WEBVTT
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All right, y'all.
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Welcome back to another episode of All Right Now Let's Talk About It.
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I am your host, Jaquan R.
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Phillips.
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Welcome back.
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It is again World Sickle Cell Month.
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The month of September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, along with some other causes and you know awarenesses.
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But we are going to shine a light on sickle cell awareness month.
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Of course, I used to have a for those of you who may still this may be your first episode.
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Welcome to Alright Now Let's Talk About It.
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Hopefully you come back, subscribe, give us five stars on Apple, Spotify, wherever you're listening to this podcast.
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At it is currently as recording.
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This first part.
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It is September 2nd.
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It is, we're two days into September so far.
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Today is my father's birthday.
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My birthday was August 31st, which was last week.
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Well, last week as of you listening to this podcast.
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I'm officially 31.
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Jeez.
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Yikes.
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Where has life gone?
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Where has the time gone?
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But yes.
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I just recently celebrated a birthday, and I'm officially 31.
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For my birthday.
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Before we get into the episode and just give you an update.
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I didn't do much.
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It was pretty pretty much a laid back birthday.
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Of course it was a Monday, so I was already off from work.
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Thank God.
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I was off from work some awful Mondays and I just really kind of didn't do a lot.
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I went.
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What did I do?
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Went for brunch.
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And then I went and I went to where did I go?
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Went to the Klein and concert.
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Oh, went to the mall.
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Um got some jeans, got some shirts.
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I don't really need more shirts, but I do need some more jeans, and I still do.
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Most of my jeans are baggy or you know, it's just I had them for so long, so it's time to kind of get some new ones.
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So I got some jeans and I wanted these shoes.
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I'm not really a sneakerhead per se, but there were some shoes that I've seen in Foot Locker.
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They were the what are they called?
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The Nike Donuts?
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The Nike Dunk Donuts.
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Yeah, Nike Dunk Donuts.
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Yeah.
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They were like this brown shoe that I wanted.
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Of course, they didn't have it in my size.
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It just came out the same day.
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It just came out.
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And I was gonna get those, but they didn't have them in my size.
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Of course, so I didn't get them.
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But you know, anyways, that's uh another store for another day, but they do have them online.
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So I will be ordering those at some point, probably later this month.
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But that will be my birthday gift of myself.
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Also, so let's get into it.
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So when y'all are listening to this episode, okay, this coming up Saturday.
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As you're listening to this episode, the Jasmine Sickle Cell Warriors will be hosting our 10th annual Sickle Cell Walk.
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So I'm not sure how, if you have not heard it, heard about it, or you know, how the ads are playing through here, but I do know there are ads supposed to be playing through here.
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And they are just to you know, promote what we have going on, promote, of course, the Sickle Cell Walk in what better platform to promote your own stuff than on your own platform, right?
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So, yeah.
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So this coming Saturday, um, September 12th, we will be at Martin Luther King Park in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina.
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We'll be doing that, and then we will also what else are we doing this month?
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I think that's it.
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This month is a busy month.
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I just had an event I was supposed to go to on the 19th, but I can't go due to work and other things, so I will not be able to make that event.
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We have an event coming up October 10th.
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It's just like a sit-down, well, not a sit-down conversation, but yeah, kind of like a sit-down conversation where we will be doing, we will be talking about sickle cell with Pfizer and Vertex.
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Those are two sponsors of the Jasmine Sickle Cell Warriors Foundation, Incorporated, and we will be doing like a conversation with those two companies, and they'll be doing presentations as well about sickle cell disease and what their companies are doing to help combat this disease.
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So, more information will be out about that very shortly.
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So I'm grateful for those two partnerships that the foundation has built over the years.
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I'm excited about that.
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Anyways, I think what you said.
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Oh no, December 12th, we'll also be celebrating, we're hosting rather our 10-year Gala celebration.
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For those of you that do not know, December 12th, 2016, the Jasmine Sicklesill Warriors Foundation was born officially with the state of North Carolina.
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But we have been doing this work since 2014.
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The year my sister passed, yes.
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So technically we're a little over 10 years, but officially 10 years with the state of North Carolina.
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So these events, if you want to know more about them, check out the description box below.
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And the foundation's website, the JSEW Foundation.com, to learn out more, to find out more rather about these events.
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Oh, also on the day of the sickle show off, September 12th, we will host, we will have our what is it called?
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A community block party where our partners at Amazon will donate some different items so you can imagine whatever you've ever returned to Amazon ever in your life.
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We will through that partnership, we will have different things that they will donate.
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Things that so okay, so how it works.
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This is how it works.
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So, like imagine you order a shirt from Amazon, it doesn't fit, something's wrong with it, there's a rip in it, there's a tear in it, so on and so forth.
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You take that to your nearest USPS store, Whole Foods, Amazon drop-off location, wherever that may be, in your local city.
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You take it to Amazon, you drop it off there.
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Depending on the seller, the seller will either take it or they will not take it.
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So if they don't take it back, Amazon then kind of donates that to a local nonprofit, which is yours truly, the Jasmine Silver Silver Wars Foundation Incorporated.
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It's our local Amazon branch up here in Raleigh.
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So they will donate that to nonprofits and they will donate it to us, and we will then do a we will start reading the text.
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We will donate that to community members.
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Now we do still have to go through it because sometimes it is food that they donate, and with them donating food, we have to go through it and make sure that it is if it's expired, we get rid of it.
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And yeah, whatever's left over, we just put it out and you go through it.
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There have been some people that have found some amazing things.
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I know.
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I found some microphones in there.
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I found some, of course, plenty of chargers and some other good things.
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There's sometimes washing powder and you know, different things, waters, just your essentials that you could ever if you think you may need it.
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Sometimes we have had it in there.
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And yeah, so oh, I forgot.
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Oh, the September 19th, we're doing a we have a new partner on Transformation Church.
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They will be partnering with us to do an Amazon giveaway on November 9th here in Raleigh.
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So you can stay tuned for those details.
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Um they will be coming soon.
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As far as the details of the event, the event location time, et cetera, et cetera.
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All that would be coming soon.
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So, yeah, without further ado, let's get into this episode.
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So, back in 2022, I sat down with a good fellow, another fellow sickle cell warrior, Ramon Reed.
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And I sat down with Ramon virtually because in 2022 we did honor him at our Gala as a Sickle Cell spotlight honoree.
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Um he accepted the award and we gave him an gave him an award for just the work that he's done with sickle cell and you know, kind of not letting sickle cell also define him.
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So we are proud that we were able to do that and that he accepted it, and you know there's a relationship developed there.
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Because with this foundation, I do want to shine a light on the Jasmine Sicklesale Warriors Foundation.
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I do want to shine a light on sickle cell warriors that are doing the work, that are kind of out there in the spotlight, not letting sickle cell define them.
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So I sat down and talked to him.
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If you don't know him, just a little bit about him.
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He played Simba on Broadway.
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He's a North Carolina native from originally from Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Moved to California for acting, and then I think most recently, I think he just moved to Atlanta, if I'm not mistaken.
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So you've seen him in Disney shows.
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Of course, you played the young Simba on Lion King Broadway, and he's done some other amazing things.
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So without further ado, I'm going to stop talking now.
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And I'm going to get into this episode.
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This is another flashback episode because it is Sickle Cell Awareness Month.
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And because I'm still currently recording new episodes for this podcast, I'm going to, while this month is still here, I'm going to shine a light on Sickle Cell Warriors and kind of just go back to the episodes that I did back in 2020, 2020, 2021, 2022.
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So without further ado, here is the let me see.
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Here is part one of the my conversation with my Ramon Ramon Reed.
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Talking about Sickle Sill from his own words.
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So sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoyed this conversation.
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I may just go ahead and do part one and part two in this conversation because I don't think part one is that long.
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Maybe about 20 minutes.
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Um I'm going to do just both parts in one.
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Um and then we'll go from there.
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Alright.
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So enjoy this episode.
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Here today, you are with Sickle Cell Warrior Ramon Reed.
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Ramon, tell our listeners just who you a little bit about yourself and who you are.
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Yeah, totally.
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Like you said, my name is Ramon Reed.
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I'm 16 years old, and I'm an actor, my trade actor, entertainer, singer, whatever you would like.
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I started off my uh career, you know, with you know, school plays, and then I gradually uh progressed and I met people and I started to get into the right rooms and I've done things as far as being young Simba on the national tour of the Lion King and on Broadway and being a series regular in a national TV show and Disney Channel called Just Rose.
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And I uh also have a feature film coming out August 12th, so on Netflix.
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So I'm super excited about that.
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That is amazing.
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I didn't see that in my research.
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I'm gonna have to get on my team because that is all right.
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So could you tell us a little bit about the film or you can't say anything?
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Uh no, it's called Um Birk Team the Musical.
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It's uh basically an adaptation of uh what the uh Broadway production of it was.
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Um and first on Broadway it had Liz Gillies and Ariana Grande in it.
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That's where they got their start.
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So, you know, I got uh I got the audition and went in and I sent him my tape, and a couple months later after I totally forgot about it, and I got a call back from them.
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And uh it's basically a musical, so you'll definitely see a lot of singing, a lot of dancing.
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And it's just showing the not only struggles, but it's showing the uh main character who's playing it.
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I believe in showing him that he has to really look at the boy from the big city of New York, and now he travels all the way to Indiana, and he meets me and a whole bunch of other kids, and uh, you know, we're just saying dancing all over the place.
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That's super fun.
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Definitely, I would definitely be jumping out.
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Um so we for the listeners who don't know, you were originally born in North Carolina in Charlotte.
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Yeah, relocated to California.
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Do you miss living in this now?
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Well, all the time, mostly because, you know, when I lived there for most of the time that I didn't live there, a lot of my family wasn't there.
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But ever since I left, they all decided they wanted to move to Charlotte now that I'm gone.
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So I was like, dang.
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So, you know, my grandma, she lives there now, my aunts, my uh, a lot of my uncles, my son cousins there.
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And I just, you know, I'm very family-oriented, I'm growing up around my family.
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I've done a lot of things with my family, and uh, my family is a huge part of where I am and where I am, you know, at this moment and how I am at this moment.
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So I go back as often as I can.
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I'll actually be back on the East Coast next week.
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So I'm excited to go see them and handle some business down there.
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Definitely, definitely.
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Well, I mean, so how often do you start using you coming back next week?
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How often do you come with your your your acting schedule?
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How often do you put um away just to come back and just rarely.
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Like you said, with my opinion schedule, at one point it could be really slow, and then at other point I could have no free time throughout a whole year.
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I know, like uh for the last two years, I I wasn't able to take a vacation.
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So I literally worked for like three years straight before I uh took a vacation.
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Which, you know me, I was uh much younger, so I just love working.
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I still do.
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I was like, oh, well, we're going to Jamaica, that's nice, you know.
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But I I get to go back at least two times a year, but I'm trying to make my rounds back over there more frequently, especially since I'm getting older and kids on my own, you know.
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I do understand that.
00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.839
Um so you were even working during COVID?
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Yeah.
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So uh at first I was on just relative during COVID, and we filmed our the entirety of our second season during COVID.
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And then after that, that's what we should conclude.
00:18:50.200 --> 00:19:04.359
And then for a couple months it was slow, and then toward, well, it was towards like the beginning of the end of the the fight in the public cases for the first feature film.
00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:07.640
So can it be for six months to go film?
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You know, that's that's that's uh you know, you know, but not really like people in my family who are like, oh yeah, that's the thing that's uh that's what they do.
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That's you know the calling, you know.
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Um I don't know where it came from.
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And I just hold my voice and my craft and my range, and I continue to do that and you know, just to get better every day.
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And you know, I'm happy where I'm at right now, but you know, you can never be too satisfied and too complacent with where you are.
00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:15.640
Now, if Randall, if you could sing one song for the rest of your life, what would it be rather from something from The Lion King or one of your favorite gospel songs, RB songs, what would that one song be?
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Because I know that's a lot.
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There's a lot.
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If I if I'm gonna go with the gospel genre, it'll probably be like like my worship is for real.
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I really love that song.
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I I've been listening to it on repeat uh for the past like two weeks, you know.
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And I don't know, it's just been really speaking to me.
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You know, when I'm driving in the car and it comes on on my shelf and I'm like, wow.
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But uh, you know, I really that's probably it for right now.
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It just depends on where I am in my life at the moment.
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And because, you know, monthly, if not weekly, I'll go through like rotations of songs where I'm like, wow, that's something that's killer.
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That's something that's not here for real.
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Definitely.
00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:10.200
So when when you're downtime, do you ever see yourself doing an EP or problem in the coming future?
00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:12.279
Man, I'm trying to work on that right now.
00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:20.039
Like I told you before we started, there's so much going on, and I'm trying to get so much out, especially before the film comes out.
00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:25.080
And I've recorded the song uh before, I think it was a year or two ago.
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I did a Christmas cover of James when Santa Claus goes straight to the ghetto.
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And I had such a fun time doing that and uh being in my zone and really seeing what the process is like, just recording the song, you know.
00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:47.640
And right now I'm trying to work on an EPE and see when I can get that out and you know, really get with the uh right people, the right producers to get this out because I'm excited.
00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:55.799
And, you know, now that I'm older, I'm going through a lot more experiences, not heartbreak, but you know, just more experiences in general all around.
00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:57.080
Just being a teenager?
00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:58.920
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
00:21:59.160 --> 00:21:59.799
I don't understand.
00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:07.400
And so um was it your goal to always be on stage or in in front of the camera?
00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:12.600
In the beginning, that wasn't my goal.
00:22:12.840 --> 00:22:14.759
I still don't think that is my goal.
00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:24.759
I think I think my goal is to obtain success and then help others do the same, if not better than what I've already done.
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:36.120
But I just remember from a young age, I would always, like most people sing in the choir and lead solos with the children's choir, and then I moved up to the man's choir, and then I was on the man's choir.
00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:39.080
So I was on all the choirs, is what I'm trying to say.
00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:41.960
So they have me on all the choirs.
00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:54.120
And I just think from there, my my parents saw something in me that I necessarily didn't even see myself at the time because that was just, you know, who I was and who I am.
00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:59.160
And from there, I went to a teleconference and performed for them.
00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:01.160
I was, you know, from the South.
00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:07.720
I was country on the 20, at the 20, I performed for them, I did some songs.
00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:13.160
And uh after going between, and that's where I met my uh amazing manager from there.
00:23:13.320 --> 00:23:19.080
But she's been with me from uh day one, and uh we just continue to make things happen some way and somehow.
00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:20.920
That is good.
00:23:21.320 --> 00:23:32.120
So to go back to your upbringing, so you grew up in so was your because I like myself, I grew up in church.
00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:35.000
Grandma's a pastor, grandfather's co-pastor.
00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:37.160
Oh, yeah, I love that on both sides.
00:23:38.360 --> 00:23:45.400
So what how is your upbringing in church and how does that play a role in who Ramon is?
00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:47.480
Yeah, it really impacted me.
00:23:47.640 --> 00:24:03.880
I've always been confident, but especially when I started leading and singing and exploring that into, you know, not saying that worshiping is entertaining, but just exploring and holding on on those entertaining skills and talents and gifts that I was given.
00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:08.360
I started to experience something different and I didn't really know what it was.
00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:15.480
But when I saw people on TV, I was like, wow, that looks so fun, you know, because everything when you're young is like, oh, that looks fun.
00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:19.240
You don't really see the true optics of what it is in the situation.
00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:32.279
And like I said, I really have to give my respects and pay homage to my mom for just throwing me out there because it took a lot for her to, you know, put me out there like that because I'm a baby of my son.
00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:41.960
And, you know, parents always want to protect you and really appreciate her for giving me that opportunity for being brave enough to put me out there in front of people.
00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:55.480
And so the thing that you're you're you're supposed to do, how important is that you feel to for people to
00:24:56.840 --> 00:25:06.920
kind of see something in their child and how the way they kind of molded you into they didn't force you but they kind of nudged you in a certain direction.
00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:09.559
How did they play a role in who you are now?
00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:13.240
Do you look back and do you thank them every time you get a role?
00:25:13.320 --> 00:25:16.600
Do you just like this is not what I asked for, but thank you.
00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.200
Yeah, totally.
00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:33.480
Uh like I said, in in order for you, in in my opinion, in order for you to really see something in someone, no matter what the power dynamic might be, you know, father-son, mother-son, whatever it is, you have to communicate with that person, you know.
00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:43.320
And uh me and my mom, we've always had a great line of communication, a great bond, a great relationship, and that continues to get uh stronger each day.
00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:47.960
And you know, she's my she's a a part of my team, a huge part of my team.
00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:53.080
And just like any team, we we have our arguments and our disagreements and I'm like, I don't think we should do that.
00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:54.360
And she's like we should do that.
00:25:54.440 --> 00:26:24.600
And then we do it and it turns out good and she's like I told you so you know but I have to uh like I said I have to pay uh all my respects and she's a huge part of why I'm successful um at the level I am at today you know that is amazing and I I can totally agree with that because it it's something special about a mother even though we're coming up on Mother's Day there's something special about a mom that can like she knows just what to do, what to say.
00:26:24.840 --> 00:26:28.440
Yeah it's crazy man it's crazy.
00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:37.880
Definitely and so now that you said that yesterday when I was doing some um preparing for this interview I ran across a video.
00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.600
Okay.
00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.880
And it literally it hit me yesterday.
00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:47.080
I'm like wait this boy sitting in front of the computer is that is you?
00:26:47.400 --> 00:27:01.080
Yeah that's me that's me that vibe I I laugh at that video on a record and then I went to your YouTube channel and I seen another guy I was like what this is a I feel like this was a small word like me and you think we're neighbors.
00:27:01.160 --> 00:31:21.720
I'm like that's that boy I laughed at like that so what so um from that video and for those of you who don't know I would insert it I I do is unable to connect to uh so it's time we remoting her motifs have been working on dedicating the in and the out the end out when you're working back to you so what's happening still telling me to check the word because I don't know where to speak about how I want to get upgraded upgraded I put some power in my hands in my hand and I feel so is that that video is that how your mother-son relationship is that kind of just a snippet of you know your funny moments yeah that's yeah that's the a hundred percent authentic version of how we are together you know especially because I can either be it I don't have an in-between I'm either like really serious or really goofy you know and when I when I pick a sign that's what side I'm gonna be on and she just started recording me because I I just really didn't want to do the work you know and it was in the midst of that COVID season and you know things are crazy and I was sitting at the house doing school for hours on end when I have you know the TV the PS4 everything that I all the distractions that I need and I I don't know what led me to just do that but I did and I was crazy because I was talking about how I wouldn't want her to post something and she does it and it turns out great.
00:31:21.960 --> 00:32:20.600
She ended up posting it on her Facebook you know the day she recorded it and I was like mom we're not gonna post that on my Instagram I don't want you to do that we're not doing that at all and I wake up the next morning and she's on the phone with my aunt or somebody and they're like it already has a million views and I'm like what has a million views and then I'm like put that on the Instagram right now yeah so it was a really crazy experience and over the over that day of when I found out it had a million views it it's crazy how social media works because over that day it got nine more million so just to see just on Facebook alone you know so just to see how people share things it really shows the power of social media and the society we're in you know now to kind of go back on back to your career how did you land such a to me I kind of role as a young son but how did you how what was that process like?
00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:25.720
Because before that I think you were it were you already in California or were you still in Charlotte?
00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:33.400
No I was still in Charlotte because I hadn't got a a a break yet from you know a break in my career.
00:32:33.559 --> 00:33:21.480
So I started off with this uh talent conference called AMTC and uh before you go to this huge conference with you know uh producers and agents and managers uh they uh gave me training so I went through modeling training you know doing photo shoots went through a little bit of acting training um some improv training and also a monologue and and singing just performance in general and after we did that we got sent out to Orlando and you know with with things like this a lot of them are really sketchy and just want your money but I was very uh blessed to choose one that really was beneficial uh to me because I believe if I wouldn't have gone to that conference I probably wouldn't have acted acted I probably wouldn't have my career or my resume be what it is right now.
00:33:21.720 --> 00:34:32.840
And after that in my talent conference over the course of a weekend I think it was and met my manager it was like the first time I met her it was like it had to be like 12 in the morning and it was like at the end and she was like I needed to see you so we sat down and we talked and we chopped it up and you know just from there I just loved her vibe and I and I loved the uh drive that she had and I we made the right pick with choosing her because to this day she still has that same drive if not more you know and there I met the head uh the owner the uh kids casting company for the Lion King the Turan Broadway so we saw this open casting call and we were gonna go to it uh for the Lion King and then she called us and she was like no we'll get you a private audition and I truly believe just to tie this into something else I truly believe that your journey is really your journey and what's in store for you you will have it as long as you take the initiative as long as you stay consistent as long as you keep going even when you don't feel good you know because there's if even when you're down and out there's people who will still keep going if they're down and out if they're feeling bad.
00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:40.199
So you have to uh join that 1% of people who will keep going and I and I know it sounds clique straight but it really does work.
00:34:40.279 --> 00:35:48.439
So we went to that private audition and I got past that and then I went to the to the callback and over the course of like six hours uh it went from like a hundred kids or two hundred kids to only five and I was a part of that five in that room and they I think it was like Labor Day or 4th of July and we were in New York and they were like alright we'll call you guys probably in like a week and we said okay we said our goodbyes we left and not even like 30 minutes later we got the call and they asked me if I wanted to uh play the role and it was it was so amazing and it it it it was it was something about it and that vibe that I knew I was going to get it and and not to sound arrogant I just felt I I just felt it I felt like this was going to be the start of uh the journey that I'm on right now and I was like this just feels like it's for me you know definitely I can definitely kind of understand where you're coming from even though I'm not an activator when something it just seems like it just falls into place in the right right time with the right people.
00:35:49.879 --> 00:36:16.919
Yes even with you you just said with your manager she she got you a private audition and what would have happened to Ramon if you would have never been at the conference stayed all day even though you were tired you still stayed you took the meeting now look at what came out of you just sacrificing instead of going to bed going back to the hotel going home you sacrifice so I do I 100% honestly agree with that.
00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:28.919
And then being that you do have civil sale uh for those that don't know how was traveling with the Lion King how was it the tour schedule how was how did that affect you?
00:36:29.159 --> 00:37:29.799
It was a uh it was a grueling schedule for sure because we would uh perform there was two young Simbas two young nala's because you know labor laws and things of that nature so we would split the shows down the middle four shows a week for one young Simba and one uh and the other young simba gets the other four shows and vice versa for the young nala's and then sometimes when those young Simbas wouldn't be able to perform we would cover of those shows it's eight shows a week and as you know there's only seven days in one week so we would do two show two shows on Sunday I believe and it was just it was tough you know but then again it was so fun because especially on tour those people became your family because you would travel with them you all would uh we will we all would leave our heart out on the stage and get out of the go and leave and go back to our hotel room and then like five hours later we had to be back up because we're traveling to a different state you know to perform in the next two days.
00:37:29.959 --> 00:37:36.759
So just seeing that that whole experience was really when I go back and look at it it's really life changing for me.
00:37:36.839 --> 00:37:40.279
And if I could do it again I would do it again a thousand times.
00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:50.679
Just because the bonds that I created the people I met is just amazing and I still talk to them frequently to this day you know definitely and that was going to be my next question.
00:37:50.759 --> 00:37:53.239
How often do you keep in touch with any of the cast?
00:37:53.399 --> 00:40:14.439
Um oh yeah uh the cast from Just Roll with it I actually just had uh the the uh gentleman who plays my dad in just roll with it Toby Wyndham he was just over my house like a couple hours ago because we're working on something uh to get something up and you know I he just had a new baby so we're literally part of their family and vice versa and uh especially in this industry because it's so much that goes on and it's so many people out here that want different things from you you really have to have that foundation and that close knit of uh friends and uh uh family who you can depend on that so after the Lion King how after that stretch ended how long did it take for you to land your next acting job uh uh it was immediately I actually I actually got another job before I left the Lion King so I left the tour I went to Broadway I was on Broadway for three months and while I was on tour I I shot the pilot for just Rosehead's wrong with it I didn't know once I went to Broadway we found out I got picked so I did three months there I had to pack up my entire house in Charlotte and move to Los Angeles in like the matter of three weeks after I got back from Broadway and it was like after that we moved into the house and I was right back to work a couple days later.
00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:44.119
So it was really a nonstop process and I was really blessed you know definitely and um I don't think any actor can just or very few can you know land another job while still working in current which I do that is amazing and that goes back to again your drive and your dedication to keep going so which do you prefer prefer more being on set or being on stage in front of a live audience?
00:40:44.199 --> 00:41:28.759
Well both prefer live audience what do I prefer more I really love that energy of a live audience and interacting with those people who are watching live because they they get to see the process and there's no left weight let's do that again let's go back and and I love just being in the moment that's something that I really don't take for granted you know being present here right now so I would have to say the stage just for the uh the emotions of it all and to kind of now go into the purpose of the interview um is to talk about your sickle cell story.
00:41:28.999 --> 00:42:00.119
So at what age did you learn that you had sickle cell what simple cell was I believe my mom uh found out that I had sickle cell when I was two years old and she went with my my aunt and they found out together because I would constantly cry at it when I was a baby and we never figured out why that was but I would like to assume and my hypothesis is that I was you know either experiencing sickle cell pains and a sickle cell crisis and we just didn't know it, you know.
00:42:00.279 --> 00:43:05.799
So it took them two years to find out and then after that once I became older and more conscious of I I don't I really don't well I guess I would say when I was a toddler you know like four and uh three four and five because I have faint memories from three and four the five I remember a lot of things but as for three and four I really don't recall like being aware that I had sickle cell you know it wasn't a part of my identity or who I was but uh as I began to mature and I got older and my doctors educated me and I educated myself and my mother educated me I began to find out what it was that as I went through more sickle cell crisis, you know, I started to really understand the battle that I was facing that you know it's a residence in my in my body you know that I can't really get rid of so once I became took note of that I began to really uncle down and take my medicine because my mom was already on me.
00:43:05.879 --> 00:43:35.959
So from the age of like three to like I would say like eight yeah my mom was handling all my medicine she made sure I took it every night probably never missed a day in those like five years knowing her but from there I just began to educate myself and as I grew my platform and uh gained a platform I began to educate other people and I allowed it to be a catalyst of you can do anything you want to do if you really go out there and do it.
00:43:36.599 --> 00:43:49.319
Definitely and I definitely agree with that because even with my nonprofit I is modeled after my sister who tragically passed away from Sickle Sale in 2014.
00:43:49.959 --> 00:44:23.399
I'm so sorry for your loss yeah she she was kind of the same with you like she would let nothing stop her um and whatever she wanted to do whatever she put her mind to she went and did it um and it was like you couldn't tell her she can't oh you can't go step or her thing was stepping or you know you couldn't tell her she couldn't go step or she couldn't go and do XYZ because if she put her mind to it she was going to do it and she did it phenomenally and she left everything she had on that stage or that gymnasium or wherever she was for stepping.
00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:42.999
So I do again even though I only have the trait to when I hear simple stories tell their stories about how they you know they're basically following their dreams like you are it just kind of opens up my eyes even more to like what is the reason to complain if you're fighting a disease that you didn't ask for and you're not complaining.
00:44:43.079 --> 00:44:45.399
So why should anybody else complain?
00:44:45.479 --> 00:44:52.439
So I take my hat off to you 100% for pushing and following your dreams thank you so much.
00:44:52.679 --> 00:45:33.639
And definitely I'm here to support anything that you do if you ever need me you can definitely call 100% yeah so I want to as we wrap up um I wanted to because many of our listeners don't know and I get asked this a lot um what are there different types of sickle cell and many people don't know that there's different stages um my sister I had the severe one she had ss what type of sickle cell I was saying my sister had SS sickle cell S S so I was asking well what type of sickle cell do you have if you um I shared yep so your sister she had the more abrasive form S.
00:45:34.359 --> 00:45:48.279
I uh have SC and that that just for individuals who may not know who are listening that's the less abrasive form and that's when you have an S trait and a C trait and both parents it comes together and uh you know it creates S C.
00:45:49.239 --> 00:45:52.999
You know, you can think of it like a soup whatever makes you remember what it is.
00:45:53.159 --> 00:46:13.719
Um but I've been uh blessed to not have as severe a crisis as those with SS have but I I I did have one that was extremely bad where I had to learn how to walk again because I was immobile for uh so long uh I think it was at least like a month and a half where I couldn't walk.
00:46:13.879 --> 00:46:17.239
So I I was immobile for so long and in and out of the hospital.
00:46:17.319 --> 00:46:28.279
I think uh they let me go and I knew I knew I shouldn't like leave but they still you know let me go and you know the pain just came back and it got worse.
00:46:28.439 --> 00:46:45.559
So then I had to uh go back in for a couple more weeks and uh really go through extensive uh physical therapy to uh just regain my strength because I'm sure as you know and you've probably experienced this with your sister like anything can hurt.
00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:59.399
It could it could be a slight breeze, it could be the air, it could be even the way you see somebody moves that affects your body, which is bizarre as bizarre as as it is, is uh Real and it it's painful.
00:46:59.799 --> 00:47:08.039
And I I found myself in that moment becoming desensitized to what was going on because and and normalizing it.
00:47:08.119 --> 00:47:12.919
I was like, ah, I'm I'm hurting, but I was still, you know, in my regular spirits.
00:47:13.159 --> 00:47:24.519
And it took me a while, like years down the road after I came out of that battle, to look back and be like, wow, that was really life-changing and that really molded who I was.
00:47:24.679 --> 00:47:31.799
And after I came out of the other side of that storm, because I didn't know, but at the time, I I I wasn't taking it as seriously.
00:47:31.959 --> 00:47:36.519
But uh later I began to find out that my body wasn't producing blood at all.
00:47:36.759 --> 00:47:46.119
So I I I was had I was living off of blood transfusions, literally, because you know, I had no blood, you know, running through my body, and you can't live without blood.
00:47:46.279 --> 00:47:51.399
So um that was a really scary experience for my for my family and my parents.
00:47:52.359 --> 00:48:02.519
But the things that sickle cell warriors go through, people, if you if you haven't been through it or you haven't seen it firsthand, people would never understand.
00:48:03.399 --> 00:48:04.359
Definitely.
00:48:04.599 --> 00:48:11.319
And even not just what you go through personally, but the people that could that have to take care of you.
00:48:11.399 --> 00:48:24.839
Um I know with my mom in the final days of you know, with my sister, is like even at the end of the day, no matter how old she was, that was still her her daughter, and it's she just felt like there was nothing she could do.
00:48:25.079 --> 00:48:25.479
Yeah.
00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:35.559
So it even to the caretakers, it is a true takes a true warrior to fight something and ask for and then on both sides.
00:48:35.879 --> 00:48:46.359
And then just to see your child laying that hurt, and then it's I'm not with my sister one time, she had a crisis, and she told me to just come and rub her leg, but even when I would touch it, it would hurt.
00:48:46.599 --> 00:48:49.719
So I had to back off because there's nothing I can do.
00:48:49.959 --> 00:48:50.279
Yeah.
00:48:50.439 --> 00:48:52.599
So yeah, it's it's a lie.
00:48:52.999 --> 00:49:06.999
You you all are honestly sickle cell warriors, and you know, that kind of what led into the question about the tour your tour schedule with the Lion King just because of so many moving parts and you're you're acting up to, you know, do a lot.
00:49:07.319 --> 00:49:13.079
Yeah, it was it was crazy because I actually ended up going into a sickle cell crisis on stage before.
00:49:13.639 --> 00:49:20.919
And it was the craziest thing that I've seen with my sickle cell outside of that big crisis that I went through because I was fine.
00:49:21.079 --> 00:49:22.839
It was a regular performance.
00:49:22.999 --> 00:49:34.839
I walked, you know, into the wings, because you know, you have the stage and then the uh left and right wing on both sides, and we were going into this like really intimate scene when I just got in trouble with Mufonsa.
00:49:35.319 --> 00:49:39.799
And out of nowhere, it just snapped and my legs were in excruciating pain.
00:49:40.039 --> 00:49:46.839
So, you know, I let them know what was going on, and before I could even get out on stage, I I just tears started coming down my eyes.
00:49:46.999 --> 00:49:55.319
So I finished out that scene, and they had to stop the show and you know, bring my other that the other young symbol on, who's my close friend, Josiah.
00:49:55.479 --> 00:49:58.119
And uh yeah, it was just it was crazy to see.
00:49:58.199 --> 00:49:59.559
I'll never forget that.
00:50:00.519 --> 00:50:01.079
Definitely.
00:50:01.319 --> 00:50:14.039
I can only uh imagine just just the like what do you do in that because it's it's Broadway is live, it's it's no case cameras, let's regroup.
00:50:14.359 --> 00:50:24.599
It was because Broadway's fast move and fast pace, so I'm like I know that just probably everybody was just looking around, just like what do I do?
00:50:24.679 --> 00:50:25.719
What do we do?
00:50:26.439 --> 00:50:38.519
So uh with that, do you have to find yourself having to explain, you know, sickle cell, or does your team explain that up front, or um to cast members, directors, and different things like that?
00:50:38.839 --> 00:50:44.279
That that that's something that my team uh goes about explaining to uh producers.
00:50:44.519 --> 00:50:56.919
And because I I me personally as uh the client and the talent, I never wanted to be a thing that's a surprise because now it feels like I was not dishonest, but I withheld information.
00:50:57.159 --> 00:51:07.559
And that's what I never want to have it, and thankfully never ran uh run into a situation where Sickle Cell, where someone else has let Sigle Cell uh prohibit me.
00:51:07.719 --> 00:51:09.799
Um, I've been really blessed in that sense.
00:51:09.879 --> 00:51:18.519
And uh every producer, every showrunner, every uh director has been extremely understanding of uh my situation, which is uh really great.
00:51:21.079 --> 00:51:23.399
That is, you know, surprising.
00:51:23.559 --> 00:51:40.679
And um do you think that when you're or you know, when your team comes back to you, do you do y'all ever sit back and talk about just how there's a lack of miseducation about sickle cell and how many people really don't know what it is?
00:51:40.919 --> 00:51:41.479
Yeah.
00:51:41.799 --> 00:51:55.079
A lot of people uh a lot of people don't even know uh who it affects because it it it it it was, you know, a while ago a stigma that it only affected people of color, you know.
00:51:55.239 --> 00:51:59.959
But now uh more people are becoming aware that it's not just people of color who it affects.
00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:04.359
Um it also depends on the region that you're from and uh things of that nature.
00:52:04.599 --> 00:52:15.799
But I I do talk to my team at times about how it's misunderstood and things I want to do to get the word out and to be more vulnerable and more open about what I go through as well.
00:52:15.959 --> 00:52:24.039
Because my most recent challenge, thankfully, you know, knock on wood, I haven't had uh last year was the first year I didn't have a sickle cell crisis in my life.
00:52:24.199 --> 00:52:27.079
And I'm trying to make uh this year the second year in a row.
00:52:27.239 --> 00:52:29.159
So uh pray for me on that part.
00:52:29.399 --> 00:52:40.359
Um but uh my most recent battle with sickle cell has been my hips deteriorated and sickle retinotropy, which is you know, when blood vessels in my eyes begin to burst.
00:52:40.439 --> 00:52:49.639
You and and you know, the body, it all it always tries to grow new blood vessels and new skin and whatever's going on because it takes that to what it needs to do.
00:52:49.719 --> 00:53:00.279
But that's for my eyes, that's not good because it will just blow it, it'll just grow those new frail blood vessels, and those will burst again, and now my eye is is just bleeding at the back of my eye.
00:53:00.439 --> 00:53:06.359
So semi-frequently I have to have a laser on my eye, you know, to stop that.
00:53:06.439 --> 00:53:11.639
And I I I get my eyes checked up frequently just to make sure they're doing well and everything.
00:53:14.679 --> 00:53:24.519
Um so I get out, you know, that's that little piece of information is something that my sister luckily never had to go through with her eyes.
00:53:25.159 --> 00:53:43.399
Mainly hers was just, you know, like you said, just randomly ish late crisis or a leg pain, or you know, after a step show, you know, we we most of the time if I wasn't there, my mom or my sister was there, and every time she was done stuck in, they would go back, run back.
00:53:43.559 --> 00:53:44.919
Don't care what nobody says.
00:53:45.079 --> 00:53:48.439
My mom knows I need to go back here with my daughter and just make sure she's okay.
00:53:48.599 --> 00:53:55.959
She got to basically lay eyes on her and make sure she was okay, make sure she was drinking the water afterwards, you know, just breathing.
00:53:56.359 --> 00:54:00.359
Um literally anything, you know, can send you into a crisis.
00:54:00.439 --> 00:54:02.759
You know, girls are laying out stretched out on the floor.
00:54:02.919 --> 00:54:10.919
Um back there, like nose, like sit up, drink, drink water, like come on, like just take take it easy, but just right.
00:54:11.239 --> 00:54:12.839
Being a mama, being a mama.
00:54:13.079 --> 00:54:13.879
Yes, yeah.
00:54:14.039 --> 00:54:14.599
Definitely.
00:54:15.399 --> 00:54:16.919
So a couple more questions.
00:54:17.159 --> 00:54:19.639
What is the word warrior means to you?
00:54:20.599 --> 00:54:22.759
Uh warrior.
00:54:22.999 --> 00:54:31.399
Uh to me it means someone who uh perseveres no matter the cards that they've been dealt, no matter the uh odds that they are facing.
00:54:31.639 --> 00:54:36.999
And that could be with anything, not just sickle cell as a niche in uh in particular.
00:54:37.239 --> 00:54:44.519
To me, a warrior is someone who who doesn't take no for an answer, you know.
00:54:44.919 --> 00:55:08.199
Someone who keeps going, even though it's tough, it's hard, even though it hurts, even though uh everybody says that's not gonna work, they persevere, and in the end, a warrior will win, no matter if they don't win this war or this battle that they were going through here, but in the grand scheme of things, a warrior always wins because the battle is always within.
00:55:08.839 --> 00:55:09.959
Definitely.
00:55:10.439 --> 00:55:13.559
And I know you said you have your movie coming out on Netflix.
00:55:13.959 --> 00:55:14.759
But what else?
00:55:14.919 --> 00:55:19.639
If you could tell us anything else that you're doing, what what is next or what is next for you?
00:55:20.039 --> 00:55:24.279
Well, uh it's a lot that I am doing, but I can't necessarily talk about.
00:55:24.439 --> 00:55:33.079
But what I can talk about is that I have a new podcast on the way where we're in the stages of ramping my first oh, excuse me.
00:55:33.159 --> 00:55:50.439
Um we're in the stages of ramping my first season up with that, and I'm uh getting together with some of my friends who I know in the industry and uh just young adults who I see or who are being warriors and persevering and paving their uh own way and uh, you know, creating their own successful career so early in their lives.
00:55:50.519 --> 00:56:05.159
And I just want to sit down and have a real conversation because the industry that we're in and the society that we're in, everybody is uh very sensitive, and we always have to be prepped for a conversation or prepped for these questions, or we always need to look at this before you do that, you know.
00:56:05.239 --> 00:56:16.839
So I just really want to sit down and have a real conversation on a uh public platform to uh show people uh what we really go through uh behind the scenes and that uh we're all the same, you know.
00:56:17.559 --> 00:56:18.439
Definitely, yeah.
00:56:18.519 --> 00:56:22.199
I would love still we would love to promote your podcast whenever you're done.
00:56:22.279 --> 00:56:25.799
I hope I'll absolutely swing back by when you're on your press for promoting.
00:56:25.959 --> 00:56:27.639
A little good.
00:56:28.839 --> 00:56:31.799
So for the people who do drop mode, I already follow you.
00:56:31.959 --> 00:56:34.519
How can they find you on social media WhatsApp?
00:56:36.999 --> 00:56:42.599
Top me on uh Instagram, you can find me at I am Ramon.reed.
00:56:42.679 --> 00:56:46.439
That's Ramon R-A-M-O-N dot read R-E-E-E.
00:56:46.759 --> 00:56:49.159
You can find me on Twitter, Ramon Reed20.
00:56:49.399 --> 00:56:50.919
Uh I'm on Twitch sometimes.
00:56:51.079 --> 00:56:51.959
Call me Rizzy.
00:56:52.199 --> 00:56:54.439
So, you know, call me and then R-I-Z-T-Y.
00:56:54.919 --> 00:56:58.199
And uh let me think, on YouTube is just my name, Ramon Reed.
00:56:58.359 --> 00:56:59.959
That's where you can find me.
00:57:00.279 --> 00:57:00.839
Alright.
00:57:01.079 --> 00:57:02.759
Thank you so much, Ramon.
00:57:03.159 --> 00:57:05.879
Um we're going to drop it here.
00:57:06.599 --> 00:57:08.519
Alright, y'all, and we're back.
00:57:08.839 --> 00:57:09.399
Listen.
00:57:10.439 --> 00:57:17.879
As I was listening, re-listening to this, I feel like I've said the word definitely a million or more times.
00:57:18.119 --> 00:57:23.319
I want to know if there's anybody in the comments or in the description that hasn't been listening to this.
00:57:23.559 --> 00:57:28.039
If you know how many times I've said definitely, like, how many times did I say that?
00:57:28.439 --> 00:57:30.599
Like, what in the world?
00:57:30.999 --> 00:57:34.199
But anyway, thank y'all for listening to this episode.
00:57:34.359 --> 00:57:37.399
It's already long enough, so I'm not gonna hold you on any longer.
00:57:37.719 --> 00:57:38.679
I gotta go.
00:57:38.919 --> 00:57:44.679
But remember, stay healthy, stay busy, stay connected until the next episode.
00:57:44.999 --> 00:57:46.359
See you later.
00:01:44.219 --> 00:01:45.180
All right, y'all.
00:01:45.259 --> 00:01:49.259
Welcome back to another episode of All Right Now Let's Talk About It.
00:01:49.340 --> 00:01:51.980
I am your host, Jaquan R.
00:01:52.299 --> 00:01:53.019
Phillips.
00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:54.219
Welcome back.
00:01:54.299 --> 00:01:57.420
It is again World Sickle Cell Month.
00:01:58.939 --> 00:02:09.180
The month of September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, along with some other causes and you know awarenesses.
00:02:09.420 --> 00:02:13.900
But we are going to shine a light on sickle cell awareness month.
00:02:14.219 --> 00:02:20.699
Of course, I used to have a for those of you who may still this may be your first episode.
00:02:20.860 --> 00:02:22.939
Welcome to Alright Now Let's Talk About It.
00:02:23.019 --> 00:02:29.979
Hopefully you come back, subscribe, give us five stars on Apple, Spotify, wherever you're listening to this podcast.
00:02:30.460 --> 00:02:34.620
At it is currently as recording.
00:02:34.699 --> 00:02:35.659
This first part.
00:02:36.219 --> 00:02:37.740
It is September 2nd.
00:02:37.980 --> 00:02:43.099
It is, we're two days into September so far.
00:02:43.259 --> 00:02:45.500
Today is my father's birthday.
00:02:45.819 --> 00:02:49.819
My birthday was August 31st, which was last week.
00:02:50.780 --> 00:02:54.539
Well, last week as of you listening to this podcast.
00:02:54.780 --> 00:02:56.539
I'm officially 31.
00:02:56.860 --> 00:02:57.259
Jeez.
00:02:57.579 --> 00:02:58.300
Yikes.
00:02:59.180 --> 00:03:00.300
Where has life gone?
00:03:00.459 --> 00:03:01.579
Where has the time gone?
00:03:01.740 --> 00:03:02.699
But yes.
00:03:03.500 --> 00:03:07.900
I just recently celebrated a birthday, and I'm officially 31.
00:03:08.300 --> 00:03:09.340
For my birthday.
00:03:09.579 --> 00:03:12.060
Before we get into the episode and just give you an update.
00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:13.259
I didn't do much.
00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:15.420
It was pretty pretty much a laid back birthday.
00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:17.980
Of course it was a Monday, so I was already off from work.
00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:19.180
Thank God.
00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:25.659
I was off from work some awful Mondays and I just really kind of didn't do a lot.
00:03:26.300 --> 00:03:28.060
I went.
00:03:28.459 --> 00:03:29.340
What did I do?
00:03:30.379 --> 00:03:31.420
Went for brunch.
00:03:31.659 --> 00:03:38.460
And then I went and I went to where did I go?
00:03:39.099 --> 00:03:40.139
Went to the Klein and concert.
00:03:40.300 --> 00:03:41.180
Oh, went to the mall.
00:03:41.659 --> 00:03:44.060
Um got some jeans, got some shirts.
00:03:44.780 --> 00:03:48.939
I don't really need more shirts, but I do need some more jeans, and I still do.
00:03:49.819 --> 00:03:58.780
Most of my jeans are baggy or you know, it's just I had them for so long, so it's time to kind of get some new ones.
00:03:59.099 --> 00:04:03.819
So I got some jeans and I wanted these shoes.
00:04:03.900 --> 00:04:10.699
I'm not really a sneakerhead per se, but there were some shoes that I've seen in Foot Locker.
00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:13.819
They were the what are they called?
00:04:13.979 --> 00:04:15.020
The Nike Donuts?
00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:16.939
The Nike Dunk Donuts.
00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:19.580
Yeah, Nike Dunk Donuts.
00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:20.060
Yeah.
00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.019
They were like this brown shoe that I wanted.
00:04:24.460 --> 00:04:25.500
Of course, they didn't have it in my size.
00:04:27.100 --> 00:04:28.620
It just came out the same day.
00:04:31.419 --> 00:04:32.939
It just came out.
00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:37.980
And I was gonna get those, but they didn't have them in my size.
00:04:38.060 --> 00:04:39.419
Of course, so I didn't get them.
00:04:40.060 --> 00:04:45.259
But you know, anyways, that's uh another store for another day, but they do have them online.
00:04:46.460 --> 00:04:51.740
So I will be ordering those at some point, probably later this month.
00:04:51.899 --> 00:04:54.620
But that will be my birthday gift of myself.
00:04:56.300 --> 00:04:58.539
Also, so let's get into it.
00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:03.100
So when y'all are listening to this episode, okay, this coming up Saturday.
00:05:03.180 --> 00:05:10.699
As you're listening to this episode, the Jasmine Sickle Cell Warriors will be hosting our 10th annual Sickle Cell Walk.
00:05:11.019 --> 00:05:24.060
So I'm not sure how, if you have not heard it, heard about it, or you know, how the ads are playing through here, but I do know there are ads supposed to be playing through here.
00:05:24.699 --> 00:05:36.939
And they are just to you know, promote what we have going on, promote, of course, the Sickle Cell Walk in what better platform to promote your own stuff than on your own platform, right?
00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:38.220
So, yeah.
00:05:38.460 --> 00:05:45.100
So this coming Saturday, um, September 12th, we will be at Martin Luther King Park in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina.
00:05:46.779 --> 00:05:53.740
We'll be doing that, and then we will also what else are we doing this month?
00:05:54.059 --> 00:05:54.779
I think that's it.
00:05:55.019 --> 00:05:56.139
This month is a busy month.
00:05:56.220 --> 00:06:05.659
I just had an event I was supposed to go to on the 19th, but I can't go due to work and other things, so I will not be able to make that event.
00:06:06.539 --> 00:06:08.940
We have an event coming up October 10th.
00:06:09.820 --> 00:06:22.139
It's just like a sit-down, well, not a sit-down conversation, but yeah, kind of like a sit-down conversation where we will be doing, we will be talking about sickle cell with Pfizer and Vertex.
00:06:22.539 --> 00:06:42.299
Those are two sponsors of the Jasmine Sickle Cell Warriors Foundation, Incorporated, and we will be doing like a conversation with those two companies, and they'll be doing presentations as well about sickle cell disease and what their companies are doing to help combat this disease.
00:06:43.259 --> 00:06:47.259
So, more information will be out about that very shortly.
00:06:47.500 --> 00:06:55.100
So I'm grateful for those two partnerships that the foundation has built over the years.
00:06:57.340 --> 00:06:59.100
I'm excited about that.
00:06:59.419 --> 00:07:01.179
Anyways, I think what you said.
00:07:01.580 --> 00:07:09.340
Oh no, December 12th, we'll also be celebrating, we're hosting rather our 10-year Gala celebration.
00:07:09.659 --> 00:07:19.659
For those of you that do not know, December 12th, 2016, the Jasmine Sicklesill Warriors Foundation was born officially with the state of North Carolina.
00:07:19.980 --> 00:07:25.820
But we have been doing this work since 2014.
00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:28.379
The year my sister passed, yes.
00:07:28.539 --> 00:07:33.980
So technically we're a little over 10 years, but officially 10 years with the state of North Carolina.
00:07:34.299 --> 00:07:39.899
So these events, if you want to know more about them, check out the description box below.
00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:49.820
And the foundation's website, the JSEW Foundation.com, to learn out more, to find out more rather about these events.
00:07:50.059 --> 00:08:01.820
Oh, also on the day of the sickle show off, September 12th, we will host, we will have our what is it called?
00:08:02.059 --> 00:08:13.580
A community block party where our partners at Amazon will donate some different items so you can imagine whatever you've ever returned to Amazon ever in your life.
00:08:13.820 --> 00:08:22.700
We will through that partnership, we will have different things that they will donate.
00:08:22.940 --> 00:08:24.779
Things that so okay, so how it works.
00:08:25.100 --> 00:08:25.820
This is how it works.
00:08:25.899 --> 00:08:33.100
So, like imagine you order a shirt from Amazon, it doesn't fit, something's wrong with it, there's a rip in it, there's a tear in it, so on and so forth.
00:08:33.419 --> 00:08:42.299
You take that to your nearest USPS store, Whole Foods, Amazon drop-off location, wherever that may be, in your local city.
00:08:42.379 --> 00:08:44.700
You take it to Amazon, you drop it off there.
00:08:45.419 --> 00:08:51.740
Depending on the seller, the seller will either take it or they will not take it.
00:08:52.860 --> 00:09:01.259
So if they don't take it back, Amazon then kind of donates that to a local nonprofit, which is yours truly, the Jasmine Silver Silver Wars Foundation Incorporated.
00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:03.740
It's our local Amazon branch up here in Raleigh.
00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:19.259
So they will donate that to nonprofits and they will donate it to us, and we will then do a we will start reading the text.
00:09:19.500 --> 00:09:21.740
We will donate that to community members.
00:09:21.899 --> 00:09:33.820
Now we do still have to go through it because sometimes it is food that they donate, and with them donating food, we have to go through it and make sure that it is if it's expired, we get rid of it.
00:09:34.620 --> 00:09:40.539
And yeah, whatever's left over, we just put it out and you go through it.
00:09:40.779 --> 00:09:43.340
There have been some people that have found some amazing things.
00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:44.139
I know.
00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:47.019
I found some microphones in there.
00:09:47.179 --> 00:09:52.940
I found some, of course, plenty of chargers and some other good things.
00:09:53.019 --> 00:10:02.379
There's sometimes washing powder and you know, different things, waters, just your essentials that you could ever if you think you may need it.
00:10:02.460 --> 00:10:04.700
Sometimes we have had it in there.
00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:08.060
And yeah, so oh, I forgot.
00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:14.139
Oh, the September 19th, we're doing a we have a new partner on Transformation Church.
00:10:14.460 --> 00:10:20.300
They will be partnering with us to do an Amazon giveaway on November 9th here in Raleigh.
00:10:20.700 --> 00:10:23.500
So you can stay tuned for those details.
00:10:24.139 --> 00:10:25.980
Um they will be coming soon.
00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:30.940
As far as the details of the event, the event location time, et cetera, et cetera.
00:10:31.180 --> 00:10:32.779
All that would be coming soon.
00:10:34.139 --> 00:10:36.940
So, yeah, without further ado, let's get into this episode.
00:10:37.180 --> 00:10:47.340
So, back in 2022, I sat down with a good fellow, another fellow sickle cell warrior, Ramon Reed.
00:10:47.580 --> 00:10:58.779
And I sat down with Ramon virtually because in 2022 we did honor him at our Gala as a Sickle Cell spotlight honoree.
00:10:59.019 --> 00:11:10.540
Um he accepted the award and we gave him an gave him an award for just the work that he's done with sickle cell and you know, kind of not letting sickle cell also define him.
00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:21.019
So we are proud that we were able to do that and that he accepted it, and you know there's a relationship developed there.
00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:26.620
Because with this foundation, I do want to shine a light on the Jasmine Sicklesale Warriors Foundation.
00:11:26.779 --> 00:11:35.899
I do want to shine a light on sickle cell warriors that are doing the work, that are kind of out there in the spotlight, not letting sickle cell define them.
00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:38.540
So I sat down and talked to him.
00:11:38.700 --> 00:11:40.940
If you don't know him, just a little bit about him.
00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:43.500
He played Simba on Broadway.
00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:47.100
He's a North Carolina native from originally from Charlotte, North Carolina.
00:11:47.580 --> 00:11:55.420
Moved to California for acting, and then I think most recently, I think he just moved to Atlanta, if I'm not mistaken.
00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:59.340
So you've seen him in Disney shows.
00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:05.420
Of course, you played the young Simba on Lion King Broadway, and he's done some other amazing things.
00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:09.100
So without further ado, I'm going to stop talking now.
00:12:09.259 --> 00:12:11.980
And I'm going to get into this episode.
00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:15.660
This is another flashback episode because it is Sickle Cell Awareness Month.
00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:35.019
And because I'm still currently recording new episodes for this podcast, I'm going to, while this month is still here, I'm going to shine a light on Sickle Cell Warriors and kind of just go back to the episodes that I did back in 2020, 2020, 2021, 2022.
00:12:35.500 --> 00:12:40.300
So without further ado, here is the let me see.
00:12:40.540 --> 00:12:47.420
Here is part one of the my conversation with my Ramon Ramon Reed.
00:12:47.980 --> 00:12:51.180
Talking about Sickle Sill from his own words.
00:12:51.420 --> 00:12:54.379
So sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoyed this conversation.
00:12:54.460 --> 00:13:01.259
I may just go ahead and do part one and part two in this conversation because I don't think part one is that long.
00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:03.180
Maybe about 20 minutes.
00:13:03.340 --> 00:13:06.620
Um I'm going to do just both parts in one.
00:13:06.860 --> 00:13:09.580
Um and then we'll go from there.
00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:10.139
Alright.
00:13:10.300 --> 00:13:12.300
So enjoy this episode.
00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:20.540
Here today, you are with Sickle Cell Warrior Ramon Reed.
00:13:20.700 --> 00:13:25.660
Ramon, tell our listeners just who you a little bit about yourself and who you are.
00:13:25.980 --> 00:13:26.779
Yeah, totally.
00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.259
Like you said, my name is Ramon Reed.
00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:35.740
I'm 16 years old, and I'm an actor, my trade actor, entertainer, singer, whatever you would like.
00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:57.740
I started off my uh career, you know, with you know, school plays, and then I gradually uh progressed and I met people and I started to get into the right rooms and I've done things as far as being young Simba on the national tour of the Lion King and on Broadway and being a series regular in a national TV show and Disney Channel called Just Rose.
00:13:58.300 --> 00:14:02.139
And I uh also have a feature film coming out August 12th, so on Netflix.
00:14:02.220 --> 00:14:03.740
So I'm super excited about that.
00:14:04.300 --> 00:14:05.259
That is amazing.
00:14:05.580 --> 00:14:07.019
I didn't see that in my research.
00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:14.139
I'm gonna have to get on my team because that is all right.
00:14:14.220 --> 00:14:17.259
So could you tell us a little bit about the film or you can't say anything?
00:14:17.820 --> 00:14:20.139
Uh no, it's called Um Birk Team the Musical.
00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:26.300
It's uh basically an adaptation of uh what the uh Broadway production of it was.
00:14:26.460 --> 00:14:31.820
Um and first on Broadway it had Liz Gillies and Ariana Grande in it.
00:14:32.060 --> 00:14:33.500
That's where they got their start.
00:14:33.580 --> 00:14:43.820
So, you know, I got uh I got the audition and went in and I sent him my tape, and a couple months later after I totally forgot about it, and I got a call back from them.
00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:48.700
And uh it's basically a musical, so you'll definitely see a lot of singing, a lot of dancing.
00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:54.300
And it's just showing the not only struggles, but it's showing the uh main character who's playing it.
00:14:55.340 --> 00:15:10.139
I believe in showing him that he has to really look at the boy from the big city of New York, and now he travels all the way to Indiana, and he meets me and a whole bunch of other kids, and uh, you know, we're just saying dancing all over the place.
00:15:10.300 --> 00:15:11.100
That's super fun.
00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:14.620
Definitely, I would definitely be jumping out.
00:15:15.340 --> 00:15:23.100
Um so we for the listeners who don't know, you were originally born in North Carolina in Charlotte.
00:15:23.580 --> 00:15:26.540
Yeah, relocated to California.
00:15:27.019 --> 00:15:28.700
Do you miss living in this now?
00:15:29.420 --> 00:15:37.740
Well, all the time, mostly because, you know, when I lived there for most of the time that I didn't live there, a lot of my family wasn't there.
00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:42.379
But ever since I left, they all decided they wanted to move to Charlotte now that I'm gone.
00:15:42.540 --> 00:15:43.580
So I was like, dang.
00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:50.540
So, you know, my grandma, she lives there now, my aunts, my uh, a lot of my uncles, my son cousins there.
00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:54.860
And I just, you know, I'm very family-oriented, I'm growing up around my family.
00:15:54.940 --> 00:16:04.060
I've done a lot of things with my family, and uh, my family is a huge part of where I am and where I am, you know, at this moment and how I am at this moment.
00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:06.139
So I go back as often as I can.
00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:08.540
I'll actually be back on the East Coast next week.
00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:12.139
So I'm excited to go see them and handle some business down there.
00:16:13.259 --> 00:17:42.519
Definitely, definitely.
00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:47.960
Well, I mean, so how often do you start using you coming back next week?
00:17:48.200 --> 00:17:52.279
How often do you come with your your your acting schedule?
00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:57.240
How often do you put um away just to come back and just rarely.
00:17:57.480 --> 00:18:05.319
Like you said, with my opinion schedule, at one point it could be really slow, and then at other point I could have no free time throughout a whole year.
00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:10.839
I know, like uh for the last two years, I I wasn't able to take a vacation.
00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:15.240
So I literally worked for like three years straight before I uh took a vacation.
00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.920
Which, you know me, I was uh much younger, so I just love working.
00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:19.640
I still do.
00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:23.400
I was like, oh, well, we're going to Jamaica, that's nice, you know.
00:18:23.640 --> 00:18:32.680
But I I get to go back at least two times a year, but I'm trying to make my rounds back over there more frequently, especially since I'm getting older and kids on my own, you know.
00:18:34.279 --> 00:18:35.640
I do understand that.
00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:38.839
Um so you were even working during COVID?
00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:39.799
Yeah.
00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:47.640
So uh at first I was on just relative during COVID, and we filmed our the entirety of our second season during COVID.
00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:49.960
And then after that, that's what we should conclude.
00:18:50.200 --> 00:19:04.359
And then for a couple months it was slow, and then toward, well, it was towards like the beginning of the end of the the fight in the public cases for the first feature film.
00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:07.640
So can it be for six months to go film?
00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:41.559
You know, that's that's that's uh you know, you know, but not really like people in my family who are like, oh yeah, that's the thing that's uh that's what they do.
00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:43.559
That's you know the calling, you know.
00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:46.200
Um I don't know where it came from.
00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:54.200
And I just hold my voice and my craft and my range, and I continue to do that and you know, just to get better every day.
00:19:54.359 --> 00:20:01.160
And you know, I'm happy where I'm at right now, but you know, you can never be too satisfied and too complacent with where you are.
00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:15.640
Now, if Randall, if you could sing one song for the rest of your life, what would it be rather from something from The Lion King or one of your favorite gospel songs, RB songs, what would that one song be?
00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:19.480
Because I know that's a lot.
00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:20.759
There's a lot.
00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:27.799
If I if I'm gonna go with the gospel genre, it'll probably be like like my worship is for real.
00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:29.559
I really love that song.
00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:34.120
I I've been listening to it on repeat uh for the past like two weeks, you know.
00:20:34.279 --> 00:20:36.680
And I don't know, it's just been really speaking to me.
00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:41.640
You know, when I'm driving in the car and it comes on on my shelf and I'm like, wow.
00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:46.759
But uh, you know, I really that's probably it for right now.
00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:50.200
It just depends on where I am in my life at the moment.
00:20:50.440 --> 00:20:57.400
And because, you know, monthly, if not weekly, I'll go through like rotations of songs where I'm like, wow, that's something that's killer.
00:20:57.640 --> 00:20:59.480
That's something that's not here for real.
00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.640
Definitely.
00:21:02.519 --> 00:21:10.200
So when when you're downtime, do you ever see yourself doing an EP or problem in the coming future?
00:21:10.519 --> 00:21:12.279
Man, I'm trying to work on that right now.
00:21:12.440 --> 00:21:20.039
Like I told you before we started, there's so much going on, and I'm trying to get so much out, especially before the film comes out.
00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:25.080
And I've recorded the song uh before, I think it was a year or two ago.
00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:29.400
I did a Christmas cover of James when Santa Claus goes straight to the ghetto.
00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:37.799
And I had such a fun time doing that and uh being in my zone and really seeing what the process is like, just recording the song, you know.
00:21:38.039 --> 00:21:47.640
And right now I'm trying to work on an EPE and see when I can get that out and you know, really get with the uh right people, the right producers to get this out because I'm excited.
00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:55.799
And, you know, now that I'm older, I'm going through a lot more experiences, not heartbreak, but you know, just more experiences in general all around.
00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:57.080
Just being a teenager?
00:21:57.799 --> 00:21:58.920
Yeah, yeah, definitely.
00:21:59.160 --> 00:21:59.799
I don't understand.
00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:07.400
And so um was it your goal to always be on stage or in in front of the camera?
00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:12.600
In the beginning, that wasn't my goal.
00:22:12.840 --> 00:22:14.759
I still don't think that is my goal.
00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:24.759
I think I think my goal is to obtain success and then help others do the same, if not better than what I've already done.
00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:36.120
But I just remember from a young age, I would always, like most people sing in the choir and lead solos with the children's choir, and then I moved up to the man's choir, and then I was on the man's choir.
00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:39.080
So I was on all the choirs, is what I'm trying to say.
00:22:40.039 --> 00:22:41.960
So they have me on all the choirs.
00:22:42.120 --> 00:22:54.120
And I just think from there, my my parents saw something in me that I necessarily didn't even see myself at the time because that was just, you know, who I was and who I am.
00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:59.160
And from there, I went to a teleconference and performed for them.
00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:01.160
I was, you know, from the South.
00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:07.720
I was country on the 20, at the 20, I performed for them, I did some songs.
00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:13.160
And uh after going between, and that's where I met my uh amazing manager from there.
00:23:13.320 --> 00:23:19.080
But she's been with me from uh day one, and uh we just continue to make things happen some way and somehow.
00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:20.920
That is good.
00:23:21.320 --> 00:23:32.120
So to go back to your upbringing, so you grew up in so was your because I like myself, I grew up in church.
00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:35.000
Grandma's a pastor, grandfather's co-pastor.
00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:37.160
Oh, yeah, I love that on both sides.
00:23:38.360 --> 00:23:45.400
So what how is your upbringing in church and how does that play a role in who Ramon is?
00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:47.480
Yeah, it really impacted me.
00:23:47.640 --> 00:24:03.880
I've always been confident, but especially when I started leading and singing and exploring that into, you know, not saying that worshiping is entertaining, but just exploring and holding on on those entertaining skills and talents and gifts that I was given.
00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:08.360
I started to experience something different and I didn't really know what it was.
00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:15.480
But when I saw people on TV, I was like, wow, that looks so fun, you know, because everything when you're young is like, oh, that looks fun.
00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:19.240
You don't really see the true optics of what it is in the situation.
00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:32.279
And like I said, I really have to give my respects and pay homage to my mom for just throwing me out there because it took a lot for her to, you know, put me out there like that because I'm a baby of my son.
00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:41.960
And, you know, parents always want to protect you and really appreciate her for giving me that opportunity for being brave enough to put me out there in front of people.
00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:55.480
And so the thing that you're you're you're supposed to do, how important is that you feel to for people to
00:24:56.840 --> 00:25:06.920
kind of see something in their child and how the way they kind of molded you into they didn't force you but they kind of nudged you in a certain direction.
00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:09.559
How did they play a role in who you are now?
00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:13.240
Do you look back and do you thank them every time you get a role?
00:25:13.320 --> 00:25:16.600
Do you just like this is not what I asked for, but thank you.
00:25:17.240 --> 00:25:18.200
Yeah, totally.
00:25:18.600 --> 00:25:33.480
Uh like I said, in in order for you, in in my opinion, in order for you to really see something in someone, no matter what the power dynamic might be, you know, father-son, mother-son, whatever it is, you have to communicate with that person, you know.
00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:43.320
And uh me and my mom, we've always had a great line of communication, a great bond, a great relationship, and that continues to get uh stronger each day.
00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:47.960
And you know, she's my she's a a part of my team, a huge part of my team.
00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:53.080
And just like any team, we we have our arguments and our disagreements and I'm like, I don't think we should do that.
00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:54.360
And she's like we should do that.
00:25:54.440 --> 00:26:24.600
And then we do it and it turns out good and she's like I told you so you know but I have to uh like I said I have to pay uh all my respects and she's a huge part of why I'm successful um at the level I am at today you know that is amazing and I I can totally agree with that because it it's something special about a mother even though we're coming up on Mother's Day there's something special about a mom that can like she knows just what to do, what to say.
00:26:24.840 --> 00:26:28.440
Yeah it's crazy man it's crazy.
00:26:28.759 --> 00:26:37.880
Definitely and so now that you said that yesterday when I was doing some um preparing for this interview I ran across a video.
00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.600
Okay.
00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:41.880
And it literally it hit me yesterday.
00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:47.080
I'm like wait this boy sitting in front of the computer is that is you?
00:26:47.400 --> 00:27:01.080
Yeah that's me that's me that vibe I I laugh at that video on a record and then I went to your YouTube channel and I seen another guy I was like what this is a I feel like this was a small word like me and you think we're neighbors.
00:27:01.160 --> 00:31:21.720
I'm like that's that boy I laughed at like that so what so um from that video and for those of you who don't know I would insert it I I do is unable to connect to uh so it's time we remoting her motifs have been working on dedicating the in and the out the end out when you're working back to you so what's happening still telling me to check the word because I don't know where to speak about how I want to get upgraded upgraded I put some power in my hands in my hand and I feel so is that that video is that how your mother-son relationship is that kind of just a snippet of you know your funny moments yeah that's yeah that's the a hundred percent authentic version of how we are together you know especially because I can either be it I don't have an in-between I'm either like really serious or really goofy you know and when I when I pick a sign that's what side I'm gonna be on and she just started recording me because I I just really didn't want to do the work you know and it was in the midst of that COVID season and you know things are crazy and I was sitting at the house doing school for hours on end when I have you know the TV the PS4 everything that I all the distractions that I need and I I don't know what led me to just do that but I did and I was crazy because I was talking about how I wouldn't want her to post something and she does it and it turns out great.
00:31:21.960 --> 00:32:20.600
She ended up posting it on her Facebook you know the day she recorded it and I was like mom we're not gonna post that on my Instagram I don't want you to do that we're not doing that at all and I wake up the next morning and she's on the phone with my aunt or somebody and they're like it already has a million views and I'm like what has a million views and then I'm like put that on the Instagram right now yeah so it was a really crazy experience and over the over that day of when I found out it had a million views it it's crazy how social media works because over that day it got nine more million so just to see just on Facebook alone you know so just to see how people share things it really shows the power of social media and the society we're in you know now to kind of go back on back to your career how did you land such a to me I kind of role as a young son but how did you how what was that process like?
00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:25.720
Because before that I think you were it were you already in California or were you still in Charlotte?
00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:33.400
No I was still in Charlotte because I hadn't got a a a break yet from you know a break in my career.
00:32:33.559 --> 00:33:21.480
So I started off with this uh talent conference called AMTC and uh before you go to this huge conference with you know uh producers and agents and managers uh they uh gave me training so I went through modeling training you know doing photo shoots went through a little bit of acting training um some improv training and also a monologue and and singing just performance in general and after we did that we got sent out to Orlando and you know with with things like this a lot of them are really sketchy and just want your money but I was very uh blessed to choose one that really was beneficial uh to me because I believe if I wouldn't have gone to that conference I probably wouldn't have acted acted I probably wouldn't have my career or my resume be what it is right now.
00:33:21.720 --> 00:34:32.840
And after that in my talent conference over the course of a weekend I think it was and met my manager it was like the first time I met her it was like it had to be like 12 in the morning and it was like at the end and she was like I needed to see you so we sat down and we talked and we chopped it up and you know just from there I just loved her vibe and I and I loved the uh drive that she had and I we made the right pick with choosing her because to this day she still has that same drive if not more you know and there I met the head uh the owner the uh kids casting company for the Lion King the Turan Broadway so we saw this open casting call and we were gonna go to it uh for the Lion King and then she called us and she was like no we'll get you a private audition and I truly believe just to tie this into something else I truly believe that your journey is really your journey and what's in store for you you will have it as long as you take the initiative as long as you stay consistent as long as you keep going even when you don't feel good you know because there's if even when you're down and out there's people who will still keep going if they're down and out if they're feeling bad.
00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:40.199
So you have to uh join that 1% of people who will keep going and I and I know it sounds clique straight but it really does work.
00:34:40.279 --> 00:35:48.439
So we went to that private audition and I got past that and then I went to the to the callback and over the course of like six hours uh it went from like a hundred kids or two hundred kids to only five and I was a part of that five in that room and they I think it was like Labor Day or 4th of July and we were in New York and they were like alright we'll call you guys probably in like a week and we said okay we said our goodbyes we left and not even like 30 minutes later we got the call and they asked me if I wanted to uh play the role and it was it was so amazing and it it it it was it was something about it and that vibe that I knew I was going to get it and and not to sound arrogant I just felt I I just felt it I felt like this was going to be the start of uh the journey that I'm on right now and I was like this just feels like it's for me you know definitely I can definitely kind of understand where you're coming from even though I'm not an activator when something it just seems like it just falls into place in the right right time with the right people.
00:35:49.879 --> 00:36:16.919
Yes even with you you just said with your manager she she got you a private audition and what would have happened to Ramon if you would have never been at the conference stayed all day even though you were tired you still stayed you took the meeting now look at what came out of you just sacrificing instead of going to bed going back to the hotel going home you sacrifice so I do I 100% honestly agree with that.
00:36:17.319 --> 00:36:28.919
And then being that you do have civil sale uh for those that don't know how was traveling with the Lion King how was it the tour schedule how was how did that affect you?
00:36:29.159 --> 00:37:29.799
It was a uh it was a grueling schedule for sure because we would uh perform there was two young Simbas two young nala's because you know labor laws and things of that nature so we would split the shows down the middle four shows a week for one young Simba and one uh and the other young simba gets the other four shows and vice versa for the young nala's and then sometimes when those young Simbas wouldn't be able to perform we would cover of those shows it's eight shows a week and as you know there's only seven days in one week so we would do two show two shows on Sunday I believe and it was just it was tough you know but then again it was so fun because especially on tour those people became your family because you would travel with them you all would uh we will we all would leave our heart out on the stage and get out of the go and leave and go back to our hotel room and then like five hours later we had to be back up because we're traveling to a different state you know to perform in the next two days.
00:37:29.959 --> 00:37:36.759
So just seeing that that whole experience was really when I go back and look at it it's really life changing for me.
00:37:36.839 --> 00:37:40.279
And if I could do it again I would do it again a thousand times.
00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:50.679
Just because the bonds that I created the people I met is just amazing and I still talk to them frequently to this day you know definitely and that was going to be my next question.
00:37:50.759 --> 00:37:53.239
How often do you keep in touch with any of the cast?
00:37:53.399 --> 00:40:14.439
Um oh yeah uh the cast from Just Roll with it I actually just had uh the the uh gentleman who plays my dad in just roll with it Toby Wyndham he was just over my house like a couple hours ago because we're working on something uh to get something up and you know I he just had a new baby so we're literally part of their family and vice versa and uh especially in this industry because it's so much that goes on and it's so many people out here that want different things from you you really have to have that foundation and that close knit of uh friends and uh uh family who you can depend on that so after the Lion King how after that stretch ended how long did it take for you to land your next acting job uh uh it was immediately I actually I actually got another job before I left the Lion King so I left the tour I went to Broadway I was on Broadway for three months and while I was on tour I I shot the pilot for just Rosehead's wrong with it I didn't know once I went to Broadway we found out I got picked so I did three months there I had to pack up my entire house in Charlotte and move to Los Angeles in like the matter of three weeks after I got back from Broadway and it was like after that we moved into the house and I was right back to work a couple days later.
00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:44.119
So it was really a nonstop process and I was really blessed you know definitely and um I don't think any actor can just or very few can you know land another job while still working in current which I do that is amazing and that goes back to again your drive and your dedication to keep going so which do you prefer prefer more being on set or being on stage in front of a live audience?
00:40:44.199 --> 00:41:28.759
Well both prefer live audience what do I prefer more I really love that energy of a live audience and interacting with those people who are watching live because they they get to see the process and there's no left weight let's do that again let's go back and and I love just being in the moment that's something that I really don't take for granted you know being present here right now so I would have to say the stage just for the uh the emotions of it all and to kind of now go into the purpose of the interview um is to talk about your sickle cell story.
00:41:28.999 --> 00:42:00.119
So at what age did you learn that you had sickle cell what simple cell was I believe my mom uh found out that I had sickle cell when I was two years old and she went with my my aunt and they found out together because I would constantly cry at it when I was a baby and we never figured out why that was but I would like to assume and my hypothesis is that I was you know either experiencing sickle cell pains and a sickle cell crisis and we just didn't know it, you know.
00:42:00.279 --> 00:43:05.799
So it took them two years to find out and then after that once I became older and more conscious of I I don't I really don't well I guess I would say when I was a toddler you know like four and uh three four and five because I have faint memories from three and four the five I remember a lot of things but as for three and four I really don't recall like being aware that I had sickle cell you know it wasn't a part of my identity or who I was but uh as I began to mature and I got older and my doctors educated me and I educated myself and my mother educated me I began to find out what it was that as I went through more sickle cell crisis, you know, I started to really understand the battle that I was facing that you know it's a residence in my in my body you know that I can't really get rid of so once I became took note of that I began to really uncle down and take my medicine because my mom was already on me.
00:43:05.879 --> 00:43:35.959
So from the age of like three to like I would say like eight yeah my mom was handling all my medicine she made sure I took it every night probably never missed a day in those like five years knowing her but from there I just began to educate myself and as I grew my platform and uh gained a platform I began to educate other people and I allowed it to be a catalyst of you can do anything you want to do if you really go out there and do it.
00:43:36.599 --> 00:43:49.319
Definitely and I definitely agree with that because even with my nonprofit I is modeled after my sister who tragically passed away from Sickle Sale in 2014.
00:43:49.959 --> 00:44:23.399
I'm so sorry for your loss yeah she she was kind of the same with you like she would let nothing stop her um and whatever she wanted to do whatever she put her mind to she went and did it um and it was like you couldn't tell her she can't oh you can't go step or her thing was stepping or you know you couldn't tell her she couldn't go step or she couldn't go and do XYZ because if she put her mind to it she was going to do it and she did it phenomenally and she left everything she had on that stage or that gymnasium or wherever she was for stepping.
00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:42.999
So I do again even though I only have the trait to when I hear simple stories tell their stories about how they you know they're basically following their dreams like you are it just kind of opens up my eyes even more to like what is the reason to complain if you're fighting a disease that you didn't ask for and you're not complaining.
00:44:43.079 --> 00:44:45.399
So why should anybody else complain?
00:44:45.479 --> 00:44:52.439
So I take my hat off to you 100% for pushing and following your dreams thank you so much.
00:44:52.679 --> 00:45:33.639
And definitely I'm here to support anything that you do if you ever need me you can definitely call 100% yeah so I want to as we wrap up um I wanted to because many of our listeners don't know and I get asked this a lot um what are there different types of sickle cell and many people don't know that there's different stages um my sister I had the severe one she had ss what type of sickle cell I was saying my sister had SS sickle cell S S so I was asking well what type of sickle cell do you have if you um I shared yep so your sister she had the more abrasive form S.
00:45:34.359 --> 00:45:48.279
I uh have SC and that that just for individuals who may not know who are listening that's the less abrasive form and that's when you have an S trait and a C trait and both parents it comes together and uh you know it creates S C.
00:45:49.239 --> 00:45:52.999
You know, you can think of it like a soup whatever makes you remember what it is.
00:45:53.159 --> 00:46:13.719
Um but I've been uh blessed to not have as severe a crisis as those with SS have but I I I did have one that was extremely bad where I had to learn how to walk again because I was immobile for uh so long uh I think it was at least like a month and a half where I couldn't walk.
00:46:13.879 --> 00:46:17.239
So I I was immobile for so long and in and out of the hospital.
00:46:17.319 --> 00:46:28.279
I think uh they let me go and I knew I knew I shouldn't like leave but they still you know let me go and you know the pain just came back and it got worse.
00:46:28.439 --> 00:46:45.559
So then I had to uh go back in for a couple more weeks and uh really go through extensive uh physical therapy to uh just regain my strength because I'm sure as you know and you've probably experienced this with your sister like anything can hurt.
00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:59.399
It could it could be a slight breeze, it could be the air, it could be even the way you see somebody moves that affects your body, which is bizarre as bizarre as as it is, is uh Real and it it's painful.
00:46:59.799 --> 00:47:08.039
And I I found myself in that moment becoming desensitized to what was going on because and and normalizing it.
00:47:08.119 --> 00:47:12.919
I was like, ah, I'm I'm hurting, but I was still, you know, in my regular spirits.
00:47:13.159 --> 00:47:24.519
And it took me a while, like years down the road after I came out of that battle, to look back and be like, wow, that was really life-changing and that really molded who I was.
00:47:24.679 --> 00:47:31.799
And after I came out of the other side of that storm, because I didn't know, but at the time, I I I wasn't taking it as seriously.
00:47:31.959 --> 00:47:36.519
But uh later I began to find out that my body wasn't producing blood at all.
00:47:36.759 --> 00:47:46.119
So I I I was had I was living off of blood transfusions, literally, because you know, I had no blood, you know, running through my body, and you can't live without blood.
00:47:46.279 --> 00:47:51.399
So um that was a really scary experience for my for my family and my parents.
00:47:52.359 --> 00:48:02.519
But the things that sickle cell warriors go through, people, if you if you haven't been through it or you haven't seen it firsthand, people would never understand.
00:48:03.399 --> 00:48:04.359
Definitely.
00:48:04.599 --> 00:48:11.319
And even not just what you go through personally, but the people that could that have to take care of you.
00:48:11.399 --> 00:48:24.839
Um I know with my mom in the final days of you know, with my sister, is like even at the end of the day, no matter how old she was, that was still her her daughter, and it's she just felt like there was nothing she could do.
00:48:25.079 --> 00:48:25.479
Yeah.
00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:35.559
So it even to the caretakers, it is a true takes a true warrior to fight something and ask for and then on both sides.
00:48:35.879 --> 00:48:46.359
And then just to see your child laying that hurt, and then it's I'm not with my sister one time, she had a crisis, and she told me to just come and rub her leg, but even when I would touch it, it would hurt.
00:48:46.599 --> 00:48:49.719
So I had to back off because there's nothing I can do.
00:48:49.959 --> 00:48:50.279
Yeah.
00:48:50.439 --> 00:48:52.599
So yeah, it's it's a lie.
00:48:52.999 --> 00:49:06.999
You you all are honestly sickle cell warriors, and you know, that kind of what led into the question about the tour your tour schedule with the Lion King just because of so many moving parts and you're you're acting up to, you know, do a lot.
00:49:07.319 --> 00:49:13.079
Yeah, it was it was crazy because I actually ended up going into a sickle cell crisis on stage before.
00:49:13.639 --> 00:49:20.919
And it was the craziest thing that I've seen with my sickle cell outside of that big crisis that I went through because I was fine.
00:49:21.079 --> 00:49:22.839
It was a regular performance.
00:49:22.999 --> 00:49:34.839
I walked, you know, into the wings, because you know, you have the stage and then the uh left and right wing on both sides, and we were going into this like really intimate scene when I just got in trouble with Mufonsa.
00:49:35.319 --> 00:49:39.799
And out of nowhere, it just snapped and my legs were in excruciating pain.
00:49:40.039 --> 00:49:46.839
So, you know, I let them know what was going on, and before I could even get out on stage, I I just tears started coming down my eyes.
00:49:46.999 --> 00:49:55.319
So I finished out that scene, and they had to stop the show and you know, bring my other that the other young symbol on, who's my close friend, Josiah.
00:49:55.479 --> 00:49:58.119
And uh yeah, it was just it was crazy to see.
00:49:58.199 --> 00:49:59.559
I'll never forget that.
00:50:00.519 --> 00:50:01.079
Definitely.
00:50:01.319 --> 00:50:14.039
I can only uh imagine just just the like what do you do in that because it's it's Broadway is live, it's it's no case cameras, let's regroup.
00:50:14.359 --> 00:50:24.599
It was because Broadway's fast move and fast pace, so I'm like I know that just probably everybody was just looking around, just like what do I do?
00:50:24.679 --> 00:50:25.719
What do we do?
00:50:26.439 --> 00:50:38.519
So uh with that, do you have to find yourself having to explain, you know, sickle cell, or does your team explain that up front, or um to cast members, directors, and different things like that?
00:50:38.839 --> 00:50:44.279
That that that's something that my team uh goes about explaining to uh producers.
00:50:44.519 --> 00:50:56.919
And because I I me personally as uh the client and the talent, I never wanted to be a thing that's a surprise because now it feels like I was not dishonest, but I withheld information.
00:50:57.159 --> 00:51:07.559
And that's what I never want to have it, and thankfully never ran uh run into a situation where Sickle Cell, where someone else has let Sigle Cell uh prohibit me.
00:51:07.719 --> 00:51:09.799
Um, I've been really blessed in that sense.
00:51:09.879 --> 00:51:18.519
And uh every producer, every showrunner, every uh director has been extremely understanding of uh my situation, which is uh really great.
00:51:21.079 --> 00:51:23.399
That is, you know, surprising.
00:51:23.559 --> 00:51:40.679
And um do you think that when you're or you know, when your team comes back to you, do you do y'all ever sit back and talk about just how there's a lack of miseducation about sickle cell and how many people really don't know what it is?
00:51:40.919 --> 00:51:41.479
Yeah.
00:51:41.799 --> 00:51:55.079
A lot of people uh a lot of people don't even know uh who it affects because it it it it it was, you know, a while ago a stigma that it only affected people of color, you know.
00:51:55.239 --> 00:51:59.959
But now uh more people are becoming aware that it's not just people of color who it affects.
00:52:00.119 --> 00:52:04.359
Um it also depends on the region that you're from and uh things of that nature.
00:52:04.599 --> 00:52:15.799
But I I do talk to my team at times about how it's misunderstood and things I want to do to get the word out and to be more vulnerable and more open about what I go through as well.
00:52:15.959 --> 00:52:24.039
Because my most recent challenge, thankfully, you know, knock on wood, I haven't had uh last year was the first year I didn't have a sickle cell crisis in my life.
00:52:24.199 --> 00:52:27.079
And I'm trying to make uh this year the second year in a row.
00:52:27.239 --> 00:52:29.159
So uh pray for me on that part.
00:52:29.399 --> 00:52:40.359
Um but uh my most recent battle with sickle cell has been my hips deteriorated and sickle retinotropy, which is you know, when blood vessels in my eyes begin to burst.
00:52:40.439 --> 00:52:49.639
You and and you know, the body, it all it always tries to grow new blood vessels and new skin and whatever's going on because it takes that to what it needs to do.
00:52:49.719 --> 00:53:00.279
But that's for my eyes, that's not good because it will just blow it, it'll just grow those new frail blood vessels, and those will burst again, and now my eye is is just bleeding at the back of my eye.
00:53:00.439 --> 00:53:06.359
So semi-frequently I have to have a laser on my eye, you know, to stop that.
00:53:06.439 --> 00:53:11.639
And I I I get my eyes checked up frequently just to make sure they're doing well and everything.
00:53:14.679 --> 00:53:24.519
Um so I get out, you know, that's that little piece of information is something that my sister luckily never had to go through with her eyes.
00:53:25.159 --> 00:53:43.399
Mainly hers was just, you know, like you said, just randomly ish late crisis or a leg pain, or you know, after a step show, you know, we we most of the time if I wasn't there, my mom or my sister was there, and every time she was done stuck in, they would go back, run back.
00:53:43.559 --> 00:53:44.919
Don't care what nobody says.
00:53:45.079 --> 00:53:48.439
My mom knows I need to go back here with my daughter and just make sure she's okay.
00:53:48.599 --> 00:53:55.959
She got to basically lay eyes on her and make sure she was okay, make sure she was drinking the water afterwards, you know, just breathing.
00:53:56.359 --> 00:54:00.359
Um literally anything, you know, can send you into a crisis.
00:54:00.439 --> 00:54:02.759
You know, girls are laying out stretched out on the floor.
00:54:02.919 --> 00:54:10.919
Um back there, like nose, like sit up, drink, drink water, like come on, like just take take it easy, but just right.
00:54:11.239 --> 00:54:12.839
Being a mama, being a mama.
00:54:13.079 --> 00:54:13.879
Yes, yeah.
00:54:14.039 --> 00:54:14.599
Definitely.
00:54:15.399 --> 00:54:16.919
So a couple more questions.
00:54:17.159 --> 00:54:19.639
What is the word warrior means to you?
00:54:20.599 --> 00:54:22.759
Uh warrior.
00:54:22.999 --> 00:54:31.399
Uh to me it means someone who uh perseveres no matter the cards that they've been dealt, no matter the uh odds that they are facing.
00:54:31.639 --> 00:54:36.999
And that could be with anything, not just sickle cell as a niche in uh in particular.
00:54:37.239 --> 00:54:44.519
To me, a warrior is someone who who doesn't take no for an answer, you know.
00:54:44.919 --> 00:55:08.199
Someone who keeps going, even though it's tough, it's hard, even though it hurts, even though uh everybody says that's not gonna work, they persevere, and in the end, a warrior will win, no matter if they don't win this war or this battle that they were going through here, but in the grand scheme of things, a warrior always wins because the battle is always within.
00:55:08.839 --> 00:55:09.959
Definitely.
00:55:10.439 --> 00:55:13.559
And I know you said you have your movie coming out on Netflix.
00:55:13.959 --> 00:55:14.759
But what else?
00:55:14.919 --> 00:55:19.639
If you could tell us anything else that you're doing, what what is next or what is next for you?
00:55:20.039 --> 00:55:24.279
Well, uh it's a lot that I am doing, but I can't necessarily talk about.
00:55:24.439 --> 00:55:33.079
But what I can talk about is that I have a new podcast on the way where we're in the stages of ramping my first oh, excuse me.
00:55:33.159 --> 00:55:50.439
Um we're in the stages of ramping my first season up with that, and I'm uh getting together with some of my friends who I know in the industry and uh just young adults who I see or who are being warriors and persevering and paving their uh own way and uh, you know, creating their own successful career so early in their lives.
00:55:50.519 --> 00:56:05.159
And I just want to sit down and have a real conversation because the industry that we're in and the society that we're in, everybody is uh very sensitive, and we always have to be prepped for a conversation or prepped for these questions, or we always need to look at this before you do that, you know.
00:56:05.239 --> 00:56:16.839
So I just really want to sit down and have a real conversation on a uh public platform to uh show people uh what we really go through uh behind the scenes and that uh we're all the same, you know.
00:56:17.559 --> 00:56:18.439
Definitely, yeah.
00:56:18.519 --> 00:56:22.199
I would love still we would love to promote your podcast whenever you're done.
00:56:22.279 --> 00:56:25.799
I hope I'll absolutely swing back by when you're on your press for promoting.
00:56:25.959 --> 00:56:27.639
A little good.
00:56:28.839 --> 00:56:31.799
So for the people who do drop mode, I already follow you.
00:56:31.959 --> 00:56:34.519
How can they find you on social media WhatsApp?
00:56:36.999 --> 00:56:42.599
Top me on uh Instagram, you can find me at I am Ramon.reed.
00:56:42.679 --> 00:56:46.439
That's Ramon R-A-M-O-N dot read R-E-E-E.
00:56:46.759 --> 00:56:49.159
You can find me on Twitter, Ramon Reed20.
00:56:49.399 --> 00:56:50.919
Uh I'm on Twitch sometimes.
00:56:51.079 --> 00:56:51.959
Call me Rizzy.
00:56:52.199 --> 00:56:54.439
So, you know, call me and then R-I-Z-T-Y.
00:56:54.919 --> 00:56:58.199
And uh let me think, on YouTube is just my name, Ramon Reed.
00:56:58.359 --> 00:56:59.959
That's where you can find me.
00:57:00.279 --> 00:57:00.839
Alright.
00:57:01.079 --> 00:57:02.759
Thank you so much, Ramon.
00:57:03.159 --> 00:57:05.879
Um we're going to drop it here.
00:57:06.599 --> 00:57:08.519
Alright, y'all, and we're back.
00:57:08.839 --> 00:57:09.399
Listen.
00:57:10.439 --> 00:57:17.879
As I was listening, re-listening to this, I feel like I've said the word definitely a million or more times.
00:57:18.119 --> 00:57:23.319
I want to know if there's anybody in the comments or in the description that hasn't been listening to this.
00:57:23.559 --> 00:57:28.039
If you know how many times I've said definitely, like, how many times did I say that?
00:57:28.439 --> 00:57:30.599
Like, what in the world?
00:57:30.999 --> 00:57:34.199
But anyway, thank y'all for listening to this episode.
00:57:34.359 --> 00:57:37.399
It's already long enough, so I'm not gonna hold you on any longer.
00:57:37.719 --> 00:57:38.679
I gotta go.
00:57:38.919 --> 00:57:44.679
But remember, stay healthy, stay busy, stay connected until the next episode.
00:57:44.999 --> 00:57:46.359
See you later.
