1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 1: This is my legacy. In this week's bonus Drop, Sienna 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: and legal analyst and anchor Laura Coats and her father, 3 00:00:09,320 --> 00:00:12,280 Speaker 1: doctor Norman Coats, look back on the wisdom he passed 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: down to question everything and never let anyone else define 5 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: who she is. It's an honest and inspiring conversation about truth, 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: trust and raising daughters who never backed down. 7 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: Let's jump in. 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 3: You know, Laura, you've talked about how your father taught 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 3: you to question everything and accept nothing at face value. 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 3: So can you share a moment from your childhood when 11 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 3: he pushed you to challenge something you were told to 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 3: just accept. 13 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 4: Oh, you know, that is a very interesting question, because 14 00:00:45,840 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 4: you're right that my father is somebody who wanted me 15 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 4: to be discerning. He wanted me to question the world 16 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 4: not from a place of pessimism, but from a place 17 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 4: of pure curiosity. That ton and that required open mindedness, 18 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 4: and it also required me to have a healthy level 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 4: of skepticism to protect which which it was what people 20 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 4: When I realize this is a very sensitive core. I 21 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:16,040 Speaker 4: was bullied a great deal throughout my childhood. One of 22 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 4: the reasons is because I was exactly the same person 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 4: I am now as a child's and people often questioned 24 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 4: why wouldn't just try to fit in or go along 25 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 4: to get along. They would question the way I spoke, 26 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 4: They would question my blackness, they would question a whole 27 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 4: host of things. And I remember the big challenge my 28 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 4: father always had for me was to be refusing to 29 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 4: accept somebody else's imposition of an identity on me and 30 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 4: to question what the quote unquote I pursued as a 31 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 4: young girl with the massive thoughts about me, because when 32 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 4: you're young, your perspective is totally gone, You have total 33 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 4: near sightedness, and you assume that whatever were more than 34 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 4: one person saying gosh, it must be true about you, 35 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 4: and you could fall into type of question yourself. And 36 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 4: so by simply instilling a quality in me that said, 37 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 4: you know. 38 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: What I do, you like yourself? 39 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,839 Speaker 4: Do you like who you are? And making sure that's 40 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 4: enough now, that was challenging because sometimes it could be grades. 41 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: Right. 42 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 4: I happened to have been a great student, but he 43 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 4: would assign the same level of weight and attention to 44 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 4: an a or less than to a compliment or an 45 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 4: insult about his children, because he wanted us to be 46 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 4: challenged to know that what others thought of us should 47 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 4: not dictate how we thought of ourselves and whether it 48 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 4: was you're so pretty or you're so ugly, or you're 49 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 4: so whatever, or whatever it is. That was a challenge. 50 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 4: I got to tell you that that has stuck with me, 51 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 4: particularly in a world like this where I'm constantly under 52 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 4: scrutiny and where social media has entered for so many 53 00:02:58,760 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 4: people as a nix to doubt oneself. 54 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 2: She's one hundred percent accurate when she details what my 55 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 2: thoughts were on grades and what other people think of her. 56 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 2: And I think she carries that. You know, she's in 57 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: the public eye right now, and so there's a lot 58 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 2: of scrutiny on her from ratings to people critique and 59 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: to show to people who write into her. And I 60 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 2: think that the way that she was brought up helps 61 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: to give her strength in terms of dealing with what 62 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 2: other people think of her in terms of what she 63 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: thinks of herself. So that's that's really important, insightful. 64 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 5: Well, nor mean, we then need some parenting advice from 65 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 5: both of you. So Laura, first to you, because I 66 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 5: love the fact that your children give you hope, and 67 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 5: we're all parents around the table here and our children 68 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 5: give us hope, But how and what type of conversations 69 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 5: are you having with them about what's going on right now, 70 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 5: ranging from you know, mental health all the way down 71 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 5: to what's happening in the world. How do you have 72 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 5: conversations with them in the most touching, loving way. 73 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 4: It's interesting that you say mental health, because that's a 74 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 4: conversation I frequently have with my kids, a phrase that 75 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 4: I don't remember being a big part of my generation's 76 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 4: childhood and thinking about that at all. But I often 77 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 4: speak to them as what someone might call check ins 78 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 4: in terms of how they are feeling about the times, 79 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 4: wor and what are they hearing, what are their friends saying. 80 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 4: But the reason I do is because I am constantly, 81 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 4: as my mother always says, in awe of what comes 82 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 4: out of the mouths of babes and how much they 83 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 4: really are seeing and how much they really want to say. 84 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 4: They may not be able to articulate it in the 85 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: way that an adult does, but it's almost a good 86 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 4: thing because they're unencumbered by feeling self conscious about saying 87 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 4: the right thing, and I get an unvarnished truth from 88 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 4: them about where they see, what they do, and so 89 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 4: questions like when they watch something that's horrible, whether it's 90 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,679 Speaker 4: an officer involved violence or other or school shootings. Mommy 91 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,480 Speaker 4: will that happened to me? And I find myself being 92 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 4: a confessional parent with exploring with them what it means 93 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 4: when I don't know the answer, and how they can 94 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 4: create the answers by their own power. If I don't know, 95 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 4: I don't know, but I will take you by the 96 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 4: hand and learn with you if I if I if 97 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,799 Speaker 4: my instinct is stronger than my intellect, I will share 98 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,280 Speaker 4: that and protect you. If my love for you requires 99 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:37,359 Speaker 4: me to let something happen to or for you, that 100 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 4: those are the hardest moments, and that's when I usually 101 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 4: am calling my parents like. 102 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:48,919 Speaker 6: Gushing love and logic. Yeah, ask you for all of it. 103 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 6: So I'm just trying as everyone. As all of us are, 104 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 6: I think I can all agree. We hope that we 105 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 6: are doing right by our children by allowing them to 106 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 6: keep their eyes open. 107 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 5: Love that and Norman, you're obviously a remarkable father. You 108 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 5: have three amazing girls. I have two from one girl 109 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 5: dad to another. What's your best advice for raising amazing ladies? 110 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: Ah, My best advice for raising amazing ladies is to 111 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 2: enjoy them until they meet boys and then what happens, 112 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 2: and then you've got to be vigilant. No, it comes 113 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 2: down to establishing trust. I think what you do actually 114 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 2: what I do. I can't tell you how to be 115 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,720 Speaker 2: an amazing parent because I don't know that I am one. 116 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 2: But what I did try to do was establish contracts 117 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: with my daughters that if you say you're going to 118 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 2: do this, then I would expect that you would do this, 119 00:06:56,480 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 2: because it comes really down to trust. And if I 120 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 2: say I'm going to do something, then you can take 121 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: it to the bank that I'm actually going to do it. 122 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 2: So with my daughters, I always said you got to 123 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: come in at eleven thirty, twelve o'clock, eleven o'clock, whatever 124 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: it was I said, And they were really really good 125 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 2: about meeting that particular contract. I thought, maybe that's why 126 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 2: the became lawyers. I never thought about that, but anyway, 127 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,480 Speaker 2: they always try to meet that contract because it really 128 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 2: is about trust. You don't have to check on them, 129 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 2: you don't have to listen to their phone calls, you 130 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: don't have to follow them, you don't have to interrogate 131 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 2: who'sever they're going out with. You just have to establish trust. 132 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 4: With them. 133 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 2: That's just one person between you and me, we have 134 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 2: a contract that trust. 135 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 4: Is transferable in other areas. I look at that because 136 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 4: that it wasn't just a curfew, it was you know, 137 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 4: your responsibility was school. Your responsibility was to be a 138 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 4: person of integrity. I understand you to be that person 139 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 4: and you that was our contract as well to uphold 140 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 4: the moral compass directionally that we as a family established 141 00:07:57,560 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 4: that that was you know, just as you could take 142 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 4: it to the bank, that we would be the people 143 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 4: we ought to be. We knew that you all were 144 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 4: those people as well. You also have to add a 145 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 4: little bit of crazy that really will add to perfect mix. 146 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 4: Like if you if you if you know your parents 147 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 4: are a little bit crazy. 148 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: You and uphold that. 149 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 7: God, there's the skit that my sisters share with me, 150 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 7: and they say that you have to show your kids 151 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 7: three times that you are really crazy, Like once when 152 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 7: they're really little, once when they're a preteen, and then 153 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 7: once when they're teen. They like they just really and 154 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 7: then and then after that they you know, but they 155 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 7: have to really think you're really crazy, just three times. 156 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 4: That's hilarious. 157 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 8: Norman, I like with with the utmost of respect. 158 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 5: I have to disagree with you. 159 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 8: I think you're an amazing act. 160 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: Thank you. 161 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 5: If you're looking for stories that move you, insights that 162 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 5: shift you, in conversations that stay deeply within you, do 163 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 5: us a favor, and do yourself a favor, and hit 164 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,840 Speaker 5: the subscribe button right now. New episodes dropped every week. 165 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 9: Now back to my legacy, Laura. 166 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 5: You are such an impressive human being, and not only 167 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 5: as fans of your show, but just as a person. 168 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:17,559 Speaker 5: And obviously you went to Princeton and you went to 169 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 5: law school, and you decided to become a prosecutor, and 170 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 5: not just any prosecutor, specifically in the Civil Rights Division 171 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 5: in the Department of Justice. So what impacted that decision. 172 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 4: I actually started out in private practice in Minneapolis and 173 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 4: in New York, where I was doing First Amendment and 174 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 4: defamation and media and intellectual property litigation. Loved that work, 175 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 4: loved the mentors I had who looked out for me, 176 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 4: those who didn't look like me but saw themselves in 177 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 4: me and were willing to give me a chance at learning. 178 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 4: And I loved the work. But I didn't have the 179 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 4: fire in my belly that I had for civil rights 180 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,400 Speaker 4: in that sort of work. You know, my mom grew 181 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:05,839 Speaker 4: up with her parents who moved from faithe Well, North Carolina, 182 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 4: up to Stamford, Connecticut, where they were domestic workers for 183 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 4: companies that would eventually become my clients at firms, the DuPonts, 184 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 4: the Merks, you name it. My grandfather was a chauffeir, 185 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 4: my grandmother domestic and actually it was the Merks who 186 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 4: went on to fund my two uncles medical school tuitions. 187 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 4: And so I carry a into any room. Like Maya 188 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 4: Angelo once said in a graduation speech, you don't walk 189 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 4: into a room as yourself. You walk into the room 190 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 4: and you invite your ancestors with you. You invite their 191 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,079 Speaker 4: stories with you. So when I walked into the practice 192 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 4: of law, I was saying, come on, Grandma, come on, Grandpa, 193 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 4: come on, aunt, come on, such as come on friends, 194 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 4: come on, all who have loved me or who have 195 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 4: wanted more for themselves, come with me and for me. 196 00:10:57,240 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 4: That led me the civil rights work and the voting 197 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 4: Rights action specifically, which happened to be the topic of 198 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 4: my senior thesis at Princeton. It was about ending fell 199 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 4: in disenfranchisement. I viewed it as the one of the 200 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,880 Speaker 4: last bestiges of the Southern redemption strategy and trying to 201 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 4: exploit the Thirteenth Amendment to oppress a group of people 202 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 4: to do an end run around voting rights in this country. 203 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 4: So when I had the opportunity to even be interviewed 204 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 4: with the Department of Justice, I brought those who loved 205 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 4: me with me and channeling the truth, which was interviewing 206 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,959 Speaker 4: in J. Edgar Hoover's office which was now the Civil 207 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 4: Rights Division. Can you imagine irony? And you were smiling, 208 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,280 Speaker 4: I know, mister k because you know the irony of 209 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,560 Speaker 4: that of being in that room. Now, granted, when I 210 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 4: interviewed that day, I had broken my heel and Sis, 211 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 4: you know what this is like. The metal part is 212 00:11:54,440 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 4: like scraping the Margle floor. I'm making quite a ruckus 213 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 4: as I walk into the building. But that was the 214 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 4: fire my belly to do that work and monitor elections 215 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 4: and work on policy. But then I had an even 216 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 4: stronger belly as well to understand what justice was like 217 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 4: on the front lines, and went to then become a 218 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 4: trial attorney, federal prosecutor, prosecuting violent crime sex offenses on 219 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 4: behalf of children, behalf of those who didn't have a voice, 220 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 4: violent drug offenses and beyond. And I found the work 221 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 4: equal parts rewarding and devastating, because there is nothing like 222 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 4: seeing the power of an individual person wielded against the 223 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 4: masses in any capacity, whether it was for the righteous 224 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 4: reasons or whether it was because you could. And when 225 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 4: I had my children and there was something there was 226 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 4: happening in the world, whether it was the killing of 227 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 4: my Trayvon Martin, or officer involved shootings, or what was 228 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 4: happening at Sandy Hook, the list goes on voting, suppression activities, 229 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,440 Speaker 4: and I thought, I've got to I've got to take 230 00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,079 Speaker 4: off a muzzle that you have to have if you're 231 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 4: working in those fields and speak truth to power, but 232 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 4: also help people understand what that truth was. But I 233 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:28,520 Speaker 4: had nothing in the way of experience in journalism. I 234 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:32,440 Speaker 4: didn't know a single soul. I knew who wolf Blitzer 235 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 4: was but watched her, but I didn't know anything about it. 236 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 4: And I parked myself in a Panera bread and began 237 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 4: with my laptop and my nursing daughter to figure out 238 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 4: how I could right my way into the spaces that 239 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 4: I thought needed to understand what truth was. And for me, 240 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 4: it is trying to have information as advocacy and destroy 241 00:13:59,440 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 4: the elite that says only only a few get to 242 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 4: know the truth and then they get to decide what's 243 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 4: the life for everyone else. I have to just reiterate this, 244 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 4: and I don't want to be unsaid by either my 245 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 4: father or I. 246 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 5: There is no. 247 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 4: Legacy at all in America, let alone Black America that 248 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:28,320 Speaker 4: does not have your father in law, your father as 249 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 4: an inspiration. There's not There's not one. There's not a 250 00:14:31,920 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 4: single moment I think any of us can reference where 251 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 4: we don't go back and say, well I can, I 252 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 4: must and I will because of what he endured. I mean, Daddy, 253 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 4: you went to Atlanta and I rember tim me to 254 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 4: go visiting the center, which I've now been to obviously, 255 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 4: but and you said, brought tears to your eyes or 256 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 4: walk us through they remember that into the number time 257 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 4: number flying to jail, because I mean just that, I 258 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 4: mean he called me emotional about that. We were all 259 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 4: at a conference call together because he wanted to share 260 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 4: it because at once all his children and his wife 261 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 4: of course, about what that was like to just see 262 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 4: do you have any idea what this man had been through? 263 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 4: And you had lived through the era and just seeing 264 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 4: it up there, I mean. 265 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 2: Well, twenty nine times arrested and some say thirty, but 266 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 2: twenty nine times arrested, sitting in a jail cell, one 267 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 2: time being sentenced to four months of hard labor while 268 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 2: I'm playing soccer on a field, you know. And he 269 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,680 Speaker 2: and he was the He's like the domino, you know, 270 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 2: he could think of Mahatmaganny and then the domino start 271 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 2: to fall, and then you've got Martin Luther King and 272 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 2: Nelson Mandela and everyone else until we get to the 273 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 2: CRA nineteen sixty four. And then from you know, we 274 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 2: had Title six and we have fair housing, all of 275 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: which Martin Luther King was instrumental in making sure it 276 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 2: got passed, and you know, outlawing redlining, realty redlining, as 277 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 2: well as my neighborhood providence, you know, providences so that 278 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 2: people could live in certain areas that can be traced 279 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 2: back to MLK and even Title nine and the ADA 280 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 2: and gay rights just discriminating against people based on their 281 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 2: sexual orientation all go back to that CRA. Although they 282 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 2: you know, there were different laws that would pass because 283 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: of them, but it still starts with the argument that 284 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 2: you cannot discriminate against people no matter who they are. 285 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 2: And I think he said in his letter from Birmingham 286 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 2: that injustice for one is in justice for all, and 287 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 2: that again part of the Martin Luther King legacy. And 288 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 2: even as far as the fact that University of Alabama 289 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 2: can call themselves a football powerhouse, still goes back to 290 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 2: MLK because you wouldn't have those athletes in that school 291 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 2: if he hadn't fought for the right for them to 292 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 2: be there. So I agree with Laura that mlka's legacy 293 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 2: is one that you should always be proud of, that 294 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 2: we should always bring up and we should always remember. 295 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 9: And that's why we also are very passionate about having 296 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:17,879 Speaker 9: everyone see themselves as part of the King legacy and 297 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 9: to see what our role is in creating that beloved community. 298 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 9: That's one of the reasons that collectively the four of 299 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 9: us have the realized the dream initiative of which we 300 00:17:29,119 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 9: want to have one hundred million hours of service completed 301 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:37,720 Speaker 9: across this country by Martin Luther King's Junior's one hundredth birthday. 302 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,280 Speaker 9: We believe now is our turn, each of us, our 303 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 9: turn in that long walk towards freedom. 304 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 8: Well, I've heard you speak many times. The part of 305 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 8: the reason why this work realized the dream is so 306 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 8: important is because America is one of the great inflection 307 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 8: moments since the days of doctor King. And when we look, Laura, 308 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 8: at the work that you do, this is a very 309 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 8: complicated time. This is a very politicized time. This is 310 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 8: a time where people, even when you look at your 311 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 8: old employer, the Department of Justice, question whether justice can 312 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 8: truly be blind? And people are losing faith in institutions. 313 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 8: And so what do you say to those individuals who question. 314 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 5: Can people truly. 315 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 8: Receive free and fair and equal justice today? 316 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 4: My answer might surprise you because I am happy that 317 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 4: people are asking and questioning the institutions that we have 318 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:42,639 Speaker 4: believed are at their peak. I am glad that people 319 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 4: are questioning because it means that they know the work 320 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 4: still needs to be done. So often we hear about 321 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 4: the Civil rights era as if there was a beginning 322 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 4: and there was an end and the work is complete. 323 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 4: But it really is a continuum. It really is something 324 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,479 Speaker 4: that needs to consistently be worked on. I mean, it 325 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 4: is a work in progress because human nature is in progress. 326 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 4: And if we treat it as if the work is done, 327 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 4: we get complacent, and then we realize that the same 328 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:23,200 Speaker 4: ills of society that spark the movements to begin with 329 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 4: will rear their heads again. And so I really think 330 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 4: that this is the time to be alive. And I 331 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:37,520 Speaker 4: don't mean just existing, I mean alive and active and 332 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 4: questioning and continuing to shape the world we want to 333 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 4: live in. So as difficult as this time is, it 334 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 4: is a reminder not to be complacent. It is a 335 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 4: reminder not to stop trying, and it is a reminder 336 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 4: that it's only a republic if we can keep it. 337 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 4: It's only a civil right if we are civil and 338 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 4: it's only a right if we demand that they exist. 339 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 4: And so it's taxing, it's wearing on all of us. 340 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 4: I mean, I'm going to send a bill to someone 341 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 4: from my hair color at some point, whoever that might be. 342 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 4: But in the meantime, I'm going to welcome the fight 343 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 4: so that another generation won't have the same one because 344 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 4: I do feel guilt. I think we all feel guilt. 345 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 4: Different generations feel guilt that came after the great leaders 346 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 4: of whether it's Thurgard Marshall or Charles Hamilton Houston or 347 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 4: Martin ruthur King Jr. There is some guilt about how 348 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:50,840 Speaker 4: quickly it has some things have unraveled, and I do 349 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 4: wonder if that guilt can fuel people's refusal to be 350 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 4: complacent and say hold on, you know, not on my watch, 351 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 4: not on my watch. 352 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. If you enjoyed today's conversation, subscribe, share, 353 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 1: and follow us on at my Legacy Movement on social 354 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: media and YouTube. New episodes drop every Tuesday, with bonus 355 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: content every Thursday. At its core, this podcast honors doctor 356 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:23,560 Speaker 1: King's vision of the beloved community and the power of connection. 357 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: A Legacy Plus Studio production distributed by iHeartMedia creator and 358 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 1: executive producer Suzanne Hayward co executive producer Lisa Lyle. Listen 359 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.