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 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Reisent Choice Media. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 2: Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome. I'm gonna tell 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 2: you right here, when you put a poster over her face, 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 2: that's why what brought she used to own the spot 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: right over there. We're not fucking around. Don't come into 7 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 2: this mother fucking neighborhood. Cover it up, icons, get this 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: mother fucking shit out of here. Don't do it. When 9 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: you see a black face here, don't put a mother 10 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 2: fucking thing on it. God damn it. Well, you caused 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: a mother fucking problem, and don't do it again. Don't 12 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: put a fucking thing on you. It parks in this neighborhood. 13 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: Welcome home, y'all. I'm your host, Angela Ry. This is 14 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: the solo pod for Native lampod. And uh, what you 15 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: just heard is from a very good friend of mine, 16 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 1: good brother Omari Salisbury, who runs Converge Media. And what 17 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: you saw happening there something that is all too familiar 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: to many of us all throughout this country. When gentrification 19 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: invades your neighborhood. These are the kinds of reactions you 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: may have that and it may be an outburst and 21 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,320 Speaker 1: maybe something that you hold, but it is something that 22 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 1: made me want to put on my soft girl era 23 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: sweater on the last day of Black not Black History Months. 24 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: I wish it was still Black History Months Women's History 25 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: Month because I needed to find some softness in this moment. 26 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: But I'm going to bring in my good brother Omri 27 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: so we could talk about this and how he was feeling. Omar, 28 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: how are. 29 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 3: You, Angela. I'm good. I'm getting a little. 30 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: More calm today. 31 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, under every day, I'm a corner reserve guy. 32 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 3: You know the background. 33 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, And so it surprised people, but it was just triggering, 34 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 4: and I think I know now how people feel when 35 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 4: they're like, man, I was triggered, and that was just 36 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 4: years of just seeing us being really wallpapered over in 37 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 4: our own community. 38 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 3: There was just a real triggering moment right there. 39 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: Well, let's back into it a little bit. So we 40 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: saw what happened. And when you confronted him, tell me 41 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: what was happening? When was this? Where were you in 42 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:05,360 Speaker 1: the city? 43 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 3: So, I mean, here's the thing is. And I was 44 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:08,839 Speaker 3: really in a great move. 45 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 4: This was Saturday and I was leaving Juggins playfield and 46 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 4: it was the Little League Chamboree. They had all the 47 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 4: black teams, team names, the steal Heads and the Owls 48 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 4: and the crow Birds and everything. And I'm sitting there 49 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 4: taking pictures, you know what I'm saying. So you know, 50 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,679 Speaker 4: I'm a big baseball guy. So this was great Little 51 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,240 Speaker 4: League Jamboree. And I just go four blocks. I get 52 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 4: the twentieth in Jackson, I'm in a red light, and 53 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 4: to be honest with you, I'm sitting there chilling them. 54 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 3: I'm oblivious. 55 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 4: Somebody drives Western Jackson basically crosses the intersection. He's yelling 56 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 4: out the window and pointing over to the box, which 57 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 4: is to the left of me. He's like, man, don't 58 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 4: do that. And I'm like, well, what's going on? And 59 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 4: so then I look right there, and what's not on 60 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 4: the video was that the box was already papered over. 61 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 4: You see what I'm saying. And so you know we 62 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 4: should have been there. I'm from the turf. We're in 63 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 4: the CD ced or see me. I just pulled my 64 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 4: car right there. I end up blocking traffic, you know 65 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 4: what I'm saying. So that's when I get out the 66 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 4: car and I'm yelling at him out the window. I'm like, 67 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:04,959 Speaker 4: hold up, what are you doing? And that's when it 68 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 4: starts removing everything. And that's when I start the video. 69 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 4: And you know what I'm saying, I think you just 70 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 4: got to let people know because oftentimes we be too quiet. 71 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 4: We keep this what my mom calls architectural trauma that 72 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 4: we experience in our neighborhood. We internalize it and everything else. 73 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 4: But like, man, that day, at that time, and like 74 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 4: I said, I was coming from a very happy space 75 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 4: and people know me, I'm a real quiet person out 76 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 4: in public, and yeah, but you know, it just needed 77 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 4: to be said. You know, I still got apologized to 78 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 4: my parents, to our elders and everything that for that, 79 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 4: for that outburst. But you know, it's Angela. You from here, 80 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 4: it's town business. It's we only fifty thousand strong in 81 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 4: this city, you know what I'm saying. And so, man, 82 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 4: we ain't waving a white flag. We ain't give it 83 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 4: up on nothing, and we used to having to fight 84 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 4: for everything that we get, and so you know, it's 85 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 4: a little bit of fight that came out on Saturday. 86 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: Well, and that's the thing you're talking about. Fifty thousand strong. 87 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: It ain't always been that way. See this, which is 88 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: this central district of course was majority black, the south 89 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: end was majority black. Nine eight one one eight historically 90 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: has been the most diverse zip code in the entire country, 91 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: not just the state. And so when you see something 92 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: like that, I also don't want to erase the sister 93 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: you're talking about. So you mentioned I want to talk 94 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: about who was Rawa to especially it's women's history, wen. 95 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: So I think it's a good time to let people 96 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,239 Speaker 1: know about our local heroes. 97 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, I mean Rawa sheep man. 98 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 4: She owned the spot there when I was pointing across 99 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 4: the street in the video called man the hid Moh. 100 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:33,480 Speaker 3: But even more than that, it was it was all 101 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 3: about you know, it's. 102 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 4: Community space, things that we really be missing these days, 103 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 4: really into the arts, arts scene, to the music scene, 104 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 4: to just young creatives, right, And I mean she meant 105 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 4: a lot to a lot of people in our community. 106 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 4: And you know, one of the one of the reasons 107 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 4: that she lost the hib mah, you know, the hipmo clothes, 108 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 4: was because of these shifting demographics or gentrification displacement however 109 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 4: we want to call it, you know, And she had 110 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 4: died a few years after that, and so this wasn't 111 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,119 Speaker 4: because there are some icons. If you go to twenty 112 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 4: thirty Union, there's there's Earl Is on a box, Earl 113 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 4: Is still with us. 114 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 3: You know, he's living. 115 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 4: He's mad an icon as well, and you know he's 116 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 4: on one of those boxes. But you know, she's someone 117 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 4: very beloved in so many different communities, and it really 118 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 4: struck a nerve. There's so many different types of people 119 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 4: that have hit me, you know, regularly just just black women. 120 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 4: There's the artist, there's immigrant community, there's there's man, there's 121 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 4: so many different people because she touched so many different 122 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 4: people's lives. And man, you know, Malcolm X said, it's real. 123 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 4: The black woman is the most disrespected person on earth. Man, 124 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 4: Come on, man, you know what I'm saying. We can't 125 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 4: just sit there. It's a small thing. It isn't the 126 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 4: whole whatever. But man, it's just not okay. And what 127 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 4: people should know is real real quick is like because 128 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 4: of gentrification and displacement, neighborhood and here in Seattle, that's 129 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 4: the same neighborhood that Jimmy Hendrix is from. That's the 130 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 4: same neighborhood that Quincy Jones met Ray Charles on twenty 131 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 4: thirty Jackson and the rest is history. You know a 132 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 4: lot of people don't understand the black history in Seattle, 133 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 4: and because of this just gentrification displacement right. 134 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 3: Now, man, some of us. 135 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 4: All we got left is these power boxes that have 136 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 4: murals to pass icons. 137 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 3: So it's serious business for us. 138 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that what struck me one, I've never 139 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: heard you that loud. So I was like, oh, I 140 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: got to watch to see what happened. And what did 141 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 1: strike me was I remember Omari And I haven't told 142 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: you this, but I was sitting down when I you 143 00:06:42,880 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: know it, just like firmly planning back home. I was 144 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: sitting down talking to our former mayor, Bruce Harrow. We're 145 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: sitting there, like right across the street from Seattle, you 146 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 1: where I went to law school where I mean again, 147 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 1: he's also a hometown hero, legend, played football, you dubbed, 148 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: like all of that grew up with, you know, my family. 149 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: And so Bruce is sitting there, some random white guy 150 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 1: is riding by on a bike and screams f you 151 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: at him, and I'm like, I jump up, like I'm 152 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: what I'm Bruce has a whole security detail. I jump 153 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: up and Bruce's like, Nah, it's okay, that's just how 154 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: people feel. But that's not how we came up. Like, 155 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 1: you don't yell out expletives at our elders, you know, no, 156 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: I don't care who you are. And so it's what 157 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: is jarring about what you displayed on that video is 158 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: how blatant the disrespect is. And I think the reason 159 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: why it's gotten so many reposts and so much traction 160 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: OMRI is because people have continued to witness this and 161 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: they haven't let out that rage. And it's not just 162 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: happening in our city. 163 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 4: Come on, man, like, so people should know, right Seattle, 164 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 4: there's probably more, but like officially, Seattle has a civil 165 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 4: rights assassination. 166 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 3: And that was Edwin T. Pratt. 167 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,559 Speaker 4: He was the former head of the NAACP and everything else, right, 168 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 4: and he was he was a few months I think 169 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 4: after doctor King. And that's like Seattle's civil rights assassination. 170 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 4: Like standing it was kind of almost like how Mega 171 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 4: Evers got killed. Evert Practice was there in the crib. 172 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 4: He got murdered in front of his family. There's a 173 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 4: building there in our neighborhood. There's a pract building and 174 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 4: this apartment building pract you know, I go over there, bro, 175 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 4: and the people in the building is looking at me 176 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 4: like I ain't supposed to be there. It's named after 177 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 4: this civil rights icon this you know what I'm saying, 178 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 4: and so like that, that's how crazy it is. And 179 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 4: you know, in our neighborhood right now, and it's a 180 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 4: lot of stuff that you know, it's people in the 181 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 4: Central District. We grin and we bury it and we 182 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 4: try to figure it out everything else. But there is 183 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 4: a collective yell. There is a like a frustration to 184 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 4: it there. There there is you know, I mean, man, 185 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 4: it hurts to be displaced, it hurts to be erased, 186 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 4: It hurts to be papered over and still have to 187 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 4: pick yourself up every day. You know what I'm saying. 188 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 4: We have a strong cultural history and here to the 189 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 4: Central District of Seattle, on the south end of Seattle, 190 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 4: and those ties are being cut and they're not being 191 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,719 Speaker 4: cut even with care, They're being cut with disregard. 192 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, And that's just that's exactly it. To the point. 193 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: You know, we were raised with the elders who made 194 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: sure that we can never forget our history. That's not 195 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 1: everybody's story. So the question really is for the folks 196 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 1: who are coming in here and don't know our history. 197 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: What obligation, what collective obligation do they have, not just 198 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: black transplants, but also white folks who come in. What 199 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,440 Speaker 1: is their obligation to know our history, to know the 200 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,360 Speaker 1: responsibility they hold to not paper over us, to not 201 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: erase us. 202 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 4: Yeah, you know, as somebody who's who's been a migrant worker, 203 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 4: almost a majority of my career, I spent like twenty 204 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:50,200 Speaker 4: years overseas. I've been in sixty five countries, launched TV 205 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 4: and radio stations all over the world. Launched a TV 206 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 4: station and the UAE and radio and all kinds of 207 00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 4: stuff in East Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda. Man, whenever I was 208 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 4: in a new country or a new place, first thing 209 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 4: I really did was learn the customs overall generally and 210 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 4: especially in my neighborhood. You feel me like, I mean, 211 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 4: it ain't hard to really go and some things are 212 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 4: definitely universal. 213 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 3: When you see art, and. 214 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 4: Especially art of a person, of the description of a 215 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 4: human being, you're not supposed to like deface that anywhere. 216 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:26,839 Speaker 4: Like we shouldn't have to go to remedial school for that. 217 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 4: But like I'll just let people know first, sure, and 218 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 4: be very clear here on your podcast that man, when 219 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 4: you're coming to the Central District of Seattle. Man, it's great, 220 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 4: you know, we welcome here or whatever. It's all good, 221 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 4: But man, you need to move with some regard and 222 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:46,559 Speaker 4: some care for the people. 223 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 3: Understand. I'll throw this in here real quick, an over 224 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:49,719 Speaker 3: run out of time. 225 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 4: What's unique about our neighborhood is it's one hundred and 226 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 4: forty years old. It's older than the state of Washington. 227 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 4: William Gross about that land from Henry Yesler over one 228 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 4: hundred and forty years ago on what's now twenty third Union. 229 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 3: And Henry Gross was a baller. We didn't come out 230 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 3: here begging. 231 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 4: We came out here buying, you know, a a long 232 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 4: long time ago. And you know, and our history here, 233 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 4: black folks history precedes the State of Washington as buyers 234 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 4: and owners and land owners. 235 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 3: And people just need to respect that. 236 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, they do well. I respect exactly how you responded 237 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: to getting papered over o Maria. I bet you he 238 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 1: won't do it again. And in the meantime, what I 239 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: hope we can do, good brother, is really fine. Time 240 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: to hold these conversations in public spaces so that black 241 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:35,360 Speaker 1: folks know we see each other, and then we figure 242 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: out what our collective response is going forward, so that 243 00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: we feel safe in a city that we helped to build. 244 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 3: Man anytime, Agela, I'm here for it. 245 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: Thank you, O. Marie, take care all right, y'all. Well, 246 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: I wanted you all to hear what's happening in my town. 247 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: And I really appreciate Omri's response because so many people 248 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: look at these things. We scream, we gas, our mouths 249 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: drop open. But the erasure is real and it doesn't 250 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: just happen in Seattle right now. It is also happening 251 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: in the state of Kentucky. There is an HBCU Kentucky 252 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: State University, which I believe was established in eighteen sixty six. 253 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: The state legislature, Senate Bill one eight five, I believe 254 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: is working to change the mission of that institution. So 255 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: I asked one of my good friends who is in Kentucky. 256 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: He is moving all over the state right now. He's 257 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: also running for the United States Senate. His name is 258 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: Charles Booker. Asked him to join us today to talk 259 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: about what is going on, what's the collective response in 260 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: what black people all over the country can do to 261 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: ensure that we push back against this. 262 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,839 Speaker 5: Hello Charles, Hey Angela, it's good to be with you. 263 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:53,199 Speaker 1: Good to be with you too. Your fight looks a 264 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,839 Speaker 1: little different than on Maris, but it's important. Nonetheless, whatever 265 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: our means are, as long as our goal, our end 266 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: goal is the same, that's what we got to do. 267 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: So talk to us a little bit about what's happening 268 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 1: with Kentucky State. 269 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 5: Well, what we're seeing with K State University is an 270 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 5: attack on not just an institution, but on identity, on culture, 271 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 5: on community, and it's something we're seeing across the country 272 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 5: with the underfunding and undermining of HBCU. So K State is, 273 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 5: like you said, an esteemed institution, and this legislation now 274 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 5: is essentially going to put it under state control and 275 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 5: completely restructure it, essentially turned it into a trade school. 276 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 5: They're calling it a polytechnic school. And not only would 277 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 5: it erase the sense of community, substantially reduce enrollment, substantially 278 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 5: reduced the number of courses and options available for students, 279 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 5: but also for Greek organizations, which of course I'm a 280 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 5: member of Cap Alphacib Fraternity Incorporated, would force them to 281 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 5: essentially have to reapply for their charter. It's completely eroding 282 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 5: the sense of community and place that has been a 283 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,160 Speaker 5: staple for so many across Kentucky and across the count 284 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 5: and beyond. I have folks on my campaign staff who 285 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 5: are from k State University and everybody who has been blindsided, 286 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,199 Speaker 5: and they're afraid of not only what's happening to us, 287 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 5: but this broader picture of the erasure and just the 288 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 5: trampling on the identity of so many people who help 289 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 5: build this country. 290 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: I got to ask you, what you think the reason 291 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: for this is, Like, it's not new for HBCUs to 292 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: be collapsed into traditionally white institutions. I used to work 293 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 1: at NAFIO, and it was a battle we would have 294 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: all the time, SUNO and UNO, Southern University of New Orleans, 295 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: University of New Orleans. There was a constant battle the 296 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: closure of the schools. What do you think is the 297 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: reason that the Senate, in particular in the state of 298 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:45,479 Speaker 1: Kentucky wants to do this now. 299 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 5: Well, this conversation has been years in the making. When 300 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 5: I was a state legislator, we actually had a lot 301 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 5: of battles around protecting Kentucky State University as our HBCU 302 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 5: and of course we have Simmons College as a private 303 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 5: HBCU here in Louisville. But a lot of the argument 304 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 5: had really revolved around the necessity of having Case State 305 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,800 Speaker 5: as an HBCU. There are folks in the legislature, in 306 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 5: political power who do not see the importance of institutions 307 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 5: that center the black experience, black community, our culture, and 308 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 5: account for the brave injustice in our country. And so 309 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 5: year after year, Case State has not received the funding 310 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 5: that it is needed and that it has been deserved. 311 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 5: And we know that's true across the country. A lot 312 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 5: of our HBCUs have been grossly underfunded. We've seen studies 313 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 5: showing the Case State was underfunded to the tune of 314 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 5: nearly two hundred million dollars over the last three decades. 315 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 5: And so to essentially claw the funding back and then say, Okay, 316 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 5: since you're struggling with the crumbs, let me punish you 317 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 5: by taking more funding away. Okay, now you're struggling with that, 318 00:15:50,200 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 5: let's just get rid of you all together. That is 319 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 5: very part and parcels to the experience that my ancestors 320 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,680 Speaker 5: have facing this country that we certainly face today, and 321 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 5: it's why I'm running for that is why I'm standing up. 322 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 5: We have to fight back. 323 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: What do you think your response would be? Certainly? The 324 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: one thing I appreciate about your charles too, is you 325 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 1: don't wait to be an elected office to make a difference, 326 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 1: to weigh in to advocate. So I know what your 327 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: position is right now, But what do you think would 328 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: be different if you were in the United States Senate 329 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,520 Speaker 1: with this issue on the table? How would you respond? 330 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 5: Well, you know, my main argument for why we need 331 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 5: to not just argue in the streets, which we got 332 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 5: to do. We gotta make noise in the streets, but 333 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 5: we have to also go into this places where decisions 334 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 5: and policies are made, is because we need leaders in 335 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 5: those positions who see our humanity. So having a United 336 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,360 Speaker 5: States Senator that understands the value of black institutions, that 337 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 5: understands the importance of equity, that understands the importance of diversity, 338 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 5: because right now there is a very widespread campaign to 339 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 5: essentially say that diversity is easy. The people that I'm 340 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 5: running against petition on the Republican side are putting out 341 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 5: ads saying that it's Unamerican, it's evil, it's an attack 342 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 5: on cre ristianity. I mean, they're saying all the things 343 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 5: to essentially erase us, and we know the Senate has 344 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 5: an important role in not only securing funding and infrastructure 345 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 5: resources for our HBCUs, but being an advocate and using 346 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 5: that bully pullpit. Right now, we can't be silent. This 347 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 5: is not just about HBCUs. We're seeing the rature of 348 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 5: our history in real time. We're seeing the undermining and 349 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 5: the attacks on humanity from every angle. People are struggling 350 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 5: to find a way to just put food on the table, 351 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 5: and we know that education is a part of the 352 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 5: key forward. So when they're attacking education, they're letting us know, hey, 353 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,959 Speaker 5: we don't value your life. And what I know and 354 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 5: what I'm hopeful about, is that so many voices, not 355 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 5: just the lum student leaders, faculty people are speaking up, 356 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 5: the NAACP, they're speaking up to call out the fact 357 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 5: that this is not going to happen on our watch. 358 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 5: Because they're trying to rush this bill through. They were 359 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,920 Speaker 5: hoping no one would notice, but we did notice. And 360 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,880 Speaker 5: even as a candidate, I'm working with our colleagues out 361 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,720 Speaker 5: in the States to help raise the noise and make 362 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 5: sure that we're taking direct action to make sure if 363 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 5: they're going to run us over, they want to look 364 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 5: us in the eyes. And at the federal level, we 365 00:18:08,040 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 5: need leadership that will fight for working people, that will 366 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 5: fight for the hard task, for the critical task of 367 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,960 Speaker 5: pulling up the roots of racism and white supremacy. And 368 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 5: we need our black institutions to do that. 369 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: Absolutely. You brought up the students. I know students were 370 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: marching today on the Capitol, but also there is a 371 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 1: student response that we have to a local news station there, 372 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: So let's run that clip. 373 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 3: We want to get across through the message. 374 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 6: A small group of leaders meet in the student Activity 375 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 6: Center to strategize. 376 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,360 Speaker 1: So I feel like we're washing everything. And again we're 377 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: just going to do the same thing with Kentucky State University. 378 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 6: They're concerned cenerfl one eight five will have deep negative 379 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 6: impacts on the historic black university established in eighteen eighty six. 380 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,719 Speaker 4: We cannot sit back and say it's okay. 381 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 3: It's not okay. 382 00:18:57,560 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 7: We need to say it. 383 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 6: The word polytech new vision for the school from the 384 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 6: state legislature has the student bodies attention. 385 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 8: If it changed the polytech that mean that all liberal 386 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 8: arts majors will go online and we would lose a 387 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 8: sense of community that we have as black students here. 388 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 6: The small group then met with a larger group inside 389 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:18,680 Speaker 6: Bradford Hall to discuss proposed amendments to the bill. They 390 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 6: hope to have their voices heard by more lawmakers Tuesday, and. 391 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,640 Speaker 8: We're demanding to keep our identity. And we are also 392 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 8: demanding that they support more than a thousand students on campus. 393 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,160 Speaker 8: And the bill it actually states that they would only 394 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 8: support at least a thousand students, So we actually want 395 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 8: to have more students on campus. 396 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,960 Speaker 1: You know, the main point here, Charles, is that students 397 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: are activating. We are often under you know, the mistaken 398 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 1: assumption that it takes a huge number of people to 399 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: make a difference. You saw that auditorium. It was not full. 400 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: I wish that it was. It would be for a concert, 401 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: it might be for you know, a good basketball team 402 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,200 Speaker 1: or a good football team. I just wish that we 403 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: could ensure not just our young people, but all of 404 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: us were more actively engaged. What are some of the 405 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 1: things that you are doing in Kentucky tonsure broader engagement 406 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: with our folks. 407 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 5: Well, you nailed it. A lot of coming from the 408 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 5: struggle I come from the Hood West and a little 409 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 5: but I mean, we're so used to being screwed over 410 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,480 Speaker 5: and disregarded and seeing our resources taken away that you 411 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,919 Speaker 5: almost just prepare for it. And a lot of what 412 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,080 Speaker 5: I'm doing now, even in running for Centate, but also 413 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 5: in my organization, Hood to the Holler, is giving people 414 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 5: permission to use their voice, to know that if we 415 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 5: speak up, if we locker rooms together, we can change things. 416 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 5: And Good to the Holler is so important to me 417 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,959 Speaker 5: because standing up for this institution is not just a 418 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,159 Speaker 5: fight for Black Kentuckians. A strong KSU is a strong 419 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 5: Kentucky and we know that in order for us to 420 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 5: heal our deepest wounds as a society, we have to 421 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 5: protect and invest in the culture and community for all people. 422 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 5: And this is why reparations are needed. And so using 423 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,479 Speaker 5: my platform to lift up story telling to help support 424 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 5: direct actions, they help cause good trouble. We show up 425 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 5: in the streets, we show up in the halls where 426 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 5: those decisions are made, and so a lot of people 427 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 5: know that my campaign and candidacy for Senate is a 428 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,160 Speaker 5: testament to that work. And that's why I'm excited about 429 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 5: these young people stepping up to say, wait a minute, 430 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:19,880 Speaker 5: we know our voices matter, we know our lives matter, 431 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 5: we know this institution matters, and we know you've been 432 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,199 Speaker 5: underfunding it and you're not going to use that as 433 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 5: a reason to take it away. So I'm proud of them, 434 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 5: and I really appreciate you having us to shine this 435 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 5: light because we suffer in silence all too often and 436 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 5: we can't allow that now. 437 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:40,080 Speaker 1: Absolutely Well, my good friend Charles Booker's running for Senate 438 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: in Kentucky and also fighting a good fight to ensure 439 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: that Kentucky State University's mission does not change. For more 440 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 1: information on Booker for Senate, where can they find you, Charles? 441 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 5: They go to Charles Booker dot org. We'll be lifting 442 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:57,959 Speaker 5: up not only this issue about Kentucky State University, but 443 00:21:58,000 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 5: the fight for humanity for our whole country. 444 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: Amazing. Thank you so much for joining us today. Always 445 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: all right, well, y'all, this has been an amazing show. 446 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,359 Speaker 1: I hope that when you get home at your kitchen table, 447 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: you continue to talk about these issues. It's not all bad. 448 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:19,159 Speaker 1: There are some good things happening to. Brandy got a 449 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:22,400 Speaker 1: star on the Walk of Fame in California and There's 450 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: a really dope speech that Isa Ray did at her ceremony, 451 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 1: and so I wanted to share that. As we end this, 452 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:33,680 Speaker 1: I keep wanting to say Black History Month, y'all. I'm 453 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 1: black every month, okay, but Women's History Month, because it's 454 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: such an incredible thing to see two young black women 455 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: lifting each other up. Lisa talks about all the many 456 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,200 Speaker 1: ways in which Brandy inspired her in her career. So 457 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: I want to roll that clip and that is how 458 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: we'll go home. So welcome home, y'all. 459 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 7: Everyone. Hi Randy. Nice to be true. I'm so so 460 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 7: honored to be year. I've never said yes faster to 461 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 7: a text from my publicist who asked me to be 462 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 7: here on behalf of Brandy to speak to Brandy. I 463 00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 7: talk about Brandy and in all of my interviews, and 464 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 7: they told me I have two minutes to talk about her. 465 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 7: So i'mna I'm gonna get to it. I wasn't gonna 466 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 7: use the two minutes to just sing, have you ever 467 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:25,120 Speaker 7: loved somebody so much? And makes you cry? But I won't. 468 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 7: I won't do that in front of you or to 469 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,920 Speaker 7: you guys. The first time I saw Brandy, I had 470 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:34,199 Speaker 7: no idea how much I needed to see Brandy. I 471 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 7: was in fourth grade when I Want to Be Down 472 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,919 Speaker 7: came out, and that single was the first tape I 473 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:43,400 Speaker 7: ever bought with my own allowance money, which was two 474 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 7: dollars a week from Sam Goodie. And when the Broken 475 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 7: Hearted remix came out, I was singing my heart out 476 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,480 Speaker 7: like I had. I had suffered the. 477 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: Deepest pain. 478 00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 7: On the school bus. I was so excited when it 479 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 7: came on in the race video, Rinda came on the 480 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 7: radio and I was singing it and I was sitting 481 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 7: next to my crush and he was like, who sings 482 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 7: this song? And I was like Brandy proudly, and he 483 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 7: was like, then let her sing it. So that was 484 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 7: my first heartbreak. Thank you, Brandy, and so much for that. 485 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 7: Brandy is a star for so many reasons, but her 486 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 7: transition to acting was a game changer. While her first 487 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 7: official role was as Stia's daughter and Thea, it was 488 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 7: really Moesha that made me understand what was possible. It 489 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 7: was the first show that I'd ever seen told from 490 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 7: an ordinary black teenage girl's point of view. Said in La, 491 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 7: the same city I was born in, and we moved 492 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 7: back to that same year it premiered, Brandy made Mosha 493 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,679 Speaker 7: someone I wanted to befriend, the girl I wanted to be. 494 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 7: At a time when beauty standards on television looked nothing 495 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 7: like us, Brandy was the standard. The smile, the eyes, 496 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 7: the braids, the way she carried herself. She was cool 497 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 7: without trying and beautiful without apology. Mosha gave me confidence 498 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 7: over confidence. In some cases, you guys will never see 499 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 7: those pictures, they will never see the light of day, 500 00:25:13,520 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 7: but they're all because of her, and she made it 501 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 7: all look effortless because she was put in so much work, honestly, 502 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 7: and you didn't know that from behind the scenes. But 503 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:29,359 Speaker 7: the most inspirational part of her career is just how 504 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 7: she had no lanes. As her career progressed, so did 505 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 7: her ambitions movies, the first Black Cinderella, as you guys 506 00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 7: heard Broadway producing, she didn't need to stay in one lane. 507 00:25:42,600 --> 00:25:50,679 Speaker 7: To me, Brandy was and is the blueprint. Without Brandy 508 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 7: as Moesha, there's no Parkers, there's no girlfriends, there's no insecure, 509 00:25:56,680 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 7: and honestly, without Mosha, there's no me as a Because 510 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:03,879 Speaker 7: at eleven years old, that show gave me the confidence 511 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 7: to write my very first TV sitcom, which was so, so, 512 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 7: so bad, but thank god I got better. Bradie. I 513 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 7: just want to thank you so much for your impact. 514 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 7: Thank you for showing a little girl from LA that 515 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 7: her story was worth telling. And this star has always 516 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 7: been yours. I love you so much, Thank you for 517 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 7: all you do. 518 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: Native Lampard is a production of iHeart Radio and partnership 519 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 1: with Reising Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit 520 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 521 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.