WEBVTT
1
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This is West Michigan's Morning News.
2
00:00:02.109 --> 00:00:02.750
Good morning.
3
00:00:02.790 --> 00:00:06.610
Wood Radio News Time, 737. I mentioned this just before
4
00:00:06.669 --> 00:00:08.949
bottom of the hour news, and I think it bears repeating.
5
00:00:09.949 --> 00:00:13.029
At the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP, we strive to build
6
00:00:13.189 --> 00:00:16.170
a better system in which all citizens have equal access
7
00:00:16.230 --> 00:00:22.359
to political, economic, educational, and social resources. Coming up next
8
00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:28.920
week at Silva, which is a magnificent bar, restaurant, venue, circus,
9
00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:31.280
I think it's a good way to put it, is
10
00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:35.079
the 60th Freedom Fund Gala. Klee Jackson is president of
11
00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:38.619
the Grand Rapids NAACP. Klee, thanks for coming back in
12
00:00:38.659 --> 00:00:39.429
studio today.
13
00:00:39.929 --> 00:00:41.250
Thank you for having me, Steve.
14
00:00:41.549 --> 00:00:45.030
It's been some 12 years that you've been at the helm.
15
00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:48.890
Let's start with what really excites you about coming back
16
00:00:48.950 --> 00:00:49.929
into work every day?
17
00:00:49.950 --> 00:00:55.880
Well, you know, the most important thing, and this 60th
18
00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:59.770
Freedom Fund is going to be very special, What excites
19
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.979
me and gets me up every day is the engagement
20
00:01:03.020 --> 00:01:08.159
with our youth and college leaders. And so we just
21
00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:14.189
have a dynamic group of young leaders that are excited,
22
00:01:14.810 --> 00:01:18.950
that are excited for the future. And that's really doing
23
00:01:18.969 --> 00:01:22.250
the work right in terms of civic engagement and community
24
00:01:22.310 --> 00:01:25.560
relations and all of those great things that is necessary,
25
00:01:25.579 --> 00:01:29.670
especially during these times. And so that is really the
26
00:01:29.730 --> 00:01:33.109
number one thing that excites me and makes me keep going.
27
00:01:33.209 --> 00:01:36.170
And so this year's Freedom Fund, we're really going to
28
00:01:36.310 --> 00:01:40.780
amplify and intensify the voices of our youth and young leaders.
29
00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:42.980
Talk to us a little bit about what you learn
30
00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:46.159
from them. We talk about Gen X, the youngest in
31
00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:50.900
the workforce, sometimes having completely different ideas about the nine
32
00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:53.450
to five world that we grew up in. But what
33
00:01:53.469 --> 00:01:55.829
about the hope of that generation that you get to see?
34
00:01:56.290 --> 00:01:59.090
You know what? It's interesting because, so we started a
35
00:01:59.129 --> 00:02:03.769
young fellows program. It's an intensive 10 week summer program. Um,
36
00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:07.409
this summer was the fifth year. And so we bring
37
00:02:07.510 --> 00:02:10.469
in about 10 young fellows between the ages of 16
38
00:02:10.469 --> 00:02:13.680
and 25 and we give them a really take them
39
00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.759
into a really deep dive in terms of what is
40
00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:18.979
social justice, what is civic engagement looks like, how do
41
00:02:19.020 --> 00:02:22.099
you navigate the workforce, right? How do you just navigate
42
00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:26.770
life in general? And then, um, How do you really
43
00:02:26.889 --> 00:02:31.009
keep that fire of hope alive in your belly? And
44
00:02:31.050 --> 00:02:33.270
so that's what I've learned from them is how to
45
00:02:33.349 --> 00:02:36.490
just stay inspired. A lot of folks oftentimes, Steve, will
46
00:02:36.509 --> 00:02:42.979
say about our youth and young adults is that it's
47
00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:45.979
a hopeless generation, but that's not what I see. That's
48
00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:48.879
not what I see. I think we have some youth
49
00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:53.530
and young adults that are trying to find their way, right?
50
00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.250
But We also have to understand that we need to
51
00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:00.150
guide and we need to direct. We need to let
52
00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:02.110
them know. I tell my young folks all the time,
53
00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:06.349
I see you. I see you, right? And I believe
54
00:03:06.409 --> 00:03:09.400
in you. And so that's what I learned from them
55
00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.120
also is that they see us too. So they're paying attention.
56
00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:18.379
So they are literally paying attention and doing some dynamic stuff.
57
00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.240
The 60th Freedom Fund Gala will be a week from
58
00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:27.830
Friday the 16th. at Silva. Tickets are going fast, Klee,
59
00:03:27.849 --> 00:03:30.370
but for those that attend, what can we expect that night?
60
00:03:30.789 --> 00:03:33.919
So we're doing, we're calling it a party with a purpose.
61
00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:36.719
So we want to do something a little different this year.
62
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:40.400
We're going to, again, we're going to intensify and amplify
63
00:03:40.439 --> 00:03:43.699
the voices of youth in college. And so we're going
64
00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.879
to have a dynamic panel that will be moderated by
65
00:03:46.990 --> 00:03:50.250
one of our alums from our youth council, Malik Robinson,
66
00:03:50.289 --> 00:03:54.750
just a phenomenal spoken word artist. So he's coming in
67
00:03:54.849 --> 00:03:59.310
from Ohio to moderate the panel. And we're going to
68
00:03:59.349 --> 00:04:02.370
have them talk about the issues that directly impact them,
69
00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:05.740
but also from a global perspective, issues that impact all
70
00:04:05.750 --> 00:04:09.080
of us. So that's a little different for us. Then
71
00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:11.180
I'm going to come on, and then I will talk
72
00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:15.939
about the work and the impact very briefly, but very intentionally.
73
00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.360
Because this year, we want to minimize the talk from
74
00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:25.209
the stage. We want to, again, talk about... really quickly,
75
00:04:25.610 --> 00:04:31.100
the impact, the work, and then give people an opportunity
76
00:04:31.300 --> 00:04:34.740
after to dance and give the band a couple hours
77
00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.699
to play because people have asked us that for years.
78
00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.720
We want to just dance. We want to kick our
79
00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:43.589
shoes up and then give people the opportunity to network
80
00:04:44.029 --> 00:04:46.610
and to talk and to meet people that they would
81
00:04:46.670 --> 00:04:50.550
not have met before. And so, um, Silva, you know,
82
00:04:50.589 --> 00:04:53.949
it's a kind of a circus theme. The, the, the
83
00:04:54.029 --> 00:04:57.329
restaurant is in the lounge here. It's beautiful. It's a
84
00:04:57.389 --> 00:05:00.860
beautiful venue. So we're doing something a little different. We're
85
00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:03.939
moving away from the JW this year and the Amways
86
00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.639
and all of that. Um, and, and just, you know, again,
87
00:05:07.670 --> 00:05:10.470
a party with a purpose is going to be very powerful.
88
00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:13.779
It's going to be an exciting time, an exciting night.
89
00:05:13.860 --> 00:05:16.120
So I'm really looking forward to it.
90
00:05:16.139 --> 00:05:19.009
Any truth to the rumor that you could be juggling
91
00:05:19.170 --> 00:05:22.269
or on stilts yourself during your address?
92
00:05:22.689 --> 00:05:24.910
Maybe. You never know. You never know.
93
00:05:24.990 --> 00:05:28.329
We'll put a link to the event itself in the
94
00:05:28.350 --> 00:05:34.300
podcast section at woodradio.com where this conversation will live in perpetuity.
95
00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:37.699
President of the Grand Rapids NAACP, Clee Jackson, thank you
96
00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:38.379
for coming in today.
97
00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:39.079
Thank you, brother.
1
00:00:00.230 --> 00:00:01.909
This is West Michigan's Morning News.
2
00:00:02.109 --> 00:00:02.750
Good morning.
3
00:00:02.790 --> 00:00:06.610
Wood Radio News Time, 737. I mentioned this just before
4
00:00:06.669 --> 00:00:08.949
bottom of the hour news, and I think it bears repeating.
5
00:00:09.949 --> 00:00:13.029
At the Greater Grand Rapids NAACP, we strive to build
6
00:00:13.189 --> 00:00:16.170
a better system in which all citizens have equal access
7
00:00:16.230 --> 00:00:22.359
to political, economic, educational, and social resources. Coming up next
8
00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:28.920
week at Silva, which is a magnificent bar, restaurant, venue, circus,
9
00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:31.280
I think it's a good way to put it, is
10
00:00:31.339 --> 00:00:35.079
the 60th Freedom Fund Gala. Klee Jackson is president of
11
00:00:35.100 --> 00:00:38.619
the Grand Rapids NAACP. Klee, thanks for coming back in
12
00:00:38.659 --> 00:00:39.429
studio today.
13
00:00:39.929 --> 00:00:41.250
Thank you for having me, Steve.
14
00:00:41.549 --> 00:00:45.030
It's been some 12 years that you've been at the helm.
15
00:00:45.409 --> 00:00:48.890
Let's start with what really excites you about coming back
16
00:00:48.950 --> 00:00:49.929
into work every day?
17
00:00:49.950 --> 00:00:55.880
Well, you know, the most important thing, and this 60th
18
00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:59.770
Freedom Fund is going to be very special, What excites
19
00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.979
me and gets me up every day is the engagement
20
00:01:03.020 --> 00:01:08.159
with our youth and college leaders. And so we just
21
00:01:08.200 --> 00:01:14.189
have a dynamic group of young leaders that are excited,
22
00:01:14.810 --> 00:01:18.950
that are excited for the future. And that's really doing
23
00:01:18.969 --> 00:01:22.250
the work right in terms of civic engagement and community
24
00:01:22.310 --> 00:01:25.560
relations and all of those great things that is necessary,
25
00:01:25.579 --> 00:01:29.670
especially during these times. And so that is really the
26
00:01:29.730 --> 00:01:33.109
number one thing that excites me and makes me keep going.
27
00:01:33.209 --> 00:01:36.170
And so this year's Freedom Fund, we're really going to
28
00:01:36.310 --> 00:01:40.780
amplify and intensify the voices of our youth and young leaders.
29
00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:42.980
Talk to us a little bit about what you learn
30
00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:46.159
from them. We talk about Gen X, the youngest in
31
00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:50.900
the workforce, sometimes having completely different ideas about the nine
32
00:01:50.939 --> 00:01:53.450
to five world that we grew up in. But what
33
00:01:53.469 --> 00:01:55.829
about the hope of that generation that you get to see?
34
00:01:56.290 --> 00:01:59.090
You know what? It's interesting because, so we started a
35
00:01:59.129 --> 00:02:03.769
young fellows program. It's an intensive 10 week summer program. Um,
36
00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:07.409
this summer was the fifth year. And so we bring
37
00:02:07.510 --> 00:02:10.469
in about 10 young fellows between the ages of 16
38
00:02:10.469 --> 00:02:13.680
and 25 and we give them a really take them
39
00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.759
into a really deep dive in terms of what is
40
00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:18.979
social justice, what is civic engagement looks like, how do
41
00:02:19.020 --> 00:02:22.099
you navigate the workforce, right? How do you just navigate
42
00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:26.770
life in general? And then, um, How do you really
43
00:02:26.889 --> 00:02:31.009
keep that fire of hope alive in your belly? And
44
00:02:31.050 --> 00:02:33.270
so that's what I've learned from them is how to
45
00:02:33.349 --> 00:02:36.490
just stay inspired. A lot of folks oftentimes, Steve, will
46
00:02:36.509 --> 00:02:42.979
say about our youth and young adults is that it's
47
00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:45.979
a hopeless generation, but that's not what I see. That's
48
00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:48.879
not what I see. I think we have some youth
49
00:02:49.060 --> 00:02:53.530
and young adults that are trying to find their way, right?
50
00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.250
But We also have to understand that we need to
51
00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:00.150
guide and we need to direct. We need to let
52
00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:02.110
them know. I tell my young folks all the time,
53
00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:06.349
I see you. I see you, right? And I believe
54
00:03:06.409 --> 00:03:09.400
in you. And so that's what I learned from them
55
00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:13.120
also is that they see us too. So they're paying attention.
56
00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:18.379
So they are literally paying attention and doing some dynamic stuff.
57
00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.240
The 60th Freedom Fund Gala will be a week from
58
00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:27.830
Friday the 16th. at Silva. Tickets are going fast, Klee,
59
00:03:27.849 --> 00:03:30.370
but for those that attend, what can we expect that night?
60
00:03:30.789 --> 00:03:33.919
So we're doing, we're calling it a party with a purpose.
61
00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:36.719
So we want to do something a little different this year.
62
00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:40.400
We're going to, again, we're going to intensify and amplify
63
00:03:40.439 --> 00:03:43.699
the voices of youth in college. And so we're going
64
00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.879
to have a dynamic panel that will be moderated by
65
00:03:46.990 --> 00:03:50.250
one of our alums from our youth council, Malik Robinson,
66
00:03:50.289 --> 00:03:54.750
just a phenomenal spoken word artist. So he's coming in
67
00:03:54.849 --> 00:03:59.310
from Ohio to moderate the panel. And we're going to
68
00:03:59.349 --> 00:04:02.370
have them talk about the issues that directly impact them,
69
00:04:02.430 --> 00:04:05.740
but also from a global perspective, issues that impact all
70
00:04:05.750 --> 00:04:09.080
of us. So that's a little different for us. Then
71
00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:11.180
I'm going to come on, and then I will talk
72
00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:15.939
about the work and the impact very briefly, but very intentionally.
73
00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:19.360
Because this year, we want to minimize the talk from
74
00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:25.209
the stage. We want to, again, talk about... really quickly,
75
00:04:25.610 --> 00:04:31.100
the impact, the work, and then give people an opportunity
76
00:04:31.300 --> 00:04:34.740
after to dance and give the band a couple hours
77
00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.699
to play because people have asked us that for years.
78
00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:39.720
We want to just dance. We want to kick our
79
00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:43.589
shoes up and then give people the opportunity to network
80
00:04:44.029 --> 00:04:46.610
and to talk and to meet people that they would
81
00:04:46.670 --> 00:04:50.550
not have met before. And so, um, Silva, you know,
82
00:04:50.589 --> 00:04:53.949
it's a kind of a circus theme. The, the, the
83
00:04:54.029 --> 00:04:57.329
restaurant is in the lounge here. It's beautiful. It's a
84
00:04:57.389 --> 00:05:00.860
beautiful venue. So we're doing something a little different. We're
85
00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:03.939
moving away from the JW this year and the Amways
86
00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.639
and all of that. Um, and, and just, you know, again,
87
00:05:07.670 --> 00:05:10.470
a party with a purpose is going to be very powerful.
88
00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:13.779
It's going to be an exciting time, an exciting night.
89
00:05:13.860 --> 00:05:16.120
So I'm really looking forward to it.
90
00:05:16.139 --> 00:05:19.009
Any truth to the rumor that you could be juggling
91
00:05:19.170 --> 00:05:22.269
or on stilts yourself during your address?
92
00:05:22.689 --> 00:05:24.910
Maybe. You never know. You never know.
93
00:05:24.990 --> 00:05:28.329
We'll put a link to the event itself in the
94
00:05:28.350 --> 00:05:34.300
podcast section at woodradio.com where this conversation will live in perpetuity.
95
00:05:34.339 --> 00:05:37.699
President of the Grand Rapids NAACP, Clee Jackson, thank you
96
00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:38.379
for coming in today.
97
00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:39.079
Thank you, brother.
