1 00:00:02,400 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's Monday, and it is officially the first day of school. 2 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,320 Speaker 1: I am excited a little more. 3 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 2: Calm than I expect it to be, but extremely grateful 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 2: for this opportunity to finish. 5 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: A very necessary part of my career. And I'm excited 6 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: this is finally a show about the first day of school. 7 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 1: Jennifer was in the Atlanta ballroom scene. Wants to put 8 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: it to law. So seventh grade, first day of seventh grade. 9 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: I love my first days. Listen. First days are very 10 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: very important to me. So when I got on the 11 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: bun my cousin was on the bus and I think 12 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: at that time she was dating a boy and so 13 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: she was sitting with him, but she still let everybody know, 14 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: like this is my cousin, blah blah blah blah. And 15 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: I remember that was the first time people had CD 16 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: players back then, so I had the headphones on I 17 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: was listening. I was like, Oh, this is so cool, 18 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: you know, I can zone out to music. Was kind 19 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: of like my hideaway, like headphones and a CD player 20 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: and batteries. I was good, correct, that's me. Today marks 21 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: the beginning of what I would say is a completion 22 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: of a degree. I've been pursuing bachelor specifically, professionally, I'm 23 00:01:55,240 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: known as Jennifer Barnes, Palenciaga and Leek. I am missus 24 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: Jennifer Lee McQueen, and I think for the beginning of 25 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: school purposes, I am Jennifer Barnes simply. And we're riding 26 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,800 Speaker 1: through East Harlem right now, headed to Baroke College on 27 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: a busy traffic field Monday. No better way I'd like 28 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: to start off the week. I achieved my associates last 29 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 1: semester and now I get to complete my bachelor's after. 30 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: I guess this would be going into the eleventh year. 31 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: So I'm excited and a lot of life experiences has 32 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: brought this point to where it needed to be. Is 33 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: there anything you did this morning to get yourself in 34 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: the right headspace? So I listened to David Bowie's when 35 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: I listened to Lenny Prafits, Black Girl, I listen to 36 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: Paul Jackson New York. I listen to Pol Jacks and Bulldozer. 37 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: I am a music person, so that helps me get ready. 38 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: I am pursuing an undergraduate degree in political science and 39 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: minoring in law. This would make me I think this 40 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: is my beginning of my junior year, so end of 41 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: sophomore beginning of junior is kind of where my placement 42 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: is at this point within college. First class is Civil Liberties. 43 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: From there, hopefully we can get something made somewhere around 44 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: here and then go to the second class. Second class 45 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: is European political systems, and the third is public policy. 46 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: But that is on zoom Yep. They're all in the 47 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: main building. Oh look, you can see the banners. We're 48 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: almost here. Seventeen. My biggest hope for today is to 49 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: have a great ID picture. 50 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 3: Thank you. 51 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: I was set. I was a set person. I knew 52 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: who I was for a long time. I was born 53 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: January first, nineteen eighty nine in Hamilton, Ohio, to two 54 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: parents who were very young, one of which had just 55 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: graduated high school and one of which was going into 56 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: the military. And I think I was a lot more 57 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: than they expected, a lot more. I am brushing my 58 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: hair out because we have to look like something. 59 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 3: Now. 60 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: I'm putting on lift gloss. This is fortune Cookie and 61 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: I can't remember what this color. I think it's like 62 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: temptation or something. A tempted fortune. 63 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 4: Cookie looked this way. Smild you like ready, stand away 64 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 4: from your car. 65 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:52,280 Speaker 1: You friend. 66 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 4: Nice? 67 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: Why didn't Now it's the waiting game. It's a good 68 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: fingers crossed legs, crossed toes too. 69 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 2: Oh please, oh please. 70 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: Please, school gods help me. I look like my mom. Dank, 71 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:42,760 Speaker 1: h God, I look just like my mother. It's hilarious. 72 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: Well we're official. Oh god, I like my mom. I 73 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 1: had to send it to my husband. I'm still gonna 74 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: face tyring. You want to see the picture. It looks cute. 75 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: Don't I look like my mom? 76 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 3: Oh? 77 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: My god. Okay, that's all I wanted. We're walking around 78 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: campus and think from the beginning, I showed signs of 79 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: high expression. I loved with my mother while my father 80 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: was in a military and I started second grade at 81 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: Kramer Elementary, which is in Oxford. Activities that I was 82 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 1: allowed to do at Kramer Elementary were that of playing 83 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: with dolls. If I requested, I could do that. Seventy 84 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: percent of the class was black. I had a black 85 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: first grade teacher. Seventy to eighty percent of that class 86 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: was black. All of the black figures of leadership and 87 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: trailblazing movements were kind of presented to me at that time. 88 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: When I went to Kramer, my mother had started to 89 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: figure out that I was into women's things heels firstly, 90 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: and from there I think my mother was looking for 91 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 1: my father to save me and bring me back to manhood. 92 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: And so I went to live with my dad at 93 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: the age of seven and a half eight. So when 94 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: I moved my father a few months after going to 95 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:41,080 Speaker 1: Kramer in Newport News, Virginia, which is of course a base, 96 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 1: totally different environment, very structured. It was very you know, 97 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 1: these are boys toys. I'll get you boys toys. We'll 98 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: get your boy clothes. When I went to school in 99 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: Newport News, I was made to do punishment if I talked, 100 00:09:01,120 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 1: or because I was talkative, of in the corner, like 101 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: I'd have to hold the push up position just because 102 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: I was being expressive. So the introduction of a black 103 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: male at that time, because that's what I identified as 104 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 1: and was, it's just a It was a lot. Once 105 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: I school became kind of the focus, and then not 106 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: just the focus, it was kind of like that you 107 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,520 Speaker 1: have to and then not just that you have to, 108 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: it's you have to do better. And then with each 109 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: grade it just felt like more and more and more 110 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: was paling on to something that was already not being 111 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: dealt with like who I am, how I identify? School started 112 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: to be something where I would ditch class to be 113 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: with boys, Like we ditch and go to the bathroom, 114 00:09:55,880 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: and you know, you learned about anatomy and atomical mod movement, 115 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: but that was it, you know, not how to handle 116 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: yourself in those situations. So with that being said, I 117 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: ended up in detentions and alternate school assignment so kind 118 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: of like in school suspension, so you're removed from the 119 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: other students in place with these students that they're labeling 120 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: as bad or you know, disruptive, and you have to 121 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: do all the assignments that are put in class, but 122 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: without any of the fun. And I think I was 123 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: fourteen fifteen, and one day I came home and then 124 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: was like a fifteen I was supposed to be in 125 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 1: by eight, and my father would not let me in 126 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: the house. I walked away from the house and I 127 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: was going to my friend Sabrina's house, and my father 128 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: apparently had come looking for me. He was like, well, 129 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: you better beat me home before I get home. Impossible 130 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: in a car, And when it got out car, he 131 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: like threw me over the hood of the car and 132 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: was just really upset that I didn't make a home 133 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: by curfew. I mean, that's what all of this was 134 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 1: out for her. And after he left and that happened, 135 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: I called the police. I went to some neighbor's house 136 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: and I just called the police. And when the police 137 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,079 Speaker 1: got to the house, they basically blamed me and said 138 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: I should be listening to this man in this nice 139 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: home and all this bullshit. And after they left, you know, 140 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: my dad came into the room after I said, oh, 141 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: didn't to go to sleep, and was like, well, since 142 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 1: you don't feel so safe, you need to find yourself 143 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,839 Speaker 1: somewhere else to live. When I got to my mom's house, 144 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: you know, it's a great time for a period of time, 145 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: and then it starts to settle. End that one. You're 146 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: poor in this space. Not only poor, you're dealing with 147 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: the mother who has issues. So I go to register 148 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: for school and I was started in the freshman building. 149 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,840 Speaker 1: At this point, I had been held back about two 150 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: to three times in school, and after three days there, 151 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: I just couldn't do it. It was children. I dropped out. 152 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: My mom the next day she said, come on, I'm 153 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: gonna take you somewhere. We went on this trip to Cincinnati, 154 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: and she was like, I found somewhere where you can 155 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: make some money. And I was like, okay. We wound 156 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: up going to job Corps, the recruiting space, and the 157 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: lady was like, well, you got two options. She said, 158 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 1: you can either stay at home with your mom and 159 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,960 Speaker 1: she take you to class, or you can go to Dayton, 160 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: where you can live on campus and I'll pay you 161 00:12:56,559 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: a little stipend every week. And oh, well, I'll go 162 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:15,839 Speaker 1: to Dayton. I had to shave my hair. I had 163 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: a mohawk, a literally a literal mohawk, and it was 164 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: blind ends and they told me, they said, you're gonna 165 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: have to cut the hair, and I was I was devastated, 166 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: but I was like, okay, okay. And when I cut 167 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 1: my hair, it felt like my whole life started that 168 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: At that very moment, I felt like adult had started 169 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: for me. I not only past the ged the first 170 00:13:55,040 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: time I took it. I graduated the same month as 171 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: my actual class was supposed to graduate. From the very 172 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: beginning of me being in school, I graduated in May 173 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: of seven. Like it was. I can't even explain to 174 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 1: you how much all of that turmoil was meant to 175 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 1: happen in order for me to understand what it means 176 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: to be traumatized and get past it. 177 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 2: And going to this. 178 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: Dang. I have three pages of notes already, learn some 179 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: new terminology. It's pretty exciting. I mean, it was a 180 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: good class, great professor. I think he is extremely knowledge 181 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: of He asked a question about what is quit pro quo, 182 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: and of course I know exactly what that is. A 183 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: sea of diversity and youth. We're singing questions so diverse. 184 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: Right now, we're headed to the fourth floor in order 185 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: to go to find where the second class is and 186 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: then starting till twelve fifty and so we're just making 187 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 1: our way downtown, walking fast faces past and we're class bound. 188 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: I ended up meeting a friend of mine who was 189 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: from Muskegan, Muskegan, Michigan UH named Torrianto and he he 190 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:05,600 Speaker 1: he was the introduction to ballroom for me. He was 191 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: playing a Miss Jay Kuran beat and voguing in the 192 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: courtyard and and I was like, child, I could do that. 193 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: And that was kind of the moment where I started 194 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: learning how to vogue and dip and all this stuff. 195 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, I love this. So he 196 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: was showing me videos of you know, Sonaia, of Ashley Yaalanda, 197 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: of Katrina, of Mika, of like all the girls that 198 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: were the girls at that time, and I was just obsessed, 199 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 1: totally obsessed. Just the beat, the presumptuous understanding that with 200 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: this beat your meant to dance. Like That's what registered 201 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: in my mind as soon as I saw voguing. I 202 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 1: they just like it's slammed together. It was perfectly pronounced 203 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: that this is what happens. And so I've always been ballroom. 204 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 1: I just didn't know how to express it. So at 205 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: home when I was living with my father, looking on 206 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:28,120 Speaker 1: YouTube and stuff like that, my best friend Cameron, we 207 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: had watched many, many clips voguing in the house all 208 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: the time. One day we went to this mini ball 209 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,959 Speaker 1: in somebody's house because they're called many balls, and I 210 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: was walking the category of runway because duh. But the 211 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 1: crazy part about it was I didn't understand the fundamentals 212 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 1: of it. And I got on the floor and it 213 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,400 Speaker 1: was almost like everybody was waiting for me to do anything, 214 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: and they chopped me in this house for walking this category. 215 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 1: And the funny thing was when me and my best 216 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 1: friend left, we was like that's the last time that's 217 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: ever gonna happen. Like we were determined to be the 218 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: best Cincinnati had ever produced, right amazing. I gave him 219 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 1: a business card and tell him how excited I am 220 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: about that class. I'm really enjoyed the syllabus, so I'm 221 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: looking forward to it because I got so much information 222 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: just from today that had I not been in class 223 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: at the appropriate time and listening, like I truly would 224 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: have missed some very good points in some initial ways 225 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: to study. Like I now know how my study it 226 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: needs to go. I feel like the first day of 227 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: class is supposed to give you that, and that's what 228 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 1: I got. I feel totally affirmed in the decision I made. 229 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:21,400 Speaker 1: The diversity that I've seen there today has been affirming 230 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: as well. A lot of the interest that the students 231 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: seem to have seem to be pretty much aligned. I mean, 232 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 1: there's a probably a ten year age difference between myself 233 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: and the majority of the ten years plus of myself 234 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 1: and the students, so I think they're just a little 235 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: more excited than I am. Probably I'm like, yeah, when 236 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: can I take a nap? Me and my best friend 237 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: Sydney at the time was like we could go to 238 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: one or two places, you know, replaces La New York 239 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: or Atlanta. And I was like, fucking I mean, I 240 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 1: had two trash bags and a suitcase and I got 241 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,479 Speaker 1: on that bus and I went to Atlanta sixteen hours. 242 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:26,360 Speaker 1: If I'm not mistaken, Atlanta was full of you could 243 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: be whatever you want, but you better make it work. 244 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 1: That's what Atlanta was built on. I ain. During that time. 245 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: I had contracted HIV In twenty eleven, I was at 246 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 1: a club night. My best friend Camera and had come 247 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:50,280 Speaker 1: down to visit, and it was getting free if you 248 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: just tested, and I was like, okay, well cool, we'll 249 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: go test because I can spend more money on drinks 250 00:20:55,800 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 1: at this point. So and got to test. My vest 251 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: friend Guy as the results he was fined, and I 252 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 1: got my results and they said, well this is showing 253 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 1: up preliminary positive, and so my entire world was crumbling. 254 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: I was absolutely, you know, distracted by survival. How was 255 00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: I going to survive? Am I going to live? What 256 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 1: does this mean for sexuality? How do I engage sexually 257 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: with people with being HIV positive? All of these thoughts? 258 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:37,199 Speaker 1: How old were you on this? Twenty one two and 259 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: it was just horrible. I had to drop out of school. 260 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: My grades were horrible, and yeah, I was homeless. I 261 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: was sleeping on some friends who were still in the 262 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,920 Speaker 1: same schools couch for a while for a few months, 263 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: I think, and I one day I had gotten into 264 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: housing and founder program Evolution Center and they would give 265 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: gift cards and resources and shout out to John Diggs 266 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: changed my life. He recommended me going to the Grady 267 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: IDP building anyways, that's where all the infectious people were going. 268 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: And so I signed up for and I was waiting 269 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: around and one day I was able to get an 270 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:33,760 Speaker 1: apartment and downtown in this place called the Etgewood Center, 271 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 1: and that came with supportive services. So the supportive services 272 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: place was behind. So I moved in there. My best 273 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: friend helped me move in. It's a room like this, 274 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:51,360 Speaker 1: a little smaller than this. And I lived there for 275 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 1: six years, six seven years. The first four I cocooned 276 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: twenty three, twenty four. I was like, okay, bitch, do 277 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 1: you want to be a man walking around in hills 278 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: at forty five? And I started identifying with exactly what 279 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: made me happy, and my womanhood was what made me happy, 280 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 1: like truly being able to just go ahead and follow 281 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: that path. And so the next time I had a 282 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: doctor's appointment, I think it's a week or two later, 283 00:23:31,800 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: I told him what I was thinking. You know, I 284 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: would love to hear about options of that, and he 285 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 1: looked at me. The doctor looked at me and he said, 286 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: I absolutely can see where that would go for you, 287 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: and if that's what you want to do it, gave 288 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: me a pamphlet and tell me he'd give me a 289 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: week to think about it. That night, I called my 290 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: parents and told him. We came up with a name, 291 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: me and Ifat and Cody, and I chose Jennifer. My 292 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: aunt Ifat gave me the last name of Barnes. She 293 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:12,440 Speaker 1: was like Barnes the name Salama, and it stuck and 294 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 1: I became Jennifer Barnes. I called my parents and told 295 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: them that's what my name was. That's how I wanted 296 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: them to refer to me. And yeah, I really focused 297 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: on what did it mean to be the woman that 298 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 1: I saw inside of me? What did that mean? What 299 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: did I desire? How could I do that efficiently productively? 300 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: I didn't want to be the same person I was before, 301 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: So I got in touch with Chanelle Haley because I 302 00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: was changing my names at this time. Chanelle Haley at 303 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: Georgia Equality in Atlanta, Georgia, and I was like, oh, 304 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,159 Speaker 1: they won't let me change my name. I had no 305 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,439 Speaker 1: idea about how to do any of that shit. She 306 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: listened to me, huh, because she's very about our business. 307 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: And then she got me in contact with Emily Halden Brown, 308 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 1: and Emily Halden Brown got me in contact with BT. 309 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: He goes by BT, and he literally hand held walked 310 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: me through changing my name for free in Atlanta. It 311 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 1: was the most underground shit I had ever seen. I 312 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 1: remember my court date. I have a picture on my 313 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,800 Speaker 1: phone of the day that I changed my name to Jennifer. 314 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: That was the first thing that I had really done 315 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: in completion. And after I started doing that, I became 316 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,119 Speaker 1: an advocate for it becoming easier for people to be 317 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: able to change their name. So that was my platform 318 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 1: in the beginning, was being a name change specialists. Everything 319 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 1: started to blossom once I started becoming happy with my decisions, 320 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,399 Speaker 1: being able to make my own decisions. You know that 321 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 1: is truly, it is the truth. If you allow a 322 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 1: flower to just be, it will bloom. If you give 323 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,879 Speaker 1: it all the necessary things that needs it will bloom sunlight, 324 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: photosynthesis is real, water feeding drinking is real, and food 325 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 1: or pollination it does, it works. All those things work 326 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 1: together in tandem. So I think all of those things. Internally, 327 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: I started to understand and started to be appreciative of 328 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: the opportunities. I was given the peace that I was 329 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: able to sustain for myself and started to pay attention 330 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,119 Speaker 1: to Okay, now what else can I do to help? 331 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: Once I figured out legally that I was me that 332 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: everything started to click. I got invited to come to 333 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: a youth policy HIV Advisor's interest meeting and then they 334 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: said that they were going to give us a stipend 335 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh, well, I'm set I this 336 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 1: ain't sure, I'll do it. Absolutely sure will. The next 337 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: week or maybe the week after, we had a meeting 338 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: with state Representative Park Cannon. That was my first time. 339 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: I think I have a picture of that too, of 340 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: like me being able to be on the bill. So 341 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: it was the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, and it was 342 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: Georgia's Sexual Health Policy Symposium of twenty fifteen, and I 343 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: was on a panel for voices of the epidemic black women, 344 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 1: transgender people, black MSM, and LGBTQ youth. I felt like 345 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: I was trusted in what I would, what I knew. 346 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: I felt like this was the first time that I 347 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:19,440 Speaker 1: was able to really do things my way. And that's 348 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: all I've ever wanted, all I've ever wanted. If you 349 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: be and anybody, they'll probably tell you that's the one 350 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,240 Speaker 1: thing about me. I've got to do it my way. 351 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: My life skyrocketed. It was just like it just went 352 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: up and it was the only person that could stop 353 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: me was me. Okay, so I just reapply my lip gloss. 354 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 1: After eating a delicious lunch at Chipotle, we are headed 355 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: back now to European Political Systems class at Barot College. 356 00:28:53,160 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: Whoo yeah, ver y. I want to power. I definitely 357 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 1: am a person that's looking forward to leaving d US. 358 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if it'll be short term or I'll 359 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:21,680 Speaker 1: be an expat or who knows, but I definitely am 360 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:28,600 Speaker 1: looking for future career moves. That's the goal. I'm looking 361 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: to leave the US to become better acquainted with international procedures. 362 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: I believe that America has a lot of growth to do. 363 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: Being one of the youngest nations in existence with so 364 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: much controversy that could have probably been avoided if we'd 365 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:57,280 Speaker 1: only learned new and more efficient and inclusive and equitable 366 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: means for Americans to exist row versus way being overturned, 367 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: ways that we can certainly identify and find layers of 368 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: how to make sure that those types of inconsistencies don't happen. 369 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:24,680 Speaker 1: The only reason why I'm able to pursue these goals today, 370 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 1: you know, it's because I saw Shirley Chisholm. This is 371 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 1: the only reason why I do what I do, and 372 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: she did, you know, the first. So ballroom prepared me 373 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:54,000 Speaker 1: to face any room head up, shoulders back, legs stretched 374 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: for the stripe, like I am absolutely prepared to do 375 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: whatever is necessary to make sure that equity is completely enforced. 376 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:12,040 Speaker 1: So barroom in itself is a rebellious movement, a rebellious 377 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: movement of what we couldn't be included in. So if 378 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,959 Speaker 1: I can't be a lawyer, I'm going to portray a lawyer. 379 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: If I can't be a runway model, I'm going to 380 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: portray a runway model. If I'm not asked to be 381 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: a beauty queen, if I'm not allowed to compete as 382 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:30,080 Speaker 1: a beauty queen. I'm going to portray that within ballroom. 383 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:36,040 Speaker 1: That's what the face category is for. You see the 384 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: presentation of life in America. It truly is the most 385 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 1: beautiful mockery of it. That's what it was created for. 386 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:50,720 Speaker 1: Because you won't let us in, we'll do it ourselves, 387 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: and we'll do it probably even better in ninety nine 388 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,719 Speaker 1: percent of time. That's what happens. You know, everything glamorous 389 00:31:57,800 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 1: comes from ballroom. Believe that we're talking about mainstream of 390 00:32:02,840 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: black and brown ball room. And for me, the highest 391 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: house in the land was always the House of Balenciaga. 392 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 1: I have been approached by the House of Mizrahi, the 393 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: House of gar Song, I'd been approached by House of Ebony, 394 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: I had been approached by the House of avant Garde, 395 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 1: which I did have a lot of mentors during that time. 396 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: In that house, I helped impost group with a voter 397 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: registration and at the voter registration is where I ran 398 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 1: into the legend Rico Balenciaga again, and that's where he 399 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,520 Speaker 1: said the statement about how aga ish I was starting 400 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 1: to look and carrying myself, and you know, he knew 401 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 1: I was there doing then, so he was like, you know, 402 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: I see what you've been doing, and I want you 403 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:06,560 Speaker 1: to be under my care. I'm gonna, you know, help 404 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: maneuver you. But I want you to come to a 405 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: house meeting. Being a part of the House of Lincayat. 406 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: I got in for, of course the work that I 407 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: was doing. But I am a talent and so walking 408 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:25,480 Speaker 1: runway is my thing. I am a multiple of the 409 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: year runway winner in multiple states. I'm not just one 410 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: in Atlanta. I have won also in Philly. I've gotten 411 00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: awards in Milwaukee for what I do in community as 412 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:50,880 Speaker 1: well as being a presence on the floor. I am 413 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: to read the Constitution and its entirety, so I'm going 414 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 1: to take pieces. Today. I got through article one and 415 00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:01,040 Speaker 1: started article two, so I want you at least be 416 00:34:01,520 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: done by about five articles. Wednesday is the next time 417 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,520 Speaker 1: I see him, So we're going to go over two 418 00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 1: and three strongly. So if I can get those strongly 419 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:22,760 Speaker 1: under the veil, then I should be fine. Student life, 420 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 1: I wonder if we're I want to go in there 421 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: because I want to see how I can buy some 422 00:34:29,960 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 1: what we call it paraphernelic. Hello, So I know that 423 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:46,640 Speaker 1: we don't have a bookstore, right, so how do I 424 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 1: get swag? We used to have a store, bookstore, But 425 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:57,200 Speaker 1: they tell me in the library, why right, bring back 426 00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:06,640 Speaker 1: the bookstore? I'm heard, so like, literally, no, no anything 427 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 1: sold here. If I started a petition, would you sign it? 428 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 1: I love in order to be taken serious and make 429 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: sure that the funding that I deserve is given to me. 430 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 1: I have to have credentials in my line of work. 431 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: And for what I am a woman, you know, women 432 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: in America eighty six cents to every man's dollar, you know, 433 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,600 Speaker 1: and that's if you're getting You're just due a pay. 434 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: So now I wanted to make sure that educationally I 435 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 1: was garnered the respect that I deserved. That's what made 436 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 1: me go back to school. I'm great at advising, so 437 00:35:52,719 --> 00:36:02,400 Speaker 1: if I could advise specifically on international terms, then there's 438 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 1: not many people that are doing especially trands, that could 439 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:14,359 Speaker 1: do that. I can do that. I am certainly well 440 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:19,480 Speaker 1: equipped mentally to do that. My husband knew that that 441 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:21,800 Speaker 1: was something I wanted to do, and he would always 442 00:36:21,800 --> 00:36:24,880 Speaker 1: say that you can do it. Everything about school I 443 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:29,280 Speaker 1: did myself. My husband didn't help me anyway get started. 444 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:33,520 Speaker 1: He don't pay for any of my books or things. 445 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:38,360 Speaker 1: I've gotten multiple scholarships, I've been on Dean's lists. I've 446 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:44,759 Speaker 1: written essays to get extra funding from private donors. I've 447 00:36:44,800 --> 00:36:48,319 Speaker 1: worked really hard, and it's just showcasing to me that 448 00:36:48,520 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: if you just do what needs to be done, what 449 00:36:52,680 --> 00:37:21,400 Speaker 1: you desire will be given to you. Alright. It is 450 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:27,319 Speaker 1: currently ten fifty two, the night of Monday. It is 451 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:31,040 Speaker 1: the first day back to school. I feel like the 452 00:37:31,120 --> 00:37:36,400 Speaker 1: day has been completed. I am extremely thankful for such 453 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:39,799 Speaker 1: a consistently structured day. 454 00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 3: It is good night for now and math tomorrow 455 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:01,160 Speaker 1: To do.