1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, get get boards. It's back and reloaded all in 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: your mind. Yeah, now deep throating. This is for the streets, 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: the reel, the railroading, the disanfranchise, the truth, the scapegoating, 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: and they ain't knowing we speak the truth, so they 5 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: ain't quoted because we wrote it. The North South East 6 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,279 Speaker 1: coat is g b my keeping your head bobbing, it 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: ain't no stopping and wants to be try head by 8 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: then the system is so corrupt they throw the rock 9 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: out their heads and then blame it on us. Don't 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: get it twisted on code and me and dancing for 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: no buttoment biscuits. It's Willie d y'all scar faces out. Collectively, 12 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: we are the ghetto Boys. Reloaded with another episode of 13 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: information and instructions to help you navigate through this wild, crazy, 14 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: beautiful world. In the studio, Marylyn Gambrel, let me tell 15 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: you something found. Y'all don't know the half. This woman 16 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: is necessary, Sarah, I ain't gonna talk up too much. 17 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: We're gonna have a conversation and y'all judge for yourself. Brother, 18 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: welcome to the show. Thank you, my good friend of over. 19 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: We were just trying to count the years. It was 20 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: like twenty six years. We've been knowing each other a 21 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: long time, long time, a long time. Um, how is Mackenzie. 22 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: Mackenzie is wonderful. She's a nurse. Now my granddaughter is 23 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: an orion emergency. That's crazy, right, So you got when 24 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 1: I met you, you know, you just had your daughter 25 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: was a teenager, Mackenzie was a teenager, and now you 26 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: have a teenage granddaughter. Well, actually, god, God, that's crazy. 27 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: Believe that. Yeah, man, that's crazy. Wow. How how is grandmotherhood? Oh, 28 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: it's spectacular, it is and is just the She's the 29 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 1: most amazing mob in the world. I should have warned 30 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: y'all family that Merlin is a serial crier. But and 31 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: the thing about it, though, is that it's in a 32 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: good way, right, because it's like you wear your heart 33 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 1: on a sleep on your sleeve, and you know, you're like, uh, 34 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: you got this uh surplus of empathy, and that's what 35 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 1: brings about the tears so often, right. But you know, 36 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: it's it's hard to like really explain to people the 37 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: impact that you've had on the community in Houston, communities 38 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: in Houston and over just overall, on so many people's 39 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 1: lives have you ever just really set back and you 40 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: just thought about, you know, the that impact that you 41 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: have on people, like and the number of people that 42 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: you've actually impacted. Sometimes I kind of think back, going 43 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: all the way back, and especially when we started our 44 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: program for children and incarcerated parents and two thousand, how 45 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: many hundreds and hundreds of children have gone through the 46 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: program and to see them excel. But we still have 47 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: children today going through the program. So we're twenty two 48 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: years old now, as far as our program is twenty 49 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: two years old, and we turned twenty in t I thought, 50 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: how magical is that? And we're gonna celebrate every month, 51 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: and we had all these plans. We were out of 52 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: there by Mars because of COVID, so we didn't get 53 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: to do our celebrating. But we're going to might be 54 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: three by the time we get to it. But just 55 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: the numbers and my youngest then in two thousand, what 56 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: you meant you game to class are now thirty five. 57 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: You believe that those children men are in the thirties. 58 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: Tell people what it is that you do. You are 59 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 1: the founder of Normal Victims. It's an advocacy advocate advocacy 60 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: organization for children of incarcerated parents. That in and of 61 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: itself is is it's unique because there is not a 62 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: lot of programs out that that focus strictly on children 63 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: of incarcerated parents. They're pretty much alike the forgotten, and 64 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: people don't even think about what happens with them when 65 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: a child when their parents goes off to prison. So 66 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: explain to people exactly, you know what that's something like 67 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: that involves, you know, this population of children. Like if 68 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: there were ten risk factors that needed to be that 69 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 1: a child could fall in these categories, this population has 70 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: every single risk factor. If it's ten each child individually, 71 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: we'll half ten or nine, but it's usually ten because 72 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 1: it deals with the homelessness, UH, abandonment issues, have been 73 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,119 Speaker 1: abused issues, it's all the above in this one child. 74 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: But then they've got siblings. Now, all the siblings carry 75 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: the same pain and trauma um the caregivers, the struggles 76 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: that they have, the grandparents that are now raising even newborns, 77 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 1: and the grandparents the usual guardians that step in to 78 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: raise these kids when their parents go off to jail. Yes, 79 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: most most often is the grandparents that take care of that. 80 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: And bless them. Bless because you don't get money from 81 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: CPS or for adopting, like CPS would pay a foster parent, 82 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: but the grandparents needs that additional income now to take that. 83 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: CPS will pay the foster parents, but they won't pay 84 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: the blood. They won't. They won't pay blood grandparents anything, 85 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 1: won't give them any type of relief. CPS, Shame on you, 86 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: Shame on you. Y'all. Guys, y'all need to go back 87 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 1: to the drawing board and figure it out. Talk about 88 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: backwards policy. I think it's more and more on the 89 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: table now because there's so many grandparents and answer uncle's 90 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: toopid most often the grandparents that's totally responsible for financially 91 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: and for every aspect. And bless them because when you're older, 92 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: you don't feel well, fixed income and you got all 93 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: these other responsibilities and you don't just a lot of 94 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: times you don't just get one grand baby. They might 95 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: have two of their own children, adult children in the 96 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: penitentiary and taking on maybe six, maybe two. It's a 97 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: it's a lot more to it, can you imagine, and 98 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: then being ill, not feeling well, it's just a limited money. 99 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:33,920 Speaker 1: At one point, no more victims had graduating ratio. There 100 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: the children. The children that came through the program still do. 101 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: We've only had one time we had that we're graduating 102 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: that year and two didn't, but they did end up 103 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: doing it in August. So still that's all. So every 104 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: single child that comes through the nor More Victim program, 105 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: it's not only expected to graduate high school, but they graduate. 106 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: They do graduate. Some you have to do additional things 107 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: to support them or get them into a home school. 108 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: The bottom line is you're not You're going to graduate. 109 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,080 Speaker 1: First of all. The other aspect, you don't have to 110 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: go to college. You might want to own a chain 111 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: of barbershops, you want to go vocational, you might want 112 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 1: to go in the military. Being a lot of them 113 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: do go on to college. But the one thing you're 114 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: not gonna do is end up the penitentiary. Now that 115 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: we can work on high school all day long, but 116 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: we know how critical that is. Your secret. So you're 117 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: saying that in twenty two years, right, it's been twenty 118 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: two years of existence, you haven't had one kid go 119 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: to the penitentition. We have our goal is that you're 120 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 1: not going. Okay, but all your kids graduated, how many 121 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: kids have ended up in the penitenttion? I would say 122 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 1: a and this giver takes some I may not know about, 123 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: uh the move to other states and stuff, but I 124 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: would stay. I would say out of a thousand we've 125 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: probably had, which is two hundreds of a thousand, and 126 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: that's still a much better ratio than the standard. You 127 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: know what's going on in the schools, just if they 128 00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: would just go to school and grew up in these 129 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: problematic environments. Right now, I'm overstating because I don't want 130 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: to go under. I would rather go over. Because we 131 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: were at um the last time when we were really counting, 132 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 1: where we sat down and talked about it because everything 133 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: is such a whirlwind, it was twenty five din it gone. Yeah. 134 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: I'm adding to that just to cover to be sure, 135 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: because I don't want to leave anything out because it's abnormal, 136 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: especially in the communities that we're in, like on the 137 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: north Forest side, ain't have many children and their parents 138 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: were in prison from there, and uh they on the 139 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: South side. But we've had amazing numbers. When we had 140 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: met with t DC, Texas Department of Criminal Justice before 141 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: and they assumed because it says out of every ten 142 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: children with a parent in prison, six to nine go 143 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: to prison okay, So if that's the case with our 144 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 1: thousand should have been six And they asked me, okay, 145 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:34,559 Speaker 1: so how many because they were ready, they said about 146 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 1: six hundred. And at that point when I was asked that, 147 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: I said no because I didn't even want to say 148 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: twenty four because I didn't want any But it's true. 149 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: It was sway four and I sent twenty four. The 150 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: whole room was like, what, why with those type of numbers, 151 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:01,479 Speaker 1: with that type of success, why isn't no more victims? 152 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: Like a billion dollar organization and funds like y'all should 153 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: have a billion dollar budget, right, you should have a 154 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 1: billion dollar budget. Every politician and and so called activist 155 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 1: organization should be descending on this company and saying, what 156 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: is the formula we need to do this in our community? 157 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: Why is that not happening the journey for this population 158 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 1: of children? But I found I've been told so many 159 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 1: hateful things like I'm not helping a dope things kid? 160 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: Who said that? Just people through time and make those comments. 161 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: Give me a name, man, give me a name. Are 162 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: things like, um, how do I know their daddy's off? 163 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: The one that robbed me two years ago? I'm thinking 164 00:11:55,440 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: the child was three. But these are people who run 165 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: organizations of people who have means, who have money and resources, 166 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: and politicians and people like business people making these type 167 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: of comments. Yeah, it will. It's just politician didn't make 168 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: that type because they never said that to me, but 169 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,079 Speaker 1: not to my face. But we've just dealt with or 170 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: I paid my taxes already. That's my donation to build 171 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: more prisons because they're going anyway. You know, if you 172 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: double over by the time you get away from them, 173 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: because you're trying not to, you're trying not to really 174 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: really come on across like you really want to. But 175 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: those are just the things that I've been and I've 176 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: never told our children that because that would only escalate 177 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: what they already think and feel. But I, um, I 178 00:12:54,559 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: just heard a lot of terrible things. Yeah, um, terrible things. 179 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: You know. There's a lot of victims, millions of victims. 180 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:10,319 Speaker 1: And why and I have to understand this, Why would 181 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: they want to take care of the child of someone's 182 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 1: a child who the father or mother has murdered someone 183 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: and left this other family completely broken. Why would they 184 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: want to do anything to support that child. So that's 185 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: the mentality that comes across and when it comes to 186 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: someone who's a victim and all that they've been through. 187 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: I have to understand that if their family member was murdered, 188 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: their father is no longer there because of something the 189 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: person that murdered them, and here's their children. This child 190 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 1: is left, the victims child is now left, and this child, 191 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: the child of the offender is left. Now you've got 192 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: two sets of wounded children. But who's gonna work. Who 193 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 1: do you think they're gonna want to go towards when 194 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,199 Speaker 1: it comes to donating money and helping the family, It's 195 00:14:02,240 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: going to be that child, the child of the victim. 196 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: So we have so much work to do. There are 197 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,959 Speaker 1: a lot more programs now there are. Isn't that crazy 198 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: that the child of the victim is indeed a victim, 199 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 1: and that that kid needs a system love and support 200 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: to relief, needs love and support. But the child of 201 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: the offender is equally a victim, and they didn't That's 202 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, And they they equally need support and love, 203 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:46,359 Speaker 1: relief assistance, and we have we need to work diligently 204 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: to prevent the behavior from the offender's child from that 205 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 1: behavior not to spiral into doing the same thing and 206 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: being right now and right now, there's really any like 207 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: type of proactive programs that when you identify a parent 208 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 1: who have done something egregious, especially something violent. Uh, there 209 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: isn't anything to go in and you know, seek out 210 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: those children to make sure those children number one half 211 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: therapy get the property absolutely therapy that they need in 212 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:26,320 Speaker 1: order the process the events that occurred. All right, how 213 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: does one get into No More Victim program? It's voluntary 214 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: for our children. First of all, they have to want 215 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:38,280 Speaker 1: to do this. And um, the name of our our 216 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:43,800 Speaker 1: program on school campuses is inspiring legends. Okay, so we 217 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: want to keep it safe for them, not because at 218 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: smiling no No More Victims was the name of the organization. 219 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: I said, okay, you can create your own name. This 220 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 1: is the organization's name, nonprofit. You can create a name 221 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 1: that you want for your school. And they said nope. 222 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: I said, we're probably gonna be bullied and really here 223 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 1: it and they said, we want them to and I 224 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: knew what that mean. We want somebody to say something 225 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:17,760 Speaker 1: to us about it. And they would not let me 226 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: give them a different name. They wouldn't do it. They said, 227 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: we're tired of lying about where our parents are We're 228 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: tired of always making up stories and excuses why they're 229 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: not present our kids. And who was the old lady 230 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: that picks you up all the top? They picked all 231 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: the other kids are seeing that and laughing and making 232 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 1: fun of him, and it's the grandparents. Bless her heart 233 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: for what she does, and they stay in a you know, 234 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: fight mode. You know. They were now had something that 235 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: totally focused on the dair reality and they weren't gonna 236 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: let anybody getting away from it. And they said, that's 237 00:16:55,560 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: who we're gonna be. So I said, blessed at them 238 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: because I let them. They got to choose everything, they 239 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,880 Speaker 1: got to make all the decisions because they never really 240 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:10,680 Speaker 1: had any power. So I said okay, And sure enough 241 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: those days came. And we even had a teacher make 242 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,119 Speaker 1: a statement to one of our kids, um, why you 243 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: ask him why you feel a math test? And the 244 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: child said what and then said, aren't you in that 245 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: no more victim's program? Are you gonna be a victim 246 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: of your math class as well? Who said that? It 247 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: was a teacher That child cried and cried and crashed. 248 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: She held on, but when she came she found me 249 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: down the highway and just fell, just fell on me. 250 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 1: Was the teacher reprimanded? Uh, the teacher was removed. She 251 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: got reprimanded. That was a female teacher. A melody, okay, 252 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: And it's just so many things. Is that you would 253 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: never know unless you do the work, unless you're in 254 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: the trenches. But the kids told me, Isa, we ain't 255 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: in the trenches. He said, you're with us in the gutter. 256 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: I said, well, that's where I want to be. They said, 257 00:18:14,680 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: the trenches to step up. We're gonna come up and 258 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: we're gonna take all the other kids with the very 259 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: protective of their siblings future, of their future, but very 260 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 1: I saw the most beautiful things their passion for their siblings, 261 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: um elder. They had such a respect for what had 262 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,439 Speaker 1: been given to them that they wanted to get so 263 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: many good things for that. Grandparents or maybe it was 264 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:49,800 Speaker 1: their older team was their guardian because mama. A lot 265 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: of times the grandparents in the penitentiary too. But the 266 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: child is eight team turning nineteen, that becomes they are 267 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: a major player in their lives. But they are. If 268 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: you act like you're going to hit a job, they're 269 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: gonna intervene. They don't care if you mild the store, 270 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter. They're gonna step up and try to 271 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 1: protect that baby. And to see that after all they've 272 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: been through that passionate. It's amazing when a kid comes 273 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: into the program for the first time day one. What 274 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: is the process of getting that kid to see things 275 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: in a different way, because usually when you've been you know, 276 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: brought up in an abusive UH situation, you've had neglected parents, 277 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 1: you know, you think everything that's right is wrong and 278 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 1: everything wrong is right. How do you reverse it? What 279 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: are some of the steps that you take, some of 280 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: the first steps you take when you come in. First 281 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 1: of all, it's a choice. This is how we initially 282 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:07,320 Speaker 1: initially started. You can come in and you can't just 283 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:08,959 Speaker 1: sit in there. You're gonna have to come in and 284 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 1: say why to the entire group, and it's smiling. We 285 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:15,119 Speaker 1: averaged a hundred fifteen a class. They gave us the 286 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: largest classroom on campus, so you had to get up 287 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: in front of your peers. Half been fighting since the 288 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: third grade. Then you had a gang issues that were 289 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: very prevalent on campus that were right there in the 290 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:34,439 Speaker 1: classroom as well, and you have to stand up in 291 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: front of everybody and make a decision whether you're going 292 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 1: to stay or not if you're willing to give something 293 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: about yourself. Now you don't just walk in and get 294 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,399 Speaker 1: to sit down. You have to be sworn in what 295 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 1: you were, which is a great honor, especially when you're not, 296 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: you know, a child at that moment. So once you 297 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 1: come in, they'd give you the rules if you can 298 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: have eye buy and then we go to the next step. 299 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: Now they're gonna ask you questions because they need to 300 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:05,919 Speaker 1: know they can trust you. But you're gonna have to 301 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:12,439 Speaker 1: tell us about you. And when they start talking and 302 00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 1: the things that they say is always very emotional because 303 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 1: they've held it so long. We've had children that have 304 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: actually vomited in class. Whence they released it, the release 305 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: was so great. And then the kids, the students vote 306 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 1: on you. It is got to be unanimous. Now, remember 307 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:38,199 Speaker 1: most of them been fighting, and it's so beautiful to 308 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: see how compassionate the whole classroom begins to be once 309 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: they start healing. Didn't they understand and to see them 310 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: almost be like defense attorneys against the d A going 311 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: back and forth, Well, I don't I don't like her 312 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 1: because she used to do what well, what if she 313 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 1: does do that anymore. Now though you're just gonna throw away. 314 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,280 Speaker 1: We could have thrown you away. Oh it's beautiful. I 315 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 1: just sit back and watch this beautiful protection of the program, 316 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: but protection of each child. And then once you get 317 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: sporning in, that's the reason to celebrate. And then you 318 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: take an oath, and which you take the oath, you're 319 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,959 Speaker 1: in for life. And they they wanted it to be 320 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: a program forever. And twenty two years later, they are 321 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: spectacular in the originals are still right there with me. 322 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:38,400 Speaker 1: I've got hundreds of grand babies now and then now 323 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: we're in the third generation because one of the grandchildren 324 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:46,360 Speaker 1: just had our first, my third generation baby, so we're 325 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: in generation three. But it's it's amazing because but you 326 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: gotta have some real courage to do that. And it's 327 00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 1: you can't just come in and so other states that 328 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: have colleges, and once I talk to them, you can't 329 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: just take every child. There's got to be something that 330 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 1: says you're gonna keep our confidentiality. And once we the 331 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: kids created that process, then they felt good about everything. 332 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: But you just let kids come in and they don't 333 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,199 Speaker 1: have to have any accountability whether they're gonna stay or not. 334 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:23,400 Speaker 1: Other kids know you're hearing it, and they'll quickly it'll 335 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: turn into a until home miss because they're not gonna 336 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 1: let you keep coming. They're gonna stop. You got boys, 337 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:42,959 Speaker 1: the podcast will be right back back. You work with 338 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: these kids on a daily basis. We're talking like dozens 339 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 1: of kids on a daily basis who have major, major 340 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: like trauma. You wear your heart on your sleeve. You 341 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 1: internalize that stuff. You take this stuff home. I know 342 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 1: that for a fact. Take this stuff home. You're rive 343 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: down the street with it. How do you keep your sanity? 344 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: How do you How does Merlin process it to make 345 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: sure that Maryland stays healthy? And when Merlin doesn't feel healthy, 346 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: when Merlin feels like she needs a break, what does 347 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:30,199 Speaker 1: Merlin do to get through it? Yea? I have felt 348 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: overwhelmed many many days still do um. I had to 349 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:42,120 Speaker 1: get to a place of well. I teach the kids 350 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 1: about how important is to write your feelings out, but 351 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 1: I wouldn't do it. I'm too exhausted to now sit 352 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 1: down and write after all day and driving through the traffic, 353 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: and you're going to more than one school now too, 354 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: so it's all day long. But I have. Finally, u 355 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 1: Kinsey has probably been my greatest therapist because she's emergency 356 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: room and she sees the gunshot wounds and things that happened, 357 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: and she's always wanted to work physically and help help 358 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 1: him heal physically. Yes, shout out to Mackenzie at Madison 359 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 1: because now she's an emergency room and I would tell 360 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: her what I would process was her what just experiences 361 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,199 Speaker 1: through the day, and she would process with me what 362 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: she thought, and that was that became a really healing 363 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: place and the healing thing for both of us to do. Um. 364 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 1: God knows I need to nothing. I really don't. I 365 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: really don't just have some set thing that I do 366 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:57,520 Speaker 1: because everything is involving somehow directly connecting to that. Now, 367 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:05,120 Speaker 1: the ocean does have a great impact on that. If 368 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:06,760 Speaker 1: I just get I don't even have to get in 369 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: and just let me hear it. But to be there, 370 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: that's my greatest killing, just the calmness that it brings 371 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: a kind of regroup. But it's never it's never NonStop. 372 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: It's on the phone trying to handle things, and it's 373 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,080 Speaker 1: writing constantly getting this and plans together. But the priority 374 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 1: is that I have all these stain plans I've written, 375 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: but what do you want to talk about? Today? Every day, 376 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: every class is what do you want? Because things could 377 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:41,360 Speaker 1: have happened last night, and they usually have. We've had 378 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: children that were sexually assaulted overnight over the weekend. So 379 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: once they talk, you need to go father report and 380 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: get other people involved. That you have to with some 381 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: law enforcement and and CPS, and then you have to 382 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,639 Speaker 1: get them ready because it's also UH testifying in court 383 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: and it's UH. They've seen their parents shot. We have murder, 384 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: we have murdered parents, but we have missing parents as well. 385 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: Been missing twenty five years, no jail time, no prison time, 386 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 1: disappeared completely and we've talked with the FBI. We do 387 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: everything we can to give some kind of peace enclosure 388 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 1: because our children carry so much artur parent comes home 389 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 1: from prison and still doesn't reconnect with the child our 390 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: season for ten minutes, never saw him before until they 391 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,159 Speaker 1: got out. Seeson has a conversation, I'm going to the 392 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: store and drives off forever. Then the child's thinking, well, 393 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: did he or she not like me because they think 394 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: I'm ugly or maybe I'm not their kid? Now once 395 00:27:56,320 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 1: against their fault. So we worked so and move forward 396 00:28:02,640 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: and then they get not back again. So it's like 397 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: every adult in their lives is let them down some 398 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: some way. And but when just come home and they 399 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: know that what they need to do, there's not to 400 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: make it. But I just don't never really see that. 401 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,120 Speaker 1: You mentioned that every adult in their life I've let 402 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: them down at some point. That's how they feel. And 403 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:37,320 Speaker 1: they come in. Your job is to get them to 404 00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:45,560 Speaker 1: trust you. How do you get them to trust you? First? 405 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:50,080 Speaker 1: And also let me say this, you're a white woman 406 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: and majorities kids are black and Hispanic, right, how does 407 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: how do you get them to trust you? Um, that's 408 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: a good question been asked that many types. When when 409 00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 1: what I found is when you come in and don't 410 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: have this agenda already planned out, and you're very rigid, 411 00:29:17,880 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: and sometimes you can think that you may very well 412 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: be when you come in warm, just really warm. Okay, 413 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: what do you want to talk about? Whatever you want 414 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: to do, this is your class. You have all the power, 415 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,840 Speaker 1: tell me what you would like. And of course they're 416 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 1: they're still checking you out, but that sounds pretty good. 417 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 1: And as they get to talking and then just okay, 418 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: and and you're not oh, my God, Well, don't you 419 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: dere cut you know, none of that, none of that. 420 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: Leave them alone and just let them be who they 421 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: are and accept them right where they're at. Don't try 422 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,600 Speaker 1: to change them. These are some of the most breeding 423 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 1: human beings on the face of the earth and can 424 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: survive under the worst of circumstances. So we need to 425 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: be honoring m when we walk in there with them, 426 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: we're in the presence of greatness. We they are the greatness, 427 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:12,719 Speaker 1: and I come just that's exactly how I see it, 428 00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: and I'm I'm honored. But David let me in. They 429 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:20,479 Speaker 1: let me in, and yes, being wide and it's all 430 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: these other things that could have been obstacles and they 431 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: weren't for the child. I think also, your reputation precedes you. 432 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 1: I think that a lot of kids because they vouched 433 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 1: for you, some of the kids before they get in 434 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,080 Speaker 1: that they're willing to give you the benefit of doubt. 435 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: And so that's you know, that's maybe softens you know, 436 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: the blow a little bit. You know, um, Lifetime did 437 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: a movie about you back in two thousand five, right 438 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: Beating the Fight, the Merlin Gambrell story. How did they 439 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: come about? That? Was? I'm still stunned even all these 440 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: years later. But we had a lot of media coverage 441 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:20,360 Speaker 1: from CNN, which led two different like People Magazine. It 442 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: just it was we didn't even we were only two 443 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: years old. Well I hadn't even got my feet wet 444 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: yet to really know, because I had no model to 445 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: follow when I started the program. So we kind of 446 00:31:31,360 --> 00:31:35,080 Speaker 1: overwhelmed all of us because I have work to do, 447 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,200 Speaker 1: and the kids don't want all that. You can have 448 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: a little but they don't. They don't want you in 449 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: there with cameras. We that's our space. We want to 450 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,680 Speaker 1: talk and now we're not gonna talk because you're in there, 451 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,240 Speaker 1: you know, the media, all the cameras. So then we 452 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: had U S News and World Report, cop that's a 453 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: business journey. And I said, but we don't fit with 454 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 1: y'all usually cover and the person says, um me and 455 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,560 Speaker 1: another one of the journalists thought that this would really 456 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: be something to show America, to show the world, and 457 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: they said, may not even they might not even give 458 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 1: you a page, but if anything, maybe one. I said, well, 459 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: you have to do it. It's okay if we don't know, 460 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: we think that this is worthwhile. We ended up with 461 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 1: five pages I couldn't believe it. Now it's it's up 462 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: to all the calls coming in and from around the world. 463 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: It wasn't just you know, America, it was from it 464 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 1: was from everywhere. We were started from Greece, from Scotland, 465 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: from it was amazing. So that excuse me. There was 466 00:32:53,280 --> 00:33:02,120 Speaker 1: a and director for a new are the movie for 467 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: Lifetime movies. He was one of the ones that had 468 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: all the presented a lot of movies actually for Lifetime. 469 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: And he was getting on a plane and the US 470 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:15,200 Speaker 1: Now News Report, World Report was in the back look thing. 471 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: The little packet were the as a really by the steed. 472 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,239 Speaker 1: It was behind the scene in front of him, and 473 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: he reached over and and you know, they cleaned those 474 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 1: out pretty quickly after the plane is empty. So I 475 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: don't know why that one made it in there, but 476 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: he pulled it out and said, oh us, you know, 477 00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 1: he's looking for about what his stocks and stuff are 478 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 1: going on, and he stumbled across our story. He said 479 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: he read it ten times. He couldn't wait to get 480 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 1: off the plane. Now we're getting a lot of calls now, 481 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: so all of a sudden, here comes a calm, Yes, 482 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: this is John from this movie movie company, and we're 483 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: interested in doing the story on you for lifetime. And 484 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:06,800 Speaker 1: I said, no, it's not. He said, ma'am, it is. 485 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 1: I said stop and I hung up. I can't wait 486 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,719 Speaker 1: to get my hangar a phone call because I hear 487 00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 1: a lot of these stories. People say, well, Quincy Jones, 488 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: car and I said, Quincy Jones. I hung up the phone. 489 00:34:21,680 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: I have never done that before, like you know, so 490 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 1: I need to give me one of those. I need 491 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: something like that. And they said, Ms. Gambrielle, we really 492 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:32,719 Speaker 1: want to come see you. They said, what don't you 493 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 1: just call us bat And I said, yeah, but you 494 00:34:34,760 --> 00:34:38,040 Speaker 1: you could answer the phone saying you're the same thing. 495 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 1: If I call you, I wit please saw I call back. 496 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:46,560 Speaker 1: They answered and gave their name, the company's name, and 497 00:34:46,719 --> 00:34:50,640 Speaker 1: they flew in two weeks later, one just to sign 498 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:54,600 Speaker 1: a contract. Meant with the board. I said, will take 499 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,719 Speaker 1: two years to do it because we're gonna send in 500 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 1: writers and all these people. Well, and they came to class. 501 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:06,200 Speaker 1: The one who found me first from the plane. They 502 00:35:06,239 --> 00:35:11,239 Speaker 1: came to class and he cried like a baby. The 503 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: kids gave permission for him to be in there. If 504 00:35:14,160 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 1: they said no, he had to go didn't care for 505 00:35:16,120 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: you a movie producer, the vice president, you're out that 506 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:24,600 Speaker 1: it's their program. And they said, no, that's okay, and 507 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 1: they just talked about their journey and he just he 508 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 1: couldn't hardly take it. So now he's really on fire. 509 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:39,560 Speaker 1: So he brought in the writers and other people and 510 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 1: they just kind of followed the surround and were sent 511 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:46,720 Speaker 1: to send the script to me as it was being done, 512 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,800 Speaker 1: and they were telling me which scene had just gotten filmed, 513 00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: and you know, it was just it just was so surreal, 514 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:59,799 Speaker 1: like I'll believe that in Canada, Calgary. So they said, 515 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,920 Speaker 1: we want to bring you in, maybe bring five of 516 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 1: the kids in and put y'all in the booie. I said, okay, 517 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: and now I've got all these children now bye. So 518 00:36:11,120 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: I picked five that I thought could handle it and 519 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't kind of panic and be what those cameras came 520 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:21,279 Speaker 1: at him, and that would be able to articulate. Not 521 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:23,560 Speaker 1: know so much in the movie because they did have 522 00:36:23,600 --> 00:36:25,919 Speaker 1: a speaking part, but they found their way in front 523 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:28,719 Speaker 1: of the cameras and passing these kids going up and 524 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:31,720 Speaker 1: down the hallway. They got in there. They were great 525 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:35,279 Speaker 1: and they featured them in the auditorium. Mine were the 526 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 1: whole row that was right there, and so that I 527 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:41,799 Speaker 1: got to be in it. I said eight words, so 528 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: I had about eight seconds. But if you didn't know me, 529 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:47,560 Speaker 1: I ready, you would never know that it was me 530 00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,640 Speaker 1: because all the energy was on Jamie Gertz, who played me, 531 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: And it was just amazing. Then they flew us back 532 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:59,160 Speaker 1: in and they did a Hollywood premier for us, but 533 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: what and there was four hundred people there and the 534 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: kids and kids everybody got to come in that time, 535 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:12,759 Speaker 1: and it was just amazing. I'm still stunned, and I'm 536 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 1: still stunned. So what a joy though, I think about 537 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,919 Speaker 1: it is that you're not done, like you've done so 538 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:25,719 Speaker 1: much more like hell, you probably got a body at 539 00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,360 Speaker 1: least three or four books, you know. You know what 540 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:33,120 Speaker 1: I really really appreciate about the program and what you 541 00:37:33,239 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 1: do is that you you empower the kids. See that's 542 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:45,440 Speaker 1: what worked for me. M hmm. All the way to 543 00:37:45,600 --> 00:37:51,480 Speaker 1: nine grade, I just blew all those teachers away, like 544 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:53,080 Speaker 1: I mean like like I blew them off. It's like 545 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:56,520 Speaker 1: there's no big deal. I never really took school and serious. 546 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: And one day my science teacher who was in my 547 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:06,719 Speaker 1: homeroom teacher, Mrs Mrs Emma Oliver. Bless God, bless miss 548 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 1: Emma Oliver. At Farest Brook High School. She um after 549 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 1: me and my buddy came in her class clown and 550 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:19,280 Speaker 1: singing and stuff with trench coaching and hats on and stuff, 551 00:38:19,320 --> 00:38:21,839 Speaker 1: just adding a food. She made me sit in front 552 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:23,880 Speaker 1: of the class. Then the next day she made me 553 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: write the daily objective on the board. I always thought 554 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,600 Speaker 1: that the kids who wrote the daily objective on the 555 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,880 Speaker 1: board was the smart kids. So all of a sudden, 556 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:37,680 Speaker 1: I'm feeling I'm feeling smart. You know, I didn't never 557 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:40,239 Speaker 1: think I was a dummy, but I didn't really think 558 00:38:40,280 --> 00:38:43,719 Speaker 1: I was like one of the smart kids. Right, So 559 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,040 Speaker 1: this was, you know, usually reserved for the smart kid, 560 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:51,759 Speaker 1: and I also the obedient kid, right, I never thought 561 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:55,000 Speaker 1: I definitely wasn't the obedient kid. So here I am. 562 00:38:55,040 --> 00:38:58,560 Speaker 1: I'm writing a daily objective on the board. So now 563 00:38:58,760 --> 00:39:05,160 Speaker 1: I feel a sense of respond instability. Then she made 564 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:10,200 Speaker 1: me keep names when she would leave the room. Now 565 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,200 Speaker 1: I had had no idea what she was doing to me, 566 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,719 Speaker 1: but she was working me, and she was empowering me. 567 00:39:17,880 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 1: She delegated the thirty to me to give me some 568 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 1: sense of responsibility, So I felt responsible. She knew if 569 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:29,120 Speaker 1: I can get this one under control, he'll control the 570 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:34,839 Speaker 1: rest of them, because who wants to go against him? Right, 571 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: So every time she came back into the classroom, the 572 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:42,240 Speaker 1: classroom was quieter than it was before she left, because 573 00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:46,560 Speaker 1: nobody wanted any problems with me, right, And then also 574 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:52,200 Speaker 1: not to say she needed my protection, but it was there. 575 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:57,800 Speaker 1: I was like a nobody messing with Miss Oliver. Anybody 576 00:39:58,040 --> 00:40:01,160 Speaker 1: got a problem with Miss Oliver, got a problem with me? 577 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:04,320 Speaker 1: And I see that same type of energy with your children. 578 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 1: Your kids have that same amount of energy. Ain't nobody 579 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:12,719 Speaker 1: missing with Miss Granbrell. If you mess with Miss Gambril, 580 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:19,359 Speaker 1: it's on. And so I don't understand why more educators, 581 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:24,759 Speaker 1: more counselors don't do stuff like that. They don't empower 582 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:28,320 Speaker 1: the children. They come in. It's my thing, it's my program, 583 00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 1: it's my way of the highway, and they and it's 584 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:35,120 Speaker 1: and you're you're talking to kids, and you're trying to 585 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: get the best out of them, and you know, you're 586 00:40:40,239 --> 00:40:42,680 Speaker 1: trying to relate to that that you were you're supposed 587 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: to be, trying to relate to their feelings and stuff 588 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:47,720 Speaker 1: like that. But you really are really dismissing their feelings 589 00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:52,400 Speaker 1: when you have this type of attitude of my way 590 00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:57,640 Speaker 1: or the highway, Like, did you consciously go in from 591 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:01,520 Speaker 1: day one thinking like, well, I'm going to empower them? 592 00:41:02,239 --> 00:41:04,560 Speaker 1: Was that at any point that you did it differently 593 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:06,640 Speaker 1: and you said, well, I think I can do better. 594 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,279 Speaker 1: I'm doing it the wrong way. Did you come in 595 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:13,800 Speaker 1: day one doing it where you were empowering the kids 596 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:20,080 Speaker 1: day one? Yes? And the reason why is I knew 597 00:41:20,440 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 1: what worked for me and how you treated me and 598 00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:26,440 Speaker 1: what you said to me would have it impact me. 599 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 1: Then of course that we have the same in path 600 00:41:30,600 --> 00:41:35,240 Speaker 1: with them, you know, So what do y'all want to do? Okay, 601 00:41:35,360 --> 00:41:38,040 Speaker 1: You're giving me the abilty to make a choice, to 602 00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: have power to make decisions over what I want, and 603 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:44,240 Speaker 1: I don't have any power anywhere else in my life, 604 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:47,799 Speaker 1: so I knew that would work. And the first day 605 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:56,400 Speaker 1: m hmm. Well um. The main thing is that you 606 00:41:56,520 --> 00:41:59,120 Speaker 1: keep that door open for the child and whatever they say, 607 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 1: don't pan can make all these demands. And because with 608 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: their natural way of being may make you uncomfortable, you 609 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:09,359 Speaker 1: might like, if you don't cuss, you don't this, you don't. 610 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,480 Speaker 1: It's about them, it's not about you. They're not trying 611 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: to do anything wrong or be disrespectful. This is just 612 00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:22,839 Speaker 1: the way they communicate. You can watch children and think 613 00:42:22,880 --> 00:42:25,120 Speaker 1: they're getting a little bit too rowdy and beating each 614 00:42:25,160 --> 00:42:28,439 Speaker 1: other up and bullying each other, and if you try 615 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:31,320 Speaker 1: to intervene in that, they're gonna come after you because 616 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,320 Speaker 1: that's how they play. So you have to start understanding 617 00:42:34,360 --> 00:42:39,080 Speaker 1: the culture and the subculture behavior, everything that's in there. 618 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,560 Speaker 1: You have to not bring your own mentality from your 619 00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:47,640 Speaker 1: own Like me being white coming in from and never 620 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:52,520 Speaker 1: ever being around African American children, I wondered where they were. 621 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 1: I can't wait. I thought I wanted to be with 622 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,759 Speaker 1: all these other children that I hear Jesus loves the 623 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:03,480 Speaker 1: little children, Ben and Blood, you weren't yellow, black and white. 624 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:05,799 Speaker 1: Point the podcast will be right back after the point. 625 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:17,520 Speaker 1: M So. I grew up in the bad area. There 626 00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:22,680 Speaker 1: have fighter near there, so I always thought, well, where 627 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:26,239 Speaker 1: are they? How much fun would that be? So when 628 00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,040 Speaker 1: I'm with them, I knew for a lot of them, 629 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 1: I was the first white person, not just smell or female, 630 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,200 Speaker 1: that they might have been around. So I'm just looking 631 00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:40,480 Speaker 1: at all of that. But but I just came in 632 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 1: with wood do y'all want to do? And I was 633 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:47,759 Speaker 1: high energy? Uh was it like? What did you say? 634 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:51,759 Speaker 1: Mm hmmm. I would sometimes repeat it back to him 635 00:43:53,000 --> 00:43:58,000 Speaker 1: and they would be what I said, Yeah, I know, 636 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:01,239 Speaker 1: I know some words and would just laugh and laugh. 637 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:05,040 Speaker 1: But because we laugh, we laughed a lot humor, so 638 00:44:05,160 --> 00:44:09,479 Speaker 1: healing and so healthy. Anybody know, anybody got a good joke, 639 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:12,440 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a clean wind. No, but cut up 640 00:44:12,760 --> 00:44:15,839 Speaker 1: and they would talk and laugh, and I what we 641 00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:20,280 Speaker 1: honored birthdays. We had birthday cakes. We see, I'm thinking 642 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,440 Speaker 1: we had a birthday the fourth we started January four. 643 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:26,359 Speaker 1: What by the seventh it was a birthday. We were 644 00:44:26,400 --> 00:44:29,720 Speaker 1: only four days old. So I'm gonna bring a big 645 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,600 Speaker 1: cake for every child. I had all these big plans, 646 00:44:33,280 --> 00:44:36,040 Speaker 1: got him a new backpack, and then pretty soon I 647 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:40,399 Speaker 1: was having ten birthdays a month. They any more break 648 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:44,200 Speaker 1: those down to some cupcakes. Get the cupcakes and only 649 00:44:44,239 --> 00:44:47,120 Speaker 1: you get one. You know, it's just so massive, But 650 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:49,719 Speaker 1: they knew they were gonna be honored. I took them 651 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:52,040 Speaker 1: to eat all the time, to places that they had 652 00:44:52,080 --> 00:44:57,279 Speaker 1: never been and still do still do, and they just 653 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,919 Speaker 1: get so excited, and but then I hear them talk 654 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:04,080 Speaker 1: about it. Man, I want to pop those this weekend, 655 00:45:04,200 --> 00:45:10,000 Speaker 1: you know, so proud of the life experiences and seeing, yeah, 656 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:13,200 Speaker 1: you you can do that too. You deserve to do that, 657 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:16,200 Speaker 1: and we're going to do it more. And then when 658 00:45:16,280 --> 00:45:20,439 Speaker 1: you are older and working, I can meet you there 659 00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:25,360 Speaker 1: with your children. Anyway, that's cool, you know, making it 660 00:45:25,440 --> 00:45:28,680 Speaker 1: all and now it's looking like, oh my god, these 661 00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:32,840 Speaker 1: things are possible. And then going to college, they do 662 00:45:32,840 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: even think. There were a lot of our children didn't 663 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:38,080 Speaker 1: think they were going to live. They won't go to college. 664 00:45:38,520 --> 00:45:40,759 Speaker 1: They were gonna get killed some and they're on neighborhood 665 00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:45,319 Speaker 1: just because a lot that was going on arm they 666 00:45:45,400 --> 00:45:48,879 Speaker 1: were going to kill themselves because they were I didn't 667 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:52,839 Speaker 1: want to live anymore, or the penitentiary. They didn't see 668 00:45:52,840 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 1: any options. I know. You you just experienced something like 669 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:00,000 Speaker 1: that one of your kids. Last was it last year 670 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:09,680 Speaker 1: your kids? One of your kids was murdered? Okay, yeah, 671 00:46:09,719 --> 00:46:13,200 Speaker 1: well it was something about last It was was last year? 672 00:46:13,360 --> 00:46:16,200 Speaker 1: Is when the case was coming up with something the 673 00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:20,200 Speaker 1: trial or something like that. No, No, that it wasn't 674 00:46:20,400 --> 00:46:23,600 Speaker 1: because the guy committed suicide who killed him right right, 675 00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:27,239 Speaker 1: And this was one of your brightest stars. I mean 676 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:31,840 Speaker 1: it's one of the kids doctor from Colombia. Yeah, well, 677 00:46:32,200 --> 00:46:35,839 Speaker 1: I was handing the charts to Divine. He was going 678 00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:40,239 Speaker 1: to take over the school program component and I was 679 00:46:40,360 --> 00:46:43,480 Speaker 1: going to start working. We were going to write a 680 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:46,040 Speaker 1: book together and he was going to take care of 681 00:46:46,040 --> 00:46:48,439 Speaker 1: the schools. And knew we were going to hire more 682 00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:51,440 Speaker 1: of our veteran members who had started with me and Smiley, 683 00:46:51,920 --> 00:46:55,280 Speaker 1: hire them who had gotten degrees and became social workers 684 00:46:55,840 --> 00:47:00,000 Speaker 1: to now run on the different campuses to do the program. 685 00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:01,960 Speaker 1: But he was going to be the top one. The 686 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:07,319 Speaker 1: kids absolutely adored him. He was so handsome and so 687 00:47:07,400 --> 00:47:11,480 Speaker 1: smart and so funny and they just were And he 688 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:16,399 Speaker 1: has an identical twin brother, identical so to see him 689 00:47:16,440 --> 00:47:20,360 Speaker 1: together and he went to Forest Brook, he was it 690 00:47:20,480 --> 00:47:24,720 Speaker 1: was they were just so lovely. And when that happened, 691 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:29,640 Speaker 1: his mom called me then I've never been the same since. 692 00:47:30,640 --> 00:47:36,080 Speaker 1: How did he get on the trajectory of success and 693 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:40,000 Speaker 1: being this progressive kid that came through the program, so 694 00:47:40,080 --> 00:47:43,880 Speaker 1: progressive that you identified him as a person to pass 695 00:47:43,960 --> 00:47:48,480 Speaker 1: the torch two and then he ends up getting derailed, 696 00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:53,480 Speaker 1: you know, after seemingly having it all together. Well, I 697 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:55,640 Speaker 1: don't know if I ever say deralled. He was in 698 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:59,920 Speaker 1: a relationship and begin to see it was the person 699 00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:03,800 Speaker 1: that he was seeing was beginning to stalk him and 700 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:07,120 Speaker 1: show some violent tendencies. So he wanted out of the 701 00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:12,160 Speaker 1: relationship and the person came back and killed him. Um, 702 00:48:13,160 --> 00:48:15,520 Speaker 1: because he was happy, he brought the guy to see me. 703 00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:20,240 Speaker 1: I got to meet him. And then when I asked 704 00:48:20,320 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 1: his mom, but who what happened? And it was the 705 00:48:24,080 --> 00:48:29,160 Speaker 1: same name, And I was sick to my stomach. But 706 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:36,480 Speaker 1: he was Devon was very, very quiet, but that radar 707 00:48:37,640 --> 00:48:41,040 Speaker 1: was going constantly. He was watching everything around him, and 708 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:46,120 Speaker 1: he was dealing with Perilla incarceration. And bless his fabulous 709 00:48:46,200 --> 00:48:50,799 Speaker 1: grandmother and grandfather because they they're so precious that took 710 00:48:50,840 --> 00:48:55,560 Speaker 1: care of them. And the mother. She took the kids 711 00:48:55,719 --> 00:48:58,319 Speaker 1: to see their mom in prison. She wanted them to 712 00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:02,520 Speaker 1: clearly know that was their mother, she was the grandmother. 713 00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,640 Speaker 1: So she worked really hard to keep that relationship going. 714 00:49:06,600 --> 00:49:10,440 Speaker 1: And he graduated from l s U, which was his goal. 715 00:49:10,960 --> 00:49:12,879 Speaker 1: But when he came to class one day, I said 716 00:49:12,880 --> 00:49:14,480 Speaker 1: to mine, if you want to come bet with us, 717 00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:19,799 Speaker 1: you can do it. No, thank you, just the sweet 718 00:49:20,360 --> 00:49:23,239 Speaker 1: just so precious, and I said, okay, because I know 719 00:49:23,320 --> 00:49:27,239 Speaker 1: you're uncomfortable. And and then the day did decide to go. 720 00:49:30,719 --> 00:49:33,560 Speaker 1: He told his teacher that he was coming to know 721 00:49:33,640 --> 00:49:38,839 Speaker 1: more victims that day, and the teacher said, what, why 722 00:49:38,920 --> 00:49:42,040 Speaker 1: would you go in there with those kids? They're all 723 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:49,400 Speaker 1: going to prison anyway? Broke his heart and he said, 724 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:56,359 Speaker 1: I am one of those kids, and I'm going. And 725 00:49:56,440 --> 00:50:00,080 Speaker 1: it shook him to his core. But he came. And 726 00:50:00,840 --> 00:50:04,920 Speaker 1: I just kept watching and looking and never talking. But 727 00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:07,120 Speaker 1: I saw it in him, and I said, you want 728 00:50:07,120 --> 00:50:11,600 Speaker 1: to go to Sacramento to a children's defense filling conference 729 00:50:11,760 --> 00:50:15,560 Speaker 1: with me? And I took another student and I was 730 00:50:15,680 --> 00:50:20,520 Speaker 1: looking everywhere. We had finished the day, all the assemblies 731 00:50:20,520 --> 00:50:26,279 Speaker 1: and everything. I couldn't find him anywhere. Lord, now we're 732 00:50:26,280 --> 00:50:29,600 Speaker 1: in California. Where is this top? I'm looking everywhere, so 733 00:50:29,719 --> 00:50:32,680 Speaker 1: stopping people on the sidewalk that with the big conference. 734 00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:35,000 Speaker 1: They said, you know what, there is still a group 735 00:50:35,000 --> 00:50:41,160 Speaker 1: of kids that's over in the cafeteria. And I went 736 00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,640 Speaker 1: in there and there's the arm with all these college 737 00:50:44,680 --> 00:50:50,440 Speaker 1: students and they're all having a debate, and he is 738 00:50:50,600 --> 00:50:54,719 Speaker 1: just controlling the whole thing. He's just firing answers off 739 00:50:54,760 --> 00:50:57,719 Speaker 1: and responses, and they were saying, are you They were 740 00:50:57,719 --> 00:51:01,880 Speaker 1: all amazed with him. But I heard him, and I 741 00:51:01,960 --> 00:51:06,439 Speaker 1: knew the fire was lit. I've watched it get lit 742 00:51:06,640 --> 00:51:11,400 Speaker 1: right there, and from that point foreward, every when he 743 00:51:11,440 --> 00:51:13,640 Speaker 1: went to Connecticut with me and another one of the 744 00:51:13,719 --> 00:51:16,480 Speaker 1: kids and he got he started speaking publicly. Wherever I went, 745 00:51:16,520 --> 00:51:21,960 Speaker 1: I took him and that voice. People just were so 746 00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:25,120 Speaker 1: amazed with him. Then he graduated from l s U. 747 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:28,000 Speaker 1: He went on he won the Tuman Scholarship, first African 748 00:51:28,000 --> 00:51:31,960 Speaker 1: American in l s u's history to win the scholarship, 749 00:51:32,840 --> 00:51:37,240 Speaker 1: and then from there went on to Colombia beginning his doctorate, 750 00:51:37,320 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 1: and he was murdered and we were just he was 751 00:51:44,239 --> 00:51:49,719 Speaker 1: so ready to take it. He was so excited. So 752 00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:55,239 Speaker 1: I'm still not where I need to be. But like 753 00:51:55,280 --> 00:51:58,000 Speaker 1: I didn't want to ride anymore, quit everything. I just 754 00:51:58,120 --> 00:52:01,520 Speaker 1: I just wasn't up to it. But now out I'm 755 00:52:01,560 --> 00:52:04,439 Speaker 1: getting ready. His best friend in Irony, I'm gonna write 756 00:52:04,440 --> 00:52:08,120 Speaker 1: that book, and he's about to get his doctorate because 757 00:52:08,200 --> 00:52:13,880 Speaker 1: coming but we're starting. Our Dr Devonte Wade Social Justice 758 00:52:13,920 --> 00:52:19,880 Speaker 1: Reform Initiative is named after him and all the social 759 00:52:19,960 --> 00:52:24,640 Speaker 1: justice issues that he wanted to make better. He wanted 760 00:52:24,680 --> 00:52:27,880 Speaker 1: to resolve to make the whole the world a better place. 761 00:52:27,880 --> 00:52:31,239 Speaker 1: So he wasn't going to change the world. He had 762 00:52:31,239 --> 00:52:34,880 Speaker 1: already started changing the world. He wasn't going too it 763 00:52:34,960 --> 00:52:38,400 Speaker 1: was happening. What a loss, What a loss to the 764 00:52:38,440 --> 00:52:44,640 Speaker 1: world the universe. Yeah, that was a girl that you 765 00:52:44,719 --> 00:52:50,319 Speaker 1: told me about years ago. That was in a motel room. 766 00:52:50,520 --> 00:52:52,640 Speaker 1: We were have pimp or a drug dealer, and he 767 00:52:52,800 --> 00:52:55,279 Speaker 1: went up there and got her, went in the room. 768 00:52:55,840 --> 00:52:58,320 Speaker 1: You challenged it the guy who was it was? It 769 00:52:58,440 --> 00:53:02,480 Speaker 1: was the guy a drug dealer. Drug dealer went in 770 00:53:02,520 --> 00:53:05,400 Speaker 1: the room in third ward? Was that third one that 771 00:53:05,440 --> 00:53:08,239 Speaker 1: happened that? What was it? I know you didn't go 772 00:53:08,239 --> 00:53:10,239 Speaker 1: to Fifth War over that? You went the Fifth War 773 00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:14,799 Speaker 1: over that? Oh man? Okay. So so he went up 774 00:53:15,320 --> 00:53:21,000 Speaker 1: to a motail room within fifth ward and challenged a 775 00:53:21,120 --> 00:53:27,759 Speaker 1: drug dealer about his what this woman was? It was 776 00:53:27,800 --> 00:53:32,600 Speaker 1: just his girlfriend, right, they might have been, but he 777 00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:35,399 Speaker 1: was dealing with her, and I think we crossed over 778 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:39,200 Speaker 1: the pimp as well. Back and forth. So you get 779 00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:44,200 Speaker 1: a call from her saying that she's in distress, and 780 00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:50,960 Speaker 1: you this this this this white woman show up in 781 00:53:51,239 --> 00:53:56,000 Speaker 1: fifth ward. If y'all don't know fifth ward fam. Uh 782 00:53:56,400 --> 00:53:58,680 Speaker 1: let's just say, you know, if you see a white 783 00:53:58,680 --> 00:54:07,279 Speaker 1: person there, uh, it would be abnormal. Okay, So do 784 00:54:07,360 --> 00:54:13,440 Speaker 1: you show up and you do what? I went on 785 00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:16,680 Speaker 1: upstairs and you know that it was where the rooms 786 00:54:16,680 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 1: are on that the doors are all on the outside. 787 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,719 Speaker 1: Had to go up the stairs and real motel. Yeah, 788 00:54:25,120 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 1: we kick doing moteel and she told me what room 789 00:54:29,000 --> 00:54:34,799 Speaker 1: and you know, I wasn't afraid. And I looked back 790 00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:40,320 Speaker 1: and think, did you just not realize where what was? Really? 791 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:43,880 Speaker 1: Where I was? I knew clearly where I was. But 792 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:50,279 Speaker 1: when it's a child, because she was a miner, you 793 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:53,239 Speaker 1: better get off your ass and go do what you 794 00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:56,879 Speaker 1: need to do. That I did. So you went there 795 00:54:56,880 --> 00:55:00,879 Speaker 1: and you knocked on the door. He opens the door 796 00:55:01,800 --> 00:55:03,719 Speaker 1: and didn't he have a gun? Yeah? I had a 797 00:55:03,800 --> 00:55:06,320 Speaker 1: good So he opens the door with the gun in 798 00:55:06,360 --> 00:55:10,359 Speaker 1: his hand, head in his hand, and I'm see her 799 00:55:10,440 --> 00:55:15,040 Speaker 1: behind him and I said, said, come on, let's go, 800 00:55:16,360 --> 00:55:20,680 Speaker 1: and he just looked at me like, if you are 801 00:55:20,840 --> 00:55:25,439 Speaker 1: just crazy to come up here and do this, then 802 00:55:25,560 --> 00:55:29,360 Speaker 1: you probably have something on you, a weapon or something 803 00:55:29,440 --> 00:55:32,640 Speaker 1: on you. Because I had no fear, and maybe that 804 00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:37,080 Speaker 1: was just you know what you do what you gotta do, 805 00:55:37,280 --> 00:55:40,600 Speaker 1: and I deal with the rest whatever comes. But he 806 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:45,200 Speaker 1: didn't argue or do anything. I just took her with me. Then, 807 00:55:47,200 --> 00:55:49,799 Speaker 1: do you have any contact with her today? Oh? Yeah, 808 00:55:49,880 --> 00:55:53,279 Speaker 1: she's doing great. He's got two babies. That's good. He's 809 00:55:53,320 --> 00:56:01,240 Speaker 1: doing well. But we we've had some terrible things. Um 810 00:56:01,239 --> 00:56:05,400 Speaker 1: which had some terrible things happened where a mother is 811 00:56:05,520 --> 00:56:12,799 Speaker 1: using drugs and she owes the dealer and she had 812 00:56:12,840 --> 00:56:15,920 Speaker 1: got into a new apartment. She got into another complex 813 00:56:16,800 --> 00:56:19,359 Speaker 1: and there was no furnituring thing in there, but she 814 00:56:19,400 --> 00:56:21,879 Speaker 1: had gotten the key and so she was in there 815 00:56:21,920 --> 00:56:24,640 Speaker 1: and she had her daughter with her, who's one of ours. 816 00:56:25,239 --> 00:56:28,640 Speaker 1: But I didn't know the child when this happened, and she, 817 00:56:30,840 --> 00:56:33,319 Speaker 1: thank god, she told the daughter, this is where our 818 00:56:33,400 --> 00:56:35,320 Speaker 1: new apartment is going to be, and had the child 819 00:56:35,360 --> 00:56:39,520 Speaker 1: come upstairs. She was sixteen and she had walked downstairs 820 00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:43,120 Speaker 1: to get something and saw him down the alley, because 821 00:56:43,120 --> 00:56:45,239 Speaker 1: you know, you can look down as you walked down 822 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:48,279 Speaker 1: and saw him, and he saw her and he comes 823 00:56:48,360 --> 00:56:52,520 Speaker 1: running for her. She's trying to get up the stairs. Now. 824 00:56:52,800 --> 00:56:57,160 Speaker 1: She lost from a size sixteen to a size zero, 825 00:56:58,280 --> 00:57:01,799 Speaker 1: which is very common depend on what drug you're used. 826 00:57:02,640 --> 00:57:05,560 Speaker 1: And he got up there. She used to lock the door, 827 00:57:06,000 --> 00:57:09,160 Speaker 1: and he kicked it in and got in there and 828 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:12,000 Speaker 1: undid the knob, and when he got in there, he 829 00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:15,719 Speaker 1: held a gun on her and the daughter, and he 830 00:57:15,840 --> 00:57:19,680 Speaker 1: was hitting her with the mom and kicked her and 831 00:57:20,760 --> 00:57:26,200 Speaker 1: told her to crawl over and in the corner, and 832 00:57:26,320 --> 00:57:29,520 Speaker 1: she did. And then he said, this is how we're 833 00:57:29,520 --> 00:57:33,320 Speaker 1: going to take care of this closed off and said 834 00:57:33,360 --> 00:57:38,600 Speaker 1: that to the daughter. So this is a this is 835 00:57:38,640 --> 00:57:41,880 Speaker 1: a minor. Was she a minor at the time. No, 836 00:57:42,040 --> 00:57:47,240 Speaker 1: I'm talking about the girlfriend. Huh. The girlfriend is a minor, 837 00:57:48,080 --> 00:57:51,959 Speaker 1: The daughter is a minor. It was the mother, the mother. 838 00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:57,040 Speaker 1: How old is the mother, probably almost at that time, 839 00:57:57,080 --> 00:57:59,160 Speaker 1: the mother's almost forty. And how it is the daughter 840 00:57:59,160 --> 00:58:05,280 Speaker 1: of the miner. Okay, so the drug So she old 841 00:58:05,360 --> 00:58:09,960 Speaker 1: the drug dealer money. Okay, So the drug dealer comes. 842 00:58:11,160 --> 00:58:12,920 Speaker 1: He happened to see her because he was looking for 843 00:58:14,120 --> 00:58:16,680 Speaker 1: and he came running. He saw what steps, he went 844 00:58:16,760 --> 00:58:22,120 Speaker 1: up and she'd like the door. And but he get 845 00:58:22,160 --> 00:58:25,160 Speaker 1: here in there telling her daughter to hide and kick 846 00:58:25,240 --> 00:58:32,600 Speaker 1: the door in, and the made he held he had 847 00:58:32,600 --> 00:58:35,440 Speaker 1: the gun on the mom, told the daughter to get 848 00:58:35,440 --> 00:58:40,120 Speaker 1: her clothes off, and she was of course horrifying, and 849 00:58:40,160 --> 00:58:45,160 Speaker 1: the mother was, please don't, please, don't you can kill me. Don't, please, 850 00:58:45,160 --> 00:58:47,880 Speaker 1: don't do anything to my daughter. And he raped her 851 00:58:48,560 --> 00:58:51,720 Speaker 1: in front of the mother and she was just sitting 852 00:58:51,720 --> 00:58:58,480 Speaker 1: in the corner like a na fetal position. So the child, 853 00:59:00,400 --> 00:59:03,480 Speaker 1: she was new to our school, and one of the 854 00:59:04,320 --> 00:59:08,600 Speaker 1: the school secretary said, I don't know what's wrong, but 855 00:59:08,600 --> 00:59:11,440 Speaker 1: don't though she's in live pain and her mom's a 856 00:59:11,520 --> 00:59:15,080 Speaker 1: daddy to her to come be with us. So she 857 00:59:15,160 --> 00:59:18,560 Speaker 1: came in. But she she was the saddest child to 858 00:59:18,640 --> 00:59:23,120 Speaker 1: look at her. She was so sad. And then she said, 859 00:59:23,120 --> 00:59:29,160 Speaker 1: I want to talk, okay. She came up to the 860 00:59:29,160 --> 00:59:33,400 Speaker 1: further room. She asked me to stay by her, but 861 00:59:33,560 --> 00:59:38,840 Speaker 1: she was pregnant. I said, okay. She said to the 862 00:59:38,960 --> 00:59:41,800 Speaker 1: whole class, what I just told you? None of us 863 00:59:41,840 --> 00:59:50,960 Speaker 1: knew that, and she said, and now I'm six months pregnant. 864 00:59:52,360 --> 00:59:58,200 Speaker 1: It was from there the hope what had happened to 865 00:59:58,440 --> 01:00:04,000 Speaker 1: what happened to this unseviled eyes much? I don't, I 866 01:00:04,040 --> 01:00:06,760 Speaker 1: don't know what happened to him under the mom went 867 01:00:06,800 --> 01:00:11,760 Speaker 1: into treatment. That she went into treatment, and she wasn't 868 01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:13,760 Speaker 1: in jail or anything. But she just went into treatment 869 01:00:13,760 --> 01:00:16,439 Speaker 1: after that. I don't know anything about him. I never 870 01:00:16,480 --> 01:00:22,800 Speaker 1: heard them say his name. But this child, that's what 871 01:00:22,880 --> 01:00:26,320 Speaker 1: was going on. She was carrying them and she's gotten 872 01:00:26,360 --> 01:00:41,600 Speaker 1: infected as well. But she had two STDs. Did it's 873 01:00:41,840 --> 01:00:48,160 Speaker 1: been really it didn't facture. So but I'm not the 874 01:00:48,280 --> 01:00:52,640 Speaker 1: only one. There's there's so many people working so hard 875 01:00:52,680 --> 01:00:54,840 Speaker 1: and doing good things in their life. They put their 876 01:00:54,840 --> 01:00:57,480 Speaker 1: lives on the life, they give up what they have. 877 01:00:57,720 --> 01:01:00,760 Speaker 1: They worked so hard to be sure that children and 878 01:01:00,800 --> 01:01:05,160 Speaker 1: whatever population they are getting what they need. But it's America. 879 01:01:05,360 --> 01:01:10,520 Speaker 1: Just gotta wake up our politicians, everybody. We've got a 880 01:01:10,560 --> 01:01:14,400 Speaker 1: lot more word to do than arguing the White House 881 01:01:14,440 --> 01:01:18,440 Speaker 1: with the Capitol Building. We our children are in terrible, 882 01:01:19,000 --> 01:01:24,760 Speaker 1: terrible danger every time keeping secrets and and then they 883 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:26,720 Speaker 1: get to school and they cut up and act up, 884 01:01:26,840 --> 01:01:31,880 Speaker 1: so we throw them out, put them in juvie. It 885 01:01:31,960 --> 01:01:33,840 Speaker 1: isn't that the American way. You'd like to put a 886 01:01:33,920 --> 01:01:37,439 Speaker 1: mand aid on stuff like America just I don't think 887 01:01:37,480 --> 01:01:42,960 Speaker 1: America is interested in real solutions. Uh. They love to 888 01:01:43,640 --> 01:01:47,480 Speaker 1: be reactionary, even if it's even something as simple as 889 01:01:47,720 --> 01:01:52,600 Speaker 1: a traffic uh light, right you can have an intersection 890 01:01:53,000 --> 01:01:57,840 Speaker 1: where people are constantly having neres and people are nearly 891 01:01:57,880 --> 01:02:01,440 Speaker 1: getting hit by cars and stuff are they're getting hit. 892 01:02:01,560 --> 01:02:06,400 Speaker 1: There's accidents all the time, and they won't have a 893 01:02:06,480 --> 01:02:10,600 Speaker 1: signal lat to stop sign or anything until somebody gets killed. 894 01:02:10,800 --> 01:02:13,480 Speaker 1: As soon as somebody get killed, it goes up overnight, 895 01:02:14,840 --> 01:02:20,440 Speaker 1: like this is not preventative at all. And you know, finally, 896 01:02:20,640 --> 01:02:24,480 Speaker 1: human trafficking has been here forever. Children have been traffic forever. 897 01:02:25,560 --> 01:02:31,480 Speaker 1: But now that that right after um children, incarcerated parents 898 01:02:31,520 --> 01:02:34,280 Speaker 1: popped up on the radar for a very brief period 899 01:02:34,280 --> 01:02:39,240 Speaker 1: of time, human trafficking became next, and just that got 900 01:02:39,280 --> 01:02:41,880 Speaker 1: shut down and that became the biggest thing. And thank 901 01:02:41,920 --> 01:02:46,760 Speaker 1: god that Now there's so many programs and shelters and 902 01:02:46,960 --> 01:02:51,720 Speaker 1: apartment complexes dedicated to pulling getting women out of those situations. 903 01:02:51,800 --> 01:02:54,920 Speaker 1: But males get in the same situation. They get traffic 904 01:02:54,960 --> 01:02:58,480 Speaker 1: to we don't talk about what happens to them as well. 905 01:02:58,600 --> 01:03:01,200 Speaker 1: So we've got we do talk about it, but not 906 01:03:01,280 --> 01:03:03,640 Speaker 1: nearly on the scale. It should be something we're also 907 01:03:03,680 --> 01:03:06,200 Speaker 1: familiar with because we hear so much about it, what's 908 01:03:06,240 --> 01:03:09,840 Speaker 1: being done about it. But the boy, the boys are 909 01:03:10,280 --> 01:03:15,800 Speaker 1: the boys are being molested and raped, not just by men, 910 01:03:15,920 --> 01:03:19,880 Speaker 1: but also by boys, older boys. Absolutely, you know, like 911 01:03:19,960 --> 01:03:22,240 Speaker 1: so used to be a time you can just put 912 01:03:22,240 --> 01:03:24,480 Speaker 1: the boys in the room and say, okay, all the 913 01:03:24,520 --> 01:03:27,240 Speaker 1: boys going the room, and you know, no big deal. 914 01:03:27,360 --> 01:03:29,320 Speaker 1: You know, you never have to worry about stuff like that. 915 01:03:29,360 --> 01:03:31,360 Speaker 1: But now, you know, you get a boy that's you know, 916 01:03:31,480 --> 01:03:34,040 Speaker 1: five years old, you know, in the same room with 917 01:03:34,080 --> 01:03:36,280 Speaker 1: a boy at seven or eight, he might molest them, 918 01:03:36,400 --> 01:03:38,320 Speaker 1: even eleven year old. Put eleven year old in the 919 01:03:38,320 --> 01:03:41,480 Speaker 1: same room with us eight year old, absolutely he might, 920 01:03:41,520 --> 01:03:44,480 Speaker 1: he might, he might molest him, you know so. And 921 01:03:46,360 --> 01:03:48,960 Speaker 1: then you also got women who are also violated to 922 01:03:49,120 --> 01:03:53,680 Speaker 1: women are sexual abusers. And that's something that's don't nearly 923 01:03:53,680 --> 01:03:57,840 Speaker 1: get talked about enough. That's a that's a plethora of 924 01:03:57,960 --> 01:04:01,480 Speaker 1: issues that we have to deal with in this country 925 01:04:01,520 --> 01:04:06,520 Speaker 1: that we just won't confront And what do we do. Well, 926 01:04:06,680 --> 01:04:10,280 Speaker 1: we don't have a budget, we don't have enough money, 927 01:04:10,360 --> 01:04:14,360 Speaker 1: but we always got money for war. We always got 928 01:04:14,400 --> 01:04:19,320 Speaker 1: money to build another monument or museum or park or stadium. 929 01:04:19,800 --> 01:04:22,200 Speaker 1: And we got that kind of money. You know, we 930 01:04:22,280 --> 01:04:24,720 Speaker 1: got that money. All that money has come out of nowhere. 931 01:04:25,720 --> 01:04:32,600 Speaker 1: But when you talk about using money for for preventive 932 01:04:32,640 --> 01:04:36,920 Speaker 1: preventative measures. You know, that's why when people say defund 933 01:04:36,920 --> 01:04:40,400 Speaker 1: the police, they are talking about totally getting rid of 934 01:04:40,440 --> 01:04:42,960 Speaker 1: the police. They're talking about diverting a lot of those 935 01:04:43,000 --> 01:04:46,640 Speaker 1: funds instead of constantly getting new police officer, more hiring 936 01:04:46,640 --> 01:04:53,800 Speaker 1: more police officers, more, more equipment, more guns. They're saying, 937 01:04:54,360 --> 01:04:59,280 Speaker 1: if we would was a healthier nation, if we were 938 01:04:59,440 --> 01:05:06,000 Speaker 1: healthier people, we wouldn't need as many services from law enforcement. 939 01:05:07,000 --> 01:05:09,640 Speaker 1: We so we could use that money that we're pumping 940 01:05:09,640 --> 01:05:16,200 Speaker 1: in the law enforcement to actually help ourselves. Uh. In 941 01:05:16,280 --> 01:05:22,320 Speaker 1: the mental health department, we can use that money for 942 01:05:23,800 --> 01:05:29,040 Speaker 1: uh for drug addiction, we can use we could use 943 01:05:29,040 --> 01:05:32,240 Speaker 1: that money for mental illness. You know, we could use 944 01:05:32,240 --> 01:05:36,200 Speaker 1: that money to to educate so that we don't have 945 01:05:36,720 --> 01:05:41,360 Speaker 1: as many children who are teenage parents. You know, that's 946 01:05:41,360 --> 01:05:44,439 Speaker 1: what we're talking about. And we don't want to confront that. 947 01:05:44,560 --> 01:05:47,000 Speaker 1: It's always an excuse. And then you put a lot 948 01:05:47,040 --> 01:05:50,480 Speaker 1: of these people in position of power or an authority 949 01:05:52,080 --> 01:05:57,240 Speaker 1: over these kids, and what do they do abuse their authority? 950 01:05:57,600 --> 01:06:01,240 Speaker 1: A lot of them. You know, So, man, we we 951 01:06:01,320 --> 01:06:04,440 Speaker 1: gotta uphill about Maryland. And I'm glad you're on the 952 01:06:04,440 --> 01:06:07,720 Speaker 1: front line. I really do. I mean, I really do 953 01:06:07,760 --> 01:06:11,800 Speaker 1: appreciate you. I you know, uh I would cry, but 954 01:06:11,840 --> 01:06:14,880 Speaker 1: it ain't gangster, you know. But but man, I really 955 01:06:14,880 --> 01:06:18,760 Speaker 1: do love you. I appreciate you. You You are necessary. The 956 01:06:18,800 --> 01:06:21,800 Speaker 1: work that you've put in is immeasurable. I don't know 957 01:06:21,840 --> 01:06:25,920 Speaker 1: a lot of people that that that put it in 958 01:06:25,960 --> 01:06:27,840 Speaker 1: the way you put it in, you know, like and 959 01:06:27,880 --> 01:06:30,880 Speaker 1: you risk it all and you you take it with 960 01:06:31,000 --> 01:06:34,400 Speaker 1: you on a daily basis. You wake up with it, 961 01:06:34,440 --> 01:06:38,000 Speaker 1: you go to sleep with it, and that's commendable to me. 962 01:06:38,560 --> 01:06:40,960 Speaker 1: I salute you, thank you for coming on the show. 963 01:06:41,720 --> 01:06:45,479 Speaker 1: Thank you. And I do want to say there's so 964 01:06:45,560 --> 01:06:51,640 Speaker 1: many amazing, precious teachers as time has gone on that 965 01:06:51,760 --> 01:06:56,200 Speaker 1: I've seen that are they will let me know off 966 01:06:56,200 --> 01:06:58,560 Speaker 1: a child needs something, if the child maybe doesn't want 967 01:06:58,560 --> 01:07:00,960 Speaker 1: to tell them, but they sent it. So I do 968 01:07:01,040 --> 01:07:04,400 Speaker 1: want to acknowledge that. And I'm so grateful to be 969 01:07:04,920 --> 01:07:08,840 Speaker 1: at the schools. Um it's a it's a lot of work. 970 01:07:08,920 --> 01:07:10,720 Speaker 1: We've got a lot more schools that we need to 971 01:07:10,760 --> 01:07:15,600 Speaker 1: be in and there are so many more programs. Bless 972 01:07:15,640 --> 01:07:21,439 Speaker 1: everyone that's working in human trafficking, because I've gone through 973 01:07:21,480 --> 01:07:24,520 Speaker 1: that quite a few times. To get the child horrible 974 01:07:24,560 --> 01:07:27,640 Speaker 1: things right up straight from the school. Shout out to 975 01:07:27,720 --> 01:07:31,280 Speaker 1: Kathy Griffin. Shout out to Kathy Griffin Griffin, love love, 976 01:07:31,360 --> 01:07:34,280 Speaker 1: love you. And she's been in the fight forever and 977 01:07:34,920 --> 01:07:41,680 Speaker 1: coming from that and healing. She's impacted so many lives. Yes, 978 01:07:41,840 --> 01:07:45,360 Speaker 1: love you Kathy. So there's there's just there are things 979 01:07:45,440 --> 01:07:49,000 Speaker 1: going on. But we still need a lot more. But 980 01:07:49,200 --> 01:07:52,160 Speaker 1: we need money to have staff that can be trained 981 01:07:52,720 --> 01:07:57,000 Speaker 1: to help get into more schools, more places, do more things. 982 01:07:57,080 --> 01:08:00,440 Speaker 1: We need to have more money just to take them places, 983 01:08:00,480 --> 01:08:03,160 Speaker 1: exposed them to things. And thank god they do get 984 01:08:03,200 --> 01:08:06,320 Speaker 1: to go on college trips from high school and visit 985 01:08:06,400 --> 01:08:11,480 Speaker 1: college campuses. But we just need to go have fun too, 986 01:08:12,560 --> 01:08:18,840 Speaker 1: h Just go laughing and eat and laughing, just have 987 01:08:18,960 --> 01:08:22,759 Speaker 1: a ball. But they are are I have Our children 988 01:08:22,960 --> 01:08:25,800 Speaker 1: were the most brilliant and as I said, while I go, 989 01:08:26,000 --> 01:08:31,000 Speaker 1: they are absolutely brilliant. Their survivors. They can take care 990 01:08:31,040 --> 01:08:33,599 Speaker 1: of nine years old, taking care of younger siblings and 991 01:08:33,680 --> 01:08:39,120 Speaker 1: kept it under the radar and nobody new. But if 992 01:08:39,120 --> 01:08:42,040 Speaker 1: they go to the corner store or they're selling drugs 993 01:08:43,520 --> 01:08:48,280 Speaker 1: that young, they do guess to keep their siblings fed. 994 01:08:48,360 --> 01:08:50,760 Speaker 1: That's not to be cool, because you're dealing weed or 995 01:08:50,880 --> 01:08:55,679 Speaker 1: drugs or whatever that is a that survival. They shouldn't 996 01:08:55,680 --> 01:08:58,559 Speaker 1: even be in that situation, but they are and they'll 997 01:08:58,560 --> 01:09:03,479 Speaker 1: never tell. So I just make sure that the whole 998 01:09:03,479 --> 01:09:05,840 Speaker 1: family has food. I just drop it off. Hey, I'll 999 01:09:05,840 --> 01:09:09,280 Speaker 1: just if you wanted this just to because you know 1000 01:09:09,360 --> 01:09:13,240 Speaker 1: in your soul, your spirit that they're struggling and they're 1001 01:09:13,280 --> 01:09:16,200 Speaker 1: not always going to tell you. They're shamed or they've 1002 01:09:16,200 --> 01:09:19,880 Speaker 1: been told you did not say anything. So you just 1003 01:09:19,920 --> 01:09:22,679 Speaker 1: have to be on your game enough to be able 1004 01:09:22,720 --> 01:09:26,000 Speaker 1: to identify it and then you you go from there 1005 01:09:26,040 --> 01:09:30,120 Speaker 1: with some wisdom about how to make it happen. The 1006 01:09:30,280 --> 01:09:32,960 Speaker 1: trust thing is a very big part of it. It's 1007 01:09:33,040 --> 01:09:35,519 Speaker 1: like a certain words that you say, certain things that 1008 01:09:35,560 --> 01:09:38,280 Speaker 1: you do that it'll just open up the floodgates for 1009 01:09:38,360 --> 01:09:43,080 Speaker 1: communication and they'll tell you everything because sounds like you 1010 01:09:43,160 --> 01:09:47,160 Speaker 1: alluded to earlier that they are dying to have that conversation. 1011 01:09:47,280 --> 01:09:51,479 Speaker 1: They won't express themselves, but they feel suppressed. It's a 1012 01:09:51,479 --> 01:09:53,320 Speaker 1: lot of fear and they've been told they better not 1013 01:09:53,439 --> 01:09:59,080 Speaker 1: tell yeah, from family members, so they're they try to 1014 01:09:59,160 --> 01:10:04,639 Speaker 1: just keep it inside. But I'm just so grateful that 1015 01:10:04,680 --> 01:10:07,640 Speaker 1: we're there. Where you can come in. They might not 1016 01:10:07,680 --> 01:10:10,479 Speaker 1: say it the first day, they'll tell you enough that 1017 01:10:10,560 --> 01:10:12,479 Speaker 1: they've earned to be able to be in there for 1018 01:10:12,520 --> 01:10:16,559 Speaker 1: a minute. But when they do, and there's nothing like 1019 01:10:16,640 --> 01:10:20,439 Speaker 1: in the child we always there's always we've never not 1020 01:10:20,600 --> 01:10:23,679 Speaker 1: had a child voting in, you know, And people they don't, 1021 01:10:23,720 --> 01:10:28,160 Speaker 1: they don't understand that. That's you have to put something 1022 01:10:28,200 --> 01:10:31,760 Speaker 1: in place where they feel protected, and you've got some 1023 01:10:31,880 --> 01:10:34,400 Speaker 1: rules and you've got to measure up to get in it. 1024 01:10:35,080 --> 01:10:37,599 Speaker 1: You have to because kids can't come in and out 1025 01:10:37,600 --> 01:10:43,000 Speaker 1: whenever they want to, and all this confidential earthshaking information 1026 01:10:43,200 --> 01:10:48,640 Speaker 1: is floating constantly in our classroom and you have to. 1027 01:10:48,760 --> 01:10:51,280 Speaker 1: But they decided how they wanted it to run, and 1028 01:10:51,320 --> 01:10:53,920 Speaker 1: I thought they were brilliant. Let me get into your 1029 01:10:53,920 --> 01:10:58,639 Speaker 1: business a little bit. With no more victims, the budget 1030 01:10:58,720 --> 01:11:02,320 Speaker 1: the annual budget for nor more victims. Are you guys okay? Like, 1031 01:11:02,439 --> 01:11:05,640 Speaker 1: do you have you okay with money? Uh? Do you 1032 01:11:05,680 --> 01:11:09,080 Speaker 1: need more donations? No? We need we need we need 1033 01:11:09,520 --> 01:11:12,600 Speaker 1: so much you need donations? How does one donate to 1034 01:11:12,600 --> 01:11:15,960 Speaker 1: know more victims? You can? We have merged now with 1035 01:11:16,160 --> 01:11:20,280 Speaker 1: launch Point C. D. C Inkinson on the north side 1036 01:11:20,920 --> 01:11:23,640 Speaker 1: and uh, just send it go to their web. Go 1037 01:11:23,720 --> 01:11:29,840 Speaker 1: to the website. It's the launch Center dot org and 1038 01:11:29,880 --> 01:11:32,439 Speaker 1: we're all there and you can see how to just 1039 01:11:32,760 --> 01:11:36,280 Speaker 1: push it. Push the button and send the money in 1040 01:11:36,360 --> 01:11:40,120 Speaker 1: directly for us. It will be designated to our program. Uh. 1041 01:11:40,160 --> 01:11:43,400 Speaker 1: It's an amazing program and Mr Ivory Mayhorn is the 1042 01:11:43,439 --> 01:11:46,599 Speaker 1: founder of that. And you might yeah, and I think 1043 01:11:46,600 --> 01:11:53,639 Speaker 1: I've interviewed. I've interviewed yesterday. He's wonderful and he's an activist. 1044 01:11:53,680 --> 01:11:58,760 Speaker 1: He feeds about five family members every two weeks off 1045 01:11:58,800 --> 01:12:02,599 Speaker 1: a little yard and he's always been a supporter. We've 1046 01:12:02,640 --> 01:12:07,439 Speaker 1: been partners as community UM activists for twenty five thirty 1047 01:12:07,520 --> 01:12:14,120 Speaker 1: years now. So he's amazing. And Uh, the launch Center 1048 01:12:14,200 --> 01:12:17,439 Speaker 1: dot org and you pull it has the phone number 1049 01:12:17,439 --> 01:12:19,559 Speaker 1: on there when you pull that up, and it has 1050 01:12:19,560 --> 01:12:22,080 Speaker 1: a way to donate into what program you want to 1051 01:12:22,080 --> 01:12:26,560 Speaker 1: donate to. We have two videos on there and Divine 1052 01:12:26,760 --> 01:12:31,040 Speaker 1: is in the Nick News video. You can see this 1053 01:12:31,160 --> 01:12:34,120 Speaker 1: child and you'll see the greatness when you see him 1054 01:12:34,120 --> 01:12:37,240 Speaker 1: talking and he's a senior on that video, but he's 1055 01:12:37,240 --> 01:12:40,920 Speaker 1: talking to mothers in prison. So and his mother had 1056 01:12:40,960 --> 01:12:44,960 Speaker 1: just been transferred from there a week earlier. We would 1057 01:12:44,960 --> 01:12:48,120 Speaker 1: have actually seen her they maybe wouldn't have allowed us 1058 01:12:48,160 --> 01:12:51,920 Speaker 1: to be in there because they were family, but she 1059 01:12:52,000 --> 01:12:57,720 Speaker 1: had just left. But thank you for asking that we 1060 01:12:57,880 --> 01:13:02,320 Speaker 1: always need COVID, not just off our feet. Pretty good, 1061 01:13:02,360 --> 01:13:04,920 Speaker 1: you know, because a a lot of donations and things 1062 01:13:04,920 --> 01:13:07,680 Speaker 1: stopped because nobody knew what the future was going to 1063 01:13:07,800 --> 01:13:11,719 Speaker 1: hold with money. They were holding onto their money, which 1064 01:13:11,760 --> 01:13:13,960 Speaker 1: is understandable. And we're still not out of the woods, 1065 01:13:15,320 --> 01:13:19,240 Speaker 1: but we certainly will appreciate all the support we can 1066 01:13:19,240 --> 01:13:23,120 Speaker 1: get because we're gonna have quite a few children graduating 1067 01:13:23,160 --> 01:13:29,840 Speaker 1: in May and we have amazing celebrations when it comes 1068 01:13:29,880 --> 01:13:33,200 Speaker 1: to the graduation. I know that people do different stuff 1069 01:13:33,560 --> 01:13:36,920 Speaker 1: for kids for graduations. You have people that donate prim 1070 01:13:37,040 --> 01:13:41,839 Speaker 1: dresses and tuxedos and things of that nature. So, uh, family, 1071 01:13:41,840 --> 01:13:44,400 Speaker 1: you know, if if y'all you know you're feeling the program, 1072 01:13:44,520 --> 01:13:47,240 Speaker 1: you feel like it's it's a service that that is 1073 01:13:47,280 --> 01:13:50,080 Speaker 1: needed and you appreciate it, you know, reach out to 1074 01:13:50,160 --> 01:13:52,280 Speaker 1: them and see what you can do, you know, see 1075 01:13:52,360 --> 01:13:55,360 Speaker 1: see how you can get involved. Uh you know, you know, 1076 01:13:55,400 --> 01:13:56,920 Speaker 1: it's one thing to talk about it is is a whole 1077 01:13:56,920 --> 01:14:01,800 Speaker 1: another thing to be about it. Yeah, absolutely, And Gambrier 1078 01:14:01,880 --> 01:14:07,160 Speaker 1: Family also your social media handles, No More Victims, Do 1079 01:14:07,200 --> 01:14:12,080 Speaker 1: you have anything? You're on social you're not on social media? Okay, 1080 01:14:12,160 --> 01:14:15,519 Speaker 1: well you know that Mr Mayhart is setting all that 1081 01:14:15,600 --> 01:14:17,960 Speaker 1: up now because we're getting at a home new website, 1082 01:14:18,520 --> 01:14:21,840 Speaker 1: so he's saying it up. But right now, if they 1083 01:14:21,840 --> 01:14:23,920 Speaker 1: want to reach out, they can go to the what's 1084 01:14:23,920 --> 01:14:27,679 Speaker 1: the website, No More Victims website? It's the Launch Center 1085 01:14:27,760 --> 01:14:32,840 Speaker 1: dot org and then you program and then from there 1086 01:14:32,920 --> 01:14:36,320 Speaker 1: we can communicate and everything. All right, that's the rep 1087 01:14:36,360 --> 01:14:41,920 Speaker 1: Fam No More tub. This episode was produced by a 1088 01:14:42,080 --> 01:14:45,400 Speaker 1: King and brought to you by The Black Effect Podcast 1089 01:14:45,520 --> 01:14:48,000 Speaker 1: Network and Heart Radio