Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 And we pass typing cuz y'all don't care about us. And we ain't come to ask. We just mind up businessing and people be so sucking mad. So pass the gun and mask and pass the athe. Nu y'all can really kill us for anything. Y'all just bend the laws, the same performance art, the same performative saving the racist head of Ron normative. You can burn the whole thing
Speaker 1 00:00:19 Down. You can burn it all. I don't care if you're uncomfortable. We can burn a whole thing down. You can burn it, burn it, burn it down. Couldn't care about it. Not a zone. You can burn a whole thing down down. Y'all don't really care about a brother until we burn whole thing down.
Speaker 2 00:00:37 Burn
Speaker 1 00:00:38 It down. Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it
Speaker 3 00:01:08 Views from the ground, views from the damn ground views from the ground views from the damn ground views from the ground views from the damn ground. And that's on that, on that, on that. All right. This is dj, your non-binary host. I use they, them pronouns.
Speaker 4 00:01:24 My name's Jalen. I use she her pronouns. My
Speaker 3 00:01:26 Name is Brandon. I use he him pronouns. So we're gonna get right in what our news for the week.
Speaker 4 00:01:34 So this week, well, we're gonna start with what happened today. Um, a federal judge sentenced, uh, ex Minneapolis police officers, j Alexander Kang, I believe I was pronounced correctly, um, to three years in prison. And then, uh, tau Thau, uh, to three and a half years, um, on criminal civil rights charges related to the 2020 killing of George Floyd in our Minneapolis. Um, the sentencing, uh, brings to a close the justice department's criminal prosecution for the four, uh, former Minneapolis police, uh, officers involved in Floyd's death. Um, earlier this month, uh, the judge, um, Paul Magnuson, uh, gave Derek Chauvin 20 years sentence. And then, um, the other officer Thomas Lane got, uh, took the plea deal and got two and a half years. Um, so it was, it was just this morning. Um, it was, there were, you know, lawyers talked, but also, uh, family members.
Speaker 4 00:02:36 Um, also, um, just people close to both, um, George Floyd and the, uh, police officers. Uh, and the, um, officers being sent, or former officers being sentenced had like an opportunity to make a statement. Uh, and Kang did not, um, Kang was, he was only, I didn't, well I thought it was day one, but it, it was day two on the police force. And so he did not, um, have any comment to make, whereas Thal was the one, um, talking to the bystanders and telling people not to get any closer and things like that. Um, and so Tau had, uh, I think it was 23 minute speech, um, which mm-hmm. <affirmative> quoted Bible verses, um, and was just very, um, I guess what, what's the word y'all would use? I'm trying to think like, like negatives, A simple way to put it, but just kind of like, uh, um,
Speaker 4 00:03:36 Uh, he wasn't saying nice things, I guess is what it was. He was talking about, um, you know, God's, how God's watching people and very critical of, um, those that have sentenced, that are sentencing him and have him in this situation. And, um, he didn't offer an apology for anything. Uh, just kind of like God's watching you all and you better do. Right. And also mention some things about, um, how evil homosexuality is. Just like, oh man. I was like, yo, how did, how is this on topic? Why is, why is this the last thing you wanna say? But I mean, that is, brings up a second thought of, yeah, why is that something he wants to declare and say, um, being sentenced like it, who is he marketing to? Um, who, what, what group is he trying to, you know, rile up and speak to? And I, I just thought, yeah, that was
Speaker 5 00:04:32 Interesting. Yeah. So I'm on Twitter right now. John Collins, who's a reporter for npr. Um, I'm not sure if he was there or if he was watching street. I don't know. He has like, updates of Twitter thread. Um, he says that during Tao's, uh, uh, statement he says, Tao's quoted saying, when I walked into that jail cell, I grabbed a Bible and I searched for it. I searched for an answer to all this wickedness and I couldn't find it. And he goes on to talk about corruption and he's quoting Bible verses, um, and he says, uh, it is mine to avenge. So this is like Deuteronomy, uh, uh, something from Deuteronomy. He says, it is mine to avenge. I will replay in due time. Their foot will slip, their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them. So he's in there reading all these sin sinister, uh, Bible verse sins.
Speaker 4 00:05:26 Sinister. That's a
Speaker 5 00:05:27 Better word. Uh, I don't know if this is like him justifying it in his head or if this is him saying that like he will be vesed for the wrongdoing that's being done upon him. I don't know. Um,
Speaker 3 00:05:42 And this 1 22 minutes took 22 minutes. Yes. Like the judge let it happen.
Speaker 4 00:05:46 Yeah.
Speaker 5 00:05:47 I think they have to be allowed a
Speaker 4 00:05:49 Chance to get what you wanna say. Say what you gotta say. And he took 22 minutes to say that <laugh> in war in words. Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:05:57 Wow. <laugh>. Yeah. I, I missed a lot this morning <laugh>,
Speaker 4 00:06:02 Which is like with the newfound faith and the lack of an apology or sympathy, it's just kind of like, I don't know, makes me roll my eyes, is the simplest way I can say it. Um, and just think, yeah, like you're, it's the only, actually, excuse me, he did apologize. The only person he apologized to was the court reporter who had to, who had to transcribe his rambling
Speaker 3 00:06:27 <laugh>.
Speaker 4 00:06:28 Like that is the only, like, it's, it's just so frustrating cuz Derek Chauvin, when he was sentenced also it didn't apologize, but said some random be, you know, talking to George Floyd's children, like, be good <laugh>. Like, it's, it's like, I don't know, they, they inflict such harm and then just to have like these reactions is just so frustrating. Um, but we are, they still, there still is a, so this was the federal civil rights case. Uh, they thou and, um, Kang still have the state, um, case to go through and that's gonna be done in October. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So we'll see if, um, they'll, you know, do something similar to Chauvin, uh, of the state charges or the state sentencing in the federal sentencing to be done co currently how that's going to be affected and things like that. So we'll have to keep watching for that. Um, but I imagine, you know, this morning the emotions were high and I just very upset that like, for sure he gets his time to say what he wants to say, but like, dang.
Speaker 3 00:07:32 Yeah. That's
Speaker 4 00:07:33 What you're gonna say.
Speaker 3 00:07:35 Yeah. And, and that's the federal case. And so the also, the other very unfortunate part about it is that the, the state will probably follow, you know, like the guidelines and sentencing that the federal government does. So if not, give them a little less so cuz the federal one is in these cases usually
Speaker 4 00:07:56 Are heavier,
Speaker 3 00:07:56 Heavier, so
Speaker 4 00:07:58 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So yeah, it was a bittersweet Wednesday as we were talking about. It's always Wednesday morning,
Speaker 3 00:08:04 Always Wednesday,
Speaker 4 00:08:05 <laugh>, um, into move on. Um, I wanted to talk about how the Senate, um, how Cory, uh, US Senator Cory Booker, um, and, um, majority leader, uh, Schumer, um, have gotten together in the Senate. Um, and they, excuse me, they, uh, had a Senate hearing, um, calling for the fed, calling for the end of the federal ban on cannabis in, uh, they declared federal cannabis prohibition, uh, has failed our country. Um, Booker, who, uh, is the chair of the Senate judiciary subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counter Terrorism, uh, said years of evidence, showed no benefits, uh, but plenty of harm from what he called a, uh, festering injustice, uh, by classifying cannabis as a schedule, um, one drug and filing prison and filling prisons, uh, with people who use weed, many of whom in minority groups. Um, so this is called the, uh, cannabis Administration, opportun Administration and Opportunity Act, uh, would leave it to the states to decide whether to legalize the drug.
Speaker 4 00:09:16 Um, many, uh, have al already on this process. Um, and so they're already in conflict with federal law and that's why they're introducing this to, you know, stop those conflicts. Um, and it would, those, uh, with those with already that have already legalized, um, cannabis would be able to obtain, uh, excuse me, let me start that over. So the bill would expunge federal cannabis convictions and encourage states to follow suit. Uh, they would require the FDA to set strong, um, cannabis health safety in labeling standards, encourage research into the drug. Um, there would be a federal tax on it. Uh, and there's, um, also some things that would, uh, included, which would be, which would prevent using, uh, would still prevent using in selling cannabis in states that have not legalized the drug. So it's like this big bill that's like, for the folks that have legalized it, cool, here's some resources and grants and things to support that.
Speaker 4 00:10:21 And then for the places that haven't legalized it, cool, here's some resources and things to like fight it and combat it. So I thought that was kind of interesting. It's like, so it's so, yes, but like, also, let me help you say no, <laugh>. Like, it's like what? Like, uh, it's either, it's either cool or it's not, you know, it in, they kind of did it both ways. But this is really big in that in the Senate you have to, um, you know, they have to have the 60 Democrats agree, but also 10 more Republicans. So I guess in an effort to make it more attractive, um, they added that in there. Uh, they also added, um, something for, um, it says that those harmed by the war on drugs would get access to financing, uh, to, uh, enter the cannabis business in those, uh, who use cannabis, uh, would not face the loss of federal benefits, uh, such as housing or student loans. Uh, me, marijuana testing for federal workers would be limited, uh, to those employees in, um, national security, law enforcement and, uh, commercial transportation. Uh, so that is, I guess some of the restorative justice type things that are involved in there.
Speaker 5 00:11:33 Okay. Okay. Yeah, I mean, that's just like, you know, doesn't do enough if someone's been incarcerated for how long, you just
Speaker 4 00:11:43 Let, I mean, generations of our people,
Speaker 5 00:11:44 You just let 'em out and be like, oh yeah, we forgive you <laugh>,
Speaker 4 00:11:49 We can give you a nice loan
Speaker 5 00:11:51 <laugh>. Like, I mean, yeah. Like, it's, it's not even like, it's nowhere near enough, like how many people, how many, how many, like lives have been changed, like for the far worse because someone just get locked up for having a little bit of weed on them or, or they get caught smoking one time or they lose their job and now they're all that vicious cycle that they did to criminalize black, brown and poor people. Now they think it's just, oh, we were wrong. But they don't ever like, dive into the depths of like, why the war on drugs started and what the aim was to do. It was to mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, break up homes. It was to exactly put a certain demo demographic of people away, you know, just saying, oh, it's legal now. Doesn't really do much to, to change that.
Speaker 4 00:12:39 Yeah. The war on drugs was such a, had a huge sweeping effect. And I don't really see like an equal sweeping like mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I guess undoing, uh, for lack of a better term. And it's, doesn't have to be that way. Like, like it, it, it just doesn't. Um, and like there's going to be loopholes that we're still going to see. And I just, I want to complete overhaul <laugh> Complete. Um, it was also interesting though, they like the, the little crumbs that they give us, right? And one of the crumbs was that they would, uh, have medical research grants, uh, to look more into it. And they wanted historically black colleges and universities to be the ones to receive those grants, uh, to study and build these departments and things, uh, and more of a knowledge base around, uh, cannabis. So like, yeah, thanks, I guess. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 00:13:37 <affirmative> <laugh>. Yeah. I mean, they're, they definitely changed their tune once they re realized it was a billion dollar industry.
Speaker 4 00:13:44 So, I mean, and that's, that is definitely part of it. It's Uncle Sam wants his money once in, he realized. And, and that's the thing about how they're going to be criminalizing the black markets, uh, that continue. But they, they want their peace. Um, and so that was, uh, all I had this week. Um, we're going to watch this more and see how it's like implemented, uh, because as we said before, uh, this affects our community and we just need to stay up on it and be like, actually, you can give us more this. We're not happy. We're not gonna settle for this. We're not okay with just a small business loan. And there's more in there. I don't want to totally minimize it, but like, we don't need your crumbs. We need a full meal.
Speaker 5 00:14:27 So, yeah. On the same note, did you see that, um, New York City is no longer going to test their cops for, uh, marijuana use?
Speaker 4 00:14:34 Oh, New York City. Oh, no, I didn't see the cop.
Speaker 5 00:14:37 No. Nice. So they're not gonna drug test their officers from marijuana use? I don't know. I don't know. What if that, I don't know. <laugh>
Speaker 4 00:14:44 The nerve, just the audacity or what do they say? Look, call Cassidy, <laugh> it all. But yeah, that's all
Speaker 3 00:14:50 I have, have for this week. Well, thank you guys. Thank you so much. Um, extremely appreciate it. With that, we're gonna move on to our next segment, which is, uh, words of Freedom.
Speaker 5 00:15:01 So yeah, welcome back to this week's edition of Words of Freedom. Um, youth heard our poet of the month zag Russell all month long. Uh, his poems and his his beautiful words. And, uh, y'all are in for a treat today. We got my boy Zack in the studio here for interview. So thank you Zack, for coming on. Welcome,
Speaker 6 00:15:19 And you appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 5 00:15:21 Uh, yeah. So we're just gonna sit down, talk to him, let him, you know, speak his mind a little bit, interview style. So, uh, go ahead, introduce yourself to the people one more
Speaker 6 00:15:31 Time. Cool, cool. Again, my name is Zachary Russell. I'm from, uh, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota here. Um, basically been doing poetry spoken work for like at least 10 years, since like middle school, high school, uh, took a more serious, like a year after high school. It's one to find an outlet. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> stress relief. Um, it really wasn't really for the recognition, honestly. I'm really into like, hip hop and r and b. Um, so I didn't want to become a rapper, you know, by any sort, you know, unless it, you know, it naturally comes to that mm-hmm. <affirmative> over time. Um, I just love music. I'm a big music head. I love what words can do from my mind and just getting a good peaceful, just relaxation from words and just hearing what other people gotta say as well. So it's a great stress release for
Speaker 5 00:16:15 Me. Gotcha. Um, so I guess you may have sort of like, given a sneak peek of an answer, but just first question I have is like, how did you get into writing or writing poetry specifically? Like when, can you think of like, oh, that was my first poem, or how old you were when you first like, actually did it? For real, for
Speaker 6 00:16:32 Real. Yeah. I think, um, I would say my senior year of high school, uh, it was more so of me doing it for myself mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you feel me. Um, I grew up kind of a shy kid, so I wasn't really talkative as as much. I realized that I would have to like, you know, sooner or later branch out network with people, even if I don't know 'em at all. So, um, I think honestly it just, it just comes with music. I'm a big, like, what Kendrick fan? J Cole, you
Speaker 5 00:16:57 Got
Speaker 6 00:16:57 The Nipsey, honestly. Yeah, Nipsey, you know, any, anybody that has great lyricism and a great message. So I wanted to, um, implement their message and correlate with, with my life and just write my words and put it on the paper. So I think it really just came to getting on my shell. I think poetry really helped me, um, gain my, my sense of personality in a way mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And it got me more closer to music. It got me more closer to people because when I talk to people now, um, it don't, it doesn't even have to be about spoken word. It, it's more about life. It's more about just connected with mental health and not just having dry conversation. So it, it expanded my conversation range for
Speaker 5 00:17:35 Sure. Gotcha. Um, if you could think back on a time where, cuz I mean, as someone who like writes myself, there were times where I was like, I was just doing it in, in the background. Like, when was like the time where you're like, okay, I'm gonna like perform this, or I'm gonna like, put this out and like, kind of what made you want to do that? Because again, it's never for the recognition Exactly, but sometimes you're like sitting on something like, oh, this is kind of hot. Let me, let me, you know, put like, when, when was that time for you? If you can think of that?
Speaker 6 00:18:02 Man, I think it was like 20 15, 20 16. Um, it was a, a well-known poet named, uh, apprentice Powell that came, uh, here for a day, uh, to the, uh, the pen, uh, what's the theory? Penumbra? Yeah. Uh, over north.
Speaker 5 00:18:18 Over north. The Kari
Speaker 6 00:18:19 Capri. Capri, yeah. Capri, the
Speaker 5 00:18:21 World. Capri Capri.
Speaker 6 00:18:22 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. He was a famous, he's a famous poet that he was able to perform at the Arsenio Hall Show. Okay. And I was able to speak to him and I, I, I told him, I, I write poetry, but I'm kind of hesitant to perform. And he was like, you know, anything that you want to express, you know, just be able to share it to people you never know who could, uh, who could be impacted. Um, so, and then around 2015, like, um, there was, I got connected with, with more people that hosted the open mics mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, there was a open mic in St. Paul called the Vibe and Collective. Um, it was like every week. Um, but it was a drive for sure. I was in Brooklyn Park mm-hmm. <affirmative> at the time mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but it was so I can get more comfortable. So I think more just advanced in the Metro. And, um, I had to really break out my shell man, honestly. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I, I was just like, I was nervous. I'm, I'm, I'm not sure how these people gonna receive me. How am I, how am I gonna sound? But, uh, over time, man, um, once I got more confident, you know, I was just ready to be more fearless.
Speaker 5 00:19:15 Got you. Uh, and now thinking back, when was like a time where you were like, I like to ask all artists this, when was a time? Cuz like, being an artist comes with so much insecurity and like self-doubt and like, I mean, I thought it was cool, but like, when was a time where you like, undoubtedly you were like, yeah, that was it. Like, that was, that was a good one right there. Like, whether it was people's recognition of it, or you were like, can't nobody tell me nothing. Like, that was fire. Like, what, what was your first like memory of like, that type of thing?
Speaker 6 00:19:44 Um, I have a older sister. She always gives me motivation and, um, an encouragement. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But I think really, like in 20 18, 20 19, there was a, a consistent open mic at, uh, at Pimento mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, it was called on the one, uh, Niles. He, he's a great dude, man. He all, he was hosting it every Thursday. And, uh, over time, man, I had people, um, just came, came to me just giving me that, you know, just giving me just, you know, short words of encouragement, you know, those words itself can inspire me to keep going. So at that time, I mean, I'm, I, I think even before that, you know, going to random open mics in the city, but at that, that time I gained more of a confidence. I'm like, yeah, I can really, um, take this more serious and like really just keep on holding my craft. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 5 00:20:27 <affirmative>. Um, so you talked a little bit about how you love music and lyricism. Um, do you think, or do you see yourself ever like, venturing into a little bit more of the music side? Or do you stay more on the poetry side or, uh, could you see yourself in the future doing more music type stuff?
Speaker 6 00:20:45 Man, uh, if you were, were to ask me that question like three years ago, I would probably say no because where my, my head was at mentally, I wasn't really mature enough to give out meaningful music. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I was more so in the, uh, a trend of wanting to do things, what people, other people wanted to do. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, as of now, I think most likely, yeah. Just because I'm more levelheaded, I'm more mature. I know how music affects people and especially the youth. So I don't wanna, um, give out any negative energy ex and I don't, I don't wanna talk about anything I never been through at all. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I want to be truly,
Speaker 5 00:21:21 You wanna live that life if you're talking. Yeah.
Speaker 6 00:21:23 Yeah. You know, I'm not, I'm not no hard dude. I'm just, I'm strictly just me. So if I'm gonna rap or if I'm going to transition to doing like, anything musically or musically sound, I wanna make sure it's tru it is truly me, honestly.
Speaker 5 00:21:35 Got you. So talk about poetry, talk about hip hop and music. Um, do you ever like, venture into any other mediums of art, like painting, drawing, video, photography, like, anything like that? And if not, do you like hope to in the future?
Speaker 6 00:21:50 Man, uh, that's a good question, bro. Like, I, I like looking at art, you know? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like going to like, uh, the museum of, uh, downtown and just like seeing what it means, you know, I, I'm a artistic person, man. I'm, I'm not the best painter or drawer, but I like just seeing what art means and like coming up with a message because at the same time, it's kind of how music is. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you listen to a song, you get your own interpretation, you can see it peden, you, you get your own interpretation in a way. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So in a way, I think artist, you know, being artistic or seeing artist itself, it's like, dang, like this person came up with that. So it's like, you know, telling what their mind can do. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know. So I think, um, over time I think I'll get more into like, art itself.
Speaker 5 00:22:34 Got you. Um, yeah, so getting more into art, what is something that like you haven't accomplished yet artistically that like you hope to one day, whether it's like performing at this show or, or getting your name on a billboard or like, you know, getting a hot 100 billboard, top one type. Oh, yeah. Whatever. Like, what's something that you really hope to accomplish, big or small, that you like, haven't done yet that you're looking forward to doing?
Speaker 6 00:23:02 Man, bro, that's a good question. I think I needed to hear that, man. Um, I grew up, you know, honestly, I think with anybody else that plays sports, I wanted to become a ball player man, honestly. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, once that kind of shattered away, um, I wanted to be a motivational speaker, but I'm like, dang, I haven't really whipped through nothing. Tough <laugh>, you feel me? Honestly, I, you know, the best stories had like the best struggles, but at the same time, like, that's when I found my love for poetry. And at some time I want to really travel. I want to travel, do my poetry, connect with people like in the east Coast and the West Coast. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, because I think everybody in different coasts of the world, you know, they have a different type of personality. They have more to offer as far as upon just themselves. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, so, um, my man goal, man, if I could travel and do poetry, man perform at different spots, man, that would be a, a blessing man. What
Speaker 5 00:23:53 That's, you
Speaker 6 00:23:54 Know, and keep going too, you know?
Speaker 5 00:23:55 Yeah. That's, I definitely felt that same way. Uh, I quit my job like October, 2021, and I like was like on the internet looking for like, open mics that happen like weekly. And I ended up like doing one down in Houston mm-hmm. <affirmative> and like, man, it wasn't even like that. I didn't really like give like my, my Instagram tag or nothing when I did it. Right. It was just like, the people there rocked with it and I was like, okay, that's cool. But like, I definitely feel that like, being able to travel and like go on tour, like, you know, like that would be dope. Even if it's self-funded, don't nobody come to pay to see me, but I just show up and like, I'm able to spread my art. So I definitely, uh, definitely, definitely feel that. Um, yeah.
Speaker 3 00:24:33 So, so, so I have a question, right? What's up with the, you have a, I know people can't see y'all see you, but like you have like Los Angeles shirt, you got the LA hats. Yeah. So like, what's the west coast influence here, Linda?
Speaker 6 00:24:45 Oh man. Uh, I'm from here man. So I'm from Minnesota. I've been LA like at least six or seven times mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I have no family out there. I strictly went, cause uh, I think at the time, man, I love West Coast music. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I love West Coast music, uh, the environment, just certain, certain areas where I can go to, I can feel it at home. And I feel like some people, they say LA is like, uh, very like, you know, trendy or limelight mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but like, you know, you can find a black community and like receive good love from there, you know? So, um, yeah man, I think, you know, I don't want to make it be cliche, like, I want to move to LA and pursue my dreams. I would rather for it to be organic and natural at the same time, you feel me? And like, well just West Coast music in general, I feel like a lot of artists exemplify their pain through sound, you feel me? So mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. I just have a, a, a big connection with just LA in general. Just California.
Speaker 3 00:25:45 Gotcha. Yeah. Cuz I know you were talking a lot about the West and the mm-hmm. <affirmative> East Coast and stuff like that, so, all right. All right.
Speaker 5 00:25:52 Yeah. Um, you know, when you talked about the West Coast, you talked about, uh, black community and community, uh, in general. Um, and in your work, you do talk about the black struggle and things of that nature. What does it mean to you to, to, or what makes you feel the need or the desire or whatever you want to call it, to put that into your art?
Speaker 6 00:26:19 Mm man, man. Like, I just feel like, you know, growing up, just being a black man in general, you, you witnessed, uh, success from your other peers and you witness other peers, uh, give envy and you win this, uh, there's not really a strong sense of togetherness mm-hmm. <affirmative> in being a collective. So in my mind it's like, man, like there should be, there should be more, more of a unity, you feel me? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, if it starts small, it can, it can grow big and there should be more of a huger support system, you know, from a young age to a older age. So I feel like, um, even if I know, if I don't know my direct purpose as of right now, I want to be able to like spread my, my peace and words, uh, through art and through spoken word. So I just feel like, um, I'm in the process of just like building up people, man. If it's just bit by bit, I don't want to be, I don't want to make things happen right away. It's, it's, it's, it's gonna be better just, you know, building up sto stools so I can just like connect with people and people feel more at home.
Speaker 3 00:27:23 Yeah. And, and I really, uh, connect with that. Cuz I feel like we used to have like such a strong community. Like everybody was on the same page. You know, we were all fighting for black liberation. I feel like we kind of really assimilated and took this capitalist individualistic mindset, you know, from them. And, you know, that's not something that's inherent to our people. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> like community is like very important. Right. And, you know, we saw that systematically be destroyed through the US government mm-hmm. <affirmative> with the war on drugs and stuff like that, um, throughout the years. But I just rem like, like, I just think it's powerful and you just like read the books back in the day and it's like Malcolm X or mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you know, side Shakur, you know, Bobby Seal, they can snap their fingers and people not going to the Olympics, you know what I mean? We was on the page like that, like, you know what I mean? We was that connected. So that's just really connected with me. So
Speaker 4 00:28:15 Shout out to the side of and Tupac. <laugh>. Alright. Tupac. Oh my gosh. I love you some
Speaker 5 00:28:20 Tupac. Um, I mean off of that topic, like what do you wish you saw more of here in artist spaces? Um, cuz I mean there are, there are quite a few, but they're kinda like few and far between and not as frequent as they used to be Exactly. And stuff like that. Like what do you wish you saw more of?
Speaker 6 00:28:37 Man, I'm happy for, I'm happy for what's going on right now mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but, um, I just want people to support, you know, more people Exactly. And, um mm-hmm. <affirmative> and not feel ashamed to do so. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, you feel me? I feel like some people when they give Limelight on social media or they, they feel like they, they will be looked at a certain way. It's like a, you owe me this so I can give you this type thing mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and I'm not a type of person that talk negative about society, but I just want to be real more realistic. We should be able to not have fear to support one another and we just have, I think it all starts with self at the same time, you know, when you love yourself more, you can give love. When you respect yourself more, you know, that respect will be a lot more attainable amongst com amongst community. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So, um, I think over, over overall, man, I think people will definitely come together. It just takes people to be more selfless rather than selfish.
Speaker 5 00:29:33 Got you. Um, got time for just a couple more questions. I'll start with this one and it's a two-part question, so mm-hmm. <affirmative>, what is, and you can answer whichever one comes easier. It's a difficult question. <laugh>, what is your favorite and your least favorite part about being an artist?
Speaker 6 00:29:49 Mm. Okay. Uh, favorite part, man. Um, when a, when, when, it may sound weird, man, but when, when my poem is done <laugh>, I actually, you know, so
Speaker 5 00:30:03 It, it's finished
Speaker 6 00:30:04 <laugh> it gets done. So like, I'm cool, I can recite it, I can do more, add more energy to it when it's done. The least part is, um, I think when some people try to identify myself of iden identifying me by strictly just that mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like, I'm more than, I'm more than the poet. I'm, I'm me, I'm Zack, you feel me? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, there's more, there's more. I can more offer more than just poetry. You feel me? I can
Speaker 5 00:30:32 You're a a whole person. Yeah.
Speaker 6 00:30:34 I'm a whole man. So like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I think that's one thing that people try to like sing you out as you know. I think that's probably my least thing. Gotcha.
Speaker 5 00:30:40 Yeah. Like, oh, that's that he does this. Yeah. Acting like you don't do a whole <laugh>, like exactly. A whole book of things, but they're talking about just one page or one chapter. Right, right. Um, but yeah, we are just about out of time for the interview here. But, uh, one last time, go ahead. Let people know your name. Uh, your social media is where they can find you and stuff like that. Um, yes. Up and yeah, go ahead
Speaker 6 00:30:59 And let them know. Again, my name is Zach Russell from Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn, Sunday, Minnesota. Uh, my Instagram is z underscore r u s s. And my Facebook is Zack Russell. Thank you man.
Speaker 5 00:31:08 Yeah. We appreciate you. Thank you for coming in. And, uh, yeah, that's all. I'll give Zach a round of applause.
Speaker 6 00:31:14 Thank you for the opportunity, man. Appreciate it. No problem. Thank you. All
Speaker 5 00:31:16 Right, so we'll be back in a second.
Speaker 7 00:31:19 It's time again for the K F A I answer man. We wanna make your life just a little bit happier and we never charge a fee. A listener writes,
Speaker 8 00:31:28 Dear K ffa, I answer, man. I'm like an influencer and stuff. I like give my opinions on stuff and big corporations like, give me money and stuff and, and like, I wanna know why people like, like you and stuff and how I could like get on the radio and stuff and like, take over your listeners and stuff. Cause that would be like, give me another demographic and stuff. Signed win Influencer
Speaker 7 00:31:55 Dear Win. The trend right now is toward niche specificity with nano and micro influencers. Broadening your demographic may be contrary to what the latest trends are calling for. If you'd like to be on the radio, KFI i's Wave Project might be for you. You can put together a show of your own whatever you'd like, music, poetry or opinions perfect for the jet setting influencer or anyone that's interested in being on the air. Just go to kfi.org/wave project and fill out the application. They'll help you put it together and produce it so you'll sound like a true radio professional and stuff. Does this answer your question? I do hope it makes you feel better. If you have a question with the K F A I answer man, just send a postcard to me, your radio friend. Care of K F A I Minneapolis for now. Goodbye.
Speaker 3 00:32:45 All right, so the next segment that we're going to have here on Views from the Ground, views from the damn Ground, uh, we actually gonna have the nerdy spotlight, so take it away. Nerdy.
Speaker 10 00:33:04 Hello everybody. It's your boy Nerdy here with Artist Spotlight and I am very excited because today we have the incomparable, the amazing, the person we've been rocking with all month. What's up bio?
Speaker 11 00:33:20 What's going on? What's going on? How we doing there? Dude, thank you for having me,
Speaker 10 00:33:23 Man. Oh, I'm doing great. I'm, I'm super excited to have you on here for a little bit, for a little bit of interviewing. So, uh, tell everybody where you got your start. Like how did you start doing music in Twin Cities?
Speaker 11 00:33:35 Yeah, totally. So, um, started playing music, um, singing and playing instruments in school, in church at a young age. But, um, fast forward few years. Um, junior high and high school was like free styling with friends and I think at a certain point definitely like realized I was just a little bit better. Some of the friends Free Sailing <laugh>. Um, fast forward a little bit further along, um, similar to you actually. Um, got in with the shut up and rap scene. Shut
Speaker 10 00:34:10 Out, shut
Speaker 11 00:34:11 Out. Not similar to you. Didn't have many wins,
Speaker 10 00:34:14 <laugh>,
Speaker 11 00:34:15 I didn't have any wins, but was able to make a lot of like, cool connections and, um, just established myself with the Go 95 crew and just a bunch of other cool artists around the Twin Cities and that was really, it just got the confidence and, uh, support to just keep on going. And, um, the rest is history. I guess I've always wanted to say that the rest is
Speaker 10 00:34:39 History and the rest is, and the rest is history. So speaking of, of the rest, you've been doing shows kind of like all over, uh, the Twin Cities and I think one of the big things that I've always seen with you is like your, your production value is so high. Like you look like every, almost everything you do looks like it's, uh, like made with, you know, Marvel budget. Like talk about what is it, what is that? Is that a part of your thing, it just so happened that way, or is that something that you really work to, to do?
Speaker 11 00:35:16 I love that. Um, I love that. That's awesome. First off, thank you. Um, especially coming from you, but I would say that one of my biggest attempts in, in everything that I'm doing, whether it's like a video or performance or just, just anything with myself being my brand in general, um, I try to make it not too much of a stretch. I try to, yeah, not necessarily do anything that doesn't seem like it's me that way. Like when I am doing something, it, it could just be full. And so if there is some sort of like prop or some sort of, um, anything brought in, like if there's some sort of prop or anything that's being used, it's probably based off of something that's very, very like real and pretty frequent. So I just try to, I guess I try to like stay myself and then amplify that a little bit. So like, um, if I have a vision with like a, um, performance video or something, then it's like, okay, what do I see? And then where have I seen this maybe locally Yeah. That we can like, um, get something close, right. And then we'll just go from there. So I, I, I really, really appreciate, um, you highlighting that and acknowledging that. But um, yeah, I'd say I just try to, I I try to keep it myself.
Speaker 10 00:36:42 Well, yeah, game recognizes game homie <laugh> and like, like I was saying, like you are, you really put a lot into what you're doing and it's, and it can be seen, like I said, it's really easily the other thing that can be seen like super, super prominent throughout your, your branding and just how you carry yourself. And something that I appreciate as someone who subscribes to this, uh, this v this vibe as well, is your commitment to positivity, like your commitment to smiling, your commitment to, um, trying to make the best out of a bad, uh, any kind of situation, whether it's good or bad, trying to make the best out of it. Um, is that an easy thing for you to do? Is that something that's been like a, a, a challenge through your career?
Speaker 11 00:37:26 Um, I think it's, it's, when it comes to the career, I think it's based off of just so many things in life earlier on. Um, I think the outlook, I've definitely struggled with a lot of things, um, in life and, um, from it being like family stuff, addiction, losses, um, just overall. And I think losing friends, um, come like I had a really, really bad addiction issue, um, that was actually overcome in late 2018. And so yeah,
Speaker 10 00:38:08 Props.
Speaker 11 00:38:09 Um, yeah. Thank you. I lost a really good friend of mine actually, and some friends along the way. And so, um, just thinking back to those times, um, I, I think I realized that I'm, I'm still here and unfortunately a number of my friends aren't, and at a certain point it's not like, it's not enough to just be the one that's like still around and um, just be the one who got lucky or whatever you call it. And so I think that just remembering where I was and, um, what had happened and who I was and like what my outlook was at one point, and, um, thinking of my goals, like the end goal and where I want to be. Um, and just as that gap closes, like, I don't know man, it's like that's, that's, that's what feels like the positivity. That's what feels the excitement. It's like looking, looking at something that you once Yeah. Didn't know, um, if could be and is forming. Yeah. If that makes sense. If that's
Speaker 10 00:39:20 Clear. No, that makes, that makes so much sense. No, that makes a lot of
Speaker 11 00:39:23 Sense. So, um, as far as like it being, um, with the music, I think that it's just, it's it's what I want. It's what I wanna feel, you know, it's what I want, it's what I need to be told, it's what I need to be reminded. So it going with a lot of the lyrics, it's like, yeah, first for myself. Um, but then I think that's what I want to share with others because I know that, um, a lot of people have feelings, have days that they're not feeling the greatest. Um, and maybe just periods of time, maybe it's a week, maybe it's a month, maybe it's a year that they're just not feeling up on themselves, but maybe a quote, maybe they see a shirt, maybe they hear a song and it's like something affirmative. Like, if this is real life, I don't ever want to dream again. Yeah. Maybe it's just a smile. And if that could help, if they could put themselves in like purse the shoes of the person singing that song and singing to themselves, if this is real life, I don't ever want to dream again. And it's like, I, I feel like I did something right there, you know? I feel like I, I helped and paid, paid forward.
Speaker 10 00:40:33 That's, no, that's ex you have nailed so many things that I myself have wanted to express. So, and like I said, it's really awesome to see you kind of living that out through your career and your music and stuff. Um, tell me, cuz you have a sound that is different than, I want to say, like 99% of the people who do hip hop in our community right now. Like what has influenced you, um, in your music?
Speaker 11 00:41:03 Yeah, so I think first off, uh, being like a hundred percent Nigerian, um, just having that first exposure to music maybe being something different, like not in English, <laugh> <laugh> is, is probably a, a, a big piece of some of like the rhythmic, um, just the rhythmic influence that I have and some of like the flows I decide to take or, you know, how you get flows in your head. Just like, where did that come from? <laugh>. Yeah. And a lot of times, like stuff just comes from like, early on in life. So I think that that, like Nigerian background plays a huge piece, but then, um, like my, um, Christian upbringing and like family upbringing, I think that there's a lot of stuff that I know I'm not really, I know that it's not me, right? And then they know that it's not me. And so if I want to be able to like, do this confidently and have the support, then it has to be me.
Speaker 11 00:42:03 It has to be real and authentic. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so I'm like, all right, I'm not this like big tough like gangster rapper. I'm not like all of these things. But, um, I can, I, I can bring myself to the table and I'll try to, um, obviously bring up some of like my big influences, like early Mac Miller. Like, I think Mac Miller was one of the reasons, like I decided to start like free styling back in like junior high and high school. Um, chance the Rapper when he came on the scene mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I, I really liked how he influenced like the, the vibe of rapping rather than like, so much lyricism. I was like, okay, on, um, like acid rap. There was a couple songs where he, he wasn't even saying words <laugh>, he was just like, more so saying vibe and making sounds. And I was like, wow, that's crazy.
Speaker 11 00:43:00 You can do that. Yeah. So, um, I think that Chance the Rapper really like influenced me creatively to like just open up and like, take your, make whatever sounds you want into messages, right? Like bring the sounds first and then like fill it with words. I like that. I like that a lot at the end. Don't fill it with words, <laugh>, leave that at the sounds. Um, so that, that was huge. But I think, um, beyond that, maybe trying to be different, like to, to like bring that question to a close or that answer to a close. Maybe just trying to be different. Like knowing that, um, I've always never, like, I've always felt cool about like seeing what was, and like having a little bit of a different perspective of it, right? And not like just being like, okay, one up, or like, I have to be different, but just like taking what was and not, I feel like a lot of times being in a community you can like just be a complete product and product, a complete product of your environment without noticing Yeah.
Speaker 11 00:44:09 That you are mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I think everybody's a product of their environment just by being there to some extent. True. But I try to like, take those things and like use them in a different way rather than just like not ask questions or just wear the same things or say the same like phrases just because like everybody else is. Yeah. But if I start to agree with that or if I start to like this, then I'm gonna use it in my own way. And I think it's the same thing with like, the music that I'll make, if that makes sense.
Speaker 10 00:44:44 Yeah. I'm following. That's, that's such a vibe. I like what you said, take your sounds and making them into messages that's so real. So, okay. Well we we're here for a good time, not a long time. Uh, where can people find you? What's coming up next for you? Give us the future of bio, um, here in this little time.
Speaker 11 00:45:06 Totally, totally, totally, totally. Yeah. So bio raps on all social media, bio raps.com, that's b a Y o raps. Um, I would spell rap, but hopefully everybody knows how to spell that.
Speaker 10 00:45:20 So <laugh>
Speaker 11 00:45:21 <laugh>, um, find me at Bio Raps on, um, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and then bio raps.com. Like I said, August 19th, I will be opening up for the one, the only nerdy, oh Snap, um, <laugh> first Avenue. Um, super, super stoked for that. Once again, thank you for having me, man.
Speaker 10 00:45:44 I'm
Speaker 11 00:45:45 Excited to show the city show, show the city what we've got. Um, I've also got a number of new singles coming. Um, my next single will actually be dropping August 1st, so keep an eye out for that one. Ooh. Um, working on a, working on an EP right now. Ooh. Some music videos as well. I've got a, um, really, really fun music video that I've been working on with Jay Bird, another videographer from the Twin Cities area. He had a lot of recognition with his, um, um, bowling alley drone footage that went super viral,
Speaker 10 00:46:22 So, oh yeah, I saw that one.
Speaker 11 00:46:24 Yeah, so we've got something we teased a little bit. I think we're waiting for a thousand subscribers on YouTube or something. So I don't know, maybe if you guys want to see something like that, then um, share, subscribe.
Speaker 10 00:46:37 That's an option that's, Hey, we gotta get some cool footage.
Speaker 11 00:46:40 Tell your, tell your friends neighbors to subscribe. But <laugh>, yeah, just, just gonna be making music and spreading, spreading vibes. That's the overall goal. So
Speaker 10 00:46:50 Yo, I'm
Speaker 11 00:46:51 Excited to be doing
Speaker 10 00:46:52 It. Making music and spreading vibes. Well that is the plan for bio. Hopefully all of y'all get some time to see him live in action. It's crazy, like I've been saying all month. It is definitely something you're gonna want to check out. Uh, thanks so much for being here on Views From the Ground, my dude. And hopefully we'll see you around the way.
Speaker 11 00:47:13 Thank you, man. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 12 00:47:22 Flow free, flow fresh Flow Fab. The famous Flow Northside Arts Crawl is back for its 16th year of fun-filled festivities, flamboyant art, pop-ups, flavorful activations, and fiercely coveted Northside Community. Flo with us on Thursday, July 28th, Friday, July 29th, and Saturday July 30th, 2022. For more information, visit west broadway.org.
Speaker 3 00:48:05 All right, so welcome back to Views from the Ground
Speaker 12 00:48:08 View from the
Speaker 3 00:48:09 Damn Ground. So yeah, that was the nerdy spotlight. We really appreciate doing the interview. And so with that going on, we're gonna go to our last segment for the day, which is gonna be the voices from the ground where we take people who have been, you know, boots on the ground this whole time, you know, and just let them speak and tell us why they show up the protest. So today we have Nadia in the studio.
Speaker 13 00:48:35 Hi, dj. Hi. Hi Hughes. Hey,
Speaker 3 00:48:38 <laugh>. What? Hey Nadia. So, so can you, um, tell us, so like what do you do for the movement?
Speaker 13 00:48:46 Yeah. Um, I, I document, um, so I document the movement. Um, I mainly do videography, um, for independent media sites like Black, black Press, um, Georgia Fort. I've been doing more freelancing stuff, but um, I basically document through video and storytelling.
Speaker 3 00:49:05 All right. So how did you get into the movement?
Speaker 13 00:49:10 Yeah. Um, so like the movement is like protests, folks organizing towards Yeah.
Speaker 3 00:49:19 General protests and
Speaker 13 00:49:21 Organizing were community pro, things like that. So I start my freshman year of college at the u i part of, um, my social justice minor, um, was to be a volunteer at like an organization. And one of the organizations that came in was this group called Community United Against Police Brutality. And That's cool. Um, yeah, so you basically had to show up, um, get your hours in. Um, and so, so how community, how communities unite against police brutality works. Um, it's a, you know, local community run organization. They don't call their work social justice. They, they don't call their work social work, they call it social justice work. Um, and essentially what is is it's like community members come in every single week. Um, if they've been brutalized by police, um, that is where they get support from, um, this like community like response. So they have lawyers there that listen to their cases.
Speaker 13 00:50:17 Um, and that's kind of like that, that, that was, that was what it was. So it was basically, I would, I would go in every Saturday. There were four hour meetings. There were terribly long. Nobody understood anything that was being said really. Um, cause it was just like really like nitty gritty, like legal jargon, city council stuff. But if, if you go there's pretty dense, yeah, it is really dense. But if you go there every week, like I did, cuz I guess I had nothing to do on Saturdays, <laugh>, like, like you, you really cut your teeth and you understand how like the city mm-hmm. <affirmative> if, if you can stick, if you can listen, you can stick around. Um, and then I think for me, like it was more so about hearing those cases after ca week after week. It was always, you know, it was always someone, you know, usually someone experiencing homelessness, usually someone in poverty, usually indigenous folks, black folks, um, other people of color.
Speaker 13 00:51:09 And it was just like every single week. And there were people that were local that could not, you know, find any other means towards justice than like leaning towards, you know, these like strangers in a room. Um, and you don't even know if they know what they're talking about, right? Like you just, you're kind of leaning on that. So that's what I, so I, I did work with C U A P B and that's where I cut my teeth on police accountability and that's where I kind of, a lot of the movement work is on addressing policing. Um, and then when I was a senior during the uprising, um, and that's when, um, protests were picking up. Um, and I was at the u and I was more so focused on organizing like locally and like what was surrounding me. Um, and so that was campus and so that was, um, getting umm p d off campus, um, abolishing U Umm p d. Um, and then that later turned towards, yeah, <laugh>,
Speaker 4 00:52:01 Sorry, I was saying for community control.
Speaker 13 00:52:04 <laugh> Community control. Yeah. We love it. We love it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So it was, it was community control of the police. Um, campus community control. Yeah, we called it a CC pack. Uhhuh <affirmative>, Uhhuh <affirmative>,
Speaker 3 00:52:12 <laugh>, <laugh> Double cpac. Yeah.
Speaker 13 00:52:14 Yeah. <laugh>, that's who we do dj, DJ has their CPAC hoodie <laugh>, uh, very fitting. Uh, but yeah, so that, that's what I kind of organized. So that's what got me into the movement and then, uh, kind like led up to organizing stuff. Um, yeah.
Speaker 3 00:52:31 Yeah. Uh, and so that got you into the movement. So tell us like how did you go from like this organizing perspective being a youth in college and then getting over to more of the documenting side? Oh yeah. How did that transition happen?
Speaker 13 00:52:48 <laugh>, thank you for filling that in. I feel like I talked about like two separate things. <laugh> from what I just des described myself. Um, yeah, I think, um, I, I always did video. I was always interested in video I made, I thought I was trash at it in college, so I like didn't like make that my main thing. Um, but I was always interested in like, I went to like a shit ton of, or can I swear? I'm so sorry. No, I can't. Um, I went to a ton of protests, um, and I like basically was, was really infatuated by this idea of independent media by these folks who were just, just coming in with their phones live streaming and they captured really important stuff cuz you know, they were usually the only ones at these events. Um, and yeah, so that's when I met, I did this project on independent media through this studio that I worked at.
Speaker 13 00:53:40 Um, and that's where I met Georgia Fort. I helped her, I like would help her hold her camera cuz she would do like a one woman setup and I'd be like, no, I can, I'm at all these things. Let me just, yeah. Hold this camera <laugh>, um, me making hand motions and this is all radio <laugh>. Um, but yeah, so that's where I kind of like swooped in and it was, I was graduating and I was kind of like looking for, okay, what am I gonna do? I don't wanna organize towards, you know, campus issues if I'm not a student. Um, so I was like, okay, then I'll just invest time and, and, and storytelling and, and getting it right and I'm already at all these things. Um, and I already kind of know, um, you know, I have a certain perspective that'll make how I cover it, um, at a bit more than, you know, my Care 11 or Fox nine like counterparts. Um, so yeah, that was kind of like the jump from just kind of going all in of like, when I go to protest, I'm bringing my camera and I'm going there with the intention to like capture what's happening truthfully.
Speaker 3 00:54:38 Yeah. Do, do you miss organizing?
Speaker 13 00:54:40 Yeah. Yeah. I miss, I miss like, popping off at like
Speaker 3 00:54:44 <laugh>
Speaker 13 00:54:45 People in Power <laugh>. You can't really do that. You have to be kinda like, I'm trying to get information out of you, but like, no, I was really hotheaded at the, I was like, like, yeah, I, I would pull this. Like, I love just coming up with like random like accountability sessions. Like we're all gonna like, bring the University of Minnesota like president, and we're gonna like, Aw, show up and everyone's gonna come and like, we're gonna invite her. And like <laugh>, like of course she wouldn't come and be like, see, she never comes to anything like <laugh>. Yeah. I, I miss targeting and like, like doing that stuff, but,
Speaker 3 00:55:17 All right. Um, so what are some of the solutions that you feel like we should be working towards, right, when we talk about like, community safety and the fight for black and indigenous liberation and stuff like that?
Speaker 13 00:55:30 Yeah. Um, um, I think like, like I think there are solutions like in the, like in the environment, like in work that people are already doing. I think a lot of people feel like, like when you, when you ask a question like that, that can feel really daunting, like, what are the solutions? Mm-hmm. <affirmative> when like, all we've seen is like repercussions of like consistent of like police force, like, um, like oppression on oppression, on oppression. So like that can feel really daunting. But there are people, like in community networks establishing and, and like doing projects that are really like working towards sustaining community and understanding how to keep each other safe. Um, and like solutions mean like, first like, you know, getting rid of the concept of like, police as, you know, a soul, law enforcement body, you know, and like in Minneapolis, like you can call, like if you're experiencing some type of like non, you know, if you, if you don't wanna call the police, there are people who have created police alternative responses.
Speaker 13 00:56:37 Um, so you don't have to call the police. Um, there are people who have created like mutual aid networks that have like worked to, you know, bring, you know, food supplies, baby formula. Like these are things that already are happening. Medics, people who are like, have been on the ground and are understanding what the community needs are and providing for, and knowing who their neighbors are and knowing who, when they step outside the door, that they're not afraid of the people that they're seeing. And that's stuff that the police, that elected officials bank on, they bank on us not knowing each other and being afraid. Um, so I think it's just a matter of like a, seeking out those folks who are doing those types of projects and, and networks and getting that more funding and making the case that that is a hel that is a lot more useful than, um, you know, funding courses towards, you know, police that, you know, that understanding, like that is the concept of safety. Um,
Speaker 3 00:57:34 Yeah. So what keeps you coming back, right? Because you do journalism and I know you document the movement, but you're very easily could, you know, go over to another type of journalism, you know, it's not, you know, not the most profitable thing to do. So what keeps you coming back to help document these protests and elevate these voices?
Speaker 13 00:57:58 Yeah, I think, I don't know. I, I think there's something very, like, I, I don't know. I, I feel like there's something very special about the people, the movement that consistently show up. And I feel like everybody has this like, very specific backstory that draws them to the movement that's very unique, but like, binds everyone together and it's like, I, like I, I filmed a lot of protests, so I filmed a lot of that was like, that's like an easy thing to film. Um, so that's what I did a lot of, and, and a lot of those, like three to five minute packages when I had more time to do videos, um, I started doing like profiles or going out in community, um, like basically instead of like interviewing someone at a protest, I'm like understanding what they do outside and understanding how that connects and what brings them to the movement and stuff like that. And there are just so many people doing such cool stuff. So like the, the, I, I didn't know about mutual aid networks that were on such a, like, intimate scale to, to neighborhoods. I didn't know about people who, um, like I just did a really dope piece on, um, like the South African choir that, um, you know, goes to protests and, and does like an international exchange towards reconciliation in music. Um, so I think it's just the variation of stories and like how that adds to the movement as a whole that keeps me staying.
Speaker 3 00:59:19 Well, thank you so much, much. We appreciate you coming on the show and sharing your perspective, and so I just
Speaker 4 00:59:25 Please come back.
Speaker 3 00:59:26 Yes, <laugh>. Appreciate you so much, Nadia. So,
Speaker 4 00:59:29 Um, yes, I would like to talk about, uh, one event that's gonna be happening this weekend, uh, this weekend on Saturday at three. It's gonna be an all impacted families march. Um, it's gonna start at the governor's mansion and end at the Capitol. So please join us if you're able. Uh, and then I also wanted to shout out my grandpa today. He's listening and I just wanted to say, love you, Papa. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for everything you've done, cheer, and I'll call, talk to you later, <laugh>.
Speaker 3 00:59:55 All right. With that, we are outta here.
