1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:11,959 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's just keep a real straight shot with no Jason, 2 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get a little bit rougher. I'm here for it. 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: Those who really believe in the American process, all of 4 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: us straight shot, no chasing. What's your girl? Testling Figure 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: Row on The Black Effect podcasting that word that, what's 6 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: having a straight shooters? This is your girl? Tesla and 7 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: Figure Brow. Today we have human rights activist, national organizer, 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: public speaker, hip hop artists and writer. She has a 9 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,919 Speaker 1: weekly column in The Final Call. We have Queen your 10 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: Nausea long Wolf joining us on the show. Thank you 11 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: so much, Queen for stopping by and dropping some gems 12 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: on us about all of your wonderful experience and so 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,959 Speaker 1: much wisdom that you have. Shout out to my producer 14 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: Marcy de Pina. She is a huge fan of yours. 15 00:00:57,520 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 1: She kept saying, you got an interview, you got an interview. 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: You're you're gonna love what you has to say. You 17 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: gotta so, I said, okay, Mark, So let's make it happen. 18 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: Let's sit down with the Queen and give our straight 19 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: shoot as an opportunity to get to know you and 20 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 1: all of the wonderful things you're working on and some 21 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: experiences that you can share in your journey in this space. 22 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: Several titles that you're working with here. Hip Hop is 23 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: always important to me, so you pretty much encompass everything 24 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: that I stand for, from activists to also mixing in 25 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: that hip hop because hip hop is certainly the voice 26 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:32,680 Speaker 1: of the streets and the voice of where our people 27 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 1: are and always telling the story. Always say you know 28 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: the days are over for using hip hop as a 29 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 1: political fundraising gimmick. You know, accountability to to heal the 30 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: story that hip hop tals is important. So thank you 31 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: so much, Queen for all that you do. Welcome to 32 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: the show. Thank you so much, Castron for having me, 33 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: and Marcy for for also having me. I think this 34 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: is a great, great thing. I love. I'm a I'm 35 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 1: a fan of your show. I'm a fan of your content. 36 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: You're hilarious and informative. So thank you so much. This 37 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: is an honor. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. 38 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: Let's get right into it. So you say that you 39 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 1: were born with your fist stuff, meaning that you were 40 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: born into a life of activism. That's one of the 41 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: things that I talked about. You know, I say, what 42 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 1: what I do in this space was truly a calling. Uh. 43 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: There there are folks that have a career and it's 44 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: you don't no shade to them, you know. I I 45 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: lean more towards the politics and the public policy, and 46 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: so in my space. Most people that are really in 47 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: my space and digging down into the political side of 48 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: things really do see it, you know, as a career. 49 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 1: They'll go to school for public science. You know, they're 50 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: they're interested in the government. They come out and they 51 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: serve and then they say, oh, you know, I want 52 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: to run for office. I want to. So I have 53 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 1: found that a lot of people, you know, who are 54 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,799 Speaker 1: great at what they do, but not necessarily called for 55 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: this work. I talked about a lot the consequences of 56 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: consciousness and those who have been called We have a 57 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: lot of consequences that we pay because of the choices 58 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: that we make. Because if I were to look at 59 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: what I do as a career and just go on 60 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 1: the natural trajectory of my career, I probably wouldn't have 61 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: suffered as many consequences as I have, meaning lose contracts, 62 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: lose opportunities, you know, lose jobs. Uh, deal with the 63 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: hate because I'm moving according to how the how they 64 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: feel quote unquote, I should move opposed to my calling. 65 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: So it sounds like that's something that you too believe in. 66 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: Explained that to us what it means you were born 67 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: for this. So I was born my mother, my late 68 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: mother won that along well. Um she's Oglala Lakota Native 69 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: American from Pine Rid, South Dakota, and my dad is 70 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 1: Black from Brooklyn, New York. My mother, Um, we used 71 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: to work for Muhammad Ali. She was his public relations director. 72 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: And then which also during this time of the seventies 73 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: was the American Indian Movement which was founded by Russell 74 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: Means Dennis Banks. And basically what it was is that 75 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: it was the Native American version of the Black Panther Movement. 76 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: My mother hadn't she was pregnant with me during the 77 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: Longest Walk, which was the protest from Alcatraz, San Francisco 78 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: to Washington, d C. And I was born in Washington, 79 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: d C. Because my mother was the pr director and 80 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: worked and helped with the Longest Walk from the Longest 81 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: Walk when they got to Washington, d C. I was 82 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 1: born at the NBC at Howard University Hospital. But that 83 00:04:25,640 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: was also the time where because of this march and 84 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: this protest um we're able to have the Freedom of 85 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: Religious Act. That was what they was marching and protesting for. 86 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 1: So the reason why we're able to have freedom of 87 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,360 Speaker 1: religion is because of the American Indian Movement. And I 88 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: was born at that time, and so I grew up 89 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: around the Black Panthers, the Nation of Islam, the Chicano Movement, 90 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: the American Indian Movement. In my mother's living room was 91 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 1: Caesar Chavez, Palma Tore, Minister far Coon, Jesse Jackson, like, 92 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: you know, this is like you know today, we all 93 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 1: of us that you know, we do. We spoke about 94 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: Tamika Mallory. You know, they're Shaun King, There's you know, 95 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: there's all these other activists and we all kind of 96 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: pick up the phone and talk to each other. It 97 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: was like that then, and I was, I would say, 98 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: was an honor for me to be born. I was 99 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: literally born with my fists up in the movement and 100 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: and being in these spaces at a young age and 101 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: not really having a childhood, because that was my childhood 102 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: was to be able to learn and be beside the 103 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: feet of so many great leaders that are now in 104 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 1: historical books. Now, um when you were talking about being 105 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: called right, I always say that it's gonna get Everyone 106 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:42,359 Speaker 1: is going to have to make a choice. So what 107 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: they're willing to fight for, whether it's fighting for you know, 108 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: your job, whether it's fighting We're all gonna make a choice. 109 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:53,000 Speaker 1: So what we're willing to fight for, we are. UM, 110 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: that's just life. And so for me, I would say 111 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: that my first act of activism, even though I was 112 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: around all these grades, for me, my first act, a 113 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: major act of activism was when I was in high 114 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: school and UM. I went to a school in Phoenix, 115 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: Arizona that had skinheads. UM in my high school and 116 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: skinheads and KKK was huge in Arizona, especially the skinheads 117 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: in the nineties, and so UM, one of the skinheads 118 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: wrote nigger on my locker and UM, and from there 119 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: I told my friends and it turned into a little 120 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: riot at my high school. UM. We ended up so 121 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 1: NBC the Today Show ended up reaching out to me 122 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: and they followed me for an entire week on a 123 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: segment called Black, White, and Angry, and it was about 124 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 1: race relations amongst young people. From there, I began to 125 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: start working with the City of Phoenix on making UM 126 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,119 Speaker 1: having youth diverse programs at the age of fourteen years old, 127 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: did marches and all of that. So at times, no 128 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: matter where, even if, no matter what, I was constantly 129 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 1: being pushed and called to be able to stand up 130 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,040 Speaker 1: or what I want what I want to fight for, 131 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: which was freedom, justice and equality for our people. Anytime 132 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: I saw anything that wasn't right, I was like, no, 133 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: I need to stand up and I need to speak 134 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: on this, you know. And I and and I would 135 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: say that the environment of elders that I grew up 136 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: around gave me that that that freedom to do that 137 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: even as a child when they would have engaged in 138 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: certain conversations, you know, they allowed me to speak at 139 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: the age of six, at the age of seven years old, 140 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: you know. So that's why I said I was born 141 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: with my fist stuff. Let's let's some dig into that 142 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: a minute, because I think it's important that we recognize 143 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: those who have had an opportunity to be around the 144 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: elders because as you know, with this new movement, you know, 145 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 1: it's it's it is a generational shift right now. You know, 146 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: our leaders before us won't live forever, so now you 147 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: have differently, there's you know, our our our shared sister, 148 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: you know, Tamika Mallory, who also grew up, you know, 149 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: in the movement. But then you have people like me 150 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: that did not. So when I say that I was called, 151 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:14,239 Speaker 1: I'm speaking from a different side of the lens, meaning 152 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: that there was No one of my family was in 153 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: civil rights. No one was an attorney, no one was 154 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 1: in legal no one was in social justice. No one 155 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: was when you're talking about fourteen at fourteen. At fourteen, 156 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: I was dating a blood that was running from the Feds, 157 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So my calling for me, 158 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: it's because I know that this was not the path. 159 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: It was not the chosen path. It was not because 160 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:44,440 Speaker 1: I people around me. If anything, the if I mimic 161 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 1: the people around me, you know with the session. My 162 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: mother wasn't television, but she was, you know, a news 163 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: director of secretary. So she did television, but broadcast, not 164 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: you know, like what we're doing today, opinion commentary. But 165 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: if I went by what was around me, which I did, 166 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: date the hustlers, I always I'm make no mistake about that, 167 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: you know I did, But I would have I would 168 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: be in jail, I would have a felon need, I 169 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: would have went a totally different direction. So one reason 170 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: why I accept the consequences that comes with my calling 171 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 1: is because I know for a fact that it it 172 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: wasn't supposed to be me, and He's placed it in 173 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: my heart over and over and over the most high 174 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: when I say he over and over and over in 175 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: my spirit, and every time I tried to walk away 176 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: from it and and I got pulled back. I did really 177 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 1: well in corporate America, I went to the military. I've 178 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: done a number of things. I didn't get into this 179 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,439 Speaker 1: because I didn't have something else to do. It truly 180 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: was because it was the only thing for me to do. 181 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: And as a result of you know, losing income and 182 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: being in one room and me and my daughter, you know, 183 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: sharing the one room apartment and uber and if need 184 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: being making fifty five dollars a day, if need be, 185 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: I beg the Lord, like please, are you kidn't get 186 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:52,719 Speaker 1: Let me just go do what I've always done. You know, 187 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: I worked at the first and third largest staff and 188 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: firm in the world. I had my own staff and 189 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: firm had three hundred employees. I was doing just fine 190 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: without this it and anything I had literally walked around 191 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: this burning bush too many times account to say, are 192 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: you sure I tell you that story? Because I think 193 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: it is important that those of us that are you know, 194 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: in this space, that we appreciate what other people, you know, 195 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: bring to the table. One of my closest I'm only Chad. 196 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: One of my closest friends name is Asa. Shout out 197 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 1: to Icea. She's like a sister to me, and she 198 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: grew up somewhat I would say privilege. You know, she 199 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 1: had access to things that I didn't, and a lot 200 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:31,040 Speaker 1: of folks she's a few years older than me, but 201 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: a lot of folks were jealous of her, were envious 202 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: of her. You know, um didn't like her because she 203 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 1: had access to resources and I always admired it. You know, 204 00:10:39,800 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: without her, I wouldn't have ever got my first Jabo 205 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: jeans are my first name brand shoes. She gave me 206 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: her cohens after she got done wearing them and then 207 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: me that was y'all talk about that to this day 208 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 1: because to her it was just, oh, I'm done wearing them, 209 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: wear the shoe. But there was nobody who did that. 210 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 1: You know. I couldn't afford that. My mom couldn't afford that, 211 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: my dad was on drugs, and alcohol. He was us 212 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: as he was in the streets. It meant so much 213 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: to me. And and I have always appreciated those who 214 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: have had more access than me, who have, you know, 215 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: had different opportunities opposed to being envious and jealous. And 216 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: I'm saying that because what we're seeing now with some 217 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: of the benefits that some of us are getting in 218 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: this you know, whether it's a podcast or let's just 219 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: say it Tamika with the Grammys, you know, having that opportunity, 220 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: the jealousy that I see from the opportunities that one 221 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: that she's earned by doing this work for over twenty 222 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 1: plus years. But we come from there's a there's a 223 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: thing shift going on now with us not understanding that 224 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: everybody got into this journey different. Instead of being angry 225 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,199 Speaker 1: at you because you had an opportunity to be around. 226 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 1: To me, the man that loves black people more than anybody, 227 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, I am glad that you had 228 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: that wisdom. I'm glad that you were able to soak 229 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 1: up the game because once they're gone, when they go on, 230 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: and if if God say the same, you're still living. 231 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: Who else is gonna pass those stories? On. You know, 232 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: I wish there was more of us m a standing 233 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: each other's path and how all of those paths, like 234 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,319 Speaker 1: they say, come together for the good of those, for 235 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: the love the Lord. But I'm just changing it to 236 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: say that loves our people, because if I don't have 237 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: the story about being assaulted at fourteen, then you don't 238 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: have that story to say this is why we fight. 239 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: You know. If you don't say I had a chance 240 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: to sit on my elder's feet and this is what 241 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: they told me, then I don't get that wisdom firsthand. 242 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 1: So what is your thought on that? On what we're 243 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: seeing now with this, I don't know what it is. 244 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 1: I call them clowns, but the hate, the animosity, you know, 245 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: the the all of the drama of of folks being 246 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:44,199 Speaker 1: jealous that people have had opportunities. So what what's your 247 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:46,560 Speaker 1: thoughts on that. I love that you are bringing this 248 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: up because I wish we were friends when I was younger, 249 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: because I I dealt with a lot of jealousy growing up. 250 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: You know, Um, I like, oh God, and and then 251 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: and then let's not talk about the nineties when Minister 252 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: for con was everywhere on the media everywhere, and how 253 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: the music industry, just like I mean far Con what 254 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: that he was they his speeches was on every single song. 255 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: You know, you have so many rappers that love them, 256 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: so we we was able to meet so many celebrities. 257 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: Being a teen and my friends like what you had 258 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: dinner with Eddie Murphy? Why you think you all of that? 259 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 1: Or d da da da da. You know, I think 260 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:29,720 Speaker 1: it's really important for me. It does get frustrating, especially 261 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: I'm forty two, and you know, sometimes I don't want 262 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 1: to be like the old Auntie that is like that 263 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,040 Speaker 1: is being like, you know, just just getting frustrated and 264 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 1: mad at everyone. But because I want to have an 265 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: understanding spirit from the younger generation. But you know, especially 266 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: when I'm in meetings with younger activists and you know, 267 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: and they're feeling like, you know, we always hear this 268 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: Saint your grandparents, you know, civil rights movement. This is 269 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: a new civil rights movement. Shout out to um King 270 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: Darren that you know that was murdered and Ferguson that 271 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: said that. You know, but I would say that when 272 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: I'm in the space and I'm like, well, we need 273 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: to learn, we need to learn. We have to have 274 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: these uncomfortable conversations on what they did right. But also 275 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,199 Speaker 1: and they have to be willing to pass it on 276 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: or we have to be willing to take the torch 277 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: to one of the two. But and then and listen 278 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: and listen and learn, because one thing that I see 279 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,120 Speaker 1: that is repetitive is CO and tell pro in the movement. 280 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,000 Speaker 1: And and I always said my mother was a political 281 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: prisoner because of co and tell Pro. You know, she 282 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: did seven years in prison. I was just sharing this 283 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: story with my friend yesterday because we were talking about 284 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: social media and how things like someone Wight put out 285 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: something and then how it all of a sudden gained 286 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: so much traction. I said, co and tell Pro it 287 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: still exists. It may not be the person in your 288 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: living room that you organizing with like it was back 289 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 1: in you know, not that long ago, but it would all. 290 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: But it's also on social media, and I think, you know, 291 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: especially they put more money on you know, intelligence, social 292 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: media intelligence to be able to wag the dog dog 293 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: and shift the conversation and to control how we should 294 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: be able to respond. And so those type of things 295 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: is that I constantly are like, I'm like, you know, 296 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: to try to educate on because when I was growing up. 297 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: The FBI was following me to school every day. I 298 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 1: actually saw bugs in my house. Sometimes the air conditioning 299 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: unit want to work, you know, then all of a 300 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: sudden someone's coming and fixed air conditioning unit. You know, 301 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: the heat won't work, the lights will come off, and 302 00:15:41,640 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: someone's coming to fix that. And this is this is 303 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: not movie. This is what's real life for me, you know. 304 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: So my mother will show me like, okay, look at 305 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: and we'll take it off. And this is at a 306 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: young age. And I try to share these stories with 307 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: the younger generation. I think it's really important that education 308 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: and of the history is important. You can't, I don't, 309 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: I don't want to repe but I do want to 310 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: make sure that that we are very clear that I'm 311 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: not even talking to no young folks. I'm talking with 312 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: some of these old ass hayters too, you know. We 313 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: because this ain't all young people, you know, this is 314 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 1: people also that maybe their life didn't go as their 315 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: as expected and opposed to figuring out how they can 316 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: contribute something to the movement. I see a lot of pain, 317 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: you know, especially when you can mask your your name 318 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: on social media is very easy to you know, point 319 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: fingers and so I just want to make sure because 320 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: I want you to touch on that too. I'm talking 321 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: some of these grown ass folks that intentionally, you know, 322 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: try to seek and destroy. And I just found you 323 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: know when you said the FBI was following you, Yeah, 324 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: they was following me too, but they was looking for Dolt. 325 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: You know, we got different stories, you know, because the 326 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: follow me particularly, but my boyfriend and then understanding that 327 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 1: was It's important too because I think I think that activism, 328 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: um social justice activism and even gang and the drug game, 329 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: the street game is very similar. It is the card 330 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: is very very similar. You know. Growing up on the 331 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: West Coast, we had crips and bloods, you know what 332 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: I'm saying, So a lot of that same So a 333 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: lot of that same thing is very very similar in 334 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: regards to infiltration, the way the o G s and 335 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 1: then and the young ones, you know what I'm saying, 336 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: Like in regards to that conflict at times of knowledge, 337 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 1: I think that even with the older the older heads 338 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 1: and in activism, it is hurt. It is pain they 339 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: you know. One thing that I noticed is that a 340 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: lot of them didn't take time for self care. And 341 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: there's a difference between an older person and the elder, 342 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: and we have to know that difference. You know what 343 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: I'm saying, an elder as a person that's giving us 344 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 1: wisdom and they may not necessarily be old. I'm glad 345 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: you touched on the gang thing because you may not know. 346 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: But that's that's my center of what I talk about 347 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,120 Speaker 1: in politics, you know, g COD politics, I break down 348 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: the o g s, the b gs, the y gs, 349 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: the set, the precinct. I mean, I do full you know, 350 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: training on and how you know Democrats just like crips, 351 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 1: Republicans just like bluffs. And I break it down because 352 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: I grew up in a pyroo neighborhood, um and all 353 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: my cousins of crips and and the organizational structure. But 354 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 1: to that point, even in a gang, an o G 355 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: is not necessarily age because you can be old at food. 356 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: But the wisdom, you know, and what they have to give. 357 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: I agree with you one thousand percent. So so let 358 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: me ask you straight up. So some of these old 359 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 1: folks that, hey, you know, you still experienced the same 360 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: thing as when you were young, Like, oh, you're saying 361 00:18:45,520 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: that you got it easy because you got this or 362 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: you know this or you have that research, do you 363 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: still feel feel that Now, I don't really get that 364 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 1: from the from older people or elders. I usually get 365 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:59,479 Speaker 1: that from a lot of younger people that you know, 366 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: that thing that I'm a gate keeper or you know, 367 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: or um, I'm I'm national and because I'm in Atlanta, Georgia, 368 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, and so they're like, oh, you know, you're national, 369 00:19:10,920 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: You're not local and that, you know. And I'm like, 370 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: I'm in the mud with y'all. I'm getting arrested right 371 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,919 Speaker 1: with y'all. You know what I'm saying, Like like, and 372 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: then I do get that a lot. But I also like, 373 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 1: you know, I need we need to hear each other stories. 374 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: And I do do talking circles amongst the activist community 375 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: and the also the families of stolen lives and and 376 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: it's a Native American ceremony where it's a talking circle 377 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,560 Speaker 1: and for us to be able to share and express, 378 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: and so it'd be we do have older people and 379 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:42,720 Speaker 1: younger people in there, you know. And now I started 380 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: Revolutionary Healing, which is on the third Sunday of every month, 381 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: which is a safe space for healing and revolutionary healing, 382 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: and so um, I just felt that that was also 383 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: important as well for us to have a space to 384 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: learn learn from each other because the basis of community, 385 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: the development is self improvement. And we always talk about 386 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: our community developing and the movement and this and then 387 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: pointing the finger. You know, we're doing this a lot, 388 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 1: but a lot of us don't. We having created a 389 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 1: space where we're pointing the finger back at ourselves. Let 390 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 1: me heal from this that I just went through. I 391 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 1: just got dragged on social media. Let me heal from that, 392 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 1: you know, or I just got you know, they're calling 393 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: me an agent. Let me heal from that. Like you 394 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,199 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying, Like you know, all of the 395 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 1: different bickering that happens in the movement, we don't take 396 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 1: time to rest and to learn how to have these 397 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 1: tools for self care. So that's where I started. It's 398 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: a day retreat that I do UM every this one 399 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: UM this Sunday, but I do it on every third 400 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: Sunday of the month in Atlanta, Georgia. And you need 401 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: to come down. But we have like we have these 402 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: dope healing sessions and we're giving people tools, whether it's yoga, meditation, 403 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: whether it's talking circles, whether it's art, therapy, just different 404 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:56,199 Speaker 1: things or wherever your spirit is being called to to do. 405 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:58,399 Speaker 1: And we do it from twelve to four and we 406 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: have performances. We turned up. It's like it's like the 407 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: turn up of healing, you know, And and I didn't 408 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 1: know how to you know, I'm learning that now, you know, 409 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: just now my trying to figure out balance and work 410 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: life balance because of because because what I'm speaking about, 411 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, my experience is not necessarily an age thing. 412 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 1: It's a class thing. You know, because I will say 413 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: in defense with people that come from the streets, they 414 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 1: don't feel they have a voice among those who have 415 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: had privilege because obviously black privilege. And I love Charlett 416 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:34,800 Speaker 1: Main's book about Black privilege. We know black privileges not 417 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: like white privilege. We get that. So just for the 418 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 1: secular conversation, when I say black privilege, I just mean, 419 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: you know, the ability to be around, you know, to 420 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,960 Speaker 1: have resources. And so a lot of voices like mine 421 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,920 Speaker 1: feel that they have not been heard because there looked 422 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: down upon. So there's this you don't know what you're 423 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,520 Speaker 1: talking about because you didn't go to college, you didn't this, 424 00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: you do that, And that's why even myself in my 425 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 1: own tribal war. I was so important to me to 426 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: make sure I went to cosmic, sure I got my master's, 427 00:21:57,880 --> 00:21:59,239 Speaker 1: make sure I did this, make sure that made sure 428 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: I had a bit because as you feel this, uh, 429 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: this need to be able to make sure that you know, 430 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,400 Speaker 1: you can have conversations in various class, you know, with class, 431 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: so there's age and then there's class, and so I 432 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 1: think that's really important. And I did not know. In fact, 433 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 1: I put a meme out today to say that the 434 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,639 Speaker 1: Lord can't bless you, he can't bring you food as 435 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: long as there's vultures around. And that just hit me 436 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 1: because when he brings a matter of fact, just gave 437 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 1: me chills. Now because when he gives you food, it's 438 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,960 Speaker 1: not for them. And if if you have a vulture 439 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: where he's gonna they're gonna take it. And even in 440 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: my life clean cleaning up some of the toxicity and 441 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: my own life, the blessings have come in that they 442 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: have flowed in. And when when I say flowed on 443 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: me easy, but it's almost like it was waiting. You know, 444 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: my my two thousand twenty wasn't my first. I've been 445 00:22:50,400 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: living pandemic for the last twenty years. So in two 446 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: thousand twenty, because I've made a shift in self care 447 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:01,280 Speaker 1: and and we don't have the a conversation, I haven't 448 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 1: had time for self care, you know, Marcy and I 449 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: talked about the time. You know, when the last thing 450 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,680 Speaker 1: I took, it wasn't even about like me not wanting 451 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: to do it. I didn't have the resources and the 452 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: time or the energy or the extra to me. An 453 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,320 Speaker 1: extra thousand dollars to go do something was rent to me. 454 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 1: You know, I didn't have it. You know, both parents 455 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 1: are in the ground and when they were living, they 456 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: didn't have it to give it to me. So I 457 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 1: do think it's important, and I'm glad to hear that 458 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: you're doing it, like having talks and conversations, because that 459 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 1: could be self care. It may not be just getting 460 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 1: up and going on the plane and having the luxury 461 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: because everybody just doesn't have their resource. So I'm glad 462 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 1: you you touched on that. Yeah, and I think that 463 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 1: even even the small things that we we have, we 464 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,159 Speaker 1: teach that revolutionary healing is turning. The last one we 465 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: had someone came to talk and gave everybody tools on 466 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 1: on self care that don't cost money. It could be 467 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 1: simply just turning your phone off for a day. It 468 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 1: could be simply just not you know as forcing and demanding. 469 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,399 Speaker 1: You know, you don't have to reply to every tax 470 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, you don't have to, or just taking a 471 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: walk or you know, at revolutionary healing, I have everyone 472 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,159 Speaker 1: hugging trees. And you know, are you the one that 473 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 1: got Charlottagne hugging trees or what's he doing that before? 474 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: You know, I've been telling Charlotte Man. I was like, Yo, 475 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,159 Speaker 1: you need a you know, kind of revolutionary healing and 476 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,320 Speaker 1: you need to you know, he's always I've been trying 477 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: to get him on the reservation for a minute. You know, 478 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: I think that those type of things are very, very 479 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: are important for self care. You know, we are especially 480 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: as original indigenous people, you know, as original habitants of 481 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,239 Speaker 1: these lands, and we are connected to Mother Earth, and 482 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 1: I think that that is something that especially within the movement, 483 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: you know, we we miss that. You know something you 484 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: said about the connecting to you know, some of the 485 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 1: people that that don't have these type of resources. Um 486 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: As an organizer, I always see resources in everyone. During 487 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:52,439 Speaker 1: the time of the hurricane I did a fundraising event 488 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: for the people of Florida, of Texas and the Caribbean, 489 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: and I went down to Miami and I was like, 490 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: I want to I went to the Pork and Being 491 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: Section of Miami and my friend end up getting everyone 492 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: within the Pork and Being Section of Miami together and 493 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,840 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, you know what I'm saying. We need 494 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: we need the we need these gangs out, we need 495 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: all of the youth out. We need everybody else to 496 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: come and help. So we could be able to come 497 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: together provide resources and let's help each other, you know, 498 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,320 Speaker 1: with build this community back up in regards to the 499 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: damage of the hurricane. You know, um get providing foods 500 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: and things like that. Um even during the when we 501 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 1: was doing campusing, you know, we was right back there 502 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: in that community of Liberty City. You know, I think 503 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: that you could be able to find resources within the people, 504 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: you know, even that made that may not have I think. 505 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,879 Speaker 1: I think for me, I always like, take me to 506 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,439 Speaker 1: the hood, take me to the body. Oh, take me 507 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 1: to the rest. I don't want to go meet with 508 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,280 Speaker 1: the churches, like the churches need to meet us in 509 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: the mud. You know what I'm saying, with the people. 510 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: Then up a CP need to meet us. There is 511 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: sharpen or or freaking crump or whoever else come to 512 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: the hood. And that's what I'm gonna be at when 513 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: I come into that city, you know what I'm saying, 514 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: Like even with the celebrities come to the hood, Like 515 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:16,360 Speaker 1: I'm I'm really big and going where our people are 516 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: at and as I'm in there working with them or 517 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:21,640 Speaker 1: whatever they got going on, you know what I'm saying. 518 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:26,159 Speaker 1: And I'm like, Okay, can I bring resources by your permission? 519 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:29,919 Speaker 1: Can I bring I don't go into communities with resources 520 00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 1: automatically with me. I go there by myself a lot 521 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: of times because and and then from there, like okay, 522 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: can I bring the honorable man to us for our 523 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: con Can I bring this person or that person or 524 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,959 Speaker 1: this person by your permission? Because we're coming into your neighborhood, 525 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: We're coming into your community, and I think that that 526 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: is something that we need to do more that have 527 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: resources that have access, is to be able to get 528 00:26:53,720 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: your hands dirty with the people. M Yeah, I like that. 529 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 1: You said that, you asked, and that's the biggest you know, 530 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 1: paying homage speaking from the street side side of it. 531 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: I love this interview because we're covering both sides, but 532 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 1: the street side of it. You have to do that. 533 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: There there's no just running up in somebody's hood. And 534 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: just so, when I was organizing, UH for Bernie Sanders, 535 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: I was his racial Justice director, and I went all 536 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 1: over the country national racial Justice director, and we had 537 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 1: to go in cities and start from scratch. It was 538 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: only about ten of us black that worked on the 539 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 1: national level, and we had to start from scratch and 540 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: get relationships, you know. And when I went to Flint, 541 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:42,960 Speaker 1: I still have those same relationships today because in the street, 542 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 1: you don't come in and say whatever and then keep 543 00:27:45,040 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: it moving, you know, you you have to still maintain, 544 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: you know, in respect that relationship and what they contributed 545 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 1: to you at that time. And you ask, you know, 546 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 1: you're humble enough to ask, you know, permission or what 547 00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: can I do? And that's something that folks who don't 548 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: come from that era, from that side don't get. So 549 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:07,120 Speaker 1: I I really appreciate you understanding the importance of that, 550 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: even particularly what our elders and older folks they don't 551 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: get it. They think because their name is whatever, they 552 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 1: can go do whatever. And that's why the CP has 553 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 1: lost a lot of cloud. That's why the Urban League 554 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: has lost a lot of cloud, because the humble that 555 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: you're missing, the the humble part, you know, of understanding 556 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: that you're in somebody else's territory, me growing up, going 557 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: to somebody else a territory, somebody else is sick and 558 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: get you killed. And even though we're in politics, I 559 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 1: still apply that same you know mindset, know where you are, 560 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: you know, no know where you are and and and 561 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: address it accordingly. So I'm glad to hear you say that. 562 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 1: And some people just don't share, you know, some people 563 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: get it like you get it, and it's people like 564 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: me that lived it, so I understand. But a lot 565 00:28:46,400 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: of folks don't, you know, get that. I also want 566 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: to say, because I told you how at least those 567 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 1: who share my background feel. But I also, you know, 568 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: want to say, on on your behalf that you intentionally 569 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: make a decision to help, and you get criticized even 570 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: for that, you know, so it's like you know what 571 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: I mean. It's like, Okay, you're saying, I grew up 572 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 1: with having all these resources, but now I'm still making 573 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: a choice, you know, to help. I don't have to 574 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 1: help because I grew up with resources, I can easily 575 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 1: go do something else. And I'm still deciding to go 576 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: to the mud and get it out the Mud. And 577 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: I will say, because at least my cousins, my sister, 578 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: I calling my sisters, seeing her experience, I understand that 579 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:27,240 Speaker 1: it's like you can't never, you can't win for losing, 580 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: because there's people like me to be like, oh, you 581 00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,239 Speaker 1: don't know, you don't grow up in the hood, what's 582 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 1: set you claim you didn't come from here, you know whatever, 583 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 1: So they can't hear the conversation, you know a lot. 584 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: So I want to say that that that's that I 585 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: know it's hard for you. And you know again, I'll 586 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: talk about the consequences of consciousness. What are some of 587 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: those consequences that you've had to suffer as a result 588 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: of trying to blend classes, you know, different class together 589 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:52,280 Speaker 1: because not now it's not even just age. I'm talking 590 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: about going to the hood and you know how they 591 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: see you are seeing the national you know, pristine, you 592 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: know how, what are some of the consequences, if you 593 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:02,959 Speaker 1: can share, are things that you've had to supper as 594 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: a result or walk away from just because you want 595 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:09,240 Speaker 1: to stay authentically connected to the ground. I think that 596 00:30:09,520 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 1: the hardest city that I worked was Flint. That was 597 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:17,280 Speaker 1: a hard city. And what I mean by that is 598 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 1: I love the people of Flint. I overstand what they're 599 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: dealing with with the water. Marcy was also a part 600 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: of this. We did it. We UM in a month 601 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 1: span a month and a half. We organized over fifty 602 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: six cities nationally and well internet and internationally to do 603 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: a fundraising event all on one day called hip Hop 604 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,960 Speaker 1: for Flint. We raise money UM. I did not want 605 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: us to give bottled water to the people of Flint. 606 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: I wanted us because when I went to Flint, I thought, 607 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: I was like this, I felt that it was disrespectful. 608 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: It was a quick whoever came up with the bottled 609 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 1: water concept until I went there and I was like, 610 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: this is disrespectful to a mother that have seven children. 611 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 1: How is she gonna feed um clothes, you know, wash 612 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: all of everything with bottle water? And I was like, 613 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: there has to be a filtration system that takes the 614 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: lead out. And so I reached out to UM a 615 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: whole bunch, a whole bunch of filtration companies and I 616 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:22,680 Speaker 1: asked them too. I was like, if you feel that 617 00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: your filtration system is the best, send it to Flint 618 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: and let me get it tested. And so we did. 619 00:31:29,960 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 1: Everyone that stepped up. UM and the guess what. The 620 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:38,560 Speaker 1: filtration company was right next to Flint, Michigan. They was like, 621 00:31:38,640 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: that actually took the lead out. And so UM, we 622 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: was able to raise over two hundred water filtration systems 623 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: that take the let out. Now not just something over 624 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: your sink, I'm talking about hit attached to the home, 625 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,720 Speaker 1: so the toilet is lead free, that everything is let free. 626 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,360 Speaker 1: And then and then we was able to get plumbers 627 00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: in a contract with plumbers to come install it and 628 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: to constantly every three months, you know, changing the filtration system. 629 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:08,320 Speaker 1: And so we did that when we got there to 630 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: Flint to give out more filtration systems. Everyone and we 631 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: put together. We wanted to commune with the people. We 632 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,960 Speaker 1: wanted to We wanted to just have a good time 633 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 1: with the people of Flint. We had performances and everything, 634 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 1: and they came, got their filtration system and left and 635 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: the only people there was the organizers with us from 636 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:35,800 Speaker 1: all the various cities. That hurt me. That hurt me 637 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: that I made a public statement and I never would 638 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: make a pub but it hurt me. I understood that 639 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: other and and I learned that it was because so 640 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: many people prior was capitalizing being popular off of the 641 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:54,719 Speaker 1: Flint crisis, so they thought we was another group coming 642 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: in doing that. And so I ended up telling the 643 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: people in a public statement and I said, do your 644 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: research on me, all of us. We all, we don't 645 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: have no money when that comes. We did this on 646 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:17,480 Speaker 1: a grassroot level. And so after that, I did a 647 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 1: couple more business to Flint. You know, but that was 648 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: a very that I cried for at least two weeks. 649 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:30,959 Speaker 1: I was so hurt because I felt like there hadn't 650 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:35,000 Speaker 1: been we. We was getting we was getting hurt by 651 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: previous people before us of the way that they came in, 652 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:41,360 Speaker 1: you know what I'm saying. And so and we didn't 653 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: we didn't deserve that. We really did it. And and 654 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:48,080 Speaker 1: and if you don't mind, let me share much Flint experience. 655 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 1: This is really good. I don't even know we were 656 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 1: going down this road, but let me you know, I 657 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 1: went to Flint in two thousand and sixteen, like I said, 658 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:57,959 Speaker 1: to organize, you know, for Bernie Sanders. I stayed in Flint. 659 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 1: Good month. You know know, um we won Michigan. My 660 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: mom had cancer at the time. I was going back 661 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 1: and forth, you know, to CHEMO. I still organized in Flynn. 662 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: I went last year, um with Attorney Crump. I still 663 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 1: keep in contact with Daniel Green, who at the time 664 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 1: was a volunteer and now she sits on the school board. 665 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 1: You know. She a lot of folks really learned, you know, 666 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 1: not just how to active it, because that's my that's 667 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: what I love doing, teaching folks how to get in 668 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: on the policy side and the political side. And I 669 00:34:25,480 --> 00:34:28,919 Speaker 1: will just say that I hear you with that. But 670 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 1: when I my experience with Flynn, even last year, they said, 671 00:34:32,200 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: and I've checked Bernie Sanders about it, because I don't 672 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: give a damn work for you not. I've called him 673 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 1: out publicly. Uh, Hillary Clinton, all those folks that was 674 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 1: up there in two thousand and sixteen came in ran 675 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: and haven't been back. And last year when we were 676 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 1: there even to talk about the settlement, and you could 677 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 1: see the pain on people's face, you know. And I 678 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,720 Speaker 1: worked with another couple of folks on some murder cases 679 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 1: that nobody ever talked about, you know, because it was 680 00:34:53,840 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: black on black crime and to two fourteen year old 681 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:58,400 Speaker 1: girls that were killed. Thirteen girls were killed, and I 682 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 1: worked with them. I've always sally kept my relationship with 683 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 1: them because it mattered that I came in with you're 684 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: sharing what you're saying that I came in and I 685 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,200 Speaker 1: just never reached back. And I don't have the resources, 686 00:35:09,239 --> 00:35:11,240 Speaker 1: and I don't have a phone. I don't I wouldn't 687 00:35:11,239 --> 00:35:12,720 Speaker 1: know who to pick up and call to get nobody 688 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 1: to give them nothing, but at least they And I'm 689 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: saying this for those who say, because there's a lot 690 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: of conversations say, oh, you know, it's easy for you 691 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: to do because you had the resource. Me I didn't 692 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:23,680 Speaker 1: have the resources, but I I had my mouth and 693 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 1: I did what I could do and I helped in 694 00:35:25,920 --> 00:35:29,120 Speaker 1: any way that I could, you know, I uh, whether 695 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 1: it was just checking on them or what can I 696 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,800 Speaker 1: try to bring to attention without the lights and camera. 697 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:37,360 Speaker 1: And I did that because me personally, I know what 698 00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 1: it means to be broken. So I would say this 699 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 1: sister that although that you know that hurts you, and 700 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:48,200 Speaker 1: I'm not minimizing that, but I know their pain is 701 00:35:48,239 --> 00:35:51,359 Speaker 1: so deep. They told me that nothing we can come 702 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 1: in and say this was last year. They said, these 703 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,960 Speaker 1: people have given up on God himself. And I thought 704 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 1: that was deep. So when you're talking about people that 705 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 1: have given up on God on himself, they don't have 706 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:08,640 Speaker 1: the capacity to extend to you the gratitude or the 707 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:12,279 Speaker 1: understanding or the because that's what it was. It was 708 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: a hustle for a lot of people coming in coming out, 709 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:16,600 Speaker 1: coming in coming. A couple of people. It came to 710 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 1: my attention, and I also addressed this publicly. The filtration 711 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: systems that we raised, some of them was going and selling, 712 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:29,880 Speaker 1: trying to sell them so so that the money was 713 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: becoming more of a priority than still having clean water 714 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 1: and and it and it was like it was very hurting, 715 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 1: and I understood it. I understood it. But at the 716 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:45,120 Speaker 1: same token, I wanted them to understand that when there 717 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 1: is regular people that are that we that were called 718 00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 1: to just help, you know that you can't take that 719 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: for granted. It has to be in the midst of 720 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 1: your brokenness, you have that at least have some type 721 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,399 Speaker 1: of be not But but I'll just tell you and 722 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:06,440 Speaker 1: I agree, but it's hard to I deal with a 723 00:37:06,440 --> 00:37:08,560 Speaker 1: lot of broken people just in my life, you know, 724 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:11,080 Speaker 1: my family and my you know who I still engage with, 725 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:15,400 Speaker 1: and that type of work is hard because they don't. 726 00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:18,759 Speaker 1: They literally it's almost me like asking somebody paralyzed to 727 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 1: walk if there is no research that they can do. 728 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of folks I teach a lot 729 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:26,800 Speaker 1: of the home is even how to go to Google. 730 00:37:26,840 --> 00:37:28,920 Speaker 1: They don't know. They wouldn't know what to research, what 731 00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 1: to look for, how to come They literally don't. And 732 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 1: it's not making an excuse because I will cutt somebody 733 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,719 Speaker 1: out broken. I will cut your broken ass out. I 734 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:39,759 Speaker 1: broke you, you broken into spirit. I'm breaking down a 735 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 1: litt bit more because you're gonna respect. You know what 736 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,480 Speaker 1: it is I'm broking. And I'm just saying that, speaking 737 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: directly from my heart because I have, you know, folks 738 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: that I deal with daily that wear me down, that 739 00:37:49,560 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: are not grateful, that are not appreciative, that that I 740 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,920 Speaker 1: don't feel, you know, respect. You know what I'm trying 741 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:57,319 Speaker 1: to do, and I want them to see it and 742 00:37:57,360 --> 00:37:58,799 Speaker 1: I want them to get it, and then I have 743 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:01,440 Speaker 1: to learn going back to that self when I've done enough, 744 00:38:01,600 --> 00:38:05,960 Speaker 1: and not to invest so much emotionally into somebody that 745 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: is broken, that doesn't have the capacity to love you 746 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 1: or to appreciate it. Not only do they not have 747 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:16,040 Speaker 1: the capacity, they're not even capable of it. And and 748 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:19,120 Speaker 1: that's where we have to have constant self care because 749 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 1: there's gonna be more people that are not grateful, that 750 00:38:23,080 --> 00:38:25,600 Speaker 1: are not satisfied. They will, I mean you notice, they 751 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:28,040 Speaker 1: will run you completely out the game. You know. I 752 00:38:28,120 --> 00:38:31,360 Speaker 1: tell people at the time, Hey, working with these families 753 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:34,360 Speaker 1: and a lot of these families that give Hey, I've 754 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 1: had a whole bunch of compan to Jesus meaning to say, 755 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 1: I can't believe you know that that you have the audacity, 756 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:44,280 Speaker 1: you know, to have a spirit of greed, a spirit 757 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,800 Speaker 1: of ungratefulness, a spirit of entitlement, a spirit of feeling 758 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:50,640 Speaker 1: like somebody owe you something. So I feel what you're saying. 759 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:53,920 Speaker 1: And I'm not minimizing that at all, because you have 760 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,080 Speaker 1: the right to feel that way. But I would just 761 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:58,680 Speaker 1: say from there, they don't see what they're doing to you. 762 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:03,120 Speaker 1: They're expressing what been done to them, and that is 763 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:07,240 Speaker 1: not powerful enough. How you feel. It is not powerful 764 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:11,440 Speaker 1: enough to to overcome how they feel, even though you're 765 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:14,520 Speaker 1: there to to heal, you know what I mean, Even 766 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,440 Speaker 1: if if if the potter. You know, they said the 767 00:39:16,480 --> 00:39:18,279 Speaker 1: potter brings you back together again. And even if I 768 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: got the glue in my hand and you see that, 769 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:23,480 Speaker 1: I'm here trying to put you back together again, and 770 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:25,160 Speaker 1: I'm trying to put you back together and you're still 771 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:26,840 Speaker 1: pouring watery and get it out. All I told you, 772 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:28,320 Speaker 1: I knew it was gonna get I knew you couldn't 773 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:29,680 Speaker 1: put it back together again. I told you, I knew 774 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:31,480 Speaker 1: this was you know. I knew you weren't a good potter. 775 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 1: I knew you that that's a spiritual struggle, you know. 776 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:37,960 Speaker 1: So I feel you on that for sure, and it's 777 00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:40,960 Speaker 1: a it's a difficult thing as you as we title 778 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:45,000 Speaker 1: ourselves activists, you know, an activists is a person that 779 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:48,319 Speaker 1: activates for change. But we don't get paid for this. 780 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,120 Speaker 1: You know. I'm just now learning how to be able 781 00:39:52,160 --> 00:39:55,719 Speaker 1: to apply for grants. I never knew that how to 782 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: do none of that for all of these years, because, 783 00:39:58,239 --> 00:40:01,200 Speaker 1: like mind you, I grew up a around Like I said, 784 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:05,240 Speaker 1: the Chicano Movement, Black parents American India. They wasn't getting 785 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:07,959 Speaker 1: grants in five or one seed threes, and they didn't 786 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:12,880 Speaker 1: establish businesses like that. They established networking movements. You know 787 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, but it wasn't on paper, like we 788 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:17,160 Speaker 1: didn't learn how to be able to do all of that. 789 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:20,160 Speaker 1: So we do this because we feel that we're being 790 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:23,600 Speaker 1: called to do it. And but the same token, sometimes 791 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 1: I'd be having to tell these families that lost their 792 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,000 Speaker 1: loved ones to police brutalities. I'll be having to tell 793 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:32,520 Speaker 1: a lot of folks are from environmental to social justice, 794 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:34,759 Speaker 1: all of that I do. Me and you are one 795 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:36,600 Speaker 1: and the same. I do be going off and have 796 00:40:36,719 --> 00:40:39,879 Speaker 1: to remind them you we don't have to do this, right, 797 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,960 Speaker 1: don't get into it, so you don't have to do this. 798 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:46,000 Speaker 1: We're doing this because we saw a video of your 799 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,040 Speaker 1: loved one being murdered, or we saw the story and 800 00:40:49,040 --> 00:40:52,040 Speaker 1: then we felt that we wanted to help you. We're 801 00:40:52,080 --> 00:40:55,280 Speaker 1: here to help, but when not but you don't, don't 802 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:59,000 Speaker 1: don't call us out on social media. Don't be saying 803 00:40:59,040 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 1: that you should be here and you should in your 804 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,879 Speaker 1: faith and this person. No, we don't have to do this. 805 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 1: We're not as We don't ask these families for money, 806 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,720 Speaker 1: and if any activists that do do that, you should 807 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,239 Speaker 1: be canceled. You don't ask these families for money, you 808 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: know what I'm saying. So I think that it's important 809 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 1: that everyone understands the two parts in this. You know, 810 00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:24,759 Speaker 1: I do understand that I've lost I lost three cousins 811 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:28,240 Speaker 1: by by the hands of police and a one month 812 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:33,160 Speaker 1: span in in South Dakota. No one knows and speaks 813 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:37,239 Speaker 1: about the rise of so many Native Americans that are 814 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:40,400 Speaker 1: being murdered by police and and missing and murdered, and 815 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 1: this this is happening in my own family. And so 816 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,239 Speaker 1: I'm like, so sometimes I have to remind some of 817 00:41:47,239 --> 00:41:50,480 Speaker 1: these mothers that's all like, you know, my case of 818 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:52,919 Speaker 1: my son is bigger than the other case, and bed 819 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:56,800 Speaker 1: in that I'm like, hold up, I told you about 820 00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:59,360 Speaker 1: three of my cousins that were murdered. No one and 821 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:03,000 Speaker 1: one did you all say, let's do something for your 822 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:07,560 Speaker 1: Najaha and her family. So not only am i speaking 823 00:42:07,600 --> 00:42:10,200 Speaker 1: of a person that's an activist, but I'm also speaking 824 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: about a person that is also a victim of police 825 00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:17,080 Speaker 1: brutality that also have loved ones of stolen lives. So 826 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:20,120 Speaker 1: it's all like, So the thing is is that you all, you, 827 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:23,879 Speaker 1: you all this sense of entitlement have to because we're 828 00:42:23,920 --> 00:42:28,800 Speaker 1: all in pain we'll all are broken by this oppress, 829 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:33,080 Speaker 1: this system that has oppressed us for over five hundred years. 830 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:36,399 Speaker 1: And so don't let's stop pointing the finger at each 831 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 1: other and let's look at the bigger enemy and the 832 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:43,839 Speaker 1: bigger picture. But we spend so much time coming at 833 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,439 Speaker 1: each other. So you know what I'm saying, and being 834 00:42:46,560 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 1: upset that this person didn't do this, and this person 835 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:51,480 Speaker 1: didn't do that, or they said that they was gonna. 836 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,560 Speaker 1: You know, we don't have We don't even me that 837 00:42:54,719 --> 00:42:59,800 Speaker 1: have access to media like like this podcast and access 838 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:04,200 Speaker 1: to other things. Doesn't mean that I'm able to be 839 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 1: to fix it all and to do it all. I can't. 840 00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:10,959 Speaker 1: It's it's it's not I don't have the capacity for that. 841 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:14,000 Speaker 1: I really don't, you know. And so I think that 842 00:43:14,040 --> 00:43:17,359 Speaker 1: our people are people are broken and and and this 843 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:20,760 Speaker 1: is why self self improvement is so important and self 844 00:43:20,760 --> 00:43:24,520 Speaker 1: development is important. We have to begin even if you 845 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:28,160 Speaker 1: did lose a child to police brutality, even if you 846 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:31,880 Speaker 1: are and standing standing rock and they're trying to pollute 847 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:34,920 Speaker 1: the waters, even if you're in flint, even if you 848 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 1: in the Apache and the government is coming to take 849 00:43:37,800 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 1: your land, you have or the or those that's on 850 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,440 Speaker 1: the board of immigration. We cannot point the finger at 851 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:47,319 Speaker 1: each other. That's people that's wanting to help. But we 852 00:43:47,440 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: have to begin to start holding this government accountable and 853 00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:55,120 Speaker 1: these corporations accountable, and these policies and these laws that 854 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:58,440 Speaker 1: they are implementing for us not to have change. And 855 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:01,880 Speaker 1: we're all on the same even and playing playing field 856 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:06,400 Speaker 1: for change against these Yeah, and we do different things, 857 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:08,560 Speaker 1: you know, we all have different strengths of weaknesses. I'll 858 00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 1: talk about it on my um social media. I'm always 859 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:13,840 Speaker 1: hashtag and push the line, you know, politics and sells. 860 00:44:13,880 --> 00:44:16,920 Speaker 1: Something happens. But I have a logo that I created 861 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:19,359 Speaker 1: and it's four people at the bottom, two men too, 862 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,600 Speaker 1: females and a child on the side with her pal 863 00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:23,960 Speaker 1: to people. Fist up and you've got two people in 864 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:26,759 Speaker 1: street clothes to people and and and business clothes. And 865 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:29,040 Speaker 1: I tell people, you push the line of your own way. 866 00:44:29,360 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 1: You know, everybody does something different. It may just be 867 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:35,200 Speaker 1: in the comments. It may be protests, it may be policy, 868 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:38,799 Speaker 1: it may be you know, organizing it. Maybe we all 869 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: have different gifts and and many of us can do 870 00:44:41,560 --> 00:44:44,279 Speaker 1: more than one thing. So it's very easy to you know, 871 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:46,520 Speaker 1: go from you know one thing to the other, but 872 00:44:46,600 --> 00:44:49,640 Speaker 1: it is also important that we recognize who does certain 873 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:53,440 Speaker 1: things best, you know, not better than everybody else, but 874 00:44:53,640 --> 00:44:55,920 Speaker 1: where their gift is is truly you know, where it 875 00:44:56,200 --> 00:45:00,520 Speaker 1: truly shines, and it doesn't minimize with somebody body else 876 00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:03,080 Speaker 1: you know does and it doesn't take away from that. 877 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:05,520 Speaker 1: And I think that's important for those that that work 878 00:45:05,600 --> 00:45:08,120 Speaker 1: in the movement or and for those listening who want 879 00:45:08,120 --> 00:45:10,840 Speaker 1: to get involved. You know, you have to sit aside 880 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:14,279 Speaker 1: your jealousy and your ego and your I want to 881 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:16,520 Speaker 1: be the one that's only known for that that you 882 00:45:16,520 --> 00:45:19,000 Speaker 1: don't in order for us really to have that camaraderie 883 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,520 Speaker 1: that you're talking about. You know that you grew up 884 00:45:21,560 --> 00:45:23,680 Speaker 1: in Sault and see then they had to because it 885 00:45:23,800 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 1: was segregation. They only had each other to lean on. 886 00:45:26,920 --> 00:45:29,960 Speaker 1: Now we have so many different things that we can 887 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:31,919 Speaker 1: pull in, you know, lean on and pull every way 888 00:45:32,120 --> 00:45:34,279 Speaker 1: that we don't feel that there's a need to lean. 889 00:45:34,360 --> 00:45:36,759 Speaker 1: But I'm proud of what I see in this generation 890 00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:41,320 Speaker 1: of leaders, at least the folks that I know that 891 00:45:41,320 --> 00:45:43,960 Speaker 1: that really are trying to build a you know, if 892 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,400 Speaker 1: nothing else, a respect in a camaraderie. You know, we 893 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 1: may do different things, and we may not always agree 894 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:52,400 Speaker 1: with what how everybody moves. I'm want to be in 895 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:55,960 Speaker 1: Crimp's advisors on policy, and I am nothing like him. 896 00:45:56,080 --> 00:45:58,680 Speaker 1: We are totally opposite. I challenge him all the time. 897 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:01,760 Speaker 1: He always says, tell you give me more unsolicited advice 898 00:46:01,800 --> 00:46:05,640 Speaker 1: than anybody I know, because I I there's many things 899 00:46:05,640 --> 00:46:08,919 Speaker 1: that I take issue you know with Ben, why don't 900 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:10,080 Speaker 1: you do it this way? I want you to do 901 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:11,799 Speaker 1: it that way. I don't really agree with that, But 902 00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:13,640 Speaker 1: he's wise enough to at least have people around the 903 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:16,840 Speaker 1: challenges him, you know. And that's the that's the wisdom, 904 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:19,560 Speaker 1: you know. And and me challenging doesn't mean I get 905 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:23,160 Speaker 1: everything right. He challenges me too, you know. Um So 906 00:46:23,320 --> 00:46:25,879 Speaker 1: I'm glad to hear you say that. You just listen 907 00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:29,400 Speaker 1: to part one with your Najaha Long World. This interview 908 00:46:29,440 --> 00:46:30,960 Speaker 1: was so good that we are going to pick it 909 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:33,719 Speaker 1: up next week. We wanted to make sure that you 910 00:46:33,760 --> 00:46:36,640 Speaker 1: did not miss any of this important conversation as we 911 00:46:36,680 --> 00:46:41,000 Speaker 1: continue to discuss Black American issues, Native American issues, and 912 00:46:41,040 --> 00:46:43,279 Speaker 1: how we can find common ground. Make sure that you 913 00:46:43,360 --> 00:46:46,160 Speaker 1: tune in next week to listen to part two on 914 00:46:46,239 --> 00:46:48,879 Speaker 1: Straight Shot No Chase, So what you're nasyah long WITHO 915 00:46:49,160 --> 00:46:51,719 Speaker 1: and Testament figure out. If you like what you heard 916 00:46:51,719 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 1: on Straight Shot No Chaser, please subscribe and Trapify, star 917 00:46:54,760 --> 00:46:57,080 Speaker 1: review and tell a France. Straight Shot No Chaser is 918 00:46:57,080 --> 00:47:00,279 Speaker 1: a production of the Black Effect podcast networking I Heart Radio, 919 00:47:01,360 --> 00:47:04,160 Speaker 1: and I'd like to thank our producer editor mixer, the 920 00:47:04,520 --> 00:47:08,080 Speaker 1: one and only Marcy dupino, a mixed master Dwayne Crawford, 921 00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:11,200 Speaker 1: and our executive producer Charlottage. The Good for More podcast 922 00:47:11,320 --> 00:47:14,279 Speaker 1: from I Heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, 923 00:47:14,360 --> 00:47:17,120 Speaker 1: Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.