Views From The Ground: Imani and Taylor, co-directors of "Thugs"

[00:00:00] Speaker A: And we give in to survivors. City of liars making black people compliant coon rapids? Who are you asking? I'm proof survive the boom bap trick, bro, ethics got me laughing at your message and if black lives matter, you would not get so defensive? We got cops and thieves and robberies and gaslighters we are not the same we on the scene, we pass typing cause y'all don't care about us and we ain't come to ask we just mind our business and then people be so sucking mad so pass the gun and mask and pass the ethanol? Y'all can really killers for anything y'all just bend the laws? This ain't performance art, this ain't performative? Saving the racist, heteronormative? You can burn the whole thing down, yeah, you can burn it all down? I don't care if you're uncomfortable? We can burn the whole thing down? You can burn it, burn it, burn it down? Couldn't care about it autozone, you can burn a whole thing down? Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn the whole thing down burn it down. Yeah, we about to go to work, yeah, we about to let it burn turn? [00:01:28] Speaker B: Views from the ground? Views from the damn ground? Views from the ground? [00:01:31] Speaker C: Views from the damn ground? [00:01:33] Speaker B: Views from the ground? Views from the damn ground and that's on that, on that, on that all. [00:01:40] Speaker C: Right, welcome to our show. My name is Jaylen, and I use she her pronouns. [00:01:43] Speaker D: My name is Brandon. I use he him pronouns. [00:01:46] Speaker B: And I am a dj, and I use they them pronouns. So we're gonna jump right into. [00:01:52] Speaker C: Yeah, so I'm actually going to start with. It was a very busy weekend, juneteenth weekend. What did you guys do? Do you want to do a bit of report back? Because there was so much going on. [00:02:04] Speaker B: How about you go first, Brandon, what'd you do? [00:02:06] Speaker D: Oh, I was actually in New York. I had some filmmaker friends that were premiering something. So I went out there this weekend, and then on Juneteenth, I was in Brooklyn, and I was at, like, a park out there, and I was looking around. I was like, I didn't know if I ever seen as many black folks in one spot just doing black activities. The music was good, the people were dope. I was just standing there kind of taking it all in. Yeah. Shout out to the homies over there that made sure I was out there this past weekend. [00:02:38] Speaker B: Yeah. You were featured in one of the films for you. [00:02:41] Speaker D: Yeah. So my friend Chidi is a Chidi nobi. Is a film director, and I had the privilege of being, like, featured in a short documentary about 15 minutes long about what had gone. It was filmed in, like, April 2021. So right after the verdict, basically just talking about what had happened the past year, 2020 to 2021. And, yeah, just kind of used me as a voice to narrate the things that I witnessed here in the cities. [00:03:16] Speaker B: Nice. Let's see. I was actually near Chicago, and I was at labor notes, which is a national union convention or, you know, international union convention. [00:03:31] Speaker C: We love Chicago. Continue. [00:03:32] Speaker B: Yeah. And it was just exciting. We did a lot of workshops. There were so many, and you couldn't attend all of them. I attended a lot of the, like, ones that were focusing on protecting and building black workers and black leaders. So. And, yeah, it was, it was. It was actually really interesting because one of the Minneapolis groups, CSS, they were actually there, which is on the city payroll. And I know they were at one that was like, the union unions building co ops versus racial capitalism. And they spoke in that one, and I just couldn't deal with it. And I had to walk. They're using the city mundi to make co ops. And so I just had to walk out of that one. And I tried to tell them afterwards, and they're just like, well, they're a separate line now. You don't. And violence of, like, nonviolence prevention stuff. And I was like, I still don't think these. These are good people. And so then I let it go for the minute. For the minute. And then the next day, I'll go to another one that was about what unions could do other than just saying people's names, what they could do in their organizations. And so go to this one. And then they're on the panel again, and I'm just sitting there and I'm just like, okay, okay. And they're just like, yeah, we need more, like, city funded programs. We're like. And I'm just like, like us. And I was like, ah. And they're just like, yeah, like, black folks didn't burn down the precinct. That was all the white outside agitators. I was like, oh. And then they were like, oh, yeah. And you know, there's some good copse. And then I booed. [00:05:26] Speaker C: I booed. Classic. [00:05:30] Speaker B: I might have chanted something that we won't chant on the radio. You know, forget twelve. [00:05:36] Speaker C: So, okay, okay. Forget, forget. [00:05:38] Speaker B: Yeah, and so bump twelve. Yeah, yeah. And so that happened. And so then at the end of the session, I didn't get to. I didn't get to ask a question. They said they ran out of time. So I jumped up and, and I got everyone's attention and I told them that they work for the city and that, you know, these programs have been buying a lot of our elders and community leaders to parrot their narratives. You know, none of us activists would ever say that there are some good cops. You know, we all say acab and, you know, forget twelve. So. So, yeah, so it was just like, you know, real passionate speech that I had to give and in front of all these union members and because, you know, I just couldn't have people thinking that that was a representation of what, you know, of our city, because it's just like, not what we stand for. They come. If you paid by the city, you're a piggy. I might have chanted that one once or twice. [00:06:46] Speaker D: Oink, oink. [00:06:49] Speaker B: You were piggy. [00:06:51] Speaker C: Who else was there, though? [00:06:53] Speaker B: Yeah, Frank Chapman was actually on that panel, too. So that was, it was nice. Who is the leader? The executive director of Narper National alliance against racial and political repression. And so that was really cool to just see him in action and having the conversation. It was like, really awkward after I had intervened. And so the person was wrapping up, like, didn't really know what to do. So just this awkward silence. I just got up and I said, we're going to end this the same way we in all our Minneapolis protests with the sada Shakur chant, put your fist up nice. And then we all did that. [00:07:34] Speaker C: You don't have a closing. I do. [00:07:37] Speaker D: Don't worry. [00:07:38] Speaker A: I got this. [00:07:39] Speaker B: But, yeah, the rest of labor notes was great. I got to talk with a lot of Amazon workers that were doing great work in California. I got to meet their union leader, Chris Smalls. He's really cool. And talked to the Starbucks worker about the organizing that they're doing in Buffalo, New York, around all of that. And it really just shows that, you know, a lot of the union members and stuff, they're like, we can't do that. It's illegal and we can't do that. And it's just like, if you got the members on your side and you got the community on your side, you could do anything you want. Like, a union is a mindset, not these, like, couple of laws that the ruling class has gave you that mostly restrict your power more than anything. So it was just really powerful to be able to talk to those workers. I was talking a lot with Amazon worker, couple of Amazon workers from Poland, and they were talking about the international solidarity they were doing with, like, Germany and Italy and stuff like that. So it was just a really nice weekend overall. [00:08:42] Speaker D: So, Jaylen, your juneteenth activities. [00:08:46] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:08:47] Speaker C: So I was in Minneapolis. I did not go anywhere. I was. I mean, there was so much throughout the weekend to go to. I was. We started in. On Saturday, there was a event at Bethune park. They started with a march at the Davis center to Bethune. And it had. At Bethune, there were different youth performances in what I sarcastically like to call nonprofit boulevard, just a sea of nonprofits. And it was very apparent that, you know, not too many community was there. And I think it was a couple things. Like, the heat was very concerning. It was hot. I was in a black t shirt. We need to get different color t shirts because, oh, my gosh, I was baking. But then when we realized that the folks really weren't showing up there, we heard that UROC, which is right next to the fourth precinct, was having a juneteenth event that they had blocked off the street. And so we went there. I was there with CPAC or with Minneapolis for community control, petitioning for community control. And so we were there, and it was kind of cool to petition for community control to the fourth precinct. I think there was something, I don't know, just like, we were just there, and people were, like, walked up wanting to engage and talk with us. And one thing I really liked is that as they were signing, they would say, you know, how can we continue? I do this thing. I have a men's group. I have a podcast. It's like, we want to have you on the podcast. And just, like, how they can bring their different skills and interests together to get this conversation going. And it was pretty amazing. Felt great. And there was free food. They had roller skating, which was so cool. Like, you could. They had skates for you to use, but also if you had your own. There was, like, the old school folks doing all their little moves and just making me jealous. Like, dang, I just want to be like them when I grow up. And the music was amazing, had amazing spoken word artists that I had never heard. And which I really love about these events is you just discover so much more about your community. It's like, you know, the bits and pieces, but when we all come together, there's always something to learn. And it was a really good event. We got a lot of signatures, and I think it was. I mean, I liked talking about self determination with Juneteenth, and I liked being able to remind folks that, you know, after, you know, what we call Juneteenth came reconstruction for black people, and that meant that we had to do for ourselves. We had to protect ourselves from the klan. We had to protect ourselves, our communities, and build it up. So we had black banks and black schools. And so community control is not unheard of because sometimes it's forced. So I really liked being able to talk about that stuff, and it was a great weekend, and I just hope we can come together beautifully like that again and to move on. Let's see. So the Dante Wright's family settled with the city of Minneapolis. Excuse me, Brooklyn center. Attorneys representing the family of Dante Wright say that they have a tentative agreement that calls for the city of Brooklyn center to pay 3.5 million. According to the statement, the proposal also includes changes in policing to prevent stops like that, similar to how Daunte Wright was stopped. And the attorney says that the settlement hinges on the Brooklyn centers agreeing to training of police officers in weapons confusion, implicit bias, de escalation, and their response to mental health crisis. So one of the statements from Dante Wright's parents said that nothing can explain or fill the emptiness in our lives without Dante or continued grief at the senseless way he died. But in his name, we move forward. And it was important to us that his loss be used for positive change in the community, not just for a financial settlement for our family. We hope black families, people of color and all residents feel safer now in Brooklyn center because of the changes the city must make to resolve our claims. It is vital for us, to us, that the city fulfill its good faith commitment to funding, to fully funding and implementing the Dante Wright and Kobe Heisler community safety and violence prevention resolution. And in that violence provision resolution that she spoke about, uses a lot of different agencies. So their office of violence Prevention, the police, the fire departments, and they work together in a public health oriented way. And it's led by public health experts. So it's a bit different in not being led by law enforcement or law enforcement adjacent, but by public health folks. So that was pretty big. That was just last night that I saw that. [00:13:52] Speaker D: I think it said that that was like the third largest settlement in state history for wrongful death. First being George Floyd, second being Justine Damon, and the largest outside of the city of Minneapolis, it is technically in Brooklyn center. So Brooklyn center has to pay that money. So for any other place other than Minneapolis, that is the largest settlement. And again, no monetary value will ever equal a human being's life, will never equal a black life. But shoot, they deserve every penny. They deserve more. They deserve more than they could ever get. And. [00:14:27] Speaker C: Yeah. Mm hmm. And, I mean, that was, I just really reiterating everything Brandon just said about it. I think it'd be interesting to watch what this violence prevention, community safety. They have, like, an implementation committee. There's a lot of different committees that came out of Dante Wright's murder. And it definitely has the. It looks very good on the outside and very interested to see how they work in action and in real time. But the things look good. I would say it's a bit different in that it doesn't have accountabilities, like being able to discipline and influence budget and things like that. But there are, like, with it being a public health oriented committee, I think it will. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with, but to move on. So the Texas Republican Party officially rejected the results of the 2020 presidential election. Over the weekend, at the GOP convention in Houston, they passed a resolution in its platform that falsely blames election fraud in five battleground states for President Joe Biden's victory over the former President Donald Trump. And it's in the resolution, they say that President Joe Biden is the acting president. And they're like, like, y'all, Texas is a big state, and for sure, like, this is not legally binding by any means, but it does kind of let you know, like, what, where they're at with things. We're in the middle of these committee hearings at Congress that I think they're laying it out very clearly that the election was not stolen. And we have one of the biggest states saying their party's platform is going to be that the election was stolen. It was. It was. There was a couple other things in there. I talked last week about how unpresident there was a bipartisan gun bill going through. They denounced those Republicans in their platform. So it's kind of like, yikes. They also declared homosexuality, homosexuality an abnormal lifestyle choice. It's a bit weird, but, like, fascism be wilding, but this is like a new level, and this is like, this is coming in. I don't know. The republican party is just very interesting in that they're dividing in a very specific way. Have you guys heard about Rhino hunting at all? So rhino stands for Republican only in name or Republican in name only? And Eric Gritten, I'm not sure if I pronounced that last name right, but he's a former Missouri governor turned GOP Senate candidate. He released a campaign ad where he's holding the shotgun, talking about how they're gonna go rhino hunting. And they have these people with tactical gear, like, all in, and they break in this house. And so it's like, I mean, I'll say Trump's base is, like, attacking the Republicans who aren't. Who aren't trumpers going with the election being stolen. [00:17:53] Speaker D: So, yeah, it's Republicans going against Republicans who aren't far enough right for them. [00:18:00] Speaker C: Fascists hunting other fascists because they're not fascist enough. [00:18:03] Speaker D: Exactly. [00:18:05] Speaker B: I actually did see that video. I just thought it was fake. I thought it was a meme. No, no. All right. [00:18:12] Speaker D: Like, literally, just, like, subtly calling for. And basically the same thing that happened on January 6 when they were screaming, hang Mike Pence. Well, now all you other rhinos, as they like to call you, who's next for the gallows? You know. [00:18:26] Speaker C: Yeah. At the convention, there were a lot of different people protesting these other Republicans, mind you, protesting Republicans, because they're rhinos and, like, screaming at them and, like, booing in the crowd. Like, it was a lot. Listen, DJ's looking at me crazy right now. It was. I don't know, it's just like, dang, what a time to be alive, y'all. For real. For real. [00:18:55] Speaker D: And it's crazy. Cause as funny as it is, it kinda isn't. It isn't right. Because, like, if. I mean, they're going to protect the Supreme Court justices when there's protests outside of their houses, but there's been nothing done to protect black people who just live. There's been nothing to protect people who protest these other things. I mean, who knows what's gonna happen when they start, you know, doing those ugly things they're talking about, that they're making these campaigns for. If that's what they can do to these so called rhinos, what makes them not able to do the same things to black people? [00:19:28] Speaker C: Yeah. Yep. [00:19:29] Speaker B: Oh, they're doing far worse to black people. [00:19:31] Speaker D: Exactly. [00:19:32] Speaker C: Yeah. And that's where this convert, it's like, it's not like, I don't know. I think sometimes we think that, you know, the Republican Party, it's a morals things. Like, there is not an amount of money that we can, you know, that they want that will make them, you know, accept black people. And I think that needs to be, I don't know, said again in that the Democrats, they'll be quiet with the money. They'll say all the nice things. They'll put the rainbow, whatever, because their pockets are still being filled. But with these fascists, we need to understand that there is not, that there is nothing but hatred and their moral righteousness. And we need to stand up against that. But like Brandon said, very scary in a lot of ways, but also just like, really today. Ah, crazy. So that was some news this week that I wanted to update you guys on. [00:20:21] Speaker B: Thank you so much. We extremely appreciate the updates. So moving on, next is going to be words of freedom with Brandon. [00:20:33] Speaker D: What up, y'all? Welcome back to words of freedom, a segment here on views from the ground. [00:20:37] Speaker B: Views from the damn ground. [00:20:39] Speaker D: See, that's how it's supposed to have gone every week, but here we are. [00:20:42] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh. [00:20:42] Speaker D: Practice with a little hint, too. I gave him a little. [00:20:45] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:20:46] Speaker D: Where we give poets a chance to use their words to help liberate their minds, bodies, and souls. Again this week we have Juary Ajama, who was an 18 year old climate justice activist from north Minneapolis. We're going to listen to a couple more of her pieces of writing. So the first one we'll listen to is titled passerby. [00:21:11] Speaker F: I would need seven people, or 70, to read this verse on this shirt and to hold it up, to spray paint these letters on walls and circle the vowels. I need fireworks to illuminate the sky and seven people to call this the highlight of their year. How these erupting colors cannot emphasize the feelings of these words. And I need these words to be tattooed on choked up skin, if only to say, this is how to revive oneself. Or what is another scar if it is filled with pretty words? I want these verses to be written on the sidewalk for a passerby to snap photographs that will never reach Instagram to say that this is art. I will fall asleep one day, and the words in my mind will no longer be my own. And one day I will walk through a field, look up at the sky, and see these words, clear as day. A writer's wish. [00:22:07] Speaker D: And this next piece is titled New year's resolution. [00:22:12] Speaker F: 2020 wasn't the destruction we made it out to be only accelerated by the truth of our broken history, forced to confront the natures of the systems we let be. We live in a world where we've accepted white supremacy, dismissed police brutality, at peace with unhoused human beings, our streets unclean, no food to feed. And yet we still ask for a normal. As if any of this was normal. As if 2020 was the problem and not the world we live in as a people should pay the price for being broke, being black, being different. A world pre pandemic was never normal. So how dare we ask to return to it again? 2020 wasn't the start of the decade we wish for it to be, but it was the start of class consciousness for people like me, the momentum of movement, building and protecting our community. It's time to undo the shackles of capitalism and white supremacy and work towards a world where we no longer have to fight for human decency or basic necessities. Let's not ask to return back to normal. Instead, let's open ourselves to transformation, to creation, to building a world worth fighting. [00:23:25] Speaker D: And this is a snippet of a piece titled my city. [00:23:29] Speaker F: I want to go back home, but where is home? Because my country is the horn of Africa. At least that's what we're told. But the horn sounds in terror, has me shook to my core. How climate change is changing the beautiful land that we once owned. Now it's barren, and our people are fighting to get a little more. I want to go home to Somalia, where we have the longest coastline in Africa, where our people are known for their poetry and their artistry and all of these things that were foreign to me. Forgive me. I want to go back home to where my family traveled from, to see Mogadishu, Hargeisa, Kismayo, galkayo. I want to see where I'm from. But we'll have that luxury. Because honestly, I'm not sure how much climate change will take from me, from us, from our home, from our motherland. How much more till we lose a crisis that slipped from our hands. How much more till we don't have a home to go back to? I want to go back home. [00:24:21] Speaker D: And this last piece is titled alternate names for black girls. [00:24:27] Speaker F: You call black women angry, scoff at the sharp cut of their tongue, laugh in their disrespect. You call black women angry, expect them to take your insults with a heavy chest, swallow the words you called them and keep them bubbling in their stomachs. You do not believe black women should react. Yeah, you force them to ingest. Call them pretty for a dark skin. Call another loud, call them all ghetto black women. Black women don't have to be exceptional. Don't have to paint a smile or orchestrate a laugh in order to be loved. Black women are allowed to be angry. Black women don't have to be exceptional to be loved. Call them pretty, call them gorgeous, called them ethereal, called the magic. Because black women are. [00:25:18] Speaker E: So. [00:25:18] Speaker D: Yeah, that was a good month's worth of poetry from Juaria Jama. And if y'all stay tuned next week, we will be lucky to be blessed with her presence here in the studio. We'll do a little interview with her, ask her some questions. She'll give us some answers. And, yeah, it's always just cool to pick the mind of an artist and see why they do what they do and how they create such beautiful creations. And again, if you want to follow her on Instagram, that is at Juaria's journal. That's j u w a r I a s. Journal. J o u r n a l. So, yeah, stay tuned. [00:25:58] Speaker B: All right. Thank you so much, Brandon, for bringing such beautiful poetry here from a local artist. And with that being said, we're going to move on to our next segment, which is going to be the nerdy spotlight. So take it away, nerdy. [00:26:14] Speaker A: Yo, everybody, it's your boy nerdy. Wishing you all a very happy pride weekend. And you know what time it is. [00:26:20] Speaker B: That's right. [00:26:20] Speaker A: It's the artist spotlight. This month, we've been highlighting juice lord, an artist here from our community who is blowing up the cat has got talent. On talent. On talent. You already know this because you've been saying the same thing. And because this weekend's all about love, I'm gonna play that joint again. That's right. I'm doing something unprecedented here on the artist spotlight. We are gonna once again play spread love by juice Lord, featuring JJ and destiny Roberts. Do not say I never gave you nothing, because we about to give you a little treat. Oh, j, what up? From Detroit to Minnesota, step midwest shit, you know. Oh, yeah. Destiny, what up? Let's go. Yeah, check. [00:27:14] Speaker B: Um. [00:27:14] Speaker A: Love is love I couldn't hate if I tried to shave before but couldn't stop my rise this is simply for my dogs resting well in the sky wings soaring like Jordan watching over us now. Been planning for better days praying for better ways to expand in this game, seek for a name my hopes is that my ones never change on me I lost a few and yet I'm lost to put a stain on me I spread love cause the hate come around too often and time tick faster when you out here stalling I spent years dwelling on things that wasn't worth it. Loafing, losing all the sight of my purpose, self. Love is key, and without it, you gone down bad, you know, mentally gone. So for that, I write those moments and songs with the hopes and motivation the next to keep going. Especially in the places where the chance is slim and people tend to forget. When you don't go above the rim. You gotta spread love in the place you win. You never know you can't be them. Gotta be the season waiting gotta be the season way. Gotta be the season way. Gotta be the season way. Gotta be the season wait. Gotta be the season wave. Gotta be the season way. Woo. Gotta be the season way. You see a lot of it. The energy ain't worthy. Plenty dog me, plenty people demi dirty. I'm not responsible for other people's actions. I make a joke for how I think in my reaction. That's what the little things will have a bigger purpose. They smart minded, gotta be the bigger person. Show em love. Cause that's the only thing that's working. Show em love. Cause folks be willy out here hurting, they be really y'all heard hating trying to dead love. I'm just here to give a toast. I'm trying to spread love, yeah, that's my gym. Ain't no space up in my heart for hate. Because you get back what you'll be serving right up off your plate. Yeah, I break it down but they might tell me a many ways life will show your love's the only way, yeah, just long clapping for you pray for the best, always love you, I'm happy for you. Gotta be the sins away gotta be the sins away the season way gotta be the same way gotta be the season way gotta be the season way gotta be the season way spread love, come on hey, you know you gotta spread love, hey spread love with it come on spread love, you know you need to spread love hey, yo, dad spread love, yeah hey oh, like that, like that, hey, yeah, nothing like that so love, spread love is the season way spread love is the season way, hey, spread love is a season way hey, hey, hey, yeah saw love St. Paul with love type shit. [00:30:18] Speaker B: KfaI is proud to present eyelids at the 7th street entry on Thursday, June 23. Portland based band eyelids contains members from indie rock groups guided by voices and the Decemberists. Their 2020 release, the Accidental Falls, also features songs by former Tim Buckley collaborator Larry Beckett. Local band Moon Batou opens the show. Tickets for eyelids can be found at the first Avenue website. Visit first avenue.com for more details. [00:30:53] Speaker G: Programming is supported by Hennepin County Child and teen checkups. Unsure if your child is eating the foods they need to stay healthy? With Hennepin County's free annual checkups, you can get nutritional guidance to ensure your child eats well and has a diet that promotes healthy growth. Free annual checkups are available for those under 21 who qualify for medical assistance or minnesotacare. Visit freechildcheckups.com for more information. [00:31:24] Speaker B: All right, welcome back to views from the ground. [00:31:27] Speaker C: Views from the damn ground. [00:31:29] Speaker B: All right. This week, we have two very special guests. We have two co directors, and it's about a film that'll be coming up next month, and it's gonna be on black youth and the school to prison pipeline. So without further ado, I introduce Imani and Taylor. [00:31:54] Speaker E: Hello. Hello. What's good? [00:31:57] Speaker B: Welcome, welcome. [00:31:58] Speaker E: Thank you. [00:31:58] Speaker B: Yeah. And so just tell us a little bit about, like, how y'all met and I. And how this project kind of started and got off the ground. [00:32:07] Speaker E: Okay, well, I'm Taylor. I met Imani through a mutual filmmaker, Ryan Sapira. Does film in Minneapolis, said had a young filmmaker that was making a film. Pretty dope. I'm also a filmmaker, so he kind of linked us together, and it's been popping off since then. [00:32:26] Speaker B: So, yeah, okay. And Imani, kinda tell us how you kinda got into film and how y'all met. [00:32:35] Speaker H: So, yeah, so I remember when I was going through the process of making this documentary, I specifically wanted a black female co director, so I was looking for co directors, and I reached out to a couple photographers and filmmakers, and when I reached out to them, I didn't really hear back, but then I reached out to my mentor, Ryan, and he let me know that Taylor was an amazing filmmaker who also made a documentary during the George Floyd, and he collaborated us together. And then I met her at a coffee shop, and I loved her vibe. And we just been vibing since, and it's been great. [00:33:19] Speaker B: Yeah, that is great. So, Imani, you were in high school when you started filming this documentary, and so. But this had nothing to do with school, right? [00:33:34] Speaker H: Right. No, this isn't a school project. This is something community led project. I say yes. [00:33:40] Speaker B: And so what inspired you to wanna make this film? [00:33:44] Speaker H: What inspired me? First, I read the book called push out by Monique Morris, and it's basically about the criminalization of black girls. And when I read that book, I was just really inspired. So I actually looked up to see if there was a documentary specifically made for black girls, but there already was. So I was like, okay, I can't make it on black girls, but I can make it on black youth in general. So I was like, I want to be able to make a film that talks about this topic, especially with the school to prison pipeline. Cause I feel like it's something that is not really talked about, and it's like, the root of all causes, such as racism and mass incarceration and stuff like that. I was already. Already into filmmaking when I was younger. I used to write scripts and stuff like that. I kind of took a break from it, but making this documentary helped me get back into it. And then I had a lot of support with fellowships and organizations, Wayfinder and no kids in prison program to help me be inspired and motivated to keep pushing with this film. [00:34:47] Speaker B: Yeah, and what really? Cause the film is really exciting to talk about, but we don't know each other from the film. Right. You mind telling the listening audience, where do we know each other from? [00:35:01] Speaker H: We know each other from the front lines. I began to consistently show up on the front lines during George Floyd and DJ and I and Brandon also met through the front lines through chanting poetry. And these two people have inspired me so much on the front line. So glad to be here. [00:35:23] Speaker B: Well, thank you. I extremely appreciate that. But you're such an inspiration. Just out there, so young, just killing it on the chance, killing it with the poetry, showing up all the time, giving amazing speeches, like. And just at such a young age, it's just. It's just so amazing to see. And the whole community is just so proud of you. [00:35:45] Speaker H: Thank you. [00:35:46] Speaker B: And we're so excited to see you go off to college and HBCU type. [00:35:50] Speaker H: Where you going to film in college, period. [00:35:57] Speaker E: I just want to say, for the record, when I first met Imani, she told me she was in school, so I'm like, I'm 24, so I was like, oh, what's your major? She's like, what? Like, she's in high school. Like, I don't know. I just thought that was so. I just thought she was so much, like, older, so it's a just. She's cool. She's cool. [00:36:13] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay. And what really got you into filmmaking, Taylor? [00:36:19] Speaker E: Well, actually, my mom kind of does more of it. She wanted to kind of make a documentary on the uprising. George Floyd here. And she kind of played it back for us, and we all thought it sucked. She even thought it was terrible. So she's like, can one of you guys make a film? So. [00:36:35] Speaker D: But don't worry. [00:36:37] Speaker E: I was like, you know, I can see what I can do. And so it's called the epicenter. And I had all this, like, raw footage just from me going out anyways. And so it's kind of cool how it came to play because, like, I wasn't planning on making a doc, but I had, like, all of this film. So a lot of the whole, like, documentary is, like, in, what is it? Vertical. So it's a little bit different, but it was actually pretty dope and it came together pretty well. So after that, I kind of did a program at SBNN, that's in St. Paul, heredithe helps kind of BIPOC students or anyone, really, but predominantly them kind of make films and learn about cameras, stuff like that. So I made a separate film after that, and now I'm making my third doc. So it's pretty cool. [00:37:22] Speaker D: Quick question. Where are epicenter and where is, like, your other film? Is that, like, available to be seen anywhere? Are you holding on to it because it's too good for the world? [00:37:30] Speaker E: Honestly, I'm getting better at trying to, like, actually advertise stuff that I do. I'm just like, whatever. I made a doc or whatever. But it's like. Like, it's normal to you. You did all the editing. It's old to you, but no one knows about it. But the epicenter, if you go to epicenter.com, that should be available. But my other doc, I'm trying to get it actually out there. Just because it was a year ago doesn't mean it's old. So trying to do more film festivals and get that out there. [00:37:58] Speaker B: And so what got you in the movement? I've seen you at protest before. What really inspired you? [00:38:04] Speaker E: I'm a young black woman. I'm a young queer black woman. And, like, it's just, it just feels like my duty to kind of do that and speak upon it because it's just, I don't know. Tired is kind of not even appropriate word at this point. It's like, kind of, I don't know what to do. So I don't know. I just feel it just in my body to kind of do different things like this, making docs, going outside, you know, getting footage, saying how I feel, regardless if people are going to listen. And you know what? If there's more people like me, people will listen eventually. So. [00:38:34] Speaker B: Yes. So now let's talk more about the documentary. What is the documentary called? [00:38:41] Speaker H: Thugs decriminalization of black youth. [00:38:44] Speaker B: All right. And so who's, like, in the documentary? What? Like, kind of give us, like, a loose overview of it. [00:38:53] Speaker H: The people that are in the documentary are Nakima, Levi Armstrong, the story, kind of the narration piece will be on Mayan Burrell, someone who was falsely accused of murder and spent 18 years in prison. And then Tashira Geraway is in it, Brandon's in it, a couple youth activists, Markiana Nagach and then Kevin Reese, someone who founded until we are all free. And a couple other people, law professors from the U of M and St. Thomas are also in it. Rachel Morin and Perry Martyrdeh. [00:39:28] Speaker B: Yeah, and so what? So, yeah, it's kind of about the school to prison pipeline, my umbrella. And it's actually interesting that, like, the world. What is it? Like, the world trailer, the first. The first glimpse was actually at Brandon's event, right? [00:39:47] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:39:47] Speaker D: That was what, March 19 was the I'm an artist showcase, a little, like, book release party, sort of. It was after I released the book, but, like, just kind of celebrating the artists who have inspired me to take art more seriously. And I kind of wanted to give them a place to show, like, what they do. So I was able to premiere their first trailer for the Thugs film. And it went pretty good. It was pretty. I mean, everyone's excited to see it. Everyone, like, has seen on their instagram, like, oh, they interviewing them, too? [00:40:20] Speaker A: Oh, they got. [00:40:21] Speaker B: Dang, dang. [00:40:22] Speaker D: They got this person, that person. And so, yeah, everyone's just kind of, like, kind of waiting to see the final product. And we are excited. [00:40:30] Speaker B: Yeah. And what is. Tell us a little bit about the trailer. [00:40:35] Speaker H: Trailer one or trailer two? [00:40:38] Speaker B: Tell us about each individually. Tell us about one. [00:40:41] Speaker H: And then trailer one was just more of a glimpse on mayan story. So he is the feature, like, the narration of the film. So we just talk more about his case and stuff like that. And then trailer two will just be about the whole film as itself, with interviews. And then we also have a bit of spoken word pieces in there, including Brandon's. And then also levira pounds. She's doing spoken word in there. And then we will just continue with that. So it will be a really good synopsis of, like, the whole entire film, basically. [00:41:15] Speaker B: Yeah. And now, what was trailer two really highlighting? [00:41:18] Speaker H: Oh, that was what trailer two was highlighting. Trailer one was just about Maya. [00:41:21] Speaker B: Okay, cool. And so talk to us more about the school to prison pipeline. Right. Like, why did you do the film on the school to prison pipeline. [00:41:34] Speaker H: Specifically? Like I said, it's something that is not really talked about. And I've witnessed the school to prison pipeline in so many scenarios. I've been someone who was at a predominantly black school and middle school, and then I transitioned into a predominantly white school and high school. So watching two worlds, like, collide has been just an experience of something. And I've just watched it so many with black students, black and brown students, and comparison to white students at my school. And actually, my fifth grade teacher kind of inspired me. He was like, do you know how many beds that they make in prison and what they base it off of? And he was, like, standardized testing. And as soon as he said that, that just really put an impact on me, and it just encouraged me to just do work with the school to prison pipeline. And just like, it inspired me to also want to become a lawyer to decrease the criminalization that happens with black people. [00:42:38] Speaker B: Yeah. And what made you sign on to this, Taylor? Like, the school, the prison pipeline, what has been your experience with that? [00:42:46] Speaker E: Well, I grew up in a suburb and a predominantly white school pretty much throughout all of my adolescent age. And pretty much what Imani said, like, I've witnessed it. I haven't had, like, a bunch of it happen to me, but, I mean, I've witnessed it in high school. Like, one of our kind of administrators, or the one that kind of is basically watching over the students was also black, and he didn't treat the black students well at all consistently, just getting on them for nothing. And it was. I feel like with this film, like, just witnessing white people specifically, like, commenting on this type of stuff is, like, really, like, vital. Cause I think that, like, unfortunately, when black people say the things that happen to black people, they don't get listened to a lot. So I think it's very powerful that we have a lot of these, like, professional white lawyers saying the same exact stuff that we've been saying. So. [00:43:37] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. Where is going to be the viewing? The royal premiere of the documentary? [00:43:46] Speaker H: It will be at Capri Theater July 15. [00:43:49] Speaker B: July 15. What time will it be? [00:43:52] Speaker H: 07:00 p.m. to 09:00 p.m. it will be a night premiere. [00:43:57] Speaker C: That's a pretty cool venue spot right in the heart of north Minneapolis. I love that. [00:44:02] Speaker D: 2027 Broadway Avenue, I believe. [00:44:05] Speaker C: I don't even know. You just gotta know. [00:44:09] Speaker D: How long is the final cut? I mean, you might not be there yet. How long are you, like, hoping that final cut will be? [00:44:16] Speaker H: We're hoping around right now we have 36 minutes. Cause it's about kind of a short film, but we're hoping for 40 at least. But right now it's like 36 between 40, so. [00:44:27] Speaker D: Gotcha. [00:44:29] Speaker B: Yeah. So how does it feel to be an artist in the movement? Like, how does that feel? I mean, you wear a lot of hats, both of you, but, yeah, both of y'all wear a lot of hats. And so how does it feel? You know, that one of those hats is definitely art. And how does it feel to be an artist in this movement? [00:44:54] Speaker E: Hmm. I don't know. It feels good. I feel like whenever, like, I make art saying, like, how I feel, or, like, it just feels organic and it feels nice to, like, complete things honestly, I don't complete a lot of things. Sometimes I want to start something or try and do something different, and I don't complete it. So it feels really nice to actually complete something. And the film world is still pretty new to me, so, like, I learned, like, a lot. I was kind of thrown into it as more of, like, the leader with the camera and the tech stuff, and that's not my number one forte. So it feels really good to kind of, like, have a partner in it, like, supporting me and, like, learning more things for myself in different ways to kind of produce my art. You know, I'm trying. I try and do different things, painting, modeling, you know, acting. So it feels really good to kind of learn more about film with Ema. [00:45:47] Speaker H: So, yeah, filmmaking is amazing. One of the actual advisors at St. Paul network, I was in their youth program. She told me when I first, like, stepped into the studio to, like, really see where I was filming this documentary, she was like, there is a power in storytelling, and that really just resided to me because there is so much power with telling stories and, you know, recording things. It brings a lot of people together and it brings an audience. So I'm just glad that we're able to finally show this film and to make an impact with our community, especially with this topic. [00:46:29] Speaker B: All right, with that, we're gonna take a quick break here, and we'll be right back. [00:46:34] Speaker C: June is LGBTQIA two pride month, and on Thursday, June 23, KFCI radio is back with 24 hours of content from the LGBTQIA two community. We're going to have music, public affairs programs, and so much more. What are you waiting for? Let the rainbow shine. And make sure you block out Thursday, June 23 for 24 hours of programming from the LGBTQIA two community. [00:47:00] Speaker G: Programming is supported by North Point Health and Wellness center located at Penn and Plymouth in north Minneapolis. This spring, North Point reminds you that if you feel safe, check for Covid symptoms, start wearing your mask, get tested, and stay home if you test positive and remember to get your COVID vaccine. For more information, please visit northpointhealth.org dot. [00:47:22] Speaker C: The Internet geeks at IP House are. [00:47:24] Speaker E: Proud supporters of fresh air Community radio. [00:47:27] Speaker C: IP House provides Internet hosting and access for your community, large or small. More information is [email protected] dot. [00:47:37] Speaker B: All right, welcome back. The views from the ground. [00:47:39] Speaker C: Views from the damn ground. [00:47:41] Speaker B: All right, so we are returning here with our guests Taylor and Imani, who have brought. Who is coming on to talk about their upcoming documentary that'll be happening July 15 at the Capri Theater. [00:47:55] Speaker D: So, the world premiere July 15 at. [00:47:57] Speaker C: The Capri Theater of World renowned Capri. [00:48:00] Speaker A: Theater. [00:48:02] Speaker D: Of Thugs, the documentary that these two lovely individuals are co directing. One question I have for you guys is, like, what is, like, the creative process that y'all, like, do? How do y'all, like, work with each other? What is, like, that relationship? Like? I mean, to us, y'all having, like, fallen out and hate each other? That may be how it is behind the scenes, but how is, like, the creative process, like, individually and together to come together for this film? [00:48:30] Speaker E: That's a good question. Hmm. I don't know. So Imani is the. I'm, like, more of the co director, so Imani's more of the main director, but I feel like we have similar minds. So it's been pretty fluid working with each other. So I feel like she'll just be like, hey, how does this sound? Or do we want this? You know what I mean? We just sent a bunch of voice notes over and over, so I don't know. It's been pretty fluid. If we have ideas, I don't think any of us feel like, I don't want to tell her this or, like, you know, I feel like we just kind of bounce ideas off each other, and it's been. It's been pretty cohesive. [00:49:05] Speaker H: So, yeah, it's been really good. We just have, like, a really good relationship also, like, it's good to work with people that you just bond with, and we're both black women, so we have pretty much the same experiences with, like, everything, and then. Yeah, so we just, like, bounce ideas off of each other and just help each other in so many ways with. [00:49:30] Speaker D: This film going off of that. So, obviously, you guys have similar minds that are different. You said the finished product of this is going to be, like, right around 40 minutes or hopefully more than 40 minutes right around there. Were there ever any times that, like. Like, your vision for the end goal might have been a little different than Taylor's or vice versa? And, like, how did y'all work through, like, the struggles or anything of, like, things where you weren't necessarily on the same page? How did y'all get onto the same page? Or did Imani just put her fist down? Like, nah, this is how it's gonna be? [00:50:07] Speaker E: Not really, honestly, like, at this point, even with, like, the editing, I'm not super particular on certain things. Like, we've been working with our editor, too, so Imani would be like, can you just have, like, a younger picture of Maya and. Or can you have, like, can it, like, have a small voice over here? Like, those are specific things that she's looking for. And, like, I'm pretty down with it as long as it looks nice. So I'm pretty good with the flow. I don't think there's been, at least on my end, hasn't been, like, stuff. I'm like, no, I don't want it. I know when I. We never did post it, but I made, like, a little reel. We were just gonna be like, we're done editing. So, you know, I made it until I sent it to Imani, and she's like, I kind of like that. I'm like, hmm, okay, I don't care. You know, that works with me. Like, I don't care. We really just kind of say, like, how we feel. [00:50:51] Speaker H: I. [00:50:52] Speaker E: Nothing's been too bad. [00:50:54] Speaker H: So, yeah, the reel was nice. It was just that one part. When you put the mic out of my hands, I was like, that's a little embarrassing. [00:51:01] Speaker E: We might post it. I guess we talked about it. [00:51:02] Speaker H: Yeah, we might. We might show some bloopers or something like that. But, yeah, it's, I think initially, we figuring out the process of, like, a feature film, and then we also wanted a series and then kind of coming back to a short film. It's just that process was a little challenging because we're like, this. This is a huge topic, and we want to be able to spread awareness on everything, but we have so much, you know, little time. So we were going to initially do a feature, and then our editor was like, I don't know if you guys can do a feature. And then we were like, oh, can we do a short? But we can't do a short. I mean, can we do a serious, but we can't do a serious, because I'm going off to college. So that would take more time. So we were just like, let's do a short. You know, shorts are pretty quick, keeps people attentive. And then also, short films get a lot, a lot in the film festival industry. So we were able to just do that process together and just, like, figure out how we're gonna condense or increase this film. [00:52:05] Speaker D: I think some of these guys had questions about future plans, so I think that's a good segue. We're talking about film festivals, if y'all wanted to ask. [00:52:14] Speaker C: Yeah, sorry. Well, my question was different, so that's why I'm like, oh, we were that one. [00:52:19] Speaker B: So do you have any future plans for going on? I know you are going to college, but you know, any more documentaries or art less stuff like this? [00:52:29] Speaker H: So, yeah, so I'm attending Spelman College in the fall, and I'm hoping to plan in, I mean, major in double major in political science and documentary filmmaking, and I hope to actually, I really want to either do not a short film, but, like, a serious. Not a series, but like, a movie on the Harlem Renaissance. I think that's something that also is not talked about, and it's kind of show, like a part in time about black liberation and art with Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. And I want to be able to portray that in some way. Obviously, that's. That's a long shot, but that is something that I'm thinking about for future plans. [00:53:10] Speaker B: Oh, wow. Well, Taylor, also. [00:53:14] Speaker D: Yeah, Taylor, what are you planning? And also for you, like you've said, you've done so many mediums of art, so future plans for filmmaking, but also these other things. Are there any avenues you haven't gone down yet that you want to or more that you want to focus on? [00:53:28] Speaker E: Right? Yeah, well, I guess, like I said earlier, I've made dogs, but there's no, like, website or cool thing. So just, like, really tapping into those and, like, showing people and getting that up and running. And then right now, something I'm working on is, like I said, I do modeling. I do fashion. So I'm working at getting a fashion show going, probably early August, actually, at indigenous roots, where you had your show. I just liked the venue, and I was like, I really like this. Like, so I'm working on a graphic designers trying to get, like, my flyer going and working with them, trying to get a date. I just want to have, like, local designers, like, have their stuff, have, like, vendors if they want to advertise their stuff. So that's something that's really cool that I kind of want to. Hopefully it does go through. Other than that, like, like I said, I have a lot of different mediums. I do art, but again, like, I draw it, but, like, maybe make little posters of it and try and sell it. So I'm trying to get into, like, drawing and art more and, yeah, making clothes. I'm never. I'm not. I always say I don't know how to sew. We'll just learn how to sew. But, like, yeah, making clothes, perhaps. I just like to aver, you know, just do a lot of things. Stuff like that, but, yeah, so there's a couple things I'm working on. [00:54:47] Speaker C: I had a question. How did. I guess you could. How did this project change, you guys, like, for as people, as students, as, like, whatever. Yeah, as artists. Like, how. What's different now that this project is ending? [00:55:04] Speaker E: Well, I would say as a person, first off, I'm really close with Imani, and I didn't think that that would happen. It happened. I was really depressed, honestly. It happened, like the fall, I believe. And so we got linked up. I think a week after I met her, I just got broken up with, and so we went out to eat, and I just started crying. So she was, like, this person that doesn't know me. I'm just, like, crying. And I told her all my feelings and stuff, and I think that was, like, a really big, like, bonding thing that we had. But just as a person, I don't know. Like, I just feel like. Like I said, I don't accomplish or not accomplish, but, like, complete a lot of my projects. So I feel like every time I do complete it, I feel like I did it. You know? Like, people always say, like, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do this. And, like, I actually did. And I learned, like, a lot. Like I said, I'm a little bit new in the film world and, like, cameras and stuff. I'm not super tech savvy, so, like, I know all this stuff. I know how to work premiere pro. I know how to edit stuff. I can, you know, do a lot of those different things. And also just the topic, like, getting that out there, like Imani said, it's not talked about a lot. You know, black students are just expelled, they're going to prison, and people just think that's normal. That's not normal. You know what I mean? Like, so just to kind of unnormalize all these things that we just go through, like, our day, you know? [00:56:17] Speaker H: So, yeah, yeah. It also has changed me a lot. I've been able to meet so many people, lawyers, educators, activists, and it just kind of just changed my perspective on things, too. And it made me even more motivated and inspired. And then also working with Taylor is just amazing. Like, our bond is just really special, and hopefully we can work on something else in the future together. And then also, it just helped me begin to love filmmaking, and it just brought a lot of passion out of me. So this film has actually really changed my life, too, because I was actually in a depressive episode early in the fall, too. So, like I said, this film is, like, really the only thing that just keeps me pushing and really makes me happy. [00:57:07] Speaker B: So, yeah, and obviously that shows as you said, you want a double major, and one of your majors would be film. So I think that's all really powerful. And I just want to thank you all for coming. Once again, it's going to be July 15 at what. What time? 07:00 p.m. 07:00 p.m. capri Theater. [00:57:30] Speaker D: 2027 Broadway Avenue. [00:57:33] Speaker B: So. And once again, I just want to thank you all for coming in. Extremely appreciated. And it just. It was just so exciting to see how many people from the local activist community was involved and how this was a grassroots documentary, and it's just a love letter for the movement. It just feels like, you know, seeing a youth take initiative and go out and say, you know what? I'm gonna do this. Just cause, you know what I mean? Like, you know, that shows that, you know, the village is doing something right. And, you know, we just are so proud of you, and we love you so much, Imani, and also Taylor, too. So with that, we want to tell people about the event that is coming up this weekend. [00:58:17] Speaker C: Yes. So there will be a protest the day that the Roe v. Wade decision or report decision, report whatever comes out, and that will be at the west bank at the U of M. And it'll be at 06:00 p.m. so whenever that drops, we could be any day, their sessions ending at the end of this month. So by July, we should have that. And then also this weekend, there will be a taking back Pride protest, which talks about. I mean, let me start with the details. So that'll be June 26. They'll be gathering at 10th and Hennepin downtown, and they'll be gathering around 1030, is my understanding. And this protest is very important to my heart, because that's what got me kind of into organizing. And I guess what I will say a real sense, and I think it's important that we remind people why pride started and that Pride was anti cop and anti corporate and that, you know, just because, you know, things have changed and there are dangers, we still need to have a militant movement. So if you guys can join us, that would be awesome. [00:59:26] Speaker B: All right, thank you, Jalen, and thank you, Brandon, for joining me today on this show, and I appreciate it. And we are out. They come in with the magnum, the clock, and the 45 in between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we are the organize, organize, organize, do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the tear gas blocks and 45 in between the protests, we protest and realize.