WEBVTT - Featuring Chi Ossé 0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:06.320 Hi guys, and welcome back to this week's episode of 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:09.119 Let's Be Real Podcast. As always, my name is Sammy J. 0:00:09.360 --> 0:00:12.960 And I'm so happy you're here. This week's episode is 0:00:13.000 --> 0:00:14.960 with ch O Say Now, you may not know his 0:00:15.040 --> 0:00:17.840 name right now, but trust me you will. He's one 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:21.160 of the first gen Zers to run for political office. 0:00:21.200 --> 0:00:24.680 He's running for New York City Council in District thirty six, 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:27.639 which is in New York. We have a great discussion 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:30.640 on what's happening in society right now, what it's like 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 running a political campaign at twenty two, how to be 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:37.360 taken seriously and not let your age define you, and 0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:40.440 how to get involved in politics and make a difference 0:00:40.440 --> 0:00:43.080 no matter your age. I hope you enjoyed this episode, 0:00:43.159 --> 0:00:46.879 and as always, I'll see you guys next week. I 0:00:46.880 --> 0:00:48.880 am so excited to have you on my podcast because 0:00:49.000 --> 0:00:52.680 I've been so inspired by what you're doing. How did 0:00:52.680 --> 0:00:56.279 you get interested in politics? Yeah, I am the one 0:00:56.280 --> 0:00:58.760 of the first gen Zers to run for city council 0:00:58.760 --> 0:01:01.880 in the city. UM. Never thought I would jump into 0:01:01.920 --> 0:01:07.280 politics ever. UM. I've always been someone that's been politically aware, UM, 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:09.880 in terms of what's happening on a presidential level. UM, 0:01:09.920 --> 0:01:12.400 but never thought that I would jump into a local 0:01:12.520 --> 0:01:15.759 race before. UM. You know just a little bit about myself. 0:01:15.800 --> 0:01:18.440 I mean, my name is chi O say um. I 0:01:18.440 --> 0:01:22.960 I love everything creative, whether it's movies, art, music. UM. 0:01:23.000 --> 0:01:26.640 I come from a heavy music background family. UM. So 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:30.600 politics was never in my line of sight. UM until 0:01:30.640 --> 0:01:34.080 this summer. So what got you interested in running for office? Then? 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:38.520 After the murder of George Floyd, UM, I felt really 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:42.240 inclined to to leave my quarantine and protest against the 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:45.800 injustices that be in our country and in our city. UM. 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:49.040 And through that activism UM and going out every single day, 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:53.160 I had this growing hunger for for change UM. And 0:01:53.480 --> 0:01:56.840 my feeling UM and strategy in order to achieve that 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.720 change from me was to jump into this political race. 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.240 I took that leap of faith. And it's been a 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:05.600 crazy six the seven months since we jumped in, and 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:08.640 I've learned a lot. Yeah, time isn't a thing anymore. 0:02:08.720 --> 0:02:13.720 Those June feels like two years ago. It truly does. 0:02:13.880 --> 0:02:17.239 It's this past year, and I guess this year already 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:20.320 feels like a whole another year. The past twenty summer 0:02:20.520 --> 0:02:24.760 days of this year also a blur. Yeah, absolutely and 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:28.880 so chaotic, I know. And I also feel like the 0:02:28.960 --> 0:02:32.840 protesting over the summer. I protested, and it was the 0:02:32.880 --> 0:02:37.160 most surreal experience because you felt like you were making 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:41.480 a difference by just being there. Um, what was your 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:43.800 first experience when you went, because I know you like 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:48.600 lead a lot of protests. Your first protest? Were you underprepared? 0:02:48.720 --> 0:02:51.960 Were you ready? Was it what you expected? You know? 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:54.360 I it was like the first time I was around 0:02:54.360 --> 0:02:57.160 a lot of people ever since, you know, being in quarantine, 0:02:57.360 --> 0:03:00.840 since what it was at the end of March, earliest 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:05.000 year a year. I think that's absolutely nuts. Um, the 0:03:05.000 --> 0:03:08.760 first protest, I was extremely under prepared, um for what happened, 0:03:08.880 --> 0:03:12.120 you know. I I came in shorts and doc Martins 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:15.200 and had a topebag of water and chapstick. And it 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:17.960 was a non violent protest, and um, I expected it 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:21.240 to be that way. But the police lashed out, you know, 0:03:21.320 --> 0:03:23.600 at at many of the people that were there by 0:03:23.639 --> 0:03:28.200 myself was pepper sprayed. Um. Other people around me were 0:03:28.360 --> 0:03:32.399 injured by the barricades and by police batons, and many 0:03:32.400 --> 0:03:35.920 people were arrested as well. Um. So I was prepared 0:03:36.040 --> 0:03:39.920 for that first protest, but Um, I came prepared every 0:03:39.920 --> 0:03:42.760 single day after that. So how do you face that 0:03:42.840 --> 0:03:45.560 fear after getting pepper sprayed, which I can only imagine 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:49.920 is the most unpleasant, painful feeling, And then how do 0:03:49.960 --> 0:03:53.360 you get that courage to go again even though you're 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:58.200 being targeted for peacefully protesting. I overcame that fear with 0:03:58.280 --> 0:04:02.560 my passion for change. M hmm. I wanted the police 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:04.720 to be held accountable for what they were doing. I 0:04:04.760 --> 0:04:08.520 wanted uh we as as non violent protesters and its 0:04:08.560 --> 0:04:11.600 black and brown folks in this country who achieved the 0:04:11.680 --> 0:04:14.160 change that our people have been fighting for for decades. 0:04:14.400 --> 0:04:17.400 And I think that's what helped me overcome the sphere 0:04:17.440 --> 0:04:19.599 of being purper sprayed again. I did wear my my 0:04:19.680 --> 0:04:24.640 safety goggles the next day. UM, but you know I smart, right, UM. 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:28.320 But it was this yearning for change, in this passion 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:32.680 for um, you know, justice, that that helped me overcome 0:04:32.839 --> 0:04:35.080 that fear of being preper sprayed again. It did not 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:38.240 happen again to me at least, but UM, you know 0:04:38.400 --> 0:04:41.960 I was very careful in those in those following weeks 0:04:42.000 --> 0:04:45.200 after that. Um. But yeah, I had this this this 0:04:45.320 --> 0:04:48.240 strive to to to make real change in our city 0:04:48.640 --> 0:04:52.400 and something that I've noticed. I really got into activism 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:55.880 over the past few years, just after the election and 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:59.280 how to really make a difference. But people don't realize 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:01.919 how important look elections are. That they think it's just 0:05:01.960 --> 0:05:05.440 the midterms and the presidential elections. But what really changes, 0:05:05.760 --> 0:05:08.240 you know, the country are these local elections. So for 0:05:08.240 --> 0:05:11.960 those who don't understand, why can you explain it? Absolutely? 0:05:12.000 --> 0:05:15.520 I mean, please do vote in every presidential election. Vote 0:05:15.520 --> 0:05:18.719 in every single election. Um. But you know, when you 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:21.680 think about our our day to day and what we 0:05:21.760 --> 0:05:25.080 truly complain about. Especially as a New Yorker do you 0:05:25.080 --> 0:05:28.480 live in New York? Yes? Do you know? Okay, amazing 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:31.240 me too. Um So as a New Yorker and as 0:05:31.279 --> 0:05:34.560 someone that was protesting this summer, you and I both um, 0:05:34.680 --> 0:05:37.960 many people were chanting for change within the the NYPD. 0:05:38.640 --> 0:05:41.440 Trump is not responsible for that, Our new president Biden 0:05:41.520 --> 0:05:44.440 is not responsible for that. M Our Senate's not responsible 0:05:44.480 --> 0:05:47.359 for that. Are our House is not responsible for that. 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:50.280 Our local electives are responsible for that. So if we're 0:05:50.279 --> 0:05:53.279 spending our energy and time to protests in the streets, 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:57.760 um demanding change and reimagining of the NYPD, then we 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:01.400 need to be going to the polls and voting in individuals, UM, 0:06:01.480 --> 0:06:04.560 in our own neighborhoods, in our own districts, that will 0:06:04.680 --> 0:06:07.400 will respond to the values in the demands that we 0:06:07.400 --> 0:06:10.599 are asking for. UM. For an example, you know, a 0:06:10.640 --> 0:06:13.440 piece on my platform is I'm fighting for a green 0:06:13.480 --> 0:06:16.159 new Deal for New York City. UM. We need to 0:06:16.200 --> 0:06:19.400 start making those movements and putting people in office on 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.000 a local level that will be demanding that so that 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:23.800 we can fight for that on the top and that 0:06:23.880 --> 0:06:26.160 happens in our local elections. You know, we can't wait 0:06:26.640 --> 0:06:29.680 UM for Biden. UM. We can't wait for for Congress. 0:06:29.680 --> 0:06:32.160 We can't wait for the Senate. UM to get things done. 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:36.359 We need to to act locally, UM, in every single election. 0:06:36.920 --> 0:06:39.720 I'm very passionate about the education system, and I've noticed 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:42.920 that in a lot of low income neighborhoods, schools are 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:46.560 often underfunded. Why is that and what can we do 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:50.080 about it? Many of the people that it is affecting 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:52.680 don't really have a voice, don't really have a platform 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:55.719 to be able to speak up. And it's not coincidental 0:06:56.040 --> 0:06:59.040 why our schools, I mean, in predominantly black neighborhoods are 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:03.480 underfunded it's not coincidental that because you're you're illiterate, I 0:07:03.600 --> 0:07:06.960 your higher chance of going to prison. That's a poll, 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:09.600 a part of the large system. UM. You know, many 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.640 people I think black lives matter only pertains to law 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.240 enforcement UM killing black and brown men and women. But 0:07:16.280 --> 0:07:18.280 that is not true, you know. And in many of 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:21.680 the parts of this country, nonetheless, New York City, predominantly 0:07:21.720 --> 0:07:25.720 black neighborhoods are red lines and districts where are people 0:07:25.920 --> 0:07:29.400 you know, live in conditions with underfunded public housing, underfunded 0:07:29.440 --> 0:07:32.920 public education, underfunded healthcare. So in a way, we are 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:36.800 set up in these environments where we're supposed to fail, 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:38.840 you know, we're set up to fail. We're set up 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:42.840 to to go into the carcelrol U system. And and 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:46.200 the reason that that is is because are are elected 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:49.000 UM and those that are in power are accepting money 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:51.960 from police unions, are accepting money from real estate developers. 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:55.240 So rather than fulfilling the promises of their constituency or 0:07:55.280 --> 0:07:58.520 the people, UH, they're fulfilling the promises of their donors 0:07:58.520 --> 0:08:01.440 and people with money UM that that are are putting 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:05.240 their ideas forward. And that's why, you know, with cases 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:07.360 like that, and with a lot of v the action. 0:08:07.440 --> 0:08:09.840 A lot of the individuals that I'm talking about now, 0:08:10.200 --> 0:08:13.200 UM are are able to to hide under the radar, 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:15.840 and that's why it's not a public conversation. But people 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:18.680 are talking about it, and the conversation is getting louder. 0:08:19.280 --> 0:08:21.480 What's it like running for office? I mean, you said 0:08:21.520 --> 0:08:24.200 yourself you weren't as interested in politics a year ago. 0:08:24.240 --> 0:08:26.000 And what advice do you have for young people who 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:28.680 also want to run for office? How do you get 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:32.080 started with it? I had a voice, and I have 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:34.600 a voice, and I have a vision, and I think 0:08:34.600 --> 0:08:37.960 that's all that it takes. Obviously there are multiple multiple 0:08:38.000 --> 0:08:40.480 parts that that go into it, UM. But if you 0:08:40.559 --> 0:08:43.640 have a voice and you have UM something to say 0:08:43.760 --> 0:08:46.680 that is important and that will will will conjure change 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:49.520 in your community, in your neighborhood, UM for the people 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:52.240 around you, then use that voice. UM. I happen to 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:55.000 use that voice to jump into this race, UM because 0:08:55.040 --> 0:08:57.960 it was important to me. And you know, there are 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:01.080 people that that rallied behind me. There are people that 0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:03.560 UM I have been able to grow with throughout these 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:06.480 past couple of six months, half a year, UM, and 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:08.760 it's been amazing. I will say it's one of the 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:12.680 craziest things I have ever done. But it's, um, it's amazing, 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:15.840 it's a it's a really entertaining experience. And you know, 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:17.880 throughout all of it, I've I've been bringing me to 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:20.960 the table. You know, I've never forgotten who I am. Um, 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:25.480 even though I'm running to be a politician, I'm still cheap. 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:29.080 You know. If you look at the design behind my campaign, UM, 0:09:29.080 --> 0:09:31.880 it's it's authentically you know, it's it's it's you can 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:33.920 see my my take on art, you can see my 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:36.760 take on design, you can see where my references are from. 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:39.000 Because I want this to be like no other campaign 0:09:39.000 --> 0:09:41.080 that anyone has ever seen before. I want this to 0:09:41.120 --> 0:09:44.000 be the loudest, the coolest, the most stylish so that 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.840 I can engage every single person in local politics. And 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:50.560 we're doing the damn thing. We have to take a 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:52.520 quick break, but when we come back, I want to 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:55.280 find out about what's something unexpected that you've learned through 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:58.920 this experience and what it's been like being twenty two 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:02.600 on campaigning again, people who are ten, twent, thirty years older. 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:10.640 We'll be right back and we're back. You're bringing the 0:10:10.679 --> 0:10:13.520 most gen z to this election. If that makes sense, 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:18.079 from the style to creativity to it. Local politics hasn't 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:19.880 been cool before, and I feel like that's what you're doing. 0:10:19.960 --> 0:10:23.760 You're making it cool, which is so important. What's something 0:10:23.800 --> 0:10:27.840 that you didn't expect you to learn past six months running? Hmm, 0:10:27.960 --> 0:10:31.760 that's a that's a good question. Um, how good I 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:34.800 am at this? I think that's something I did not 0:10:34.960 --> 0:10:38.000 expect that to be the case. I mean, I knew 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:41.120 that we were going to make noise. But you know, 0:10:41.160 --> 0:10:44.520 this past week in our race of eleven people, I 0:10:44.559 --> 0:10:47.400 found out that I outraised every single person in my race. 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:55.320 I'm the youngest candidate in my race by twenty years. Um. Yeah. 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:59.600 So like seeing the grassroots support that we're getting from people, 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:04.200 um in the neighborhood, UM, you know, on on the internet, UM, 0:11:04.240 --> 0:11:07.840 everywhere is amazing, you know. And seeing how how well 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:11.960 this is going, um is you're surprised that it's going. 0:11:12.760 --> 0:11:16.439 No I mean, I thought it was going to go well, 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:18.760 but I didn't know that, you know, it would turn 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:21.360 into what it is now. And that's what's affirming, like 0:11:21.480 --> 0:11:24.360 my my day one beliefs. Um. I don't know, it's 0:11:24.400 --> 0:11:27.760 still shocking to be doing what I'm doing. Um, obviously 0:11:27.800 --> 0:11:30.559 have to be humble. Uh, but but it's it's it's 0:11:30.600 --> 0:11:34.840 still an amazing, surreal experience. I've been fortunate enough to 0:11:34.880 --> 0:11:37.040 do some really cool stuff at a young age, but 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:40.040 there have been so many times when adults have told 0:11:40.040 --> 0:11:43.160 me I can't do something because of my age. How 0:11:43.160 --> 0:11:45.200 has it been for you running for office in this 0:11:45.280 --> 0:11:48.120 political climate where the people you're running against are so 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:51.120 much older has it been hard to be taken seriously? 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:54.719 Or have you just not cared? Well? I knew that 0:11:54.880 --> 0:11:57.599 going into this that that would be, um, something that 0:11:57.640 --> 0:11:59.880 would be said to me. I mean, I'm asking senior 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.120 to to vote for me and have maybe someone um, 0:12:03.160 --> 0:12:05.640 you know, people three times my age to vote for 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:09.319 me and have me be someone that leads them. Um. 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:12.240 So I knew that going into it. UM and vice 0:12:12.280 --> 0:12:15.480 strategy and what my team and I have been working 0:12:15.480 --> 0:12:18.480 on is to just prove everyone wrong. I'm the only 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:20.800 way to prove people wrong is the show that we 0:12:20.880 --> 0:12:24.000 are creating real change now. Uh. You know, I think 0:12:24.120 --> 0:12:27.000 politicians in general, anyone that's running for office, is always 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:29.920 promising to get things done when they stepped into office. UM, 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:32.280 and we wanted to change that dynamic. We are are 0:12:32.520 --> 0:12:36.120 are creating real change on a day to day basis. Um, 0:12:36.360 --> 0:12:39.280 we are starting until you get elected. Exactly. We have 0:12:39.320 --> 0:12:42.760 presented two bills to the city Council, UM amendments for 0:12:42.840 --> 0:12:45.960 one bill that helps our our neighbors in terms of 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:48.360 those that that own homes in the neighborhood. UM. I'm 0:12:48.400 --> 0:12:51.280 providing food on a weekly basis to one of our 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:54.640 public housing developments in the neighborhood on a weekly basis 0:12:54.679 --> 0:12:57.960 because they haven't had gas since to lie. Um, We're 0:12:57.960 --> 0:13:00.720 providing food for a senior centers and we've been handing 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:03.720 out pp on a day to day basis. UM. We're 0:13:03.960 --> 0:13:06.760 we're doing the thing, you know. And I think when 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:10.480 people see that, UM, they forget about my age, because, 0:13:10.600 --> 0:13:13.600 you know, they just see someone that is helping them, 0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:16.480 you know, and who cares. And I think that's what's 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:19.439 more important than how long I've been on this earth. 0:13:20.000 --> 0:13:23.440 I completely agree with you, and I feel like people 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:27.000 underestimate the power of our generation and I think we 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:30.440 as gen Z. I'm just saying collectively, I feel like 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:32.120 we want to prove them wrong. And I think you're 0:13:32.120 --> 0:13:35.080 a perfect example of that. Not only can we prove 0:13:35.120 --> 0:13:37.880 them wrong, UM, but we have the tools to do so, 0:13:38.120 --> 0:13:43.160 you know, Uh, there's no better generation that has been 0:13:43.200 --> 0:13:46.320 set up, especially with technology and just everything that we 0:13:46.520 --> 0:13:49.760 know how to do. UM. I think we're we're fit 0:13:50.000 --> 0:13:52.839 to to break through those obstacles that have been placed 0:13:52.840 --> 0:13:55.400 in front of us. Something that I think is really 0:13:55.440 --> 0:13:59.559 interesting is what you your slogan omission statement is reimagined 0:13:59.559 --> 0:14:03.360 re us in renew UM. What do you mean by 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:05.640 that specifically? Like break that down? How do you did 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:08.840 you come up with that? M? I think the systems 0:14:09.000 --> 0:14:11.839 and agencies in the way of life that we are 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:14.520 experiencing it on a day to day basis isn't working 0:14:14.520 --> 0:14:17.600 for the many. I mean, we're in a time where uh, 0:14:17.800 --> 0:14:20.480 people are still dying and losing their jobs from this pandemic. 0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:23.920 We are in time when people are are being oppressed 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:26.560 by the police UM like they have been for decades, 0:14:26.600 --> 0:14:29.800 but we're seeing a heightened UM or more eyes on 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:32.760 that right now. Because it's videotaped, people can't deny it 0:14:32.800 --> 0:14:37.080 when they're absolutely UM. So the three RS on my 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:42.320 platform is a radical UM step to change the broken 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:46.520 UM systems that we're experiencing. UM. We need to reimagine 0:14:46.680 --> 0:14:49.400 public safety. You know, it's not working for Americans, it's 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:51.880 not working for black and brown people. And with that 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:54.680 reimagining of it, we need to divest from the NYPD 0:14:55.120 --> 0:14:58.560 and reallocate funds into c b o s or community 0:14:58.600 --> 0:15:02.040 based organizations. We need to invest into our children, our youth, 0:15:02.120 --> 0:15:05.680 our schools, our public education, our climate, and we need 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:09.360 to renew trust not only between the people in law enforcement, 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:12.400 but the people and are elected. You know, if you 0:15:12.480 --> 0:15:16.560 talk to many people, they young or or older. Uh, 0:15:16.760 --> 0:15:21.240 they don't trust politicians. And rightfully so, because politicians don't 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:24.600 get anything done, um for the most part. You know. 0:15:24.680 --> 0:15:27.880 And now we're seeing a radical change of individuals that 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:31.000 are running for office, Individuals like myself that that are 0:15:31.040 --> 0:15:33.960 are brand new to this field of politics, that are 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:36.840 dedicated to change and nothing else rather than a salary 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:40.280 like many career politicians are looking to do when they 0:15:40.280 --> 0:15:43.800 are running for a seat. So you mentioned passing a bill. 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:47.280 How do you go about doing that? It's it's a 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:49.880 lot easier than you think too, to write up a bill. Um. 0:15:49.960 --> 0:15:51.720 So one of the bills that that we are working 0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:54.360 on is a bill called the fair Shop Bill. Um. 0:15:54.360 --> 0:15:56.520 It's a bill that we're working on with the current 0:15:56.680 --> 0:16:00.880 current seated councilwoman um Alika and Frey Sammy els UM. 0:16:01.120 --> 0:16:03.840 And what the bill does in the language that we 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:06.240 added UM what what it was a bill that would 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.760 ease up diversity in the workplace, especially for city jobs. 0:16:09.800 --> 0:16:12.720 So someone were to apply for a job UM and 0:16:12.800 --> 0:16:16.240 they were black or or trans UM, sometimes they are 0:16:16.240 --> 0:16:19.080 discriminated against solely based off of their name UM. So 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:22.520 the language that we presented to that bill UM was 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:26.160 to put an option forward that that let individuals not 0:16:26.280 --> 0:16:29.240 have to put their names UM to apply for a job. 0:16:29.320 --> 0:16:32.400 It would it would just have their resume UM, you 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:34.360 know where they're from and in the skills that they 0:16:34.360 --> 0:16:37.200 have UH. And this would be an option that would 0:16:37.200 --> 0:16:39.960 be enforced in many of our our our workplaces so 0:16:40.080 --> 0:16:43.000 that individuals that look like me UM or even trans 0:16:43.080 --> 0:16:46.680 people of color aren't discriminated because their name sounds to ghetto, 0:16:47.000 --> 0:16:50.200 which is UH something that that has been picked up 0:16:50.280 --> 0:16:53.440 in in statistics of of applying to jobs over the 0:16:53.440 --> 0:16:56.880 past decade. But you know, we approached the councilwoman, we 0:16:56.880 --> 0:16:58.960 we have this idea for for what we wanted to 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:01.520 change UM, and she was very receptive to that. So 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.920 we added literature on our own wording, um, and then 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:07.320 they picked that up and hopefully it does get past 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:12.800 that's amazing. So because of your initiative, a councilwoman is 0:17:12.800 --> 0:17:16.280 adding some additional language in a bill for our local government. 0:17:17.040 --> 0:17:20.280 All it takes is your willpower, you know, and your voice. 0:17:20.320 --> 0:17:24.959 And I think that's the most the most successful ingredients 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:28.199 to to getting things done. Um. And that's what I 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:31.280 have been doing over this past year and then seeing uh, 0:17:31.359 --> 0:17:34.680 my fruits come to labor. Yeah. And I also want 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:36.639 to talk about Warriors in the Garden because I know 0:17:36.720 --> 0:17:41.760 you co founded this this movement. Can you talk about 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:44.200 how you started Warriors in the Garden because I think 0:17:44.240 --> 0:17:47.280 it's really interesting what you guys are doing with this. Yes. 0:17:47.560 --> 0:17:49.919 So you know, after that first day of protesting, that 0:17:50.000 --> 0:17:53.280 first week of protesting, UM, I started finding my own 0:17:53.359 --> 0:17:56.359 voice and was you know, chanting a lot and and 0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:58.359 speaking at a lot of these protests. And there were 0:17:58.400 --> 0:18:01.119 other individuals out there that you know, shared some of 0:18:01.160 --> 0:18:04.200 the same messaging that that I was, and we realized 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:06.760 that you know, our our our power would be really 0:18:06.800 --> 0:18:09.400 stronger and our voices would be louder um if we 0:18:09.440 --> 0:18:12.119 worked together. UM. So we founded Warrior in the garden 0:18:12.280 --> 0:18:14.760 wasn't that first week and a half. Uh. And since 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:18.840 then we were organizing protests and marches and children's marches, 0:18:19.280 --> 0:18:22.639 um and putting out educational content about what it means 0:18:22.640 --> 0:18:25.240 to be a black person in this country. UM. I 0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:29.600 think yes. I mean we are all relatively uh young 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:33.480 group of individuals. Um. So the fact that we were 0:18:33.520 --> 0:18:36.400 able to use our phones and and and the internet 0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:40.160 and Instagram was a useful tool and changing our narrative 0:18:40.520 --> 0:18:43.520 um as as the people of the movement um, rather 0:18:43.600 --> 0:18:47.440 than being portrayed as writers and violent individuals, which we 0:18:47.440 --> 0:18:50.280 were not, because we were there on the ground doing 0:18:50.320 --> 0:18:54.080 the work and just peacefully protesting. I like to say 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:57.680 non violently protesting, because we are still disturbing the piece. 0:18:57.880 --> 0:19:01.800 You know, we we aren't breaking or or hurting anyone, 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:05.240 so it is non violent, um. But a protest is 0:19:05.040 --> 0:19:07.320 is still disturbing the peace which we want to do. 0:19:07.440 --> 0:19:10.960 We want people to feel uncomfortable, um with the racism 0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:13.560 that that we experience on a day to day basis. 0:19:13.840 --> 0:19:16.600 And I think it's important that you know, I wish 0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:19.960 we had we were having this conversation sooner. And so 0:19:20.600 --> 0:19:24.320 it's frustrating that multiple people have to die for this 0:19:24.480 --> 0:19:27.960 just to be a public conversation. Absolutely, it's it's sad, 0:19:28.440 --> 0:19:31.520 um and so many people have died prior to both 0:19:31.560 --> 0:19:34.400 of us being born. But you know, the work must continue, 0:19:34.680 --> 0:19:37.639 and we know we need to continue putting individuals like 0:19:37.640 --> 0:19:41.720 ourselves UM in office and in those rooms where we're 0:19:41.760 --> 0:19:44.400 part of the conversation, where we're writing the laws, where 0:19:44.440 --> 0:19:47.800 we're presenting legislation, because that's when the real change starts. 0:19:47.840 --> 0:19:49.920 I do believe that there's an in and out strategy. 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:53.600 I do believe we need protesters and activists in the 0:19:53.640 --> 0:19:57.040 ground as well as like minded individuals in office so 0:19:57.080 --> 0:20:00.600 that there's this synergy of commitment to change. Who are 0:20:00.920 --> 0:20:07.000 your political heroes? I love aoc Um, love Bernie Sanders, 0:20:07.119 --> 0:20:11.400 uh Corey Bush, who's a recent congresswoman, Jamal Bowman, who's 0:20:11.440 --> 0:20:15.640 a recent congressman. UM A lot of these new figures 0:20:15.680 --> 0:20:19.600 that are are coming through in politics today. Shirley Chisholm. 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:22.160 I guess that's a throwback. She's the first black woman 0:20:22.160 --> 0:20:24.120 to run for president and the first woman to run 0:20:24.119 --> 0:20:26.439 for president. She's from Brooklyn, not too far away from me. 0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:29.600 Um Or was from Brooklyn. UM. But a lot of 0:20:29.600 --> 0:20:33.080 the new faces and figures that we're seeing today. The 0:20:33.160 --> 0:20:36.920 squad as they call themselves, are extremely admirable and they're 0:20:36.960 --> 0:20:40.080 they're doing the work um, and their power is growing 0:20:40.359 --> 0:20:43.159 um and they're inspiring the many. So so they inspired me. 0:20:43.720 --> 0:20:46.160 And I think something that I hope comes is that 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:50.760 we stop making everything so republican democrat, but more human rights, 0:20:51.680 --> 0:20:54.639 because I feel like this isn't even a political issue. 0:20:54.640 --> 0:20:57.399 It's just a human rights issue at this point. Mm hmmm. 0:20:58.040 --> 0:21:02.520 And you know, completely agree with that, But the nuances 0:21:02.560 --> 0:21:06.160 of politics always confuses that. I mean, the rights so 0:21:06.280 --> 0:21:11.480 politics so political, absolutely, I mean politics is very political. 0:21:11.520 --> 0:21:13.920 The right has their own definition of what human rights 0:21:13.920 --> 0:21:17.359 are compared to the left. So um, that's why there's 0:21:17.440 --> 0:21:20.399 this clear cut line. Maybe sometimes it's not even clear, 0:21:20.480 --> 0:21:25.240 but a difference in thoughts for for many Americans and 0:21:25.320 --> 0:21:28.639 many people in terms of what human rights are. Okay, 0:21:28.680 --> 0:21:30.560 we have to take one more quick break and when 0:21:30.560 --> 0:21:32.680 we come back, I want to dive deeper into your 0:21:32.720 --> 0:21:35.199 passion for art in design and how let's helped you 0:21:35.240 --> 0:21:39.040 in campaigning and how your past experience has helped you 0:21:39.160 --> 0:21:46.520 run for city council. We'll be right back and we're back. 0:21:47.200 --> 0:21:49.520 I find it so interesting that your family is very 0:21:49.600 --> 0:21:53.480 music and art oriented, and get here you are in politics. 0:21:54.080 --> 0:21:56.600 I know you're using art and creativity in your campaign. 0:21:56.600 --> 0:21:58.880 How do you plan to do that when you win? 0:21:58.960 --> 0:22:04.040