1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Native LAMPID is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: Reason Choice Media. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, welcome, welcome. All right, everyone, Well, 3 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: just on the other side of the two hundred and 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: fiftieth anniversary celebration or for some of commemoration, or for others, 5 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,800 Speaker 1: just a remembering of this country's founding per some history books, 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: at least joining you now on the other side of 7 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: a beautiful essence festival, weekend and experience. I want to 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: shout out our Global Black Economic Forum family, Alfonso David 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: for all that he does, and I want to say 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: welcome home to you all. Our viewers are listeners. I'm 11 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: your host today, Angela Rye. This is my solo pod 12 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: for Native LAMPOD and I want to start with breaking news. 13 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: We have information from Carmelo Anthony's legal defense teams. The 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: Stand with Carmelo Coalition has announced and filed a motion 15 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: to recuse the trial judge Judge Roach in the trial, 16 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: and they also admitted emotion for new trial just today. 17 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: In fact, you all can go and look at it. 18 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: I don't have this clip pulled, but there's a w 19 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: FAA clip or interview circulating from judge Roach where you 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: see him talking about the Carmelo Anthony case. This is 21 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: all within the timeframe of when an appellate team can 22 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: appeal for emotion or appeal for a new trial, appeal 23 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: for the judge to recuse himself for any future, any 24 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: future dealings around the case. And this judge spoke out 25 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 1: during that time frame, after having everything undersealed during the 26 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: trial period, he all of a sudden felt the need 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: to disclose. And so this appellat team said, not on 28 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: our watch. We're pushing back on this. We're asking you 29 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: to recuse yourself. There's some clear bias here, and there's 30 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: also a motion for a new trial because transparency was lacking. 31 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: It wasn't just the sealing of documents and filings, it 32 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: also was the access to the courthouse. You all will 33 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: see that in the filings that are now available in 34 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: Collin County on that trial docket. And so I will 35 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: make sure that we keep you posted there. But that 36 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: is great breaking news from the Carmelo Anthony a legal 37 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: defense team and I think an appellate team, and I 38 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: think what we have to realize going forward, as many 39 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: of us know all too well, is the justice system 40 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: is so unfair. It can be wildly challenging to have 41 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: that young man, who is seventeen year old at the time, 42 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: seventeen years old at the time all of this happened, 43 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: go through a trial jury or have a jury trial, 44 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: and to not have anyone who looked like him on 45 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: that jury also highly problematic. I think the other thing 46 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: that's problematic, y'all, if I'm honest, is the way in 47 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: which the court of public opinion will oftentimes make decisions 48 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: about who we are, about what we represent, about what 49 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: we stand for, and determine truth without having ever heard 50 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: a single fact from the person involved. And so it's 51 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: with that, y'all, that I switch gears just for a minute, 52 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: to my brother and my friend Andrew Gillham. The things 53 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: that I've been seeing online today are horrific. The ways 54 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: in which my brother is being talked about are awful. 55 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: I want to remind you all in our listening and 56 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: viewing audience that this is a powerful man, a tremendous 57 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: public servant with three children, three amazing kids, a wonderful, beautiful, 58 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: brilliant wife who I just got to spend time with 59 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: this weekend. All of this happened before we did our 60 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 1: show in at essence, and what I would tell you 61 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: is that, you know, we have to stop making a 62 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: determination about who has the right to access being innocent 63 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: until proven guilty. We have to start determining for ourselves 64 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: that we won't run wild with narratives. Y'all wouldn't barely 65 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: wild with the mugshot of your sitting president. This man 66 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: who has been convicted, convicted of multiple felony counts, Andrew 67 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: had a brush with the law and was arrested, and 68 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: y'all are willing to send him all the way down 69 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: the river. And I just don't understand that I'm not 70 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: wired that way. Maybe it's because I'm a lawyer. I 71 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: went to law school to protect against that very thing. 72 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: Maybe it's because, you know, I in college, I was 73 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: a chaplain in the juvenile you know, and I got 74 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 1: to meet kids who I knew I was one decision 75 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: away from being where they sat, one challenge away from 76 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: being where they were. And I'll just never forget. There 77 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: was a moment in juvenile detention center. I was talking 78 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,680 Speaker 1: to a young lady. She was about sixteen years old, 79 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: she was with child, and when she walked into this 80 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: I was doing a Bible study there and she walked 81 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: into this space. She had all these red marks all 82 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: over her face, in her neck, her hands, and there 83 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: was another young lady there who was making fun of her. 84 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: She was like, what you know, that's why you got 85 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 1: beat up. She assumed that the marks were from bruises 86 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: from her getting beat up, and the young lady said, 87 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: you don't even know me, you don't know my story. 88 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: And it always stuck with me, especially because one of 89 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: the staff at the juvenile told me after she said, 90 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 1: you know, that young lady, her mom had her working 91 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: as a prostitute since she was twelve years old, and 92 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: those red marks they're legions because she now has the 93 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:46,159 Speaker 1: AIDS virus. And so I'm saying that to tell y'all 94 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: that we got to resist the urge to pass judgment 95 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 1: against people when we barely know their stories. It doesn't 96 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 1: matter who they are. We're all guilty of it. We 97 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: do it every single day. We decide who people are. 98 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: We you know, decide we know what they're about. We 99 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: decide that based on some headlines, some salacious headline, some whatever, 100 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: some got your report, that we know what people are 101 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: going through. And I implore you to do the deep 102 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: human work, humane work of resisting the urge to repost, 103 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: to share things that are harmful to people that we 104 00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: all care about, and even the people we don't know, 105 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: especially the people we don't know because we don't know 106 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,880 Speaker 1: their stories. So with that to think that this is 107 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:37,720 Speaker 1: going to be a lighter topic now, I'm going to 108 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: switch gears to our guest today. She is a good friend. 109 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: We've known each other for many many years. We worked 110 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: on the Hill together and she wrote a tremendous piece 111 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:51,960 Speaker 1: that was recently released in Essence and in our panel 112 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: this weekend on our live show Native Lampod's Live show 113 00:06:55,440 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: at Essence Festival, Jasmine Crockett talked about this particular and 114 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: it peaked all of our interests and we said we 115 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 1: knew we need to have her on. Our guest is 116 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: Ashley ATM But before we bring Ashley on, I want 117 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: to real this clip for y'all. 118 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 2: You know, Ashley Eten actually just did an article that 119 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 2: was published by Essence, and in this article she said 120 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 2: that when they did this autopsy of what happened with 121 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 2: the DNC and where they spent the money, one percent 122 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: one percent of the money went to Black folk went 123 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: to black media, went to black outreach one percent. 124 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 3: Do you know who is the most loyal to. 125 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 2: The Democratic Party, It is black people. So you had 126 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 2: ninety three percent of black women vote for the Democratic 127 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 2: nominee and close to eighty percent of Black men vote 128 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 2: for the Democratic nominee. And we lost, and they continued 129 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 2: to spend money, sinking it into people that were never 130 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 2: coming to support our party. So we can start there 131 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 2: when we talk about investments, because I believe that we 132 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 2: need to make demands and I can agree more and 133 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 2: here ready with all the demands is my good friend 134 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 2: Ashti and hih sis how you doing? 135 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: I love? 136 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 3: How are you? That was a powerful word about Andrew. 137 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 3: We're going to send up some prayers for him. I 138 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 3: appreciate you saying that. I'm definitely rolling that with Jasmine. 139 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 3: She's one hundred percent right. It's all. It all comes 140 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 3: down to the investment. You have no strategy without investment. 141 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: And that's just it. I think why I wanted to 142 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: start there is I don't want this to become like 143 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: a oh, beat up on the Democratic Party moment, like 144 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: I mean, and there's reasons to beat it up, right, 145 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: but I just think when we look at and I 146 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: wish I would have pulled this picture, but we'll probably 147 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: talk about it on our main show tomorrow. You know, 148 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: the sister that's sitting on the train going to she's 149 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,839 Speaker 1: in DC, surrounded by these you know, the white Proud 150 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: boys whatever these folks are called, these white supremacists with 151 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,079 Speaker 1: these masks up. They've traveled from all over the country. 152 00:08:58,120 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: There's at least two hundred of them. They say they 153 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: were on this particular train, the Red line or whatever line. 154 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: And there's this. So there's this stark contrast about or 155 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: of investment versus like all out racial violence. And so 156 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,240 Speaker 1: I don't want us to have to pick our poison, 157 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: Like it would just be nice to be home and 158 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: like know that there are people who are going to 159 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: speak to you, speak your language, pay your consultants. They 160 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 1: already know that you're valuable. But we know Ashley all 161 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: too well that even when it comes to our members, 162 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: folks who we worked for, the investment was late if 163 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: it ever came, and it was always in the eleventh hour. 164 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: It's like, oh, we're gonna talk to black people. Okay, 165 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 1: We're going to the churches, we're gonna go to the 166 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: cookout and it's gonna be, you know, by by one 167 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: get twenty seven free, right, Like we're gonna have y'all 168 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: knocking doors. But it's gonna be the lowest of the 169 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: low pay for field organizers for ground game. And we've 170 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,800 Speaker 1: seen it over and over again. And the thing that 171 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,439 Speaker 1: was striking to me about this one percent number is 172 00:09:56,920 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: my dad historically as an activist here in Seattle, the 173 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 1: work that he's done has been around contracting opportunities. Like 174 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: that's how I knew to do that work, so well, 175 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: he's done it my entire life. And the argument was, 176 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 1: when Jay Insley was governor, black folks were getting point 177 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: zero zero one percent of the contracts in Washington State 178 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: Progressive governor Democratic Party. What is the excuse? So what 179 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: are you hearing? Are the excuses this inside the party? 180 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 3: Well, I mean, I think we have to challenge the 181 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 3: party and crank up the heat to get the excuse 182 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 3: or whatever the I would say, the explanation for why 183 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 3: there's not a more robust investment. I mean, I think 184 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 3: it gets back to the point we've been trying to 185 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 3: make since twenty twenty four, which is you have to 186 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 3: trust black people with black people. I mean I've worked 187 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 3: in the Black White House, and you know, when Michael 188 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 3: Brown was dying and that there was an entire meeting 189 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 3: about what we should do to address the death of 190 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 3: black men at the hands of police officers and black 191 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 3: staff to fight to get into that to that actual 192 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 3: meeting to weigh in on actual issues that relate to 193 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 3: our community. And so I think that is really the 194 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 3: larger problem, which is that we're not brought to the 195 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 3: table to share in the power and the resources of 196 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 3: this particular party that rides on our back. Why that 197 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 3: is is, I have not seen an explanation to that. 198 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 3: I mean, I have my own thoughts. I think it 199 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 3: is you know, I think it's a bit of greed. 200 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 3: I think it's a bit of people lining their pockets. 201 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 3: I think it's a bit of disrespect. I think it's 202 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 3: a bit of disregard for black people. But I also 203 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 3: think the other thing is that black people are the smartest, 204 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 3: biggest investment when you think about it. So if you 205 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: invest one dollar in the black community, it's gonna have always, yes, 206 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 3: we're gonna have it's gonna multiply five times over. Right, 207 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 3: If you invest fifteen thousand dollars, which they do and 208 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 3: trying to get that white swing voter. That dollar does 209 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 3: not multiply at all. That white swing voter is not 210 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 3: going to his country c life and telling people he 211 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 3: voted for James Talerico. He's not saying he voted for 212 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 3: Kamala Harris. So that dollar doesn't multiply. But if you 213 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,320 Speaker 3: give a black woman a dollar, she's going to go 214 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 3: out and get five other voters, if not fifteen other voters. 215 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 3: So that also is the factor, is that investing in 216 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 3: us has a multiplier effect. But if we take a 217 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 3: step back, my point is we're talking about eight billion 218 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:25,640 Speaker 3: dollars across the Democratic ecosystem. Only one percent, only one 219 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,080 Speaker 3: percent of that is invested in black people. The way 220 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 3: that we need to reorient our thinking as black leaders, 221 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 3: as black operatives, as people who've been in the rooms 222 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,960 Speaker 3: you and I have, is that we need to see 223 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 3: every dollar that runs through the Democratic Party as an 224 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:43,959 Speaker 3: opportunity to invest in building black infrastructure on the ground. 225 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 3: If you go to that autopsy, it basically says we've 226 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 3: not built black organizing since Jesse Jackson. So my point is, 227 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 3: you need to pay me like you owe me, give 228 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,280 Speaker 3: me that money so that we can reinvest it in 229 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 3: black media, new platforms like yours, and organized building black 230 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 3: power on the ground so that we can leverage that 231 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 3: power in between elections. That it's not just in place 232 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 3: to elect some white god to the Senate, but that 233 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 3: it's in place for black people to use to leverage 234 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 3: for our own benefit and for black and for the 235 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 3: elevation of black power. So that's how we have to 236 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,240 Speaker 3: see these dollars, is they have to be invested in 237 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,720 Speaker 3: the ground because right now we're bleeding support among black voters. 238 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 3: You know, in my home state of Texas, twenty two 239 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 3: percent of black men voted for Donald Trump. I mean 240 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 3: to flip those numbers is going to require a substantial 241 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 3: amount of investment, and we know how to do it 242 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 3: as black people. So you have to trust black people 243 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 3: and write us the check so that we can reinvest 244 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 3: that money in smart ways that have sustained impact. 245 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 1: You know what's fascinating to me too, Ashley and talking 246 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: about this is I was thinking about some of the 247 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: tactics like the d TRIP used the D Triple C 248 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for those of you 249 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: at home, not with this he'll speak, but the d 250 00:13:56,160 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: TRIP had a program where they went about recruiting candidate differently. 251 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: They knew that they needed to be more targeted and strategic, 252 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: and how they went about doing that formulated a whole committee. 253 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: The one thing that they've not really done here they 254 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: hired a D and I person. I don't know if 255 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: they're still a D and I person, But even then, 256 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: what happens is, just like in corporate, the D and 257 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: I person or now DEI person reports into HR or 258 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: the person in charge of vendors. So there's a direct 259 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 1: conflict with how you hold them accountable because they're your boss. 260 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: And so I wonder what other types of changes should 261 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: we be making, because when they're approached with this, they're like, oh, 262 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: we'll put they put a placeholder person with not enough 263 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: authority somewhere, and then the other thing that you know 264 00:14:40,760 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 1: all to Congressman Thompson hates this. He talks about it 265 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: all the time within homeland security spaces. But their favorite 266 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: thing to say is we can't find anybody. Yes, yes, 267 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: that's it. So what do we do to change that 268 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: narrative as well? 269 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 3: So I make three recommendations in my op AD. One 270 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 3: is that we have to have the money has to 271 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 3: be spread out more equitably. You mentioned you mentioned Benny Thompson. 272 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 3: The CBC rightfully wrote a letter to corporations. I think 273 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 3: you had a I can't remember which congressman you had 274 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 3: on recently to talk about the letter, but there. 275 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: Was a congressman Jackson Jackson. 276 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 3: That's right. The letter was sent to corporations, really interrogating 277 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 3: them on this question of DEI And my point is 278 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 3: that that same letter needs to be sent to the 279 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 3: Democratic Party because if target fails, I can go get 280 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 3: my toilet paper anywhere. But when the Democratic Party fails, 281 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 3: four hundred thousand Black Americans are out of a job 282 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 3: where it's seven point five percent unemployment, our Voting Rights 283 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 3: Act is dismantled. So the Party has an outsized impact 284 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 3: on black political and economic power like no other corporation does. 285 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 3: So first things first, we have to ask the questions 286 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 3: about why the money is not equitable, and then how 287 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 3: do we make create a system where it is more equitable. 288 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 3: I have some thoughts about how do we reach structure campaigns. 289 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 3: You know, they're not fully fleshed out, and maybe I'll 290 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 3: save them for another I bet, but I think we're 291 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 3: going to have to restructure campaigns, maybe do a more 292 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 3: of a pod structure where there is a black pod 293 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 3: and everybody in the black pod does you know, different disciplines, 294 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 3: and the money then flows to the pod, and we 295 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 3: get a proportion of that money based on our own 296 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:21,080 Speaker 3: turnout and the importance of black voters. But that I 297 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 3: need to flush that out a little more. The second 298 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 3: one is, yeah, the second one is, and then we 299 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 3: control our own destiny, We control our own we make 300 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 3: the own our own decisions. And to your point, we're 301 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 3: not having to go up through a campaign manager who 302 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 3: has a vested interest in the decisions. That's the other 303 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 3: part of the autopsy. These people made decisions to line 304 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 3: their pocket and not win the election. That is deplorable 305 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 3: on so many levels, exactly because again, look at what 306 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 3: look at what we've lost. The second recommendation I said 307 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 3: is we need to have a power structure powers We 308 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 3: need to have a power sharing structure where wherever black 309 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 3: voters are critical, we need to be at the table 310 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 3: and not just there for representation. We need to be 311 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,719 Speaker 3: there with authority and budget authority. No more gatekeepers. We 312 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:09,400 Speaker 3: need to be at the table with budget authority. 313 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: And then the third so you sound like a socialist 314 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: right here. 315 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 3: That is that what it is. They're winning all over 316 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 3: the place. So maybe I'm afo something. Listen, it's like 317 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 3: the co op model might be the way I mean 318 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 3: because the other model isn't working for us. Because the 319 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 3: Congressman is right to some degree, you can't find black 320 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 3: black firms. There is no black firm that can rival Bullypullpit. 321 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 3: Why because you don't make the investment for us to 322 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 3: grow that firm. We their black talent is there. You know, 323 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 3: you and I and others. We're the most talented black 324 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 3: politicals in our nation's history right now. We've been in 325 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 3: those places, in those rooms, but we're not getting the 326 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 3: investment to then grow the firm to go out and 327 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 3: do political and corporate work. The third recommendation I have 328 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 3: is that we have enough money and power and wealth 329 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 3: in our own community that we need to invest in 330 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 3: ourselves in this moment and do what the Democratic Party 331 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,040 Speaker 3: will not do. So the third idea is that you 332 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 3: need to build what I would call sort of a 333 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,959 Speaker 3: black innovation lab where we bring the smartest people together 334 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 3: to ascertain what really are the issues that black people 335 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 3: care about that are affecting their lives, how do we 336 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 3: build a new playbook and model for engagement, and then 337 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 3: how do we build a black agenda? More importantly, we're 338 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 3: about to have a black speaker with no black agenda. 339 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: I mean that, No, we have one, Okay, Yeah, when 340 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: our black policy papers come out from State of the 341 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: People in November, so we have one. 342 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 3: It came out in November. 343 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: No, it's coming out in so it's coming out sometimes. 344 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 3: Great, perfect, So we're working on it. That's great to know. 345 00:18:33,560 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 3: So anyway, so those are some of what I would 346 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 3: say are the recommendations. But if you transform how these 347 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 3: campaigns work and run and run and put us at 348 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 3: the center of decisions that infect black people, I think 349 00:18:46,240 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 3: we'll have different outcomes because investments drive outcomes. 350 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: So let me ask you this. So talking about the 351 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 1: DSA wins. Before the DSA, you know, there's working families parties, 352 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: some of that intersects before both of them. There was 353 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: the Mississippi Freedom Party, a Democratic Freedom Party. There are 354 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: all of these times in our you know, our nation's 355 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:18,800 Speaker 1: history where we can see where there have been factions 356 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: that have pushed parties either further to the left or 357 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 1: the right. You have tea parties, the Freedom Caucus or 358 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 1: whatever it is, freedom Freedom Caucus. That's right, right, And 359 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,880 Speaker 1: I don't keep on their side, but yes, on their side. 360 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: But I'm saying, I guess what I'm saying is it's 361 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:36,160 Speaker 1: what's interesting to me is with all the political power 362 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 1: we have, I mean, we over index on political power 363 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,760 Speaker 1: more so than economic power. That's where we most of 364 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,800 Speaker 1: our power lies. We have not said like we're gonna 365 00:19:43,800 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: have our own party and bring you further into the 366 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: black by demand, because you're not doing it willfully, like 367 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: we know that we have, we should know by now 368 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to push to get what we want. 369 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: We're used to being told you guys just wait, you know, 370 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: wait till President Obama's second term. You just got to 371 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: hold it a little bit longer. He can't do all 372 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 1: that stuff for black people. They won't get they won't 373 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: get him elected the second term, Hakem. They're going to 374 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: say they he'll run the risk of not being able 375 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,159 Speaker 1: to if he can become speaker, not being able to 376 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: risk or not being able to be to get a 377 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: second term as speaker. Like there are always these reasons 378 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: why doing the black thing is not politically palatable it's 379 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 1: not the it's not the pass forward. We have to 380 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: sacrifice our fundamental needs while everybody else gets what they 381 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: want on a silver, gold, platinum platter, absolutely with diamonds, 382 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: you know, like they get everything they need, but we 383 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: have to sacrifice. I think that the way that we 384 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: shift out of that actually is to have our own 385 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 1: party infrastructure, even if it's inside the party. But we 386 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: got to push him from somewhere. Some folks got to 387 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: push from outside, somebody, somebody got to push from inside. No. 388 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 3: I think you're absolutely right, and I think that's somewhat 389 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:51,080 Speaker 3: of what I'm suggesting on the campaign side. To your point, 390 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 3: you can model that bigger, and I think we've got 391 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 3: the resources and the political power to make it happen. 392 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,119 Speaker 3: The question is do we have the courage in the 393 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 3: will you know that question? I think that is the 394 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 3: outstanding question. I mean, because people who've read my piece, 395 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,879 Speaker 3: like you and others, are like, it's brilliant, it's great, 396 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 3: And my response. 397 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: Is, yeah, how we do this? 398 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: Yeah? Absolutely, that's it, And people are making suggestions, But 399 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 3: my real response is why am I the only one 400 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 3: saying it? Do you know what I mean? Like, the 401 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 3: only way we get to what you're suggesting, and what 402 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: I'm suggesting is if we have a realization of that 403 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 3: power that we call a spade a spade, and that 404 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 3: we come together and organizing in that spirit of building 405 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 3: and building for ourselves to build black power, black political 406 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 3: and economic power. So that's really the question is do 407 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 3: we have the courage to actually do it? I think 408 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 3: right now there's too many people and leaders that are 409 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 3: protecting these institutions. To your point, they're making all of 410 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 3: these excuses for the institution. The reality is, if you 411 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,360 Speaker 3: go back to Barack Obama, that's second term, that's when 412 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 3: we started bleeding support among black voters in twenty twelve. 413 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 3: That was the beginning of black people the erosion of 414 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 3: support among black people in the Democratic Party for the 415 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 3: reasons you just said, we're trying to figure out when 416 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 3: are you gonna eventually lean in to me, when are 417 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 3: you gonna eventually see me? And that sort of you know, 418 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 3: that sort of heisman that we continue to receive from 419 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,239 Speaker 3: the party, from even our own candidates and those that 420 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 3: look like us, is what's really causing black people to 421 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 3: vote in high numbers for Republicans and for the socialist 422 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 3: Democrats and really checking out of the system altogether. We've 423 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 3: got to reverse that if we want to have effectuate change, 424 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:38,720 Speaker 3: and not just at the national level, but at the 425 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 3: local level. 426 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: I'm curious because to me, like, I don't think all 427 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 1: DSA folks are built the same. Like we have a 428 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: raggedy mayor in Seattle who, like, I don't know how 429 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 1: she got this job. Is it goes to white privilege 430 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: because she has literally no experience. She's one type. But 431 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,920 Speaker 1: there are some other folks who are doing incredible things, 432 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 1: even watching like Corey come back to run in Saint Louis. 433 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,679 Speaker 1: Corey is an activist. She's brilliant, diligent, tight on her stuff. 434 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: So I don't think everybody is the same, just like 435 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 1: everybody in the part and not say but you know, 436 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: it's it's interesting to me that those folks are the 437 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: ones who sound like they're speaking the language of the disenfranchised, 438 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,640 Speaker 1: the voiceless, those who felt invisible, Whereas the party has 439 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: been like, oh, well, you know, we're gonna deal with 440 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:24,880 Speaker 1: it in November, November to. 441 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 3: Deal with to the back of the US. 442 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: And I'm like, y'all, you might not be here in 443 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: November if they keep redrawing these lines, like what are 444 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:32,880 Speaker 1: we talking about? So that's the thing for me, I'm like. 445 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 3: Capable of he may not ever leave. I mean honestly, 446 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:36,360 Speaker 3: we don't. 447 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: Know literally, So I'm like, we actually need to find 448 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: courage before November and and and hope that you get 449 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: seated and people get sworn in on the you know, 450 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: like we need to find courage and show people who 451 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,919 Speaker 1: are about right now. And I just that is the 452 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 1: thing where I've been the most frustrated because I'm like, 453 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: you're mad at folks for women who are democratic socialists 454 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: but or justice dim are you know, squad? But those 455 00:24:03,000 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 1: are the folks who are speaking up courageously and clearly. 456 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 1: The people are are resonant with what they're saying because 457 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: they understand it. It doesn't sound like Google and hashposh because 458 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,680 Speaker 1: you're saying I'm putting to on November. 459 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I think I think it's going to require I 460 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 3: think the I think what's at play right now is 461 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:28,959 Speaker 3: the Democratic leadership is rejecting the transformation that needs to 462 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 3: happen within the Democratic Party. If you look at the 463 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 3: Republican Party in the last twenty years, they've gone through 464 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:38,479 Speaker 3: three transformations, right Tea Party, the Freedom Caucus, whatever we 465 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 3: were trying to figure out early whatever. Yeah, whatever, they 466 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 3: call it, y'all. Y'all not freedom, and they don't want 467 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 3: nobody to be free, honestly, okay, except for themselves. So 468 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 3: you got the Freedom concass and now you got Nago. 469 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 3: Each one of those iterations affected their party in ways 470 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 3: that tactically made them stronger. It's un believable to think again, 471 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 3: how if you look at where Trump has made his 472 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 3: inroads with our own base voters, that's incredible in a 473 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 3: matter of ten years. So my point is that we 474 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 3: continually reject this which you know, this transformation that we 475 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 3: need to go through to connect us again to the voters. 476 00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 3: We have no level of intimacy with our own voters. 477 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 3: We don't even know, you know, we're talking over them 478 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,239 Speaker 3: and at them. And so that's partly the reason why 479 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 3: I think the socialist Democrats are actually winning. Not only 480 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 3: do they have a vision, but they can articulate what 481 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 3: the plan is to achieve that vision. It connects with people, 482 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 3: They've been connected with people. To your point, these are 483 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 3: people who've been on the ground more than not right, 484 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 3: And so my point is I saw Pelosi do this 485 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 3: even with the squad early on. You know it, kind 486 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 3: of the media will try to create some false friction 487 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 3: that does or does not exist. But it's incumbent upon 488 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 3: leadership to say, I need to bring these people into 489 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,840 Speaker 3: the fold and find places and spaces for them to 490 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 3: be value add to the party, and then also convey 491 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 3: to them Listen, we're not on opposing teams here. You 492 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,160 Speaker 3: know that. You might say we need to go left, 493 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 3: and I might say we need to go right, but 494 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 3: the reality is that we meet in the middle. Everybody's 495 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 3: going to be stronger and more powerful for it. And 496 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:19,640 Speaker 3: so that's really my advice to democratic leadership right now. 497 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 3: What they did with Mandani was embarrassing. They embarrassed themselves. 498 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 3: You've got to start embracing these people because a they 499 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 3: have good ideas. Be they're connected to the ground and 500 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,840 Speaker 3: connected to voters, and they create value for the party. 501 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 3: And so so that's really what I think the problem 502 00:26:36,280 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 3: is is we don't want to go through this transition 503 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 3: and we have to. I mean, again, I've been in 504 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 3: the party twenty five years and we've not had one autopsy, 505 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 3: no one hard assessment of what we're doing right, what 506 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 3: we're doing wrong where we are with our votes. I mean, 507 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,000 Speaker 3: none of that actually happens. We just keep moving from 508 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 3: election to election. 509 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 1: I think that. I think that's very true. I think 510 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: the other thing is and this is like family conversation. 511 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: I guess it's gonna be in front of white folks too. 512 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,959 Speaker 1: But what frustrates me is the people who make the 513 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: most noise about us wanting to push the party to 514 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: be more just and equitable with us. It be our folks, 515 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,679 Speaker 1: it be our own people, you know. And it's like, 516 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: why would you need right now? 517 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 3: Girl? 518 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: I had a whole like thing about Gavin Newsom and 519 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,880 Speaker 1: the reparations vetos he beat out six Most of them 520 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: weren't even reparations bills. It was like preference for kids 521 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 1: who are descendants of enslaved people being able to get 522 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: into school. Are people hitting me hard on that? I'm like, damn, 523 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. I thought we were worthy of reparations. Y'all 524 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: mad at me for that? Because I want him to 525 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: do better by us before he ever gets on a 526 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: national ticket. So that's what's surprising to me, that our 527 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: folks will ride the hardest against what is in her 528 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: own best entry. 529 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 3: Yes, why I mean, you know, listen, the only way 530 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 3: I can make sense of it is referred back to 531 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,239 Speaker 3: the bus that I'm staring at a periot of then 532 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:06,239 Speaker 3: in my office, which is some of these people you're 533 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 3: gonna have to leave behind, you know what I mean, 534 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 3: some of these people are worthy to get on the train, 535 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 3: and you might have to shoot a couple of them, 536 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 3: and you know, And that's sort of how I see it, 537 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 3: because the pushback I've gotten on my offed has been 538 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 3: from us. 539 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, and my star, I was going to ask you, 540 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: do you regret putting it in essence where we have 541 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: this conversation all the time. I feel like white folks 542 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: have to hold this too, you know. 543 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 3: Well, I think the reason why I chose essence A 544 00:28:31,240 --> 00:28:34,360 Speaker 3: because black women voter A Essence is geared toward Black 545 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:37,240 Speaker 3: women voters. There's no more important constituency in the nation 546 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 3: right now, there's no more that no other constituency in 547 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 3: this country's been affected by Trump more so than Tumen. 548 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 3: I mean, the twenty twenty five Project twenty twenty five, 549 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,960 Speaker 3: who is anchored in destroying black women because they understood 550 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 3: if you destroy black women, you get at the entire 551 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 3: year community like that because black women aren't just the constituency. 552 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 3: We're a force multiplier in our own community. And so 553 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 3: first you got to, like my pastor says, the devil 554 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 3: goes after the source first, and so the source is 555 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 3: coming after us. So I wanted to go to Essence 556 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 3: for that reason because we have to be aware, because 557 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: we're the ones who was saying we give you ninety 558 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 3: two percent and we don't get anything in return. So 559 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 3: I wanted them to know exactly what that looks like. 560 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 3: It looks like eight billion dollars and you only get 561 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 3: one percent. So since you're not wrong, you're one hundred 562 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 3: percent right. But we've got the power in the dynamic 563 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 3: to change that set of circumstances. Now, the question is, 564 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 3: to your point, how do we operationalize that opposition in 565 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 3: a way that actually has big impact. But first things first, 566 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 3: which is we have to educate our own people about 567 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 3: our own oppression. That is my point. And then once 568 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 3: we get there, then we can engage other people. But 569 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 3: first we've got to affirm Black women that are feeling 570 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 3: betrayed dejected in this moment. So that's why I went 571 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:51,640 Speaker 3: to Essence, and I think you're right. The follow up 572 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 3: we can go any and everywhere, but first we have 573 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 3: to affirm black women and let them know the extent 574 00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 3: to which this betrayal exists. 575 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: Well, I can't wait for the next piece, and I 576 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: definitely I hope that you can make time to come 577 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: with us or doing an America to fifty Nation on 578 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: Fire tour. I hope to goodness you can come to 579 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: come with us to one of those. They're going to 580 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,520 Speaker 1: be town hall structured, and I think this is the 581 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 1: exact type of conversation we need to have out there. 582 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 3: I would love to tell you, yes, I think we 583 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 3: need to do it. Well, you got thanks for having 584 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 3: me on, and thanks for elevating this issue because I 585 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 3: know you know you've been close to this like I have, 586 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 3: and you know you have a deep love for black 587 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 3: people like I do. And I think this is an 588 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 3: area in which we have to transform it. If we don't, 589 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 3: we have to have a healthy Democratic Party or you know, 590 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 3: it will continue to fail us and we will continue 591 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 3: to fail and like we can't. We cannot afford that. 592 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 3: So thank you for giving me the opportunity, and I'll 593 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 3: be on the tour for sure, and like let's keep 594 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 3: this Mondy going. 595 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: I love it, but y'all see Ashley here in her 596 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: Shirley Chisholm d y'all to inspire, I see it, I 597 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:58,760 Speaker 1: see you love your little pyramid exact which I caught it, 598 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: dynasty sign question. 599 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 3: Don't bring us to that, Okay, Oh. 600 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 1: They're they're good people. You gotta ignore. 601 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,400 Speaker 3: Yes, absolutely, it's. 602 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: So bad, but yes, they dragged me into it to fide. 603 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 1: I'm always going to defend what I know to be true. 604 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: But yes, per usual and I love it. Yes, all right, 605 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: he said, y'all check out her piece if you haven't, 606 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: and we'll put it in our show notes. Thank you, 607 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:34,280 Speaker 1: appreciate you, Thanks Eric, bye, y'all. It is a conversation 608 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: that we've been having on this show quite a bit. 609 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: Ashley's piece is prolific. It is in essence, it's on 610 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 1: essence dot com here, it is right here at the 611 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:46,160 Speaker 1: party we built. The bill has come do y'all'll pay 612 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: us with you owe us. That's what Rihanna said. So 613 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 1: we're gonna go ahead and let y'all read that. It'll 614 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:54,480 Speaker 1: be in the show notes and we'll see y'all on Thursday. 615 00:31:54,560 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: Welcome home, y'all. Native Lampod is a production of iHeartRadio 616 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: and partnership with Reis and Choice Media. For more podcasts 617 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 618 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.