Speaker 0 00:00:00 I'm Anthony Galloway, senior partner at Dros Group, and pastor of St. Mark, a m e Church in Duluth, Minnesota.
Speaker 2 00:00:08 I'm Don Eubanks, associate of Dros Group and member of the Miax Banner, Ojibwe Indians.
Speaker 3 00:00:14 And I'm Holly Lee, owner of the other Media Group, VP of Programming for Ampers and Counter Stirs producer.
Speaker 4 00:00:20 And I'm thanks to Victor Yang, uh, community Engagement, assistant manager over at Kappi U S a.
Speaker 5 00:00:26 Victor, thanks so much for all the work that you and your colleagues do at kappi U S A, uh, that goes beyond the civic engagement that we learned about, um, today. This has been counter stories, uh, and we'll see you next time.
Speaker 1 00:00:39 This
Speaker 5 00:00:40 Has been counter Stories, a call production of the Counter Stories crew and Ampers Diverse Radio for Minnesota's communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. For our full conversation, please visit counter stories.com.
Speaker 8 00:01:03 The viewpoints expressed in this program are the opinions of the people expressing them and are not necessarily those of Fresh Air Incorporated its staff or its board of directors.
Speaker 6 00:01:23 You can burn a whole thing down. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, we can burn a whole thing down. Couldn't care about a another zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn our own thing down. Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it burn. Extended quill. Yeah, I bet you will try to skip a They've been lynching nuts and till and that's really freaking generous cuz honestly, they have been killing us since we were property. No stopping me from saying how it is.
Speaker 7 00:02:02 Views from the ground,
Speaker 9 00:02:03 Views from, from the damn ground
Speaker 7 00:02:04 Views, from the ground
Speaker 9 00:02:05 Views, from the damn
Speaker 7 00:02:06 Ground views, from the ground
Speaker 9 00:02:08 Views from the damn
Speaker 7 00:02:09 Ground. And that's on that, on that, on that. All right. I am dj. This is your agender host. Uh, I use they them pronouns. My
Speaker 9 00:02:19 Name is Brandon. I use he him pronouns.
Speaker 7 00:02:21 Yeah, we're um, here on another episode of Views from the Ground. Views
Speaker 9 00:02:25 From the damn Ground.
Speaker 7 00:02:27 And, uh, um, so yeah, we are, um, here during pledge drive. Um, so we wanna make sure we continue to support Cafe I, uh, and everything that they, uh, do for the community. And so if we, if you want to keep supporting program like this, you need to call 6 1 2 3 7 5 9 0 3 0. Once again, that's 6 1 2 3 7 5 9 0 3 0. You can also go to cafe i.org org, um, on the worldwide web and become a reoccurring member too. Um, set up auto payments. So, um, with that being said, um, today we're going to get straight into, um, our interview, uh, today. Uh, I have my friend Simian.
Speaker 10 00:03:17 Hi, my name is Simeon. Pronouns are he, him.
Speaker 7 00:03:21 Uh, and so Simeon does a lot of work in the movement and does a lot of behind the scenes stuff. And so I just want the, uh, bring you in and, you know, and so we could talk about it. So, so what really got you into activism?
Speaker 10 00:03:38 Um, well my story of getting involved in activism is, um, pretty similar to a lot of people's that I've heard recently or people that I've interacted with in the movement, especially a lot of white people. Um, I had seen, you know, I had seen things on the news that, um, that moved me, um, that, uh, people experiencing injustice and oppression. Um, but I'd never really done anything to act on that conviction or whatever you wanna call it. Um, and um, in 2018, I moved to Min to the Twin Cities from a small town. Um, and I was living in South Minneapolis in May, 2020 when the police killed George Floyd. Um, and I think what was different, unfortunately, it's, it's sad to say, but what was different, um, was I think the proximity to, um, to it knowing that, that the police lynched him just down the road from where I lived.
Speaker 10 00:04:44 Um, and that he literally could have been my next door neighbor. And, um, I'd been in contact with a friend of mine who's been a mentor for many years, um, a brilliant black author creator, um, creative who had lived in the cities as well previously. Um, and we were talking about the community response to, to what had happened. And she gave me some links for like Facebook pages and Twitter accounts and like, um, other activists to follow, um, to stay like involved with what was going on. Um, and because of Covid there was also a lot of, um, like mutual aid, a lot of people doing community support with, um, getting people's needs met when they weren't able to get things like diapers and baby food from Target. So there's a lot of like, need for people to act. And I, I did and, um, ended up going to like several protests going to like, supply drives, um, just like responding to like Facebook posts from strangers saying like, this family here needs these groceries or something. Um, and yeah, just kind of went from there.
Speaker 7 00:05:58 Yeah. Um, and so from there, uh, you, you ended up joining, uh, organization. Yep. Um, justice Frontline Aid.
Speaker 10 00:06:09 Yep. Justice Frontline Aid or J F A, um, was an organization that was started in 2020 in May, um, by a couple friends who
Speaker 10 00:06:18 Were, um, near the area where, where a protest had happened or was happening. And um, at this point, I think it was like the 27th or something the, so like the second or third day of the uprising, um, and the National Guard had come through the area and there was a medic station, um, or a spot where a bunch of medics were at least, um, that had been abandoned cuz they, they left when the National Guard and Riot cops came through with like, live ammunition and stuff. Um, and when there were fires nearby and these two friends, um, Matt Allen, Des Chan Sanchez were like, we gotta, like, we can't just leave this stuff here. This is important stuff. People need this. It was like eye wash for, you know, washing and tear gas out of people's eyes. Um, it was like goggles for protecting from mason rubber bullets and then like first aid kits, um, gauze and stuff for, for treating wounds.
Speaker 10 00:07:09 And they called a couple people that they knew that also had medical experience, um, set up a canopy tent and us put a, a sign that said like first aid tent and started organizing the supplies and then people kept bringing more supplies and people that needed medical attention would come through. Um, and it grew from there. And they ended up, uh, using a, a warehouse that, that somebody had let them use to like, as a storage location. And they also like started working with mutual aid folks and organizations to get the excess distributed. And, um, so in like June at a protest at the second pre, or no, was that the, the police union building? Um, in north Minneapolis? Um, I was, I was feeling even more like the desire to do more, um, because I had started to like act and it, it, um, I wa yeah, I, I I felt like I wanted to do more and I saw these people in high visibility vests handing out water and Gatorade and, uh, taking care of people, you know, like sh helping shut down the streets safely and stuff.
Speaker 10 00:08:13 And I walked up to one of them, I said, Hey, I, I see you guys are doing something. Um, how could I, is there something like this that I can do? Or I'm trying to like get more involved and do more, um, cuz I feel like I need to. And, and they were like, yeah, we're in this group called Jfa and you should send us a message. And, um, the next week or few days afterwards, I went to another protest with them and then ended up having like a two hour long conversation with one of the founders Dechen. Um, and she explained a lot of kind of their, their ideas and brainstorming stuff that they'd had for how to like continue growing the organization and bringing more people in and being more efficient. And a lot of it was like a bunch of ideas and like information and like communication methods that were all all kind of a jumble cuz they were like using Facebook chats at the time and you know, like some Google drives or whatever.
Speaker 10 00:08:59 And I was like, well, I work in it, I know how to organize stuff and um, I'm good with spreadsheets, uh, I could do some of that sort of stuff. And, um, they were like, yeah, please. So I jumped on board and, and helped on kind of the organization building side of things. And yeah, I've been doing that for the last two years, um, kind of specializing in like the it and communications side of things. So, um, there's a, there's a big need for, um, people with experience with like security, um, and privacy, like digital privacy. Um, because there are a lot of, a lot of people in positions of power, um, and a lot of people in positions of influence, um, who see the fight for justice, um, as disruptive and don't want the status quo to be changed. Um, and don't want the, the roots of capitalist exploitation to be shaken.
Speaker 10 00:09:53 Um, and so there's a, a huge need for people that work in the space of activism or whatever you wanna call it, um, that oppose those, those actors or that are in opposition to those forces of, of, of oppression. Um, there's a need for people's information to be safe and to be private and um, um, for people to be able to build power, um, without becoming targets. And so that was one of the big things that I focused on was like, how do we keep track of a group of people in a safe and anonymous way or secure way so that people's privacy, um, is respected, um, and how do we communicate effectively with a, you know, large group of people. Um, especially when, you know, there was like protests multiple times a week on a regular basis and other needs that Jfa had stepped into meeting.
Speaker 10 00:10:47 Um, so yeah, like, um, some of my programming experience, some of my web development experience, my love for spreadsheets and uh, shared calendars came into, came into use and it's been an opportunity too to kind of develop those skills and to share those skills with other people as well, to bring other people in to, to manage things like our group chats and, um, our, our data management. And, um, yeah, it, it was, it was fortuitous and I'm really glad that I was able to connect with them cuz I was not only able to continue like acting on my beliefs, but I was also able to use the skills that I already had to, to, to further the power of the people.
Speaker 7 00:11:29 Yeah. And, and I just think that's like real cool because like when we talk about supporting the movement, right? A lot of people say, you know, I can't make protests, it's too late or it's too hard on my feet, or I can't do that, you know, and, and, and I, and I really wanna drive it home to people that there's all types of ways to contribute to the movement, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, you know, like you're saying, being able to do, um, computer science work and making websites and doing data security. Those are things like where I meet computer science people where I feel like they don't, they wouldn't even consider that. Right? Right. Like, yeah. Um, and so I think that's super cool are managing Excel spreadsheets and, and calendars and stuff like that mm-hmm. <affirmative> like these are things that are really important. Um, we have a lot of art that happens in the movement and, um, making flyers that happen and, you know, um, you know, even people who put up like Facebook events, um,
Speaker 10 00:12:29 Yeah, even just like general communication, like there's, there's needs that need to be met all the time, especially in underserved communities like the community that I live in. Um, and there's people that can meet those needs and bridging that gap is, is the, the, is a huge hurdle, but doesn't require much of any kind of specialized experience. If you can use a phone, if you can text people, if you can use a group chat, um, you can be, you can be involved in that. You can, you can jump into mutual aid, you can jump into community support and community care and, um, yeah. That, that barrier is something that I always overestimated In the past, I always thought that activism was a title, but it's, it's not, it's a, something you do. So I, yeah, I I also wanna encourage people that like, there is, there's a need for all kinds of experience, all kinds of skillsets.
Speaker 10 00:13:22 Um, and yeah, you can, you can do it. You just gotta do it. That, that's the big thing for me is I, I had felt the need to act or felt the responsibility or the conviction to act, but until, until 2020 I didn't. But what made the difference was I, I acted, I had encouragement and empowerment from other people in my life that, that showed me the direction to go and I went. And yeah, I encourage everybody to kind of, to reflect on that. It's not, it's not something you have to sign up for, it's not something you have to be prepared for. Like, you know, it's important to be intentional, but it's also important to, to not hesitate.
Speaker 7 00:14:00 Yeah. Um, and so, um, tell us about, um, recently some of what you've been doing and, um, how you've been contributing now.
Speaker 10 00:14:10 Yeah. So recently, um, for listeners of the show last week, um, or the week two weeks ago, um, there were some unhoused people that were talking about, um, their experience in the area. Um, and I've, through Jfa I've been involved with supporting unhoused people, um, in various ways. Um, I've also just on my own gone to encampments when they've been evicted to help people like move their things, um, to film the police and hold them accountable. Um, but yeah, uh, two weeks ago when the police and city workers evicted three camps in one day, um, I, in a, in a group chat with some mutual aid friends, I had expressed just my disgust and, and rage and somebody else expressed the same sentence or sentiment and they were like, we, we gotta do something about this. And I was like, let's do something about this.
Speaker 10 00:15:04 And so, um, started, you know, throwing ideas around, um, talking on house people about how we could support them and how we could advocate with them and, um, and make the changes that that, that are long overdue. Um, and, and so we yeah, organize the supply drive to, you know, first and foremost just meet people's basic material needs of food, water, shelter, giving them tents, blankets, sleeping bags to, you know, make it through the winter. Cause a lot of their stuff had gotten destroyed and the encampment evictions or so-called evictions. Um, and yeah, I, a lot of the experiences that I've had up into that point with, with justice frontline aid, um, had put me in proximity of organizers. Um, and I'd worked with them, you know, to, to make protests happen and stuff. And so I I, I was familiar with how, you know, community organizing specifically like protest organizing worked.
Speaker 10 00:16:06 Um, so it wasn't a huge like, change or like jump to go from helping with that, to actually kind of being one of the driving forces behind it, or like making it happen and keeping track of all the stuff. But, um, yeah, the day after the, the day after we decided to do that, um, DJ got outta jail and I was like, Hey, dj, so we might have started planning at protests, you wanna help? And they were like, yep, I'm on board. What were you doing when and where? So I appreciate your empowerment and the empowerment I've gotten from so many other people to, to, to step into this and to yeah. Continue supporting my community like that.
Speaker 7 00:16:44 Yeah. And so, yeah, I, so yeah, I just, I, I think it's important to highlight that, you know, there are a lot of different roles in, uh, jobs that you can do in the movement mm-hmm. <affirmative> to help support, um, you know, your neighbor in the fight for black and indigenous and, uh, class liberation and so mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so I, I think that's real important. And, you know, and also realizing that those, you know, sh shift and change, you know, throughout and you know, it's fluid. You know, you're not locked into anything forever, so. Yep. Yeah. Thank you so much for coming on the show, Simeon. We really appreciate
Speaker 10 00:17:27 It. Thanks for having me. Yeah.
Speaker 11 00:17:30 Fall a time for crunching leaves, migrating birds and screwing squirrels. There's a nip in the air and a hayride waiting for you, a time for tricks, treats, and trips to the apple orchard. Kfa i's fall pledge drive is coming, and just like that perfect fall day when the sun is warm and the air is cool, you don't want to wait for it, the kids need costumes.
Speaker 12 00:17:53 Hey, where's the rake?
Speaker 11 00:17:55 The bulbs be planting. So go to kfa i.org and click donate to make it a perfect fall.
Speaker 12 00:18:06 Programming on K F E I is sponsored by Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington County's energy assistance program. The Energy Assistance program helps low-income households pay a portion of their heating bills. We assist Ramsey and Washington County residents with home energy payments, energy crises, and emergency furnace repairs. We also offer referrals to the Home Weatherization program. Call 6 5 1 6 4 5 6 4 7 0 or visit the
[email protected] for more information on how to apply.
Speaker 7 00:18:41 All right, so we're back here on views from the ground. Views
Speaker 9 00:18:44 From the damn
Speaker 7 00:18:44 Ground. And, uh, yeah, uh, we just got done with an excellent interview, uh, with Simeon. And, uh, just want to remind people, um, that, you know, we do, uh, a lot of activism. We also like to support a lot of local artists and, uh, uh, local poets. And that's what you get when you tune in the views from the ground, views
Speaker 9 00:19:05 From the damn
Speaker 7 00:19:05 Ground. So, um, just re uh, mining people. We are doing pledge drive and the people want to pledge their support. They can call 6 1 2 3 7 5 9 0 3 0. Once again, that's 6 1 2 3 7 5 9 0 3 0, or you can go to cafe ai do org. With that being said, I'm gonna hand it off to Brandon so you can start the interview.
Speaker 9 00:19:28 Yeah. So, uh, this past month on Words of Freedom, we've been listening to beautiful, amazing poetry by none other than the person I have sitting next to me. If you wanna go ahead and introduce yourself to the people.
Speaker 13 00:19:40 Hi. Uh, my name is Rosemary Ale. I am a Togolese American poet based in St. Paul.
Speaker 9 00:19:50 Well, thank you for being here. We're glad to have you on with us. Um, yeah, so we're just gonna talk a little bit about, you know, you as an artist, you and your poetry journey. You know, if you look her up on Instagram, you'll see professional writer and poet in the bio. You know, that's not something a lot of people got there, so, you know, we got someone that's really cool, really dope in here with us. So I guess let's take it all, all the way back. How did you first find yourself like, becoming an artist? Or when did you first find yourself like, using art as kind of the way you use it now? Uh, when was that first time, whether it was poetry or writing or not, if it was something different? When, when, can you think of a time where you started to really go to art?
Speaker 13 00:20:32 Um, I always say that I kind of found the art of like, the word and pen when I started learning English. So originally I'm from Togo, west Africa, and I moved here in 2000 thousand six. And so moving here I had to learn English mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And like, through that process, I think I was just like, it was very, um, it was something that came easy to me and it was very much like encouraged because, you know, America. But, um, for me, learning to like express myself and having people understand me, um, it felt good. And I think also as a child I really journaled mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, pretty early on because I'm like very sensitive and emotional and I need to process things. So it became like a way for me to process. And so that's like the way I really first started writing. And then later on it became more creative as time went on and I learned about like how to write short stories and how to write like poetry. And then like, I was a speech kid in high school for one year, and that's when I really started sharing stuff. And then that was kind of my gateway to spoken word.
Speaker 9 00:21:46 Yeah. I was gonna ask you kind of answer my next, next question already, how it kind of transitioned from journaling into poetry, but you said you got more creative and then you were on speech team and, uh, and that one untitled piece you had, you talked about, um, you were writing for all the years that you didn't, you were writing because, you know, your mom found your journal and you read your journal mm-hmm. <affirmative> Journal and read your journal journal and stuff like that. Yeah. And, uh, so yeah, it, it's always a cool process seeing someone, I mean, you talked about it in your art and you've talked about it now, how you started just writing as an outlet and then kind of turned it into something to share to people. Um, with that, you know, there's always like some insecurity being an artist. Um, when was the first time that you did something and you were like, I don't care what nobody says. That was dope. Like, y'all can hate it. I know that was dope, but I know you're gonna love it anyway. When was like the first time that comes to your mind where you put something out there and you were like, yeah, that was hard? Ooh.
Speaker 13 00:22:47 Um,
Speaker 13 00:22:50 I'd say like the first times, like I, so like taking it back to speech mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so my senior year of high school I was on the speech team and my category was creative expression because it was the only one where you could write something of your own mm-hmm. <affirmative> and then use it mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and so I ended up taking that and it was like 10 minutes. So like these things were timed. And so I ended up taking a poem I wrote for a speech team and turning it into a three minute slam poem. Um, and the reason I did that was because my first year of college, um, I wa entered the, um, true art speaks, like be heard mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, poetry slam series, and so like Jones mm-hmm. <affirmative> <laugh>. And so I had to, um, take something.
Speaker 13 00:23:36 I, I wanted to take something I already had and like craft it into like a spoken word piece mm-hmm. <affirmative> in that way. And, um, I think taking like, something that I, I literally started working on when I was like 17 and then like finishing it when I was like around 19. And then I kept editing it so it didn't finish until I was like 20. And I was like, this took a minute, but like, this is one of my favorite pieces. And it was also one, um, it's called, it's called Interrogative. And it was the one where I, um, talked about my, basically me processing, like the first time somebody called me at the N word mm-hmm. <affirmative> when I was 12 and it was like on Facebook mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And, um, it took me a long time to like even process that and then turn it into something to share. So Yeah.
Speaker 9 00:24:22 Yeah. I think that was actually the first time I saw you perform was at a Jen Delta Ray's, uh, poetry slam. Mm-hmm. And I think you did that piece, um, cause I remember you talking about the back and forth, back and forth mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, what was the process like turning something that was obviously very hard and traumatic and like kind of put life as a black person into perspective? What was the process like of experiencing that and then turning it into this art that you then share with people? If what, what was your process behind doing that?
Speaker 13 00:25:00 Um, I think my process really starts with me feeling connected. Um, feeling connected in what I'm to what I'm talking about, but also speaking on things that are gonna connect me to other people. Cuz that's really, I feel like one of the most important like parts of creating anything and specifically creating art is because it's like I'm writing this so that other people also understand like that I'm having this experience and what this experience is like, but also when other people are experiencing things similar to me mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it's like we have that connecting point. We're building, you know, understanding, we're building empathy. Um, so I totally forgot the question.
Speaker 9 00:25:43 <laugh>, I like your process behind that. Oh
Speaker 13 00:25:45 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Turning that trauma
Speaker 9 00:25:47 Into
Speaker 13 00:25:47 Art. Yeah. So my process really always, there's like two ways I write when I am, I can't do anything else. So like, I'm experiencing this thing and it's like affecting me. It's affecting my whole body. I'm feeling it and I need to get it out of my body. And so, um, just like writing it down, like not even thinking about it, kind of a stream of consciousness, like that's like one of the ways that I process things. And then, um, other ways is coming back to things like years later. And so with that poem like that happened when I was 12 and I didn't write about it until I was 17. And I was thinking about what's important to me, what's something that I want to talk about also, what's something that has happened to me that I didn't really like process or get over or understand how it affected me.
Speaker 13 00:26:39 And so really drawing from my own experiences in like, very like, intentional ways mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, is like a huge part of my process. Um, I'm also really methodical sometimes <laugh> with it mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So it, it really varies cuz with some of my poems, um, for example, f your Apple pie, like I was commissioned to write that for a podcast and so I had a topic and the topic was like America mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I brought it back to myself cuz I always like to feel connected to what I'm doing. So I was like, okay, what's my experience? When did I first interact with America in the first place? And so I started it back in two, in 2006 and Minnesota win greeted me like that was mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, you know, where it started. And then I wanted to integrate my own experiences, but also I always integrate, not always, but I try to integrate, um, history and facts mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so like in that poem, I think it's like really, um, it's more clear than in other ones where I'm talking about, oh, armed force located in 70 different countries and I'm giving people tidbits of myself, but also of like American history mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like all of that. So in some ways sometimes my art is like, has a very specific way I go about it and I'm like, I wanna include this. I wanna use the national anthem. I wanna like, had to
Speaker 9 00:28:05 Put the vocals in there too. You know, it's just a little sprinkle on there. I Yeah. We hear it. We hear it. Um, so you, like you say, proudly in your bio professional writer and poet, um, can you, when you talk about your process and you being methodical, um, when you have like an idea, does it come as like, oh, I'm gonna do this as a poem? Because I assume you do other forms of writing, so I know you do essays and stuff like that mm-hmm. <affirmative>, how does it kind of, does it just turn into what it turns into or are you kind of like, this is going to be this form of writing, this is going to be this thing? Or like what's your process behind that part of it?
Speaker 13 00:28:43 Um, it's pretty open, but I will say it depends on how much I want to or how, how ready I am to, um, be vulnerable. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I think what I like about poetry is what I've, what I've always liked about portrait is like, I'm trying to say a lot of things and for me it's always in as little words as possible. And so like, it's like I want to, you know, share this experience, but I'm not trying to like bear my whole soul here mm-hmm. <affirmative> so I can, you know, do that in like a shorter form and use like the specific details that I do want to divulge. Um, and then when it's essays, um, I have one essay that I've had like published and it's called Wash Day and it's about my hair journey and it's like the, this like three part essay. And that was like the first time that I really went into detail about like my childhood and my relationship with my mother and just like a little bit, like, I don't even go too deep into it and I use like a lot of metaphors to like, talk about things without being, you know, too vulnerable, which is something I'm still working on. Um, yeah.
Speaker 9 00:30:01 Got you. Um, so you have a degree, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative> went to college. What is your degree in?
Speaker 13 00:30:08 My degree is in English, uh, with a concentration in professional writing.
Speaker 9 00:30:14 Got you. So it's rightfully in the bio professional writing mm-hmm.
Speaker 7 00:30:19 <affirmative> with professional writing as a Yeah. It almost seems kind of redundant.
Speaker 13 00:30:24 <laugh>. Yeah. Just a little. I am still not sure exactly what it means, <laugh>, but I know that it says it on there and I can put it on stuff. You
Speaker 9 00:30:34 Go girl. So, and she getting commissioned. So that's it. That's professional. That's bringing some income, you know what I'm saying? She's making a, I love it. I love it. <laugh>, <laugh>. Um, do you, so you as 17 year old you in speech team and you've journaled and you are starting to perform. How much do you think that college degree and college education shaped your writing, um, moving forward from where you are now, from then to where you are now?
Speaker 13 00:31:03 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I think
Speaker 13 00:31:07 It, it definitely made me more competent, but I think part of what really helped me grow was the critical thinking that I did. Um, and that's kind of part of why I really enjoy English as a subject and I was like, that's what I wanna study. And people were like, how are you gonna make money? I was like, I don't know, but I'm not spending four years not having a good time and doing something I enjoy. And so, um, my college experience was really taking a lot of classes where I was reading things, right? We were reading James Baldwin and we were reading, um, all these like amazing, well, not just Bipo artists mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I was intentional about like taking those classes and being in those spaces and dissecting their work and learning from them and doing the pulling things out. And like, yes, they're saying these things and they're using art to talk about social justice and talk about, you know, all these experiences that Bipo people have that I'm not gonna find in other texts.
Speaker 13 00:32:10 And so that really, um, shaped how I went about writing from then forward. Not always, but it definitely, I think instilled like the, I want to also educate while I'm sharing myself mm-hmm. <affirmative> and like inspiring and all of those things. So I think it really added that to me and that's why I find myself, um, doing things like in educator roles here and there. Like, like for example right now I'm, um, facilitating a creative writing class for youth through the Minnesota, um, African American museum and gallery. And that's been like really awesome just having all the, like it's a group of black girls and we get together every Saturday for three hours and we have guests like, um, poets come in and like talk to them and they're always ready to write. And you know, giving them that outlet even if they don't see themselves as writers. And to this day we've been doing this for almost 10 weeks and some of them are still like, I'm not a writer. And then they'll like spend two hours writing something and just like being able to pass that on. Um, I definitely thank my college experience for that. Okay. Yeah.
Speaker 9 00:33:28 That's super cool. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so you've talked about how you are an immigrant mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you've talked about, uh, or we see that you are a beautiful black woman, um, living in the United States. Uh, we hear your pieces and we hear about your life experience thrown into those pieces. And then we hear about your work that you're doing now. Um, how important is it to one, share those experiences into your art? Cuz you know, a lot of times artists or black artists in particular, not that they have this expectation or anything, but like a lot of times there are certain things that we talk about and we continue to talk about. And what is the importance of it for you and including those themes in your work? And then also what do you, how important do you think it is that you have more people like you doing like the teaching and that type of work that you're doing? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>?
Speaker 13 00:34:25 Yeah. Um, I think I'm still finding the balance between talking about, or I guess I'm still trying to find the balance between creating art that is really influenced by my minoritized identities and then creating art that's like, oh, I got my heart broken. Like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, and I find it really, I feel like we're as like black artists, like, it's almost like easier to talk about our experiences as black people. I feel like I can do that and be vulnerable in that way, but like, I don't want to talk about my other feelings, <laugh>, I'll do that. And so that's something I've been trying to work on and like write those things even though if I'm not ready to share them yet. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and then I also think it's insanely important for, um, people who look like me to be in spaces with, um, youth and whether it's in the education system or just in spaces that are meant for educating.
Speaker 13 00:35:36 Um, because one, for them it's like, it changes their perspectives in ways that we don't get to see right away. And I think that's something like I've, um, learned to appreciate is that like, I'm doing this work and I'm there with them now, but 10 years later, like they might be, you know, remembering like what I taught them in the conversations that we had in the spaces that we're in and that might influence like what they do in the future and how they feel about themselves in spaces that aren't, you know, um, focused on their wellbeing and their experiences as like black youth Bipo youth. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah.
Speaker 9 00:36:16 Got you. Um, so you've done a bunch of dope things, too
Speaker 13 00:36:22 Many things,
Speaker 9 00:36:23 <laugh>, you've done so many cool things. Um, but I always like to ask, what's something that you have yet to accomplish artistically that you would love to one day near future far? Future
Speaker 13 00:36:36 Far future or
Speaker 9 00:36:38 Near, whichever, however you wanna take it.
Speaker 13 00:36:40 Um, I'd say definitely say a book of some sort. Um, I was really ambitious going into college. I was like, by the end of these four years I'm gonna have a poetry book, like ready to publish. I don't know why I thought that. It definitely, like, it does not work like that, but that's still, um, a goal of mine and I think I've gotten a lot more patient about it and realize that by the time that it actually happens, I'm going to grow so much as an artist and the way that I write that it, I'm gonna be a lot more proud of it than if I had somehow managed to put something out like a year or two ago. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, yeah.
Speaker 9 00:37:22 Very cool. Um, so you are a professional writer and poet, so like those are two, they're similar lanes but different. Yeah. Are there any other artistic lanes? I mean, we heard the little vocals, you know what I'm saying? Are there any other artistic lanes that you would like to go toward or maybe try, whether it be music or other types of like visual art or graphic art or anything like that?
Speaker 13 00:37:46 Um, I don't know how past like hobby I'd go with these cuz I was really, um, into photography and I still like, I like taking pictures of other people and capturing those. Um, I'm pretty decent with iMovie so I like putting things together. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like that sometimes. Um, but I think writing's always gonna be at the top of my list. Yeah.
Speaker 9 00:38:10 Got you. Um, if you could, I know was I said I was gonna ask too hard or difficult of questions mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but this is like always challenging to answer. It's a two part question. You can answer whichever is easier. Or first, what is your favorite part about being an artist and what is your least favorite part of being an artist?
Speaker 13 00:38:35 Um, that's actually not that hard for me because I feel like this is stuff I've thought about <laugh>. Um, my, uh, favorite part about being an artist, um, in like this like weird human like selfish way is feeling understood and feeling like, oh, like I experienced this thing and I just felt like so alone, but I'm, I'm sharing it and people actually get me and people actually get what I'm coming from and like where there's, there's this collective, you know, empathy and understanding and support happening here. And I'm like, not alone. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I think the hardest part is sharing. Yeah. <laugh>. Yeah. It's scary. It's like, it's, it's, I'm like, sometimes I'm like, I I like this. I don't want how I feel about it to change based on, you know, what somebody else thinks of it. Um, so yeah.
Speaker 9 00:39:41 Well in, in to uplift you. Um, I've never seen you get onto a stage and not have everyone's attention. I've never seen you say something and people aren't like, yeah, that was cold. Yeah, that was dope. So I mean, I know it's hard being vulnerable and sharing and stuff, but I, you ain't letting nobody down yet. Um,
Speaker 13 00:40:00 Appreciate
Speaker 9 00:40:01 <laugh> and going off of that, being an artist, you know, a local artist or none of, we all have potential to be big name artist, whatever that everyone knows. But for someone who's here, what does support look or feel like to you where you are now in your stage of career? How can someone best support you or what does that look like? What does it feel like? Mm.
Speaker 13 00:40:32 Um, I think showing up, um, is really warms me I think cuz like growing up I would like have things and my mom would have to work and not be there. So people literally physically, like being at Poetry Slams or being at shows, um, really means a lot to me. I'm still like getting comfortable with that, but um, I know that, that it's something good and something to be appreciated. And then I think opportunities, um, I think something that always really makes me feel supported is when people see things, um, and send them to me and they're like, Hey, I think you should, you know, submit your poem to this or I think you should apply for this position. Or I think like, you would be a dope artist to be featured here and all of that. Like it one, it makes me feel, um, like people are looking out for me even if like I'm not, you know, in the room mm-hmm. <affirmative> or I'm not seeing this. Um, yeah.
Speaker 9 00:41:33 Very cool. Yeah, I definitely feel all of that. Um, we are sort of running out of time here. Uh, 20 minutes goes by when you're having such great conversation. Um, speaking of supporting, can you tell people how to follow you? How to see your work, how to keep up with things that you're doing, whether it's socials, websites, whatever you got going so people can tap in with you and help support
Speaker 13 00:41:56 You. Yeah, so my Instagram is RM a tle, which is RM A T H I L E Y. And honestly, that's like the easiest way to keep up with me. My LinkedIn is definitely not updated. I'm not on Facebook. Instagram's going downhill a little bit too, so we'll see how long, you know, we keep it up. But, um, yeah, at RM A T H I L E Y on Instagram.
Speaker 9 00:42:21 Well thank you. It has been an absolute pleasure all month hearing your words and then having you in today. So thank you very much for coming and we look forward to seeing what you do next. All
Speaker 13 00:42:30 Right. Thank you for having me. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 9 00:42:33 <laugh>.
Speaker 6 00:42:36 Yeah. I'm got a catcher. Don, don't, this is the tone. Okay. I I super high right now. Girl, take my picture. I'm too sexy in the she boy. Take my picture. I look good. Take my picture. Oh yeah, I look good. Take my picture. I look super right now. Girl, take my picture. Picture. I'm too sexy in the she boy. Take my picture. I look, this is one of my good things. One of the ones that I do. But then everything that she said to me like every single time she said, no dear. You're super fine. I look into the mirror and I think she might be counter eye cause I know I look good. I look super right now. Take my picture. I'm too sexy this boy. Take my picture. Take my picture. This is one of my bad today, one of the times where I'm not gonna believe the lie's not gonna hide my hot self away, y'all know? Cause I'm going out and I'm looking for get fresh for you. No doubt. I'm a hot beef. I'm a snake paste. When you see me on the street, take your phone out cause you know my
Speaker 7 00:44:02 Picture. Alright, just want to give a special shout out to Nerdy. It is D's birthday. So nerdy outs, um, turning up with his wife, so <laugh>. Um, with that I'm gonna,
Speaker 9 00:44:17 Yeah. So nerdy spotlight this month. We've had an artist playing their music all month long and we actually have the opportunity to have them here in the studio with us. So please go ahead and introduce yourself to the people. Yeah.
Speaker 14 00:44:31 My name is Naca Forge. I am a hip hop artist, curator, facilitator extraordinaire. <laugh>
Speaker 9 00:44:39 Should be doing some things. Y'all should be doing some some things. <laugh>. Um, so let's, I'm gonna talk a little bit about, you know, how you got into art, talk about your process, your career, what you got going on in the future. But I guess the best way to start is like, when would you say it was your first time where you were like, yeah, I'm gonna make this type of art, which is hip hop. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I'm gonna do this and this is what I want to do. Or not even what you wanna do. Maybe you just did it as a joke from the jump. Like when was like the first time you were like, I'm gonna try this little hip hop thing.
Speaker 14 00:45:11 Um, I'm a product of hip hop, so it's in the look, I don't know if I could jeans. I'm crazy. Like I literally can remember the first time I ever heard a Jay-Z record, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So like, I don't know, but like when I first started performing, um, I was in college so this was like 20, I don't even know. Dang, I'm old y'all <laugh>. It's a long time ago. 2009. 2009. 2010 I started performing as a poet. Okay. Um, you know, I wasn't in the studio yet, I didn't have any music, but I had lots of lyrics and, you know, just a lot that I wanted to get out until I started just kind of performing acapella. Um, and then not later drive my first mixtape. So.
Speaker 9 00:45:55 Gotcha. And was your goal like always to go to music? It was just resources wise you were like, let me just spit this as like a poem or spit this acapella or like, did you think like, oh maybe I'm just a poet ever?
Speaker 14 00:46:08 I desire to be a musician but I, yeah, I didn't know. I just knew I had to, I had to start mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm <affirmative>, like, I wrote poetry and I needed to get it out. I had really bad stage fright, so it's like, let me start somewhere.
Speaker 9 00:46:21 Got you. Yeah. Okay. Very cool. Um, can you think back to the first time, cuz being an artist, you know, has so much insecurity involved, um, I know a lot of people can't be super confident and you said you did extraordinaire, so I know confidence sometimes people have a lot of it mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but there's still insecurity when it comes to art cuz it's your baby. It's really like you taking yourself, putting it out into the world. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, can you think of like the first time when you did something and you were like, oh yeah, I did that. Like, it don't matter what nobody say, like that was cold. Like that was definitely cold. Can you think of the first time that you experienced that
Speaker 14 00:46:56 Feeling? I would say back when the favorite cafe was popping in uptown, um, I had a, a poem that turned into a song. It was called Money On My Mind and the way people responded the way that it resonated mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, it was like, I like, okay, I'm tight, <laugh> hey, it's like, you know, you, you feel like it's dope when you write it, but you know, you need to be affirmed. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So
Speaker 9 00:47:21 Yeah. Most definitely. Um, so you already mentioned Jay-Z one time. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, who would you, you say are your biggest musical influences?
Speaker 14 00:47:31 It's gonna be hella controversial, but Kanye is one of my biggest musical influences. Oh
Speaker 7 00:47:36 Lord.
Speaker 14 00:47:36 <laugh>. Um, and let's, I mean, let's just separate music <laugh>, let's separate the idiot from the music real quick. <laugh>, those first three albums mm-hmm. <affirmative>, <affirmative>, my God. Like the vulnerability, the different topics. He touched on how personal he was able to get about, you know, his own life and community and
Speaker 9 00:47:54 He was really doing it different than everybody
Speaker 14 00:47:55 Else. Absolutely. Absolutely. He was really, um, he was authentic mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, and he was transparent and I think that really resonates in the kind of artist I am and desire to be.
Speaker 9 00:48:06 Got you. Um, has it always been hip hop? Have you ever been like, ooh, maybe some r and b, maybe some other type of thing? Like,
Speaker 14 00:48:16 I started out singing, I wanted to be a r b artist so Bad
Speaker 7 00:48:19 <laugh>,
Speaker 9 00:48:20 It had the
Speaker 14 00:48:21 Vocals. I just, um, I'm too lyrical, I think. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and, and and back then when I first started it wasn't as cool to be so wordy mm-hmm. <affirmative> in r and b or, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So yeah. And then, you know, with the stage fright it was just easier to spit what I was trying to say versus to sing Boys like <laugh>, you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 9 00:48:39 Like a little, yeah.
Speaker 14 00:48:40 Yeah. So yeah, I think, um, I was bound to be a, a hip hop artist
Speaker 9 00:48:44 For sure. Gotcha. I mean, being a hip hop artist now, I mean a lot of times rapping such as a lot more melodic than they might been.
Speaker 14 00:48:53 Absolutely. Yeah. So
Speaker 9 00:48:54 Do you still find yourself like putting some melodies
Speaker 14 00:48:56 In? For sure. My last project for sure, I did a lot of vocals. Um, I actually was able to collaborate with, um, with I Self Divine and did a lot of background vocals on his album. Okay. So it's something I've gotten more confident in mm-hmm. <affirmative> and been able to get back into.
Speaker 9 00:49:10 Got you. Very cool. Uh, do you stay mainly on the, like the voice and the, the lyrics and writing portion? Or do you ever like try to dabble in some production? Like baby jump on some keys, some guitars, some drums, anything like that? No,
Speaker 14 00:49:25 Um, I don't, and I really with that I kind of like to stay in my lane cuz I'm a perfectionist mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So if I get into that I'm gonna get too deep into it. <laugh>. So I, yeah. I like to stay on the, the creative side versus I
Speaker 7 00:49:37 Feel the production I, that's so bad. Yeah. There's like so many things I wanna try and I'm like, but I can't just do it. You know what I mean? I gotta perfect it.
Speaker 14 00:49:44 Like Yeah. It's like, let me mind my business. I'm good over here. You be good over there. And so with that I have to work with people who are really cold and confident in what they do. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> cuz I will pick it apart. So it's like you gotta be in it. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> the way I'm in it over here, you gotta be in it over there. <laugh>.
Speaker 9 00:49:59 Got you. <laugh>. Uh, just jumping right off of that, what is your favorite part about collaborating with other people?
Speaker 14 00:50:07 Mm. I think people just bringing something different to the table that I can't, or that I maybe don't desire to mm-hmm. <affirmative> or, you know, they deliver it in a different way. Um, I always think it's dope when you pitch a song to somebody and they come with a whole different perspective. You might have told them what you wanted, but they come with their perspective and it might change your whole mind about the song, you know what I mean? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, just the ability to see things from different angles is really dope.
Speaker 9 00:50:35 Got you.
Speaker 7 00:50:37 Go ahead. Yeah. So I, I I had a question cuz um, I, I wanted to know more about your book that you've written. Um, so yeah, tell us a little bit more about that.
Speaker 14 00:50:46 Yeah, so I wrote the seven day Grief journal for Hip Hop Lovers during Covid. Um, I've experienced a lot of like, really heavy losses from like, you know, a lover, a child, my best friend, shout out to Essence, one of the greatest poets to come out of the Twin Cities. Um, and yeah, it just inspired me to like, help people to navigate through their grief. Like through Covid, like we lost more than just people. We lost jobs, we lost our sense of self mm-hmm. <affirmative>, we lost connections to other people. Um, so just really creating, um, a healing tool to help people right through it. You know, that's what I do with music. And so just creating an avenue for, for anybody to do that for themselves. And,
Speaker 7 00:51:24 And, and it just shows how well, like, you, you just do the words like, you know, you could do poetry, you could do rap, you could write 'em down in the book. Like, you just, like, you just went, you just mess with the words like, you know, thank you. And I just love that like, you know, just everywhere. Like, I, I just love that. So
Speaker 14 00:51:41 I appreciate that words are powerful mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So to be able to like write them and, and manipulate them and cur curate them in a way that resonates with people is, is dope. It's a great gift to have.
Speaker 9 00:51:53 Speaking of words and using them and receiving them. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, what do you desire people to receive from your music when they hear you? How do you want them to feel? What do you want them to think? What do you want them to do?
Speaker 14 00:52:09 I want people to feel understood when they hear my music. I want them to feel seen. I want them to feel, um, like they have the power to heal themselves.
Speaker 9 00:52:25 Y'all, y'all heard that right? Let's <laugh>. She says she was a poet too. Now <laugh>
Speaker 14 00:52:29 I'm through with the snaps. <laugh>.
Speaker 9 00:52:32 No, that's beautiful. Feel like they have the power to heal themselves. Yeah. Even though they're using you would've healed them to find, okay.
Speaker 14 00:52:39 It's a tool though. That's, I'm a, I'm a avenue. I feel like everything, something I've been tapping into is like, everything we need is everything we have. Right. So it's in you. I'm just a cultivator. I'm somebody who who can pull it out of you.
Speaker 9 00:52:53 Mm. That is beautiful. Um, thank you. Shoot. Jumping back to, we were talking a little bit about collaborating mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, do you have a dream collaboration or a couple, if someone were to hit your email right now, like, yo, we need you on this song, who would you l want that person to be Outta every, every artist in the world?
Speaker 14 00:53:18 I can't just pick one that's like picking your favorite child.
Speaker 9 00:53:20 Gimme like three, three to five. Okay. If you could hop on this song right now. Hove,
Speaker 14 00:53:27 Missy, Pharrell, I feel like Missy and Pharrell production wise. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and like bars and skill and just energy. Like, they just bring a different element to everything. But Hove is like my zero, no higher of everything. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So yeah. Hove for sure. Got
Speaker 9 00:53:45 You. That's super cool. Um, I mean, not to, not to age nobody but all them artists, you know, <laugh>, little, little bit previous generation. What about anybody in like, who came out in the last 10 years or so? If anybody like newer like new school that you like really
Speaker 14 00:54:02 Like I would love to do a song with like a CISA or a Summer Walker, I feel like mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. They're really, um, they're like the r and b version of me. They be talking they stuff. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. And, and real transparent in the music. So yeah. That's super cool. I also really love Eric Bellinger. I feel like he don't miss Yes. He don't miss say
Speaker 9 00:54:21 That. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so you've talked a little bit about your projects and uh, things that you've done in the past mm-hmm. <affirmative>, what are we working on coming up in the future?
Speaker 14 00:54:35 Um, so I'm still like rolling out my last project cuz I feel like albums don't get enough love. Like, we be in it for a couple of weeks and then we move on. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so I feel like with the level of, um, intentionality I put in my work, I'm gonna stretch it out. So I'm still rolling out videos from Love Hangover Too, um, which came out last year, but I'm working on an album with my partner called Queen and Slim. Ooh. It's so Juicy <laugh>. Um, it's <laugh>, all of the song titles are like black love movies and so they follow those themes and energies and, um, yeah. It's,
Speaker 9 00:55:10 I trademarked that quick. Somebody gonna hear this and like, wanna rip, rip that
Speaker 14 00:55:14 Off real quick. You might have a recipe but you ain't got the sauce so it's all good. <laugh> go crazy. Um, so yeah, I just dropped a video for from Love Hangover too, for Bee Well, um, shout out to Haley. She, uh, directed that fire that just came out last week and yeah. Cure Ready, these events, these workshops, doing this healing work.
Speaker 9 00:55:37 That's super cool. Um, one question I always love to ask is, uh, what is your favorite part about being an artist and then what is your least favorite part being an artist? You can answer whichever one you feel is easier to answer first.
Speaker 14 00:55:52 Um, I feel like my most favorite part is the ability to connect with people that I might not have otherwise. Um, yeah. Especially like, I'm naturally an introvert. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like, I, I will mind my business, I way <laugh> be in my house reading a book like out of the way. For sure. Um, and so it keeps me from climbing into my shell, which is clutch. Um, so yeah, being able to connect with people. And then my least favorite part, I don't know, I guess maybe it's not so much the art, but the pressure of like, um, the pressure of, of everything, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative> of being seen, um, you know, when you are transparent artist, you putting your business industry so people can use those things against you. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, the pressure of social media and like always having to connect. So on the flip side of being able to connect, it's like I was about to curse <laugh>. Dang. Sometimes I don't wanna connect, like leave me alone, but you have to constantly put yourself out there. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and that's a lot of pressure for somebody who don't always necessarily wanna be out there. Like, just listen to the music, you know, it's good support by the merch, leave me alone. Sometimes <laugh> and that's not realistic.
Speaker 9 00:57:12 <laugh>. Gotcha. Speaking of support, at least to my next question. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, what do you think the best way to, or what does support feel like to you? What does support look like to you? Uh, how do people support you the best?
Speaker 14 00:57:27 Um, share the music. You like it, don't hoard it. Right? Put people on like, the only way that I can grow and expand and be heard is if people are sharing and expanding my platform. So I can't do that by myself. Um, buy the merch, show up to the shows, buy the tickets. Like when you see opportunities to monetarily support. Support because it costs to be a creative and it's not cheap, especially if you're a person who likes to put out quality content. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So spend that money, <laugh> come up off it. <laugh>
Speaker 9 00:57:57 Costs to be a creative and it's not cheap. You heard what you said? Yeah. The poet. I Okay. Couple
Speaker 14 00:58:03 More shit. Come up with the bars.
Speaker 9 00:58:06 No, that is very true. That is very, uh, cool. Um, and speaking of support, kind of wrapping up our little interview portion here. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, how can people find your work? Like socials, websites, stuff like that where they can find you and support you?
Speaker 14 00:58:23 Yeah, so, uh, Facebook, Instagram, na carra foray. That's N A K a R a f o R J e. Um, I keep my Instagram, my Twitter private cuz I like to talk crazy on here. <laugh>, um, rightfully I'm, I'm gonna lead that out. But yeah, my music is on all platforms. Whatever you listen to, you can find me in the car for j my projects are all hashtag so hashtag love hangover, hashtag love hangover two, um, na car four J on YouTube. Please follow me on YouTube. I need to get my subscribers up. My members are sad <laugh>. Um, but yeah.
Speaker 9 00:58:57 But Bernard, thank, thank you so much for coming in. We look forward to, I just followed you right before we got started. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you continue to grow. We look forward to supporting you as you do grow and uh, thank you so much for coming in for sure and talking with us today.
Speaker 14 00:59:13 Thank y'all. And shout out to Nerdy man. This is what support looks like. He didn't just come in here and promote himself, he's sharing his platform with other people. So I appreciate that. I love that. He's a great example of what support looks like.
Speaker 7 00:59:25 Alright, shout. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday <laugh>. And, uh, I just wanted to give, uh, thank you for coming in today, extremely appreciate it. We also appreciate you Brandon, um, uh, for holding down the interviews. With that being said, um, I also wanna say we're gonna do a supply drive for the unhoused. Um, this week on Sunday at 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM in front of Mayor Fry's house, uh, which is three 16 East Hennepin. Um, people should just bring tents and tarts and blankets to support our unhoused.
