1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: There's a monumental shift in power at work. Employees are 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: speaking up, Turnover is rising, salaries are increasing, hiring is tough, 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: and burnout is real. It's time to unleash growth. It's 4 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: time to transform your HR from powerless to powerful. Join 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: a DP on February. Reserve your spot now. Go to 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: get the Plan dot IDP dot com to register for 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: the Work Interrupted Summit. What girls in the Forest, our 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:37,279 Speaker 1: imagination and our family bonds. The forest is closer than 9 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: you think. Find a forest near you and discover the 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: force dot org, brought to you by the United States 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: Forest Service and the AD Council Once the last time 12 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: you took a time out. I'm Evrodsky, author of the 13 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: New York Times bestseller Affair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space, 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: activists on the gender division of labor, attorney and family mediator. 15 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: And I'm Doctor Adding Rootcard, a Harvard physician and medical 16 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: correspondent with an expertise and the science of stress, resilience, 17 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,559 Speaker 1: mental health, and burnout. We're so excited to share our podcast, 18 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 1: Time Out, a production of I Heart Podcasts and Hello Sunshine, 19 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 1: Repealing back the layers around why society makes it so 20 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: easy to guard men's time like it's diamonds and treat 21 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: women's time like it's infinite like sand. And So, whether 22 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 1: you're partnered with or without children, or in a career 23 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: where you want more boundaries, this is a place for you, 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: for people of all family structures. So take this time 25 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: out with us to learn, get inspired, and most importantly, 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: reclaim your time. Listen to Time Out a fair Play 27 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: podcast on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 28 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to money Making Conversations. 29 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: It's to show that she has the secrets of success 30 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: experience firsthand. I'm marketing a brand and expert ra Sean McDonald. 31 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: I will know he's given me advice on many occasions. 32 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: In occasion didn't notice, I'm not broke. You know. He'll 33 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: be interview with celebrity CEOs, entrepreneurs and industry decision makers. 34 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: It's what he likes to do, it's what he likes 35 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: to ship. Now it's time to hear from my man, 36 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: Rashan McDonald. Money making conversations. Here we go. Welcome to 37 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: money Making Conversations. I am your host, ras Sean McDonald. 38 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: I tell everybody it's time to stop reading other people's 39 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: success stories and start writing your own. Always leave with 40 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: your gifts and don't let your age, your friends, family, 41 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: or co workers stop you from planning or living your dreams. 42 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: My interviews that I bring on Money Making Conversations will 43 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: provide you, being a consumer or business owner, access to celebrities, CEOs, entrepreneurs, 44 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: and what I like to call industry decision makers. My 45 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: next kist is Yourself Salom. He's an inspirational speaker and 46 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: prison prison abolitionists who, at age fifteen, was one of 47 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: the five teenage bars rolling fully convicted and sentenced to 48 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: prison and then Central Park Jaga case. In seven he 49 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: left prison and as an adult to world he didn't 50 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: fully recognize, understood, or understand. In two thousand two, the 51 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: sentence for the Central Park five was overturned. All five 52 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: were exonerated for the crime they did not commit. He's 53 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: on the show to talk about his new book Better 54 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: Not Better, Living on Purpose in the pursuit of racial justice. 55 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: It's the first time that wanted the new exonerated or 56 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: the now exonerated five is telling their individual story in 57 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: his own works, Yourself Rights, his narrative growing up black 58 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,519 Speaker 1: and Central all of them and in the eighties, being 59 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: raised by a strong, fierce mother and grandmother, his years 60 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: of incarceration, his re entry into the world, and of 61 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: course exoneration. Please welcome to money making conversation. I'm gonna 62 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: call him correctly like his grandmother called him. Master yourself. Salon, 63 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: how you doing, sir, show? I thank you for having 64 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: this is a great moment, great opportunity to really talk 65 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: to the power and newilized stories for what it's really for. 66 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: Right to shine light in the dockness and absolutely and 67 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 1: uh and I were talking off air, but let's bring 68 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: everything on there. Like I moved to New York. I 69 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: wasn't living in New York between eight and nineteen, and 70 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: I went up there to pursue my comedy career. That 71 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: felt I was gonna be the next Anie Murphy. You know, 72 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: Richard Pryor, he was the legend. I knew I couldn't 73 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: be the next Richard Pryor, but Murfer, I thought I 74 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:20,520 Speaker 1: could get to him, and I would. So I lived 75 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: that life, you know. And if you was in downtown Manhattan, 76 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: you could not catch a cab. They would not stop 77 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: and give you a care for you trying to go 78 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: to Hall. It was just ridiculous how blacks were being 79 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: treated at that time and being uh, second class citizens 80 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: and in the city. So I was there living in 81 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: the city. I was living at eighty six and first 82 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,599 Speaker 1: was just Yorktown right there. So I was living in 83 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: a little you can call it a one bear room, 84 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: you said, but there wasn't no one bear room. There's 85 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: a room. It was a room, brother, it was a room, 86 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: but it caused like eight hundred dollars an not the 87 00:04:55,800 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: rest of right examples of what one bes are. I 88 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: really want that I know exactly what you mean when 89 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: you're saying because New York City, you know, I'm living 90 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: in Atlanta now and any like, if you look at 91 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: my house, my house in New York will be over 92 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: a million dollars five hundred from my house in Atlanta, 93 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: absolutely where I live in Atlanta. So we have to connect. 94 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: So I didn't know you were down in definitely got 95 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: to connect. Bring you by my office and sit down. 96 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: Because I read the book man Better not Better, And 97 00:05:26,960 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: based on what happened to you at such a young age, 98 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 1: one would think this would be a book about anger, 99 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: about hate, a book about the hobb and done wrong. 100 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: It's a book about motivation, a book about slice of life, 101 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: telling your story to people were important in your life, 102 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: people were important your life when you're incarcerated. But also 103 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: it's a celebration of overcoming the odds. Talk to us, 104 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,919 Speaker 1: you know what, I what I really want to expose 105 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: and better not better. My memoir is I want folks 106 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: to know that when you fall in life, and it's 107 00:05:57,720 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: not a matter of if you fall, because my good 108 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: friend Less Brown always reminded me, it's about when you fall, 109 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: try to land your back. And landing on your back 110 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 1: is about trying to find a good trying to find 111 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: the blessings and everything right, looking at the experience that 112 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: not necessarily saying to yourself, oh my goodness, this is terrible, 113 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: but looking at the experience of understanding that God is 114 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: making sure that you become a survival. Right. And so 115 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: I looked at my story and I heard the words 116 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: of Dr Maya ANGELVI and my angel, you know. Dr 117 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: Na Angelo said something so powerful. She said, you should 118 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: be angry, but you must not be bitter. She said, 119 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: bitterness is like a cancer eats upon the host. It 120 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: doesn't do anything to the object of this discussion. Then 121 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: she teaches us the alchemy. She said, use that anger. 122 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,600 Speaker 1: You're dancing, you march it, you voted, you do everything 123 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: about it, she said, and then she said you talking. 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: Never stopped talking. I found that black men rarely get 125 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: the opportunity to really talk about the experiences that are 126 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: plaguing us. Especially even know we get that opportunity, it 127 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: becomes so transformed into it's therapeutic. It's it's a it's 128 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: a beautiful thing, and you can talk about these experiences. 129 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: You can look at it from a different a gaet 130 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,880 Speaker 1: the opportunity can see the hand of God. It's finally 131 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: here the season of celebration. And no matter how you 132 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: celebrate with family and friends, whether you're preparing for reis 133 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: magos or karamu lighting the manura, are going to midnight mass, 134 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: Coals has just what you need to make those traditions special. 135 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: Plus you'll find gifts for all your loved ones. Send 136 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: warm wishes with cozy fleeces, sweaters, loungeware, blankets and throws. 137 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: Support minority owned or founded brands by giving gifts from 138 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: Human Nation and shame moisture, or treat them to everyone's 139 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: favorite active war from top brands like Nike, Adidas and 140 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: under Armour, and in the spirit of giving, Coals Cares 141 00:07:56,200 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: is donating eight million dollars to local nonprofits nationwide committed 142 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: to the health and well being of our communities. No 143 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: matter how you celebrate, when you shop at Coals, you're 144 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: right where you belong. So this season give with all 145 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: your heart with great gifts from Coals or coals dot com. 146 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: And we're live here outside the Perez family home, just 147 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: waiting for the and there they go, almost on time. 148 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: This morning. Mom is coming off the front door strong 149 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: with a double arm kid carry. Looks like Dad has 150 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: the bags. Daughter is bringing up the rear. Oh but 151 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: the diaper bag wasn't closed. Diapers and toys are everywhere. 152 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: Oh but mom has just nailed the perfect car seat 153 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 1: buckle for the toddler. And now the eldest daughter, who 154 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,920 Speaker 1: looks to be about nine or ten, has secured herself 155 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: in the booster seat. Dad zips the bag clothes and 156 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: they're off. But looks like Mom doesn't realize her coffee 157 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: cup is still on the roof of the car and 158 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: there it goes. Oh, that's a shame that mug was 159 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,040 Speaker 1: a fan favorite. Don't sweat the small stuff. Just a 160 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: big stuff like making sure your kids are buckled correctly 161 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: in the right seat for their agent's eyes. Learn more 162 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: n h t s A dot gov slash the Right 163 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: Seat visits n s A dot gov Seat brought to 164 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: you by NITZA and the AD Council. Hi, everyone, i'l 165 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: roker here as a guy with his own catchphrase. I 166 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: appreciate that Smokey's only said only you can prevent wildfires, 167 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: but I'm filling in because there's a lot more to report, 168 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: like when they're parched or windy conditions out there. You've 169 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: gotta be extra careful with things like burning yard wage. 170 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: After all, wildfires can start anywhere, even in your neck 171 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 1: of the woods. Go to Smokey Bear dot com to 172 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 1: learn more about wildfire prevention. Brought to you by the U. S. 173 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: Forest Service, your state Forrester, and the AD Council. You know, 174 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 1: the important, important, important part of this conversation we are 175 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:53,319 Speaker 1: having is your faith, because it drove you to to 176 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 1: uh sense of security, a safe zone and and and 177 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,959 Speaker 1: being thrown into an armor that you knew you were innocent, 178 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 1: um you knew it was changed even when you got out. 179 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: It would change the way your perception and opportunities in 180 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: their life. At what point did it start to come 181 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: together that, hey, man, this is my life, and you 182 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,079 Speaker 1: started building this support system in the prison because you 183 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: have a support system outside your sister, your mom, your 184 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: grandmother that was strong, but inside you also have to 185 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 1: build a support system. Tell us about that. Yeah, you 186 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: know the beautiful thing about being insulated in the fire, right, 187 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: And I call it that. I say it that way 188 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:37,119 Speaker 1: because you know, I feel like the system created this 189 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: this condition, and then they created they said, we're gonna 190 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 1: put him in the fire. This situation that we're gonna 191 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: put the five of them in is going to be 192 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: so terrible, so difficult. They will never be able to escape. 193 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 1: And if they happen to miraculous, miraculous and survived, they 194 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 1: will never be able to be successful in life. And 195 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: a beautiful thing, like I said, is that being in 196 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: that fire. I remember reading a poem and the poem 197 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: said prison life in many ways to be likened to 198 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:09,440 Speaker 1: the womb. If the life inside becomes still, the wound 199 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: becomes the tomb. And so this this idea that you 200 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: do not want to die physically, mentally, or spiritually in 201 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 1: the womb of amount. Right. May people go in and 202 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: they physically die in that room, they come out alive, 203 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: but they avoid me life. And I think that when 204 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: I looked at my situation, I said, man, well what 205 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: can I do? How can I talk two people to 206 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 1: let them know that I missed? And what I found 207 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: out is that me telling people that I'm innocent. The 208 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: officers said to themselves, this guy is not supposed to be. 209 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: I mean the officers, the inmates of course as well, 210 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: but that power of being able to have them see 211 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: me for the first time as opposed to seeing what 212 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: the system wanted to be, wanted to define me as 213 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: they said, no, this guy is not all the system 214 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: is saying, is right? He started, you know, and and 215 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: it really allowed us to become modern day shot duck 216 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: in the vega, you know. And I think that that's 217 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: one of the hours of story, um that I'm telling 218 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: you this particular book and utilizing what I understand about 219 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 1: what happened to Well, you know, one thing you did 220 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: lose going to prison was your sense of style. You know, 221 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: your sense of you know, the shoes, you know, the tie, 222 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: the suit. You know what I'm saying. You said, I'm 223 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,079 Speaker 1: looking at you even smiling, not because you know, you 224 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: know what I'm talking about coming on my show. No 225 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: tie on every every picture I see this brother in 226 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: he wearing shoes I wear. You know, I was told 227 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 1: mad I looking at the funk. I said, look at 228 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 1: the two tones right there on two tones right there, 229 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,160 Speaker 1: every picture you take with the exonerated five. He the 230 00:12:44,200 --> 00:12:47,440 Speaker 1: only one got the suit on. He's he's he's the class, 231 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: he's the appear to be of excellence. He articulates, he 232 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: got his degree while he was in college, took advantage 233 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 1: of the system. So let's talk about this style that 234 00:12:55,559 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: you are, that you are, that you are the resident, 235 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: it's your personality. Why is that important? Yeah? So I 236 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: think I think it's important because you know, it has 237 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:11,120 Speaker 1: nothing to do with, um, what other people seem. It 238 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: has everything to do with what you see when you 239 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: look at yourself in the mirror. Right. People say all 240 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: the time, how you clean up nights? And I'm not 241 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:20,520 Speaker 1: talking about me, but I'm talking about any one of 242 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: us who chooses to. We find ourselves right, we put 243 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 1: a suit on, we put a tie on, um we 244 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: we we clean our hair up, we clean our face up. 245 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: You know, whatever it is that we do. We look 246 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 1: at ourselves first of all. We other people look at 247 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: us and say, how you clean up nights? But what 248 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 1: happens is the most powerful thing when you look in 249 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: the mirror at your own self. I often think about 250 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: my circumstances and say to myself, Thank God, I don't 251 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,960 Speaker 1: look like what I think. Right. Most people look at 252 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,200 Speaker 1: me and they say, no, that's that has He could 253 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: have never gone on prison. He doesn't sound like a 254 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 1: person with prison. He doesn't look like or act like. 255 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 1: Nothing about him says prison. But I think that that's 256 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: the beauty of God. God has allowed me to be 257 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: a shining example of what could be possible for all 258 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,320 Speaker 1: of us. Right, we can reject, literally throw back the 259 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: definition of life that they want to give us, and 260 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: know that we were born on purpose and with the purpose, 261 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: as opposed to being relegated to the modern big cotton 262 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: deals of America. Right, that's what they want for us 263 00:14:26,160 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: to believe. So so many many of the stories that 264 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: I've heard have been stories where people have said, no, 265 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: we are supposed to be dead, our in jail before 266 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: we reached the age of twine. And many of us 267 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: play into that false narrative and I'm gonna say false 268 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: narrative again, because it absolutely is. When you think about 269 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:49,080 Speaker 1: the grand, miraculous thing that happens to all of us, 270 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 1: our mothers and fathers get together, we become one of 271 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: over four hundred million options rased into the egg, and 272 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: we are chosen to me look at the odds. That 273 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: means that we are born on purpose. And if we're 274 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: boring on purpose, we have a purpose. And so the 275 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: psycho social reality of being able to really understand that 276 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: the system, the system, they tell you you're not worth nothing, 277 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 1: and if you if you believe, you're gonna move throughout 278 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: your life but your mistakes. But once you believe that 279 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: you're worth everything, once you believe that you are the 280 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: future mover and you go up tomorrow, you will begin 281 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: to move throughout your life with a different type of purpose. 282 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: And that's what this book is all about. It's about 283 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: me understanding what happened to me, me understanding that I 284 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 1: had to remember what my mother told me, the very 285 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 1: lass instruction she gave me. She said, they need you 286 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: to participate, and whatever it is that they're trying to do, 287 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: not participate, refuse And so how does that show up? 288 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 1: It shows up by you refusing to accept the box 289 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: that they want to put you. You need to be 290 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 1: that not. I forget the name of the study that 291 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: they've done, but there's a study where they put in that, 292 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, a container and then only jumped so high, 293 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: but then that can jump ten times higher than that. Mhm. 294 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: That beloves only that they can jump that hog. And 295 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 1: then that teaches the children of the that that can 296 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 1: only jump that high. Imagine if we teach people that 297 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: we can uh. When we see this in sports, right, 298 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: you see Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, any of 299 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: the great shot right, we see them doing sacred geometry 300 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: on the court. It looks magnificent. But when we when 301 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: we understand what we're looking at, we know that that 302 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: is us as a people. That's what it is. Wow. 303 00:16:42,480 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: You know when I'm talking to Usef Salon, Master, Usef Salon, 304 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: your your grandmother. Well, we'll always say that to you. 305 00:16:48,920 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: And you say in your chapter you're talking about a 306 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 1: name is important. My name is Rushan McDonald. I thoroughly 307 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: believe that if my name is Ricky McDonald, I will 308 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: be a different person. My name is Rashan. I've always 309 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: been treated different. I've always been and noted. You know, 310 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: people can't spell it to have to I have to 311 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: correct them, or they learn how to spell it and 312 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: they respect me or understand my brand. Talk about the 313 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: why are your grandmother who passed away? I think correct? 314 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: And uh, why was Master important to her? In front 315 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: of your name? I think she was doing which was 316 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: so important and really so impactful, but that she needed 317 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: for one thing she needed to do was to make 318 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 1: sure that the people who are holding new capital needed 319 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: to know who they have. I always thought by male 320 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: and I'm saying that because for those who don't know, 321 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: when you write to a person in prison, that letter 322 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:48,879 Speaker 1: is fonder is read by the prison officials before it 323 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: gets to the person that is supposed to get to. Right, 324 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:55,119 Speaker 1: I always got my mail. So imagine the officer getting 325 00:17:55,119 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: the mail and saying, this is to Master you steps 326 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: reason sends it off. The content of the letter is 327 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: what is important, over and above the title. It's addressed 328 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 1: to me because the title is telling me to straighten 329 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: out that. The title is telling me to remember, not 330 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 1: just remember who I am, but remember in a sense 331 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 1: called for a kind of moment with member who you 332 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: are is attached to the people you come from. Even 333 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: though Dr James Barbin said to be African American is 334 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: to be African without memory, in America without privilege, and 335 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 1: so we experience this right. Many of us know we're 336 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: not supposed to be under these kinds of conditions. But 337 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: imagine when when you are told that by one of 338 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: your elders who knows the truth, he's sending you messages. 339 00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: She's sending you seeds. She's allowing those seeds to blossom 340 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: and bloom in this dark space called the womb of America, 341 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,199 Speaker 1: so that you can metamorphosize into the butterfly that you 342 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,960 Speaker 1: need to be. And it's so important because if you 343 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 1: if somebody calls you out of your name, usually you 344 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 1: get upset until you begin to accept it. Right, And 345 00:19:11,320 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: so a couta can say, knowing that he's a press, 346 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: knowing who he is and who's he is and where 347 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: he comes from, being told you know your name is 348 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: now too, he fights tooth the nail until miraculously we 349 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: see something, and we don't see it until later. He 350 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: buries the truth inside of self even though we accept 351 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: outward believe what they are saying, but inwardly he never 352 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: accepts that his name is. He knows who he is, 353 00:19:39,119 --> 00:19:41,639 Speaker 1: he knows he's a press, he knows that his people 354 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 1: are looking for He was kidnapped, just like people get 355 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: kidnapped in a memory. Now today, as part of the 356 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 1: great transit vantic slave true, many of us have unfortunately 357 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: had the reality keeped upon us, and so we don't 358 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: know where we came from. We don't know who we are. 359 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: We actually again to hate ourselves and everything we have 360 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: been told about us, because what as we looked out 361 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: of the window of life, we see others looking in 362 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: the mirror. Every advertised with white skin, everything is talked 363 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: about the white skin, and so we look a dark skin, 364 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: and we said we must be cursed. We don't get 365 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:27,479 Speaker 1: the opportunity to understand that the absolute antithesis is the 366 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 1: truth that we are not curves, but we are blessed 367 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: and highly favorite. How do we know that, because as 368 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 1: we are borne out of our mother's womb, we are 369 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: automatically born on the right side of everything, because we 370 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: look at us and judge us by the color of 371 00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: our skin, not the content of our cap. There you 372 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: go absolutely correct. You know we hate that parents. Have 373 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,199 Speaker 1: you heard of Just Food for Dogs since we've been 374 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: helping dogs everywhere live healthier, longer lives through the power 375 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,679 Speaker 1: of fresh whole food Frisian. 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What else grows in the forest, Our imagination, 384 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 1: our sense of wonder, and our family bonds grow too, 385 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: because when we disconnect from this and connect with this, 386 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: we reconnect with each other. The forest is closer than 387 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: you think. Find a forest near you and start exploring. 388 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,159 Speaker 1: I Discover the Forest dot org, brought to you by 389 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 1: the United States Forest Service and the ad Council. Adoption 390 00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: of teams from Foster Care is a topic not enough 391 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 1: people know about, and we're here to change that. I'm 392 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 1: April Denuit, the host of the new podcast Vigating Adoption 393 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: presented by adopt us Kids. Each episode brings you compelling, 394 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:07,800 Speaker 1: real life adoption stories told by the families that lived them, 395 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 1: with commentary from experts. Visit adopt us Kids dot org, 396 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,479 Speaker 1: slash podcast, or subscribe to Navigating Adoption Presented by adopt 397 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 1: Us Kids, brought to you by the U. S Department 398 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 1: of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families 399 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,040 Speaker 1: and the ad Council. In the book you was talking 400 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: about sixteen years old, You're standing in the hallway and 401 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: they said that that they have a verdict and you 402 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: went back into the courtroom and uh, it was announced 403 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: guilty and they sent you to Rikers. And why is 404 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,919 Speaker 1: Rikers such a horrible prison? Let me ask you that 405 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: question first, No, Wreckers is there's so many facets. I 406 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: think that makes breker Is one of the most horrible 407 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: places on her But I think part of it is 408 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: because you have the proximity of people being able to 409 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: go right to or talk right to, or be connected 410 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 1: right to the people they want were when we come 411 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 1: home from prison. One of the most transformative things a 412 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: person can do is to leave the communities that they 413 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: can come. And I'm not saying that because I want 414 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:16,080 Speaker 1: you to to to take away your your your your 415 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,320 Speaker 1: your value. Right if you you know, like a lot 416 00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:21,880 Speaker 1: of people in there in the entertainment industry, they happen 417 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: to lead because they know that they have to insulate themselves. Right. 418 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: Why do they have to insulate themselves? Because America has 419 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: created poverty and pushed it upon the people in the 420 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: margins of life, and the people in the margins of 421 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 1: life are now responding in a way where we call 422 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 1: it the struggle or the survival mentality. What happens when 423 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 1: you struggle? What happens when you have to survive and 424 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: that's the only thing that you can do, you do anything. 425 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,679 Speaker 1: And so in prison a place like Rikers Island. Rikers 426 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: Island is a place where people sometimes have not yet 427 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: been convicted of the crimes that they have so called committed. 428 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 1: That's a so called because we find out that there's 429 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: so many people you look at the colored bottles of 430 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: the world who are not supposed to be there, right, 431 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: and then you have other people who are actually criminals 432 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: who have gotten card but they are still doing criminal things. 433 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,160 Speaker 1: They are running the jails. Everybody has this false narrative 434 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: when they see people who show photos of the prisons 435 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,239 Speaker 1: that they're and they look strong and buff and they 436 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: pose and and everything like that. And I never forget 437 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 1: hearing a conversation that Ross Baraka had put on one 438 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: of his albums and he said, nobody talks about the 439 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: Roman client I was. I was in Clinton with Twop. 440 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: I was thinking Danna more with two ps, and I 441 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: remember hearing him say on the gate, and that's something 442 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 1: that people in the officers say to the inmates. He said, 443 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:54,720 Speaker 1: you're on the gate, and everybody got on the gate 444 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 1: and he said, listen, man, I'm just trying to do 445 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: my bed, just like y'all. Everybody was sending him pieces 446 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: of the magazines that they will rip out and sent 447 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: to him and say, hey, can you sign that? Sign 448 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: this to my family, my daughter, my friends. I just 449 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: want to let them know that I'm eat here with you. 450 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: You know. And when you look at prison, prison has 451 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: a way of turning people into criminals, even if you 452 00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:21,560 Speaker 1: were got mm hmm right. Why do I say that? 453 00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:23,880 Speaker 1: I say that because it is the absolute worst place 454 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: that you can go. Once you're gone there, you're going 455 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 1: you know that that's the worst that can happen outside 456 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 1: of death. And so when you're in a struggle, right, 457 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:37,920 Speaker 1: you have to understand that in the struggle, the struggle 458 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:41,880 Speaker 1: is not about physicality. It's not about war in terms 459 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 1: of fighting, in terms of beating someone. War, its greatest 460 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 1: tool is the mental to get you to accept defeat. 461 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: We know. The thing about it is that I had 462 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: a younger brother. He went to prison, and I went 463 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: to visit him in prison, and you know, like you said, 464 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't I was in tears watching him, 465 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: and he was saying, I can't cry, I gotta stay hard, 466 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: and that false narrative. And then he said he had 467 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: to connect with some certain people in the prison so 468 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 1: he can stay safe. He had to get into a 469 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 1: click or run so he can be able to have 470 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 1: somebody to have his back. And then you talk about it, 471 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 1: as you said, when your time becomes short, people can 472 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:33,240 Speaker 1: do things to make your time extend or attempt to 473 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 1: kill you. So there's a mindset that operates in prison. 474 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: I'm just taking knowledge from your book. Your book is amazing, 475 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: and the book is called Better not Better, Living on 476 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: the Purpose, Living on the Purpose in the pursuit of 477 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,640 Speaker 1: racial justice, and the story you take away, I'm looking 478 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 1: at a humble man looking at the educated man, and 479 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 1: you're right, you don't fit the example of somebody who's 480 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: been wrong, who's been in prison, and then actually taking 481 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:01,159 Speaker 1: away some really key developmental years. You know, fifteen to 482 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: eighteen is when you really start learned about responsibility, learned 483 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: about being a man, learned about trying to go to college, 484 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,919 Speaker 1: learned about trying to trying to if I'm gonna have 485 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: a wife in my life. You was in jail during 486 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: that period, and so what allowed you to be able 487 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 1: to I know your your your faith, I know you're 488 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: the Muslim community was there for you, your your your 489 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 1: parents were there, but you have to be there for yourself. 490 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: How did you, as a mature young man, be there 491 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: for yourself? I think I think a lot of that 492 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: was when you asked me about the name, right when 493 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: you respond to I was told this, but I didn't 494 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: yet really truly know this. And what I mean by 495 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: it is that I was told that in the community 496 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 1: where I came from, my parents had to observe me 497 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: for seven days. Right, they knew, just like African communities 498 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: know that the child that is born is actually a 499 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: gift from the creator, but in the it's on the community. 500 00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 1: What happens is that you have to observe the child 501 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 1: to figure out who this is so that you can 502 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: need it. You don't want to name it Hennessy. And 503 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,959 Speaker 1: I'm not saying anything bad about anyone who names their 504 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,120 Speaker 1: child Henessey, but I want you to understand that when 505 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 1: you give a person a name of person a name 506 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: that defines who they are. And so my parents named 507 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: me us. I never knew what youse have meant. My 508 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,679 Speaker 1: middle name is injuries, my other middle name is father, 509 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:31,679 Speaker 1: and my last name is A loved. Oftentimes people will say, hey, 510 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:34,640 Speaker 1: what's your name, and I would say Sometimes they would 511 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 1: call me Joseph, and I got upset because Joseph won'ta 512 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: sound nothing like you, not to me. I got the prisoner. 513 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: I found out in the Bible there was a young 514 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: man named Usa in the Bible. And I found out 515 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: in the Koran there's a young man named Joseph in 516 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,680 Speaker 1: the Koran. And I'm mixing it up, of course, because 517 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: I found out the Arabic equivalent to the word use 518 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: of is Joseph in English, but the definition was never there. 519 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: Reading books about baby names, I found out that use 520 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: of means God will increase that injuries means the teacher 521 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,959 Speaker 1: for otherly with justice and salamis peace. My parents named 522 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: me seven days after I was born. God will increase 523 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: the teacher with justice and peace. When you are looking 524 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: for purpose, quite often times it's not until later in 525 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:32,239 Speaker 1: our lives we try to say to ourselves and am 526 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,840 Speaker 1: I supposed to be dooding? What's my purpose in life? 527 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:42,120 Speaker 1: But imagine finding purpose in the value the value of despair. 528 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 1: You know. Dr King said, when you find your purpose 529 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: in life, do it as if God himself called you 530 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: to do it. At this very month, he gave us 531 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: this beautiful example, not of the greatest purpose, but of 532 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:59,240 Speaker 1: what purpose still is? He said. If your purpose in 533 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 1: life is a how much streets? He said, sweep the 534 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: streets like Michaelangelo painted pictures. Sweep the streets like they told, 535 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,719 Speaker 1: and composed music like weal, Tom Pryce saying before the opera, 536 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: Imagine that kind of individual turning up their life in 537 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:21,520 Speaker 1: dark spaces. Imagine that person raising their vibrations. And collectively 538 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: we can always our workers. Collectively we can altern up 539 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 1: our life. And I think that when I looked at 540 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: you know, being associated right in prison, it wasn't that 541 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: I was just defining myself as Muslim. But I was 542 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: born must But now I was studying. Anytime you have 543 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,160 Speaker 1: a people tell you what something is. Often times you said, 544 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: if I don't want to be that you hear the 545 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: word Muslim, and you say, those are terrorists. I don't 546 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:51,000 Speaker 1: know to tell about my daughters. Once I said, listen, 547 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 1: if you know, was very busy. If I'm running towards 548 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: a plane and I gotta connect to other planes and 549 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,040 Speaker 1: all of this stuff, imagine this scenario to a plane 550 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: and I get to the plane about to close the door, 551 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 1: and just in the mid of the time, Wow, sir, 552 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:08,880 Speaker 1: we were just about the closes the door. You've made it. 553 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: And I said, wow, God is the greatest. I get 554 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: on the plane. I see somebody in the first class. 555 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: They had yet open their water. I grabbed their water, 556 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:21,080 Speaker 1: say said okay. They said yes. I say thank you. 557 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,960 Speaker 1: I opened their water, drink the water. Said Wow, God 558 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: is the greatest. Wom scenario, same scenario. Remind you there 559 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: are Christians in a Rabio. Same scenario. They speak Arabic, 560 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:41,560 Speaker 1: they say Allah for God. Christians. Same scenario. I'm running 561 00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: to the plane, I kicked it he said, Wow, sir, 562 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 1: you chest made you. We were just about to close 563 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: the door. I say, a law who I thought, I 564 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: just missed my plane? But you know, you know what happens. 565 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: I'm saying that the definitions right as soon as people understand, oh, 566 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,720 Speaker 1: they're just saying God. Right, there's a lot who fought me. 567 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 1: It means God is the greatest or God is greater 568 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: than anything. So when you hear the call to prayer, 569 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: which says a lot who I thought, say to yourself, 570 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to stop everything and turned to God and 571 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: be thankfu. That's absolutely true. But I have to give 572 00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: when you're thankful, God war some beautiful process. We know. 573 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: The thing about it is that because I want to 574 00:32:39,080 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: wrap up, but I want to say a few things 575 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:42,400 Speaker 1: that I want you to respond to it. You know 576 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:47,480 Speaker 1: it's incarcerated. Uh then uh. Donald Trump to got an 577 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,400 Speaker 1: ade eighty five dollars and ads calling you guys everything, 578 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:53,560 Speaker 1: every every bad name. He could say that, he could 579 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: put it in the newspaper. He didn become our president, 580 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: so we know the values he have for men of color. 581 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 1: And nineteen in each seven you walked out of prison. 582 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: Um spend time in prison for a crime you didn't do, 583 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,960 Speaker 1: two thousand two years exonerated, then you received the settlement, 584 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: and then um Able Duvename. I think what Able Duvenat 585 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:15,840 Speaker 1: did you guys was like for me visual and a 586 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: global perspective. Really freed you guys, I said, freed you 587 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:24,680 Speaker 1: guys from an inn a media standpoint, in a in 588 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: a standpoint. You know, the court can say you're free, 589 00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:30,000 Speaker 1: but what she did was set you all free. And 590 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 1: that's important to know. And now with that freedom that 591 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:36,160 Speaker 1: you now have the intellect that you gained being educated 592 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 1: in prison, being educated by life, being exonerated, getting some 593 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: money for for being in jail for a crime you 594 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: didn't commit, which we know is never enough because those 595 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 1: years to value years. What is the purpose? What is 596 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: your goal? Because you talked about purpose as we close 597 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 1: out this interview, what is your purpose? Master yourself? Salon, 598 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:59,800 Speaker 1: I think my greatest purpose is the fault with God. 599 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: The greatest purpose is to utilize my story and tell people, 600 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 1: like I've always said in more recent times that the 601 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,440 Speaker 1: Central Park geogra case is not what you think it is. 602 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:12,359 Speaker 1: It's actually a love story between God and the people. 603 00:34:12,960 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 1: Center Park geograph case. The case is a case where 604 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 1: God has used it in place, the whole system on 605 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: trial in order to produce some mirracle a lout of times. 606 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: It's a story of how people can be buried alive 607 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,280 Speaker 1: and for God the system for God we were seeing, 608 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 1: and it's the story of a people who have been 609 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:38,440 Speaker 1: given a social death, and instead of being buried alive 610 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 1: and forgotten, they emerged like the phoenix from the actions 611 00:34:41,920 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: because as they built the fire to consume us, they 612 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:48,080 Speaker 1: forgot that God is the owner of the If we 613 00:34:48,239 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: believe again and we're thankful and we say to ourselves, 614 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:57,239 Speaker 1: help me. Right when you say to God, help me, 615 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: guess what happens? God helps you. It's so beautiful. Like 616 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 1: I said, it's it's one of those things that it's 617 00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:08,359 Speaker 1: got until you are tested that you can really say. 618 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 1: I got to testify, because you can't testify unless you've 619 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:14,920 Speaker 1: been tested, you know. I was listening to my my 620 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 1: inspiration et and he said something to the practice said, 621 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:21,240 Speaker 1: you know, everybody wants to be a die, but nobody 622 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 1: wants the pressure. Nobody. That's the pressure. And then the 623 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: more pressure and then the more pressure that's added to 624 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,600 Speaker 1: create a diamond out of that piece of cold and 625 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:34,520 Speaker 1: then after the pressure, nobody wants to be cut because 626 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:38,400 Speaker 1: cutting the diet, cutting the cold into the shape of 627 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:42,360 Speaker 1: the diamond is what proves that it's a dial and 628 00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:45,279 Speaker 1: it looks so beautiful. It's one of those things that 629 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 1: you say to yourself, Wow, this is one of the 630 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:51,480 Speaker 1: most rarest things for the planet. And I think that 631 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: what we need to understand is that all of us 632 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 1: are dying. We're just in the rock, but we're still dying, 633 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: and we see us since that would get the opportunity 634 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 1: to give ourselves back. Well, you're a great my friend. Again, 635 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:10,920 Speaker 1: better not better? Living on purpose in the pursuit of 636 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: racial justice. Master didn't say master right there on the book, 637 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 1: but it should say that. You should say humble, You 638 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:21,000 Speaker 1: should say uh, it should say a representation, a representative 639 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 1: of blackness who overshould say overcoming the odds, should say 640 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:27,800 Speaker 1: it's just say so many blessings, a blessed man. It 641 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,359 Speaker 1: should say that too, because that's what you are. 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