1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, let's just keep a real straight shot with no chasing. 2 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm gonna get a little bit roughly. I'm here for it. 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: Those who really believed in the American process, all of us, 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: straight shot, no Chasing. What's your Girl? Tessela Figuro on 5 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: the Black Effect podcasting that one. What's happening everybody? This 6 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: is your girl? Tesla and Figurero, the host of straight 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: Shot No Chaser on the Black Effect podcast Network on 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: Our Heart Radio. I have a good I don't know 9 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 1: if I want to say free. Should I say free? 10 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: Because I don't I don't know about if you want 11 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: to be associated with me in that way. But a 12 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: good a good ally politician in the struggle and the 13 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: fight for black liberation. I try to be careful because 14 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: I never want my words to hurt those who are elected. 15 00:00:54,560 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: But a good brother who is elected as vice mayor 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: of Tamarack, Florida commissioner Gellen who also serves district too 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: as well. And for those of you that follow me 18 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: on Instagram, Uh, he's one of the few actual elected officials, 19 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: uh that chimes in on the comments. And that is 20 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: just in itself, says a lot. You know, for those 21 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: of you that follow me. You know, I talk a 22 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: lot about conversations that elected officials have behind the scene 23 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: and how hesitant they are to make their positions known 24 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: in a public way, particularly with social media, because as 25 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: we know in this UH space that we're in, everything 26 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: you say can and will be and is expected to 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: be used against you. So I'm always uh pleased when 28 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 1: I see his feedback, his comments uh engaging with folks, 29 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: and it just says a lot. And so I want 30 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: to welcome you to the show commission with vice a 31 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: mayor the mayor, I want to welcome you to the show. 32 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: How are you doing well? Doing? A big fan of yours. 33 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: I like the way you break down politics for the 34 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: common person, especially the common person in the hood who's 35 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: not paying attention to politics, and how you take big 36 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: items like the slap and interpreted into today's politics. So 37 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: it really helps people engage and understand. You know where 38 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: they are and where they should be as it relates 39 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: to their national and local leaders And I love the 40 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: fact that you promote the fact that your local leadership 41 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 1: is more important than your state and national leadership, because 42 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 1: we have much more of an impact than your national politician, 43 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: your president, or your governor. Absolutely, thank you for saying that. 44 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: I'm humbled by that, and I appreciate that because you know, 45 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: a lot of folks Charlemagne named me the hood whisper, 46 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: and I have conversations and multiple you know, walks of life, 47 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: multiple demographics. But I just find that when you make 48 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: things very simple. Um, I have a teach actually you know, 49 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,919 Speaker 1: adult as an adult educator of a master's an adult 50 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: education and so I tell people that I'm not just 51 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: you know, throwing stuff out there, although it is entertaining, Um, 52 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: it is still meant to educate in power, engage and 53 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 1: when you make things so simple as a dating, you know, 54 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: how do you date? Do you how do you court 55 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: the person? How do you engage? And then how when 56 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: you get engaged and when you get married? You know, 57 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: those are all three very important components, uh, to the voter. 58 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: And we are in a time where, uh, you know, 59 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: I did a post this week where I said, this 60 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: is the black state of of politics. The black progressive 61 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 1: is very disappointed right now. The progressive movement is splintered 62 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: between those who feel like a lot of the leaders 63 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: have sold them out, Black people who uh feel that 64 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 1: there's not space for black people in the quote unquote 65 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: progressive movement, although many of the progressive policies benefit black 66 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: people directly, because there is some anti black uh rhetoric 67 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: that happens within that movement. I'm saying that me personally 68 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 1: with working in that movement, for for former Bernie Sanders, 69 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: being the racial doesn't director for Bernie Sanders. And then 70 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: you have the black moderate um And for clarity, I 71 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: am and I always say this on every episode, but 72 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: I always like to make very clear I'm independent. I'm 73 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: not a Democrat, are a Republican. But when I was 74 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: a Democrat, I would consider myself a moderate, a blue 75 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: dog Democrat. Um, I don't think although there's many progressive 76 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: policies that I support, not a shame to say that, 77 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: there's many moderate support issues that I support, like pro business, 78 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: like a lot of the fiscal policies that you just 79 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: do not see in the progressive movement. So the moderate 80 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: is frustrated, and I'm talking about the black moderate very 81 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: frustrated right now. Was feeling like, hey, you know, how 82 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: many more excuses can they really make? Because it is 83 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: such a glaring disappointment from this administration. And then you 84 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: have the conscious community. What they call the Hohotep community 85 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: that's sitting back saying, hey, we told you all alone, 86 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: and we don't want to be involved in the process 87 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: at all. We're telling people not to vote, not to 88 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: get engaged, forget local state. Just can totally get out 89 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: of the process. Uh. And then you have the black 90 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: conservative who is not the puppet or the their favorite 91 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: that they put up. Uh. You know, and and and 92 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: are popular. But those who are truly pro black Black 93 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: Conservative believe in conservative values and principles that are never 94 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: highlighted within that movement because there is a an issue 95 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: with the conservatives actually embracing folks who are pro black 96 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: who are not going to get on TV and say, 97 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: you know what about Chicago and pull yourself about a 98 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: buotstress that will address address both areas the side of 99 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: the game. So right now, and I want to talk 100 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: to you about that, uh, you know, the state of 101 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: black politics. I know your vice mayor, you're running from mayor, 102 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: and I want to get to that. And I know 103 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: you've served as commissioner, but I just think it's so 104 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: important you know that we talk about where the state 105 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: is kind of weaving those things in and why people 106 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: are turned off and what they need to know about 107 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: their state and local policials. I get it, uh, I 108 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: get it that people say I don't want to be 109 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: involved in the process. But what I try to tell people, 110 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 1: you're already involved in the process. Every time you play taxes, 111 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: you're involved in process. It doesn't matter if it's just 112 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: retail tanks, if it is property tax, if it is 113 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: a federal text. You're already involved in the process. So 114 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: the question is do you want to have a say 115 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: while you're involved in the process or do you just 116 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,799 Speaker 1: want to sit back and let other people make decisions. 117 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: So just kind of framing that, just to give the 118 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: listeners what this conversation would be about. Tell us a 119 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: little bit about, uh, your district that you currently serve 120 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: and the makeup of that uh. As far as demographics 121 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 1: are concerned, sure, so time break in the city is 122 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: a small city. It's about twelve square miles. There's in 123 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: toil about seventy and population the breakdown, the racial break 124 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: breakdown is about thirty two black, twenty nine Spanic, and 125 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 1: then about thirty five UM white and then about five 126 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: which is a combination of Asian and mixed rates. People 127 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: goal and people that check that that box where they 128 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: don't want to be in any particular box. In terms 129 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: of the income, the meeting income is about forty eight thousand, 130 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 1: and we went from being a senior community to now 131 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: being a growing family community. UM. So I've been in 132 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: office about three years. Ran for off for mayor in UH, 133 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: then ran for a commissioner in I was successful pass 134 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: a lot of legislation and now I'm ready to run 135 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: for mayor and I'll be on the ballot in November. Okay, 136 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 1: Now your current district, what is that? Because you gave 137 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: us a demographics for the city overall, do you your 138 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: particular district? What are the demographics on on the individuals 139 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: that actually voted for you? Because I'm curious on on 140 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,000 Speaker 1: that as well. So at the last election, I actually 141 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: had two white male opponents and I got sixty of 142 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: the vote. Um. And so I got a combination of 143 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: all the votes white, black, and Hispanic. The demographics are 144 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: about the same in my particular district. But I think 145 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: the edge for me was because I ran from mayor 146 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: in twenty four team. So many people still remember me 147 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: and I was the most active and most visible of 148 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: the three. I worked the hardest. I went to the door, 149 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 1: UM and I and I got the vote. I worked 150 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: the early voting in the library, I had my mailer's 151 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: go out for early voting. UM, and I think I 152 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: just had the best statement and the best position platform. Yeah. Absolutely, 153 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna talk about that. To have an upcoming training 154 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: coming up where I'm actually partnering with our Black parties 155 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: in September, and UH, that's one of the things that 156 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: will be there'll be three training tracks candidates, operators, and organizers. 157 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: And UH, people don't get it that no matter how 158 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: good your speeches or how what did ever name recognition 159 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 1: you think you have, you do have to work on 160 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: the ground. Local people want to see you at the 161 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: grocery store. They want to see you at church, they 162 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 1: want to see you at their schools. They want to 163 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: see you involved. And there's a misunderstanding that people think 164 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: they can just jump in and just have a good 165 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: speech and that will do the trick. Sometimes it does, 166 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: but most often the person that work the hardest, UH 167 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: is the one that folks checked that box for. So 168 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 1: what they said, you you have a mixed demographic. Um, 169 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: You've You've made no apology for being unapologetically black. You've 170 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: made very clear statements, you know on what black people 171 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: are looking for. How is it that you're able to 172 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: do that without turning off non black voters and still 173 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: black voters feeling as if you're taking care of their 174 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: those kneeds. And before you get into that, give us 175 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 1: your position on because I get it. I know everybody 176 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: wants do everything black. The reality is an elected And 177 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: this is why I'm we're doing this training is because 178 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,280 Speaker 1: I want people to understand the difference between organizers and 179 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: operators and candidates, organizers, movement leaders. Our job on the 180 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: movement side, I consider myself on the movement side, is 181 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: to get you to move the way I want you 182 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: to go. Every demographic has their hand open, hand up, 183 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 1: pick me, pick me, pick me the what did they say, 184 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: the squeaky old, the squeaky wheel gets old. It's my 185 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: job to constantly black black black black, black black black. 186 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: I am not offended when I see Hispanic pushing Hispanic, 187 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: Asian pushing Asian, white pushing white, and like you mentioned, 188 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 1: all of the others that don't want to classify in 189 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: a certain group. Everybody's supposed to do it. The question 190 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 1: is who's allowed it's who's the most organized to make 191 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: sure that we get a piece of that pie. And 192 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: there's a disconnect on that. And the reason why the 193 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 1: disconnect is there, and I understand why the disconnect is 194 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: there is because too often black leaders get use their 195 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: black card, if you will, to get elected, but then 196 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: when it's time to divvy up the pie, even if 197 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: you're just being even black people don't feel that that 198 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: is old to them, much less thirty if you're in 199 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: a district that is a majority black. So it seems 200 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: that the black card, if you will is always pushed 201 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: during election time when it's time to go to the 202 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,719 Speaker 1: polls and souls to the polls. But then when it's 203 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: time to divvy out the reward for that, that is 204 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: where people follow short and some of that mayor is 205 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: I believe a lot of elected officials have poor communication. 206 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: They don't tell people what they're doing. They sure don't 207 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: tell them far enough and then sometimes flat that they 208 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: just don't do it. So give us your perspective on 209 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:19,840 Speaker 1: representing a district that's has multiple races but still remaining 210 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, pro black and not ignoring black folks. So 211 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: what you mentioned is true, and it's important, and I 212 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: think one of the reasons why we get left out 213 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 1: when it's time to divvy up the rewards, it's because 214 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: as voters, so as likely officials, we don't communicate as 215 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: much as we should while we're in offense. And as voters, 216 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 1: we think that once we vote that one person in 217 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,319 Speaker 1: offense or the president offense, they're gonna fulfill their campaign promises. 218 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:48,959 Speaker 1: But the way it works in real life is, as 219 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: you know, you have advocates and lobbyists and special interest 220 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: groups that continue to hold the elected official accountable and say, hey, 221 00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: we supported you financially and with our votes that you 222 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: can accomplished X, Y, and Z. Now we're gonna hold 223 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: you to it. And that's where we, as black voters, 224 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: we fall short. We don't continue the process once our 225 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: our chosen person is elected in office. I think parties 226 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: are wise because we're busy working, we're taking care of 227 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: our family, take care our kids, and so we just 228 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:21,240 Speaker 1: believe the promise that those elected officials make. Um. What 229 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: I try to do is I know that I was 230 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: elected by majority black people and other people, and so 231 00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,079 Speaker 1: when I'm pushing legislation, I'm making sure that it benefits 232 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: my people but also benefits the greater community. So, for example, 233 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 1: when I tried to push for a disparity study where 234 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: we did our own internal study, and I said, hey, 235 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: how much money are we spending with black owned businesses 236 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 1: out of our our forty one million dollars spend In 237 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: one year, it was less than half of one percent. 238 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: In another year, it was less than two percent. For 239 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: HISPANICX it was five or six percent. For women it 240 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: was like seven or eight percent. So when I pushed that, 241 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: I pushed the fact that, hey, the reason why we 242 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 1: see mostly black people on the arrest report that we 243 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: get every month, it's because these people are not working, 244 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 1: and you look at the crimes they're committed, they're related 245 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: to finances. So if we improve opportunities for black owned businesses, 246 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 1: these black owned businesses will hire black people the same 247 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 1: way you go to a Chinese instaurant. You see Chinese 248 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: people keeping restaurants, you see keeping people. People hire their 249 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: own people, even though they hire others. For the most part, 250 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: they hired own people. So if we want to see 251 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 1: less black people and less expand people on these arrest reports, 252 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: we need to create opportunities. We know that's a gender 253 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: gap and a pay gap. We have women owned businesses 254 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: that are growing less past this legislation, conductor disparity study 255 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: and have goals and preference programs from minority groups which 256 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: includes Blacks, Hispanics, and women. And unfortunately, even though I 257 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 1: made the case for black people and for other people, 258 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,559 Speaker 1: that did not pass. And so what I try to 259 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: do is I try to sell the story that includes everybody, 260 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: but sometimes it doesn't work out. Uh. That's why sometimes 261 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: you gotta change being the folks are in offense so 262 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,480 Speaker 1: that you have more like minded people that seemed that's 263 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: the same vision of the future that you have. Yeah, 264 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,560 Speaker 1: and I'm glad you hit that at that point. Florida 265 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: is what I still call my political stomping ground. I 266 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: had a business in Orlando, Florida, UH staffing firm, and 267 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: it was I got the contract before I was a 268 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: part of the n w b E program. And that's 269 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: where a lot of us, you know, we do this 270 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 1: minority that includes everybody, including white women, and even when 271 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: we um have the opportunity when the programs are there, 272 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: and we're still usually selected as a sub. I had 273 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: a contract with the city with the City of Orlando, 274 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: the m Way Arena employed three hundred employees continuously throughout 275 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: the year. But I still had to listen to your 276 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: podcast on that great story, and I still had to 277 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,560 Speaker 1: compete with white women, and I still had to compete. 278 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: And so even when we say for everybody, it's still 279 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,880 Speaker 1: is the sparity when it comes for everybody, even if 280 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 1: you look at black women, this is not the gender war. 281 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: These are facts, you know, I know there's this conversation 282 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 1: about genderal gender. What is facts? Um, Black women still 283 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: although most educated uh more degrees across the board, still 284 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 1: make less than white women and black men and white men. 285 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:21,120 Speaker 1: And so when I hear these minority opportunities, it still 286 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:26,000 Speaker 1: is a lack of accessibility to black businesses. And my business, 287 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 1: uh we shut down after health care reform happened because 288 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: the contract expirion, which is the third largest staff and firm, 289 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: was my prime I was a sub and when health 290 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: care form kicked in two thousand twelve, nobody knew, like 291 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: would we be required as temporary agents, you know, to 292 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: pay for the uh the insurance or not sold by 293 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: Spirian adding just four or five dollars you know to 294 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 1: the hourly rate that threw us out because another contractor 295 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 1: was able to combine services with security as well as 296 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,280 Speaker 1: the ushers that we were providing, so they're able to 297 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: reduce it at a much lower rate, and so they 298 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: beat us out. And so for my business, you're absolutely 299 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: right about hiring your own. I hired everybody from g 300 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: e d s, the pH d s and everything in between. 301 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: People who had just came home from prison, returning citizens, 302 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: women who were in shelters that needed uh, you know, 303 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 1: verification to say that they were working, people who were 304 00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: on probation, and those who were even former CEOs that 305 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: went through a layoff during that time. Because when I 306 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: started my business, that was right after the recession in 307 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: two thousand and eight. I started my business in the 308 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: recession actually, so it was and with a baby and 309 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: going through a divorce. So anything is possible in Orlando, Florida, 310 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 1: with no family, no friends. Uh. I'd like to put 311 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: that out there because I want people to know the 312 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: hustle is real. Um. So even with all of that, 313 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 1: I got kicked out of the the opportunity because they 314 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: had to divide it up between me and a white 315 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: woman's firm quote unquote minority. Uh, there was we didn't 316 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: have enough hours to go around for me to even 317 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: just stay in business period, it didn't make sense because 318 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: once you pay the hourly, the employee tax, uh FICA, 319 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 1: all of the taxes included. In order to stay at business, 320 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 1: I needed at least twenty five people working every single day. 321 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: Otherwise it wasn't feasible. And once we had to split that, 322 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: now I'm down too because it was her in another 323 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,640 Speaker 1: firm five or six employees, and it just wasn't feasible. 324 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 1: And so out of those groups, and I'm glad that they, 325 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: you know, had the opportunity, but out of me versus her, 326 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: I was the one making the most community impact based 327 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: upon who I was hiring, which is why I won 328 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,959 Speaker 1: Orlando Business Journal for the under forty Women Who Mean 329 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: Business two thousand twelve, not because I had the most payroll, 330 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: the most employees, but because of the community impact that 331 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: I was making. And it was very sad to see 332 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: something like that dissolved with no support from the city 333 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 1: or anybody else in well, how do we make sure 334 00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: that there's enough contracts to uh to keep at least 335 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 1: this business and business because of the community impact and 336 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: so in my case, I can't say that I wasn't involved. 337 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: I was sitting on four or five different boards. I 338 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: was sitting on the Metro plan board, I was on 339 00:18:08,720 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: Legal Woman Voters, I was on n w b E, 340 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: I was on the Membership Mission and Review Board. So 341 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 1: I can't say that I wasn't involved and wasn't advocating 342 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 1: like we talked about a moment ago, because I was 343 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 1: doing all of those things. And even still I believe 344 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: the the city failed and recognizing what you talked about 345 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:33,320 Speaker 1: businesses that make that community impact, and I don't blame them, 346 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: you know, it is what it is. I you know, 347 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,680 Speaker 1: moved on and went back doing to what I did 348 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: full time prior to that. But I just want to 349 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: say that the other side of that coin is when 350 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:44,200 Speaker 1: people do step up and they do pull themselves about 351 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: a bullstrap and there is a community impact made in 352 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: these businesses. We do need more support, you know, from 353 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: our eleged officials that know how to advocate for that 354 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: and get stuff done. And I know, personally, I did 355 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,159 Speaker 1: not feel the love at all, And even I had 356 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: great friends in office and they did know certainly we're 357 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: big supporters of me. That is how black businesses get 358 00:19:03,680 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: exed out of the process. So in addition to that, 359 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: we get lost in the minority number. So our companies 360 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: love to promote the fact that, yeah, we do with 361 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: minority businesses. And then you say, well, what do you 362 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: mean by minority, Like what are the black numbers? What 363 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:22,199 Speaker 1: other Hispanic numbers? Were other women numbers? And when you 364 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: dig deeper, we're always on the bottom of the totem pole. 365 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 1: So even in our city, we're doing worse than Asians, 366 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 1: worse than Hispanics, worse than any other group. And I 367 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: always tell people, especially my my my commission members. I said, look, 368 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 1: there's no secret as to why the descendants of former 369 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: slaves are at the bottom of the barrel. And this 370 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: is why these policies were put in place supposedly, but 371 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: we're not benefiting from those policies. And and that's a crime, 372 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 1: and we should work towards facing that. If we truly 373 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: want to resolve this crime problem where we're always at 374 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: the forefront of the quote unquote prime problem we got, 375 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: we have to create opportunities for one including African Americans. 376 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,560 Speaker 1: That's right. And and again everybody should be pro black. 377 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: If I'm instead of telling black people, hey be about 378 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,399 Speaker 1: everybody else because the lift all boats tides. Mess how 379 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: about everybody be pro black since black black is at 380 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: the bottom, because if you're pro black, then everybody gets 381 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: lifted if nothing else by default, um going to that. 382 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: You you you also passed banning the box, which I know 383 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 1: that was also done uh in Orlando, Florida as well 384 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: and all across the country. Those are one of those 385 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 1: things that I know that they fail on the national 386 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,480 Speaker 1: level to promote when we talk about you know, my 387 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: frustration and my disappointment in not passing the Georgian of 388 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 1: Justice and Policing Act on the federal level, although there's 389 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: been two hundred plus cities that have passed some form 390 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: of police accountability on the local and state level, and 391 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: it puzzles me while the federal government doesn't talk about 392 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 1: that if nothing else, are the Democrats of nothing else? 393 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,239 Speaker 1: But in their messaging the same way they talk, oh, well, 394 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: that's not our job, but it was your job when 395 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:05,199 Speaker 1: you was running around galvanizing. Everybody supports Joe Biden, So 396 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: why is there not a movement to talk about, Hey, 397 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: these are some of the things that are happening at 398 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: the local and the state level. Because even though the 399 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: Georgia was just in policing act is about policing. We 400 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 1: still have to look at crime as a whole because again, 401 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: like you mentioned, when we are involved in crime or 402 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: even even suspected meaning just calling none one one where 403 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 1: five times more likely to be shot. And so when 404 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: you look at employment and economics and how all of 405 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: that connects UH and and disparage it all connects to 406 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 1: reducing crime, which connects to not having to call the police, 407 00:21:39,320 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: which connects to all of those things being pulled over 408 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: for WARRN. All of those things are interconnected, and there's 409 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: a poor messaging job I believe on the federal level 410 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: that connects all of that and pulls the resources to 411 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,640 Speaker 1: support not just talking about what you guys are doing, 412 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,399 Speaker 1: but supported and invests. In Florida, to me, my personal opinion, 413 00:21:57,520 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: has always done a terrible job with supporting black candidates, 414 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: particularly Democrats. Everything people I'll tell you that I tell 415 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: them on time. If you don't like how to feel 416 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: about Democrats, blame it on the state of Florida, because 417 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:12,120 Speaker 1: everything that I've learned has been from the lack thereof 418 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 1: on what I have seen, how the party does not 419 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,080 Speaker 1: support local UH in state. Our representatives. So tell us 420 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:23,879 Speaker 1: a little bit about uh, that policy that you passed, 421 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,639 Speaker 1: and also I know you've done some things on police 422 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 1: reform there as well. Yeah, so with Bang in the Box, 423 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,440 Speaker 1: that was something that some people consider controversial. I still 424 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: get emails every now and then from people who say, oh, well, 425 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,080 Speaker 1: why would they, why would any want to anyone want 426 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: to hire a feeling? We should hire a feeling. And 427 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 1: I said, look, when someone does a crime, they serve 428 00:22:44,720 --> 00:22:46,679 Speaker 1: their time, and they get out, we ought to do 429 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: everything we can help them get a job and recover, 430 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: because you don't want to be a prisoner outside of prison, 431 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 1: where you're lockout of opportunities, lockedout of economics, locked out 432 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 1: of a way to feed yourself. What are you gonna do? 433 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: You're gonna commit crime in order to feed yourself. Uh, 434 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:03,200 Speaker 1: you know, you listen to hip hop music from back 435 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: in the day to today, people talk about committing crime 436 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: because they need to eat, they need to feed their family. 437 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,280 Speaker 1: And so when someone commits a crime and they do 438 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: their time, they serve their time. We need to open 439 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 1: up all avenues. And when you study, um, what happens 440 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 1: to people when they come out of prison. A lot 441 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: of them cannot get real estate licenses, some of them 442 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: can get barber licenses. They are locked out of so 443 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: many opportunities. It eliminates their chance of getting a job. 444 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: And so what do they do. They're forced to go 445 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: back to a life or crime, which which hinders all 446 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 1: of us. And so if you really care about safety 447 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:35,159 Speaker 1: and the community, baying the box is important. What does 448 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: it mean? All it means is they don't have to 449 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: check that box and they and if they're qualifying, they 450 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: can go through the interview process and then later on 451 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: in the process they can talk about their background. But 452 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,479 Speaker 1: at least the person interviewing can take a look at 453 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: their character, their work ethic and given them give them 454 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: an opportunity. And I didn't want to just limit it 455 00:23:52,960 --> 00:23:54,879 Speaker 1: to the City of Time. Rack we have what foreigns 456 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,640 Speaker 1: and employees, and the opportunities don't open very often. So 457 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: any vendor that's kind attracted with the City of Time, right, 458 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 1: they also have to adopt be in the box policies. 459 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: And so that's how you you create opportunities with more 460 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: businesses and more people applying for those jobs. And if 461 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 1: every city did that and every count did that, they 462 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 1: never will create more opportunity for people and reduce people 463 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 1: having to go back to a life the client another 464 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:30,680 Speaker 1: short story, because I love you know, I love receipts, 465 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: but I want people to show how this week, how 466 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 1: this happens in real life. So when I was the 467 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:38,920 Speaker 1: vendor for Orlando, Florida, and this is where the business 468 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,159 Speaker 1: has the responsibility, and sometimes you gotta be willing to 469 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,760 Speaker 1: walk away from something. You gotta be willing to stand 470 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: and say, hey, this is what it is, and this 471 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: is just what I'm accepting. And I'm telling you I'm 472 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: doing that with nothing, literally, and I've made that position. 473 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: And this is why I'm so hard on on elected folks, 474 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: because I've been in a position I can have the 475 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 1: receipts to show it, and I look at people with 476 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: budgets and elected and all that still make pissport excuses. 477 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,399 Speaker 1: When I had that contract with Spirion, who was the 478 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 1: vendor for Orlando, Florida, the city of Orlando, the question 479 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: of this was way. This was in two thousand ten, 480 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: when my first employee started. Ten people started on ten ten, 481 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: two thousand ten, which is very prophetic. Spirion wanted to know, well, ship, 482 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: can we review your backgrounds? Your background checks, and I said, no, 483 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: absolutely not. If you trust me as a vendor, and 484 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: I am a vendor, then you also need to trust 485 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:36,080 Speaker 1: my policies, my human resource uh skill, my ability to 486 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: hire good talent. Why did I do that? Because I 487 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 1: know that I was hiring people straight out of jail, 488 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:43,439 Speaker 1: and I know that they didn't have access to money, 489 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: They didn't have access to anything that would have uh 490 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:52,119 Speaker 1: been any uh reason for caution if you will to 491 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 1: be an usher to stand in and tell people where 492 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: to sit down for for a basketball game. So I refused, 493 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 1: even though I needed that opportunity, Mike, even though I 494 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: know that that was all I had for me and 495 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: my baby, I still said, because I knew where I 496 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: was going to see the name of my company was 497 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 1: called the Allied Group. Our mission and I tell people this, 498 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: even if you have a small business, you still should 499 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: have a mission statement and a vision statement, and ours 500 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: was we are a horizontal organization, meaning we're horizontal flat. 501 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: We're not nobody's above or beneath our community. Our candidates 502 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 1: and our clients got our direction. What does the community mean? 503 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 1: Community base? A for profit organization is not a nonprofit organization. 504 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 1: But I still was thinking about what this impact would 505 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: be for the community. And so Spirion even said, Okay, well, 506 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:38,880 Speaker 1: I guess you're gonna hire who you want to hire. 507 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: And I did, and I would tell my employees. The 508 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: first one of y'all start testifying about your background is 509 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: out the door. I said, we don't need we don't 510 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 1: need no Wednesday night prayer service or none of that. 511 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: And I would tell people and you watch and tell 512 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: me who talking. I don't need you going to the 513 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 1: telling people about your background, how you made it, and 514 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:55,840 Speaker 1: this isn't that. All I need you to do is 515 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: give me four hours, because there were four hour shifts, 516 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 1: Give me four hours of the very best that you 517 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: can and get out. We'll worry about everything else later. 518 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: And I had outstanding employees. And then when I think 519 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: you you also recognize that these folks are gonna appreciate 520 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,679 Speaker 1: the opportunity, make the most of the opportunity, and not 521 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 1: mess up so they have future opportunities with you. And 522 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: that's one of the benefits of giving people that second 523 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,359 Speaker 1: chance that they need. Yeah, and they also knew I 524 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,880 Speaker 1: would check their as to excuse my frien, but yeah, 525 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,160 Speaker 1: I wasn't other play with we We had a different. 526 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,160 Speaker 1: It was HR, but it was hood resources so and 527 00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 1: and it was so funny, you know, shout out to 528 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,199 Speaker 1: THEO when my guys what I did because I was 529 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 1: just it was just me and people sad. How did 530 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: you have three d plus employed? In fact, the city 531 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: didn't believe me. I had to stand before them improve 532 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: that these were actually had to bring every last W 533 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:43,719 Speaker 1: four that I signed because they just knew somebody had 534 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: to be behind me. But what I did, every person 535 00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: that I hired had to bring two or three people 536 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,160 Speaker 1: as well. They became their supervisor. They became their lead. 537 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,320 Speaker 1: So I got brothers in the hood that suffering had 538 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:57,199 Speaker 1: drug issues in the past, records that will come through 539 00:27:57,200 --> 00:27:58,720 Speaker 1: the like how do you get to be a supervisor? 540 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: So not only did they do that, they learned how 541 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 1: to manage other people because I couldn't manage everybody. They 542 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,199 Speaker 1: were responsible for whatever trash you brought in the door. 543 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: I would tell you bring in trash, you're taking out 544 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: the trash. You got to fire and you're gonna be responsible. 545 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:13,959 Speaker 1: And then I hired maybe about a hundred plus employees 546 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 1: from Workforce Academy. At the time, his name was Randy Bracy. 547 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:21,800 Speaker 1: He's now senator. Uh Randy Bracy in the house. Uh, 548 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: that's my my homeboy. And we we worked together when 549 00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: he was just working at the school, you know, and 550 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: hiring his students who worked to take care of their family. 551 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: These were juniors and seniors. They were put in this 552 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 1: program that was actually feeding you know, their family. And 553 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,679 Speaker 1: I hired about a hundred and twenty of those students 554 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: as well. A lot of them are still in my 555 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 1: comments today to Mike when they probably yell to check in, um, 556 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 1: because they learned some real hard lessons for me, because 557 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 1: one thing I know about the streets is respect. When 558 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: they respect you, it goes a long way. Um. So yes, 559 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 1: it was giving opportunity, but also a whole lot of accountability. 560 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: You know that you will not destroy this for everybody 561 00:28:58,080 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 1: else out You know I talked about, I'm not hearing 562 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 1: up and I will leave you where you stand because 563 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: if you don't know you want to be free now, 564 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: you ain't gonna never know it. So if you want 565 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: to play this game and think you're gonna destroy if 566 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: everybody not gonna happen, I'll fire you quick as I mean, hey, 567 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: we we're not gonna bring everybody down for one or two. 568 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: So there was a very high level accountability because I 569 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: knew the risk that I was putting on the line 570 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: by saying, trust me to make those hiring decisions. And 571 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: even with the All Star when that came in two 572 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: thousand and eleven, the NBA said, we have to see 573 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: everybody's background because you know, high security, which makes sense, 574 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 1: and I said, well, and I knew if I did that, 575 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: Spirian will see the backgrounds that I had too. And 576 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: these guys were working every week. There's no way I 577 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: was gonna let Aaron Clark, who he has talked about 578 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,160 Speaker 1: a story, who did ten years UH in prison, my 579 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:50,600 Speaker 1: very best employee. Now we put out the game because 580 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: the the NBA all start for one night. So what 581 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: I did is I negotiated a contract for them to 582 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: do the events outside of the arena. And those that 583 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 1: I had had already worked every single week in the 584 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: arena that had the clean backgrounds, I put them in 585 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 1: place and they never knew any of that. But I'm 586 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,520 Speaker 1: sharing that because I don't want to hear excuses from 587 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: people to talk about what can be done. Private and public. 588 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,800 Speaker 1: Partnerships means just that partnerships. I need you to give 589 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: me an opportunity in your position. But I also have 590 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,880 Speaker 1: a responsibility as a business owner to make sure I 591 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: hold up my end of the bargain and exceeded. And 592 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 1: I can't just say, well, you know, they don't do 593 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: that with the black folk. They don't do that with 594 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: the white folks. You're not the white folks. You have 595 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 1: to be better, sharper, deliver more, do better. And I 596 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: meant that. And so there's a hand in hand. You know, 597 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: when we're talking about banning the box. You know you 598 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:40,880 Speaker 1: want to ban the box, but at some point that 599 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: background is going to be ran. And what are you 600 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:45,840 Speaker 1: gonna do as a business owner a vendor to stand 601 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:49,880 Speaker 1: And if you know you have a background, you have 602 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 1: a more responsive responsibility to anybody else, you know, to 603 00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:57,840 Speaker 1: make sure that we're above excellence. Absolutely, And that was 604 00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:00,080 Speaker 1: a great and creative idea that you came up and 605 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: not one thing to harm You're good employees that had 606 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: questionable backgrounds and take them out. Okay, here's a compromise 607 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 1: where you can still work, but you won't be inside 608 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: the arena. So not both parts are satisfied. The NBA satisfied, 609 00:31:12,520 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: you're satisfied, and your employees are still being taking care 610 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: of them. And that's what more elected official needs do 611 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 1: come up with creative solutions to still get the deal done. 612 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: And we don't do nothing for that. And nobody ever knew, 613 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: you know, And I was shout out to THEO. I 614 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 1: missed THEO. He was so amazed, mad as hell because 615 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,719 Speaker 1: he wanted to see Nicki Minaj because I think they 616 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: had had a concert of side. I don't want to 617 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:33,720 Speaker 1: see man your background longest Florida. I'm not getting ready 618 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:37,240 Speaker 1: to put the subject you to that and hurt everybody else. 619 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:39,440 Speaker 1: And they think he was one of their favorite employees. 620 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:41,960 Speaker 1: Why would you do the sea sold You have to 621 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: guide a lot of people with the too remove the emotion, 622 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: you know, so that we so that we can get 623 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 1: it done. And that's me. I was the only owner 624 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: of my business. That's why I want to hear about 625 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,120 Speaker 1: what people can't do, Mike. So that's why you hear 626 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 1: me talk a whole lot when you come to that stuff, 627 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: because there's creative solutions. You know that we can get 628 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: this done. So thank you so much, you know for 629 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: your work on that. You also talked about you did 630 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: some removal of red light cameras as well, UM tell 631 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: us stuff about that. So you know, we we the 632 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: city before I got on board contract with some company 633 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: uh to put red light cameras everywhere, and people were 634 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,960 Speaker 1: getting tickets left and right, and you know, not necessarily 635 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:26,000 Speaker 1: for running uh blatant red light, but you know, just 636 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: a slight miss and then all of a sudden on 637 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: you're end. And then there was one light that they 638 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: put strategically and in front of a hospital where people 639 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:36,880 Speaker 1: got emergent situations and it's just a right turning right 640 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:39,280 Speaker 1: in the hospital, and they were ticketing people left and right, 641 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 1: tune in for the dollars to pop up to three 642 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:43,959 Speaker 1: dollars when you add the fees um. And so I 643 00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 1: campaign on the removal removal of that and got it done, 644 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: I want to say, within two years of office, because 645 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: it was hurting our own people, and we had seniors, 646 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 1: we had low low income people complaining that they can't 647 00:32:56,280 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 1: afford to pay this, and they're gonna have their license 648 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:00,560 Speaker 1: to spend it, take a chance of going to jail 649 00:33:00,600 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 1: just by simply trying to go to work. And it 650 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 1: was a harmful tax on the people who would be 651 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 1: hurt the most by it. Um that I was able 652 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 1: to look at that removed. Florida's terrible. They love suspending licenses. 653 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: I've never seen anything like it. I mean it was 654 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: you know, you can lead to an arrest, yeah, in 655 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: the night or the weekend in jail. And the child 656 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: support thing, you know, suspending people's lives and childs for 657 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 1: They just never how is somebody's supposed to get to 658 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 1: work and pay the child for the Florida is just 659 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: terrible when it comes in. My heart will always be 660 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: with Florida. I will always push it. I don't care 661 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: where I live, that's just my where my heart is 662 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: in politics and there's so many bad policies and all 663 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 1: of these things funnel up and funnel down with your local, 664 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: your state, and on and on the federal side. So 665 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:47,080 Speaker 1: if the federal does nothing else, let's talk to the 666 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 1: people about how important it is. And I want to 667 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:52,000 Speaker 1: say this because I know I got the conscious extra 668 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: walk folks to follow me. Hey, let me say this, 669 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:57,480 Speaker 1: this is not this is the mayor. Don't approve this comments. 670 00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: I'm getting ready safe. I don't give a damn what 671 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: y'all do. So let to get that straight. I don't 672 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 1: give a damn y'all can sit down and never do 673 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,680 Speaker 1: nothing for the rest of your life. I do not 674 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: tell grown folks what to do. You need to figure 675 00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 1: out what you need to do uh for you and 676 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: your family. And I'm damned you're not gonna beg you. 677 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:15,879 Speaker 1: My job is to educate you and inform and you 678 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,279 Speaker 1: empower yourself. You know on how you want to do this. 679 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:21,760 Speaker 1: But at the same time, I don't believe in democrats 680 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:23,839 Speaker 1: down ballot. As long as they democrat I'm gonna check 681 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: the box or whatever. I talk about. How uh city seats, 682 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:32,280 Speaker 1: particularly yours, are not because I'm assuming yours is nonpartisan? Correct? Correct? 683 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: Most seats are on the city level. Some states have 684 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,839 Speaker 1: you know where they're partisan seats, But seats like yours 685 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:41,839 Speaker 1: that are nonpartisans have nothing to do with political affiliation. 686 00:34:42,000 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: Has to do with you have an opportunity to pick 687 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:47,400 Speaker 1: who you think best represents your community and guess what 688 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: somebody's gonna be in that seat regardless. So if you 689 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,520 Speaker 1: don't like who it is, then how about don't chase 690 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 1: and replace them. Put somebody in that you think will 691 00:34:55,280 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 1: be better. But talk about I think the city commissioner 692 00:34:58,160 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 1: of position. I don't know why everybody want to be 693 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:00,960 Speaker 1: Congress want to, but I don't. I don't get it. 694 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: I don't understand the attraction behind it. I don't get it. 695 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:06,320 Speaker 1: I love the executive level, the mayor, the city commission. 696 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:08,600 Speaker 1: It's the most powerful, it's the most effective, it's the 697 00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: quickest you can get things done, most impactful, most impactful. 698 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,359 Speaker 1: They call you for everything, by the way, even if 699 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 1: you're not on the school board. They call you about 700 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 1: that event planning and who should I call about this? 701 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: They call you about the churches. I mean literally, there's 702 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: no position more called upon than the city or the 703 00:35:26,160 --> 00:35:30,320 Speaker 1: county commissioner. Tell us a little bit about how important 704 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: that nonpartisan role is for those who say, you know what, 705 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: I don't want to deal with the federal government more. 706 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:37,479 Speaker 1: I don't like Joe Biden. I don't like Democrats. Okay, cool. 707 00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,440 Speaker 1: Can you at least show up on the city level, 708 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,799 Speaker 1: which is typically an election day that is not November, 709 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:48,840 Speaker 1: not in the presidential the whole completely different day. And 710 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 1: you have an opportunity every week to go speak directly 711 00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 1: to your council face to face, to tell them how 712 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:57,600 Speaker 1: you feel. Shout out to Gary Chambers, who you got 713 00:35:57,600 --> 00:35:59,520 Speaker 1: a chance to see what that looks like when you 714 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,920 Speaker 1: go speak Takani directly give us some game on that. 715 00:36:03,160 --> 00:36:05,120 Speaker 1: For those who say I don't want nothing to do 716 00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:07,799 Speaker 1: with Democrats and Joe Biden, where can they get in 717 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 1: where they fit in on the city level. So on 718 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 1: the city level, you know, be responsible for your water. 719 00:36:13,719 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 1: We're responsible for your pipes, be responsible for the advents 720 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:20,720 Speaker 1: and activities in the community, for your party, recreation, your games, 721 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,759 Speaker 1: your gym's, any and everything. That's what we're responsible for. 722 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 1: We're available, we're local. You can when people they have 723 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:28,759 Speaker 1: most people have my cell phone, they can come and 724 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: see me. UM. I make myself available. You can't come 725 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:34,640 Speaker 1: to the commission meeting. UM. But it's very important to 726 00:36:34,680 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: be in local office and to be engaged because even 727 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:42,560 Speaker 1: though it's nonpartisan. So my opponent in the fall, for example, 728 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:48,240 Speaker 1: is UM officially mp A but endorsed by the Republican Party, 729 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 1: a proud Trump supporter, a proud rounderscent and supporter. And 730 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,319 Speaker 1: what do you have is you have those same policies 731 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: coming down in your local office. So that's why, uh, 732 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 1: the disparities that did not pass, because that's a reflection 733 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:05,800 Speaker 1: of those Trump beliefs. And so you need to be involved, 734 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,920 Speaker 1: especially at the local level, because more and more what 735 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:11,680 Speaker 1: these folks are doing is they're going into your local 736 00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:15,560 Speaker 1: school boards and banning these books that tell the fair 737 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,440 Speaker 1: and true story about us. They're going into local office 738 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:20,719 Speaker 1: and then they're getting rid of this varity studies that 739 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 1: were already done or not enforcing them, and so it 740 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 1: limits and harms minority and black owned businesses. So it's 741 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:30,040 Speaker 1: extremely important we you can touch us the most and 742 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:32,279 Speaker 1: we can have the most impacts. So for example, one 743 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,000 Speaker 1: of things that I did was after COVID happened, before 744 00:37:35,040 --> 00:37:38,120 Speaker 1: the federal government decided to give money people. Um I 745 00:37:38,160 --> 00:37:41,120 Speaker 1: convinced the Commission and take two dollars from our budget 746 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 1: and give it to those who are extremely affected, people 747 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: who couldn't pay their light bill, their water bill, and 748 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,880 Speaker 1: we're in danger of losing those basic services. And we 749 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:52,240 Speaker 1: were able to get that done before the federal government 750 00:37:52,239 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 1: started giving people money. So that's how quick we can 751 00:37:55,040 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: make an impact on your everyday pockets. And you have 752 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:01,040 Speaker 1: a lot of to do in budgets, on profits at 753 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,640 Speaker 1: the school programs. All of that can come from the 754 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:06,720 Speaker 1: city in the county level. And I am really trying hard, 755 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 1: as you know, uh, really trying to educate people on 756 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:11,840 Speaker 1: that because people are we have voter suppression and we 757 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,960 Speaker 1: have voter depression and right now people are just over it. 758 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 1: And so I'm doing my part again with the training 759 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:19,879 Speaker 1: in September. I'm so so so excited about it. Our 760 00:38:19,920 --> 00:38:22,560 Speaker 1: Black parties behind it. Puffy is by and keeps. You 761 00:38:22,560 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: don't know old Puffy is. I would hope somebody know. 762 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:25,920 Speaker 1: PuF Daddy is a k A d d a k 763 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,760 Speaker 1: A brother love a ka Sewan Combs um as believed 764 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 1: in what it is that I'm trying to do, and 765 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: I'm so so, so very excited about it to be 766 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,960 Speaker 1: in Atlanta hopefully November ten. Um we'll have that security 767 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:39,560 Speaker 1: in the next couple of weeks, but it's so important. 768 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:42,239 Speaker 1: I hope you can come. If you know, if you 769 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:44,319 Speaker 1: get an opportunity to something, you're gonna say, look like 770 00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 1: you yeah, well election that should be open by then, 771 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:48,399 Speaker 1: but I shouldn't be able to be there. But you 772 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:51,960 Speaker 1: you said voter suppression and voter depression, and I'm not 773 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 1: sure which one is worse, because I know in our 774 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: community we do have voter depression because of all the 775 00:38:56,760 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 1: unfulfilled promises of the president and others in leadership throughout 776 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,360 Speaker 1: the country, and so that leads to vote of depression. 777 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,800 Speaker 1: And then when they come out again in four years 778 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,880 Speaker 1: or in this uh congressional cycle, people are like, no, 779 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: we're not coming because you didn't work hard enough. You 780 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: don't even demonstrate the effort to pass the legislation that 781 00:39:15,080 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 1: we put you in office for. You did it for 782 00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 1: everybody else, which is fine for them, but you're not 783 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:21,680 Speaker 1: doing it for us. And they never support I'm saying 784 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 1: in at least from the state of Florida, they do 785 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,479 Speaker 1: not support black candidates enough. From the state and local level. 786 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,080 Speaker 1: They do not support black media on the state and 787 00:39:29,160 --> 00:39:31,719 Speaker 1: local level. Uh. And it's just a damn shame. And 788 00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:34,239 Speaker 1: so I'm all about, you know, calling that out and 789 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 1: supporting you know in any way that I can. Before 790 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:48,480 Speaker 1: we wrap us up, wrap up, I do want to 791 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: give you an opportunity to talk about your run for 792 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,400 Speaker 1: mayor a little bit more about that when the election 793 00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,160 Speaker 1: data is coming up and you know anything you need 794 00:39:55,239 --> 00:39:57,120 Speaker 1: us to know, you know, on your platform, the folks 795 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:00,480 Speaker 1: can come tap into. Yeah. So absolutely so. Election days 796 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:03,319 Speaker 1: November eighth, on Tuesday, UM running from mayor. If I 797 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:05,279 Speaker 1: win I'll be the first black mayor in the city 798 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:09,600 Speaker 1: of Tamarack. Uh. That's a significant accomplishment. And my agenda 799 00:40:09,680 --> 00:40:15,560 Speaker 1: includes accountability, including police accountability, financial accountability. Unfortunately, our our 800 00:40:15,640 --> 00:40:18,800 Speaker 1: mayor's tied to a former city manager who was arrested 801 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 1: as part of a three point four million dollar extortion scheme. UM. 802 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,920 Speaker 1: We've had a couple of incidents in Tamarack where UH, 803 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: someone was was was beat down in public. The news 804 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:30,799 Speaker 1: went national. I think even Lebron James commented on it. 805 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:35,280 Speaker 1: And UM, I because we contract was a third party sheriff. 806 00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 1: We don't have our own police department. We contract with 807 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:40,040 Speaker 1: the Brawer Schriff's office, we don't have the authority to 808 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,279 Speaker 1: fire those involved. So what I was able to do 809 00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: is I I called the motion to get the three 810 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 1: officers involved in that removed temporarily until that investigation was over. 811 00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 1: One was subsequently fired, one is on death duty, UM, 812 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,880 Speaker 1: and one one was allowed to keep his job. But 813 00:40:56,920 --> 00:40:59,239 Speaker 1: the mayor was the only one in the commission to 814 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:02,640 Speaker 1: vote against having them re moved temporarily. UM while we're 815 00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:06,520 Speaker 1: doing an investigation. UH. People need someone that's gonna represent 816 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 1: their interests and right now Unfortunately time goes. I have 817 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:11,960 Speaker 1: a man that represents the interests. That's why I'm running. 818 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,200 Speaker 1: And anyone can visit my website to see my full 819 00:41:14,239 --> 00:41:18,400 Speaker 1: platform at Mike Mike Gellen dot com as g L 820 00:41:18,440 --> 00:41:23,240 Speaker 1: I N And of course donations are always appreciated. Yeah, 821 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:25,640 Speaker 1: that's so important and I just gotta put a pen 822 00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:28,920 Speaker 1: on that. Again, how policing is even at the city 823 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:32,960 Speaker 1: level with executive order fouling motions and making things happen tomorrow. 824 00:41:33,360 --> 00:41:35,680 Speaker 1: And that does not mean an excuse for the federal 825 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:37,520 Speaker 1: government not do anything and say, oh, that's just a 826 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 1: local and state issue. No, it is a combined effect, 827 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:44,960 Speaker 1: a combined collaborative effort that everybody does what they need 828 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 1: to do. The county when talk about Bradar County, the 829 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: county commissioners, what are they doing? What can the city do? What? 830 00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:53,600 Speaker 1: How far can can you push your pen? Once you 831 00:41:53,719 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 1: run out of ink, then I'm cool. But if you 832 00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:57,480 Speaker 1: still got ink and you still you're not writing no, 833 00:41:57,600 --> 00:42:00,160 Speaker 1: you're not doing nothing, then there's no excuse. And so 834 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,440 Speaker 1: if the federal can't get it done because of the 835 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:06,279 Speaker 1: House that they control and send it allegedly, then why 836 00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: are they not working more to say, hey, we make 837 00:42:09,040 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 1: it't happen on the federal level. We're gonna dawn show 838 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:13,520 Speaker 1: and try to partner with some of these states and 839 00:42:13,640 --> 00:42:15,359 Speaker 1: some of these local so that people can at least 840 00:42:15,440 --> 00:42:18,239 Speaker 1: have hope that this does work. That upsets me to 841 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:21,640 Speaker 1: the core because I want people to know that I 842 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:24,960 Speaker 1: think they have this mindset, Mike that if they keep 843 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:28,160 Speaker 1: making people think that that's we're so far behind, nobody's 844 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 1: gonna get involved. But it's it's the opposite that's happening. 845 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:34,600 Speaker 1: They're saying, forget it. Show people that progress. When I 846 00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:36,680 Speaker 1: go work out and I look and I said, Okay, 847 00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:38,319 Speaker 1: I got twenty more minutes, ten more minutes. If I 848 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:40,240 Speaker 1: can just push through ten more minutes, five more minutes, 849 00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:43,520 Speaker 1: it motivates me to push. And so that old concept 850 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:45,920 Speaker 1: of thinking we're so so, so far behind is no 851 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:49,680 Speaker 1: longer working because it's causing depression. We still have a 852 00:42:49,680 --> 00:42:51,719 Speaker 1: long way to go. You still want people to keep 853 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:54,320 Speaker 1: pushing where you don't want people say, oh, let's celebrate 854 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:56,719 Speaker 1: and let's be done with it. But there has to 855 00:42:56,760 --> 00:42:59,840 Speaker 1: be a good balance to show that, yes, Mike was 856 00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:02,600 Speaker 1: able to get this done and within your power. So 857 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 1: we need to support Mike and more people like him 858 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:07,440 Speaker 1: and so on and so forth. And that's the balance 859 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:09,560 Speaker 1: I'm trying to find. How do we push the line, 860 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:12,280 Speaker 1: like I always say, politics until something happens on that logo. 861 00:43:12,680 --> 00:43:14,800 Speaker 1: Either's somebody in front of the p the you, the s, 862 00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:17,440 Speaker 1: the h they're pushing tour and street close, tour and 863 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:19,600 Speaker 1: business clothes. It's a child on the side watching with 864 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:22,399 Speaker 1: their fists up. Each person is pushing in their own way. 865 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:24,520 Speaker 1: They're not focused on the person right to the right, 866 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 1: to the left. They're pushing in their own way. But 867 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:28,880 Speaker 1: how can I help? What can you do? Just you 868 00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:30,760 Speaker 1: as an individual? Can you show up at a meeting? 869 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,200 Speaker 1: Can you do something? If you're gonna troll on Twitter, 870 00:43:34,600 --> 00:43:37,520 Speaker 1: don't troll me, go troll one of these elected officials. 871 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:39,680 Speaker 1: Don't worry about what I'm saying, you and my comments 872 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:41,880 Speaker 1: all day being a clown when the last time you 873 00:43:42,160 --> 00:43:43,880 Speaker 1: was a clown and one of these other people you 874 00:43:43,880 --> 00:43:46,839 Speaker 1: don't want to get their comments come my comments. So 875 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:49,520 Speaker 1: there's a way that we all can be involved. And 876 00:43:49,560 --> 00:43:51,320 Speaker 1: it's never gonna be all. It's only gonna be a 877 00:43:51,360 --> 00:43:53,879 Speaker 1: few of us that do the work. I'm just looking 878 00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:57,200 Speaker 1: for a new Field. So I want to thank you 879 00:43:57,239 --> 00:44:00,920 Speaker 1: for doing a great job. You know, you are speaking 880 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:04,799 Speaker 1: to an audience that is has been ignored, has not 881 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: been engaged, uh and you are engaging them. You are 882 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:14,400 Speaker 1: relating everyday topics to politics, especially with a slap, especially 883 00:44:14,600 --> 00:44:19,760 Speaker 1: with UM and the way you talked about Corey Booker 884 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,959 Speaker 1: and and his appeal. Uh So the way you break 885 00:44:22,960 --> 00:44:25,240 Speaker 1: things down and lets people know, hey, I can still 886 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:27,680 Speaker 1: play a role. I can still be myself and play 887 00:44:27,680 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 1: a role in politics, and I think it's very important. 888 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:33,080 Speaker 1: So missing you on BNC News, but you still have 889 00:44:33,120 --> 00:44:35,879 Speaker 1: your platform and hopefully you're out of i G jail 890 00:44:35,920 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: by now. Yeah, I'm still in jail. I'm still in jail, hey, 891 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:41,000 Speaker 1: sake free chance. I don't know, and I don't get it. 892 00:44:41,360 --> 00:44:43,719 Speaker 1: They put the posts back up that put me in jail. 893 00:44:43,719 --> 00:44:46,279 Speaker 1: I haven't been to jail twice this month actually in 894 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 1: i G mass incarceration, but the second post they put 895 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:52,319 Speaker 1: both of them back up. But I'm still in jail 896 00:44:52,360 --> 00:44:56,200 Speaker 1: for whatever reason. So I've been going on live YouTube, 897 00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 1: you know, moving folks over to that channel, which is 898 00:44:58,640 --> 00:45:01,240 Speaker 1: probably where I should be any way, PARTI since BNC 899 00:45:01,440 --> 00:45:03,400 Speaker 1: is down, you know, let's start. We we gotta have 900 00:45:03,480 --> 00:45:06,520 Speaker 1: spaces where we control. You know, Um, I'm not up 901 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:09,080 Speaker 1: to a network to stay in business and pay their 902 00:45:09,080 --> 00:45:11,799 Speaker 1: employees ride and you know things that the Asia people say, Oh, 903 00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:14,040 Speaker 1: I hope you get a show. Uh, straight shot, no 904 00:45:14,160 --> 00:45:15,920 Speaker 1: chases a show. By the way, guys in case y'all 905 00:45:15,920 --> 00:45:18,080 Speaker 1: are confused, It is on I Heart, which is the 906 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:20,520 Speaker 1: largest audio platform in the world. It's a part of 907 00:45:20,600 --> 00:45:22,719 Speaker 1: Charlotte Magne. Gotta kind of think his name has a 908 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:26,600 Speaker 1: little bit of weight. Um. And we reached millions of 909 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:29,520 Speaker 1: listeners collectively. I think they said six million a week 910 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:32,319 Speaker 1: collectively as a as A, as A, as A, as 911 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:34,439 Speaker 1: a group. Um. So I really do have a show, 912 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:37,480 Speaker 1: believe it or not. But BNC was a nice addition 913 00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:40,680 Speaker 1: two folks that want to see television. And it's sad, 914 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:44,560 Speaker 1: you know that. Uh. We we can keep reality shows on, 915 00:45:45,239 --> 00:45:47,520 Speaker 1: uh year after year after year after year after year, 916 00:45:47,719 --> 00:45:50,080 Speaker 1: but when it comes to giving this information and news, 917 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:52,719 Speaker 1: it's just a hard sell. Even with the podcast. I 918 00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:56,520 Speaker 1: tell people seventy of podcast listeners audio learners are white. 919 00:45:57,200 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 1: Look at who controls the conservative market on the AM 920 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:03,040 Speaker 1: stay and listening listening listening. We we always want to 921 00:46:03,040 --> 00:46:05,160 Speaker 1: be visual. I need to see everything. More people on 922 00:46:05,200 --> 00:46:07,560 Speaker 1: i G than Twitter and tyree. You want to see 923 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:09,799 Speaker 1: videos and pictures. So I try to go to the 924 00:46:09,800 --> 00:46:13,160 Speaker 1: i G space and sometime entertain and be funny and 925 00:46:13,200 --> 00:46:15,600 Speaker 1: give people a reason to stay connect to the politics 926 00:46:15,640 --> 00:46:17,560 Speaker 1: because there's no subject that I don't think I can 927 00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:20,239 Speaker 1: translate into politics. So for those who are listening, you're 928 00:46:20,239 --> 00:46:22,640 Speaker 1: talking about the slap. I did a podcast when people 929 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:24,200 Speaker 1: go check back and check it out where I said 930 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:26,120 Speaker 1: black people are getting the Chris Rock slapped out of them. 931 00:46:26,120 --> 00:46:31,080 Speaker 1: In politics, every subject has a political message to it 932 00:46:31,320 --> 00:46:33,360 Speaker 1: if you look a little bit deeper. And so I 933 00:46:33,440 --> 00:46:35,799 Speaker 1: try to do that because one is fun and I 934 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:38,200 Speaker 1: think I'm just kind of good at it. You are 935 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:40,960 Speaker 1: not just slop. It was the email because I got 936 00:46:40,960 --> 00:46:44,840 Speaker 1: that same email a dirty Mack and Democrats, and you 937 00:46:44,880 --> 00:46:47,720 Speaker 1: know they see out another email. They said another email 938 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:51,279 Speaker 1: right after that they fairly fairly they didn't want to 939 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:53,760 Speaker 1: take my advice. And it was even worse. The second 940 00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 1: email said we told you that we needed this, We 941 00:46:56,239 --> 00:46:59,040 Speaker 1: told you we needed that, we told you, Now give 942 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:02,000 Speaker 1: us three dollars. It was even worse. But before I, 943 00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:04,839 Speaker 1: before I saw, I heard your podcast. When I read 944 00:47:04,840 --> 00:47:07,640 Speaker 1: the email, I had the same thoughts and so when 945 00:47:07,680 --> 00:47:09,439 Speaker 1: I see your podcast, I was like, yeah, I feel 946 00:47:09,480 --> 00:47:12,799 Speaker 1: the same place. Yeah, those begging you literally, I mean 947 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:15,840 Speaker 1: May said I didn't know it literally said begging. Yes, literally, 948 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:20,080 Speaker 1: we're begging you, Tesla. That was in the subject line. Yeah, yeah, 949 00:47:20,520 --> 00:47:22,480 Speaker 1: I'm I'm all with a man begging for my love. 950 00:47:22,560 --> 00:47:24,759 Speaker 1: But I mean, come on, get you. You don't have 951 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:27,880 Speaker 1: no confidence at all when you you know, like, at 952 00:47:27,960 --> 00:47:30,360 Speaker 1: least get your swinging up just a little bit. And 953 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:32,439 Speaker 1: that's that's how I see it, and when I when 954 00:47:32,440 --> 00:47:35,320 Speaker 1: I connect those dots. And for those who are listening, 955 00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:37,160 Speaker 1: go back and check out dirty Macan Democrats. I was 956 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:39,120 Speaker 1: talking for those who don't know what dirty Macon is. 957 00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:41,120 Speaker 1: When you talk about somebody else's man instead of talking 958 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:43,000 Speaker 1: about what you can do. I aren't talking about somebody else. 959 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:44,680 Speaker 1: A woman said, of what you can do, that's what 960 00:47:44,760 --> 00:47:46,960 Speaker 1: democrats do. What about Republicans? What about the problem that 961 00:47:47,040 --> 00:47:49,359 Speaker 1: whole email they just say one thing the Democrats were doing. 962 00:47:49,400 --> 00:47:51,720 Speaker 1: They only talk about Republicans, And to me, that's dirty 963 00:47:51,719 --> 00:47:54,279 Speaker 1: mac and that's not effective, it doesn't work. What are 964 00:47:54,320 --> 00:47:56,719 Speaker 1: you doing? What have you done? What are you going 965 00:47:56,760 --> 00:47:58,160 Speaker 1: to do. But see, they know they can't talk about 966 00:47:58,200 --> 00:48:00,239 Speaker 1: what they're going to do because right now they're they're 967 00:48:00,239 --> 00:48:02,280 Speaker 1: on a failed message, So they got to talk about 968 00:48:02,280 --> 00:48:04,440 Speaker 1: what they've done, and looks like they can't do that 969 00:48:05,120 --> 00:48:08,600 Speaker 1: based on not accomplishing enough. So it's just a glaring 970 00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:11,320 Speaker 1: you know, it shows. But they do the same thing everything. 971 00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:13,000 Speaker 1: Even when they do do things, they still do the 972 00:48:13,040 --> 00:48:16,240 Speaker 1: dirty mac and approach. Surely you've done something by default 973 00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:19,680 Speaker 1: if nothing else by default, you know. So I just 974 00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:22,080 Speaker 1: don't get it. But hey, what the hell do I know? Uh? 975 00:48:22,120 --> 00:48:24,440 Speaker 1: They pay millions and millions of white consultants to help 976 00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:27,640 Speaker 1: them lose by landslide. Uh, so hey, who am I 977 00:48:27,719 --> 00:48:29,560 Speaker 1: to stand in between them and the in a loss? 978 00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:32,520 Speaker 1: But I know one thing I know. I'm focused on 979 00:48:32,520 --> 00:48:35,719 Speaker 1: getting us a database of Canada's operatives and organizers. I'm 980 00:48:35,760 --> 00:48:38,480 Speaker 1: done trying to change it. I'm done trying to get 981 00:48:38,520 --> 00:48:41,160 Speaker 1: them to get it. I'm done begging and people want 982 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:42,520 Speaker 1: to be involved, and they say, hey, I want to 983 00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:44,000 Speaker 1: be organized. I don't want to be a Canada. I 984 00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:45,359 Speaker 1: don't want to be an operative, but I do want 985 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:47,319 Speaker 1: to do some of my community, like what we saw 986 00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:49,960 Speaker 1: with the brother deal with Amazon. We're gonna be teaching 987 00:48:49,960 --> 00:48:53,960 Speaker 1: that uh this September in Atlanta, Georgia, and so I'm 988 00:48:54,000 --> 00:49:00,120 Speaker 1: excited about that. So part of my absolutely and it's 989 00:49:00,160 --> 00:49:01,600 Speaker 1: a part of a series that I've always had, You're 990 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:03,759 Speaker 1: gonna run for office and run your mouth, but now 991 00:49:03,800 --> 00:49:06,759 Speaker 1: we're doing it in a bigger scale, and but not 992 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:08,839 Speaker 1: too big. I want to keep it at about three 993 00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,600 Speaker 1: hundred folks, because I do want the breakout sessions to 994 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:13,520 Speaker 1: be a little bit more intimate. But hopefully that will 995 00:49:13,560 --> 00:49:15,759 Speaker 1: be a success and we can continue on because what 996 00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:18,799 Speaker 1: I have learned. I've went to CBC training, I've been 997 00:49:18,840 --> 00:49:22,600 Speaker 1: to Yale Campaign School for Women at Yale Law School. 998 00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:24,759 Speaker 1: I've been to go Run Lead. I've been to the 999 00:49:24,760 --> 00:49:27,360 Speaker 1: White House Project. I was a trainer at P Triple C, 1000 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:32,200 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Warren's trainer. I've done Emily's List, Ruthless, you name it. 1001 00:49:32,239 --> 00:49:35,080 Speaker 1: I've been to those trains in the past decade, and 1002 00:49:35,120 --> 00:49:39,600 Speaker 1: I have not had one that spoke in the language 1003 00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:42,120 Speaker 1: that I think people need to hear, which is the truth. 1004 00:49:42,600 --> 00:49:45,040 Speaker 1: Most times, they want you to leave pumped up and 1005 00:49:45,080 --> 00:49:47,080 Speaker 1: feeling really good, and they tell you a bunch of lies. 1006 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:50,879 Speaker 1: I want you to leave really questioning what are you doing? 1007 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:54,440 Speaker 1: Why are you doing it? And reconsidering life, you know, 1008 00:49:54,480 --> 00:49:56,400 Speaker 1: like this, how do I need to It's I'm not 1009 00:49:56,440 --> 00:49:58,480 Speaker 1: trying to pump you up. I am gonna inspire you 1010 00:49:58,719 --> 00:50:00,520 Speaker 1: and empower you. But you need to know the truth 1011 00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:02,040 Speaker 1: when you run for office is gonna be you and 1012 00:50:02,080 --> 00:50:04,759 Speaker 1: your cousin? Are you? You by yourself? Like you need 1013 00:50:04,800 --> 00:50:06,839 Speaker 1: to know that you know before you get into it, 1014 00:50:06,960 --> 00:50:09,200 Speaker 1: so that you can have some real expectations unless get 1015 00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:12,560 Speaker 1: you there. And it's important that this training was absolutely free. 1016 00:50:13,360 --> 00:50:15,160 Speaker 1: Shout out to my partners that's backing me and that 1017 00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:17,680 Speaker 1: because I want to make sure that people had accessibility. 1018 00:50:17,840 --> 00:50:20,120 Speaker 1: But you are still getting top notch training. Most of 1019 00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:22,520 Speaker 1: these trainings, as you know CBC, you have to be 1020 00:50:22,960 --> 00:50:26,440 Speaker 1: uh recommended and sent by a congress person. I was 1021 00:50:26,520 --> 00:50:29,120 Speaker 1: Confressman Brown's who sent me. Uh. The rest of these 1022 00:50:29,120 --> 00:50:31,920 Speaker 1: trainings are anywhere from two to three to four thousand dollars, 1023 00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:34,759 Speaker 1: very very expensive to attend, and I just at first 1024 00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:36,080 Speaker 1: I would said, well, maybe I can just charge a 1025 00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:38,200 Speaker 1: hundred dollars to at least cover the lunch. But I 1026 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:40,200 Speaker 1: didn't want to minimize, you know, make it so cheat 1027 00:50:40,239 --> 00:50:42,399 Speaker 1: that it didn't seem value. And then people just don't 1028 00:50:42,440 --> 00:50:44,080 Speaker 1: have a hundred dollars the people that I'm trying to 1029 00:50:44,080 --> 00:50:48,759 Speaker 1: get engaged. So absolutely so, UH shout out again to 1030 00:50:48,840 --> 00:50:51,680 Speaker 1: my partners who are supporting that effort and letting me, 1031 00:50:52,920 --> 00:50:56,000 Speaker 1: allowing me the opportunity, UH to be in control of 1032 00:50:56,040 --> 00:50:59,400 Speaker 1: the messaging. And because it's very important as nonpartisan and 1033 00:50:59,440 --> 00:51:03,040 Speaker 1: we're not link up when anybody that can damage you know, 1034 00:51:03,040 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 1: what it is that I'm trying to do. And so 1035 00:51:05,000 --> 00:51:07,080 Speaker 1: they've allowed me that opportunity. But I also going back 1036 00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:09,480 Speaker 1: to what I said earlier, I stood on that opportunity 1037 00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:11,520 Speaker 1: because I would just rather do it online to do 1038 00:51:11,560 --> 00:51:14,560 Speaker 1: it on the corner before I allowed, you know, anything 1039 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:16,879 Speaker 1: to disrupt what what God has called me to do. 1040 00:51:17,080 --> 00:51:19,560 Speaker 1: And so I tell people, always stand on your principles, 1041 00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:22,759 Speaker 1: um and what you believe is called the consequence of 1042 00:51:22,760 --> 00:51:24,399 Speaker 1: the consciousness. And I'll just say this and then I'll 1043 00:51:24,440 --> 00:51:27,000 Speaker 1: shut up. But my first time I told you it 1044 00:51:27,040 --> 00:51:29,239 Speaker 1: was ten ten, two thousand, ten ten employees that started 1045 00:51:29,239 --> 00:51:31,920 Speaker 1: October ten, ten, two thousand and ten. Ten is very 1046 00:51:31,960 --> 00:51:34,440 Speaker 1: significant in mean, see those enemies and no more. That 1047 00:51:34,520 --> 00:51:37,279 Speaker 1: was when the Israelites were released from Pharaoh's white had 1048 00:51:37,680 --> 00:51:41,600 Speaker 1: ten plagues. Ten is very significant to me in numerology 1049 00:51:41,880 --> 00:51:44,279 Speaker 1: and in the Bible. And it was ten years ago 1050 00:51:44,360 --> 00:51:45,960 Speaker 1: the first time that I was on the stage as 1051 00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:49,640 Speaker 1: a hip hop politician, uh September two thousand twelve in 1052 00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:52,880 Speaker 1: South Carolina. And so there's no mistake that this training 1053 00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:56,360 Speaker 1: is September two thousand, twenty two, ten years and it 1054 00:51:56,440 --> 00:51:58,799 Speaker 1: don't get the more hip hopped and puff. So ten 1055 00:51:58,880 --> 00:52:02,239 Speaker 1: years to the date, and why how was it that 1056 00:52:02,239 --> 00:52:05,680 Speaker 1: that Saturday happened to fall on the tenth September ten, 1057 00:52:05,960 --> 00:52:09,279 Speaker 1: two thousand, ten years to the date. So I say 1058 00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:11,640 Speaker 1: that because you keep pushing when everybody thought it was 1059 00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:13,319 Speaker 1: a game and a joke and mixing hip hop and 1060 00:52:13,360 --> 00:52:15,080 Speaker 1: politics and all of that. I thought it was a 1061 00:52:15,080 --> 00:52:17,040 Speaker 1: game and thought it was a joke. I've said all 1062 00:52:17,040 --> 00:52:20,280 Speaker 1: these things, even in my poetry and and DNA twisted, 1063 00:52:20,280 --> 00:52:24,000 Speaker 1: I said, forget five star. I'm a non planet universal check. 1064 00:52:24,160 --> 00:52:25,360 Speaker 1: A lot of people don't know what that means, but 1065 00:52:25,400 --> 00:52:27,520 Speaker 1: I'm a life path nine. So nine is are very 1066 00:52:27,560 --> 00:52:30,279 Speaker 1: significant to me. It's about talking to every walk of life. 1067 00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,600 Speaker 1: Like you've mentioned a couple of times, that's actually my 1068 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:36,520 Speaker 1: life path. And so it's no coincidence that it's in September, 1069 00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:38,719 Speaker 1: ten years to the date, so we got work to do. 1070 00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:41,160 Speaker 1: This has been prophetic that I've been talking about for 1071 00:52:41,200 --> 00:52:43,360 Speaker 1: the last ten years. So thank you for being a 1072 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:45,200 Speaker 1: part of the journey with me, not just here on 1073 00:52:45,239 --> 00:52:48,960 Speaker 1: straight shot no chaser, but also being a good supporter 1074 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:53,400 Speaker 1: and ally and an elected person that doesn't mind stepping 1075 00:52:53,480 --> 00:52:55,800 Speaker 1: up to say, yeah, this is right, this is wrong. 1076 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:59,160 Speaker 1: I agree, our disagree. Because there's plenty of elected officials 1077 00:52:59,600 --> 00:53:02,319 Speaker 1: and with high profiles that see my page, but they're 1078 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:04,800 Speaker 1: too scary to speak up. So we want to commend 1079 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:08,280 Speaker 1: you for that. I appreciate you and a fan of yours. 1080 00:53:08,280 --> 00:53:10,600 Speaker 1: Once again, I love, love the platform, and I'll be 1081 00:53:10,680 --> 00:53:14,759 Speaker 1: I'll continue to be a great listener. And yeah, thank 1082 00:53:14,760 --> 00:53:18,800 Speaker 1: you so much. We appreciate you coming by again. Vice 1083 00:53:18,920 --> 00:53:25,120 Speaker 1: mayor running for mayor November third, eight. Hey, you see 1084 00:53:25,120 --> 00:53:26,920 Speaker 1: that's how those dates get thrown. Our people get to 1085 00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:30,719 Speaker 1: the again. Local elections different day November eight this year. 1086 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:33,040 Speaker 1: If you're in the city, get out to vote. And 1087 00:53:33,120 --> 00:53:35,560 Speaker 1: if you're not in the city, Uh, don't assume that 1088 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,920 Speaker 1: you don't know somebody who is. We make that mistake too. 1089 00:53:38,000 --> 00:53:39,520 Speaker 1: We think, oh, well, I don't know anybody. You don't 1090 00:53:39,560 --> 00:53:40,839 Speaker 1: know who you know, and you don't know who they 1091 00:53:40,840 --> 00:53:42,520 Speaker 1: know and who they know and who they know. So 1092 00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:45,640 Speaker 1: six degrees of separation is real, so please do check 1093 00:53:45,640 --> 00:53:47,320 Speaker 1: it out. And also, if you live in the city, 1094 00:53:47,600 --> 00:53:50,320 Speaker 1: it's another thing we don't do, and they like your platform, 1095 00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:53,200 Speaker 1: you can duplicate that in your city. It's always something 1096 00:53:53,239 --> 00:53:55,799 Speaker 1: called presidents. So when you're able to show hey, this 1097 00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,080 Speaker 1: worked here, look at that, and how can you implement 1098 00:53:59,120 --> 00:54:00,600 Speaker 1: that in partner with you say hey, I want to 1099 00:54:00,600 --> 00:54:02,480 Speaker 1: get that done in such a such city, how can 1100 00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:04,640 Speaker 1: we make that happen. We gotta start thinking like that 1101 00:54:04,640 --> 00:54:07,759 Speaker 1: because the lobbyists definitely do, the white folks definitely do. 1102 00:54:08,200 --> 00:54:09,880 Speaker 1: We have to get connected because there's not enough of 1103 00:54:09,960 --> 00:54:11,440 Speaker 1: us doing this work, so we have to figure out 1104 00:54:11,440 --> 00:54:16,320 Speaker 1: a way to work together. Absolutely a platform. Thank you 1105 00:54:16,360 --> 00:54:18,560 Speaker 1: so much, Thank you so much. All Right, everybody you've 1106 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:21,960 Speaker 1: been listening Straight Shot No Chaser, download the podcast. Please 1107 00:54:22,000 --> 00:54:25,040 Speaker 1: do as a friend subscribe. You don't have to listen 1108 00:54:25,080 --> 00:54:28,000 Speaker 1: every single week, but at least subscribe so we'll be downloaded. 1109 00:54:28,440 --> 00:54:32,319 Speaker 1: UH to UH your app to continue to support the 1110 00:54:32,320 --> 00:54:35,239 Speaker 1: Black Effair Podcast Network as we talked about shortly UH 1111 00:54:35,239 --> 00:54:38,040 Speaker 1: in the interview. If we are not supporting black platforms 1112 00:54:38,040 --> 00:54:40,320 Speaker 1: and they just simply won't exist. Bottom line, the numbers 1113 00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:42,520 Speaker 1: are the numbers. We have to have the numbers, UH 1114 00:54:42,560 --> 00:54:45,920 Speaker 1: in order to stay on the air. So thank you 1115 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:48,920 Speaker 1: so much for listening. Please do check this out. I 1116 00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:51,640 Speaker 1: wanted to bring on someone that was actually elected so 1117 00:54:51,680 --> 00:54:54,040 Speaker 1: you can know I don't I don't hate all elected officials. 1118 00:54:54,040 --> 00:54:57,680 Speaker 1: It is some good ones out there, So support Vice 1119 00:54:57,719 --> 00:54:59,799 Speaker 1: Mayor Gellen and what he's at all, what he's trying 1120 00:54:59,840 --> 00:55:03,840 Speaker 1: to do, and stay tuned to next week. Every Thursday, 1121 00:55:03,880 --> 00:55:07,200 Speaker 1: we drove straight Shot No Chaser with Tesla Figure out piece. 1122 00:55:07,600 --> 00:55:10,280 Speaker 1: If you like what you heard on Straight Shot No Chaser, 1123 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:12,839 Speaker 1: please subscribe and drop a five star review and tell 1124 00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:15,200 Speaker 1: a friend. Straight Shot No Chaser is a production of 1125 00:55:15,239 --> 00:55:18,200 Speaker 1: The Black Effect Podcast Network and I Heart Radio Tesla 1126 00:55:18,320 --> 00:55:21,200 Speaker 1: Figure and I'd like to thank our producer editor mixer 1127 00:55:21,360 --> 00:55:24,600 Speaker 1: Dwyane Crawford and our executive producer Charlemagne n Good. For 1128 00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:27,719 Speaker 1: more podcast from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart 1129 00:55:27,800 --> 00:55:31,279 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.