1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to Okay f Daily with 2 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: me your girl Danielle Moody recording from the Brooklyn Bunker. 3 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:22,759 Speaker 1: So in breaking news, which by the time you hear this, 4 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: it won't be breaking breaking, but let me break it 5 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: down anyway, Justice Bryer has announced that he is going 6 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: to be retiring, which allows for the Biden administration to 7 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: have its first Supreme Court justice appointment. Now, normally, in 8 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,959 Speaker 1: these circumstances, I would be over the moon, right because 9 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: I would think, oh, my goodness, this is great, we 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,599 Speaker 1: get to add another justice, except for the fact that, oh, 11 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 1: that's right, the Trump administration got to add three justices 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: because in the last forty five days of his disastrous presidency, 13 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: we push through Amy Covid, Barrett Right, and Justice Bryer 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: is one of the loan through three right justices who 15 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: still actually believes in the rule of law, believes in 16 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: the Constitution. And so this is really not a gain 17 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: for the Biden administration. But what is really interesting about 18 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: this why I bring it up today because if you 19 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 1: remember that candidate Joe Biden said that if he had 20 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: the opportunity to appoint a Supreme Court justice that it 21 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: would be a black woman. He would appoint the first 22 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: black woman to the bench. Right, now, we know that 23 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: what both Republicans and Democrats are alike are good for 24 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 1: is what their symbolism, right, the things that they say 25 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: that they will do for black and brown people or 26 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: against black and brown people, and then the things that 27 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: they actually do. We're fighting for justice, marching for justice 28 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: in a variety of ways, for equity, for economic justice, 29 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 1: right for all of these things. And what do they 30 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: give us maya angeliu on a fucking quarter or Juneteenth 31 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: as a holiday, anytime that we ask for shit that 32 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: should just be considered the right thing to do. After 33 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: hundreds of years of enslavement, you would think, and genocide, 34 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: you would think that it would be a no brainer. 35 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: But no, not in America. So here we are now 36 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: where Joe Biden is faced with what he said on 37 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: the campaign trail which a lot of people remembered, which 38 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: is that if I have the ability to appoint a 39 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: Supreme Court justice, I'm going to appoint the first black woman. 40 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 1: Now for me, if you were asking for who I 41 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: think the next Supreme Court justice should be, it would 42 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: be the brilliant fighter for justice. Head of the end 43 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 1: of BLACP Legal Defense fund Sherilyn, who for decades has 44 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: been fighting for equity and justice right in our legal system, 45 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 1: in our criminal justice system. This is a woman that 46 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: has been on the forefront of some of the most 47 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:20,160 Speaker 1: groundbreaking lawsuits that we have seen. And so I hope 48 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 1: that if in fact, Joe Biden is putting together his 49 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: list right of potential Supreme Court nominees, that Cherylyn Eiffel 50 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: is at the top of that list. Now we know 51 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: that in order to get a justice passed you need 52 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: fifty people, Well guess what it is a fifty fifty 53 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: person split. And what do we in the Senate and 54 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: what do we know to be true that there are 55 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: two fucking agents of the Republican Party that masquerade as 56 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: Democrats but don't actually vote with Democrats or share our values. 57 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: So what will happen with this Supreme Court nomination? Who 58 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: the fuck knows. But I'm sure it'll be a spectacle. 59 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: I'm sure it'll be a circus. And I'm kind of 60 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 1: fifty fifty thinking that it'll probably be a white man. 61 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: You know, what makes everybody feel comfortable enough of that? 62 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: You know, this week, I have seen so many instances 63 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: of Republicans once again offering up to the American people 64 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,560 Speaker 1: exactly who they are. And I mentioned this earlier in 65 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 1: the week, and I want to bring it up again. 66 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: There is a clip that had gone viral and I 67 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: shared it on Twitter. It is a city council meeting 68 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: where a black man city council member is completely exacerbated 69 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: by how he is being treated by his fellow white 70 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: city council members. And there is an exchange that ended 71 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: up being going on CNN where he says, I'm tired 72 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: of being treated like this and like this is not 73 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:02,839 Speaker 1: the cotton fields out in the cotton fields, right, and 74 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: his white colleague said to him, you should be. So 75 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: I just want everyone to take a beat for a minute, 76 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: because thankfully this black man who was so wildly fucking 77 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: disrespected did not react other than with the disgust. But 78 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: let me tell you something I wish a motherfucker would 79 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: because I am reaching my I don't give a fuck 80 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: limit with racist ass white people thinking that they can 81 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: say and do whatever the fuck they want without any consequence. Now, 82 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: you may not see any consequence in our unjust system, right, 83 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: But let me tell you something I wish somebody would 84 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: say something like that to me, because for certain, on 85 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: that good day, I will be choosing violence a hundred percent. 86 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: You think that you can look a black person in 87 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 1: the face and tell them that they deserve or should 88 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: be in somebody's cotton field, and think that you deserve 89 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: to have a seat as anybody's fucking representative, you are 90 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: out of your fucking mind. And I think it is 91 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: past fucking time for the people to let these motherfuckers 92 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: know that their time is tick ticking up. Because here's 93 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: the thing. Pressure makes two things, right. Pressure makes two things. 94 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: It makes diamonds right if pressed in the right way, 95 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: and it makes an explosion right in the other form. 96 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,720 Speaker 1: And what I'm saying is that the pressure that this 97 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: Republican Party is putting on our democracy, the pressure that 98 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: it is putting on everyone who is not white or 99 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: cists or rate or male and conservative and Christian and 100 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 1: all of this shit, they are going to go one 101 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,800 Speaker 1: motherfucking step too far. And I pray to God that 102 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: I am on the other side of that line when 103 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: that foot or body or hand right crosses over, because 104 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: I have had enough. You know, earlier this week I 105 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: had the great fortune of being at the co host 106 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: of my other podcasts. If you have not listened to 107 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: Democracy Ish, which also comes out on Thursdays with my 108 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: new co host, hwajahat Ali, I say to you please 109 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: do check it out. It is a conversation between him 110 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: and I each and every week. He is a Pakistani American, Muslim, 111 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: American full blooded. I am obviously a black queer woman, 112 00:07:57,680 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: child of immigrants as well, and we are really spirited 113 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: conversations about what it means to live in this crumbling democracy, 114 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 1: what it means to be an American. And in WASH's 115 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: new book that came out this week entitled go Back 116 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: to Your Country and Other Helpful Tips, his story of 117 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 1: what it has been like to live in a brown body, 118 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 1: be a Muslim, and grow up in the United States 119 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: being told to go back to your country when in fact, 120 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: this is your fucking country. But Mitch McConnell also said 121 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: the quiet part out loud this week when he was 122 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: pressed by a reporter about the rate at which African Americans, 123 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: black folks in this country vote and all of the 124 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: voter suppression laws that Republicans have been rolling out since 125 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: they're spreading of the Big Lie in twenty twenty, and 126 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell says, oh, well, African Americans are vote at 127 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 1: the same pace as Americans. I'm sorry, what And instead 128 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: of said report, following up and saying so, by your measurement, 129 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: are you saying that African Americans are not Americans and 130 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: that Americans no hyphen are white? Because see, that's the 131 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 1: kind of investigative reporting that I would like to see. 132 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:25,079 Speaker 1: That's the type of no bullshit follow up that I 133 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: would like to see politicians like Mitch McConnell, like Kevin 134 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: McCarthy and others be pressed with. Because you see the 135 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: reporters that are in these gaggles around them ask them 136 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: the most bullshit, softball fucking questions, right, Because if it 137 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: were me, trust and believe, and I had a woke 138 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: a f MIC in front of that man, I would say, so, 139 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 1: what would So to your point, African Americans are not Americans? 140 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: Is that what you're saying? And that actual Americans no 141 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: hyphen or white? Is that what you're saying? And so 142 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 1: then to that point, when you use terms like workers 143 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: right and blue collar and rust belt right and real Americans, 144 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: who exactly are you talking about and what do they 145 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:17,560 Speaker 1: look like? Because mainstream media is complicit is complicit in 146 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: the spreading of white supremacy. Right, It isn't just about ratings. 147 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: It's about who sits in the c suite, It's about 148 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: who's in those newsrooms. It's about what those producers and 149 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: editors look like. It's what those reporters look like and 150 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: their idea of what it means to be fucking neutral 151 00:10:34,440 --> 00:10:38,600 Speaker 1: in the face of racism and discrimination. Oh, I don't 152 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: know what he meant. That's your idea of neutrality, bitch, 153 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: do better. So to every single one of those reporters 154 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: that were standing around Mitch McConnell and didn't ask any 155 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: type of fucking follow up, you failed your goddamn job 156 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 1: and your profession. I don't know what you people are 157 00:10:55,640 --> 00:11:00,160 Speaker 1: doing these days with this softball bullshit as you, oh 158 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: very goddamn well, that our democracy is hanging on by 159 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 1: a thread, and each and every day that we do 160 00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: not use our platforms and our voices to be able 161 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: to say the quiet part out loud, which is that 162 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: both parties are failing us. One has the gun at 163 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: our head, right, and the other one is sitting around 164 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: with their heads in the fucking sand. So at this 165 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: stage of the game, right, you have Joe Biden getting 166 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: ready to appoint a Supreme Court justice or whenever we're 167 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,360 Speaker 1: going to see that long drawn out process go. You 168 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: have the one six Commission sitting around looking for subpoenas 169 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: and still asking people nicely to show up when they 170 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: disregard said subpoenas. You got the Department of Justice, oh, 171 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: looking into right, the false taxes and claims of the 172 00:11:54,880 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: former administration, but not really doing anything. And then you're 173 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: gonna look around and tell the American people that midterms 174 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: are coming in a handful of motes months and if 175 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: they don't vote, then they're the ones that have failed 176 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 1: our democracy. I'm just tired of the rinse and repeat 177 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: of bullshit right, because it's like you try and out 178 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: damn spot out, but the bullshit stains right that are 179 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: there are not coming out right, They're actually just growing bigger. 180 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: And then everyone is saying, just don't look at the 181 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: spot right, just like the movie, just don't look up, 182 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: Just don't look up, don't look at the spot, don't 183 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: ask any follow up questions. Just let these people pop 184 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: off with their bullshit and allow that to spread virally 185 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: and then do nothing about it, which brings me to 186 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:55,079 Speaker 1: Florida today. Later on in the show, we're going to 187 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: have a conversation with returning guests, the executive director of 188 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: the LGBTQ Task Force and my friend Kiera Johnson, and 189 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: Kiera and I are going to get into a conversation 190 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: about what is transpiring in Florida and why everyone, regardless 191 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: of where you live at this very moment, should be 192 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: concerned with what is happening in Florida. So this week, 193 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 1: late last week, and then this week, rond de Santis 194 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: has decided that he's going to make a pivot from 195 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: going after any conversations on race, any conversations on racism, 196 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:38,000 Speaker 1: you know, anything that are going to make white people 197 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: feel discomfort. He's going to now make the pivot to 198 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: go after LGBTQ people. And I want everyone to be 199 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: paying attention because it's the same playbook that is used 200 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: all of the fucking time. You go after the people 201 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: that nobody gives a shit about first, right, and then 202 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: you keep taken them off until eventually he comes to 203 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: your door. Right. It is the Martin Neomohler palm. First 204 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 1: they came for so first, Ronda Santis came for black 205 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: folks and vote of suppression. Then he came for any 206 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 1: conversations on race and racism, because God forbid we teach 207 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: anyone to think critically or look at this country through 208 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: a lens other than the lens of a white strait 209 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: cis gender male. Right, Then he came for that. Now 210 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: he's going for LGBTQ Americans and Floridians and saying we're 211 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: not going to talk about anything gay mentioned. Gay people 212 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: have conversations about sexuality, gender identity, if you are being bullied, 213 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: if you're being harassed, we're not doing any of it 214 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: in the state of Florida. Now he's continuing under the 215 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: guise of parental control and saying it should be parents' 216 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: choice if in fact their children are introduced to such 217 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 1: you know, horrificness by queer people who are just seeking 218 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: to you know, corrupt their children and bring them into 219 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 1: the rainbow dry a right, because that's what we all 220 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: do as gays. It pisces me off. And I said 221 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: this yesterday if you caught my woke Wednesday, that at 222 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 1: the beginning of the two thousands, in the early aughts, 223 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: in the Obama administration, there was a string of high 224 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: profile not even high profile. It was just in the 225 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: news the suicides of young queer kids who were being 226 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: bullied incessantly, not only by their fellow students in class, 227 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: but also by teachers and administrators who did nothing to 228 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: protect them and probably participated, right, because your silence in 229 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: that case is violence, right, You are allowing abuse to 230 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: continue and you're doing nothing. And from that rash of 231 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: suicides that we're grabbing the headlines and then all of 232 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: a sudden people were like, oh my god, what's happening 233 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: to these kids? Well, what's happening to them is that 234 00:16:26,640 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: you are having them exist right in a climate that 235 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: is hostile and dangerous for them to be who they are, 236 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: and there is no place for them to look and 237 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 1: feel like their life is going to get better, that 238 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, that their 239 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: life in fact has value and is of worth. And 240 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:54,680 Speaker 1: so after that, the Obama administration had rolled out federal 241 00:16:54,720 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 1: regulations that essentially would ensure that young's kids would be 242 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: able to use the bathrooms that associate with the their 243 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: gender identity, that there would be issues right punishment for 244 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: schools that did not protect LGBTQ youth folks. This was 245 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 1: only fucking you know, ten twelve years ago. And so 246 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: here we are now in twenty twenty two, and Ron 247 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 1: De Santis is back to don't ask, don't tell. So 248 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: I keep asking myself how far back are Republicans going 249 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: to go with their culture war? How far back are 250 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: they going to drag America? And now folks can say, well, 251 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: you know, Florida is going to Florida. But Florida right 252 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:57,640 Speaker 1: now is the Republican parties lab. They test out all 253 00:17:57,640 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: of the policies that once they are back and can 254 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: all of the gavels in Congress, we'll try and institute nationwide. 255 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:10,400 Speaker 1: And right now there are twenty eight states that are 256 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: controlled by Republican governors. Twenty eight. So that means that 257 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 1: their idea of state control can be about how we 258 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:28,880 Speaker 1: turn our public education system back into the white supremacist machine, 259 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 1: propaganda machine, where we are using kids once again as 260 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: pawns in order to feed them a narrative of the 261 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: America that they want you to know, and then that 262 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: that they want to not be named. It is happening 263 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: in Florida, it is happening in Texas, it's happening in Alabama. 264 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,119 Speaker 1: It's happening in Tennessee. It's happening in all of these places, 265 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: and it's going to happen rewear if they are allowed 266 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 1: to get the gavels back if Republicans take power, because 267 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: this time around they will not give it up because 268 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 1: they have put in place all of the Trumpers who 269 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: are now their new electors and their secretary of States 270 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 1: who have pledged their allegiance and said, well, if I 271 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,639 Speaker 1: had been in charge in twenty twenty, my state wouldn't 272 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: have certified the election. This is where we are headed. So, 273 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: like I said, pressure creates two things, diamonds and an explosion. 274 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: And we ain't cut in anybody's diamond anytime soon. So 275 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: I want folks to begin to wrap their minds around 276 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: and prepare for what is coming down the pike. They 277 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: came for women's rights. By June, the Supreme Court will 278 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: deside that Roe v. Wade no longer stands, and if 279 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:59,399 Speaker 1: it stands, it will be in name only. So they 280 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: came for men's rights. They came for your voting rights 281 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: right by ending preclearance, and that was one of the 282 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,239 Speaker 1: first things that Chief Justice John Roberts did right, and 283 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: since then we have over five hundred voter suppression laws 284 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: now all over this country, and that has just been 285 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: since twenty twenty. Now they're going after LGBTQ folks again. 286 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: And if you think that they're not going to come 287 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:30,280 Speaker 1: for your marriage certificates right and just fought and one 288 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: workplace discrimination cases, they will. So what's next to Santis? 289 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: Will it be both sides of the Holocaust? Right? Will 290 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: you want to give equal airtime to the Nazis so 291 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: that you know those that signed up to be Nazis 292 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:54,719 Speaker 1: don't feel any discomfort what we talk about the murder 293 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: and killing of six million people? How far is this 294 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,480 Speaker 1: party willing to go? That's the question that we should 295 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: be asking. And then the question that we should be 296 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: asking ourselves is how far are we willing to go 297 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: in order to make sure that they don't succeed. Coming 298 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: up next is my conversation with my friend Kiera Johnson, 299 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: the executive director of the LGBTQ Task Force, to talk 300 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:27,080 Speaker 1: about Florida's Don't Say Gay Bill, folks. I am very 301 00:21:27,119 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: excited to welcome back to wok Fidaily my friend, the 302 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:38,320 Speaker 1: executive director of the LGBTQ Task Force, Kiera Johnson, to 303 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: talk about you know one of my favorite topics run 304 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: death Santis in Florida, who is a man on a mission, Kiara. 305 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: He is a man on a mission to turn back 306 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: the hands of time, to put black people in their place, 307 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 1: to put gay folks back in the closet, to put 308 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: women back in a closet. I mean, if you are 309 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: from a community that it is not mail, that is 310 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:08,000 Speaker 1: not straight, that it is not sis, that is not wealthy. 311 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: Uh Ron de Santis in the state of Florida are 312 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: coming for you this latest installment of his don't say 313 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: Gay legislation, which is operating under the guise of parental 314 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 1: control right, Um, what do you make of this initial 315 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: step that we know is going in the wrong direction. Yeah, Daniel, 316 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: it's so good to see you. I feel like it's 317 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: been too long, and thanks for having me on. I 318 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: I have to tell you like it is. It makes 319 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: my stomach colonel right when when I see proposed legislation 320 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 1: like this and and like you said in the you know, 321 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: under the guise of parental rights right and protecting children. Um, 322 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: you know I have two children, my partner and I 323 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 1: raise their child part time. Right, So I'm like the 324 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: little old woman who lives in a shoe and um, 325 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: you know, ages four eleven and fourteen, and it is 326 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: you know, the reality is is that our kids are 327 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,959 Speaker 1: in school more than they are with us, and it 328 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 1: is really important that we can trust teachers and counselors 329 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:36,719 Speaker 1: and administrators to create the environments where our kids can thrive. 330 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: And it's clear to me that is not what's happening here, right. 331 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: This is this is about creating a culture of fear 332 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,399 Speaker 1: and of silence and of hatred, hatred of others and 333 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: hatred of self. Right. I just it doesn't even seem 334 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 1: possible that in twenty twenty two that some thing like 335 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: this would even be viable. And I do think that, 336 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 1: you know, we have to be paying attention, and we 337 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: have to you know, be talking to our legislators and 338 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,080 Speaker 1: putting pressure on them so that this falls flat and 339 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: just is dead out of the water. You know what 340 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 1: upsets me. It was funny. I was up last night 341 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: just laying in bed, and I find myself doing this 342 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: just thinking about the Obama years and how very fleeting 343 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 1: they were. Right, you know, it was eight whole years. 344 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,119 Speaker 1: But like you and I said before we started recording, 345 00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 1: when you're living in this pandemic time. Time is like 346 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: an illusion, right, it doesn't really mean anything, It doesn't 347 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: resonate in the same way. And I have often written 348 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:49,199 Speaker 1: about the Obama years being you know, akin to reconstruction 349 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,719 Speaker 1: after the Civil War, and what would have happened if 350 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:57,000 Speaker 1: reconstruction had been able to continue, right, if the leaders 351 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,880 Speaker 1: that were in charge weren't cowards, right and reconstruct had continued, 352 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,639 Speaker 1: what would America look like now? And I think about 353 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 1: that after the Obama years that you know, we had 354 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 1: this time where LGBTQ youth, we're being lifted up, We're 355 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 1: being protected in schools, right we were we were on 356 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: like the second wave of you know, gay straight alliances 357 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: and LGBTQ clubs and you know, allowing trans youth to 358 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,159 Speaker 1: be able to use the bathroom associated with their gender 359 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 1: identity and be protected from even administrators and teachers that 360 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: are bullies. So can you speak to this type of 361 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: policy coming on the heels, coming you know, literally biding 362 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 1: on the heels during that golden era of the Obama time, 363 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,280 Speaker 1: when as black queer people, we didn't have to pick 364 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: what side of ourselves to show up as, where there 365 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:55,800 Speaker 1: was a fullness that was available to us in that 366 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 1: administration and they saw that and this was at that 367 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: you know too, if you were remember at the beginning, 368 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: kids were committing suicide left and right. It was making 369 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 1: mainstream press right that it gets better campaign rolled out 370 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: in the early aughts because of the descantenses of the world. 371 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 1: So can you help us make sense as to what 372 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 1: this kind of rollback because those young kids right that 373 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:26,359 Speaker 1: were that were young, maybe in middle school at the time, 374 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: are now voting adults, what this rollback could signal for them? 375 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: You know, I, you know, there's there's so much research 376 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: that is that has come out recently about the importance 377 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:44,919 Speaker 1: of having a safe space. Right. So in particular, you 378 00:26:44,960 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 1: know you you brought up suicide rates which are high 379 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:53,880 Speaker 1: among LGBTQ youth and continue to be high among LGBTQ youth. 380 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 1: And what the research keeps showing us is that it 381 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: only takes and a counselor right, a teacher, a gay 382 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: straight alliance to shift the tide right and to keep 383 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:15,000 Speaker 1: a child from thinking that the only option for them 384 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: is death. Right, and and all of the research is 385 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: pointing in that direction. And as parents right of young 386 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,679 Speaker 1: kids of color, right, um, that research is also telling 387 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: us that that LGBTQ discrimination is also disproportionately affecting LGBTQ color, 388 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: LGBTQ young people of color, it even higher rates. Right. 389 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: We're seeing homelessness at higher rates among LGBTQ people of color, 390 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 1: We're seeing attempted suicide rates at higher rates among LGBTQ 391 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 1: kids of color. And for us to know that all 392 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 1: we need to do as adults is support them and 393 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 1: give them a place to be safe, that's it. That's 394 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,439 Speaker 1: the first step. And we have done so much to 395 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:10,920 Speaker 1: create an environment where our kids not can survive. Right. 396 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,720 Speaker 1: You know, you're talking about the Obama years, and I remember, 397 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: you know, you know, I did some traveling, you know, 398 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: in different countries, and I hear, you know, would talk 399 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: to my friends about being in different countries and how 400 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 1: we were seen as better global neighbors, right, better global citizens. Right. 401 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:36,239 Speaker 1: And when I see this kind of you know, this 402 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,160 Speaker 1: kind of legislation, I'm like, why would we want to 403 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: turn back time and not show up as the best 404 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: global citizens and global neighbors we can? Right? It's hard 405 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 1: to love what you don't know, right, And if we're 406 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: supposed to love our neighbors, right, like we can't start 407 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: off hating them. And you know that's and that's what 408 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 1: this is. This is literally we want to make these 409 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: kids hate themselves and prevent teachers and administrators from creating 410 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,800 Speaker 1: environments where again not only that places where they can survive, 411 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: but where they can thrive. You know, it's so troubling 412 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: to me because I was a teacher. I taught elementary 413 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: school for a little bit when I was still living 414 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:29,479 Speaker 1: in DC at the beginning of my career. And you know, 415 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: I can't tell you all of the obstacles to learning 416 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: that are present right that. You know, I believe now 417 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,520 Speaker 1: that many parents have had to be forced into the 418 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: situation to kind of homeschool their kids, remote learning all 419 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: of these things. And so, you know, I thought that 420 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,120 Speaker 1: an appreciation would have developed for what teachers and administrators 421 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: do every day, eight nine hours a day to care 422 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: for your kids. That is not the case. Of course, 423 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: Americans are lacking, deeply lacking an empathy. But I can 424 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,560 Speaker 1: tell you that I remember kids like coming to me 425 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,760 Speaker 1: wanting to just talk, just to be heard, right it 426 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 1: could you know, it could be something that seemed so 427 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,600 Speaker 1: ridiculous to you. But then to watch them leave with 428 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: just a light on their face, just to know that 429 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:22,120 Speaker 1: somebody held them, held space for a second for them. 430 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: And I can't think about living in these times right 431 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 1: now that are so unstable, right that, like you are 432 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: telling kids and teachers and administrators to ignore them, to 433 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:41,640 Speaker 1: not show up for them, to not like for your children. 434 00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 1: Right if you were in Florida, they couldn't even talk 435 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: about you, right like, so we're telling you, like it 436 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: is this culture of silence, of despair, right that. I 437 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: believe that Republicans are trying to say, So the all 438 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: the things that have been happened, and they have been 439 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: about acceptance, but this isn't behavior that should be accepted. 440 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:08,240 Speaker 1: So now we're gonna go completely backwards into a direction 441 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:11,400 Speaker 1: where not only are we not going to tolerate you, 442 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: but we're going to set up mechanisms to abuse you. 443 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,280 Speaker 1: And if you are abused, then that's your problem because 444 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,920 Speaker 1: the teacher, the parents now are able to sue. Right So, 445 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,000 Speaker 1: when you hear the responses from Republicans like De Santa saying, oh, 446 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 1: this isn't about homophobia, this is about parents having choice 447 00:31:29,800 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 1: about what their kids learn and what's too soon, what 448 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: do you say to that, to the too soon, too young, 449 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: you know, pushback that Republicans and quote unquote conservatives always 450 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: want to give. But yet our communities are the one 451 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: that the children aren't allowed to be children, They're not 452 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: allowed to be young, right, So what does what does 453 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: you say to that? I say, trust the babies, right, 454 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 1: we have to let them show us where they're going, 455 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:06,120 Speaker 1: and we followed them, right they I'll give you an 456 00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: example of a story. This is when one of the 457 00:32:10,240 --> 00:32:14,239 Speaker 1: kids was in elementary school and they you know, they 458 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 1: were talking about their parents. It's playtime, right, They're talking 459 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 1: about their parents, and and you know, PJ says, I 460 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: have two mommies, and so the kids are like, you 461 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: have two mommies, And another kid says, I have two 462 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:32,240 Speaker 1: mommies too, and another kid says, wow, that must be 463 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 1: so cool. And then another kid says, I want two mommies, right, 464 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: And it was like this amazing. Kids aren't too young 465 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 1: for that discussion. That's exactly the discussion that they needed 466 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:49,719 Speaker 1: to have, right Like it was. It wasn't a discussion 467 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: that was thwarted or made political or squashed by adults, right, 468 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: one of them. One of the most beautiful things that 469 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: happens in an educational environment is that you learn about yourself, 470 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: you learn about other people, You learn what it looks 471 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: like to navigate your own agency in the context of 472 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 1: someone else's right. You start to learn those things, and 473 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: it's exciting to learn about lent or quanza right, or 474 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:33,400 Speaker 1: hair or even what are those numbers tattooed on your 475 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:39,400 Speaker 1: grandma's or arm? Right? That is a part of growing up. Right, 476 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: it's it's a part of learning how to explore with respect, right, 477 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: with curiosity, with openness for your fellow human being. And 478 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 1: kids show us where they are, They tell us what 479 00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: you know, what questions they have, right, And I think 480 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: we have to to pretend that by taking all of 481 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 1: that out of the picture, that we're doing them a service. Right, 482 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 1: Like is just it's just lies. How do we combat 483 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: this then? Right? Because what we are seeing is that 484 00:34:15,880 --> 00:34:20,680 Speaker 1: Texas is vying to be the worst right it is. 485 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 1: It is the Republicans Petrie dish, it is their their 486 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:27,680 Speaker 1: test place. Right. They go and they push out the 487 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 1: most egregious, disgusting, despicable, racist, homophobic, transphobic legislation that they 488 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:39,319 Speaker 1: can possibly do. It gets past because every because Republicans 489 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:43,280 Speaker 1: own every single mechanism of power in Florida and then 490 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:50,480 Speaker 1: it gets copycatted across the country. Twenty eight Republican governors 491 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:53,640 Speaker 1: we have, so we're going to see this twenty seven 492 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: more times. Right now, we are seeing, you know, in 493 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:01,160 Speaker 1: those very red states, an attack against a assault against 494 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: trans youth who want to play sports, who want to 495 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: be in community, the with their you know, fellow classmates 496 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: and can't be and are being pinpointed and targeted right 497 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 1: and saying no, you can't sit with us, right, you 498 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: can't join us. Right. It's a it's a level of ostralization. 499 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 1: So what can we do? What can we do to 500 00:35:24,680 --> 00:35:27,560 Speaker 1: battle this? What will the task force you know, with 501 00:35:27,719 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: your leadership be doing? Because I believe, Kia, that we 502 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,160 Speaker 1: are headed into a very dark period of America. Like 503 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: I don't think that people even understand how dark the 504 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:44,360 Speaker 1: times are about to get. If you're feeling destabilized, now, 505 00:35:44,719 --> 00:35:49,640 Speaker 1: what is coming? Right? Um? And so there's a sense 506 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:53,040 Speaker 1: of hopelessness. But I know that your work is about 507 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:57,280 Speaker 1: transcending that hopelessness, about doing what can be done, lifting 508 00:35:57,320 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: what can be lifting, and moving what can be pushed. 509 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: I think, um, I think you're absolutely right, And I 510 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:09,759 Speaker 1: think we have to remember that the work is at 511 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:11,920 Speaker 1: the local and state level, but it's also at the 512 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: federal level, right, Like, there's there's work for us to 513 00:36:15,040 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 1: do when we have to keep our eyes right open 514 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:24,440 Speaker 1: um for opportunities. So one, you know, it is getting 515 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 1: harder and harder for parents to participate right in their 516 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,319 Speaker 1: school districts and and and in you know, in in 517 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:36,600 Speaker 1: theirs their school districts. My mom lives in Texas, UM 518 00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 1: and she's raising my nephew, and you know, the PTA 519 00:36:41,960 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: meetings are in the morning, right, like when she was working, right, 520 00:36:46,640 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: So I think that's an example right of how we've 521 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: you know, parents, We've got to create more opportunities for 522 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: parents to be able to engage because having right, having 523 00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:01,760 Speaker 1: PTA meetings in the morning when most parents are working, 524 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: particularly working class, right parents of color, We are carving 525 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 1: a whole, right, a whole community of voices out of 526 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: the conversation about what we want for our children in 527 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:17,800 Speaker 1: the school. So even as local as school districts and 528 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:22,479 Speaker 1: school PTA meetings, right, encouraging our folk to engage right 529 00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:26,600 Speaker 1: in an active way. And if we pull the camera back, 530 00:37:27,360 --> 00:37:32,160 Speaker 1: we're talking about the Equality Act, right, We're talking about vote. 531 00:37:32,440 --> 00:37:36,960 Speaker 1: The Voting Rights Acts, right, this is about increasing civil 532 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:41,760 Speaker 1: rights protections for LGBTQ people, for women, for people of color. 533 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:46,480 Speaker 1: The Voting Rights Act is about expanding right access to 534 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 1: the right to vote in our democracy for that same right, 535 00:37:50,400 --> 00:37:54,360 Speaker 1: you know, a group of folks who are often marginalized 536 00:37:54,400 --> 00:37:59,239 Speaker 1: and brutalized and silenced at the polls. And so while 537 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:03,560 Speaker 1: that's in dire wrecked, I actually think moving forward and 538 00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,760 Speaker 1: getting pieces of legislation path like that on the federal 539 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,719 Speaker 1: level can have a direct impact on what governors and 540 00:38:10,840 --> 00:38:14,399 Speaker 1: legislators at the local and state level can and cannot do. 541 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,839 Speaker 1: I mean, I hear you, And then at the same time, 542 00:38:19,880 --> 00:38:24,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, not in this Congress, right, not with this president. 543 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: I assume sure Biden could do what Obama did and 544 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: pass a slew of executive orders because you've been you know, 545 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:37,440 Speaker 1: cut off at the knees, right and no longer have 546 00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:41,320 Speaker 1: even the allegiance within your own party to get things 547 00:38:41,719 --> 00:38:45,880 Speaker 1: passed for your agenda. So, you know, do you think 548 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,239 Speaker 1: that one of the problems to here is that for 549 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:53,760 Speaker 1: so long, because the LGBTQ community, we've had so many 550 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 1: successes at the federal level over the last several years 551 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: that we haven't been really still paying attention to the 552 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:05,560 Speaker 1: state and local levels because we've you know, we've gotten marriage, 553 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: we got you know, you can't fire us from our jobs. 554 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:11,800 Speaker 1: You got you know, a clu like you have these 555 00:39:11,880 --> 00:39:15,640 Speaker 1: big lifts that have happened, But has that moved our 556 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:19,720 Speaker 1: attention and focus to where the GOP now is, which 557 00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,839 Speaker 1: is at your school board meeting, you know, making sure 558 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 1: that your kids can't say the word gay. Don't know 559 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:29,400 Speaker 1: who Tony Morrison is, Like, don't you know, like don't 560 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 1: know anything about mother Teresa, Like because it's controversial, Like, 561 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,279 Speaker 1: do you think we've gone to one way and not 562 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:46,799 Speaker 1: enough balance? You know, I think we um. I think 563 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:51,920 Speaker 1: so many people don't realize how much is still at 564 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 1: stake and how vulnerable we still are. Right, so we 565 00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:59,359 Speaker 1: did get these bills passed, right, which we're critical you 566 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:04,399 Speaker 1: know that for our communities, and people see you know 567 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:08,000 Speaker 1: shows on TV. Right, we've had a you know, an 568 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,759 Speaker 1: out gay man run for president, right, Like you've got 569 00:40:11,840 --> 00:40:15,960 Speaker 1: two queer black women's on a podcast right talking about 570 00:40:16,040 --> 00:40:21,600 Speaker 1: politics out loud and proud. And I think sometimes people 571 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:27,000 Speaker 1: then they create this narrative that, oh, we're fine yeah, yeah, 572 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:32,560 Speaker 1: we've we've broken that ceiling. We're good not realizing that 573 00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:35,080 Speaker 1: over forty percent of the kids on the street right 574 00:40:35,120 --> 00:40:44,560 Speaker 1: now identify as LGBTQ. Right that couples who identify as gay, right, 575 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:48,880 Speaker 1: lesbian couples can still go to work, be protected on 576 00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:52,880 Speaker 1: the job, and get kicked out of their homes right like, 577 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:56,600 Speaker 1: not like be told by a landlord that we don't 578 00:40:56,640 --> 00:41:00,959 Speaker 1: want your kind here anymore. Right now, what we're talking 579 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:04,520 Speaker 1: about is, Okay, you've got a stable home, you got 580 00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:07,160 Speaker 1: a job you can't be fired from, but your children 581 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:11,399 Speaker 1: are being taught to shame feeling shamed of you and 582 00:41:11,440 --> 00:41:15,600 Speaker 1: their communities. There is no one silver bullet. Right. We 583 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:20,160 Speaker 1: have to continue at the local state level, keep pushing 584 00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:23,200 Speaker 1: at the federal level. But it's also about culture change, right, 585 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:26,760 Speaker 1: which is so much about what you're doing is pulling 586 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:32,040 Speaker 1: back and saying, hey, the narrative isn't done, We aren't finished. 587 00:41:32,080 --> 00:41:33,879 Speaker 1: There are far too many of us that are still 588 00:41:33,920 --> 00:41:40,319 Speaker 1: falling through the cracks, like these young transgender and non 589 00:41:40,360 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: binary folks of color who are getting beat up and 590 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:49,280 Speaker 1: murdered in the streets. We still have work to do here, 591 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:53,319 Speaker 1: and this kind of work that Governor de Santis is 592 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:58,160 Speaker 1: doing is culture work. Like, let's not get it twisted. 593 00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:02,200 Speaker 1: It's not just policy chain that he is attempting. It 594 00:42:02,360 --> 00:42:04,879 Speaker 1: is culture change work. He is trying to affect an 595 00:42:05,040 --> 00:42:11,640 Speaker 1: entire generation by putting something like this, you know on 596 00:42:11,680 --> 00:42:16,600 Speaker 1: the books, you know, you're so right. And the reality 597 00:42:16,719 --> 00:42:18,839 Speaker 1: is is that the Republicans and the GOP have been 598 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 1: doing culture work for the last forty years, right, like, 599 00:42:22,200 --> 00:42:26,440 Speaker 1: that is their work. Their work is not actually to strengthen, 600 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:32,520 Speaker 1: you know, the economy, to strengthen our agencies or our 601 00:42:32,520 --> 00:42:38,360 Speaker 1: social safety nets. It has been to consistently model America 602 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:45,719 Speaker 1: after this white puritan religious, white evangelical Christian patriarchy. That's 603 00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:48,600 Speaker 1: what that's what it is. And they still pick and choose. 604 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:54,000 Speaker 1: Right again, love thy neighbor, Oh, but not that neighbor. 605 00:42:54,520 --> 00:42:57,160 Speaker 1: Oh but not that neighbor. You can hate that neighbor, 606 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:01,239 Speaker 1: you can bully that neighbor, you can hurt that neighbor. Right, 607 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:06,320 Speaker 1: but you don't even that's not real. It's not even 608 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:11,560 Speaker 1: intended to be in the eyes of spiritual right growth, 609 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:16,000 Speaker 1: right or no, no, no, this is this is it 610 00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:21,720 Speaker 1: is about patriarchy, and it is um nationalism, and it 611 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 1: is um, you said it in the beginning. It is 612 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 1: an attempt to keep us in our place, yeah, and 613 00:43:31,239 --> 00:43:35,319 Speaker 1: ashamed and silent. And I think you know, for me, 614 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:40,759 Speaker 1: in the space that I occupy, the the work is 615 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:44,120 Speaker 1: to do anything but be silent. It is to do anything, 616 00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:47,720 Speaker 1: but strength is to do anything. But you know, believe 617 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:50,800 Speaker 1: that I am and my life is in my community 618 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:53,799 Speaker 1: is something to be ashamed or embarrassed by, something to 619 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:57,640 Speaker 1: be hidden. Well, because there's power when we when we 620 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:02,000 Speaker 1: rebuke shame. There's power when we refuse to be silent. 621 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:05,760 Speaker 1: And that's ultimately what they're afraid of. It's the power 622 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:11,279 Speaker 1: of what happens when we refuse to be ashamed and 623 00:44:11,320 --> 00:44:17,880 Speaker 1: refuse to be silent. And remember, oh, actually I do 624 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: have power here, and what happens when I start to 625 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,880 Speaker 1: combine that in the community, right Like, that's a that 626 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: is a power. We saw it in Georgia, Danielle. That's 627 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:35,240 Speaker 1: exactly what they're afraid of. How do we prevent whatever 628 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,920 Speaker 1: happened there from happening in any of any of our states? 629 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:44,399 Speaker 1: And that's why we're seeing this level of hostility right 630 00:44:44,400 --> 00:44:48,080 Speaker 1: now against our communities. You know, I will say, as 631 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:51,760 Speaker 1: I you know, made the connection between the Obama years 632 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:55,960 Speaker 1: and reconstruction. I just pray that the next one hundred 633 00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:59,879 Speaker 1: years isn't Jim crow esquire, I pray that the next 634 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:04,560 Speaker 1: one hundred years that follow where we are is not 635 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:11,400 Speaker 1: that dark and horrific place of outward abuse right towards 636 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,920 Speaker 1: people who are black, who are brown, who are Muslim, 637 00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:18,960 Speaker 1: who are trans, who are gay, who are anything, who 638 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,239 Speaker 1: are Jewish, who you know. I mean, it's just there's 639 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:25,319 Speaker 1: just so much, Kiara. I really thank you for the 640 00:45:25,360 --> 00:45:27,680 Speaker 1: work that you continue to do, for the work that 641 00:45:27,719 --> 00:45:32,640 Speaker 1: the Task Force has been doing. And you know, I know, 642 00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:35,680 Speaker 1: I sadly know that we are going to need your 643 00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:38,759 Speaker 1: voice now more than we ever have, because I think 644 00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:42,160 Speaker 1: that what this was, what this is that is happening 645 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:45,799 Speaker 1: in Florida is a shot across the bow, is the 646 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:49,680 Speaker 1: saying that like you thought you were comfortable, dear queer folks, 647 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:52,960 Speaker 1: right like you thought that you were okay, you are not, 648 00:45:53,400 --> 00:45:56,320 Speaker 1: and we are still coming for you. So it is 649 00:45:57,000 --> 00:46:00,120 Speaker 1: with great appreciation that I say, I'm happy that you're 650 00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:04,759 Speaker 1: a warrior on our side. I am. I'm happy to 651 00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:09,560 Speaker 1: be on the front lines with you and so many others. 652 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:12,359 Speaker 1: We're not gonna take it lying down, and we're gonna 653 00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:19,200 Speaker 1: keep rebuking his shame and refuse silence. I appreciate you, 654 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:26,120 Speaker 1: and I hope you come back soon. Absolutely, that is 655 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:30,040 Speaker 1: it for me today. Dear friends on woke f as always, 656 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:33,360 Speaker 1: power to the people and to all the people power, 657 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:36,120 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.