1 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to Okay f Daily with 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody, recording live from the Brooklyn Bunker. 3 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: Once again, Friends, it has been an extraordinarily devastating week 4 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: in America. We have witnessed historic storms, and I wish 5 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: to God that we would stop using the word historic 6 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: when they seem to become more consistent than ever and 7 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: more of the norm. We have witnessed a gutting of 8 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: voting rights acts, a gutting of Roe v. Wade at 9 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: the hands of white male politicians in Texas. We have 10 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: witnessed what happens when we lose sight of what is 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:01:03,960 Speaker 1: truly important in our country, which are the courts. For 12 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 1: far too long, I think that we have been kidding ourselves. 13 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: That we have lulled ourselves into a place of complacency 14 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: where we believe that elections alone will save us. That 15 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: we believe that the people that we elect to represent 16 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: our voices are doing so because they share the same 17 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 1: values in morals and beliefs that we do. We believe that, 18 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: for too long, that those people had the best interests 19 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 1: of the country in mind, and that they would come 20 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: together and work as a unit, work in collaboration across 21 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 1: party lines in order to better the country. A couple 22 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: of weeks ago, Nancy Pelosi found herself saying that the 23 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: country needs a strong Republican party, right, they need a 24 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: strong two party system. I wonder how she feels today. 25 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: Millions of women in Texas no longer have access to 26 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: an abortion. Millions of women in Texas, namely low income 27 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: black and brown women, who cannot afford to pay doctors 28 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: off in private institutions in order to get the abortions 29 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: that they need, will now begin to perish at alarming 30 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: rates because they're no longer going to be able to 31 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: have the autonomy to decide when and where and how 32 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:51,519 Speaker 1: they begin a family. If you are raped, if you 33 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: are a victim of incest, you will not have a 34 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: reprieve from this jury of white male politicians who have 35 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: decided that they own you, and they own your body, 36 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 1: and they own your future as well as your present. 37 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: If you believe that because you live in a blue state, 38 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: for the moment, that you are safe. I had a 39 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 1: friend tell me, thank god, we're in New York, and 40 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: I said, we're only as safe as who is sitting 41 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: in the White House is and I mean that because 42 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: the Trump presidency gave us a very clear glimpse into 43 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: what happens when you have a partisan, racist, misogynistic, egomaniac 44 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: sociopath that is at the house home of this country. 45 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 1: Remember that Trump was using the federal government and weaponizing 46 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: it to punish blue states as we were trying to 47 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: figure out how to deal with COVID. You remember that 48 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell called COVID a blue state issue because at 49 00:04:24,200 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: the time it was ravaging New York City, La San 50 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: Francisco and hadn't yet reached Kentucky, Arkansas, Alabama in the 51 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: ways that it has reached them now. So what the 52 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: new law in Texas shows us, and what the five 53 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: four decision by the Supreme Court shows us, is that 54 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: no one is safe from white Evangelical Christians and their 55 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 1: crusade of cruelty. It doesn't matter because their rage and 56 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: their vindictiveness and their viciousness doesn't stop at blue state borders. 57 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 1: It is far reaching and everlasting. White Evangelical Christians have 58 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: been on a mission since the Civil Rights Act of 59 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty four. Since Roe v. Wade nineteen seventy four, 60 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 1: they have been on a mission to return the United 61 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: States to its fundamentalist religious founding. Remember that the pilgrims 62 00:05:53,000 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: that fled the king in England came here because they 63 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: were fundamentalists, They were religious zealots, and they wanted the 64 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: freedom to be able to practice their religion how they 65 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: wanted to. And so the basis of our religious freedom 66 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: doctrines that we see in policies all across the country 67 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 1: initially began as the freedom to be able to practice 68 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 1: how you wanted to, and has morphed into the belief 69 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,200 Speaker 1: that Christianity, and a particular type of Christianity, one that 70 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 1: white right wing zealots practice, is the only and the 71 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: dominant religion whose values should be the determinant for how 72 00:06:55,160 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: we exercise our rights in this country. And so because 73 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: they don't believe in abortion, we no longer will have 74 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: access to one. Because they don't want black and brown 75 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: people to vote, because they believe that they are second 76 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: class citizens, we will no longer have access to the ballot. 77 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: Coming up next, folks, is my conversation with Camillie Bell Hill, 78 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: who is the creative behind plant Blurred on Instagram, which 79 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: has a wonderful following, as well as the co founder 80 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: and the voice behind the Plant Key Key podcast and 81 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: Black People with Plants. And now you may be saying 82 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: to yourself, Danielle, this seems just so out of whack. 83 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: And I'm telling you, I feel so fucking out of 84 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: whack today. This week has truly truly knocked me on 85 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: my ass, and I need to both get out the 86 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: anger that I have, the frustration that I have, and 87 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,560 Speaker 1: also the recognition that this is heading into Labor Day weekend, 88 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: which is supposed to be a time when we honor 89 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: our workers, honor ourselves. And I really want folks to 90 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: take this time to take this long weekend, if you 91 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: are privileged enough to have it off to ground, to rest, 92 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: to recharge, to refocus, to think about the ways in 93 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: which every single day you are going to fight to 94 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: rest so that we can figure out how in the 95 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 1: days and weeks ahead that we are going to resist together. Folks. 96 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: I am very excited I did to welcome to Woke 97 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 1: f Daily for the first time, hopefully not the last time. 98 00:09:08,240 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: Is a Camilli Bell Hill, who is the creative behind 99 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: at Plant Blurred, which I love, I love, I love 100 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: the name, founder of Black People with Plants and the 101 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:28,839 Speaker 1: co host of the Plant Kiki podcast Camilli in your 102 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: Bio on Instagram. In the you Know in Your Bio 103 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 1: it says that you made a move from traded lawyer 104 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: hat for plants and that sounds so appealing to me, 105 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: particularly as half of the country is under water, the 106 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,840 Speaker 1: other half is on fire, and our rights are being 107 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: taken away each and every moment of the day. Talk 108 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: to me about that journey that you took and why. 109 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,480 Speaker 1: What was your tipping point into saying I'm hanging up 110 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,560 Speaker 1: this hat and I'm picking up another one that is 111 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 1: seemingly completely from ye It's an about face, right, It's like, 112 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: you know, the first hat, the lawyer hat. Law school 113 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 1: was all about you know, doing the right thing, doing 114 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,720 Speaker 1: what I was being told to do. This was this 115 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: was safe, This was going to guarantee, you know, a 116 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: successful life and kind of just like feeding into that 117 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:34,120 Speaker 1: hole um myth of what successment and what it would 118 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: look like and also being raised it. It has something 119 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: to do I think also with generationally. My mom is 120 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: the child of Jim Crow, so they got the you 121 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: know where they were able to go to school and 122 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: achieve those successes and get the professional degrees they wanted. 123 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: Their children to do that same thing and continue on 124 00:10:54,480 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: the past. And because our opportunities had been so limited 125 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 1: in this country, I think that the generations that raised 126 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: people in my age group, they didn't just they didn't 127 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: really have like this imagination to see that there was 128 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,240 Speaker 1: something else that, you know, we could do, that there 129 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: were other paths that we could follow that would be 130 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:23,559 Speaker 1: creative and feel more like it was both passionate and purposeful. 131 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:31,959 Speaker 1: Who cares whether or not it is monetarily successful, you know, capitalism. 132 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: I just you know, I did that. I went to 133 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: law school and I don't have any regrets. I have 134 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: the degree. Who knows about I doubt that I'll ever 135 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 1: use it again, but I got it right. And after 136 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 1: I had my first daughter, I kind of just fell 137 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 1: into being a stay at home parent. Not by plan. 138 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 1: It just ended up where I was, and it just 139 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: made me really like reevaluate things like It's like, I 140 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: don't want to do something and spend my very precious time, 141 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: which is you know, you can't get that back doing 142 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: something that I'm miserable in. You know that I that 143 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: brought me no joy, that was completely unfulfilling, and so 144 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: I just dabbled. I dabbled until I figured it out 145 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 1: and I landed in interior design. I love it. It's 146 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: always been something that I felt, you know, it felt 147 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: like it was a hobby, didn't feel like something that 148 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: I could do professionally, until one day I was like, 149 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: well why not? Though you know, people are always asking 150 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: me to help and come in and redesign and make 151 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: their face beautiful. Why why can't it be something professional? 152 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: So I landed in this whole plant world when I 153 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: just started thinking about things like in a bigger way, 154 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 1: you know, like just beyond like that little box that 155 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:58,839 Speaker 1: we're told that we have to fit in and the 156 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: things that we have to do. So one day I 157 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: bought a fiddle leaf big for a client. And that's 158 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 1: just like flipped the switch. It's always the fiddle ly 159 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: fig which is not in which is not in my 160 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: home right now, because I it is the It is 161 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: the plant I want the most and the one that 162 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 1: I am most terrible, the one that you're most terrified of, 163 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: right because you get the one that I am most 164 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: m And you know, I think that what's interesting to 165 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: me as I talk to folks like yourself who are 166 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: in their second, third fourth iterations of their careers, of 167 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: their lives black people, black women in particular, is you 168 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: know when you talk about your family, your your mother 169 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: being a child of Jim Crow, and I think about, 170 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,839 Speaker 1: you know, living at a time where I kind of 171 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: feel like we're moving towards right now where you don't 172 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: have the space and ability to reinvent yourself right right 173 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 1: that that you're just you would be lucky to get 174 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: to a status quo let alone, trying to let alone, 175 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: trying to reverse it, let alone, trying to bucket. And 176 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: so what you know, what pushback did you receive when 177 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: you decided to make this transition when you decided, like 178 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 1: you know, because for me, it's it's almost thinking of 179 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: there is so much anger, hate, nastiness in the world 180 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: that I am so drawn to beauty and slowness and 181 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: real genuine connectivity and expressions of love and of spirit. 182 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: And I wonder for you, like when you were was 183 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: it a conscious like I want to move towards beauty. 184 00:14:56,760 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: I want to move towards something that is that puts 185 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: smiles on people's faces, that is of peace, and one 186 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: that isn't of like just churning through. Well, absolutely, it 187 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: was like a quest for beauty and kind of like 188 00:15:13,520 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: creating this sanctuary in your home. That's kind of where 189 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: it all started. Like with the design, it was just 190 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: like creating this beautiful space that you want to be 191 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: in and that makes you feel comforted and really just 192 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: like sparking joy, right, And part of um to me, 193 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: design is literally bringing life into the room. And when 194 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: you have these things and they're growing from your care, 195 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: I don't know, it just makes me. It makes me 196 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: feel like I have a superpower, right because these are 197 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: tropical plants that I mean, like the fiddlely fig that 198 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: it's literally a tree that grows to you know, heights 199 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: of like sixty feet and it's usually and full sun 200 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: with high amidity. But here I am making this plant 201 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 1: grow in my dry, cold house in New York. You 202 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: know who has a grow lamp. So it just feels like, 203 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, it just feels powerful and peaceful, and it 204 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: really cuts out some of all the chatter and noise 205 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: in the background because you really have to pay attention 206 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: to the plants and it helps you. I find that 207 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: it just really helps you kind of like ground yourself 208 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: and what they bring is just so much more than 209 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 1: just like a design element. It's it's just it sounds corny, 210 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 1: but they're real like life lessons to learn from these plants. 211 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: You know, everybody truly grows at their own pace. No 212 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: matter how much you can, you know, try to manipulate 213 00:16:51,480 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: or control, they're going to do what they do. So 214 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: it also teaches you that there's only but so much 215 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: control that you can have. Period you can do your 216 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: best and hope for the best. But there's also a 217 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: part of the lesson is like learning to also let go. 218 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: So there's just like layers to these plans. There's just 219 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: a lot of layers. That is it for Today's Woke 220 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: App Daily podcast. To hear more from today's show, including 221 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 1: my full interview with Camillie bell Hill of Plant Blurred. 222 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 1: Support me on Patreon at patreon dot com. Slash Woke 223 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: a app Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 224 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,440 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.