1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: So it's everyone needs a great pair of wireless earbuds. 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: But before you go dropping hundreds of dollars on a pair, 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 1: you need to check out the wireless earbuds from Recon. 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: Recon earbuds start off about half the price of any 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: other premium wireless earbuds on the market, and they sound 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: just as amazing. The company was actually co founded by 7 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: Ray j and celebrities like Stoop Dog, Melissy Athridge, Cardib, 8 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: Brandy j R. Smith and Moore are already obsessed. Recon's 9 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: wireless earbuds are so comfortable and so easy to take anywhere. 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: Unlike some of your other wireless options, Recon earbuds are 11 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: both stylish and discreet, with no dangling wires or stems. 12 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:37,600 Speaker 1: And of course they don't just look great, they sound 13 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: great too, and they're perfect for listening to all your 14 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: favorite I heart radio podcasts on the go. Recon offers 15 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: their wireless earbuds for everyone in a range of fun 16 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: colors and at an unbeatable price. So go to buy 17 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: Recon dot com slash I heart to get off your order. 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: That's by Recon dot com slash I Heart for off 19 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: Recon why your list of ear buds. If you've been 20 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: eyeing a parent, now is the time to get an 21 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: amazing deal. One more time by raycon dot com slash 22 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: my heart. My next guest is an Olympic champion, something 23 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: I could never do. I'm gonna watch. I'm Olympic champion. Watcher. 24 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: Champions are born in many ways now. To become a 25 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: US Olympic champion, it takes many personal sacrifices and a journey. 26 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: My next guest is a U S Olympic medalist. She 27 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: is Muslim, and she is an activist and she is 28 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: an entrepreneur. Please walking to money making conversation empty hab Muhammad, 29 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: how are you doing? I'm good? How are you? First 30 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: of all, you I love your energy, Thank you, thank you, 31 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: and I would in your book, you know it was 32 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: it was always your search. Your book, the book that 33 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: just comes out of July as Uh called Proud. And 34 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: you have two versions of that correct, one for one 35 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: for the eight to twelve and then the adult version 36 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 1: that I read. I'm saying the dull version of like 37 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: like it's some scary version of adult. But you the 38 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: side of the two verses. Why is that? Well, it's 39 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: always been important for me to hopefully inspire our youth, 40 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: in particular with my journey, and I thought what better 41 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: way to do that than to have a young reader's edition. Yeah. 42 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: I remember, you know, growing up and having these moments 43 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: where you know the behavior of your friends and the 44 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: people around you can affect how you feel about yourself. 45 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,119 Speaker 1: And we all, you know, need that push sometimes. If 46 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: not from the people around us, maybe you can find inspiration, 47 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: maybe in my story or from an athlete or you know, 48 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: someone in in your life. Well, the inspiration I found 49 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: was that you never gave up. Uh. Well, let's go 50 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 1: back a little bit. I remember that when you was 51 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: running track and uh, and your father told you, if 52 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: it gets too hot, it gets to get too much 53 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: for you, just stop. And you stopped when you was 54 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: running track and you ran over to your brother brothers 55 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: and why don't you stop? You were winning and your 56 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 1: mom looked at you. Mom just looked at you. Gave 57 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: that mom looking at your mom. I love to death 58 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 1: in this book. If you want to be inspired by 59 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: anybody in this book, you got to read this book 60 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 1: to read about her mom. She's amazing. That was that 61 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: was the turning point for you on decision making at 62 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: that critical point, at critical point in your life. Correct, Oh, yeah, 63 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: I mean it's I my dad, who um, you know, 64 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 1: worked you know, for most of my childhood more than 65 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: one job, and he wasn't at my track. Me couldn't 66 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: make this one track met I had. And he says, 67 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: you know, if you ever it was really hot outside 68 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: and work her job, He's like, if it ever gets 69 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: too hard or you know, you feel like you can't breathe, 70 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: it's okay to stop. And somewhere in that six hundred 71 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: or eight hundred or whatever existence, but it was I 72 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: decided out, Yeah, it was too hot, I decided to stop. 73 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: But it's interesting how you know, we we perceived things 74 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: even as children as being difficult. And that's definitely the 75 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: training point in my life because my mom, um, you know, 76 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: she's she's always told us, you know, first and foremost, 77 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: don't waste your money, right right right? Yeah, my mom 78 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: she's she's she's a tough cookie. But I think that, uh, 79 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: and stilling a strong work ethic in us um is 80 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: what my parents always tried to do with me and 81 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: my stibiling, and then that's something that I've definitely carried 82 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:33,799 Speaker 1: with me onto the field of play. As an athlete. 83 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: Now now let's talk let's talk about that story. I 84 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: want to gloss over because I think young people who 85 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: read the book there that you read that as well 86 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: as adults. You know that point that you feel that 87 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: you need to give up. Did you feel that you've 88 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: reached your point of frustration or you feel you maxed out? 89 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: That's what you thought at that point when you was 90 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: running the race and then you was giving it out, 91 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: and just because you've given it out, realized that you'd 92 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: always take it, you know, because you did really push yourself. 93 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: Do you feel you push yourself to that point when 94 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: you decided to stop or you just heard your father's 95 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: voice allowing you to just step out on this moment? 96 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: What was that? What was that? What was that moment? 97 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: Because you know, you because your mom gave me some 98 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: advice that you know you have to you want something, 99 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: you have to work for, and you wrote that in 100 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: your book. And so your brother, your brother looked at you, 101 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: like you what you're doing? You were winning? Why stop? 102 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 1: You were winning? So so there was a lot of 103 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: things running your head, I think from a very start 104 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: of that race that led you to make a decision 105 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: that was a very abrupt and without they even thought 106 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: thinking about the process. Because a lot of people make 107 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: those decisions in life, whether it's going to school or 108 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: jobs or relationships, and instead of they regret those decisions. 109 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: Thank goodness, your your decisions to stop running was wasn't 110 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 1: one of those life changing decisions. You know, you can 111 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: always just get on the track the next day, but 112 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: a lot of people do welcous through those steps where 113 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: you made that decision to walk away in that race. Well, again, 114 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: I mean I was really young. This is pretty early. 115 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: I'm not even sure I was in middle school yet. 116 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: And I think that that particular situation, if you're young 117 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: or old, we can all, like you said, you can 118 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: learn from I've had moments like that throughout my career 119 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: where I feel like maybe something is too difficult, or 120 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: this situation might be too hard, and of course it 121 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: may be easier to walk away. As one of very 122 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: few athletes of color on the United States fencing teams 123 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 1: and as the only Muslim woman in hijab on the 124 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 1: United States Olympic team, there's no part of my story 125 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,600 Speaker 1: that's ever been easy, and a lot of it has 126 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: to do with, you know, traveling this this road that 127 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: not other people who look like me have done before. 128 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: So you do reach that kind of crossroad in your 129 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: life where you say, Okay, I haven't seen it done before, 130 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:05,679 Speaker 1: I'm not sure it's possible. I know that it's gonna 131 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: be hard, and I could. It's much easier to say, Okay, 132 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: I'm not going to do it because it's too difficult 133 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: or i'm not sure if it's possible. And my entire 134 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: life has been a leap of faith. And I think 135 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: that my faith in my journey being more having more 136 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: purpose than just it being about me, has led me 137 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 1: to have this type of tenacity to keep pushing forward 138 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: and to be proud of who I am, and be 139 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: proud of my skin, to be proud of my head 140 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 1: jab and and say that this is who I am 141 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: and I don't really care if you if you like 142 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: it or not. I'm going to create a feat at 143 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: the table, not just for me, but people who look 144 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: like me. And that has been something that I've been 145 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: very steadfast and determined to do from the time, you know, 146 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,040 Speaker 1: I really set foot on the Sensing Strip at the 147 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 1: years old. Now it's interesting you're saying that because the 148 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: fact that you have a fashion line, and uh, it's 149 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: called Luella. Right after my grandmother, your grandmother. I went 150 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: to the website and I went, wow, this looks very good, 151 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: looks very very fashion forward. And so what made you 152 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: go into that line? Because you know, this is just me, 153 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: all right, I'm gonna just say this. You know, because 154 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: reading your story, I constantly you constantly wanted to have fun, 155 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: You constantly want to be a regular person, but your 156 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: but your lifestyle. People always wanted to treat you different 157 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: when you walked in the room or I had snive remarks, 158 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: I bullied you, especially in your middle school, in your 159 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,320 Speaker 1: high school years. And then you come out with a 160 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: fashion line. And we're gonna talk about the doll in 161 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: a minute, but let's talk about that and the importance 162 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: of of designing that and laying out a footprint of 163 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: who you are and what people can do and uh 164 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:55,439 Speaker 1: in this in this lifestyle. Yeah. So, as a sports 165 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,199 Speaker 1: ambassador for the US State Department and also as a 166 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 1: public figure within the Muslim community for a really long time, 167 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 1: I've had you know, events where I'm speaking in front 168 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: of you know, a thousand, two thousand, three thousand people, 169 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 1: and as a Muslim woman, I want to be modest 170 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 1: in what I wear. So I struggled to find fashionable, 171 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: modest options in the US market, to be honest, and 172 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: I was ordering a lot of things from overseas, and 173 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: I just kind of arrived at a point in my 174 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: life where I'm like, you know what, there's a void, 175 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: there's a need for this in the United States. Nobody's 176 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: doing it well. And my siblings and I decided that 177 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: we would do that. So we literally started our company 178 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles a leap of faith and really out 179 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: of necessity. It was time for there to be something 180 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: that's made here in the United States for women who 181 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: want to dress modestly but also be fashionable. Being modest 182 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 1: doesn't mean being doudy or wearing dark colors. I mean 183 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: muscle women like anyone else, want to spressed ourselves through 184 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: what our what we wear. And it just seems very 185 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: fitting for me and my siblings to start the company. Now, 186 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: all the all those siblings, and there's your brother, older brother. 187 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: He's involved. He is for a really long time. He 188 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 1: oversees the productive I've read your I read your brother, 189 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: you know, so he's really he's a great character in 190 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: the book as far as stamps stepping up for you, 191 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 1: especially when a young man bullied you and pinch your 192 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: on real hard. He's right there with you. Oh yeah, 193 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: he was great for sticking up. Friend. Are well, we 194 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: want we want go and take a break right quick, 195 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: and we're gonna come back. And I want to talk 196 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: about the dramatic moment when you made two decisions wanted 197 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: to walk away from fencing and wanted to change your 198 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: major Those are two major decisions that uh that that 199 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: made you who you are who you are today. And 200 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,719 Speaker 1: we'll be right back with money making conversations. She's fantastic. 201 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 1: She's the Olympic champion. And guess what I'm talking to 202 00:10:55,080 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: our money making conversations keep winning. All this was Sean McDonald. 203 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to money making conversations on the phone. Olympic 204 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:11,480 Speaker 1: champion medalists, US Olympic medalists. Uh. Fashion designer, well this 205 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: she has a doll. The tails put out in the 206 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: in their shiro line, um their empty hat. Muhammed, tell 207 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 1: me a doll. You have a doll? Now, A damn? 208 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: What happened when you've realized that was happening to you? 209 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: Actually going to be immortalized in the toy world. I 210 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: have always been a fan of Martin. Mean, brother, I 211 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: thought you were psyched right when you when they showed it, 212 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: you use popped up right. To be completely honest, I cried, 213 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,200 Speaker 1: I mean, I didn't know. I didn't know that, you know, 214 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: this toy was going to market. Mattel has a Shiro 215 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: line in which they, you know, make a doll for 216 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: their kind of halt Mattel Hall of Scene. Uh, for 217 00:11:55,400 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: a woman every year who embodies these different qualities them. Yeah, 218 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: that women that that girls in particular can look up 219 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: to aspire to be find inspiration. And so I thought that, 220 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, it's great to be a part of this 221 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: long line of women like Ava du verne Um and 222 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: Ashley Graham, and that was an honor in itself. But 223 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: to find out that my Barbie doll, which is the 224 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: first doll and hijab and also the first spencer that 225 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: Mattel will have on toy shelves, it, you know, to 226 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: be honest again, it made me. It brought me to tears. 227 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 1: I grew up playing with Barbie. Barbie was a huge 228 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:38,719 Speaker 1: part of my life. It allows me to view myself 229 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: in a way that very few other things in my 230 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: life did and allowed me to escape from my older 231 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: brother who believed me at times. That allowed me the firefighter, 232 00:12:49,520 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: you know, to be a doctor, to be at sahole. Mom, 233 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,679 Speaker 1: I had a cornvett, I had a three story house 234 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,440 Speaker 1: with a pool. Other if I had all these cool 235 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: things with my Barbie doll and I think what was 236 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:04,200 Speaker 1: most important about my doll play as a kid is 237 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: that my mom only bought brown dolls for me and 238 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: my sisters. And that was her you know, small way 239 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: and ensuring that her daughter saw themselves represented, even if 240 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 1: something as simple as as doll plays. So I'm again 241 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: very honored to be a part of the Mattel company, 242 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: especially in this really important moment. You know, for a 243 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 1: company to choose to be inclusive, to choose to be diverse, 244 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 1: is revolutionary. There are a lot of people, especially you know, 245 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 1: with this presidency, who aren't choosing that that side of history. 246 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: So I'm very appreciative. Okay, So, so you got a 247 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: fashion line, Luella named after your grandmother. Now you're part 248 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:46,959 Speaker 1: of the Shiro doll line. Okay, so these things are 249 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: happening to you, young lady, and you didn't and so 250 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: it but he walked away from fencing. Why you're referring 251 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: to me walking away from saying when I was in college, UM, 252 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,800 Speaker 1: you know, I I, like anyone at that time in 253 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: my life, wanted to experience college and UM all of 254 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: its capacity. And when you're a student athlete at you know, 255 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 1: one of the top five schools in the country, it's 256 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: very difficult to balance you know, academia, athletics and a 257 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: social life and being again being in in a space 258 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: as a minority athlete. You know, I was the only 259 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,239 Speaker 1: black person all my fencing team. It was hard. It's difficult, 260 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: and I think after three years of of fencing at Duke, 261 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: I just needed maybe a bit of a reprieve also 262 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: to just kind of enjoy my time away from, you know, everything, 263 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,080 Speaker 1: being in North Carolina for that last year. And so 264 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: you you you walk away from it in college should 265 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 1: have established that time frame from me because you went like, okay, 266 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: when is he talking about that? Evoked away from But 267 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: the thing about it is that you did graduate with 268 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: your degree, but it wasn't a degree that your parents 269 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: thought you should be graduating because they had a plan 270 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: for you to be a doctor. That was a tough 271 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: decision for you to make because you know, as all parents, 272 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: like my parents expected certain things to me when I 273 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: went to college. And when I decided that that wasn't 274 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: what the plan, their plan wasn't my plan. That was 275 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: a tough decision because your father, being a police officer, 276 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, he worked hard, your mom worked hard. Your 277 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: mom was at all your practice. He drugged you from 278 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: out of New York, drub you New York to practice, 279 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: end the time, to go to these tournaments, to make 280 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: sure they paid that extra thirty dollars the entry fees. 281 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: So they've always been there trying to give you that 282 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: next level, all their kids, not just you, but all 283 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: of your all their kids, that next level of opportunity 284 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: of success. And so you make a decision for yourself, 285 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: really officially, probably for the first time, to change your major. 286 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: How did that times I'm about and when you made 287 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: that phone call, what made you relax? Well? I think 288 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: that you know it's not I don't think that my 289 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: story is unique in a sense that you have black 290 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: parents or brown parents even who have a very you know, 291 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: my optic idea of what they want their children to do. 292 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: And my parents need to be a doctor, lawyer, you 293 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: need to be a doctor, lawyer. And for as long 294 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: as I can remember, I mean, we never even had 295 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: a break academically. We went from you know school uh 296 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: nine or ten months out of the year, two pre 297 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: college programs at local meddle coal schools and colleges. And 298 00:16:42,080 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: that's I mean. I have a mother who's been um 299 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: in education for forever, so um too to have this 300 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: mindset of Okay, I'm going to be a doctor for 301 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: my entire life. When I got to school, I realized, 302 00:16:57,240 --> 00:16:59,560 Speaker 1: wait a second, this isn't you know, my dream. I 303 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: think this is more of my parents dream. And it 304 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: took me a long time to arrive at that at 305 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:09,119 Speaker 1: that realization, and um, when I did, it was it 306 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: was great for me because I got a chance to 307 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,439 Speaker 1: really study things that were important to me. I know 308 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: that being a child of the public school system, I 309 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 1: didn't have the opportunity to learn a lot about my 310 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: own history as an African American, and I was very 311 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:28,239 Speaker 1: um aware that I wanted to learn as much as 312 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: I could, uh during my time at Duke about my 313 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: ancestors and you know where I'm from and how um 314 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: the African American experience has really broken down and right 315 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: to where we are today. So it was a conscious 316 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 1: decisions and not I'm only you know, major in UM 317 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: International relations because I've always been interested in culture and language, 318 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: but also to double major in African and African American 319 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: studies because I feel like it was something that I 320 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,640 Speaker 1: owed to, you know, my ancestors too, literally laid down 321 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: their lives so that I could have an experience the 322 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:14,600 Speaker 1: things that I've experienced. Spears on the state. I let 323 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: me co sign that all my degrees in mathematics about 324 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 1: minor is in sociology, UH would have emphasis in African 325 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:25,240 Speaker 1: American studies. And she's she's saying something that's very truthful 326 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: about public school. Um did they just skipped over African 327 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: American history? And then when I got to college, I 328 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,399 Speaker 1: took a course that actually brought me to tears, and 329 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: I realized I didn't know that we did any of 330 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: these things, you know, because really the way African way 331 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: history works for African Americans. You know, you have Christmas addicts. 332 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: You know, he died at he died he's the first band, 333 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 1: and they said he kind of like got pushed in 334 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: the line of fire and then we get freed, and 335 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: you have the gym Crow. They don't really mention our 336 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: efforts in the science and technology. There's no really mentioned 337 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,800 Speaker 1: of our efforts in any of the world wars um 338 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:05,760 Speaker 1: and then all of a sudden, you up to the 339 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 1: brown voice of avoid education and you did I have 340 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 1: a dream speech and you have the riots when okay, 341 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: w du the king is assassinated and then we're here, 342 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: you know, and we're disenfranchised, and so not knowing your history, 343 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 1: I think it's very important because if you don't know 344 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 1: what you could be, or what you were or what 345 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: you can be, it can really slow your growth on 346 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: what you should be and what you're capable of becoming. 347 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: And I wanted to just co sign that that was 348 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: really important for me, and I'm a male, to gether 349 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:41,280 Speaker 1: that level of information in my life. It changed me. 350 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: It changed me. I'm just telling you it changed my life. 351 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:47,080 Speaker 1: It really it does. And I wish that more people 352 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: knew that, and not just African Americans. I think it's 353 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: important for us um as a society, as Americans to 354 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,440 Speaker 1: be more aware of our own history. And I think 355 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: that's how we've arrived to where we are today, to 356 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: live in a time where you know, our government is 357 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: snatching you know, children from their homes and separating families 358 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: is it's bizarre, and a lot of people are saying like, 359 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: how does it happen. It's like, well, if we take 360 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 1: a few steps back and we really look at our 361 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:20,200 Speaker 1: history and the things that in the atrocities that our 362 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: government has committed, then I think it's it would be 363 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: easier for us to understand how we arrive in this 364 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:32,159 Speaker 1: moment really quickly. I went to Rwanda last summer UM 365 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: on like a service trip for the State Department and 366 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: with a nonprofit and it's really interesting to see a 367 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: country that's experienced um such a traumatic event within the 368 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: last years and how to scope with it. They talk 369 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: about the genocide every day. They have a memorial, they 370 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: have memorial museums, and they have these different um trips 371 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,480 Speaker 1: where they're constantly bringing people and it's very new. There's 372 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: a lot of tears that are old shed because you know, 373 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: like generations were lost and you have people who committed 374 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 1: you know, the killings next to survivors having to live 375 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: side by side. But I think what's really what's really 376 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: important to learn about Rwandan is that they talk about 377 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: what happened. They educate their kids so that it doesn't 378 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: happen again. And that's something that I think we're failing 379 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: miserably as Americans because we don't talk about our history 380 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: if it's bad, or if it's in any way, shape 381 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,000 Speaker 1: or form includes black or brown bodies. And I think 382 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: that's how we arrive at this moment in time where 383 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: you have, you know, so much police brutality, you have 384 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: families being separated as the borders because you know, we 385 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: we failed to educate ourselves on our own history and 386 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: what we've committed. Well great, I want to tell everybody, 387 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 1: please buy our book. It's called Proud. Please buy her 388 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 1: doll in the shero line, Please buy her fashion line. 389 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:58,159 Speaker 1: She's a she's a marketing genius, and she's a social 390 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:01,200 Speaker 1: activist and she's creating change when she walks out the door. 391 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 1: Please thank you for calling our show. This is money 392 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: making conversation. Listening makes us smarter, more connected people. It 393 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: makes us better partners, parents, and leaders. And there's no 394 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 1: better place to start listening than Audible. Audible is where 395 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: so many inspiring voices and compelling stories open listeners up 396 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,360 Speaker 1: to new experiences in ways of thinking. Audible members now 397 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,640 Speaker 1: get more than ever before. Members choose three titles every month, 398 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,440 Speaker 1: one audiobook plus two Audible originals that you can't hear 399 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: anywhere else. Members also have unlimited access to more than 400 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: a hundred audio guided fitness and meditation programs. Audible delivers 401 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: best sellers, business, self improvement memoirs, and more, all professionally 402 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,479 Speaker 1: narrated by actors, authors, and motivational superstars like Rachel Hollis, 403 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: David Goggins, and Mel Robbins. Audible members can also get 404 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: free access to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, 405 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 1: and Washington Post delivered daily to the Audible app. With 406 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:52,199 Speaker 1: a convenient app, members can access Audible any time at 407 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 1: the gym, while commuting or on the go, and on 408 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: any device will always pick right back up where you 409 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: left off. Audible also offers free and easy audiobook exchanges. 410 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,680 Speaker 1: Credits you can roll over for a year in a 411 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: library you keep forever even if you cancel. Explore all 412 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: the ways listening on Audible can help improve mind, body, 413 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: and soul with entertainment, information and inspiration. You can get 414 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: titles from your favorite I Heeart talent, such as Chelsea Handler, 415 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: Danny Shapiro, Charlemagne, The God, and Bobby bones on Audible. 416 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: Start listening now with a thirty day Audible trial and 417 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: your first audiobook plus two Audible originals, are free. Visit 418 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: audible dot com slash I heart or text I heeart 419 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,360 Speaker 1: to five hundred, five hundred