1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: In the morning Breakfast Club. Morning. Everybody is DJ Envy 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: and Julie Charlomagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. 3 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: We got a special guests in the building. She's running 4 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: for US Senate of Louisiana, Serena Stide. Welcome, Thank you 5 00:00:16,239 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: so much for having me. Good morning you name right, 6 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: absolutely welcome. Welcome. Now. I actually met Sereda through my 7 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,560 Speaker 1: good friend to Pica Sam and the two of you 8 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: collaborate on a lot of different projects together. Yes. Absolutely, 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: So let's talk about your background, and I think people 10 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 1: need to hear your story. We were actually in New 11 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 1: Orleans and when I tell you, we went out to 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: eat at Morrows and she had people at the table crying, 13 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: just talking about her story and how she's gotten to 14 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: where she is now. Yeah, so a little bit about 15 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 1: me and my story. It starts probably really early on 16 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: in childhood. I had experiences with abuse throughout my life, 17 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: and by the age of eighteen, it kind of led 18 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: me to her pathway. I felt like I was really 19 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: angry and upset all of the time and just really 20 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 1: caused me to make a lot of bad decisions irrespective 21 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: of like where I was in my life. So I 22 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 1: was on a four scholarship to Xavier University in New 23 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: Orleans in physics and engineering and in the United States Navy. 24 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: But by the time I was nineteen, I found myself 25 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: in prison. So I was sentenced to ten years in 26 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 1: federal prison, twenty years in state prison, one point nine 27 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 1: million dollars in restitution, all for the same crime. What 28 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: did you do? So my charge was the use of 29 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: failure to commit a felony. We stole cars from a 30 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: car dealership and blew the car dealership up. What okay? 31 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 1: So you stole cars from the car dealership. How many cars? 32 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: I think we were charged with six? Six okay? And 33 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: how many what are you guys? It was four total, 34 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: you guys. And then why did you blow up the 35 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: car dealership? Because one of my co defendants thought his 36 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: face was on the camera that he could be caught in. 37 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: That was the first thing that we thought of, you know, 38 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: to cover your track sport. You know, I would have 39 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: the same thing at that age of nineteen and and 40 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: be I'm going to say this is interesting because we 41 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: had this debate the other day about when people do 42 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: things as a youth when they're young, and they make 43 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: these huge mistakes in their life and how forgiving people 44 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: should be of that once you know, they do go 45 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: to jail, or is there some type of rehab that 46 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: can happen without jail. So I definitely do not think 47 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: that jail is rehabilitive. You know, I think nine years 48 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: and too much for a crime that normally would have 49 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:31,959 Speaker 1: held about three years. But because I was sentenced in 50 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: the federal system and I was sentenced under mandatormentimums. You know, 51 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: that's a big thing across the country right now, people 52 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,080 Speaker 1: who are doing obscenes amount of time because a man 53 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: the tormentimums. That was my case, so my judge had 54 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: no discretion. I didn't have priors, you know, or anything 55 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: like that, but that was my main de tormentimum. And 56 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: then one of the things that I'm working with Topeka 57 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,359 Speaker 1: now on is that I had a restitution as well. 58 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: So I was sentence something a mandatory Victims Restitution Act, 59 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: which made it necessary or like the judge also didn't 60 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: have any leansy to go either way, that they had 61 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: to impose restitution. So that is how I ended up 62 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 1: with the ten years in the federal system, one point 63 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: nine million dollars in restitution, and then the state came 64 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: in and said, hey, we want to charge you with 65 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: a part of the crime in the state as well. 66 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: And that was how I got the twenty years in 67 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: the state. So I was gonna ask so for most 68 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:21,799 Speaker 1: people don't know and this and this is what really 69 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: urged me when it comes to a lot of this stuff. 70 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: So when you stole the vehicles, why did you steal 71 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: them money to sell them? Absolutely so now, and that's 72 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: why I said, this always bothers me because you get 73 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: a lot of kids and at yourself teenagers. They steal 74 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: these cars and they get two three thousand dollars a car. 75 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: How much was you get in the car at that time, 76 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: about twenty thousand dollars a car, and you sell it 77 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: to a guy that's selling it and probably getting seventy 78 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: eighty thousand dollars. Absolutely, But that person that was selling 79 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: it for seventy eighty thousand dollars and shipping them overseas 80 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: and getting the big dollars, he was never caught. No. 81 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: And you know, I was listening to DMX and Rough 82 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: Riders a lot around that time. So Eve had this 83 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: amazing song called ride to Do Check. I really believe that, 84 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: you know, in my head at the time, and I 85 00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, we didn't cooperate, didn't talk about it, didn't 86 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: say anything about it because I felt like if you 87 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: had evidence on the person, you could get it, you 88 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: know whatever. But not even realizing like the level of 89 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,360 Speaker 1: praying people do on young kids and you're you know 90 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: that they're in hard situations, are tough situations. So like 91 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,280 Speaker 1: my story was that I was in the military at 92 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: that time. I was making four hundred and ten dollars 93 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: every two weeks, but I was already you know, had 94 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,359 Speaker 1: a car, had responsibilities. I went to my superiors in 95 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: the name of them, like, hey, I need to get 96 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 1: another job. They're like, no, you know, just to let 97 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: everything go and you can get it back. And I 98 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: was like, I can't do that, Like how I'm a 99 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: drive you know at nineteen, I can't even comprehend letting 100 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: my car go, right, you know, And it really bothers 101 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 1: me because, you know, especially I mean, you know, now 102 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: car thefts us through the roof right now, Yeah, New Orleans. 103 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: And mostly what they do is they get these they 104 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:58,599 Speaker 1: prey on these sixteen year old, seventeen year old and 105 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: eighteen year olds, right and usually because if they get caught, 106 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: they come out right away and then they can get 107 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: back and doing it. And they paid these kids three 108 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: to five thousand dollars a car, and these these kids 109 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: are stealing McLaren's rolls, Royces, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's four kids, and 110 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 1: then they shipped these cars overseas for thirty forty fifty thousand. 111 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: But these kids are risking their life for three thousand 112 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 1: dollars and not just jail time because you run into 113 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: the wrong house or you run into the wrong car 114 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: and somebody shoots at you and puts them in a 115 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: bad predicament. And we was having this conversation on air 116 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 1: that was like, I understanding. I feel bad for these 117 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 1: kids because they're looking at it as, oh, this is 118 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: a quick three thousand dollars flip. Somebody left their key file, 119 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 1: but I'm gonna take it, you know, which is really sad. 120 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: So what happened with the restitution because you owe one 121 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: point nine did you have to pay that back or 122 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:41,680 Speaker 1: you're still paying the back out? Does it work? So 123 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 1: I paid on the restitution for twenty years. On Trump's 124 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: last day in the office, same day that little Wayne 125 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: got his partner, I got a full presidential partner as well. 126 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: So it took away my restitution, the crime, the federal system, 127 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: and it was wiped away. But I paid. I mean, 128 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: the way the federal system is set up, you pay 129 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: while you're incarcerated as well, so it's really your family band. 130 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 1: So from the time I stopped foot in prison until 131 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: the time I stopped foot out, I paid for twenty years. 132 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: So how do you feel about Donald Trump? Because you 133 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 1: know a lot of people hate Donald Trump, and you 134 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: look at people like Little Wayne, and you look at 135 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: people like Kodak and yourself, you can't necessarily hate a 136 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:23,839 Speaker 1: man that freed you, right, absolutely, But which was about 137 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: to say, oh no, it's a but it was a 138 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: presidential part and you are already out. Yes, yes, yes, 139 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,359 Speaker 1: but he freed me from the sentence and the restitution 140 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: and all that stuff. Right, I think that God could 141 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: use the devil to blush you. I'm gonna start there. 142 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: And then there's a saying that says a broken clock 143 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:45,159 Speaker 1: can be right twice a day. The other fallacy is 144 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: that he gave me something. He did, grant me a pardon. 145 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: But every day since I have been out, I have worked, 146 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: you know, to change laws to liberate people, to really 147 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: give back to community that is always forgotten about. So 148 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: I deserved it, you know. So for me it was 149 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: I just, you know, everything just coming full circle in 150 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: a culmination. I felt like of all of the work 151 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: that I have been putting in over the last few years. 152 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: So I do think that if I am working for people, 153 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: it is my job to work with whoever I need 154 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: to work with in order to get that get the 155 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: things that my community needs. Did you ever trying to 156 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: come back out to you and try to use you 157 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: to as a tool because he granted you this. Absolutely not. 158 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: He does not talk about my part and you don't 159 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: mentioned it, mentioned it at all, and you know he 160 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: endorsed Senator Kennedy in Louisiana. So no, absolutely not. Yeah, okay, 161 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: so let's get into some of why you're running for 162 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: US Senate Because, like you said, since you've been home, 163 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: you've been working to change these laws. You yourself have 164 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: experienced things, and so you can understand people in the 165 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: community in a different way than other people can relate 166 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: to them. So I made you decide that it was 167 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: time for you to run for this particular office. I 168 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: know you've worked with the mayor Mayor Cantrell in New 169 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: Orleans very closely and with Reform Alliance and making sure 170 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 1: you have these programs that are helping women get back 171 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: into society knowing the problems and issues that you had 172 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: when you first got home. Ye. The simple explanation for 173 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: me is definitely, I feel like it's a calling, you know, 174 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: that's been placed on my life. I'm a very anybody 175 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: who knows me, I'm real stubborn. I don't make decisions 176 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: lightly or take things for granted. That I have are 177 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: the experiences that I have. But I remember, right before 178 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 1: I went to prison, I was having this argument I 179 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,720 Speaker 1: felt like with God in the car. I literally walked 180 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: out of church. It was Mardi Gras. I was nineteen, 181 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: and I'm having a conversation with God and I hear 182 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,839 Speaker 1: him saying, you need to be in church. You need 183 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: to listen, you need to do this, And in my mind, 184 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: I'm like, no, I'm nineteen. I want to party, I'm 185 00:08:57,559 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: want to drink, I want to smoke weed, I want 186 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: to have fun. And it was like this argument I 187 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: felt like that I was having, you know, with God 188 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: or my conscience or you know whatever, and that I 189 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: feel like that disobedience caused me to be in prison 190 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 1: for ten years, so I feel like my disobedience comes 191 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: at a different cost. So when I got this message 192 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 1: about two years ago, it took me a while. You know, 193 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: I tried to do everything in my power to convince 194 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 1: myself that this is what I shouldn't be doing. I 195 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: did a poll, like talk to people, all of these things, 196 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: but I still came to the same conclusion that this 197 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,320 Speaker 1: was something that I needed to do. Over the last 198 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: few years, I've definitely been working in the legislative space 199 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: on a federal level and a state level. When I 200 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: got out of prison, I couldn't go to college. I 201 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 1: was denied the opportunity to go to college because there's 202 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: also the box have you been convicted of a felony? 203 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: On college applications? So I applied, I was denied. Two 204 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 1: years later, I used the same exact application. The only 205 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: change I made was I unchecked the box and I 206 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: got in. I got scholarships, and you know, fundamentally, that 207 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: just didn't feel good. So after I graduated from college, 208 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: I have a degree in clinical laboratory science. I work 209 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: in a hospital. Prior to open in my nonprofit, we 210 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,439 Speaker 1: went back in and we were like, something has to change. 211 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: So we passed legislation in state of Louisiana in twenty 212 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:15,599 Speaker 1: seventeen to remove the box off college applications for purposes 213 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: of admissions, and we made Louisiana the first state to 214 00:10:18,480 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: do that. So since then, we've passed similar legislation in 215 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: six other states, supporting advocates on the ground in those 216 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:29,199 Speaker 1: states to change the laws and advocate for their community. 217 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: Every year since twenty seventeen, I've passed at least one 218 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: piece of legislation in the State of Louisiana, the Dignity Act, 219 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: We passed the Primary Caretaker legislation. A lot of those 220 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: bills have been copied in places like California, and on 221 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 1: a federal level, we worked to remove the question off 222 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,320 Speaker 1: of the common apt for students to apply who have convictions. 223 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 1: We were able to put inside of the COVID Omnibus bill. 224 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: We were able to slide some legislation that gave people 225 00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: who are incarcerated access to pell grants. So there's a 226 00:11:01,800 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: lot of work that I've been doing to, you know, 227 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: in the liberation of my people and trying to make 228 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: sure that people who have make mistakes have access to 229 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: the things that they need in order to begin to 230 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: try to change their lives. Would imagine you go to 231 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 1: jail all that time, right then you come home, you 232 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 1: have this restitution that you're supposed to pay back. You 233 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: can't even get into college. People don't want to hire 234 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: you because you check that box. And even finding housing 235 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: or just getting back into things. It's not it who 236 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: did help you when you when you got out. It 237 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: was other formally incursory to women. Like I had one 238 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: woman who I was incursory to with we were roommates. 239 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: We were in the same institutions for about five years. 240 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: Like she brought me my first cell phone. You know. 241 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: Another one of my friends who's now my son's godmother, 242 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 1: she was standing outside the gate with my mom and 243 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 1: my sister. She showed me how to you know, fill 244 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: out an application. She helped me to apply for a job. 245 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: She helped me to do my fast for application. One 246 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,719 Speaker 1: of them gave me three hundred dollars every semester to 247 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 1: help buy books. So it was really like this informal 248 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: network of formally incursory to women who like showed up 249 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 1: and said we got you. We've walked this path let's 250 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: do this together. And then I knew, you know, innately, 251 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: that that is what I had to do for other women, 252 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 1: you know. So that is how I started my organization, 253 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 1: Operation Restoration. I was gonna ask something that stuck with me, 254 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: that something that you said. You said that you were 255 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: listening to music. You're a heavy DMX fan and you 256 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 1: were listening to Eve and Rider Die, and that's what 257 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: you thought you should do. So how do you look 258 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,840 Speaker 1: at artists now and in music now? Because you know, 259 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: people say, you know, it's just entertainment, but obviously it 260 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: had a heavy influence on you. In Louisiana, the crime 261 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: rates through the roof like a lot of our urban city. 262 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: So how do you look at music and things that 263 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: the kids here now? I think music we cannot deny 264 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: has an effect on people. We talk about being creatives 265 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: and making music and painting has like this healing effect 266 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: on a person, like getting out things that they want 267 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: to get out. But we also have to acknowledge and 268 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:07,719 Speaker 1: be aware and responsible for the messages that we are 269 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 1: putting out that have the opposite effect. You know, everything 270 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: in life has good intentions, some have bad intentions, but 271 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: the intentionality is just the same. So I think that 272 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: as a community we have to push the narrative that 273 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: this is entertainment. I think when I was growing up 274 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: in the nineties, it wasn't being pushed as entertainment. It 275 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 1: was being pushed as a way of life. So this 276 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 1: was being fed to kids and you know, teenagers like myself, like, 277 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: this is what you have to do in order to 278 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 1: be here. And I think that that is one thing 279 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: that I'm grateful for us through the evolution of music, 280 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: we now begin to talk about it as if it's 281 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 1: entertainment versus away of life. But it is so too. 282 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: You can't snitch, right, because that's part of it. Also 283 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 1: seriously though, because people look at you. So if you 284 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: were to be like, look, this is the person that 285 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: is charged, but she was being preyed upon as a 286 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: young teams But you also know that too, that you 287 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 1: can't tell because now what after I'd been told who 288 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: the real person is, now what happens to me? So 289 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: I think the streets a long time ago well a 290 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: lot different. I feel like now people you know, are 291 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 1: being it's okay to tell like that culture has also 292 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: changed too, because like you know, twenty thirty years ago, 293 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 1: a person would tell what happened, and they would come 294 00:14:25,400 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: up missing or they had some type of repercussions or consequences. 295 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: Now it is not frowned upon. People are telling all 296 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: the time. I don't know, it's just different, right, But 297 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: I think that what I had to do and reconcile 298 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: for myself is like, while you know, Envy pointed out, yeah, 299 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: like I was being preyed upon, I was also raised 300 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 1: to take responsibility, like for my actions. So I was guilty. 301 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: I did do what they said that I did, and 302 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: I was gonna serve my time. My play guilty, you know, 303 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: even though at the time I didn't even understand what 304 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: I was pleading guilty too. Um, I played guilty because 305 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: I did exactly what they said that I did. I 306 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,000 Speaker 1: get that. But see, you also gotta understand is there's 307 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: an adult here right that even though you could say 308 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: snitching and non snitching, I think a lot of it's bullshit, 309 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: But there's an adult here that finds young teens and says, 310 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 1: this kid has no money, this kid is left up, 311 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: this kid has no school and no education, doesn't know 312 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: it just wants to get out. I can I can 313 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:26,880 Speaker 1: pray on this kid and get him to do what 314 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: I want him to do, and that's not right. No, 315 00:15:29,160 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: people can call that snitching or whatever. But but it's 316 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: no different than it's abuse. There's no difference than um, 317 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: you know, somebody being molested, somebody being sexual assaulted, because 318 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: it takes the same level of person that is praying 319 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: on an individual. So in that sense, I, you know, 320 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: I understand coercing a kid to do something crazy. Absolutely, 321 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: that's foul. That's not like you're all said, are we 322 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: gonna do this crime together? And we do it. No, 323 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: But yet an adult that says, hey, because why why 324 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: didn an adult do it? Don't do it because the 325 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 1: adult knew better. But at the time the person that's 326 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: being preyed upon looks at the prey. You know, there's 327 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: all type of like you know, syndromes that are associated 328 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: with like a person who is causing you to do 329 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: you know, incorrect things, are things that you shouldn't be doing. 330 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,640 Speaker 1: You also see them as a savior in a lot 331 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: of ways, because you know the reason why they can 332 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: offer kids three thousand dollars to do a thing. And 333 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: this is not all kids. Because I didn't come from 334 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: associate economic background associated with people who you think are 335 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: in prison. My mom was a judge when I went 336 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: to prison. You know, my dad was a supervisor at 337 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: an all refinery. So what led me to prison, which 338 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: trauma wasn't poverty, but people who are in poverty, people 339 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: who don't own anything other than their Facebook page, and 340 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: that's in debate whether they own it or not. The 341 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: only thing that you feel like you have is your 342 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: self respect or your self worth when somebody tries to 343 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: take that from you. That is why kids feel like 344 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: I can take someone's life in the commission of this absolutely, 345 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 1: and your mom and we gonna talk about it now. 346 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: Your mom didn't try to term like, make some moves 347 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: because she's a judge. So she did. My mom shout 348 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: out to my mom, my birthdays, to my herm She 349 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: definitely did. She did everything in her power to extricate 350 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,719 Speaker 1: me from this system. But when she talks about it 351 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: from her point of view, she felt like they were 352 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,239 Speaker 1: more harsh on me because of who she was. And 353 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 1: then if you also think about it, like we're from 354 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: the South, you know, um, there's this air of you know, 355 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,360 Speaker 1: people of color shouldn't be doing certain things. So she 356 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 1: feels like a lot of what I went through was 357 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: because of who she was, you know. They were like, 358 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 1: we'll show you, yeah, like, yeah, you're a judgement, You're 359 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,880 Speaker 1: not really anything. So we're gonna, you know, to prosecute 360 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,239 Speaker 1: your daughter to the owner of the car shop. Did 361 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: you ever go back and be like, you know what, 362 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 1: let me have this conversation with him. I was young, 363 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: dumb and stupid. Did you ever have that con so 364 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: let me tell you. Oh boy, the guy who owned 365 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: our car dealership at that time, he didn't know I mean, 366 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:58,160 Speaker 1: we didn't know our the dealership was in extreme distress, 367 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: so they were really invested getting him initially for burning 368 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: down his own car dealership. They thought it was like 369 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,080 Speaker 1: an insurance scheme or whatever. Um, he was half kind 370 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: of happy, absolutely thank but m he died, I want 371 00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: to say, not even a year after we committed the crime, 372 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 1: and UM, I never had an opportunity to like talk 373 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: to him or see anything to him about like why 374 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: we did what we did. Um, but I think like 375 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: if I had that opportunity, I've thought about like saying 376 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: why we did it or what was going on, But 377 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: it's really like no explanation other than like I was 378 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 1: in a really yeah like tough place, you know, like 379 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: I felt like life didn't care about me. I didn't 380 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: care about anybody else at the time. So it was 381 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: just really like not a decision that really you know, 382 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,199 Speaker 1: sometimes they say you want to go and talk to 383 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: the person who harmed you, and like you don't get 384 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: the closure that you need because a lot of times 385 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: people don't even know why they did a thing. Like 386 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 1: he could probably standing up scream say whatever, and I 387 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: would just be like, okay, because I don't have an explanation. 388 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 1: There's there's no explanation how you talk about being incarcerated 389 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:15,640 Speaker 1: and how it's not rehabilitative. So what was your time like? So? Um, 390 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: I grew up in the country and royal Louisiana, no 391 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:22,159 Speaker 1: fast food places, no major grocery chains, like nothing, sugar 392 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 1: cane you walk up our house, sugar cane fields. Um. 393 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 1: So we did a lot of fighting growing up. You know. 394 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: When I graduated from high school, I was voted to 395 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: class revolutionists. They say they knew I was always going 396 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: to fight about something, you know. Um, I used to 397 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,920 Speaker 1: fight people. Now I fight systems, you know, but I'm 398 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: still a fighter, you know. Um. By Nietzsche. So my 399 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 1: first five years were extremely hard because I was nineteen 400 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: UM when I went in, UM really really young, one 401 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 1: of the youngest people on the compound. They only had 402 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: I think two of us that were teenagers, you know, 403 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 1: um in the prison. And that came with, you know, 404 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:03,640 Speaker 1: constantly being exposed to, like people praying on you, whether 405 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: it was people that were incarcerated, whether it was the guards, 406 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: you know whatever. It was not an easy situation and 407 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: I think like a lot of times people as family members, 408 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: they don't understand, like when you come to visitation or 409 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: you see people, you know, it's all very superficial because 410 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: if I really had to tell you about the experiences 411 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 1: that I'm having while I'm incarcerated, you know, visitation would 412 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: turn into something different, and that's your happy police you know. 413 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 1: So it's also a very isolating experience. It is meant 414 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 1: to isolate you from your family in the world as 415 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 1: you know it. And I think that, you know, that 416 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 1: is what incarceration is really successful ad is making you 417 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: feel extreme, deep, you know, isolation. I remember when September 418 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: eleventh hit, I was actually in lockdown. I was in 419 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: the hole. I did a year, you know, no telephone, 420 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 1: no commentary, like nothing, no interaction with anybody, and the 421 00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: themes that you hear are you see during those times, 422 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: you know, people losing their minds, like you know, solitary confinement. 423 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 1: You know, there's a big movement around the country right 424 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: now about stopping the use of solitary confinement because of 425 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 1: what it does to people's mental health. And I think that, um, 426 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: you know, like all of those things are really real. 427 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: And I've been out of prison. I got out of 428 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,479 Speaker 1: prison in two thousand and nine, and it's still some 429 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 1: things that like sometimes I'm sitting in my house half 430 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 1: two kids. Now you know, I'm married. Um oh, my 431 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: son told me to say his name on the radio 432 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: this morning, Ethan, So I have to say, hey Ethan. 433 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:34,080 Speaker 1: He give me a shout out, but say not too yet. 434 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: So she she doesn't know what was going on. She 435 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: don't know what's happening yet. And then my wife pure 436 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: but she uh said when when when you're in there 437 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: and you you have like those experiences. I'm like sitting 438 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: at home and I have like a deep craven for 439 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: like extreme isolation, like I don't want to be bothered 440 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: with anybody, I don't want to talk to people. And 441 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 1: then I have to like gather myself and sending myself 442 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: and be like serious that I has some prison, you 443 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: gotta let that go, you know. And I find myself 444 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 1: doing that. And I've been out, you know, since two 445 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: thousand and nine, So it is something that definitely affects 446 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:10,760 Speaker 1: you for the rest of your life. So I was 447 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: gonna ask when you become senator, what's the because you 448 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 1: gotta put it out there, right, Yeah, what's the first 449 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: thing that you want to do? Is it the flooding? 450 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: Is it abortion? Is it violence? Is it is it 451 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: helping more black people get homes? Like what is the 452 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: first thing that you want to attack? When it comes 453 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: to that, Well, definitely, you know, every day that I 454 00:22:27,320 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 1: wake up, I wake up as a black woman in America, 455 00:22:30,760 --> 00:22:33,639 Speaker 1: and I think that our rights as women are like 456 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 1: under severe attack. And I think that no matter where 457 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,360 Speaker 1: you're located, that is true. And I think it's really 458 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: heightened inside of prison. So you know, like if you 459 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 1: think reproductive health is under attack outside of prison, inside 460 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: of prison is horrible, you know. And I think for me, 461 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,679 Speaker 1: my focus you know on day one, which for me, 462 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: I am the only person in this race that has 463 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: experience and that can create policy from day one and 464 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: get it past. You know, I have a history of 465 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: getting legislation passed in hostile conditions like Louisiana is almost 466 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: a super majority of Republicans, like there's no bipartisan legislation 467 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: in Louisiana. It would really be to protect how do 468 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: we begin to protect the rights of women, because you 469 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 1: know what's next, right to vote. You know, we are 470 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: our marriage, marriages are under attack, you know, abortion is 471 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 1: under attack. There's all these different things that are specific 472 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: to women that are under attack. I think that I 473 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 1: would be remissed to focus on anything other than that initially. 474 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: But you know, my vision of the data that I 475 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: take office is something that is very very important to 476 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 1: me as well. It's like, I want to bring one 477 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,919 Speaker 1: hundred girls, you know, with me on the day that 478 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: I take office. Because when I was working Capitol Hill, 479 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: I would go to each office and begin to talk 480 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: to the senators that are there, and there was no 481 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,680 Speaker 1: one that looked like me that could relate to me. 482 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: You know that I could have a great conversation with 483 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: like that just didn't exist. And I think it is 484 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: very important that we begin to stretch the minds of 485 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: young people and expose them to things that are possible, 486 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: because if they can see it, then they can believe 487 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: it and they can start working toward it. So, how 488 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: many black women have had a seat in the Senate 489 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:27,160 Speaker 1: in Louisiana. Oh, so there's no black woman who has 490 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 1: ever been elected statewide in the state of Louisiana. So 491 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: it's not even just in the Senate. It's no statewide 492 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 1: office ever in the state of Louisiana. It's ridiculous about 493 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: no representation at all. Zero. Now you're also and I 494 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: saw this right, So it's like a three people being 495 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: endorsed by the Democratic Party in Louisiana, which is unusual. 496 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: So but not really. They did it in the Congress race, 497 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 1: the same race that Gary was in the last time 498 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: they gave three endorsements. But so is that a controversial 499 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 1: thing for them to do that? Absolutely, it's not a 500 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: controversial thing for them to do it because it's precedent. 501 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:07,639 Speaker 1: They did it in the last endorsement set of endorsements. 502 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 1: But the system as a whole is problematic. You know, 503 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:15,400 Speaker 1: the way that it is set up, in the way 504 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: that the endorsement process happens, needs to be looked at 505 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: and it needs to be worked on. I think that 506 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: when you get to endorse in too many people, it's 507 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: like you can't make a decision like, oh, should it 508 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: be this person that person? But I am elated to 509 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: have the you know, the endorsement simply because even though 510 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 1: there are thirteen people in the race and they are 511 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: talking about four of us pretty consistently, I'm in that 512 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: fourth position right now, and it is really focused on 513 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 1: money finances. You know, we could have a whole other 514 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 1: conversation about valuability and how we judge people who are 515 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: valuable in the race is based on structural racism. You know, 516 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,760 Speaker 1: Black people are not connected to wealth in the same 517 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: way that white people are connected to wealth. We know this. 518 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,800 Speaker 1: This is a fact. And the idea that we are 519 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 1: going to judge candidates not based on their body of 520 00:26:10,359 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: work but how much money that they can raise is 521 00:26:13,080 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: something that we really have to look at and begin 522 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 1: to talk about. But I went into that endorsement meeting 523 00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 1: process not expecting to get the endorsement of the party 524 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: because I knew where I was as it related to 525 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,440 Speaker 1: the order of how we're running and how other endorsements 526 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 1: have been going out. But I use every opportunity to 527 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: just talk to people and let them know who I 528 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 1: am and the things that I want to work on 529 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: and how you know, anything that I do, I do 530 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: in the spirit of collaboration, Like I want to take 531 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: people with me. I don't want to do anything for anybody. 532 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 1: I want us to do it together. And that's how 533 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:47,400 Speaker 1: I approach everything that I do. So I was really 534 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: just looking at it as an opportunity to speak to 535 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 1: a larger body of people across the state that I 536 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 1: may not have had a chance to speak to otherwise. 537 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: So when I walked out, you know, with triple endorsement, 538 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: you know, I was happy and yeah, and I'm gonna 539 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: act like I was the only one indoors and I'm 540 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,199 Speaker 1: moving forward. We got Gary Chambers up here before a 541 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,680 Speaker 1: couple of times, and uh, you know, that's also another 542 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: debate within the Democratic Party, is being really progressive hinderance 543 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,280 Speaker 1: especially in some place like Louisiana. You and Gary seemed 544 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: like for the people so much. Yeah, Garin I have 545 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 1: had a lot of conversations. We've really talked about things, 546 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: because the one thing that I am is always UM 547 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: for the people and what's best for the community. UM. 548 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: But again, I go back to I'm the only one 549 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,119 Speaker 1: with the experience in the race, Um that I this 550 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: is something that I do. You know, I have a 551 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: resume behind me. I'm not always comfortable like talking about 552 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:44,879 Speaker 1: it and screaming from the rooftops. That's why a lot 553 00:27:44,920 --> 00:27:47,440 Speaker 1: of people are like, my god, like you've done so much, 554 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: but you fly under the radars, Like yeah, because I 555 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,160 Speaker 1: have my head down and I'm working, I'm not necessarily 556 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 1: paying attention to who's watching what I do. So that 557 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: is something that I am trying to get better at. 558 00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: Is like being able to talk about the things that 559 00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: we've done to build a platform, because I know that 560 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,600 Speaker 1: that's also very powerful in being able to liberate the 561 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:11,959 Speaker 1: communities that we're working toward. But you know, Gary does 562 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,160 Speaker 1: have experience, you know, running races. That is what he's done. 563 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 1: You know the last congressional race. You know he talks 564 00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 1: about he's the person that has a voter base and 565 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: he's able to get people out and you know all 566 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 1: of these different things, which is true, like that has 567 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: actually happened. But I mean the last congressional race that 568 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 1: he ran in it was for a black congressional district. 569 00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: He finished third to two other black candidates, and I 570 00:28:38,080 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: think that that is like a narrative that you know, 571 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: we don't talk about. And even with the endorsement meeting, 572 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: like he didn't have the nomination yet, what they stopped 573 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: from happening was the actual vote for the larger Body 574 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 1: of whether or not he would receive the nomination. So 575 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: it was a recommendation from the executive Committee to endorse him. 576 00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 1: The larger body had to vote on it, and they 577 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,560 Speaker 1: did was they stopped that vote, the larger body from 578 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:07,239 Speaker 1: voting on it because someone introduced the resolution because they 579 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 1: said that the by laws had changed, people hadn't really 580 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 1: had a chance to look over him, and the larger 581 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: body was really unhappy that everybody didn't get an opportunity 582 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:19,200 Speaker 1: to address them. So I think that if we're gonna 583 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:25,520 Speaker 1: talk about like, there's enough structural racism, there's enough you know, genderism, 584 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 1: there's all of these things that truly exist in Louisiana, 585 00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: and we have to talk about him and we have 586 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 1: to begin to fight those systems. But we can't do 587 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 1: it in ways I think that are harmful. And I 588 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: think that what is happening right now in Louisiana is 589 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: the focus is truly not on Senator Kennedy, And that's 590 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:45,600 Speaker 1: where everybody's focus should be, is like, how do we 591 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,480 Speaker 1: get him out? Yeah, because he has Chump's endorsement, right, 592 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 1: he does. He was one of the six senators who 593 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,560 Speaker 1: voted not to impeach, you know, all of those things, 594 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 1: so he's one of the hold outs. He believes that 595 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: Mara Lago was that raid on the house is wrong. 596 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely absolutely. He then not funny thing. But the crazy 597 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: thing about him is he has developed this persona over 598 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: the years that he's this uneducated you know, they call 599 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: him fog home along home or all of these things, 600 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: Like he's really intentional about this character. But this man 601 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 1: is a He has an undergrad degree from Vanderbilt. He 602 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: has a law degree from UVA. He has another law 603 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: degree from Oxford. He used to be a Democrat. He's 604 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: one of the most intelligent, smartest people that you would 605 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: ever meet. Like if you go back to his earlier days, 606 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 1: he said a lot of things like he was so 607 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: loud when our past governor Jendaal didn't want to take 608 00:30:43,160 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 1: money from the federal government about why we needed had 609 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: to happen to see him from then to now and 610 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:53,479 Speaker 1: this persona that he's he has created because he believes 611 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: that this is what people of Louisiana want, are like, 612 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 1: or need. It is so insulting and it's just it's this. 613 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 1: We gotta go back and look at his past. Yes, 614 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: he's disgusting. And you also, I want to talk about 615 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 1: this school because, like you said, you don't really talk 616 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,239 Speaker 1: about the things that you have implemented and done, but 617 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: you've also helped other people become what is it lab technicians. Yeah, 618 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: and you talk about that a little bit because I 619 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: just saw that recently another class graduated. Yes, so that 620 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: is one of like something that I'm extremely proud of. 621 00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: So when I started going back to school, I wanted 622 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: to go to medical school. I don't know if it 623 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: was naivety or what it was, but I just knew 624 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: I was going to go to school and be a doctor. 625 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,960 Speaker 1: But when I got on the path in the journey 626 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:36,880 Speaker 1: of doing my undergrad degree and I found out about 627 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,200 Speaker 1: clinical laboratory science that's what my degree is in, I 628 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 1: kind of fell in love with it and I was like, Okay, 629 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,360 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get a working degree. Because I'm in my thirties, 630 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: I got a kid, I don't need to work and 631 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: go to school. So I'm gonna get this working degree 632 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna go to med school and I'm gonna 633 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, raise my three year old son, like you know. 634 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:58,120 Speaker 1: That was my goal. So the way that I did 635 00:31:58,120 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: it was I became a lab assistant while I was 636 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 1: working on my clinical Laboratory science degree. And what I 637 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: found out is like all of the barriers that you 638 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: have to overcome to enter a profession at a higher 639 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: level were kind of lessened at a lower level. So 640 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: when I decided to open the nonprofit, I wanted to 641 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 1: create a lab assistant program where women could get certified 642 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: and license as lab assistants and then that would be 643 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: their entry way into healthcare fields. And then from there 644 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 1: they could upgrade their degree. They can get go to 645 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: a two year MLT degree or a four year MLS degree, 646 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: they could go to be midwives, doctors, whatever they wanted 647 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,680 Speaker 1: to do. Because once they went through that initial entry 648 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: point as a lab assistant, then the ceiling, you know, 649 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:45,840 Speaker 1: became unreachable. So it didn't happen. You know, worked on it, 650 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: created fifteen other programs before that one actually took off, 651 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: so we were able to get some funding and support 652 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: from multiple entities, the Hilton Foundation, Blue Crosspool Shield Louisiana, 653 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: just all of these different places. Because but the COVID 654 00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: pandemic definitely showed was that there was a shortage of 655 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 1: lab personnel and people to like work in the laboratory setting, 656 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:10,720 Speaker 1: which is something we've all known for years, but it 657 00:33:10,840 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: really heightened it. So there was an appetite to do 658 00:33:13,520 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: a rap every skilling program and do a program inside 659 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: of the prison to get people certified in license as 660 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: a lab assistant. So we begin working with hospitals to 661 00:33:21,960 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 1: give job placement and just all of these different things. 662 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: And today we have graduated as six months close to 663 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 1: thirty women. Yeah, and they are being placed in hospitals. Now. 664 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: We help them, you know, we do everything. We do 665 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: the teaching, We pay any probation fact fees that they 666 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: need in order to maintain their licensure, We pay for 667 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 1: the applications, their fingerprints, We will buy uniforms, We help 668 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:52,920 Speaker 1: with childcare, We help with transportation because you know, people 669 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:56,640 Speaker 1: think that when you give somebody an opportunity that that's 670 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,320 Speaker 1: all that they need. But if you're not invested in 671 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: a person taken advantage of the opportunity. It's like you 672 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:04,120 Speaker 1: haven't even given it to them. It's still out of 673 00:34:04,160 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: reach because they can't do all of the things that 674 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 1: they need in order to grab whole of the opportunity. 675 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: So all of the programs at the organization at Operation 676 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 1: Restoration are really like holistic and built in a way 677 00:34:15,360 --> 00:34:19,240 Speaker 1: where like, if you don't do this thing, it's truly 678 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: because you're not ready at this time. Because we try 679 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:25,680 Speaker 1: to foresee any barrier and remove it for you. And 680 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:30,120 Speaker 1: when is the election November eighth? Yes, everybody listening and 681 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,560 Speaker 1: they love your story and they want to support How 682 00:34:32,560 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 1: can they support you? Yeah, campaigns need money, people, Okay, 683 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: Kennedy has a whole lot of money in his campaign 684 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: right now, So we got to make sure that Sirida 685 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: is competitive in that way. Also, absolutely, I think that 686 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:47,160 Speaker 1: our community doesn't really understand in the same way that 687 00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:50,080 Speaker 1: other communities know that, Like people tell me Sirida, I'm 688 00:34:50,080 --> 00:34:52,479 Speaker 1: gonna vote for you, and them like, thank you so much. 689 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. But if we don't get some money, 690 00:34:55,040 --> 00:34:59,120 Speaker 1: you won't be able to vote for me. Guys help, 691 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: so read on. All social media's um my handles are 692 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 1: support Serrita side so that's on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 693 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:12,480 Speaker 1: It support Serrita Side. That's why r I t A Steib. Yeah, 694 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: there you go. You yes, support to read it and 695 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: that was that's the website as well. Then the website 696 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:20,440 Speaker 1: is just www dot Serrita Side dot com. Yeah. I'm 697 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:22,319 Speaker 1: glad that you came up here because I did want 698 00:35:22,360 --> 00:35:25,239 Speaker 1: you to. Just your story to me is self fascinating 699 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:27,919 Speaker 1: and the work that you do also is like very 700 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:31,799 Speaker 1: um organic, and I just feel like you would be 701 00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: doing this regardless. It's not because you're doing this because 702 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:35,839 Speaker 1: you're running for office. This is the work that you've 703 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:39,439 Speaker 1: been putting in prior to this, and voices like this 704 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 1: we need. And so just for Louisiana to hopefully get 705 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,080 Speaker 1: some diversity and representation, for a black woman to finally 706 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:49,479 Speaker 1: have this type of position would be really important. Yeah. 707 00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 1: And I'm the only woman in the race, and I 708 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: am also pro choice and all of the things that 709 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 1: I think that I know how to you know, fight 710 00:35:57,880 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 1: for as it relates to women. But tecting marriage rights absolutely, 711 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: I mean my wife if there I mean, if they 712 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,279 Speaker 1: take away you know, marriage protection rights, like it affects me, 713 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 1: like my wife and myself we met when we were nineteen, 714 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,959 Speaker 1: and she's formally incarcerated as well. She does amazing work 715 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:19,320 Speaker 1: in the bill industry, the Safety and Freedom Fund in 716 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: New Orleans, because that's one of the programs that we 717 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:24,280 Speaker 1: bind people out who are unable to pay their bond. 718 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:27,239 Speaker 1: But I mean, it's like, this is what we do 719 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 1: all day, every day. This is who we are. And 720 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: people say, Siria, like why are you running? It is 721 00:36:32,719 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 1: not just because I feel like I have to. It 722 00:36:35,560 --> 00:36:37,799 Speaker 1: is also like this is the next iteration of the 723 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: places that we have been locked out of, and that 724 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,400 Speaker 1: it is my responsibility to do everything in my power 725 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:47,359 Speaker 1: to grant access to spaces for people to begin to 726 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: say what their needs are and and and say, hey, 727 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:52,400 Speaker 1: this is what we want. This is the type of 728 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:54,560 Speaker 1: the policy that we need to see to bring relief 729 00:36:54,600 --> 00:36:57,359 Speaker 1: to our communities. I don't think that you know my 730 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 1: place in life is to do things for people. Well, 731 00:37:00,239 --> 00:37:03,239 Speaker 1: it is to support and do things with people so 732 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,719 Speaker 1: that they can get the things that they need. So 733 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:09,480 Speaker 1: that is my driving force. M I've done a lot 734 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 1: of work on the federal level, But what I also 735 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:14,359 Speaker 1: understood is like people don't even know what senators do 736 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 1: you know, like what they're responsible for. And and we've 737 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 1: seen some of them blocking bills a man, the US 738 00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: senators the loan game, like you know, for real, Like 739 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 1: the things that we are fighting for today will affect 740 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,880 Speaker 1: your children and your grandchildren. Like what we're seeing today 741 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 1: in the world is from the Clinton administration, you know, 742 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,400 Speaker 1: the Bush administration. It's not from Biden and Trump. We 743 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:38,600 Speaker 1: haven't even seen those effects right yet. And I think 744 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:41,359 Speaker 1: that people just really really don't understand that, and they 745 00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,120 Speaker 1: don't grasp all of the things that the US senators 746 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:46,759 Speaker 1: are responsible for. Well, I just donated, so you go 747 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,760 Speaker 1: appreciate right now, please please, It doesn't You can start 748 00:37:50,760 --> 00:37:52,800 Speaker 1: off with ten dollars, I mean on the tab is 749 00:37:52,800 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: a little more than that. But you can donate whatever 750 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:57,960 Speaker 1: you want, all right, So federal elections, the maximum is 751 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,120 Speaker 1: twenty nine hundred. You can't donate more than twenty one 752 00:38:00,160 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 1: hundred and have to send it back to you. So 753 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 1: you can donate up to you know, anyone you want 754 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 1: ten dollars one hundred to fifty five, thy fifteen two 755 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:09,560 Speaker 1: or twenty nine hundred, like she said, did you do 756 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: that yet? No? But I'm going to all right, Well, 757 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 1: how much now I just did make sure you're doing 758 00:38:14,600 --> 00:38:17,640 Speaker 1: it again. It's Serena stop s y R I T 759 00:38:17,840 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 1: A s T eib dot com. And we appreciate you 760 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: for joining us to say yes. Thank y'all so much 761 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,040 Speaker 1: for having me. You just don't know how much I 762 00:38:24,040 --> 00:38:26,239 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Thank you. All right, it's the Breakfast Club. 763 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 1: Good morning,