1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Yet you know boys is back and redod it all 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: in your mind. 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, now deep throating. 4 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: This is for the streets, the real, the railroading, the disenfranchised, 5 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: the truth escapegoating, and they ain't know where we speak 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: the truth, so they quoted because we wrote it. 7 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: The North South East coaches the gie be mocked for 8 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: keeping your head, Bobby, it ain't no. 9 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,279 Speaker 1: Stopping and wants to be drops head by then the 10 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: system is so corrupt they threw the rock out their 11 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: heads and then blame it on us. 12 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: Don't get it twisted on coding. We danced it for 13 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 2: no butterment biscuits. It's Willie d y'all ghetto Boys in 14 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 2: the house back with another episode of information and instructions 15 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: to help you navigate through this wild, crazy, beautiful world. 16 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 2: In the studio, the Progressive councilman for the culture. He's 17 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 2: also aiming to become Georgia's nace next state representative in 18 00:00:56,360 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 2: District sixty eight. Doctor Mark Baker's in the building. Fam, 19 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: Thanks so much, Thanks so much, man, I appreciate you 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: for having me say. Man, I'm gonna tell you something. 21 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: You are the type of person that we need as 22 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: a catalyst for change. You've been on the street, You've 23 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: been on the ground. You come from the streets. You 24 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: come from where I come from. You come from a 25 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: place where a lot of brothers who need your assistance 26 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: and guidance come from. Why is it so important for 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 2: you to fight for the you know, the everyday man 28 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 2: and woman man. This is one of those things whereas 29 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 2: like I'm really still fighting for myself, you know, huh. 30 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: You know It's like I have family, you know, who 31 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: are a part of this struggle. You know, brothers and 32 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: sisters of the struggle in general is real. You know, 33 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: have a cousin who's with me almost every day. He 34 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: just did twenty three years. He's home, can't find a job. 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: You know, I have this real you know, and I 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: think that, uh, if one of us have an opportunity 37 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 2: to step out, we can't break our arms patting ourselves 38 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: on the back, you know, saying I might I made it. 39 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 2: I got mine, you got yours to get. That's not 40 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 2: how I'm built. That's not how I was taught. That's 41 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: not how I was raised. Uh, anywhere that I've been, 42 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: whether it was you know, through organizations I was affiliated with, 43 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: you know, positive you know, no matter how people view them. 44 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 2: Like nowhere that I've been, no influences that I've had 45 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 2: have ever led me to believe that it's all on me. 46 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: And when I'm good money every you know, I could 47 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: just keep it moving. So it's just it's just was natural. Yeah, 48 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 2: you let's talk about this position that you're running from. Uh, 49 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: you're running for state represent I said, running from. You 50 00:02:55,639 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 2: may be running for running from after you get in 51 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: there and you with all the wolves that in now 52 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 2: that's trying to hold the people back intentionally. But you're 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 2: you're running for Georgia State Representative District sixty eight. This 54 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 2: is a special election U that was brought about with 55 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: the untimely death of Representative Ties. Right, And at what 56 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: point did you know that you wanted to run for 57 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: office in the first place? You know, as far as 58 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 2: like not not not you got your you got your 59 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 2: You made your bones as a city councilman in South 60 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 2: South Forida, Right, but when you decided at what point 61 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 2: that you want to go to the next level with 62 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 2: the state rep and run for that? Man? I was 63 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: at boxing with my son, a fifteen year old you know, 64 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 2: shout out MJ. Mar Jr. And Marley but my son, 65 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: he was boxing, and I got a call from a neighbor, 66 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 2: you know, miss in the jinking. She's like, Mark, I 67 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 2: don't know what you're doing right now, but we need 68 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: you in this seat. We really loved Tish and she 69 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 2: did a great job, but we just can't go back 70 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: to not having somebody who really genuinely cares about us. 71 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: And I was like, miss Brenda, can I just call 72 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: you once I get out of this boxing. We got 73 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 2: out and we spoke at great length, and I just 74 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 2: didn't feel comfortable until, you know, after everything was over, 75 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 2: at least a funeral, because people were really calling, and 76 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 2: you know, she was just one you know, other people called. 77 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 2: You know, I had a call from the mayor. Everybody 78 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: was just calling accent because they knew I lived in 79 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 2: the district and they got done too. Yeah. Yeah, And 80 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 2: it was one of those things that, you know, after Council, 81 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 2: I literally ran for Congress. I ran for Congress because 82 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 2: of my legislation that I passed and I wanted it 83 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 2: to become infectious. But it was one of those things 84 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 2: that like, I love our city South full toon. You know, 85 00:05:01,560 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 2: I can call myself, you know, one of the founding 86 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: Fathers of Southward then when we started in twenty seventeen. 87 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 2: Uh and it's ninety two percent black, you know, and 88 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 2: over one hundred thousand populations makes it a large city. 89 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: It's one of those things that according to the National 90 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 2: League of Cities, it's the blackest city in America. Right. 91 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: And so we have seven districts. I represent the district 92 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 2: seven that you know carries and covers you know, part 93 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: of the Old the Old no, it covers the border 94 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: of Fayetteville, but the Old National Corridor too, you know. 95 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 2: So I was a councilman on Old National That's the 96 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: area that you hear two Chains talking about and Ludacrous 97 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 2: and and JD. You know, all of these people come 98 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 2: from that area. And I was passing a lot of 99 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: progressive legislation on a black city council that had the 100 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 2: wine and Cheese area included. You know, shout out to 101 00:05:57,480 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 2: the people who live on Cascade Road. You know, you 102 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,480 Speaker 2: ever saw the movie atl where New New Live. You 103 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 2: know t I's love interest Laury in London, she lived 104 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: over near the Cascade area, you know, and that's the 105 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: area where affluent black people live. So our city comprises 106 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 2: of people who live over there and then the old 107 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: National Area. So after passing legislation and fighting for you know, 108 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,280 Speaker 2: like all of the stuff I passed, it wasn't unanimous, 109 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: and we're dealing with black people, and it just became 110 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: one of those things when I ran for Congress saying it, 111 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 2: I'm tired of fighting my people to fight for my people, 112 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 2: if that makes sense. So it makes a lot of sense. 113 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:42,039 Speaker 2: So it was like, if I'm going to do this, 114 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 2: if I'm I'm going to sacrifice my time and energy effort, 115 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 2: I want to go somewhere where people, you know, really 116 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 2: feel different overtly we in Georgia, you know, and stepped 117 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 2: to our beef on a different platform, you know, and 118 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 2: and just move it that way, and it felt it 119 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 2: would feel more authentic then, you know, as Marcus Garvey 120 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 2: talk about us and our petty differences, you know, we 121 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 2: can move on and we've been able to be progressive 122 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 2: and do a lot of great things. We got a 123 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 2: long way to go, you know, like we're the next 124 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 2: door to Atlanta, and Atlanta has had about one hundred 125 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 2: and twenty year ahead start on South Fulton, so people 126 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 2: will expect change immediate and overnight, but it's coming but 127 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 2: I just felt like doing everything that I was doing, 128 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 2: you know, as far as legislation wise, these were things 129 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 2: that needed immediate healing on a larger scale on a 130 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 2: national level, definitely on the state level as well. And 131 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 2: it's not enough of us being represented there. When I 132 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: say us, I mean people who understanding inwardly digest what 133 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 2: it means to be a part of our culture, you know, 134 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:01,840 Speaker 2: to come home with the lights off, you know, to 135 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 2: have a single mom who struggles and you know, doesn't 136 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 2: know where how she's going to pay all of the 137 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 2: bills and stuff like that. You know a lot of 138 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 2: us who make it there, you know, and I want 139 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 2: my suits and my flowers and stuff too. But like 140 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: it's a detachment I think from a lot of people 141 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 2: who represent us. You know, we make it there, and 142 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 2: we kind of carry it different, you know, we want 143 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 2: to prove ourselves to be worthy of being there, and 144 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: like the other people there, as opposed to being willing 145 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 2: to stand out and say, look, I'm different the people 146 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 2: in the demographic I represent. It's different, and we need 147 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 2: a voice at that table. I see you got your 148 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 2: fellow Chicago and a T shirt on free Larry Hoover. 149 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,200 Speaker 2: You work a lot with his son, Larry Hoover Junior, 150 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 2: A really really good dude. You're from Chicago's West Side, 151 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 2: that's where you originally madeor bones, so to speak. At 152 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 2: what point did you decide that you want to to 153 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 2: be a servant to the people. Well, man, that's a 154 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: good question. I kind of just I had a good situation, 155 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: you know, for a little while. And our city is 156 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 2: a new city, and coming from Chicago, it's one of 157 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 2: those things that when I go back home now on 158 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 2: my block, like you know, it's a it's an awkward 159 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 2: place to be from and be affiliated with my my 160 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 2: group of people. You know, Chicago is very It's one 161 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 2: of those things. It's territorial, you know, and there's lines 162 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 2: right where you can have Like I grew up on 163 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 2: sixteenth Street, you know, and from Ktown all the way 164 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 2: down to Kizzie is where my family is. So you 165 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 2: have different affiliations that might be a block over in 166 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 2: that little area from the Holy City towards Kizzie and 167 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: the community, and you know the area where mister Jones 168 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 2: owned everything. A lot of people call it Jones City. 169 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: We can go up a couple of blocks on twenty 170 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: first or twenty second Street and it's Mexicans, and you 171 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 2: don't cross that street like they used to chase us 172 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 2: from one side of the fair, like you know those 173 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 2: little makeshift carnivals. They come and they be in the 174 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 2: parking lot or whatever, and we would go as kids 175 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 2: to be in that you know, space or whatever. By 176 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 2: the time they start identifying, it's like, ah, mind less road. 177 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: We gotta go, you know, and we on our way out, 178 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 2: but they would chase us. And once we cross our 179 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 2: side of the street, it's not like help is waiting. 180 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 2: We could just stop because they not gonna come over 181 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 2: there and we could pop off. They could pop off, 182 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,600 Speaker 2: but we're gonna be on our side. It's almost animalistic, 183 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 2: you know, Is it still that way. I've been out 184 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 2: of Chicago for a minute. I visited a lot for 185 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: a minute. I mean I left in the nineties, you know, 186 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: late nineties. Of course I left and went to school. 187 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: You know, my mom made sure no. I went to 188 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: dinner in New Orleans. Actually shout out the Dealer University HBCU. 189 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: One of the best ever, best four years age sociology 190 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 2: or the minor in music, one of those degrees that 191 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 2: if my you know, steps didn't just laying where what 192 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 2: where it did, I'd still be just in the classroom teaching, 193 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 2: you know, But I just picked the degree that had 194 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: the least amount of math in it. I like, being 195 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 2: radically honest. It wasn't one of those things. But here's 196 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:38,680 Speaker 2: the cool thing about sociology. It's a study of human behavior. 197 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: And if you can figure that out, you can navigate 198 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 2: through anything. And you know what, I didn't understand that 199 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 2: at the time, but not like the way I've landed. 200 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh my god, Like if I'd have had 201 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 2: any other major, I wouldn't be able to sit across 202 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 2: from people in rappert taste about their situation. Because we 203 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 2: used to have doctor Barber Thompson. Anybody went to till 204 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 2: the university. We know, she got busy and she made 205 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: us know all of the historical framework and concepts behind 206 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 2: what made people who they were, how they move. You know, 207 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 2: a lot of people give credit to, you know, survival 208 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 2: of the fittest. You know, it doesn't go to Herbert 209 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 2: Spencer like it should, you know, because he was one 210 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: of thirteen kids to actually survive infancy and that's what 211 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 2: made him think he was built different. And these little 212 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 2: things that happened when you when you're younger, as you grow, 213 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 2: they stay with you, and they stick with you and 214 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,320 Speaker 2: ultimately become It becomes who you are, how you move, 215 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,880 Speaker 2: and how you navigate. And I think that it kind 216 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 2: of brought me to a by the point where I 217 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 2: became a public servant. I knew I'm represented old national 218 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 2: you know, I'm from Chicago. Somebody from Atlanta couldn't come 219 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 2: to sixteenth Street or the k Town area and just 220 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 2: represent in them, you know, without having a conversation and 221 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 2: knowing these people or finding out, you know, the true 222 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 2: status of what's going on. And I made sure I 223 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 2: did that. I tapped in with people like Bear who 224 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 2: with all of the younger people in that area who 225 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 2: had how could you call it the five O one 226 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 2: C threes and the people that then set down for 227 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 2: a minute, and now they back and they want to 228 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 2: do better in their community. And you know, it just 229 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 2: became one of those things like you know, we have 230 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 2: shady part crips. It's no secret in my area. But 231 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: you know, through me having you know, just the wherewithal 232 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 2: and the knowledge base to be able to touch the 233 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 2: people that actually influenced them, right it was nothing for me. Actually, 234 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 2: it was a great deal for me to shout out 235 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 2: big U. I was able to reach the big U 236 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,680 Speaker 2: big U k We had a you know, a meaning 237 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: pastor Anthony A kreflo dollars church and you know back 238 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 2: in like talent. No, I'm just just stopped doing stuff 239 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 2: like that. Got has a whole different mindset to like 240 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 2: there's a lot of different mindset or it's just as 241 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 2: I would say. And I can't speak too much on 242 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 2: it because I'm not a member of his church. But 243 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: every time I've gone the traditional krefflo that has been 244 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:27,520 Speaker 2: spoken about publicly as we have this thing about him, 245 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 2: he iss changed. And I've heard that he's publicly said 246 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 2: that he was wrong about a lot of Okay, okay, 247 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 2: so people, people can grow, you can grow. And because 248 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 2: he threw me off man with that asking for a 249 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 2: plane thing, you know, like trying to tell people that 250 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 2: they were poor if they could didn't come up with 251 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 2: the money. That threw me off. But but you're saying 252 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 2: that that's not the kreflow dollar. You know, yes, I'm 253 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 2: saying that. I'm definitely saying that. I've heard you know, 254 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: you know, now I'm just kidd no, no, but it's 255 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: like but but he did. He does allow his space 256 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 2: for us, you know, uh to do these things. And 257 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 2: we held it at World Changes, you know, and I 258 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 2: connected with Big U there and we you know, we 259 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 2: talked about what was going on, and I mean we've 260 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: had a like I gave him a proclamation. I think 261 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 2: it was almost two years ago because we went down 262 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 2: like in that area about seventy percent in the type 263 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: of crimes that was you know. But he has a 264 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 2: program called Developing Options, you know him and I think 265 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 2: Don Osborne, Jeffrey Osborne's daughter, was together with that program. 266 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 2: And you know, we ain't had the money to do it, 267 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 2: but you know, it's one of those things where he 268 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 2: used his influence to you know, rap with people who 269 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 2: you know are out of the power and kind of 270 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 2: use black recognomics to make stuff work, you know, you know, 271 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 2: passing ideas and if we have you know, other other 272 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: opportunities or jobs for people. That's what his program did. 273 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 2: But you know, he was able to help in that. 274 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 2: And I think that you gotta go to the people. Everybody, 275 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 2: everybody not gonna wear the suits, you know, you got 276 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 2: to find the real people to come and give truth. 277 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 2: You know. That's why I haven't had a problem aligning 278 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: myself with people who think different, you know, whether it 279 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 2: be shout out to Resa Islam, that's my brother. You know, 280 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 2: we do a lot of stuff together. I gave him 281 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: a day and you know, I work with him and 282 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 2: you know, and and we do a lot together, especially 283 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 2: during the pandemic. Him and even doctor Luma Johnson, that's 284 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 2: my brother too. He comes down, you know, and we 285 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 2: do stuff. So we like I'm if I'm representing the 286 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 2: black of city in America at that time as I was, 287 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 2: I wanted to make sure we we really dealt with 288 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 2: our issues and we were true to you know, our demographic. 289 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 2: So okay, So you just mentioned Riza Islam and doctor Umar. 290 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:04,639 Speaker 2: Working with these guys who have some different views, but 291 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,479 Speaker 2: the one thing that they have in common, even Big U, 292 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: the one thing that they all have in common is 293 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 2: that they love black people. I know they doubt and 294 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 2: so I think that we have to get used to 295 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 2: working with each other and not not expecting something that's 296 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,920 Speaker 2: superhuman from each other. Like we have to give each 297 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 2: other grace knowing that we don't have to agree to everything. 298 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: We don't have to agree with everything that somebody says 299 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 2: in order to support that person. As long as our 300 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 2: common objective is to advance our people in one of 301 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 2: the words that you like to be used is progress 302 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 2: our people, then that's what that's the bottom line. That's 303 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 2: what should matter more than anything, the advancement of our people. 304 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 2: And so all of these guys, I look at them 305 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 2: the same way. They all are working in that same 306 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 2: But what happened with you growing up that made you 307 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 2: want to be that type of person? Did you see 308 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: something that you see somebody did somebody set you, pull 309 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: you to the side and say, look, son, this is 310 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: how you do it. I'm a product of my environment, right. 311 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 2: So I think that when people look at the leaders 312 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 2: of what they used to call gangster disciple, which is 313 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 2: now internalized as growth and development. Right, we had people 314 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 2: who were on the playground right doing that cusp of 315 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 2: that change is my generation. Right. My cousin and I 316 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 2: tell you about who just came home. He was probably perplexed, 317 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 2: being about ten years or so older than me, trying 318 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 2: to take on growing and developing in the community. So 319 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 2: they had rules for us. Now I would notice that 320 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: they wouldn't necessarily abide by the rules that they would 321 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 2: we was selling us because it was kind of new 322 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:12,479 Speaker 2: to them. You know, do as I say, not as 323 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:17,199 Speaker 2: I do exactly. And so now as kids, you know, 324 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 2: we would you know, we would still figure it out. 325 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 2: We would get around some stuff. And I'm not perfect. 326 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 2: I've had situations and you know, and you know, before eighteen, 327 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 2: actually three times before I was eighteen, I was with 328 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 2: the police, you know, and the last time was pretty serious. 329 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 2: I had to fight a felony charge for somebody. And 330 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 2: do you know at eighteen years years old, I came 331 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 2: back and for like Christmas break, But it was just, 332 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 2: you know, the bottom line is there, even when you 333 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 2: make it out like you don't have to do nothing 334 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 2: but exists. Not to Chicago's not different from you know, 335 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,159 Speaker 2: in the city, in any part of this country. You know, 336 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 2: like this plans and traps for you to actually take 337 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 2: a trip and fall, you know, and it's not one 338 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 2: of those things. It's intentionally set up for that, you know. 339 00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 2: So I had people who were telling me, yo, man, 340 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 2: it's good to see you, man, but dude, man, you 341 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 2: broke out. You need to get away from here right now. Bro. 342 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 2: They just left his shooting and I'm thinking, why you 343 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,880 Speaker 2: still want to sit on the corner the sixteenth at home? 344 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 2: And exactly what they told me is why you gonna 345 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 2: stay here? You know. And so it became one of 346 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:31,879 Speaker 2: those things whereas like a lot of people feel like, 347 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 2: you know, they don't have a way out, you know, 348 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:39,120 Speaker 2: but I realized, like I'm a part of them, I'm 349 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:44,120 Speaker 2: the same. So when I had the opportunity, I don't. 350 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 2: I don't think that nobody told me anything that was 351 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,919 Speaker 2: drastically different. I think I slipped through the cracks and 352 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 2: kind of made it. And I think that when you 353 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 2: talk about how my progressive nature, as you mentioned, it's 354 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 2: one of those things as a black man in America, 355 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: you know, so you have the progressives, you have the conservatives, 356 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: you know, and or I just can't think of anything 357 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 2: politically or political ideology that I want to like. To 358 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:13,640 Speaker 2: be a conservative means to keep the same, the root word, 359 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 2: to conserve, keep the same. There's very little about America 360 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 2: in its history that I want to put my energy 361 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 2: and time and vote to try to keep the same. 362 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 2: You don't see what I'm saying. So I think that 363 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:27,639 Speaker 2: you know, when you become you know, aware what was 364 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 2: political when you become aware of the social political of 365 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 2: people who were revered in my neighborhood, like Larry Hoover, 366 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 2: you understand, and you know, just like we were talking 367 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:38,879 Speaker 2: about sociology, you have to look at the times and 368 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 2: what was going on. You know, you have the time 369 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 2: then to understand that Fred Hampton was just probably two 370 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 2: or three years younger than Larry Hoover in nineteen sixty nine, 371 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 2: December fourth, when he was assassinated right up the street, 372 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 2: right up the street from where I was. I grew 373 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 2: up on the West Side. It's like, so these were 374 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 2: people who were goal oranizing our communities because of what 375 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,679 Speaker 2: was being inflicted on us. And no matter how people 376 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 2: felt about them at that time, if these people had 377 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:13,480 Speaker 2: the opportunity to mature and grow and get older, you know, 378 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 2: who's to say what that trajectory would have been. And 379 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: so that's why they rooted him, right, because they knew 380 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 2: their potential, right. And so if you'd have ran into me, 381 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,880 Speaker 2: you know when my mom needed money to help out, 382 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 2: you know, in my little eighty dollars when I started 383 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 2: working at McDonald's, how I was figuring out how to 384 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:35,640 Speaker 2: make it be more than eighty dollars. You know, it's 385 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 2: one of those things that I wouldn't be here. I 386 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 2: wouldn't be talking to you, you know, because I have 387 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 2: a lot of friends who they're not here, and I 388 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 2: see their family and they're proud of me, and they're 389 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 2: expecting me to go faster and further, you know, you know, 390 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 2: for their say. So I can't watch, I can't watch. 391 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 2: I got to make sure it work. Go to Fords 392 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 2: reloaded podcast you break after spak you mentioned being with 393 00:23:10,400 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: the police. Now you at some point became a police officer. 394 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:21,400 Speaker 2: You was a school resource officer. Man, how was that experience? Man? 395 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 2: It was amazing. It was the best place I could 396 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 2: have been. Shout out to Bear Creek Middle, Shout out 397 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 2: to Renaissance Middle, Langsy, Huge Creek's out. And if I 398 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 2: wasn't I wouldn't be here either, because those same kids 399 00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 2: did I flushed, they weed in the toilet. All the 400 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 2: kids who were like man Officer Baker Obi, they still 401 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 2: call Obie at times. Ob You looked out. You know. 402 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 2: If it wasn't for you, I would have gott dot, 403 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 2: you know, and like for me to walk around and 404 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 2: still have the deference from these young kids with bids 405 00:23:55,600 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 2: and they thirty years old and they like remember me, 406 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 2: and then like, yo, you look older than me, kid, 407 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,600 Speaker 2: like you know, and so like these are people who 408 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 2: ran my campaign. One of them, in particularly right now, 409 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,199 Speaker 2: is working in my absence, like organizing. You know. So 410 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 2: I think that you know, it's one of those things 411 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 2: that you can't teach a child you don't love, You 412 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,640 Speaker 2: can't teach a child you don't understand, and you can't 413 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:23,879 Speaker 2: teach a child that you're afraid of. You know what 414 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 2: I'm talking about. So it's like when you lead with 415 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,880 Speaker 2: that meaning I love you, I understand you, I ain't 416 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 2: scared of you either, it gives them one of those 417 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 2: things we're like, man, you know that's a man right there. Man, 418 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 2: you just said a month full. I ain't scared of 419 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 2: you either. We don't have the luxury to be afraid 420 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 2: of our youth. We don't have that luxury because see me, 421 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 2: the reason why I interveing, the reason why I'll drop 422 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 2: the hashtag free game, and I even do this podcast 423 00:24:56,920 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 2: is to give you that information and instructions to help 424 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 2: you navigate through this work, crazy beautiful world. And if 425 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 2: I don't do it, I'm more afraid of you, I 426 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,640 Speaker 2: would be more afraid of what you will become if 427 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:13,680 Speaker 2: I don't speak. That's what I'm afraid of, because at 428 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 2: some point I'm not going to have the physical problems 429 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 2: that I have today. At some point, I'm not going 430 00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: to be as sharp with my my brain skills. At 431 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 2: some point I may end up, you know, one of 432 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 2: those dudes just you know, sitting on the couch. I 433 00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 2: don't know, but if I'm going to be that dude, 434 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 2: if I'm going to be here in any capacity, I 435 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 2: would be more comfortable with knowing that we have a 436 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:47,080 Speaker 2: lot of great people out there that are amongst us 437 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 2: who got the game and who understood the assignment that 438 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,159 Speaker 2: we got to look out for each other, that we 439 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 2: have to invest not just lip service, but our time 440 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 2: and our money and our resources, our connections and our 441 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 2: young people if we are to survive, if we are 442 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 2: to go to the next level. And man, I commend you, brother, 443 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:18,360 Speaker 2: because I was looking at some of your work. I 444 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 2: was looking at some of the initiatives that you've been 445 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 2: involved in, the laws that you have passed, and I'm like, 446 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 2: how the hell does he get all this stuff done? 447 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 2: You have been busy, like damn bro, like, what are 448 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,399 Speaker 2: some of the laws that you passed when you we 449 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 2: was a city council in south in the city of 450 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 2: South Forton. Man, thanks for that. First of all, it's 451 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 2: been interesting, man. I think that the first thing was 452 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 2: that was big, I think was the decriminalization of cannabis 453 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 2: and what I'm saying cannabis because I had to do 454 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 2: somewhat of an education campaign for a lot of our 455 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 2: old people are older adults who you know, like, you 456 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,199 Speaker 2: know how it is they think of it riefles. What 457 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,280 Speaker 2: was it called what I was growing up. I don't 458 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 2: want to smell riefles everywhere, and you know, but I 459 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 2: had to let them know that I did it not 460 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,399 Speaker 2: just for criminal justice reform. I did it for criminal 461 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 2: justice reform, not just so people can smoke weed. Pointing 462 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,120 Speaker 2: out the truth that you go to Fulton County Jail, 463 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 2: over ninety percent of the individuals who were there at 464 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 2: the time, they looked just like me and you, and 465 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 2: they just didn't have a thousand dollars for a fine, 466 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 2: you know, and they would lose their jail that mean, 467 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: lose their job because they're in jail. So you know, 468 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,440 Speaker 2: six months, you can't pay a thousand dollars is something 469 00:27:40,480 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 2: that people on the other side, on another coast, I'm 470 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 2: making billions of dollars. They're putting it back in their 471 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 2: education system. And this was when it was unpopular that 472 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 2: I passed that. People told me, yoh, you'll never get reelected. 473 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 2: You know, your base is older adults. You know, they're 474 00:27:58,080 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 2: not going to vote for you. Butction campaign proved wrong, 475 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 2: and I was like, you know, this was I think 476 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 2: the third piece of legislation to decriminalize cannabis, which I 477 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 2: like to say now so because it's different than the 478 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: other word, you know, and it's it allows to be 479 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 2: it allows for one to re educate themselves. Although I 480 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 2: don't smoke, and I don't I'm not even the guy 481 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 2: that's into it like that, because I really feel like, 482 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 2: you know, given the controls that they have now is 483 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 2: no telling what it's being infused with the different states 484 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:34,080 Speaker 2: of things, you know, And I know you know reason 485 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 2: or reason to get into that with you and you know, 486 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 2: trust me, we rock out and talked about that before. 487 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:42,560 Speaker 2: But the bottom line is we can fix all of that, 488 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 2: just take us out those cages because of it, you know. 489 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:49,560 Speaker 2: So that was the first thing, and then I realized 490 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 2: that when it passed, I need to just go. I 491 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 2: need to just go, like I can literally sit down 492 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 2: with an attorney and ultimately an excellent city manager. Shout 493 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 2: out to Odie Donald. He's the chief of staff now 494 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 2: in the City of Atlanta for Andre Dickens, but he 495 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 2: was our city manager in South Fulton. I would sit 496 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 2: down with him and our attorney, Amelia Amelia Walker. Shout 497 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 2: out Amelia Walk, amazing black woman attorney. She sat down 498 00:29:17,040 --> 00:29:19,719 Speaker 2: with me and everything that I wanted to see different 499 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 2: that I would talk to my people about. Man, I 500 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 2: went for it. I went for it. Starting with that, 501 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,520 Speaker 2: then I was like, okay, I didn't even realize it 502 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: at the time. But being an educator, you know, I 503 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 2: taught at Clark as well. You know, I went there 504 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 2: for my master's and my doctorate, but I taught at Clark. 505 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 2: I taught current issues in African American studies, and I 506 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 2: was the first male professor of women's studies there. And 507 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 2: being an educator in African American community and living in 508 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 2: the city where you're still acknowledging Columbus Day, you know 509 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: it's an issue. So you know, when I abolished Columbus 510 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 2: Day and the news people started calling, and I didn't 511 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,920 Speaker 2: know that I was the first in the state of 512 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 2: Georgia to abolish Columbus Day for Indigenous People Day. And 513 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:09,600 Speaker 2: I was like whoa. And then that's when the Italian 514 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 2: Americans started stepping to their beef. But I don't know. 515 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 2: My bully used to live across the street from me, 516 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 2: so you know, you can't scare me on the internet. 517 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 2: But it was like, you know, it was one of 518 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 2: those things that you know, I didn't. I wasn't like 519 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 2: trying to say, hell, this is the first, you know, 520 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:25,880 Speaker 2: but I found out in the process that it was 521 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,760 Speaker 2: the first, and it was a big deal. You banned 522 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 2: Columbus Day. Yeah, yeah, yeah, thanks, it's a big deal. 523 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,800 Speaker 2: Say don you ain't got to do nothing else. You're 524 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 2: going to help to get his ass Upboudy here man, man, 525 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 2: it's crazy. So we lived like we live about thirty 526 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 2: miles from Gordon County, right. Gordon County is the headquarters 527 00:30:55,800 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 2: for the Cherokee Nation, right, and it's in Georgia. The 528 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 2: Trail of Tears started that you know, the small explain 529 00:31:08,440 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 2: the trailers is when you know all of the natives 530 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 2: were uprooted, giving their land up and they were sent 531 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 2: off to I believe Oklahoma, and uh they literally had 532 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 2: to go on foot and they had blankets with you know, 533 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 2: smallpox uh infused in order to kill him off. You know. 534 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 2: And this guy didn't even know where he was going. 535 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 2: And we call them Indians to this day because he 536 00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:40,960 Speaker 2: thought he was going to India. But that's why he 537 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 2: thought he was like any from understand he never even 538 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 2: stepped foot on American saw. But he has a day. 539 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:55,360 Speaker 2: He's amplified, you know in Georgia, which was so hypocritical 540 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 2: and you know, but I mean it's one thing to 541 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 2: be a trail and start something, because I think like 542 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 2: two other cities have done it, possibly three now, but 543 00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:12,840 Speaker 2: it's becoming infectious. It's a movement now where people are 544 00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 2: doing stuff and I've had a shout out to you're 545 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 2: not along with my sister, she's a fair CON's granddaughter. 546 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,719 Speaker 2: She comes with me every year we try to do 547 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 2: something to amplify and let people know what it is. 548 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 2: Shout out the fair con and his granddaughter. Yeah. So, 549 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:30,520 Speaker 2: I mean it's one of those things, those two things 550 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 2: they're like, oh, you're shaking up the table down there, 551 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 2: you know, you're doing. And that's the thing about the 552 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:42,040 Speaker 2: older cowardice people in position. You know, you get somebody 553 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 2: with some energy, they want to do something different, they 554 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 2: want to step to our beef, and they try to 555 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:49,440 Speaker 2: pull your coat tail and tell you to cool out. 556 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 2: I was going to ask you about that. You beat 557 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 2: me to the punch. I was going to ask you 558 00:32:55,320 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 2: what's more difficult penetrating the white gatekeepers of the old 559 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 2: Negro black gatekeepers. You be surprised, man, how many amazing 560 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 2: white people want to help our situation and how many 561 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 2: black people want you to be quiet talking about your 562 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 2: anguish and your pain. Are they saying that out of 563 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 2: fear of retribution? Are they saying that because they feel 564 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 2: like you're gonna mess with their bag? I think it's both. 565 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:37,720 Speaker 2: It's an amalgamation of both. You have some who feel like, man, 566 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 2: I've been in this seat for twenty years, and I've 567 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,479 Speaker 2: been here because I've been quiet and I haven't shaken 568 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 2: the table. And then you have people who feel like, 569 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 2: you know, man, don't push this because you're gonna mess 570 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:57,720 Speaker 2: with my personal situation, you know what I'm saying. So 571 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 2: it's like it's probably a little bit of both. But 572 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 2: like when when you ain't when you ain't make me, 573 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 2: you can't hold me. You know. It's one of those 574 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 2: things the people who like I said, my kids from 575 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:14,760 Speaker 2: those schools and a lot of them don't walk past 576 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 2: and became famous. Shout out Playboy Carti who was one 577 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,759 Speaker 2: of my students. Shout out Gunner there was, you know, 578 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 2: one of the students who walked walked the halls to 579 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 2: Bear Creek Middle, Like these are people you know who's 580 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 2: gone on and you know, made millions of dollars or whatever. 581 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:33,880 Speaker 2: But their classmates are the ones who run my campaign 582 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,160 Speaker 2: and help, you know with literature, and they're out, you know, 583 00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:40,800 Speaker 2: and and they make stuff happen. But that's the point 584 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:43,279 Speaker 2: of a community, you know, you have the phonics in 585 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 2: the world is community, common unity. We have a common unity. 586 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,759 Speaker 2: We understood when I let my garage go up in 587 00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:53,479 Speaker 2: the morning when I was working. Then I would see 588 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,560 Speaker 2: the same kids that I was about to see in 589 00:34:55,600 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: fifteen minutes where I drove because I lived in the 590 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 2: same community, and they like, good morning over. I'm like, man, 591 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:04,399 Speaker 2: I ain't got to talk to y'all till another fifteen minutes. 592 00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,719 Speaker 2: Leave me alone, you know. But they would knock on 593 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 2: my door. We would go play basketball. I would open 594 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,920 Speaker 2: the gym sometime on the Saturdays. And they knew that 595 00:35:12,040 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 2: I cared, you know, because I had people who cared 596 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 2: about me when I was that age and and you know, 597 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 2: pour it into me. So I think that, you know, 598 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 2: that's that's how everything ultimately works out. But you gotta 599 00:35:25,239 --> 00:35:27,920 Speaker 2: when you're in the position. Back to your real question. 600 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 2: It's a lot of people who know that we've been wrong, 601 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 2: right and want to help, and we gotta get old 602 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:40,240 Speaker 2: the hurdles of ourselves. Like when I said, fight my people, 603 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 2: to fight for my people, man, it's hell. It's hell 604 00:35:45,040 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 2: because it's like, yo, don't talk about it like I 605 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,440 Speaker 2: when I passed to Breonna Taylor law right, and this 606 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 2: is the thing with police, and this was the first 607 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 2: two to end no knock warrants in the city. Actually 608 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,960 Speaker 2: nobody has done that in the state. So I passed 609 00:36:00,960 --> 00:36:03,680 Speaker 2: that and we have a large police department. Man, And 610 00:36:05,520 --> 00:36:08,719 Speaker 2: it didn't make me popular, but my license is clean, 611 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 2: you know what I'm saying, Like I'm I'm I'm doing 612 00:36:12,239 --> 00:36:15,840 Speaker 2: what I'm supposed to do. So even if it you know, 613 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:17,799 Speaker 2: the biggest thing was I mean, being able to do 614 00:36:17,920 --> 00:36:21,799 Speaker 2: certain things. Even with the marijuana. It was argued that 615 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:25,960 Speaker 2: this takes away a tool from the police because it's 616 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:29,720 Speaker 2: normally that scent, that smell of weed that allows them 617 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 2: to go further in their investigatory process. And it's like, well, 618 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 2: first of all, you know, fall back in the first place. 619 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 2: You know, why are we looking like our community does that? 620 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:47,920 Speaker 2: And then we don't do it in other communities. You know, 621 00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 2: we normally checkpoint and fall back to see how they 622 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:54,640 Speaker 2: want to lead in their communities. Like policing in America 623 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,720 Speaker 2: is that's hobby here forever, if I got to popping 624 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,439 Speaker 2: into that. But the point of it is, it's like, yeah, 625 00:37:00,560 --> 00:37:07,120 Speaker 2: I think fighting those people with the old guard is 626 00:37:07,200 --> 00:37:11,799 Speaker 2: probably the biggest one because like I've I've worked with 627 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:17,799 Speaker 2: black politicians and I call myself a public servant. You know, 628 00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 2: I think it's Minisafarka who says that probly means multiple 629 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:27,239 Speaker 2: and ticks means bloodsuckers. You know, so a politician you 630 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 2: follow me. So so it's like I I like, I 631 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 2: know politicians who have been if this ain't going my way, 632 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 2: no matter how great it is for the community, this 633 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 2: will never happen. Promise you that And minute and actually 634 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 2: moved that way, whereas it's been negatively detrimental to our society. 635 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 2: And these people will constantly be elected, they will constantly 636 00:37:54,600 --> 00:38:02,320 Speaker 2: be there. How does this happen? And state after state, 637 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:08,960 Speaker 2: city after city, municipality after the municipality where you have 638 00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 2: elected officials who have done nothing but lip service and 639 00:38:18,160 --> 00:38:25,040 Speaker 2: go around taking pictures at your grandparents' anniversary, fifty anniversary, 640 00:38:25,719 --> 00:38:27,960 Speaker 2: they comes show up at the barbecue, they make a 641 00:38:28,000 --> 00:38:31,240 Speaker 2: speech when somebody is murdered by the police or something 642 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:39,759 Speaker 2: like that, How are these people consistently reelected? Like? And 643 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:42,319 Speaker 2: how do the people allow it? 644 00:38:43,320 --> 00:38:43,440 Speaker 1: Like? 645 00:38:43,520 --> 00:38:46,399 Speaker 2: How do they how do they get away with this man? 646 00:38:46,520 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 2: So I'm gonna say something. It's going rough for a 647 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,839 Speaker 2: couple of fellas, But it doesn't matter. It is what 648 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:59,080 Speaker 2: it is. It's the same way you could ask that 649 00:38:59,200 --> 00:39:06,200 Speaker 2: question to the people on the motherboard. Bless my mama. 650 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 2: Her pastor is actually kind of cool. But those devoted 651 00:39:12,239 --> 00:39:17,919 Speaker 2: people who go every Sunday and get rocked asleep oftentimes 652 00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 2: in our community to a church that doesn't service the community, 653 00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:28,200 Speaker 2: to a person who's just taking a bag and running off. 654 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 2: I think these politicians, they have a similar disposition to 655 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:39,120 Speaker 2: the preachers, and when you watch how they move, how 656 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 2: they give it up, it's really no different. They have 657 00:39:43,640 --> 00:39:49,640 Speaker 2: a sermonic response to your grandmother and everybody else, and 658 00:39:49,680 --> 00:39:54,680 Speaker 2: they continue to vote for that person every single time 659 00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,600 Speaker 2: because that's the name that they know, and he probably 660 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:03,880 Speaker 2: showed up it gave a good talk at the anniversary 661 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:09,160 Speaker 2: or other graduation. At the anniversary. At the graduation, man, 662 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:11,239 Speaker 2: I got talked by them how to move at funerals. 663 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:14,640 Speaker 2: Like literally, hey, man, whether it live is you stand by, 664 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,759 Speaker 2: you wait till the car come up. You go in 665 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:22,680 Speaker 2: with the family so everybody see you walk around to 666 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:26,359 Speaker 2: the casket, and then you could just circle straight out 667 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:29,560 Speaker 2: to church like the like they rock people to sleep 668 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:32,880 Speaker 2: all the time, and I'm like, yo, like this is 669 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:36,480 Speaker 2: a science to them, just like preachers with preachers say, oh, 670 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,399 Speaker 2: you ain't preached unless you kill them and brought them back, 671 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:42,440 Speaker 2: you know what I'm saying Like this, like like I 672 00:40:42,480 --> 00:40:45,040 Speaker 2: think it's a thing where our people sometimes, you know, 673 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 2: we look for somebody who just gives us the nostylia 674 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 2: of leadership and then we just lock in with them. 675 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:59,160 Speaker 2: We lock in with him. So I mean, I don't 676 00:40:59,160 --> 00:41:01,440 Speaker 2: get me wrong, I have on this shirt, especially in 677 00:41:01,440 --> 00:41:04,000 Speaker 2: the absence of my brother who wanted to be here, 678 00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 2: Larry Jr. But I'll clean up, you know, And I 679 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:09,239 Speaker 2: even put my flower on to remind myself to be 680 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:13,440 Speaker 2: a gentleman in this whole you know, conceptual framework. But 681 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:17,680 Speaker 2: these people really like end up being like that, and 682 00:41:17,719 --> 00:41:23,239 Speaker 2: the younger people doesn't, like, they don't have faith in 683 00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:26,320 Speaker 2: this system, you know. And so I go out of 684 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:29,960 Speaker 2: my way to let people to make it look good too, 685 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:35,080 Speaker 2: you know, to other people. And I've engaged and I've 686 00:41:35,080 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 2: inspired a lot of people, and I could tell like 687 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:41,880 Speaker 2: they've jumped in and they're ready. They're ready to do it, 688 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,080 Speaker 2: and they're ready to do it different like going to 689 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:48,640 Speaker 2: bed beat because we really outserving, you know, like the 690 00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,920 Speaker 2: sceniors in my district. I had a situation where I 691 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,200 Speaker 2: was going to their houses, you know, like saying, hey, 692 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:57,160 Speaker 2: I'm coming, don't shoot me. It's eleven and we still 693 00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:59,560 Speaker 2: out here. We're bringing y'all the n nine to five mass, 694 00:41:59,600 --> 00:42:03,520 Speaker 2: you know what I'm and and we're feeding. Every time 695 00:42:03,680 --> 00:42:06,680 Speaker 2: Umar came just out forward and we were feeding people, 696 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:10,000 Speaker 2: he was like reasons I got pictures with him and this, 697 00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:14,239 Speaker 2: you know, still got his boat own putting we yeah, man, 698 00:42:14,360 --> 00:42:17,160 Speaker 2: more than that, like we're putting boxes in it. I mean, 699 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:20,200 Speaker 2: shout out to feeding families Georgia, you know. Uh, like 700 00:42:20,280 --> 00:42:23,799 Speaker 2: we do this stuff and were true servants. And I 701 00:42:23,840 --> 00:42:26,400 Speaker 2: think that people are able to see through it, but 702 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:31,640 Speaker 2: not enough of them go for reloaded podcasts right back 703 00:42:31,719 --> 00:42:40,520 Speaker 2: after this week. Are you getting a lot of help 704 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 2: from the hip hop constituency? Uh? And the and the 705 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:52,440 Speaker 2: artists themselves? Mm hmm, not really, not really. Uh. I 706 00:42:52,560 --> 00:42:57,880 Speaker 2: do appreciate, uh what Tip did shout out to Tip, 707 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:01,479 Speaker 2: you know, and and some connectivity of course through Big 708 00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:07,560 Speaker 2: U and Big L. Shout out Big L, but not 709 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:10,800 Speaker 2: a lot. Mike. Mike is good, Mike lives in the city, 710 00:43:12,120 --> 00:43:14,760 Speaker 2: you know. Uh, and uh, he's he's he's been helpful. 711 00:43:15,120 --> 00:43:18,799 Speaker 2: But you only have I mean, I mean it's the 712 00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:21,239 Speaker 2: same people doing the same work over over again. Like 713 00:43:21,320 --> 00:43:25,440 Speaker 2: everybody's calling on T I and Mike, you know. Uh, 714 00:43:25,600 --> 00:43:28,719 Speaker 2: it seemed like they're the ones who who are who 715 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,439 Speaker 2: are mostly out on the front line. And I could 716 00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:34,120 Speaker 2: be missing some people, but it just seems like it's 717 00:43:34,160 --> 00:43:37,600 Speaker 2: always t I and Killer Mike. But you know what, 718 00:43:37,640 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 2: they get busy though. You know, it's like like, for example, 719 00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:42,520 Speaker 2: I have a developer, you know, Uh. I started our 720 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:47,080 Speaker 2: city's development authorities about four years ago, and I had 721 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:50,440 Speaker 2: a developer, Jeff Butler. He came from the Bay Area, 722 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:54,160 Speaker 2: fifty some year old man. Uh wanted to buy the 723 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 2: land back in South Forton where his ancestors were once enslaved. 724 00:43:58,880 --> 00:44:02,520 Speaker 2: Beautiful story. We ended up taking them showing them, you know, 725 00:44:02,880 --> 00:44:04,879 Speaker 2: you know, the areas of Southward then because we found 726 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:07,800 Speaker 2: out he was a developer. Now we have Manson part 727 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:10,600 Speaker 2: of course, you know what that's named for, Manson Mousa. 728 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:15,720 Speaker 2: So we have Manson Part coming and like several twenty 729 00:44:16,080 --> 00:44:19,279 Speaker 2: I believe twelve twenty five story buildings right on Old 730 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 2: National Hilton O Hyatt Waldorf Astoria and like jobs guaranteed 731 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 2: over ten thousand jobs minimum to this one particular site 732 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:38,839 Speaker 2: that we started all together. And the first people are 733 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:42,200 Speaker 2: tagged in were the people in that area who get busy. 734 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:45,439 Speaker 2: So we have a text We had a text look 735 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:49,080 Speaker 2: with Killer, Mike and Ti and you know, a vetting 736 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:53,479 Speaker 2: process and a re establishment of making sure that people 737 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:56,440 Speaker 2: who are typically excluded have a seated at the table, 738 00:44:56,560 --> 00:44:59,600 Speaker 2: you know. And so that's that's still my look. I 739 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,880 Speaker 2: didn't grow up on Old National, but this is their home. 740 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,320 Speaker 2: So I reach to the people and make sure that 741 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 2: they have a seat at the table. And you know, 742 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:10,920 Speaker 2: they've been really, really helpful, and uh, it should be 743 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:12,879 Speaker 2: a gate coming up. I think in June. I talked 744 00:45:12,920 --> 00:45:17,080 Speaker 2: to the developer yesterday, so I mean right across from 745 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:21,040 Speaker 2: World Changes. Actually, so pretty excited about that because that's 746 00:45:21,080 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 2: one of my one of my my main things outside 747 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:28,439 Speaker 2: of legislation for growth and development of this city. Now, 748 00:45:28,560 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 2: what's what's the complexion of the people that's doing the construction. 749 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:35,520 Speaker 2: So I'm glad you asked that. In the contract, you know, 750 00:45:35,600 --> 00:45:40,320 Speaker 2: it is stated that individuals again who are typically excluded, 751 00:45:40,320 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 2: which is the wordplay that we have to use for 752 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:47,680 Speaker 2: legal rights. But it's our HT Holmes Hamilton E. Holmes, 753 00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:50,520 Speaker 2: which is a major street, you know, exit off Our 754 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:55,160 Speaker 2: twenty is in the city of Atlanta. His son is 755 00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:57,480 Speaker 2: working with us. I think we have Russell, you know, 756 00:45:57,520 --> 00:46:01,439 Speaker 2: who helped Maynel Jackson build the air rest in Peace 757 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:05,719 Speaker 2: to Bunny Jackson, Mainer's wife who was one of my 758 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:08,520 Speaker 2: mentors and made sure that that was something that we 759 00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:12,200 Speaker 2: had a part of that project, you know, I said 760 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:14,360 Speaker 2: with her a lot, and you know, she helped me 761 00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:17,680 Speaker 2: a lot with that and talked about how you have 762 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:20,440 Speaker 2: to be feelss and how Maine it was feeless, and 763 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:23,360 Speaker 2: you know he didn't care, even though he ruffled a 764 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:26,400 Speaker 2: lot of feathers. You know, but at some point we 765 00:46:26,440 --> 00:46:28,000 Speaker 2: got to do that in order to make sure that 766 00:46:28,040 --> 00:46:30,320 Speaker 2: we have seen at the table, especially when it's our table. 767 00:46:30,800 --> 00:46:34,120 Speaker 2: Why hasn't some of the other mayors that came after 768 00:46:34,200 --> 00:46:38,200 Speaker 2: him just basically just taking that same blueprint and said, 769 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:41,640 Speaker 2: this is what it is, take it or leave it. 770 00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:45,160 Speaker 2: You want Atlanta, you got it. You gotta deal with us. 771 00:46:45,320 --> 00:46:50,279 Speaker 2: You got the you know, like, and why do why 772 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:53,480 Speaker 2: do these even when we do have the numbers, Why 773 00:46:53,520 --> 00:46:56,800 Speaker 2: do we feel compelled to give the business to somebody 774 00:46:56,800 --> 00:47:00,920 Speaker 2: else who is not a part of the community. I 775 00:47:00,960 --> 00:47:03,399 Speaker 2: can't speak on that because I ain't never been that guy, 776 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:08,799 Speaker 2: and even back then, I wasn't political. You know, I 777 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,720 Speaker 2: just literally jumped into this thing at the buzzer and 778 00:47:12,840 --> 00:47:15,560 Speaker 2: you know, so I had no expectations in no real direction. 779 00:47:16,040 --> 00:47:20,279 Speaker 2: But I can say that ain't nothing different, you know, 780 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:25,800 Speaker 2: from with our people. You know, throughout history, you have 781 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:29,720 Speaker 2: a situation where people actually feel like other people's ice 782 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:34,359 Speaker 2: are it's colder. Yeah, you know that is right there. Yeah, 783 00:47:34,440 --> 00:47:36,920 Speaker 2: and again I think it's also fear though. I think 784 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:38,600 Speaker 2: a lot of it is feared. Ooh, if I don't 785 00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:42,560 Speaker 2: get mass, some work gonna come and take my position 786 00:47:42,719 --> 00:47:46,840 Speaker 2: from me. Y'all got five it's five candidates running for 787 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:50,839 Speaker 2: office for State Rep to represent district at sixty eight. 788 00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:55,560 Speaker 2: What do you have in your in your heart if 789 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:59,360 Speaker 2: you believe it's different than the other four candidates? Okay, 790 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:01,719 Speaker 2: I just met her. That that will, that will that 791 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:07,520 Speaker 2: the people of Georgia can benefit from. I feel like 792 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:14,240 Speaker 2: I just met three of them, I think, you know recently. 793 00:48:14,239 --> 00:48:18,840 Speaker 2: They seemed like good people. And one of them I 794 00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:24,280 Speaker 2: knew he was a state Rep before and after six years, 795 00:48:24,640 --> 00:48:27,080 Speaker 2: I don't I can't tell you one piece of legislation 796 00:48:27,160 --> 00:48:31,120 Speaker 2: that he's passed, you know, and so I do know 797 00:48:31,200 --> 00:48:34,000 Speaker 2: that I said in a debate with him, and you know, 798 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:39,040 Speaker 2: he avoided every single question about what he's done. And 799 00:48:39,120 --> 00:48:41,759 Speaker 2: so it's kind of like the somonic thing that you 800 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:45,200 Speaker 2: can do. You know. I kiss my wife every morning 801 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:47,120 Speaker 2: when I get up, and you know, paint this thing, 802 00:48:47,160 --> 00:48:51,400 Speaker 2: you know, and it's like stop, you know, everybody listen anyway, 803 00:48:51,440 --> 00:48:56,840 Speaker 2: Paul that Nah, no, you're lying, you know, so I 804 00:48:56,880 --> 00:49:00,120 Speaker 2: think that that's part of it, you know, And then 805 00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:03,120 Speaker 2: I could just say the difference is if you look 806 00:49:03,160 --> 00:49:05,200 Speaker 2: at my work. You know, I didn't name all of 807 00:49:05,320 --> 00:49:08,480 Speaker 2: the stuff, but I banned the box on applications for 808 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:12,200 Speaker 2: those convicted feelings. Of course, I ended on knock once 809 00:49:12,239 --> 00:49:16,400 Speaker 2: with the Breonna Taylor abolish Columbus Day made fifteen dollars 810 00:49:16,400 --> 00:49:19,680 Speaker 2: a minimum wage, which you know is now we need 811 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:22,160 Speaker 2: a livable wage. You know, of course twenty dollars should 812 00:49:22,160 --> 00:49:25,920 Speaker 2: be that now. But you know I did this. I 813 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:28,839 Speaker 2: passed the Central Park five legislation with a shout out 814 00:49:29,560 --> 00:49:33,440 Speaker 2: to Raymond Santana and use of salaam. They're part of 815 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:36,640 Speaker 2: the Exonerated five, those brothers from New York. Two of 816 00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:40,440 Speaker 2: them live in our metro area. It's just one of 817 00:49:40,480 --> 00:49:42,520 Speaker 2: those things when you're a juvenile and you saw what 818 00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:45,880 Speaker 2: happened through Averduren ads. When they see us the movie 819 00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:48,480 Speaker 2: that portrayed what happened to the Central Park five, you know, 820 00:49:48,520 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 2: it's just to ensure that those things don't happen to 821 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:54,800 Speaker 2: our young men. Of course, like making sure they're filmed. 822 00:49:55,040 --> 00:49:59,919 Speaker 2: Things of that nature. Properly and you know, no interrogating them. 823 00:50:00,239 --> 00:50:05,000 Speaker 2: This rules around interrogating juveniles, you know, uh, so to speak. 824 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:07,160 Speaker 2: But I was able to pass that, you know, with 825 00:50:07,280 --> 00:50:10,440 Speaker 2: their help and all. And that's a first in Georgia. 826 00:50:10,560 --> 00:50:13,280 Speaker 2: But it's a lot of legislation that I've passed, including 827 00:50:13,280 --> 00:50:19,040 Speaker 2: George's first reparations legislation, and that is something that nobody 828 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:23,720 Speaker 2: did before. This was years ago. Shout out again Odie 829 00:50:23,719 --> 00:50:25,799 Speaker 2: Donald who helped me with that. Uh he was the 830 00:50:25,800 --> 00:50:30,320 Speaker 2: city manager at the time. We had a brave news 831 00:50:30,360 --> 00:50:32,640 Speaker 2: reporter who did a short story on it, and then 832 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:36,840 Speaker 2: it was hushed, you know. But now you're seeing task 833 00:50:36,920 --> 00:50:40,040 Speaker 2: for us coming about in California. We have one in 834 00:50:40,080 --> 00:50:40,920 Speaker 2: Fulton County. 835 00:50:41,239 --> 00:50:41,359 Speaker 1: Uh. 836 00:50:41,480 --> 00:50:45,759 Speaker 2: Now, of course, now that we kind of about to 837 00:50:45,800 --> 00:50:49,279 Speaker 2: cycle into a presidential year, everybody's gonna want to say 838 00:50:49,280 --> 00:50:54,760 Speaker 2: something about reparations now, you know. And so now it's sexy, 839 00:50:55,280 --> 00:50:57,640 Speaker 2: But I did it when it wasn't sexy, and so 840 00:50:58,080 --> 00:51:03,120 Speaker 2: it's one of those things that I'm like, I'm not afraid. 841 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:11,920 Speaker 2: I'm not afraid. I love people, I love my constituency, 842 00:51:12,000 --> 00:51:14,880 Speaker 2: but even they know that I'm a real person, a 843 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:21,080 Speaker 2: genuine person. I used to tell one nameless constituent, like yo, 844 00:51:21,560 --> 00:51:23,839 Speaker 2: she would call me in the middle of the night 845 00:51:23,880 --> 00:51:27,520 Speaker 2: about something. I'm like, Okay, I find out it's a light, 846 00:51:27,719 --> 00:51:30,560 Speaker 2: I get a LIGHTE fix. For example, I would share 847 00:51:30,560 --> 00:51:32,279 Speaker 2: with them that if you call me at two or 848 00:51:32,320 --> 00:51:35,320 Speaker 2: three in the morning about a light in your neighborhood 849 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:37,680 Speaker 2: that need to be fixed, I'm gonna get it fixed. 850 00:51:38,160 --> 00:51:41,319 Speaker 2: But I'm gonna call you back at two o'clock the 851 00:51:41,360 --> 00:51:43,520 Speaker 2: next morning and let you know, Hey, wake up. I 852 00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:45,200 Speaker 2: just wanted to let you know I got this fixed 853 00:51:45,480 --> 00:51:47,200 Speaker 2: because I know my people, and I know how to 854 00:51:47,239 --> 00:51:50,279 Speaker 2: deal with my people. I'm literally from them, you know, 855 00:51:51,560 --> 00:51:56,719 Speaker 2: and I'm willing to step out and be unapologetic for 856 00:51:56,840 --> 00:51:59,840 Speaker 2: them because if it all fails, you know, I know, 857 00:52:00,000 --> 00:52:01,840 Speaker 2: but it's like to lose and I can never lose 858 00:52:01,880 --> 00:52:04,960 Speaker 2: like I've lost in the past, and I just go 859 00:52:05,040 --> 00:52:07,319 Speaker 2: back to being me. I'm a land on my two 860 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:10,240 Speaker 2: I just want to make sure my people do the same. 861 00:52:10,600 --> 00:52:13,440 Speaker 2: So I think that's what separates me. Bro. That's dope. 862 00:52:14,120 --> 00:52:18,680 Speaker 2: With black people being the most marninalized group in this country, 863 00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:23,520 Speaker 2: how do you ride for black people? How do you 864 00:52:23,680 --> 00:52:27,000 Speaker 2: make sure that black people have fair and equal treatment, 865 00:52:28,440 --> 00:52:33,360 Speaker 2: but also let those constituents out there that are not 866 00:52:33,560 --> 00:52:38,080 Speaker 2: black know that you're going to also represent them. That's 867 00:52:38,120 --> 00:52:41,880 Speaker 2: a great question. I think that it's a lot that 868 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:48,880 Speaker 2: comes along with understanding. Man and I had held in 869 00:52:48,960 --> 00:52:51,480 Speaker 2: a council meeting to say, this is ninety percent African 870 00:52:51,480 --> 00:52:55,920 Speaker 2: American city black a city in America. They're calling it. 871 00:52:56,000 --> 00:52:58,120 Speaker 2: They're saying it accord to the National League of Cities. 872 00:52:58,680 --> 00:53:04,920 Speaker 2: So that mean contracts ninety percent of the resources shouldn't 873 00:53:04,960 --> 00:53:09,320 Speaker 2: be people, right, and so to me, that's a common 874 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:13,680 Speaker 2: sense statement. It makes sense. A lot of people was 875 00:53:13,719 --> 00:53:18,759 Speaker 2: afraid that he said that and never repeated again. My 876 00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:21,960 Speaker 2: thing is you got to serve the people. And like 877 00:53:22,560 --> 00:53:28,400 Speaker 2: we passed something, you know, a welcoming ordinance that really 878 00:53:29,239 --> 00:53:31,920 Speaker 2: made my stomach hurt, and I didn't want nobody to 879 00:53:31,960 --> 00:53:34,880 Speaker 2: feel excluded about it. But it was just, you know, 880 00:53:34,960 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 2: it's not that I didn't support it, it's just the 881 00:53:39,520 --> 00:53:42,480 Speaker 2: mental framework that we have to deal with when we 882 00:53:42,680 --> 00:53:45,640 Speaker 2: are at the table. We have to feel like we 883 00:53:45,800 --> 00:53:48,920 Speaker 2: gotta you know, black people are the most accepting people 884 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:54,640 Speaker 2: on the planet. You know, Sandy Springs in different parts 885 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:57,960 Speaker 2: of the Metro Atlanta area that's predominantly white, they're not 886 00:53:58,040 --> 00:54:03,240 Speaker 2: passing welcoming ordinances, you know, but because we are saying 887 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:06,240 Speaker 2: now and the mayor shut out may Collie he jumped 888 00:54:06,239 --> 00:54:09,600 Speaker 2: out the window with myself of course, telling everybody once 889 00:54:09,640 --> 00:54:11,880 Speaker 2: we found out, y know, we're the blackest city in America. 890 00:54:12,719 --> 00:54:15,959 Speaker 2: Like people need to know that, you know, Like what's 891 00:54:16,040 --> 00:54:18,160 Speaker 2: up Stacey Abrams coming, we need to go ahead and 892 00:54:18,800 --> 00:54:22,879 Speaker 2: name old National Obama National Parkway. And when they come 893 00:54:22,920 --> 00:54:26,440 Speaker 2: stump with Stacy, we could have you know, the grand 894 00:54:26,560 --> 00:54:30,879 Speaker 2: you know, the sign revealed. Like people are like, man, 895 00:54:30,920 --> 00:54:32,880 Speaker 2: we don't want people to think they were black like that. 896 00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:37,759 Speaker 2: But I think that you know, the right you have 897 00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:39,400 Speaker 2: to deal with you have to deal with that concept. 898 00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:41,160 Speaker 2: But like I tell people, you know, of course, my 899 00:54:41,239 --> 00:54:43,120 Speaker 2: whole thing is Mark Baker for the culture. You know 900 00:54:43,360 --> 00:54:48,760 Speaker 2: your cousin, and I tell people, you know, your cousin, 901 00:54:48,880 --> 00:54:52,840 Speaker 2: not like the cousin's cousin, but family cousin. You know, 902 00:54:54,800 --> 00:54:57,600 Speaker 2: you're my relative. Like doing the trans Atlantic slave trade, 903 00:54:57,600 --> 00:55:00,040 Speaker 2: a lot of people didn't realize that when they it 904 00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:03,280 Speaker 2: took us. They stopped at these Caribbean islands, for example, 905 00:55:03,280 --> 00:55:06,319 Speaker 2: and this was what they call the seasoning process. During 906 00:55:06,320 --> 00:55:10,480 Speaker 2: the seasoning process, they would take and separate the families. Right, 907 00:55:11,040 --> 00:55:14,799 Speaker 2: So if I had a wife, she would be sold 908 00:55:15,360 --> 00:55:17,839 Speaker 2: on the island. If the woman next to me had 909 00:55:17,840 --> 00:55:21,600 Speaker 2: a husband, he would be sold there to intentionally separate 910 00:55:22,040 --> 00:55:26,239 Speaker 2: the families, to break us, you know. And now I 911 00:55:26,360 --> 00:55:29,560 Speaker 2: know her trauma, she knows my trauma, and we move 912 00:55:29,680 --> 00:55:34,480 Speaker 2: forward to America with the shared trauma. My shared trauma 913 00:55:34,520 --> 00:55:39,040 Speaker 2: comes from the West side of Chicago, right, and black 914 00:55:39,040 --> 00:55:40,799 Speaker 2: people is funny because we probably the only people that 915 00:55:40,880 --> 00:55:42,759 Speaker 2: actually had cousins. How many white people you know talk 916 00:55:42,800 --> 00:55:47,919 Speaker 2: about their cousins. We know they have them, but damnybody, 917 00:55:48,160 --> 00:55:51,960 Speaker 2: that's crazy. I never hear that. You damn everybody ever 918 00:55:52,040 --> 00:55:57,640 Speaker 2: thought about that. Everybody that's black gotta play cousin wow, 919 00:55:58,120 --> 00:56:01,799 Speaker 2: or somebody that they grew up with. Who mama can 920 00:56:01,800 --> 00:56:06,480 Speaker 2: whoop you? That we share the same experience. So if 921 00:56:06,480 --> 00:56:09,279 Speaker 2: we were to lead a block and make it and 922 00:56:09,360 --> 00:56:12,200 Speaker 2: go out of town somewhere, we know we not related 923 00:56:12,200 --> 00:56:16,759 Speaker 2: by blood, but that's my cousin. You follow me, and 924 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:21,200 Speaker 2: we're cousins with family because of the shared experience. And 925 00:56:22,800 --> 00:56:27,959 Speaker 2: my shared experience comes from understanding that where I come from. 926 00:56:28,040 --> 00:56:29,880 Speaker 2: Of course, no farther in the picture. I love the 927 00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:34,719 Speaker 2: man right now shout out bishamb London, my dad, but 928 00:56:35,239 --> 00:56:41,120 Speaker 2: he didn't raise me. You know, I understood by watching 929 00:56:41,120 --> 00:56:44,680 Speaker 2: my mom struggle and then getting old and learning the 930 00:56:44,719 --> 00:56:48,320 Speaker 2: work of doctor Claude Anderson that black people are systematically 931 00:56:48,360 --> 00:56:51,120 Speaker 2: trapped in the real in the lowest level of a 932 00:56:51,200 --> 00:56:55,880 Speaker 2: real life monopoly game. And these are my cousins and 933 00:56:55,920 --> 00:57:00,840 Speaker 2: we're trapped together. Think about it, systematically trapped in the 934 00:57:00,880 --> 00:57:03,880 Speaker 2: lowest level of a real life monopoly game. Bro Like, 935 00:57:03,960 --> 00:57:07,520 Speaker 2: if you're looking at it like that, you start off monopoly, 936 00:57:07,600 --> 00:57:11,759 Speaker 2: you get two hundreds, two five hundreds, whatever it is, 937 00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:15,400 Speaker 2: two fifties, six twenties, five fives, five tens, and five ones, 938 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:21,120 Speaker 2: and you all are set on go. You pick your 939 00:57:21,120 --> 00:57:24,080 Speaker 2: little whatever you're gonna do to march around this board, 940 00:57:24,600 --> 00:57:27,680 Speaker 2: and when you shake the dice, you go and you 941 00:57:27,760 --> 00:57:31,040 Speaker 2: accumulate property. You accumulate wealth to the point where somebody 942 00:57:31,560 --> 00:57:34,320 Speaker 2: laying on that wealth and they have to pay you, 943 00:57:35,080 --> 00:57:38,000 Speaker 2: and you end up winning. You picking cars, and life 944 00:57:38,040 --> 00:57:41,960 Speaker 2: gets good and you're building. You're building houses, you building hotels. 945 00:57:42,120 --> 00:57:45,680 Speaker 2: Can you imagine what it's like to be systematically trapped 946 00:57:45,720 --> 00:57:48,920 Speaker 2: in the lowest level of a real life monopoly game? 947 00:57:49,200 --> 00:57:52,000 Speaker 2: Where you don't start out with that currency, you don't 948 00:57:52,040 --> 00:57:54,680 Speaker 2: start out with any of that. But every day you 949 00:57:54,720 --> 00:57:56,960 Speaker 2: gotta shake the dice, you and your cousins, and you 950 00:57:57,000 --> 00:58:00,440 Speaker 2: got to move around this board and figure out how 951 00:58:00,520 --> 00:58:03,560 Speaker 2: stuff is gonna work out for you. But everywhere you laying, 952 00:58:04,640 --> 00:58:08,640 Speaker 2: you gotta pay, and you get to go. You probably 953 00:58:08,640 --> 00:58:11,360 Speaker 2: get that lit two hundred, but you still hit once 954 00:58:11,360 --> 00:58:13,960 Speaker 2: you get down the block. Soon as you get to 955 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:15,440 Speaker 2: two hundred, you got to give it back to somebody 956 00:58:15,480 --> 00:58:18,360 Speaker 2: else got to give it back too. And so it's like, 957 00:58:18,440 --> 00:58:20,040 Speaker 2: I know what it's like to be in the hole. 958 00:58:20,360 --> 00:58:24,320 Speaker 2: My mom worked three jobs, you know, like three jobs, 959 00:58:24,400 --> 00:58:29,120 Speaker 2: and when I got old enough, she saw me get 960 00:58:29,160 --> 00:58:31,080 Speaker 2: you know, what was happening around me. Of course, what 961 00:58:31,120 --> 00:58:33,720 Speaker 2: happened to all of my cousins, all of them of course, 962 00:58:33,760 --> 00:58:39,600 Speaker 2: you know, affiliated a certain way and doing things, trying 963 00:58:39,600 --> 00:58:42,040 Speaker 2: to teach us better, but still ending up, you know, 964 00:58:42,680 --> 00:58:45,840 Speaker 2: jammed up. She was like, you're going as far away 965 00:58:46,120 --> 00:58:49,880 Speaker 2: as possible. And really I wasn't the most brightest kid, 966 00:58:50,000 --> 00:58:52,520 Speaker 2: you know, I played a little basketball. I had you know, 967 00:58:52,600 --> 00:58:55,240 Speaker 2: some interest and opportunities to go somewhere. But it's like, 968 00:58:55,640 --> 00:58:58,720 Speaker 2: at what point are we gonna be able to not 969 00:58:58,800 --> 00:59:02,919 Speaker 2: wrap and not hoop or play football and make it out. 970 00:59:03,760 --> 00:59:07,960 Speaker 2: You know. Doctor Kawanza Juwanza Konjufu says that you know 971 00:59:08,280 --> 00:59:09,840 Speaker 2: that did you do most? Or be that did you 972 00:59:09,880 --> 00:59:13,080 Speaker 2: do best? At some point we have to start investing 973 00:59:13,160 --> 00:59:18,080 Speaker 2: our kids in science, engineering, math and things other than 974 00:59:18,120 --> 00:59:20,520 Speaker 2: directly sociology. Right, I can know a lot of stuff, 975 00:59:20,560 --> 00:59:23,040 Speaker 2: but unless I really figure it out and I land 976 00:59:23,080 --> 00:59:26,400 Speaker 2: the way that I landed, I'm here looking for that job, 977 00:59:26,600 --> 00:59:30,000 Speaker 2: you know. But if we can encourage these fields and 978 00:59:30,080 --> 00:59:32,800 Speaker 2: try to get our kids to do something else more often, 979 00:59:33,320 --> 00:59:36,560 Speaker 2: you know, and and be best at it, then we 980 00:59:36,600 --> 00:59:40,000 Speaker 2: can look out for ourselves and our cousins. You know. Yeah, 981 00:59:40,120 --> 00:59:47,120 Speaker 2: as my boy Willow said, we own cool, right, we 982 00:59:47,280 --> 00:59:55,920 Speaker 2: own cool, but we have to so. And because we 983 00:59:56,080 --> 01:00:03,200 Speaker 2: own cool, then we can actually make being a scientist, 984 01:00:03,280 --> 01:00:07,760 Speaker 2: a doctor law you're cool. We can make being a 985 01:00:07,800 --> 01:00:11,280 Speaker 2: city council and a state representative of a congress person cool. 986 01:00:11,360 --> 01:00:13,280 Speaker 2: We can make being an entrepreneur cool. We can make 987 01:00:13,320 --> 01:00:16,840 Speaker 2: being a bus driver cool. We can make being an 988 01:00:17,040 --> 01:00:22,360 Speaker 2: entrepreneur cool. We can make having good grades cool. We 989 01:00:22,400 --> 01:00:27,360 Speaker 2: can make not having a criminal record cool. It's all 990 01:00:27,400 --> 01:00:30,680 Speaker 2: about what do you say? What you what you say, 991 01:00:30,720 --> 01:00:32,440 Speaker 2: what you are, what you do the most? You become? 992 01:00:33,400 --> 01:00:35,479 Speaker 2: How do you do most? Will be what you do best. 993 01:00:35,680 --> 01:00:38,440 Speaker 2: What you do most will be what you do best. 994 01:00:39,400 --> 01:00:41,439 Speaker 2: That is that is a true statement. And I'm telling 995 01:00:41,480 --> 01:00:47,840 Speaker 2: you something, bro, Uh, that statement was actually crafted for 996 01:00:48,000 --> 01:00:52,160 Speaker 2: you because what you do most is help our people, 997 01:00:53,120 --> 01:00:55,920 Speaker 2: and that's why you do it the best. Man, And 998 01:00:55,960 --> 01:00:58,160 Speaker 2: I appreciate you for coming on the show man, thank 999 01:00:58,160 --> 01:01:00,200 Speaker 2: you so much for having me. So so, what do 1000 01:01:00,440 --> 01:01:03,320 Speaker 2: we have to do to make sure that you become 1001 01:01:03,800 --> 01:01:08,880 Speaker 2: Georgia's state representative for District sixty eight, the very next 1002 01:01:09,680 --> 01:01:15,200 Speaker 2: state representative to represent Georgia. Starting point is, uh, just 1003 01:01:15,240 --> 01:01:17,400 Speaker 2: get to the money man, come on, cause just don't okay, 1004 01:01:17,400 --> 01:01:21,200 Speaker 2: come on, Yeah, what they gotta do to h Banker 1005 01:01:21,280 --> 01:01:25,640 Speaker 2: for Georgia's baker for Georgia dot com. You got seventy 1006 01:01:25,640 --> 01:01:27,760 Speaker 2: four dollars put it up in there. Got to be 1007 01:01:27,840 --> 01:01:29,960 Speaker 2: a big deal. If you got less than that, I 1008 01:01:30,040 --> 01:01:33,360 Speaker 2: take whatever you have. At this point, I'm mailing out 1009 01:01:33,520 --> 01:01:37,280 Speaker 2: you know soon and uh, this is real grassroots. So 1010 01:01:37,440 --> 01:01:40,240 Speaker 2: my volunteers are doing, you know, most of the work. 1011 01:01:40,240 --> 01:01:42,400 Speaker 2: I just got to be able to you know, make 1012 01:01:42,440 --> 01:01:44,520 Speaker 2: sure we had the materials to reach the people. And 1013 01:01:45,000 --> 01:01:48,200 Speaker 2: you know, I'm not looking for no big one person 1014 01:01:48,240 --> 01:01:50,600 Speaker 2: that just dump something because I ain't built like that, 1015 01:01:50,760 --> 01:01:53,800 Speaker 2: or one person got with it, come on with it. 1016 01:01:53,840 --> 01:01:55,560 Speaker 2: But know that you you're not going to govern me 1017 01:01:55,680 --> 01:01:59,320 Speaker 2: based off of you know, the bread. You know I'm 1018 01:01:59,360 --> 01:02:01,280 Speaker 2: gonna do what's right for us, and you know you 1019 01:02:01,320 --> 01:02:03,800 Speaker 2: can hold me accountable for that. So visit you know, 1020 01:02:03,920 --> 01:02:09,200 Speaker 2: baker Ford Georgia dot com. Visit Counselman Mark that's my Instagram, 1021 01:02:09,720 --> 01:02:13,320 Speaker 2: And let's figure out the future. What's the most amount 1022 01:02:13,360 --> 01:02:15,840 Speaker 2: that a person can donate? What are the I think 1023 01:02:16,200 --> 01:02:19,560 Speaker 2: to max out in the race? Like this is three thousand, Okay, 1024 01:02:19,560 --> 01:02:21,800 Speaker 2: it's three thousand, But when I ask for a number 1025 01:02:21,880 --> 01:02:25,240 Speaker 2: like seventy four, it's like it's less than one hundred. 1026 01:02:25,480 --> 01:02:29,000 Speaker 2: And why is seventy four significant? I mean growth and development? 1027 01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:34,200 Speaker 2: Seven letter, fourth letter? What's that? Growth and development? Okay, 1028 01:02:34,280 --> 01:02:36,280 Speaker 2: that's what I want to do. It's one of those 1029 01:02:36,280 --> 01:02:39,920 Speaker 2: things that you know, everything ain't negative when you think 1030 01:02:39,960 --> 01:02:43,560 Speaker 2: about it. You know, it's the number I always ask 1031 01:02:43,640 --> 01:02:45,880 Speaker 2: for under one hundred dollars, and you know it's a 1032 01:02:46,000 --> 01:02:48,600 Speaker 2: number that I grew up and I've learned, you know, 1033 01:02:49,160 --> 01:02:52,240 Speaker 2: the transition for it, and we're just showing like even 1034 01:02:52,240 --> 01:02:55,040 Speaker 2: the vision of Larry Hoover wanted, you know, twenty first 1035 01:02:55,040 --> 01:02:58,480 Speaker 2: century vote. You know, shout out to Gator Bradley, who 1036 01:02:58,520 --> 01:03:01,160 Speaker 2: was the first person from Growth for Development to actually 1037 01:03:01,280 --> 01:03:04,560 Speaker 2: run for public office in Chicago, you know, and the 1038 01:03:04,600 --> 01:03:07,200 Speaker 2: late nineties, and you know, twenty first century vote was 1039 01:03:07,240 --> 01:03:10,000 Speaker 2: something that he talked about changing and making sure that 1040 01:03:10,080 --> 01:03:13,720 Speaker 2: we had people on the ballot that understood the community 1041 01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:17,120 Speaker 2: and was trying to change the community. And of course 1042 01:03:17,240 --> 01:03:20,320 Speaker 2: Dan Boone, let's ship him off to a ADX super 1043 01:03:20,360 --> 01:03:25,320 Speaker 2: max prison. Tupac same time. Ninety six, right, you know 1044 01:03:25,360 --> 01:03:28,120 Speaker 2: who was saying, I got I sold four million records. 1045 01:03:28,160 --> 01:03:31,240 Speaker 2: Snoop sold two million records. I see our own political 1046 01:03:31,280 --> 01:03:34,760 Speaker 2: party coming. You know, those record sales I look at 1047 01:03:34,840 --> 01:03:37,280 Speaker 2: like votes. I might not be the leader of it, 1048 01:03:37,560 --> 01:03:42,840 Speaker 2: but I'm sure I could spark it. Ninety six, Tupac gone. 1049 01:03:42,920 --> 01:03:45,800 Speaker 2: But the thing is, we got to keep popping up. 1050 01:03:45,800 --> 01:03:48,000 Speaker 2: We got to be like Weed's bro. We got to 1051 01:03:48,080 --> 01:03:50,520 Speaker 2: keep popping up, and we got to really do whatever 1052 01:03:50,560 --> 01:03:54,960 Speaker 2: we need to do to make sure that the next generation. 1053 01:03:55,080 --> 01:03:57,320 Speaker 2: Stevie has a song. He says it best in Our 1054 01:03:58,200 --> 01:04:00,680 Speaker 2: the add Song at the end when he says, we 1055 01:04:00,720 --> 01:04:03,400 Speaker 2: all know sometimes life pains and troubles can make you 1056 01:04:03,440 --> 01:04:05,960 Speaker 2: wish you born in another time in place. But you 1057 01:04:05,960 --> 01:04:09,080 Speaker 2: can bet your lifetimes that and twice that double that 1058 01:04:09,160 --> 01:04:11,520 Speaker 2: God know exactly where he wanted you to be placed. 1059 01:04:12,200 --> 01:04:13,680 Speaker 2: So make sure when you say you're in it but 1060 01:04:13,760 --> 01:04:15,919 Speaker 2: not of it, just make sure you're not helping the place, 1061 01:04:15,960 --> 01:04:18,000 Speaker 2: this place, helping him make this place called earth a 1062 01:04:18,040 --> 01:04:20,960 Speaker 2: place sometime called hell. Change your words and the truth, 1063 01:04:21,240 --> 01:04:23,200 Speaker 2: and then change that truth and the love. And maybe 1064 01:04:23,200 --> 01:04:28,280 Speaker 2: our children, grandchildren or their great grandchildren will tell man, 1065 01:04:28,360 --> 01:04:31,120 Speaker 2: you just quoted Stevie. Man, we're gonna be alright. Me 1066 01:04:31,160 --> 01:04:33,640 Speaker 2: and you, we're gonna we're best friends for life because 1067 01:04:33,640 --> 01:04:36,880 Speaker 2: I tell you that Steve Stevie to me is the greatest, 1068 01:04:36,920 --> 01:04:42,200 Speaker 2: the greatest writer ever ever ever. No, ain't nobody close. 1069 01:04:42,320 --> 01:04:44,600 Speaker 2: And that says a lot. When you think about all 1070 01:04:44,640 --> 01:04:47,640 Speaker 2: of the great musicians that have come along, you know, 1071 01:04:48,560 --> 01:04:51,600 Speaker 2: they're lucky he wasn't rapping. They lucky. Rapping wasn't part 1072 01:04:51,600 --> 01:04:54,600 Speaker 2: of his stuff back then because he was a beast. 1073 01:04:54,720 --> 01:04:56,960 Speaker 2: But he was rapping. Like if you listen to some 1074 01:04:57,040 --> 01:04:59,160 Speaker 2: of the stuff he was saying. You know, he was 1075 01:04:59,240 --> 01:05:06,720 Speaker 2: rapping one last thing that I wanted to cover this 1076 01:05:08,120 --> 01:05:14,520 Speaker 2: the notion of giving right. You know, freedom got a shotgun, 1077 01:05:15,000 --> 01:05:20,280 Speaker 2: but it also has a bank roll MM and people 1078 01:05:20,360 --> 01:05:24,720 Speaker 2: don't understand that. A lot of times our people think that, well, 1079 01:05:24,720 --> 01:05:26,480 Speaker 2: if you work for the people, then you wouldn't be 1080 01:05:26,680 --> 01:05:28,360 Speaker 2: have to ask for no money, if you didn't need 1081 01:05:28,400 --> 01:05:30,880 Speaker 2: no money, you wouldn't need no money. If if if 1082 01:05:31,280 --> 01:05:33,040 Speaker 2: you're doing it, you should just be doing it. They 1083 01:05:33,040 --> 01:05:37,080 Speaker 2: don't understand that the advertising costs money. You know, in 1084 01:05:37,200 --> 01:05:41,520 Speaker 2: order in order for you to compete against those people 1085 01:05:41,520 --> 01:05:44,000 Speaker 2: who they don't think is worthy to get them out. 1086 01:05:44,040 --> 01:05:45,840 Speaker 2: In order for you to compete to get in and 1087 01:05:45,880 --> 01:05:49,360 Speaker 2: do the work, you first have to be elected. You first, 1088 01:05:49,560 --> 01:05:51,920 Speaker 2: you first have to be seen in order to get 1089 01:05:51,920 --> 01:05:54,120 Speaker 2: a chance to be elected. You got to be seen 1090 01:05:54,200 --> 01:05:57,800 Speaker 2: and heard. So you need money so that they can 1091 01:05:57,880 --> 01:06:00,240 Speaker 2: hear you on the radio and hear your message, so 1092 01:06:00,360 --> 01:06:02,760 Speaker 2: that your message message can get out, so they can 1093 01:06:02,800 --> 01:06:05,080 Speaker 2: see you on TV, so they can see you on internet. 1094 01:06:05,240 --> 01:06:07,440 Speaker 2: They can see the bill boards, they can see the 1095 01:06:07,840 --> 01:06:12,600 Speaker 2: rolling vehicles with your ads on it. They they don't 1096 01:06:12,880 --> 01:06:16,040 Speaker 2: understand a lot of people just don't understand that it 1097 01:06:16,200 --> 01:06:20,320 Speaker 2: takes money to get in here and get this work done. 1098 01:06:20,640 --> 01:06:26,200 Speaker 2: It ain't free. How do you express that to our people? 1099 01:06:26,800 --> 01:06:29,840 Speaker 2: How do you get the word out and to those 1100 01:06:29,840 --> 01:06:31,720 Speaker 2: who don't know. I mean, a lot of us are 1101 01:06:31,720 --> 01:06:33,960 Speaker 2: catching on. We're getting it, We're starting to get it. 1102 01:06:34,160 --> 01:06:37,560 Speaker 2: We're embracing the idea that we have to in order 1103 01:06:37,600 --> 01:06:39,920 Speaker 2: to become an economic power, we're going to have to 1104 01:06:40,200 --> 01:06:45,200 Speaker 2: invest in each other. I think it's so like we 1105 01:06:45,320 --> 01:06:47,520 Speaker 2: know it already, Like it's so think about it. You 1106 01:06:47,560 --> 01:06:49,560 Speaker 2: have so many people who got their own businesses and 1107 01:06:49,720 --> 01:06:52,080 Speaker 2: starting up and they're like, man, you know what, I 1108 01:06:52,120 --> 01:06:54,960 Speaker 2: get more love from strangers on the internet than I 1109 01:06:55,000 --> 01:06:57,760 Speaker 2: do my own people. Right, And it's like, you know, 1110 01:06:58,000 --> 01:07:01,600 Speaker 2: I'm here with you. You know, of course I appreciate you. 1111 01:07:02,080 --> 01:07:05,520 Speaker 2: I appreciate you, Prince, I appreciate Larry Jun everybody that 1112 01:07:05,640 --> 01:07:07,960 Speaker 2: helped bring me. You know that, you know these are 1113 01:07:08,000 --> 01:07:09,640 Speaker 2: the people and these are the folks that you know 1114 01:07:10,200 --> 01:07:14,520 Speaker 2: have embraced me. It's like, the way this works is 1115 01:07:14,560 --> 01:07:19,080 Speaker 2: that no problem is a problem until it's your problem. 1116 01:07:19,800 --> 01:07:22,640 Speaker 2: You understand what I'm saying, No problem is a problem 1117 01:07:22,760 --> 01:07:26,800 Speaker 2: until it's your problem. What I mean is that when 1118 01:07:26,800 --> 01:07:28,720 Speaker 2: they start trying to tell you what to do with 1119 01:07:28,760 --> 01:07:32,160 Speaker 2: your body, you know as a woman, when they start 1120 01:07:32,200 --> 01:07:34,520 Speaker 2: trying to tell it. And these agendas have nothing to 1121 01:07:34,520 --> 01:07:36,600 Speaker 2: do with our community, right, nothing to do with our 1122 01:07:36,640 --> 01:07:40,960 Speaker 2: community because we constantly cut. Our numbers are large. But 1123 01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:43,440 Speaker 2: we ain't got to get into that. But when things 1124 01:07:43,480 --> 01:07:48,520 Speaker 2: start to impact you and affect you, you look for it, right, 1125 01:07:49,520 --> 01:07:56,440 Speaker 2: and you have to start before we're at a traumatic point, 1126 01:07:57,000 --> 01:07:58,919 Speaker 2: you know what I'm saying, Like, you got to heal 1127 01:07:58,960 --> 01:08:01,880 Speaker 2: the trauma before it's spreads. You know, people who have 1128 01:08:02,280 --> 01:08:05,720 Speaker 2: out you know, all of these little pains and illnesses 1129 01:08:05,760 --> 01:08:08,320 Speaker 2: that actually spread throughout the body and by the time 1130 01:08:08,320 --> 01:08:11,600 Speaker 2: it get to the heart as a rap, Like, there's 1131 01:08:11,640 --> 01:08:16,840 Speaker 2: a trauma in our community, and yeah, you gotta you 1132 01:08:16,840 --> 01:08:20,080 Speaker 2: gotta treat that. But at the same time, you got 1133 01:08:20,200 --> 01:08:23,080 Speaker 2: to stop it from spreading. And you gotta understand that, Yo, 1134 01:08:23,160 --> 01:08:27,440 Speaker 2: I'm your cousin. You know what happens to you, I'm next. 1135 01:08:28,240 --> 01:08:30,360 Speaker 2: So just because it happens to you, you can't just 1136 01:08:30,400 --> 01:08:32,240 Speaker 2: be like, ah man, I mean it happens to me. 1137 01:08:32,280 --> 01:08:33,800 Speaker 2: You can't just look at it like, oh man, that's 1138 01:08:33,840 --> 01:08:36,879 Speaker 2: messed up. It happened to him. You gotta feel that yourself, 1139 01:08:36,880 --> 01:08:41,560 Speaker 2: You gotta you gotta see your brother in everybody around you, 1140 01:08:41,640 --> 01:08:43,160 Speaker 2: and then you have to jump in and say, look, 1141 01:08:43,160 --> 01:08:48,000 Speaker 2: this is my responsibility, Like it's my responsibility. They might 1142 01:08:48,040 --> 01:08:51,000 Speaker 2: be going down to drain now, but I'm circling and 1143 01:08:51,040 --> 01:08:55,240 Speaker 2: so the money, the money is nothing like it's not 1144 01:08:55,400 --> 01:08:58,120 Speaker 2: gonna be a big deal. And if that's why I 1145 01:08:58,160 --> 01:09:00,800 Speaker 2: try to start with stuff. That's what people can do 1146 01:09:01,320 --> 01:09:03,200 Speaker 2: who don't have an extra seventy four dollars, who don't 1147 01:09:03,200 --> 01:09:05,559 Speaker 2: have extra twenty five dollars that they can, you know, 1148 01:09:05,920 --> 01:09:08,360 Speaker 2: do something if they hear what I'm saying and understand, like, yo, 1149 01:09:08,720 --> 01:09:13,120 Speaker 2: I believe him. I believe that he'll do what he's 1150 01:09:13,280 --> 01:09:15,680 Speaker 2: He's actually done it already. You know, I wouldn't have 1151 01:09:15,720 --> 01:09:18,800 Speaker 2: no reason why would not go and be the same way. 1152 01:09:18,840 --> 01:09:21,559 Speaker 2: I am a step to our beef on that level 1153 01:09:21,560 --> 01:09:24,519 Speaker 2: where we need it done because we're seeing that we 1154 01:09:24,680 --> 01:09:28,120 Speaker 2: needed like we're seeing that we're living it every day. 1155 01:09:28,680 --> 01:09:33,519 Speaker 2: Since nineteen eighty four, prescriptions drugs have been tax exempt 1156 01:09:33,960 --> 01:09:40,280 Speaker 2: because it's a necessity. People are broke and can't afford necessities. 1157 01:09:40,840 --> 01:09:43,880 Speaker 2: At what point are we going to make basic groceries, 1158 01:09:44,880 --> 01:09:47,120 Speaker 2: tax examp. At what point are we going to make 1159 01:09:47,479 --> 01:09:53,240 Speaker 2: electric bills tax exempt? They'rect you said, diapers tax exemp. 1160 01:09:53,479 --> 01:09:56,240 Speaker 2: These are things that we all need as a community, 1161 01:09:56,520 --> 01:10:00,120 Speaker 2: sharing our common unity in going down this drain if 1162 01:10:00,160 --> 01:10:04,639 Speaker 2: we don't stop it. So I think that we gotta 1163 01:10:04,680 --> 01:10:07,799 Speaker 2: we gotta, we gotta hurry up and address issues before 1164 01:10:07,840 --> 01:10:11,479 Speaker 2: they become everybody's problems. See it happening to your neighbor 1165 01:10:11,840 --> 01:10:14,479 Speaker 2: and know that you're next, and let's figure out how 1166 01:10:14,800 --> 01:10:17,519 Speaker 2: do we do what I mean, how do we get involved? 1167 01:10:17,720 --> 01:10:20,000 Speaker 2: Last thing I want to say is that people feel 1168 01:10:20,000 --> 01:10:23,200 Speaker 2: like so many other people. They not like me. They're 1169 01:10:23,200 --> 01:10:25,320 Speaker 2: not trying to change the laws. There some people just 1170 01:10:25,439 --> 01:10:28,240 Speaker 2: like to get in the suit and carry on. But 1171 01:10:29,120 --> 01:10:32,679 Speaker 2: at least register to vote. If you how many people 1172 01:10:32,720 --> 01:10:36,840 Speaker 2: you know have felt like they've been railroaded, are sent 1173 01:10:36,960 --> 01:10:39,760 Speaker 2: up by people who wasn't a jury of their PIDs. 1174 01:10:39,960 --> 01:10:42,160 Speaker 2: We complain about that all the time. But if you're 1175 01:10:42,160 --> 01:10:45,479 Speaker 2: not registered to vote, you're never gonna get called for 1176 01:10:45,560 --> 01:10:50,479 Speaker 2: jeury duty. Like you could be the person that's called 1177 01:10:50,520 --> 01:10:53,759 Speaker 2: and now you're sitting on the stand that could actually 1178 01:10:53,840 --> 01:10:57,960 Speaker 2: understand better than the other people and vy for your 1179 01:10:58,000 --> 01:11:01,479 Speaker 2: brother or sister that's about to go get up, so 1180 01:11:01,520 --> 01:11:03,280 Speaker 2: we gotta be a part of it. It ain't no a 1181 01:11:03,520 --> 01:11:05,479 Speaker 2: that ain't for me. I don't have nothing to do 1182 01:11:05,520 --> 01:11:08,040 Speaker 2: with that. They'll never help me like you can't. You 1183 01:11:08,040 --> 01:11:10,760 Speaker 2: gotta shake that. You gotta shake that. Figure out how 1184 01:11:10,800 --> 01:11:13,040 Speaker 2: to infiltrate it and be great at it, because that's 1185 01:11:13,040 --> 01:11:15,320 Speaker 2: what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to infiltrate it 1186 01:11:15,360 --> 01:11:18,800 Speaker 2: for us. Oh man, you ain't just trying, brother, You 1187 01:11:19,000 --> 01:11:21,880 Speaker 2: are doing it, man, and we appreciate you. Once again, 1188 01:11:22,320 --> 01:11:28,120 Speaker 2: ladies and gentlemen, Doctor Mark Baker, and I appreciate it. You. 1189 01:11:28,560 --> 01:11:29,160 Speaker 2: I won't talk. 1190 01:11:31,760 --> 01:11:34,320 Speaker 1: This episode was produced by a King and brought to 1191 01:11:34,400 --> 01:11:38,719 Speaker 1: you by the Black Effect Podcast Network at I Heeart 1192 01:11:38,960 --> 01:11:39,320 Speaker 1: Radio