1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:03,159 Speaker 1: So over the years, that's meant we've done racist together. 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,320 Speaker 1: We've traveled to different countries together, We've hosted fundraising events, 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: we host events around mental health. Right like it's about running, 4 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: but it's much bigger than that, and I forgot the 5 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: big thing. We actually we've raised hundreds of thousands of 6 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: dollars for nonprofits including UM Planned Parenthood Parenthood and that 7 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: was Alison to see her telling us how she is 8 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: changing the world through movement. This is a really important podcast. 9 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: Make sure you guys pay attention. Okay, we'll be right 10 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:45,519 Speaker 1: back after these messages. It's the greatest sperson and the 11 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: taming can make it carry champion and Carrie champions to 12 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: be champion, the champion, they carry Champion, Champion, they carry Champion. 13 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: They care chi and the timing can make you more. 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: Welcome back, Welcome back to naked Uh. I know the 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: holidays are upon us right uh and usually around this 16 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: time of year, it starts around Thanksgiving. A little bit 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:12,199 Speaker 1: before Thanksgiving, UM, we hear stories of how people are 18 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: really sad or depressed, or they are missing their loved ones, 19 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: or perhaps they're estranged from their loved ones. Whatever the 20 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: world's problems are for said person. We hear about it 21 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: more often, especially during the holidays. It's something about this 22 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: time of year that just um makes people feel. And 23 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: by the time the two hear this podcast, you have 24 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: already learned that there was or if you have been 25 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: reading the social media, you have learned that there was 26 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: a guy by the name of Stephen twitch Boss who 27 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: was a DJ in terms of public facing on the 28 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: Ellen Degenerous Show, and he committed suicide. Uh, it was confirmed, 29 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: and it has been talked about over and over again, 30 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: probably more than usual because of the fact that he 31 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 1: was an influencer who lived his life out loud. On 32 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 1: social media. You could always follow him and his wife. 33 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: They were dancing, there was a couple that danced together, 34 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: was a family that danced together. You could see him 35 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: dancing with his children on social media. He would bring 36 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 1: his sons to his kids to the Ellen Degenerous Show. 37 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: They danced in front of everyone from millions of people 38 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: because a really popular show, and he was on that 39 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 1: show Monday through Friday. In fact, when Ellen Degenerous was 40 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: unceremoniously removed from the show, he was hosting for some 41 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 1: time and he had been on the show since the 42 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: beginning and worked his way all the way up to 43 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: being an executive producer of The Ellen Degenerous Show. Imagine 44 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: that I come on and I'm your DJ, the person, 45 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: your sidekick if you will, that you talked to. And 46 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: I worked my way all the way up to being 47 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: an executive producer on the show because as he had 48 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: become such an interral part of what people saw on 49 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: daytime television. So when you have a job like that 50 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: and you are huge on social media, people think they 51 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: know you. Um and I know, I know in real time. 52 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 1: For me, I've never met him, but whenever I would 53 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: watch his family, whenever I would see him on social 54 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: media or on the show, I felt like I knew him. 55 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: And this is a true testament to the fact that 56 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 1: people you can never meet can really have a profound 57 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: impact on your life. And when he committed suicide or 58 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: when they're their early reports came out, someone dropped it 59 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: in our group chat and everyone in the group chat 60 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: was affected. And no one knew him, but everybody in 61 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: the group chat was like, Wow, this is crazy. I 62 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 1: can't believe that he killed himself. He seemed so happy, 63 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: He brought us so much joy. We loved watching him 64 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: and his family. And that's the key right in the kicker, 65 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: Like we enjoyed watching him and his family. And then 66 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: then you hear the sayings. You never know what goes 67 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: on on social media. People always pretend to be happy, etcetera, etcetera. 68 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: You hear all the sayings, and then you hear the 69 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: people who light up the rooms are the ones you 70 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: should always check on. They are the ones who are 71 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: struggling the most. Whatever platitude you want to say, right, 72 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: this is what you could hear. And then I started 73 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: to call around because I had a couple of friends 74 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: who who really knew him, one of which is Dwayne 75 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: Wade and and I sent him a message because he 76 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 1: posted these images of him and I said, d it's 77 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: a sad day, and he said, it is a really 78 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: sad day. He was like this one hit me hard. Um. 79 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: He really affected me in a in a positive way. 80 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: He was filling in on the Ellen Degenera show when 81 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,679 Speaker 1: she had rotating guests, and he had formed a bond 82 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: with with Twitch, and Twitch really made it easy for 83 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: him to do the job and helped him post the 84 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: show and made him feel comfortable. And at one point 85 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: I think they were really considering d Wade for the job, 86 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: but he just didn't want to do it. Nevertheless, Twitch 87 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: really really touched his spirit because it was so kind 88 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 1: and joyful and nice. And I and my mom always 89 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: says this, and I'm saying it again. People honestly do 90 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: not know about different moments, but they will always remember 91 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: how you make them feel. I don't remember meeting seventeen 92 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 1: people the other day, but I do remember how one 93 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,719 Speaker 1: of those seventeen persons made me feel. And that was 94 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: what he did. He made people feel. So today on 95 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: the podcast, I'm talking to Alison this here. She is 96 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: a community builder, an activists, an athlete, a runner um. 97 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: And she became um someone who used movement running as 98 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 1: a way to be an activist. And I know that 99 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: sounds weird, So how do you become a runner? Right? 100 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: And ultimately used running as something to fight for social justice, 101 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: to be an activist. And for her it was because 102 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 1: she was battling with depression and she saw on social 103 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: media that someone was running and she thought to herself, Okay, 104 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: this person looks like they're enjoying themselves. At paraphrase, she'll explain, 105 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 1: but she used running to really combat her depression, and 106 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: when she realized how it changed her life, she took 107 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: that positive action and used it to change other people's lives, 108 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: and not only other people's lives, more specifically the lives 109 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: of women and black women and other two women women 110 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: who were not necessarily being heard or seen. And over 111 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: the years, she has been able to create a community, 112 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: a very vulnerable community that was founded on on the 113 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: fact that she was depressed. She used running to make 114 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,239 Speaker 1: her feel better than she shared fa story with everyone else, 115 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 1: and these people then heard her story and felt safe 116 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: to share their story, and then once they started feeling better, 117 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: they then decided that they wanted to help others. So 118 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: her message today was so profound, and she kind of 119 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: didn't want to get into the twitch of it all, 120 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: but I thought, why not? Why not? It's here, we're 121 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: talking about it. And more importantly, by the time you 122 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: hear this podcast, will be well into the holiday season, 123 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: meaning Christmas will be right around the corner and people 124 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: will be either dreading spending time with their family or 125 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: wishing they had family, are wanting to spend time with 126 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: a family or someone who feels like family or friends, 127 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: And when you don't have any of those things Around 128 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: this time of year, you get really depressed, you just do, 129 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: or if you already battle with depression and you don't 130 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: feel like you can share that with anyone. This is 131 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: a good podcast to listen to because she talks about 132 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 1: the feeling of being depressed and how she was able 133 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: to realize that tomorrow will be better, and when tomorrow arrived, 134 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: she then found that the next day would be better. 135 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: I am not a therapist. I don't know much about depression. 136 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: I don't sit here and pretend to be an expert. 137 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: I listened to what she said. I appreciate what she said, 138 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: and we all have been down, We've all battled with 139 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: some form. I think of depression, of feeling not worthy 140 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 1: of a feeling is if you don't have an identity, 141 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: or no one cares if you are here. Our loneliness 142 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,800 Speaker 1: the basic, just basic loneliness. And while it is not 143 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: confirmed that is exactly what Twitch was dealing with, I'm 144 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: sure it's not that far off. And while that's none 145 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: of our business, I think our business should be too. 146 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,400 Speaker 1: Support the conversation of mental health and wellness. But the 147 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: other part of that conversation is the action that needs 148 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: to happen. The action that needs to happen when you 149 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: realize I'm having a conversation about being depressed, or I 150 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 1: don't feel well or I feel lonely? What then? What 151 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:47,599 Speaker 1: do you do? Then? What are the steps? How do 152 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:52,360 Speaker 1: you begin? And for Alison, it was running and she 153 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: created a movement. She is a badass woman and she 154 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: created a movement. Something that started off as Hey, I'm 155 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: struggling with this, I don't want to be here in 156 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: this world, turned into Okay, now I'm an athlete and 157 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: I'm finding a way to take all of these negative 158 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: feelings and turn them into something positive. And then now 159 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: I'm actually turning this into something that can help others. 160 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: And not only am I helping others, I'm changing the 161 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: world one run at a time, one motivational conversation at 162 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: a time. She wrote a book, Running While Black. Please 163 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,959 Speaker 1: check it out, but most importantly, listen to her words. 164 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: She's very vulnerable and I appreciate it. It's hard to 165 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: be vulnerable in society today. But the overall message that 166 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: you should take away is that you do matter. Thank 167 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: you for listening to this edition of Naked. Here is 168 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: Alison to see, and to this day I'll give always 169 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: give the backstory. I met Allison at a Misty Copeland event. 170 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 1: It was when Under Armor was really deep into making 171 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: sure that they were giving platforms to people women more 172 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: specifically who are athletes and other ways right, because the 173 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 1: ballerina is an athlete, a runner clearly marathon runner, athlete, 174 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 1: and it was beautiful you were there. I think there 175 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:21,560 Speaker 1: was someone who ran track for the Olympics. Natasha also 176 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: talked to her to this day. It was a great event. 177 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: It was some real powerhouses there. Do you remember Adrian 178 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: Lofton who then went to Nike, who now I think 179 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: is at Google. I'm not or maybe not even there anymore. 180 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 1: But she's she's made a few career jumps, you remember, 181 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 1: is she was blazing the trail for all of us 182 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: still is still is Wow? What a It's just so 183 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: beautiful still to see that we're out here staying committed 184 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: to the cause. Everyone in their own way a little different, 185 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: you know, we digress here and not in a bad way. 186 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 1: We pivot here. We do these these things in this world. 187 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 1: But um, it's an honor to have you on the 188 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: podcast and to highlight what you've been doing for the community. 189 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: So tell everyone about Okay, I met you, and if 190 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: I had to describe you, I would be like, oh, 191 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: she had created Harlem Run. That's when I that's what 192 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: I initially knew of you. What was Harlem Run? Harlem 193 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: Run was is an organization that I started almost exactly 194 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: ten years ago after running a marathon, falling in love 195 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: with running, but recognizing that there were not a lot 196 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 1: of us black people in my training program in races, 197 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,439 Speaker 1: so I wanted to share that experience in a way 198 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: that centered us and our joy. Why did you start running? 199 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: I started running because I was very depressed. Actually, I 200 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,719 Speaker 1: had been super active growing up. I had run the 201 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: four hundred four enger meter hurdles um, but distance was 202 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: never my thing until I was very depressed. Just like 203 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 1: on social media, watching people live their best lives, and 204 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: I saw a black guy who was training for a marathon. 205 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: My first thought was regular black people don't do that, right, 206 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: like if they're not from Kenya or you know what. 207 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: This dude was running and he was talking about how 208 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: he was changing his life. If you know a long 209 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: distance runner, you know, all we do is try to 210 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: convince other people to run. And I followed his journey 211 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: and I decided listen. If he can do it, I 212 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: can do it. So that is where like a key 213 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: example of representation matters. Him running showed me that I 214 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: could run, and sure enough, it's transformed my life. Everything 215 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:32,079 Speaker 1: has come from that decision. Do you mind sharing why 216 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: you were depressed? Yeah, no, not at all. So I 217 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: was just you know, life circumstances. My father was very 218 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:43,240 Speaker 1: sick with Louis body dementia and UM it's you know, 219 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: it's similar to Alzheimer's. So he was losing his language, 220 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 1: he didn't know where he was, who I was, I 221 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:53,080 Speaker 1: was changing his diaper. Just really depressing to see a 222 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: person you love slowly crumble before you. And I was 223 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: in a really bad relationship with somebody who didn't value me, 224 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: but I only I saw my value through that person. 225 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: So when that person didn't call me, I was like 226 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 1: unable to get out of bed. When he called me, 227 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: suddenly I mattered, and finally I couldn't find a job. 228 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 1: So all of that just meant that I was home 229 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: UM feeling really badly about myself. And you know, in 230 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 1: light of the time that we're recording this, right, like 231 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: recognizing UM twitch who um recently UM took his own life, 232 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: that these are very real issues, right, And there was 233 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: a time when I didn't see a future for myself. 234 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 1: I thought that that was the end of my story. 235 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 1: So I am just so grateful to running and then 236 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: to counseling and the community that I formed that I'm 237 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 1: that I'm still here. So you be, you run, you 238 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:49,960 Speaker 1: do your very first marathon? Was it a half marathon? 239 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,319 Speaker 1: Was it a trying to cheat a quarter marathon? You 240 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: get the whole twenty six point two, I think it is. 241 00:13:58,559 --> 00:14:04,680 Speaker 1: That's right, the whole damn thing. Damn okay, go on 242 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 1: your best, go ahead. And it was just amazing, Like 243 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: there's nothing like doing something difficult and recognizing you're much 244 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: more powerful than you thought, right, Like I can't tell 245 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: you the number of times I wanted to quit, but 246 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: I didn't. And that made me realize I could apply 247 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: the strategy to other aspects of my life, other very difficult, 248 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 1: seemingly impossible things. Well, I can break that up into 249 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 1: small pieces like a marathon training plan, and I can 250 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: get my goal. So the point of Harlem Run was 251 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: to connect us? Or was it about connecting us and 252 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: helping us with our mental health? Was it just connecting 253 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: us and all mental, body, physical, mental. I'm trying to 254 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: get it out my body and spirit. It was. It 255 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: was essentially I had this transformational experience and I thought 256 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: more people like me me to experience this, so mom, mind, body, 257 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: soul um. As the group grew, I realized that people 258 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: were finding their life partners, myself included. People were ending 259 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: relationship because they realized they were bad relationships and forming 260 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: new ones. They were getting new jobs, they were making 261 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: best friends. Right. I wanted people to see how running 262 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: is a vehicle for personal transformation and I would learn 263 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: also for social change. How how did Harlem Run grow 264 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: over the years. It's been a decade, As you said, 265 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 1: how has it? It started slowly, So there was six 266 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: months where I showed up every Monday night by myself, 267 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: and thank goodness to my mother who just kept saying, like, 268 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: keep showing up. People are watching. One day they'll show 269 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: up and if you're not there they then the group 270 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: will fail. So that's sort of like, was it a 271 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: backup my mind that I had to keep showing up? 272 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: And little by little I think what has grown the 273 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 1: group group is the vulnerability that I brought in the beginning, right, 274 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: and being honest and authentically myself. Also in making the 275 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 1: group of place where we sort of co create what 276 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: it looks like. Right Like, I do not have all 277 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: of the answers, Um, I don't know everything. So bringing 278 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: in other leaders of different paces, of different racial and 279 00:16:25,440 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: ethnic backgrounds and creating a space where we could all 280 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: contribute to this community and what it looks like. So 281 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: over the years, that's meant we've done races together, We've 282 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: traveled to different countries together, We've hosted fundraising events, we 283 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: host events around mental health. Right like, it's about running, 284 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: but it's much bigger than that, and I forgot the 285 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: big thing. We actually we've raised hundreds of thousands of 286 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:51,880 Speaker 1: dollars for nonprofits including UM Planned Parenthood. You're like, and 287 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: let me bury the lead we out here building UM. 288 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: You know you mentioned him, so I'll talk about because 289 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: that's been on my heart too, because I I feel 290 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 1: like everybody felt the death of someone, whether you knew 291 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,119 Speaker 1: him or not. You know what the biggest takeaway from 292 00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: me was, you can really feel like you know someone 293 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: even if you've never met them. I knew him, I 294 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: knew his wife, and I knew his kids. UM, And 295 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: I was sharing this on another podcast because this person 296 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:25,120 Speaker 1: was a comedian, and I was curious about how because 297 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 1: I hear comedians are the saddest people. I hear that 298 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 1: the people who make you laugh and put on so 299 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 1: much energy to please you often are quiet and sad. 300 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: And he was saying, that's because you don't know who 301 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,680 Speaker 1: you are. I knew who I am outside of this 302 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: this title as comedian MHM twitches um death. His suicide 303 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: highlights to me two things. One, obviously, we've been told 304 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 1: over and over again, people really are out here on 305 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: social media and you think everybody's getting it. I never 306 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: believe everything I see. I never believe the girl who 307 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: has the great the greatest body and interviewing all the 308 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:00,240 Speaker 1: cutest boys are hanging out with the coolest kids. I 309 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 1: never believe that. I believe if you work so hard 310 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,920 Speaker 1: at being an influencer, and I think if you work 311 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: so hard at producing content to show people that you 312 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: are getting it, there must be something wrong. There should 313 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 1: true disconnect there So with your group, your run groups specifically, 314 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: you created a connection, but talk about the science behind 315 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,400 Speaker 1: physical activity and running. What does it feel like it's 316 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 1: a getaway? Is it not? Yeah? I mean I also 317 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 1: I want to just say one more thing about twitch 318 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 1: and and to your point that you never know what 319 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:38,880 Speaker 1: somebody is going through, and that when I was very depressed, Um, 320 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: you know, depression and anxiety, all of those things bring 321 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: you inward, and it's a very internal struggle, right, So 322 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 1: it's not so I was able to put on a 323 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:53,120 Speaker 1: good face in many situations while still struggling internally. Right. 324 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: So anyway, yeah, we can talk about that. What do 325 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:59,360 Speaker 1: you mean do you mean by that it brings you inward? 326 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: I yeah, I'm saying I'm perfect, and I know because 327 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: I I haven't struggled with it. I've been sad. I've 328 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: been moments where I felt like in my life, I'm 329 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: like I just is heavy, and it's usually associated with 330 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,679 Speaker 1: me not knowing my identity or who I am, or 331 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: feeling or feeling like I was waiting for some sort 332 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: of affirmation from someone else, whether it be a relationship, 333 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: whether it be a work relationship. Personally and professionally. I 334 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:27,520 Speaker 1: get sad and have been sad when I felt like 335 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 1: I needed affirmation that I wasn't getting And I really 336 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 1: work very hard, especially in this business, to not look 337 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: towards others for affirmation. M hmmm, yeah, that's absolutely a 338 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,360 Speaker 1: piece of it, you know. For me, I also think 339 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: about and I talked about this in my book Running 340 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: Wall Black, but I think about the ways that in 341 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: society we got a lot of messages around what you 342 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: should look like, what success is, who's valuable. And so 343 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 1: for me, on top of my life, like my life circumstances, 344 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: I was getting this message that I was unworthy, right, 345 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: and and I couldn't make sense of it because I 346 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:09,199 Speaker 1: had one I once had a sense of self, but 347 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,720 Speaker 1: now being in this position where I couldn't get a job, okay, 348 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 1: that means I'm not successful. Where I was in a 349 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:18,720 Speaker 1: really bad relationship, Okay, that means that I'm ugly and stupid, right, 350 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: And so I just found myself in this pattern where 351 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: if a friend called me, sometimes I wouldn't pick up, 352 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 1: but if I did pick up, I knew that the 353 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 1: feelings that I was feeling, those internal feelings were too heavy, 354 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,720 Speaker 1: so I would pretend that everything was okay. So on 355 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 1: the outside, many people had no recognition of how much 356 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: I was suffering, particularly because they knew me as this 357 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: high performing person. So knock on wood, what what happened to? 358 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: You know? Twitch? Taking his own life. That's a scenario 359 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: that I could have seen for myself. Right. I was 360 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: overdosing on medication and trying to numb myself and really 361 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: just put myself to sleep until life got better. And 362 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,520 Speaker 1: I can tell you that if I had taken my life, 363 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:00,920 Speaker 1: so many people around me would have said, I had 364 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: no idea. But she went to such and such school 365 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: and she did such and such, right, But none of 366 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: that really matters when you're feeling a need for validation 367 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: like you said, or when the pressure of the world 368 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: um gets too much, or when you have financial troubles 369 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,680 Speaker 1: or you have these worries that consume you. It's life 370 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: is hard and and this is, unfortunately, UM just a reality. 371 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:27,919 Speaker 1: Folks are not always okay, and it's okay not to 372 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: be okay. I think that you are very clear of 373 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 1: what can happen if you take action. It's very trendy 374 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: to talk about mental health and wellness, but there is 375 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: no action, Like there is no action to say, I 376 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 1: want to to get better, so let me run. I 377 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 1: want to get better, so let me quit my job 378 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: because it really depresses me. I want to get better, 379 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 1: so let me get off of social media. You know, 380 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,120 Speaker 1: whatever that is, whatever it is for whoever, how are 381 00:21:56,200 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: you able to connect the two and and and and 382 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: think you were and create an oasis for so many 383 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 1: of us, especially black folks. I feel so lucky that 384 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:10,679 Speaker 1: I was able to, because again, it's difficult depending on 385 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,919 Speaker 1: your circumstances. But in my experience, I just had had 386 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: enough of feeling the way that I was feeling. And 387 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: I was reading a book at the time, but book 388 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: by Dr phil who is a controversial figure, but doctor, listen, 389 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 1: you did say something. He said that your life um 390 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 1: that you are the architect of your life. If things 391 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: are going badly in your life, well you are responsible 392 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 1: for that. And he said that if you don't take action, 393 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:41,879 Speaker 1: your life will continue on this path for whatever reason. 394 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,640 Speaker 1: That message just like really hit home and I was like, well, ship, 395 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: if I'm the architect, then I am building a terrible home. 396 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 1: I need to get with the plan and get get moving. 397 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,880 Speaker 1: And so that really that seeing my friend running, I realized, oh, 398 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 1: maybe running will be part of the solution. And there's 399 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: sort of this snowball effect of once you start doing 400 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: something positive other it's like the world conspires to move 401 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: in that direction. And once I had to achieved that 402 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: for myself. I said, well, it would be selfish of 403 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: me to not share this with other people. And that 404 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: really was the genesis of Harlem Run and everything that 405 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:23,440 Speaker 1: I've done since, right, recognizing that I can do something 406 00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:26,280 Speaker 1: about a situation and then wanting to really bring other 407 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 1: people in with me on that journey. Wow. So when 408 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:34,200 Speaker 1: you said you did something positive and you felt that, 409 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: he felt like the world working was working for you, right, 410 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 1: It could it could be anything. So then you have 411 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: this really positive experience and you have to wherewithal to 412 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: figure out that you need to share that with others 413 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 1: and then and then so find your purpose exactly, And 414 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,040 Speaker 1: I think about it. You know, there's positive feedback loops 415 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 1: and there's negative feedback loops. And listen, when I'm feeling 416 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: crappy and I don't get out of bed, and then 417 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: I don't take a shower, and then I decided to 418 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:05,959 Speaker 1: just eat pizza and you know, unhealthy things, and I 419 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: start feeling like I started off feeling bad. By the 420 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: end of the day, I'm feeling worse. Right, The negative 421 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,960 Speaker 1: momentum just builds and builds when I if you take 422 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: one positive action, again, this doesn't solve everything. I'm just 423 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,719 Speaker 1: talking within you know my experience. When I wake up 424 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,360 Speaker 1: and take a shower, I'm like, checks one thing off 425 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: my list. All right, let's get breathlace. Right. Then maybe 426 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: I make a choice, a healthful choice that feels good. 427 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: Then I'm like, oh my gosh, maybe I can go 428 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: for a run. I build my to do list, right, 429 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 1: So there is something to that positive momentum, and I 430 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: have been blessed and a lot of experiences. People also 431 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,679 Speaker 1: pick up on that energy and they want to be 432 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: part of this wave of positive movement. And that's that's 433 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:52,199 Speaker 1: really worked to my favorite, my favorite, my favorite. All Right, 434 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 1: you guys, you know what time it is. I gotta 435 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 1: pay some bills. I encourage you because these commercials are long. 436 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 1: I know I'd be listening to the podcast to pass forward. 437 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,800 Speaker 1: Just push that butt into the every fifteen seconds, two 438 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: teen seconds, fifteen seconds. When we come back, we will 439 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: have Alison to see her. Every champion and care every 440 00:25:07,280 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: chappion is to be a champion, a champion and carry 441 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: Chappion and carry Chappian a chappion and carry Chappion and 442 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 1: carry Chappion sports, and then the same making naked work 443 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 1: very Chappion and carry Chappion is to be a champion. 444 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,679 Speaker 1: A champion they carry champion, the Chappi and they care 445 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: with Chappion and carry Chappi and the naked Welcome back 446 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 1: to Naked Um. And I'm gonna be honest with you guys. 447 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: I've never ran a marathon. I don't feel I don't 448 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: feel inspired to run a marathon, but I almost feel 449 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 1: like I should run a marathon. Here is Alison to 450 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: see her, so now, uh, you know, and I don't 451 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: even I don't want to make it like this is 452 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:55,720 Speaker 1: not heavy, but I do think it's important to talk 453 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 1: about this. So this is an action. This is something 454 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 1: that I was talking about on my show. I know 455 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 1: we need an action. Everyone's so trendy and talking about 456 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,119 Speaker 1: mental health and wellness and check on your strong friends 457 00:26:06,160 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: and check on your friend and all that other stuff 458 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: you see, But what is the action? What are you 459 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: asking said friend to do if they're feeling away or 460 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: are we are we even comfortable to say we don't 461 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: feel good? You now take something with Harlem run and 462 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 1: it becomes a movement. Tell me the things that I've 463 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: grown outside of or from rather Harlem run m H 464 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: So given birth to rather. Yes, I've heard lots of 465 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: little babies. That's a little babies um. But out of 466 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 1: Harlem Run came Run for All Women, which was really 467 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 1: an accidental movement, but in response to the election, the 468 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:49,440 Speaker 1: election and the recognition that reproductive rights were coming under 469 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,239 Speaker 1: a tack. I looked at the community that I had 470 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,880 Speaker 1: in Harlem run, the growing platform and voice that I had, 471 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: and to your point about taking action, I've realized, listen, 472 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 1: I can do something about this. I can't change all 473 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,440 Speaker 1: of the world's problems, but I started to think about 474 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: how can I galvanize all of these folks too, fundraise 475 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 1: for planned parenthood right to address the reproductive rights um 476 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: and then also to to to energize, to put all 477 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:20,920 Speaker 1: of our energy together to make a statement that we're 478 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,399 Speaker 1: not going to take this laying down right. So what 479 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: I did is I organized a run from Harlem to Washington, 480 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 1: D C. That coincided with the Women's March. And you know, 481 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: it started off just as a simple idea for black women. 482 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,880 Speaker 1: We were running on behalf of all women, and it's snowballed. 483 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 1: The go fund me went viral. We raised over a 484 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Planned Parenthood had 485 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,640 Speaker 1: over a thousand people join us in person. Virtually people 486 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 1: were running all over the country, and that sort of 487 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: launched within the greater running industry a recognition of how 488 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: we can use movement for social change. Like and of 489 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: course I'm not the first person to do this, right. 490 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 1: I think about Martin Luther King, and I think about 491 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:06,880 Speaker 1: how for Harriet Tubman, how for black people? Movement has 492 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: always been protest. So I was sort of putting these 493 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: pieces together and Run for All Women became a movement 494 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 1: that has gone on to raise three thousand dollars for 495 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 1: Black voters matter on civic engagement, and you know, and 496 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,680 Speaker 1: they're more and more and more right, Like I'm I'm 497 00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: one of those people who's always seeing with my particular 498 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: set of skills, Like Liam Neeson says, what can I 499 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: do in the world? Take it better? If you guys 500 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 1: have not seen taken your do yourself a favor that 501 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 1: man like I like you took my daughter. I have 502 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: a particular set of skills and I will come and 503 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: I will find you and I will kill you. You 504 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: better get my daughter bag. And they were like whatever 505 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: they said, and he was like Okay, I got it. 506 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 1: But first of all, my dad would have been like, 507 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: I don't have any skills. I wish my daughter didn't 508 00:29:01,040 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 1: fool around and lie to me about where she was going. 509 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: And she right now, who is this? Get off my 510 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,400 Speaker 1: phone playing black cloaks. I got time for this, click 511 00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: going and take her click click. We want to carry 512 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,560 Speaker 1: his little friends playing on the phone. Wouldn't wouldn't take 513 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: the threat seriously one little bit black dad? Would you? 514 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:26,280 Speaker 1: Um so? So? Then? Um you? Wow? Congratulations? Who runs 515 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: black voters Matter? I want to make sure I know 516 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 1: Latasha Brown and Cliff Albert and Latasha Brown. Latasha Brown 517 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,720 Speaker 1: to my sister like literally, my sister, I was like, 518 00:29:36,840 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: I want to make sure that I'm being clear because 519 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 1: I was like, that's Latasha's organization. She's been on the podcast. 520 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: You she can do no wrong. Go ahead, tell me 521 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 1: about Latasha. What I was gonna say is anytime that 522 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: I'm feeling frustrated and hopeless, I just listened to Latasha, 523 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: and man, does she fire you up and give you 524 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,360 Speaker 1: a clear eyed vision of how we are to stay 525 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: in the fight because things will get better. Man, we 526 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: gotta stay on the fight because things will get better. 527 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 1: So then, um, after you do this amazing thing, you 528 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 1: raise all of this money. It went from four black 529 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: women to over a thousand people and there and you 530 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,560 Speaker 1: guys are running from Harlem to d C. How does 531 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: that go? Do you do you stop and take a nap? 532 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: Do you? What do you do? And I mean like 533 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: where we take a break at we pull over to 534 00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 1: the end. Do we get wine on the run? There's 535 00:30:26,480 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: no wine, so carry this would not have been for you. 536 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: I just got my run literally with the four of us, 537 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: Initially we planned yes, cheers, we planned two. We planned 538 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: to that right. We planned to break it up amongst 539 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 1: the four of us. We would stay in different places 540 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: with friends along the way. But as all these people 541 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: started joining, one of my friends, Mary Arnold, who's a 542 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:51,160 Speaker 1: white woman, incredible ally and supporter and community builder, she 543 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: was like, why don't we change us into an overnight relay. 544 00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 1: So we broke up the two fifty miles into four 545 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 1: mile increments and we took turns, not us, the four 546 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:03,440 Speaker 1: of us, but strangers alongside of the road. So there 547 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: was this beautiful coming together and and sort of trust 548 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: that we were gonna be running, jumping in the van 549 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 1: and taking turns and that along the way the people 550 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: who said they would be there to run mileage would 551 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:19,080 Speaker 1: actually be there. And I have I'm happy to say 552 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: that there was no harm right. Nobody came out and 553 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: heckled us or made our life difficult. It was just 554 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:29,920 Speaker 1: this beautiful moment in time where we were all united 555 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: by the cause of, you know, supporting women's reproductive rights, 556 00:31:34,360 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: resisting the incoming administration and the divisiveness that that president 557 00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 1: has sort of unleashed in this country. Yeah, we're in 558 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 1: a We're in a bad way right now in the 559 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: sense that, um, everyone is either you know this or 560 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: that you have to be a Republican our democrat. If 561 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 1: you say you agree with some of Trump's policies, I 562 00:31:55,000 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: immediately think you're a racist. If if I say I 563 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: voted for Biden, you think I'm extremely live role. We 564 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:05,840 Speaker 1: are identified and very polarizing times, and I feel like 565 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: black women are under attack like black folks in general, 566 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 1: but black women in particularly because of the specific set 567 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: of skills we we hold. Um, we are probably the 568 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: most educated group of people. We are the most entrepreneurial 569 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 1: in the sense that we can take nothing and make 570 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 1: it into something overnight. Because the hustle, don't quit. Right, Um, 571 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: I can sit on the phone with some of my 572 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,680 Speaker 1: group chats and we literally can change the world in 573 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,280 Speaker 1: fifteen minutes. Like literally in fifteen minutes. We if we 574 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: need to organize, we are organized and it's done. Like 575 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: things we can do amaze me. Right, is just like 576 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: do we just do that? You know? And then we 577 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:50,840 Speaker 1: can do it without anybody knowing we did it? Like 578 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: we move so stealth. And I feel like the racial 579 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: renaissance of is walking itself back as we prep or 580 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: said prepare for another administration that could perhaps include the 581 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:11,320 Speaker 1: Orange Man and Trump. And here I am inspired and 582 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 1: listening to all the work that you're doing. Have you 583 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:17,800 Speaker 1: felt that same resistance as you trying to still be 584 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,920 Speaker 1: the community builder that you are, the activists that you are. 585 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:24,160 Speaker 1: Have you felt that resistance with your program? You know 586 00:33:24,240 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: I have? And this is why Latasha Brown I use 587 00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:28,920 Speaker 1: my go to But what I think about and this 588 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 1: is me sort of looking at all of this on 589 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: a macro level when I think about the divisiveness that's 590 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,040 Speaker 1: going on in this country when you have a certain 591 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: privilege for a long time, when other people start to 592 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:41,440 Speaker 1: get access to that privilege, it feels like something is 593 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,680 Speaker 1: being taken away. Right, So let's say that very simply. 594 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:48,320 Speaker 1: When you are allowed to walk through the front door, 595 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: When you're the only person who is allowed to walk 596 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 1: through the front door, and then suddenly other people get 597 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: access to walk through the front door, You're like, wait 598 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 1: a minute, but this is my door. Nobody has taken 599 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 1: away your ability to walk through that front door. Other 600 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 1: people have joined you. But it feels like you're losing something. 601 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: And so I think what this country is experiencing is 602 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:08,719 Speaker 1: people who for a long time had control of all 603 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 1: institutions and and this is white people are starting to 604 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: recognize a demographic shift um us having access to power, 605 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:23,280 Speaker 1: creating our own, our own ways of being and existing. 606 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,880 Speaker 1: And it feels like they're losing their foothold. And so 607 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,920 Speaker 1: what that means is there's this white lash. Right, So 608 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 1: then people, white folks, folks in power, are like, well, 609 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,760 Speaker 1: we gotta dig in and be even more in control. 610 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,440 Speaker 1: And unfortunately, unfortunately that looks like these super regressive policies. 611 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:46,759 Speaker 1: Books being banned, history, literal facts being removed from the curriculum. So, 612 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 1: on the one hand, I as a mother, I feel 613 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:52,879 Speaker 1: I feel that resistance and I feel afraid for my son. 614 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 1: But on the other hand, I know that I'm going 615 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: to keep doing what I'm doing, and I know that 616 00:34:57,200 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 1: you're going to keep doing what you're doing. I know 617 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: that each of us are going to keep doing what 618 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: we're doing, and you know we can slowly keep peeling 619 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:12,240 Speaker 1: away that that white lash, that resistance that we're facing. 620 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: Where do you get your energy, uh and your motivation 621 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: to continue? Because I I quite frankly much like um 622 00:35:22,719 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: the diet I had. I had Soladette O'Brien on my 623 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 1: Amazon show and and she is producing or she executive 624 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 1: produced the documentary based off the book The Rebellious Missus 625 00:35:35,800 --> 00:35:40,759 Speaker 1: Rosa Parks, and she she basically takes every single fact 626 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: that we learned in high school and college and says, well, 627 00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 1: that's just not who Rosa Parks was. She was not 628 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 1: an accidental activist. In fact, everything she did was purposeful 629 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,399 Speaker 1: and and and I'm like, how come I'm today years old? 630 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: Why am I believing what they said? Whoever they may be, 631 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: the education and the folks who told us that. She 632 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:00,319 Speaker 1: just was so tired from a long day at work. 633 00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,000 Speaker 1: So she decided, well, no, that's not in heaven at all. 634 00:36:03,800 --> 00:36:08,760 Speaker 1: So she was tired period. So I ask you, Alison, 635 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,879 Speaker 1: how do you stay energized when you're tired? It's it's 636 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,960 Speaker 1: hard saving the goddamn world. I save the world every day, 637 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:19,440 Speaker 1: would in my way to whether it be with my 638 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:21,880 Speaker 1: foundation or what I put out in the universe. I 639 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 1: do it with my job. I take risks. I take 640 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:29,480 Speaker 1: risks speaking freely and loudly and boldly for us. So 641 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:32,080 Speaker 1: how do you not and thank you for what you're doing? 642 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: But how do you not get tired? Yeah? So I'm 643 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:39,839 Speaker 1: gonna say right now, I get tired. So I am 644 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,359 Speaker 1: not some super human. I have not figured it out. 645 00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:45,879 Speaker 1: But what I will say is that I also recognize 646 00:36:45,960 --> 00:36:49,800 Speaker 1: that my work is not happening in a silo that 647 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 1: we are. And this is the beautiful thing a black 648 00:36:53,040 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 1: black people about black women is that we are sharing 649 00:36:56,239 --> 00:36:59,719 Speaker 1: this load. And sometimes I don't have to fight that 650 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: because somebody else is fighting it, and then it's like 651 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 1: tag you're in right. Also, I am so incredibly energized 652 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:13,120 Speaker 1: by connecting with people and by being you know, being 653 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:16,719 Speaker 1: intentional with my action and like chipping away at problems 654 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:20,440 Speaker 1: like that just excites me. And that is my particular personality. 655 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 1: So when I get into these spaces where people have 656 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:26,959 Speaker 1: this sense of overwhelmed, um, I can sort of see 657 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:31,000 Speaker 1: different puzzle pieces and put them together. And this is 658 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,680 Speaker 1: not across all industries, across all problems. Again, I got 659 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 1: my particular set of skills, but it is so energizing 660 00:37:37,239 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 1: that when I see another opportunity, I'm like, oh, that 661 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:42,799 Speaker 1: that lights me up. I can do that now. Of course, 662 00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 1: in an ideal world, I wouldn't be using all this 663 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:49,520 Speaker 1: energy to fight racism, white supremacy, sexism. I would probably 664 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:55,640 Speaker 1: be I don't know, on the moon. Yeah. Yeah. My 665 00:37:55,800 --> 00:37:58,399 Speaker 1: father used to say that all the energy you put 666 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 1: towards caring about your air, imagine if you apply that 667 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:07,680 Speaker 1: to like physics. So I mean so in anew the world, 668 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,080 Speaker 1: by the way, that was a certamon, all the energy 669 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 1: you put towards your hair, black woman, imagine if you 670 00:38:12,160 --> 00:38:14,520 Speaker 1: took on a damn energy and put it somewhere else, girl, 671 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 1: we we unstoppable. Go on. So that's the point. So 672 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,200 Speaker 1: you know there, But I do make time for my 673 00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:24,840 Speaker 1: other pursuits, but I just it lights me up to 674 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,600 Speaker 1: be with people, to have to be among people who 675 00:38:28,680 --> 00:38:32,320 Speaker 1: are their authentic selves, who are also winning, and that 676 00:38:32,480 --> 00:38:35,120 Speaker 1: really does feel me, along with the fact that I 677 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: have a son and that my son will one day 678 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:41,360 Speaker 1: be He's like the sweetest little person, and I just 679 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,400 Speaker 1: want to make sure that he can remain sweet and 680 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:49,440 Speaker 1: kind and curious in a world that doesn't want him 681 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,359 Speaker 1: to be any of those things. When you don't get 682 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:54,879 Speaker 1: when you get tired, you think about those that you love. 683 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: I think that's important. But what about for the folks 684 00:38:58,160 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 1: before you had a son? What about for the folks? 685 00:39:00,200 --> 00:39:02,440 Speaker 1: What advice are you given to folks who don't have 686 00:39:02,600 --> 00:39:05,080 Speaker 1: someone that that they love more than they love themselves? 687 00:39:05,760 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: You know, what if what about people who don't have 688 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:12,759 Speaker 1: a purpose? Um? It just just it makes me And 689 00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:14,359 Speaker 1: what if you do have all that and it still 690 00:39:14,400 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: doesn't matter. It makes me mean a twitch. What if 691 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:20,000 Speaker 1: you have all that and it still doesn't matter. Yeah, 692 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,000 Speaker 1: you know again, what is so difficult about living in 693 00:39:23,080 --> 00:39:26,560 Speaker 1: the world today is that there are and I again 694 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 1: I talked about this realization in my book, is that 695 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:32,960 Speaker 1: there's but so much counseling or anybody can do for 696 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 1: you when you live in a world that's built to 697 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 1: destroy you, right, when you live in a world where 698 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:43,240 Speaker 1: the pressures of making money, of performing, of being physically perfect, 699 00:39:43,880 --> 00:39:46,840 Speaker 1: of always playing the part. When you feel that pressure 700 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 1: from a world, you know, and it's not this is 701 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:51,799 Speaker 1: not made up pressures when you're in the public eye, 702 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,480 Speaker 1: like these are literal pressures, right because God forbid you 703 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 1: do something else and then your life is destroyed because 704 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,560 Speaker 1: you're on a pedestal. So there is, honestly, but so 705 00:39:59,719 --> 00:40:02,400 Speaker 1: much because the world can be a dangerous place. And 706 00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:04,920 Speaker 1: that is when I start thinking about, well, how then 707 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: can we rebuild the world. If we built the systems, 708 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:11,719 Speaker 1: we can dismantle them and rebuild them. That may take 709 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 1: a lot of time, but I am eager for the 710 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:17,800 Speaker 1: day that a woman, a fem person can present in 711 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:21,279 Speaker 1: public say something and the conversation isn't about what their 712 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,879 Speaker 1: makeup looks like or what they had on right, where 713 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 1: they can just be analyzed for their thoughtful response. We're 714 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:31,719 Speaker 1: not there yet, but so that is what informs my fight. 715 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:35,719 Speaker 1: And for people without kids, you certainly well, hopefully you're 716 00:40:35,760 --> 00:40:39,680 Speaker 1: in community with other people. You probably have a skill 717 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:43,360 Speaker 1: set or um something that lights you up. Think about 718 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,800 Speaker 1: how can you apply that skill set to making the 719 00:40:45,840 --> 00:40:48,839 Speaker 1: world a better place? And there's this amazing resource um 720 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:52,120 Speaker 1: that you will link in the show notes because I 721 00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:55,799 Speaker 1: can't remember it right, we should gives it to us, 722 00:40:55,800 --> 00:40:58,800 Speaker 1: we'll put it in. Okay, go on. But it is 723 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:03,239 Speaker 1: about finding your role in a social change ecosystem. There 724 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 1: are some people who are let's think about COVID. There's 725 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:08,480 Speaker 1: some people who are first responders who think goodness, they 726 00:41:08,480 --> 00:41:10,359 Speaker 1: were out there and they were caring for people. They 727 00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:13,319 Speaker 1: were in hospitals, our nurses, our doctors. Then there were 728 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:16,600 Speaker 1: also people who were doing the labor, the care work, 729 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 1: so that many of us could stay inside. And those 730 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 1: are people like delivery people, um, people who were on 731 00:41:23,640 --> 00:41:28,520 Speaker 1: the ground, you know, doing doing the often thankless jobs. 732 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 1: Then there were the poets who wrote about this time 733 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:37,480 Speaker 1: and captured the emotional harm and fear. Then there were 734 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:40,520 Speaker 1: the activists who are right so etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. There 735 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:43,080 Speaker 1: are several different roles, so think about like, what can 736 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:46,040 Speaker 1: I do right? I don't do what carriage Empion does. 737 00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:47,919 Speaker 1: Carriage Impian doesn't do what I do. But we each 738 00:41:48,000 --> 00:41:51,080 Speaker 1: are part of this social change ecosystem. So stick with 739 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:54,359 Speaker 1: it and find your thing, find the role whatever your 740 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:56,520 Speaker 1: skill set is. And you don't even know how valuable 741 00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:59,240 Speaker 1: or invaluable. Rather, your skill set is until you actually 742 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:03,360 Speaker 1: apply it in this change that we are looking for. Exactly, 743 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:06,960 Speaker 1: every champion and carey Chappi is to be a champion, 744 00:42:07,120 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 1: a champion and carry Chappion and carry Chappian. A champion 745 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 1: and carry Chappion and carry Chappi afraid and spots, and 746 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:20,920 Speaker 1: then the same make and make it work. Every champion 747 00:42:20,960 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 1: they carry Chappi used to be a champion, a champion, 748 00:42:23,719 --> 00:42:27,400 Speaker 1: they carry Chappi and they Chappi and they carry Chappion 749 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:30,879 Speaker 1: and carry CHAPPIONI spoison and the tame an make it work. 750 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:36,760 Speaker 1: Tell me about the book that you wrote Wanting while black, 751 00:42:37,520 --> 00:42:40,280 Speaker 1: and I had so many meetings, by the way, exactly 752 00:42:40,520 --> 00:42:43,840 Speaker 1: very smart and so and that is you know, the 753 00:42:43,920 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: initially book had a different name. It was called The 754 00:42:46,040 --> 00:42:53,479 Speaker 1: Unbearable Whiteness of Running. And exactly, you're tidy, y'all white 755 00:42:53,520 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 1: folks go ahead. That is a powerful name. But two things. One, 756 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 1: it's a there's whiteness and not you, and you're right. 757 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:07,239 Speaker 1: Two that many people will recoil, Many white people will 758 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:09,640 Speaker 1: recoil from that title. And and as much as my 759 00:43:09,719 --> 00:43:14,799 Speaker 1: book is for black people, just want right, I want 760 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:16,879 Speaker 1: other people, I want other white people. I want white 761 00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:19,000 Speaker 1: people and other people to read it. So the book 762 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:22,040 Speaker 1: is about my personal story of finding running and how 763 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:25,000 Speaker 1: it transformed my life, but recognizing that there were not 764 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: a lot of Black Americans participating in this sport, that 765 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:32,480 Speaker 1: we didn't have access to power or decision making when 766 00:43:32,520 --> 00:43:36,239 Speaker 1: it comes to who's on the board of um brands, 767 00:43:36,680 --> 00:43:40,440 Speaker 1: running retail, who was publishing magazines, who is on the 768 00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:43,640 Speaker 1: cover of magazines, and then learning the true history of 769 00:43:43,680 --> 00:43:46,799 Speaker 1: our sport and just how much black people actually contributed 770 00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: to it, but we were erased. So it tells this 771 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:52,640 Speaker 1: story of what it means to be a black person 772 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:57,480 Speaker 1: in this country running, moving through space and dealing with 773 00:43:58,000 --> 00:44:01,520 Speaker 1: the cognitive dissonance right of like, wow, running is freeing 774 00:44:01,640 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 1: and amazing, but I have to be careful because if 775 00:44:04,239 --> 00:44:06,120 Speaker 1: I run, if I'm in the quote unquote wrong place 776 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:10,279 Speaker 1: at the wrong time, somebody might just kill me. Wow wow, 777 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:13,320 Speaker 1: just imagine, just imagine. And then you talk about eratier 778 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:17,360 Speaker 1: like it. It's so it's so prevalent, how the history 779 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,919 Speaker 1: books are like you when you and and I hate 780 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:22,560 Speaker 1: that it just as of late is something we're talking about. 781 00:44:22,600 --> 00:44:24,200 Speaker 1: What I can shout out to my growth the sixt 782 00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:27,839 Speaker 1: nineteen project, Like I felt like she educated the world right, 783 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 1: It's like, Kara, thank you for that. Like I just 784 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:35,719 Speaker 1: literally how did I just now realize that? You know, 785 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:38,439 Speaker 1: racism didn't stop when Martin Luther King did the march, 786 00:44:38,640 --> 00:44:41,560 Speaker 1: you know what I mean? We let the book say 787 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:45,360 Speaker 1: you President Lincoln freed us, and then and then we 788 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:49,120 Speaker 1: were okay, and then we got our rights when Martin 789 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:51,439 Speaker 1: Luther King came along and Malcolm Max was real bad 790 00:44:51,680 --> 00:44:53,239 Speaker 1: and then so it was mega. He was kind of 791 00:44:53,280 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 1: in the middle, Like you're like, what it is? It 792 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 1: is mind blowing what we are learning about who we 793 00:45:01,239 --> 00:45:04,920 Speaker 1: are in this country. We feel like we are interlopers 794 00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:08,080 Speaker 1: in a country we built, and so like we're visitors 795 00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:14,200 Speaker 1: if you will, and and and James Baldwin said it 796 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:17,440 Speaker 1: best you know, to be black in America is to 797 00:45:17,520 --> 00:45:20,920 Speaker 1: be in a constant state of rage if you are woke, 798 00:45:21,239 --> 00:45:25,359 Speaker 1: and I'll use that term, if you are aware here 799 00:45:25,400 --> 00:45:28,719 Speaker 1: he is a game with it. And but then we 800 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:34,200 Speaker 1: have then we have this this wonderful, this wonderful community 801 00:45:35,320 --> 00:45:40,320 Speaker 1: that such that you've built that I've I've built in 802 00:45:40,440 --> 00:45:44,840 Speaker 1: my own way where we see ourselves really still fighting 803 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:48,200 Speaker 1: the fight, and and so I applaud you for that. 804 00:45:48,360 --> 00:45:52,480 Speaker 1: First of all, what do you see as what is 805 00:45:52,680 --> 00:45:56,439 Speaker 1: next for you in this fight? With your skill set? 806 00:45:56,719 --> 00:46:03,160 Speaker 1: What is next? You know? I think that along over 807 00:46:03,239 --> 00:46:05,880 Speaker 1: the past ten years, I've sort of I've found myself 808 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:09,879 Speaker 1: reacting in a lot of ways, right recognizing, Oh, something's wrong, 809 00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:12,960 Speaker 1: I can do something. I can act and do something 810 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:15,879 Speaker 1: to fix it or to address it. And so now 811 00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 1: I see myself in more having more of a strategic 812 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:25,040 Speaker 1: opportunity of being more um forward thinking, less responding to 813 00:46:25,200 --> 00:46:27,160 Speaker 1: what has happened, and think about, well, how can I 814 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:31,719 Speaker 1: be more intentional and forward thinking. My platform is also 815 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:34,680 Speaker 1: a lot bigger than it was. I have this book 816 00:46:34,760 --> 00:46:36,960 Speaker 1: which is reaching so many people. I actually have a 817 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:42,440 Speaker 1: PBS show, a local PMW, pacifical congratulation, thank you, And 818 00:46:42,600 --> 00:46:46,000 Speaker 1: I've got big dreams. I want a national PBS show. 819 00:46:46,160 --> 00:46:49,000 Speaker 1: I want to be able to travel the country sharing 820 00:46:49,200 --> 00:46:53,919 Speaker 1: our stories, sharing the true history, allowing people to recognize 821 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:58,040 Speaker 1: just how important Black people, black indigenous and other people 822 00:46:58,080 --> 00:47:01,840 Speaker 1: of color are to this country. And I want to 823 00:47:01,960 --> 00:47:05,120 Speaker 1: inspire people to take action. At the end of the day, 824 00:47:05,239 --> 00:47:09,080 Speaker 1: if I'm anything, I am an optimist ultimately, and I 825 00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:14,320 Speaker 1: believe that with education, with connection and community building, we 826 00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:17,400 Speaker 1: can all take action to do something about this world 827 00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:21,440 Speaker 1: we are. It is it is intentional that we feel hopeless, 828 00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 1: helpless and lost. Like that, say that intentional that we 829 00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 1: feel hopeless, helpless and lost. That is the system working 830 00:47:30,160 --> 00:47:33,040 Speaker 1: as it intended. Then we all just lay down and say, oh, 831 00:47:33,160 --> 00:47:36,719 Speaker 1: what was me? And we end up fighting our neighbors. Right, No, no, no, 832 00:47:37,480 --> 00:47:42,000 Speaker 1: let's all get hip to this. Let's join forces, and 833 00:47:42,120 --> 00:47:46,960 Speaker 1: let's address these systemic issues and we can all be better. Right. So, 834 00:47:47,640 --> 00:47:51,120 Speaker 1: I the future for me is being on a larger scale, 835 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:55,360 Speaker 1: interacting with more folks and being part of that that 836 00:47:55,600 --> 00:47:58,560 Speaker 1: world that that I want to see. Hey man, and 837 00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:00,320 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here. I'm gonna take it now that 838 00:48:00,440 --> 00:48:02,560 Speaker 1: I know you're out here doing more work than needed. 839 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take a break, okay, and then when you 840 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:07,880 Speaker 1: get tired you come, I'll tag me back in and 841 00:48:07,960 --> 00:48:10,799 Speaker 1: I'm gonna then I'm gonna figure backup. Um, that's how 842 00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:14,080 Speaker 1: we do it. Where can people get the book running 843 00:48:14,080 --> 00:48:17,040 Speaker 1: while black? You can buy it any and everywhere wherever 844 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,319 Speaker 1: books are sold. People often ask me, is there one 845 00:48:19,360 --> 00:48:22,440 Speaker 1: bookseller where you benefit more. No, so please just purchase it. 846 00:48:22,560 --> 00:48:25,279 Speaker 1: It's also available on audiobook and you get to hear 847 00:48:25,360 --> 00:48:28,120 Speaker 1: me narrate the book. You're not. I'm that's a car 848 00:48:28,239 --> 00:48:30,640 Speaker 1: right right, MA, I'm about the audible myself right now. Okay? 849 00:48:30,880 --> 00:48:34,480 Speaker 1: And then and then, UM, anything any any running projects 850 00:48:34,520 --> 00:48:36,080 Speaker 1: coming up that you want to talk talk about or 851 00:48:36,080 --> 00:48:39,040 Speaker 1: tell people about. So I actually I have a bunch 852 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:40,880 Speaker 1: of races that I'll be running next year, which is 853 00:48:40,960 --> 00:48:43,680 Speaker 1: exciting because I haven't run a race since giving birth 854 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:46,400 Speaker 1: to my son. So I'll be at different I'll be 855 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 1: at the Eugene Marathon running, also speaking and selling books. 856 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:53,719 Speaker 1: I'll be at the Cherry Blossom ten miler, and I'll 857 00:48:53,760 --> 00:48:58,320 Speaker 1: be arranging lots of events that combine running and conversations 858 00:48:58,360 --> 00:49:00,520 Speaker 1: around about mental health. So you can I'm that on 859 00:49:00,760 --> 00:49:03,800 Speaker 1: Alison MS and Mary Desier dot com. Everything on my 860 00:49:03,840 --> 00:49:08,759 Speaker 1: website or Instagram back on Instagram because that's where I live. Um, 861 00:49:09,680 --> 00:49:13,800 Speaker 1: as we wrapped, you were very honest about your depression. 862 00:49:13,840 --> 00:49:17,000 Speaker 1: Do you still battle? I do? You know? I take 863 00:49:17,280 --> 00:49:21,719 Speaker 1: medication every day and there then that is a reminder 864 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:25,440 Speaker 1: to me that this is UM, this is a process 865 00:49:25,840 --> 00:49:28,759 Speaker 1: and a lot for a lot of people their shame 866 00:49:28,840 --> 00:49:31,279 Speaker 1: around having to take medication. And you know what I 867 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:34,520 Speaker 1: think about if I had high blood pressure or something else, 868 00:49:34,520 --> 00:49:37,080 Speaker 1: I would just take the medication because I would know 869 00:49:37,239 --> 00:49:39,960 Speaker 1: that it's saving me. So I take this medication daily. 870 00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:44,000 Speaker 1: I have a therapists who I go to, my partner 871 00:49:44,200 --> 00:49:47,760 Speaker 1: shout out to a mere Mohammed Figaroa is just really 872 00:49:47,920 --> 00:49:52,440 Speaker 1: kind and understanding and community and running are part of 873 00:49:52,480 --> 00:49:58,399 Speaker 1: my coping mechanisms. Do you know why people who don't? 874 00:49:58,520 --> 00:50:02,600 Speaker 1: Who who whether they take medication or not? What is this? 875 00:50:03,920 --> 00:50:06,000 Speaker 1: And I don't know because there are no answers because 876 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:08,760 Speaker 1: I'm still finding the words to talk about twitch because 877 00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:12,080 Speaker 1: he seemed so happy. Um, and I don't know because 878 00:50:12,080 --> 00:50:14,520 Speaker 1: it was a diagnosed they're being very tight lit. But 879 00:50:14,600 --> 00:50:17,080 Speaker 1: we do know he did take his own life. If 880 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:19,880 Speaker 1: there is someone feeling like they want to take their 881 00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:22,880 Speaker 1: own life, obviously there is a suicide prevention line. But 882 00:50:23,160 --> 00:50:27,080 Speaker 1: what is what's the most immediate, most tangible thing someone 883 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:30,600 Speaker 1: can do battling with depression? M Man, that is a 884 00:50:30,680 --> 00:50:34,080 Speaker 1: tough one. Well, I would say if you're listening, that 885 00:50:34,280 --> 00:50:38,839 Speaker 1: you matter and that tomorrow is full of possibilities. Right. 886 00:50:39,280 --> 00:50:42,680 Speaker 1: What I was depressed. In my lowest I could not 887 00:50:42,880 --> 00:50:45,319 Speaker 1: see that tomorrow could be better. And that's often why 888 00:50:45,400 --> 00:50:47,680 Speaker 1: people take their own life, because the pain is so 889 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:51,880 Speaker 1: real and it's so deep. But tomorrow offers possibilities, and 890 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:55,680 Speaker 1: once you get to tomorrow there are resources. But know 891 00:50:56,000 --> 00:50:59,120 Speaker 1: that you're not alone. You absolutely matter. The world needs you, 892 00:50:59,280 --> 00:51:02,600 Speaker 1: or you would not here. And so East stick around 893 00:51:03,480 --> 00:51:05,320 Speaker 1: Alison to see her. Thank you so much. You're just 894 00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:08,239 Speaker 1: as I mean, a pleasure, pleasure, pleasure, pleasure. Alison did 895 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:10,600 Speaker 1: not have to tell me she was still battling with depression, 896 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:13,400 Speaker 1: but I asked because I didn't want people who are 897 00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:16,640 Speaker 1: listening to this, or anyone who here's this podcast to think, Okay, 898 00:51:16,719 --> 00:51:19,279 Speaker 1: now she's running, she has an organization, she's found her 899 00:51:19,280 --> 00:51:22,400 Speaker 1: life partner, she has a child, life is great. She 900 00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:25,960 Speaker 1: gets tired. We get tired. I get tired. But she's 901 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:29,600 Speaker 1: okay with taking the medication. She's not of this. Oh 902 00:51:29,760 --> 00:51:32,800 Speaker 1: I am a gladiator. I don't want to take the medication. 903 00:51:32,840 --> 00:51:34,520 Speaker 1: I don't want people to know I take the medication. 904 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:37,400 Speaker 1: I hear that all the time when people take certain medications. 905 00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:39,560 Speaker 1: It could be for you know, a d d h 906 00:51:39,719 --> 00:51:41,640 Speaker 1: D and you need adderall to focus. It could be 907 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:44,200 Speaker 1: for high blood pressure, as she mentioned, it could be 908 00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:47,320 Speaker 1: for anything. But oftentimes our eagle will tell us I 909 00:51:47,320 --> 00:51:49,000 Speaker 1: don't want to get addicted to that, or I don't 910 00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:50,640 Speaker 1: want to take that, or I don't want to I 911 00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:54,000 Speaker 1: don't want that. Look, I'm a believer if it makes 912 00:51:54,040 --> 00:51:56,920 Speaker 1: you better, take it. I'm not trying to thug anything out, 913 00:51:57,040 --> 00:52:00,160 Speaker 1: especially not depression. And so I appreciate her for being 914 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:03,320 Speaker 1: so candid. I encourage you to support her in the 915 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:05,239 Speaker 1: work that she does. You can do so by buying 916 00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:08,360 Speaker 1: her book uh and also, you know, go to her website. 917 00:52:08,920 --> 00:52:12,000 Speaker 1: Allison M. De s her D e s I R 918 00:52:12,320 --> 00:52:16,680 Speaker 1: dot com. I appreciate you listening to me rant and Rave, 919 00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:21,640 Speaker 1: but more importantly, enjoy this holiday season. Enjoy spending time 920 00:52:21,719 --> 00:52:24,480 Speaker 1: with your family. And if you're not spending time with 921 00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:27,400 Speaker 1: your family, or spend time with those who are like family. 922 00:52:28,080 --> 00:52:31,719 Speaker 1: But the message, the message that I think we all 923 00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:37,120 Speaker 1: should remember is that you matter. We all matter. Talk 924 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:37,799 Speaker 1: to you next week.