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:12.440 we're here to represent the poor and this that where 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:17.680 they at? Though? Where at? Because I can represent themselves themselves. 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:19.440 So that's what I mean by that, Mandy, to go 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:22.120 back to, you know, I have no behavior. 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.600 Yes, So what made y'all say yes? Why did y'all 0:06:25.600 --> 0:06:26.159 want to be here? 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:27.000 Oh? 0:06:27.080 --> 0:06:29.280 My god, Andy, it's always a yes from you. Are 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:31.960 you kidding? Me, and I mean Dsha's icing on the cake. 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:34.760 So like, no, this was this was an automatic yess. 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:40.919 But I do think I have found myself gravitating to 0:06:40.960 --> 0:06:44.200 spaces where I can be hearing from other black women, 0:06:44.600 --> 0:06:47.520 where I'm in conversation with other black women about what 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:50.600 this moment means, uh, specifically for us. 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:51.039 Uh. 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:53.400 You know, the nineteenth is named for the nineteenth Amendment, 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:58.280 and I went into the election feeling like it was 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:01.800 largely an election about the until business is the nineteenth Amendment? Right? 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:06.880 So like, especially as it pertains to race and gender, right, 0:07:07.000 --> 0:07:10.160 So like, what is the unfinished business of the nineteenth 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:13.840 Amendment specifically for black women? Like I'm thinking about that constantly, 0:07:13.920 --> 0:07:16.680 and so yeah, this is just like one more opportunity 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:18.720 to be able to think about and talk about that. 0:07:18.840 --> 0:07:21.320 So yeah, obviously I'm here. 0:07:22.160 --> 0:07:22.720 Okay, good? 0:07:23.200 --> 0:07:26.440 And I had I saw Aaron Hayes and I was like, oh, oh. 0:07:26.440 --> 0:07:28.480 Oh, soe y'all go way back. I don't know what 0:07:28.520 --> 0:07:30.920 the prize, but what did y'all meet? How far back 0:07:30.920 --> 0:07:31.320 to y'all got? 0:07:31.480 --> 0:07:34.080 We met a long time ago, but Aaron was my 0:07:34.280 --> 0:07:38.080 conversation partner in Philly for the book. I was well yeah, 0:07:38.160 --> 0:07:41.400 before before she left us, but yes, but yeah, I 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:41.680 was like. 0:07:41.600 --> 0:07:43.600 Please don't ask me our origin story becau D. She's 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:45.360 like one of those people's like I don't remember not 0:07:45.760 --> 0:07:49.440 knowing her. I mean obviously during during the Obama era, 0:07:49.640 --> 0:07:53.120 but like, I really don't. I could not tell you 0:07:54.280 --> 0:07:57.880 the first time that we actually interacted. But I mean, yeah, 0:07:57.920 --> 0:07:59.800 it's like I just you know, she was just one 0:07:59.800 --> 0:08:02.120 of those people that of course that you collect, I mean, 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:03.040 you can't help it. 0:08:03.040 --> 0:08:05.760 And yeah, I love the way you put that collect 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.080 and I think that there's that and I think that 0:08:08.200 --> 0:08:12.120 also just like I you know, I'm always vocal, so 0:08:12.120 --> 0:08:13.880 it's not a big deal, but I think people know 0:08:14.000 --> 0:08:17.720 me as a diplomatic vocal in a way or whatever. 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:21.640 So sometimes my opinions or thoughts about the world aren't 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:24.040 they I don't really give it out in a lot 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:27.320 of spaces in like a journalist way. So I think 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.720 that the way I feel right now is like, I mean, 0:08:30.720 --> 0:08:33.360 gloves have always been off from Philly, but I feel 0:08:33.360 --> 0:08:34.960 like it's one of these things where right now I'm 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:36.800 just like I don't it's not I don't care who 0:08:36.840 --> 0:08:39.680 doesn't get offended, but it's just like I'm over it, 0:08:39.760 --> 0:08:42.120 like I'm just over it, Like I'm over us being 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:45.040 in different spaces. I'm over you know, us feeling like 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:48.480 we're not qualified. We have to change ourselves like I'm done. 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:51.600 I'm done. And so any opportunity to be with black 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:54.520 women and make sure that we reinforce that for each 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:58.560 other just by our presence is I'm going to those things. 0:08:58.559 --> 0:09:00.600 And also to say space is the same space for 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:03.079 us to be together, like that's not always the case. 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:05.360 I see for Aaron going out and doing her job, 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:08.280 like it's not safe out there for us everywhere. So 0:09:08.679 --> 0:09:10.520 if there's a space where we can be together, like 0:09:10.559 --> 0:09:13.559 a safe space for us to talk, like, count me in. 0:09:13.640 --> 0:09:16.120 I'm gonna show up pajama's hair and a bonnet whatever, 0:09:16.120 --> 0:09:16.880 I'm gonna show. 0:09:16.760 --> 0:09:17.880 Up, not a bonnet. 0:09:18.600 --> 0:09:20.920 Yes, my birthday party was like my birthday dinner. I said, 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.200 everybody come as is. We had black women at our 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:26.920 little table. Everybody came as is, hair, rats the job, 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:29.240 Like it was just like this is just our space. 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:31.480 I can't know my bonnets. My sons steal them and 0:09:31.520 --> 0:09:32.560 they think they're fun hats. 0:09:32.880 --> 0:09:36.839 They're like, I'm a chef, Come on, chef's hat costs. 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:40.920 So it's not a good bonnet. Not the good bonnet. 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:42.199 This is long. 0:09:42.600 --> 0:09:43.320 It's all I got. 0:09:43.800 --> 0:09:46.800 It's like, no, it's a parachute for my my monster truck. 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.559 No it's not. But okay, if it gets. 0:09:49.520 --> 0:09:54.520 I love the imagination, right man. 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:57.600 I Also, I don't know if I if I'm naive 0:09:57.840 --> 0:10:01.640 or what, but certain some big things happen the summer 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:05.920 of twenty twenty and before that that like completely disillusioned 0:10:05.920 --> 0:10:08.600 me from the idea that I could really bring my 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:14.000 whole self to a corporate space. And I just want to, like, 0:10:14.240 --> 0:10:16.400 I want to hold space and just acknowledge the women 0:10:16.440 --> 0:10:18.280 of color who are still out there working in these 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:21.440 spaces where they are you know, the first a few, 0:10:21.520 --> 0:10:26.600 the onlyes the difference, and are existing in that space. 0:10:26.679 --> 0:10:29.560 I'm lucky that I was able to branch out and 0:10:29.600 --> 0:10:31.959 start my own thing at a pivotal time when I 0:10:32.040 --> 0:10:35.120 was just you know, you know, like thrown on my 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:38.720 ass and given that big wake up call. And I 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:41.800 almost feel like there's this this shift now where we 0:10:42.240 --> 0:10:44.360 are not playing the game anymore. It's like we're not 0:10:45.280 --> 0:10:47.840 like a lot of women, like we're not trying to 0:10:48.240 --> 0:10:52.439 coach switch, We're not trying as hard to believe them 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:55.160 when they say that we're valued and that we have these, 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.960 you know, programs to advance you in your career, and 0:10:58.000 --> 0:11:00.560 we really want you, we want this diversity. I mean, 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:03.280 I just feel like this country has shown us one 0:11:03.320 --> 0:11:07.280 too many times that it actually doesn't value us or 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:10.840 and it won't it won't. Like we can't rely on 0:11:10.880 --> 0:11:13.520 them to give us a seat at any table, and 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:15.600 if we want to be at those tables, we have 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:19.839 to do it our damn selves, with each other's support one. 0:11:21.280 --> 0:11:22.480 And what I would say to that too is I 0:11:22.480 --> 0:11:24.160 feel like this is a feeling that I've had for 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:28.079 so long, for years and years, but you know, there 0:11:28.120 --> 0:11:30.600 wasn't a platform. We didn't you know, we have more 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:33.400 social media to talk about things now, more ways to connect. 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:36.320 So you sit in isolation thinking that it's just you, 0:11:36.320 --> 0:11:37.839 you know what I mean, who thinks this way or 0:11:37.880 --> 0:11:39.760 experiencing Then all of a sudden we find out that 0:11:39.760 --> 0:11:42.360 it's so many of us, which is disturbing, but also 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:44.520 it's just like there's a comfort of being like, oh, 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:48.400 nothing's wrong with me, something's wrong with y'all, Like you know, 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:51.120 there and I think that we are finally like that's 0:11:51.160 --> 0:11:54.600 all rising to the surface of being like no, like 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:57.480 it's not but it's not us, like it's y'all, like 0:11:57.520 --> 0:11:59.319 something's wrong, and now we can talk to each other 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:02.360 and have these conversations just to know that, you know, 0:12:02.400 --> 0:12:04.880 we're dope human beings, like of course this country doesn't 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:07.520 love us back, but we love ourselves. And I think that, 0:12:08.000 --> 0:12:10.640 you know, I've been very blessed that black women have 0:12:10.720 --> 0:12:14.440 been in my corner hell a high water and have not. 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:16.840 You know, some definitely disappointed me, like just human beings, 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:20.560 but for the most part, like listen, I'm ready to 0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:23.520 you know, I'm right, and I'm right. Everybody knows I'm 0:12:23.520 --> 0:12:24.320 always ready to fight. 0:12:24.520 --> 0:12:26.920 So how did you survive in the White House? I 0:12:26.920 --> 0:12:29.560 can't think of a more I can't think of a 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:35.840 more like majority white institution where like authenticity is such 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:37.840 bullshit and when if they say that, they don't mean that, 0:12:37.920 --> 0:12:40.360 you know, like Michelle Obama did not like she's silk 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:43.160 pressed for that long because she knew one and you. 0:12:43.200 --> 0:12:47.120 See she got braids now, yes, and we're done, we're 0:12:47.160 --> 0:12:48.320 done with the nights to see. 0:12:48.200 --> 0:12:50.600 Her be free. And she's like, no, I'm not going, 0:12:50.679 --> 0:12:53.120 I'm not doing it. But how did you survive in 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:56.640 the White House? D show like yourself? 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:58.599 Yeah. I think one of the things for me is 0:12:58.640 --> 0:12:59.880 that I went there when I was in my thirty 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:02.160 so it's a little bit different. And I've never I 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.679 never had an eye on Washington. I didn't even know 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:06.640 what it was like, and so I went in as 0:13:06.720 --> 0:13:09.640 like this person who had this magical like the Obamas, 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:11.720 and how can I take the stuff I know in 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:14.040 Philly to the White House. So I never I didn't 0:13:14.080 --> 0:13:16.280 want to stay after that. I didn't want a career, 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:18.679 so I didn't. It was a different vibe that I 0:13:18.720 --> 0:13:20.360 was like, how can I go here and make change 0:13:20.440 --> 0:13:23.240 and do some things? But then dip like I'm out, 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:25.080 Like I'm not, you know. So I think that I 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:27.320 never was snowed like I want to go to this 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:29.440 party and there's nothing wrong with going. But I never 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:32.560 really cared about those invites or being seen. I was 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:35.160 just like, I just love what I do enough, and 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:37.960 so I you know, I survived barely. You know, it 0:13:38.080 --> 0:13:41.520 was definitely like a black president and first Lady doth 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:45.960 not make you know, an entire comfortable environment for anybody, 0:13:45.960 --> 0:13:47.600 because there was still a lot of whiteness I had 0:13:47.640 --> 0:13:51.839 to go through, you know, but I was okay with that, 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.160 and I'm still okay with that. I'm okay with being 0:13:54.200 --> 0:13:56.880 talked about, and I'm okay with not getting invites to 0:13:56.920 --> 0:13:59.520 stuff or being that one who brings up black stuff 0:14:00.160 --> 0:14:04.840 that I'm good, I'm doing great and so yeah, but 0:14:04.920 --> 0:14:05.679 you know, I mean I. 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:07.880 Think the thing too, dsha Abauta. I mean, yes, we 0:14:07.920 --> 0:14:09.560 are definitely gonna bring it back to the Philly of 0:14:09.559 --> 0:14:11.760 it all, because it's like, well, first of all, I'm 0:14:11.760 --> 0:14:13.840 from Philly, So like, do you really think that you 0:14:13.960 --> 0:14:16.240 can intimidate like you you would not be the most 0:14:16.240 --> 0:14:19.840 intimidating person that I've ever encountered, right like like it 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:23.440 like in the White House, that's number one. And I 0:14:23.480 --> 0:14:29.080 think too, I mean, I love, I do think. Like 0:14:29.120 --> 0:14:31.480 I said, I don't remember our origin story exactly, but 0:14:31.520 --> 0:14:35.360 what I do remember, No, what I do remember is that, Okay, 0:14:35.400 --> 0:14:40.280 this is somebody who is so unapologetic and so like 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:45.680 outspoken just about you know, the path that got her 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:48.680 to this place. Like I went to community college too, 0:14:49.680 --> 0:14:52.320 but I didn't think about how like formative that was 0:14:52.440 --> 0:14:54.880 or like how important it was even to signal to 0:14:54.960 --> 0:14:57.760 other people like, yes, somebody that went to community college 0:14:57.800 --> 0:14:59.400 is now at this point in their career like this 0:14:59.480 --> 0:15:02.760 amazing this person who you think is like fully formed 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:04.760 and has like made it or what. No, like you 0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:06.720 need to understand that this was part of the journey 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:10.560 and shout out to you know, community college. Have just 0:15:10.680 --> 0:15:13.400 listening to this pod right now because like that. 0:15:13.440 --> 0:15:16.840 Was saving that money, saving him thousands of dollars and 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:17.840 not going into debt. 0:15:18.080 --> 0:15:20.320 Yes, exactly. You think this is the hardest thing I've 0:15:20.360 --> 0:15:22.600 ever done, or you think that this is this you 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:25.920 think you people are you know, the scariest people I've 0:15:25.920 --> 0:15:27.240 ever come up against. 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:30.840 No, and thank you for that. I think that thank 0:15:30.840 --> 0:15:32.560 you for this love fast that we could before. But 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.320 I was gonna say too. And the thing is like 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:37.160 my life that there's so mu stuff has happened in 0:15:37.200 --> 0:15:39.160 my life that's even not in the book. But I 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:41.240 think that people didn't understand that when I came to 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.680 the White House, I had been through so much that 0:15:43.720 --> 0:15:45.800 I don't think I need to justify it or say 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:48.800 for to get people's sympathy or empathy. So when stuff happened, 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:50.280 I was like, I don't think you understand I'm not 0:15:50.320 --> 0:15:53.000 here to get my name known. I'm here so I 0:15:53.000 --> 0:15:55.239 can make sure my nieces and nephews go to college. 0:15:55.480 --> 0:15:57.640 I'm here to make sure I can retire. I'm making 0:15:57.640 --> 0:15:59.720 sure that if a medical bill comes up with my family, 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:03.000 I'm able to help pay it. So we on different 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:06.560 we on different playing grounds. You're like, you're not the same, 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:10.320 We're not the same, and that's okay, that's completely fine. 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:12.360 So I was on a different track to be like, 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:14.520 you know what I'm saying, let me figure this out. 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:17.120 And I'm still figuring it out. But anyway, that's why 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:18.960 I love y'all because I met you on that track. 0:16:19.040 --> 0:16:21.760 So yes, something right. 0:16:25.120 --> 0:16:26.960 All right, Aaron? So what are you thinking like for 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:29.280 the nineteenth move? I mean, you have a podcast, you 0:16:29.280 --> 0:16:33.040 have a platform, you work for this organization. I sometimes 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:35.520 I'm so I'm I'm obviously so proud of you at 0:16:35.520 --> 0:16:37.920 everything you've accomplished, but I'm also happy for you to 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:40.360 be at a platform like this where you don't have 0:16:40.400 --> 0:16:42.600 to leave your identity at the door, which I think 0:16:43.280 --> 0:16:45.000 for when I was, you know, when I was coming 0:16:45.080 --> 0:16:48.000 up and studying journalism, that was still sort of the expectation. 0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:52.120 And you're objective, So how do you approach the work now, 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:55.400 I mean it's a important that ever, Yeah. 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:57.960 I mean, and it's it's an important question, I think, 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:03.240 especially at this moment. I mean, obviously we're entering, you know, 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:06.160 this this new era in our politics. But it also 0:17:06.280 --> 0:17:09.080 happens this month to be the fifth anniversary of the nineteenth. 0:17:09.359 --> 0:17:12.879 If you don't believe it, we're already oh yes, yes, 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:18.960 about to turn don listen take hello, yes do like Mandy, 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:22.679 people hit that button. But no, I mean I think 0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:26.760 you know, we launched a week before the Iowa caucuses 0:17:26.800 --> 0:17:31.560 in twenty twenty. I was at the Associated Press, which 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:33.920 had been my dream job, the place that really raised 0:17:33.960 --> 0:17:38.399 me journalistically, but like, my voice was also very much 0:17:38.520 --> 0:17:44.520 that of an Associated Press newsperson, right, and you know, 0:17:44.560 --> 0:17:47.360 even as national writer on race, which is the job 0:17:47.359 --> 0:17:49.040 that I had before I became editor at large. As 0:17:49.080 --> 0:17:52.840 the nineteenth, like, I mean, yes, yes, I think that 0:17:52.840 --> 0:17:55.280 people could tell, you know, like when they were reading 0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:57.840 an Aaron Haynes story, like when they were seeing my byline. 0:17:57.880 --> 0:18:01.480 But I do think that I have found my voice 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:08.000 so much more, you know, at the nineteenth, like people, really, 0:18:08.080 --> 0:18:10.119 I really do feel like I'm in conversation with our 0:18:10.200 --> 0:18:17.320 audiences and that's really important to me. So I have 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:20.119 to say, I mean, we're recording this podcast on the 0:18:20.240 --> 0:18:23.680 day after, you know, day one of this new administration, 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:28.840 and I cannot say how proud I was to be 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:32.440 working at the nineteenth on that day because the way 0:18:32.480 --> 0:18:36.159 that we just really did journalism that met the moment 0:18:36.800 --> 0:18:38.879 that we were in, I mean just all over the 0:18:38.960 --> 0:18:42.560 executive orders, all over you know, kind of the optics 0:18:42.560 --> 0:18:46.320 and the rhetoric of that day. I wrote a column 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:48.879 about the fact that, you know, Vice President Harris and 0:18:48.960 --> 0:18:52.439 Hillary Clinton literally had to sit there watching as the 0:18:52.480 --> 0:18:56.200 person that defeated them, you know, was being sworn into 0:18:56.240 --> 0:19:01.000 office for the second time. It was it was a lot, 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:03.639 but we were ready. And so like I am in 0:19:03.680 --> 0:19:08.960 this moment, I cannot say how energized I feel to 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:14.840 be doing this work at a place that you know, 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:17.400 obviously we thought that it was needed five years ago, 0:19:17.480 --> 0:19:21.080 but like five years ago, this was a president that 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:23.560 was on his way out of office, and at our 0:19:23.600 --> 0:19:26.600 five year anniversary, this is somebody who is coming back 0:19:26.640 --> 0:19:28.480 into office. And so what does that mean for the 0:19:28.520 --> 0:19:30.320