Face Everything And Rise Featuring Zanetia Henry and Dr. Veirdre Jackson

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Welcome. I'm Erik Fleming, host of A Moment with Erik Fleming, the podcast of our time.

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make this moment a movement.

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Thanks in advance for supporting the podcast of our time. I hope you enjoy this episode as well.

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The following program is hosted by the NBG Podcast Network.

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Music.

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Hello, and welcome to another Moment with Erik Fleming. I am your host, Erik Fleming.

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And today I have two women who are faith leaders, but not in a traditional sense.

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They're not ministers. They're not preachers.

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But it is obvious that the work that they do is driven by their faith.

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They are both repairers of the breach, and one deals with violence in the community

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and trying to minimize that.

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And the other one deals with coaching, building up leaders and,

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and, and helping people become better, better versions of themselves.

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Yeah, that's a good way to put it. And so it's really was my honor to interview both of them.

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And I hope that you get something out of those interviews as well.

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Yes, we are still trying to get 20,000 subscribers, so please go to patreon.com

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slash momentericfleming and go ahead and do that.

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If you like what we're doing, if you like the guests that I'm having come on,

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the political commentary, whatever, just go ahead and go to Patreon and subscribe.

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As we stated before, this is just a way to make sure that I'm still able to

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do what I need to do and continue to bring quality people like these two ladies before you.

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So it is, I guess, a very interesting time.

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As always, it seems like whenever I do this and I'm going to address a couple

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of things near the end that kind of caught my attention and caught the nation's attention.

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So I'll offer my takes on that. But as always, it's time to kick off this podcast

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and we kick it off with a moment of news with Grace G.

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Music.

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Thanks, Erik. President Donald Trump announced that the U.S.

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Had obliterated Iran's nuclear sites in coordinated strikes with Israel,

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leading to Iranian retaliation with missile strikes on a U.S. air base in Qatar.

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Prior to attending the NATO summit, President Trump announced a complete and

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total ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

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New York state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani is on track to win New York City's Democratic

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mayoral primary against former Governor Andrew Cuomo. U.S.

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Representative LaMonica McIver pleaded not guilty to federal charges of assaulting

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agents outside an immigration detention center in New Jersey.

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The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to resume deporting

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migrants to third-world countries

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without providing them an opportunity to express potential harms.

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Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian activist,

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vowed to continue his activism after being released on bail from immigration detention. A U.S.

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Judge ordered the release on bail of Kilmar Abrego-Garcia, a migrant who was

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wrongfully deported to El Salvador and later returned to the U.S. A U.S.

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Appeals court allowed Donald Trump to maintain control of California's National

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Guard, while Governor Gavin Newsom pursues a lawsuit challenging the president's

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use of troops to quell protests in Los Angeles.

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A whistleblower complaint alleges that Emil Bove, a top Justice Department official

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nominated for an appellate judgeship pressured department attorneys to disregard

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court orders and carry out mass deportations.

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A federal appeals court in Louisiana blocked a state law that would have required

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the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms.

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A new Georgia State Commission dismissed a complaint against Fulton County District

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Attorney Fani Willis regarding open records.

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And a suspect in the May bombing of a California fertility clinic,

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Daniel Park, died in federal custody.

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I am Grace G., and this has been a Moment of News. Music.

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Music.

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All right. Thank you, Grace, for that moment of news. And now it is time for

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my guest, Zanetia Henry.

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Zanetia Henry, a native of Waynesboro, Mississippi, holds and operates under many titles,

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some of which are CEO of Operation Recovery, Inc., Cobb County Violence Reduction

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Initiative Coordinator for Voices of Black Mothers United,

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Certified Grief Hope Coach,

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motivational speaker, victim's advocate, state-certified educator,

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and a life licenses agent.

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But of all these titles, the two most cherished are Gigi and Ma.

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Zanetia was blessed with two beautiful children who in return blessed her with

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three amazing grandchildren.

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She is graced with the opportunity to hold her daughter and grandchildren in

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her arms, But unfortunately, she can now only hold her unforgettable king,

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DreCharles Henry, in her heart.

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Operation Recovery was organized with a mission to serve and support parents

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and children in estranged relationships in January of 2019.

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April of 2019, after the murder of her 22-year-old son, Dre,

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the mission dug deeper and grew wider.

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Being a solution-driven person, Zanetia knew she had to use her pain to fuel her purpose.

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Operation Recovery provides support for grieving parents, advocates for stopping

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violence in the community, and provides opportunities for youth to serve in

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underserved communities.

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The foundation of Zanetia's work is unity and love. She believes these two core

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values will bring an end to violence and restore the village.

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Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and privilege to have as a guest

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on this podcast, Zanetia Henry.

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Music.

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Zanetia Henry. How are you doing, sister? You doing good?

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I'm doing great. How are you today? Well, I'm doing fine, and I am honored to have you to come on.

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And I understand congratulations on order that you can now be called Dr.

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Henry, whether you want to or not.

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Thank you. Yeah, that was pretty cool seeing that happen.

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All right, so we're going to go ahead and get this started. and how I usually

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start the interviews is with some icebreakers.

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So the first icebreaker is a quote. And that quote is, I didn't choose this journey.

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This journey chose me.

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However, I can choose how I travel. I choose to travel hand and heart with others

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that have been chosen while serving along the way. What does that quote mean to you?

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What that quote means is life and the choices of others affected me in a way

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that redirected my entire life.

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And because of that, I didn't have a choice about that.

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That was the decision and the way that the path went. but I don't have to allow

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what happened in my life to cause me not to be able to continue to live.

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Some things in life we don't have a choice about.

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Things happen, but we do have a choice about how we deal with it,

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how we handle it, how we live through it.

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So we make those choices. And I choose for this journey to connect with other

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people who have been snatched onto this journey, similar to mine or just like mine.

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I choose to walk hand and heart with them, meaning showing hope,

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love, vulnerability, and just compassion and being there as a support and looking

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to others that are like me for support.

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Yeah. All right. So the next icebreaker is what we call 20 questions.

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So I need you to give me a number between one and 20.

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Five. OK. Why do you think we should decide at.

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Oh, let me rephrase that. What do you think we should decide at the local or

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state levels versus federal?

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What do you think we should decide?

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As far as like what policies, you know, what what issues.

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Well, at the local and the state level, I feel like the policies and things

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that are decided upon should be focused mainly on the voices.

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And that's in every area, whether it's gun violence or whether it is drugs or

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whatever policy they're looking at or whatever it is that they want to change or however it is.

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I feel like the main deciding factor should be from the voices of those that

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are actually affected by it should be the voices of those that are that have

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been impacted by it. Okay.

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All right. So you are the CEO of Operation Recovery and the national lead for

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Voices of Black Mothers United.

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Talk about those organizations to educate the listeners.

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So Operation Recovery is a nonprofit organization that we started in January of 2019.

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And we started with the foundation of reuniting parents or being the intercessor

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between parents and children who had estranged relationships.

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Helping parents to see the child side and child helping to see the parent side.

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Just bringing that back together again.

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Helping parents who have lost the relationships with those children.

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In April of 2019, we were catapulted into a deeper area when we experienced

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the murder of our son, the physical loss of our son.

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So we begin to be that person or that organization that supports grieving parents.

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We advocate for stopping violence in the community.

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We help to try to build a bridge and bring unity in the community and build

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the bridge of communication and understanding between law enforcement and the community as well.

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One of our major foundations or that we think about or that we operate from is unity.

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It's going to take everybody united together to end whatever it is that we're dealing with.

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And in our case, you know, it's gun violence. So preparation recovery,

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like I said, we hold support groups.

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We have different sessions for moms. We have different sessions for fathers

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where we have siblings we support. We provide, you know, financial support at school.

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Specific levels. So basically, like I said, just supporting.

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We also provide mentorship for our youth in the preventative areas.

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So with Voices of Black Mothers United, which basically we have basically the

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same, somewhat the same missions,

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but with Voices of Black Mothers United is an initiative of the Woodson Center out of Washington, D.C.

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We were united with or connected to Voices of Black Mothers United in 2022,

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when we became the Mississippi State Lead.

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This is an initiative through the Woodson Center that brings mothers together

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across the nation, operating in over 23 states, and their state leads for each state.

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This initiative gives mothers

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like me a voice where we

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focus on building they focus

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on building the operation the the

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organization i'm sorry i lost my thought but voice the black mothers united

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focuses on building mothers organizations and giving mothers a voice where we

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wouldn't have had a voice because we're not high profile parents who have lost

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children to gun violence.

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We're not connected to mass shootings or anything like that. So just.

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Grassroots organizations that's trying to make a difference and using our pain to push purpose.

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So some of the initiatives or the focus of Voices of Black Mothers United is

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supporting positive policing and advocating for peace,

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advocating for stopping violence in our communities as well.

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So basically, those are some of the things that we do.

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But Voice of Black Mothers United is a national initiative.

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So what does the term VILOMAH mean?

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VILOMAH means a parent who has lost a child.

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Most of the time we will hear where people will say a wife who has lost a husband

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is a widow. A husband who has lost a wife is a widower.

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A child with no parent is an orphan.

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But we often hear people say there is no name for a parent who has lost a child.

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But doing just looking and doing some digging, some research,

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there has been a name that was developed for parents who have lost children.

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And our title would be Vilomah.

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And that's from sanskrit from what

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i understand yes yeah okay

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that was the first time i was just looking at

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it i said huh i had never heard that term before so i i wanted you to share

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that with the audience because there might be some people listening that that

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need to understand that there is a name or a term that can be used so and you

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kind of touched on a little bit when you explain to organizations,

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but recently you honored some police officers in the community.

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Why was that important for you to do?

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That was important for me to do because, like I said before, it takes everybody.

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I know that, you know, there's controversy about police and this and that,

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but just like you can't put me into a category with a lot of people that look like me,

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we can't put everybody into one category

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we can't judge one person or two people

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because of other people's decisions so

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what I felt was important and and this is also part of what we do through Voices

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of Black Mothers United as well but we feel as if we should honor those that

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are really trying and those that are really in the streets,

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in the communities, trying to build those positive relationships.

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Positively policing, not just.

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Policing, but trying to get to know the communities that they are policing.

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And these individuals understand that it's about building a relationship with

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the community that you are assigned to,

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understanding that these people have rights, understanding that these people

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have needs, and understanding that things are not always what they seem.

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But getting these police officers put forth an effort, give up their personal

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time a lot of times to make sure that they are connected and understanding the

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people that they are there for.

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Not just showing up when something is happening,

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something is wrong, but they are putting forth a major effort to,

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I think the what I'm looking for is recreate or

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the image rewrite the

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end of that that story that says all police are bad because all police are not

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bad yeah yeah I definitely can relate to that I don't know if I talked to you

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about this before but you know I've I've got a background in law enforcement and,

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You know, that's one of the things that I try to stress, even if I'm critical about the police.

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Having worn a badge, I understand that there were there's a lot more good officers

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than there are bad officers.

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You know, it's just my crusade is to get the bad ones out. That's all I'm trying to do is get the bad.

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Yeah. Now, we're not supporting that that bad behavior. We are totally against

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police brutality. We don't agree with that at all, but we also still know that

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everybody's not like that. All of them are like that.

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And also, we feel it's important to rebuild that communication and that connection,

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that bridge between law enforcement and the community, because the community

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needs to understand that we have a responsibility as well.

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Police officers can't do what they need to do without us, and we can't do what

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we need to do without them. Everybody needs everybody.

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Yeah. So give me an example of love and action as it relates to the work that you're doing.

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Love and action means I'm not just going to sit on this podcast with you and

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talk about how unity is important.

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I'm putting my boots on the ground and I'm going

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to get out there and I'm going to host events that

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bring people together I'm going to create

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programs that show our youth how

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important it is to Love themselves and to love others and to regulate their

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emotions and to Make wise choices I'm going to go into the schools and share

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our story of how we lost our son to gun violence,

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but we can work together to put an end to that.

00:21:26.580 --> 00:21:31.740
That's what love and action means. I'm not just loving my children,

00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:39.260
my son that I brought into the world, but I am loving every child and giving

00:21:39.260 --> 00:21:41.800
them every child that I come in contact with,

00:21:42.040 --> 00:21:48.320
giving them the opportunity to learn how to, like I said, regulate their emotions

00:21:48.320 --> 00:21:50.580
and make wise decisions,

00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:53.820
handle those conflicts in a peaceful way.

00:21:53.820 --> 00:21:56.940
I'm not just going to love my community with

00:21:56.940 --> 00:22:00.300
words I'm going to love my community By getting

00:22:00.300 --> 00:22:03.440
in the center of that community And providing

00:22:03.440 --> 00:22:06.260
what may be needed If it's

00:22:06.260 --> 00:22:09.680
financial literacy Then we're going to figure out programs

00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:13.620
Or we're going to provide programs That's going to give the community financial

00:22:13.620 --> 00:22:19.980
literacy That will help to lift some of that stress and strain as well So love

00:22:19.980 --> 00:22:26.740
and action means I'm not just going to sit and talk about what I'm doing and say that I love you,

00:22:26.760 --> 00:22:30.720
I'm going to put into action and try to meet your needs.

00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:37.580
Yeah. On your Instagram page, you list out rights that survivors of crime have.

00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:42.680
What more can public policy do to protect those rights?

00:22:43.981 --> 00:22:49.781
Policy, I really honestly feel like it's on the right track when it comes to that.

00:22:50.221 --> 00:22:55.481
We, in April, it is National Crime Victims' Rights Week.

00:22:55.921 --> 00:23:02.641
So bringing light to the rights that survivors of crime have,

00:23:02.681 --> 00:23:06.261
I feel like what could be done more with that?

00:23:08.261 --> 00:23:17.961
Support that mission. Support that push to make sure that we are grassroots

00:23:17.961 --> 00:23:22.201
organizations and different other organizations that are actually trying to

00:23:22.201 --> 00:23:26.221
get that word out and to help survivors understand,

00:23:26.221 --> 00:23:28.301
be supportive of that,

00:23:28.841 --> 00:23:34.461
knowing that it's important for people to know what happens next.

00:23:34.741 --> 00:23:42.961
And having the financial support and having the platforms to be able to express

00:23:42.961 --> 00:23:50.141
that and do what we need to do in order to make sure those survivors know what rights they have.

00:23:51.321 --> 00:23:54.601
That's what I feel could really be more.

00:23:54.941 --> 00:23:58.821
In April, we have the National Crime Victims' Rights Week,

00:23:59.021 --> 00:24:06.001
but I feel like every month we can, And, you know, just being able to do more

00:24:06.001 --> 00:24:12.001
every month to show these survivors and provide these survivors with the rights that they have.

00:24:12.861 --> 00:24:15.961
Yeah. And it's listening to you. I was thinking.

00:24:16.301 --> 00:24:21.601
So you basically want to see some action, some love and action from some of

00:24:21.601 --> 00:24:22.781
these elected officials.

00:24:22.781 --> 00:24:28.701
I fear Who has the biggest role In making sure A neighborhood Or community is

00:24:28.701 --> 00:24:33.521
safe The residents Or law enforcement And government And why.

00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:39.179
To be honest, I think the roles are equal.

00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:44.439
I wouldn't say that either one has a bigger role.

00:24:44.999 --> 00:24:52.179
Because if we break it down and we look at it, and if we say the community has the biggest role, okay?

00:24:52.719 --> 00:24:57.539
Well, there's only so much that the community can do legally.

00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:03.799
If we say that the police has the bigger role,

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:08.859
then there's only so much that the police can do because they need the community

00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:14.399
to stand behind them and provide information when they need information,

00:25:14.659 --> 00:25:17.339
you know, so they can't do it all.

00:25:18.159 --> 00:25:24.339
Lawmakers can put in policies and put in as many laws as they want.

00:25:24.719 --> 00:25:29.699
But if you don't have the community that's willing to follow these,

00:25:29.699 --> 00:25:35.579
the laws or stand up, you know, behind the policies, if you don't have the police

00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:37.479
that's willing to enforce.

00:25:37.879 --> 00:25:45.479
So I really feel like everybody's role is equally the same. We all have to do our part.

00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:52.139
Yeah. And I don't think I highlighted that while we were getting started with

00:25:52.139 --> 00:25:54.679
the interview. But you're a Mississippi girl.

00:25:55.339 --> 00:26:02.259
I am. I am. And, you know, in Mississippi, one of the cool things about the

00:26:02.259 --> 00:26:06.759
state is that it's all about community, you know.

00:26:06.979 --> 00:26:12.379
And, you know, even in these modern times, that community is a very,

00:26:12.499 --> 00:26:14.439
very important part of the culture.

00:26:14.439 --> 00:26:25.799
So how did being somebody from Mississippi kind of shape you to end up being

00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:30.759
the educator and being the activist that you have become?

00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:35.399
I know certain circumstances led you down this particular path,

00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:41.799
but I just feel so that if that had not happened, you would be an activist for something else.

00:26:41.979 --> 00:26:46.579
So kind of talk to me about what about your upbringing in Mississippi?

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:50.059
What about Mississippi that made you the person that you are?

00:26:51.659 --> 00:26:59.379
Mississippi helped to mold me into the person that I am from my upbringing of community.

00:27:00.639 --> 00:27:09.219
When I came up, we lived in, basically, it was a neighborhood of really just family.

00:27:09.699 --> 00:27:14.219
But if you went over a street, there was still family. There may not have been

00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:15.659
blood, but they were still family.

00:27:15.919 --> 00:27:19.759
If you went over another street, there was still family. May not have been blood,

00:27:19.879 --> 00:27:20.819
but they were still family.

00:27:20.959 --> 00:27:24.879
But in the right where I was, it was blood family.

00:27:26.031 --> 00:27:31.471
We depended on each other. I can actually remember a time that I was driving,

00:27:31.471 --> 00:27:34.491
and this was right after my son was born.

00:27:34.891 --> 00:27:38.251
So, of course, he was supposed to be in a car seat, and he was not.

00:27:38.471 --> 00:27:41.751
He had gotten out of the car seat because he was mischievous.

00:27:41.751 --> 00:27:46.251
He had gotten out of the car seat, and he was hanging, his hand was hanging

00:27:46.251 --> 00:27:47.491
out the window, and he was waving.

00:27:48.531 --> 00:27:55.411
So, the police chief at that time was this man, and his name was Ovi May.

00:27:56.031 --> 00:27:59.751
He would sit in different places, you know, just patrolling or doing what,

00:27:59.871 --> 00:28:00.851
you know, doing what he's doing.

00:28:01.331 --> 00:28:06.831
And I passed by. And when I passed by, my son waved at him. And so he stopped me.

00:28:07.431 --> 00:28:12.851
And when he stopped me, he said, you know, this baby should be in the car seat. And I said, yes, sir.

00:28:13.551 --> 00:28:17.291
I said, but he just got out and I was going to pull over and put him back in.

00:28:17.491 --> 00:28:21.711
And he said, I know that. He said, you're the parent. He's the child.

00:28:22.211 --> 00:28:25.111
You need to make sure that he's in that car seat

00:28:25.111 --> 00:28:27.871
at all times you make sure that he's

00:28:27.871 --> 00:28:30.671
buckled in it doesn't matter if he didn't want to stay because I think I said

00:28:30.671 --> 00:28:33.391
something about he doesn't like staying in it and he

00:28:33.391 --> 00:28:36.931
got out or something and he said you're the parent and so

00:28:36.931 --> 00:28:39.611
for him to say that he didn't write me

00:28:39.611 --> 00:28:42.551
a ticket he didn't do any of that but for him to

00:28:42.551 --> 00:28:45.971
say that to me that was because

00:28:45.971 --> 00:28:49.651
he was a part of our community because he

00:28:49.651 --> 00:28:52.411
knew that if he

00:28:52.411 --> 00:28:58.551
gave me that advice then he was doing his job as not only the police chief but

00:28:58.551 --> 00:29:04.491
he was doing his job as an elder in the community a person who with wisdom in

00:29:04.491 --> 00:29:10.111
the community that was guiding a a younger parent like myself.

00:29:10.651 --> 00:29:17.131
My parents always believed in depending on each other, leaning on each other, supporting each other.

00:29:17.291 --> 00:29:21.991
So those are the things that really just being able, like I said,

00:29:22.111 --> 00:29:27.411
I can remember like sitting on the porch with family, chilling bees.

00:29:28.291 --> 00:29:30.931
You know, sharing what came from the garden.

00:29:31.511 --> 00:29:39.031
I remember my dad had, you know, loads and loads and loads of fruit and vegetables

00:29:39.031 --> 00:29:43.571
and things like that, sharing it with the community as well.

00:29:43.631 --> 00:29:51.111
And I still see that happening now, where not many people, but I still see it

00:29:51.111 --> 00:29:55.251
from some to where if I have it, you have it.

00:29:55.931 --> 00:30:02.051
Nobody's going like him, you know. So that's pretty much how it shaped me.

00:30:02.231 --> 00:30:06.691
I saw a lot of love, and I saw a lot of people that truly cared.

00:30:06.871 --> 00:30:11.751
And it didn't matter if you were blood or not. It didn't matter if you were

00:30:11.751 --> 00:30:14.331
my biological child or whatever.

00:30:14.391 --> 00:30:17.251
It was community. Yeah.

00:30:18.361 --> 00:30:24.661
So let's go down a different track real quick. Do you feel that mental health is prioritized enough?

00:30:24.921 --> 00:30:31.201
And if not, what more can be done to prioritize the mental health needs of Americans?

00:30:31.861 --> 00:30:38.621
To be honest, I think that mental health is really, as far as being recognized

00:30:38.621 --> 00:30:41.541
and prioritized, I think it's getting there.

00:30:41.941 --> 00:30:44.081
I think it's getting a lot better.

00:30:44.801 --> 00:30:52.381
There's a lot of more avenues and awareness being brought to mental health There

00:30:52.381 --> 00:30:57.321
are more opportunities for people who are struggling with mental health to get

00:30:57.321 --> 00:31:03.621
help There are so many just bringing the awareness is much greater.

00:31:04.401 --> 00:31:06.141
Are we always there yet?

00:31:06.301 --> 00:31:09.921
No, but I feel like it has from

00:31:09.921 --> 00:31:13.181
where it used to be Now I can

00:31:13.181 --> 00:31:16.381
say yes It is really getting there

00:31:16.381 --> 00:31:19.721
to where people are understanding How important mental health

00:31:19.721 --> 00:31:22.621
is And the different aspects of

00:31:22.621 --> 00:31:25.701
mental health And changing the

00:31:25.701 --> 00:31:31.821
views of what mental health means I have a friend that is a therapist And she

00:31:31.821 --> 00:31:39.221
often states that we all have mental health But we can either have a good mental

00:31:39.221 --> 00:31:45.121
health or bad mental health That's the areas that we, you know, that we need to focus on.

00:31:45.281 --> 00:31:48.521
So I think it's getting there. I really do.

00:31:49.321 --> 00:31:55.941
Yeah. Do you see a difference between attitudes in Mississippi as opposed to Georgia?

00:31:56.381 --> 00:32:00.561
Or is it about the same? When it comes to mental health? Yes, ma'am.

00:32:01.401 --> 00:32:05.321
Yes, there is a difference. Mississippi is not quite where Georgia is.

00:32:05.801 --> 00:32:09.181
And, you know, just being honest, there is a lot of light that still,

00:32:09.321 --> 00:32:12.001
it's better than what it used to be.

00:32:12.321 --> 00:32:17.181
But I do see more focus on mental health in a lot of different areas,

00:32:17.401 --> 00:32:20.061
a lot of different platforms, people,

00:32:20.321 --> 00:32:24.441
you know, when it comes to churches, when it comes to, which are,

00:32:24.641 --> 00:32:31.501
you know, the cornerstones of our communities, I see more people here in Georgia

00:32:31.501 --> 00:32:34.701
that's willing to accept mental health,

00:32:35.541 --> 00:32:42.441
accept the open that more people are opening their doors to bring awareness

00:32:42.441 --> 00:32:48.901
to mental health and the importance of mental health here in Georgia than I do in Mississippi.

00:32:49.041 --> 00:32:54.521
Now, don't get me wrong, they're making great strives but I feel like there

00:32:54.521 --> 00:33:00.681
is a difference it's not quite as much attention as it should be in my opinion,

00:33:01.701 --> 00:33:07.441
alright so let's close out with this in the bible in the book of Matthew more

00:33:07.441 --> 00:33:13.821
specifically it admonishes us to judge not lest ye be judged ourselves based

00:33:13.821 --> 00:33:17.881
on your personal experience do you think that is a good rule to live by.

00:33:19.163 --> 00:33:26.743
I do. I do think that is a perfect rule to live by because who are we to judge?

00:33:27.343 --> 00:33:32.103
I don't know what you've been through. I don't know what it took for you to

00:33:32.103 --> 00:33:33.943
get out of the bed this morning.

00:33:34.603 --> 00:33:39.923
I don't know what happened to that little boy or that little girl that walked

00:33:39.923 --> 00:33:43.883
into my classroom this morning angry or frustrated.

00:33:44.263 --> 00:33:46.123
I don't know what happened to

00:33:46.123 --> 00:33:51.583
my co-worker the night before she came in or the morning that she got up.

00:33:51.823 --> 00:33:58.863
I don't know what a person has just experienced that I'm passing that may be

00:33:58.863 --> 00:34:04.463
in what we know a lot about now in the fentanyl fold.

00:34:05.103 --> 00:34:11.363
I'm passing by them and I see this. I don't know what caused them to be in that

00:34:11.363 --> 00:34:16.123
state that they had to, you know, use fit enough.

00:34:16.343 --> 00:34:24.043
I don't know what has happened. So how can I say you're wrong or you shouldn't

00:34:24.043 --> 00:34:25.583
be doing this or you shouldn't be doing it?

00:34:25.703 --> 00:34:31.363
There's only one thing that I strongly say that I feel that we can tell people,

00:34:31.543 --> 00:34:33.063
no, you shouldn't or whatever.

00:34:33.263 --> 00:34:37.723
And that is we cannot hurt someone else just because we're hurting.

00:34:38.303 --> 00:34:41.283
That is the only thing I say we don't have a right to do.

00:34:41.683 --> 00:34:45.203
So I can't tell you that you don't have a right to do this or you don't have.

00:34:45.463 --> 00:34:50.183
What I can say is that help me understand why you're doing what you're doing.

00:34:50.683 --> 00:34:55.563
And then maybe if I can help you to find a different way or a different avenue

00:34:55.563 --> 00:34:59.103
or a different outlet, then I can present that to you.

00:34:59.203 --> 00:35:08.523
But I can't judge you because I don't know what it took for you to even press forward today.

00:35:08.983 --> 00:35:11.163
I believe in showing love and compassion.

00:35:12.403 --> 00:35:19.303
Yeah, and we definitely need more of that. You know, just in kind of doing some background on you,

00:35:19.603 --> 00:35:23.883
you know, I felt that that was a good question to ask because it seems like

00:35:23.883 --> 00:35:29.923
a lot of the stuff that you do works on that premise, that it's like you don't

00:35:29.923 --> 00:35:31.423
know what a person's been through.

00:35:31.583 --> 00:35:35.223
You don't know what kind of tragedies hit them. You don't know what kind of,

00:35:36.143 --> 00:35:40.583
like you said, issues they went to sleep on and had to wake up thinking about.

00:35:40.783 --> 00:35:45.983
And so it's just best to kind of approach people, I won't say cautiously,

00:35:46.243 --> 00:35:51.783
but approach people with a clean slate and meet them where they are.

00:35:52.063 --> 00:35:57.143
And I think that's what you've been trying to do with both Operation Recovery

00:35:57.143 --> 00:36:01.583
and Voices of Black Mothers United. So.

00:36:02.671 --> 00:36:08.731
Tell people how to get involved with these organizations, how they can support

00:36:08.731 --> 00:36:13.331
what you're doing, how they can reach out to you and all that stuff.

00:36:13.831 --> 00:36:22.351
So we are on Operation Recovery and Voice of Black Mothers United are on Facebook.

00:36:22.671 --> 00:36:24.251
We both have websites.

00:36:24.791 --> 00:36:30.631
Operation Recovery's website is thetheoperationrecovery.org.

00:36:30.631 --> 00:36:33.051
And so you can reach me through the website.

00:36:33.131 --> 00:36:36.311
We have Facebook page, Zanetia Henry.

00:36:36.571 --> 00:36:41.631
We have Operation Recovery's Facebook page. We're on Instagram,

00:36:42.271 --> 00:36:45.091
both Zanetia Henry and Operation Recovery.

00:36:45.351 --> 00:36:51.031
We're on LinkedIn, Operation Recovery with Zanetia Henry. So those are some

00:36:51.031 --> 00:36:52.931
ways that you can reach out.

00:36:53.131 --> 00:36:59.731
And you can always reach out via phone, 601-410-3498.

00:37:00.371 --> 00:37:05.651
Text message, you can text, you can call. It'd be better to text and then let

00:37:05.651 --> 00:37:08.231
me call you back or leave a message if I don't answer.

00:37:08.651 --> 00:37:14.551
So those are some ways that you can reach us. You can reach or get to find out

00:37:14.551 --> 00:37:18.571
more about Voices of Black Mothers United through the Woodson Center,

00:37:18.811 --> 00:37:20.791
which is also on Facebook,

00:37:21.311 --> 00:37:29.331
Instagram, and the website is woodsoncenter.org and or Voices of Black Mothers United.

00:37:29.371 --> 00:37:32.971
You can pull that up and it'll take you right to it as well.

00:37:33.791 --> 00:37:40.971
Yeah. And I would be remiss if I didn't want, if I didn't allow you to say your

00:37:40.971 --> 00:37:47.731
son's name so that, speak his name so that people will understand who he was?

00:37:47.851 --> 00:37:55.431
Yeah, just kind of who he was and what do you think he would be saying to you

00:37:55.431 --> 00:37:57.431
right now about the work that you're doing?

00:37:58.584 --> 00:38:01.624
Son's name is DreCharles Henry and he

00:38:01.624 --> 00:38:04.444
is called Dre for short because he didn't

00:38:04.444 --> 00:38:10.324
like the whole name so he was adamant about being called Dre but he had lots

00:38:10.324 --> 00:38:21.024
and lots of nicknames so Dre is fun-loving exciting and what helps me the most

00:38:21.024 --> 00:38:23.664
is knowing that he lived every single.

00:38:24.284 --> 00:38:30.764
Day, every single moment of his 22 years on earth, he lived it like it was his last.

00:38:31.124 --> 00:38:35.324
He didn't believe in holding grudges. He didn't believe in being angry.

00:38:35.724 --> 00:38:40.584
If he was angry, it was maybe five minutes. That was it. He was moving on from

00:38:40.584 --> 00:38:43.404
that. He was always laughing. The life of the party.

00:38:43.644 --> 00:38:47.844
He enjoyed having fun. He enjoyed life.

00:38:48.004 --> 00:38:51.564
He never got attached to things, houses,

00:38:51.744 --> 00:38:54.924
cars, clothes shoes jewelry all

00:38:54.924 --> 00:38:58.364
that stuff none of that ever meant anything to him because

00:38:58.364 --> 00:39:01.084
he have it today he may not

00:39:01.084 --> 00:39:03.764
have it tomorrow and it did not matter to him and

00:39:03.764 --> 00:39:08.784
he's been that way his entire life he'd lose stuff because it just didn't matter

00:39:08.784 --> 00:39:14.924
to him when it came to things what mattered to him was being happy full of joy

00:39:14.924 --> 00:39:21.204
and sharing his joy and his light with others and he pushes me a lot right now

00:39:21.204 --> 00:39:23.364
because I'm always hearing his voice,

00:39:23.404 --> 00:39:27.724
especially when I'm slowing down or some hard, hard moments.

00:39:28.164 --> 00:39:31.384
His words to me are, you straight, mom.

00:39:32.264 --> 00:39:38.704
Snap back. You okay. And that gives me strength to allow my tears to flow,

00:39:38.904 --> 00:39:44.284
allow my heart to ache, but it gives me strength to get up and continue to press forward.

00:39:44.664 --> 00:39:51.364
And I know he will be extremely excited about all the things that we're doing

00:39:51.364 --> 00:39:55.164
to help other people because that's what he did.

00:39:55.464 --> 00:39:58.804
He just loved making people laugh and enjoying life.

00:39:59.809 --> 00:40:06.269
Well, Zanetia Henry, I know for certain that you are living up to not only Dre's

00:40:06.269 --> 00:40:09.429
expectations, but many of us in the community.

00:40:09.869 --> 00:40:11.969
I appreciate the work that you're doing.

00:40:12.529 --> 00:40:17.009
And I know that it's not easy work because of the attachment.

00:40:17.589 --> 00:40:22.889
But I'm glad that you stepped forward and answered the call.

00:40:22.889 --> 00:40:26.949
And I'm really honored that you took the time out to come on to the podcast

00:40:26.949 --> 00:40:28.469
and talk about what you're doing.

00:40:29.069 --> 00:40:36.409
And I hope that the club doesn't expand, to be honest, but I do want you to

00:40:36.409 --> 00:40:39.869
continue to work to support those folks that need it. So thank you for that.

00:40:40.409 --> 00:40:43.189
Most definitely. Thank you so much for this opportunity.

00:40:43.909 --> 00:40:47.289
It's an honor to be able to come on and talk with you today.

00:40:47.289 --> 00:40:54.329
And I'm always very, very grateful for any platform that I can share my story,

00:40:54.609 --> 00:41:03.169
share my baby and let people know that we're on this journey together and we

00:41:03.169 --> 00:41:04.809
just have to love and support each other.

00:41:05.429 --> 00:41:09.349
All right. All right, guys. And we're going to catch y'all on the other side.

00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:27.760
Music.

00:41:28.629 --> 00:41:36.449
All right, and we are back. And so now it is time for my next guest, Dr. Veirdre Jackson.

00:41:36.989 --> 00:41:42.489
Dr. Veirdre Jackson is a visionary leader, educator, and entrepreneur dedicated

00:41:42.489 --> 00:41:48.369
to helping businesses, educational institutions, leaders and professionals overcome

00:41:48.369 --> 00:41:50.689
burnout, enhance communication,

00:41:51.409 --> 00:41:54.469
boost productivity, and strengthen team relationships.

00:41:55.569 --> 00:42:00.829
Work centers on fostering belonging and resilience to create thriving environments

00:42:00.829 --> 00:42:04.189
where individuals and teams can reach their full potential.

00:42:04.429 --> 00:42:09.009
As an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and consultant, Dr.

00:42:09.169 --> 00:42:14.049
Jackson's dynamic expertise has impacted organizations across sectors.

00:42:14.589 --> 00:42:18.609
Dr. Jackson is the CEO and founder of Living Strong Consulting,

00:42:18.689 --> 00:42:25.309
LLC, a firm specializing in innovative strategies for organizational resilience.

00:42:26.169 --> 00:42:29.109
Leadership development, and trauma-informed practices.

00:42:29.409 --> 00:42:34.669
Her over 20 years of experience in nonprofit and executive leadership have positioned

00:42:34.669 --> 00:42:39.009
her as a trusted partner for addressing challenges in workplace culture,

00:42:39.409 --> 00:42:40.509
equity, and well-being.

00:42:41.269 --> 00:42:46.249
She is a champion for equity literacy and trauma awareness, providing solutions

00:42:46.249 --> 00:42:48.989
that promote inclusive, thriving communities.

00:42:49.329 --> 00:42:55.989
Through her Refill Framework, which includes strategies to rewire for relationships,

00:42:56.389 --> 00:43:00.129
embrace emotional health, find strength in community,

00:43:00.809 --> 00:43:04.549
influence others, let it go, and level up, Dr.

00:43:04.689 --> 00:43:08.709
Jackson delivers practical, transformative tools for addressing burnout,

00:43:09.269 --> 00:43:14.929
managing stress, and building authentic connections in the fast-paced professional settings.

00:43:15.269 --> 00:43:20.389
Dr. Jackson's influence spans diverse audiences, including educators,

00:43:20.709 --> 00:43:22.769
corporate leaders, administrators, and clinicians.

00:43:23.229 --> 00:43:28.569
She has collaborated with leading organizations, including Lakeside Global Institute,

00:43:28.849 --> 00:43:30.309
where she served as a mentor trainer,

00:43:31.069 --> 00:43:35.909
Penn State Extension, developing online trauma responsive courses,

00:43:36.629 --> 00:43:41.669
Head Start and Early Head Start as a coach for classroom and home visiting staff,

00:43:41.969 --> 00:43:48.329
numerous charter schools, public school districts, and intermediate units as a relational coach.

00:43:49.277 --> 00:43:53.277
Dr. Jackson's work with these organizations underscores her commitment to improving

00:43:53.277 --> 00:43:57.477
communication, building trust, and fostering sustainable growth.

00:43:57.657 --> 00:44:02.857
Her John Maxwell team certification elevates her leadership training capabilities,

00:44:03.117 --> 00:44:07.857
allowing her to facilitate transformative workshops, mastermind sessions,

00:44:08.097 --> 00:44:09.497
and one-on-one coaching.

00:44:09.497 --> 00:44:15.777
She covers topics such as Today Matters, Leadership Gold, Becoming a Person

00:44:15.777 --> 00:44:21.037
of Influence, and the 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, Empowering Professionals

00:44:21.037 --> 00:44:23.957
to Achieve Personal and Organizational Success.

00:44:23.957 --> 00:44:30.257
From 2001 to 2023, she was also the host of the popular Living Strong,

00:44:30.457 --> 00:44:32.017
the flip side of adversity,

00:44:32.337 --> 00:44:37.537
live radio show on the Voice America Network's empowerment channel,

00:44:37.737 --> 00:44:41.597
which reached over 100,000 listeners over across 75 countries.

00:44:41.917 --> 00:44:47.597
In 2024, she expanded her reach by launching a podcast of the same name on Podbean

00:44:47.597 --> 00:44:51.817
and YouTube, syndicated to platforms like Spotify, Apple Play,

00:44:51.977 --> 00:44:53.717
iHeartRadio and Amazon Music.

00:44:53.957 --> 00:44:59.777
The podcast features inspiring stories and actionable advice for navigating

00:44:59.777 --> 00:45:03.217
adversity in relationships, leadership, health, and mindset.

00:45:03.497 --> 00:45:07.817
As an accomplished author, Dr. Jackson has published several impactful works.

00:45:08.537 --> 00:45:12.937
16 Principles for Abundant Living, A Guide for Women's Empowerment,

00:45:13.417 --> 00:45:18.357
Fearless Conversations with a Limitless God, an award-winning exploration of

00:45:18.357 --> 00:45:20.237
breaking toxic thought cycles.

00:45:21.017 --> 00:45:26.157
Which has been recognized with two civil medals from BookFest and featured on

00:45:26.157 --> 00:45:28.177
the NASDAQ board in Times Square.

00:45:28.757 --> 00:45:31.757
This book continues to inspire readers globally.

00:45:32.617 --> 00:45:37.597
Refill, six strategies to reconnect, rejuvenate, and restore with soul care,

00:45:37.957 --> 00:45:43.537
a vital resource for navigating the demands of professional caregiving and rediscovering

00:45:43.537 --> 00:45:44.757
purpose and fulfillment.

00:45:44.757 --> 00:45:47.637
In 2025, Dr.

00:45:47.757 --> 00:45:51.317
Jackson will release the e-book, Belonging Over Barriers, Unlocking the Art

00:45:51.317 --> 00:45:54.497
of Belonging in Business, Personal Power, and Collective Impact.

00:45:54.877 --> 00:45:59.677
This groundbreaking series equips leaders and teams with skills to create authentic

00:45:59.677 --> 00:46:04.537
belonging, foster empathy, and drive innovation in today's professional landscape.

00:46:05.526 --> 00:46:09.566
Dr. Jackson's expertise has earned her numerous accolades, including recognition

00:46:09.566 --> 00:46:16.606
as a professional development champion by Pennsylvania's Keystone Stars Southeast Regional Key.

00:46:16.886 --> 00:46:21.706
Selection as an author all star in 2023 and 2024.

00:46:22.306 --> 00:46:28.146
Honoree of the 2023 Exchange Leadership Initiative, which celebrates visionary

00:46:28.146 --> 00:46:30.126
leaders in early care and education.

00:46:30.126 --> 00:46:34.626
She is also a featured presenter for the Trauma and Child Development Series

00:46:34.626 --> 00:46:39.486
by Penn State's Better Kid Care, a contributor to Women's Entrepreneur Magazine,

00:46:39.826 --> 00:46:42.646
and a sought-after keynote and podcast guest.

00:46:42.946 --> 00:46:46.506
Dr. Jackson holds a bachelor's degree from Drexel University,

00:46:46.806 --> 00:46:50.446
a master's degree in elementary education from Temple University,

00:46:50.446 --> 00:46:54.706
and a doctoral degree in leadership and innovation from Wilmington University.

00:46:54.706 --> 00:46:59.346
Her academic foundation supports her innovative approaches to leadership,

00:46:59.626 --> 00:47:01.446
community building, and resilience.

00:47:02.006 --> 00:47:06.266
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Jackson cherishes her role as a wife,

00:47:06.706 --> 00:47:10.206
mother of two daughters, and Gigi to her three grandchildren,

00:47:10.466 --> 00:47:11.846
Max, Jackson, and Ceres.

00:47:12.526 --> 00:47:16.126
Her family inspires her continued commitment to creating meaningful,

00:47:16.346 --> 00:47:21.526
lasting change for the next generation. With her deep understanding of organizational

00:47:21.526 --> 00:47:26.046
systems, trauma-informed practices, and leadership development, Dr.

00:47:26.186 --> 00:47:30.166
Veirdre Jackson is uniquely positioned to guide businesses, schools,

00:47:30.266 --> 00:47:31.846
and professionals towards success.

00:47:32.086 --> 00:47:36.886
Whether addressing burnout, enhancing communication, or fostering belonging,

00:47:37.166 --> 00:47:42.566
she delivers actionable solutions that inspire transformation and drive results.

00:47:42.566 --> 00:47:47.066
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and privilege to have as a guest

00:47:47.066 --> 00:47:50.606
on this podcast, Dr. Veirdre Jackson.

00:47:51.600 --> 00:48:01.200
Music.

00:48:01.286 --> 00:48:05.346
All right, Dr. Veirdre Jackson, how you doing, sister? You doing good?

00:48:06.106 --> 00:48:08.446
I am well. I am well, Eric.

00:48:09.366 --> 00:48:15.186
It is a great day. Well, yeah, any time we can get up and start doing what we

00:48:15.186 --> 00:48:17.186
need to do, it's always a positive.

00:48:18.326 --> 00:48:23.086
And can't really control what's going on in a lot of other spots.

00:48:23.206 --> 00:48:25.486
But as long as we control our space, we good, right?

00:48:26.448 --> 00:48:31.768
And I celebrated a birthday this weekend. So, you know, another loop around

00:48:31.768 --> 00:48:34.428
the sun. I'm grateful. Well, happy birthday to you.

00:48:35.668 --> 00:48:39.968
It's like I greatly appreciate him. I've never had a big celebration.

00:48:40.588 --> 00:48:43.248
And a lot of times I've had to work on my birthday.

00:48:44.008 --> 00:48:49.008
So, you know, even when I was young, I think the coolest birthday I had was when I turned 16.

00:48:49.848 --> 00:48:54.308
That was that was the big party outside of that. That was the big party?

00:48:54.908 --> 00:49:00.688
I have to tell you about that off the air. But yeah, that was a big one. So I understand.

00:49:01.368 --> 00:49:07.128
All right. So how I normally do this is that I start off with a couple of icebreakers

00:49:07.128 --> 00:49:08.408
and then we get into the interview.

00:49:09.408 --> 00:49:15.608
Sounds good. The first icebreaker is a quote. And the quote is, work hard in silence.

00:49:16.028 --> 00:49:19.668
Let your success be your noise. What does that quote mean to you?

00:49:20.248 --> 00:49:25.428
Wow. Well, that really resonates with, I think, counterculture,

00:49:25.728 --> 00:49:28.548
what we often are living in.

00:49:28.768 --> 00:49:38.868
So often I've found that people try to put everything out on social media,

00:49:39.188 --> 00:49:45.828
out into the public to try and prove a point or try to gain validation when

00:49:45.828 --> 00:49:52.028
actually if you are working in silence and you are willing to do the work to

00:49:52.028 --> 00:49:54.428
get deep roots, to connect to purpose,

00:49:54.948 --> 00:50:03.568
then what you produce should be the loudest thing that people hear or see.

00:50:03.568 --> 00:50:09.128
It's not you trying to push something. It's the fruit that you produce that

00:50:09.128 --> 00:50:13.308
should absolutely be the loudest evidence of your character,

00:50:13.688 --> 00:50:17.508
your work ethic, and your core values. Okay.

00:50:18.028 --> 00:50:22.788
All right. So the next one is called 20 questions. So I need you to give me

00:50:22.788 --> 00:50:24.608
a number between one and 20.

00:50:25.688 --> 00:50:26.968
18. Okay.

00:50:28.284 --> 00:50:32.944
What's one thing we might all agree is important, no matter our differences?

00:50:34.324 --> 00:50:42.124
Hmm. Well, I'm actually going to lean into the science because all human beings,

00:50:42.124 --> 00:50:44.764
our brain craves safety and connection.

00:50:45.544 --> 00:50:49.324
And we will pursue it. We need it.

00:50:49.524 --> 00:50:56.144
Even if we will go after it in a crooked way, in the end, we're still going

00:50:56.144 --> 00:51:00.424
after the same thing, to feel safe and connected. Okay.

00:51:00.984 --> 00:51:07.504
All right. So what is Living Strong and how do you build a consulting service out of that principle?

00:51:08.804 --> 00:51:17.504
Well, the core of Living Strong came out of the other side of toxic stress and illness.

00:51:17.504 --> 00:51:25.584
For me, I found myself having had an 18 centimeter tumor removed from my body

00:51:25.584 --> 00:51:29.584
and unable to walk for 10 days.

00:51:29.764 --> 00:51:38.284
And I thought I was moving into the position of my dreams and it fell apart.

00:51:38.484 --> 00:51:40.684
And so I was sick, unemployed.

00:51:40.904 --> 00:51:49.484
And as I laid in the bed for 10 days, got a download of the things that.

00:51:50.448 --> 00:51:58.308
I have loved to do. And on the other side of this bed experience, I said to myself,

00:51:58.748 --> 00:52:05.808
I am striving to live strong and to consistently, how do we build principles

00:52:05.808 --> 00:52:09.608
around living strong, regardless of what we've been through?

00:52:09.968 --> 00:52:16.148
And so that's where the name of the company came from, Living Strong Consulting,

00:52:16.248 --> 00:52:22.508
and the core principles that I use with clients,

00:52:23.008 --> 00:52:29.988
with educators, with parents, with students, are anchor principles of how do

00:52:29.988 --> 00:52:35.688
we live abundant in seven pillars, our relationship, our mindset,

00:52:36.348 --> 00:52:43.668
our physical health, our finances, our time, our career, and our faith. Yeah.

00:52:44.228 --> 00:52:49.488
So let me ask you this. Based on the experience you were going through during

00:52:49.488 --> 00:52:57.028
those 10 days and just reading some of the stuff that you've been writing about and talking about,

00:52:57.408 --> 00:53:03.968
do you feel that that experience was more of a Jacob experience or a Job experience? Hmm.

00:53:04.908 --> 00:53:14.288
You know what? It was a byproduct of a season where I felt like I was Job.

00:53:14.608 --> 00:53:22.068
And I remember in the season and time, it was eight years of feeling like I

00:53:22.068 --> 00:53:26.528
had been placed in a prison, but I was still on an assignment.

00:53:27.428 --> 00:53:38.028
And I actually did not leave the prison, even when I clearly had received the

00:53:38.028 --> 00:53:39.648
message that it was time to go.

00:53:40.028 --> 00:53:46.988
And I remember saying, you know, I feel like Job, but I stayed too long.

00:53:47.308 --> 00:53:55.908
And the byproduct of staying in a prison when it is actually you have been told

00:53:55.908 --> 00:54:00.408
it's time to leave, it took a wear and tear on my body.

00:54:00.408 --> 00:54:07.908
And I honestly believe the levels of toxic stress that I carried year after

00:54:07.908 --> 00:54:14.108
year after year is literally found itself into that tumor.

00:54:14.508 --> 00:54:21.228
And that is where I actually found myself. I couldn't even walk anymore.

00:54:21.228 --> 00:54:25.068
And so it was coming out of Job.

00:54:25.328 --> 00:54:31.368
And as Job came out on the other side of his experience, got restored,

00:54:31.688 --> 00:54:39.988
redeemed, rebuilt, and provided in abundance. And so I have to say probably more like job. Okay.

00:54:40.628 --> 00:54:43.468
All right. What is the concept of refilling?

00:54:44.480 --> 00:54:48.820
Mm-hmm. So refill is also, it's all interconnected.

00:54:48.820 --> 00:54:57.200
What I found, especially in this season and time that I work a lot with educators and leaders,

00:54:57.560 --> 00:55:04.620
is recognizing that we hear people talk about how tired they are in the face

00:55:04.620 --> 00:55:08.360
of a workplace stress, burnout,

00:55:09.020 --> 00:55:15.320
compassion fatigue, but I challenge people that this isn't about you being tired.

00:55:15.600 --> 00:55:19.780
Because if it was about being tired, you could take a nap and jump right back in the game.

00:55:19.940 --> 00:55:24.960
But there are people who have gone all the way to Bermuda and come back and

00:55:24.960 --> 00:55:27.540
walked in the office and sat in the chair.

00:55:27.640 --> 00:55:30.000
And the first thing they say, oh, I'm so tired.

00:55:30.840 --> 00:55:34.920
This actually isn't about being tired. It's about being depleted.

00:55:34.920 --> 00:55:40.720
And when we recognize and shift our language that this is not about being tired,

00:55:40.720 --> 00:55:42.940
it's about being depleted.

00:55:43.120 --> 00:55:47.760
When something is depleted, you have to do something to refill it.

00:55:48.040 --> 00:55:55.080
You become strategic and intentional. And so REFILL is a six-part acronym that

00:55:55.080 --> 00:56:03.800
are trauma-informed strategies to refill the depleted parts of our brain,

00:56:04.080 --> 00:56:06.760
our body, and our behaviors.

00:56:07.120 --> 00:56:10.260
So R is rewire for belonging.

00:56:11.180 --> 00:56:15.700
E is that we have an ethical imperative for emotional wellness.

00:56:16.560 --> 00:56:23.520
F is find your strength in brain health. I is influence others.

00:56:24.380 --> 00:56:29.220
L is let it go. And the second L is level up.

00:56:29.941 --> 00:56:35.041
Okay. All right. So this kind of all leads to this one question.

00:56:35.821 --> 00:56:42.541
Explain the intersection between faith and mental health. Oh, yes.

00:56:42.801 --> 00:56:53.041
Well, the intersection between faith and mental health is understanding that

00:56:53.041 --> 00:56:57.901
worship is a weapon and therapy is a strategy.

00:56:59.361 --> 00:57:05.221
And it is not an or, it is actually an and.

00:57:05.221 --> 00:57:11.141
And the way that our body has physically been designed.

00:57:11.901 --> 00:57:20.281
There are clues within scripture, within Christ's character that points us back

00:57:20.281 --> 00:57:22.921
to how our body is designed.

00:57:23.081 --> 00:57:27.041
And actually all science does is point back to faith.

00:57:27.261 --> 00:57:34.701
And so when we recognize that it's not an or, it is an and, We don't have to

00:57:34.701 --> 00:57:36.941
feel like we're in conflict.

00:57:37.081 --> 00:57:44.341
There is a place in which worship absolutely connects with our heart,

00:57:44.601 --> 00:57:46.061
connects with our brain.

00:57:46.261 --> 00:57:51.941
There's science that shows how worship restores areas of our physical brain,

00:57:51.941 --> 00:57:59.341
how when we worship collectively, we gain a rhythm of the heartbeat of those

00:57:59.341 --> 00:58:01.841
that we are around when we are worshiping together.

00:58:01.901 --> 00:58:08.481
But when we have experienced something that has disrupted our original design,

00:58:08.841 --> 00:58:16.981
a therapist can help us untangle the web of the distorted beliefs that we've

00:58:16.981 --> 00:58:20.261
picked up that we were never designed to hold on to.

00:58:20.261 --> 00:58:28.501
But sometimes that takes a professional in helping us unpack the distorted beliefs

00:58:28.501 --> 00:58:34.041
that we're holding on to so that we can get back to our original design. Yeah.

00:58:35.109 --> 00:58:40.249
I, I, you know, people, and I, and I told this story with another guest,

00:58:40.349 --> 00:58:46.769
but you know, there are the people that look at faith as the end all be all.

00:58:47.349 --> 00:58:50.669
And they'll say, well, I don't, I don't need to talk to a psychiatrist.

00:58:50.889 --> 00:58:54.589
I don't need to talk to a counselor because I've, I've got my pastor. I got God. Right.

00:58:55.109 --> 00:58:58.709
And it, and it just reminds me of the old story about the guy who was in his

00:58:58.709 --> 00:59:06.309
house and the water was rising and somebody came with a car and then with a

00:59:06.309 --> 00:59:09.709
boat and then with a helicopter and then the guy drowned.

00:59:10.089 --> 00:59:12.649
And he kept saying, well, God, you were supposed to provide for me.

00:59:12.769 --> 00:59:16.369
He said, I sent a car, a boat, and a helicopter. I mean, what else do you want me to do?

00:59:16.729 --> 00:59:25.069
And so I'd look at therapy or counseling as that boat that's been provided so

00:59:25.069 --> 00:59:31.529
that people can, you know, at least talk to somebody else, if nothing else.

00:59:31.649 --> 00:59:36.229
And, you know, a pastor, there's a difference between a pastor and a minister, right?

00:59:36.309 --> 00:59:42.629
Because a minister, you know, or a preacher, but a pastor incorporates what

00:59:42.629 --> 00:59:47.389
we were talking about, about, you know, faith and trying to tap into that,

00:59:47.569 --> 00:59:49.809
your mental health or your mental strength even.

00:59:50.249 --> 00:59:53.449
So, yeah, I just wanted to throw that out there with you.

00:59:54.009 --> 00:59:57.369
And Erik, can I lean into that a little bit as well?

00:59:57.649 --> 01:00:08.389
So it's recognizing also that a pastor and a minister have a particular training and skill set.

01:00:08.869 --> 01:00:13.649
And the same way, if you went into the church,

01:00:13.829 --> 01:00:20.769
but you needed some type of physical help or physical, something that you physically

01:00:20.769 --> 01:00:27.189
needed to be healed, You wouldn't just stop at the pastor asking the pastor to pray for you.

01:00:27.369 --> 01:00:32.109
You would ask the pastor to pray for you and you would go to the doctor.

01:00:32.469 --> 01:00:38.649
So it's the same concept because the mind and the body are connected.

01:00:39.529 --> 01:00:48.389
And so when we are not well emotionally and mentally, it is a physical condition and a psychiatrist,

01:00:48.649 --> 01:00:55.569
a psychologist, and a therapist have a specific skill set to address that ailment

01:00:55.569 --> 01:01:01.149
that is different from the skill set that the pastor or the minister has. That's right.

01:01:01.769 --> 01:01:06.629
All right. So let me ask you this question. How are people like an Impala?

01:01:06.629 --> 01:01:18.849
Oh, so I talk about an Impala in one of my sessions, and I often ask them,

01:01:19.049 --> 01:01:28.549
why does an Impala, if they can jump 10 feet straight up in the air and 30 feet straight out, why?

01:01:29.078 --> 01:01:36.898
Why are they still in or behind the zoo barricades? What keeps them in there?

01:01:37.118 --> 01:01:42.178
And people say, oh, they've been trained to stay there or that's where the food is.

01:01:42.338 --> 01:01:50.598
But when you understand an impala's behavior, they don't jump unless they can

01:01:50.598 --> 01:01:53.138
see where they're going to land.

01:01:53.538 --> 01:01:57.598
So they stay there self-imposed.

01:01:58.238 --> 01:02:02.878
So how that connects to us as humans is sometimes we won't leap.

01:02:03.238 --> 01:02:08.818
We'll stay in a place because we don't know how it's going to turn out.

01:02:08.958 --> 01:02:16.358
So we'll opt to stay even when it is time to go, even when that leap has the

01:02:16.358 --> 01:02:19.858
potential to provide you with freedom and new opportunities.

01:02:20.198 --> 01:02:27.118
Sometimes we hold ourselves hostage. We keep ourselves stuck because we don't

01:02:27.118 --> 01:02:30.858
know all of the outcomes or all of the steps.

01:02:31.118 --> 01:02:36.878
But sometimes it's just the leap that we need to take that's going to open up

01:02:36.878 --> 01:02:38.398
the opportunity for freedom.

01:02:39.198 --> 01:02:44.018
Yeah. And, you know, since this is a political show, I put it in a political

01:02:44.018 --> 01:02:48.718
sense that, you know, and one of the things I've talked with a number of guests

01:02:48.718 --> 01:02:51.778
about has been able to storytell.

01:02:52.478 --> 01:02:59.178
And I think a lot of us are like Impalas in the political sense, because if we can't see,

01:02:59.658 --> 01:03:04.978
if we can't buy into the vision of what a particular candidate is bringing forward,

01:03:05.438 --> 01:03:09.238
then we just stay within what we're comfortable with.

01:03:09.278 --> 01:03:12.558
And we won't take a chance and vote for that particular candidate. Right.

01:03:12.918 --> 01:03:19.198
And when I when I read that part in your book, I think that was the the fearless book that's in there.

01:03:19.978 --> 01:03:23.438
It was like I just said, yeah, that that makes sense, because,

01:03:23.458 --> 01:03:25.998
you know, people if people weren't.

01:03:26.810 --> 01:03:30.930
You know, if they if they can see something with one candidate and not see something

01:03:30.930 --> 01:03:34.370
with the other, it doesn't matter what political party they're in.

01:03:34.470 --> 01:03:38.290
It doesn't matter what their personal journey has been.

01:03:38.930 --> 01:03:42.230
It's like I buy into the story. So

01:03:42.230 --> 01:03:45.410
I'll take that leap of faith with that candidate, but not the other one.

01:03:45.530 --> 01:03:50.210
Am I kind of do you do you see where I'm going with that? I do.

01:03:50.530 --> 01:03:58.410
But if I can lean in, I do think also it's connected to part of their own story.

01:03:58.650 --> 01:04:03.790
So it's what I believe about that candidate,

01:04:03.790 --> 01:04:12.910
even if I am not sure of all of the outcomes, I've written a story in my head

01:04:12.910 --> 01:04:16.430
around what I believe about that candidate.

01:04:16.430 --> 01:04:22.150
And therefore, I'm going to stick with what's comfortable, with what's familiar.

01:04:22.150 --> 01:04:29.390
But that's tied to my belief, my story, my backstory, and what's familiar for me.

01:04:29.530 --> 01:04:33.230
And therefore, I'm going to stay comfortable right here,

01:04:33.370 --> 01:04:41.250
even though there are huge possibilities if I leaned in and tried to understand

01:04:41.250 --> 01:04:45.510
what I have not experienced before. Yeah.

01:04:46.130 --> 01:04:50.550
Yeah. And I mean, that's why that's that's kind of where I'm going.

01:04:50.570 --> 01:04:53.670
I think that, you know, if you can't see.

01:04:54.010 --> 01:04:58.490
Right. Because it's anyway, I just you know, when I read that,

01:04:58.590 --> 01:05:01.730
I just said, wow, that's that's pretty cool. I like that analogy.

01:05:02.350 --> 01:05:06.490
All right. So one of your many services is leadership training.

01:05:07.390 --> 01:05:12.110
What is lacking in the leadership of American politics? Oh.

01:05:14.130 --> 01:05:18.190
There's so many things. The first thing I...

01:05:19.545 --> 01:05:28.705
Would say is recognizing that if I have not as a leader dealt with my own pain and ego,

01:05:29.045 --> 01:05:34.605
I will do damage to everyone I serve and connect with.

01:05:34.785 --> 01:05:38.045
It will continue to replicate itself.

01:05:38.325 --> 01:05:49.565
And so as leaders, we have to, it is our responsibility to reconcile our own issues and our ego,

01:05:49.565 --> 01:05:56.205
because leadership is not about me taking care of what I want.

01:05:56.505 --> 01:06:02.225
Leadership is about seeing people and recognizing that leaders,

01:06:02.505 --> 01:06:07.785
we at the core is our influence. We are impacting.

01:06:08.105 --> 01:06:11.665
And so if I haven't dealt with my stuff,

01:06:12.085 --> 01:06:20.925
I then spread that and that then becomes infectious and damaging to everyone

01:06:20.925 --> 01:06:24.245
that even my voice impacts.

01:06:25.465 --> 01:06:29.885
Yeah, and that's one of those moments, I guess the mind said,

01:06:30.005 --> 01:06:32.845
could you repeat that again? Because I don't think the people in the back heard that.

01:06:33.545 --> 01:06:38.365
And I do feel that way as far as with our president, right?

01:06:38.465 --> 01:06:42.205
I think that for whatever reason, he is who he is.

01:06:42.805 --> 01:06:49.245
And because he's had this incredible ability to market and he's had this incredible ability to sell,

01:06:49.245 --> 01:07:00.005
that he's taken his personality and at least has gotten a majority of the people to support him.

01:07:00.185 --> 01:07:05.905
And even though it's been damaging, it's one thing to be unconventional.

01:07:06.265 --> 01:07:10.305
I'm not against being unconventional. As a Black man that's been in politics,

01:07:10.305 --> 01:07:12.305
I understand what unconventional is.

01:07:12.825 --> 01:07:16.145
But it is another thing to be damaging.

01:07:16.485 --> 01:07:22.705
And I think that's where we are now. I think Like we've, going back to the Impala

01:07:22.705 --> 01:07:26.205
analogy, for some reason, we feel comfortable with somebody saying,

01:07:26.445 --> 01:07:28.505
just trust me, everything's going to be okay.

01:07:29.085 --> 01:07:33.705
I know you're not used to seeing it done this way, but just trust me.

01:07:33.825 --> 01:07:39.645
And people are buying into that. And I'm like, but it just seems like,

01:07:39.885 --> 01:07:47.545
you know, as human beings, we have a spirit where we're infused with a spirit

01:07:47.545 --> 01:07:49.805
that's not supposed to be fearful. Right.

01:07:50.145 --> 01:07:54.725
But for some reason, we get we get caught up and then we decide,

01:07:54.845 --> 01:08:00.745
OK, well, yeah, we know this guy is exactly perfect, but it's probably better

01:08:00.745 --> 01:08:04.985
that he's in the position than somebody else. What do you think about that?

01:08:05.645 --> 01:08:11.905
There's so much in what you just said. I think the first part is is recognizing

01:08:11.905 --> 01:08:13.965
that fear is contagious.

01:08:15.584 --> 01:08:25.164
And we as human beings have the emotion of fear, which isn't a bad thing. We actually need it.

01:08:25.404 --> 01:08:29.984
Fear is just a response signal for us to take action.

01:08:30.384 --> 01:08:37.304
The issue becomes when fear becomes our residence and we live in that place

01:08:37.304 --> 01:08:45.044
and that's our every day, it distorts how we see everything around us.

01:08:45.584 --> 01:08:50.564
We will forget everything and run. We'll find excuses and reasons.

01:08:50.644 --> 01:08:53.084
We'll fake everything and repeat.

01:08:53.244 --> 01:08:59.864
But all of that, when you pull back all of the layers, it is when you reside

01:08:59.864 --> 01:09:06.264
in a place of fear, it becomes a contagion around.

01:09:06.604 --> 01:09:15.104
And so I would even challenge that going back to your Impala analogy in that,

01:09:15.584 --> 01:09:22.704
Fear of what I've never seen before will hold me hostage.

01:09:22.704 --> 01:09:25.184
I will find excuses and reasons.

01:09:25.704 --> 01:09:34.544
I will fake and repeat. I will stay hold because I'm afraid of what I'm telling

01:09:34.544 --> 01:09:39.644
myself about the thing that I've never seen before. This one is familiar.

01:09:40.004 --> 01:09:46.544
This one, even though it looks distorted, it may be damaging. I'm used to that image.

01:09:46.744 --> 01:09:54.804
And so I tell myself a story because I'm residing in a place of fear that has

01:09:54.804 --> 01:09:59.584
distorted how I'm actually seeing the truth. Yeah.

01:10:00.244 --> 01:10:05.824
All right. As an educator, what concerns you about the education system in America?

01:10:06.897 --> 01:10:11.857
Inequity? Inequity. It is inequitable.

01:10:12.337 --> 01:10:20.037
All children deserve equitable access to high-quality resources,

01:10:20.617 --> 01:10:23.897
education, and experiences.

01:10:23.897 --> 01:10:29.297
And every child in this country does not have an equitable experience.

01:10:29.297 --> 01:10:39.257
And for some reason, we are fighting over giving children equitable access to resources.

01:10:39.777 --> 01:10:47.277
That is what absolutely just tears at my heart.

01:10:47.677 --> 01:10:52.077
We, going back to your earlier statement, we all are leaders.

01:10:52.337 --> 01:10:57.717
There are those who are positional leaders, and then all of us are influences.

01:10:58.197 --> 01:11:05.097
And so we as the adults should be fighting and advocating to make sure that

01:11:05.097 --> 01:11:12.337
they have everything they need in order to be successful or have the opportunity

01:11:12.337 --> 01:11:15.837
to be their full potential.

01:11:16.437 --> 01:11:18.337
But somehow we have gotten to

01:11:18.337 --> 01:11:22.797
a place because we have not dealt with the stuff that's happening in us.

01:11:22.817 --> 01:11:25.017
We have not dealt with ego.

01:11:25.337 --> 01:11:33.697
We have not dealt with fear. We are fighting over giving children full access.

01:11:34.257 --> 01:11:37.577
They can't fight for themselves. That's our job.

01:11:37.897 --> 01:11:47.937
And somehow we have lost sight of equitable access to high quality resources across the board.

01:11:48.337 --> 01:11:56.597
Yeah. And I know you do a lot of work helping Head Start teachers and leaders and pre-K.

01:11:57.117 --> 01:12:01.337
So I figured that that would kind of spark something with you.

01:12:01.697 --> 01:12:04.777
I got a little heated. Yeah. I'll heat it up.

01:12:06.477 --> 01:12:11.497
All right. As someone who seeks to empower women, how has this anti-DEI political

01:12:11.497 --> 01:12:13.337
climate impacted your work?

01:12:14.415 --> 01:12:18.115
So when you put it in the context of women,

01:12:18.595 --> 01:12:30.435
I actually have to say, I've taken an intentional step to support women in the

01:12:30.435 --> 01:12:35.095
emotional exhaustion that they are carrying,

01:12:35.415 --> 01:12:43.575
especially women of color, and how they are carrying an emotional exhaustion

01:12:43.575 --> 01:12:49.195
that is literally destroying their bodies.

01:12:49.735 --> 01:12:54.535
And it is, if you imagine carrying a boulder everywhere.

01:12:55.475 --> 01:12:58.375
And so I've developed things like the girlfriend gatherings.

01:12:58.375 --> 01:13:05.815
I've had people on my show talking about the weathering effect on the female

01:13:05.815 --> 01:13:07.955
body, especially women of color,

01:13:08.195 --> 01:13:16.235
where doctors actually can see the weathering effect on our physical health

01:13:16.235 --> 01:13:20.255
because of racial stress and pressure,

01:13:20.535 --> 01:13:26.495
systemic racial issues, and the secondary traumatic stress,

01:13:26.815 --> 01:13:29.535
the continued emotional exhaustion.

01:13:29.535 --> 01:13:32.715
It literally is weathering our bodies.

01:13:32.975 --> 01:13:40.275
And so I've been really dedicating a lot of space and time to help women understand

01:13:40.275 --> 01:13:44.515
how to support their physical health,

01:13:44.995 --> 01:13:49.315
their mental health, and that rest isn't a luxury.

01:13:49.315 --> 01:13:51.735
It's a responsibility. Yeah.

01:13:52.155 --> 01:13:56.915
I remember I used to be associate editor of my school newspaper in college,

01:13:56.915 --> 01:14:00.775
and I wrote a piece called The Atlas Syndrome.

01:14:01.095 --> 01:14:07.755
And it wasn't specific to women. It was to black folks how it seems like we're carrying this burden.

01:14:08.752 --> 01:14:15.172
You know, to keep this nation going and talked about how we're the conscience of this nation.

01:14:15.472 --> 01:14:19.032
And, you know, it's just like Atlas carrying the world, right?

01:14:19.152 --> 01:14:23.872
And so when you said women carrying that boulder, that just kind of reminded me of that.

01:14:23.992 --> 01:14:29.092
Because even now, we see that more and more.

01:14:29.232 --> 01:14:34.112
And I think, you know, this last election was kind of a reflection of that.

01:14:34.112 --> 01:14:40.992
And I just hope that, you know, you and others continue to do that work to help

01:14:40.992 --> 01:14:44.332
women navigate through this stuff, because it's unfair.

01:14:45.172 --> 01:14:50.032
But, you know, we just need people to continue to give other folks encouragement

01:14:50.032 --> 01:14:51.792
to navigate through that stuff.

01:14:52.692 --> 01:14:55.552
Yeah, yeah. All right, so let's close it out.

01:14:55.552 --> 01:15:00.892
Now, in the Bible, it says, in the book of Romans, 12th chapter, second verse, it says,

01:15:01.372 --> 01:15:05.252
and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of

01:15:05.252 --> 01:15:11.292
your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

01:15:11.692 --> 01:15:17.952
Close us out by showing us how to apply this in our current political environment.

01:15:17.952 --> 01:15:24.232
It's interesting because I just had a conversation last night with my listeners

01:15:24.232 --> 01:15:31.072
around recognizing that regardless of what is happening around us,

01:15:31.272 --> 01:15:36.872
we have to take time to have deep roots in our faith,

01:15:37.112 --> 01:15:40.472
in our core beliefs, in our disciplines,

01:15:40.812 --> 01:15:42.172
in our practices.

01:15:42.172 --> 01:15:50.872
So that as storms and famine and desert-like experiences happen around us,

01:15:51.032 --> 01:15:55.152
we continue to show up as fruitful,

01:15:55.712 --> 01:15:58.412
as stable, as sustainable.

01:15:58.412 --> 01:16:04.352
But that's only going to happen if we are paying attention to our roots.

01:16:04.352 --> 01:16:11.432
Are we actually digging deeper into our core values, beliefs,

01:16:11.812 --> 01:16:18.692
our principles, our faith, our deep roots are what's going to help us sustain itself.

01:16:19.352 --> 01:16:23.832
Sustain through these seasons and the times that we are facing?

01:16:23.952 --> 01:16:26.892
Because if not us, then who?

01:16:26.892 --> 01:16:34.752
Those who actually are operating from a place ethically sound that absolutely

01:16:34.752 --> 01:16:43.892
truthfully reflects the image of God that truly shows up as a light in darkness.

01:16:44.192 --> 01:16:51.212
But that can only happen when we are paying attention to our root system,

01:16:51.212 --> 01:16:53.812
which will hold us steady and strong.

01:16:54.432 --> 01:16:59.572
Well, Dr. Veirdre Jackson, again, I am really, really honored that you took the

01:16:59.572 --> 01:17:01.892
time out to come on this podcast.

01:17:02.872 --> 01:17:05.632
You've been doing this work for a little bit.

01:17:06.529 --> 01:17:12.129
And, you know, I'm just real fortunate that I'm in a position where I can observe people.

01:17:13.129 --> 01:17:17.529
And even though this is the first time we've officially met or whatever,

01:17:17.769 --> 01:17:19.709
I'm just I'm honored to be in your presence.

01:17:19.909 --> 01:17:22.889
And again, I encourage you to keep doing what you're doing.

01:17:23.129 --> 01:17:28.489
If people want to tap into what you're doing, how can they do that?

01:17:29.469 --> 01:17:37.369
Just go to my website, livingstrongllc.com. Everything that I'm doing is all there.

01:17:38.009 --> 01:17:41.169
Yeah, the books, all that stuff. All that stuff.

01:17:41.729 --> 01:17:48.489
And Eric, can I just say I truly appreciated the invitation and the space and

01:17:48.489 --> 01:17:50.289
the depth of the conversation.

01:17:50.609 --> 01:17:57.989
You continue to do what you are doing as a voice of power and excellence and integrity.

01:17:58.349 --> 01:18:00.229
Well, thank you. I appreciate that.

01:18:00.609 --> 01:18:03.469
All right, guys. And we're going to catch y'all on the other side.

01:18:08.880 --> 01:18:14.960
Music.

01:18:14.929 --> 01:18:21.309
All right, and we are back. So I want to thank Zanetia Henry and Dr.

01:18:21.509 --> 01:18:24.629
Veirdre Jackson for coming on the podcast.

01:18:25.269 --> 01:18:31.729
As I stated before, these are women of faith that are doing incredible things

01:18:31.729 --> 01:18:39.109
in the community who have taken personal tragedy and challenges and transformed

01:18:39.109 --> 01:18:44.209
themselves in order to help transform the communities that they live in.

01:18:45.789 --> 01:18:52.029
And it's always an honor to have quality guests on this podcast.

01:18:53.069 --> 01:19:00.749
And like I said before, every guest that I've had has been quality and invaluable.

01:19:00.749 --> 01:19:03.069
As far as the work that they're doing.

01:19:03.309 --> 01:19:09.609
So please keep track with them. If you want to support what they're doing,

01:19:09.909 --> 01:19:11.029
please reach out to them.

01:19:11.529 --> 01:19:18.269
And I'm sure they'll greatly appreciate it. And I think you'll appreciate what they're doing.

01:19:20.049 --> 01:19:25.229
So let me get into a couple of things I want to talk about.

01:19:26.569 --> 01:19:30.489
So we had two major events happen this week.

01:19:30.749 --> 01:19:37.209
We had the United States of America engaging in a wartime activity,

01:19:37.209 --> 01:19:45.709
and we had an election in the largest city in the country for the mayor's position.

01:19:46.169 --> 01:19:48.069
As far as the,

01:19:49.389 --> 01:20:02.149
strategic move, a military move that we did to try to eliminate Iran's nuclear capacity.

01:20:03.529 --> 01:20:08.269
You know, as somebody that is, even though I wasn't at a federal level,

01:20:08.549 --> 01:20:14.529
you know, as an elected official, you know, you have to look at decisions that have to be made.

01:20:14.829 --> 01:20:16.829
The United States is very unique.

01:20:17.469 --> 01:20:23.769
After World War II, we kind of were assigned as being the policemen of the world.

01:20:24.109 --> 01:20:27.129
There's a lot of people that don't like that. There's a lot of people that voted

01:20:27.129 --> 01:20:29.289
for Donald Trump that don't like that.

01:20:30.569 --> 01:20:35.209
They're considered, by political terms, isolationists, right?

01:20:36.389 --> 01:20:44.249
But what President Trump has realized, that that's easier said than done in this day and age,

01:20:44.249 --> 01:20:53.929
whether it's dealing with tariffs or corporate taxes or immigration or even

01:20:53.929 --> 01:20:57.669
our role as the policeman of the world,

01:20:57.669 --> 01:21:02.209
it's kind of hard to be an isolationist in reality.

01:21:03.329 --> 01:21:10.029
And so for those of you who take an extreme position,

01:21:10.029 --> 01:21:19.289
I think that it is in the best interest of the United States to make sure that

01:21:19.289 --> 01:21:21.609
a country that, for whatever reason,

01:21:22.169 --> 01:21:23.649
has supported terrorism—.

01:21:25.011 --> 01:21:33.811
And if you want extreme rebellion, right, that we want to minimize their capacity

01:21:33.811 --> 01:21:35.671
to create a nuclear bomb.

01:21:36.131 --> 01:21:39.071
We've got too many countries that have nuclear bombs already,

01:21:39.231 --> 01:21:40.171
United States included.

01:21:40.571 --> 01:21:46.611
And I'm of the generation that grew up. I didn't have to do the drills in school,

01:21:46.831 --> 01:21:49.451
you know, going under the desk in case a nuclear bomb.

01:21:49.631 --> 01:21:56.151
How that would help me, I don't know. But I heard somebody joking about how

01:21:56.151 --> 01:22:01.751
those deaths must have been awesome back then to think that nuclear fallout would protect us.

01:22:02.211 --> 01:22:06.751
The deaths would protect us from nuclear fallout. But I wasn't of that generation,

01:22:06.751 --> 01:22:11.431
but I did grow up in the latter part of the Cold War era.

01:22:12.311 --> 01:22:17.611
And to be honest, it played a role in what college I decided to go to.

01:22:18.191 --> 01:22:23.071
Right. So I was very aware of that as a young person.

01:22:24.111 --> 01:22:30.671
And so when we get into these discussions about nuclear treaties and non-proliferation

01:22:30.671 --> 01:22:36.791
and all this stuff, the less countries, the better that have nuclear weapons.

01:22:36.791 --> 01:22:40.471
And if you watch the movie Oppenheimer,

01:22:40.991 --> 01:22:48.391
do you understand that even though he was the lead in creating the atomic bomb

01:22:48.391 --> 01:22:54.571
or atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki back in World War II,

01:22:55.051 --> 01:23:00.651
that he devoted the latter part of his life to discourage militaries from using

01:23:00.651 --> 01:23:02.731
this technology ever again, right?

01:23:03.491 --> 01:23:08.691
Just like Alfred Nobel. I mean, you know, we have the Nobel Peace Prize and

01:23:08.691 --> 01:23:13.171
other awards, you know, that you can get the Nobel Prize for,

01:23:13.391 --> 01:23:17.471
but he made his money by creating dynamite, right?

01:23:18.491 --> 01:23:26.331
And he basically wanted to make sure that we only use dynamite for industrial purposes, not war.

01:23:28.135 --> 01:23:36.575
And so, you know, all these people who created these weapons had a conscience.

01:23:37.335 --> 01:23:43.915
And right now we're in a situation where there are, let's see,

01:23:44.015 --> 01:23:47.495
you have Israel, India, Pakistan, and Russia.

01:23:48.075 --> 01:23:51.955
They all have nuclear weapons and they're all engaged in war right now.

01:23:53.115 --> 01:23:58.255
And that's not comforting. And then if you had thrown Iran in the mix and then

01:23:58.255 --> 01:24:05.475
now we're bombing Iran, you know, it's not a very stable time in the world.

01:24:07.175 --> 01:24:15.895
So I'm not against the concept of stopping a country from developing nuclear weapons.

01:24:15.895 --> 01:24:20.315
Now, if you're supportive of Iran, you're like going with Israel has nuclear

01:24:20.315 --> 01:24:22.895
weapons, so that's our rival.

01:24:23.655 --> 01:24:28.095
So we need to have some as a deterrent to keep them from jumping on us.

01:24:28.895 --> 01:24:32.555
Yeah, how's that going? Because India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons

01:24:32.555 --> 01:24:37.475
and they went after each other already this year, right?

01:24:39.975 --> 01:24:43.895
So it's not the deterrent that people claim it is.

01:24:43.895 --> 01:24:53.475
But the issue with us is not the mission, which even if it delayed them for

01:24:53.475 --> 01:24:55.675
a couple of months was successful.

01:24:55.995 --> 01:25:00.455
Right. It was the way that they went about doing it.

01:25:00.455 --> 01:25:07.235
Because if you're going to commit soldiers to bomb another country,

01:25:07.555 --> 01:25:13.255
the very least you can do is to get Congress on board.

01:25:13.575 --> 01:25:15.995
That's the way it was set up in the Constitution.

01:25:17.335 --> 01:25:23.675
And it's, you know, and the concept behind that was courtesy.

01:25:24.155 --> 01:25:29.155
Because these individuals represent the people. The Senate represents the states.

01:25:29.155 --> 01:25:30.795
It's the House represents the population.

01:25:32.335 --> 01:25:39.555
So, you know, the crafters of the Constitution felt that instead of a president

01:25:39.555 --> 01:25:44.015
doing like kings back in the day and just declaring war on somebody,

01:25:44.015 --> 01:25:47.555
you'd have to get the consensus of the people to get behind it.

01:25:48.035 --> 01:25:49.955
That's why they put that in the Constitution.

01:25:51.635 --> 01:25:56.015
So, you know, and President Trump's not the first president to do this.

01:25:56.275 --> 01:25:58.955
President Obama did it. I think Biden did it.

01:25:59.155 --> 01:26:06.175
You know, you know, we've had some presidents take actions without congressional approval before.

01:26:06.315 --> 01:26:11.115
And so when you hear congressmen, especially those who have been there for a

01:26:11.115 --> 01:26:17.075
while saying we got to do something about that, it's it's basically a frustration,

01:26:17.075 --> 01:26:19.835
not with this president, but with all presidents.

01:26:21.375 --> 01:26:24.515
And that's why you have Democrats and Republicans saying, yeah,

01:26:24.715 --> 01:26:25.715
we probably shouldn't have done that.

01:26:25.835 --> 01:26:32.855
But since we did do it, all right, let's maneuver around that and see what happens.

01:26:33.855 --> 01:26:38.815
Like they've always had to do. And then when you did let them know,

01:26:38.975 --> 01:26:44.035
like you called just the Republican folks and didn't call the Democratic Congress

01:26:44.035 --> 01:26:46.375
people, which was petty.

01:26:47.355 --> 01:26:53.395
It's like the courtesy is that you contact all the leadership in Congress,

01:26:54.335 --> 01:26:59.415
the chair and the ranking member of the respected committees.

01:27:01.795 --> 01:27:04.715
Or what they call the Gang of Eight, even.

01:27:05.235 --> 01:27:09.855
Didn't do that. You know, just let some of the Republicans know,

01:27:10.035 --> 01:27:13.075
hey, we're doing this, so, you know, get ready.

01:27:13.075 --> 01:27:24.235
You know, and if you watch the press conference that the Secretary of Defense had,

01:27:24.575 --> 01:27:33.655
you realize that we've got some people making major decisions that ain't ready for prime time.

01:27:34.215 --> 01:27:39.155
They're in the positions now as a citizen. We hope that they don't screw it up.

01:27:41.395 --> 01:27:47.815
But, you know, just to come out there and just attack the press for questioning

01:27:47.815 --> 01:27:51.035
what we did and why, that's what they're there for.

01:27:51.435 --> 01:27:54.695
They're not there to be cheerleaders. They're there to say, hey,

01:27:54.935 --> 01:27:56.875
are you sure you did the right thing?

01:27:57.935 --> 01:28:01.955
And, you know, if you convince them that you did the right thing,

01:28:02.135 --> 01:28:04.135
then they'll write the story that way.

01:28:04.135 --> 01:28:10.675
And the editorial boards of those newspapers and the editorial staff of the

01:28:10.675 --> 01:28:15.355
TV stations and all that will say, hey, we did the right thing.

01:28:15.915 --> 01:28:19.535
But if there's questions, then you need to answer them.

01:28:19.855 --> 01:28:24.515
And you need to be mature enough to understand that not everything's going to be perfect.

01:28:25.935 --> 01:28:27.795
Not everything's going to go as planned.

01:28:29.555 --> 01:28:33.295
And whatever mistakes you made, you need to be accountable to them.

01:28:33.295 --> 01:28:37.195
You can't tell people to ignore mistakes, right?

01:28:38.055 --> 01:28:44.175
You know, it's like, and then, Mr. President, you got the hyperbole stuff.

01:28:44.455 --> 01:28:45.895
I understand you're a salesman.

01:28:46.535 --> 01:28:49.995
You got that PT Barnum mentality and stuff.

01:28:50.095 --> 01:28:55.735
But look, man, you know, when you say you obliterated something and it ain't

01:28:55.735 --> 01:28:58.295
obliterated, that gets you in trouble.

01:28:58.895 --> 01:29:08.435
That gets you in serious trouble. So, you know, I'm not trying to see any war

01:29:08.435 --> 01:29:10.595
at all, especially with us involved.

01:29:12.003 --> 01:29:16.303
We understand in the world that we live in, that's why we have a military,

01:29:16.623 --> 01:29:17.983
that we have to be prepared.

01:29:18.923 --> 01:29:25.203
But, you know, it's not a cut and dry thing for me because you have to weigh

01:29:25.203 --> 01:29:29.803
out what's in the best interest of this nation and what's in the best interest of the world.

01:29:30.443 --> 01:29:33.083
And unfortunately, the United States signed up for that.

01:29:33.763 --> 01:29:37.003
And until they tell the world that we're not going to do that anymore,

01:29:37.003 --> 01:29:42.003
then that's what is expected of us.

01:29:43.523 --> 01:29:49.343
So, you know, as far as executing the mission, our soldiers did exactly what

01:29:49.343 --> 01:29:50.123
they were supposed to do.

01:29:50.703 --> 01:29:56.063
But now as far as what's going to happen afterwards, that's going to be up to

01:29:56.063 --> 01:29:57.203
the leadership of the nation.

01:29:57.743 --> 01:30:04.143
And despite the fact that they're in over their heads, as any good fan would

01:30:04.143 --> 01:30:09.403
do with their particular team, we hope they rise to the occasion, right?

01:30:10.043 --> 01:30:14.643
And that's always been my thing, even regardless of whether I voted for you or not.

01:30:15.163 --> 01:30:18.983
If you fail, that's not a good thing for us.

01:30:19.783 --> 01:30:22.843
You know, I don't want you to fail.

01:30:24.076 --> 01:30:29.636
And regardless of whether I agree with it or not, when you make that decision,

01:30:29.636 --> 01:30:33.236
I need you to be all in and I need you to be realistic about it.

01:30:33.696 --> 01:30:40.356
So anyway, that's my take on that. You know, there'll be some people that are like whatever.

01:30:40.356 --> 01:30:44.816
But most of the people that make commentary about this stuff has never taken

01:30:44.816 --> 01:30:48.776
an oath to uphold the Constitution. And I have.

01:30:50.176 --> 01:30:53.836
And my understanding of history and understanding our role.

01:30:54.636 --> 01:30:59.916
It's not an easy thing for me, but there were some things that should have been done better.

01:31:00.976 --> 01:31:06.556
And I can only pray going forward that we will do things better.

01:31:07.376 --> 01:31:14.076
And hopefully one day we'll never have to continue that role of being the policeman of the world.

01:31:16.056 --> 01:31:26.476
So let's talk about New York City. Zoran Mamdani is on his way to be the Democratic

01:31:26.476 --> 01:31:30.876
nominee for the position of mayor of New York City.

01:31:31.976 --> 01:31:41.116
He's 33 years old, and he's been a legislator in the New York Assembly.

01:31:41.116 --> 01:31:47.796
And he beat Andrew Cuomo for the position, a former governor,

01:31:48.476 --> 01:31:54.276
son of a governor, very high-profile individual who was very, very flawed.

01:31:54.756 --> 01:31:58.836
But yet and still, Andrew Cuomo finished second.

01:31:59.776 --> 01:32:05.656
And a lot of people, a lot of people in the Democratic establishment got behind

01:32:05.656 --> 01:32:09.716
Andrew Cuomo over this young man, Mom Donnie.

01:32:10.596 --> 01:32:18.156
Now, part of that is payback, because Mamdani was part of the uncommitted movement.

01:32:19.611 --> 01:32:23.811
For those of you who may have forgotten, the uncommitted movement was the group

01:32:23.811 --> 01:32:30.851
of folks that were protesting the United States' support of Israel in their fight with Hamas.

01:32:31.671 --> 01:32:36.951
And they pledged that they weren't going to vote for Vice President Harris or

01:32:36.951 --> 01:32:41.391
anybody as a sign of protest.

01:32:41.391 --> 01:32:46.351
And so there were those folks in the Democratic establishment that did not want

01:32:46.351 --> 01:32:50.851
this guy who was part of the uncommitted movement to be elected to anything,

01:32:50.991 --> 01:32:52.451
let alone the mayor of New York City.

01:32:54.911 --> 01:33:02.811
But you got behind a guy who was under investigation for stuff he did while

01:33:02.811 --> 01:33:06.511
he was governor, especially during COVID, right?

01:33:08.591 --> 01:33:15.711
Misappropriation of funds, primarily. He was accused of sexually harassing 13

01:33:15.711 --> 01:33:18.391
people that worked for him,

01:33:18.831 --> 01:33:24.171
not just 13 random women, 13 people that worked for him. Right.

01:33:24.971 --> 01:33:35.031
And he went after them pretty hard. I mean, he even asked for their gynecological records.

01:33:35.371 --> 01:33:39.471
I know I'm butchering that word right there. Their medical records.

01:33:40.351 --> 01:33:46.191
He wanted all of that just to prove that he didn't sexually harass these people.

01:33:46.871 --> 01:33:54.671
But he got a third of the vote. He actually won two of the five boroughs, right?

01:33:55.511 --> 01:34:01.651
And may have won three, but he definitely won two of the five boroughs.

01:34:03.119 --> 01:34:08.699
Donnie went in to, and Manhattan was like kind of neck and neck, I think.

01:34:09.719 --> 01:34:14.259
So now there's some concerns. You know, in the black community,

01:34:14.259 --> 01:34:18.279
there's some concerns about Mom Donnie.

01:34:18.559 --> 01:34:21.979
In the Jewish community, there's concerns about Mom Donnie.

01:34:22.319 --> 01:34:26.579
The white community, especially Wall Street, there's concerns about Mom Donnie.

01:34:28.059 --> 01:34:34.639
But the reality is, is that my mom, Donnie, did what candidates are supposed to do.

01:34:34.919 --> 01:34:42.939
He actually went everywhere, talked to as many people as he could and got support.

01:34:43.619 --> 01:34:47.159
He got support in areas where people didn't think he was going to get support

01:34:47.159 --> 01:34:50.059
because he physically made a presence.

01:34:50.259 --> 01:34:53.759
He utilized social media to the extreme.

01:34:54.419 --> 01:34:59.359
He had commercials for the Hispanic community. He had commercials for the black

01:34:59.359 --> 01:35:01.559
community. He had commercials for the white community.

01:35:01.779 --> 01:35:04.679
He had commercials for the Indian community. He had commercials for everybody.

01:35:06.339 --> 01:35:11.119
And Muslim community. I mean, he did what a candidate is supposed to do.

01:35:12.359 --> 01:35:15.999
And, you know, just because there was a black candidate in that race,

01:35:16.059 --> 01:35:20.779
the lady who was the speaker of the council, right, the presiding officer of

01:35:20.779 --> 01:35:22.159
the New York City Council was running.

01:35:23.099 --> 01:35:26.779
And she couldn't get the black vote, right?

01:35:27.079 --> 01:35:31.679
It was either Cuomo or Mamdani that got the lion's share of that.

01:35:32.239 --> 01:35:35.659
So the issue becomes, again.

01:35:37.192 --> 01:35:42.572
Which direction does Democratic Party want to go? Do we want to continue to

01:35:42.572 --> 01:35:48.272
recycle people and just stay within our comfort zone?

01:35:48.632 --> 01:35:56.692
Or do we want to change things up a little bit to address the time that we're in?

01:35:57.412 --> 01:36:03.152
And it sounds like the citizens of New York made the decision that we need to change direction.

01:36:03.712 --> 01:36:07.132
And so now there's going to be a big debate in the Democratic Party of whether

01:36:07.132 --> 01:36:09.972
we should follow that road or not.

01:36:10.132 --> 01:36:13.832
But this is just another level because, you know,

01:36:13.932 --> 01:36:19.692
you've heard me mention David Hogg and his move to go after certain incumbents

01:36:19.692 --> 01:36:26.992
and Democratic primaries and challenging the establishment Democrats like Carville and other folks.

01:36:26.992 --> 01:36:30.812
You know, now Bernie Sanders said something that was out of pocket,

01:36:30.812 --> 01:36:37.812
you know, about Vice President Harris saying that's how you win elections.

01:36:37.812 --> 01:36:43.872
And it's like, last time I checked, you ran for president twice and didn't win.

01:36:44.112 --> 01:36:49.932
So I probably wouldn't be, at least she got the nomination, right?

01:36:50.352 --> 01:36:53.912
Because the people could have said, no, we want you instead of her.

01:36:54.632 --> 01:36:58.832
Even, you know, when they were drafting somebody against Joe Biden.

01:36:59.252 --> 01:37:02.992
You know, you lost to Hillary Clinton. You lost to Joe Biden.

01:37:05.172 --> 01:37:10.592
So, Senator, you were a little out of pocket. And Kamala got more votes than

01:37:10.592 --> 01:37:11.812
you did in your own state.

01:37:13.332 --> 01:37:21.492
So, let's not do that. But I will agree that Mamdani represents a new direction.

01:37:22.492 --> 01:37:26.572
Now, whether that will translate outside of New York City, we don't know.

01:37:27.892 --> 01:37:30.912
But it is a reminder that all politics is local.

01:37:31.552 --> 01:37:34.992
And so what I would, the lesson that I would give to people,

01:37:35.512 --> 01:37:40.992
especially those on the Democratic side, is that you have to be in tune with

01:37:40.992 --> 01:37:43.112
the community that you're trying to represent.

01:37:44.845 --> 01:37:50.745
To be engaged and your message needs to be based off what the people want and

01:37:50.745 --> 01:37:56.265
need instead of you projecting to them what they need.

01:37:57.025 --> 01:38:04.565
Patriarchal liberalism or patriarchal democratic politics is not going to fly anymore.

01:38:05.245 --> 01:38:10.445
You have to be in touch and in tune with the people that you want to represent.

01:38:11.045 --> 01:38:15.265
That means sometimes going to places that you are not comfortable in.

01:38:16.465 --> 01:38:21.445
And you're not always going to succeed. Like I've told stories before,

01:38:21.465 --> 01:38:25.165
I've given speeches where I was the only black person in the room.

01:38:26.325 --> 01:38:30.485
But, you know, you go where the votes are.

01:38:32.945 --> 01:38:40.905
And you have to try to connect with them. And I always make the judgment that I didn't do enough.

01:38:41.205 --> 01:38:46.625
If I don't win, I didn't do enough to connect. When I do win, I did enough to connect.

01:38:49.225 --> 01:38:54.425
So we're going to watch how this plays out because Mamdani is the Democrat

01:38:54.425 --> 01:38:58.245
nominee, but he hasn't won yet because Eric Adams, the incumbent mayor,

01:38:58.325 --> 01:39:03.605
is running as an independent. and now there's talk that Cuomo may run as an independent.

01:39:04.725 --> 01:39:09.305
He's, in the way New York City rules are, he's eligible to run as an independent.

01:39:11.105 --> 01:39:17.745
So we'll see. We'll see if this all pans out and Mamdani gets to be the mayor.

01:39:19.005 --> 01:39:29.405
And we'll see how receptive the Democratic Party is once the election results come out in November.

01:39:30.145 --> 01:39:34.245
If I lived in New York City, I probably would have voted for Ms.

01:39:34.385 --> 01:39:39.725
Adams, who was the Speaker of the House, the Speaker of the Council.

01:39:41.370 --> 01:39:44.090
She came across as a terrible candidate, right?

01:39:44.370 --> 01:39:50.050
And something didn't resonate with her own people, right? So you had to look

01:39:50.050 --> 01:39:52.730
at that, but I probably would have supported her.

01:39:53.230 --> 01:40:01.570
But nonetheless, she was part of the group that, you know, with Mamdani and Comptroller Ladner.

01:40:02.450 --> 01:40:06.670
They were basically saying, well, you know, vote for us first and then vote

01:40:06.670 --> 01:40:08.750
for the other two, second and third.

01:40:09.190 --> 01:40:12.290
So they were part of, those three were kind of working in concert,

01:40:12.510 --> 01:40:18.190
you know, but I mean, we're going to watch and see how it works, right?

01:40:18.750 --> 01:40:22.290
If she gets behind Mamdani, that's going to help.

01:40:23.050 --> 01:40:28.670
Ladner is definitely going to get behind Mamdani. That's going to help in reaching out to people.

01:40:29.150 --> 01:40:34.130
Be interesting to see how some of the other folks, there's some people that,

01:40:34.130 --> 01:40:39.670
you know, ran for mayor before, I think Mamdani is the answer.

01:40:40.130 --> 01:40:45.270
We'll see. And then, of course, there's governing, which Brandon Johnson is

01:40:45.270 --> 01:40:48.090
finding out, because Brandon Johnson kind of ran the same way in Chicago.

01:40:48.090 --> 01:40:50.590
He was the grassroots candidate.

01:40:51.050 --> 01:40:53.250
You know, he was involved with the teachers union.

01:40:53.830 --> 01:40:58.350
Him and Mamdani's politics are pretty similar. And he got elected.

01:40:58.350 --> 01:41:06.930
You know, he beat an incumbent mayor and whose popularity had dropped considerably by that time.

01:41:07.150 --> 01:41:12.650
So, you know, and he's going through a lot of stuff, even though there's been

01:41:12.650 --> 01:41:17.810
some progress in the city as far as it being safer and, you know, affordable housing.

01:41:17.810 --> 01:41:25.110
He's still not I don't know he's just he's turning people off for some reason

01:41:25.110 --> 01:41:34.490
so we'll see how that goes and maybe there's some lessons that Mamdani can learn where he won't.

01:41:35.879 --> 01:41:38.879
The same struggles that Johnson is going through in Chicago.

01:41:39.819 --> 01:41:46.879
Karen Bass in Los Angeles, same thing. She's had major crises with military

01:41:46.879 --> 01:41:48.339
invasion of Los Angeles,

01:41:48.819 --> 01:41:54.859
immigration raids, the fires in Altadena and other Pacific Palisades and other places.

01:41:55.479 --> 01:41:59.939
So she's been challenged, right? Keisha Lance Bottoms, who's going to run for

01:41:59.939 --> 01:42:03.739
governor, she served one term and she was serving during the pandemic.

01:42:03.979 --> 01:42:12.319
So she had that going on and her battles with the governor and the George Floyd

01:42:12.319 --> 01:42:15.639
protests and her relationship with the police.

01:42:16.399 --> 01:42:23.159
You know, it's not easy governing. It's easier to campaign than it is to govern.

01:42:23.539 --> 01:42:28.239
So that's going to be the real test. You know, if Mamdani pulls this off,

01:42:28.459 --> 01:42:32.659
then the real test is going to be how those four years as mayor,

01:42:33.399 --> 01:42:37.819
can he do all of the stuff that he wants to do?

01:42:37.939 --> 01:42:42.739
There's some stuff he probably can't do, but being somebody that's been in the

01:42:42.739 --> 01:42:47.899
legislature, he's probably got some friends to try to help him do some things that he wants to do.

01:42:48.379 --> 01:42:53.639
Don't know how he's going to play that, but I think that's the real test,

01:42:53.799 --> 01:42:59.059
how he's going to But it kind of goes back to the conversation I was having with Dr.

01:42:59.479 --> 01:43:07.159
Jackson that is like, are we going to be so paranoid and fearful that we just

01:43:07.159 --> 01:43:11.559
stay in our comfort zone and just vote for the name that we know?

01:43:13.149 --> 01:43:18.149
Going to take some chances to move, in this case, New York City,

01:43:18.149 --> 01:43:23.009
or in my case, the state of Georgia or the nation?

01:43:23.769 --> 01:43:25.829
Are we going to move in a different direction?

01:43:26.709 --> 01:43:32.049
Because right now, the direction we're in is very divisive, very unproductive.

01:43:32.849 --> 01:43:40.209
And I mean, we got a U.S. Congress that still has not passed a major piece of legislation yet.

01:43:40.389 --> 01:43:46.009
They're still debating about the appropriations bill, right?

01:43:46.289 --> 01:43:49.809
I know people have put all sorts of adjectives and all that stuff.

01:43:49.929 --> 01:43:51.289
It's an appropriation. It's the budget.

01:43:52.189 --> 01:43:56.869
That's all it is. It's a budget. It's not big or whatever. It's a budget.

01:43:58.629 --> 01:44:06.569
And they're having a struggle trying to pass a budget, let alone anything else. That's unproductive.

01:44:07.849 --> 01:44:09.529
You know, so we've got to do better.

01:44:11.809 --> 01:44:18.809
And we've got to stop being afraid of approaches to leadership.

01:44:19.189 --> 01:44:24.929
We've got to stop being afraid of charting a new course to do better.

01:44:25.489 --> 01:44:31.909
Whatever you may think of individuals running for office, whatever you may think

01:44:31.909 --> 01:44:37.269
of politicians in general, the system we have is that we elect people to lead,

01:44:37.869 --> 01:44:40.189
and we need to buy into that vision.

01:44:40.789 --> 01:44:44.369
We don't need to vote out of fear. We need to vote out of hope.

01:44:45.069 --> 01:44:50.729
We need to believe that the people that we elect are going to make our lives

01:44:50.729 --> 01:44:55.649
better without interfering with our life because that's the balance.

01:44:56.189 --> 01:44:59.309
You don't want a heavy-handed government, but at the same time,

01:44:59.449 --> 01:45:03.009
you don't want a government to restrict us or a government that's ineffective.

01:45:04.949 --> 01:45:11.649
So those are my thoughts. Feel free to comment. Feel free to let me know what you think.

01:45:12.349 --> 01:45:15.609
And thank you for listening. Until next time.

01:45:16.080 --> 01:46:03.772
Music.