1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: What's up his way up with Angela Yee And what 2 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: an honor today to have Royal Raimi here with me. 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: He's the co founder and CEO of the Forestry and 4 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: Fire Recruitment Program. 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 2: We see the shirt. 6 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, he little some some you know. 7 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: But your journey to get to starting this and this 8 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: whole mission has been amazing. So for people who maybe 9 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:26,319 Speaker 1: haven't seen you on TV already, Senior Ted talk, I 10 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: would love for you to just break down how you 11 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: even co founded this program. 12 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:32,200 Speaker 3: Yeah. 13 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 4: So, I don't know if folks know that California have 14 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 4: been utilizing incarcerating people to fight wildfires since the nineteen forties. 15 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 4: So it's been a massive personnel shortage in whileland firefighter 16 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 4: since then. And you know, folks get paid a dollar 17 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 4: hour to do the work. Right up until the last month, 18 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 4: a couple of bills have been passed where they can 19 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 4: be able to get seven dollars and twenty five cent 20 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 4: to be able to fight fires for you know, for 21 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 4: for that seven seven dollars and twenty five cent hour. 22 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 4: And so my story I was, you know, young dah 23 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 4: and made some some poor choices in life and I 24 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 4: ended up getting sentenced to six years in prison, and 25 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 4: out of that time I did four years eight months 26 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 4: and from there, the last twenty months of my sentence, 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 4: I actually went to fire camp And. 28 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 1: Did that help you get out earlier too? Going It didn't, Oh, 29 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,199 Speaker 1: it didn't, didn't. 30 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 4: It didn't because of my crime and stuff to what 31 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 4: I committed. Ended up robbing a drug dealer. Thought that 32 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 4: was the easy money. 33 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: But you know, you're like, they're not going to right right, right? 34 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 3: Right? 35 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 4: So did that and then I end up you know, 36 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 4: serving that time and it was like eighty five percent, 37 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 4: So like I had to do the time, okay, And 38 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 4: but I fell in love with while laying fire fighting 39 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 4: while I was there. But it just didn't make sense 40 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 4: to you know, for me to gain those that knowledge, 41 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 4: skills and abilities to do it do it and not 42 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 4: being able to you know, pursue it as a career 43 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 4: once I come home. So when I was in camp, 44 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 4: you know, I was like, you know, talking to people like, hey, 45 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 4: you know, is it doabo right? It's like, well, you 46 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 4: got a feeling me, So if you have a feeling, 47 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 4: you can't become a firefighter. 48 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: That's ohio. 49 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: But I could do it while I was incarcerated, right, 50 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: But then when I come home, I can't do what 51 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: I was doing. 52 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 4: Right, right, So that didn't make sense to me. So 53 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 4: me and my co founder, Brandon Smith, we was in there. 54 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 4: We was talking about it and it was like, look, 55 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 4: once we figured this out, we want to start a 56 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 4: nonprofit organization to help people. And luckily, once I came home, 57 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 4: end up receiving like twenty four certifications, getting my finishing 58 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 4: my EMT course, and then I ended up getting hired 59 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 4: with cal Fire, the state's fire department. And from there 60 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 4: that's when we knew we had something special. And you 61 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 4: know today being helped over three hundred people get jobs 62 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 4: in the fire service since twenty eighteen. 63 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: Now I want to back up a little to these 64 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 1: fire camps, right, So this is an opportunity that they're like, hey, 65 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: you can do this. And what made you decide that 66 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: was an opportunity that you wanted to take because that 67 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 1: is also putting your life on the line too. 68 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 3: Right, right, It was a couple of things. 69 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 4: So first, you know my mama, right, she was like, look, 70 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 4: whenever you be able to get back home from so Mississippi, 71 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 4: So they shipped me out. So around that time, there 72 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 4: was overcrowded crowded, right, So I went from California to 73 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 4: Arizona to Mississippi and my mom was like, you know, 74 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 4: whenever you get opportunity to come back, I need you 75 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 4: to come home. I haven't seen you for years. So 76 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 4: that was one of the pieces. And then when they 77 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 4: offered me that, I'm like, okay, uh, you know, trying 78 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 4: to figure out, like what is fire camp? You know, 79 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 4: it sounded cool, but I didn't really know. So when 80 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 4: I there was like, yeah, twenty four hours of the side. 81 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 4: So when I went back to the dorm, they was like, 82 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,880 Speaker 4: you know, fire camp is dope. You know, you got food, 83 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 4: got wade, you got all these different things. So I'm like, 84 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 4: all right, cool, this is something I should be able 85 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 4: to do. And plus my mom, I wanted to see 86 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 4: my family. 87 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 3: Man. 88 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 4: When I got there, I was like, I didn't know 89 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,160 Speaker 4: I was gonna be carrying this back. I didn't those 90 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 4: two of these boots, you know, I traded by George 91 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 4: for these boots, and you know, I know these blazing 92 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 4: his fires. I'm like, this is its crazy, right, But 93 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 4: then you know, I was doing some self healing while 94 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 4: I was in prison and really educating myself and putting 95 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 4: myself in a position where I wanted to change the 96 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 4: way I thought and really embrace the my emotional intelligence, 97 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 4: right and. 98 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 3: Just like really deep dive, deep dive. 99 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 4: You know, into myself and like, look, I don't want 100 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 4: to go to you know, I want to do this 101 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 4: for the rest of my life. And I see so 102 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 4: many ogs that was in there. It was like, look, Roy, 103 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 4: like you not, You're not that guy. You're not built 104 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 4: like this man. You got you so too smart, You're 105 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 4: too talented to be in prison, and you know, just 106 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 4: trying to figure out my passion and I just embrace 107 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,360 Speaker 4: it and I love it. It was the most mentally, physically, 108 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 4: emotionally challenging thing I've ever done in my life. 109 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: But I can imagine because that's not an easy job period. 110 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 1: What So during these fire camps, what did you I 111 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: know you talked about the boot, but what did they 112 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: have you doing? 113 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: Like, was it real the. 114 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: Same training that firefighters go through when they're on the outside. 115 00:04:57,960 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, they give. 116 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 4: You some minimum training honestly, but they don't give you 117 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 4: the certifications to back up that, to validate your experience. 118 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 4: So once I came home, obviously I figured it all 119 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 4: out on how to be able to maneuver. But yeah, 120 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 4: you get that minimum training and it was up in there. 121 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 4: You just you're pretty much doing the same thing that 122 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 4: a wild land firefighter would do, right, right, So that's 123 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 4: where you know, just gaining experience understanding you know, you 124 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 4: know the tens and eighteens which we kind of use 125 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 4: when you when you're doing wild land firefighting and understanding 126 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 4: those fire line tactics on cutting line. So you have 127 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 4: a good a plethora of skills and knowledge that you 128 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 4: received in there. But it's like those other kind of 129 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 4: things that to be able to become a professional understanding 130 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 4: like the certifications you need and really understand what you're 131 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 4: really actually doing out there, which that's where our organization 132 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 4: provide that wrap around services give you the understand because 133 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 4: like the biggest thing about the fire service is culture, 134 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 4: right and understanding how to navigating and be a professional. 135 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 4: Firefighting is a lifestyle, right, It's not a nine to five, 136 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 4: right yeah. 137 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 1: Because you can't predict, like only have a fire between 138 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: nine and five, right. 139 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 4: Right, right, right, So just even just the you know 140 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 4: folks that come from our culture, right, like, they got 141 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 4: to understand how you know, so to be transparent, you know, 142 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 4: the fire service in California at least is dominated by 143 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 4: white Caucasian. 144 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 3: Men, right, and when you haven't been around to many. 145 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 4: Of those folks in the culture and how they get down, 146 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 4: you got to be able to conform, right. So it's 147 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 4: those things around how to be showed professionally in that 148 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 4: space and show that you are knowledgeable, you understand how 149 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 4: things work, and you not, you know, a distraction because 150 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 4: you know, obviously when you walk in the room is 151 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 4: if you're white, or or you're a woman, or you 152 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 4: a person of color, right, it's a whole different park. 153 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 4: You might be a one person of color in that station, right, 154 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 4: So you. 155 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 3: Got to be able to know what's going on. 156 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: Man, I can't even imagine what that's like. So you 157 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,359 Speaker 1: come home and you have a felony. So now what 158 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: are the restrictions when it comes to now going to 159 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: get your certification when you have a felony? What do 160 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: you have to do to be able to achieve that? 161 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 4: So to be honest with you when I read the application, 162 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 4: So it's different. It depends on the fire agency. Okay, 163 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 4: So the force service, which you know you do pretty 164 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 4: much a two week two week certification academy where you 165 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 4: get that, and then you apply to the to the 166 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 4: federal government, and you know, they have kind of a 167 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 4: more of a strict background. 168 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 3: Right now. With the state, it's different. 169 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 4: As long as you have certifications, they do their own 170 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 4: little thing, right, but it's not as extensive as the 171 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 4: federal government. So it's like it depends on what you know, 172 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 4: agency that you're trying to. 173 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: Okay, so it doesn't matter, like, I know, you gotta 174 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: you got a pardon from Governor Newsom on behalf of 175 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: the state of California. 176 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 3: Shout out to my guy. Appreciate it. 177 00:07:58,840 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 2: You might have to be president one. 178 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 4: Day, absolutely, you know, honestly, you know. But so this 179 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 4: issue is a bipartisan right issue, and I appreciate both 180 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 4: sides of the OWL have you know, supported the organization 181 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 4: on multiple different levels. But obviously, you know, hopefully, you know, 182 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,320 Speaker 4: things can kind of shape different right in the world today. 183 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 4: And it's been something that I've been kind of nervous 184 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 4: about talking a little bit because I got so much 185 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 4: good support from from both sides. 186 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:32,839 Speaker 3: But at the end of the day, you know, I do. 187 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 4: Appreciate him, you know, spearhead, and you know, me obviously 188 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 4: getting a pardon, but also with a between forty seven, 189 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 4: which that helps folks that's been formally incarcerated in fire 190 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 4: Camp get their record e Sponge and then also shout 191 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 4: out to Scott Wiener for helping us get you know, 192 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:51,959 Speaker 4: four million dollars to the state budget. So it's been 193 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 4: some instrumental people that's been really pushing pushing the envelope 194 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,600 Speaker 4: for us. But yeah, you know, we hopefully we'll see 195 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 4: twenty twenty eight eight eight. 196 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we can understand you having an allegiance though 197 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: to Governor Newsom, because that's where you got your partner from. 198 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: So I could see why anybody should be able to 199 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: see that, you know, I mean so even when you 200 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: did when you got in played and like you said, 201 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: it's a lot of white males, how was that even 202 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 1: trying yet another obstacle, because how was that as far 203 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 1: as getting hired, because I can imagine that it might 204 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: that might have been a really challenging and difficult time 205 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: for you to be able to even have someplace say okay, 206 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: we would love to have him here. 207 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 4: One of the best things that I've done was go 208 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 4: to college, and one of the classes that I took 209 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 4: was it was called the Inner Personal communication class. So 210 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 4: it really gave me the landscape of understanding people and 211 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 4: how people move and you know, thought processing, just like 212 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 4: being able to communicate effectively. And when I went there, 213 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 4: because you know, it was it's nepotism, right, you got 214 00:09:59,480 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 4: you know, and cultures you have you know, it's. 215 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 3: You know, a little a little hazing in there, you know, 216 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 3: trying to. 217 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 4: See if you really about this life right, And a 218 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 4: lot of stuff correlate to the streets to firefighting actually 219 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 4: like which I kind of have, you know, I'll break 220 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 4: it down when when when folks are in their career 221 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 4: training program. And it really gave me the ability to 222 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,120 Speaker 4: understand that, you know, folks, that's not you know, the 223 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 4: same as you, right, and being more open minded and 224 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 4: having a conversation because I and talk to some of 225 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 4: those folks and I'm like, dang, like you have a cold, 226 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 4: you got a colder story to me, like you came 227 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:31,599 Speaker 4: out of the trenches. 228 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 2: Too, And they have to be open minded as well, right. 229 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 4: Absolutely, and that and that's where that bridge. And being 230 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 4: able to show up and show like, you know what, 231 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 4: I'm here to do my job. Also, I'm here to 232 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 4: be able to be a team player and understand the culture, 233 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 4: and once folks kind of like get you to that level, 234 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 4: then they be like, you know what, Okay, cool, this 235 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 4: dude is. You know, it's cool. And that's where we've 236 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 4: been kind of like, you know, teaching our folks. It's like, 237 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 4: you know, you if you're the all person out right, 238 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 4: like obviously you have to like you know, turn it 239 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 4: and turn it off, right, you have to. And that's 240 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 4: just with any anything you do in life. Right, you 241 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 4: can't just come. You have to show up professional and 242 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 4: being able to you know, see people for not only 243 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 4: just who you are, but just gain that respect. And 244 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 4: once you gain that respect, then that's when all the 245 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 4: other things come. So folks can be able to say, 246 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 4: you know what, like I appreciate this person coming in 247 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 4: and being being about the about the culture, and you know, 248 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 4: being able to be professional moving forward. 249 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: You know, you've also credited Barack Obama's leaders program with 250 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: helping you come up with some of. 251 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 2: These abilities and skills. 252 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: And ways to maneuver. Can you talk to me about 253 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: that program and what that did for you. 254 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was great. 255 00:11:38,400 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 4: So definitely when it comes to like tough conversations and 256 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 4: how to talk to the opposition, right. One other thing 257 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 4: that was really important for me was advocating with decision makers, 258 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 4: right like when you when you're in a space where 259 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 4: because because I'm a workforce development, criminal justice and climate 260 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 4: resilience kind of like nonprofit that we built, but I 261 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 4: wasn't hip to advocacy, right, So that right there kind 262 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 4: of gave me that understanding of like how do you 263 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 4: maneuver in those areas when you're talking to assembly members, 264 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 4: when you're talking to senators, and understanding how things move on. 265 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 3: The political side. 266 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 4: So it was it was definitely those different pieces and 267 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 4: obviously networking and putting us in the room and like, 268 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,079 Speaker 4: don't have that imposter syndrome, like you should own your 269 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 4: space and own you know what you're doing because you 270 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 4: are special, you have great you know you can contribute 271 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 4: to society in a way where you know you you 272 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,839 Speaker 4: you know you solving a solution. So now shout out 273 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 4: to my Obama Foundation, folks. I'm actually going to la 274 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:42,839 Speaker 4: As to the Road to open and I'm going to 275 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 4: be doing a quick little seven minute speech and talking 276 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 4: about how great it was and the experience, and it 277 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 4: just really gave me that power to to to understand 278 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 4: my voice and what I can be able to really 279 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 4: do and just validated me as a as a person 280 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 4: and also as a leader in this space. 281 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: I love that because sometimes we can have the best 282 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: intentions start an organization, but then to keep it going, 283 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 1: you have to raise money. You have to you do 284 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: have to talk to these politicians. You and like you said, advocates. 285 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 1: An advocacy is a whole nother field to be in, 286 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: and so you can't be effective unless you're able to 287 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: raise money and let people be aware of the program 288 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: even existing. And like you've said, three hundred people, right, 289 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: you've you've already helped and trained. 290 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 4: Yes, absolutely, And we have a career training programs eight weeks. 291 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 4: The first four weeks comes with like certifications that they 292 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 4: need in order for them to get an entry level position. 293 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 2: With that's great. 294 00:13:40,520 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: So this program gets you the certifications already, So that's 295 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: one okay, one step. 296 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 4: And then also they get paid the stipend, right, they 297 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 4: get financial literacy through our partnership with Chase. They also 298 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 4: receive like life skills that's amazing, help them with the 299 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 4: application process and then understand how to apply to these 300 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 4: different fire agencies. And yeah, and I got a shout 301 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 4: out to my director of social services, and she helps 302 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 4: with all the other different you know, mental health, you know, 303 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 4: relapse prevention, conflict resolution, all those other different wrap around services. 304 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 3: That's important for us. 305 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 4: Because you know, when folks come home from prison, folks 306 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 4: have trauma, you know, and being able to mentally prepare 307 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 4: them to be from considered a public nuisance to a 308 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 4: public servant. 309 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 3: Right, it's a whole different ballgame. 310 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 4: It's not a just not a job at Amazon, or 311 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 4: it's not like warehouse job or you know, this is 312 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 4: actually a family win a career where folks are making 313 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 4: between sixty to one hundred k a year with benefits 314 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:43,920 Speaker 4: of retirement. And that's where I think the life changing 315 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 4: piece when it comes to folks and men and women. 316 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 4: So we got two women camps too, and we had graduated. 317 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: Sixth and merely I don't know if I've ever come 318 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 1: across a woman firefighter. 319 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, we got them, I. 320 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 1: Think, like in my all my life and I know 321 00:14:59,240 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: they exist, but I have never ever seen one, like personally, 322 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: that's crazy, right, I never thought about it. 323 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 3: You might have to come to la or amazing. 324 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: I love that, Like, I think that's great, but I 325 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: have to imagine that coach is hard too, because like 326 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: you said, it's a very male dominated space and so 327 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: you know, having to even the adjustment you had to 328 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: make as a black man, imagine being a woman. Also 329 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: imagine being a black woman who we already got it right. 330 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 3: It's tough. 331 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 4: And I've been building a partnership with cal Fire and 332 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 4: one of the second in command, her name is Chief Blue, 333 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 4: and she's been setting a tone around like, you know, 334 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 4: women that have that leadership position, and you know, it's 335 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 4: really important to show diversity in the fire service and 336 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 4: providing those opportunities, and women are solely for surely making 337 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 4: it happen. And we excited about you know, the women 338 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 4: that we graduated in our program and them thot thriving 339 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 4: and thriving into the space too. So it's just being 340 00:15:57,720 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 4: able to you know, understand what they're getting theirselves into 341 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 4: and how to make move. And we just started a 342 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 4: high school program and I want to target student athletes. 343 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 3: It comes to women. 344 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 4: I think they you know, coming out of high school, 345 00:16:10,600 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 4: it's kind of like they're young, they're fresh right, and 346 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 4: they you know excited about you know, the physical aspect 347 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 4: because when you know, obviously in sports they have that 348 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 4: already element, so that's some of the one of the 349 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 4: toughest things around that. And then obviously you know, as 350 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 4: they grow older, they might have a family and stuff, 351 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 4: so that kind of like could be a thing. But 352 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 4: we're trying to figure out multiple different ways and providing 353 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 4: opportunity for all people of color and folks that's in 354 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 4: marginalis communities and even women. 355 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: Ironically enough, if you would have never made the mistake 356 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: that you made at a young age, you wouldn't even 357 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 1: have ever considered this as a profession. You would have 358 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: never started this nonprofit, you have ted talks, you would 359 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: have never had a documentary about yourself. Like that is 360 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: wild to think about because maybe some you know, sometimes 361 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: you are the way that things unabout because I'm sure 362 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: when you were there first you were like, how the 363 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: hell did this happen? But then later on when you 364 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 1: look back, you have to think about like things happen 365 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:11,080 Speaker 1: for a reason to lead you to a certain path. 366 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 4: Absolutely, and I think you know, fire count was one 367 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 4: of the best things that ever happened to me, even though 368 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 4: I made some mistakes when I was younger. Now paying 369 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 4: it forward was one of my biggest things and when 370 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 4: you talk about black women, that one black woman that 371 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 4: inspired me to start the nonprofit with my co founder 372 00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 4: is Harriet Tubman. You know, thinking about that analogy, right, 373 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 4: you see that folks are being incarcerated, right and having 374 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 4: this opportunity but then bringing them to freedom so they 375 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 4: can be able to thrive. And I just wanted the 376 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 4: world to see that folks like me can go from 377 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 4: being a public public servant and being able to go 378 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,360 Speaker 4: from incarceration into you know, freedom and being able. 379 00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,439 Speaker 3: To have this career. And yeah, it's been crazy. 380 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,719 Speaker 4: It's just like this whole year since the LA fires, 381 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 4: like you know, the platforms I've been on on and 382 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 4: talking and building this thing up. 383 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 3: It's just been it's amazing. 384 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 4: And I'm just appreciative of like my family, my wife, 385 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 4: my kids, my you know, my team, and all the 386 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 4: people that have been supporting me since the since the beginning. 387 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 3: And I know a. 388 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 4: Lot of folks you know, those late night, early mornings 389 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 4: and appreciating you know, those talks and just you know 390 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 4: folks and supporting that don't get that shine and that's 391 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 4: shining through me in some way, shape or form. So 392 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 4: but yeah, The Fire Fire Break is our documentary that 393 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 4: we got out. It's been in a film festival circuit 394 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 4: kind of like floating for the last like ninety ten months, 395 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 4: has been getting some good fraction or attention, and you know, 396 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:43,240 Speaker 4: excited about what the next the moves are with certain 397 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 4: people to be able to you know, put it on 398 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 4: the big, big stage hopefully one day and listen. 399 00:18:48,280 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: I can't wait to see it, and I'm interested. And 400 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: climate justice is one of the topics for that documentary 401 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: as well, and that is such an important conversation because 402 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 1: these wildfires and what's happening with our planet and climate 403 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 1: change and all of that. These are really important things 404 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: that I feel like have to be front and center 405 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: as we're thinking about not just ourselves but. 406 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 4: The future right, and so our organizations in that intersection 407 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 4: between workforce development, criminal justice reform, and the climate resiliency 408 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 4: and when you look at you know, when you break 409 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 4: it all down, we want people to be able to 410 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 4: you know, work right and contribute to society because obviously 411 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 4: we got to pay taxes, right, you got to keep 412 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,359 Speaker 4: this thing going. But then also with the criminal justice, 413 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 4: thing that people don't really understand is that rehabilitation and 414 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,119 Speaker 4: public safety goes hand in hand. Right, So when folks 415 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 4: are not committing crimes and they're working, then that kind 416 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 4: of pushed the whole public safety piece. And then the 417 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,159 Speaker 4: climate thing is like really a thing right when it 418 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 4: comes to wildfires. I don't know if you know about 419 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 4: California as much of the research you've done, but one 420 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:00,919 Speaker 4: of the issues is that it's called the wild land 421 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,239 Speaker 4: urban interfaces where a lot of folks are living in 422 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 4: and it's like their homes like close to this vegetation, right, 423 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 4: and when fire starts, like once, the fire kind of 424 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 4: does its own thing, and it's really wind driven fires 425 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 4: that really you know, dominate input, you know things and 426 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,399 Speaker 4: harms danger when it comes to like folks evacuating and 427 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,879 Speaker 4: homes getting burned up, Like you got all this fuel 428 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 4: mixed with homes and a lot of folks have this 429 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 4: wood shingle roofs, right, so the embers come preheated and 430 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 4: start going and then next thing, you know, fires is 431 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 4: you know, going crazy. 432 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 3: I don't know if you've seen that movie. 433 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:37,879 Speaker 4: I think the last bus actually is on that fire 434 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 4: with cal Fires called it was the Campfire, and it's 435 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 4: just like it destroyed the whole town and the palisades 436 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 4: in twenty eighteen, and then now we're seeing it in 437 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 4: La right with the Palisades and eating fires. 438 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 3: And give you a couple of stats. 439 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 4: Thirty one fatalities, eighteen thousand homes structure destroyed, and fifty 440 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 4: eight thousand acres burn combined with those two fires, and 441 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 4: it was like two hundred thousand people were forced to evacuate. Yeah, 442 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 4: and the economic loss is estimated to be as high 443 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:08,479 Speaker 4: as one hundred and thirty five billion dollars. 444 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 2: That's wild, right, that's crazy. 445 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: You know, my best friend lives in LA and when 446 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: that was how she had to evacuate, take her kids. 447 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 2: They were in a motel. 448 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 1: But people are also thinking about, like we have this 449 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: crisis and you're just happy to be alive. But at 450 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: the same time, you're thinking about, like this was my 451 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:28,000 Speaker 1: whole life, like my and it's I can't even imagine 452 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 1: what that's like. That's you know, So we commend you 453 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: for the work that you're doing. I was curious when 454 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:36,880 Speaker 1: you came home, how was it for you to even 455 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: have to tell people about like that you were, because 456 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: I know sometimes that's an issue when you first come home. 457 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 1: It's hard at first for people to even have to 458 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: come forward and say, well, I was incarcerated and here's 459 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: what happened. Because I know people that are like man. 460 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: At first, I was like kind of embarrassed. People judge you. 461 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, it depends on who I was talking to, right right. 462 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 4: I did let some folks know, but then some folks 463 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 4: I didn't let know. And I want my work to 464 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 4: speak for itself, and but eventually I knew once we 465 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 4: so we had a guy. We had received the half 466 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 4: man dollar grant from the Border State of Community Corrections 467 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 4: when I was working for CalFire, and then Google dot 468 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 4: Org matched it, and then my boy and my co 469 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 4: founder brand and he was like, look, we got. 470 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 3: A million dollars, big dog. I need you. 471 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 4: I need you to figure this out with me, Like 472 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 4: let's let's really make this movement. 473 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 3: And I was like, oh, like I. 474 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 4: Just have finished academy with CalFire, Like I'm on, Like 475 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 4: I got my benching, you know, I got you know, 476 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,439 Speaker 4: you know, I got a good reputation in the field. 477 00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 3: And I was like, oh, I know. Once I say 478 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 3: it right and I. 479 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 4: Put myself out there to the to the to the world, 480 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 4: it's like it's something that I can't take back. 481 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 3: And I don't. 482 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:41,919 Speaker 4: I didn't even know how this was gonna work. So 483 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:46,640 Speaker 4: I literally sacrificed my career just to do this because 484 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 4: I knew, like I just knew that one day that 485 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 4: I hopefully I would be on my deathbed, right and 486 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 4: when I see my family around and be like, you know, 487 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 4: not only I can be able to support them and 488 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 4: do my thing for them, but also knowing that it's 489 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 4: other people that I could affect long term and want 490 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 4: some you know way shape or form and providing them 491 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,320 Speaker 4: that opportunity. So like that was a moment that I 492 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:10,520 Speaker 4: was like, you know what, that was like the one 493 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 4: of the hardest decisions I ever made in my life. 494 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 4: And I'm glad that I did it. 495 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm glad. 496 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,120 Speaker 4: It's that courage to be able to do it because 497 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 4: it's tough, like because everybody, so you know, people just 498 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 4: think about themselves. But knowing that, you know, you have 499 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 4: the power to influence provide you know, people opportunity, and 500 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,440 Speaker 4: I think that's something that you know, it's very important 501 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 4: to me. And then that's one of the things I 502 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 4: learned in the Obama Foundation leadership too, is being able 503 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:41,439 Speaker 4: to understand the importance of sacrifice and even transition, like 504 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 4: transcend you know the culture and racing and like know 505 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 4: that you have the power to do things, you should 506 00:23:46,560 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 4: just do it. 507 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:48,199 Speaker 2: So I love that. 508 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: All right, Well, thank you so much for joining me today, 509 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: Royal Raimie the Forest and Fire Recruitment program. So when 510 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: you have the opportunity to see Fire Break the documentary, 511 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: make sure you check that out. Google his talk, make 512 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: sure you check that out as well. I saw you 513 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 1: also talking about and I want to end it with 514 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,840 Speaker 1: this too, just how effective your program is. And they 515 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: were talking about the recidivism rate and for people who 516 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: are in your program, you said it was ten percent 517 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,360 Speaker 1: that low or lower lower. 518 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 4: So now it's like less than sever percess it's like 519 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 4: six point five. 520 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:23,919 Speaker 2: But what's the average outside of. 521 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,280 Speaker 3: So it's about forty percent in California. 522 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:28,200 Speaker 2: Right now forty percent recidivism rate. 523 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: But for people who were part of the Forestry and 524 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: Fire Recruitment program it's less than seven percent. That's a 525 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,320 Speaker 1: big deal. It just shows the type of leadership that 526 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: you're instilling in people. The confidence, but like you said, 527 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 1: the economic factor of it too. You have a job, 528 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 1: you have the ability, you have your voice, but you 529 00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 1: have the skills to be able to do that and 530 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: provide for your family. 531 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:49,480 Speaker 3: Absolutely, And let me leave you with this. 532 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 4: It costs one hundred and thirty two thousand, eight hundred 533 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 4: and sixty dollars to house one person in California prison annually. Right, 534 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 4: think about that number, right, that's that's double. Is like 535 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 4: like I think a tuition for undergraduate you know, person 536 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 4: going to USC. 537 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 3: So it's like you know when you think about college, right. 538 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 1: Right, you think about we don't have the funds for that, 539 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: Yes you do. 540 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:19,679 Speaker 2: If you actually would save money, right, it would. 541 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 3: It would. 542 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 4: And the stat for us is that our data shows 543 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 4: that we and helped save the state of California about 544 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 4: twenty four million dollars so far. So and doing this work, 545 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 4: and I know we have a lot of opportunity to 546 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 4: scale up and grow and it's starting other states of 547 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 4: utilize incarcerating people to fight wildfires, and we want to 548 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 4: be able to figure out ways to you know, go 549 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 4: to other states eventually. 550 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: And make sure they get paid more too. Absolutely, make 551 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: sure they get paid for the work that they're doing. 552 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 3: Well. 553 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 2: Thank you so much again, I appreciate you for joining 554 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 2: me today. 555 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 3: Thank you for having me. Appreciate you