1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: I played basketball growing up. That was my ship, and 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: because the pandemic have not, I hadn't played basketball like 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: a year and a half, and literally on Saturday played 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,360 Speaker 1: for the first time. And now I'm not sure I'm 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: ever gonna touch my toes. You know. It's It's one 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: of them things where you just like, oh, I didn't 7 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: use these muscles, and I regret every choice I've made. 8 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: Now listen, but once you get it back, you could 9 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: always come back. But I'm a bad as a grown man. 10 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: You're like, I don't think I can take this chance anymore. 11 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: It's not worth It's not worth it. Thirty four. I 12 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: don't know what this these wrists are for anymore. I'm 13 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: not gonna dump. I never could dump. It ain't happen 14 00:00:42,320 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: in the Anemi racists money term stuff. I can't tell me. Yep, yep, yep, 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: there it is. There it is. Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome 16 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: to another spectacular episode of My Mama Told Me, the 17 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: podcast where we got deep, deep into the pockets of 18 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: black conspiracy theories and we finally worked to prove that 19 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: Henrietta Lex cured polio and more importantly, cured people from 20 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 1: naming their child Henrietta. Nobody wants to name their kids 21 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: Henrietta anymore, and it's because of you, Henrietta Lacks. Thank 22 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: you for your sacrifice, thank you for all the work 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: that you did helping us figure out a bunch of 24 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: ships with cancer and diseases. And I'm sorry the government 25 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: treated you the way that they did. But maybe if 26 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: your mom didn't name you Henrietta, we would have respected 27 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: you more. Hard to know anyway, I'm your host, Langston Kerman. 28 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: As always, I'm coming in. I am misbehaving. I am 29 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 1: not acting the way that I'm supposed to do. This 30 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: is my personality at all times, ladies and gentlemen. I'm 31 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: not sure how to fix it. But you know who 32 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: has a lovely personality? You know who shines every time 33 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: I see it. She's She's just a lovely person, a 34 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: hilarious person. Most importantly, a hilarious person. Secondly, a lovely person. 35 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: But she's great. You know her from her work on 36 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 1: Comedy Central. So funny. Give it up from my guests, 37 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: Miss amina E Myne, what's going on? How you I'm 38 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: doing good? How are you feeling? I'm chilling? You know, 39 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: it's the temperatures are changing. Outside, I baby coming. Congratulations. Yeah, yeah, 40 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,240 Speaker 1: I've been through. My son is he turned seven this year? 41 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 1: Oh I know, right, I know. Okay, So seven is 42 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: that a cool age or is there an age would 43 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: prefer he would have just like chill that seven seems 44 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: to be where it's like, oh, this person has an 45 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: opinion of voice, so it's challenging. So I mean, I 46 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: don't I can't say I would just like let him 47 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: chill through because it's not like when he was little, 48 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: when he was just you know, messing up around and stuff. 49 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: But like seven is like an age where I like, oh, 50 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: you have to get to know your kid because everything pricey. 51 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: Now it's like that's who you kind of defined him as, 52 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: and now my child is like I'm defining myself. So 53 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: that we're in that space. Oh look you you and 54 00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: you've made the song, but I invented the remake. Here 55 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: we go. You feel me Winky winky coming through hot 56 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: You know what I'm saying. Last call might be at 57 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: two am, it might be three am. It depends on 58 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: my day. You know that. In so, but congratulations, congratulate love. 59 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: They always said you would never like people. You're gonna 60 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: miss the baby and like, no, I'm not because this 61 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: is this is dumb, but no, I do miss it 62 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: because that's when it was. It's even as complicated as 63 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: it's gonna feel. That's as simple as he gets. Right, Yeah, 64 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: this person, this little rubber person with a unworking neck, 65 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: is probably the easiest that I'm telling you is. And 66 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: you're gonna be like, what the hell this is easy, 67 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: and I'm just telling you buckle up. Damn. All right, Well, 68 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: with a haunting way to start this episode of the podcast, 69 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, relations but congratulations, you're like about to be 70 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: asked though, all right, we can't bullshit around anymore because 71 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: you came with a conspiracy theory that I'm so excited, 72 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: one that one that we have not touched, one that 73 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: that I think frankly deserves to be touched. It is 74 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: such a common conspiracy theory that I I personally know 75 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: quite a few people who have argued that this is 76 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: a true to life thing. You said, my mama told 77 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: me black people can't swim. Yes, tell me more, tell 78 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: me everything you know. Well, I feel like the irony 79 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:24,000 Speaker 1: of the situation is I grew up as a professional swimmer. 80 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: So yeah, there's a twist to that, but I heard 81 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: it so often. It's so common, and that's why I 82 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: was like, I think this would be perfect for the podcast. 83 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 1: But even still to this day, when I tell people 84 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: I swim professionally, it's like that response like really, what where? 85 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,840 Speaker 1: And then I'm like, I went to a HBC, you know, 86 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: not ABCU and swim theme, so and it's always like 87 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: I didn't know, I didn't know, And it's this common 88 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: theme of like black people can't swim. And then now 89 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 1: I'm like, this unit for him because I swim my 90 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: whole life from the age of six competitively up until 91 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 1: college twenty two. So if I see where the truth 92 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: comes from, because statistically, you know where the minority in 93 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: this sport, just like a lot of sports that you 94 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 1: have for that are like I feel like catered to 95 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: white people, um only because it's like a luxury, you 96 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,920 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Like I feel like the sports 97 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: that we have was like, you know, something you can 98 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: you can do when your your garage or you know, 99 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: you're like the driveway, but swimming is like you have 100 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: you have to have a facility. You probably have to 101 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: don't car to get the facility. Like I don't know 102 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: where to buy a polar racket and I'm and I 103 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: have money, so I don't even know, you know what 104 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: I mean, Like, this is why I feel like it's stradgy, 105 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: you know, Like this is why I feel like it's 106 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: it's a conspiracy and that right. But yeah, so a 107 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: lot of black people don't actually know how to swim. 108 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: And it's often that you'll even travel to a Caribbean 109 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: you know, country, and they're surrounded by border and they 110 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:09,200 Speaker 1: can't even swim, right, So this is this is just 111 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: a common conversation that people always say and believe and think. 112 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: So well, let me, let's let's back up a little bit. 113 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: I think you're getting to a lot of very important truths, 114 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: but I've got more questions for you at the beginning 115 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: of this. So you grew up swimming, you from age 116 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: six you said you were already somebody threw at the 117 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: age of six months, So I was. My My dad 118 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: actually was a swim instructor. So my dad taught me out. Okay, 119 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: So I was in the pool. I'm the youngest of setting, 120 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: so my older siblings were already swimming, and then when 121 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: I was born, we were putting the water immediately. And 122 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: then from the age of six, we joined the swim 123 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: team in Atlanta and we competed on ESA and swim 124 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: team up into the age of college. And then we 125 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: went to college on a full scholarship. And I say 126 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: we because I have a twin sister, So we went 127 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: to college on a full scholarship for swimming. Was one 128 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: of you better than the other, So yes, my sister 129 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: was faster than me, but it was like it was points. 130 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: It was like point zero of seconds, which is very 131 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 1: significant in the sport. But I have to I have 132 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: to admit gracefully that yes she was testidy damn. So 133 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: I gotta get her on the podcast because I'm talking. 134 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 1: But this is so big, this is a twist to it. 135 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: My sister was only fast and two events and one stroke. 136 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: I was fast and four events and all of the strokes, 137 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: So I was actually, yes, I was actually more decorated 138 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: as a swimmer. But you are a more person und yeah, 139 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: just rounded out swimming exactly. She could nail certain strokes. 140 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: She had that one stroke and she would kill it 141 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: and that would be that that one event for her, 142 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: and then but for me, like save you were you 143 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: were doing a relay, I could go I could even 144 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: do hers or someone else's and it's still be great. 145 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: You know that I'm saying. So, did y'all ever do 146 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: some sister sister ship and make it absolutely? I paid 147 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,679 Speaker 1: my brilliant to swim some of my events. We would 148 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:12,640 Speaker 1: like we had different colors swim caps, and no one 149 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: could tell us apart, so we would like switch swim 150 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: caps and and and just doing it was and and 151 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: sometimes like when we were younger, they actually mixed us 152 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: up so like it wasn't even strategized for us to 153 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: swim each other events. They just sucked up, like, oh 154 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: I thought that was I thought that was Anna. So yeah, yeah, damn, 155 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:33,680 Speaker 1: and I have I've seen both of y'all, and it 156 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: is tough to tell y'all apart. I listen, I haven't 157 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: spent enough time around y'all, but it stressed me the 158 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,720 Speaker 1: funk out when I saw both of you together. Yes, 159 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,959 Speaker 1: we've done sister sister stuff all the time, especially when 160 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: it came to swimming, because my coach made sure we 161 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: swim all the events, so that's even like the long ones, 162 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: and we didn't want to. So I'd be like, y'all 163 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 1: keep swimming to dollars if you take care of this' 164 00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: two hundred breaststrokes from me problem. I love of that. Okay, 165 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: let me ask you this. Growing up your swimming, are 166 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: you competing against white people? Are you competing in predominantly 167 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: black spaces? Who who is your white all white people? 168 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: It's nothing but white people. So I swim for the 169 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: USA A swimming which is like the national you know, 170 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: like confidence. But they had the organization, and so you 171 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: would out of the whole organization you have about maybe 172 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: one to two percent of black and other swimmers, you 173 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: know what I mean. Like it wasn't even just black, 174 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 1: it was like anybody other than white. It was it 175 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: feels that two percent out of the whole nation. So um, 176 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,720 Speaker 1: So swimming is a predominantly or was I should say, 177 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: a predominantly white sport when I was growing up. So 178 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: we were like the only black team. And because because 179 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: of like the height of the competition, like we will 180 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: go to Junior Olympics, we will go to zone, we 181 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,679 Speaker 1: will go to like high regional meats, it would it 182 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: would get even, it would get worse. It would be 183 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,839 Speaker 1: like two black people at that meet, you know what 184 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: I mean. So even in my swim team, like even 185 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 1: in the team. You had to be fast enough. And 186 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: if you were as fast to go to those events, 187 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: now it will become like it would just be you 188 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: and your friend there. Damn. Okay. So, so you're going 189 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: to these predominantly white spaces, you're competing against almost entirely 190 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: white people. Is there are part of you at this 191 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 1: point because you're growing up with a black dad who's 192 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: teaching y'all how to swim, who's encouraging you, clearly is 193 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: coaching you well, because you're competing on the junior Olympic level, 194 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: is there are part of you that still has the 195 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: black people can't swim running in your head? Or you 196 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: like competing like, no, I don't give a funk about 197 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: none of that, and I'm gonna bust y'all. Ass um. Well, 198 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: it was more like I see why black people don't swim. 199 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: It was more like, I see why we don't do this. 200 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: It's a lot like, you know, especially as a black woman, 201 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: you know, you you I'm competing against these white people. 202 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: And after the swim meeting is over, you know, the 203 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: white girl cloths in the locker room, she sprinkles water 204 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: on her hair, put on at eyeliner, and she hops 205 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:19,200 Speaker 1: out of the locker room and it's a new day. Meanwhile, 206 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: I'm over here saton conditioner, putting a shallow caps over 207 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: my head, doing a little twist style, trying to and 208 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 1: it's still coming out with a little bed to not 209 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 1: you know, scar coming out, you know. And so I 210 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,719 Speaker 1: would say more so because of the response that I 211 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 1: will always get because people are like, oh, I didn't 212 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 1: know you swim on the black people swim. That's that 213 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: was like just a common thing growing up. But also 214 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: as I was competing and and swimming, I was like, 215 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: I see, I see why we don't do this. This 216 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: This is a lot you know. I had eggs and muskin. 217 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: It's just it wasn't conducive, you know what I mean, 218 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: Like it just it's you know, it was a lot 219 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: dry skin on a black person, you know. But things 220 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: things are different now, especially with the chemicals that they 221 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 1: used with the water and especially like hair products and 222 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: all of that. But growing up, it was it was tough. 223 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: Well that's what I was gonna ask because I have 224 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: to assume, and this is this is me putting my 225 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: conspiratorial hat on. I have to assume that there's yeah, 226 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: I'm a tip. And I have to assume that there's 227 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: there's an instinct or at least an unwillingness to change 228 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: the form of the water, of the chemicals, of all 229 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: the things, because it doesn't negatively affect the people that 230 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: they're they're most trying to service, right, And there has 231 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: to be a way to make water with a little 232 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 1: bit of lotion in it or just a tad bit 233 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: of conditioner cooked in that chemical, just that it wouldn't 234 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: do as many harsh things to black skin and black 235 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: hair as as it's done in the past, exactly. And 236 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,520 Speaker 1: even even just the design of the swimsuit. You know, 237 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: we're more curty, you feel me like we're they're making 238 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: these swimsuits for boxes. I mean, you know, no, no disrespect, 239 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: but respectfully like disrespect. But you guys are shaped like 240 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: and even like the shower, like the swim cap. You know, 241 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: usually you know, we have larger hair, Like I'm no. 242 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: Growing up, I had to wear braids. Well that was 243 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: just more conducive than wearing my hair out because it 244 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: was such a stress. And so now like, are you 245 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: going to design a swim cap that is great for performance? 246 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: But I saw something that you know can can keep 247 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: all of my hair inside. So it was it was 248 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: definitely little little things like that. But I think it's 249 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: just yeah, I mean conspiracy. And then also just like 250 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 1: we wasn't growing up like I'm about to swim. That 251 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: wasn't something like do you even know how to swim? Well, 252 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: I don't like how you said that. I do. I 253 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: am uh, I am not a strong swimmer. I'll say that, 254 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: but that is more as a result of my anxiety. 255 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: It is not a result of me not being taught. 256 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: I was taught for years. I went to you know, 257 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: I was one of them kids that grew up in 258 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: like after school programs where they would like make you 259 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: go take swim lessons, and I just could never relax 260 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: enough in the water to get like the breathing down yeah, 261 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: and do it correctly. But I plenty of people put 262 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: resources behind me. Yeah exactly, that makes sense. That makes sense. 263 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: So I don't I don't know if you remember this. 264 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: There was that as you were talking about the swim 265 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: caps and all that, it reminded me that this past Olympics, 266 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: I think there was that big controversy of the black 267 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,640 Speaker 1: woman who had, like I guess, invented a larger swim 268 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,840 Speaker 1: cap that was meant to be more accommodating for black hair, 269 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: and then the Olympic committee came down and was like, nah, 270 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,640 Speaker 1: we don't know that ship, so you gotta get rid 271 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: of it. Like it, it does seem like a very 272 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 1: intentional effort to at least not be accommodating for the 273 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: needs of a different type of swimmers. Yeah, and often 274 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 1: it's because they never had to They never had to 275 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: be accommodating. You're you're looking at years of years of 276 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 1: years and even now, like we're just now seeing black 277 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: swimmers in the Olympics, right, Like even so I wanted 278 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 1: what was the first year because it was it had 279 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: to be like around when I was in college, so 280 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,720 Speaker 1: it wasn't too long ago. And that's when you saw 281 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: I don't want to mess up his name, but it 282 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: was like one black guy in the Olympics, and then 283 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: we had one more, and then now it was like two. 284 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: So we're looking like, why would they be accommodating or 285 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: why would they, you know, even go out their way 286 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: to do that when we're still looking at a lower 287 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: number of black swimmers at that level of competition. Yeah, 288 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: and and to some extent, I I don't even know. 289 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: This doesn't justify the decision at all, definitely rationalizes it 290 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: where I don't even think that Sometimes what they're doing 291 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: is like an overt malicious racism as it is like 292 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: black people are like, yo, this would make my swim 293 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 1: experience more simple, easy, comfortable, whatever it is, And they're like, yeah, 294 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: but if we change the rules, the rules are just changed. 295 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: And y'all niggas are just here for a week, like 296 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: your temporary or like or you have these type of 297 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 1: organizations where they hold so much weight in the rules 298 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: that they just they don't want to change it just 299 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: because of the honor of tradition, you know what I mean, 300 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 1: Like you have like you, it's stubbornness too, that energy 301 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: as well. Um, so yeah, definitely not condoning it, but 302 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 1: that that level of understanding can just kind of give 303 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: you an idea of where everybody kind of be coming from. Yeah, 304 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: it's Serena Williams wearing that catsuit and everybody freaked the 305 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: funk out because they're like this, you can't wear a 306 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,360 Speaker 1: cat suit. But it's like, but the bitch looked good 307 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 1: in the cat suitt suit. But they're like, but tradition 308 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: says cat suits are not what we wear when we 309 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: do the thing. It's like, I don't know, man, it 310 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: go hand in hand and also a level of control too, 311 00:18:22,560 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: but that's why you have the different views and depends 312 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: on other side. But um, yeah, yeah, so I don't know. 313 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: Hopefully I haven't really been following too close. But hopefully 314 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 1: I know now as I move forward, even as I've 315 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: liked taught lessons and I see more black people are swimming, 316 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: So that's that's the good thing. Is your son a swimmer? 317 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: Does he swim? He is? He is? He actually talked 318 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: so the same way my dad taught me how to swim. 319 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: My dad actually taught him how to swim suit. But 320 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: the beauty of it was he would bring him to 321 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 1: my swimming lessons, so it was like, oh yeah, yeah 322 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: it was. It was actually really nice. So he was 323 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 1: a little baby taking my little mommy and me classes, 324 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:11,160 Speaker 1: but mommy was teaching the class and granddad was standing 325 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 1: in as the parents. So he's been in the water 326 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: since he was a small baby, which the Yeah, so 327 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 1: he's a strong swimmer. You are keeping this tradition going. Yeah, 328 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: when the pandemic kind of hurt us what I will 329 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 1: want to tell people. It's like with swimming, just like 330 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: with any skill, if you don't do it after a while, 331 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: you lose it. So we actually just was we was 332 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: on vacation and my cousins was like, he came swim 333 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: me case swim and I was like, no, we just 334 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 1: forgot So I had to kind of just hit him 335 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: in the water. I had to get an the water 336 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: with him and we'm him who he was and where 337 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: he came from, and then it was good. But you, 338 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: swimming is like one of those skills where you can't 339 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,399 Speaker 1: take It's like stand up, like you can't take a 340 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 1: week off the thing. You're about to come and just 341 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: crush it like this is what you gotta keep. You 342 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 1: gotta keep using this muscle. So yeah, and I do 343 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,159 Speaker 1: think into your point, I do think that's something I 344 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 1: want to consider. I want to find myself in the 345 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: space where I can go like, oh, all right, this 346 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: is an excuse not only for this person to to 347 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:16,880 Speaker 1: begin to break uh a history, right and ugly history 348 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: of black people either being associated with not swimming or 349 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: actually not swimming, but on top of that, a chance 350 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: for me to to now reconsider some of the decisions 351 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 1: I've made as an adult of like I don't swim, 352 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: that's not my thing. Like, no, maybe I could be 353 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 1: a swimmer and I can use this baby as a 354 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: as an excuse to do that. It's never so great. 355 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: Have you seen those videos when they just like throw 356 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:46,520 Speaker 1: newborns in like a big gas pool. Yes, and then 357 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: naturally they say, I'm like, I don't know what they 358 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: I don't know what part of the world this is. 359 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:53,719 Speaker 1: But it's so crazy because growing up, that would be 360 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: the trauma behind all of my friends and swimming. It 361 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: would be like I was thrown into the pool and 362 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,199 Speaker 1: that was like the last time they swam, because it 363 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: was like swim right. So you have those people who 364 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: kind of like doing their own stroke and they're like 365 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: I made it, and then other people like I will 366 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,919 Speaker 1: never touch the water again because that was trauma sizing 367 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 1: so right, and that that's the weird dance that we're 368 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 1: I think we're all dealing in. It's like you want 369 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: to be able to learn to swim, but you don't 370 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: want trauma attached to it. And unfortunately, for black people, 371 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: I think very few things that we have are at 372 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,000 Speaker 1: least somewhat associated with trauma. Isn't that that's just this 373 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 1: and that's the conspiracy right there. They just they just 374 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: want to kill us mentally. It's crazy. Hey, hold on, 375 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: that's how they get you, because, oh boy, is there 376 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 1: is there not a lot that isn't at least somewhat 377 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: associated with the destruction of our minds and nothing can't 378 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: have nothing. All right, We're gonna take a break. We'll 379 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: be back with more amina and more, my mama told me. 380 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: And we are back, my god, Oh yeah, we're back 381 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: here with more amina, money, more. My mama told me. 382 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 1: We're still talking about the possibility that black people can 383 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: in fact swim, and Amina is proof of that, her 384 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 1: and her twin sister proven and there in the sun too, 385 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 1: everybody's proving that black people do have the potential to swim. 386 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: When when you were growing up as a swimmer, were 387 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,040 Speaker 1: you made fun of? Were you guys picked on for 388 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: being the weirdos who were excited to be in water 389 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 1: when everybody else was like, nah, that'sh it's weird, we 390 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:59,919 Speaker 1: don't do that. No, so we weren't. So we weren't 391 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:04,159 Speaker 1: picked on because it wasn't something that everybody saw like 392 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: we swam but it was always at a distance to 393 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: school and wherever else we were. So when we were swimming, 394 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,640 Speaker 1: it was with other people who were swimming. But what 395 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: we were picked on was about like our appearance. Yeah, 396 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 1: the ashy, this your hair, you know. Yeah, like even 397 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 1: to down to how we dressed, because swimming is not 398 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,479 Speaker 1: really the most affordable or it wasn't the most affordable sport. 399 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,359 Speaker 1: And it was three of us and so um my 400 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: mom was a single mom at the time, so it 401 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,399 Speaker 1: was like we're paying four events, were paying for swimm 402 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: meets and stuff. So it's just like y'all gonna get 403 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: sneakers once every you know, blue moon, and so we 404 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,159 Speaker 1: weren't never the kind of kids who were established or 405 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: what the end. So we were made fun of, I 406 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 1: feel like in indirectly to what it was that we 407 00:23:57,359 --> 00:23:59,479 Speaker 1: had to pay for with swimming, but it wasn't because 408 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,120 Speaker 1: we swam. And actually when it was time for swim 409 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: fool parties and stuff, that was our time to shine. 410 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 1: So it wasn't like you can pick on us because 411 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: it's like you don't have the skills that I have. 412 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 1: So that was actually our time to like be like 413 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 1: I was swim we award I'm doing that. Yeah, But 414 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: like when you would come to school every day looking dry, 415 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:19,920 Speaker 1: it was just like, oh, yeah, we're about to be 416 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: getting on you, right. These these kids don't know that 417 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 1: you're They think you're just crusty, but they don't know 418 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:30,959 Speaker 1: you're crusty because you're champions. You feel me say it again? 419 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: Like I put it like that, and then you just 420 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 1: woke up and you didn't wash your ass. But it 421 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: turns out you've been very wet and wet, wet in 422 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: the in the coolest way possible that they're not even 423 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: aware of exactly. Kids had no idea, but you don't listen. 424 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: I have no student loans now, So who had the 425 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,440 Speaker 1: last laugh? You feel me? Well, they had the last laugh, 426 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: but they locked in your face and now they probably 427 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 1: can't hear you because they work at McDonald But that said, 428 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:06,960 Speaker 1: good for you for sticking with it and not letting 429 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: being asked you at school deter you from from following 430 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 1: your dreams. Really, Oh my goodness. Yeah, Okay, let's jump 431 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 1: into some of this research, because I did find quite 432 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: a bit on this conversation of whether or not black 433 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: people can swim, and according to a two thousand and 434 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: eight study. It actually showed that more than fifty eight percent, 435 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 1: fifty eight percent of black kids in America cannot swim, 436 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: that is what they reported. And black kids drown it 437 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: nearly three times the rate of their white counterparts in 438 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: this country. Yeah. But now, now, now, now, when you 439 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: dropped the statistics like that, Yes, that sounds like a 440 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: strategy right there. Not three times wow, three times. That's 441 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 1: a lot of fucking drowning black babies, you know what 442 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 1: I mean? That is not good. That is and people 443 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 1: need to hear to see, see put your kids in 444 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: the water, because that's crazy. I didn't know. I didn't 445 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: know it was like that. That's wild. So I I 446 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:13,439 Speaker 1: wanted to look up where the origin of this is, right, like, 447 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: why is it that all of this is happening? And 448 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,639 Speaker 1: it seems like the cause is largely related to and 449 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: you talked about this earlier access. So in the late 450 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: nineteenth and early twentieth century, there were almost no pools 451 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:31,880 Speaker 1: being built in predominantly black areas. They're they're like saying emphatically, 452 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 1: we are not building swimming pools in places where black 453 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 1: people live. Then the twenties and thirties come around and 454 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: they start to actually build public pools all over UH cities, 455 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:47,120 Speaker 1: all over these larger sort of like urban areas. However, 456 00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:50,399 Speaker 1: it's also kicking into the era where we start to 457 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: do the separate but equal ship right where they basically say, 458 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,720 Speaker 1: like you get a swimming pool, you get a swimming pool, 459 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: y'all can't swim together. However, the white swimming pools that 460 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,640 Speaker 1: they're building, these large, white public swimming pools, I'll read 461 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: you some of the description that they had for them. 462 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,679 Speaker 1: It's basically some of them were larger than football fields, 463 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: surrounded by grassy lawns and concrete sun decks. However, the 464 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 1: black ones, the pools that black people were assigned to, 465 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 1: were often extremely small, indoors and had none of the 466 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: comparable amenities. Wow. Yeah, So basically white people get to 467 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: go lounge on like a fake beach and black people 468 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,719 Speaker 1: get to go into like a school auditorium with like 469 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: a bucket in the middle of it. That is ridiculous. 470 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: But and and that's all I would think about even 471 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: growing up, because as it as it gotten down to, 472 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: like us trying to be as competitive as our counterparts, 473 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 1: we just it was really no chance, you know what 474 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:55,960 Speaker 1: I mean, Like I was going to a school that 475 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,719 Speaker 1: was like forty minutes away, and then the pool was 476 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:03,120 Speaker 1: another forty minutes away. So I'm only practicing once out 477 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 1: of the day, which is after school, as opposed to 478 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 1: my counterparts, the pool is at their school, so they 479 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 1: start their warning swimming, they go to classes, and then 480 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: they go to back to practice in the afternoon. So 481 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 1: now I'm competing against someone who's training twice a day 482 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: is way more convenient for them. And and that's that's 483 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,639 Speaker 1: the disadvantage. That was a disadvantage growing up for yeah, 484 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,920 Speaker 1: the inside of time and even to your earlier point, 485 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:35,160 Speaker 1: it also is even if like functionally you and your 486 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 1: your mom had figured out some way of transporting you 487 00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: to this space, it's still also is a separate check 488 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: that needs to be like written out to make sure 489 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 1: that you're getting the same amount of practice that it 490 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: is already cooked into the bill of you know, white education, 491 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 1: the white upbringing, like they have the pool already a 492 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: part of their daily lives exactly, yep, yep, yep, ye wow. 493 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: So to that that same point, and this is an 494 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 1: example of sort of like the differences in these experiences 495 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: in the mid nineteen thirties and St. Louis. Black Americans 496 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,280 Speaker 1: represented fifteen percent of the population in that city, which 497 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: is surprisingly low for St. Louis. That's the Niggas city. 498 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: But the point is they only took one and a 499 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: half percent of the number of swims in the city 500 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: one and a half percent because they were only allocated 501 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: one small indoor pool, whereas the white residents of St. 502 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: Louis had access to nine pools, two of which were 503 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: as large and sort of like sprawling as the ones 504 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: that I described earlier. So it's nothing but but white 505 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: people with resources and black people with one real sad 506 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: chlorine tank. Exactly. I'm just grateful that, you know, I 507 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: grew up in Atlanta where my coach, My coach didn't 508 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: play dad, he was. He was just a huge advocate 509 00:30:01,840 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: for US swimming, and he also went out of his 510 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: way to make sure we had access to get to practice, 511 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: even to the point where he'll pick us up. He 512 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:13,600 Speaker 1: also assisted with like our swimming fees. So I'm just yeah, 513 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 1: my shout out to coach Tommy um Tommy Jackson. Uh. 514 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 1: He he's been in the game board years years, at 515 00:30:24,280 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: minimum five decades of coaching, and he actually took a 516 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: black Haitian swimmer to the Olympics. The last Olympics, Nicole. 517 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 1: I don't want to mess up her last name, um 518 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:37,720 Speaker 1: and she she made it to the Olympics. So that 519 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: was a big deal for him because that was like 520 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: one of his goals to have a you know, one 521 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: of us. Like even now, he's still be trying to 522 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: get us back in the pool and I'll be like, 523 00:30:47,440 --> 00:30:52,640 Speaker 1: let let it, let me go, let go, like let it. 524 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: But you could do Bassard, let it, let it go. 525 00:30:54,800 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 1: I'm not. So he's like a real terror sour typing that. Yeah, 526 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: swim Boys, I don't know what I think it was called. 527 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 1: That's what it was. I called it swim Boys, but 528 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 1: it's called Pride. Yeah, that's terrible. Don't do that again. 529 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: I never watched that movie. But they they we had 530 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 1: jobs too, so it was like when it when it 531 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:27,719 Speaker 1: did get difficult, we worked as light guards during the summer, 532 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 1: so we were able to train, practice, you know, and 533 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:34,360 Speaker 1: and work and make some money. So yeah, shout, I 534 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: see him but doing that. But as you can see, 535 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 1: they was trying to they was trying to hold us back. 536 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: And I think I think even more to that point 537 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: that also and you talked about this earlier that you 538 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: for you, I assume for a while maybe you still 539 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: do it, but you were teaching swim classes, and that 540 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: that is how you create culture. It isn't just put 541 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: a person in a swimming pool and teach them to swim. 542 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 1: It's make it so that not only as are my 543 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 1: relationships in the water, but my money is in the water. 544 00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 1: My community as a whole is connected to this space. 545 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 1: So I always have a reason to go back, which 546 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: is an essence what white people intentionally were We're making 547 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: sure wasn't happening for these black people in the twenties 548 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: and thirties, and I felt like still low key to 549 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:26,320 Speaker 1: this day, but people are making it a point to 550 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 1: do what they gotta do. Yes, So one of the 551 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:36,000 Speaker 1: things that I think is worth addressing because obviously, in 552 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: in many cities there were actual policies being put in 553 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: place to ensure that black people were designated to specific pools, 554 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: but that wasn't actually an option everywhere. The separate but 555 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:50,600 Speaker 1: equal thing wasn't wasn't fully a thing that they could 556 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 1: make into law in every single city, in every single state. 557 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,080 Speaker 1: And so what white people did if they were in 558 00:32:57,120 --> 00:32:59,680 Speaker 1: a state or a city that didn't allow for separate 559 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 1: but laws would. They used violence essentially, So there are 560 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: plenty of instances. For example, there's a pool that sort 561 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 1: of became infamous during this time in Highland Park, Pittsburgh, 562 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: where white swimmers weren't encouraged to beat any black people 563 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: who entered the water at their public pool. That like, 564 00:33:19,000 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: they had multiple instances of like black boys like hopping 565 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: the fence or making it into the swimming pool and 566 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: then they were told to beat them and dunk them 567 00:33:27,840 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: until they ran for their lives out of the water. 568 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: What I'm saying, And just imagine if that was your daddy, 569 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 1: you ain't never learning to swim ever in your life. 570 00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: Absolutely not. It's traumatic as hell. And you also have 571 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,920 Speaker 1: to assume that these are young kids, because that's who 572 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 1: would break into a swimming pool. I don't know a 573 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 1: lot of Like again, I'm thirty four, my knees ain't 574 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 1: I'm not hopping fences no more. I'm pretty comfortable. If 575 00:33:54,400 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: you don't let me through the door, I will go home. 576 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 1: At sixteen, I would have high the ship out of 577 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:02,640 Speaker 1: offense and had a good time in the pool that 578 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,520 Speaker 1: I wasn't supposed to be in and those kids are 579 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: then being attacked by grown men who are presuming to 580 00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:14,479 Speaker 1: protect I guess they're they're innocence by by getting these 581 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: black people out of the pool. It's because they know 582 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: we're gonna be them a day own game too. That's 583 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:21,480 Speaker 1: that's really, really really when it comes down, you give 584 00:34:21,520 --> 00:34:23,959 Speaker 1: it to us be better than you. That's that's and 585 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 1: and and even even as we were growing up, it 586 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,600 Speaker 1: was just like you training twice today, I'm training once 587 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:32,840 Speaker 1: a day, and we had the same yet the same block. 588 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: What's up if it really boils down, So it's like, 589 00:34:37,600 --> 00:34:41,760 Speaker 1: because you know I'm gonna be better than you, right, 590 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: and this you're saying, this is a deep seated fear, 591 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: like I could take the position you've built so much 592 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: pride in, and so subsequently you just tried to keep 593 00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:56,440 Speaker 1: me out there will make people act and show their acts. 594 00:34:56,719 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: You got grown men being kids, and it's just like, yeah, 595 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,719 Speaker 1: yeah it does, because you know, you know what it 596 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: is so more to that that conversation of fear. Then 597 00:35:13,600 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: in the forties and fifties, so thirties and twenties and thirties, 598 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,800 Speaker 1: they're beating ass and U and I guess not taking 599 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,920 Speaker 1: names in the swimming pool. But then in the forties 600 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 1: and fifty these segregation laws start to drop away. Right, 601 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 1: They're no longer able to to segregate the swimming pools 602 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: the way that they planned. And so instead what happens 603 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,280 Speaker 1: is something called white flight. A bunch of the white 604 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 1: swimmers that previously we're going to these public pools decide 605 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: they no longer want to be a part of these 606 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: public communities and instead start building private pools in their 607 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:50,959 Speaker 1: own communities and or in their own homes. That country club, yeah, 608 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:53,800 Speaker 1: golf clubs. All the clubs start to build their ship 609 00:35:54,000 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 1: or I just build one in my backyard, and I 610 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: avoid any interaction with niggers anywhere, you know what I mean? 611 00:36:00,080 --> 00:36:05,879 Speaker 1: Goes back to money, resources, privileges, luxuries, things that are 612 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 1: not affording to everyone. And ah that just I love 613 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:18,200 Speaker 1: a good tired gas just right, just somebody can't even 614 00:36:18,239 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: bring themselves to to finish how frustrated they are in 615 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 1: this all experience. And this is where it gets even 616 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:34,400 Speaker 1: more insane, because they start to run to these country clubs, 617 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: these golf clubs, these private facilities. And then that shift 618 00:36:38,400 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: subsequently makes the government stop putting resources into public facilities, 619 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: which means that the public pools that did exist either 620 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: get shut down or stop getting the maintenance that they deserve, 621 00:36:53,440 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 1: and black people are once again left without any options 622 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:01,080 Speaker 1: for swimming, which is why today we have so few 623 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:04,880 Speaker 1: public pools and why so few black people even feel 624 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:09,520 Speaker 1: a willingness to go to them. Yes, it's real, tiring, 625 00:37:09,560 --> 00:37:17,320 Speaker 1: dog exhausted. Let's let's turn this, uh this fun game 626 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: for a second, because this part I've always found pretty 627 00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,280 Speaker 1: hysterical and I'm curious to hear your thoughts as a 628 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:28,319 Speaker 1: a black swimmer. There's also a conspiracy theory that I 629 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: think is so funny that white people believe the reason 630 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 1: black people can't swim is because we have denser bones 631 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,600 Speaker 1: than our white counterparts. That we are we are bones 632 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: are are basically heavier and denser, and it makes us 633 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:47,600 Speaker 1: less prone to fractures. But it also means that we 634 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: sink when we get in the water. Your thoughts, Boy, 635 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:00,359 Speaker 1: why people come up with anything? Who said it doll bad? 636 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 1: They got the heavy bones they can Okay, so that 637 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:14,080 Speaker 1: is this is what white people made up. Well, it's interesting, 638 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 1: and I'm glad you said made up because, as it 639 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,680 Speaker 1: turns out, and I did some research. I thought I 640 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,400 Speaker 1: similarly thought this was completely made up. But as it 641 00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:25,560 Speaker 1: turns out, there is some evidence to suggest that bone 642 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:29,319 Speaker 1: to city is higher in black people versus our our 643 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:34,320 Speaker 1: white counterparts. However, the the density that we're talking about 644 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:38,400 Speaker 1: is not enough to make a difference in our buoyancy, 645 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 1: do you know what I mean? And certainly not the 646 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: buoyancy of the entire race. This is sort of like 647 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:46,839 Speaker 1: an averaging out that basically says that Black people oftentimes 648 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:51,640 Speaker 1: require less vitamin D and less calcium than our white counterparts, 649 00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:56,880 Speaker 1: and we do technically report less fractures than than white people. 650 00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:00,200 Speaker 1: And it would go back to the significance because even 651 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:02,520 Speaker 1: as you look at babies, as you said, people for 652 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 1: wotom in pools, and it's a natural instinct for us 653 00:39:05,719 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 1: to swim, you feel me like just as being as 654 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,560 Speaker 1: a human. So why would someone now try to dissect 655 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,600 Speaker 1: that into yeah, yeah, heah, y'all bones too heavy anyway, 656 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:18,600 Speaker 1: so let it go, Yes, like that, that's why it 657 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:21,000 Speaker 1: sounds made of even if there is some truth around, 658 00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 1: it's like, it's not about to be that serious for 659 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:28,839 Speaker 1: us not to be able to swim. Exactly, It's not 660 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:31,279 Speaker 1: enough to keep us from swimming, and to your your 661 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 1: earlier point, it really is just a way of justifying 662 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 1: the racism that they already are sort of trying to 663 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 1: see to see through, right. Like another example of the 664 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: things that they they started to say in order to 665 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:49,799 Speaker 1: keep black people from entering public pools back in the 666 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:52,879 Speaker 1: twenties and thirties was they argued that black people were 667 00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:55,719 Speaker 1: dirtier than white people, that they were just say a 668 00:39:55,920 --> 00:39:58,839 Speaker 1: filthier because you know, like our pink color is gonna 669 00:39:58,880 --> 00:40:02,920 Speaker 1: come off obviously, Like you put water to this, and 670 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:06,279 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, like immediately, just the whole poems and 671 00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:11,960 Speaker 1: be black, you know, so you look at me and 672 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:18,000 Speaker 1: see that I'm gonna leave a whole lot of black everywhere. Well, 673 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:21,120 Speaker 1: they not only did they claim that black people were dirtier, 674 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:24,080 Speaker 1: but they also can claim that by allowing them into 675 00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 1: the water, more transmittable diseases we're going to be spread 676 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,280 Speaker 1: by our presence, by the physical presence of black people 677 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:36,680 Speaker 1: in a public pool. And the dumbest ship ever, it's 678 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: all dumb. My favorite, second favorite, my favorite of them, 679 00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 1: dense ass bones. My second favorite example of why they 680 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,480 Speaker 1: also were afraid of black people getting in the water 681 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 1: is because they were They specifically especially were afraid of 682 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:56,320 Speaker 1: the possibility that black men would be swimming in public 683 00:40:56,360 --> 00:41:00,160 Speaker 1: spaces with white women. That they thought that black men, 684 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:04,040 Speaker 1: We're gonna use this opportunity to take advantage in some 685 00:41:04,160 --> 00:41:07,160 Speaker 1: form of these white women by either brushing up against 686 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 1: them under the water, or seducing them with their their 687 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,080 Speaker 1: ethnic bodies, just whatever they could do to to get 688 00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:18,080 Speaker 1: white women attracted to them or uncomfortable around them. This 689 00:41:18,160 --> 00:41:21,600 Speaker 1: was their way of protecting their precious whites, you know 690 00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: what I mean, the precious white women that are fighting 691 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:32,040 Speaker 1: for the feminism every day. As we see here the 692 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:34,759 Speaker 1: arguments that they made, and I think similar to the 693 00:41:34,760 --> 00:41:38,200 Speaker 1: ones that we were talking about earlier, it is all 694 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:47,560 Speaker 1: a justification to make them feel girl. Yeah, stop paying up. 695 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 1: You're very mean to them. You don't care for them 696 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:55,359 Speaker 1: at all. You just don't want us to be mean 697 00:41:55,440 --> 00:41:58,040 Speaker 1: to them the way you're mean to them. So the 698 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:01,080 Speaker 1: last thing I'll run past you because I do think 699 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:04,560 Speaker 1: that this is a an interesting point that I sort 700 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:10,040 Speaker 1: of found myself digging into. You went in all in this. Yeah, 701 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:14,000 Speaker 1: you know, this is literally all I have is talking 702 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:17,799 Speaker 1: to people over the podcast. It's it's my life now, 703 00:42:17,920 --> 00:42:21,160 Speaker 1: and I hate my life to end it all someday, 704 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:27,480 Speaker 1: but for now, this is all I got, so I 705 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:31,800 Speaker 1: don't I'm assuming you're familiar with Simone manuals. She she's 706 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:35,120 Speaker 1: the black woman who won gold at the Olympics. She's 707 00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:38,360 Speaker 1: sort of like a person that keeps getting pointed to 708 00:42:38,920 --> 00:42:42,000 Speaker 1: as like an exceptional swimmer, this awesome person, blah blah 709 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 1: blah blah blah. And one of the things that I 710 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 1: found myself sort of realizing as I was unpacking some 711 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:48,759 Speaker 1: of this research, and I'm very curious to hear your 712 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,279 Speaker 1: thoughts on this, is that I don't actually think that 713 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:56,080 Speaker 1: it's good for us anymore to keep sort of like 714 00:42:56,400 --> 00:43:00,239 Speaker 1: pointing at black people and saying they're the first black 715 00:43:00,320 --> 00:43:03,920 Speaker 1: person to do this thing, the first black women to 716 00:43:04,120 --> 00:43:07,520 Speaker 1: win a gold medal in swimming, or black woman to 717 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:11,840 Speaker 1: do this or this or this whatever, because it is 718 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,799 Speaker 1: now becoming justification for white people to say that the 719 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:20,040 Speaker 1: systemic oppression that has been in place for generations is 720 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:23,200 Speaker 1: not actually a problem. That like every time we sit 721 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:27,120 Speaker 1: around and just over celebrate ourselves for being the first, 722 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:31,640 Speaker 1: we're only making a weird sort of exceptionalism in that 723 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 1: individual and not actually allowing white people to see the 724 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: way that systemic oppression is attacking all of us. Yeah, 725 00:43:39,719 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 1: I think there's always uh a yet in a yang 726 00:43:42,600 --> 00:43:45,880 Speaker 1: with everything and and and to that point, I honestly 727 00:43:46,080 --> 00:43:50,600 Speaker 1: understand why it would make sense to not do that. However, 728 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:59,319 Speaker 1: Comma growing up, you know, little Kalia, just well, this 729 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:02,880 Speaker 1: is the thing. Presentation does matter, you know, and like 730 00:44:03,360 --> 00:44:06,759 Speaker 1: growing up you know, you you even have me and 731 00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: my sister in a predominantly white sport with with so 732 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:15,479 Speaker 1: much potential, we could have been the first Simone what's 733 00:44:15,480 --> 00:44:20,439 Speaker 1: her last name manuals manuals, right, But when you don't 734 00:44:20,560 --> 00:44:24,600 Speaker 1: see that and when it's not common, and then it 735 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:28,520 Speaker 1: disconnects that belief. So I know, for a long time, 736 00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:31,919 Speaker 1: even in being something so great, there was a lack 737 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:35,840 Speaker 1: of vision because there was no simone manuals, you understand. 738 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:41,120 Speaker 1: So that's why sometimes that praise is important because you know, 739 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:45,359 Speaker 1: you know, the youth need to see it, They need 740 00:44:45,400 --> 00:44:49,160 Speaker 1: to know that they're capable, and it is an opportunity 741 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:51,960 Speaker 1: for them to do this, not to tell right people, 742 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:54,400 Speaker 1: not in the same sentence to be like, you're white people, Okay, 743 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:57,520 Speaker 1: now y'all are doing good. But in a sense of Okay, 744 00:44:57,560 --> 00:44:59,680 Speaker 1: we need to see that this is something that we 745 00:44:59,719 --> 00:45:02,600 Speaker 1: can accomplished and it needs to continue to be strong 746 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,680 Speaker 1: for because if if not, it will continue to just 747 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:09,160 Speaker 1: be once someone manuals ever so often you understand what 748 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:12,239 Speaker 1: I'm saying, And I I like that point because I 749 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:15,080 Speaker 1: do think that it in some ways I think I 750 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:18,400 Speaker 1: I feel like what I'm hearing is it's more important 751 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:21,920 Speaker 1: for us to use representation to show us then that 752 00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:25,200 Speaker 1: is to show white people. And maybe that is the 753 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:28,360 Speaker 1: danger of the representation that that I'm talking about, and 754 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:30,000 Speaker 1: where we can kind of meet in the middle of 755 00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:33,439 Speaker 1: this ship is saying that, Like, I don't think it's 756 00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:36,319 Speaker 1: good for us to keep announcing to white people, look 757 00:45:36,320 --> 00:45:39,719 Speaker 1: how good we can be. I think it's more important 758 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:43,399 Speaker 1: to announce to each other, look how good we can be, 759 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:48,120 Speaker 1: and ignore whatever the white interpretation of that is, and 760 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,160 Speaker 1: not even look how good, Look how good you are? 761 00:45:50,560 --> 00:45:53,719 Speaker 1: We we are great, we are amazing. We don't and 762 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:58,479 Speaker 1: and and we never hear that. We haven't been hearing 763 00:45:58,480 --> 00:46:01,480 Speaker 1: that for so long, so that that's the whole idea. 764 00:46:01,560 --> 00:46:05,080 Speaker 1: I'll never I took a trip to Ghana recently and 765 00:46:05,160 --> 00:46:08,080 Speaker 1: it was three little girls at the resorts swimming, and 766 00:46:08,239 --> 00:46:09,799 Speaker 1: I had to sit back and be like, damn, I 767 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:12,600 Speaker 1: don't even really remember what I looked like as a 768 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 1: little girl in the pool, you know. And so I 769 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:18,400 Speaker 1: had the opportunity to go over there and teach, and 770 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:22,800 Speaker 1: they was like they were elated to see that I 771 00:46:22,800 --> 00:46:24,600 Speaker 1: could swim, you know what I mean, And they were 772 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,680 Speaker 1: like even more excited to show me that they could swim, 773 00:46:27,719 --> 00:46:30,160 Speaker 1: like and it wasn't as like they were just learning 774 00:46:30,160 --> 00:46:31,799 Speaker 1: and you know, like look what I could do putting 775 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,440 Speaker 1: their face of the water. But now they have a 776 00:46:35,520 --> 00:46:39,000 Speaker 1: vision of like, okay, like even as an adult, this 777 00:46:39,040 --> 00:46:42,400 Speaker 1: is something I can continue to do and be great at. 778 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:45,399 Speaker 1: And so I think those that's that's just way more 779 00:46:45,440 --> 00:46:50,960 Speaker 1: important than than you know, clearing white people's conscious or 780 00:46:51,080 --> 00:46:53,560 Speaker 1: or thinking that these this is where the effort is 781 00:46:53,560 --> 00:46:56,680 Speaker 1: going into because it's it's so much it's so much 782 00:46:56,719 --> 00:46:58,600 Speaker 1: greater than that. It's so much greater than and I 783 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:00,600 Speaker 1: just I just know what it is to be a 784 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:03,959 Speaker 1: little girl, and and it was it just wasn't there. 785 00:47:04,440 --> 00:47:06,920 Speaker 1: So you had no clue. You you're just painting on 786 00:47:06,960 --> 00:47:10,000 Speaker 1: a blank canvas. So just imagine how great your picture 787 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,440 Speaker 1: will be if you already kind of see how amazing 788 00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:15,200 Speaker 1: the picture is. It's gonna be even better. So we 789 00:47:15,239 --> 00:47:18,080 Speaker 1: gotta keep that in mind. And and just just let 790 00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:20,239 Speaker 1: people know we got the sauce. And no matter how 791 00:47:20,239 --> 00:47:22,240 Speaker 1: many times they build the pool and take it down, 792 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:26,399 Speaker 1: we listen, build your own pool, brot build your own pool. Bro, 793 00:47:26,680 --> 00:47:32,280 Speaker 1: what you're doing. Go ahead, put your people this sliming 794 00:47:32,360 --> 00:47:35,960 Speaker 1: license and get your grass in the water. How about that? 795 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:39,480 Speaker 1: All right? Well you're already here first, folks, to get 796 00:47:39,520 --> 00:47:41,879 Speaker 1: your ass in the water and build your own pool. Bro. 797 00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:44,399 Speaker 1: We're gonna take a break. We'll be back with more 798 00:47:44,440 --> 00:47:46,520 Speaker 1: of me. Now your money. More. My mama told me 799 00:47:57,560 --> 00:48:15,040 Speaker 1: we are that. No, no, no, yeah, we're back here 800 00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:18,160 Speaker 1: with Moremni Monti more. My mama told me. We're still 801 00:48:18,280 --> 00:48:22,840 Speaker 1: talking about black people and swimming and Terrence Howard movies. 802 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:26,280 Speaker 1: Pride is what it's called. It ain't called black boys, 803 00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:30,760 Speaker 1: It's called pride. Anyway. I'd love to play a game. 804 00:48:31,120 --> 00:48:33,960 Speaker 1: Let's play. Let's play a game. This is a fun game. 805 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:36,759 Speaker 1: It's a classic game. It's our most classic game on 806 00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:39,719 Speaker 1: the show. It's a a fun little game. I like 807 00:48:39,800 --> 00:48:44,200 Speaker 1: to call white lies ugly. You're disgusting I'm gonna kill you. 808 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 1: Give me two d white lies. It's a fun game 809 00:48:48,320 --> 00:48:52,000 Speaker 1: where I amina am going to introduce to you a 810 00:48:52,080 --> 00:48:56,600 Speaker 1: classic white conspiracy, one that that white people supposedly have 811 00:48:56,760 --> 00:48:59,600 Speaker 1: held onto for quite a while now. And what I 812 00:48:59,600 --> 00:49:02,520 Speaker 1: would for you to do is just unpack for me 813 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:06,080 Speaker 1: why you think white people care about this conspiracy theory 814 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,560 Speaker 1: so much? What do you think it is inside of 815 00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:12,000 Speaker 1: this conspiracy theory that they're latching onto. What are these 816 00:49:12,000 --> 00:49:15,080 Speaker 1: sneaky motherfucker's up to? You know what I mean? Okay, 817 00:49:15,120 --> 00:49:17,440 Speaker 1: this is this is an interesting one because I had 818 00:49:17,480 --> 00:49:20,200 Speaker 1: never heard it before, and I had to do a 819 00:49:20,200 --> 00:49:23,160 Speaker 1: little bit of of research just even make sense of it. 820 00:49:23,480 --> 00:49:28,160 Speaker 1: But apparently Queen Elizabeth the First, the Queen Elizabeth the First, 821 00:49:28,200 --> 00:49:30,439 Speaker 1: not the one that's in there now, not that whole bitch, 822 00:49:30,760 --> 00:49:34,000 Speaker 1: the one that was from fifteen thirty three. She was 823 00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,000 Speaker 1: born in fifteen thirty three. She died in sixteen oh three. 824 00:49:37,200 --> 00:49:41,080 Speaker 1: They made a movie about her with sar Sharonan, whose 825 00:49:41,160 --> 00:49:44,319 Speaker 1: name I just learned to pronounce correctly. She's She's that 826 00:49:44,440 --> 00:49:47,960 Speaker 1: nice Irish lady that's in all the important films now. Anyway, 827 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:53,120 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth the First, very old lady apparently. Uh, some 828 00:49:53,239 --> 00:49:57,680 Speaker 1: people believe that she was born a man, that she 829 00:49:57,800 --> 00:50:01,239 Speaker 1: was actually a man, and that she wasn't born a man. 830 00:50:01,320 --> 00:50:04,600 Speaker 1: Excuse me, that she was replaced, but she died very 831 00:50:04,680 --> 00:50:08,040 Speaker 1: young and was replaced by a young boy who looked 832 00:50:08,080 --> 00:50:12,239 Speaker 1: like her and basically held that position for the remainder 833 00:50:12,920 --> 00:50:16,880 Speaker 1: of Queen Elizabeth the first life. And that's the reason 834 00:50:16,920 --> 00:50:19,839 Speaker 1: why she never had sex with anybody. She didn't, she 835 00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:24,160 Speaker 1: didn't bone apparently, she was she was completely like a 836 00:50:24,280 --> 00:50:27,360 Speaker 1: virgin apparently. And the reason she was like that is 837 00:50:27,400 --> 00:50:30,120 Speaker 1: because they claimed that she was a boy. This is 838 00:50:30,160 --> 00:50:32,160 Speaker 1: a lot for you to take in it. But my 839 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:35,760 Speaker 1: question for you, Amina is why do you think white 840 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:40,719 Speaker 1: people are holding onto this conspiracy so tightly? I mean, 841 00:50:40,719 --> 00:50:44,319 Speaker 1: did she not have any kids? Like? What? What? What 842 00:50:44,840 --> 00:50:48,160 Speaker 1: is it is? The is it the lack of a legacy? 843 00:50:48,400 --> 00:50:54,520 Speaker 1: Is it she ugly? Like I'm I'm That's all I 844 00:50:54,560 --> 00:51:01,399 Speaker 1: could think of. She was uh said to have been 845 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:05,279 Speaker 1: a homely woman. And I don't believe that she did 846 00:51:05,360 --> 00:51:09,560 Speaker 1: Queen Elizabeth have a child because Queen she had no children. 847 00:51:09,640 --> 00:51:12,279 Speaker 1: So that's yeah, that's that's all I can think of. 848 00:51:12,400 --> 00:51:16,240 Speaker 1: Because like people come up with reasons especially in those times. 849 00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:19,880 Speaker 1: It's like she could be out there chopping wood and 850 00:51:19,880 --> 00:51:21,960 Speaker 1: they're like, oh, yeah, she's definitely a man, you know 851 00:51:21,960 --> 00:51:27,640 Speaker 1: what I mean, Like like anything that would be out 852 00:51:27,640 --> 00:51:30,520 Speaker 1: of what a woman was constructed of supposed to be doing. 853 00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:35,280 Speaker 1: That's why they will come up with this this I 854 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:38,760 Speaker 1: just what this is. This is themb But yeah, so 855 00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:42,560 Speaker 1: because she ain't had our kids. Yeah, like once once 856 00:51:42,840 --> 00:51:45,120 Speaker 1: a woman didn't have kids. Now everybody has to come 857 00:51:45,200 --> 00:51:47,880 Speaker 1: up with reasons like she's a witch or you know 858 00:51:47,880 --> 00:51:50,560 Speaker 1: what I mean, like like all she got a disease 859 00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:53,800 Speaker 1: or lights like everything gotta be reasons just to explain 860 00:51:53,880 --> 00:51:57,240 Speaker 1: that one little thing. So that's the first thing that 861 00:51:57,239 --> 00:52:01,040 Speaker 1: that that the patriarchy is so embedded exactly the way 862 00:52:01,040 --> 00:52:05,040 Speaker 1: that we interpret women, that the fact that she she 863 00:52:05,120 --> 00:52:08,839 Speaker 1: did not bear children meant that if there wasn't a 864 00:52:08,920 --> 00:52:13,680 Speaker 1: magical explanation to that behavior it, we couldn't make sense 865 00:52:13,680 --> 00:52:18,200 Speaker 1: of a woman existing in this way. Exactly. Yes, thank 866 00:52:18,239 --> 00:52:22,000 Speaker 1: you so eloquent. You know again, that's all I have. 867 00:52:22,520 --> 00:52:24,680 Speaker 1: I won't have it much longer. I'm gonna end it all. 868 00:52:24,960 --> 00:52:30,640 Speaker 1: But while I'm here, my job is to repeat back 869 00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:34,520 Speaker 1: things that you've already said. In different words. That's the 870 00:52:34,640 --> 00:52:39,319 Speaker 1: key to good podcast hosting. Yes, yes, yes, it's amazing. Well, 871 00:52:40,360 --> 00:52:42,080 Speaker 1: I mean I think we did it. I didn't. I 872 00:52:42,120 --> 00:52:45,040 Speaker 1: think we we nailed this episode. Thank you so much. 873 00:52:45,120 --> 00:52:48,799 Speaker 1: This was a great time having people. Hell yeah, could 874 00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:50,759 Speaker 1: you tell the people at home where they can find 875 00:52:50,800 --> 00:52:54,400 Speaker 1: you and what cool ship you have going on? Yeah? So, um, 876 00:52:54,440 --> 00:52:58,759 Speaker 1: you can find me on my website, Amina Imani dot com. Um, 877 00:52:58,960 --> 00:53:03,480 Speaker 1: I'm on social media you a men a money, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. 878 00:53:03,640 --> 00:53:05,960 Speaker 1: You can look out for my set on Comedy Central 879 00:53:06,200 --> 00:53:10,640 Speaker 1: that's dropping in November. I'm on Hulu up early tonight 880 00:53:10,840 --> 00:53:13,520 Speaker 1: a show on there. Yeah, and then if you just 881 00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:15,680 Speaker 1: yea on my website. I think it's like some articles 882 00:53:15,680 --> 00:53:18,600 Speaker 1: that spotlight things that I've done and stuff like that. 883 00:53:18,719 --> 00:53:22,719 Speaker 1: So check me out. Hell yeah, go on that website, 884 00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:26,480 Speaker 1: check her out late tonight. That's yeah on Hulu. Do 885 00:53:26,520 --> 00:53:31,160 Speaker 1: all that ship. And as always, you can follow me 886 00:53:31,239 --> 00:53:34,800 Speaker 1: at Langston Kerman. And please, if you have any drops, 887 00:53:34,840 --> 00:53:37,520 Speaker 1: if you have any conspiracy theories of your own, if 888 00:53:37,520 --> 00:53:39,520 Speaker 1: you have anything that you would like me to see, 889 00:53:39,560 --> 00:53:42,640 Speaker 1: you can send it to my Mama pod at gmail 890 00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:45,919 Speaker 1: dot com. I would love to hear from you. Otherwise, 891 00:53:46,280 --> 00:54:05,040 Speaker 1: by bitch racist the oasto player oosting money actually do 892 00:54:05,239 --> 00:54:10,000 Speaker 1: any Turkey stuff. I can't tell me that my lo