1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Before we start today's episode, I wanted to just take 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: a moment to check in with all of you and 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: to ask you to check in with yourselves, because, let's 4 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: be honest, it's been a really rough and emotional few days. 5 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:21,599 Speaker 1: We lost someone that well, I'm not quite sure I 6 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: have the words to do justice to who she was. 7 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: Who she was as a human, as a woman, as 8 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: an activist and a humanitarian, and a literal game changer 9 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: in the course of human history, and the rights of women, 10 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: as a wife, a mother, and so many other things 11 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: to so many people. I'm talking about the legendary Ruth 12 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: Bader Ginsburg, who very sadly passed away at the age 13 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: of eighty seven years old on Friday evening. And while 14 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: the notorious RBG accomplished so much in her life, including 15 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,360 Speaker 1: becoming the second female justice of only four to ever 16 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: be confirmed to the Supreme Court, to me and to 17 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: so many others, one of her greatest accomplishments and an 18 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: enormous part of her legacy, is how she was a 19 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: champion for women and really for humanity. She spent her 20 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: entire life advocating for the advancement of gender equality and 21 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: women's rights because women's rights are human rights. She stood 22 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: for integrity and strength and justice for all, and was 23 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: truly a beacon of light in many, many difficult eras. 24 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: This is a huge loss for us as a community, 25 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: as a community of women, and as a community of 26 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: individuals who truly believe that all humans are and deserve 27 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: to be treated as equals. I think it's incredibly important 28 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: for each of us to take the time that we 29 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: need two more earn and to feel our grief over 30 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: this great loss. But I also believe that RBG would 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: want us to keep fighting, fighting against injustice in all 32 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: its forms, fighting for change, and to continue to listen 33 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: to and learn from one another. One of the best 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: ways that we can do that that we can carry 35 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: on her legacy and work to make meaningful changes is 36 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: to get out there and vote. So while I could 37 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 1: probably go on for an entire podcast episode or two, 38 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: or three or seventeen about how brilliant and powerful and 39 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 1: inspiring RBG was, I feel confident that she would rather 40 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: her legacy live on and the changes that we make 41 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: moving forward. So for today, I'm simply going to say 42 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you so very much, to the honorable 43 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: Justice Ginsberg. You are sorely missed, and you will never 44 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: be forgotten m hm. And we will take this heartbreaking 45 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: moment and turn it into action. May your memory be 46 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: a movement. Today's guest is a woman who truly inspires 47 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: me on a daily basis and one that I am 48 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: so proud to call my friend, Elsa Collins. Elsa as 49 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: a social impact strategy consultant, humanitarian and fights for equality 50 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: and all spheres. Growing up on both sides of the 51 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: border in Tijuana and San Diego, Elsa brings a unique 52 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 1: perspective to the work that she does with organizations that 53 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: operate on the front lines of many social concerns in 54 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: the United States today, including increasing voter registration and participation 55 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: amongst the Latin X community and other marginalized populations, protecting 56 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: the undocumented, and promoting racial and religious harmony and gender equality. 57 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: Also works closely with groups like Fair Count, Fair Fight, 58 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: the Movement for Black Lives, I Am a Voter, Voto Latino, 59 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: and Harness. She is also the co founder of This 60 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: Is About Humanity, a community and movement dedicated to providing 61 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: support for separated and reunited families and children affected by 62 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: the immigration crisis. In addition, to raising awareness and educating 63 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: people on how to be allies and advocates for separated 64 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: and reunited families, migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers through trips 65 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: to the border and virtual education saloons. During my conversation 66 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: with Elsa, we discuss our shared passion for activism and humanitarianism, 67 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: the community, or, as she calls it, the movement that 68 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: she co founded. This is about humanity, her upbringing as 69 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, the 70 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: IMPORTANTESCE of witnessing how to talk about race with childre 71 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: ran so much more. Enjoy Hi, buddy, Hi, I'm so 72 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: excited you're here today. Thank you for having me. Um. 73 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: It's funny when we get ready for these things, I 74 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: always think about when I first met someone, if I 75 00:05:17,720 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: if I've met them already, and I don't even remember 76 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: when we first met. I just feel like, suddenly we 77 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: were together, and now we're together all the time. Do 78 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: you know when it was? Yeah, so we were, Um, 79 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: we were in like a think well i'll call it 80 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: a think tank, but really it was a room uh 81 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: at CIA, and they were looking to do like a 82 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 1: women's summit, and so they were bringing women in to 83 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: kind of give opinions, and I just remember you were 84 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: so eloquent and had so many good ideas, and of 85 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:53,679 Speaker 1: course I was like, I just need to introduce myself 86 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: to this woman and just know her, even though, uh, 87 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: we didn't know each other at all. And so I 88 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,359 Speaker 1: introduced myself and I said I love all your ideas, 89 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: and you're like, take my email, and I was like done. Yeah. 90 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: So this was like very many years ago. And then 91 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: we had our first lunch date, and we had a 92 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: lunch date and then we were just kind of always 93 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: in the same sphere of just general caring about the 94 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: world and about people. And the thing about that spaces 95 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,320 Speaker 1: is when you have like minded people, you find yourself 96 00:06:25,360 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: around them a lot because we're always trying to do 97 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: all the things in all the spaces. So I feel 98 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 1: like we're just we were just always seeing each other 99 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: at all the you know, caring conventions will call them. 100 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 1: I love that. God, that's right. It was you have 101 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: such a good memory, because I was like, what, how 102 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:47,559 Speaker 1: did this happen? Uh? It was the conversation about taking 103 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: the United State of Women nationwide after the first one 104 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: that Barack and Michelle Obama for everyone listening at home 105 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: had thrown this incredible event in Washington, d C. Called 106 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: the United State of Women, and speakers from around the 107 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 1: world came and it was it was a magical day. 108 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,359 Speaker 1: I remember standing up on stage when it was my 109 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,679 Speaker 1: turn to go and give my talk, thinking like what 110 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: am I doing here? Like Nancy Pelosi just talked what 111 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: am I doing here? It was so amazing, And they 112 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: brought in women and some incredible men and people from 113 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 1: all these different sort of age brackets and backgrounds and yeah, 114 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: and then they were talking about how do we take 115 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: that inspiration on the road, how do we share this 116 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 1: with more cities. How do we get you know, more 117 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: local heroes and spaces up on stages to to motivate 118 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: their communities and and that, Yeah, that's right, that's where 119 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 1: we were. Well, I like it, um And fast forward 120 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: to now you have helped to create and you run 121 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: this incredible organization called this It's About Humanity, which I've 122 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: had the honor of working with and alongside. And I've 123 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,600 Speaker 1: been able to go on a trip with you guys 124 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: and follow along on all of the other trips that 125 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: you've done. And I I wonder if you can explain 126 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 1: to everybody listening a little bit about what this is 127 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: about humanity does. Yeah, so it's it's a movement we 128 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: like to call it, and essentially what it does is 129 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: it helps raise awareness around families and children on both 130 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: sides of the border. Um. So, I'm originally from the 131 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: Juana and when everything sort of started to when everyone 132 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: became aware that we were separating families and it just 133 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: was more in the news, I was very uh motivated 134 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: to do what I could do, especially when it was 135 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 1: around an area where I grew up in and so 136 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 1: it had originally started out as a donation drive, sort 137 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,559 Speaker 1: of me saying like, hey, you know, we're going to 138 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 1: get these things to the kids. Do you mind if 139 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:55,640 Speaker 1: you want to, you know, you can send something to 140 00:08:55,679 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: my house. Fast forward to like an Amazon warehouse. It 141 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: was the reaction was so powerful, So along with my 142 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: sister Yalanda and Zoe Winkler, who kind of both wanted 143 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: to do more, we decided like, well, I wonder if 144 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 1: people would want to come on a trip and learn 145 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: more about what is happening, because it's one thing to 146 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: feel like you can give and you can donate and 147 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: that's incredible, but I'm looking for people who want to 148 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 1: learn more and become better advocates. And I think once 149 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: you have come and you've learned, you are so much 150 00:09:30,800 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 1: more effective at speaking on the issue and can explain 151 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 1: why certain things aren't right or have very negative effects 152 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: and consequences. And so we started doing these trips to 153 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: the border. We've done about eighteen um and been able 154 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: to take like over you know, two hundred people and 155 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: to really just be in community with each other and 156 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: with these families and children and listen to their stories 157 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 1: and their journeys and understand why this is happening. And 158 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: um yeah, that's kind of what's going on. This is 159 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: about humanity, So it's but it's really we it's about 160 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: you know, bringing people together, um in a time where 161 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: we seem very far apart and divided. And that's why 162 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: we call it this is about humanity because it's really 163 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: focusing on who we are as human beings and what 164 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: we think is okay and not okay to do to 165 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: human kind. Um. Yeah, yeah, it's really amazing, And I 166 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: want to get into the organization and certainly talk about 167 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 1: from each of our perspectives what you're hitting on, which 168 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,320 Speaker 1: is I think the importance of witnessing. It's the reason 169 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,559 Speaker 1: that I've always wanted to travel for advocacy work, because 170 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: to read about something is one thing, and it matters. 171 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: It matters. Each of us has the luxury now to 172 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: be able to educate ourselves on what's going on out there. 173 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 1: But I really believe that if you want to advocate 174 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 1: for people, there's no better way to do that than 175 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,079 Speaker 1: standing shoulder to shoulder with them. So I think that's 176 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: a great thing for us to come back to. But 177 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 1: you said something that I want to go to first. 178 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: You know, you're originally from Tijuana. You are a dual citizen. 179 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: I want to talk about your childhood because being raised 180 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: on both sides of the border between t J and 181 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: San Diego. What did that mean for you as a kid, 182 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: What what were your experiences like? I mean, it was honestly, 183 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: I feel so blessed to have grown up that way. Um. 184 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,000 Speaker 1: For me, and the way the border used to be 185 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,079 Speaker 1: when I was growing up was not so much an 186 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: obstacle and a divider as it is now, but just 187 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: more a symbolic sort of throw away. So for me, UM, 188 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: through elementary school, I was crossing the border every day 189 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:04,080 Speaker 1: to go school, so it was like a version of 190 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 1: getting on the one oh one and going to the valley. Instead, 191 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: I was just crossing a a border and and heading 192 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: to a different country, um, to go to school. But 193 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: it was amazing. I you know, one day you could 194 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,800 Speaker 1: be going to the movies in San Diego and the 195 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 1: next day you could be eating you know, street tacos 196 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:27,199 Speaker 1: and Tijuana, and so I felt very much a blended 197 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: human um. And once I hit junior high, my mom said, okay, 198 00:12:34,679 --> 00:12:36,680 Speaker 1: it's time to go to school in Mexico. I'm the 199 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: youngest of five children and we all had to go 200 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 1: to school in Mexico at one point or another, so 201 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: junior high was was my time. So that was an 202 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: interesting sort of transition because even though I was living 203 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: in Mexico, I was bilingual and whatnot. Really going to 204 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: school in a in a country is kind of the 205 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: barometer for understanding culture. And at that age, junior high 206 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: like very defined roles between men and women and what 207 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 1: was like okay and not okay for women to do 208 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: and to be accepted and what were your goals and 209 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,800 Speaker 1: so I sort of very quickly and as humans, we 210 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 1: just adapt and we try to thrive in whatever situation. 211 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: We're in. So I was put into school and I 212 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, my goal is to literally become like 213 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 1: a secretary, marry somebody and have like and be like 214 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 1: in society, you know, whereas I think in the States 215 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: growing up, I was like, I wanted to play sports 216 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 1: and I wanted to do all these things. But that 217 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: was at that time a slightly different mindset. So. Um. 218 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: And then eventually in high school I switched back to 219 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: the States and finished up high school there and then 220 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: went to college. So it was it was a lot 221 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: of going back and forth and and leaning into different, um, 222 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: parts of my personality and parts of of sort of 223 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: what it means means to be a Mexican or an 224 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: American or or both. Um. So yeah, that's so interesting. 225 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: So as a kid, when you talk about, you know, 226 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: the border being kind of just like the freeway, UM, 227 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 1: I think about it almost. It struck me when you 228 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: said that, really, what our borders are our arteries. You know, 229 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: the planet is one circulatory system, and this idea that 230 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: we have these arbitrary lines and supposedly nothing moves between 231 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: the two. It's like nature, migratory animals, everything that that 232 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: sort of exists in a better cohesive way with the 233 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: planet laughs in our faces. Is like, really you think 234 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,600 Speaker 1: that the border means anything? So I had this sort 235 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: of image when you were talking about it. I was like, 236 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: oh my god, it's just like an artery. Well, we 237 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: definitely we share like natural gas between the countries, the waterways, 238 00:14:55,480 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: care quality, you know, soil quality, pollution. So it's really 239 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: just human beings that have this kind of construction. Right, 240 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 1: So you were living in Tijuana and going to school 241 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: in San Diego, and how how does that work? I mean, 242 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: forgive me, but I know you are a dual citizen, 243 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: but how does that how is that allowed? Well, you 244 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,600 Speaker 1: what was a private school a and then be at 245 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: that time when you would cross the border, you would 246 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 1: make a line and then you would get to the 247 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: front and you would tell the border patrol agent like 248 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: I'm a U. S. Citizen And that was and then 249 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: you go to school. Now, as you've seen when you've 250 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: come with us, it's a completely different situation. They've done 251 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: a lot of construction around the border, put a lot 252 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: of sort of barriers and obstacles. You have to have 253 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 1: your documents out, you have to have a passport to 254 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: um identify yourself. So just little things that may not 255 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: seem like a big deal, but for someone who grew 256 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: up at and Way, you're like, wow, this is very 257 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 1: intense and it seems like so many things are happening. Um. 258 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 1: So yeah, so I would cross the border every day, 259 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: but I would always I would either be like the 260 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:13,560 Speaker 1: first person at school or like two hours late because 261 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: I just never knew how long the borderway was going 262 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: to be. So it was like such a but you know, 263 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,160 Speaker 1: it was great. And then where do you think that 264 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: that change? When you were staying in Mexico to go 265 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: to school Engineer High, you talk about like a different 266 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: sort of societal expectation. Where do you think that comes from? 267 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: I mean, do you think it was the era do 268 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: you think it was culture. I think it was both, 269 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: because I don't think it's the same now, but I 270 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: think this is like ninety um, two three, um. And 271 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: I just remember the very first recess, there was a 272 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: game of soccer happening and I went to go join in. 273 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: And after the soccer game, a now good girlfriend of 274 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: mine was, you know, like, if you want to have 275 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: like friends, like probably just hang out with us instead 276 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: of playing sports. It was kind of like a thing 277 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 1: to where I was like, oh, okay, well I definitely 278 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 1: want to have friends, so but um so, but I 279 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: do think obviously now like the Mexican women's soccer team 280 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:19,959 Speaker 1: is great, so I think it's it's a little bit 281 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: of the era, but also sort of that like Machista, 282 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: you know, um, that's kind of like in the d N, 283 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 1: a of of sort of like society in Mexico, sort 284 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: of like male centric dominating um, sort of like male 285 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: roles and very specific female roles that are assigned and 286 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: that you need to kind of follow or needed to 287 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: follow two sort of thrive in that society, sure, And 288 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 1: I mean larger societal implications of that too. You know, 289 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 1: you think about our mom's generation, where they were raised 290 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: by women whose only work opportunity was to go to 291 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: secretary school. And I remember even you know, entering into college, 292 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 1: going to USC and I'll never forget I heard I 293 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: remember overhearing a conversation um, which now I'm like, God, 294 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: that was so judgmental, but at the time I didn't 295 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 1: really get it where some girls were talking about a 296 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,439 Speaker 1: group of girls in their class and they were like, oh, well, 297 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: they just came to college to get their m r 298 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: s and I was like what And they were like, 299 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: they just came here to get married, to meet a 300 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: guy to get married. And I was like, uh oh, 301 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: this is weird, Like I came here to double major. 302 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: I don't know what's going on, you know, but you 303 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: you realize that there there is there's just so much 304 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: expectation for the way women move in the world, and 305 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: then it changes dependent on expectation of culture and place 306 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: and inherited ideology and all of those things. So you 307 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 1: talked about being the youngest of five siblings. What is 308 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: it like to grow up in a house with that 309 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:05,120 Speaker 1: many people. I mean, it was interesting because my older 310 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: three siblings are very close in age and then there's 311 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: a five year gap and then there's my brother, and 312 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: my mom always says I was like a very happy surprise. 313 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: So um it was. Honestly it was. I think the 314 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: typical sort of idea of like the youngest child is 315 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: the one that gets everything kind of doesn't apply in 316 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: this situation because it was sort of like fend for yourself, 317 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: Like you know, I sometimes I don't even know how 318 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:34,399 Speaker 1: I was getting places because everyone had their own lives 319 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: and was doing their own things. Um, so I can 320 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: definitely remember it, like age eleven twelve, being like, all right, 321 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: I guess I need to make myself dinner, like you 322 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: know my mom. It's a funny story. And my mom 323 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: went to go visit one of my older siblings who 324 00:19:48,400 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: lives in New York City, and she left my brother 325 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: and myself. He was like sixteen, I was like fourteen 326 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: at the time, and she was supposed to go for 327 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 1: a week, but she ended up like sending her vacation. 328 00:19:59,720 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: And so basically at one point, my brother and I 329 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: were like, we think we need to go get jobs, 330 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: like we literally like needed money, and like that's how 331 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: I got my first job. Was like my brother went 332 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,159 Speaker 1: to work at the Warner Brothers store and I went 333 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 1: to go work at Express and because I like literally 334 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:16,680 Speaker 1: needed money, my mom was like, we left you enough, 335 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: and I was like, I don't know that that's true. 336 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: I made my brother kept it. I have no idea, 337 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 1: but like I literally needed cash. So um, that was 338 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: kind of what growing up with five siblings was, was 339 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: like all right, you need something, like you gotta go 340 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: do it, like there's no one who and my mom 341 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: was she was raising all of us alone. My father 342 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: had passed away when I was eight and so, and 343 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: it was just her. So it was definitely sort of 344 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 1: instilling this like idea of you are your own like 345 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: self starter, whether by on purpose or just by circumstance. 346 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: But we were definitely all sort of like all right, 347 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 1: like we gotta do our own things, and like, because 348 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,679 Speaker 1: she grew up in Mexico, she also wasn't She knew, like, 349 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 1: for example, that education was very important, and she knew 350 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: that we should all be going to college and doing 351 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: these things. But she also was sort of bringing her 352 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: very Mexican Catholic like influence into it. So like for me, 353 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: it was like, I definitely want you to go to college, 354 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 1: but like only to the Catholic university in San Diego. 355 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: And so she was kind of trying to like encourage 356 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: some things that I think are very sort of like 357 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 1: American ideals, which are like do the best you can 358 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: and study hard and you'll get far, but also kind 359 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,119 Speaker 1: of still trying to keep her own um influence on that. 360 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: Although I sort of broke out of that, but your 361 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 1: mom volunteered a lot, right, Yeah, she was a huge 362 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: Uh she grew up I mean I grew up watching 363 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: her do things for cancer for homeless, you know, same 364 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: Vincent de Paul, through the church, through Susan G. Coleman, 365 00:21:58,119 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: through everything. All the time was like some event that 366 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: my mom was uh like on Charing or the co 367 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:07,920 Speaker 1: host of and she did a lot of stuff around 368 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,360 Speaker 1: you know, the by National Space. And so for me, 369 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: I always just grew up thinking that that was just normal, 370 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: you know that you were always just sort of like, 371 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:19,879 Speaker 1: look at what you're given and see what you can 372 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: be doing. Look at what you're given and see what 373 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: you can be doing. I like that. Yeah, that feels 374 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 1: like a good bumper stick. If Oprah were in the room, 375 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: she'd be like, that's the tweet. Do you do you 376 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 1: see the through line now to the way that service 377 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:44,119 Speaker 1: and activism just are part of your life because you 378 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 1: grew up in a house where it was just part 379 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: of your life. Yeah, I mean I think that there's 380 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: definitely a through line in terms of feeling that it's 381 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: sort of like my responsibility based on not just what 382 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 1: I was given, but like the circumstances in which I 383 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:08,440 Speaker 1: arrived or came into um. And I definitely feel like 384 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: I'm someone who looks at sort of what do I 385 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 1: have at my disposal and what can I use to 386 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: help others um. And I think that that's always been 387 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: something that I've followed pretty closely, and I think ever 388 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: since having kids of my own, I felt even more 389 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: sort of driven to make sure that they're near it 390 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: and see it and understand it, UM because I always 391 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,840 Speaker 1: tell people, you know, what's happening in this world right 392 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:45,239 Speaker 1: now is basically a developed version of bullying, right, And 393 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 1: so at the very core, you know, if I can 394 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 1: help my kids identify that, then whatever is happening in 395 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,479 Speaker 1: their daily life, they can decide to like stand up 396 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: for something, speak out against something, if they see something, 397 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: say something, And that's like a very all way to 398 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: start that I hope grows into sort of a version 399 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: of like what I'm doing. Yeah, well, I think when 400 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 1: you begin to plant seeds of I guess you could 401 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: say perspective, you know, really clarifying right and wrong for kids, 402 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:24,119 Speaker 1: they really do grow into a way of life. And 403 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 1: I think that that's so important because it can be 404 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: really easy to live in a society, and especially when 405 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,560 Speaker 1: like this where Donald Trump and his rhetoric and the 406 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: way he speaks is having exponential detrimental and traumatic effects 407 00:24:41,960 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 1: to kids in school because kids here the way the 408 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: quote unquote president speaks, which is so unpresidential, but they 409 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: hear the way he speaks on the news, and then 410 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: they go to school and they talk to their friends 411 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: that way, their former friends that way. Um. You know, 412 00:24:57,280 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: incidents of bullying and name calling and the humanis station 413 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 1: and physical assault are all skyrocketing in schools right now, 414 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 1: and I can't imagine what it must be like to 415 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: be a parent in this moment. Well, you know, it's 416 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 1: interesting because before I was doing this is about humanity, 417 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:19,400 Speaker 1: I was working in the social impact space and had 418 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 1: you know, done a lot for for Hillary in sixteen 419 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:29,840 Speaker 1: that obviously did not go um that way. But um, 420 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 1: I remember after the election, like a week later at 421 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: the time, my daughter was five, and she came home 422 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: and she said, Mommy, she said, you know, someone at 423 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:43,440 Speaker 1: school asked me when I was going to get on 424 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,400 Speaker 1: the other side of the wall, and I was like, 425 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: I'm there are very few things that leave me without words. 426 00:25:49,359 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: And that was a very like clear moment to me 427 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 1: where I was like, Wow, this is something that I'm 428 00:25:57,840 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: going to have to sort of really be mindful of 429 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 1: with my kids. I mean, my kids are half Mexican. 430 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 1: My husband's black, so they're half Mexican half black. And 431 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: I always used to think, I mean, my husband was 432 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: the one who would always bring up like, you know, 433 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to have the talk with the kids 434 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:18,080 Speaker 1: about you know, the N word and about you know, 435 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,640 Speaker 1: getting stopped and all these things. And I always thought 436 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: that that was going to be the very first sort 437 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: of like serious talk we would have. So for it 438 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: to kind of be flipped on me because you'd be like, 439 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 1: time to have the talk, and I would say, you know, 440 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: they're so young, like we're like three five, you know. 441 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 1: I always thought that was three five and seven, that's 442 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: how all they were at the time. And then for 443 00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 1: me to come home call my husband and be like, 444 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 1: you will not believe what Valentina just told me she 445 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,120 Speaker 1: heard in school today and be so upset in him, 446 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,879 Speaker 1: be like, okay, so are you ready to have the talk? 447 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,600 Speaker 1: And I was like, I guess so, you know. So 448 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: that's like for me, was very indicative of Okay, this 449 00:26:57,160 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: is like a new space here, and I need to 450 00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,800 Speaker 1: be preparing my kids for the things that they may hear, 451 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: people may say to them, and how they need to 452 00:27:07,359 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 1: be not just armed and equipped with like what is 453 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,120 Speaker 1: the correct response, but understanding why are people even saying that? 454 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: Like what is what does that even mean? You know, 455 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: do you tell your kids when when you talk about 456 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: how to explain to them why people would say such 457 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:28,200 Speaker 1: a thing, Like how do you start that conversation? I mean, honestly, 458 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: we really actually started with um looking back just historically 459 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,440 Speaker 1: at like we looked at a map and I showed 460 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: them maps over the ages about how California used to 461 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: be part of Mexico and then it became part of 462 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:47,439 Speaker 1: the United States, and sort of like teaching them that 463 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 1: things weren't always the way that they seem now so 464 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,480 Speaker 1: they could understand a little bit of historical context. And 465 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 1: then talking a little bit I mean, obviously everything is 466 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: age appropriate, but talking about like okay, and then we 467 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 1: put a border because people thought at the border made 468 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: them safer. Here's this wall, and so people want to 469 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: extend this wall or or quote unquote build a wall, 470 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: even though as you've seen, a wall already exists. In fact, 471 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,880 Speaker 1: two walls that exist, which you know, for people who 472 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: think that it keeps them safer, it keeps people out, 473 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:25,159 Speaker 1: it doesn't. UM and so just sort of explaining to 474 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,760 Speaker 1: them like, so this is what this person meant. They 475 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: wanted you basically to be on the other side in Mexico, 476 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,600 Speaker 1: but you're born in the United States, so there's no 477 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,520 Speaker 1: reason for that. But and then talking a little bit 478 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: about you know, this is a way of he's probably 479 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: hurt it somewhere. I mean, a five year old doesn't 480 00:28:41,760 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: kind of make this stuff up on their own, um, 481 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: and so just explaining about having empathy for them and 482 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 1: maybe like that they may not have all the information 483 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 1: and so, but my kids do, and so they don't 484 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 1: need to feel any type of way of at it 485 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 1: because that statement is actually just like an untruth. And 486 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 1: so yeah, that's got to just be so crushing. It was. 487 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: I mean again, I just I can't really think of 488 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:19,240 Speaker 1: a time where I was so just no words. The 489 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: only words I have were like grabbing my phone and 490 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: just call him up jarn and just being like you 491 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: will not believe and being so upset because you're just 492 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,720 Speaker 1: like I can't protect my kids from that. And that's 493 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: like very hard to deal with when you think of 494 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:35,920 Speaker 1: all the things you try to do to like set 495 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: your kids up for success and protect them and and 496 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: and help them be the best people they can be 497 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: and just be like, wow, I can't, I can't you know, 498 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 1: protect them from that. It's a lot, and it's just 499 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: so striking. It's a thing that we already know, but 500 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 1: when you think about it happening to children, it strikes 501 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: me as just I mean, honestly, it sucks the wind 502 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: out of my in the air, out of my lungs, 503 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: the we other anyone, yeah, for any reason, but as 504 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 1: simple as the fact that your daughter, as a five 505 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:13,920 Speaker 1: year old, is this little girl who happens to be 506 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: both black and brown, and because of who she is 507 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: in the body she was born into, another child is 508 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: telling her she's less than Like, h I just I 509 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 1: can't believe that we're still talking about this. Yeah, I mean, 510 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 1: I think for me, there's two things. A that situation 511 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:48,960 Speaker 1: really helped me solidify that how intersectional not just my 512 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 1: life is, but my kids lives are, and how I 513 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: need to be very mindful of that, especially in the 514 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: work that I do and the things that I'm engaged in, 515 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: Like I needed to lean more into criminal justice reform, 516 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: I needed to help relate how you know, things that 517 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: are happening at the border are influenced by the criminal 518 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: justice reform system, how we're detaining individuals and families and 519 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 1: children is um. There are a lot of influences coming 520 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: from that space. And so the more that I can 521 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: help people see that and put that together, that makes 522 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: me feel like I'm even doing more work, like for 523 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 1: how my kids are going to grow up in the future. Um. 524 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 1: And it also just made me think about, you know, 525 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,040 Speaker 1: my friends who aren't black and brown, who are raising 526 00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: kids and who you know ask about like, well, what 527 00:31:48,360 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 1: how are what can I be doing with my kids? 528 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 1: And and a lot of times people will say, you know, well, 529 00:31:54,440 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 1: like I'm raising my kids colorblind, so like we don't 530 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: even talk about race or color and sort of helping 531 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: dispel that approach as uh and ineffective because we already 532 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:10,200 Speaker 1: have these systematic biases programmed into our whole society. So 533 00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: if you're not doing anything, it's actually being informed by 534 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,920 Speaker 1: already you know, sort of prejudicial systems, and they're going 535 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 1: to be learning it from somebody else. So don't you 536 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 1: want to be the one that gives them the language 537 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: and the tools to talk about race and to talk 538 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: about what's happening instead of somebody else. Yes, Two women 539 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: who have learned so much from who are both incredible 540 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:37,959 Speaker 1: educators and women of color. Laylasade and Rachel Ricketts, to paraphrase, 541 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: have both essentially said that if if you claim to 542 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: be color color blend, you are denying the entire existence 543 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 1: of people of color, and that it is not enough 544 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,880 Speaker 1: to just not be racist, you have to actually be 545 00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 1: anti racist. You have to work to dismantle these sort 546 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,480 Speaker 1: of societal systems that you're referring to, because this idea 547 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: that we can just um ignore the past by saying 548 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 1: like well I I don't see it. You know what 549 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: happened before. I don't do that. It's like, well, you 550 00:33:11,160 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: still live in a system in society that has inherited 551 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: systems and and modalities of treating people differently, so you 552 00:33:21,720 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: have to work to combat it. And especially with kids, 553 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:27,080 Speaker 1: we have to talk about this stuff to what would 554 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: you recommend? Because I'm sure there's people who are listening 555 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: who are like, well, okay, I want to talk to 556 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: my kids about it. How do I start? And especially 557 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:35,680 Speaker 1: like women who look like me, who are like, well, 558 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:38,840 Speaker 1: I'm a mom to white kids, like what do I 559 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: tell them? What? What would you say? I mean? I 560 00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: think my my biggest recommendation is just like, look around 561 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 1: you and what is in your everyday life? You know, 562 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: do you have a pediatrician of color? Do you, you know, 563 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: go get your coffee every day? Like who are the 564 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 1: people who you interact with? And do you have anybody 565 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: of color in your life, whether or not they're close, proximate, 566 00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: you know, relationship or just sort of incidental to your 567 00:34:05,680 --> 00:34:08,839 Speaker 1: everyday life, And like are you ever talking about them 568 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:11,680 Speaker 1: to your kids? Are you ever sort of incorporating them 569 00:34:11,719 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 1: into part of the conversation? You know, when you go 570 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 1: and buy a book about you know, who was you 571 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,120 Speaker 1: know insert the name. My kids love these books, but like, 572 00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 1: are you ever encouraging them to buy the who who 573 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: was Harriet Tubman? Or you know who was Martin Luther King? 574 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:31,959 Speaker 1: Or are we sort of just kind of staying within 575 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: what's comfortable to sort of your life? So I think 576 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:39,479 Speaker 1: buying a book about somebody who you yourself admire, reading 577 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:41,759 Speaker 1: it with your kids, talking to your kids about who's 578 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:43,839 Speaker 1: in your everyday life, like who's helping you? You know? 579 00:34:43,880 --> 00:34:47,879 Speaker 1: Do you have domestic workers who are of color? And 580 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 1: do you know their stories? Have you ever asked them 581 00:34:50,320 --> 00:34:53,879 Speaker 1: about their lives? Do you know how they even came here. Um, 582 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: a lot of people are entrusting their most precious you know, 583 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: human lives to these people, and like do you know 584 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,319 Speaker 1: about them? And and I think that those are just 585 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: sort of like very small specific ways that you can 586 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 1: just sort of try to incorporate better you know, uh, 587 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:16,680 Speaker 1: practices into your life about the people who are who 588 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:20,239 Speaker 1: are in them. You know, I don't think I think 589 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: people think it's like so much like do I have 590 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,440 Speaker 1: to attend some conference or do something. You don't have 591 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: to make a big gesture. It can be just something 592 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:29,840 Speaker 1: as small as like talking to your kids about the 593 00:35:29,840 --> 00:35:32,319 Speaker 1: people that you see every day in your life, your 594 00:35:32,360 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: favorite restaurant, people who are serving you, people who are 595 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:40,280 Speaker 1: you know around you, and just recognizing them and seeing 596 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: them and helping your kids see them and recognizing that 597 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:45,799 Speaker 1: you may not be able to do all the things 598 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 1: that you do in your life without these people in it. 599 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:56,719 Speaker 1: I love that small things, Yeah, but perspective shifts, even 600 00:35:56,800 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 1: if they start small, because such huge, wonderful ripple effects. 601 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: And I think that those are really important reminders. So 602 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 1: in between running this organization and you know, being this 603 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 1: powerhouse mom and leader and where we left off sort 604 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 1: of in the in the coming of age story. Um, 605 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:30,319 Speaker 1: junior high in Mexico, coming back to high school in 606 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:37,320 Speaker 1: the US. What what happens in between? What happens in between? Um? 607 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 1: I mean, I it's funny because you when I started 608 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: high school in the States, I was still crossing the 609 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:49,080 Speaker 1: border like my freshman halfway through my sophomore year, and 610 00:36:49,120 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 1: I just remember being so loving that I was like, 611 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: you know, I was really into my Mexican self at 612 00:36:57,080 --> 00:37:01,040 Speaker 1: that point, like I was digging the men in and 613 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: sort of had had a little bit of a of 614 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:08,839 Speaker 1: a mind shift. Um. And I remember my mom being like, Okay, 615 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: well now you gotta get ready for the s a 616 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:13,960 Speaker 1: T And being like, oh does that matter? Okay, I 617 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:15,840 Speaker 1: guess yeah, I guess I kind of do want to 618 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 1: go to college. But I think for a minute, I 619 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:21,080 Speaker 1: was sort of thinking like maybe I should just get 620 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: married and start working as a secretary. I have no idea, 621 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:28,680 Speaker 1: you know. Um. And so I I came back to 622 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,800 Speaker 1: the States and very quickly, after like six months, I 623 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: got back into sports and like, but it just now, 624 00:37:35,320 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: thinking back on it just shows me and even when 625 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:40,960 Speaker 1: you know I'm down at the border, now it just 626 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: reminds me how children and kids are so have this 627 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:49,960 Speaker 1: special ability to just get into whatever the situation is 628 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 1: and make the best of it. So that's kind of 629 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:55,960 Speaker 1: where I was at UM And I remember my mom said, Okay, 630 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,880 Speaker 1: you can apply anywhere, but you know, you're going to 631 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 1: go to the Catholic University. And I was like, okay, 632 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:03,200 Speaker 1: got it. But she did say I could apply anywhere, 633 00:38:03,600 --> 00:38:07,480 Speaker 1: so I took her at her word. And I had 634 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:09,759 Speaker 1: applied early to Stanford and then I had gotten in, 635 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:11,360 Speaker 1: and I was like, well, that's great, but you're going 636 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:14,319 Speaker 1: to go to you know, the Catholic University. And at 637 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:17,920 Speaker 1: that point, the benefit of being the fifth child was 638 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: I had my older siblings being like, I think she 639 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:23,880 Speaker 1: needs to go to Stanford, Mom, maybe it's like a 640 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:27,239 Speaker 1: really good school, and and so she was a really 641 00:38:27,239 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: big deal to get in, so she was so they 642 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:34,080 Speaker 1: convinced her to let to let me go um And 643 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:39,920 Speaker 1: I remember I was so excited and just again like 644 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: being at Stanford felt somewhat like of of an international 645 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 1: student but still kind of I mean, I had finished 646 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:49,600 Speaker 1: a high school in San Diego, so uh, and I 647 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: just thought to myself, wow, like I would have never 648 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:56,960 Speaker 1: imagined being a child and like thinking I would end 649 00:38:57,000 --> 00:39:00,000 Speaker 1: up at a place like Stanford, you know what I mean. Um, 650 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: And I loved it and it was I mean that's 651 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,600 Speaker 1: where I met my husband and it was like the 652 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 1: best for years. What did you study there? I was 653 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:11,920 Speaker 1: a communications major and then I got my masters in sociology. 654 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: Very cool. And did you play sports? I did not? 655 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: You know it stands for you have to be like 656 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,200 Speaker 1: an Olympian, you know, I mean saying like usc like 657 00:39:20,280 --> 00:39:22,880 Speaker 1: I think you really have to be placed. I don't sport. Yeah, no, 658 00:39:23,239 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: I was. I liked sports obviously my husband was an athlete. Um, 659 00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 1: but I very much was just a student, just a student. Yeah, 660 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:37,040 Speaker 1: I wish I could have played a sport there. But 661 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: what did you play in high school? I was a 662 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,520 Speaker 1: track runner, so I would have run track. But again 663 00:39:41,560 --> 00:39:45,000 Speaker 1: like literal Olympians on that track team. So see, I 664 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 1: don't run unless I'm being chased like you just couldn't. 665 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 1: It's like a special kind of torture for me. I'll box, 666 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:54,920 Speaker 1: I want to I'm down to weightlift, Like let's go 667 00:39:54,960 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: to a spin class. I want to go for a hike. 668 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:00,720 Speaker 1: But there's something for me. I just was not built 669 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 1: as a runner. That's so funny. I don't have it. 670 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,799 Speaker 1: I wanted to have it, I just physically didn't have it. Yeah. 671 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,279 Speaker 1: Every year I have this sort of fantasy when we 672 00:40:10,360 --> 00:40:11,960 Speaker 1: come up on New Year's I'm like, maybe this will 673 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:13,600 Speaker 1: be the year that I become that person who like 674 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,200 Speaker 1: wakes up at six fift makes an espresso and goes 675 00:40:16,239 --> 00:40:17,920 Speaker 1: for a jog. I love it. And I'm like, no, 676 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:20,359 Speaker 1: that's a person on Instagram. That's just not who I am. 677 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:22,319 Speaker 1: But this is the thing about running that I just 678 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:27,279 Speaker 1: love is I can go anywhere, travel anywhere, and I 679 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: don't need a gym. I just need some air pods 680 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 1: and I'm little Google Map to make sure I don't 681 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:35,880 Speaker 1: like run off the you know whatever, and I'm gone. 682 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 1: I mean, I'll go round five or six miles in 683 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:41,520 Speaker 1: a new city I've never visited and I've just toured it. 684 00:40:41,520 --> 00:40:43,920 Speaker 1: It's very cool. I've heard other runners talk about that. 685 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, Wow, what is that like for you? Kind 686 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:51,799 Speaker 1: of fun? I love it? Um, I just love it. 687 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:58,000 Speaker 1: So we catch up. You're at Stanford, you meet Jarn 688 00:40:58,880 --> 00:41:02,359 Speaker 1: and then how do you I wind up in l A. Well, 689 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,120 Speaker 1: he's originally from l A. Um, he grew up here 690 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:08,160 Speaker 1: in the valley very much l a born and raised, 691 00:41:08,560 --> 00:41:11,719 Speaker 1: and yeah, I love it. I get so excited when 692 00:41:11,719 --> 00:41:16,200 Speaker 1: people are so he so loves it. Um deep city pride. 693 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:20,520 Speaker 1: There's an aggressive amount of pride actually, um. And I'm 694 00:41:20,560 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 1: gonna just say, like, good on you. Um. But it 695 00:41:23,680 --> 00:41:27,240 Speaker 1: was the kind of thing where I just remember, you know, again, 696 00:41:27,280 --> 00:41:29,880 Speaker 1: as I said, my mom being very traditional in Mexican, 697 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:32,800 Speaker 1: like she had never even really seen a black person 698 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:34,440 Speaker 1: until she was like in the mid twenties and she 699 00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: would come to the States, you know, so I think 700 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:40,480 Speaker 1: she was like, what's happening here? And I was like, oh, 701 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:43,600 Speaker 1: this person I don't know. Um, so I think I 702 00:41:43,640 --> 00:41:46,279 Speaker 1: think I love I know. I was like, what, yeah, 703 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:49,719 Speaker 1: so I think that. Um. It was definitely kind of 704 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:55,200 Speaker 1: a big shock to my mom and my family just 705 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:58,839 Speaker 1: being like, wow, okay, this is like who else. When 706 00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:00,800 Speaker 1: we were first dating now, you know, and when we 707 00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:02,959 Speaker 1: got married it was, you know, less of a shock, 708 00:42:03,040 --> 00:42:07,000 Speaker 1: but I think at the beginning it was definitely like 709 00:42:07,280 --> 00:42:12,080 Speaker 1: kind of a surprise. Um. And you know, and even 710 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: like now, I mean we we just had our twenty 711 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:20,040 Speaker 1: second Valentine's Day. We've been married for fifteen years um, 712 00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:24,439 Speaker 1: even in the beginning of our relationship, because I sort 713 00:42:24,480 --> 00:42:27,960 Speaker 1: of really hadn't kind of grown up in the States, 714 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,440 Speaker 1: Like I didn't really like live in the States, even 715 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:32,080 Speaker 1: though I was crossing the border every day. There were 716 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:35,640 Speaker 1: so many experiences that my husband had growing up black 717 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:38,359 Speaker 1: in the States that like I needed to become aware of, 718 00:42:39,080 --> 00:42:42,640 Speaker 1: you know, Like I mean, like I can remember we 719 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 1: would go to restaurants and I had to open up 720 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,839 Speaker 1: the menu and he would be like, there are two 721 00:42:47,880 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: black people here, and I'd be like, oh, I was 722 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 1: just looking at the appetizers. I wasn't, you know. He 723 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:55,080 Speaker 1: had already done sort of a census of where we were, 724 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:58,000 Speaker 1: and that was like something that he was always trying 725 00:42:58,040 --> 00:43:01,799 Speaker 1: to point out to me that it you know, and 726 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:05,480 Speaker 1: the only Latino here is the best boy, and and 727 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:08,360 Speaker 1: so for someone who did not grow up in the 728 00:43:08,440 --> 00:43:10,879 Speaker 1: States like that, that was something that was not on 729 00:43:11,239 --> 00:43:14,759 Speaker 1: in my brain. You hadn't experienced coming in and coming 730 00:43:14,760 --> 00:43:17,319 Speaker 1: back and forth for school. You hadn't experienced this sort 731 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: of not talked about segregation that's so common here because 732 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:28,839 Speaker 1: in Mexico society is so much more classist, because really 733 00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 1: you're just kind of Mexican. There's no real races in 734 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:36,640 Speaker 1: this country. You're you have a certain socio economic status. 735 00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:39,879 Speaker 1: There is a little bit of colorism in Mexico. Um 736 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:44,399 Speaker 1: that exists, kind of similar, but not like this sort 737 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 1: of how Jarn would look at it, you know. And 738 00:43:47,719 --> 00:43:52,320 Speaker 1: so those were things that he would mention, and then 739 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:55,080 Speaker 1: once we started having kids, he would start to say, like, 740 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:57,800 Speaker 1: you know, we need to talk to the kids about 741 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:00,160 Speaker 1: the things that they're going to face that he face. 742 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:02,879 Speaker 1: You know. I mean, someone called him the N word 743 00:44:02,920 --> 00:44:05,560 Speaker 1: when he was in the third grade, and he very 744 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 1: clearly remembers that. And so for him, it's like, how 745 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:13,239 Speaker 1: is he equipping our children the most effective way he 746 00:44:13,320 --> 00:44:16,759 Speaker 1: can And kind of as I mentioned the incident with 747 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:21,400 Speaker 1: Valentina bringing me along, uh and sort of wrapping my 748 00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:24,600 Speaker 1: head around you know. Okay, yeah, you're right, like I 749 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:26,640 Speaker 1: need you know, we need our kids need to be 750 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:29,000 Speaker 1: prepared for the double whammy. I don't know which one 751 00:44:29,080 --> 00:44:30,200 Speaker 1: is going to be. Is it that they're black or 752 00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:34,240 Speaker 1: their Mexican. I have no idea at this point. Um. 753 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:37,160 Speaker 1: But yeah, So we ended up in l A because 754 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:39,200 Speaker 1: he's originally from here and he thinks it's the best 755 00:44:39,200 --> 00:44:42,080 Speaker 1: place on Earth and now I were raising our kids 756 00:44:42,120 --> 00:44:44,799 Speaker 1: here in l A. And that's a whole another you know, 757 00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:49,680 Speaker 1: sort of level of mindfulness that I need to be 758 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 1: very aware of, you know, because I always tell people, 759 00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:56,120 Speaker 1: you know, parenting is an active sport, like you've got 760 00:44:56,120 --> 00:44:58,799 Speaker 1: to be in it, and you've got to be paying 761 00:44:58,840 --> 00:45:02,360 Speaker 1: attention and you have to be talking to your kids 762 00:45:02,560 --> 00:45:07,239 Speaker 1: and really engaged with them so that they you know, 763 00:45:07,360 --> 00:45:09,680 Speaker 1: I think I think our kids are great. I'm biased, 764 00:45:09,719 --> 00:45:13,840 Speaker 1: but I know that they're so just aware of what's happening. 765 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:17,319 Speaker 1: They know what's going on. And it's because and I 766 00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:20,520 Speaker 1: go to bed every night exhausted because of it. That's 767 00:45:20,560 --> 00:45:25,520 Speaker 1: what it involves, I think. M hm. And what does 768 00:45:25,520 --> 00:45:28,239 Speaker 1: it look like for you? Because one of the things 769 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:31,439 Speaker 1: I love when when you've talked about how you grew 770 00:45:31,520 --> 00:45:36,640 Speaker 1: up is that your your parents and your dual citizenship 771 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:38,840 Speaker 1: and the way that you were raised it all enabled 772 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:42,040 Speaker 1: you to be you know, bilingual, bi literate by cultural. 773 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:47,800 Speaker 1: How being here? What does it look like to raise 774 00:45:47,880 --> 00:45:51,440 Speaker 1: your kids with your culture? Do you guys speak Spanish 775 00:45:51,520 --> 00:45:54,440 Speaker 1: at home? Just darn speak Spanish? Does are they going 776 00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:59,200 Speaker 1: to a bilingual school? Like? How do you how do 777 00:45:59,239 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: you maintain that. I mean, I've never spoken a word 778 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:05,239 Speaker 1: of English to my kids since they were born, no 779 00:46:05,280 --> 00:46:10,560 Speaker 1: matter in public, at home, Um, they only speak Spanish 780 00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:12,600 Speaker 1: at home. They are bilingual. They do go to an 781 00:46:12,600 --> 00:46:16,120 Speaker 1: immersion school here in l a uh Jarren, I would 782 00:46:16,160 --> 00:46:23,360 Speaker 1: say is about six, expressive and probably receptive with Spanish 783 00:46:23,400 --> 00:46:26,719 Speaker 1: in terms of his understanding. Um. He's also gone like 784 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,640 Speaker 1: for six to ten months out of the year for work, 785 00:46:29,719 --> 00:46:32,920 Speaker 1: So I feel like we can really dive into the 786 00:46:32,920 --> 00:46:35,880 Speaker 1: Spanish and it's not you know, he'll understand every he 787 00:46:35,920 --> 00:46:39,879 Speaker 1: does understand everything, UM, But for me it's okay. How 788 00:46:39,920 --> 00:46:43,959 Speaker 1: do I approximate my experience growing up on the border 789 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:45,759 Speaker 1: as closely as I kind of my kids who are 790 00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:49,560 Speaker 1: a little bit further and it is through language. Like 791 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:53,920 Speaker 1: I think, language, especially in in our culture is so huge, 792 00:46:54,360 --> 00:46:56,520 Speaker 1: and so that's why I'm I'm very much a stickler 793 00:46:56,560 --> 00:47:01,040 Speaker 1: for bilingual and bi literate education, which I feel grateful 794 00:47:01,120 --> 00:47:05,200 Speaker 1: that they're getting exposed to. UM. And then you know, 795 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:08,880 Speaker 1: just having the conversations about how I grew up, what 796 00:47:09,000 --> 00:47:12,839 Speaker 1: it what it's like, you know, going to Mexico, and 797 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:15,960 Speaker 1: but being very mindful that they have a whole another 798 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:20,440 Speaker 1: culture that I need to be respecting and nurturing. Um. 799 00:47:20,560 --> 00:47:24,680 Speaker 1: And so Jaren's parents are still in the valley and 800 00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:28,360 Speaker 1: I rely on them and on Jaren's twin brother to 801 00:47:29,800 --> 00:47:34,120 Speaker 1: give them all the sort of like knowledge that they need. Um. 802 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:37,640 Speaker 1: They're like great grandmother and great great grandmother grew up 803 00:47:37,680 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 1: you know, in the segregated South in Louisiana, Jim Crow Laws, 804 00:47:41,239 --> 00:47:44,920 Speaker 1: and before she passed away at very young ages, she 805 00:47:44,960 --> 00:47:47,719 Speaker 1: would sort of give these very long, like oral histories 806 00:47:47,760 --> 00:47:50,840 Speaker 1: about you know, sort of their family, which I feel 807 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:55,000 Speaker 1: very blessed that they got to here. Um. So you know, 808 00:47:55,239 --> 00:47:59,719 Speaker 1: it's it's like again an active sport, just making sure 809 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:03,759 Speaker 1: my it's are getting all of it. Um. Yeah, have 810 00:48:03,920 --> 00:48:06,160 Speaker 1: the kids been on any of the this is about 811 00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:09,080 Speaker 1: humanity trips. We don't take anybody under twenty one. And 812 00:48:09,160 --> 00:48:13,160 Speaker 1: it's not really because I don't think my kids can 813 00:48:13,320 --> 00:48:15,480 Speaker 1: can sort of handle it, because I know they can. 814 00:48:15,520 --> 00:48:18,239 Speaker 1: But it's more because I feel like the families and 815 00:48:18,239 --> 00:48:21,719 Speaker 1: the children that we're visiting would be hard for them 816 00:48:21,760 --> 00:48:24,720 Speaker 1: to see kids who can come and go when they can't, 817 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:28,480 Speaker 1: and so it's just being more mindful of those families. 818 00:48:28,920 --> 00:48:33,120 Speaker 1: But we do. We have had events here in l 819 00:48:33,160 --> 00:48:37,920 Speaker 1: A where, for example, we've thrown birthday parties for kids 820 00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:42,120 Speaker 1: who spent a birthday in detention but then have since 821 00:48:42,160 --> 00:48:44,520 Speaker 1: been reunited with family and they now live in the 822 00:48:44,640 --> 00:48:47,920 Speaker 1: l A surrounding area, and we throw like what we 823 00:48:48,000 --> 00:48:51,160 Speaker 1: like to call the best birthday party ever, UM, and 824 00:48:51,280 --> 00:48:54,359 Speaker 1: we have we invite families to come and volunteer, And 825 00:48:54,800 --> 00:48:56,920 Speaker 1: so my kids come to that, and they We've did 826 00:48:56,960 --> 00:49:00,600 Speaker 1: a big Christmas party for reunited families, UM, and they've 827 00:49:00,600 --> 00:49:02,600 Speaker 1: come to that as well. So they've come to wherever. 828 00:49:03,080 --> 00:49:07,600 Speaker 1: Sort of it's like appropriate when did this is about 829 00:49:07,680 --> 00:49:11,080 Speaker 1: humanity start? I mean it really started in the summer 830 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:17,600 Speaker 1: of eighteen sort of when everything was like kind of 831 00:49:17,640 --> 00:49:19,560 Speaker 1: out there, when that first case kind of sort of 832 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:23,800 Speaker 1: just broke through, And for me, I kept on seeing 833 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:28,480 Speaker 1: people who were, you know, doing donations for these families, 834 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:31,040 Speaker 1: and growing up in that area, I was always like, 835 00:49:31,160 --> 00:49:32,680 Speaker 1: but how are you getting it to the kids? Like 836 00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:36,279 Speaker 1: I was always about sort of this as you say 837 00:49:36,320 --> 00:49:39,000 Speaker 1: this through line, Like I was like, where is the transparency? 838 00:49:39,080 --> 00:49:43,080 Speaker 1: Where is the through line? And so with my sister 839 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:46,920 Speaker 1: who had been um working in government in that space 840 00:49:46,960 --> 00:49:49,640 Speaker 1: for a long time, we figured out the way to 841 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:54,640 Speaker 1: get donations to these families and to these kids. And 842 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:58,520 Speaker 1: so then I felt like, Okay, now I feel comfortable saying, 843 00:49:59,280 --> 00:50:01,319 Speaker 1: come do this because I know we're going to get 844 00:50:01,320 --> 00:50:02,920 Speaker 1: it to them. That's kind of been one of the 845 00:50:03,040 --> 00:50:07,320 Speaker 1: hallmarks that I'm super proud of about. This is about humanity, 846 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:10,000 Speaker 1: which is like, you know what's happening, you know where 847 00:50:10,040 --> 00:50:12,239 Speaker 1: we're going, you know what we're raising money for, you 848 00:50:12,239 --> 00:50:14,520 Speaker 1: know where the goods are. You're either going to give 849 00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:15,799 Speaker 1: it to them, you're going to see it there, We're 850 00:50:15,800 --> 00:50:19,080 Speaker 1: going to tell you. And so that's been kind of, 851 00:50:19,360 --> 00:50:21,719 Speaker 1: Um one of the most important things to me is 852 00:50:21,760 --> 00:50:25,200 Speaker 1: that people just know when they're supporting us, they're literally 853 00:50:25,239 --> 00:50:28,840 Speaker 1: supporting the exact families that you would want to be supporting, 854 00:50:29,000 --> 00:50:32,359 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. Yeah, it's super special. Can 855 00:50:32,400 --> 00:50:35,120 Speaker 1: you talk to people a little bit about what you're 856 00:50:35,239 --> 00:50:39,000 Speaker 1: collecting and why and what the conditions are for these 857 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:42,399 Speaker 1: families who are stuck at the border? Yeah, I mean 858 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 1: in the past, well, I don't know, maybe like year. 859 00:50:48,120 --> 00:50:50,319 Speaker 1: Ever since we started the m p P program, we've 860 00:50:50,360 --> 00:50:56,000 Speaker 1: returned about sixty people to Mexico, regardless or not whether 861 00:50:56,040 --> 00:51:01,160 Speaker 1: they're from Mexico. Um, and they're sort of kind of 862 00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:03,960 Speaker 1: the you know, the majority are in these border towns 863 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:07,720 Speaker 1: waiting for their asylum case or waiting for their number 864 00:51:08,640 --> 00:51:12,000 Speaker 1: in shelters that have either existed for a long time 865 00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:14,960 Speaker 1: or have just sprung up. I would probably say now 866 00:51:15,000 --> 00:51:18,160 Speaker 1: there's probably over thirty three sort of like official and 867 00:51:18,239 --> 00:51:21,680 Speaker 1: unofficial shelters in the Juana alone. We work with about 868 00:51:21,719 --> 00:51:26,160 Speaker 1: six or seven of them. UM, And so we work 869 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:31,880 Speaker 1: to help make their lives better in these situations. UM. 870 00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:38,200 Speaker 1: A lot of these shelters are overcrowded. UM, they are 871 00:51:38,239 --> 00:51:43,240 Speaker 1: over capacity, The conditions are not great. You would probably 872 00:51:43,280 --> 00:51:49,080 Speaker 1: be shocked, but I know that these people are just 873 00:51:49,160 --> 00:51:52,520 Speaker 1: grateful they're even there. UM. And he have even gotten 874 00:51:52,560 --> 00:51:58,879 Speaker 1: that far. UM. So we usually do UM, you know, well, 875 00:51:59,080 --> 00:52:04,160 Speaker 1: fundraise to We just finished renovating a kitchen in the 876 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:09,239 Speaker 1: shelter that you came and visited. UM. And so now 877 00:52:09,280 --> 00:52:11,799 Speaker 1: that we've done the kitchen, we want to convert one 878 00:52:11,840 --> 00:52:15,160 Speaker 1: of the areas into a playroom because the way that 879 00:52:15,200 --> 00:52:18,239 Speaker 1: shelter is, you know, it's one tent per family, which 880 00:52:18,239 --> 00:52:22,799 Speaker 1: could be anywhere between three to six individuals forty five 881 00:52:22,880 --> 00:52:25,400 Speaker 1: tenths at a time, but there's no real space for 882 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:27,920 Speaker 1: the kids. To play, and they can't go outside because 883 00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:33,080 Speaker 1: they're not in a gray area. And um, and these 884 00:52:33,120 --> 00:52:37,040 Speaker 1: families and children are very vulnerable to child trafficking and 885 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:41,240 Speaker 1: sex trafficking and and and gangs and whatnot. And so 886 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:45,320 Speaker 1: it's really hard because it's it's not a lockdown shelter. 887 00:52:45,480 --> 00:52:48,680 Speaker 1: They could leave, but they really can't leave because it's 888 00:52:48,680 --> 00:52:51,399 Speaker 1: not safe. And one of the things I remember being 889 00:52:51,440 --> 00:52:54,440 Speaker 1: really struck by when we went to visit was that 890 00:52:55,680 --> 00:52:58,080 Speaker 1: criminal operations, in the same way that they work in 891 00:52:58,120 --> 00:53:01,319 Speaker 1: the US, by the way, or anywhere, they identify where 892 00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:04,520 Speaker 1: vulnerable populations of people are and then criminal activity in 893 00:53:04,560 --> 00:53:09,359 Speaker 1: that place increases. So by holding these families in these 894 00:53:11,920 --> 00:53:13,960 Speaker 1: I mean, what do we even call them, these shelters 895 00:53:14,000 --> 00:53:16,640 Speaker 1: that are almost like these campsites in the middle of 896 00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:21,759 Speaker 1: the city, criminal activity is increasing because there is a 897 00:53:21,920 --> 00:53:26,919 Speaker 1: there's a target on a vulnerable population. Yeah, it's that's 898 00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:31,839 Speaker 1: I think part of also the complicated dynamic UM being 899 00:53:31,880 --> 00:53:35,719 Speaker 1: from the Quana is it's not common that a lot 900 00:53:35,719 --> 00:53:37,880 Speaker 1: of people who are in the Kuana or front Tiquana 901 00:53:38,040 --> 00:53:42,080 Speaker 1: feel sympathy because they understand this entire situation is making 902 00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:47,720 Speaker 1: their city more dangerous and so and also the capacity 903 00:53:48,000 --> 00:53:53,279 Speaker 1: um fiscally to support this population is not there um 904 00:53:53,400 --> 00:53:58,440 Speaker 1: and so it's just it's kind of compiling all these 905 00:53:59,400 --> 00:54:04,399 Speaker 1: terrible uh situations and conditions on top of each other 906 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:07,960 Speaker 1: to kind of create this firestorm where you basically have 907 00:54:08,040 --> 00:54:13,440 Speaker 1: bottlenecked large numbers of people near the border in unsafe 908 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:17,719 Speaker 1: and sometimes unsanitary conditions in some of the shelters that 909 00:54:17,800 --> 00:54:21,239 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be able to even take anybody because I 910 00:54:21,239 --> 00:54:28,759 Speaker 1: would be concerned about your safety. Um And and then 911 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:32,399 Speaker 1: sort of the narrative that has been put out there 912 00:54:32,440 --> 00:54:36,600 Speaker 1: then is like a self fulfilling prophecy. Right, it's so 913 00:54:36,719 --> 00:54:39,719 Speaker 1: many people in this one place, so near to us, 914 00:54:40,040 --> 00:54:43,279 Speaker 1: so dangerous, but all these things that were kind of 915 00:54:43,480 --> 00:54:47,240 Speaker 1: constructed to make it so we've created it. Because before 916 00:54:47,280 --> 00:54:50,440 Speaker 1: the policy, people would come present for asylum and then 917 00:54:50,440 --> 00:54:53,520 Speaker 1: they could go stay with family who would volunteer to 918 00:54:53,520 --> 00:54:56,799 Speaker 1: sponsor them while they went through their process. And I 919 00:54:56,840 --> 00:54:58,640 Speaker 1: remember one of the things I was really struck by 920 00:54:58,719 --> 00:55:02,320 Speaker 1: was learning that somewhere between nine people who are waiting 921 00:55:02,320 --> 00:55:06,160 Speaker 1: on asylum who live with family never miss a single 922 00:55:07,160 --> 00:55:10,839 Speaker 1: court appointment. You know, these people don't want to break 923 00:55:10,840 --> 00:55:13,040 Speaker 1: the law, They don't want to miss an appointment, and 924 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:16,560 Speaker 1: when we would allow people to settle with family, we 925 00:55:16,600 --> 00:55:21,120 Speaker 1: would avoid a bottleneck of people needing support. We would 926 00:55:21,160 --> 00:55:23,960 Speaker 1: allow them to go where they're already supported, and it 927 00:55:24,000 --> 00:55:29,560 Speaker 1: didn't require any kind of fiscal planning or cause any 928 00:55:29,640 --> 00:55:31,839 Speaker 1: kind of fiscal stress on this side or that side 929 00:55:31,840 --> 00:55:34,279 Speaker 1: of the border. So the way that we've sort of 930 00:55:34,360 --> 00:55:40,000 Speaker 1: brought this you know, gate down, if you will, has 931 00:55:40,040 --> 00:55:44,200 Speaker 1: actually caused problems that then are being talked about in 932 00:55:44,239 --> 00:55:47,920 Speaker 1: the press as though they were always there. I mean 933 00:55:47,920 --> 00:55:50,799 Speaker 1: I always tell people, you know, it's like when you 934 00:55:51,360 --> 00:55:54,560 Speaker 1: want to go to a really popular club and you're 935 00:55:54,600 --> 00:55:58,239 Speaker 1: like like guest list only, and then so many people 936 00:55:58,239 --> 00:56:01,240 Speaker 1: are trying to go. It's like when we were saying 937 00:56:01,680 --> 00:56:04,040 Speaker 1: there was some talk that maybe the border wasn't even 938 00:56:04,080 --> 00:56:06,960 Speaker 1: going to shut down, And when people feel like something's 939 00:56:06,960 --> 00:56:09,879 Speaker 1: going to become unavailable, they think the time is now, 940 00:56:10,400 --> 00:56:15,280 Speaker 1: and and it encourages more people to encourage. It encourages 941 00:56:15,320 --> 00:56:19,279 Speaker 1: a panic effect, and so, um, you know, just over 942 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:21,799 Speaker 1: the last year and a half, you've just sort of 943 00:56:21,840 --> 00:56:26,879 Speaker 1: the trends shift, Um, you know, numbers spike, and then 944 00:56:27,719 --> 00:56:29,720 Speaker 1: you know, for me, the thing that I'm concerned about 945 00:56:29,719 --> 00:56:31,919 Speaker 1: and what I try to bring it back to when 946 00:56:31,960 --> 00:56:34,800 Speaker 1: people sort of think like, well, is this even a 947 00:56:34,880 --> 00:56:37,759 Speaker 1: topic I'm like interested in, or maybe I have no 948 00:56:37,840 --> 00:56:40,440 Speaker 1: connection to it. I always go back to two things. 949 00:56:40,560 --> 00:56:44,439 Speaker 1: One which is, when we return people back to Mexico 950 00:56:45,000 --> 00:56:47,160 Speaker 1: who are trying to seek asylum and who have a 951 00:56:47,200 --> 00:56:50,080 Speaker 1: court date, where are they getting their notices? Where are 952 00:56:50,080 --> 00:56:53,120 Speaker 1: they getting their mail? How do they even find an attorney? 953 00:56:53,560 --> 00:56:57,200 Speaker 1: We've kind of eliminated so many steps in the due 954 00:56:57,239 --> 00:57:01,719 Speaker 1: process process. And then the other thing I tell people is, 955 00:57:01,880 --> 00:57:05,560 Speaker 1: you know, the population in the United States is getting older, 956 00:57:05,560 --> 00:57:08,520 Speaker 1: We're having less children, um, and we are going to 957 00:57:08,640 --> 00:57:14,440 Speaker 1: be lacking a immigrant labor force that's going to continue 958 00:57:14,480 --> 00:57:17,040 Speaker 1: to support the economy the way we want it to. Yeah. Well, 959 00:57:17,080 --> 00:57:19,040 Speaker 1: and that's one of the things that's fascinating to me 960 00:57:19,200 --> 00:57:23,200 Speaker 1: is somehow the reality is being lost in this debate 961 00:57:23,720 --> 00:57:26,160 Speaker 1: that our country only functions in the way it does 962 00:57:26,560 --> 00:57:30,840 Speaker 1: because of immigration. We we don't have a big enough 963 00:57:30,880 --> 00:57:37,120 Speaker 1: workforce to fulfill every echelon of society without immigration. And 964 00:57:37,120 --> 00:57:41,760 Speaker 1: and as as a Native Angelino, you know somebody who 965 00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:44,680 Speaker 1: who lives in a city that's constantly in this immigration debate, 966 00:57:44,680 --> 00:57:48,640 Speaker 1: it pisses me off because I understand that South California 967 00:57:49,240 --> 00:57:52,880 Speaker 1: doesn't actually have an immigration problem that we essentially net 968 00:57:52,880 --> 00:57:56,240 Speaker 1: to zero with border crossings with people. People are coming 969 00:57:56,240 --> 00:57:58,520 Speaker 1: and going in a transient way. They come here, they work, 970 00:57:58,560 --> 00:58:01,200 Speaker 1: and they want to go home. We are we are 971 00:58:01,280 --> 00:58:04,680 Speaker 1: criminalizing an issue that has been a non issue here 972 00:58:04,720 --> 00:58:07,920 Speaker 1: for a very long time. And I think it's been 973 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:10,520 Speaker 1: really interesting. A friend of mine was just telling me 974 00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:14,160 Speaker 1: um that there one of the big winemakers up in 975 00:58:14,280 --> 00:58:17,800 Speaker 1: Napa essentially was so frustrated by this that they like 976 00:58:18,360 --> 00:58:22,200 Speaker 1: they ran an experiment either last year essentially and said, Okay, 977 00:58:22,400 --> 00:58:25,959 Speaker 1: we are just going to hire to work on our farms. Fine, 978 00:58:26,040 --> 00:58:27,760 Speaker 1: like you want to you want to see how this goes. 979 00:58:28,080 --> 00:58:32,360 Speaker 1: We're only going to hire US citizens documented people to 980 00:58:32,480 --> 00:58:36,040 Speaker 1: come and help us in the harvest season. And they 981 00:58:36,080 --> 00:58:39,480 Speaker 1: were like yeah, these like kids from the local college 982 00:58:39,680 --> 00:58:43,120 Speaker 1: didn't make it one day, they were quitting by lunch time. 983 00:58:43,160 --> 00:58:44,400 Speaker 1: They were like, we don't want to do this. We 984 00:58:44,440 --> 00:58:46,360 Speaker 1: hate this. And they were like, we're going to lose 985 00:58:46,360 --> 00:58:49,680 Speaker 1: in our entire crop if we don't have people who 986 00:58:50,400 --> 00:58:52,720 Speaker 1: want to be here badly enough that they're willing to 987 00:58:52,800 --> 00:58:55,600 Speaker 1: help do this really hard work. And that is not 988 00:58:55,760 --> 00:58:59,160 Speaker 1: to suggest by the way that the only thing immigrants 989 00:58:59,160 --> 00:59:01,840 Speaker 1: are doing is labor, Like, that's not what I mean. 990 00:59:02,760 --> 00:59:05,480 Speaker 1: They're such a part of our labor force, and especially 991 00:59:05,480 --> 00:59:12,560 Speaker 1: in California, our agricultural sphere is so supported and truly 992 00:59:12,680 --> 00:59:16,800 Speaker 1: only supported in this way, and it's like, who who 993 00:59:16,800 --> 00:59:19,800 Speaker 1: do you think is helping to feed this country. I mean, 994 00:59:19,840 --> 00:59:24,200 Speaker 1: it's not just agriculture. It's construction, it's hospitality, it's like 995 00:59:24,720 --> 00:59:28,200 Speaker 1: food processing. You know, there's so many things that I think, 996 00:59:28,960 --> 00:59:32,200 Speaker 1: you know, people in the middle of the country who 997 00:59:32,200 --> 00:59:35,480 Speaker 1: have sort of have this concept of someone's coming from 998 00:59:35,480 --> 00:59:37,280 Speaker 1: my job, but it's not really the job that you 999 00:59:37,320 --> 00:59:41,280 Speaker 1: would ever consider doing in the first place, you know. Um, 1000 00:59:41,360 --> 00:59:43,960 Speaker 1: And so to me, I sort of talk a lot 1001 00:59:44,000 --> 00:59:47,360 Speaker 1: about sort of the economic effects as well as sort 1002 00:59:47,400 --> 00:59:50,800 Speaker 1: of the do process violations, because a I feel like 1003 00:59:51,200 --> 00:59:54,440 Speaker 1: people really want to know that they're safe in their 1004 00:59:54,440 --> 00:59:56,760 Speaker 1: own country and that the rule of law is respected, 1005 00:59:57,160 --> 01:00:00,080 Speaker 1: and when it's not, there can be a trickle down 1006 01:00:00,080 --> 01:00:02,320 Speaker 1: effect all the way through, you know, how we treat 1007 01:00:02,320 --> 01:00:04,560 Speaker 1: people like in our own county jails here in l 1008 01:00:04,600 --> 01:00:08,840 Speaker 1: a UM. And then subsequently, you know, I mean, if 1009 01:00:08,880 --> 01:00:12,800 Speaker 1: you want to continue to have a thriving economy if 1010 01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:15,360 Speaker 1: with what you care about is economics, and you should 1011 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:18,800 Speaker 1: be thinking about how we are going to be filling 1012 01:00:19,400 --> 01:00:24,720 Speaker 1: a very rapidly declining labor force. And you know it's 1013 01:00:24,720 --> 01:00:29,360 Speaker 1: going to come to a head at some point. Wow wow, 1014 01:00:29,520 --> 01:00:32,960 Speaker 1: And you know you do. You see it even in 1015 01:00:33,000 --> 01:00:37,240 Speaker 1: our denial of visas for kids, you know, whether it's 1016 01:00:37,280 --> 01:00:41,120 Speaker 1: from South and Central America or around the world to 1017 01:00:41,240 --> 01:00:44,680 Speaker 1: come here to study things like engineering, things that are 1018 01:00:44,760 --> 01:00:48,360 Speaker 1: so important. You know, without immigration, the US falls behind 1019 01:00:48,640 --> 01:00:52,960 Speaker 1: in technology as well. So it's it's every single level. 1020 01:00:53,880 --> 01:00:57,120 Speaker 1: The country is always better and stronger when people come 1021 01:00:57,160 --> 01:01:01,600 Speaker 1: here and contribute to it. And it interesting because you know, 1022 01:01:01,680 --> 01:01:05,160 Speaker 1: for you, I know you're first generation college educated in 1023 01:01:05,200 --> 01:01:07,520 Speaker 1: your family. I know for me, you know, my dad's 1024 01:01:07,520 --> 01:01:11,080 Speaker 1: an immigrant. I'm a first generation American. My my mother 1025 01:01:11,240 --> 01:01:15,440 Speaker 1: was born here, but her mother immigrated here. So you 1026 01:01:15,760 --> 01:01:18,080 Speaker 1: can sort of debate on my first or second depending 1027 01:01:18,080 --> 01:01:21,560 Speaker 1: on what side of the family. But my family came here. 1028 01:01:21,680 --> 01:01:24,720 Speaker 1: You your family sent you to school here. You know, 1029 01:01:24,760 --> 01:01:27,880 Speaker 1: you became a dual citizen because we love this place 1030 01:01:27,920 --> 01:01:31,400 Speaker 1: and we want to contribute to it. And it's weird 1031 01:01:31,480 --> 01:01:35,200 Speaker 1: that you know, my family was allowed but now families 1032 01:01:35,200 --> 01:01:38,600 Speaker 1: are not allowed. We have the resources, we have the space, 1033 01:01:38,640 --> 01:01:44,440 Speaker 1: we're allocating improperly and and I think maybe we allocate 1034 01:01:44,480 --> 01:01:48,600 Speaker 1: him properly because we've lost the human quota. So it 1035 01:01:48,640 --> 01:01:52,200 Speaker 1: makes me really excited to see what you're doing and 1036 01:01:52,240 --> 01:01:55,440 Speaker 1: how you're reminding people. And I'll say, you know, for 1037 01:01:55,480 --> 01:01:57,680 Speaker 1: the bus trip that we went on back in August, 1038 01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:02,080 Speaker 1: just to be with the kids and and to see 1039 01:02:02,080 --> 01:02:05,040 Speaker 1: their parents and to check in with them, and even 1040 01:02:05,080 --> 01:02:07,000 Speaker 1: just to ask people how they're doing when no one's 1041 01:02:07,040 --> 01:02:09,600 Speaker 1: asked in a while, you know, to to make sure 1042 01:02:09,600 --> 01:02:12,520 Speaker 1: every kid has a new pair of shoes and we 1043 01:02:12,560 --> 01:02:15,280 Speaker 1: can go and play soccer, and we can visit the 1044 01:02:15,280 --> 01:02:17,959 Speaker 1: pop up school that this is about. Humanity has helped 1045 01:02:18,000 --> 01:02:21,240 Speaker 1: to build for them. That's something people don't consider is 1046 01:02:21,240 --> 01:02:24,960 Speaker 1: when these kids are in this, when they're when the 1047 01:02:25,040 --> 01:02:28,320 Speaker 1: migration of their family has halted, so is their education. 1048 01:02:28,400 --> 01:02:32,080 Speaker 1: So how do we make sure to keep some sort 1049 01:02:32,120 --> 01:02:37,160 Speaker 1: of structure to lessen the trauma that they're going through? Totally? 1050 01:02:37,440 --> 01:02:41,200 Speaker 1: Um yeah, yes we can. Is the name of the 1051 01:02:41,360 --> 01:02:45,840 Speaker 1: of the school, and um yeah. What people don't realize 1052 01:02:45,920 --> 01:02:48,600 Speaker 1: is these families are also undocumented in Mexico, so it's 1053 01:02:48,600 --> 01:02:51,880 Speaker 1: not like they can just start school there either, And 1054 01:02:51,960 --> 01:02:55,480 Speaker 1: so you know, when you think about what you wouldn't 1055 01:02:55,520 --> 01:02:57,800 Speaker 1: do for your kids to make sure that they're safe 1056 01:02:57,840 --> 01:03:02,960 Speaker 1: and thriving, and what these kids deserve and to see, uh, 1057 01:03:02,960 --> 01:03:06,360 Speaker 1: the yes weekend school bus there, and how beautiful it is, 1058 01:03:06,480 --> 01:03:09,440 Speaker 1: and how kids who are in beautiful you know environments 1059 01:03:09,480 --> 01:03:11,520 Speaker 1: are going to just do better because they feel better. 1060 01:03:12,040 --> 01:03:15,760 Speaker 1: And you know, there's a sort of mental wellness component 1061 01:03:16,760 --> 01:03:21,520 Speaker 1: to this whole situation, which is, you know, what are 1062 01:03:21,560 --> 01:03:28,240 Speaker 1: we doing to kids too? Families who were still separating 1063 01:03:28,480 --> 01:03:31,480 Speaker 1: By the way I mean I I do occasionally interpret 1064 01:03:31,640 --> 01:03:35,760 Speaker 1: for UM, a psychologist who works with kids who have 1065 01:03:35,840 --> 01:03:38,840 Speaker 1: experienced trauma, and she works with a lot of these families. 1066 01:03:39,480 --> 01:03:42,400 Speaker 1: And two weeks ago I was interpreting and there was 1067 01:03:43,120 --> 01:03:45,680 Speaker 1: a woman who was looking for her two year old 1068 01:03:45,760 --> 01:03:50,880 Speaker 1: child and UM and another woman who I interpreted for, 1069 01:03:51,120 --> 01:03:55,040 Speaker 1: who her four and a half year old now but 1070 01:03:55,080 --> 01:03:56,640 Speaker 1: at the time was two and a half had been 1071 01:03:56,680 --> 01:03:59,240 Speaker 1: taken from her. She had been looking for her for 1072 01:03:59,320 --> 01:04:02,800 Speaker 1: over a year her and when she finally was reunited 1073 01:04:02,840 --> 01:04:05,560 Speaker 1: with the baby and the mom was in the console, 1074 01:04:06,200 --> 01:04:08,360 Speaker 1: she said that her daughter said, you're not my mother. 1075 01:04:09,120 --> 01:04:13,720 Speaker 1: And like, I mean, just to hear a woman say 1076 01:04:13,760 --> 01:04:18,200 Speaker 1: that who I'm trying to interpret for to help her, 1077 01:04:18,320 --> 01:04:22,760 Speaker 1: it was like, I can't even imagine anything worse. I mean, 1078 01:04:22,880 --> 01:04:26,080 Speaker 1: you are not. My mother is like just but that's 1079 01:04:26,080 --> 01:04:30,440 Speaker 1: what we're doing, you know. And I think traumatizing, traumatizing, 1080 01:04:30,440 --> 01:04:37,920 Speaker 1: and now her daughter has you know, some uh, selective mutism, 1081 01:04:38,280 --> 01:04:43,520 Speaker 1: which is, you know, one of these consequences of traumatic treatment. 1082 01:04:43,760 --> 01:04:49,200 Speaker 1: And I just think, like, that's just not okay. And 1083 01:04:49,200 --> 01:04:51,720 Speaker 1: and that's what this is about. Humanity is about. It's 1084 01:04:51,760 --> 01:04:54,840 Speaker 1: saying like, I don't need you to come with me 1085 01:04:54,920 --> 01:04:58,600 Speaker 1: on all my journeys on how I feel about politics 1086 01:04:58,680 --> 01:05:00,640 Speaker 1: or X, Y or z. But if if we can 1087 01:05:00,680 --> 01:05:02,920 Speaker 1: come to an agreement that if you hear that and 1088 01:05:02,960 --> 01:05:06,000 Speaker 1: you say that's not okay, then then that makes me 1089 01:05:06,040 --> 01:05:08,240 Speaker 1: feel better. And I think that we can kind of 1090 01:05:08,280 --> 01:05:12,160 Speaker 1: coalesce around this concept of how are we treating human beings? 1091 01:05:12,480 --> 01:05:15,480 Speaker 1: What are we doing to families and to children, and 1092 01:05:15,920 --> 01:05:18,240 Speaker 1: you know, and drawing a line in the sand and 1093 01:05:18,280 --> 01:05:24,240 Speaker 1: saying like let's agree that we can, um you know, 1094 01:05:24,840 --> 01:05:30,120 Speaker 1: say that we're gonna support families and children and and 1095 01:05:30,200 --> 01:05:34,160 Speaker 1: let's come together on that. And then let's figure the 1096 01:05:34,200 --> 01:05:36,840 Speaker 1: rest out. But I think the rest can almost wait. 1097 01:05:36,880 --> 01:05:39,400 Speaker 1: But there needs to be a baseline of we do 1098 01:05:39,480 --> 01:05:47,280 Speaker 1: not do this to human beings. Yeah, most of us 1099 01:05:47,320 --> 01:05:50,360 Speaker 1: out here are juggling a million things at once, so 1100 01:05:50,440 --> 01:05:53,280 Speaker 1: being able to offload even the smallest tasks can make 1101 01:05:53,320 --> 01:05:56,760 Speaker 1: a huge difference. I'm always looking for tips and tricks 1102 01:05:56,800 --> 01:05:59,480 Speaker 1: to make my life easier. I mean, who isn't right. 1103 01:06:00,360 --> 01:06:05,160 Speaker 1: Recently I started using smart bulbs connected to the Amazon Alexa, 1104 01:06:05,280 --> 01:06:08,720 Speaker 1: and honestly, I don't know how I lived without them before. 1105 01:06:09,640 --> 01:06:12,440 Speaker 1: I recently did a renovation on my home, which so 1106 01:06:12,480 --> 01:06:15,120 Speaker 1: many of you were so supportive of. While I was 1107 01:06:15,520 --> 01:06:19,400 Speaker 1: stressing out on Instagram, and while I did it, I 1108 01:06:19,440 --> 01:06:22,600 Speaker 1: was exploring all kinds of smart home technology. I was 1109 01:06:22,640 --> 01:06:26,520 Speaker 1: pretty inexperienced with it, and when I discovered Amazon Smart 1110 01:06:26,560 --> 01:06:30,120 Speaker 1: Home and Lighting, I couldn't believe how incredibly simple it 1111 01:06:30,240 --> 01:06:33,800 Speaker 1: was to set up and control. There's no extra equipment. 1112 01:06:34,200 --> 01:06:36,160 Speaker 1: You just connect your new smart bulbs to the Echo 1113 01:06:36,200 --> 01:06:40,240 Speaker 1: Dot and boom, you have a whole smart home. Honestly, 1114 01:06:40,440 --> 01:06:42,600 Speaker 1: the first night that I connected them, I felt kind 1115 01:06:42,680 --> 01:06:46,000 Speaker 1: of like a wizard and it was amazing. They have 1116 01:06:46,120 --> 01:06:49,840 Speaker 1: over sixteen million light colors to choose from, meaning I 1117 01:06:49,880 --> 01:06:52,440 Speaker 1: can easily change the aesthetic and the mood of my 1118 01:06:52,560 --> 01:06:56,240 Speaker 1: home with just the sound of my voice. And Amazon 1119 01:06:56,320 --> 01:06:59,360 Speaker 1: Smart Home lighting is also so convenient. The other night, 1120 01:06:59,400 --> 01:07:01,840 Speaker 1: I walked into the house and Mike always my hands 1121 01:07:01,840 --> 01:07:04,200 Speaker 1: were full with mail and the dog leash on my phone, 1122 01:07:04,400 --> 01:07:06,320 Speaker 1: and I started putting things down so I could bumble 1123 01:07:06,320 --> 01:07:08,320 Speaker 1: around for the light switch. And then I remember what 1124 01:07:08,360 --> 01:07:10,160 Speaker 1: I could just say, Alexa, I turn on the lights, 1125 01:07:10,640 --> 01:07:12,760 Speaker 1: and just like that, I have slit up. It was 1126 01:07:12,800 --> 01:07:15,880 Speaker 1: like my own little technological welcome home party. I'm really 1127 01:07:15,920 --> 01:07:18,160 Speaker 1: excited that I can finally tell you guys about the 1128 01:07:18,280 --> 01:07:21,800 Speaker 1: very special smart lighting bundle that Amazon Alexa is offering 1129 01:07:21,840 --> 01:07:25,600 Speaker 1: my listeners. Right now, you can get off your Amazon 1130 01:07:25,720 --> 01:07:29,360 Speaker 1: Smart Lighting bundle at Amazon dot Com slash w i P. 1131 01:07:30,200 --> 01:07:33,560 Speaker 1: Every bundle includes an Echo dot smart speaker and a 1132 01:07:33,680 --> 01:07:37,400 Speaker 1: sing lead color changing light bulb. It's Amazon dot Com 1133 01:07:37,440 --> 01:07:40,240 Speaker 1: slash w i P to get twenty percent off and 1134 01:07:40,280 --> 01:07:43,800 Speaker 1: take advantage of an amazing smart home deal. It's just 1135 01:07:43,840 --> 01:07:47,760 Speaker 1: one of the ways I'm prioritizing sustainability at home. Oh 1136 01:07:47,800 --> 01:07:49,439 Speaker 1: and an important note, I want to make you guys 1137 01:07:49,440 --> 01:07:53,320 Speaker 1: aware of make sure that a w I P. Part 1138 01:07:53,320 --> 01:07:55,840 Speaker 1: of that U R L is in lower case letters 1139 01:07:55,880 --> 01:07:59,640 Speaker 1: when typed, so that's Amazon dot Com slash w I 1140 01:07:59,720 --> 01:08:03,080 Speaker 1: P because capital letters will lead to an error page. 1141 01:08:03,520 --> 01:08:05,320 Speaker 1: I may or may not have learned that the hard way. 1142 01:08:05,760 --> 01:08:08,800 Speaker 1: That's Amazon dot Com slash w I P with the 1143 01:08:08,960 --> 01:08:14,120 Speaker 1: w I P and lowercase letters. Have you guys ever 1144 01:08:14,160 --> 01:08:16,439 Speaker 1: looked at some of the actual ingredients and the vitamins 1145 01:08:16,439 --> 01:08:19,160 Speaker 1: and supplements that you take? A while ago, I took 1146 01:08:19,160 --> 01:08:21,759 Speaker 1: a peek at the ingredients in mine and was honestly 1147 01:08:21,760 --> 01:08:24,320 Speaker 1: blown away by all of the weird additives and fillers 1148 01:08:24,360 --> 01:08:27,840 Speaker 1: that were listed. I went on Google trying to figure 1149 01:08:27,880 --> 01:08:31,360 Speaker 1: out what they all were and realized that there were 1150 01:08:31,400 --> 01:08:36,040 Speaker 1: probably even more that weren't listed. It was pretty upsetting 1151 01:08:36,240 --> 01:08:38,280 Speaker 1: in the moment, but it inspired me to look for 1152 01:08:38,320 --> 01:08:41,479 Speaker 1: a daily multi vitamin that utilized only the best and 1153 01:08:41,560 --> 01:08:46,360 Speaker 1: most effective ingredients while also offering transparency about those ingredients, 1154 01:08:46,760 --> 01:08:49,960 Speaker 1: meaning where they're sourced from. And that's how I found Ritual. 1155 01:08:50,520 --> 01:08:52,720 Speaker 1: They've been one of the longest running sponsors of the 1156 01:08:52,720 --> 01:08:56,559 Speaker 1: podcast because I'm genuinely obsessed with the brand. Rich will 1157 01:08:56,720 --> 01:09:00,720 Speaker 1: leaves out mystery additives like synthetic fillers and shady extras 1158 01:09:00,760 --> 01:09:03,400 Speaker 1: that are found in a lot of traditional multi vitamins, 1159 01:09:04,520 --> 01:09:08,400 Speaker 1: and Ritual has obsessively researched each nutrient in their Visionary 1160 01:09:08,400 --> 01:09:12,559 Speaker 1: Women's multi vitamin, carefully choosing forms that are absorbable by 1161 01:09:12,560 --> 01:09:15,559 Speaker 1: the body. They're committed to showing you their nutrients, where 1162 01:09:15,600 --> 01:09:18,200 Speaker 1: they came from, and why they chose them. They call 1163 01:09:18,240 --> 01:09:21,280 Speaker 1: it traceability. As you all know, I've been using Ritual 1164 01:09:21,360 --> 01:09:23,320 Speaker 1: for a while now, and i feel like I'm still 1165 01:09:23,360 --> 01:09:27,439 Speaker 1: noticing big results in everything from how i feel like 1166 01:09:27,680 --> 01:09:32,000 Speaker 1: having more energy, sleeping more deeply, and just feeling a 1167 01:09:32,000 --> 01:09:35,799 Speaker 1: bit healthier. Plus, since I started taking their multi vitamin, 1168 01:09:35,840 --> 01:09:38,480 Speaker 1: I noticed that my hair and nails are stronger and healthier. 1169 01:09:39,120 --> 01:09:41,840 Speaker 1: So I may be working from home in my sweatpants, 1170 01:09:41,960 --> 01:09:44,920 Speaker 1: but this still feels like a whim And I'm sure 1171 01:09:44,920 --> 01:09:47,799 Speaker 1: a lot of the positive results I'm seeing are because 1172 01:09:47,920 --> 01:09:51,360 Speaker 1: Ritual uses the highest quality ingredients, like being an algae 1173 01:09:51,400 --> 01:09:54,640 Speaker 1: oil instead of fish oil, which comes from the fermentation 1174 01:09:54,680 --> 01:09:59,280 Speaker 1: of microalgae. It's their patented process that leaves minimal environmental 1175 01:09:59,320 --> 01:10:03,760 Speaker 1: contamination in and they use fully in its absorbable form 1176 01:10:03,840 --> 01:10:08,400 Speaker 1: because it turns out women can't properly utilize the synthetic 1177 01:10:08,439 --> 01:10:12,360 Speaker 1: form of fully meaningful of acid which is in other vitamins. 1178 01:10:13,400 --> 01:10:15,839 Speaker 1: So I love that Ritual will design this multi vitamin 1179 01:10:15,880 --> 01:10:18,160 Speaker 1: with women and their best interests in health and mind, 1180 01:10:18,520 --> 01:10:21,360 Speaker 1: and I know you will too. Small daily changes can 1181 01:10:21,439 --> 01:10:25,200 Speaker 1: lead to big results, So I'd say start small with 1182 01:10:25,200 --> 01:10:28,320 Speaker 1: a multi vitamin. Today, Ritual is offering all of my 1183 01:10:28,400 --> 01:10:31,400 Speaker 1: listeners ten percent off during your first three months. You 1184 01:10:31,400 --> 01:10:34,559 Speaker 1: can try it out, satisfaction guaranteed. Go to ritual dot 1185 01:10:34,640 --> 01:10:38,519 Speaker 1: com slash work to start your Ritual today. That's ten 1186 01:10:38,960 --> 01:10:42,559 Speaker 1: off during your first three months at ritual dot com 1187 01:10:42,600 --> 01:10:55,439 Speaker 1: slash work. Now, when when we think about what's happening 1188 01:10:55,439 --> 01:10:58,200 Speaker 1: at the border, you know when when any of us 1189 01:10:58,240 --> 01:11:00,160 Speaker 1: goes with you guys, we are getting to is it 1190 01:11:00,240 --> 01:11:03,160 Speaker 1: shelters where families are still together? But we know that 1191 01:11:03,160 --> 01:11:05,559 Speaker 1: there are tens of thousands of kids right now who've 1192 01:11:05,600 --> 01:11:11,360 Speaker 1: been separated from their families, babies, toddler's, young children, teenagers 1193 01:11:11,840 --> 01:11:14,680 Speaker 1: who to your point, haven't seen their families maybe from 1194 01:11:14,680 --> 01:11:16,280 Speaker 1: the time they were two and a half to four, 1195 01:11:16,360 --> 01:11:22,639 Speaker 1: which is horrifying. What are our options as people who 1196 01:11:22,680 --> 01:11:26,320 Speaker 1: are listening and are enraged by this idea that we 1197 01:11:26,360 --> 01:11:30,000 Speaker 1: would rip children out of their mother's arms for literally 1198 01:11:30,040 --> 01:11:32,799 Speaker 1: no reason other than just to do it and be cruel. 1199 01:11:34,640 --> 01:11:37,920 Speaker 1: What what do with your expertise? What can we do? 1200 01:11:38,120 --> 01:11:40,479 Speaker 1: How do we advocate on this stuff? Well? I think 1201 01:11:40,560 --> 01:11:45,439 Speaker 1: A is to realize that your voice is so powerful. 1202 01:11:45,560 --> 01:11:49,360 Speaker 1: The whole reason why we even were able to kind 1203 01:11:49,360 --> 01:11:52,360 Speaker 1: of expose what was happening is because regular people who 1204 01:11:52,439 --> 01:11:54,640 Speaker 1: found out about it were like, that is not okay. 1205 01:11:55,040 --> 01:11:57,320 Speaker 1: You know. It wasn't just the people with the loudest 1206 01:11:57,400 --> 01:11:59,320 Speaker 1: voices or the people that we expect to hear from, 1207 01:11:59,320 --> 01:12:04,040 Speaker 1: but it was regular mothers and fathers and human beings 1208 01:12:04,080 --> 01:12:06,880 Speaker 1: all across the country who said, like, I'm not okay 1209 01:12:06,880 --> 01:12:10,759 Speaker 1: with that. That's that is not okay. So a feeling 1210 01:12:11,080 --> 01:12:14,360 Speaker 1: comfortable to continue talking about how you're not okay with that, 1211 01:12:14,400 --> 01:12:18,440 Speaker 1: I think it's hugely important. B I think if you, 1212 01:12:18,439 --> 01:12:20,840 Speaker 1: you know, want to get more engaged, you can go 1213 01:12:20,920 --> 01:12:24,519 Speaker 1: to Immigration Advocates dot org and it's a website. It's 1214 01:12:24,600 --> 01:12:27,280 Speaker 1: nationwide and it basically you can put in your location 1215 01:12:27,320 --> 01:12:30,439 Speaker 1: and it tells you who is doing pro bono legal 1216 01:12:30,479 --> 01:12:33,719 Speaker 1: services all around the country. If you have a second language, 1217 01:12:34,160 --> 01:12:36,920 Speaker 1: they do look for interpreters to volunteer, but they also 1218 01:12:37,000 --> 01:12:41,120 Speaker 1: just look for English speakers, so volunteer, show up, drive 1219 01:12:41,160 --> 01:12:44,519 Speaker 1: people to court um even like start a backpack drive 1220 01:12:44,560 --> 01:12:47,240 Speaker 1: if you want. I think that. You know, it doesn't 1221 01:12:47,240 --> 01:12:48,719 Speaker 1: have to be like you don't need to go start 1222 01:12:48,720 --> 01:12:51,599 Speaker 1: your own own organization. It can be something as simple 1223 01:12:51,640 --> 01:12:53,920 Speaker 1: as that. If that even sounds too much, I always 1224 01:12:53,920 --> 01:12:57,320 Speaker 1: tell people, you know, having a conversation with your kids, 1225 01:12:58,120 --> 01:13:00,559 Speaker 1: that's invaluable to me. Talking to your it's about what's 1226 01:13:00,600 --> 01:13:03,439 Speaker 1: going on. And I hear you. A lot of people 1227 01:13:03,479 --> 01:13:06,120 Speaker 1: think this is a very scary topic and they don't 1228 01:13:06,160 --> 01:13:08,640 Speaker 1: want to traumatize their kids. And obviously everything at an 1229 01:13:08,720 --> 01:13:12,599 Speaker 1: age appropriate level, but I'm interested in you helping your 1230 01:13:12,680 --> 01:13:17,000 Speaker 1: kids develop their empathy muscle. It needs to be exercised. 1231 01:13:17,000 --> 01:13:21,160 Speaker 1: They need to they need to know how to say God. 1232 01:13:21,200 --> 01:13:23,679 Speaker 1: If that happened to me, how would I feel? Because 1233 01:13:24,000 --> 01:13:29,080 Speaker 1: that is how everyone who's listening hopefully feels like some 1234 01:13:29,160 --> 01:13:31,040 Speaker 1: of the things that I've said that affected them. It's 1235 01:13:31,040 --> 01:13:33,200 Speaker 1: because you imagine, like how would that feel if it 1236 01:13:33,240 --> 01:13:35,920 Speaker 1: were you or your child. And when we sort of 1237 01:13:36,040 --> 01:13:40,200 Speaker 1: don't let people or teach people how to have empathy, 1238 01:13:40,320 --> 01:13:42,720 Speaker 1: they're able to just not feel any way about that. 1239 01:13:43,200 --> 01:13:45,759 Speaker 1: So having a conversation with your kids is hugely important. 1240 01:13:45,800 --> 01:13:48,160 Speaker 1: And then the last thing I'll say is, you know, 1241 01:13:48,200 --> 01:13:50,800 Speaker 1: you can visit this is about humanity and look at 1242 01:13:50,840 --> 01:13:53,120 Speaker 1: different ways that you can engage there, but also look 1243 01:13:53,160 --> 01:13:57,080 Speaker 1: in your own lives. They're so I'm guarantee you there 1244 01:13:57,080 --> 01:13:59,640 Speaker 1: are people in your life, whether they're working for you. 1245 01:13:59,680 --> 01:14:06,280 Speaker 1: There ends people in school, classmates, colleagues who are being 1246 01:14:06,280 --> 01:14:09,560 Speaker 1: affected by this crisis, whether they themselves are undocumented or 1247 01:14:09,640 --> 01:14:12,560 Speaker 1: part of a mixed status family, went through asylum or 1248 01:14:12,560 --> 01:14:18,559 Speaker 1: getting their papers themselves. Um. I think that you who 1249 01:14:18,600 --> 01:14:23,000 Speaker 1: are listening probably haven't been looking around very much, and 1250 01:14:23,040 --> 01:14:25,960 Speaker 1: I think if you do, you will see that, um, 1251 01:14:26,400 --> 01:14:29,000 Speaker 1: there are friends and people in your own life that 1252 01:14:29,080 --> 01:14:33,040 Speaker 1: you could be advocating better for. And I think you know, 1253 01:14:33,120 --> 01:14:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean obviously looking and seeing like who's making decisions 1254 01:14:37,200 --> 01:14:39,680 Speaker 1: that are affecting these families is huge. You know, I 1255 01:14:39,680 --> 01:14:43,280 Speaker 1: think the more you know, the better you'll do. And 1256 01:14:43,320 --> 01:14:48,559 Speaker 1: so you know, read up on who's running for local 1257 01:14:48,600 --> 01:14:52,559 Speaker 1: office and who's making certain decisions and and think about 1258 01:14:52,600 --> 01:14:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, are they you know, keeping humanity and families 1259 01:14:58,960 --> 01:15:02,040 Speaker 1: in the forefront of their mom mind or not? So 1260 01:15:02,720 --> 01:15:05,680 Speaker 1: those are some ways if you could change one thing 1261 01:15:05,680 --> 01:15:07,760 Speaker 1: about the way the media is covering this. What do 1262 01:15:07,800 --> 01:15:16,400 Speaker 1: you think it would be? Um? The narrative that's out there, um, 1263 01:15:16,439 --> 01:15:18,840 Speaker 1: And I see this in a lot of different you know, 1264 01:15:18,920 --> 01:15:22,559 Speaker 1: sort of arenas. But you know, the narrative that's out 1265 01:15:22,560 --> 01:15:27,760 Speaker 1: there is that people who are coming are scary, they 1266 01:15:27,800 --> 01:15:33,720 Speaker 1: may be criminals, um, and we don't have the capacity 1267 01:15:33,760 --> 01:15:36,680 Speaker 1: for them. And I think to me, it's it's like 1268 01:15:36,720 --> 01:15:38,679 Speaker 1: have you even been down there? Like do you even 1269 01:15:38,720 --> 01:15:41,640 Speaker 1: know who's there? I mean, you saw these are families 1270 01:15:41,680 --> 01:15:46,280 Speaker 1: and women and children who are fleeing unspeakable horrors and 1271 01:15:46,400 --> 01:15:49,559 Speaker 1: violence in their home countries. Um. You're seeing a lot 1272 01:15:49,640 --> 01:15:53,760 Speaker 1: of I think I haven't necessarily been called so yet 1273 01:15:53,800 --> 01:15:56,320 Speaker 1: but will be soon. A lot of climate change refugees. 1274 01:15:56,400 --> 01:15:59,400 Speaker 1: You see people who can't you know, harvest in their 1275 01:15:59,400 --> 01:16:02,080 Speaker 1: home countries anymore because of the climate change, can't make 1276 01:16:02,120 --> 01:16:07,000 Speaker 1: a living and are being pushed out. Um. And So 1277 01:16:07,280 --> 01:16:10,240 Speaker 1: I always tell people like, maybe immigration is not your issue, 1278 01:16:10,280 --> 01:16:12,640 Speaker 1: but if climate change is your issue, should definitely care 1279 01:16:12,680 --> 01:16:15,599 Speaker 1: about what's happening. Maybe immigration isn't your issue, but if 1280 01:16:15,640 --> 01:16:19,120 Speaker 1: you care about LGBTQ issues, those are the most vulnerable 1281 01:16:19,160 --> 01:16:20,800 Speaker 1: people who are trying to come to this country who 1282 01:16:20,840 --> 01:16:25,760 Speaker 1: are suffering even horrors upon horrors. You know, if you 1283 01:16:26,320 --> 01:16:28,360 Speaker 1: care about criminal justice, for form, you should definitely care 1284 01:16:28,360 --> 01:16:32,200 Speaker 1: about immigration because we're instituting some of these same processes 1285 01:16:32,200 --> 01:16:35,920 Speaker 1: and procedures in this space. And so for me, it's 1286 01:16:36,520 --> 01:16:42,200 Speaker 1: the narrative is incorrect because we're not really reflecting the 1287 01:16:42,240 --> 01:16:45,439 Speaker 1: positive things that immigrants are bringing into this country. How 1288 01:16:45,479 --> 01:16:48,280 Speaker 1: we're preventing those uh immigrants from being able to be 1289 01:16:48,360 --> 01:16:50,680 Speaker 1: here and contribute to the economy. And who are the 1290 01:16:50,680 --> 01:16:54,280 Speaker 1: people who are really coming and are they really sort 1291 01:16:54,280 --> 01:16:58,720 Speaker 1: of scary and and problematic? Are they people who you 1292 01:16:58,720 --> 01:17:01,760 Speaker 1: would be happy to have here because you know how 1293 01:17:01,800 --> 01:17:03,840 Speaker 1: hard they would work and you know how much they 1294 01:17:03,880 --> 01:17:09,160 Speaker 1: would be giving back and contributing when we Because you 1295 01:17:09,240 --> 01:17:11,799 Speaker 1: touched on this a bit, voting is such a power 1296 01:17:11,840 --> 01:17:15,960 Speaker 1: that we have, and we clearly need to be voting 1297 01:17:16,000 --> 01:17:19,519 Speaker 1: for people who do not support policies like this. If 1298 01:17:19,560 --> 01:17:22,080 Speaker 1: you wouldn't want your child to be taken from you, 1299 01:17:22,080 --> 01:17:25,559 Speaker 1: you need to vote against someone's child being taken from them, period, 1300 01:17:25,680 --> 01:17:30,200 Speaker 1: end of story. You know, as the adage goes, I 1301 01:17:30,240 --> 01:17:32,200 Speaker 1: didn't when they came for these people, I didn't speak 1302 01:17:32,240 --> 01:17:33,640 Speaker 1: up because I wasn't one of those people. And then 1303 01:17:33,640 --> 01:17:35,120 Speaker 1: when they came for the people over there, I didn't 1304 01:17:35,120 --> 01:17:37,120 Speaker 1: speak up because I wasn't over there, And then when 1305 01:17:37,120 --> 01:17:38,759 Speaker 1: they came for me, there was nobody left to speak 1306 01:17:38,800 --> 01:17:41,400 Speaker 1: up for me. We have to advocate for each other. 1307 01:17:42,080 --> 01:17:45,599 Speaker 1: And I'm curious, as we approached the election, how would 1308 01:17:45,640 --> 01:17:49,680 Speaker 1: you say we differentiate between candidates who really want to 1309 01:17:49,760 --> 01:17:53,200 Speaker 1: fix what's happening rather than exploit it or use it 1310 01:17:53,240 --> 01:17:57,160 Speaker 1: as a talking point. I mean, I think it's well 1311 01:17:57,200 --> 01:18:00,960 Speaker 1: a I just want to say that, you know, this 1312 01:18:01,000 --> 01:18:04,200 Speaker 1: is about humanity, is all about humanity. But I think 1313 01:18:04,320 --> 01:18:06,280 Speaker 1: I don't want people to get confused and think that 1314 01:18:07,200 --> 01:18:10,880 Speaker 1: voting is political, because voting is not political. Voting is 1315 01:18:11,000 --> 01:18:15,200 Speaker 1: exercising your right in this civic society that we live 1316 01:18:15,200 --> 01:18:18,200 Speaker 1: in and that we should be doing. And so to me, 1317 01:18:18,520 --> 01:18:22,000 Speaker 1: I always feel like when the voting conversation comes up, 1318 01:18:22,040 --> 01:18:24,120 Speaker 1: they're like, wow, I thought that, you know, we weren't 1319 01:18:24,120 --> 01:18:25,960 Speaker 1: gonna get political, and like, it's it's not even about 1320 01:18:25,960 --> 01:18:29,519 Speaker 1: getting political. It's about your responsibility as a citizen of 1321 01:18:29,560 --> 01:18:32,800 Speaker 1: this country that those people at the border would die 1322 01:18:32,920 --> 01:18:35,120 Speaker 1: to be doing. They would you know, there's so many 1323 01:18:35,120 --> 01:18:37,360 Speaker 1: people in this country who are undocumented, who pay taxes, 1324 01:18:37,360 --> 01:18:40,760 Speaker 1: who live here, who would die to be able to vote, right, 1325 01:18:41,200 --> 01:18:44,080 Speaker 1: and you not voting is kind of throwing that in 1326 01:18:44,120 --> 01:18:47,120 Speaker 1: all those people's faces who are contributing to your social 1327 01:18:47,160 --> 01:18:50,640 Speaker 1: security and to your benefits, into your public school. And 1328 01:18:50,680 --> 01:18:53,040 Speaker 1: that's such a big thing that I always want to 1329 01:18:53,080 --> 01:18:57,080 Speaker 1: hammer home is that undocumented people paid billions of dollars 1330 01:18:57,120 --> 01:18:59,639 Speaker 1: a year into the U. S economy and can never 1331 01:18:59,720 --> 01:19:02,240 Speaker 1: take any of that money out the way that citizens do, 1332 01:19:02,960 --> 01:19:07,519 Speaker 1: and the economy would literally collapse without the taxation of 1333 01:19:07,600 --> 01:19:13,360 Speaker 1: undocumented people. And there's this narrative that these people come 1334 01:19:13,400 --> 01:19:15,400 Speaker 1: here and they take and you know, they take money 1335 01:19:15,439 --> 01:19:17,800 Speaker 1: out of the economy, and they literally don't. They just 1336 01:19:17,840 --> 01:19:20,559 Speaker 1: pay into it. Yeah. So for me, I think a 1337 01:19:20,960 --> 01:19:24,000 Speaker 1: just let's start there, which is voting is not political, 1338 01:19:24,120 --> 01:19:27,840 Speaker 1: it's it's really your civic duty. Um. And I think, 1339 01:19:28,280 --> 01:19:30,679 Speaker 1: you know, as we get closer to the election, obviously 1340 01:19:30,720 --> 01:19:34,880 Speaker 1: I'm listening to what everyone is is saying around immigration, 1341 01:19:35,640 --> 01:19:40,360 Speaker 1: and I think, you know, I don't want to say 1342 01:19:40,360 --> 01:19:43,800 Speaker 1: anything is better than this, but almost anything is better 1343 01:19:43,840 --> 01:19:47,599 Speaker 1: than this at this point. And I think that, um, 1344 01:19:47,640 --> 01:19:51,599 Speaker 1: and I don't think it's it's going to be that if, if, 1345 01:19:51,880 --> 01:19:54,840 Speaker 1: if someone else is elected, that this situation is going 1346 01:19:54,880 --> 01:19:59,240 Speaker 1: to get solved immediately, because we've we've this is a 1347 01:19:59,439 --> 01:20:03,200 Speaker 1: very complicated situation that's going to take very many years 1348 01:20:03,240 --> 01:20:07,200 Speaker 1: to untangle. UM. But I would say that, you know, 1349 01:20:07,960 --> 01:20:11,920 Speaker 1: listen to what people say around not just immigration, but 1350 01:20:12,000 --> 01:20:16,120 Speaker 1: around education and around the economy, and around jobs and 1351 01:20:16,160 --> 01:20:20,840 Speaker 1: around school, because all of that is it's a whole package, 1352 01:20:21,120 --> 01:20:23,320 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, you may have your issue, and 1353 01:20:23,680 --> 01:20:26,799 Speaker 1: I would say I think issue voting is great because 1354 01:20:26,840 --> 01:20:29,639 Speaker 1: at least you're being pulled in in a certain way 1355 01:20:29,640 --> 01:20:32,840 Speaker 1: and you can feel very good about how um your 1356 01:20:32,880 --> 01:20:36,320 Speaker 1: issue is being talked about. But the immigration issue, in 1357 01:20:36,360 --> 01:20:40,040 Speaker 1: my mind, is so intertwined with so many other ones 1358 01:20:40,080 --> 01:20:41,800 Speaker 1: that I'm it's like, great, I want to hear what 1359 01:20:41,840 --> 01:20:43,559 Speaker 1: you're saying about what was happening at the border, but 1360 01:20:43,600 --> 01:20:45,519 Speaker 1: I also want to hear about how you're talking about 1361 01:20:45,520 --> 01:20:48,160 Speaker 1: the economy and how you're talking about undocumented people in 1362 01:20:48,200 --> 01:20:51,680 Speaker 1: this country, and how you're talking about education and college 1363 01:20:51,840 --> 01:20:54,960 Speaker 1: and you know, college debt, because all of those things 1364 01:20:54,960 --> 01:21:00,160 Speaker 1: are affecting all people in that space. I heard the 1365 01:21:00,160 --> 01:21:02,120 Speaker 1: most amazing thing. It was actually a tweet that I 1366 01:21:02,120 --> 01:21:06,040 Speaker 1: read yesterday and somebody said, um, they said, here's how 1367 01:21:06,080 --> 01:21:10,280 Speaker 1: I look at the student loan debt argument. My two 1368 01:21:10,280 --> 01:21:13,000 Speaker 1: grandmothers died of cancer. Now there's a treatment to cure 1369 01:21:13,040 --> 01:21:15,000 Speaker 1: that cancer, but I don't think anybody should get to 1370 01:21:15,040 --> 01:21:18,360 Speaker 1: have it because it will bring my grandmother's back. And 1371 01:21:18,400 --> 01:21:20,479 Speaker 1: they were like, that's what you're saying about student loan debt, 1372 01:21:20,520 --> 01:21:23,360 Speaker 1: Like my family suffered having to pay all these bills, 1373 01:21:23,800 --> 01:21:26,280 Speaker 1: so I don't want anybody else not to suffer it. 1374 01:21:26,320 --> 01:21:29,439 Speaker 1: And I thought it was such a brilliant way to 1375 01:21:29,520 --> 01:21:32,080 Speaker 1: look at it. You know, our whole purpose here on 1376 01:21:32,120 --> 01:21:36,280 Speaker 1: this earth, I believe, is to constantly do better so 1377 01:21:36,320 --> 01:21:39,759 Speaker 1: that we can change policies and practices so that people's 1378 01:21:39,800 --> 01:21:42,240 Speaker 1: lives get better and the things that they need get 1379 01:21:42,240 --> 01:21:45,800 Speaker 1: more accessible. And this idea that because something wasn't accessible 1380 01:21:45,800 --> 01:21:47,880 Speaker 1: to me means it shouldn't be accessible to other people. 1381 01:21:49,040 --> 01:21:51,920 Speaker 1: That seems to be the ideology that's out there winning 1382 01:21:52,000 --> 01:21:54,479 Speaker 1: the votes right now. And I think if we can 1383 01:21:54,479 --> 01:22:00,160 Speaker 1: all wake up to your point and realize that they, 1384 01:22:00,280 --> 01:22:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, the big day, the powers that we have 1385 01:22:02,280 --> 01:22:06,599 Speaker 1: politicized voting in such a way and actually what voting 1386 01:22:06,720 --> 01:22:08,400 Speaker 1: is is each of us being able to put our 1387 01:22:08,479 --> 01:22:11,400 Speaker 1: hand on the wheel that steers the ship, and we 1388 01:22:11,479 --> 01:22:13,920 Speaker 1: either steer it faster towards the iceberg or we steer 1389 01:22:13,920 --> 01:22:17,519 Speaker 1: it away. That's it, Like, do you want to be 1390 01:22:17,560 --> 01:22:23,759 Speaker 1: on a crash course for certain disaster when you see 1391 01:22:23,920 --> 01:22:26,720 Speaker 1: policies that are disastrous being enacted, like they'll come for 1392 01:22:26,760 --> 01:22:29,639 Speaker 1: you eventually, or do you want to steer away from 1393 01:22:29,640 --> 01:22:31,920 Speaker 1: it and remain in open ocean and go on a 1394 01:22:32,000 --> 01:22:36,719 Speaker 1: journey together. And And that's what I think voting can be. Yeah, 1395 01:22:36,760 --> 01:22:39,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I think the thing I would add to 1396 01:22:40,120 --> 01:22:45,960 Speaker 1: that is this idea that we feel like this pious 1397 01:22:46,080 --> 01:22:50,200 Speaker 1: finite and and my slice of the pie if there 1398 01:22:50,200 --> 01:22:54,040 Speaker 1: are other people involved, get smaller and smaller, wherein in 1399 01:22:54,080 --> 01:22:57,799 Speaker 1: fact I'm like, no, they're adding more ingredients to your pie. 1400 01:22:58,040 --> 01:23:02,360 Speaker 1: And so if we can sort of understand that we're 1401 01:23:02,439 --> 01:23:07,479 Speaker 1: like in this world together on one planet, and and 1402 01:23:07,640 --> 01:23:12,360 Speaker 1: that we cannot live in an isolationist me and mine, 1403 01:23:12,640 --> 01:23:16,320 Speaker 1: but we have to, you know, join hands and say 1404 01:23:16,400 --> 01:23:21,120 Speaker 1: like we're better together. Yes, And this idea of the 1405 01:23:21,160 --> 01:23:23,280 Speaker 1: pie I love. It's an analogy I use a lot 1406 01:23:23,280 --> 01:23:25,760 Speaker 1: when I talk about these things we do. We have 1407 01:23:25,880 --> 01:23:28,200 Speaker 1: this idea like that this circle is it, and I'm 1408 01:23:28,240 --> 01:23:30,160 Speaker 1: either going to have a bigger slice or a smaller slice. 1409 01:23:30,160 --> 01:23:32,360 Speaker 1: But what we're missing is that the circle can actually 1410 01:23:32,400 --> 01:23:36,240 Speaker 1: grow outward. The pie can get bigger, so everyone can 1411 01:23:36,280 --> 01:23:39,439 Speaker 1: have bigger slices. More and more people can have bigger slices. 1412 01:23:40,040 --> 01:23:42,280 Speaker 1: And I got to interview someone recently and we were 1413 01:23:42,280 --> 01:23:46,400 Speaker 1: talking about, uh, the economics of gender parody, and how 1414 01:23:46,439 --> 01:23:48,880 Speaker 1: if we could create gender parity in the workplace and 1415 01:23:48,880 --> 01:23:52,320 Speaker 1: women could be paid as much as men in the U. S. Economy, 1416 01:23:52,360 --> 01:23:55,280 Speaker 1: that wouldn't mean men's salaries would get lower, so women's 1417 01:23:55,280 --> 01:23:57,679 Speaker 1: salaries would get higher. It means that the economy would 1418 01:23:57,720 --> 01:24:01,479 Speaker 1: grow by two point two trillion dollars, so the pie 1419 01:24:01,640 --> 01:24:05,120 Speaker 1: would actually get exponentially bigger, so everybody would have more 1420 01:24:05,160 --> 01:24:08,280 Speaker 1: to eat. And that's something I think we need to 1421 01:24:08,320 --> 01:24:11,479 Speaker 1: constantly be talking about. Two is that if we actually 1422 01:24:11,520 --> 01:24:14,160 Speaker 1: allowed people to participate in the economy, if we actually 1423 01:24:14,200 --> 01:24:17,720 Speaker 1: allowed everyone in America to have access to resources and 1424 01:24:17,720 --> 01:24:21,960 Speaker 1: their lives got better, the economy would grow. Everybody would 1425 01:24:21,960 --> 01:24:25,200 Speaker 1: be doing better, and it wouldn't need to be this like, 1426 01:24:26,680 --> 01:24:30,080 Speaker 1: let's give tax breaks to billionaires and screw over health 1427 01:24:30,080 --> 01:24:33,080 Speaker 1: care for other people. It's like, if everyone had healthcare, 1428 01:24:33,120 --> 01:24:36,439 Speaker 1: everyone would actually work better. And then the billionaires bottom line, 1429 01:24:36,439 --> 01:24:38,400 Speaker 1: the people who own the companies, their bottom line would 1430 01:24:38,439 --> 01:24:40,800 Speaker 1: go up, while all of their employees bottom lines went 1431 01:24:40,880 --> 01:24:45,800 Speaker 1: up also. And and so I think about how we 1432 01:24:45,920 --> 01:24:50,160 Speaker 1: have the privilege to your point about voting for policies 1433 01:24:50,200 --> 01:24:54,840 Speaker 1: that would actually better everybody. And if we voted in 1434 01:24:54,920 --> 01:24:58,599 Speaker 1: the interest of, you know, to quote scripture, the least 1435 01:24:58,600 --> 01:25:05,599 Speaker 1: among us, we would actually elevate everyone. And that feels 1436 01:25:05,640 --> 01:25:08,240 Speaker 1: that feels like a like a superpower that any of 1437 01:25:08,320 --> 01:25:11,000 Speaker 1: us can tap into. But we just have to get 1438 01:25:11,040 --> 01:25:14,599 Speaker 1: our perspective right about what we're doing and why we're 1439 01:25:14,640 --> 01:25:19,160 Speaker 1: doing it. When you think about perspective, and I guess 1440 01:25:19,240 --> 01:25:23,439 Speaker 1: maybe because we've just been talking about your your whole story, Um, 1441 01:25:23,560 --> 01:25:25,640 Speaker 1: has there been a perspective shift or was there a 1442 01:25:27,439 --> 01:25:29,479 Speaker 1: was there kind of an aha moment when your mom 1443 01:25:29,680 --> 01:25:32,600 Speaker 1: became a citizen recently? First of all, I want to 1444 01:25:32,600 --> 01:25:36,120 Speaker 1: relive that day every day. Um, you know it was 1445 01:25:36,280 --> 01:25:40,400 Speaker 1: it was interesting because she, you know, has five American 1446 01:25:40,439 --> 01:25:45,040 Speaker 1: born children, has you know, encouraged us from the beginning 1447 01:25:45,120 --> 01:25:48,560 Speaker 1: to give back, to be educated, to contribute to society, 1448 01:25:48,640 --> 01:25:54,000 Speaker 1: which we're all doing um. And you know, even in 1449 01:25:54,160 --> 01:25:59,240 Speaker 1: her journey, which um, you know, she started with becoming 1450 01:25:59,240 --> 01:26:02,160 Speaker 1: a permanent reside in and then finally citizenship still took 1451 01:26:03,000 --> 01:26:05,120 Speaker 1: eight to ten years. You know, it still took quite 1452 01:26:05,439 --> 01:26:08,400 Speaker 1: a long time. And we have we have a a 1453 01:26:08,400 --> 01:26:10,680 Speaker 1: sister who's an attorney. I mean, it wasn't so we 1454 01:26:10,760 --> 01:26:14,479 Speaker 1: had all of the things going her way. Um, but yeah, 1455 01:26:14,520 --> 01:26:17,200 Speaker 1: it was kind of this moment where you know, she 1456 01:26:17,240 --> 01:26:19,840 Speaker 1: would she was studying for her test and now you 1457 01:26:19,840 --> 01:26:22,680 Speaker 1: can study on your computer and it'll ask you like 1458 01:26:22,960 --> 01:26:25,880 Speaker 1: how long is a congressman in office for? You know, 1459 01:26:25,920 --> 01:26:28,160 Speaker 1: And so she would be studying and my seven year 1460 01:26:28,160 --> 01:26:29,680 Speaker 1: old son would be like in her room and need 1461 01:26:29,680 --> 01:26:31,639 Speaker 1: to be like, you know, like eight years. And then 1462 01:26:31,640 --> 01:26:33,120 Speaker 1: she was like why are you listening to my seven 1463 01:26:33,200 --> 01:26:35,519 Speaker 1: year old? Like, mom, just study, you know. And so 1464 01:26:35,840 --> 01:26:38,519 Speaker 1: it was kind of this journey that me, that my 1465 01:26:38,600 --> 01:26:41,800 Speaker 1: children and I went on with her. And when her 1466 01:26:41,880 --> 01:26:45,080 Speaker 1: day finally came, you know, I didn't think I would 1467 01:26:45,080 --> 01:26:48,400 Speaker 1: be as emotional as I was. Um, we went down. 1468 01:26:48,479 --> 01:26:52,040 Speaker 1: Her ceremony was in San Diego and you know they're 1469 01:26:52,080 --> 01:26:55,519 Speaker 1: kind of down. There was like five eighty seven people 1470 01:26:55,600 --> 01:26:58,519 Speaker 1: that day and you know, they kind of go through 1471 01:26:58,560 --> 01:27:01,400 Speaker 1: every country that's represented, they like the person stands up. 1472 01:27:01,680 --> 01:27:04,160 Speaker 1: So when they get to Mexico, there was a lot 1473 01:27:04,200 --> 01:27:06,360 Speaker 1: of people from Mexico and she kind of stood up, 1474 01:27:06,400 --> 01:27:08,040 Speaker 1: was just like waving this flag. And I was just like, 1475 01:27:08,680 --> 01:27:11,439 Speaker 1: oh my god, I'm so emotional just about knowing that, 1476 01:27:11,479 --> 01:27:15,720 Speaker 1: like a like she's here for good. Now she's protected, 1477 01:27:16,280 --> 01:27:18,080 Speaker 1: and that's something that I feel like is slightly in 1478 01:27:18,160 --> 01:27:20,479 Speaker 1: effect of the world that we live in now, where 1479 01:27:20,479 --> 01:27:22,920 Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't know if you're protected even if 1480 01:27:22,920 --> 01:27:24,439 Speaker 1: you have a Green card or you are a permanent 1481 01:27:24,439 --> 01:27:27,559 Speaker 1: resident like that, Like to me, that citizenship was like 1482 01:27:28,200 --> 01:27:31,720 Speaker 1: she's safe and she's good. Um. And then after, you know, 1483 01:27:31,760 --> 01:27:34,240 Speaker 1: we had brunch and and I was asking my mom, 1484 01:27:34,240 --> 01:27:37,040 Speaker 1: you know, so what are you most excited about, you know, 1485 01:27:37,080 --> 01:27:39,400 Speaker 1: now that you have your citizenship and she literally said, 1486 01:27:39,880 --> 01:27:43,479 Speaker 1: I am so excited to go vote. And I was like, what, 1487 01:27:43,960 --> 01:27:45,760 Speaker 1: Like that was actually surprising to me. And she said, 1488 01:27:45,800 --> 01:27:48,880 Speaker 1: you know, I've been in you know, in this country, 1489 01:27:48,920 --> 01:27:50,880 Speaker 1: and I've had a relationship with this country for you know, 1490 01:27:51,800 --> 01:27:54,960 Speaker 1: over fifty years and have never been able to have 1491 01:27:55,040 --> 01:27:59,839 Speaker 1: an opinion about what happens. And now she's so excited 1492 01:27:59,840 --> 01:28:03,080 Speaker 1: to That's what's so like beautiful about the moment, which 1493 01:28:03,120 --> 01:28:07,000 Speaker 1: is like to see that sort of like newfound love 1494 01:28:07,120 --> 01:28:11,799 Speaker 1: for for for you know, voting and being a citizen. 1495 01:28:11,920 --> 01:28:14,040 Speaker 1: And she got her passport and she showed it to 1496 01:28:14,120 --> 01:28:16,880 Speaker 1: me and then we registered her to vote together and 1497 01:28:16,880 --> 01:28:20,360 Speaker 1: and and she was just like that's what it really 1498 01:28:20,400 --> 01:28:23,599 Speaker 1: should be about, that sort of like joy and love 1499 01:28:23,760 --> 01:28:26,440 Speaker 1: for being a part of this country and the excitement 1500 01:28:26,439 --> 01:28:29,559 Speaker 1: that comes with it and the ability to like, you know, 1501 01:28:29,680 --> 01:28:32,559 Speaker 1: say like with my vote. This is how I feel. 1502 01:28:34,040 --> 01:28:36,800 Speaker 1: I think was you know, we sometimes I think in 1503 01:28:36,880 --> 01:28:40,719 Speaker 1: this space we sort of get kind of like, Okay, 1504 01:28:40,760 --> 01:28:42,960 Speaker 1: we're so task oriented and like we got to try 1505 01:28:42,960 --> 01:28:44,559 Speaker 1: to do this and we got and it's like I 1506 01:28:44,680 --> 01:28:48,679 Speaker 1: forgot that, Like it's really about that, this like joy 1507 01:28:48,720 --> 01:28:52,000 Speaker 1: of a seventy four year old woman being able to 1508 01:28:52,080 --> 01:28:54,240 Speaker 1: vote for the first time and how excited she isn't 1509 01:28:54,240 --> 01:28:56,120 Speaker 1: being like I need to remember how exciting that is 1510 01:28:56,160 --> 01:28:58,760 Speaker 1: and feel that way every time, you know what I mean. 1511 01:28:59,200 --> 01:29:01,960 Speaker 1: It was amazing. It was like it was like, so 1512 01:29:02,080 --> 01:29:05,040 Speaker 1: the timing was so interesting just with everything I'm doing 1513 01:29:05,080 --> 01:29:06,920 Speaker 1: with this is about humanity and with stuff that's happening 1514 01:29:06,960 --> 01:29:09,120 Speaker 1: at the border and just like my own personal story, 1515 01:29:09,680 --> 01:29:15,320 Speaker 1: just feeling like she's she's just good forever now. I 1516 01:29:15,360 --> 01:29:19,760 Speaker 1: don't know. Oh, I love it so as you know, 1517 01:29:19,840 --> 01:29:24,040 Speaker 1: the podcast is called work in progress, and I love 1518 01:29:24,080 --> 01:29:26,920 Speaker 1: to ask everyone I get to sit across from what 1519 01:29:27,160 --> 01:29:33,479 Speaker 1: feels like a work in progress in your life right now? Um, 1520 01:29:33,520 --> 01:29:40,200 Speaker 1: you know, I think, uh, understanding what balance means to 1521 01:29:40,240 --> 01:29:42,559 Speaker 1: me is always going to be a work in progress, 1522 01:29:43,320 --> 01:29:48,599 Speaker 1: you know, because I'm someone who is doing so many things, 1523 01:29:48,720 --> 01:29:51,960 Speaker 1: and sometimes I feel like cut all the things I'm doing? 1524 01:29:51,960 --> 01:29:57,040 Speaker 1: Am I even doing them? At? Am I? Am I 1525 01:29:57,120 --> 01:29:59,439 Speaker 1: like being a good enough parent? Am I being a 1526 01:29:59,520 --> 01:30:05,200 Speaker 1: good enough activist? Am I being a good enough citizen? Mother, wife, daughter, sibling? 1527 01:30:05,439 --> 01:30:09,280 Speaker 1: And sometimes feeling like I'm not hitting the mark in 1528 01:30:09,360 --> 01:30:15,000 Speaker 1: any category, but also then sort of reflecting on well, 1529 01:30:15,280 --> 01:30:18,400 Speaker 1: but is it is it that I don't need to 1530 01:30:18,439 --> 01:30:21,719 Speaker 1: be at a percent? You know? It is good enough 1531 01:30:21,840 --> 01:30:25,800 Speaker 1: to be this x y and also to get my 1532 01:30:25,880 --> 01:30:28,719 Speaker 1: work out in because that's part of my own mental 1533 01:30:28,760 --> 01:30:32,000 Speaker 1: sanity and not feeling guilty about that, or going away 1534 01:30:32,120 --> 01:30:33,800 Speaker 1: for a night with my husband or going on a 1535 01:30:33,880 --> 01:30:37,920 Speaker 1: date night and not feeling like guilty about the other 1536 01:30:37,960 --> 01:30:41,160 Speaker 1: things I'm not doing at that moment, And so I 1537 01:30:41,200 --> 01:30:45,479 Speaker 1: think the balance and acceptance of what I feel like 1538 01:30:45,600 --> 01:30:51,720 Speaker 1: sometimes is failure but is actually succeeding as best I can. 1539 01:30:52,040 --> 01:30:54,840 Speaker 1: Where I'm at is always going to be a work 1540 01:30:54,840 --> 01:31:00,840 Speaker 1: in progress, and just that sort of like permission of imperfection, 1541 01:31:02,200 --> 01:31:08,839 Speaker 1: UM and and really accepting that and understanding it versus 1542 01:31:08,880 --> 01:31:13,640 Speaker 1: just saying it. I love that Steinbeck quote, don't let 1543 01:31:13,680 --> 01:31:16,880 Speaker 1: the perfect be the enemy of the good. Yes, And 1544 01:31:16,960 --> 01:31:21,519 Speaker 1: just the other day I was listening to UM a 1545 01:31:21,640 --> 01:31:26,840 Speaker 1: conversation between Elizabeth Gilbert and Glenn and Doyle, and Liz 1546 01:31:26,880 --> 01:31:29,000 Speaker 1: Gilbert quoted a friend and I wish I could remember 1547 01:31:29,040 --> 01:31:32,400 Speaker 1: who she said said this, but that also being inspired 1548 01:31:32,400 --> 01:31:35,120 Speaker 1: by that Steinbeck quote, her friend said, now that I 1549 01:31:35,120 --> 01:31:38,400 Speaker 1: don't have to be good, I can be free, and 1550 01:31:38,479 --> 01:31:41,320 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, it like it made 1551 01:31:41,360 --> 01:31:44,599 Speaker 1: me feel like I had been electrocuted in the best 1552 01:31:44,600 --> 01:31:46,280 Speaker 1: way and also made me want to cry. And I 1553 01:31:46,320 --> 01:31:49,200 Speaker 1: was like, that's what it is, you know, to give 1554 01:31:49,280 --> 01:31:53,960 Speaker 1: yourself the freedom just to be, to not always feel 1555 01:31:53,960 --> 01:31:55,960 Speaker 1: like you have to measure up or hit a standard 1556 01:31:56,040 --> 01:31:57,920 Speaker 1: or do the right thing, or be the best activist 1557 01:31:58,000 --> 01:31:59,200 Speaker 1: or the best wife. For the best mom and the 1558 01:31:59,200 --> 01:32:03,680 Speaker 1: best just to be in whatever moment you're in. That 1559 01:32:03,680 --> 01:32:06,799 Speaker 1: that sounds really nice to me. And it's my own 1560 01:32:06,920 --> 01:32:10,840 Speaker 1: um standards, you know, it's nobody else's. But I'm also 1561 01:32:11,280 --> 01:32:14,160 Speaker 1: and everyone is their own harshest critic, So my standards 1562 01:32:14,160 --> 01:32:16,840 Speaker 1: are gonna be like way above. I'm I always think, 1563 01:32:16,880 --> 01:32:18,800 Speaker 1: like when I'm getting trolled on the internet, I'm like, 1564 01:32:18,920 --> 01:32:21,040 Speaker 1: you guys think you're cute. No one's meaner to me 1565 01:32:21,080 --> 01:32:25,560 Speaker 1: than It just doesn't work that way. So it's interesting 1566 01:32:25,600 --> 01:32:28,280 Speaker 1: how we have to learn to live with those that 1567 01:32:28,439 --> 01:32:33,439 Speaker 1: inner standards setter and try to set that example for 1568 01:32:33,520 --> 01:32:38,600 Speaker 1: my own kids. You know, so very cool. Thank you 1569 01:32:38,680 --> 01:32:48,640 Speaker 1: so much for coming in, Thanks for having me. This 1570 01:32:48,720 --> 01:32:52,479 Speaker 1: show is executive produced by Me, Sophia Bush, and sim Sarna. 1571 01:32:53,120 --> 01:32:57,200 Speaker 1: Our supervising producer is Alison Bresnick. Our associate producer is 1572 01:32:57,240 --> 01:33:01,200 Speaker 1: Cate Linley, Our editor is Josh Window, and our music 1573 01:33:01,240 --> 01:33:03,759 Speaker 1: was written by Jack Garrett and produced by Mark Foster. 1574 01:33:04,520 --> 01:33:06,960 Speaker 1: This show is brought to you by Krillion Anatomy