1 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to wok EP Daily with 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:20,240 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody pre recording from the Home Bunker. Well, folks, 3 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: it is the fourth of July, so happy fourth to 4 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: all who choose to celebrate. And if you don't celebrate, 5 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: at least you have the day off, So have some cocktails, 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: do a meditation, go for a walk, spend time with 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: friends and family. I hope that you're doing all of 8 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: that also while listening to me. Continuing on our theme 9 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: for this week on wokf's Cookout, I am very excited 10 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: for today's conversation with my friend, musician, composer, creative director, 11 00:00:54,160 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 1: just all around artist, activists, bad ass Toshi Reagan. Now, friends, 12 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: if you are a longtime listener of WOKF, then you 13 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: know that I have had the pleasure of interviewing Toshi before. 14 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:16,640 Speaker 1: Toshi has a wonderful place in my heart because many 15 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,319 Speaker 1: years ago, and I say many because time is a 16 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: construct and pre COVID time just seems so so distant. 17 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: But probably back in around twenty fifteen twenty sixteen, I 18 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: had the awesome opportunity to interview Toshi for the first 19 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:42,039 Speaker 1: time for NBCBLK and it was a wonderful experience because 20 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 1: Toshi introduced me to the one and only Octavia Butler 21 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: and her writings. And it was during that interview where 22 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: Toshi said to me, you must read Octavia Butler's Powable 23 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: of the Sewer and then we'll have a conversation about it. Well, 24 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: lo and behold. Some years later after I would read 25 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: Powable not once but twice and its companion book as well. 26 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: Toshi would turn Powable of the Sewer into an opera, 27 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: which she has been traveling around the country and is 28 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: currently in Washington, d C. And will bring the opera 29 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: to the Lincoln Center in New York City later in July. 30 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: And throughout this conversation that I have with Toshi today, 31 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: you know, we talk about what it means to be black, 32 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: queer and free. You know that freedom is truly about 33 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: a state of mind and a state of being right 34 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: that what does it mean to move free and to 35 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: think free outside of systems that were created for your oppression, 36 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: suppression and depression. Right throughout her years and throughout her work, 37 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: Toshi's voice. If you've never heard her music, my god, 38 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, please go on anywhere that you stream music 39 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: and pull down some of her albums. But anytime that 40 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 1: I have ever had the pleasure of hearing her in person, 41 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: it's nothing short of soul stirring, you know. It's that music, 42 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: that voice that comes straight from the great beyond. And 43 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: in this conversation we talk about so very much just 44 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: this complicated relationship, this complicative and abusive relationship that we 45 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: have as black queer people with the United States of America. 46 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: So take a listen to my conversation with my friend 47 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: Toshi Reagan. Folks, I am very happy to welcome back 48 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: to wok F, which I think it has been years, Toshi, 49 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: welcome back to wok F Daily. Toshi Reagan, who is 50 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: a singer, songwriter, producer, creative director, creative, brilliant mind but 51 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: behind uh Parable of the Sewer the opera which you 52 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: all know that I have talked about Parable of the 53 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 1: Sower my God probably every week since I started Okay 54 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 1: and Daily. And Toshi is the reason why I got 55 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: into Octavia Butler in the first place. Because Toshi, I 56 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: don't know if you remember, it was like five years 57 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: ago I didn't interview with you for NBCBLK and you 58 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: were like, yeah, you need to go readout it, but 59 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: it's parable of this seller and and wrap your mind 60 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: around that, and then we can have another conversation. And 61 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: my god, what a preamble to the current state of 62 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,359 Speaker 1: the world that we are living in. I'm so grateful 63 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: that you gave me that book as a guide. So 64 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,160 Speaker 1: I just want to start off by saying to you, 65 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: you know, there has been a lot that has happened, 66 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: a lot that is going on. We are in the 67 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 1: thick of things as we are about to celebrate, you know, 68 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: the nation's independence, and I'm just wondering for you, as 69 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: an artist, as an activist, as a queer person, what 70 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: that means. How does that land for you America's Independence day? 71 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 2: Independent from what you know, I think it's you know, yeah, 72 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 2: I think there's a lot of conflict between the foundation 73 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 2: of this country and the reality of existence. 74 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: You know how. 75 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: A lot of us have unfortunately been an abusive relationships, 76 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 2: and you know, at the heart of an abusive relationship 77 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: is a very big lie about what the terms are. 78 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 3: You know. 79 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 2: That something is happening that's really harmful and hurtful, and 80 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 2: then you're told it's not or you're told it's your fault, 81 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: or you're told that, you know, if only you didn't 82 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 2: have a certain behavior, if only you weren't a certain way, 83 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: then this wouldn't have to happen, or that this abuse 84 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: that's happening is actually good for you and it's making 85 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 2: things right. And so unfortunately a lot of us as 86 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 2: just individuals, have had this experience in our lives, and 87 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 2: everybody who's had that experience knows how horrific it is, 88 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: and especially if you can't get out of it. To 89 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: have somebody celebrate and anniversary of their abuse is really 90 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: like outrageous, you know, And I think, like I am, 91 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 2: I am down for the complexity sometimes of what this 92 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: July fourth means, because there's a lot of revolutions that 93 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: have happened inside of what America thinks is the revolution. 94 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 2: You know, there's a lot of revolutions and evolutions, and 95 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 2: all kinds of people have a hand on that. And 96 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: if they choose to say, like, you know, what, this 97 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 2: is actually what has given us some meaning and meaningful independence, 98 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 2: then I you know, I don't I don't like to, 99 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 2: you know, rain on people's. 100 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 3: Parade of that. 101 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 2: But the reality is that we have all been suffering 102 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: with the the energetic you know, I liked call it 103 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 2: the energetic awesome of the idea of this country's independence 104 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: because it's just based on so much brutality and violence, 105 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 2: and it's we live on stolen land, and we live 106 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: on stolen land that you know, it's cultivated and by 107 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 2: stolen people. And we've been really bad with the planet 108 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: as we've developed things. We've treated the planet like it's 109 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 2: just something we can do whatever we want, and we've 110 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 2: had an abusive relationships with ourselves. You know, we're water people, 111 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 2: like we need water, we're made of water, we need air, 112 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 2: we get to breathe like it's you know, like most 113 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 2: of the living things on the planet, and we've been 114 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 2: so abusive to both. 115 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 3: And that same energy, those same lies. 116 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 2: That you know started the country, which is that there's 117 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: like one race of people that's superior to others. There's 118 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 2: there's one gender a person that's superior to others, that 119 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,760 Speaker 2: there's some kind of righteous right to all of this 120 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 2: is the same thing that's holding us back from evolving 121 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 2: out of the you know, horrific circumstances that created this country. 122 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 3: And so that's what I think. 123 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 2: About what did ly you know, it's there, you could 124 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,840 Speaker 2: do what you want, but you know, there's no way 125 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 2: you will ever be able to really not come to 126 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 2: the honesty of, you know, what has really happened with 127 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 2: the creation of this country and where it leaves us now. 128 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: You know, I think that when you speak of America 129 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: and the relationship being abusive, I think that that's probably 130 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: the most resonant relational example I can actually wrap my 131 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: mind around about America, about the toxic behavior of telling 132 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: us as black people, as queer people, as people of color, 133 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: that everything is okay, that what we're experiencing and what 134 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: we're feeling and what we're being subject to is not 135 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: actually really happening. We're making it up in our head. 136 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: Everything is actually okay. So for us to not want 137 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: to celebrate the fourth of July or to say that 138 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: we have a complicated relationship or I remember when former 139 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: First Lady Michelle Obama said that she was proud of 140 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: her country for the very first time, and the far 141 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: right lost their mind. How dare you say that this 142 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 1: is the first time that you're proud of your country? 143 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: And it's just like we all don't have the same experience, 144 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 1: Like are you crazy? Like my ancestors were hanging from trees, 145 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 1: their bodies were literally ripped apart, babies were ripped out 146 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: of wounds, and families were broken up, and torture persisted 147 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: right for centuries. Oh do you think that we look 148 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: at the red, white and blue of the flag and 149 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: recognize that the red is only has been, you know, 150 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: through the shed, the bloodshed of our ancestors. And so 151 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: I find it so I find that this this place 152 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: that we are consistently pushed and pulled in with America 153 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: is one that is on balance of being infuriating, just 154 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 1: filled with rage, and then on the other side still 155 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 1: the beauty that particularly black people, indigenous people have created 156 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 1: out of the brutality and like not being able to 157 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: part and parcel those real heavy sentiments and just the 158 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: the the paradox of it all right, And so it's 159 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: I feel like, you know, for America. You you are 160 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: an artist and and have created so much art, so 161 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: much song, so much beauty, and through your music you're 162 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: able to, I think, mirror in a lot of ways, 163 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: like the pain and the beauty that we all like 164 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: try and wrestle with. How do you think as a 165 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: as a black queer artist, Toshi that like you've been able, 166 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: like has it helped you, I guess, be able to 167 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: kind of move through this relationship with this with this 168 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 1: nation state, Like how does it help you understand and 169 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: convey the complexity and the dichotomy and the polarization that 170 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: we all embody. 171 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think being alive and living and being inside 172 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 2: of circles of diverse circles of people of who have 173 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 2: different gender identities, who come from, you know, different parts 174 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 2: of the world, like having having a global vision and 175 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: not just like so focused on you know, this country 176 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 2: has really been helpful. And obviously, like doing being creative 177 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: is really helpful. I mean I come from the people 178 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 2: of Grace, you know, Like I come from the people 179 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,320 Speaker 2: of Grace, And there is a certain part of the 180 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:21,439 Speaker 2: population that has to have weapons, that has to have 181 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 2: the right to murder, that has to have rights over 182 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 2: other people's bodies, that tries to make like huge differences 183 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: between queer people and straight people. I just like, I 184 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 2: don't even think straight makes any sense to me anymore, 185 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 2: you know, Like I just like people, you know, gender 186 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 2: identities and sexualities are very fluid, and they know it, 187 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 2: even if they don't want to say it out loud. 188 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 2: People who are against freedom but say the word freedom 189 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 2: all the time. People who create a money currency that 190 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 2: is out of control, like they can't even really keep 191 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:00,199 Speaker 2: up that. 192 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 3: People who build homes and apartments and don't solve problems around. 193 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 2: Homeless as people who you know, poison the water, poison 194 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 2: the land, poison, poison, poison, poison, poison. 195 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 3: It's outrageous. 196 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 2: I don't have to I see how bad these systems 197 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 2: are so clearly, and I don't need any more evidence 198 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 2: to really understand a freedom within myself, the freedom within 199 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 2: you know, my relationships with people, the freedom within you know, 200 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:40,000 Speaker 2: the eyes of my grandparents when I was born and 201 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 2: I was the first child in a generation of our 202 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 2: family that didn't pick cotton, and not that picking cotton 203 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 2: is like, you know, the worst thing if you want 204 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 2: to pick cotton, but if you have to pick cotton 205 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 2: and you don't want. 206 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 3: To, it's horrible. 207 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 2: If you're used to found an economic system that you 208 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 2: can't have, you know, like not only can you not 209 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 2: have a part of, but it's against the law. You know, 210 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 2: if you're upheld in institutional prisons, whether they be like 211 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 2: you know, you have to work here, you have to 212 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 2: work here or there's no way that you cannot get 213 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 2: out of it. 214 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 3: It doesn't all have to be a jail. It's very 215 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:19,520 Speaker 3: clear to me. 216 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 2: That once people found the bottom of a slave ship, 217 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 2: that is where the intention of most people were supposed 218 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 2: to be in the conditions of a bottom of a 219 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 2: slave ship, and what in order to build a land 220 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 2: that where people you know, have like the right to 221 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 2: be at the bottom of a slave ship means you 222 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:50,200 Speaker 2: will poison and kill yourself. So a lot of our issues, 223 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 2: no matter how much money currency someone has or political 224 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: power someone has, literally killing themselves. 225 00:15:58,680 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 3: You know. 226 00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 2: In Texas right now, they have a heat wave that's 227 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 2: like and Texas is hot, you know, so to think 228 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 2: of Texas having a heat wave that affects everybody, they 229 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 2: don't just affect the people you don't like. But did 230 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: the governor go, like, you know, break something where they 231 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 2: can't be no water breaks for people? And I'm like, wait, 232 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 2: what does it mean you can't have water breaks, like 233 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 2: at the same time as there's a heat wave, like, 234 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 2: you're killing yourself, you know, people working on boats, people 235 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 2: working on that They say sixty percent of the people 236 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 2: are from Latin X communities and He's like, no, we're 237 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 2: going to cancel a water break. 238 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 3: You're killing yourself. 239 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 2: And this is why I really see, you know, this 240 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 2: particular land, this gigantic piece of land, as a part 241 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 2: of land for the global community and not like the 242 00:16:55,480 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: citizens of America. This is land that was stolen from 243 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 2: indigenous people. And you know, we don't own it, you know, 244 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 2: and we never will. And people from all over the 245 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 2: world are always going to come to this land and 246 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 2: there is there is nothing that the Institution of America 247 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 2: can do about it. 248 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 3: They will try. 249 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: It's so funny because I went down over to Dumbo. 250 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: There's an exhibit that is made out of the same 251 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: steel bars that are used to make the border wall, 252 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 1: and the artists made this a huge structure that reads 253 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:43,960 Speaker 1: land out of this border wall. And the whole idea 254 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:51,360 Speaker 1: is about the fact that you borders are man made, right, 255 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: Like what are you talking about? Right? The only real border, 256 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 1: the only real borders are are are water right Like 257 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: that are you know, like that where the land meets 258 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 1: the water and you can't actually go and let you 259 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 1: have a vessel, right Like That's really like everything else 260 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: is just made up because people wanted to claim space 261 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: to your point, that is not theirs, right, And I 262 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: feel like in so many ways what we are experiencing 263 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,920 Speaker 1: with climate change, and we saw a snippet of it 264 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 1: in COVID where mankind was forced inside, humankind was forced indoors. 265 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: And what happened to the waters, what happened to the air, right, 266 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,879 Speaker 1: what happened in certain I mean this was all over 267 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,800 Speaker 1: the world. What happened in certain places that hadn't seen 268 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: fish in canals that hadn't seen you know, serious blue 269 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: skies that hadn't seen all of these things. Because we 270 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: did it right. And so when we see these wildfires 271 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 1: and historic tornado after historic hurricane, after historic this, that 272 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,720 Speaker 1: and the other thing, we see a glow that is trying, 273 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 1: that is literally fighting for its life rights, that is 274 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:09,199 Speaker 1: trying to fight back against humankind that thinks that we 275 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:14,439 Speaker 1: have another planet to go to, right, And I just 276 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: feel like there is just I never really understood. I 277 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 1: feel like until recently, how sick the quest for power 278 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: and land and property really is, How like devoid of empathy, 279 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: of kindness of you know, humanity this quest really is. 280 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 1: And you know, Toshi, like, I get so enraged when 281 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: I think about the coverage that we saw a few 282 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:55,199 Speaker 1: weeks ago. Now with you know, billionaires who decided to 283 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: try and go to the bottom of the ocean, which 284 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: man has never been to before. Because I've conquered everything else, 285 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:05,880 Speaker 1: because I'm so fucking bored with my life. I've conquered 286 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 1: everything else. Let me go do this thing. Wall the 287 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: wall coverage of their demise. Seven hundred migrants, hundreds die 288 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 1: drowned because they are literally on a voyage to seek 289 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 1: better life, opportunity and a future, right, the ability to work, 290 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: to build, to exist. No one cares, right, those billionaires, 291 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: they were explorers. Those migrants, Oh, they were just you know, 292 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: poor people on a search for something. It's just the 293 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: way that we look at our humanity. Do you think 294 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: that it is possible that we will ever really truly 295 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: understand our connectedness and not just like our oppression, right, 296 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: that we will understand the like there is no real 297 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 1: top and bottom, right, that we're literally all breathing the 298 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: same air, drinking the same water, and we need each other. 299 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think most people know that. Honestly, 300 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: I do think most people know that. I when we 301 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:24,440 Speaker 2: did the opera, I started a journey called the Parable 302 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 2: Path and the parable path was so I could go 303 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:33,320 Speaker 2: in to the communities where the opera was and have 304 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 2: like more intensive communications around some of the issues the 305 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 2: conditions that the opera brings up. And all I meet 306 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:46,360 Speaker 2: is incredible people, like all kinds of people. People are 307 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,400 Speaker 2: doing so many things. People are living in so many 308 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:55,200 Speaker 2: different beautiful ways. People are designing infrastructures in their towns 309 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 2: and in their cities that are more imbalanced. People are 310 00:21:58,600 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 2: doing a lot of the hard work. 311 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 3: You will not see this on the front pages. You 312 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 3: won't see it on CNN. 313 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 2: You won't It's the kind of long term, every day, 314 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 2: you know, work that is not made for commercial media 315 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 2: because they have to make money and they have to 316 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:19,720 Speaker 2: feel like they're appealing to something. And but I think 317 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 2: every the good news that everyone should take in probably 318 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 2: somewhere right near you or wherever you are when you 319 00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 2: look at this good people, is that there are people 320 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: who are like no like we live on planet Earth, 321 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,760 Speaker 2: and we need to live inside of a of a 322 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 2: of a harmony together or we'll just be at war constantly. 323 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: You know. Adrenaline is really really powerful, the adrenaline to 324 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 2: do violence, the adrenaline of fear, the adrenaline of like 325 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 2: trying to run away from things that are like right 326 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 2: behind you, the adrenaline of denial, you know, the search 327 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: for like goals or the idea of like enough currency 328 00:23:04,200 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 2: that you would be more powerful than anyone else that 329 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 2: you know. A lot of the things are really simplistic. Oh, 330 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 2: a color of somebody's skin is making them so much 331 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 2: different than somebody else. You know, the right to have 332 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,879 Speaker 2: a weapon versus the right to decide what you know 333 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 2: you could do with your body. We're gonna we're gonna 334 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 2: save children by like you know, oppressing trans children. 335 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 3: However, we're not gonna we're. 336 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: Gonna let guns be in schools and murder kids every day. 337 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 3: Like some of these things. 338 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:42,280 Speaker 2: Are really so simplistic and so violent and so like 339 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 2: like it's like there's two choices instead of like the 340 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 2: billions of choices that we all have to exist. And 341 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 2: then the absolute ignoring ignoring of the natural world, which 342 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 2: is like we are a part of the natural world. 343 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 2: We are we have a place in the natural world, 344 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 2: We have a place in the ecosystem. Like in natural 345 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 2: world does not care what our skin color is. They 346 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,400 Speaker 2: care that we are human bodies on planet Earth and 347 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:12,880 Speaker 2: what we are doing with our time here. So there 348 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 2: is a lot of genius and a lot of room. 349 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 2: There is a lot of care, There is a lot 350 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:23,360 Speaker 2: of love. There is a lot of you know, people 351 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 2: of all kinds doing the work to get in right 352 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 2: relationship with this planet that we have. And the thing 353 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 2: that has always messed that up is really really systemic 354 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 2: and outrageous violence. 355 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 3: So I'm always telling. 356 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: Every people, you know, when we go somewhere, we like 357 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 2: really try to break down these systems, you know, economic 358 00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 2: systems and currency. 359 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 3: What is currency? It's not just money, you know. 360 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 2: We try to look at like how how we are 361 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 2: inside of an ecosystem, like how much space are we 362 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,159 Speaker 2: taking up with our food, with our like you know, 363 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 2: with our water needs, with our you know, what do 364 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:07,320 Speaker 2: our with our cars or with our like modes and 365 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 2: transportations spiritual life like how are we spiritually in relationship 366 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 2: with the world and and how are we like what 367 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 2: are we doing with our spirits when we are being 368 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 2: so unkind all the time? 369 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 3: Like how what is. 370 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 2: The effect of that on everything? You know, there's a 371 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:32,320 Speaker 2: lot of deep work being done. There's so many brilliant people, 372 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 2: a lot you know, I've talked to neuroscientists. 373 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 3: I'm talked, I'm like, what's wrong with us? 374 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 2: You know, like breaking down was like I talked to 375 00:25:42,520 --> 00:25:45,880 Speaker 2: a neuroscientists and a political scientist, and like all kinds 376 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 2: of sciences, I said, what is wrong with us? 377 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:49,879 Speaker 3: Like why are we like this? 378 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:54,440 Speaker 2: Why are we so suicidal? Like why are we killing ourselves? 379 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 2: Why are we killing the planet? Why are we Why 380 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 2: when did like having this certain level of profit like 381 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: like obliterate like having the joy of living and on 382 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,640 Speaker 2: a clean planet. You know, why why so much cancer? 383 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: Like why do we have to have all these cancers? 384 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 2: Why are you you know, selling us things that could 385 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 2: give us cancer and then making us, you know, use 386 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 2: the chemo that the same company built, Like all of 387 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: these things come on. These are the things like all 388 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 2: humans have to take responsibility for in their own ways, 389 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,679 Speaker 2: which means like in your way. You may not like 390 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:33,680 Speaker 2: know how to solve any of these big problems because 391 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 2: they are huge. There are collaborative big problems, but they're 392 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 2: small accessible doorways where you are to something and you know, 393 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 2: you I ask people to find the small accessible door 394 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 2: that they can walk through to, you know, to work 395 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 2: on the issue that. 396 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 3: Is closest to their heart where they are. 397 00:26:57,119 --> 00:27:00,840 Speaker 2: And I also ask people to like really acknowledge like 398 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 2: when they have a level of currency that's more than 399 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 2: other people in any way, it's not always money, you know, 400 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:11,359 Speaker 2: and that they like make room for other people and 401 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 2: lighten their load, like do something to help somebody else, 402 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 2: like get through some places. 403 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 3: And then I ask people like. 404 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: When you see a justice, Like when you see like 405 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 2: that there's law, you know, infrastructure that really makes it 406 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 2: very difficult for certain people to actually survive, that you 407 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 2: consider yourselves that person. You know, if someone is making 408 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 2: up laws that you know against trans children or trans people, 409 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 2: or gender non conforming people, or women who want to 410 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: have people really who want to have the right to 411 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:54,080 Speaker 2: have abortions, consider yourself that person. Like give yourself the 412 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 2: opportunity to feel the outrage is somebody naming you as 413 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 2: a person that is dangerous to society and that you 414 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:04,120 Speaker 2: even though you you and your family have done though 415 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 2: right things and pay your taxes and you know, pay 416 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 2: your bills and live that you can't have the one 417 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 2: hundred percent access to your body and what your body needs. 418 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 2: Consider yourself that person, you know, and get out there 419 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,280 Speaker 2: and like be really outraged because if anybody took something 420 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 2: away from you, you would lose your mind. Like, these are 421 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 2: the things that that people can do. They have to 422 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 2: be like you know, know everything. They don't have to 423 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 2: be like you know, have the answer to every big, 424 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 2: big problem. 425 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 3: Don't. 426 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 2: Don't have the answer to every big problem, but access 427 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 2: what is right next to you. That is the scariest 428 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 2: things to people who are trying to run something very big. 429 00:28:47,360 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 2: It is togetherness and the kind of empathy that would 430 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 2: make you stand in front of people who are different 431 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:54,280 Speaker 2: from you. 432 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 3: It is the scariest thing. 433 00:28:56,280 --> 00:29:00,200 Speaker 2: It is also participating in the system that they create 434 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 2: that they're trying to get you not to participate in. 435 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 2: So like I'm always telling people, oh, why won't you 436 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: get a party together and go and vote, Like show up, 437 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 2: show up, show up, show up like, make it cute, 438 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 2: make it hot, make it fun, go and show up, 439 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,720 Speaker 2: bring your brilliant self to it. Because the system is 440 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 2: designed to depress you and make you not participate so 441 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 2: that more and more, you know, horrific kinds of people 442 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 2: can be running the entire country because they do. 443 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 3: They make laws and they pay attention to them. 444 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 2: So if you don't become a part of it in 445 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,360 Speaker 2: any way, then the laws will get worse and worse 446 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 2: and worse. 447 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 1: Folks understand that they are a part of it, regardless 448 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 1: of whether they participate or not. It's how you want 449 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: to be a part of it, right do you want 450 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: to be? It to be by choice or by force? 451 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 1: Because either way you are participating. Last question for you, 452 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:59,680 Speaker 1: my friend, No, it's not even a question. I just 453 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: I want you to give folks who I try and 454 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 1: tell to read the Powable who I try and tell 455 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 1: to really get a guide and an understanding of, you know, 456 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: how the forces come to be. Tell folks about your 457 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: opera and about you know it being you know, based 458 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: on Octavia Butler's book Powable of the Sewer. But like 459 00:30:25,480 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: why it's so extraordinarily timely, why it's so extraordinarily necessary 460 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: in this time? 461 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,000 Speaker 3: Sure, I mean octav E. 462 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 2: Butler's parable the Sewer, I have to imagine, you know, 463 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 2: comes from research that she did in the eighties, in 464 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 2: the early nineties. This is the thirtieth anniversary of the 465 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 2: publishing of the book. It was released in nineteen ninety three. 466 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 2: And this book, you know, really it's it's extraordinary. I've 467 00:30:54,280 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 2: been reading it since ninety seven, and so when I 468 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 2: first read the book, I was like, no way, you know, 469 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:04,200 Speaker 2: this can happen. But she she tells the story of 470 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 2: a community that has you know, walled themselves in, an 471 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,719 Speaker 2: upper middle class community in Los Angeles outside of Los Angeles, 472 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:13,320 Speaker 2: and they walled themselves in. 473 00:31:13,400 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 3: They got all their houses. 474 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 2: They never meant to be a community that was walled 475 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 2: in together, but things had gotten terrible and so in 476 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 2: order to like, you know, have some safety, they wall 477 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 2: themselves in and slowly but slowly, they kind. 478 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 3: Of revert to kind of almost a rural life. Everybody's 479 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 3: gardens and they're like growing their food, and they used 480 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 3: to have dogs and stuff. 481 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 2: They just set the dogs free in the streets because 482 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 2: they can't feed the dogs then feed themselves, and it's 483 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:48,560 Speaker 2: very dangerous to just you know walk around and be 484 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 2: in neighborhoods. And the infrastructure the country really really falls apart. 485 00:31:56,160 --> 00:32:02,520 Speaker 2: It's you know, privatization everywhere, the you know, leadership that 486 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 2: just basically doesn't care about people, and the end of 487 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 2: social services. So all of these things where somebody is 488 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 2: being socialist is like a horrible thing. But that's how 489 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 2: we you know, have garbage picked up. That's how we 490 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 2: our schools are designed there. You know, we pay into 491 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,160 Speaker 2: it and everybody gets to go type of situations, all 492 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 2: of that disappears. You have to pay for the fire department, 493 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:27,960 Speaker 2: pay for the police, pay for every service that. 494 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 3: Used to just be available. 495 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 2: And she makes a fifteen year old girl see God 496 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 2: as changed, and she makes a fifteen year old girl 497 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,120 Speaker 2: create a belief system called earth Seed, which is based 498 00:32:39,520 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 2: really on her understanding of nature and the planets and 499 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 2: and kind of our true relationship to to the world 500 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 2: and to the universe. And so that's that's really like 501 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 2: a very short version of it. What makes it so 502 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:58,120 Speaker 2: timely is that Octavia did this thirty years ago, and 503 00:32:58,160 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 2: she kind of nailed it. 504 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 3: She nailed like our conditions. 505 00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 2: And she never got on the New York Times bestseller 506 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:07,120 Speaker 2: list when she was alive, but she got on it 507 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty, you know, when we were in the 508 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 2: heart of the pandemic. And I always read this book 509 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 2: and as we when we first started, it was twenty seventeen, 510 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,479 Speaker 2: and I insisted we got to start at twenty seventeen 511 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 2: because we got to need to be ready. 512 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 3: But I didn't know what we needed to be ready for. 513 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:27,880 Speaker 2: I wanted us to be out telling this story. I 514 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 2: wanted us to be singing and rooms full of people. 515 00:33:30,920 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 2: I wanted people to be together here and hear us 516 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 2: sing this story. I wanted to work around the performances 517 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 2: and activate in different communities. And that idea that you 518 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 2: talked about earlier is like, how do we bake break 519 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 2: these borders and really see that we're all kind of 520 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 2: in it together type of vibe. 521 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 3: So I wanted to do that. 522 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 2: But I never understood how twenty twenty four could happen. 523 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,200 Speaker 2: And then when the pandemic happened, I was like, oh, 524 00:33:58,640 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 2: because something really traumatic has to happen to like rev 525 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,080 Speaker 2: up this like you know thing. 526 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 3: Where everywhere where infrastructure gets scared. 527 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,720 Speaker 2: Oh, the people have seen that if they slow down 528 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:17,799 Speaker 2: and they do less, that they can stop pollution. If 529 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:21,319 Speaker 2: they slow down and do less, they can feed each other. 530 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 2: If they insist that that money is spread around, you 531 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 2: can take people out of poverty. 532 00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 3: If we, like we all. 533 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 2: Learn this is our superpower of the pandemic is realizing 534 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,919 Speaker 2: that we actually have what we need to take care 535 00:34:36,960 --> 00:34:40,919 Speaker 2: of each other, and we really do, like right now 536 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 2: we have it. 537 00:34:42,160 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 3: It's not like yeah, yeah, so, so. 538 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: It's not for it's not for the lack of knowing. 539 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 1: It's just for it's for the lack of desire. Right 540 00:34:50,719 --> 00:34:52,000 Speaker 1: for those that are in power. 541 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:53,759 Speaker 3: We are in wars. 542 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: The wars are against us. The wars are against the 543 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 2: people of planet Earth. They are it's governments talking to 544 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,799 Speaker 2: each other. But the wars are on our bodies, on 545 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 2: our houses, on our land, on our water, on our infrastructure, 546 00:35:11,880 --> 00:35:16,800 Speaker 2: They're on everything, and they're happening everywhere. And if people 547 00:35:16,920 --> 00:35:22,200 Speaker 2: can like really find a way to have that understanding 548 00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:26,400 Speaker 2: that we all know actually that we can live on 549 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:29,600 Speaker 2: this planet and balance, and that we're being kept from 550 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:34,240 Speaker 2: it by people who run many of the countries, which 551 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 2: is like a group of a small group of men 552 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 2: in every country all over the world doing this, you know, 553 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 2: that's the way we will have to go to get 554 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,040 Speaker 2: somewhere we want to be for the future. So very 555 00:35:50,080 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 2: important for Octavia's story to be out there. All of 556 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:58,720 Speaker 2: her books really talk about us in really amazing, wonderful ways. 557 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: There's also Adrian Marie Brown's work, and I really love 558 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:08,759 Speaker 2: Alexis Pauline Gums work. I collaborate with both of them. 559 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:13,160 Speaker 2: Adrian and I have a podcast Octavia's Parables, where we're 560 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:17,919 Speaker 2: reading every chapter of everything Octavia is written. And I'm 561 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 2: doing the podcast this year with Alexis Paulling Gums and 562 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:22,760 Speaker 2: we're reading Kindred. 563 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:26,839 Speaker 3: So amazing. But there, Octavia is not the only one 564 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 3: out there. 565 00:36:27,160 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 2: There is a lot of other writers and storytellers who 566 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 2: are really saying the same thing, from multiple cultures and 567 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,879 Speaker 2: multiple languages. We are really trying to reach each other, 568 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 2: and I just my biggest thing is to say, keep 569 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 2: reaching out your hands to each other and keep being 570 00:36:46,120 --> 00:36:49,359 Speaker 2: in alignment with this planet as the best you can. 571 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 2: We all can't do the same things, and we all 572 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 2: kind of in a system right now evolving, but do 573 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:58,520 Speaker 2: your best and really fight for the water and fight 574 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 2: for the air, and don't let these like kind of 575 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:04,799 Speaker 2: racist lines. Fight for the people, fight for each other, 576 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,760 Speaker 2: fight for the trees, fight for you know whatever, fix something. 577 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:16,480 Speaker 1: But you know you, Yeah, my friend, thank you so 578 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: very much. Thank you for your work and your activism 579 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:25,880 Speaker 1: and your art and your time. I'm very excited. I 580 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:31,759 Speaker 1: am going to see uh Powable later in July. I 581 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:34,719 Speaker 1: got my tickets and I'm super excited to. 582 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:37,120 Speaker 3: Lincoln Centner. 583 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 1: Yes, I'm so I'm so excited. I cannot wait. So 584 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:48,280 Speaker 1: thank you so much to shi Uh for your time, 585 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: for your brilliance, for your space. I appreciate you so 586 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:51,800 Speaker 1: very much. 587 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:53,200 Speaker 3: I appreciate you. 588 00:37:53,239 --> 00:37:56,279 Speaker 2: I always I always needed a good dose of outrage 589 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 2: every day. So I'm so glad to in to you 590 00:38:01,080 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 2: and get it because you be on fire and I 591 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 2: love it and I'm grateful for you. Somebody got to say, hey, 592 00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:11,280 Speaker 2: what about it? So I'm thankful to you and thanks 593 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 2: for having me on. 594 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:23,240 Speaker 1: Thank you. That is it for me today, dear friends 595 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:27,200 Speaker 1: on Woke a f as always Power to the people 596 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:30,920 Speaker 1: and to all the people. Power, get woke and stay 597 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: woke as fuck.