1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to woke f Daily with 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: Meet your Girl Danielle Moody recording from the Brooklyn Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: it has been another long, trying week in America, and 4 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: I just want us to just take a collective deep 5 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: breath in and exhale it out. I have been meditating 6 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: so much over the past couple of weeks, and you know, 7 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: for me, you can never meditate, you can never sit quiet, 8 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: you can never breathe enough. And I have found once 9 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: again myself in this space of swirling where the news 10 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: is just coming at me so fast that I feel 11 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: like a turnstile. And in those moments, in those times, 12 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: I find that it is really important for me to 13 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: be able to take to bookend my day, to start 14 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: and finish my day with meditation. Whether it's a minute 15 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: that I have to give or twenty, but it is 16 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:28,320 Speaker 1: really important because I have found in this new meditation 17 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 1: practice that while we breathe every single day, and it's 18 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: something that we don't think about. If you're not on 19 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: a ventilator, for instance, then you're not thinking about your 20 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: breath in and breath out. And that has us in 21 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: a lot of ways focusing on everything else right that 22 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: is coming in. And what I notice is that when 23 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: I can pause, when I have the ability to pause, 24 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 1: and I think that we should make conscious efforts to 25 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: pause every day. That doing breath counts in counting up 26 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: to four right exhaling out the same amount for deep 27 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: exhale out, and you do that three times in a row, 28 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 1: it really does level set you. It really does actually 29 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,200 Speaker 1: allow for your quartisown level to come down, and for 30 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: your shoulders to come down, for your eyebrows to come down, 31 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: for your body to relax. And what I'm finding is 32 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 1: that each and every day, spending time in Twitter, spending 33 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 1: time watching cable news, reading all of the articles, all 34 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: of the terrible things that Republicans are saying, and action 35 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: that they are taking, and the inaction from Democrats has 36 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: me in these moments where I am literally holding my breath. 37 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: I can feel the tension building in my body. So 38 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: I start out today saying that I want us all 39 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: in woke af nation to start being a bit more 40 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:11,519 Speaker 1: intentional about the breadths that we are taking. And when 41 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: you find yourself getting tense, getting rigid, feeling tight, I 42 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 1: want you to set a timer on your phone for 43 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: sixty seconds and just focus on breathing in deeply and 44 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: breathing out deeply for sixty seconds. We can all spare 45 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: that sixty seconds at the beginning of our day, in 46 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: the middle of our day, and at the end of 47 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: the day, and then build upon that. And I just 48 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: want you all, and I offered that because again, I'm 49 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: finding myself back in a place of stress and rigidity, 50 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: and I'm trying desperately to fight against that. So I 51 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: want to offer that to everyone. Set your timer on 52 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: your phone, sixty seconds. If you can get into a 53 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: quiet space, great, If you can't, put in your ear buds, 54 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: put on some classical music, some tonal music, just some 55 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: ocean sounds, anything anything to block out whatever noise may 56 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: be around you. And take that sixty seconds three times 57 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: a day, and I promise you you will begin to 58 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: feel the difference. All right, So let's jump into the 59 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: news of the day once again. Republicans are saying all 60 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 1: of the quiet things out loud. They are making it 61 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:39,479 Speaker 1: clear who they are attacking and why. And while the 62 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 1: media would love for you to believe that you don't 63 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 1: know what's in people's heart, and we don't know what 64 00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: any of these bills mean. So let's all fame fucking ignorance, 65 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: as if we have no idea why conservative, right wing 66 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: radical Christians would be attacking LGBTQ youth in over thirty 67 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: states right with their legislation to essentially ostracize transgender and 68 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: gender non binary youth from being able to participate in sports. 69 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: Let's pretend that we don't understand why Ronda Santis would 70 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: roll out legislation that would have you go back into 71 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 1: a version of America where we can't even utter the 72 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: word gay or LGBTQ or queer. Joining me today in 73 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: conversation will be the new executive director of Glisten, an 74 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,680 Speaker 1: organization that has been near and dear to my heart 75 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: for a very long time. Began in the nineteen nineties 76 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 1: by a group of teachers to help create more equity 77 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: and safety and community in the classroom for LGBTQ youth, 78 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 1: and I have worked with them over the course of 79 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: probably ten twelve years when I was working in LGBTQ 80 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: policy specifically, and you know, wanting to bring to light, 81 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: really to the mainstream why I had gotten into this work, 82 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: how vulnerable this population is, and what's sad is that 83 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: I hadn't really checked the metrics, right, the numbers, the 84 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 1: stats of how things have changed over the course of 85 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: the last ten to fifteen years. And what I can say, 86 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: what was alarming as I was researching for my interview 87 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: with Melanie Willingham Jaggers, who you'll hear from in a 88 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: bit and I hope you enjoy the conversation, is that 89 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: the numbers haven't changed for LGBTQ youth. They are still 90 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: over forty percent of homelessness in youth in the country. 91 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: They are still in the high percentages of those youth 92 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: that commits suicide, and they are at high risk for 93 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: alcoholism and drug use, right, And those numbers haven't changed. 94 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: They really haven't changed over the decades. And I'll start 95 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: out my conversation, you know, with Melanie in talking about 96 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: how I can recall at the beginning the end of 97 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: the Bush year as the beginning of the Obama years, 98 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: when when excuse me, the it Gets Better campaign was 99 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: launched and why was it launched because of the rash 100 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: of suicides that were happening of LGBTQ youth in the country, 101 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: and they were making headlines because it was like one 102 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: after the other after the other and the Obama administration 103 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: did a lot. They did a lot during that time 104 00:07:55,920 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: to hold schools accountable for how they were creating community 105 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:06,040 Speaker 1: and safe environments for LGBTQ youth, particularly trans youth, and 106 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: their ability to use the bathroom that associates with associates 107 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 1: with their gender identity. And to think that I was 108 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: so excited to be one of the many people that 109 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: were on the front lines for those fights that we 110 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: had won, and then to now witness the deep backsliding 111 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: that is happening right now in such a short span 112 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: of time. And I've said this before. We know that, 113 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: you know, progress is not linear. It does not you know, 114 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: have one range of trajectory which is just forward. Unfortunately, 115 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: for every advance that we ever make in society, we 116 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: take about eighty six steps backwards. And that is the 117 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 1: unfortunate case in America. And what troubles me now though, 118 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:07,079 Speaker 1: is that while we went while we may have created 119 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: bright spots for LGBTQ youth and youth you know, in 120 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: general in this country. I got to tell you, I 121 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: wouldn't want to be a tween or a teenager right now. 122 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: I actually wake up and I'm pretty happy that I'm 123 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: the old age that I am because to have no 124 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: voice and say in the horrible direction that this country 125 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: is headed in and just essentially be along for the 126 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: ride until you turn eighteen, and then even then you're 127 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: not really considered. Your feelings and your thoughts on issues 128 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: of the day light, climate change, light gun control, the 129 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 1: things that you're going to take on as your fight, 130 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: you're not even taken seriously. So it's it's a different tical, 131 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: I think, place to be in to be youth right 132 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: now and to essentially be silenced by virtue of your 133 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: inability to vote. But what we are seeing with this 134 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: new I guess renewed it's not even new, but a 135 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: renewed attack on LGBT youth is that we can't take 136 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: our eyes off of our kids because the radical right 137 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: uses them like a fucking piniata right, Like, you know, 138 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: for a fucking group that says that they are for 139 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: family and for Jesus and for Christianity, they sure act 140 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: like some outright motherfucking devils. So let me just say 141 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:56,360 Speaker 1: that fucking clear. And I'm really tired too of us 142 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:01,439 Speaker 1: using language like conservative as if to say that believing 143 00:11:01,480 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 1: injustice and equity is something that is left leaning and 144 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: so outside of the field of imagination. Right, They're not conservative, 145 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: they are not God fearing. Right, they are actually evil 146 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: individuals who could give a fuck about kids. What they 147 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:23,679 Speaker 1: want is assimilation. What they want is for queer people 148 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: to feel shamed and to be ashamed of themselves so 149 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,440 Speaker 1: much that you would never dare utter the word gay 150 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: or queer, or trance or non binary. Right, it's disgusting, 151 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 1: and I want us to be honest and call it 152 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: out for what it is. This isn't religious freedom, it's bigotry. Right. 153 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 1: You don't get to use your Bible to dictate to 154 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: others how they should fucking live. You know, we are 155 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 1: a country that is filled with lies about separation between 156 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 1: church and state. There is none. Have you ever seen 157 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: a president sign off from conversation with the American people 158 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: and not say God bless you and God bless troops. 159 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: If in fact we did actually have real separation, then 160 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: that wouldn't be your sign off, right, be good luck, 161 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 1: you know, My thoughts are with you, high vibrations to all, 162 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: whatever the fuck it is. But the fact that we 163 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 1: tie God into everything in this country then allows for 164 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: these bigots to have a leg to stand on when 165 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: they don't when they should not. Right, And this again 166 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,839 Speaker 1: the lie that the right is spreading right now with 167 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: regard to quote unquote parental control is just another euphemism 168 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: for bigotry and discrimination, but now allowing those bigoted parents 169 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: to be able to sue. If you don't want your 170 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: kids participating in the expansion of their minds right into 171 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 1: the freedoms and liberty of what it means to learn 172 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:58,760 Speaker 1: and become a global citizen, then maybe you should fucking 173 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: pull them out and they should be homeschooled. But I 174 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 1: know that not one parent should be able to dictate 175 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: what it is that their kids learn or don't learn, 176 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 1: right like, unless it is violent, unless it is dangerous. 177 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: Where's the problem here? I thought that I think that 178 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: we have lost our understanding of what the function of 179 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: public school and schooling in general, regardless of what manifestation 180 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 1: it comes in, what the purpose of it is. It 181 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: is not a babysitting system for your kids. It is 182 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 1: not a factory that you put them on the line 183 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: and you know, you stamp them and give them the 184 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 1: good housekeeping stamp that okay, you've gotten a diploma. It 185 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: is to create critical thinkers. It is to create change makers, 186 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 1: people that are curious about the world around them and 187 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: then feel empowered to do something about it, right like, 188 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: And that's the thing that is lacking so deeply in 189 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 1: the United States right now, which is a curiosity. There 190 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,439 Speaker 1: is such a regression in the way that we are 191 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: thinking and examining ourselves and our culture and our society 192 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,240 Speaker 1: that it is evident that these rapid Republicans do not 193 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:16,839 Speaker 1: want you to think critically. They don't want you to 194 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: think at all. They want you to assimilate and shut 195 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: the fuck up. And you know, in my conversation with Melanie, 196 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: they will talk about how, you know, just the mere 197 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: presence of queer people, of queer people of color, of 198 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: people that you know live at the intersections of multiple identities, 199 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: how we are a direct affront right to their design 200 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 1: and their ideals of what America should be. Right. And 201 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 1: I think that that is important, right And that is 202 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: why I say to stand firm in who you are, 203 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: but to also take respite at times, because the battering 204 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 1: ram that is American culture in society right now is 205 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: a fucking lot. And so in this conversation that I 206 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: have coming up next with Melanie, we will talk about 207 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: how youth are feeling in these times. And if you 208 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: have kids, or you are a teacher, or an administrator 209 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: or a caretaker, please do comment in the comment section 210 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: and let me know what are some of the conversations 211 00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 1: you are having with you with your own children or 212 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: children that you take care of or love. I would 213 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: love to hear how they are feeling about the climate 214 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: that they are living in and if there is a nervousness, 215 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: if there is an anger, if there is a frustration 216 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: that is there. So coming up next, friends, on this 217 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: Good Friday, is my conversation with the new executive director 218 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: of Glisten, Melanie Willingham Jaggers. Folks, I am very excited 219 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,120 Speaker 1: to welcome to Okay f Daily were the very first 220 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: time on their inaugural week of becoming the new head 221 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: executive director of Glisten, Melanie Willingham Jaggers the first black person, 222 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: first non binary person to run Glisten, an organization that 223 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,640 Speaker 1: was founded by a group of teachers back in the 224 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties to really help LGBTQ youth be able to 225 00:16:30,480 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: feel pride in themselves and in their community going to 226 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: school in k through twelve and kind of building out 227 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: curriculum that is inclusive and equitable. So Melanie, first, congratulations 228 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: on your appointment and your new position. I know that 229 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: you joined Glisten back in twenty nineteen. How are you feeling? 230 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. I'm feeling great. It is I've 231 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: been at Glistened since twenty nineteen, so it feels good 232 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: not to be the new guy, but I absolutely feel 233 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 1: like the new guy. I woke up this more. I'm like, 234 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: oh wow, the world knows I'm an executive director. Let's 235 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: go have a great day. So I'm feeling good. Thanks 236 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 1: for having me on. So you know you're coming on 237 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: at a really I don't know how to describe it. 238 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: You know, some would say terrifying, some would say awful, 239 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: some would say apocalyptic. I say all of those things 240 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: time in our culture. What does it mean to you? First, 241 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,719 Speaker 1: before we delve into LGBTQ youth and people in general 242 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: being placed back in the crosshairs of conservatives, what does 243 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: it mean to you to be the first black person 244 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 1: appointed to this role? And how and how, if any way, 245 00:17:43,119 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: does that affect your perception, positioning, and vision for where 246 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: we go with this organization. Yeah, absolutely well. Absolutely, My 247 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,320 Speaker 1: identity informs kind of how I enter spaces and how 248 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 1: I move through them. So I feel really lucky, fortunate. 249 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,879 Speaker 1: I know all the hard work that has gone into 250 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: preparing Glisten for a leader like me, and the work 251 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,680 Speaker 1: that I've done at Glisten since twenty nineteen. And here's 252 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: what I would say, is that you know, at the 253 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: heart of what I bring and at the heart of 254 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,719 Speaker 1: what I believe and why I'm at Glisten is that 255 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: education is fundamentally capable of being a liberating experience. Right. 256 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:25,119 Speaker 1: We are literally able to go in put young people 257 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,440 Speaker 1: at five years old into a system, take them through education, 258 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: and have them come out more whole at eighteen, more 259 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: connected to the people around them or connected to the 260 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: world around them, and ready to engage powerfully in a 261 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,640 Speaker 1: multiracial democracy. That's the purpose of education, right. What does 262 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 1: it mean to to fully educate people in order for 263 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: them to participate knowingly, wisely in a democracy. That's why 264 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 1: education is important. The other piece is that education has 265 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: to be a liberated space, right. It has to be 266 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 1: free from harm, but also full of what each learner 267 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 1: needs in order to be successful. The moment that they 268 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: walk into or move into that school, in that school 269 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,440 Speaker 1: building and are as a part of that school community. 270 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: So that's the that's the purpose, right, school should be 271 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: liberated and liberating. And we know that the future of 272 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 1: our democracy, the future of our country, the future of 273 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 1: the world, you know, us collectively depends on us all 274 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: being educated and us having access to education. So to me, 275 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: it is not at all surprising, right that conservative forces, 276 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: anti democratic forces, people who are who have always been 277 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 1: interested in controlling and destroying people who look like us, 278 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: people who could not be controlled to the extent that 279 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: we can't be commodified and generate and generate money for them. 280 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: Of course it does. It fits completely into the existing 281 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: frame of banning books of you know, don't say gana 282 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,360 Speaker 1: classroom of parents have the right to to tell an 283 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: education system what their child should and should not learn, 284 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,719 Speaker 1: versus being fully educated to be It's all part of 285 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,679 Speaker 1: a coordinate an attack right by extremists who are deeply 286 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: anti democratic UM and deeply anti UM, anti lgbt Q 287 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: plus right because fundamentally, because queerness disrupts this idea and 288 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: the lie right of white supremacy, it disrupts and UM 289 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: and uncovers the falsehood of the gender binary. UM. It makes, 290 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: it shows, it makes a mockery of UM. It shows 291 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: the beautiful diversity that exists in the world. UM and 292 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: it and it takes away, it ships away the lie 293 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: of you can of only one thing is right, and 294 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,440 Speaker 1: it really lets all of us be exactly who we are. 295 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 1: You know, you said so many, so many important things, 296 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 1: And I want to circle back to the top where 297 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 1: you talked about education and our schooling system being of 298 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: free and liberated space, because that is the complete and 299 00:20:55,640 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: total opposite right of how our public education system has 300 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 1: actually functioned. It's the reason why we've had charter schools, 301 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: in private schools, Catholic schools and the like to make 302 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: sure to ensure actually a very narrowed curriculum, right, and 303 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 1: the points in that you connect with regard to how 304 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:21,240 Speaker 1: our society develops. I have often said as a former 305 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: educator myself, I taught elementary school, first and second grade, 306 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: and I can say that one of the biggest proponents 307 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: of white supremacy and patriarchy is in fact the public 308 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: education system. Because there are black and brown people in 309 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:41,719 Speaker 1: low income people who don't have the ability to just 310 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: pick up and put their children any place that they want, right, 311 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: so they are then beholden to a system that decides 312 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: what it is they should and shouldn't learn, how they 313 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: should feel themselves valued or devalued in the eyes of 314 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: what is in the text that is in front of them. 315 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: And so, with those things being true, how do you 316 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:09,440 Speaker 1: think that we go about creating a conversation that is 317 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: showing the blatant differences in how conservatives or and I 318 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: don't even like to call them conservatives, how right wing 319 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:25,440 Speaker 1: radicals see public education versus how we need to combat 320 00:22:25,480 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 1: that message and explain, right, two parents, two caregivers, what 321 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: a public education, what a free and liberated public education 322 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: actually should be and look like, and how it connects 323 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: back to our society. Yeah, there's so much in there. 324 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: I would start off by saying, you know, this is 325 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: you know, it is the vision I've set, the vision 326 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: that we hold that we're working toward. A glisten is 327 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: very far away because it's transformative, right, because we see 328 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: a system that is broken, that is not serving any 329 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: young person fully to the to the extent that it 330 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:04,800 Speaker 1: that it needs to. And I think that this is 331 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: around education completely and totally right, not just public schools, 332 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: then differentiating them from charters or private or religious and 333 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: parochial schools, but really thinking about what is the job 334 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: of education and a multiracial democracy, what does it need 335 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:21,600 Speaker 1: to um, what does it need to achieve? And building 336 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: from there, right, that's the that's really the vision. And 337 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: again you said so much, so please pull out the 338 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: question if there's a specific question you want me to answer, 339 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: but I would just say that, you know, the work 340 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: of transformation is really around centering this education at the 341 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 1: at the heart of our democratic project, right at the 342 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: heart of our civil of our civic and civil participation. 343 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: And of course again, of course the folks who are 344 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:48,240 Speaker 1: only able to stay in power given a small given 345 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: a small voting block, given a small giving predicated on 346 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: the more people you can exclude from voting, of course, 347 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: they are going to have a very different idea than 348 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: you and me of what of what an education said 349 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 1: should accomplish. And frankly, their vision for what education should 350 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 1: accomplish is winning right now, right, it's on the march. 351 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: Oh yes, oh, this is what we you know, we're 352 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: seeing these don't say gay bills, or we're seeing these 353 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 1: no promo homo laws or we're seeing, you know, banning 354 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: of books that reflect gender expansive young people as central 355 00:24:17,720 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: characters being called in decent It's like, well, actually, this 356 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: is the this is their vision for what their world, 357 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: for what their democracy will look like, and we have 358 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: a different vision, and that's what we're fighting for. I'm 359 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 1: pretty sure that is not what democracy looks like. It's 360 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: pretty much what you know, dashism and authoritarianism looks like 361 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: when you know, you go into the library and there 362 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: are a whole sections that no longer hold any books. Um. 363 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: So I mean that that literally, that's the reality that 364 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: that we're marching into. And you know what I was 365 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 1: looking through, um the your your announcement. And I'm looking 366 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: back and I've been thinking on the show back to 367 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: the early two thousands when in the headlines were the 368 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:07,600 Speaker 1: rash of suicides by lgbtqu This is at the beginning 369 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 1: of the end of the Bush years, beginning of the 370 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: Obama years, where it was almost like four a month, 371 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: every single week there at least two or three. And 372 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: for every two or three major headlines, of course, there 373 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 1: were many that we never know of young people as 374 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 1: young as five six years old committing suicide, right because 375 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 1: of bullying. Then all of a sudden, bullying right and 376 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: anti lgbt sentiments became a focal point for the administration. 377 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:41,520 Speaker 1: What are we doing to ensure a safe learning environment 378 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:46,120 Speaker 1: for all children? Is it crazy to you that at 379 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: the beginning of this new century we were in this 380 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: place where it was about expansion and now here we 381 00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: are twenty twenty two, but twelve some eidy years later, 382 00:25:56,640 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: and now we're in a place where we're going back 383 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: to don't say, We're going back to donnask, don't tell, 384 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 1: and we're making our kids that political football. I mean, 385 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: is that shocking to you? Or was it inevitable? Yeah? 386 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,960 Speaker 1: You know, I think a lot of things. Um. I 387 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: was working with LGBTQ plus homeless and runaway youth in 388 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:20,840 Speaker 1: that time, like two thousand and nine, ten eleven, and um, 389 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: there was a young person who I knew in love 390 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: and was very close to, who was part of the 391 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 1: program I worked in, who also died by suicide in 392 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: that time, And you know, it's it was heartbreaking, um, 393 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:33,959 Speaker 1: And it was It really was a was a turning 394 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: point in my work life because I understood for the 395 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 1: first time both how the little thing I was doing 396 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 1: as a life skills coordinator in the South Bronx, helping 397 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:45,439 Speaker 1: people get their you know, documents that their parents had 398 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: destroyed because they were angry that they were gay, getting 399 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:50,880 Speaker 1: those replaced, getting folks you know, housing, teaching young people 400 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:53,240 Speaker 1: how to do laundry for the first time, etc. I 401 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:56,480 Speaker 1: understood how that those everyday actions were part of a 402 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: larger LGBTQ plus movement and community. And you know, if 403 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,439 Speaker 1: thinking per your question, really thinking about what it is 404 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: that we have to do to be good at our job, 405 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: to be changing the world, to help make the world 406 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:12,480 Speaker 1: good enough for these young people to stick around in 407 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: and so many young people chose not to and I 408 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: think too many young people continue to struggle with like 409 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: should I or should I not stay here? And I 410 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: hope that everyone decides to stay because because we're working 411 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: really hard every day to make the world better. That said, 412 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: I'm not surprised at the backlash. Right whenever progress happens 413 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 1: in this country, if there's a backlash, we we have 414 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: this theory in our minds, We have this idea that 415 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,879 Speaker 1: progress kind of only happens in one direction, and that 416 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:41,800 Speaker 1: we are constantly getting better little by little. So if 417 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:43,800 Speaker 1: we compromise here, It's okay. If we don't get this 418 00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,960 Speaker 1: thing right now, it's fine, we'll come back and get 419 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 1: it tomorrow or in ten years. And actually, I think, 420 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 1: actually what we are experiencing are two tectonic plates, right, 421 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: one of progress and democracy and inclusion for a country 422 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,920 Speaker 1: that sees every single person here as worthy of participation 423 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: and representation, and an antidemocratic understanding of the world right 424 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: that is more authoritarian, that's more fascist, that is definitely 425 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,199 Speaker 1: white supremacist, etc. And what we are experiencing is the 426 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 1: constant rubbing against each other of those tectonic plates. And 427 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: when one advances, it creates a level of tension that 428 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 1: it might take it a little while, but the other 429 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: one's going to shoot forward to right. So I understand 430 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: all of what we're experiencing right now as part of 431 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: that part of that dynamic. Right. The other thing I 432 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:38,440 Speaker 1: would say is that in that context, I think this 433 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,080 Speaker 1: is a little bit of good news. Right. I think 434 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: what this shows, I think what the backlash is, the 435 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: current backlash is showing, is that there has been progress 436 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 1: that's been made. Right, and so that the pitched sense 437 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: of you know, oh my god, we're losing everything Oh 438 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 1: my god, the children, Oh my god. You know all 439 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 1: this really, you know, this harmful and false narrative that's 440 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,840 Speaker 1: coming up and gaining traction is absolutely because there is 441 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: a small, vocal, dying, afraid and violent, right um, hyper 442 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: hyper politicized minority of folks, these extremists who are scared right, 443 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: who see for the first time that they are that 444 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: they are really on the precipice of losing the narrative 445 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 1: right and so back in the nineties, when Glisten was 446 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: found in back in nineteen ninety, it was fine right 447 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: to say that bullying is a part of life. Right. 448 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: It's like, yeah, hey, bullying happens, you shouldn't be gay anyway. 449 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,080 Speaker 1: And if it happens, yeah, yeah, tough enough, maybe you'll 450 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:36,000 Speaker 1: fix the problem. You know, you shouldn't be gay in 451 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: the first place. That is now no longer politically feasible. 452 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:41,959 Speaker 1: Right adults are no longer going to say that bullying 453 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 1: absolutely still happens. Targeting and harassment still happens, but no 454 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: one is defending it as if it should exist. Right. 455 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:50,479 Speaker 1: That's changed as a result of the work of Glisten 456 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: and so many other folks in the in this movement 457 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 1: to really change the narrative. And so now looking at 458 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 1: you know, nineteen ninety where it was also illegal to 459 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: be gay in you know, over half of the country 460 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 1: right with you, You couldn't be out and at work 461 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 1: and expect any kind of legal protections. You could expect 462 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 1: to be exercised and fired and targeted. And so the 463 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 1: world has has shifted significantly and meaningfully in that time, 464 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:16,720 Speaker 1: and there's still so much more to do. All this 465 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: to say that at this point, we continue to be 466 00:30:19,080 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: at an inflection point. We continue to be at a 467 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: point of tension where we cannot assume that progress is 468 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: inevitable or is going to happen without us fighting and 469 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 1: qulling for every single bit of advancement. And so, you know, 470 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: I think that I think that the good news is 471 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: that you know, um, it's no longer politically feasible to 472 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,360 Speaker 1: talk about you know, gay people and lesbian people shouldn't exist, 473 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: they're not natural, etc. But what they've done, this, what 474 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,320 Speaker 1: this um, what our political opponents have done is try 475 00:30:46,360 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: to peel off queer people, try to quear off try 476 00:30:49,200 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: to peel off trans people, and then at the at 477 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 1: the heart of that, try to peel off trans children. 478 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: It's like that is the that is the work of 479 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: a desperate and sick mind. That is the work in 480 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,960 Speaker 1: the approach of people who absolutely have no love or 481 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: compassion or connection to UM, to what it means to 482 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 1: be in community and what it means to have a child, 483 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 1: what it means to be in a family and to 484 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: and to know that everyone is inherently valuable UM and 485 00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:20,840 Speaker 1: that people's experiences, children deserve to grow into who they 486 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 1: are meant to be, not who you think they ought 487 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: to be. You know, you have the good fortune, your 488 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: organization has the good fortune of being able to be 489 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:35,520 Speaker 1: in community and conversation with young people across the country. 490 00:31:35,520 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: You have what over thirty chapters of of gsa UM. 491 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:46,680 Speaker 1: You know gender sexuality, you know groups and organizations where 492 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: young people can come and gather with with one another 493 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: and build community and feel a sense of safety. What 494 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: are some of the conversations that you can share with us? 495 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: Are some of the feelings some of the themes UM 496 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 1: that come up that have been coming up because I 497 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:04,959 Speaker 1: you know, I got to tell you, Melanie that I 498 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: wake up some days and I'm like, I'm really glad 499 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:10,240 Speaker 1: that I am not a young person. I am really, 500 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: you know it. Looking at the world and being at 501 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: an age where you were not able to vote, but 502 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 1: you were able to understand exactly what is happening and 503 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: exactly what forces are at play has got to be 504 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 1: a really scary position, right, and feel as if you 505 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 1: have absolutely no power and control over what is happening. 506 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 1: So what are some of the themes and things that 507 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:43,000 Speaker 1: have been coming up with young people over your tenure 508 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: thus far with glisten Yeah, and let me just say 509 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: at the outset that I know exactly what you're talking about. Right, 510 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,840 Speaker 1: that moment of I see the world legislating about me 511 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: and my sense telling me who I am and I'm 512 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: too young to participate. The story of my kind of 513 00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: initial politicization is from that exact moment, right, being six 514 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: months too young to vote in a thing that was 515 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,360 Speaker 1: you know, that had me and people look like me 516 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: at the crosshairs. And so two things. One, we have 517 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 1: local chapters in thirty eight locations across the country. Those 518 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:20,480 Speaker 1: are caring adults, educators, retirees, parents, community members right who 519 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 1: are looking to build safe, in affirming spaces for young 520 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: people and then also advocate locally and close by to 521 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: the school in their area to make sure that that 522 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 1: place is safe and affirming. And then there are GSAs 523 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 1: all over the country, thousands of them. And so here's 524 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 1: what I would offer in terms of the themes. I 525 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:40,680 Speaker 1: think the bad news is the stuff that we know, right, 526 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 1: the targeted or harassment, the bullying, the assaults. All of 527 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,360 Speaker 1: that happens both as young people, you know, between young 528 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: people and each other, but also from adults who frankly 529 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: no better. Right who are who are who are just 530 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,960 Speaker 1: doing the wrong thing. It's also true right that young 531 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: people that the fight for young people to be able 532 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 1: to access all parts of school life continues to be underway. Right. 533 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: Can I use a bathroom? Can I be on a 534 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: sports team? Can I participate? Can I like? Do I 535 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: have clubs and spaces that are affirming to me? Do 536 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:14,880 Speaker 1: I see myself in my curriculum? Right? So those are 537 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: the kind of the major themes in terms of interpersonal 538 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 1: harms and frustrations, etc. We also know because the pandemic, 539 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: that all of our mental health has suffered. Right. But 540 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,799 Speaker 1: as an adult, you and I have different ways of 541 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:30,200 Speaker 1: coping with that, at a different level of autonomy and independence. 542 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 1: And you know what is unfortunate is that this pandemic 543 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: has shown the kind of underlying fault lines of our society. Right, 544 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,160 Speaker 1: if you were doing okay before the pandemic, you're under 545 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 1: more stress, but you're probably gonna be doing okay after it. Right, 546 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,880 Speaker 1: But if you weren't doing okay, if you were just 547 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,280 Speaker 1: barely hanging on, if you if home wasn't a safe space, 548 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:51,320 Speaker 1: if school was your safe space, then things have gotten 549 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: materially and significantly worse because of the isolation and because 550 00:34:56,160 --> 00:34:59,840 Speaker 1: of these important spaces and supports being unavailable given the 551 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 1: public health crisis that we're in. And then here's what 552 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 1: the other thing I would say is that the benefit 553 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:07,600 Speaker 1: of this is, this is the key theme I think 554 00:35:07,600 --> 00:35:11,359 Speaker 1: that is super beautiful is that young people see the possibility. 555 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:14,440 Speaker 1: They see the possibility of this moment. Right you and 556 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:17,239 Speaker 1: I I think, you know, have a have a limitation 557 00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: because of you know, the years that we've lived, Like 558 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:20,920 Speaker 1: we see things that are possible. We know what we've 559 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 1: been through, We've you know, we've seen some things, so 560 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:25,160 Speaker 1: we think we know some things. These young people are like, 561 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 1: it doesn't have to be this way, and here's why, 562 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 1: and here's what it could be like right. So there's 563 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 1: a way in which um at glisten even though we 564 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: are you know, smarty pants adults working both upstream to 565 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: change the rules, to change to make sure that the 566 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 1: setting is right for young people to be able to 567 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 1: grow and learn in a way that is unaccosted, right, 568 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: that is free and liberated and liberating. We are also 569 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: the folks who are you know, sitting and standing shoulder 570 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 1: and shoulder with these young people, saying, what do you 571 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:52,799 Speaker 1: think we ought to be doing? What do you tell 572 00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: me what education ought to be like? You tell me 573 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:58,359 Speaker 1: what is what? What does safe and affirming mean to you? 574 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:01,120 Speaker 1: Because we've got our bright ideas, UM, But it's but 575 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: to me. I think that the key themes are that 576 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:06,320 Speaker 1: the stuff that we know is wrong is wrong. UM. 577 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: And they're young people are experiencing it, and however bad 578 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 1: the pandemic is for us adults, it's even harder on 579 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:16,240 Speaker 1: young people. And two, UM, it's that they are really 580 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: um tapped into the possibility to the beauty of what's 581 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 1: of what's possible. They see the foolishness that is going 582 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:24,839 Speaker 1: on around them for exactly what it is. It's like, 583 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 1: what is any of this right? It's a as a 584 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,520 Speaker 1: person who is kid free. Um. I enjoy young people 585 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:33,279 Speaker 1: like asking questions why. I know how difficult that could 586 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:34,880 Speaker 1: be for actual parents when you just want them to 587 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: take a bath or eat a meal. So I've got 588 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:40,919 Speaker 1: the anti privilege of being like on the side like, yeah, 589 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:46,920 Speaker 1: you should ask why so exactly? So I get to 590 00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: be inspired by young people and their questions and their critiques. Um. 591 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: And again it's the best job in the world, especial 592 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: job to have in the world. You know. I love 593 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:58,080 Speaker 1: the fact that you say, um, possibility, um, and and 594 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:00,760 Speaker 1: that is the lens at which they're seeing the world 595 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 1: through because you know, I asked a question earlier this 596 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,319 Speaker 1: week in an op ed that I wrote that was, 597 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:10,160 Speaker 1: you know, what does it mean to be an American? 598 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:12,799 Speaker 1: Right now? What does it mean to like if you 599 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:16,960 Speaker 1: have no shared values and morals anymore? Right, if we're 600 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:20,359 Speaker 1: not operating from the same foundation and base, which you know, 601 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: we can be honest about the fact that people of color, 602 00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:26,360 Speaker 1: queer people have never been operating from the same base. 603 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:29,400 Speaker 1: But there was always the essence of America has always 604 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,359 Speaker 1: been about the possibility of a thing. And I think 605 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 1: that when that is eroded, that is when we have deep, 606 00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:39,880 Speaker 1: deep issues, right, deep deep problems, and there's an erosion 607 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:44,319 Speaker 1: that is happening right now. But to hear that young 608 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 1: people can still look around and say, you know, just 609 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:50,440 Speaker 1: doesn't really have to be this way, you know, I 610 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 1: hope that they continue to hold that truth and don't 611 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: fall into the malaise of the status quo, because I 612 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 1: think that that is that's dangerous, right and and and 613 00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,279 Speaker 1: and that's what happens. We all are young, and we 614 00:38:05,360 --> 00:38:07,799 Speaker 1: feel like we can change a system. And then you 615 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:10,920 Speaker 1: realize that the system is a behemoth. Um, And you 616 00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:13,319 Speaker 1: can and you decide to pick your part that you 617 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:19,400 Speaker 1: want to invest in changing, um and and go from there. Um. Melanie, 618 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:23,239 Speaker 1: last question for you, what are your what are some 619 00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,279 Speaker 1: of your hopes and your vision as you take on 620 00:38:26,600 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 1: this new exciting role out of at this critical critical 621 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 1: juncture in our society. Yeah, you know, so there, I 622 00:38:36,440 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 1: would say kind of four top things. Right. So, we 623 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:42,720 Speaker 1: are a national organization that strives to have a local impact, 624 00:38:42,800 --> 00:38:44,839 Speaker 1: and I think that there's a way in which what 625 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 1: does it mean for us to have coordinated national campaigns, 626 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:52,839 Speaker 1: visibility impact and be in deep support partnership alliance with 627 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:56,359 Speaker 1: folks on the ground who understand the intricacies of what 628 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:58,520 Speaker 1: it means to be queer or trans in school in 629 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:02,120 Speaker 1: Kansas and in pix and in the Hudson Valley here 630 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:04,600 Speaker 1: in New York. Right, it's like we are we get 631 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 1: our power because of the expertise and the reach and 632 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 1: the connections of folks are at our grassroots. The other 633 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:14,200 Speaker 1: piece is, you know, it's good old organizing, right, it's 634 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 1: really about activating people. How are we getting our people 635 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:21,959 Speaker 1: connected to each other? Because the other side wins when 636 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:24,359 Speaker 1: we believe the lie that no one is like us, 637 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:27,640 Speaker 1: no one agrees with us, They're actually probably right where 638 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 1: something is wrong with us. It's like no, actually, there 639 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:31,839 Speaker 1: are more of them. There are more of us than 640 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,080 Speaker 1: there are of them. And when we connect our people 641 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:36,640 Speaker 1: and give them something to do that both makes them 642 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:40,360 Speaker 1: feel powerful and connects them with others, we're winning. The 643 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 1: other thing I would say is that we have to 644 00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:46,800 Speaker 1: be very clear around around our work to promote engage 645 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:50,680 Speaker 1: and expand civic participation. In civic engagement, right, this is 646 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:53,279 Speaker 1: not about like voting. And I know there was like 647 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 1: jokes on Twitter just a couple of weeks ago around 648 00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:58,879 Speaker 1: like ditties. You know, voter or diet campaign and so, 649 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,400 Speaker 1: but it really is around ongoing political and civic engagement. Right, 650 00:40:03,440 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: we have the fight is always happening. It's happening at 651 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:09,880 Speaker 1: every level. It's happening at the policy level at the 652 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 1: federal level, and it states it's happening in classrooms, it's 653 00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:15,880 Speaker 1: happening with people bringing guns to school board meetings. Right. 654 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:18,400 Speaker 1: What we have to do is not seed a single 655 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:21,680 Speaker 1: inch to folks who are who are committed to and 656 00:40:21,719 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: are vocal about silencing, harming, targeting LGBTQ plus kids, transgender 657 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:31,799 Speaker 1: and gender and gender expansive kids and BIPOP kids who 658 00:40:31,800 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: are all of those folks right and beyond. And so 659 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:37,279 Speaker 1: we have to get really clear that this is not 660 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:39,600 Speaker 1: just about voting. We have to get really clear that 661 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:42,600 Speaker 1: politics is local, politics is everywhere, and we have to 662 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 1: stay in the fight all the time. And then I 663 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,600 Speaker 1: think we've got to be also clear and unapologetic about 664 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:52,240 Speaker 1: our demand to increase and expand safety. Every child should 665 00:40:52,239 --> 00:40:55,520 Speaker 1: be able to go to school free an environment that's 666 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:57,560 Speaker 1: free from harm. Not only free from harm, but we 667 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:00,120 Speaker 1: know that I'm not going to learn, You're not I'm 668 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:02,440 Speaker 1: gonna learn if I'm worried about if I'm hungry, if 669 00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:05,879 Speaker 1: I'm worried about who's gonna attack me, harass me, etc. 670 00:41:06,520 --> 00:41:08,720 Speaker 1: If I think that, you know, the way that someone 671 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:11,560 Speaker 1: reads my face might get a school resource officer or 672 00:41:11,560 --> 00:41:13,560 Speaker 1: some other adult with a weapon to come in and 673 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:16,439 Speaker 1: handle me, I'm not going to be available to learn. 674 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:18,200 Speaker 1: So what does it mean for us to increase and 675 00:41:18,239 --> 00:41:21,799 Speaker 1: expand safety so that kids are in their minds and 676 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:25,840 Speaker 1: their hearts and their bodies are safe, are open to 677 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:29,040 Speaker 1: take in learning. And so I think that that's those 678 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:32,320 Speaker 1: are really the big directions moving forward. It's like local 679 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: to national to local impact, people activation, civic participation, and engagement, 680 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 1: particularly because young people see the future, young people see 681 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:42,920 Speaker 1: the possibility, and young people have not had to choose 682 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:45,320 Speaker 1: their part yet and like, Okay, I'm going to survive, 683 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:46,760 Speaker 1: So I've got to be a part of the system 684 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:49,440 Speaker 1: in this way right while trying to maintain their humanity. 685 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,719 Speaker 1: They are still pure and untouched right by the cynicism 686 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:55,600 Speaker 1: that comes with that comes with life and experience. And 687 00:41:55,640 --> 00:41:58,239 Speaker 1: then we have to be really again, really unapologetic and 688 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,040 Speaker 1: really clear around what it means pretty safety and expand 689 00:42:01,040 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 1: safety for every single student, particularly students who are LGBTQ 690 00:42:05,560 --> 00:42:08,640 Speaker 1: plus that's our focus. But we also have to we 691 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: also understand at the heart of all that it's about 692 00:42:11,239 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 1: racial justice, it's about gender justice, it's about disability justice. 693 00:42:14,239 --> 00:42:16,560 Speaker 1: Because if you are a student of color, if you 694 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 1: are gender expansive, if you are a person with a 695 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:23,640 Speaker 1: disability or divergent or diverse, you are more likely to 696 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:26,080 Speaker 1: be targeted. We're likely to be pushed out of school, 697 00:42:26,400 --> 00:42:29,680 Speaker 1: less likely to be served. And again, queer kids are 698 00:42:29,719 --> 00:42:32,680 Speaker 1: all kids, every single kind of kid. Our kids come 699 00:42:32,680 --> 00:42:35,760 Speaker 1: from every single community and so and so all kids 700 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:38,640 Speaker 1: are in our remit. All kids are part of our 701 00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 1: part of our charge, and so so we're out here 702 00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:45,960 Speaker 1: doing I'm really excited. I'm excited for you, I'm excited 703 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:48,479 Speaker 1: for the organization. I'm excited for all of us who 704 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:54,760 Speaker 1: have been on the periphery of working with Glisten and 705 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:59,240 Speaker 1: just you know, queer adults who are you know, frankly 706 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:04,640 Speaker 1: really concerned um about about our youth. Uh And I 707 00:43:04,640 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 1: don't think that we have these conversations enough. So I 708 00:43:07,080 --> 00:43:09,839 Speaker 1: hope Melanie, that you will make time to come back 709 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:14,319 Speaker 1: to woke ap Um and continue the conversation with us 710 00:43:14,320 --> 00:43:17,319 Speaker 1: about what folks can do to make sure that we 711 00:43:17,360 --> 00:43:22,840 Speaker 1: are uplifting and supporting young people in these deeply challenging times. Yeah, 712 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:25,839 Speaker 1: thank you so much for having me. It's been it's 713 00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:28,320 Speaker 1: been a real honor to meet you, to get to 714 00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: talk and to be to be here with you. So 715 00:43:31,000 --> 00:43:33,440 Speaker 1: um and invite me back anytime and I'll make it 716 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 1: happen so wonderful. And also, folks should go to glisson 717 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,280 Speaker 1: dot org to figure out how they can get connected 718 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:46,680 Speaker 1: and plugs in fantastic. That is it for me today, 719 00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:50,600 Speaker 1: dear friends on woke app as always, power to the 720 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:53,759 Speaker 1: people and to all the people. Power, get woke and 721 00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:55,239 Speaker 1: stay woke as fuck.