1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Hey, hey, hey, hey, get us on. 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 2: Latino USA is celebrating thirty years today. That amos and 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 2: we would love to hear from you. Dear listener, Do 4 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 2: you want to share with us exactly what Latino USA 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 2: has meant to you? Do you have a birthday wish 6 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 2: for us? Leave us a voicemail at six four six 7 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 2: five seven to one one two two four. That's six 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 2: four six five seven to one one two two four, 9 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: and we might feature your message in an upcoming show Grass. 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 3: Yes, Hello, Maria Ina host. My name is Jennifer Renee Smith. 11 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 3: I'm calling to let you know I really love let 12 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: you Know Usa. I started listening to your show in 13 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 3: the early nineties and the stories have also helped me 14 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 3: to appreciate my mostly cultural heritage and you are just 15 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 3: a wonderful to listen to that brings me comfort every 16 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 3: Saturday at seven o'clock in the morning, and happy thirty years. 17 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: This is Latino USA, the radio journal of News and 18 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: Curture Latino USC. 19 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: Latin Latino USA. I'm Maria Inojosa. 20 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 2: We bring you stories that are underreported but that mattered to. 21 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: You, overlooked by the rest of the media. 22 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 2: And while the country is struggling to deal with these 23 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: We listen to the stories of Black and Latino Studios United, 24 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 2: Latino Front, a cultural renaissance organizing at the forefront of 25 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 2: the movement. I'm Maria Ino Jossa. 26 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 4: I think us as a generation, no matter if you're 27 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 4: a conservative or Democrat, I think we have a shared 28 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 4: timeline in this country. All of our touch points as 29 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 4: a generation are revolving around trauma. Like if you ask 30 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 4: gen z or is like, what are the big moments 31 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,320 Speaker 4: you think have brought your generation together, It's going to 32 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 4: be like Parkland, Pulse, George Floyd and it's it's really sad. 33 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 2: From Futuro Media and pr X, It's Latino USA. I'm 34 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,119 Speaker 2: Maria jo Josa today a conversation with the first gen 35 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 2: z US, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost. That's Latino USA Producerrinaldo 36 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: Leans Junior. He recently met up with Congressman Frost in 37 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: his district in Orlando, Florida, and Rinaldo is going to 38 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: take it from here. 39 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 5: So we're in your office. How did the feel to 40 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 5: have an office? 41 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: Pretty wild? 42 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 4: My campaign office that we had is actually like right 43 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 4: down the street and it's a way different vibe. So 44 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 4: that was like way more campaigny, and obviously we're trying 45 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 4: to make this more official, but still have the energy 46 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 4: of the campaign and everything like that. 47 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 5: Congressman Frost is twenty six years old. He's about five 48 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 5: years younger than me, and today when he walked into 49 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 5: his office, he looks sharp in a navy blue suit. 50 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 5: The congressman admits that his office looks pretty empty right now, 51 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 5: almost like an escape room. 52 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: He jokes, I give you an escape room. Yeah, I actually, yeah, 53 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: just recently, so this looks like an office that would 54 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: be in an escape room. But he says he has 55 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: a vision for it. 56 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 4: I want people to feel at home, and I want 57 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 4: there to be a lot of art and people be 58 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 4: able to look at our walls and see art, see culture, 59 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 4: see movement, and joy and I just want people to 60 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 4: feel joyful and smile when they come in. 61 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 5: Congressman Frost exudes energy, something that he shares with his staff, 62 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 5: which definitely skews on the younger side. They seem to 63 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 5: really enjoy working with him and being around him. Frost 64 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 5: first grabbed national attention when he announced that he was 65 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 5: running for a seat in the US Congress. 66 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: My name is Maxuel Alejandro Frost. 67 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 4: I'm an Afro Cuban, young American born and raised right 68 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 4: here in Orlando, Florida. We're tired of waiting for our 69 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:23,440 Speaker 4: time to come, because our. 70 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 6: Time is now. 71 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 5: It was a very competitive primary. He had nine opponents, 72 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 5: but Frost eventually secured the Democratic nomination, and he went 73 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 5: on to win the general election. He secured a seat 74 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 5: in the US House of Representatives, and he became the 75 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 5: first gen Z congressman to do so. 76 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 7: Give up. 77 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: We must not. 78 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 8: Give up on the future that we believe because I'm 79 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 8: here world desert. 80 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 5: Since taking office, Frost has joined the Committee on Science, 81 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 5: Space and Technology, and he's also a member of the 82 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 5: Committee on Oversight and Accountability. It's a committee that oversees 83 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 5: issues like national security and the border, and he's already 84 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 5: sparred with several of his Republican colleagues within that committee. 85 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 4: Mister Chairman, before I start earlier, I believe I heard 86 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 4: mister Gosar say something about President Biden's immigration's policies being 87 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 4: more big brother, more control, and more changing our culture. 88 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,239 Speaker 4: I understand what he's trying to say, but I believe 89 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 4: that immigrants are American and thus a part of American 90 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 4: culture and it's something I take personally as a son 91 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 4: of a Cuban refugee. 92 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: Look for me, then violence. 93 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 5: It's one of his major concerns, and just recently he 94 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 5: introduced legislation that would create an Office of Gun Violence 95 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 5: Prevention within the Department of Justice. 96 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 9: When we look around the world at all the other 97 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 9: major countries, what we see is that mass gun violence 98 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 9: is a uniquely American issue. People always ask me why 99 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 9: I got involved in politics, and my answer has always 100 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 9: been very simple, because I didn't want to get shot 101 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 9: in school when I was fifteen years old. 102 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: And when you found that. 103 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 5: The congressman is also pretty big on social media, where 104 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 5: I've been following a lot of his journey and I 105 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 5: usually look at his Instagram stories when he posts about 106 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 5: his favorite music, and he also posts about his media appearances. 107 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 5: But Frost isn't only use of social media for things 108 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 5: like that. He also goes on there to talk about 109 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 5: his district in Florida. 110 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 7: I wanted to. 111 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 5: Spend some time there in Florida's tenth Congressional district and 112 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 5: see the congressman in action in his community for myself. 113 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 5: So the day before our interview, I went to one 114 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 5: of his events in Orlando. 115 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: It was this local congressional swearing in. More than a thousand. 116 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 5: People filt the Community Center's gymnasium where this event was held. 117 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 5: And as you can hear, there is a band playing. 118 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 5: And I'm standing at the very back of the room. 119 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 5: And when I look into the audience, you know, I 120 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 5: do see a very diverse crowd. I also see like 121 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 5: a good amount of like young people as well, and 122 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 5: the people that are sustaining here volunteering with the campaign, 123 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 5: a lot of them are on the younger side. I mean, 124 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 5: there was a lot of music and joy everywhere you looked. 125 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 5: And then as the event began, several people took the stage, 126 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 5: including former Florida Congresswoman val Demans. 127 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 7: Well, good evening, Orlando. 128 00:07:49,720 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: It's a good night and or LANDD. Frost replaced Means. 129 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 5: She didn't seek reelection because she was trying to replace 130 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 5: Republican Senator Marco Rubio, but she didn't succeed. 131 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 2: And I am honored to pass the toruch tonight. 132 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:17,679 Speaker 10: To UNSS Representative Maxwell Frost. 133 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 5: After her speech, Congressman Frost and his family joined Demeans 134 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 5: on the stage. His mom and dad were there by 135 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 5: his side. 136 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 2: Please face your left hand on the Bible and raise 137 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: your right hand. 138 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 5: I state your name. 139 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: I'm Axwell Frost. 140 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 5: Do solemnly swear. 141 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: Do solemnly swear that I will support and defend that 142 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: I will support and defend. 143 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,599 Speaker 2: The Constitution of the United States. 144 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 4: The Constitution of the United States. 145 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 5: Yesterday was a pretty big day for you, right I 146 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 5: was there and I felt like a very joyous, fun time. 147 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: And how are you feeling up to yesterday? 148 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 4: I'm feeling incredibly blessed and humbled, you know, just knowing 149 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 4: like we had over a thousand people come in yesterday. 150 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 4: You know, it's hard to get an attendance like that 151 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 4: for a swearing in event, but we made sure to 152 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 4: you know, have music, food, and just make it a 153 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 4: place of again that cultural joy that we celebrate here 154 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 4: in Central Florida. It's a huge part of our community. 155 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 4: And it was just such a great day. And yeah, 156 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:27,719 Speaker 4: I felt that joy. And the band killed a band 157 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 4: from my high school. 158 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 5: The band that you, by the way, played with. That 159 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 5: was pretty incredible to watch. 160 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:33,079 Speaker 1: Yeah. 161 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 4: Oh, I spoken with the band director and I was 162 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 4: just saying, hey, we're excited to have you. My dad 163 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 4: played steel Pants with them, and so he was like, Hey, 164 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 4: are you gonna play? And he was like, you're gonna 165 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 4: hop on the drum set, And then I said, but 166 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 4: I played them balas too. If you' all are doing 167 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 4: a selsas. 168 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: On that might be easier. So so they brought the 169 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 1: theme balas set for me and it was great. 170 00:09:57,920 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 5: I mean, I think one of the things that set 171 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 5: out to me was also the community swearing in. Why 172 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 5: was that important for you to do yesterday? 173 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 4: There's a few members who do community swearing ins, and 174 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 4: they had given me the idea early on, and so 175 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 4: usually when it's done, it's kind of a smaller thing, 176 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 4: or it's done in like a ze city council room 177 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,320 Speaker 4: or something, which is cool. But I really wanted to 178 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 4: give it my own twist, and as a musician, that's 179 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 4: the vibe we kind of went for. So either way, 180 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 4: the pledge was something that not really anybody does with 181 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 4: the community. But the person who gave me that idea 182 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 4: was Iona Pressley, because she did a pledge with her community, 183 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 4: and when I read hers, it just I smiled and 184 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 4: inspired me. So I wrote my own and we did 185 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 4: it with the community and handed them out to everybody 186 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 4: on a nice paper and people can keep and have 187 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 4: with them. 188 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 9: Please put your hand over your heart and repeat after me. 189 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 9: I pledge that I will be civically engaged to fight 190 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:55,679 Speaker 9: for a better world. 191 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:02,480 Speaker 4: That I see joy as an essential part of our struggle. 192 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,960 Speaker 9: Then I will fight for equity in every space that 193 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 9: I am in. 194 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 5: As an outsider to this community. It was pretty incredible 195 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 5: to see a crowd of hundreds take this pledge together. 196 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 5: It was a promise to themselves that they will collectively 197 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 5: push for what is best for their community. And I 198 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 5: was really curious to know when motivated people to attend 199 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 5: the event. So while the music was blasting and people 200 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,319 Speaker 5: were talking and getting to know one another, I went 201 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 5: into the crowd and asked, what's your name? 202 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 10: My name is starrs Gilbert Ruffin. I am a Floridian. 203 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,479 Speaker 10: I've been in Orlando for about forty years. 204 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 5: Why was it important for you to be here tonight 205 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 5: for this swearing and ceremony. 206 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 10: Well, it is my right for voting, and I believe 207 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 10: in voting. Everyone should vote because that's an opportunity for us. 208 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 10: And we do need the younger generation to come a 209 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 10: board to learn how to do things. And some of 210 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 10: the senior people need to back off. Go Maxwell, Go Maxwell. 211 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 1: All right. 212 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 7: My name is Joey Kahn. I'm twenty years old and 213 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 7: I'm in school for a media production and yeah, I 214 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 7: really just want to be here because I love Maxwell 215 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 7: Frost as a politician, because you know, every time I'm 216 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 7: watching a video of like the Congress floor or anybody, 217 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 7: is just a lot of old dudes that I don't 218 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 7: really relate to at all, and they're pushing a lot 219 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 7: of policies that we don't really want as this younger generation. 220 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 7: So it's really niceeing somebody, especially from my area from Florida, 221 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 7: being willing to make that change. 222 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 6: My name is Joe Pickett, seventy three. 223 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 11: Yeah, I've lived in this community here about twenty years. 224 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 11: This is the young man, and I want to see 225 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 11: what he's all about. I hadn't heard any too much 226 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 11: about him. I want to hear more about the issues 227 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 11: that affect the community. Education, support in law enforcement, and 228 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 11: just helping our children. 229 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 10: I have. 230 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 6: Supporting bel Lemon, and she seems to think he's you know, 231 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 6: very really good, good for the community. He's good following her, 232 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 6: so I wanted to really just check it out. 233 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 5: During my interview with Frost. I told him what some 234 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 5: of his constituents said to me about why they made 235 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 5: it a priority to attend his swearing in. What goes 236 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 5: on in your mind when you hear you know, kind 237 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 5: of that response from some of the people that were 238 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 5: there yesterday. 239 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 4: Well, they all share some thing in common that they 240 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 4: were there, right, And I think, like that's the purpose. 241 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 4: I think a lot of times in the potential of events. 242 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 4: So I used to work in music festivals when I 243 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 4: went to my high school. We used to put together 244 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 4: concerts and events really changed my life. And so I 245 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 4: feel like there's an absence of politicians and government really 246 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 4: utilizing what an event can do in bringing people together 247 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 4: around common shared values and also giving off the aesthetic 248 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 4: and vibe that you want people to feel when they 249 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 4: interact with your office and what you're doing. We passed 250 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 4: out flyers in that community surrounding that community center. We 251 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 4: sent out tens of thousands of text messages, We did emails, 252 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 4: We did a lot of door knocking because we willed 253 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 4: to make sure people come to the door. We wanted 254 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 4: to have people who came in and didn't know much 255 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 4: about me and wanted to learn. We wanted that people 256 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 4: who maybe hadn't you know, there might have been people 257 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 4: had a negative connotation associated with me, or people who 258 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 4: you know, differ from me politically. We wanted them to 259 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 4: be there. We wanted supporters to be there. We wanted 260 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 4: people to be there who have never gone to a 261 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 4: political event before. And that's really what these events are 262 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 4: supposed to be, right. It's not just the one where 263 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 4: it's just people who are excited. Sometimes you get people 264 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 4: who are just you know, they're. 265 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: Vibing you out. 266 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 4: They're trying to see what the deal is, and that's 267 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 4: what I want, and that's. 268 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 5: The purpose, Congressman, Like this might be, you know, the 269 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,640 Speaker 5: first time that maybe some people are learning more about you, 270 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 5: and can you kind of just like walk me through 271 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 5: some of that journey into deciding to run for office. 272 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 4: I just had some friends that I had been arrested 273 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 4: with and protested with during the Black Lives Matter uprising 274 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 4: kind of say hey, you should run for this office. 275 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 4: The first thing I said was hell no. I was like, 276 00:15:34,040 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 4: I'm not running for Congress. I was working at March 277 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 4: for Our Lives at the time, and then I started 278 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 4: speaking with people in the community and found out, oh, 279 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 4: I have some support, you know, not a ton of support, 280 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 4: but I have, like, you know, I got some people. 281 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 4: And I was thought at crossroads because I only wanted 282 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 4: to run if I could win. And I wasn't running 283 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,960 Speaker 4: to like change the conversation. I wasn't going to run 284 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 4: to like prove a point. I wanted to run to win, 285 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 4: and I wanted to make sure we could win. And 286 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 4: so I called, you know, from working on camp. I 287 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 4: called a bunch of people I worked with before, and 288 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 4: we looked at numbers, and we looked at voters and everything, 289 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 4: and we came to the conclusion. We were like, you know, 290 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,280 Speaker 4: it's gonna be really hard, but like could win this. 291 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 4: There's like a path here. But I was still like, 292 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 4: you know, I don't know, like I'm not trying to 293 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 4: like go into financial ruin. And what changed everything for 294 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 4: me was I had a conversation with biological mother. 295 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: I was adopted at. 296 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 4: Birth, and just learning about her story and the fact 297 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 4: that she had me at the most vulnerable point in 298 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 4: her life, just like solidified by politics, which are. 299 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: About helping the most vulnerable people. 300 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 4: And I just felt in me like that feeling of 301 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 4: like love and justice for my biological mother and like 302 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 4: my community kind of surpassed the more practical part of 303 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 4: my brain that was like can I win? Do we 304 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 4: have the numbers? And I was just gonna like screw it, 305 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 4: like we're just going to do it. And then I 306 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 4: announced a month. 307 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 5: Later, can you also walk me through your road into activism? 308 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 5: It was I mean, it was a Sandy Hook shooting, 309 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:00,280 Speaker 5: you know, it was also the death of treyvon March, and. 310 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 4: So I got involved because yes, because of the Sandy 311 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 4: Hook shooting. I ended up going to the memorial that 312 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:07,640 Speaker 4: was going on. I was fifteen years old. I went 313 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 4: by myself to this memorial, didn't know anyone there, ended 314 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 4: up leaving making lifelong friends that I still know and 315 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 4: love today. And what changed everything for me was seeing 316 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 4: the students and the teenagers and the kids that had 317 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 4: lost loved ones or survived the shooting and hearing their stories. 318 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: It was a lot for me at fifteen. 319 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 4: And I'm very privileged, like I was adopted at birth, 320 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 4: I was raised in suburbia. I never worried about my meals, 321 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 4: I never worried about gun violence. So like the shock 322 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 4: of it all was like jarring from me. I had 323 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 4: like this like like an emotional whiplash. That like led 324 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 4: me to have this call to action where I was like, 325 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 4: I need to do something at home. And then I 326 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 4: got home and started organizing and ran for student government 327 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 4: president my school and tried to like, you know, change 328 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 4: the school and advocate for gun violence and you know, 329 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 4: just like figuring it out and making mistakes and organizing 330 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:01,120 Speaker 4: and then doing a lot of music events with organizing and. 331 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: Everything like that. 332 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 5: We're here right now, you know, in Orlando, you know, 333 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 5: and I wanted to see, what are some of your 334 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 5: favorite memories that you have growing up in the area. 335 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: Well, it's so many. 336 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 4: So my dad's a full time musician, so I grew 337 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 4: up going to see him perform all the time, meeting 338 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,240 Speaker 4: all the musicians in Orlando. They would all come to 339 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 4: my house. My dad has like a studio in the house. 340 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 4: There was always music all the time. And it's not like, 341 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 4: oh the local music. I mean, it's a local music scene, 342 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 4: but it's like there's different scenes. 343 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 1: You know. 344 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 4: This is like the working musician, like you know, playing 345 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 4: at Disney scene that I really got to learn and 346 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 4: love and like get to know everybody's And then as 347 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 4: I kept growing up, I started going to I started 348 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 4: being involved in like what you would consider the local 349 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 4: music scene, like musicians making their own music and trying 350 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 4: to make it and this and that. Orlando we're known 351 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:53,479 Speaker 4: for a theme parks in our entertainment and everything like that, 352 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 4: which is great. 353 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: I love I love the theme parks. 354 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 4: But we also have a very vibrant arts scene here 355 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 4: and it's really people kind of doing their own thing. 356 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 4: I mean, we have so many music venues here and 357 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 4: people use them for shows, but we have so many 358 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 4: shows that'll be anywhere anywhere. So there's just so much 359 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,120 Speaker 4: arts and environrant culture here right now. 360 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 5: You also brought up your adoptive mother, and I'm wondering 361 00:19:13,920 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 5: you can talk a little bit about some of your 362 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 5: family history because there's so many like beautiful identities and 363 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 5: how maybe some of those identities like influence you to 364 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 5: you know who you are, and maybe also just you 365 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 5: know how you view the world and politics. 366 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 4: So I was adopted at birth. My mom's Cuban. She 367 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 4: came here from Cuban in the late nineteen sixties during 368 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 4: the Freedom flights with my aunt my grandma, and then 369 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 4: my dad was born in Kansas and then he was 370 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 4: raised in Bermuda, not to be cliche, but obviously my 371 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 4: parents have a huge influence on me. My mom's a 372 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 4: special education teacher thirty seven years. 373 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:47,440 Speaker 1: She retires this year. 374 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:49,560 Speaker 4: She's teaching a group of students who have really been 375 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 4: cast out by society. Like hear my mom cry about 376 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 4: her students and like talk about her students and love 377 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 4: her students, and it just really instilled in me, like 378 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,639 Speaker 4: this heart of service from our early age for my 379 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,919 Speaker 4: mother and just always being with her and being involved 380 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 4: with her class and everything that she did in the 381 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 4: extra mile that she went that a lot of our 382 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 4: teachers do, is you know, across the country. And then 383 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 4: my dad, My dad used to go over to my 384 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 4: biological mother's house when I was when she was pregnant 385 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 4: and put like headphones on her stomach and have. 386 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 1: Me listen to music. 387 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 4: So there's been music before I was born in my life, 388 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 4: so there's always music in the house. I mean, there's 389 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 4: videos of me, like three years old. My dad's playing 390 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 4: steel pants someplace and I'm there like playing the shaker 391 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 4: or something like little Max like on this side. They're 392 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 4: really funny videos, and a huge thing I remember is 393 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 4: like I think it was when I was like ten 394 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 4: or nine or ten, I remember crying to music for 395 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,840 Speaker 4: the first time. There's an HBO special where it was 396 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 4: like a ton of kids playing instruments, like Prodigy kids, 397 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 4: and there was this one kid who played the Swan, 398 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 4: which is a song that's performed on cello. It's one 399 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 4: of the most beautiful pieces of music. And that was 400 00:20:57,720 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 4: the first time I cried to music. And I remember 401 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 4: my dad Ballet dating that and saying, like it's okay, 402 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 4: Like it's okay. And as I've grown up and realized 403 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,120 Speaker 4: how much like of this kind of toxic masculine either 404 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 4: is in general but also specifically in black communities and 405 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 4: in latinal communities, I felt like super privileged to have 406 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 4: grown up where in an environment where that vulnerability is okay, 407 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 4: and like was encouraged because I tap into that a 408 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 4: lot now in my work. 409 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,919 Speaker 5: You made history being the first Gen Z person to 410 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 5: have one for Congress, and I'm wondering, like, how you 411 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 5: interpret that moment of history. 412 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 4: Well, I mean, it's exciting, right, and it's important, and 413 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 4: we need younger people in politics. I think that the 414 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 4: thing here to take away from this is the fact 415 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 4: that the first opportunity we got, we like pushed our 416 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:50,000 Speaker 4: way in and I think that says something about, you know, 417 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,959 Speaker 4: our generation, because it wasn't just me running. I'm honored 418 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 4: to be the other person from my generation in Congress. 419 00:21:56,160 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 4: I bring those experiences with me every time I go 420 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 4: to a table and every time speaking. But I try 421 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 4: not to take myself too seriously in that regard because 422 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,360 Speaker 4: I mean, a generation has so many different ideologies. I'm 423 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 4: not trying to say I speak for everybody at. 424 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: All, but I do. 425 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 4: I think as a generation, no matter if you're a 426 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 4: conservative or Democratic anything, we have a shared timeline in 427 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 4: this country. 428 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: You know, debt. 429 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 4: All of our touch points as a generation are revolving 430 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:23,719 Speaker 4: around trauma. Like if you ask gen Z or Is like, 431 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,120 Speaker 4: what what are the big moments you think have brought 432 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 4: your generation together? It's going to be like Parkland, Pulse, 433 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 4: George Floyd. And it's really sad. 434 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 5: That's kind of like an intense kind of thing. You know, 435 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 5: when you really sit down and think about it, you 436 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 5: know these touch points. Do you hope to see more 437 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 5: gen z people run. 438 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 4: I've had a lot of people DM me and stuff 439 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 4: say like, you know, you've inspired me, I want to 440 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,640 Speaker 4: run for Congress, which is awesome. But I do want 441 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 4: to say, like, there's a lot of positions out there, 442 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:59,400 Speaker 4: and I think it's important that people not run to run. 443 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 4: My goal in life isn't about being in a position 444 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 4: but doing a specific action. For me, my life goal 445 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 4: is helping people through music and politics. 446 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 1: That's it. 447 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 4: It's pretty broad, but it gives me a lot of 448 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:17,880 Speaker 4: grace because if I wake up in like six years 449 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 4: and I want to do something else, I still feel 450 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,960 Speaker 4: like proud of myself, you know, because I'm still doing 451 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 4: stuff that's related to my goal. 452 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: I think there should be specific. 453 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 4: Reasons, issues, experiences that you've had, and every office has 454 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 4: a different function, so like why Congress had a lot 455 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 4: of people come up to me when I was first 456 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 4: running and be like, why didn't you run for city 457 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 4: council first? They would say, run for city council first 458 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 4: as a stepping stone. Well, there's the problem. City council 459 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 4: position ain't no stepping stone. That's real work. That's like 460 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 4: a job in of itself, is less stepping stone as 461 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 4: something else. I done stuff with the city, but for 462 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,520 Speaker 4: the last five years of my life, I've worked almost 463 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 4: exclusively on federal legislation. So this is just my Wheelhouse. 464 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 4: This is my experience. I know that, and that's why 465 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 4: I'm running because of the issues I care about can 466 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 4: be handled here. You know, as people come up to me, 467 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 4: I want to try to sit them down and be 468 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 4: like why are you running? And if they have some 469 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 4: pause or like it's like to help the country, you know, 470 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 4: it's like all right, well you need to take a 471 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 4: few steps back and like really think about this, because 472 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 4: you know, we shouldn't be seen as peopleho are just 473 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 4: being like opportunistic, you know what I mean, and just 474 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:21,879 Speaker 4: like trying to get in power. 475 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 5: I wanted to talk a little bit about, you know, 476 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 5: being a Democrat in Florida, you know, especially with having 477 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 5: a governor like Rhonda Santis, who you know you've had 478 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 5: your interactions with Governor. 479 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 9: We need you to hear from you. 480 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 4: We need to hang out here from Floridia not already. 481 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:46,400 Speaker 5: And I'm wondering, you know, just how do you create 482 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 5: that vision of change in your district but also in 483 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 5: a state like Florida where it might be a little tougher. 484 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it's hard here. We have just so 485 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 4: much to catch up on. Think about South Florida. There's 486 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 4: a very deep history that goes back to when my 487 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 4: mom came here from Cuba, of conservatives buying radio stations, 488 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 4: owning the radio stations, pumping disinformation in Spanish, and it's 489 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 4: like paid off and it's not gonna be one gen 490 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 4: Z Congressman that fixes it. Number One, there's a lot 491 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 4: of like institutional things we need to work through, and 492 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 4: we need to really expand our numbers in terms of 493 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,760 Speaker 4: elected but also obviously the electorate itself. This state is 494 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 4: actually pretty progressive in terms of policy, but not in 495 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 4: terms of politics. So it's connecting those two things in 496 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 4: a better way. There's a lot of work that needs 497 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 4: to be done. So I'm not like, I don't think 498 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 4: anyone should give up on the floor at all. 499 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 5: How are you taking care of your mental health? Because 500 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,199 Speaker 5: I can imagine there's a lot that goes on. 501 00:25:43,400 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 4: I'm still figuring it out. You know, it's like second 502 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 4: month out here. You know, when we talk about self care, 503 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 4: most people think about spa, cucumbers on your eyes sort 504 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 4: of thing, which is great. But part of self care 505 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 4: too is incorporating the things you love in the work 506 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 4: that you do. So for instance, last night, I mean 507 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:00,680 Speaker 4: that was a big event, very stressful, all that that's 508 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 4: actually kind of self care for me. Like during the campaign, 509 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 4: I took ten days off to go work at Coachella, 510 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 4: which is I've been working there for about five years, 511 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 4: and I'm stressed as hell over there. You know, I'll 512 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 4: beat it my head, it gets the it's really hard work. 513 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 4: But that's also self care for me because it's different 514 00:26:16,280 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 4: than what I've been doing. I leave feeling rejuvenated, even 515 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 4: though I just exert a lot of energy. You know, 516 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 4: self care means something different for everyone, and I think 517 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,920 Speaker 4: that self preservation is really important. So it's finding ways 518 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 4: to kind of incorporate, you know, these things in your 519 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 4: work and then also obviously take time and you know, 520 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,119 Speaker 4: I haven't been good about taking time off, to be honest, 521 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,520 Speaker 4: since I've started this. But we're figuring it out. 522 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 5: We're learning by the end of your first term, right, 523 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 5: once the two years are up and they hear you know, 524 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 5: congressome Maxwell the handittl Frost. What is it that you 525 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 5: hope people in your district take away or that you 526 00:26:49,119 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 5: hope you know that you accomplish. 527 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 4: Yeah, I want them to know and say He's always there, right, 528 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 4: He's a leader inmost important struggle, Whether they're in DC 529 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 4: or here at home, and that we're actually able to 530 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,720 Speaker 4: build an operation here locally that serve the people and 531 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 4: that actually, you know, helps increase people's perception of government 532 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 4: and like does government work for you? It's just, you know, 533 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 4: it's the honor of a lifetime. And I don't know everything, 534 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 4: you know what I mean, and I'm figuring it out, 535 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 4: but I feel really blessed out such a good staff team, 536 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 4: mentors up in d C, mentors here, and people in 537 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 4: my corner. Because you can't do any of this stuff alone. 538 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 4: And our opportunities are limited to past legislation in d 539 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,440 Speaker 4: C the next two years because we're in the minority. 540 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 4: But I think there's opportunity with like a lot of 541 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 4: these grants to bring back money and distribute it in 542 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 4: ways that we've never seen before. 543 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 10: You know. 544 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 4: Usually a lot of this money goes towards brick and 545 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 4: motar like building, you know, buildings and stuff, which is important. 546 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 4: But I want to figure out how do we you know, 547 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:55,480 Speaker 4: fund programs in Orlando that will fundamentally help change the 548 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 4: way people operate in our city. And I hope people 549 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 4: see us as hard work king always their leader in 550 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:03,880 Speaker 4: our local and National Fights. 551 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 5: Thank you so much for you know, taking time out 552 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:10,080 Speaker 5: of your data to speak with me. 553 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:12,280 Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. Of course, thanks for having me. 554 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 2: This episode was produced by Rinaldo Leanos Junior and edited 555 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 2: by Andrea Lopez Cruzado. It was mixed by jj Carubin. 556 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 2: The Latino USA team includes Marta Martinez, Mike Sargent, Daisy Contreras, 557 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 2: Victoria Estrada, Patris Surubaran and Elizabeth Londal Torres. Our editorial 558 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 2: director is Fernandes Santos. Our director of Engineering is stephaniely Lebau. 559 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 2: Our senior engineer is Julia Caruso. Our associate engineer is 560 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 2: Gabriella Bias. Our marketing manager is Luis Nuna. For theme 561 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 2: music was composed by sanying It Rubinos. I'm your host 562 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 2: and executive producer Marie Jojosa. Remember to join us on 563 00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: our next episode. In the meantime, look for us on 564 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 2: social media and most important deck where. 565 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: Us Yes Chao. 566 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 12: Latino USA is made possible in part by New York 567 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 12: Women's Foundation. The New York Women's Foundation funding women leaders 568 00:29:22,760 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 12: that build solutions in their communities and celebrating thirty years 569 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 12: of radical generosity. 570 00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 10: W K. 571 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 12: Kellogg Foundation, a partner with communities where Children come First, 572 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 12: and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, creates a brighter future 573 00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 12: for the nation's children by strengthening families, building greater economic opportunity, 574 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 12: and transforming communities.