1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:01,560 Speaker 1: Wake that answer up. 2 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 2: In the morning the Breakfast Club. 3 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, mister World's more dangerous morning to show to Breakfast Club. 4 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 3: Charlamagne Godess hilarious. Envy's not here today, but we have 5 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 3: the CEO and president of the International African American Museum 6 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 3: in Charlton, South Carolina, doctor Tanya Matthews, is here. 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 4: Good morning, doctor, Good morning Charlotte, Good morning, Jess. 8 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 1: How y'all doing this morning? 9 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 4: Good? 10 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 2: That's black and holly favored. 11 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: Yes, that's right, the only way to be. I am well, 12 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:27,160 Speaker 1: I am very very well. 13 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 3: How has it been being a black woman in leadership 14 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 3: of an international African American museum in Charleston? 15 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: So we just coming in, might as well get into 16 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: That's right, Let's go ahead and intersect. 17 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 4: You know it has been. It has been good. I mean, 18 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 4: you know it. It has its tensions because I would 19 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,919 Speaker 4: I would say one thing that the brothers and sisters 20 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 4: are happy to see me and also surprised. You know, 21 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 4: I'm a DC native. I also spent some time in Detroit. Right, 22 00:00:57,720 --> 00:00:59,639 Speaker 4: you know, stuff gets low regular you know, we used 23 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 4: to seeing us and then it's about how we represent. 24 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 4: But you know, truthfully, being down in Charleston being in 25 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 4: South Carolina, we are fewer and farther between. 26 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: So so most folks are proud, uh, and they are 27 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: they are excited. Uh. And and folks in the low 28 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: country can pray. So listen, I got. 29 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 4: A whole line of prayer warriors trying to keep it together. 30 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 4: But then, you know, there are the tensions. Some folks 31 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 4: see the unusual and embrace it. 32 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: Uh, some folks don't. Uh. 33 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 4: And so there there is that balancing uh that you 34 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 4: that you do maintaining you gotta have a serious sense 35 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 4: of self. You you do have to have a serious 36 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 4: sense of self. Everyone who's in leadership has to be 37 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 4: able to do some self critique. Right, that's just what happens, right, 38 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 4: And you have to be able to take feedback and listen. 39 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 4: But if you are in an environment that does not 40 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 4: fully and constantly welcome you, you have to have some 41 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 4: shall we say, discernment along with that critique. 42 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: Right. 43 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 4: You have to know which of the criticisms are coming 44 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 4: at you to lift you up and which ones are 45 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 4: coming at you to break you down. 46 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: Oh how do you do that? 47 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 3: Uh? 48 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 4: That's back on the prayer warriors. Probably well, you know, 49 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 4: and and there are some people that you really trust, 50 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 4: Like you know, you have some people in your life 51 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 4: that they can call you out right and you know 52 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 4: that you know they love you. 53 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: You also know. 54 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 4: They kind of wise, and so you can you can 55 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 4: take that under advisement. I have a few of those 56 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 4: folks in my life, and so I know when they 57 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 4: say something that's real, and then sometimes I will I 58 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,639 Speaker 4: will bring things to them, but like, okay, this there's 59 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 4: some feedback I got. You know, what what do you 60 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 4: think about about this? And so uh so, yeah, it's 61 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 4: you know, it's it's tough. It's tough, and there are 62 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 4: some moments where you just decide we just gonna have 63 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 4: to brust our shoulders off on that one and keep 64 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 4: it moving. 65 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 3: They're the conversation about black women and leadership in this 66 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 3: country that I don't think we're having because when you 67 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 3: talk to the systems, they say there's challenges. No, they 68 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: be trying to take y'all out. When I think about 69 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 3: Claudian Gay, when I think about what's happened in the 70 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 3: Fanny Willis and I think about Maryland Molesby, when I 71 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 3: think about the VP Kamala, they'd be trying to take 72 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 3: y'all out. 73 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 4: Yeah, Yeah, that is that is true, And I would say, 74 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 4: you know, it's so funny. We do need sometimes other 75 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 4: folks to say that right, because you're right. When you 76 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 4: are in those positions, we say, yes, we have challenges, 77 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 4: there is there are learning curves. You know, we have 78 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 4: all of these phrases because the truth of the matter 79 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 4: is we have a job to do right, and there 80 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 4: is language that we use in these in these positions. 81 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,839 Speaker 4: And so I like to think that those who can 82 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 4: hear hear what we're saying, and those who can't hear 83 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 4: don't hear what we're. 84 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: Saying, right. 85 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 4: And so you know, it's very interesting watching the conversations around, 86 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 4: you know, doctor Gray, doctor Claudine Gray. And I think 87 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 4: what folks missed is that her situation wasn't unique. 88 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,839 Speaker 1: It was high profile. There's a very there's a very 89 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: very big difference there. 90 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 4: There were so many, you know, commonalities that I had 91 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 4: seen in other conversations with other sisters. 92 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: And maybe you know they're. 93 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 4: They're the head of HR or the chief general counsel 94 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 4: of some giant company, and those aren't the folks who 95 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 4: get on the news, right, those aren't the names that 96 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 4: you would know. But but the battle was the same, 97 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 4: the the kind of attacks, the way things are being 98 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 4: interpreted were very similar. And so I would say probably 99 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 4: one of the most discouraging things about that to me 100 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 4: is that I could recognize what was happening, which meant 101 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 4: that in many ways it was it was familiar. But 102 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 4: then again, I will also say that, you know, sometimes 103 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 4: there are roles and positions you take where you understand 104 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,119 Speaker 4: that the that weathering the storm is part of the work, 105 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 4: and if you aren't in the storm, you're probably not 106 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 4: in the right position. 107 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 2: Wow. 108 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 4: Right, So you know, it's it's a it's an interesting 109 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 4: balancing act. Yoga and prayer one more time, y'all stay 110 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 4: with me, yoga and prayer. 111 00:04:57,839 --> 00:04:59,679 Speaker 2: Yoga and prayer, Yoga and prayer. 112 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: I'm trying another now I'm with childs. I'm trying yoga. 113 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 5: Now, I've been with prayer, been with prayer. My mother 114 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 5: is my prayer warrior, among many others. But yes, I'm 115 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 5: trying yoga now. I'm trying to you know, as I 116 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 5: gaze off, I'm really trying. 117 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 4: And well, I think being a mother also helps because 118 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 4: sometimes being in protection mode, when you're protecting others, there's 119 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 4: a different kind of strength in that right, Like, sometimes 120 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 4: it's easier to stand in the gap for others than 121 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 4: it is to stand. 122 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: In the gap for yourself. 123 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 4: So so I find that motherhood, fatherhood, paring her, whatever 124 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 4: hood you talking about, that that also helps in that space. 125 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 2: But who's protecting the mothers? That's what that's that's what. 126 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 4: I always Charlemagne you, I mean, so it is that 127 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 4: is a really that that is a really good, good question. 128 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 4: And I think that if I can give some grace 129 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 4: to those that I would like to see protect the 130 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 4: mothers a little bit more. I think one of the challenge, 131 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 4: particularly with black there's maybe all mothers, is that we 132 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 4: don't always call for help, right, you know, we know 133 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 4: that black women have this thing. We're gonna take a look, 134 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 4: We're gonna keep on moving because dinner is at six, Like, 135 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 4: this is how this works. I got issues, I got challenges, 136 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 4: but baby gotta go to school. Let's make it happen. 137 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 4: And so I think that that kind of thing where 138 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,840 Speaker 4: we do and we do, and we do until we 139 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 4: can't do anymore, doesn't really give a lot of room 140 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 4: for those who want to help us and who would 141 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 4: help us enough. Notice, you know, we're black women, by 142 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 4: the time you find out we need some help. We 143 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 4: own the flow, you know, we find in all the records. 144 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 4: So Mamma, you knew, you knew this was an issue. 145 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 4: And so I think part of it is indeed the 146 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 4: environment around us, but also part of it is knowing 147 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 4: when to pause, to acknowledge, also to ask for some 148 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 4: help and some support, which is not always our strong suit. 149 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 2: Just you know, you don't like that for no help. 150 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: No, not all the time. No, not all the time. 151 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 5: And then you know that that comes with experience too, 152 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 5: like you know, and that creates experience, you know, so 153 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 5: I can be able to tell you know, a story, 154 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 5: you know what I'm saying, and not not that's what 155 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 5: I do it for. But I like to go through 156 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 5: some things, you know what I'm saying for myself, as 157 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 5: opposed to just hearing you know, the ones before me 158 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 5: that they went through. It's like, oh, maybe it could 159 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 5: be different from me, or maybe you know, I can 160 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 5: gain something different from it, you know, and then teach 161 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 5: others and. 162 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: Stuff like that. So yeah, he's right, He's right. 163 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 5: I'm very resilient though, I'm very resilient, and I can 164 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 5: be stubborn, but come from my mother too, you know 165 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 5: what I'm saying, So it speaks volumes to what you're saying. 166 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: It's a result of that. 167 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 5: But for the people who don't know, why do you 168 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 5: think it's so important for us to tell our own stories? 169 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 4: So I think it's it's really important to tell our 170 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 4: own stories because one they belong to us, right. I 171 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 4: have this thing about stories that there are stewards of 172 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 4: stories and there are owners of stories. We want everyone 173 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 4: to tell our story. That means you're a steward. If 174 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 4: I give you my story, I want you to share it. 175 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 4: You know, particularly when we talk about say, African American history. 176 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 4: I don't need just black folks telling black folks story. 177 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 4: We want everyone to tell the story. And that makes 178 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 4: you a steward. But then if you're the owner of 179 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 4: the story, right, you have some special responsibility, But you 180 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 4: also got some special love for your own story. I mean, 181 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 4: only you can tell it with that level of emotion, 182 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 4: that level of flavor. And the other thing is one 183 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 4: of the things that I do like about modern conversations 184 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,439 Speaker 4: is I often hear the phrase do not argue with lived. 185 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: Experience, sure, right, And so when. 186 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 4: Folks are at least willing to say that that means 187 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 4: that you, as the owner of the story, are the 188 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 4: authority on that story, and you can step into that 189 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 4: space of this is my lived experience. And folks may 190 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 4: want to dismiss the bigger picture, but they can't dismiss 191 00:08:56,920 --> 00:09:00,319 Speaker 4: that particular story that you are speaking to because it 192 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 4: does belong to you. And so I think that's one 193 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 4: major reason. But the other major reason is there is 194 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 4: power and frankly, and talk about yourself. Now, some folks 195 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 4: talk about themselves little too much. Okay, that's not what 196 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,040 Speaker 4: I'm talking about. That's not what I'm talking about. But 197 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 4: to be able to decide that your own story deserves space, right, 198 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 4: you know, headspace, heart space, all that kind of stuff. 199 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 4: And so you were going to speak up and you 200 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 4: were going to talk about and tell your story. I 201 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 4: think that's important for everyone. 202 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: But real talk. You know, Black. 203 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 4: Folks were often told the opposite, right, that our story 204 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 4: didn't need space, that it didn't deserve space, and we 205 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 4: weren't allowed to talk about these experiences. And then we 206 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 4: have to use softer words when we're talking about these experiences, 207 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 4: as if telling my story automatically meant I was blaming someone. 208 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn't. 209 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 4: But either way, it's the lived experience. And so I 210 00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 4: think for black folks, some of the anger, some of 211 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 4: the self loathing, sum of the challenges that we have 212 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 4: are really about having to hold the story in and 213 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,119 Speaker 4: what it takes to do that. You have to diminish 214 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 4: self to hold the story in. You have to reorient 215 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 4: yourself to be constantly surrounded by everyone else's story. And 216 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 4: I think it's something that we that we see often 217 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 4: when folks come to the museum, particularly when black folks 218 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 4: come to the museum, it feels like a bit of 219 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 4: an exhale, like like, oh that that's that's me on 220 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 4: the wall. 221 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: A real pretty well, because we look good, y'all need 222 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:38,719 Speaker 1: to come on down. We look we look good. We 223 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: look good down down at the museum. 224 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 4: So it's a it's a beautiful space. And I and 225 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 4: I watch folks walk into the room and one of 226 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 4: the things they seem to be surprised by is to 227 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 4: have our stories obviously reference in black folks, our story 228 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 4: is told in such a magnificent and expansive way. 229 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: Right it were a. 230 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 4: Big museum and we're a modern museum, and you can 231 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,960 Speaker 4: see elements of designs, you know, We've gotten rewards and 232 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 4: awards for our architecture and that kind of thing, but 233 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 4: to see you know, our stories in that kind of 234 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 4: space is still unique. And so sometimes people walk in 235 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 4: and I can almost like literally feel the exhale as 236 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:19,319 Speaker 4: they see the. 237 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: Story in that way. 238 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 2: How is business been since opening? 239 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:28,319 Speaker 1: So we have we have passed our one hundred thousandth visitors. Yes, yes, 240 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: for us, it's. 241 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 4: Been less than us seven months and we hit that number. 242 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:37,679 Speaker 4: So that has been amazing. Uh, you know, the number 243 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 4: one complaint we get as that folks can't get a ticket. 244 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 4: I'm like, well, you know, there is a website you 245 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 4: can pre register for your ticket. You wouldn't have to 246 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 4: worry about that. So so that has been really good. 247 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 4: I'm also excited that, you know, we're still getting interest 248 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 4: from you know, media and that kind of thing, and 249 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 4: they're asking other questions. Right one, when you build something new, 250 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:58,839 Speaker 4: everybody wants to talk about you building a new thing. 251 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,880 Speaker 4: So I'm excited that folks are still asking questions. Uh, 252 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 4: the Genealogy Center, our center for family history, remains. 253 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,440 Speaker 1: Very very popular. Folks eyes get real big. 254 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 4: When when we talk about about that. So a lot 255 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 4: of those classes are also hybrid. So we're we're now 256 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 4: now that it's been a little over six months, we 257 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 4: are getting visitors who have taken one of our virtual 258 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 4: classes and now they're really excited to be in the 259 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,240 Speaker 4: actual Center for Family History right now. They got follow 260 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 4: up questions, So that has actually been. 261 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 1: Very cool too. 262 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 4: And this was our first semester of formerly supporting school groups. 263 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 4: Obviously school groups could always come, but we had to 264 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 4: get you know, the program and the special tours in place, 265 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 4: and so that that is is starting, and there's there's 266 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 4: a lot there's a lot of life, you know that 267 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,080 Speaker 4: comes into the building, you know, with with eighth graders 268 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 4: in that space. But I would also say it's it's 269 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 4: a little interesting because, say, particular for urban school districts, 270 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 4: African American students and that kind of thing, it's always 271 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 4: this interesting tension around how to discipline shall we say, you. 272 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: Know, thirty excited young young folks. 273 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 4: But you know, we really are a culturally we're a 274 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 4: culturally black space, so it's a little different as well. 275 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: I have volunteers that will pull your. 276 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 4: Child, I have I have listened, listen, we got we 277 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:27,680 Speaker 4: got grandmother's own duty, and they will just give you 278 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 4: that look and the baby's like, okay, so which is 279 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 4: which is actually really good and it's done with love, 280 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 4: but it is really done. And also they come in 281 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 4: and they look they see us said, oh I see auntie. Okay, 282 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 4: let me let me ask you right. Uh so, so 283 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 4: that has actually been been really cool. 284 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 3: What were some of the criticisms you had to overcome 285 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 3: when you first opened the museum? 286 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,439 Speaker 1: Yeah, so it was interesting. 287 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 4: I you know, there were i would say pre concerns, right, 288 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 4: which I'm also happy to say we're uh, frankly invalidated 289 00:13:58,840 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 4: if you ask me so. 290 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: One for example, on the. 291 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 4: Black folks side, black folks were were wondering, we're curious, 292 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 4: we're critical of whether or not we'd be able to 293 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 4: tell the truth. Literally that was like, y'all gonna tell 294 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 4: the truth up in there, because and and real talk. 295 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 4: You know, this is this is the South, this is 296 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,560 Speaker 4: the deep South of South Carolina's low country. I would say, 297 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 4: you know, telling the truth about black history is not 298 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 4: exactly the brand. 299 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: Uh sort of in that space. 300 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 4: And there were some concerns that that we wouldn't want 301 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 4: to do it right, and I think we got over that. 302 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 4: And then there are concerns that we simply wouldn't be 303 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 4: able to do it. It got in the bless your 304 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 4: heart category, y'all really think y'all gonna pull this off, 305 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 4: bless your heart. 306 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 1: And but you know, I actually actually took that to heart. 307 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 4: I understood that folks are trying to tell me that 308 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 4: this was going to be hard to do this. But 309 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 4: you know, they've come in, they've they've seen the stories, 310 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 4: they seen some stories that that they know, you know, 311 00:14:56,080 --> 00:15:00,160 Speaker 4: because so much happened in South Carolina. Even though we're 312 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 4: a national museum, we have plenty of South Carolina stories 313 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 4: and all of these things are not that far back, 314 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 4: so we have people who have lived some of the 315 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 4: stories we're telling. 316 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: So they will come in. 317 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 4: They'll be very exciting, like pointing at stuff. I've literally 318 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 4: heard phrases like I've seen that picture of her in 319 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:18,200 Speaker 4: thirty forty years. 320 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 1: Word, can I get you into the story booths so 321 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: we can get the rest of the story. 322 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 4: So so that was on that, and then non black folks, 323 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 4: their biggest concern was, you know, are you gonna yell 324 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 4: at me? 325 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: You notice you notice Charlotte. That was that was the 326 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: big one, was are you gonna yell at me. 327 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 4: But the interesting part is that some folks who were 328 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:40,480 Speaker 4: who were ready, they were like, I get it. 329 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: You know, I've heard, I've read snippets. I'm ready. Which 330 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: part am I gonna get yelled at? 331 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 4: Like they were basically asking, all right, I'm ready, And. 332 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:50,880 Speaker 1: I'm like, whoof yelling at you? Would not be good 333 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: for business. That is not what we are trying to 334 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 1: do here sort of in this space. 335 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 4: But the other thing it is because it's it's black 336 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 4: folks telling black folks stories from a black perspective. That's 337 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 4: why there's no yelling. It's not say and intentionally trying 338 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 4: to be nice, is that this conversation is actually about us. 339 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 4: You have the opportunity to be a fly on the 340 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 4: wall hear all the stories that we may have told 341 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 4: at the dinner table that you never got to hear 342 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 4: all about books we've read. 343 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: Or experiences and that kind of thing. 344 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 4: I'm always surprised when folks are just finding out about 345 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 4: some things that I've always known, right and everyday, folks. 346 00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 4: I have a really, really, really good girlfriend, white sister. 347 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 4: She was my ride to die when I was hanging 348 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 4: out there in Detroit, and one day she says, I 349 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 4: said something something, something, We're gonna open up like we 350 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 4: always do with the Black National anthem. 351 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 3: Da Da da. 352 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: And I had seen her. 353 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 4: At events because she she would go with me to 354 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 4: all these events. She knew the words, right, since your 355 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 4: mother are singing. And she said, well, what's the Black 356 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 4: National Anthem? I said, you know, that's a song the 357 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 4: lift every voice and sing. And she literally said, oh, 358 00:16:56,880 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 4: I thought that was just the song that black folks 359 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 4: like to sing every time open up an event, right, So, 360 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,399 Speaker 4: because that isn't part of the language and the history, 361 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 4: folks will say, you know, I just found out about 362 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 4: the Tuskegee experiment. Word, oh okay, that that explains so 363 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 4: many of our previous conversations sort of in terms of 364 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 4: those things. And so it's an incredible opportunity. And so 365 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 4: folks and not getting yelled at, and they're very surprised 366 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 4: that they're not getting yelled at, but they're buying all 367 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,479 Speaker 4: the books instead. Uh So, I think I think those 368 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 4: those are the kinds of things. And then you know, 369 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 4: we did get some some interesting comments, uh that were 370 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 4: that were more subtle. If anyone has also read Lonny 371 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 4: Bunch's book A fool's errand when he talks about the 372 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 4: building of the African American History Museum at the Smithsonian, 373 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 4: you get so like subtle, subtle things like you know what. 374 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:53,160 Speaker 1: How much did that cost? Again? 375 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:57,199 Speaker 4: Which is a good question, and it makes sense we 376 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 4: want to be financially responsible. But you can tell when 377 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 4: it's asked in certain environments versus others, right, which is 378 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 4: really the question is is it worth that much? Should 379 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 4: we actually be spending that much on that? And so 380 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 4: the energy of those those kinds of questions come off 381 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 4: quite a bit. I do have some neighbors that are 382 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 4: still concerned about the boom boom music that my home 383 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 4: that might be coming out. Uh. 384 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 1: So you know, so we we we do. 385 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 4: We do turn down to breakfast club when we're playing 386 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 4: that when we're setting up in the morning. 387 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 1: But you know, so you will get I think those. 388 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 4: Those kinds of of of comments and conversations there. But 389 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:46,360 Speaker 4: I would say, you know, on paper and and most loudly, 390 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 4: we've been. 391 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: Very well received. 392 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 4: But I would also acknowledge that there is always a 393 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,959 Speaker 4: bit of a honeymoon period, especially when when folks are 394 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 4: paying attention. Uh, and so we're soaking up all the 395 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 4: good vibes, and we will use them as a fuel 396 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 4: to move forward through whatever the next phase is. 397 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 5: How do you feel about places like Florida? You know 398 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:13,959 Speaker 5: they they're making it illegal for kids to learn about 399 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 5: our history. 400 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, let me let me channel my n Michelle. 401 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 4: Let me let me channel my Ani Michelle and go 402 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 4: high on this one. 403 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 3: Okay, Okay, I want to scale a one to Harriet, 404 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 3: tell me. 405 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:35,840 Speaker 4: Exactly, exactly exactly. So so here here's the thing about this. 406 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 4: You know, we're doing a lot of talk around diversity 407 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:38,600 Speaker 4: and inclusion. 408 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 1: They do all the studies. 409 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:42,679 Speaker 4: Businesses do better, schools do better, kids do, but everything 410 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 4: does better when we're doing sort of diversity and inclusion. 411 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:47,879 Speaker 4: I am so curious as to why it has still 412 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 4: not occurred to anyone that perhaps America's superpower is our diversity. 413 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 4: That being the most diverse nation on the planet is 414 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 4: why we managed to be and stay number one despite 415 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 4: all the challenges we have. You know, if you measure 416 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 4: the school systems one to one, America's you know, we 417 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 4: don't necessarily went on that. When you compare things like oh, 418 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 4: I don't know, access to healthcare, wonder one, We're We're 419 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 4: not the head on the like all of these individual measures, 420 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 4: you know, we're never quite at the top yet. And 421 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 4: still we are one of the most powerful, not the 422 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 4: most powerful nation on the planet, the most creative, the 423 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 4: most innovative. We're always sort of leading in these spaces. 424 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 4: And I believe it's because we have this level of diversity, 425 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 4: this wrangling. We are not monolithic in that space. And 426 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 4: so whenever you have anything that challenges our superpower. Right So, frankly, 427 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 4: I think this sort of anti diversity, anti teaching, the 428 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 4: the culling of history. I think it's the kryptonite to 429 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:56,399 Speaker 4: our superpower. And so I don't understand and I don't 430 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,160 Speaker 4: envision say, places like like a Florida with what they're doing. 431 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 4: I don't think that you can disenfranchise half of your 432 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 4: population and still be economically viable, right, I don't. I 433 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 4: don't see how you can not leave a whole lot 434 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,680 Speaker 4: of money on the table when you got half your 435 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 4: genius locked locked behind the door. And this is not 436 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 4: just about limiting black folk, you are also limiting everybody 437 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 4: else when they do not have the opportunity to learn 438 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 4: one of the greatest human resiliency stories of all time. Listen, 439 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 4: Black folks are mythical, right, just with all the ways 440 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 4: we sort of tell these stories. So when you take 441 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 4: those stories, when you take those lessons out of the 442 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 4: history and the learning, we are all weaker, right, you know, 443 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 4: Black folks, we're the ones raging against it because this 444 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 4: really challenges our ability to identify ourselves. But at the 445 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 4: end of the day, everyone pays for this, and so 446 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 4: I just I don't think it's a wise move. But 447 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:03,120 Speaker 4: I would also say that at the end of the day, 448 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 4: our elected officials are elected because we elected them, right, 449 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:11,040 Speaker 4: And so I have a low tolerance on these kind 450 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 4: of conversations. I always respond with, well did you vote? 451 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,320 Speaker 4: That's my first part of the question. And I know 452 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 4: and da da da da and stealing a vote and 453 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:21,160 Speaker 4: calling the vote and change, okay, okay, okay, you can't 454 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 4: complain about that to. 455 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: Me until you vote, right. 456 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 4: And I was just listening one one day and the 457 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 4: brother was like, listen, I'm not sure whether it works 458 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 4: or not, but I know that the cost for the 459 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 4: opportunity is way too high, so I'm gonna go ahead. 460 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,000 Speaker 4: And in I said, that's a really good way of 461 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 4: looking at that. And so while I do hold our 462 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 4: leader's account. Well, because I am a leader and I 463 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 4: know what those responsibilities are. I also hold the folks 464 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,679 Speaker 4: who have the power a little chunk of the powers 465 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 4: as well, right because frankly, if we I don't know, 466 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 4: you know, stop supporting this or that, it is about 467 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 4: money and so a lot of these conversations go with 468 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 4: the money is. And so I would say, now Charleston 469 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 4: has an International African American Museum, we. 470 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: Also have beaches. 471 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 4: So if you're looking for an alternative, right, if you 472 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 4: look at it, if you're looking for something else to do, 473 00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,000 Speaker 4: you can you can come down for for that way. 474 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 4: But I don't think it's it's wise, and I and 475 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 4: I do think it's it's very very dangerous. And I 476 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:31,399 Speaker 4: think that this trying to tamp down a significant portion 477 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 4: of the American identity is why we are all so shook, 478 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 4: even if we can't quite articulate it. 479 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:40,440 Speaker 3: When you look at where we are now in this country, 480 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 3: what can the International African American Museum teach us about 481 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 3: overcoming a lot of these challenges we're facing up? 482 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,399 Speaker 4: Yeah, so you know, it's interesting where we are now. 483 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 4: I like to use the analogy of a rubber band, right, 484 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 4: if you're trying to break a rubber band, you got 485 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:56,680 Speaker 4: to stretch it until it breaks, otherwise it'll just snap back. 486 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,040 Speaker 4: And I think what you will learn sort of in 487 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 4: our museum and museums like this, is that we have 488 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,200 Speaker 4: been here before, right, Lessons that you do not fully learn, 489 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 4: you are doomed to repeat. You know, the history is 490 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 4: a is a gracious teacher, and you can redo the 491 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 4: test as many times as you need to until you 492 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 4: get all the answers correct. And so when you learn 493 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,959 Speaker 4: about periods such as, for example, reconstruction, right, that is 494 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 4: the period in our history that most reminds me of 495 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,879 Speaker 4: what's happening right now, which is there is this moment 496 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 4: of great hope, great strides, UH, African American elected officials 497 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,400 Speaker 4: just popping up out of whatever slavery is apparently over. 498 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: We're gonna move forward. 499 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 4: The slap back was ridiculous, right, This is this is 500 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 4: where we come into the Jim Crow. This is where 501 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 4: we get into what we call the Nator. 502 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 2: Right. 503 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: It got really really bad. 504 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:54,159 Speaker 4: When when we saw the nation allowing the African American 505 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 4: community to make this level of this level of progress. 506 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 1: Right. 507 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 4: And and so as we're we're looking at this now. 508 00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 4: You know, I remember very recently there was a period 509 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 4: of hope black folks getting elected to stuff they weren't 510 00:25:06,000 --> 00:25:08,919 Speaker 4: supposed to get elected to. We were moving, we were 511 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 4: moving forward, We're having all of these conversations, and so 512 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 4: here comes to slap back, right in terms of that 513 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 4: we have to stretch these these concepts, and nothing is 514 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:25,439 Speaker 4: ever one and done. Right, It's like going to the gym, right, ladies, 515 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 4: y'all with me, big day coming up. Whatever that dress is, 516 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 4: You got to fit in this dress. We in there 517 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 4: working it out for forty five days. Boom, we're getting 518 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 4: a dress done. If you never went to the gym, again, 519 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,200 Speaker 4: guess what, you're not getting back in that dress. You're 520 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 4: not getting back in a dress. And so it works. 521 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: The same the same way. 522 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 4: And so you know, I think we make these strides, 523 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 4: we make these moves, and then we're like, great, boom, 524 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,439 Speaker 4: that battle is done. Let's move on to the next battle. 525 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 4: But it all requires constant nourishment, at least for a 526 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,080 Speaker 4: generation or two, a sort of in that in that space. 527 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 4: So I think one the lessons that we can learn 528 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 4: is that this is not entirely new. 529 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: Right. 530 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 4: Two the thing we learn is that you must keep 531 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 4: keeping it on. And three sometimes have changed a bit. 532 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 4: So let's let's level up a little bit on some 533 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 4: of our strategies and the things that we can do, 534 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,400 Speaker 4: because the truth of the matter is that with all 535 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 4: this that is going on, black folks and those who 536 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 4: ally and accomplice with us are farther along, and we 537 00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 4: do have more power and we do have more options 538 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 4: than we did, which means we have additional tactics and 539 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,160 Speaker 4: things that we can do and things that we can 540 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 4: we can use. So so one, it should be somewhat encouraging. 541 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: We're not the first to have to go through this. 542 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 4: But two it should be very encouraging because we don't 543 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 4: just talk about the struggles in the museum. We also 544 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,919 Speaker 4: talk about the progress, right, learn about the progress, you know, 545 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 4: do something you know with with that progress, think about 546 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 4: our platforms differently, and so so hopefully it's it's it's 547 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 4: a little encouraging. Hopefully it's it's really encouraging. What are 548 00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 4: you looking at if you're starting? Because he always said 549 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 4: giving you some space, yeah, because no, he'd be starning 550 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:20,679 Speaker 4: me because he'd be like, when I get you quiet, 551 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:24,040 Speaker 4: that means I'm tired I'm pregnant. 552 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 2: Just make sure you speaking of being pregnant. 553 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:29,440 Speaker 1: Okay. 554 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:30,919 Speaker 2: So it is women's history. 555 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 4: It is women's history, and earlier it's the first day 556 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 4: for in Earlier I spoke about my mom. 557 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 1: I wanted to honor her, you know. 558 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:41,280 Speaker 5: And but like, what are some other ways that we 559 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 5: can honor, you know, the women, not even only our 560 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 5: moms and women in our lives, but just honor women periods, 561 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 5: women's history. 562 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 4: You know, I am honestly still a sucker for for 563 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 4: being referred to as you know, being part of the lineage, right, 564 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 4: you know, you know, I I love it when folks 565 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 4: be like I see you, sister, you magical. It's like 566 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 4: the rest of them like like those kinds of things. 567 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 4: I mean, it's nice, you know when folks, you know, 568 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 4: compliment us as individuals. But I think it's also nice 569 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,760 Speaker 4: to be in that category of strong black women. Don't 570 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 4: abuse it, right, don't don't overdo it like make us 571 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 4: do everything. But there is something something to that just 572 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 4: phrases like I see you siss Yeah, it's so powerful, 573 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,120 Speaker 4: like you don't even we don't even know what you're 574 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 4: talking about. 575 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:29,159 Speaker 1: Who I feel see today? Okay? 576 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 4: Okay, So so that that I think is is good, 577 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 4: and I think to also do it three sixty right. 578 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 4: You know, we we honor our mothers, we honor our grandmothers, 579 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,600 Speaker 4: but let's let's make sure the nieces and the daughters 580 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 4: and the younger cousins feeling a little love to right, 581 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 4: you know, So building building that up, that up now, 582 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 4: and it's it's really interesting. I finally I think I've 583 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 4: come to the age where where I can see how 584 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 4: much it makes a difference. 585 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,000 Speaker 1: You just see their eyes let up like you you said, 586 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: you see me. 587 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 4: And so that I think is in the the lovey 588 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 4: dovey kind of generic stuff. But I would also say 589 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 4: for for those of us in the work, you know, 590 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 4: some real deal tactical stuff. I remember being in meetings 591 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 4: where you know, your your classic power play shenanigans. You know, 592 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 4: we're sort of happening some about race, some about gender, 593 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,080 Speaker 4: all this kind of stuff. And I saw one sister 594 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:27,120 Speaker 4: take one comment like really to heart, like like I 595 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 4: saw it. This was back in COVID times. It was 596 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 4: like zoom days, you know, when we could like private 597 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 4: chat to folk. And you know, I sent her a 598 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 4: quick note. I was like, uh, honey, we all heard 599 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 4: him say it brush his shoulders level up. I see 600 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 4: you keep it moving, and you know she went up. 601 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 4: But she's like, you saw that, you heard that, you 602 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 4: see me. 603 00:29:43,880 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 1: I was like, of course, I see you, I got you. 604 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 1: We're here. I feel it too. 605 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 4: But we will discuss after the meeting, and it it 606 00:29:52,360 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 4: meant the world, uh to her in those spaces. So 607 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 4: I would also say that when as we are out 608 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,480 Speaker 4: there moving and shaking, like when when you see things happening, 609 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,200 Speaker 4: you know how we do that wink, that nod, that 610 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 4: little look that that we can that we can always 611 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 4: across the room. I remember asking my mother once because uh, 612 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 4: they're a sister and I'm we were sort of scheming 613 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,360 Speaker 4: behind us, some business stuff going on, and I said, Mommy, 614 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 4: I said, they're going to know that we're talking to 615 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 4: each other. We're not supposed to talk to each other 616 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,320 Speaker 4: because we're supposed to be on different sides, right, We're 617 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:25,520 Speaker 4: supposed to be on different sides of this conversation. And 618 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,800 Speaker 4: my mother said to me, she said, I cannot explain 619 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 4: to you why, but for some reason, they never figure 620 00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 4: out that the black women are talking to each other. 621 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 1: I was like. 622 00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 4: Wow, I was like really, cause it's just to do 623 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 4: it us. Like what she said, I trust, I don't know. Uh, 624 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 4: And so which is which is wonderful that we we 625 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 4: can still have that language, you know, in those in 626 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 4: those spaces, uh. And I I know that there are 627 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 4: some folks who are concerned that if they align in 628 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 4: the wrong way right, that the that the pushback will 629 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 4: come to them too, Because I was afraid. I was like, 630 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,520 Speaker 4: we gonna get in trouble, you know, sort of in 631 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 4: that space. One, it's trouble that's worth getting into. So 632 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:06,000 Speaker 4: buckle up, buckle like right, good job, like, so buckle up. 633 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 4: But two, I think that one of the the challenges 634 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 4: of the myth is that we don't work together and 635 00:31:14,520 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 4: that we don't align it, so folks don't don't easily 636 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 4: see it. 637 00:31:17,440 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: When it's when it's happening. So I say that that 638 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 1: is is another way. 639 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 4: And then you know, on a practical tip, I don't know, everybody, 640 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 4: once a week, look up a woman's story that you've 641 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 4: never heard of, I don't know, find find find a 642 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 4: famous find a famous sister, and and and look it 643 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 4: up and then take. 644 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 1: Her story as her story. 645 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 4: It is not a challenge to your story just because 646 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 4: you haven't done X Y Z or Just because I 647 00:31:43,400 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 4: would like to talk about ABC does not mean I'm 648 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 4: telling you that you have not done enough. Brothers, It 649 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:52,560 Speaker 4: does not mean that I don't love you. It just 650 00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 4: means that it's my month, okay, all right, just like 651 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 4: we did for February, it's March like it's it's my 652 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 4: month in that in that space. And I also like 653 00:32:01,360 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 4: to think of these months as this is women's history 654 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,960 Speaker 4: kickoff month, right, but this is how you kick it 655 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 4: off for the rest of the year. So feel free 656 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 4: to share a powerful woman's story in July. Just it's 657 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 4: it's okay, right, it's listen. 658 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:17,840 Speaker 1: You will be, you will. 659 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:18,360 Speaker 2: Be, you will be. 660 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:20,560 Speaker 3: All right, Yeah, you've got a couple more questions. Who's 661 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 3: the woman's story that inspired you? 662 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:27,600 Speaker 1: Oh, I think it would be the other half of 663 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: my my life and my brain. And that's going to be. 664 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 4: Uh, Nikki Giovanni and Maya Angelo, a couple of folks 665 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 4: know that the other half of my life is is 666 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 4: as a poet, is as a poet. And you know, 667 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:46,160 Speaker 4: when I was coming up, and I was I was young, 668 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:48,720 Speaker 4: and I was doing my thing every once in a while, 669 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 4: sort of an elder older person would come to me like, 670 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 4: you know who you remind me of? Nikki Giovanni and 671 00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 4: I knew the name, and it was just it was 672 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,600 Speaker 4: just such, it was just such a thing that that 673 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 4: folks would relate me to that because of course, you know, 674 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 4: she had inspired me. You know, we all have our 675 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 4: like ours. It's kind of Nikki like poem. And then 676 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,959 Speaker 4: I actually got to meet her. You know, we are 677 00:33:12,000 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 4: a couple of degrees of separation. And then she added 678 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 4: a collection and I got in the collection, and so 679 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 4: to be recognized by someone who recognizes you. And then 680 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 4: it was after this I was just looking at her 681 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 4: as a sister and a black woman and a poet. 682 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 4: And then I began to understand all the lgbt Q 683 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:34,200 Speaker 4: sort of that community and that challenge. And I'm like, 684 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 4: she ain't complained boo about that. She just up in 685 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 4: there hustling and working and doing her thing. 686 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 2: Uh. 687 00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 4: And then when we had that that shooting at the 688 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 4: university in Virginia, I swear Nikki saved them all just 689 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 4: just the way that the spirit of a sister and 690 00:33:50,960 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 4: then wrapping that in in poetry just sort of calmed 691 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 4: the campus down. So that was Niki because I grew 692 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 4: up sort of wanting to have that kind of fire. 693 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 4: And then she saw me. And then there's Maya Angelo, 694 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 4: which is I will never be that nice, common, peaceful girl. 695 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:08,040 Speaker 4: I mean she she just had that that essence, that 696 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 4: spirit and what most people probably don't know if you 697 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 4: haven't seen. She was really tall, right, she was over 698 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 4: like six feet fee. She is majestic, and she she 699 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 4: still walked that way because she also used to dance 700 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,760 Speaker 4: for the longest time. She gave the welcome freshman addressed 701 00:34:23,760 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 4: at Duke University, which is where I went. So that 702 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 4: was the first time I got to see her in 703 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 4: person and just this level of energy. 704 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:33,879 Speaker 1: But even in that peacefulness when. 705 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 4: She would talk about stories, which is, you know, I 706 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:38,920 Speaker 4: don't let people bring negative energy in my house. If 707 00:34:38,920 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 4: I'm having an event and I see some negative event energy, 708 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:43,919 Speaker 4: I kindly escored them out the door. 709 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,040 Speaker 1: And I was say, oh, we we can do we 710 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: can do that. 711 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:49,359 Speaker 4: Then I also found out that she was she had 712 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:50,680 Speaker 4: a life. She's a little free. 713 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 1: She ain't care, but she ain't care. If she wants something, 714 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: she go get it. 715 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:56,480 Speaker 4: I was like, okay, all right, so you can you 716 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 4: can be this and you can still be full and human, 717 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:04,080 Speaker 4: ah and whole. And she does something that I don't 718 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 4: quite yet do with my my poetry, which is, you know, 719 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 4: a lot of her poetry was incredibly personal and incredibly 720 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:15,000 Speaker 4: open to like her particular experience, and that was also 721 00:35:15,160 --> 00:35:18,560 Speaker 4: something that I was reaching for. And so between those 722 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,560 Speaker 4: two women, like every time a new documentary or book 723 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,279 Speaker 4: or something comes out, it just sort of blows my 724 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 4: mind and reminds me that that they're whole people. So 725 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 4: I would say those are those are two of my 726 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 4: inspiration stories. 727 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:33,400 Speaker 2: What are the plans for the one year anniversary of 728 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:35,879 Speaker 2: the museum? Oh? 729 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: My gosh, it is. 730 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:39,160 Speaker 4: It is so coming, you know, because we just open. 731 00:35:39,160 --> 00:35:41,440 Speaker 4: I'm like, we just opened. It's like the anniversary's already 732 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:42,040 Speaker 4: Like that. 733 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:44,279 Speaker 1: Is that twelve months? So one? 734 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,080 Speaker 4: You know, obviously we opened up on June twenty seven, 735 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 4: then we start our opening ceremonies a little bit before that. 736 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 4: For me, that means I get the entire month of June. 737 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,040 Speaker 4: I definitely get the entire juneteen season, all right, So 738 00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:59,200 Speaker 4: June teethh is our whole anniversary season. So of course 739 00:35:59,239 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 4: there is a Juneteenth itself, So we are gonna have 740 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,200 Speaker 4: some special programs and kickoffs for that. And one of 741 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 4: the things I actually like about that is that in 742 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 4: our particular community, the museum does not have to lead Juneteenth. 743 00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 4: And folks may be surprised to hear me say that, 744 00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 4: you know that, I'm excited to be sort of like supporting, 745 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 4: But that's a sign of a community that's growing. Right. 746 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 4: So now a low country you got foux five like 747 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:23,440 Speaker 4: June teen celebrations, and I'd be out there trying to 748 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:24,120 Speaker 4: get to all of them. 749 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: So that's good. 750 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 4: So that's kind of the kickoff in that in that space, 751 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:31,040 Speaker 4: and so there's there's that joy and then there's also 752 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 4: that reverence. 753 00:36:31,760 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: Like the thing I do is. 754 00:36:32,600 --> 00:36:36,160 Speaker 4: I like to always interweave, always interweave sort of the 755 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,720 Speaker 4: trauma and the joy and the resilience and the victory 756 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,680 Speaker 4: all that together because it also comes around the anniversary 757 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 4: of Mother Emmanuel, Right, so all of that, all of 758 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,800 Speaker 4: that is happening. They are not disconnected and they don't 759 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:50,200 Speaker 4: have to be. You know, how black folks do. You've 760 00:36:50,239 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 4: been to our funerals. We know how to get this 761 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,000 Speaker 4: done right. And so so that's kind of how we 762 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 4: have that kickoff. We're gonna have sort of our own 763 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 4: version of kind of like a. 764 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:03,200 Speaker 1: Classy bizarre is how we're gonna do sort of our 765 00:37:03,200 --> 00:37:04,040 Speaker 1: anniversary event. 766 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 4: I go to a lot of sit down galas with 767 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 4: the tablecloth and all that kind of stuff, and it's 768 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 4: it's good. But but you know, when you can do 769 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,400 Speaker 4: something a little different, do a little something a little different. 770 00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 4: So we finally have our building, so we're gonna be 771 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,440 Speaker 4: able to use our outside space to have sort of 772 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:22,399 Speaker 4: a kind of an upscale kind of bizarre. So we're 773 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 4: designing what that's gonna look like. So stay tuned on that. 774 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:33,080 Speaker 4: But that's coming. And during June, Secretary Bunch is coming down. 775 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 4: So Secretary lining, but I know I'm looking at your facials, 776 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:38,799 Speaker 4: so he listen. He told me, he's like, you get 777 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:41,480 Speaker 4: a couple of things, what do you need. He is 778 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,080 Speaker 4: a good man. He's a good man, and he's a 779 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,480 Speaker 4: great mentor to many of us in the field. And 780 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 4: so he's gonna come down. We're gonna do a little 781 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 4: little fireside, little fireside chat. So I'm gonna get a 782 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:56,800 Speaker 4: little shine, a little shine off off of Secretary Bunch 783 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:00,200 Speaker 4: that he's gonna be there as well. So we've at 784 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 4: least got got those those kinds of things going in 785 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 4: that space. Little something special for our members, a little 786 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:09,239 Speaker 4: something special for our donors. 787 00:38:10,560 --> 00:38:11,920 Speaker 1: So it'll be it'll be good. 788 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 3: I want everybody to support the International African American Museum. 789 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:19,000 Speaker 3: Go to i AA museum dot org to support and 790 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 3: get more information. But Doctee, I've never asked you to 791 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 3: do this. What would you mind h ending on a 792 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:25,400 Speaker 3: poem or something? 793 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:27,719 Speaker 4: Some things in the in the low Country a little spooky, right, 794 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,520 Speaker 4: There's there's some serious energy down there, and. 795 00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 2: We're very supernatural people. You believe in the supernatural, it 796 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:36,279 Speaker 2: really is. 797 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 4: And so there's this thing happening with with the number 798 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:41,279 Speaker 4: with the number nine, right, So of course there's the 799 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:44,960 Speaker 4: Emmanual nine that was Mother Emmanuel, and then there's the 800 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,240 Speaker 4: the Charleston nine and these were these were the firemen 801 00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:50,520 Speaker 4: that went in the space and we lost them. And 802 00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:53,759 Speaker 4: then there were the nine that we lost at the 803 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,400 Speaker 4: Albrighton Wilson explosion. And the fact that okay, listen, I 804 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:58,319 Speaker 4: was like three nines and I was like, okay, yeah, 805 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:00,160 Speaker 4: I don't know sort of what what does happen and 806 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:03,640 Speaker 4: in here? But I was invited to do something for 807 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,919 Speaker 4: Spotlight Awards, which was in awards that sort of uses 808 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 4: the memories of those folks to honor folks who have 809 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:13,319 Speaker 4: done some service. And so this is this is the 810 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:18,800 Speaker 4: poem that came came out. So this is called Rise. 811 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 4: It's dedicated to the Emmanuel nine, the Charcon nine, and 812 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:26,919 Speaker 4: the nine we lost at the Albrighton Wilson explosion. Uh. 813 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:32,400 Speaker 4: And it riffs off of a quote by Dinos Christanopolis, 814 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 4: which is, what didn't you do to bury me? 815 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:37,800 Speaker 1: But you forgot that I was a seed. 816 00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:43,320 Speaker 4: When they tried to bury me, I discovered I was seed. 817 00:39:43,800 --> 00:39:46,719 Speaker 4: Told I came from nothing, but I got roots, conditioned 818 00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 4: to be weak, but kin known to break through concrete. 819 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,040 Speaker 4: So I watched and learned, and stretched and burned and 820 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:55,839 Speaker 4: birthed and grew and flowered. So when the mowers came, 821 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 4: I laughed like a dandelion. When the axe men returned, 822 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 4: I rolled my eyes like acorns. Some folk don't know 823 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:07,040 Speaker 4: how trees work. When they tried to bury me, I 824 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:10,719 Speaker 4: discovered I was seed. Then they threatened me with the 825 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 4: storm and found out I was born of the water. 826 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:17,399 Speaker 4: That thing threatens them the most, who that day say 827 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:21,359 Speaker 4: I can't swim. My tears salted these seas crying over 828 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:25,240 Speaker 4: bones and desperate. Please, I marched deep through these waters, 829 00:40:25,520 --> 00:40:30,600 Speaker 4: like bridges, like tunnels. My wake spirals and funnels memory, headstones, 830 00:40:30,640 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 4: that birth, coral feed schools, cushion quakes, carved canyons, calcified 831 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:41,200 Speaker 4: shark teeth, cat volcanoes at the spout, and sometimes, just sometimes, 832 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 4: these waves rise up and remind the storm what water 833 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:48,400 Speaker 4: is really about. When they tried to bury me, I 834 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 4: discovered I was seed. Then they tried to burn me 835 00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:56,319 Speaker 4: and found out that I am the flame. Set fire 836 00:40:56,400 --> 00:40:59,240 Speaker 4: to my home, set bomb in my gardens, set brands 837 00:40:59,239 --> 00:41:02,520 Speaker 4: on my body, even use my religion to burn. When 838 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:07,560 Speaker 4: will we learn? Never torch a phoenix, nine feathers to 839 00:41:07,640 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 4: pray and redeem you. None feathers to work every day 840 00:41:11,239 --> 00:41:15,400 Speaker 4: and feed you. Ninefold wingspan x spand flies into the 841 00:41:15,440 --> 00:41:17,160 Speaker 4: flames and saves you. 842 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:21,879 Speaker 1: Hate fizzles. Only love sets fire like I do. 843 00:41:22,560 --> 00:41:25,680 Speaker 4: Water from that storm quenched me, Heat from that flame 844 00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:29,560 Speaker 4: released me. I sang myself to sleep beneath the soil, 845 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:33,319 Speaker 4: so deep and sweet and true. When you tried to 846 00:41:33,400 --> 00:41:37,160 Speaker 4: bury me, I discovered I am seed. So the only 847 00:41:37,200 --> 00:41:45,120 Speaker 4: thing left to say is thank you. 848 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 2: Thank you, doctor Mathew. 849 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:45,240 Speaker 1: You are so welcome. 850 00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:49,640 Speaker 3: CEO and President of the International African American Museum at Charlton, 851 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:52,719 Speaker 3: South Carolina, once again. Go to IAA Museum dot org 852 00:41:52,920 --> 00:41:55,239 Speaker 3: to get more information on the museum or to get 853 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:56,120 Speaker 3: tickets if you can. 854 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:58,320 Speaker 1: That's right, come on down to Charleston. We got you 855 00:41:59,320 --> 00:41:59,720 Speaker 1: a ticket. 856 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:02,319 Speaker 2: Oh we're going. We're going this summer. Are you gonna 857 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:03,080 Speaker 2: be pregnant though. 858 00:42:04,360 --> 00:42:06,480 Speaker 3: You can do You're gonna you know, you're gonna be 859 00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:07,680 Speaker 3: like eight nine months, but now don't know if you 860 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:07,960 Speaker 3: can fly. 861 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:09,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'll be able to fly. 862 00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:10,120 Speaker 2: We'll see. 863 00:42:10,520 --> 00:42:12,960 Speaker 5: My du date is August eighteenth, so we're gonna come. 864 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, come, we're coming for augusta June, you know when 865 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:18,040 Speaker 4: you've got all that stuff going on exactly. 866 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:19,719 Speaker 1: No, yeah, June, Jim be plenty of time. You ain't 867 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 1: come to deliver six months, ygnant. You can't do nothing 868 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 1: around here. 869 00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:31,799 Speaker 3: Women's mom, doctor Tanya Matthews. 870 00:42:31,880 --> 00:42:32,960 Speaker 2: It's the Breakfast Club. 871 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 1: Wake that ass up in the morning. 872 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:36,720 Speaker 2: The Breakfast Club