Views From The Ground: KingDemetrius Pendleton

[00:00:04] Speaker A: You can burn the whole thing down I don't care if you're uncomfortable we can burn our whole thing down couldn't care about an autozone you can burn a whole thing down y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn a whole thing down yeah, we about to go to work yeah, we bout to let it burn like Cyndaquil yeah, I bet you will but they been lynching us in semester and that's really freaking generous cause honestly, they have been killing us since we were property. No stopping me from saying how it is this ain't the whiz ain't no easing down the road where we live, just a biz, we can't go out for a jog or a swim fuck a dog, fall asleep in the car, fall asleep where we live so we bout to let it burn just like gushers say they be trying, but I do not care what gushers say putting packs greens up, make a few bucks my life isn't marketing. Yo, who you think you trying to play? I liked it better when, like, nerdy was all fun and stuff. This is really angry. Like, don't you think you said enough? Well, it's fricking tough. Cause I'm being loud and the people are not playing with you now. Yeah, you can burn the whole thing down yeah, yeah I don't care if you're uncomfortable we can burn a whole thing down you can burn a whole thing down couldn't care about another zone you can burn a whole thing down all right. Y'all don't really care. [00:01:31] Speaker B: Welcome to views from the ground. [00:01:33] Speaker C: Views from the damn ground. [00:01:35] Speaker B: Yeah. And this show, we're gonna have King Demetrius, a local journalist, coming in and telling us about what he does for the community and what he's done over the years. And we are also gonna have a lot of things to talk about, what's going locally and what's going on nationally with the whole Roe v. Wade. And just stay tuned for an excellent show. [00:01:59] Speaker D: City of liars making black people compliant. Coon Rapids. Who are you asking? [00:02:05] Speaker A: I'm proof. [00:02:06] Speaker D: Survive the boom, 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 kill us for anything? Y'all just bend the laws? This ain't performance art? This ain't performative? Saving the racist, heteronormative? [00:02:36] Speaker A: You can burn the whole thing down? [00:02:38] Speaker D: Burn it all down? [00:02:40] Speaker A: 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? Not a zone? You can burn the 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? [00:03:25] Speaker B: Views from the ground? [00:03:26] Speaker A: Views from the damn ground? [00:03:27] Speaker B: Views from the ground? [00:03:28] Speaker A: Views from the damn ground? [00:03:30] Speaker B: Views from the ground? [00:03:31] Speaker D: Views from the ground? [00:03:32] Speaker B: And that's on that, on that, on that? [00:03:35] Speaker D: All right, welcome, everyone. [00:03:37] Speaker B: Welcome back to another episode of views from the ground? [00:03:39] Speaker A: Views from the damn ground? [00:03:41] Speaker B: So we're gonna start it off here. So, Jaylen, what's our first story? We're gonna talk about today. [00:03:46] Speaker D: So today we're gonna start by talking so today we're gonna start by talking about actually what happened right after our show last week. For our day one listeners will recall that we had an interview with Katie Wright, the mother of Dante Wright, who was killed by police in 2021. She shared moments, fun moments with us. She recalled the trial and how hard it was for her family to watch a judge humanize a white killer cop and not her black son. And after, on her way home, Katie witnessed young adults being pulled over. So she decided to stop and record the interaction. I'll speak for myself, and I imagine you guys would agree as folks in community on the ground, like, police presence does something to you, and going through that experience, of course she's gonna stop and see what's going on and making, she reiterated over again, like, her baby was taken by a police station, so she's going to do what she can to make sure that they're safe. And she wanted to record the interaction. A police officer decides to go over to Katie and say that she was disrupting what was going on and just the intimidation that we know the police do, and she was recording the interaction, and it was a problem for whatever reason, and they ended up pulling Katie's wrists and taking her phone and preventing her from recording the interaction. And after, I meand, it's just like I was saying, as someone who has lost her son to a police interaction, needing to keep communities safe, like, we, that's something we have to do, and that's also just a right like that's. Just what we are able to do. Videotaping interactions, that's a protected. It's a protected thing to do. And so for Katie to experience that and for the police to say that she was disrupting whatever they were doing is just not what's up at all. So. [00:05:44] Speaker B: Yeah, and that's just crazy. Cause it happened moments, like a couple of minutes after we ended the show. I know she sustained injury to her wrist. They had a press conference about it the next day in front of the BC police department, and she had her wrist covered up. And so it. [00:06:06] Speaker D: And their union rep had the nerve to say, I sympathize with the Wright family for their loss, but it does not give them free rein to stalk, harass, or threaten any of our officers just because they are wearing a uniform. And what the caucasity, stalk, harass, threatened. [00:06:29] Speaker C: It just doesn't make any sense. And for people who don't understand it, like, the easiest way I can paint the picture to you is you would have never. No one would have ever had an outrage about the murder of George Floyd had it not been for someone standing by and taking a video of what happened, because they would have seen the body camera footage and still ran with the original narrative that George Floyd died of a medical incident. Had Darnella Frazier not recorded it, there would have been no uprising. That happened in 2020. And so it is. I mean, it is our right and it is our duty to cop watch and to keep an eye on these. On these police officers. Yes, they're wearing body cameras. They always like to tell you, like, oh, I'm recording it, too. But we know what y'all do to the videos. You can. You can crop them, you can trim them, you can edit them, turn them off. Yeah. You can just delete them, act like they're not there, give them to the BCA, never to be seen again, or only show the one angle that shows your narrative. So kudos to Katie Wright for doing what she knows she needs to do to protect her community members, as Jalen said. And that is. It's commendable. She is the one that should be commended, not these police people saying that our officers did a good job. Putting your hands on a community member who's just trying to keep her community safe, that's not doing a good job. I mean, that's like the microchasm of what police do. They're gonna terrorize people who are actually keeping us safe. [00:08:01] Speaker D: And to add on what you were saying about body cam footage, we read that human rights report and even, like, that evidence, the prosecutors don't want it because it's usually nothing good and helpful for what their case. So it's just reiterating, like, body cam footage. We have a right to record it because all angles can look different and can tell a very different narrative. [00:08:23] Speaker B: Yeah. And I want to also stress this cop ran across the highway, jumped over the median. [00:08:28] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:29] Speaker B: Jumped over, like, a little fence thing, and then went over to her car and then grabbed her wrist. Like, this was, like, a very long process. Like, this is very true. [00:08:38] Speaker D: Like, but again, this wasn't. [00:08:40] Speaker B: Like she was within walking range. [00:08:43] Speaker D: Like, I'm like, oh, she was definitely a safe distance away that they could do whatever they were doing, and they made it seem like it was not the case. So I want to send all the love and the light to the right family and please hold them up in solidarity. So next topic we are going to talk. It's not super new news, but we ran out of time last week with that spicy Human rights report. In an unprecedented leak, the draft ruling shows that Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion, may be on the verge of being reversed. Chief Justice John Roberts called the leak an egregious breach of trust. President Biden urged Congress to codify the right to abort. Kind of crazy that there's this kind of leak in the most righteous, undemocratic branch of the government like that. It's kind of really, really crazy. So they are doing a lot. They're actually doing an operation pull up right now on a couple Supreme Court justices, and we know that we love operation pull up. [00:09:48] Speaker B: Yay. [00:09:49] Speaker D: So it's really stressing some folks out saying that it's crossing a line. I wonder, for the folks that really, really love the constitution and our bill of rights and hold it that dearly, how are they really? So we understand that the people were very upset with Great Britain and how they ruled. So upset that they made this bill of rights to try and protect themselves, and the first amendment is part of those. And to say that, you know, showing up to someone's house is crossing the line. And that's not how you get change in democracy. That's not. And it's just like reinforcing this. You know, there's a right way to protest. There isn't. We wouldn't protest. That's just it. And so having these conversations and hearing them has just been like an eye roll. Cause it's like, what do you mean? Like the first one? Y'all. [00:10:44] Speaker C: People have shown time and time again, that protesting only works if you make the people you're protesting against uncomfortable. Within that discomfort comes change, comes action. And I mean, you can look back at any protest in history, really any effective protest in history, and people try to say that it's not the right thing to do. And I mean, honestly, it's what you signed up for. If you need to make rules on the law of the land, the law of the land affects all of us as people. So if you're making judgments on things that affect us, we should be able to tell you how we feel. And, I mean, if you made decisions that didn't have people coming up to your front door demanding answers from you, then you're probably making the right decisions. But if people are coming to your front door, you might be making some mistakes here. You know what I'm saying? [00:11:41] Speaker D: I mean, and it doesn't sound like they wilding over there. No, it's just candles. [00:11:46] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:11:46] Speaker C: Chance, it's a little barbecue. I'm not sure how good the food is, but, you know, just a little barbecue. I mean, that reminds me of some, you know, some block parties that people have had at Mike Freeman's house and stuff like that, you know, so it's a good tactic in my opinion. You can disagree, but you're wrong. Just kidding. [00:12:07] Speaker B: Yeah, and it's actually really interesting. One thing I didn't realize is that some states have already passed laws to, like, completely stop abortions, period, that are not currently legal, but would automatically trigger once Roe v. Wade got struck down. [00:12:24] Speaker D: Yup. 13 states. [00:12:25] Speaker B: 13. [00:12:26] Speaker A: Wow. [00:12:26] Speaker B: I just. [00:12:27] Speaker D: And that goes to, I wanted to talk about that in that this fight has a lot of black and brown folks have been preparing for this because there's already 13 states that as soon as Roe v. Wade is overturned, like you were saying, it triggers their state. And it's just, it's frustrating as a black woman because it's intersectional. And I don't think in the past it has been as intersectional as it needed to be. And it is one of those things that we know. We know that movements go to die in the Democratic Party, and this movement is one of those. And it's like now, you know, a group of folks, Roe v. Wade passes and there's still black families and parents being criminalized and there's still all these things that aren't supported. And I think this new fight, we really, in this go round, the Democrats are going to say, you know, we need to go to the polls, we need to vote. You need to vote like you mean it? And my question back is like, how are we going to make this intersectional and how are we going to write and do this differently than we've done last time? Because we voted in some pretty progressive people. And I think today even the Senate shut down the Democrats efforts to try and do that. But it's like there was a point in time when it could have been codified before this was all spicy and up in the air. And it just. It feels weird. [00:14:02] Speaker C: Yeah. How many times are Democrats gonna tell us we gotta go to the polls and vote and things just continue to get worse? Like, we voting for y'all, but y'all not vouching for us. They say these things to get in office, and then they peel off their pretty little mess that they have on that says black lives matter and has a pride flag on it. They peel that off and then there's, you know, imperialism there shining in your face, there's capitalism there shining in your face and all of that. And it's crazy to think about how they're not even, like, stopping at abortion. Like, there are already, like, states that are trying to get rid of IUD's and plan b and condoms and other contraceptives. And I'm like, man, like, I ain't saying. Y'all saying we can't have no f. Like, not even. Not even that. The reality of the situation is the wealthy are still going to have access to whatever they need to have access to. All it's going to do is affect low income, black, brown and marginalized communities. Because if, if the billionaire's daughter is having unprotected sex and gets pregnant when she's a teenager, they can fly her anywhere in the world. Get an abortion. Come on back. You know, whereas people that are living with nothing, if they get pregnant, well, now they have to bring this baby to life. How are you gonna have someone with nothing force them to have another mouth to feed when they can't even feed themselves? And, yeah, that's gonna be who's the most affected by these decisions. [00:15:36] Speaker B: Yeah. The last thing that we're gonna talk about is Ilhan got the DFL endorsement. [00:15:44] Speaker D: Yes. [00:15:46] Speaker B: And that was a real. He did. Because Don Samuels was running against her. [00:15:55] Speaker D: Correct, correct. Don Samuels did not get the nomination. Still very confident that he has the community ties and leadership style to pull through. And he is. There's a lot of folks running against Ilhan, and it's a very important, contentious seat, I should say. And I think this endorsement, and with Don running as a democrat will stir the pot, I guess is the nicest way to say it. [00:16:24] Speaker B: And, yeah, we saw Don being very active once again during the uprising, doing a lot of things like suing yes for Minneapolis on their language and winning several times. And a lot of people feel like he's advocating on behalf of the north side, or at least that's how he feels about it. And so, yeah, so him running, we also see that there is kind of this division, a little bit between the somali community sometimes in the african american community, too. We've heard, yeah, we've heard some community leaders say that Ilhan doesn't come to come to the north side and talk to the black community that often. So that has been one of her critiques that is happened. And it feels like they're really coming after her. Right. Because they're like, Don Samuels is running for the DFL. Ran for the DFL endorsement. And then on the republican side, we have Royce White. We have Royce White. [00:17:29] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:17:30] Speaker B: You know, new golden child on Fox. Right. [00:17:34] Speaker D: Yeah, him. And is it Bannon? Like, I don't watch him enough to really know him. And Bannon, our buddies. And, yeah, he's coming on the right side with his very conservative but kind of new. I don't know. I'm not even gonna put words and call it whatever. [00:17:53] Speaker C: Yeah, I can't say what I want to say on the radio. [00:17:55] Speaker D: So I'm. [00:17:59] Speaker C: What I was, my comment about that is no comment because I don't think he deserves too much time or attention because he's already doing a good job of getting too much of that. [00:18:09] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:18:10] Speaker D: So it would be a race to watch, for sure. And I just really hope that there's a lot of who is representing the community appropriately and accurately. And I just want folks to dig deep and ask themselves, like, what do they want in a representative? And is it someone you know well or you think you know well? Let's be clear. You think you know well and you trust, or is it someone who maybe represents different things? Are you looking in their platform? What's going to make you vote and why are you voting for them? And I just want folks to look very closely at these campaigns and just be mindful because it's getting, yeah, like I said, it's going to stir the pot and it can get messy and we deserve better. [00:18:58] Speaker B: And it's just, you know, in America, like, they have this thing where they keep saying that the Democrats are left and in reality, the Democrats are, you know, globally, if we're looking at a political scale, pretty leaning right. And people like Bernie and Ilhan and Alc are more in the middle or middle left, but they're definitely not on the left side. So, like, we don't even have real leftists, but, like, now we have to deal with these real attacks on them that we're seeing coordinated from the DFL and the Republican Party. The defend these Democrats that still aren't really doing much. I mean, a lot of these Democrats stand for the same thing that the Christian Democratic Party that Angela Merkel used to chair for the last like 15 years stands for. So, like, I mean, like, that's the type of party we're, like, trying to get right now. So. [00:19:47] Speaker D: But organize, organize, organize, organize, organize. [00:19:52] Speaker B: So, but, yeah, so now we're gonna go into our next segment, which is gonna be words of freedom. [00:19:59] Speaker C: So welcome back to words of freedom, a segment here on views from the ground. [00:20:03] Speaker D: Views from the damn ground. [00:20:05] Speaker C: There we go. Where we give local poets the freedom to liberate themselves with their expression. This month, our featured poet is Jan Deltha Rae, who is an author, award winning spoken word poet and painter from Minneapolis. And today we'll start off with her piece titled prayers and love. [00:20:23] Speaker E: When it's my time for love, I pray that it's sweeter than me. I hope he's outlined with the fixings of God and the thickness of culture is sewn onto his tongue. I pray that he provides more answers than questions, more solutions than problems, more progress than promises, and more air than my lungs can withhold. I hope that it is love not based on opportunity or convenience or sexuality or wonderings of what my mouth can do outside of reciting poetry. I pray that it is love drenched in curiosity, dripped with all the ways of which I am poetry, the intricacies of my black being, the honesty of my flesh and the freedom of my tongue. I hope that he sees my hip yet finds the frames of my mind just so much more interesting that he knows who he is and where he's going so he'll never feel the need to pull me away from my glory just so I can be his. I hope that he's so in love with the fire of his own flame that he doesn't fear the ferocity of my throne. I pray he's bigger than me, with an ego much smaller than God, with a heart that is honest and true, with wings that find no problem in carrying both masculine and feminine energy. I pray that man reads the wind, that he reads words, that he reads self, and that he ain't afraid to read me. [00:21:42] Speaker C: So that was prayers and love by Jan del Therae, and this next piece is titled alternate endings. [00:21:50] Speaker E: As the brown of my eyes drown into the hauntings of memory, I can still taste the repercussions of imagination, that obnoxious crack of reality dividing clear blue skies, pores filled with the warmth of absent winds, carrying the laughter of ghosts whose smile once whispered the direction of home. Home. I stare in awe of shadows dressed as angels under the sun of Satan, hoping I could remember how to pretend just as good as they do. My eyes revisit this memory often, rehearsing every detail of torn canvas, studying the length of each brushstroke in hopes that one day their paths might just lead me somewhere. Praying that I could learn to lie good enough to write an alternate ending for shattered glass, hoping I could somehow exist in the freedoms of a dream, wishing this consciousness could actually live instead of carrying the burden of tragedy in full pursuit of joy. This remembrance is alive and well. But the moment it leaves the stage of my mind, it bleeds into ink and perishes onto paper, becoming nothing more than recycling that will never make it to the curb. One day I'll decide to be honest, but tonight I decide to lay myself awake and purport nothing but happy endings of me and you. [00:23:01] Speaker C: And next up, we will listen to the piece titled Homecoming by Jendel Thore. [00:23:08] Speaker E: I've walked through fire, washed my sins with my tears, and hung my secrets out to dry on the tip of my tongue these scars, you ask, oh, that ain't for no decoration. See these scars sing from the diaphragms of sorrow, singing an off key tune of feelings felt in battles lost. So when you ask me about my stories of war, my heart will take its time to speak the magic of my survival I made love to the darkness, escape the downfall of its climax with only the ashes of my flesh left to spare, lungs heaving in the fruits of my refuge, I lived through death and was sent here to tell the tale. So when you ask me where I'm headed, I tell you I'm going to ever kisses feel like peace of mind and Sundays taste like honey on warm butter biscuits a place where the cost for breath is gratitude and the sun shines for nothing less than free. I'll tell you I'm going to ever love knows me by name and next. [00:23:58] Speaker C: Up, we will listen to Marvel comics by Jan del Therae. [00:24:02] Speaker E: I hold the energy of life and death in my hands like Scarlet Witch. My mind never seems to stop wandering for vision, and my ego talks stuff like Tony Stark on his best day. Because most days, I'm afraid to undress this iron fist and speak the truth of my heart. Beneath my shield, I carry love in my eyes like Peppa, piece of a love with windows as big as the hulk in the middle of his rage. I'm bred from the culture of black panthers running in the wild, yet fierce, like the venom of black widows holding the trauma of winter soldiers in their webs. I low key can be as mischievous as low key. But I promise I always mean well. It's just that some days, I want it all like thanos. And other days, like Falcon. I just want to float in the sky. But a lot of days, I am Groot with only three words to speak come to mind. [00:24:47] Speaker C: Can we get some snaps, please? Can we get some snaps? That is Jan Deltha Ray. If you guys stay full, if we stay tuned next week, y'all be all blessed with her in the studio. We will all be blessed with her presence in the studio here for an interview, maybe some live poetry. We'll see. Y'all gotta be there for that. But, yeah, next, we're gonna go on to our next segment here. [00:25:13] Speaker B: Yeah, and our next segment is gonna be the nerdy spotlight, so I'm gonna let him take it away. [00:25:19] Speaker A: Hello, my guys, gals and non binary pals, it's your boy nerdee back again with the artist spotlight. That's right. The whole month, we are taking a look at just one artist here in our community. And that means it's time to get in cozy with Lieutenant Sonny. This next track from one of her most recent projects, stages of grief, is a smooth jam for those good times, if you know what I'm saying. And when I tell you the music video is hot, trust me, I ain't talking about the temperature. So get right dim the lights and get ready for a little surprise. [00:26:30] Speaker F: This time really when I take my time we ain't in a rush, baby, you and I slow down close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise hold this in confidence that'll be why showcase your priorities so divine close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise yeah, this time really when I take my time we ain't in a rush, baby, you and I slow down, close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise hold there some comments that'll be why I showcase your prize so do my own close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise worth more than diamonds surpass outclass woman who feared God proverbial dress well silk material you know it's on by the way that I look at you. You said I was hard to find. Every minute was worth your time. Work hard, I'm up before dawn, triple the bag how good I spend yarn, travel far, bring back surprises buy the land, build and organize it I am the sun, control the climate. The wise issued them kindly. Eloquent in my ways life with no fear of my days I danced on my own pace land so soft, you can call it grace yeah. [00:27:46] Speaker A: And you. [00:27:46] Speaker F: Been waiting baby and you been patient for me. And you've been waiting for me close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little this time really want to take my time we ain't in a rush baby, you and I slow down close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise hold this incompetence that'll be why showcase your prize so divine close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise yeah this time really want to take my time we ain't in a rush baby, you and I slow down close your eyes I got a little surprise feel real good on what I got on call it room phone hit a doubt tone anniversary hit a milestone really start to miss you when you're not home you love my chameleon hold me down through transformation assure me competition secure my position I speak and you listen the only thing you taking is my clothes off the only thing you break is other hearts could you with me? You embrace my insecurities never fail to prove that you want my team never hesitate to speak my name reason that I love you you make me feel sane us against our problems you don't place blame loving on my mind attitude tame spark in your heart hot like a flame I don't play with you cause you're not a game you a safe space I don't feel shame got something for you it's a special day this time really want to take my time we ain't in a rush baby, you and I slow down close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise hold this incompetence that'll be why showcase your pride so divine close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise yay this time really want to take my time we ain't in a rush baby, you and I slow down close your eyes I got a little surprise I got a little surprise hold this in common ends that'll be why showcase your prize slow close your eyes I got a little surprise. I got a little surprise. [00:30:30] Speaker G: So my sister says to me, donate your old car to KFAI. And I say to her, you mean just give it away? You're crazy. Then my sister says, okay, how much is that car worth to you? And I say, nothing. She says, what would a dealer give you? And I say, nothing. And she says, well, it's worth something. The KFAI give it to them and they'll get some money for it and use it to make the radio you love. I know she's right. But I say, I bet it's hard to do. And she says, no, just go to their website, fill out a form and that's it. They haul your car away and you're done. Except that you might get a tax deduction. And I say, I guess mom was right after all. You are smarter than me. And my sister just smiles. [00:31:08] Speaker A: Go to kfai.org. [00:31:10] Speaker G: Click donate and scroll down to vehicle. [00:31:14] Speaker H: This is the Minnesota dose on Kfai. There's a new type of Covid-19 test available that doesn't involve sticking something up your nose. The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to a Texas company who makes a device thatll test for Covid-19 using breath samples. The inspect IR Covid-19 breathalyzer is about the size of a piece of carry on luggage. In one study, the test accurately yielded a positive reading 91.2% of the time. Its not for in home use, though. The test can only be used by a licensed healthcare provider. In other news, a new Covid-19 vaccination incentive is now up and running at the Mall of America. Get a vaccine or a booster at the MOA and you can get a Nickelodeon Universe mystery ticket which includes, at the very least, one free amusement ride or up to a full day of free rides. That's all for now. For the Minnesota dose on Kfai, I'm Ryan Dawes. [00:32:22] Speaker A: Programming is supported by North Point Health and Wellness center located at Penn and Plymouth in north Minneapolis. This spring, Northpoint reminds you that if you feel sick, 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. [00:32:45] Speaker B: All right, welcome back to views from the ground. [00:32:48] Speaker D: Views from the damn ground. [00:32:50] Speaker B: We just got done listening to the nerdy segment, and and nerdy will be joining us in the studio to help conduct an interview with Lieutenant Sonny next week. So coming up next, we have a very special guest liston. We have my uncle. I know you know King Demetrius in the house. [00:33:12] Speaker D: Welcome. Thank you so much for being with us today. [00:33:16] Speaker A: Listen. [00:33:18] Speaker D: Is it trademarked yet? [00:33:21] Speaker A: Everybody be trying to see it. [00:33:22] Speaker D: They really do. [00:33:26] Speaker C: Often imitated, never duplicated, something like that. [00:33:30] Speaker B: Yeah. So King Demetrius does a lot for the community, local journalists, that is. I don't even want to confine them to just Black lives Matter. He shows up to free Palestine. He shows up for women rights. He's been doing it for many years. And it's just an absolute treasure for our local activist scene and being able to tell our stories. So, yeah, welcome to the show, King Demetrius. [00:33:58] Speaker A: Thank you all very much for having me in. It's definitely an honor. [00:34:03] Speaker B: Yeah. So the thing is, a lot of people know you from showing up the protests and filming them. But how about you tell the listening audience how we met? [00:34:16] Speaker A: Well, how me and my young gentleman brother, DJ Matt, we was basically at this book reading club at black men and women reading Club at North Point. And we would read different books, I mean, like different jewels. And it was so amazing with Professor Israel Hyland at U of M. And it was just amazing to just basically be around black men and black women reading books, educating themselves and making sure that they refused to be refused. And everybody in that room played an important part. It was totally amazing. [00:34:56] Speaker B: Yeah. And the crazy part is you're talking as if we went to this together. I was like eight, y'all, or I was like twelve or so. I was in middle school. [00:35:06] Speaker D: Important context. Super cool. That's super duper cool. Sorry. [00:35:13] Speaker B: Yeah. And it was just, it was just nice to, like, be surrounded by a bunch of, you know, black men and women that were trying to better themselves and get this information. It was nice to have a local professor come in and teach this for free for the community on the heart of North Minneapolis and, you know, being able to just, you know, also providing food for people who showed up and, you know, I feel like that's where I get a lot of what I, you know, learn from the movement. Right. Just reading those books and, and seeing y'all being able to, like, study and getting the listen and hear y'all exchange ideals. Right. You know something? [00:35:56] Speaker D: We don't see enough. [00:35:57] Speaker B: Yeah. We don't get to see that enough. And, you know, just to see everyone as equals, you know? You know, Ezra is very chill and, like, treats everyone as an equal and everyone has something to contribute, you know, and there's so much that we covered in that, that, like, you know, I forget sometimes. Right? Yes. Because people be like, did you read this such and such book? I was like, I don't think I read that. Then they start talking about, like, oh, you know what? [00:36:21] Speaker A: Actually, actually, we did. Actually, we did. [00:36:26] Speaker B: I actually remember I went to a conference, like, two years ago, and Angela Davis was there. And I remember calling my dad, and I was like, I thought I was hot stuff. I was like, yeah, you know, set this conference with Angela Davis. You know, no big deal. You know, everybody else like, oh, okay, cool. Is that the third or fourth time you've seen her? And I was like, what do you mean? I was like, I've never seen Angela Davis. The book club saw her, like, two times. [00:36:56] Speaker A: We went to the guess, so we cleared. [00:36:59] Speaker D: You were there? [00:37:00] Speaker B: I was like, what? Just mind blown out. [00:37:05] Speaker C: So, were you really listening, DJ? I mean, were you really paying attention? [00:37:11] Speaker A: He was making some chess moves. [00:37:14] Speaker B: Oh, yeah. That's when you. I used to do a lot of poetry, too. [00:37:18] Speaker A: Yes. And he's amazing with doing Gil Scott Heron. You guys gotta hear him just do that Gil Scott Hearn. It's just, like, amazing and just blows you away. And not only that, to go to that book reading club was just very therapeutic. And a lot of people were basically talking about, like, what they were going through, a lot of personal things, or what have they, what happened? And that stayed in there. Nobody was breaking anybody care for the reality and anything like that. So it was just totally amazing. Like you said, it need to be more that, you know, you know, black men and women, women reading clubs, because, you know, a lot of individuals, as you can see with our education system, how young black men and women or children are failing at alarming rate. So. [00:38:04] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. And I feel like the community, people who were recovering from addiction and stuff like that, they were able to help. Like, they're able to help stabilize their life by going to this book club and stuff like that. True for my dad. Yes. And so. And I know that's true for some individuals that went there. So that was also really nice to see that happen. [00:38:29] Speaker A: Yes, it definitely was. Definitely. [00:38:32] Speaker B: So now we really want to get into, like, how did you get into the movement? You know what I mean? [00:38:39] Speaker A: Yes. [00:38:40] Speaker B: Like, it just always seems like you've been there. You know what I mean? [00:38:44] Speaker A: It is totally discombobulating how I got into the movement. So my daughter by the name of Brandy Ann Banks Suiter was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 2013. And I was really just blown away and not knowing what to do. And no one was really talking about her case. Not only did she get killed? Also a young man by the Melvin Jones. He was also killed informal. Other people was impacted due to that car crash, and the media wasn't saying anything about it. And I felt very compelled to say something, to do something. And a lot of times when someone get killed or someone passes away, it's two things can happen. One, you can make a significant change in your life, or two, or you can basically destroy your life. A lot of people go into that avenue of using chemical dependency, trying to self medicate themselves. And then some people just go into just, basically just trying to better themselves. So that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to challenge myself. So what I wound up doing, I started going out, just documenting things, and that's when Jamar Clark was tragically killed. And when he was killed, it was around the same time my daughter was killed by the drunk driver. And I just showed up, you know, I just showed up, started giving blankets away, started giving food away, showing up at the priest thing and going from there. [00:40:19] Speaker B: Yeah. And so you showed up a lot for the occupation. [00:40:24] Speaker A: Yes, yes. You know, Jamar Clark occupation was like one of a kind. And what I, what I would say about that is that we all basically seen and heard the Tom Fooley accusations that the police chief had made. He basically indicated that Jamar Clark wanted to die, et cetera, et cetera. Later on to come to find out that Mike Freeman was basically full of baloney, if you will. The lady came out and said basically, Jamar Clark was like a son to her. And there was no, no domestic violence or anything of that nature. And not only that, a ten year old kid came out and basically said, hey, what he seen happen. And they didn't believe the young black kid, basically. And they just told him to shut up and go away. And later on down the line, we come to find out they made his mom and then move out of town because they took a session a from and they put a gag order on a little kid so he wouldn't say anything. [00:41:26] Speaker B: Yeah, that, yeah, and because the cops never pay fair and it's always about the COVID up and, you know, and then that occupation, if some are our listeners, and no, actually in ended after someone came and shot up. [00:41:44] Speaker A: No, I think, yeah, some individuals did come and shoot up the occupation, if you will. But a lot of people indicated, because now Attorney General Keith Ellison indicated that all the smoke and things was messing with the community, people in their asthma, so he wanted to shut it down. So upon his orders and a couple more other people orders, they was able to shut it down. [00:42:11] Speaker B: Okay. Thank you for that. Yeah. So, and so how has it looked staying in the movement as long as you have? Because you've been in it since 2013, and right now we have all these different orgs and we have all these different people who help organize. But, like, back then, it really wasn't that many people. Right. During the story of the, like, Black Lives Matter movement. So how's that look like? How it's changed over time? [00:42:41] Speaker A: So basically how it's changed over time. We always had agitators, always in the crowds, if you will. We always had predators in the crowd, if you will. And we always had individuals that was chemical dependent use, and they prey on the young youth, if you will. So how it basically looked now, it's like a lot of people are basically organizing. A lot of people are calling people out on a tonguefoolery, accusations and the way they act, and they're nothing going to take it anymore. And the youth are standing up and they standing proud, and I just love it. And a lot of individuals are not able to come out because a lot of individuals are dealing with chemical dependency issues, have warrants, have felonies, if you will, have probation, et cetera, et cetera. So a lot of times people are like, well, where all the black people wear this and da da da? Well, if you want to think about it, a lot of people still dealing with some issues and they don't want to be on the camera. And not only that, once, whenever you get into the movement, you have to be all ten toes down. You can't have five toes in there, other five doing something else. [00:43:49] Speaker B: And, and so how's it, how's it felt seeing, like, this influx of a lot of people? Because, like, you know, we definitely saw a lot of people during the uprising with Floyd. Right. And so can you speak to that? Like, just seeing these crowds of, you know, tens of thousands of hundreds of thousands of people showing up in the middle of a pandemic. How, how did that feel? [00:44:17] Speaker A: So it was very confusing, to say the least, because we had so many other agitators, like the boogaloo, Bullae and the KKK and different nazi people coming along doing things that we know that african american people was not doing, such as burning down buildings in our community. A lot of black people does not play with fire, if you will. And a lot of people was making these accusations. Like, this is what african american people was doing that was very flap doodle for them to make those accusations. So as you can see, when a lot of people come about and especially when it comes to this movement, it's very concerning because we were doing this when it wasn't popular. Right, if you will. The Black lives Matter thing wasn't a hashtag cliche, if you will. So now a lot of people has gotten a camera and went out and started making gofundmes. A lot of people got rich off the movement, just so we clear. And they havent did anything but take, take and havent given anything back. But if it dont come out in the washer to come out in the rinse, if you will. So you just got to basically just, you know, watch the people. And once you watch the people, you will see who they are. [00:45:44] Speaker B: Yeah. And so how did it feel to see all these orgs that have been forming a lot, you know, over the years? Because, you know, during the 2020 uprising, we had the JFA get formed, justice frontline aid and, you know, and luckily we had orgs that have been there for a while like TCC for J, like, you know, racial justice Network. And so how does that felt with all these orgs being formed so well. [00:46:15] Speaker A: Just to, just to be clear, TC for J racial justice Network and all the individuals. Michelle Gross, police against police brutality, what have they? They have always been boots on the ground. So they've always been steadfast. Right. So they name alone stands. And not only that, they can't help everybody because a lot of times people come to them with preposterous, oh, can you help me with this and this and that? No, you know what I'm saying? Because not only that, when you're asking for someone's help, you're asking for them to basically put their neck on the line for you, basically. So they don't want you to come to them with a false help story, if you will, to act like you're taking something from the movement because a lot of times people think they're beating the movement, but actually they're just beating themselves. [00:47:06] Speaker B: Yes. So now let's talk about your event that you're going to be having start this weekend, which is the movement never stops. So talk to us about this event like what inspired this? Like, and, and kind of like what is it going to be about? [00:47:24] Speaker A: So the movement never stops is just as it says it is. The movement never stops. Right. And I wanted to be clear about that statement. Right. So when I say the movement never stops, I mean, like when you want to go fast and when you want to go first, right. When you want to go first, go alone. But when you want to go strong, go with a nation of people. So that's what the movement never stops coming from. Right? So I want to go with a nation of people. I don't want to be the first individual. I want to go with a nation of people. And the nation of people is a coalition of people who's out here standing in solidarity by any means necessary. And the movement never stops. This exhibit is basically one of a kind. I wanted to make sure I was sick in September. I almost died from COVID And I was just laying in the house bed. Basically lost 40 pounds in three days and couldn't breathe or what have they. And just laying in their bed, being vulnerable, very vulnerable. Right? And just like, wow. And then being sick for a whole month after I got out of the hospital, shout out to racial justice network. They were there. They. Oh, my goodness. They helped my family tremendously. But what I'm saying is that when you're laying in the bed and you're thinking about, like, I'm on my deathbed, you're thinking like, what things did, I did not do right all along. I was always thinking about making sure I got my living written will, making sure my life insurance is paid up, making sure that I take care of a bill, put out a book, making sure that I, you know what I'm saying? Dot some I's and cross some t's. And I hadn't did that. And I was upset and I was like, you know what I'm saying? And when you're sick, you're already stressed out, right? So you put extra stress on yourself because these are all of the things that you didn't check off on your not bucket list, but some things that, you know, you could have did if you would have pushed yourself. So I wanted to make sure that the movement never stops. It came to life, right? And then the month of Ramadan was April, and I. I just pushed myself that whole month to just basically put something together. And the photos, the images are going to be draw dropping because it's amazing. Because you just look at these images and you'll just be like, wow. Because a lot of people will put an exhibit on. But are you going to put the real exhibit on? [00:50:01] Speaker C: So in this exhibit, obviously, it's photos and covers your work. What is, like, the date range? Like, what's the earliest photo you have in this gallery? [00:50:12] Speaker A: The earliest, like, what? [00:50:14] Speaker C: Like, year. Like, you've been in the movement since, like, 2013. Do you have photos from. [00:50:19] Speaker B: Yes. [00:50:19] Speaker A: Yes, I have some images from 2013, when Jamar Clark. The situation occurred with Jamar Clark. Just like I spotted image, but they are images that speaks power to truth. Right. And it shows you, like, how everybody didn't have a camera then. [00:50:41] Speaker C: It wasn't 20 people trying to get the same shot. You got to move people out the way, put black photographers to the front. You're not fighting with people who have never stepped foot in Minneapolis a day in their life, but here they are for a trial. You got fight with none of those people. [00:50:57] Speaker B: Fight you did. [00:50:59] Speaker C: That's for sure. What was the. I don't know if I can just ask questions, but here I am. What was the process of selecting these images? As a person who's been taking photos for almost ten years, I'm sure that took a long time to do one and two. Like, what were, like, your criteria? That was like, yes, this one has to be in it. [00:51:24] Speaker A: So that's a good question. So I have a great answer for you. So whenever I look at an image, right, right. I'm like, I'm thinking about being in a sophomore in high school, right. I'm thinking about dissecting the frog. Right. So that's what I'm thinking. Like, okay, cool. This is it right here. This one right here. So, like, that part. Okay. So I was like, if I'm thinking about it, somebody else could be thinking about it, too. But whenever you look at an image, right. You're always thinking about, like, okay, what is these other individuals gonna say about this image? Okay, I'm just gonna put it out there. You know, you can change the frame, but the picture will always remain the same. Powerful. [00:52:07] Speaker D: I also have a question, and this is just. Yeah, generally, what do you. Excuse me. What do you want your legacy to be? [00:52:16] Speaker A: I want my legacy to be that I've always remained humble and always came back. I love to give back. The only way we can keep what we have is by giving it away. [00:52:27] Speaker F: Wow. [00:52:28] Speaker D: I think you got that down. Anything else? Listen, you're doing great. [00:52:35] Speaker B: Yep. And so. And so. Yeah. We're just all really excited for the movement. Never stops. And can you tell people where it's going to be and how they can get the information to show up? [00:52:49] Speaker A: Okay, it's going to be at 676 Smith Avenue south in St. Paul, Minneapolis, 55107, at Block studio portrait. Block studio portrait. And it is. It's just an opening show to the public Saturday and Sunday, and people can just come. [00:53:11] Speaker C: And then there is also that vip showing on Friday. Correct. There's a ticket information if you look up King Demetrius Pendleton. You can go to the facebook page. You can go to the eventbrite. There's information on tickets and stuff like that. If you want to go to the vip show, and that's on Friday at. [00:53:30] Speaker A: What time it will be from 05:00 to 09:00. [00:53:33] Speaker C: Yes. So if you want to be the first one to see it, go ahead and get those. So go ahead and do what you can. [00:53:41] Speaker A: Yes. [00:53:41] Speaker B: And I just really appreciate you coming in here and you telling us about your event that's going to be coming up this weekend. And, you know, and I just appreciate how much you've given to the movement over the last decade and how you stayed strong. And it is just, I remember talking to doctor Nakima Levy Armstrong, and she just says how it just fills her with, like, vigor just to hear you go, listen. That's when, you know, you killing it. [00:54:13] Speaker I: When you give it a speech, when. [00:54:14] Speaker B: You hear listen, I hit something there, you know what I mean? [00:54:18] Speaker A: And you know, the thing, well, a lot of people don't realize, like listen and listen came from this strategy. Like, I've always thought about listening with a critical ear. A lot of times, individuals don't listen, right? So when you don't listen, that's how wars get started. That's how divorces happen. That's how people get tragically killed, etcetera, if you don't listen, right? So when you listen with a critical ear, you become more and more acceptable when it comes to living life on life terms. But if you don't listen, so many things that can happen, right? So just like the young ten year old was telling the police officers and everybody what happened to Jamar Clark, and they didn't listen to him. They didn't listen to him. You know, just like when we thought about, like with Diana Marie when she got killed over there in uptown, you know, people was not listening to individuals, was telling, like, look, we was just, just doing a friendly reminder game, and this guy just come from out of nowhere and just, just plows into individuals and killed them. And now they're going to try to use the he have some mental illness capacity, if you will. [00:55:31] Speaker B: Yes. And so once again, I just want to thank you for coming in. Thank you for elevating stories of black and indigenous and queer folks. [00:55:42] Speaker A: Yes, yes, yes, yes. [00:55:44] Speaker D: We appreciate you so much. [00:55:46] Speaker A: Thank you. All solidarity and respect. [00:55:48] Speaker B: Yeah. Cause as we say in the movement. [00:55:52] Speaker A: The revolution will not be televised, but. [00:55:55] Speaker B: It will be live stream. [00:55:57] Speaker A: Live stream. Here's what's happening in your neck of the hood. [00:56:03] Speaker B: Oh, man. So, yeah, and so what? Protests. We have some protests to tell people about coming up this weekend. [00:56:13] Speaker D: This weekend. So this weekend we have the protests. We have all Nakba. I'm sorry if I mispronounced that. It's going to be Saturday, May 14. It is going to start at. Sorry, let me. It is going to be at Bryant Square park. It's going to start at 02:00 p.m. where it's going. Excuse me. It is hosted by the anti war committee and the American Muslims for Palestine, and it's an annual protest to demand the end to us aid to Israel and to demand the right to return. [00:56:48] Speaker B: Yes. And yes. [00:56:49] Speaker D: It's a big protest, y'all. They be turning up. [00:56:52] Speaker B: Yeah. And so, you know, free Palestine. You know, we saw a lot what the Israel government was doing to the Palestinians during Ramadan. So that, which was very unfortunate. So. But we always stick with international solidarity. So with that being said, this has been views from the ground. Views from the damn ground. Out. [00:57:25] Speaker I: In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the tear gas and clocks in the 45. In between the protests, we protest every lies. Realize that we have already been here before protesting the streets cause we see and we all at war burning police cars and we shoot in loot in these stores. You may not agree, but you see they changing these laws. The only thing they understand now is her city burning. They acting like they shocked with these cops. They just learnin seeing Mister Floyd on the ground and got em squirming. Now we can see they are the Nazis, we the german blacks, organize, organize, organize you away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the Magnum, the flock and the 45. In between the protests we protest and realize, yes, we have the organization organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the tickets and clocks and the 45. In between the protests, we protest every lies. Yeah, we always wake up, but then we go back to sleep again. In between the protest is when we be getting weak again. We hear about the loot, another shooting this week again. This gives the police another excuse to hit the streets again. White police, black population can never be a friend. Our mothers and our fathers and our dads, they be seizing them. They the overseers, we the slaves to them. We gotta rise to the level where we ain't need them. Everybody organize, organize, organize, do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the Magnum, the black and the 45. In between the protests we protest and realize. Yes, we have to organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. They come in with the tear gas and gloves. In the 45 in between the protests, we protest every alive. Yes, you have to follow me. Follow me, follow me. It's my philosophy that white law, monopoly, makes democracy hypocrisy in a capitalist economy. It's no democracy. I demand a return of my sovereignty. No apology. Independence, autonomy. No need to mommy me. I could run my own country if you could just stop bombing me. Give me my land back, give me my gold back. My heritage, my birthright. You outright stole that. Organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies, all the lies, all the lies. 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, organized. 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.