WEBVTT - NAACP’s Jevin Hodge on the Importance Community Organizing

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<v Speaker 1>Broadcasting from the Hip Hop Weekly Studios. I'd like to

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<v Speaker 1>welcome you to another episode of Civic Cipher, where our

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<v Speaker 1>mission is to foster allyship empathy and understanding. I'm your host,

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<v Speaker 1>Rams this job. He is Rams this job, I am Qward.

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<v Speaker 1>You are tuned into Civic Scipher as you are, and

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<v Speaker 1>we would like for you to stick around today because

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<v Speaker 1>we have a special guest in the building. He goes

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<v Speaker 1>by the name of Jevin Hodge.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome back to the show, Jenny. A great to be here,

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<v Speaker 2>looking forward to this conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely, And for those that don't know, Jevin serves as

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<v Speaker 1>the president of an INACP branch representing nearly two million people.

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<v Speaker 1>He is currently leading one of the nation's most historic

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<v Speaker 1>and influential civil rights organizations in advancing equity, opportunity, and

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<v Speaker 1>community empowerment. He previously served as a state representative and

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<v Speaker 1>a former congressional candidate. And we have a lot to

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<v Speaker 1>talk about with him today, including really the conversation that

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<v Speaker 1>we want to have is kind of the role of

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<v Speaker 1>local organizing, local politics and how people can get involved

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<v Speaker 1>and should people we'll get involved. So again, Jevin is

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<v Speaker 1>the expert, and so far as things like that are

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<v Speaker 1>concerned because neither myself nor Q has gone that far

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<v Speaker 1>politically speaking, But we'd certainly love to get your thoughts.

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<v Speaker 1>And I know for a lot of people around the country,

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<v Speaker 1>pushing back against kind of some of the recent goings

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<v Speaker 1>on politically is something that a lot of people are

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<v Speaker 1>interested and so we appreciate you taking the time to

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<v Speaker 1>stop by. For those that are able to check out

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<v Speaker 1>the second half of the show or check out some

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<v Speaker 1>online content, we will be discussing the boycotting of the

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<v Speaker 1>boycott of DEI. So this is something that was called

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<v Speaker 1>for by Reverend Al Sharpton and it is a way

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<v Speaker 1>to sort of exert some form of power over what's

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<v Speaker 1>happening around all of us. And so we're gonna kind

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<v Speaker 1>of dissect that and examine the merits, the pros and

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<v Speaker 1>cons of that maneuver. But before we go too far,

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<v Speaker 1>let le kick off some ebony excellence, shall we? Yes, sir,

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<v Speaker 1>I think we shall. So today's ebony excellence comes from

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<v Speaker 1>the Black Information Network. Class is now in session at

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<v Speaker 1>Hillman Talk University. Black professors have gone viral for sharing

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<v Speaker 1>their syllabi and reading materials through TikTok, allowing users to

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<v Speaker 1>digitally engage in their curriculum. The viral trend was sparked

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<v Speaker 1>by doctor Barlow, an African American studies professor, who was

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<v Speaker 1>initially using the platform to interact with students in her

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<v Speaker 1>physical classroom. As her videos gained traction, other TikTokers who

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<v Speaker 1>weren't Barlow students began watching her videos to learn more

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<v Speaker 1>about what she was teaching. Throughout the semester, more black

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<v Speaker 1>professors began sharing their course expectations and reading materials to

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<v Speaker 1>educate TikTokers on various subjects, from history to financial literacy.

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<v Speaker 1>One oh one two screenwriting professors are now offering free,

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<v Speaker 1>weekly live classes and corresponding homework assignments at what has

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<v Speaker 1>been dubbed Hillman Talk University. Doctor Barlow said she was

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<v Speaker 1>shocked to learn that the video she initially shared for

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<v Speaker 1>her thirty person classroom sparked a viral trend. The African

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<v Speaker 1>American studies professor has now created a TikTok syllabus specifically

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<v Speaker 1>for her digital students to follow. And you know, Q

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<v Speaker 1>and I were talking about this. We love this story.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, doctor Barlow, you are our ebony excellence this

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<v Speaker 1>week again right now a lot of people are dealing

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<v Speaker 1>with a lot of hopelessness, especially when it comes to

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<v Speaker 1>we'll call it CRT because that's what is popularly known as,

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<v Speaker 1>but really American history, black history being taught in its

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<v Speaker 1>full glory, and for people to take this online gain

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<v Speaker 1>some traction and actually get students enrolled and have syllabus

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<v Speaker 1>and have it be a formal thing. We just think

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<v Speaker 1>that's just a fantastic effort and we wanted to applaud you.

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<v Speaker 3>Pang Gomash to Himan College from a different World is

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<v Speaker 3>a really cool shout out to.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely so Jevin Hodge again, thank you for coming back.

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<v Speaker 2>To this show. I appreciate being here. I just really quickly,

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<v Speaker 2>especially to all the viewers out there and the listeners

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<v Speaker 2>out there. These two brothers right here are holding it

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<v Speaker 2>down nationwide. So q Ramses, thank you so much speaking

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<v Speaker 2>truth to power but really upholding journalistic integrity and bringing

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<v Speaker 2>the light these stories. I love this Hillman Talk story.

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<v Speaker 2>I've been following it very closely, and I'm so happy

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<v Speaker 2>to see that it was the ev Any Excellence for this.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yes, sir, so y'all, thank you for including me

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<v Speaker 2>and having me back.

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<v Speaker 1>On the show this week with you all sure, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>So let's start where we're supposed to start. The NAACP,

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<v Speaker 1>the NAACP and the minds and the hearts of a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of people, is a civil rights organization that kind

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<v Speaker 1>of encompassed and defined the movement of our grandparents, in

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<v Speaker 1>some cases our great grandparents. And you know, because Q

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<v Speaker 1>and I happened to work with civil rights organizations all

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<v Speaker 1>over the country and you know, individual local chapters as well,

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<v Speaker 1>we happen to know that the NAACP or the NAACP.

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<v Speaker 2>I should say, is.

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<v Speaker 1>Really, I don't want to say, making an effort, let's say,

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<v Speaker 1>has made an effort to include a new generation of

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<v Speaker 1>people to kind of continue the work there. So do

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<v Speaker 1>us a favorite talk to us a little bit about

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<v Speaker 1>your role within the NAACP, and really what the NAACP,

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<v Speaker 1>what this new leaf looks like, and what it means

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<v Speaker 1>to people on the ground.

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<v Speaker 2>I appreciate the question to start. The NAACP is the

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<v Speaker 2>nation's law longest serving civil rights organization. Started in nineteen

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<v Speaker 2>oh nine, right, that's one hundred and twenty six years ago.

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<v Speaker 2>This organization has been on the front lines fighting for

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<v Speaker 2>the advance The National Association for the advancement of colored people,

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<v Speaker 2>fighting for equal rights, fighting for justice for all under

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<v Speaker 2>the law, fighting for economic empowerment, housing security, you name it.

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<v Speaker 2>This organization has been at the forefront, and I have

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<v Speaker 2>to say it is an absolute honor to serve in

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<v Speaker 2>a role. I am a local president of the NAACP

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<v Speaker 2>representing two million individuals. In a way that this works

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<v Speaker 2>is the national can't answer the call for every civil

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<v Speaker 2>rights violation or every inaction injustice that has served in

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<v Speaker 2>this country. So the NAACP is set up in such

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<v Speaker 2>a way where the branch chapters or units as they're

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<v Speaker 2>called within the organization have the jurisdiction and ability to

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<v Speaker 2>under their charter, to live out the organization's mission and

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<v Speaker 2>vision in their local jurisdiction. So the same exact way,

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<v Speaker 2>you have the naac pre president of at Los Angeles,

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<v Speaker 2>you have the of a CP president of Shreveport, Louisiana.

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<v Speaker 2>You have the NAACP president in Tampa, Florida. You have

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<v Speaker 2>the NAACP President of Wichital Kansas. And working in unison

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<v Speaker 2>to protect the rights, to advance equity, and to ensure

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<v Speaker 2>that we have we're living fulfilling the mission and obligation

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<v Speaker 2>of our constitution right, and that declaration that makes the

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<v Speaker 2>United States what it is, that that that we're all

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<v Speaker 2>self evident, that all men and women are created equal,

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<v Speaker 2>that they are endowed by their creators with those certain

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<v Speaker 2>inalienable rights and what are they life liberty and in

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<v Speaker 2>pursuit of happiness right. And so that's our constitution, that's

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<v Speaker 2>the creed that we all subscribe to as Americans. But

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<v Speaker 2>the one thing that we know for certain is that

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<v Speaker 2>it hasn't been like that for us. And and the

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<v Speaker 2>NAACP role is to keep holding individuals and institutions accountable

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<v Speaker 2>until we are all are free.

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<v Speaker 3>You know, rams Is made a point earlier, and I

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<v Speaker 3>want to know kind of what steps can we take

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<v Speaker 3>to further something that he hinted that but that I

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<v Speaker 3>think we have not fulfilled and that we owe it

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<v Speaker 3>to our people to do. When most people here in AACP,

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<v Speaker 3>they do think longest standing legacy civil rights organization, but

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<v Speaker 3>they think of it as something of the past. They

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<v Speaker 3>see that a lot of our leadership are are our grandparents' age,

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<v Speaker 3>and in this effort to reach the generation that now

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<v Speaker 3>should be leading us right that the passing of the baton,

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<v Speaker 3>I think shouldn't even be to people our age. You know,

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<v Speaker 3>doctor King accomplished so much in his twenties. Yep, that's

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<v Speaker 3>exactly right, you know what I mean. So, how is

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<v Speaker 3>it that we get that generation, who at some point

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<v Speaker 3>will be the majority of our country, to be more engaged,

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<v Speaker 3>more leading their generation into taking these steps so that

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<v Speaker 3>they don't live most of their lives in this place

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<v Speaker 3>where we just arrived a week ago or a couple

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<v Speaker 3>of weeks ago.

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<v Speaker 2>In Q, I love how you just position that and

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<v Speaker 2>Ramses you talked about turning the leaf, passing the generational baton.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm thirty one years old, and our organization represents nearly

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<v Speaker 2>two million people, right, and that's our service area. We

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<v Speaker 2>have to tell the story. I'm one of the youngest

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<v Speaker 2>chapter presidents Unit presidents in the country, leading this civil

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<v Speaker 2>rights organization, one of the youngest people in the fold,

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<v Speaker 2>leading this organization, and we need to showcase that, Q

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<v Speaker 2>to your point that this is for everyone, right, and

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<v Speaker 2>our generation is going to be the generation that fights back. Right.

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<v Speaker 2>Doctor King wasn't in his fifties. Doctor King wasn't even

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<v Speaker 2>in his forties. Doctor King, like you said, was in

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<v Speaker 2>his twenties and in his thirties when he led the

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<v Speaker 2>civil right its movement and is going to be us

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<v Speaker 2>up to us, right, It's going to be up to

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<v Speaker 2>us the generation that is mostly impacted by this. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>just let's just use this for a second. I'm want

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<v Speaker 2>to answer the second part of your question. If you're

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<v Speaker 2>a millennial, you have lived through an economic depression, you

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<v Speaker 2>have lived through a global pandemic, you are likely crippled

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<v Speaker 2>in debt, and you have seen a tyrant elected twice

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<v Speaker 2>to be the President of the United States that has

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<v Speaker 2>displayed in the first nine days of his presidency an

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<v Speaker 2>authoritarian role in this country. And you are a millennial,

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<v Speaker 2>you might have school age children might right, And so

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<v Speaker 2>it is going to be young people that drives this

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<v Speaker 2>country forward. And the reason why I personally believe the

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<v Speaker 2>NAACP is so vitally important in this moment is because

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<v Speaker 2>the NAACP is nonpartisan. The NAACP does not take sides.

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<v Speaker 2>They just hold people accountable. You could be a bad

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<v Speaker 2>personal to right, you could be a bad personal left.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to get the job done. And when you

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<v Speaker 2>think about what is important right now in this moment,

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<v Speaker 2>it is protecting the future of our democracy. It is

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<v Speaker 2>ensuring that all people have economic justice in this country.

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<v Speaker 2>It is ensuring that people have a place to live

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<v Speaker 2>right housing security, It is ensuring that our education system

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<v Speaker 2>isn't dismantled from within. And so if you're passionate about

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<v Speaker 2>those issues, then the NAACP is a home for you,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's a home for you that comes with a

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<v Speaker 2>brand and legacy that people respect and take serious.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, I appreciate you reminding everyone that the NAACP as

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<v Speaker 1>they wish to be referred to as. Now, so that's

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<v Speaker 1>why you hear us kind of going back and forth

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<v Speaker 1>with how we're referencing them. But the NAACP is nonpartisan. However,

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<v Speaker 1>I would have to imagine that just like with every administration,

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<v Speaker 1>there has to have been a particularly strong reaction to

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<v Speaker 1>the Trump administration in the first handful of days of

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<v Speaker 1>the administration kind of taking power, and this has caused

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of concern for a lot of people on

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<v Speaker 1>the ground, certainly people that listen to this show communities affected.

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<v Speaker 1>You know where this show is broadcast, and we've heard

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<v Speaker 1>it stated that community organization. Community is where we need

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<v Speaker 1>to focus on. Community is where we need to pull

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<v Speaker 1>our resources and create robust, enduring, well formatted, call it systems,

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<v Speaker 1>so that for people who this administration hits the hardest,

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<v Speaker 1>enduring will be less of a chore, less of a

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<v Speaker 1>less burden. Right, So I would like for you to

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<v Speaker 1>talk to us a bit about what community organization entails

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<v Speaker 1>and indeed what the NAACP and similar orgs think, The

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<v Speaker 1>Urban League think, the National Council Negro Women comes to mind,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, these other orgs. What is the role that

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<v Speaker 1>they can that these organizations can play in attracting and

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<v Speaker 1>helping communities organize their efforts in remaining afloat, so to speak,

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<v Speaker 1>during this these four years.

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<v Speaker 2>I would I would say it sums up to this.

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<v Speaker 2>The role of these legacy organizations, these community organizations is

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<v Speaker 2>to serve as the convener, the educator, the organizer, and

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<v Speaker 2>the mobilizer. And when we can do those four things effectively,

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<v Speaker 2>we have a community that is united and that is

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<v Speaker 2>moving in unison. We have an abundance of organizations serving

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<v Speaker 2>our community in some way shaping for right. Urban League

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<v Speaker 2>is doing its role right, the NAACP is doing its

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<v Speaker 2>role right. And then as you look to our other counterparts,

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<v Speaker 2>you got lou Lack. That's doing their role. Right, you

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<v Speaker 2>have these organizations that are on the front lines. But

0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:32.280
<v Speaker 2>right now, more than ever, these organizations and I said

0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:33.880
<v Speaker 2>this not too long I said this at our last

0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:37.840
<v Speaker 2>NAACP meeting, said We're no longer on the front lines.

0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:42.840
<v Speaker 2>We are now special forces. And what we have to

0:14:42.880 --> 0:14:45.440
<v Speaker 2>do now is that we have to reinsert ourselves into

0:14:45.480 --> 0:14:48.760
<v Speaker 2>the community to provide that community education as to why

0:14:49.040 --> 0:14:52.840
<v Speaker 2>their rights are being disenfranchised, why they are being impacted.

0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:55.920
<v Speaker 2>We have to recruit these people to be into the

0:14:55.960 --> 0:14:59.000
<v Speaker 2>fight with us by educating them on what they are

0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:02.640
<v Speaker 2>missing out on, knowing their rights trainings, right, understanding what

0:15:03.960 --> 0:15:08.120
<v Speaker 2>a federal freeze means to them in their everyday life, sure, right,

0:15:08.440 --> 0:15:12.480
<v Speaker 2>and then using the levers that we have to put

0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:17.880
<v Speaker 2>pressure on the institutions, right, that is mobilizing, to put

0:15:17.920 --> 0:15:21.320
<v Speaker 2>pressure on your elected member of your congress, or state

0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:25.040
<v Speaker 2>representative or state senator or city council member, organizing folks

0:15:25.080 --> 0:15:28.400
<v Speaker 2>that they can participate in the democratic process. The entire

0:15:28.480 --> 0:15:31.640
<v Speaker 2>reason that we're in this problem where we're at right

0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:37.680
<v Speaker 2>this second, is because of the systemic and the systemic

0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:44.000
<v Speaker 2>disenfranchisement of limiting people's voices to participate in their democracy.

0:15:44.240 --> 0:15:48.040
<v Speaker 2>The people do not want this administration, but the people

0:15:48.160 --> 0:15:52.040
<v Speaker 2>aren't voting, right. Bad politicians do not get elected by

0:15:52.080 --> 0:15:55.160
<v Speaker 2>good people. Bad politicians get elected by people who are

0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:59.280
<v Speaker 2>apathetic or not participating in the system. So that community

0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:03.000
<v Speaker 2>organization is making sure people are registered to vote, that

0:16:03.040 --> 0:16:06.400
<v Speaker 2>they understand what is happening, that they're participating in their democracy,

0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.720
<v Speaker 2>that they're contacting their elected representatives, that we're giving them

0:16:09.760 --> 0:16:12.240
<v Speaker 2>the resources to go down to these city council members

0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:15.280
<v Speaker 2>and these state legislators and to these members of Congress

0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:18.160
<v Speaker 2>to share their stories as to how you know, because

0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:21.600
<v Speaker 2>grandma just lost her benefits, right, Grandma is not going

0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:24.960
<v Speaker 2>to get meals on wheels today, right, That is where

0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:29.600
<v Speaker 2>she's getting her only sense of food. Right. And this

0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:32.760
<v Speaker 2>is impacting us no matter where we're at in this country.

0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:36.840
<v Speaker 2>So that community organization is so vitally important because strength

0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:40.840
<v Speaker 2>is in numbers. But if you aren't participating in the system,

0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:44.120
<v Speaker 2>you can't get mad when the system choose you up

0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:47.960
<v Speaker 2>and spits you out. Right, And when you've been pushed

0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:50.280
<v Speaker 2>on and stepped on by the system for so long,

0:16:50.680 --> 0:16:53.840
<v Speaker 2>you don't want to participate. But it's our role to

0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:57.320
<v Speaker 2>remind folks that they do have power, that their voice

0:16:57.440 --> 0:17:01.360
<v Speaker 2>does matter, that they are important, and that's what we're

0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:03.360
<v Speaker 2>going to do, you know, That's that's what this is

0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:03.880
<v Speaker 2>all about.

0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:07.400
<v Speaker 3>We notice people pay a lot of attention to national

0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:12.760
<v Speaker 3>elections and then after they don't go the way that

0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:17.719
<v Speaker 3>they like or that we like, that apathy does kick in.

0:17:17.800 --> 0:17:21.399
<v Speaker 3>People do disconnect and throw their hands up, and what

0:17:21.400 --> 0:17:26.159
<v Speaker 3>do we do now? Right the role of not just

0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:30.880
<v Speaker 3>civil rights organizations, but community organizers, the community itself when

0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:35.000
<v Speaker 3>it comes to local politics, when it comes to local

0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:40.119
<v Speaker 3>civic engagement, when it comes to finding a plan, because

0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:46.080
<v Speaker 3>a lot of people's angst right now is is there

0:17:46.119 --> 0:17:51.680
<v Speaker 3>anything that we can do? Like what's next? What role

0:17:51.760 --> 0:17:56.280
<v Speaker 3>do organizations like the NAACP play in moments like that

0:17:56.480 --> 0:18:00.560
<v Speaker 3>where we live? How does it affect where we live

0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:03.480
<v Speaker 3>right now? And what can we do to make change?

0:18:03.560 --> 0:18:09.400
<v Speaker 1>Well, there's a few different direct roles that.

0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:14.959
<v Speaker 2>The NAACP plays and organizations like it. Number one is,

0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:19.720
<v Speaker 2>like I said, providing that community education. Folks just do

0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:23.360
<v Speaker 2>not have the information that they need to be successful.

0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:27.480
<v Speaker 2>And this administration is flooding the market and they're doing

0:18:27.480 --> 0:18:30.960
<v Speaker 2>this as a strategic approach to confuse people and to

0:18:31.080 --> 0:18:34.320
<v Speaker 2>keep people all, you know, so discombobulated that they have

0:18:34.400 --> 0:18:36.639
<v Speaker 2>no clue what's happening. So it is our role to

0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:39.920
<v Speaker 2>make sure that we are providing that education and information.

0:18:40.359 --> 0:18:46.040
<v Speaker 2>Number two is participation in the democratic process, and the

0:18:46.240 --> 0:18:51.000
<v Speaker 2>NAACP is a nonpartisan organization. However, we can ensure that

0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:53.439
<v Speaker 2>folks are registered to vote, that they have all the

0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:56.040
<v Speaker 2>information that they need, that we're mobilizing people to vote,

0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:58.600
<v Speaker 2>that they're reminding them about their elections, and providing the

0:18:58.640 --> 0:19:01.439
<v Speaker 2>scorecards of people been on the right side of history

0:19:01.640 --> 0:19:04.080
<v Speaker 2>and the right side of civil rights. And then last,

0:19:04.480 --> 0:19:12.520
<v Speaker 2>the last opportunity here that what can happen immediately is

0:19:13.000 --> 0:19:18.920
<v Speaker 2>that the NAACP can leverage its membership. It can leverage

0:19:19.000 --> 0:19:24.679
<v Speaker 2>the legal redress process, because there are multiple ways to

0:19:24.840 --> 0:19:28.240
<v Speaker 2>set the legal precedent in this country. And we've learned

0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:31.920
<v Speaker 2>that right schools were integrated because of Brown v. Board

0:19:31.960 --> 0:19:37.879
<v Speaker 2>of Education Right and because of infraction or because of

0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:40.879
<v Speaker 2>a violation that may occur at a local branch level.

0:19:41.359 --> 0:19:43.879
<v Speaker 2>It is the legal response that we have on our

0:19:43.960 --> 0:19:47.040
<v Speaker 2>side right now, because legal president doesn't just happen to

0:19:47.040 --> 0:19:50.480
<v Speaker 2>happen to have it doesn't just happen to have to

0:19:50.640 --> 0:19:54.439
<v Speaker 2>happen at the Supreme Court level, it can happen at

0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:57.240
<v Speaker 2>any of the federal court levels or state court levels.

0:19:58.200 --> 0:20:02.679
<v Speaker 2>And when you can lies these opportunities to dictate the

0:20:02.720 --> 0:20:05.880
<v Speaker 2>strategy based off of the legal response, that is going

0:20:05.880 --> 0:20:07.560
<v Speaker 2>to put the ball in our court. Do we know

0:20:08.040 --> 0:20:11.080
<v Speaker 2>why did the federal freeze stop because a judge said

0:20:11.080 --> 0:20:14.240
<v Speaker 2>that it was unconstitutional? Because we had the legal precedent

0:20:14.240 --> 0:20:18.680
<v Speaker 2>that states that it is unconstitutional. And so we have

0:20:18.760 --> 0:20:25.200
<v Speaker 2>to be incredibly surgical with our approach right and incredibly

0:20:25.520 --> 0:20:29.399
<v Speaker 2>coordinated with our partners, and our community needs to be

0:20:29.520 --> 0:20:34.000
<v Speaker 2>incredibly informed because the legal response is going to be

0:20:34.000 --> 0:20:38.280
<v Speaker 2>a significant part of what happens here over the next

0:20:38.320 --> 0:20:41.359
<v Speaker 2>four years in the future of this country because we

0:20:41.440 --> 0:20:44.960
<v Speaker 2>still have very good people in the judicial system that

0:20:45.040 --> 0:20:46.560
<v Speaker 2>upholds judicial integrity.

0:20:46.800 --> 0:20:51.879
<v Speaker 1>So I'll be honest. That made me feel hopeful, and

0:20:52.000 --> 0:20:55.000
<v Speaker 1>I'm looking for hopeful wherever I can get it, So

0:20:55.040 --> 0:20:58.760
<v Speaker 1>thank you for that. I got about a minute, so

0:20:58.840 --> 0:21:02.200
<v Speaker 1>it's not a lot of time. But for folks who

0:21:03.119 --> 0:21:08.280
<v Speaker 1>maybe they have been thinking about running for their own

0:21:09.880 --> 0:21:14.719
<v Speaker 1>city council, their own you know whatever, local office, what

0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:16.919
<v Speaker 1>do you say to them who they might be on

0:21:16.960 --> 0:21:19.879
<v Speaker 1>the cuss they might be intimidated by it. What advice

0:21:19.920 --> 0:21:22.600
<v Speaker 1>would you have where do they start? Anything that comes

0:21:22.640 --> 0:21:24.000
<v Speaker 1>to mind. I know it's a short amount of time.

0:21:24.240 --> 0:21:27.280
<v Speaker 2>Do it. Just do it and reach out to me

0:21:27.359 --> 0:21:30.879
<v Speaker 2>on Instagram twice, Facebook or Twitter at Jevin Hodge. I

0:21:30.920 --> 0:21:33.959
<v Speaker 2>will guide you through the process. We need good people

0:21:34.240 --> 0:21:39.160
<v Speaker 2>running for office. And the reason why, like I said earlier,

0:21:39.359 --> 0:21:42.640
<v Speaker 2>people we lose elections right and we get bad people

0:21:42.680 --> 0:21:45.639
<v Speaker 2>in offices because the apathetics doesn't participate and we have

0:21:45.720 --> 0:21:48.800
<v Speaker 2>the same candidates running. We need new ideas in the process,

0:21:49.160 --> 0:21:52.199
<v Speaker 2>and I would argue that the first thing to do

0:21:52.280 --> 0:21:54.679
<v Speaker 2>is whatever office you want to run for, go to

0:21:54.720 --> 0:21:57.960
<v Speaker 2>that meeting. Go to a city council meeting and learn

0:21:58.000 --> 0:22:00.080
<v Speaker 2>about what the city council members are talking about. You

0:22:00.119 --> 0:22:01.800
<v Speaker 2>want to run for school board, go to a school

0:22:01.800 --> 0:22:04.119
<v Speaker 2>board meeting. You want to run for state legislature, go

0:22:04.200 --> 0:22:06.879
<v Speaker 2>to the state legislature. There are people that and you

0:22:06.920 --> 0:22:08.720
<v Speaker 2>want to see the people that you agree with, Go

0:22:08.760 --> 0:22:11.400
<v Speaker 2>walk up to them and introduce yourself. That's the easiest

0:22:11.400 --> 0:22:14.240
<v Speaker 2>way to get the ball rolling, because if you are

0:22:14.520 --> 0:22:16.840
<v Speaker 2>bold enough to run for office, then you're bold enough

0:22:16.880 --> 0:22:20.240
<v Speaker 2>to go introduce yourself and shake somebody's hand that is

0:22:20.280 --> 0:22:23.040
<v Speaker 2>already in the space of something that you want to do,

0:22:23.359 --> 0:22:26.360
<v Speaker 2>and that would be my first recommendation, Rams' job for president.

0:22:27.000 --> 0:22:28.159
<v Speaker 2>Hey there, we god support that.

0:22:29.480 --> 0:22:33.000
<v Speaker 1>Well, hopefully you're gonna stick around for the rest of

0:22:33.040 --> 0:22:36.680
<v Speaker 1>the show. We do appreciate you coming and share sharing

0:22:36.800 --> 0:22:43.480
<v Speaker 1>your insight on the show. And I know that as

0:22:43.640 --> 0:22:47.520
<v Speaker 1>a long standing member of the NAACP or the NAACP,

0:22:48.160 --> 0:22:52.680
<v Speaker 1>you know, been a long life. I am very much

0:22:52.760 --> 0:22:57.440
<v Speaker 1>looking forward to working together to get through likewise, just

0:22:57.520 --> 0:22:58.320
<v Speaker 1>the next chapters.

0:22:58.520 --> 0:22:59.040
<v Speaker 2>Likewise,