1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: Native Landpod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: Reason Choice Media. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome home, Everybody. 3 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: This is Angela Rai. I'm your host and a co 4 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: host of Native Lampod. Today we are doing something a 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: little different. We spent a lot of time talking on 6 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: the podcast over the last several months about apathy and 7 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: the place that it has in our community, around voting 8 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: in particular, and then turnout on the last election. I 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: think Andrew and I got into a discussion about who 10 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: won the election last time, and my argument was that 11 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,919 Speaker 1: since more than ninety million people sat at home of 12 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: voting age, that they are the ones who in fact 13 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: won the election. Now, I don't want to just focus 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,280 Speaker 1: our attention on apathy of whether or not somebody voted 15 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: in the past, whether or not they voted in twenty 16 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: twenty four or before. I really want to focus on 17 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,559 Speaker 1: how apathy is showing up for us now and whether 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: or not there's enough of a wake up call for 19 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: us to do something different in this moment. So today 20 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: we have joining us someone who Lolo knows. I believe 21 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: his name is Reginald Henderson. He's an entrepreneur, a community 22 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: advocate and facilitator from Dayton, Ohio, and so in amendment, 23 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: we will spend some time talking to about his involvement 24 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: in the community, about ways that he thinks we should 25 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: be leaning in outside of voting, and really trying to 26 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: figure out a path forward for all of us, for 27 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: all people of color, particularly in a system that some 28 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: of us feel like doesn't frankly serve us enough. So 29 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: do you engage, do you engage partially? Do you not 30 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: engage at all? Those are some of the questions that 31 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 1: I want us to talk through as we deal frankly 32 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: with the fight of our lives. So with that, if 33 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:04,559 Speaker 1: we can invite reginald up, I would love to start saversation. 34 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: Your headphones in. 35 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 2: I do have the actually Vijus one dead, That's why 36 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 2: can I grab a different pair of headphones? Is that 37 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: all right? Yeah? 38 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: You can lock him off for just a second, Nick, 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,520 Speaker 1: and let me just keep going. Thank you. So yes, 40 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 1: I think that one of the things that we're seeing. 41 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: We're doing the State of the People Power tour right now. 42 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: We've been to Atlanta, we have been to Raleigh and 43 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: to Durham in North Carolina, and we have also been 44 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: to Birmingham, Alabama, and in this on these different tour stops, 45 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: we're meeting all kinds of people. I talked about some 46 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: folks that we met in Atlanta, including a teacher who 47 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: I'm desperately trying to find. I found some folks that 48 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: are able to help her. She was talking about living 49 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,239 Speaker 1: out of her car. And we met someone named ray 50 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: Lewis who was formerly incarcerated in Birmingham. He talked about 51 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: his journey and what he's doing now to ensure that 52 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,119 Speaker 1: young folks don't meet the same fate. When I tell 53 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: you all that ray Lewis and his remarks are penetrating 54 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: the hearts and minds of people all over this country. 55 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: It wasn't just mine. Dewana Thompson and I were standing 56 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 1: next to each other near the stage sobbing. His words 57 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: impacted us severely, but they're also impacting many others. When 58 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: we think about what this tour is really all about, 59 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: it is not just to meet people in their apathy, 60 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: because everybody's not apathetic. It's not just to meet people 61 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: in their exhaustion, because everybody's not exhausted. But it's to 62 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: meet people across the intersections of life where we all 63 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: find ourselves sometimes overlapping, sometimes not overlapping at all. As 64 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: a part of our coalition right now, there are organizations 65 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: who have never worked together. There are organizations that are 66 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: tired of working together. Is organizations that got mad at 67 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,760 Speaker 1: each other and fell out in nineteen ninety seven. We're 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: doing all of that. I think it's really really important 69 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: for us to understand why this work matters. And when 70 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: you hear about stories like Ray Lewis in Alabama, you 71 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: understand why. So when he's talking about, you know, gun 72 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: violence in the community, not really knowing his father, all 73 00:04:17,240 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: of these different things that many of us have as 74 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 1: our personal experiences, as some others of us, me included, 75 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: don't have in our personal experiences. I had a conversation 76 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: with my friend and brother Wallow earlier, who was talking 77 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 1: about the ways in which sometimes we talk past each other, 78 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 1: because the folks who are on TV making decisions and 79 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: policy recommendations about what folks like Ray and Wallow need 80 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: have never had a conversation with Ray and Wallow. So 81 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: those are the kinds of barriers that we're trying to 82 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: dismantle and ensure that we are pushing through on this tour. Today, 83 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: I'm happy to report that our black Papers, vertical of 84 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: the State of the People Power Tour in our Collection 85 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: at Large has released the first five papers. They're available 86 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: on State of THEPPL dot com slash black Papers. These 87 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: are policy ideas on everything from education to entrepreneurship. We 88 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: want you all to get you to have your voices 89 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 1: heard as we get ready for our journey leading up 90 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: to Juneteenth in Baltimore. We want to hear from you. 91 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: What policy areas did we miss, What areas do you 92 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: feel like we're not really scratching the surface on or 93 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: we don't have your opinion represented, your recommendations represented. We 94 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: want to hear from you. We want to hear from 95 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: you at these various tour stops. We have New Orleans 96 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 1: coming up on Thursday and Friday. Jasmine Crockett, a tremendous congresswoman, 97 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: will join us on the ground in New Orleans. D 98 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: One is back. I'm hoping he's gonna he got another 99 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,640 Speaker 1: rat for us, so too, and we have many others. 100 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: B Simonas coming Meal Washington and Gary Chambers have worked 101 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: tirelessly on that tour location. In New Orleans, we have 102 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 1: an we have a partnership y'all with Operation Restoration, that 103 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: is giving ten thousand dollars to folks who have a 104 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: demonstrated need a cutoff notice provided for utility bills to 105 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 1: be paid for. Right, We're going to cover utility bills 106 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: as long as we have the resources to do that, 107 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: and people will be selected based specifically on need. We 108 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: don't want to run a foul of any rules or 109 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: laws in Louisiana. So with that, I want to try 110 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: to see again if Reginald is back to join us 111 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: and we can continue our conversation. So Reginald, I just 112 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: wanted to say, first of all, thank you so much 113 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: for making the time. Our conversation last week on the 114 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: podcast was about apathy and people who didn't vote in 115 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: this last election and why. So I do want to 116 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: start there, but at some point we got to move 117 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: past the election figure out where we go from here. 118 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: But I do want to start there and hopefully we 119 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: can get through with no echo. 120 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: So they did not vote last election, as well as 121 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: the election beforehand. Because I did a lot of studying 122 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: on black revolutionary politics in the midst of COVID and 123 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 2: before that I had been very engaged and just what 124 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: I had been learning about the systems, about the ways 125 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: in which it has negatively impacted not just Black people, 126 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 2: but people at large. Tried to find different ways in 127 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: which to be engaged, and in those readings and in 128 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 2: that study, I was able to find those different ways. 129 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 2: And while I haven't been as active in those ways, 130 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: I am familiar now and can move accordingly. 131 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: When you talk about black revolutionary engagement, I'm curious to 132 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 1: know how you see yourself changing the system. Now. If 133 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: voting isn't the apparatus, what is the apparatus that you're 134 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: using to support societal change, particularly for black folk. 135 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,520 Speaker 2: So I think that all change really starts at the 136 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 2: home or on a very small level. And so the 137 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: stuff that I'm doing, you know, in the community, as 138 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 2: far as being advisors on youth programs or you know, 139 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 2: helping business owners build their businesses, or even if it's 140 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:25,040 Speaker 2: just giving somebody who's homeless money or whatever on the street. 141 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: When it comes down to changing the world, I think 142 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 2: we have to first look inward and then work outwards. 143 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,079 Speaker 2: So I'm not really looking to change society. I don't 144 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 2: think society is going to change because it took us 145 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 2: over you know, three hundred four hundred years to get here, 146 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: and so it's going to take us just as much 147 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 2: time to get out. So I'm just looking to change 148 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 2: my community, one person at a time, if possible. 149 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: If it takes that long to change society, three hundred 150 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: four hundred years, what do you think is that the way? Like, 151 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 1: what's the means to the end? When you consider the change? 152 00:08:57,880 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: What is what's the means to the end? 153 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 2: For me? I think we have to reevaluate the value 154 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: system that we have worldwide, and it's capitalist structure that 155 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 2: we are living in. It's all about greed, individuality and individualism, 156 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 2: not even individuality greed. What can I do to win 157 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 2: for myself regardless of what anybody else is doing? And 158 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: I think if we reevaluate the values to be more communalistic, 159 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: to be more about partnership, to be more about a 160 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 2: cooperative economics, I think we can find models that already exist, 161 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 2: but models that would propel us into a future that 162 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 2: is more equable. 163 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: I hear what you're saying. I guess my question would 164 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: be when you when you consider the fact that you 165 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 1: work to give money to the homeless, when you work 166 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: to provide support for youth, programs when you work to 167 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: provide infrastructure and support for small businesses. I remember being 168 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: in law school and thinking, Okay, I can change circumstances 169 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: one client at a time if I go into the courtroom, 170 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,440 Speaker 1: But if I go into policy making, I can change 171 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,719 Speaker 1: circumstances for a community on a macro level. So when 172 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 1: you balance your micro level contributions versus macro level policy changes, 173 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 1: talk to me about why you wouldn't see the need 174 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,560 Speaker 1: for that, Like if a kids program like Headstart is cut, 175 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:30,479 Speaker 1: which is on the chopping block right now, if homeless 176 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: programs are being cut, those grants are being stripped away, 177 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: and people will rely on people like your twenty dollars 178 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: or your one hundred dollars to buy them meals that 179 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: week more so than if they had an opportunity to 180 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: go and live somewhere, which is a part of a 181 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: policy idea. How do we create macro level change for 182 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 1: these folks if not through policy changes. 183 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. So, I think that policies are just rules, and 184 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: rules are made by people with power to control people 185 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 2: who don't have power. And I also don't agree that 186 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 2: because of policy is put into place that is actually 187 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 2: going to be executed and so no matter what policy 188 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 2: is in place, if the people who are executing the 189 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 2: policy are not following it or are not being punishing 190 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 2: when they don't, then any policy that's made is kind 191 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 2: of futile. And so when I think about the macro 192 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 2: level changes that could happen, I think we have to 193 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:33,000 Speaker 2: look first at the economic system that is funding the policies, 194 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: the political regimes, the systems and institutions which exists. And 195 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 2: you got to look at these corporate corporate businesses who 196 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 2: are fueling a lot of the activity. And so if 197 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 2: we could find a way too, and I talked about 198 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 2: capitalism earlier, you know, who controls the means of production, 199 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 2: who controls controls the means of producing goods, and we 200 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: can reevaluate at on a large scale, then maybe we 201 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 2: can come to something that makes a little bit more 202 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 2: sense for the general masses. But just policy I don't 203 00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 2: think has enough strength to be able to have real 204 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 2: and sustainable change long term. 205 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: Or have you been made aware of like the drinking 206 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: water crisis in Flint and Jackson, those are policy based issues. 207 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 1: When you look at Alabama and the rule that was 208 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: just rolled back around or when they had federally that 209 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: is a policy based issue. When we look at you 210 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: have friends that have student loan debt, those student loan debt. 211 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: Now the federal government has just been allowed to go 212 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: after all of these student loan borrowers who are currently 213 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: in default. That's a policy based issue. Do you support reparations? No, 214 00:12:59,400 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: not in a. 215 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 2: Way it is traditionally talked about, and just to comment 216 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 2: on what you were talking about. While those are policy 217 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: made by policy, they're also backed by I think the 218 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 2: real change happens in the people. The real change happens 219 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 2: in the system. The real change happens in the institutions 220 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 2: that exist, not in the policies. Because we see it's 221 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 2: a legal you see every day that you know, black 222 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 2: men specifically or black people are getting killed by police 223 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 2: every day. Yet the punishment or whatever is happened, the 224 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 2: repercussion of that does not look the same across the board. 225 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 2: So even if there was a policy made, or if 226 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 2: whatever policy existed, like I keep saying, like I said before, 227 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 2: the execution is not consistent then or it is working 228 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 2: for a certain entity or certain group, then it's going 229 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 2: to be skewed every time. 230 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 1: So how does the execution change? What do you think 231 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 1: that like, if you're going to say, like, oh, well, 232 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: this is not across the board the same. The reason 233 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 1: why it's not across the board the same is because 234 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 1: some folks, especially of police officers, who are killing at 235 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: the municipal or state level, those policies dictate the outcome 236 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 1: of their punishment. Just like federally, when there was this 237 00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: law enforcement database that now this administration has overturned and 238 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: completely gotten rid of, So there's no federal place to 239 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: hold law law enforcement accountable and to see where they 240 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: have run a foul of the rules, been abusive, or 241 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: killed in another jurisdiction. That database is gone a policy. 242 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: So when you're saying, well, the execution is flawed, I 243 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: agree with you. The execution is flawed. How do we 244 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: change the execution. 245 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 2: By changing the values and the culture of the people, 246 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 2: Like we have a fear based economy, a that's like 247 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: our fear losing my life, or our fear not being 248 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 2: able to pay rent, or our fear not being able 249 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 2: to have food or send my kids to a decent school. 250 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 2: Like we live in a fear based system where I'm 251 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 2: scared of the next person because everybody now is allowed 252 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 2: to have a gun or this person over here has 253 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 2: all the clothes and I don't have any like it's 254 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 2: so and jealousy comes in play too, But fear, I 255 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 2: think has to be eliminated by creating real conversations amongst 256 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 2: everyday people. That's why I said it all has to 257 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: start at home, which you're teaching your kids, what you're 258 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 2: teaching the people that are around you in your community. 259 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 2: Because if we can't have a value system that's based 260 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 2: on trust, that is based on you know, mutual respect, 261 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: that is based on cooperation, then you get into situations 262 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 2: where a policy may come into place and nobody is 263 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 2: really abiding by that policy or even paying the tipst. 264 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: When you talk about a value system that's put into place, 265 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: how would you see that value systems being spread beyond 266 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 1: your home? 267 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 2: That's a good question right now. I would say it 268 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 2: would have to be dominated in the media. If we 269 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 2: wanted to be mass massly spread. It can't be co opted, 270 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 2: so it would have to I don't know, it would 271 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 2: have to be coming from some pretty serious people with 272 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 2: a lot of funds back and once again, corporations run 273 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 2: the media. But if you want to reach the masses 274 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 2: in any way, I think social media, digital media, radio, 275 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: whatever those are to those places will have to be 276 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 2: especially the influencers will have to be pushing that agenda, 277 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: pushing that narrative. And if not that way, then the 278 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:45,800 Speaker 2: organizing amongst the masses will have to happen in a 279 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 2: major way that we haven't really seen since the sixties. 280 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: So what's interesting, Reginald is you said that it would 281 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: need to be spread through the media, and you would 282 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: need a lot of support. And how would you quantify 283 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: that support? 284 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 2: Quantify as far as like whether dollars or time or. 285 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: You know, the number of people who you would want 286 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: to support this policy, this value system. How would you 287 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:15,720 Speaker 1: shore up support, How would you ensure that people have 288 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: bought into your value system? 289 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, you would have to quantify. It would be about 290 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,720 Speaker 2: the numbers. This is we're playing a numbers game for real, 291 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 2: Like you mentioned that ninety million people who do not 292 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: who did not vote, like this is this is a 293 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,119 Speaker 2: masses game, a lot versus the many, I mean the 294 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 2: few versus the mini. And so in order to spread 295 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 2: that there ask the question one more time. 296 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:41,159 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, So this this is what I'm going to 297 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: answer it for you. What you have backed into, Reginald 298 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: is you need buy in from the masses for a 299 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 1: value system. The way that you would determine if you 300 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: had buy in is people signing on to a pledge 301 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: agreeing that they would take that value system into their 302 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: home or their community. Oh you want to fight that 303 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: because you know where this is going, go ahead. 304 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 2: I wouldn't say so. It's more about that action. Like 305 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 2: you can put anything you want on paper, you can 306 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 2: put it on somebody refrigerator, you can make them sign 307 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 2: a contract. But that don't mean I want to pay 308 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,399 Speaker 2: this bill. That don't mean I want to stick with 309 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,080 Speaker 2: this company. That don't mean anything really if it's on paper, 310 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 2: it's about that action. And so if going back to metrics, 311 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 2: how do you quantify it? That's where that's where you 312 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 2: were acting. It would have to be I can't. I 313 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 2: don't have all the answers, So I'm not going to 314 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 2: sit here and say I do. But it would have 315 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 2: to be actual engagement and ways outside of voting, and 316 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 2: ways outside of the traditional system. And we will have 317 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 2: to identify what those ways are so that people can 318 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 2: know what exactly to be doing to help move the 319 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 2: needle forward. Because I feel like voting is like the 320 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 2: last thing like the last resort. Really, it's so many 321 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 2: more ways on what you completely be completely politically engaged, 322 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 2: and so we have to name those and then like 323 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 2: have a system on which people can you know, say, 324 00:18:58,000 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 2: baby are actively participating. 325 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 1: I couldn't agree with you more. I think voting is 326 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,719 Speaker 1: the most That is the minimum threshold, that should be 327 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: the baseline thing, and after that we have to engage 328 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: far beyond that. So right now we're rolling out these 329 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: black papers that are ideas and recommendations for how black 330 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: people can be sustaining ourselves moving as a collective. And yes, 331 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,760 Speaker 1: it encourages policy changes because whether we like it or not, 332 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 1: policy impacts our day to day all the time. Whether 333 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: we engage and we call it an elected official, whether 334 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: we told them to vote a certain way or not, 335 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: these things impact us every single day. So when you 336 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: talked it about a value system, I loved it because 337 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: even the Black Panther Party had a ten point plan, 338 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: their buy in was secured by the number of people 339 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: who read it, supported it, and moved in accordance with 340 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: that plan. Whether we proactively vote in a system that 341 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: we don't like or not, everything is governed by politics 342 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: and policy. Every there's no way we can get away 343 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,959 Speaker 1: from it. So in my mind, I would say, we 344 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 1: can still be building towards the ideal, But how do 345 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 1: we boycott the thing that is? When we boycott the 346 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 1: thing that is, we're in harm's way. You said it 347 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: best earlier. You're like, well, all of these things can 348 00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: just be thrown out it like with the stroke of 349 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: a pen. Basically, that's what's happening right now. We are 350 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: down to defending the fourteenth Amendment, which is birthright citizenship. 351 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: It is the very thing that dread Scott died trying 352 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 1: to ensure that he would have access to that enslaved 353 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 1: man from Missouri. So when you talk about that, like 354 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: whether or not we're seen as human beings is a 355 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 1: political and policy based decision, I be damn if I 356 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: let a white person decide that for me. Ever again, right, 357 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: I'm a fight tooth and nail to make sure you 358 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: see my personhood, to make sure you see the person 359 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: that the people in my family, and make sure you 360 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: see the person of the people in the culture. That 361 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 1: is the least I can do. That is my most 362 00:20:59,040 --> 00:20:59,919 Speaker 1: reasonable service. 363 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,439 Speaker 3: If I could just say, I think one of the 364 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 3: problems that we have in the society is that the 365 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 3: measuring stick in which we are measuring ourselves is through 366 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 3: the lens of whiteness, because we live in a white supremacy, 367 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 3: and so I think as a part of that value system, 368 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 3: we have to learn to have so much confidence in 369 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 3: ourselves that we don't really need. 370 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 2: And this is where it's gonna get real sticky, because 371 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 2: like you're, you're, you have to literally create people who 372 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 2: are not create people. You have to commit class suicide, 373 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 2: political suicide. You would have to like get rid of 374 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 2: all the things that you know and love because they 375 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 2: are have been like given to us essentially, they have 376 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 2: been given to us by the people who are empowered, 377 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 2: to people who have access, to people who have access. 378 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 2: And until we learn to get until we learned to 379 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 2: measure ourselves from our own from our own stick, we 380 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 2: always want to be looking at the white rule, the 381 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 2: white whatever as the way in which we should be going. 382 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,479 Speaker 2: But I personally don't agree with that. And then also 383 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 2: the goal is liberation, and I don't think that the 384 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 2: powers that be on either side have when I say 385 00:22:21,200 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 2: either side democratic or republic, has given a convincing enough 386 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,360 Speaker 2: argument to people who don't vote or people who are 387 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 2: disengaged with the traditional voting system to say, to make 388 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 2: them feel the urgent call to act. It's so many 389 00:22:35,080 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 2: things that people are dealing with in a material world 390 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 2: that all of the stuff that they're talking about, the 391 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 2: political mumbo jumbo that they're talking about, doesn't even hit 392 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 2: home because it doesn't resonate with what I got to 393 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 2: deal with today. And I hear you saying that it 394 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: influences us every day, but to a regular person who 395 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 2: is not connected, we don't really see it. We're just 396 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 2: getting through because that's what we got to do. 397 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 3: You know. 398 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 2: Today we got to pay our suit the loans. That's 399 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 2: just what it is. To rock with it and not 400 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 2: saying we shouldn't do something about it. But even before 401 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 2: we had the right to vote, we were doing stuff, 402 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 2: you know, and that action I think we have lost 403 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 2: before it again, like we had before we got the 404 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:14,479 Speaker 2: right to vote, we were politically active, and so how 405 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: can we get back to that. I think people would 406 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 2: be more resonate, would more resonate. 407 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: With I appreciate what you're saying. I think that some 408 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 1: ancestors will be rolling over in their graves at the 409 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: idea of we are trying to get something that was 410 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 1: given to us. These people died, fought like ensured that 411 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: we had not just the right to vote, but the 412 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: right to work, the right to be seen is fully human, 413 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 1: the right to our freedom. It's always been about abolition 414 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: and liberation in this country. It's sorry you came off you. 415 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: You need to say something middle my thought. 416 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 2: Go ahead, I'm sorry. I just want to say, seen 417 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 2: as human by whom that's what really matters. If we 418 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 2: were seeing it. If we're not seeing as human by ourselves, 419 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 2: then we got a real problem. But if we're looking 420 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 2: through somebody else's eyes like I was saying, then then 421 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:06,679 Speaker 2: that's why we get to the situation. Man. And I'm 422 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 2: sorry to cut you off. 423 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: We were brought here by force, right, so it is 424 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: incumbent that the same people who brought us here by force, 425 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: violently stripping us away from our families, see our humanity 426 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: because they didn't see it when they took those actions. 427 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: That is required. So long as we stay here now, 428 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: if we decide we want to go someplace else and 429 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: build something else, that's fine too. There are a lot 430 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: of black folks that have gone that have done that, 431 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: got dual citizenship and all the rest But if we 432 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: have to coexist with folks regardless of that they're indigenous, 433 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,439 Speaker 1: Asian folks, brown folks, white folks, we have to all 434 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 1: commit to seeing each other's humanity otherwisewise, Reginie, just let 435 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: me finish. Otherwise, the humanity does not work, The coalition 436 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: does not work. Nobody is safe in an environment where 437 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 1: people cannot appreciate the other person's humanity. That's one. Two. 438 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 1: When I was talking about our folks like trying to conform, 439 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: to fit, to do whatever with white folks, that's not 440 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: it at all. It is that we have built systems 441 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: that we've never been properly credited for. From the United 442 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: States Capitol Building to the White House to everywhere else, 443 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 1: we have built these systems, and the systems still haven't 444 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: properly served us, and they won't so long as our 445 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:26,640 Speaker 1: folks continue to say we are better off outside of 446 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: these systems, all the while not having the resources, human capital, 447 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: whatever else to build those systems. So, while we are 448 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: building a separate agenda or an agenda in addition to 449 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: that will properly serve, properly serve and meet our needs, 450 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: we still have to understand what we're up against Now 451 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: you're saying, well, if we got to pay our student loans, 452 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: so be it. A lot of our folks can't afford 453 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 1: to do that. There are black women who are graduating 454 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: in larger numbers than black men right now from college 455 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: who took out an exorbitant amount of student loans and 456 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 1: now cannot pay them back. Some of them are sitting 457 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 1: members of Congress. Summarally was just in an oversighting government 458 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 1: reform met talking about that. So for me, I don't 459 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: see it as to me, it's a privilege. I don't 460 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: have to not engage politically, to not support the people 461 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 1: who think like me, support me, and sound like me 462 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: on policy on the hill. I don't want these random 463 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 1: people speaking for me and doing for me. I want 464 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: people who understand my experience and whose experience I can understand, 465 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:29,920 Speaker 1: speaking and working on my behalf. I don't have the 466 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: opportunity or the luxury to sit out that process, but 467 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: I am going to keep building something else that I 468 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: think better serves us. 469 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I agree, I think both happen simultaneously. I just 470 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 2: don't think that in large scale, the outside agenda is 471 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 2: being created and so it's everybody. A lot the people 472 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 2: who are actively engaging in a traditional way. Are like 473 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 2: trying to get all these people to get active in 474 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 2: this way. But it's got to be working. You gotta 475 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 2: work both sides, dual citizenship on both sides. I think 476 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:10,719 Speaker 2: that society, like I think that we are too, We 477 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 2: are into deep Like, how can we expect somebody who 478 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:19,159 Speaker 2: enslaved does see talking specifically about black people here, How 479 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,879 Speaker 2: can we expect somebody who enslaved us, who pillaged our village, 480 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,840 Speaker 2: who raped and murdered and killed us. How can we 481 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 2: expect that same person to then look at us as 482 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 2: human even if it's hundreds of years later, Like the 483 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:35,000 Speaker 2: system that created the idea to take over those lives, 484 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 2: to ruin those lives, to even call those lives not 485 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 2: even not even three fifths like all of that stuff. 486 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,439 Speaker 2: Who Why would we expect anybody who has that mindset, 487 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 2: or a system that has that at its core, to 488 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,160 Speaker 2: ever then turn around and say, hey, we respect you though, 489 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 2: we want you to be a part of us. And 490 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 2: even if they did say that, you got I think 491 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:56,199 Speaker 2: what we haven't done enough is create the agenda to 492 00:27:56,440 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 2: offset the manipulation that happens doing part of the systems 493 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 2: that created the situation that we are already a part of. 494 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,360 Speaker 2: So like, where's the counter for us, where's the countermeasure? 495 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 2: Where's the old gotcha? You know, we don't have in 496 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:15,399 Speaker 2: the black community or even empowers communities or you know, 497 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 2: the low income community. We don't have that gotcha to 498 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 2: be able to push back against the powers. 499 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,000 Speaker 1: That be, Reginald, and with that, I would thank you 500 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:26,920 Speaker 1: for your time. I'm going to say this in response 501 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 1: to you, and I'm going to encourage you to look 502 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: these things up, because that's not true. Black people have 503 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 1: been organizing around a liberation agenda since we got here. 504 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: They did it every single year. They started in the 505 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: Ami Church for the most part, meeting to talk about 506 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: our freedom agenda every year until the emancipation. Right around 507 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: the emancipation, there's a reason why they gave us Special 508 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 1: Filled Order number fifteen, and it was after the organizing 509 00:28:52,480 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: of nineteen ministers led by Garrison Fraser in eighteen sixty 510 00:28:56,840 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: five that would have ensured that we had forty eight 511 00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: and a mule that Special Filled Onder number fifteen. That 512 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 1: was an agenda item that was very very clear. Frederick Douglas, 513 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 1: Harriet Tubman, all of these people worked around an agenda 514 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: for our freedom the Black Panther Party Ten Point Plan Gary, 515 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,800 Speaker 1: Indiana in nineteen seventy two. The National Black Political Convention 516 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: agenda is one that was pushed nineteen seventy one. The 517 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,960 Speaker 1: Congressional Black Caucus met with Richard Nixon with sixty one 518 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 1: recommendations for how black people could could better live and 519 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: be liberated in this country. Tavis Smiley had the Covenant 520 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,520 Speaker 1: with Black America. Every single year the National Urban League 521 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: published is the State of Black America. We are right now. 522 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: As I said at the top of this program, introducing 523 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: it for all black folks to pay attention to, to 524 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 1: engage with, and hopefully share black papers. It will be 525 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,200 Speaker 1: twenty eight black papers on agenda items that we need 526 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: to better survive, to thrive in this country and to 527 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: move forward. So I got to disagree on we don't 528 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:00,400 Speaker 1: do it, we do it. Oh, and I forgot Black 529 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: Futures Lab that every year or every four years, they 530 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: do the Black Census where they collect data from black people. 531 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 1: This past one a little almost two hundred and fifty 532 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: thousand Black people engaged around that census, and then their 533 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,360 Speaker 1: sister organization of which I'm a proud board member Black 534 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: to the Future Action Fund submitted an agenda called this 535 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 1: Black Economic Agenda twenty twenty four. So we do these things. 536 00:30:26,000 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 1: We need y'all to read up on these things. Sign on, 537 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: let us know what we may have missed. Lolo, send 538 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: me a couple of questions I want to get to. 539 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 1: I do want to thank Reginald so much for his 540 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: time in conversation a day. It is through those conversations, 541 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,239 Speaker 1: y'all that we figure out where our gaps are and 542 00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: we get on the same page. If yoll losin, can 543 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: you highlight elections on the ballot this year and what's 544 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: at stake more locally, We're going to do that on 545 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:52,600 Speaker 1: another podcast, if you would, If y'all losin that in 546 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:56,080 Speaker 1: as a video so that my colleagues can also engage. 547 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 1: I'm not quite at the ballot. I'm still at our 548 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: power before we get to the ballot box. That is 549 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: where I agree with Reggie right now. I am not 550 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: discouraging people from voting, especially in your upcoming elections, but 551 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: I am highly encouraging you that in addition to voting, 552 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: you are leaning into your collective power and building around 553 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: a collective agenda. Dad said, how can we have confidence. 554 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 1: If we don't have basic rights to see, how can 555 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: we have faith in a system that constantly is preached 556 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: it's broken, it is broken, but that you are the bomb. 557 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: You got a band aid, you got you got some stitches. 558 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: You gotta be the one that sold the thing back 559 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 1: together again like we've always done. Asked failing and bluhmer 560 00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,160 Speaker 1: a little bit about that, Aya said, I hear you, Angela. 561 00:31:35,160 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 2: I do. 562 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: I think he is asking why should we fight for 563 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: a system that does not value us? Again, my sister, 564 00:31:40,880 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: we agree with that. We do need to come together, 565 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 1: and I agree with Reggie. I'll look forward to continuing 566 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 1: to build with Reggie the system that we do, in 567 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: fact deserve. I just don't believe we can throw out everything. 568 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,560 Speaker 1: What y'all going to do to serve veterans, What y'all 569 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: going to do to ensure these kids are being educated 570 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:58,080 Speaker 1: with the same standards, What you're going to do to 571 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: ensure that the justice system is serving us more than 572 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 1: it is harming us. Those are the things that I 573 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: don't want to throw out because we have to make 574 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 1: sure that they are fixed. We have to make sure 575 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 1: that we're starting from something. What social Security plan y'all 576 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: got right. So if we had to start everything from scratch, 577 00:32:15,600 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: understand that that means that a lot, a lot, a 578 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: lot is at stake and we would have to build 579 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,840 Speaker 1: everything from the ground up. I don't know if y'all 580 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:25,720 Speaker 1: are thinking that through all the way. Health and Human 581 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: Services making sure that vaccines are consistent across the board. 582 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 1: Education the thing they're trying to dismantle right now. How 583 00:32:32,120 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 1: you gonna make sure HBCUs and land grant colleges and 584 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: your kids hand start all get funded? Are you thinking 585 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: through all of those things when you want to throw 586 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: out the system. Where as your system begin? What departments 587 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,920 Speaker 1: are you going to have? Commerce? Are you going to 588 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:48,160 Speaker 1: have veterans affairs? Are you gonna have Homeland Security? How 589 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 1: you go tell me what we're doing? Right? We got 590 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 1: to think through this. I'm not arguing for the broken system. 591 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: I'm arguing that it's easier to mend what is broken 592 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: than to start from scratch. Anyway, we're over time. We 593 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: appreciate you, y'all. Thank you so much again to Reginald. 594 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:04,320 Speaker 1: Shout out to Reginald for coming on being so brave 595 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: telling the truth about his story. We hope that you 596 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 1: all will continue to do the same. Please make sure 597 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: you send us your videos at Native lamppod on Instagram, 598 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 1: that you follow and subscribe us here on YouTube, and 599 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:18,880 Speaker 1: that you also make sure that you subscribe to our 600 00:33:18,960 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 1: podcast channel. We're available wherever you get your podcasts. We 601 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 1: thank you so much. Tomorrow will tell you how many 602 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: days left until the next election. Until then, welcome home, y'all. 603 00:33:42,600 --> 00:33:46,080 Speaker 1: Native Lampod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with 604 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: Reason Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the 605 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your 606 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:54,560 Speaker 1: favorite shows.