1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: Hey fam, Hello Sunshine. Today on the bright Side. You 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: may know her as Ashley Banks from the nineties sitcom 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,920 Speaker 1: Fresh Prince of bel Air. The actress turned activists Tatiana 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Ali is here hanging. 5 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 2: Out with us. 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: She's talking life as a child star in the nineties 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: and the work she's doing to support mothers and maternal 8 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: health today. Plus we're giving some flowers to Josephine Micheleuk. 9 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: She's the world record holder for most units of blood 10 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:34,520 Speaker 1: donated in a lifetime. It's Wednesday, June twelfth. I'm Danielle Robe. 11 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 3: And I'm Simone Voice, and this is the bright Side 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 3: from Hello Sunshine. 13 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:40,519 Speaker 4: Danielle. 14 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 3: Tatiana Ali is here today. I remember watching her every 15 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 3: week on Fresh Prince of bel Air. Still know every 16 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 3: word to that theme song. I think most millennials do. 17 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 2: We're bill trying so hard not to sing it right now. 18 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 3: Our lawyers won't allow us, but we would if we could, 19 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 3: We totally would. 20 00:00:56,880 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: We're excited about this one. The og Ashley Banks is here. 21 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: I mean, that show was such a juggernaut for NBC. 22 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: It launched in nineteen ninety and can you believe this? 23 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: At its peak it had twenty million people a week watching. 24 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 3: I actually can believe it because it was one of 25 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 3: those shows. 26 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 4: It was monoculture. 27 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 3: I mean, we were all watching it and felt like 28 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:22,759 Speaker 3: we were part of that family. And they also made 29 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,520 Speaker 3: some groundbreaking moves. I mean, first of all, it challenged 30 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 3: the traditional sitcom models. It had this fresh, comedic voice. 31 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 3: It brought diversity to prime time, and they also highlighted 32 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 3: some real life issues, a lot of which we are 33 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 3: still dealing with today. And you mentioned Tatiana played Ashley Banks, 34 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 3: the youngest Bank's daughter. She was generally this sweet and 35 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 3: innocent one and she always looked up to her cousin 36 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 3: played by Will Smith, and it seems like they actually 37 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 3: have some of that dynamic intact in real life. 38 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're going to ask her about that because that's 39 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: a long lasting relationship. That whole cast really seems to 40 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: support one another, which is cool. But you know, because 41 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: she was part of such an iconic show, I think 42 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: we think of her as that little Ashley Banks, and 43 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: there's actually so much more to Tatiana Ali's story. 44 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's been really beautiful to see how she's expanded 45 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 3: her identity off screen after becoming a mom. 46 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean. 47 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 1: She's using her platform for so much good, so much advocacy, 48 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: and specifically a brand that she launched called baby Yams, 49 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: which she designs and she sells handmade quilt to support 50 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: birth workers of color. 51 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 3: You know, we talked to Elaine Waltroth on this show 52 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 3: about birth outcomes for black women in this country and 53 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 3: women of color, and Tatiana is actually one of those statistics. 54 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: I mean, she personally experienced a traumatic birth with her 55 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 3: first son, and she's turning that pain into purpose by 56 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 3: uplifting fellow moms and providing resources for other moms who 57 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 3: are going through similar issues. 58 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm really excited to have her on the show. 59 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: And Simone, I just learned she's a Harvard alum. 60 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, she graduated from Harvard with a degree in government 61 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,119 Speaker 3: in two thousand and two. 62 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 4: So, I mean, we have. 63 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 1: A lot to talk about. She has such an accomplished 64 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: story on and off screen. 65 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 3: I can't wait to hear from her about this era 66 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 3: that she's in, her activism, her purpose driven work as 67 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 3: a mom, and we also gotta take it back a 68 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:25,399 Speaker 3: little bit and talk about her life as a child star. 69 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 4: I mean, she is nineties royalty. 70 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: We need all the stories, but We're lucky she's here 71 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: with us right now. 72 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 2: Tatiana. Welcome to the bright Side. 73 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 5: Oh, thank you so much for having me. 74 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 2: Tatiana. 75 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: We have a lot to discuss with you today. You 76 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: are a multifaceted woman. But before we jump into everything, Tatiana, 77 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: Simone and I both saw Bad Boys for Over the 78 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: weekend and we saw you styling on the red carpet 79 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: at the premiere in your all white suit. The first 80 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: question I have for you is do you even like 81 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 1: red carpets? Do they feel like work or are they 82 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: still really fun? 83 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 6: I mean, if I'm honest, they feel like work, But yeah, 84 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 6: certain ones are really fun when you know who's gonna 85 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 6: be there. 86 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 5: That one was really fun. 87 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 6: I got there really early, so I did all that 88 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 6: part and then they had us all in like a 89 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 6: kind of like a holding outdoor holding area right on 90 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 6: the end of the carpet, and they had awesome cars 91 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 6: and they told everybody. 92 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 5: The theme was like Miami Nights. 93 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 6: Little by little, I just saw like so many people 94 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,359 Speaker 6: that I knew from my childhood, like people that have 95 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 6: been working with Will like forever, and their families and 96 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 6: so there was like it was like cousins. It was 97 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 6: like a family get together at the end of the carpet. 98 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 6: So that was one of the funner carpets. But if 99 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 6: I could just like support the people I love and 100 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 6: which I have and just bypass the carpet, I do 101 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:48,119 Speaker 6: that quite often. 102 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 2: Actually, carpets actually make me sweat. 103 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:54,559 Speaker 4: I'm with you. It's a whole thing. 104 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 6: I mean, oh lord, even for the premiere, I'm like, 105 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 6: are we going to the Oscars? 106 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: Like? 107 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 4: What is why? 108 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 5: There's so much prep? There's so much involved. 109 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: Well, one of the things that I think is cool 110 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: is that everybody from the Fresh Prince cast really supports 111 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: each other, like on every project, every endeavor. And I 112 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: was watching Bad Boys, thinking, wow, this is thirty years 113 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: since that first movie that they did. I saw will 114 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: post that photo of him and Martin. What does it 115 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: mean to you to have that relationship with him all 116 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,599 Speaker 1: these years later? Like has he been sort of that 117 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,799 Speaker 1: guiding light for you at all? Yeah? 118 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 5: He certainly was. 119 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 6: When I was younger, you know, just as a kid 120 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 6: and like, you know, an older brother to look up to. 121 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 5: He was really protective of me. 122 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 6: And then when I went into music, for sure, he 123 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 6: was definitely a mentor during that time. 124 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 5: My first producing effort. 125 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 6: My sister and I produced a web series called Buffies, 126 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 6: And you know, he's one of the first people that 127 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 6: I went to and said, look what we did, you know, 128 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 6: and he's like, oh, I want you to talk to 129 00:05:58,320 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 6: so and so and so and so and so. He 130 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 6: was integrol in us being able to place that at 131 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 6: BT in business. He's definitely been a mentor. 132 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 3: Did you learn a lot about producing being on the 133 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 3: set of Fresh Prints and just working from such a 134 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 3: young age? I mean you've been on Broadway, you were 135 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 3: on Fresh Prints. I mean you've been such a fixture. 136 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 3: Were you always kind of absorbing the behind the scenes 137 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 3: knowledge too? 138 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 6: You know, I started acting and acting professionally at four 139 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 6: years old. My mom always told me and my dad 140 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 6: they always said, you know, be a sponge like take 141 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 6: it all in. I was in these incredible spaces with 142 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 6: these brilliant artists and business people. But producing actually came 143 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 6: about out of necessity. I graduated from school and there 144 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 6: was very little to even audition for. I mean I 145 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 6: would maybe have like an audition once every couple of months, 146 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 6: and there were pilot seasons where there wasn't really much 147 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 6: to audition for at all. And I had so many 148 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 6: friends of color who were in the same exact boat, 149 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 6: and we're all knocking on the same doors in the 150 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 6: same hallway, and finally was just like, yo, what are 151 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:02,559 Speaker 6: we doing? 152 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 5: Like, let's just make our own stuff. So that's how 153 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 5: that came about. 154 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 3: That's something that a lot of people don't hear actors 155 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 3: talking about or creatives in this business is the downtime 156 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 3: because there all are lulls between projects. So when you 157 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 3: think about those periods after you end a big project 158 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 3: like Fresh Princes, or when you're in between projects, what 159 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 3: is that season like for you? 160 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 4: What kind of clarity does it bring? 161 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 3: How do you recalibrate during those times when there is 162 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:32,239 Speaker 3: a lull? 163 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 6: You know, I kind of wait. I don't know, Like 164 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 6: I just I wait to see what comes. I try 165 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 6: to be financially solvent enough. This has always been important 166 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 6: to me. I don't run with the Joneses. I was 167 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 6: driving a Prius and other people I knew were driving 168 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 6: Bedle's and you know, making fun of my little Prius, 169 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 6: and I'm. 170 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 5: Like, well, okay, that's cool, but I know my card 171 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 5: notes made. 172 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 6: Yeah, because of that, Like I can make choices that 173 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 6: are not only because of finances and that's really important 174 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 6: to me because I do believe like there's purpose in 175 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 6: my work. 176 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 5: So yeah, it's very much a faith thing. 177 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 6: And then also, you know, there's a lot of work 178 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 6: in between the big work, and sometimes that work it 179 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 6: could be production readings that I'm doing with my community 180 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 6: of artists, or things that not a lot of people 181 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 6: see but are really formative. 182 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 3: You've been such a champion for maternal health. I've seen 183 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:32,719 Speaker 3: you advocating for the passage of the Momnibus bill. We 184 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 3: mentioned BABYMS. That's the quilt brand that you started to 185 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 3: support Indigenous and Black birth workers, and that stems from 186 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: your own experience with birth. How did your birth experience 187 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 3: become this larger passion. Tell me about that journey and 188 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 3: that evolution. 189 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 6: So I experienced obstetric violence in a hospital in la 190 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 6: a world renowned hospital. 191 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,960 Speaker 5: This was my first birth. We were really healthy. My baby. 192 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 6: He ended up in the nick you for four days 193 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 6: because of the treatment we received. 194 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 5: He was healthy otherwise. 195 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 6: One of the pediatric surgeons even said because of the 196 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 6: traumatic nature of his birth in the records, I honestly, 197 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 6: I didn't start saying anything until about a year. 198 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,560 Speaker 5: He was maybe a year or two old. 199 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 6: The event was so traumatic we didn't even know how 200 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 6: to wrap our minds around it or our feelings around it. 201 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 6: And it wasn't until I was pregnant again with my 202 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 6: son Alejandro, that the trauma and whatever fear I had 203 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 6: turned into this can't happen again. This has to change. 204 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 6: And there's a lot in the news and then the media. 205 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 6: Now people know the statistics Black and Indigenous women are 206 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 6: three to four times more likely to die in childbirth. 207 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 6: That's also the same for infant mortality and trauma. But 208 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 6: I didn't know all that, and so I had shared 209 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 6: my nursing story on my Instagram page because I was 210 00:09:56,800 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 6: really looking for community, and an organization called Black MAM's 211 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 6: Matter Alliance reached out to me and they said, oh, 212 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 6: come speak at our panel. We want you to share 213 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 6: your nursing experience. And so from there, while I was 214 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 6: pregnant with my second baby, I just went head first. 215 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 6: I went to Santa Fe to a conference, and I 216 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 6: was just you know, going as what they call in 217 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 6: the research community, like a consumer just says a mom. 218 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 5: I wasn't talking. 219 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 6: I was just in little groups with other people and 220 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 6: getting my lunch and whatever. And the reproductive justice community. 221 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 6: Those advocates took me in, they welcomed me, and they 222 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 6: shared information and resources with me, so that that second 223 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 6: experience was completely different. 224 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: I think you just answered it, but I'm curious to know. 225 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 3: What would you tell Tatiana, you know, as she was 226 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 3: nine months pregnant with her first child, like what do 227 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 3: you wish you knew before your first birth experience? 228 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 6: I would tell her to follow her instinct, to follow 229 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 6: her gut, and to not allow the little micro aggressions 230 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,560 Speaker 6: that we deal with in everyday life, like at the 231 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 6: grocery store, someone's eyeing you too much, or you get 232 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 6: followed when you want these things that as a black 233 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:18,839 Speaker 6: woman I saw my mother go through. 234 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 5: I go through it. 235 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:24,679 Speaker 6: You know this is not the space to just like 236 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 6: let that go and move on, right, Because there were 237 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 6: signs With my obgyn's office, I was rushed in every appointment. 238 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 6: Concerns or questions I had were kind of dismissed, even 239 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 6: like in jokes. If I had heeded that, if I 240 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 6: knew that, the time for that shit is over because 241 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 6: it's life or death. The person that cares for you 242 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,839 Speaker 6: has to see you as a sister, a friend, a mother. 243 00:11:55,240 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 6: They have to care about you. It's a very pressure 244 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 6: time in life. Nobody can give birth for you. That's 245 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 6: what I would tell her. I would say, trust your God. 246 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: You hear it, you know, I'm so sorry for the 247 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 1: lack of care you received. I can like hear the 248 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: pain in your voice still from that time, and I'm 249 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: just so sorry you had that experience. Honestly, now hearing 250 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: this baby Yams makes even more sense to me. 251 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 2: What is your connection to sewing? 252 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: Like? 253 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 2: What did this stem from? 254 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: So? 255 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 5: I have been sewing pretty much like all my life. 256 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 6: My dad sews, my mom's mom sows, my mom my 257 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 6: mom sews. 258 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 5: But she's just like a mender, you know, not just. 259 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 2: I'm a mender too. I'm like, Okay, you have a 260 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 2: hole in your jeans. I can fix that one. 261 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 4: One of those little hotel sewing packets. 262 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 6: A lot of people can't do that, or like, oh 263 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 6: you don't you know, you don't need an eye hook. 264 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 5: Let's just sew that to the bra and you're outfit good, 265 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 5: you know. 266 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 7: What I mean. 267 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 6: But I remember being like even as a kid, like 268 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 6: if there was something that I wanted like that, I 269 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 6: shouldn't be wearing, you know, like a little Halter. When 270 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 6: I was eight or whatever, I took like old fabrics 271 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 6: and bandanas and stuff that my parents had in the house, 272 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 6: and i'd like make really wonky things to wear, but 273 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 6: I'd make them and that's never left. And during my 274 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 6: pregnancies though, that just like exploded. 275 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 5: Like I made curtains, I made. 276 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 6: Drill like that, I made all the nursery and I 277 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 6: used on carra fabric. Then too, my oldest son's nursery 278 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 6: was this beautiful yellow and blue and beautiful on Kara 279 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 6: fabric we got on our baby moon actually in Harlem. 280 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 6: And then when I was waiting for Alejandro to come, 281 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 6: these moms from this organization I had just worked with, 282 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 6: they gave me this beautiful gift, like all these creams 283 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 6: and lotions and stuff made by black women, and instead 284 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 6: of a basket, they wrapped it in on carra fabric 285 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,199 Speaker 6: and took it home with me and like it was 286 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 6: just a small piece of fabric. 287 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 5: And so that I made a quilt. 288 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 6: For Ali, for my youngest while I was waiting for 289 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 6: him to come, And that's kind of like the prototype 290 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 6: for baby Ams. I got so many compliments over the years, 291 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 6: you know, I swaddled him in it. It became his 292 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 6: like stroller quilt, his stroller blanket. 293 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: You were in nesting mode. 294 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 7: I was in. 295 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 4: Total nesting mode. 296 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 5: Oh my gosh. 297 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 2: We're taking a quick break, but we'll be right back. 298 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 3: We're back with actor, activist and nineties icon Tatiana Ali. So, 299 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 3: quilts are a way that we tell stories, and they've 300 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 3: been used for centuries to do that, a way to 301 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 3: remember loved ones, a way to tell stories, and even 302 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: on the underground railroad they were used to you send 303 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 3: secret messages. So why is quilting so powerful for you? 304 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 3: And what are the kinds of stories that you're hoping 305 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 3: to tell through this very specific art form. 306 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 6: I think fabric is incredibly powerful. When my grandmother passed, 307 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 6: my mom and my aunt thought I was so weird. 308 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 6: I found a pair of my grandma's gloves, like a 309 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 6: few days after she passed, and it was like it 310 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 6: was her, Like she was in the fabrics still I 311 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 6: could sell her. And I was like, mommy, look and 312 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 6: my mom was like, that's weird. I don't know, But 313 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 6: for me, that kind of tactile connection is. 314 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 5: Everything. 315 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 6: It's the richness of experience in life, and so the quilt, yes, 316 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 6: there's history behind quilt. There's history and storytelling in fabrics, 317 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 6: especially from people who come from the diasporas, and it's 318 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 6: the perfect medium to be able to share the possibility 319 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 6: of joy, warmth, comfort, care being covered. But the one 320 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 6: part of the history of quilting that I love is 321 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 6: like people coming together with their fabrics, yes, and creating 322 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 6: something together. 323 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 5: And I see that with the stories. 324 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 6: That was my experience going around and advocating and doing 325 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 6: this work. It's like every time I shared my story, 326 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 6: it gave somebody the spark to share a story with me. 327 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 6: And everybody has a story. That's why I kept doing 328 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 6: it again and again. I'm like, how is this so common? 329 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 6: So there's something about the process of quote making where 330 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 6: we can bring all of our stories together and create 331 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 6: something that's beautiful and also something that's new, something that 332 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 6: is of our making, which I think is what's necessary now. 333 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 2: Tatiana. 334 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 1: You're telling stories through quilts, and you've told stories through 335 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: TV and theater and also music. I've heard people say 336 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: that the music business is the only business that's worse 337 00:16:57,200 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: than the fashion industry. Is it really as brutal as 338 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: people say it is? I know you were pretty young 339 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 1: when you started making music too. 340 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, I want to hear you say more about that. 341 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: You want to really just get real with us, Yes, 342 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:11,919 Speaker 1: because we don't know much about it. 343 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 2: I'm actually really curious. 344 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 5: I'm going to tell you. 345 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 6: And this is not like details about individual situations or whatever, 346 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 6: but music is so powerful, and I have been in 347 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 6: situations not with my own music, but watching other artists 348 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:33,640 Speaker 6: play music that is so beautiful and so inspiring and 349 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 6: so dope that you see the whole studio everybody laughings 350 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 6: up and there's like this incredible energy. And then I've 351 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 6: seen that artist say I'm not allowed to put this out. 352 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 6: This is the direction I'm supposed to head in boom 353 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 6: and it's the lowest I mean, the energy just shift. 354 00:17:55,680 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's super low, and you just wonder, like, what's happening. 355 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 6: I was a child, I was like fifteen sixteen, and 356 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 6: I'm like, why do I have to go into the 357 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 6: studio at ten o'clock at night? Why do I have 358 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:12,239 Speaker 6: to have multiple conversations about what I'm gonna wear or 359 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 6: how revealing it is, or why can't I just say 360 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,160 Speaker 6: I don't like it? Why are there a million meetings 361 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 6: about like my brand? Me as a brand and you 362 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,120 Speaker 6: have to realize you're not you. You're a brand, So put 363 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,120 Speaker 6: you away and put these things on so you can 364 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:30,640 Speaker 6: be this brand. And I mean on, I mean not 365 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 6: just clothes, words, lyrics, the vibe of the music. 366 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 5: And it's like, that's not what I'm here for. 367 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 6: Yeah, so I'm always gonna sing, but I'm not singing 368 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 6: under those conditions. 369 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 3: It must be hard to be so young and feel 370 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 3: so powerless at the same time. Did you ever feel unsafe? 371 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,880 Speaker 6: There were definitely times where I was in places where 372 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 6: I should have been unsafe. Luckily because Will was involved, 373 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 6: and because I have the parents I have, and even 374 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 6: in theaters, like my mother was always or my father, 375 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 6: and if one of them couldn't be there, I had 376 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 6: an aunt. 377 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 5: I was never alone. 378 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 4: Wow, So Will really like protected you. 379 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 5: Yeah, he did, And I think that's because he knew 380 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 5: the music industry. 381 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 4: He knew that I loved. 382 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 3: Taking a walk down memory lane, so let me get 383 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 3: nostalgic for a minute. We recently had Melissa joanhart On 384 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 3: and she was telling us about like her party girl 385 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,239 Speaker 3: days in the nineties and just like what it was 386 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 3: like like living the high life as a TV star 387 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 3: back then. So I gotta know you got any good 388 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,640 Speaker 3: party girl stories from back then? 389 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 5: Or were you? 390 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 4: Were you kind of a were you a good girl? 391 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 4: Were you a homebody? I was both? Okay, I was both. 392 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 6: If I said, oh, get so and so is having 393 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 6: a birthday party, Mom's like, where's the birthday party? Oh, 394 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,640 Speaker 6: it's at the club on Sunset. So I could see 395 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 6: where my parents had a dilemma. It was like can 396 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:55,680 Speaker 6: she have friends? 397 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 5: Is this the way? And so, oh my god, this 398 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 5: is so embarrassing, but this is real. 399 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 4: Please tell us. 400 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 6: My mother would drive me to where the birthday party was, 401 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 6: right and I told you it was like a club 402 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 6: on Sunset or something like yes, And my mother would 403 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 6: sit in the minivan. 404 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:16,199 Speaker 3: Stop the whole time, girl, like a black car service accepted. 405 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 6: Then it was a minivan, and it was a minivan 406 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 6: with the aluminum siding, you know the Chrysler ployments. 407 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 3: Were you like, mom, meet me down the street, okay, 408 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:28,600 Speaker 3: pick me up around the corner. 409 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 6: No what, there's no shame in my game, because after 410 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,720 Speaker 6: a while it was like, oh yo, Tatiana's mom is outside, 411 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 6: tim salid. 412 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 2: Everyone wants to ride home in the van? 413 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 3: Wait, who was in your who was in your click. 414 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 3: Who did you roll with? 415 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 5: Oh my god, who did I roll with? 416 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 4: Who was in the minivan? 417 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 5: At one point? Brittany Murphy was in the minivan. 418 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 7: I knew her. 419 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 6: She's from New York and so for many years I 420 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,239 Speaker 6: knew her. We weren't like close close close friends. There 421 00:20:57,240 --> 00:20:59,720 Speaker 6: were definitely people who were closer. But she was in 422 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 6: the fan at one point, and her mom. She was 423 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 6: very close to her mom too. They had a very 424 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 6: similar relationship. 425 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:08,639 Speaker 1: So I'm dying to know about this alter ego of yours. 426 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,120 Speaker 1: Chakra seven, one of our producers worked at RuPaul's Drag Race, 427 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 1: and we heard that Chakra seven made it to the 428 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:19,439 Speaker 1: top three in the second season of ru Paul's Secret 429 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 1: Celebrity Drag Race. What did you learn about yourself when 430 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:24,879 Speaker 1: you transformed into a drag queen? 431 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 5: Can I tell you that was like life changing, like 432 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 5: life altering experience? 433 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 7: Why? 434 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 6: Well, we had real mentors like Brooklyn Heights and Jujubi 435 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 6: and Monet Exchange. When the cameras weren't on, they were 436 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 6: watching our performances, kind of crafting the looks with us 437 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 6: and like teaching us the art of drag. And there 438 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:53,719 Speaker 6: is something so incredibly freeing RuPaul says this. He has 439 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 6: a song that says this when it's like when you 440 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 6: realize that, like everybody's in drag all the time, you 441 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 6: just choose from time to time what drag you're gonna 442 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 6: put on to be able to perform in complete anonymity. 443 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 5: It just changed the game for me, It really did. 444 00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 5: It changed the game for me. 445 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 1: But wait when you say it changed the game, because Okay, 446 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: I'm going to thrill in on this because I just 447 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: interviewed a woman who said that she did drag. She's 448 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: a comedian, and it changed her comedy career because she 449 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: was like I could finally step into the fullest power 450 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: of who I was. Like, it did free her too, 451 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: So what did it free you from? Like what were 452 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 1: you holding back? 453 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 6: It freed me from giving a fuck, Like not in 454 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 6: the sense of this kind of self conscious ego thing 455 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 6: that happens over time, like especially with the business of 456 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 6: things or whatever, for example, even. 457 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,240 Speaker 5: Like baby Ams. 458 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 6: Something got freed up in me where it was just 459 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 6: like do it do what you imagine because this is 460 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 6: all imagination anyway. Whatever story you tell yourself about who 461 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 6: you are and what you're capable of is what it's 462 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 6: gonna be so if you can choose, choose the funnest shit, 463 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 6: choose the stuff that makes you. 464 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 3: Happy, it unblocked you. It sounds like you push through 465 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:19,919 Speaker 3: a block. 466 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 5: I was a purple dog with blue eyes. 467 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 6: I was in latex in like a Renaissance period doing paparazzi, 468 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 6: like what do what you want? Do what you want, 469 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 6: like live your life. I had to lose a lot 470 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 6: of my preconceived ideas of myself to really get into drag. 471 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,040 Speaker 6: And once you do that, you realize, well, that was 472 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 6: a fiction too. 473 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 3: Tatiana, thank you so much for coming on our show 474 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 3: and telling us about baby Yams and all the incredible 475 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 3: advocacy work you're doing, y'all. 476 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 4: I lovely Thank you, Tatiana. 477 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 5: What a great way to spend the afternoon. Thank you. 478 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 3: Tatian Ali is an actor, mother advocate, and the founder 479 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 3: of baby Yams. For more information on how to support 480 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 3: birth workers and to get one of her quilts, visit 481 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,679 Speaker 3: babydashyams dot com. 482 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,239 Speaker 1: The proceeds for the first round of quilts will go 483 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: towards scholarships for midwives. Applications for those scholarships will be 484 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 1: open in late June. We're taking a quick break and 485 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:26,879 Speaker 1: when we come back, we're giving some very well deserved 486 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: flowers to Josephine Micheluck. 487 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 488 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 3: We're back and we are so excited to welcome the 489 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 3: Guinness World record holder for units of blood donated in 490 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 3: a lifetime. Y'all, it's time to give eighty one year 491 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 3: old Josephine Micheluck her flowers. 492 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 2: Incredible. 493 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 1: So far, Josephine has donated a total of two hundred 494 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 1: and ten pints of blood and in the process is 495 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: inspiring everyone around her to give back. Her community in Alberta, 496 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: Canada has just recognized her with a volunteer award called 497 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 1: the Alberta Northern Lights Award for all that she does, 498 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: and we are very lucky because she's joining us now 499 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: from her home. Josephine, Welcome to the bright Side and 500 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,600 Speaker 1: congratulations on the world record. 501 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:23,600 Speaker 7: Well, thank you so much. 502 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 2: How do your friends and family feel about what you've accomplished. 503 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:32,479 Speaker 7: Oh, they're all excited, yes, yeah, they're so thankful. A 504 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 7: lot of them are donating the ones that can. 505 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 3: Josephine, you've been donating blood for almost sixty years now. 506 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 3: How did you get started? 507 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 7: I first donated in Calgary in nineteen sixty five, and 508 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:50,360 Speaker 7: then I had my four daughters, So you can't donate 509 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,159 Speaker 7: while you're pregnant or a year after. So there was 510 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,200 Speaker 7: quite a few years there raising my four daughters until 511 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,439 Speaker 7: my fourth Onness born before I could donate again. But 512 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 7: before the third and the fourth win, I had two 513 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 7: different miscarriages and so I had to have blood given 514 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:13,760 Speaker 7: to me. The first time it was two pints, and 515 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 7: then about a year later I miscarried again and there 516 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:19,679 Speaker 7: was three pints. So I've had five pints given to 517 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:23,840 Speaker 7: me in my past. So then I thought, well, I'm 518 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 7: just going to keep donating and try. I got to 519 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 7: make up those five pints for sure, and I just 520 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 7: kept going. 521 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 2: What motivates you to keep going back each time? It 522 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,120 Speaker 2: does take a toll on your body. 523 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 7: Well, I don't notice it. I have so much energy. 524 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 7: After one time I donated two years ago, I painted 525 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 7: the whole inside of my house within two to three 526 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 7: weeks I've tried donating. 527 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:48,359 Speaker 4: The kids couldn't believe it. 528 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 7: Just had energy to burn. 529 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 3: Josephine, I want to know a little bit more about 530 00:26:56,280 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 3: you outside of your incredible blood donation work. So you 531 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 3: like to paint your house. What else gives you joy? 532 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 3: What else brings you joy? Josephine, What do you like 533 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:07,240 Speaker 3: to do? 534 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:13,840 Speaker 7: Oh gosh, I knit, I crochet, I do embroidery, oh gosh. 535 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:17,760 Speaker 7: And I make candles, and I do woodwork. I make 536 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 7: picnic tables and furniture for the picnic area. And oh, 537 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 7: I just I love doing everything. I make my own 538 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,160 Speaker 7: wine and beer too, of course you do. I made 539 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 7: my wine from my own fruit from the when I 540 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,159 Speaker 7: was growing up, and in my early life after I 541 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 7: was married, we had fruit trees and we had a 542 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,119 Speaker 7: market garden, and we were selling our vegetables and fruit 543 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 7: at the farm, and I either canned it up. So 544 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 7: I've got lots of canned fruit and vegetables. 545 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 5: And I don't know. 546 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 7: I just keep going. I can't throw anything away. I've 547 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 7: worked somehow. 548 00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 5: Well. 549 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: You know what's amazing is you are eighty one years young. 550 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: How long do you want to be doing this? 551 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 5: For? 552 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,239 Speaker 7: As long as I can have, as long as my 553 00:28:04,359 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 7: irons up and I feel good, I'm to keep going. 554 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 3: You know, there might be some people out there who 555 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 3: are listening and who are so inspired by you, Josephine, 556 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:14,760 Speaker 3: and they might want to give blood too, but it 557 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 3: can be kind of a scary thing, at least it 558 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 3: can sound that way. What would be your advice for 559 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,360 Speaker 3: anyone who's considering doing it but might be a little 560 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 3: bit nervous to take that first step With me? 561 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 7: I never thought of it until I went with my 562 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 7: sister and she was going to donate, so I went 563 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:34,960 Speaker 7: with her. I could see there was nothing wrong with it, 564 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 7: and she felt good after too, So that suck got 565 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 7: me going. Just take somebody with you that is the 566 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 7: regular donator. You know, if they're a regular donator, or 567 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 7: know somebody to take them with you. 568 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 2: Josephine. 569 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:51,719 Speaker 1: Here on the bright side, we really believe that people 570 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: working hard to inspire and to uplift their communities deserve 571 00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: some special love. So we sent you a little surprise, 572 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: a bouquet of flowers courtesy of Stems Flower and Cafe. 573 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: Thank you for being of service to so many people. 574 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,320 Speaker 7: Well, thank you, and it's so nice to see. Who 575 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 7: set the flowers, Danielle and Simone it set. 576 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's from us. We hope that you love them 577 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:21,400 Speaker 3: and we hope that they brighten your day. Thank you, Josephine. 578 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 3: Congratulations again on your world record. I am feeling so 579 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 3: incredibly inspired by you and all of your many talents. 580 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for joining us here on the 581 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:36,040 Speaker 3: bright Side. Thanks Josephine, Oh You're so welcome. Josephine Micheluk 582 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 3: is the world record holder for units of blood donated 583 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 3: in a lifetime. 584 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: If you know someone in your community who deserves her flowers, 585 00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: let us know. Send us their name and your reasons 586 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: for nominating to Hello at the Brightside podcast dot com. 587 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 4: That's it for today's show. 588 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 3: Tomorrow, we've got Reality Royalty in the studio. Hannah Brown 589 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 3: is here to talk all about sharing her love life 590 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 3: publicly on TV, and we'll find out why her new book, 591 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,120 Speaker 3: Mistakes We Never Made has are falling in love with 592 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 3: romance novels all over again. 593 00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 1: Listen and follow The bright Side on the iHeartRadio app, 594 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 595 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:18,280 Speaker 4: I'm Simone Boye. 596 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,760 Speaker 3: You can find me at Simone Voice on Instagram and TikTok. 597 00:30:22,120 --> 00:30:24,840 Speaker 1: I'm Danielle Robe on Instagram and TikTok. 598 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 5: That's ro Ba. 599 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 3: Y see you tomorrow, folks. Keep looking on the bright side.