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Up next, Authentically Detroit welcomes Jay Smith, an official influencer for Detroit Public Schools Community District, to discuss a youth perspective on politics ahead of the 2026 Michigan primary election.
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And of course, what we're reading from the Michigan Chronicle, we're going to talk about how Wayne County voters will shape the Democratic Party's future.
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And in the race for U.S.
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Senate, what the entire country's been talking about, Governor Whitmer is getting in the mix.
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She endorsed Haley Stevens uh last week.
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We're going to talk about that and what it means for the race.
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Keep it locked.
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Authentically Detroit starts after these messages.
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Welcome to another episode of Authentically Detroit.
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We're broadcasting live from the Stademeyer inside of the East Side Community Network.
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I'm Sam Robinson.
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And I'm Donna Givens-Davidson.
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We want to thank you so much for listening in and supporting our efforts to build a platform of authentic voices for real people here in the city of Detroit.
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We want you to like, rate, and subscribe to our podcast on all platforms.
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Today, we have Jay Smith here to discuss politics from the perspective of someone that you probably haven't been hearing much of.
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Young people.
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And if you missed our candidate forum, please check it out.
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The full replay is up on Authentically Detroit's YouTube channel under live videos.
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Now we are here in studio with Jay Smith.
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Jay, we met at the African World Festival two weeks ago, maybe a couple weeks, maybe three weeks now.
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Um but at that African World Fest, I talked to a number of um older, wiser, uh more experienced uh folks who uh tell me that they're voting for uh a candidate based on the ads that they see on TV.
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Now you told me that you're not actually able to vote yet, is that right?
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Yes, sir.
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Yes, sir.
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And so if you were able to vote, uh you would not be voting for the candidate that you saw on the TV ads.
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You said that you may have seen some of those ads, some of those mailers as well, talking about Haley Stevens and Barack Obama.
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It's been incredibly effective for Stevens.
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Of course, Obama uh worked with Haley Stevens on his auto rescue back in uh his presidency.
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And she's using that fact, he's she's using his endorsement of her in 2018 and 20.
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That was in general elections against Republicans, uh, to campaign uh in 2026 against Abdul Al-Sayed.
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You mentioned to me that uh his politics are exciting to you.
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Yes, yes, yes, yes.
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One thing that's really concerned me about Haley Stevens is the fact that I haven't seen anything about her that is that doesn't have Obama's face on it.
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Um I the one thing that I would look for in a candidate is what they are going to do for the people.
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What are they what are you gonna do for us?
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And Abdul has done he's stated over and over what his plan is, and he's been very consistent in that.
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And when he's been asked questions to bait him into being let off his track, he's always returned back to what he what he's for, which is the people.
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Right.
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You know, I I do want to say that um there is a perspective that older voters are all for um Haley Stevens because of the Obama commercial.
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There's certainly many people who are not.
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Yes.
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Um, and many people on my Facebook page.
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In fact, I'd have to say that 90% at least of the people who are commenting on politics, um, black people my age or thereabouts um are actually for Abdul El-Sayed.
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He got the support from the um the black um slate.
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He's gotten support from a lot of different places.
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I think there's a mix, but I think that among younger voters, there's less of a mix.
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Yes.
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Is that safe to say that among younger voters there is, and I know that there's some polls that have said that 67% of older black voters are are supporting him, and maybe I just don't know black people because that's not what I'm actually seeing and hearing in my circles.
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Um I feel like that might also have a lot to do with the people that you surround yourself with because you don't seem like the type of woman to surround yourself with, people who aren't um well-versed and educated in what they do.
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Um but I know a lot of people who have seen both candidates, and because they see her with Obama and they don't know who Abdul Saeed is and they don't really want to do the research, they just go off of what they've seen.
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Um they're gonna vote for the lady who has Obama behind her, and I don't think that's really I don't think who I'm blaming is the people who are voting.
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I think what I'm more upset about is the fact that she's trying to use him as her whole campaign.
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And that's not well, that's not something I'm looking for in a candidate, to be honest.
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I I agree with that, and I I I'm not disagreeing with you.
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I'm saying that I think that, you know, and I I posted this on Facebook, I think it was yesterday, that there's no such thing as the black vote.
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There's um black people vote, and we have differences of opinion, and it all comes from our own perspectives.
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Those people who are really invested in a lot of issues, and for me, I'm really an issues-driven person around justice, they really do care what a candidate says.
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Yes.
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Um, there's other people who care but are not as invested, and it's easier for them to be persuaded, and I think that's what I'm hearing from you all.
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And then there are some people who actually agree because the other thing is that there's a split in the Democratic Party right now around um Gaza.
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There are some people who say, listen, Israel has the right to defend itself.
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Um, Jewish people have always been our allies, and we have to stick with them.
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And I hear that from some people.
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Or other people, well, this is a complicated issue, it's not a local issue, and we need to just focus on Michigan.
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Are you hearing that, Sam?
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Those things?
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Yeah, I mean, I'm man, I've over the last couple weeks I've heard literally everything.
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And um, you know, one of the one of the big things that I hear uh to Jay's point is uh she mentioned um people didn't know who Abdul Al-Sayed was.
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Uh he's of course the former Detroit and Wayne County Health Director.
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Um when he was, I'm just not sure that he was visible enough for people just sort of watching the news every night, or maybe they have a subscription to the free press or the news, but they're not really paying attention to the you know what's happening inside the Wayne County Juvenile Justice Center.
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He did run for governor in 2018.
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And so people remember him for his run for governor.
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A lot of the people that I hear that support him, even just like at the Apple store, I just talked to a guy named Logan Page.
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Uh, he told me that you know a lot of uh folks that were around in his 18 gubernatorial bid are back.
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And I I do think that gubernatorial bid sort of perfectly set up um his ability to have a statewide base.
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You know, he has supporters in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Traverse City, all over the state.
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Um, of course, Haley Stevens um has been in Congress since Abdul has been a political candidate.
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She was first elected in 2018.
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And um I hear a lot of folks saying that they're gonna go with what they know.
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I hear some folks saying that you know they've seen Haley in their communities, and um she's she's certainly in the last stretch of this race been targeting black voters.
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Both Abdul El Sayyed and Haley Stevens are really prioritizing black voters in this last few days of the race.
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I don't think that people have really seen her in the Detroit community outside of political, um political elites, you know.
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She hasn't been shocked.
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I talked to a guy named Dev Devon James uh at Northwestern High School Alumni's Soulfest.
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Uh he told me that, you know, he he has seen Haley Stevens at community events.
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He's got a lot of people.
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What I mean is prior to this run for Senate, I don't think that she has been that visible in this community.
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I don't.
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Um I believe that Barack Obama is the thing that people connect her with, and that's what got her over the edge.
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Um because I did not know anything about Haley Stevens, and I'm out, you know, sometimes anyway, and I read a lot about people.
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Um so I think that she was invited into a lot of spaces, and she has done a good job um campaigning in a lot of spaces, especially spaces where she expects those type people.
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She was in a couple of churches um yesterday.
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She goes to lots and lots of churches, and so people do see her there.
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And I think too, I I will just say this in as somebody that has observed her in these spaces.
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Before she was running for Congress as a just a uh member of Congress from 21 to now, I've been covering the legislature and Michigan's congressional delegation.
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When she's in uh our spaces, maybe not your spaces, Donna, but when she's around black people like at Fixins or at a church or at um Greater Grace with uh Wendell Anthony, with Jim Clyburn, you know, she's very comfortable and it's it's a real um you know, she she she it's a reciprocal relationship that she has with a lot of those folks.
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She does have that.
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But when she ran the first time, she was running in Birmingham and Rochester Hills, she was not running in Detroit.
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Yes, and I think it's safe to say that that 11th Congressional District is not one that really um she had to turn out Detroiters.
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Yeah, she in fact the parts of Oakland County that she was representing were majority white um parts.
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Now, she's a good politician, I suppose, and she knows she's comfortable with people.
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She worked on Obama's auto rescue thing.
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And so she does have those skill sets.
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I'm not looking at her political skills.
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I go with what Jay says.
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I just don't know what she's planning to do that will solve the problems.
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What I hear is what she's not going to do.
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I'm not going to stand up.
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I'm going, you know, she doesn't support ICE, she says.
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She's going to fight um, you know, Trump and she says she's going to do those things, but I don't have a sense of where her justice platform is.
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Um, Abdul is also a person who is Arab American in a city where there is tension, long-standing tension between Arab and Black voters.
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And I think it's also help helpful to point out that some people who don't know him but do know his name is Abdul El-Sayed, will not trust him on the basis of his identity because of long-standing feelings that those people did not support us.
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And then you also have a layer of people who are still upset about 2024 and who believe that the Arab community in the Metro Detroit area um helped get Trump elected because they didn't um stand up and they didn't fight for um Kamala Harris.
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Now, he did endorse Harris, but people say he didn't all the time.
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You know, so I think there's a number of factors that give her some level of credibility in our community, but I don't think it's true that she has been exceptionally visible until the Senate run inside of our community.
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I think it's wonderful that you say that actually, and you brought up a wonderful point that I was gonna bring up.
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Um, and black communities, um, sometimes Arab with there's tensions with Arab Americans, and I have actually heard that um amongst people that like, hey, I'm not gonna vote for him because that's that I just that's just from my personal experience, that's not the type of person who I want in office.
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And not saying this is my opinion, but I s it is an opinion that I've heard, and I feel like at one point, at one point do we start voting for what we actually want to see happen, because we keep voting for people who who are not doing what we want them to do, but then when a person comes to you and says, Hey, I want you to have free health care, you you don't want to vote for him because he's because he's an Arab American.
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But that's wrong if somebody says, I don't want to vote for a black person.
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Exactly.
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Because I don't trust those people.
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And it's interesting that in the United States, in a nation where white people, enslaved black people, in a nation where you have whole memes about Karens calling the police on people, somehow there's more trust in a white woman than in an Arab man.
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And that to me is how white supremacy works.
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Somehow they are made innocent unless proven guilty, but other people of color are guilty unless proven innocent.
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And that is to me how internalized racism works, where we are more willing to help hold other people of color accountable than even the white people who we know have been oppressive in um in recent history.
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And now, I mean, the majority of white people in the United States, men and women, I believe, voted for um Trump.
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So if we're going on those majorities, why would we angrier at the Arab community than at the white community?
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Well, I'll tell you why, is because they think that uh the Arab Michigan's Arab community, Muslim community, played a role in Kamala Harris's defeat to Donald Trump.
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They don't think that that the white community did.
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Well, uh they also will blame Hispanic males who voted 46 percent for the we don't know how how they voted.
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There's a type of we we don't know how Hispanic males voted.
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The other thing is these statistics are thrown out, and when a person gets deported, we say, well, they shouldn't have voted for Donald Trump.
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Most people, the vast majority of people who are immigrants at risk of deportation, can't vote.
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Exactly.
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I think that the reality is that we hold other people of color accountable at a higher level than we hold white people accountable.
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Yeah.
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There's a certain segment of Democrats in Detroit who are so quick to say things that I think progressive leftists or members of other minority groups would call racist or xenophobic.
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Of course, the video that I took with the Farmington school board member Angie Smith, you know, she's been criticized for saying that, you know, don't come in here speaking Arabic, don't come out playing your Arabic music.
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Abdul Al Sayyed, of course, has never done that.
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I think she may have been referencing Amir Maklid, the uh Michigan, University of Michigan regent who defeated Jordan Acker.
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Uh El Sayed has not come out to any Arabic music, but of course, that prompted the Haley Stevens campaign to condemn those comments.
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Angie Smith is a school board member who uh the Stevens campaign has actually propped up.
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Uh I think they put a photo of her uh on their Instagram uh as an endorsement, as a notable um endorsement.
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And so talking to folks at that event, you know, it Angie Smith is not the only person that will weigh it into that conversation about how Arab Muslims um or people like Abdul Al-Sayed who supported Uncommitted, despite the fact that they endorsed and voted for Kamala Harris, they feel like uncommitted uh in February.
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That was, of course, the protest against President Joe Biden.
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They feel like that had to do with uh Kamala Harris's loss.
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We we we blame everybody but Kamala Harris for losing.
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You saw Jim Clyburn blame black voters yesterday.
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Yeah, well, Jim Clyburn is the one who brought us um Joe Biden.
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He's played such a significant role.
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First of all, Jim Um Clyburn needs to stay out of Detroit politics.
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When he says he doesn't see black people at these rallies, it's none of his business.
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I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, but who are you to tell black people?
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And that really upsets me for him to um be positioned as a spokesperson for black people.
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He certainly has his right to his opinion, but when he starts talking about what black people don't like and want and whatever, it's it's annoying to me.
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Um I wonder how many black people know who Jim Clyburn is.
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And I and I say that not in disrespect at all.
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I really're so out of touch with just American political culture.
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Not everybody knows who these characters are, these longstanding abuse.
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Keep in mind this other thing.
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For so long, black people had to fight our way into political representation.
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We didn't have it, we couldn't vote.
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When we got when we voted, people discriminated against us.
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And I think there's a lot of people feeling like we just got our own representation.
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And now you have these other people of color who don't even like us coming in.
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And it's almost like, you know, this internecine warfare where I've heard people say things like the browning of the black vote is a problem.
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This feeling that other people of color should not be able to represent, be represented at the national level because they cannot be trusted with our issues.
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Yeah, and they point to Shri Tanadar and of course Rashida Talib.
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And and they compare them and say they're the same person.
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Well, they're of course not.
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They are diametrically opposed.
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They are both non-black congressional delegates that represent Detroit.
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There's an interesting thing that a person that you know you don't like, but he's been so funny on Facebook lately, Keith Williams, um, he told me that Detroit does not have a Jim Clyburn.
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And I thought that was a really compelling thing to say.
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Of course, John Conyers, um, people like uh Kwame Kilpatrick's mom, people like um Griggs.
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What was his first name?
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Um I'm not from Detroit, and so I don't have the Diggs, you mean Diggs, yes, Charles Diggs, excuse me.
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Jeez.
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But keep in mind Black political power is not something at the root of Shri Tanadar or Rashida Talib's politics.
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And so that's the right.
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Rashida Talib, Rashida Talib is a Palestinian woman who was born and raised in Detroit and grew up among black people.
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About 20 to 25 percent of the electorate of black people, black eligible black voters in Detroit participate in the voting franchise.
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30% in some years, 40% in a whole lot of years.
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So I think there is this pretense that the black political establishment is representative of black people all over the city when a lot of people are just completely pulled out of politics.
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Rashida Taleb is extremely popular among people who actually vote in her district.
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When she was voting in the 13th Congressional District, she was popular here.
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She's now in the 12th congressional district and she's popular there.
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And so I guess my issue with a person like Keith Williams, it's not personal to him, but my positioning is he wants to be Jim Kleiber.
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And he's not because he doesn't have that kind of sway.
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But people like him will think, will dismiss issues like environmental justice issues as not really black issues.
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And most of the progressive policies that I care about are not really black issues when he speaks.
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He cares about reparations, he cares about black businesses and black capitalism, but the average Detroit resident is trying to figure out how am I going to afford where I'm going to live.
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And so my issue is not liking a person personally.
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I don't know, Keith.
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And sometimes people can, some people think Donald Trump is funny.
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My focus in politics is are you advocating for and standing out for for issues that will materially impact black people in a positive way?
00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:19.440
And I believe Rashida Talib has, I know she has, she was a my congresswoman, and she actually had her um service office in our building.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.240
She had more people that she served than any other congressperson in Michigan.
00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:35.759
I mean, you're talking about constituent services where people are coming saying, my social security check got cut, my Medicaid got cut, I need help getting a birth uh my my passport, I need help with these things that are happening.
00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:41.359
And her constituent services system is per none the best in our state.
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.400
That is what I think matters when you're talking about voters.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:46.319
Now compare that to Shri Tanadar.
00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.920
Shri Tanadar is nowhere to be found.
00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:51.920
He's not fighting for our issues.
00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:03.599
When we had polluted air and when Silantis was coming in and building up this new plant that they built, Rashida Lee was telling us before anybody else about the environmental dangers in our community.
00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:14.480
She and Stephanie Chang, who is also not black, helped circulate a petition and got over a thousand signatures and people in our community saying, please do something to make sure our environmental health is good.
00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:18.960
Now, you know, Keith Williams wouldn't care about that, but there's many black people who do.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:23.039
And I think that's when it gets me, is because it's not a personality thing for me.
00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:25.039
It is absolutely about issues.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.559
It is about what have you done for our community, what will you do for our community?
00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:31.119
And I takes it back to you, Jay, because that's what you want to know.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:31.920
Right?
00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:32.559
Yeah.
00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:42.880
Um, honestly, I just like if if I was voting today, it was my vote would 100,000 percent go to Abdul.
00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:51.119
Because Haley, like, it feels like Haley's trying to manipulate black voters in every way possible.
00:21:51.279 --> 00:22:01.680
Like, um, like I've seen ads for Abdul, I mean ads against Abdul, where they call him a misogynist, where they call him all Different types of things.
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:15.119
I feel like she's trying to manipulate black black voters in every way that she possibly can, especially with using the first black president as as uh a a whole campaign run.
00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.160
Like I just I don't I don't know anything that she stands for.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:21.119
I just know that she wants me to vote for her.
00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:22.079
Yeah.
00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.039
So yeah.
00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:28.640
I I would I would like to know what what what ideals is she running on.
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:34.799
Like and and this and this is for um you know Democrats in period and people running for office.
00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.720
There are many people who are in office right now who I think are doing a good job.
00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:43.599
But because you are a black person who is also a Democrat does not mean that I think you are acting on our behalf.
00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.000
Yeah.
00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:44.480
Okay.
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:58.400
I am not, I I believe, and I I hate to say this because I am such a proud black person, and I really do believe black people have to be, you know, organized and willing to build our own power.
00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:06.160
But building our power does not mean that we allow somebody simply because they are black to um represent us.
00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:18.559
You know, um, it does not mean that we allow somebody who comes to our churches and who comes to our hangouts get our vote simply because they are friendly or cool with black people.
00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:26.640
I'm a hundred percent focused on what are your policies, what do you stand for, what will you do if you're elected to office.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.440
That's it.
00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.000
Yes.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:36.880
Like if you look at if you look at um Mom Dani, Mom Dani has done more in the community than I've ever seen anybody in a political office do ever.
00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:41.920
And he's only been in like what a hundred, a hundred and thirty days or something, or a hundred and ten.
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:51.359
Um if you look at if you look at um Mary Sheffield, Mary Sheffield is most of the reason that I've gotten to school on time a lot of days.
00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:56.880
She's she's a lot of the reason where I can do a lot of stuff that I I want to do because I don't have to pay to get on the bus.
00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.279
I don't have to, you know, she's she's works in the community, community actively.
00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:06.480
She I she's she's helped me out in more than more ways than she probably even knows.
00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:12.880
And she she makes sure she stays connected with young people in the community, which I feel like has been lost in politics.
00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:20.240
Like I feel like a lot of politicians have lost the fact that there are that young people are still here.
00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:24.480
You know, one of the most monumental things she did, the the bus is one of them, right?
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:24.960
Yes.
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:31.440
The other thing is ensuring that everybody who worked full-time in the city of Detroit had a living wage.
00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.519
That is crazy.
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.599
That is so beautiful.
00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:43.920
And it's the kind of thing that a mayor can do that changes circumstances for people and says everybody who works for me deserves living wage.
00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.039
You can set a standard for other people when you follow that standard.
00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:49.680
That free bus fare is beautiful.
00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:51.920
I remember, you know, I worked at the Youth Development Commission.
00:24:52.000 --> 00:25:01.440
I remember how much money you used to have to spend purchasing bus tickets for young people over the summer just to make sure they could get to and from work or a bus cart, and this is year-round, right?
00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:03.680
All night and day.
00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:15.519
Honestly, like she's she's done so much for my community, especially people my age with the summer Fridays, the Occupy the Summers, everything.
00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:24.160
There was an Occupy the Summer a few days ago where there was money donated to people, young people in business.
00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:26.799
You do you know how much that means for our community?
00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:31.759
Like we are we are being invested in in a way that I haven't seen anybody invest in us.
00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.000
Like Mary Sheffield is one of them ones.
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:39.599
I really and I feel like um the issue with voters is a lot deeper than we know.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:56.640
Like I feel like when we look at who we're going to vote for, I feel like a lot of the reason people don't want to, like a lot of the reason people don't want to vote for Abdul is because black people don't really mesh well with Arab Americans.
00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:06.319
I feel like we have been discriminated against and and and and beat down so long that we think everybody is against us.
00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:10.319
You know, I have to say that I hear that about Arab Americans, right?
00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.200
Yes.
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.359
Arab American people hate us.
00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:13.680
Yeah.
00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:22.400
And then I go to the grocery store where Arab American people work, you know, Lafayette Market, they hire these women and they make the best sweet potato pies ever.
00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:25.200
And I went there on Christmas Eve and they were like, listen, we're open on Christmas.
00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:30.400
If you need anything else, everybody in that store, from front to back, is nice.
00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:33.440
They hire black people, they are friendly to black people.
00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.440
And I have all these positive experiences with human beings.
00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:43.680
And then something happens where one Arab person does something and it becomes the entire Arab community.
00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:50.559
I feel like that's how racism works, where you blame a whole group of people for the actions of some people.
00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:51.119
Yes.
00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:55.359
And I feel like we've been marginalized so much that we started marginalizing other people.
00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.519
And people don't realize that that's not okay.
00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:02.079
Just because it happened to you doesn't mean that you can just do it to other people, and that means it's okay.
00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:04.960
That's that will never be okay, actually.
00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:17.759
Um just because you saw one person do that, but you see another person has a whole different perspective on things, has a whole different plan for things, and but you would rather vote for the woman who's using a black man.
00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:18.640
Wow.
00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:28.400
And you know, and and let me say this too, because um I am humble enough to understand I'm not perfect.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:28.799
Yes.
00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:32.000
And so I don't look for perfection in other people.
00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:35.119
Sometimes I say the wrong thing and do the wrong thing.
00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:36.720
The question is, where is my heart?
00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.039
Yes.
00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:38.400
And you can decide where it is.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:42.559
You can say, you know what, she messed up this time, and therefore her heart is in a bad place.
00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.200
I think we played this gotcha game with politics.
00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:51.039
We look for everything the man said or done, and we find this flaw, and then we decide to disqualify the whole human being.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:58.640
My issue is not even that commercial, because I could have that commercial and not be irritated if there were not all of these other things.
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:08.559
If she did not create a fake ad from his campaign and having it be Mike Rogers and send it out and say that Mike Rogers endorsed him, if she did not do some of those things.
00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:22.240
And all of this stuff about him being anti-woman to me, that is um Islamophobia in disguise because the the the bias against people who are a Muslim is that they hate women.
00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:24.720
Um a good friend of mine is Muslim.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:28.160
He ran for Congress as Muslim, Keith Ellison, and guess what?
00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.680
He was accused of hating women.
00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:29.920
Yes.
00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:34.240
And he is a very progressive person in terms of the right to choose.
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:39.839
Um, all of the issues that I wanted somebody to be aggressive, and he worships differently than I do.
00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:44.160
And again, what kind of America do we want to see?
00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:54.640
Do we want to see an America where all the other people of color get treated badly except for black people because we paid our dues and we built this country, or do we want to understand that justice exists for everybody?
00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:55.279
Yes.
00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:02.880
And I I love the way you said that because in a lot of ways you said a lot of things that I couldn't really articulate myself.
00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:07.279
Um and I really, I really appreciate your perspective on that.
00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:15.119
And when okay, I watched an interview of Abdul and they asked him how he felt about um trans rights.
00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:20.160
And as um a black lesbian woman, that that really mattered to me.
00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.160
Like that, his opinion on that really mattered to me.
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.319
So that video really caught my attention.
00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.640
And something he said really interested me.
00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:33.359
He said, when you start taking away rights from one person, you you that's you opening up the door for them to take rights from you.
00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:39.200
So I've I've he so he said that he wouldn't, he advocates for everybody.
00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:43.680
He advocates for everybody, and that's something that I haven't heard a lot of politicians say.
00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:54.640
And to know that if that was something that I decided, not that it is something I want to do, if that was something that I decided to do in my life, that I would be supported by the person who I want to be in office, you know?
00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:55.039
Yeah.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:58.079
I don't know Haley Stevens, and I don't know that she wouldn't, right?
00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:01.039
Yeah, I know Abdul, I've known him for 10 years.
00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.960
I knew when he worked in the health department.
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:10.880
My daughter worked on his campaign when he was running for governor, and he's a person I could call up and say, I need help with this, or he's been on our show before.
00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:24.400
So also, I'm not even just looking at campaign propaganda, I'm looking at knowing who seeing a person when they're running for office, seeing them when they're not running for office, and just seeing who that where their heart is, and it gives me a sense of where he is.
00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:43.680
I don't think that again, I'm not trying to advocate against a candidate, but I do think what you said is really significant, and that is you support people because of who they what they are going to do, what they say they're going to do.
00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:46.880
And I'm, you know, I have my issues and things I agree about.
00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:52.079
So um what specifically does Abdul support that you agree with?
00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:54.799
The mo the biggest thing is free health care.
00:30:55.119 --> 00:31:00.799
Um because I know how difficult it has been for me to get to a good doctor.
00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:06.000
Um I know how difficult it is for me to get to a good dentist.
00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:20.559
Um and we have insurance and stuff, but how hard it is to access good health care here um without having to pay an arm and a leg for it, uh that is something that I really, really support.
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:26.559
That is something that that like free health care is something we need, like genuinely.
00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:32.160
And I don't see enough people advocating for it, and the fact that he does really has moved me for real.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:39.359
So my son had a job and he was laid off and he got another job a couple weeks later.
00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:43.759
But when you get another job, then you have a waiting period to get your insurance.
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:50.480
Yeah, and in that waiting period, he went to the doctor and had to be had some work done.
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:59.119
And he was okay, you know, but he had to go to the doctor, and he ended up owing, you know,$13,000 for one doctor's visit.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:02.240
So now he's back at work and he has insurance.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:09.279
It's not like he's not working getting insurance, and then you have other people who are insured, and their deductible is$10,000.
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:14.640
Yes, and then what about those people who can't get insurance?
00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:16.480
Who what about those people who can't work?
00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:18.799
What about those people who are homeless?
00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:20.480
What if they have to go to the hospital?
00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:23.599
Now they're left with a$10,000 debt that they'll never be able to pay.
00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.000
Yeah.
00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:25.599
I mean, there's so many ifs.
00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:31.359
And then the other thing is that um this this was a a true situation.
00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:34.960
Um I went through a job change, right?
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:41.839
And so um I took my daughter to visit a friend, she fell down and hurt her toe.
00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:47.680
And so over the course of a few hours, her toe was hurting so badly.
00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:53.759
And I was like, within one of the few periods of my life where I did not have health insurance and I didn't know what to do.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:33:03.839
So I'm terrified because it's like your toe is hurting, and I'm driving her around and I'm buying her tape and trying to tape it up and doing everything but taking her to the doctor.
00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:08.079
Finally, I remembered okay, if you go to you know, emergency, they have to treat you.
00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:09.440
So I take her to the emergency room.
00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:10.640
This is like 20 years ago.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:14.240
Take her to the emergency room, and her toe is broken.
00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:21.200
But I delayed getting her care because I didn't think I could afford to get her health care.
00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:21.759
Yes.
00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:32.079
Um, during COVID-19, we had family members, uh, my husband had family members who had COVID and were afraid to go to the hospital because they didn't think they had health insurance.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:37.359
How many times we put off taking care of ourselves because we don't think we can get care, even when we can.
00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:43.519
You know, and so I had to say, listen, if they go to the hospital, the hospital's gonna sign them up for health insurance.
00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:45.359
Don't worry about it, you're gonna get care.
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:52.400
Um, but there's that fear we have of those big bills, you know, and so I think that's an important one.
00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:55.359
Anything else before we move on to some other things?
00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:02.400
Um, just really the way that I've seen that he really advocates for the people.
00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:06.720
Like he doesn't his campaign isn't selfish.
00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:16.159
Like, I I've seen a lot of selfish politics lately, and a lot of people only moving off their own interests, um, or a lot of people moving to be liked.
00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:23.360
Um I saw another video where Abdul was like, he said, I don't need you to like me, I need you to like you.
00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:26.159
And you know what, yeah.
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.760
You know what, yeah.
00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:30.639
So so Haley's running on some things.
00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:33.360
Let's talk about what she says she's running on.
00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:36.880
Um it says Haley Stevens is fighting back.
00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:42.159
Um, she's the only Democrat running for Senate who isn't a millionaire.
00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:42.719
Okay.
00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:46.239
She took on Trump to protect Obamacare, Medicare, and Social Security.
00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:52.000
She's ranked Michigan's most effective Democrat in the House, and we need Stevens in the Senate.
00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:54.159
Those are things on her website.
00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.719
Um, do any of those resonate with you?
00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:00.159
Uh not really.
00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:02.960
Um, can you go back over it again?
00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:03.519
Okay.
00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:07.760
Um, she's the only Democrat running for Senate who isn't a millionaire.
00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:08.320
Okay.
00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:13.599
Um she took on Trump to protect Obamacare, Medicare, and Social Security.
00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.360
She's ranked Michigan's most effective Democrat in the House.
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.480
Um, the Obamacare one.
00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:26.320
You know, no million, you don't you don't care if the candidate is a millionaire or not, if they're rich.
00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:27.599
Not really.
00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:28.400
Not really.
00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:28.880
Not really.
00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:32.079
Um, it's like we're gonna learn more about Abdul Al-Said's finances today.
00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:34.480
He says he's gonna release his personal financial disclosure.
00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:34.639
Okay.
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:37.440
The Stevens campaign has been hitting him over the head with that.
00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:37.760
Okay.
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:39.199
Saying that he's hiding something.
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:47.360
He's hiding perhaps foreign assets or a his wife owns a property um, I believe, in India.
00:35:48.239 --> 00:35:49.840
That is that really bothers me.
00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:50.960
I have to say that.
00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:52.400
Why should I care?
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:58.480
This man is a Rhodes Scholar, he's got a PhD and an MD, and his wife has an MD.
00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:00.880
And I'm mad they are almost millionaires.
00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:02.000
I don't care.
00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:13.519
And when you start asking, do they have does it do these people who are first generation citizens of the United States have ties to people in other countries, that feels like Islamophobia to me.
00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.400
I'm gonna be honest with you.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:22.000
It feels like you are implying that if you have a house in this place or you got money from these people that you must be bad.
00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:25.679
You know, it's it actually makes me angry.
00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:26.159
Yeah.
00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:28.079
That that that part makes me angry.
00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:30.960
If I'm, you know, and I don't want to get angry about that.
00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:36.320
It just does make me angry because it feels like um anyway, okay.
00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:38.320
I I just well, I'm sorry.
00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:39.519
I wanted to comment on that.
00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:42.719
I don't care how much money a politician makes.
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:48.800
You went to school for all of these years and did all of these debates and did you gonna have money.
00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:50.800
Like, I don't care how much money you make.
00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:52.400
Are you trying to do better for me or not?
00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:53.679
He's written two books.
00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:54.960
He's a public speaker.
00:36:55.199 --> 00:37:02.719
I'm just saying if you go to, if you look at how much doctors make, we shouldn't be surprised that two doctors in the household make that.
00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.639
Let's talk about these are the things that she says.
00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.760
This is what I was looking for.
00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:16.800
Um, equitable federal investment, ensure federal resources and infrastructure investments are delivered equitably to underserved Michigan communities to strengthen public services, transit and economic opportunity where it is needed most.
00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:18.159
How do you feel about that?
00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:25.360
Honestly, it sounds like the same thing that I've been hearing a lot.
00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:29.920
Like she's she's trying to win this over with Obama.
00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:30.559
I don't know.
00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:44.559
Iconomic empowerment and access, expand access to capital and training for underserved communities and advance an industrial policy that creates jobs, lowers cost, and strengthens Michigan's economic future.
00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:49.519
I love the strengthening Michigan's economical future.
00:37:49.679 --> 00:38:01.519
Um in what ways is what are there any ways that she's investing in people my age if she's invested in the economic future?
00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:02.880
We'll we'll get to that.
00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:13.280
Safer communities, advance fair and accountable policing, yes, invest in community-based violence into violence prevention, and strengthen Common Sense gun safety laws to protect families and rebuild trust.
00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.679
That's that's that's decent.
00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.559
That's decent.
00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:27.119
Family health and family stability, lower health care costs, advance health equity, protect science-based care, and defend social security, Medicare, and Medicaid so families can live with dignity, health, and security.
00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:29.440
Medicare and Medicaid are very important.
00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:30.559
I really do like that.
00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:32.960
Um Lower Medicaid, Medicare.
00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:42.639
Lower Medicare is definitely is is it would be more influencing if there wasn't another candidate advocating for free health care.
00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:47.119
Education, innovation, and STEM workforce future.
00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:58.480
Ensure Michigan leads 21st century manufacturing and innovation by investing in education, STEM and job training pipelines, policies that strengthen the supply chain, and prepare workers for the industries of the future.
00:38:58.880 --> 00:39:00.639
That is a place where I really do agree with her.
00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:03.760
I've I do feel like investing in education is very important.
00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:13.039
Um that is actually something that that is really that would be convincing to me.
00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:24.480
Um I feel like education is probably the best place to invest, especially in STEM, and making sure that we're are in the forefront of that, that is something I agree with.
00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:27.440
Water and infrastructure.
00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:37.760
Prioritize safe, clean drinking water, invest in lead pipe replacement and fight contamination like PFAS, especially in communities most affected by environmental injustice.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:38.719
Okay.
00:39:39.039 --> 00:40:01.920
On that, I would like to say, um, yes, I would like to um see that we invest in clean drinking water, but I also would like to see us also not investing in those data centers, those those those tech companies that are drinking up all of our water.
00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:05.760
Um I I would also see like to see that somewhere in her campaign too.
00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:16.400
The last one is lowering housing costs, increase housing supply, support low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, and strengthen pathways to the middle class.
00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:24.880
Lower housing causes lowering housing lower housing costs to what?
00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:27.840
Because No, it says increase housing supply.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:29.119
Increase housing supply.
00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:34.159
Support low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, and strengthen pathways to middle class.
00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:35.760
It doesn't say lower housing cost.
00:40:37.280 --> 00:40:39.599
So I'm just going through these are the agenda items.
00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.239
And then I just want to close off because this is important.
00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:50.480
The Michigan Hope Agenda is more than a policy document, it's a promise as part of my love letter to our black and brown communities in Michigan.
00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:57.039
That together we can create a Michigan that works for people and our community is not against them.
00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:59.119
That is triggering me a little bit.
00:40:59.360 --> 00:41:01.039
That's triggering me a little bit.
00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:10.639
Um just mainly because like I feel like her campaign is targeting us like a whole lot.
00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:26.960
Um without like actually I feel like her campaign target is targets us a lot, but it doesn't seem like once she actually gets into office that'll be something that will be a priority.
00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:28.719
It almost feels like pandering to you.
00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:30.719
Yes, this love letter to black and brown.
00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:32.559
You know who needs clean water?
00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:33.679
White people.
00:41:33.840 --> 00:41:34.079
Yes.
00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:36.079
You know who needs housing?
00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:36.960
White people.
00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:38.320
Everybody needs these things.
00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:44.239
Why why are you it's it you're saying this like it's our love letter to the blacks, like the whites don't need it.
00:41:44.559 --> 00:41:51.679
And when you position it like that, it almost makes it feel like, you know, us against them rather than to our Michigan community.
00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:58.960
Yes, and I feel like that's a lot of that I that was that connects with a point that I tried to bring up earlier.
00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:05.920
Um I feel like we have been forced to believe that we can't trust anybody but each other.
00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:13.920
Is it we have been forced to believe that it's either white or it's black, or black anybody who's not black is against us.
00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:31.440
Um and I also feel like that has opened a door for people who are white or who aren't black to whenever they say that they love black people, that's opened a door for black people to actually listen to them.
00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:45.679
Or when they're supported by a black person, it's opened the door for black people to listen to them instead of actually considering all of their options and wearing all of their options because one person said, Okay, I love black people, or okay, yeah, I'm I'm writing a love letter to black people.
00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:48.559
Like, and I I just feel like that's really cringy.
00:42:48.719 --> 00:42:51.039
Yeah, it's like it's it makes me feel weird.
00:42:51.360 --> 00:42:53.039
I don't I don't like that verbiage.
00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:55.920
There's a couple things I don't see here, and I'm gonna throw them out.
00:42:56.159 --> 00:42:58.400
I don't see anything here about water affordability.
00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:58.880
Yeah.
00:42:59.039 --> 00:43:00.480
And is water a human right?
00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:02.079
Yes, water is a human right.
00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:04.559
I don't see anything in here about housing affordability.
00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:05.599
I thought I thought you did.
00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:06.639
That's why I'm like, that's what I'm saying.
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:17.199
I don't see anything I hear about industry and creating industry, but I don't see anything in here about environmental protections.
00:43:17.360 --> 00:43:17.679
Yeah.
00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:26.960
One thing, um like especially with the housing, how were you wanting to increase housing availability, but not wanting to lower housing prices?
00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:35.519
I was there's um I was driving to work today and I turned, I was taking um Werner and I turned left on McClellan.
00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:40.719
And there's this new company that's gonna be building houses in that community.
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.119
Yeah.
00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:48.480
And so um I looked it up, you know, took the little thing, and you know, they have a little QR code and I used it so I could look it up.
00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:53.920
And those houses are gonna be four hundred and fifty to four hundred and sixty seventy thousand dollars.
00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:54.800
You see what I mean?
00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:59.760
And so you can build new housing without making that housing accessible to people.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:01.199
Inside of our community.
00:44:01.440 --> 00:44:02.639
I can do you one better.
00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:12.239
How about you go into those low-income neighborhoods like mine where there are abandoned houses all the way through the neighborhood and fix those up and make those affordable housing?
00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:16.239
See, that's why you and I are going to be friends because that is exactly what I think.
00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:19.280
I think you start with fixing up the housing that we have.
00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:19.760
Yes.
00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:25.519
It is always going to be cheaper to take a vacant home and rebuild that vacant home than starting from scratch.
00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:26.800
Almost always.
00:44:26.960 --> 00:44:30.800
And I can't, you can say, no, you can't do it, but we're doing it's still expensive.
00:44:30.880 --> 00:44:39.440
You still need subsidy, but you can do for$100,000,$150,000 to an existing home, what would cost$400,000,000 to do to a new home.
00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:39.840
Yes.
00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:48.559
That's that's like why why would you go and build homes that are going to be expensive when the homes that are already expensive are they not able to be bought because we're not making any money.
00:44:48.719 --> 00:44:48.960
Yeah.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:56.800
Like, and I I'm as a person who lives in a neighborhood with three at least three abandoned homes on my street.
00:44:57.119 --> 00:45:00.000
I would love to see y'all come out here and fix some of the houses.
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:01.679
Let's let's have that conversation.
00:45:01.920 --> 00:45:02.480
Um okay.
00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:04.079
Let's have that conversation.
00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:10.559
I would love to see somebody come out here and and and cut down all the weeds on the city's property.
00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:21.599
I would love to see somebody come out here and put windows in those houses that that that um people who are less fortunate sneak into and just completely trash.
00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.239
Right.
00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:33.280
You know, I would love to see y'all actually invest in our community instead of letting people who aren't going to buy up the property and put things in our neighborhood that aren't going to help our neighborhood.
00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:33.840
Yeah.
00:45:34.079 --> 00:45:38.960
So I what I'm hearing from you is that you think that we need to make your neighborhood secure.
00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:39.519
Yes.
00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:41.920
And then help restore your neighborhood.
00:45:42.079 --> 00:45:42.239
Yes.
00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:45.679
Because a lot of the neighborhoods now has how how long have you lived in that neighborhood?
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:47.039
Um, three or four years.
00:45:47.280 --> 00:45:47.840
Three or four years.
00:45:48.000 --> 00:45:48.400
Yes, ma'am.
00:45:48.559 --> 00:45:51.119
Are you familiar with the neighborhood, what it was like 10 years ago?
00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:51.920
How old are you?
00:45:52.159 --> 00:45:54.320
Um, I'm 17, but I wasn't here 10 years ago.
00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:55.599
You were seven anyway.
00:45:55.760 --> 00:45:57.039
Yeah, I wasn't I wasn't in Detroit.
00:45:57.440 --> 00:45:57.840
Where were you?
00:45:58.079 --> 00:45:58.960
I was in Nashville.
00:45:59.119 --> 00:45:59.679
Oh, okay.
00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:00.079
Yeah.
00:46:00.239 --> 00:46:01.519
So you moved to Detroit when?
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:06.880
Uh when I was in seventh grade, which was like five years ago.
00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:07.360
Five years ago.
00:46:07.440 --> 00:46:07.840
Oh wow.
00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:08.239
Yeah.
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:12.239
So let's talk about your experience in Detroit um compared to Nashville.
00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:18.719
Um in Nashville, I lived in uh a housing project.
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:24.719
Um and compared to what it is now, it was a lot better.
00:46:24.960 --> 00:46:27.920
Um but actually it's being gentrified right now.
00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:33.280
Um everything around it is gentrified, but that um it was never bad.
00:46:33.440 --> 00:46:34.639
Like I was safe.
00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:35.760
I was a safe kid.
00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:40.239
Like I was a kid who I could go outside and play with my friends.
00:46:40.480 --> 00:46:51.119
I knew at certain time I have to go in the house because I know it gets kind of, you know, after after it gets dark, it gets a little, but I knew as a kid in that neighborhood I was always safe.
00:46:51.199 --> 00:46:52.320
I was always gonna be protected.
00:46:52.559 --> 00:47:06.400
But here it's a little harder to believe that just based off the fact that um I've I've experienced a lot of bad things here.
00:47:06.559 --> 00:47:10.719
Like um on public transportation, I've seen multiple weapons.
00:47:10.800 --> 00:47:12.480
Um just recently on the bus?
00:47:12.639 --> 00:47:12.880
Yes.
00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:20.639
Um just recently a man tried to fight the bus driver, he got kicked off the bus, threw a brick through the window um of the bus.
00:47:20.719 --> 00:47:22.480
Um did the window shatter?
00:47:22.639 --> 00:47:23.280
It shattered.
00:47:23.360 --> 00:47:24.800
We had to wait for another bus.
00:47:25.039 --> 00:47:35.599
Um I the neighborhood that I live in specifically, like I've been to higher income neighborhood, um, and that that's not bad.
00:47:35.840 --> 00:47:42.079
But in the neighborhood that I live in specifically, is no there's no investment in my neighborhood.
00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:50.960
Like our school, the school that the only school that I know of in our neighborhood, they kids are allowed to do whatever they want to do.
00:47:51.039 --> 00:48:03.039
Well that's Duke Ellington, yes, yes, and I that that was a terrible experience for a school and it really shapes it really explains why the neighborhood is what it is.
00:48:03.199 --> 00:48:07.840
Um let me let me ask you a question because you lived in um public housing in Nashville.
00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:12.400
Yes, and um public housing has been largely dismantled in the United States.
00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:15.440
Do you believe that rebuilding public housing makes sense?
00:48:15.840 --> 00:48:16.159
No.
00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:17.119
Why not?
00:48:17.679 --> 00:48:27.519
Because when you tear the projects down and you build something on top of the projects, where are all the people from the projects gonna go?
00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:31.360
So I mean, so rebuilding the public housing so they have a place to go.
00:48:31.599 --> 00:48:37.599
Yeah, I'm I'm if they're all coming back, it's gonna end up in the same situation.
00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:38.159
I don't know.
00:48:38.400 --> 00:48:39.280
What situation?
00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:55.519
Um the shootings, the fighting, the the because when you're not when you're just rebuilding the buildings and not rehab rehabilitating the people, it's not gonna change anything.
00:48:56.079 --> 00:49:00.159
I do think that we need to invest more in the people, yes, and not just the physical housing.
00:49:01.039 --> 00:49:03.920
Cause if you just change the housing, like that's not gonna do anything.
00:49:04.159 --> 00:49:05.760
So that's a really interesting concept.
00:49:05.920 --> 00:49:08.079
Tell me what you would do to f rehab the people.
00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:28.400
I feel like the first place that we sh that I would start personally, if that was my I would start in trying to get people affordable counseling, um, as well as jobs, um as well as affordable transportation, which w we have here.
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:30.639
We have pretty affordable transportation.
00:49:30.880 --> 00:49:34.480
Um You know, I see a lot of challenges in families.
00:49:34.639 --> 00:49:34.800
Yeah.
00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:43.840
That's our families sometimes it's like there's so much trauma that goes on and people don't know how to get along with each other, and people carry that trauma and they take it out on each other.
00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:50.159
Do you think family therapy or some type of family interventions are necessary in order to stabilize our community?
00:49:50.800 --> 00:49:54.159
Yes, but I feel like in some cases it might make it worse.
00:49:54.320 --> 00:50:13.760
I feel like self-therapy would always I feel like that should be first, and then on a case-by-case basis, that should be like family intervention if it's needed, or if that's something that feels appropriate, then that's that's definitely something that could help improve a lot of lives.
00:50:14.880 --> 00:50:20.239
Yeah, because I see a lot of parents, especially as people become teenagers, don't get along with their teenagers anymore.
00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:27.039
And you see a lot of families just broken up because of that, and the teenagers are couch surfing somewhere because the parents don't let them stay there anymore.
00:50:27.199 --> 00:50:30.000
And I think a lot of it is unhealed trauma on all sides.
00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:32.400
Like all of these bad things have happened to all of us.
00:50:32.639 --> 00:50:37.360
How can we live together in this space and um be the people we want to be to each other?
00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:43.679
Yeah, and then I think we also have to get out of that extreme survival mindset that I feel like a lot of people are in.
00:50:43.840 --> 00:50:53.679
Like a couple days ago, I walked into my gas station, um, the gas station by my house, and I heard some people talking about um a club that they just opened or something like that.
00:50:53.840 --> 00:51:07.760
And I asked him, I said, um, why instead of like when you guys get money, why instead of investing in your community and starting something that could actually help do we open things like clubs and gambling centers and stuff like that?
00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:15.360
And he told me to keep the mindset that I have one, but he also said, Um, that's all we know.
00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:17.599
He said, So you gotta get it how you live.
00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:19.119
And I said, No, you don't.
00:51:19.280 --> 00:51:20.719
You don't have to get it that way.
00:51:20.800 --> 00:51:23.360
That's not that that's not the only option.
00:51:23.440 --> 00:51:25.440
That's just the only option that you were taught to have.
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:27.039
So let's talk about you.
00:51:27.280 --> 00:51:27.599
Yeah.
00:51:27.840 --> 00:51:28.079
Okay.
00:51:28.559 --> 00:51:30.719
Um, because we haven't spent a lot of time talking about you.
00:51:30.800 --> 00:51:31.760
You're a student where?
00:51:32.079 --> 00:51:32.960
Um, Castec.
00:51:33.280 --> 00:51:34.000
What year are you?
00:51:34.239 --> 00:51:35.039
Um a senior.
00:51:35.199 --> 00:51:38.719
And what role do you play in um Detroit public schools?
00:51:38.960 --> 00:51:46.400
Um, I'm a DPS CD influencer and um as well as a DPD intern right now.
00:51:46.960 --> 00:51:49.599
Um Detroit Public Police Department intern?
00:51:49.920 --> 00:51:50.320
Yes, ma'am.
00:51:50.480 --> 00:51:51.519
Oh, so you see a lot.
00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:52.000
Yeah.
00:51:52.079 --> 00:51:54.400
Um actually it's changed my perspective on police a lot.
00:51:54.480 --> 00:51:55.679
I used to hate the police.
00:51:55.920 --> 00:51:59.679
Um before I didn't even know that this was gonna be my job.
00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:02.000
And when I first got there, I hated it.
00:52:02.719 --> 00:52:07.440
And then I met two officers, Officer Smith and Officer Everett.
00:52:07.599 --> 00:52:13.199
Um, they completely changed my perspective on police officers, and maybe it's just because I'm in recruiting, I don't know.
00:52:13.280 --> 00:52:17.360
But those are uh I've learned that a cop doesn't equal a bad person.
00:52:17.519 --> 00:52:17.760
Yeah.
00:52:17.920 --> 00:52:23.039
I think sometimes it's the culture of policing, yeah, but not the individual officers.
00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:29.360
We had an incident in this building last year, and some officers came out and we talked, and I really liked them.
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:31.920
I was like, wow, these are great people, wonderful people, right?
00:52:32.079 --> 00:52:37.440
And so it is not the people who are in those uniforms, and a lot of times they are risking their lives, right?
00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:38.079
Yeah.
00:52:38.320 --> 00:52:42.639
Um like from the stories I've heard, they do some crazy things.
00:52:42.719 --> 00:52:46.000
Like they risk their lives every single day to make sure that we're safe.
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:52.239
And I also learned a lot about myself and that I also marginalize people sometimes.
00:52:52.320 --> 00:53:01.599
And I'm I wanna admit that I do, I did make that mistake in saying like all police officers are bad just because I've had a couple bad experiences with them.
00:53:01.679 --> 00:53:08.079
Like I've been rushally profiled before by a police officer, and I feel like I let that make me hate police.
00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:08.400
Yeah.
00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:10.159
Well, I mean, that's the human nature, right?
00:53:10.239 --> 00:53:12.480
Yeah, we have this experience with that backgroup.
00:53:12.559 --> 00:53:15.199
We already talked about happening with tariffs and other people of color, right?
00:53:15.280 --> 00:53:15.440
Yeah.
00:53:15.599 --> 00:53:18.880
So let me tell you, you want to be what when you graduate?
00:53:19.039 --> 00:53:20.480
What is your ambition?
00:53:21.039 --> 00:53:23.360
Um, I don't want to put myself in a box.
00:53:23.519 --> 00:53:26.880
Um but I do want to be a filmmaker.
00:53:27.039 --> 00:53:32.480
Um, I do want to work in creating opportunities and music and media for young people.
00:53:32.559 --> 00:53:44.000
Um, because I know a lot of times I feel like those types of dreams are are told people with those types of dreams are told to have a backup plan or that that dream might be a little too high.
00:53:44.159 --> 00:53:51.039
But uh a phrase that I really like to go by is shoot for the sun, even if you fall, you'll be amongst the stars.
00:53:51.440 --> 00:53:51.840
That's great.
00:53:51.920 --> 00:53:52.079
Yes.
00:53:52.559 --> 00:53:55.360
You know, I think not that I think you need a backup plan.
00:53:55.519 --> 00:53:55.920
Yeah.
00:53:56.079 --> 00:53:59.039
But I'm listening to you, and you how old are you?
00:53:59.199 --> 00:53:59.679
I'm 17.
00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:05.039
17, and you already have a pretty um sophisticated political philosophy, right?
00:54:05.199 --> 00:54:10.639
Yeah, like you have ideas about so many things, and you're just gonna get smarter and more knowledgeable as you go on.
00:54:11.119 --> 00:54:12.559
Would you consider politics?
00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:13.599
I actually have.
00:54:13.760 --> 00:54:14.079
Okay.
00:54:14.400 --> 00:54:20.400
Um uh as a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, I wanted to be a councilwoman.
00:54:20.559 --> 00:54:23.920
Um I and that dream didn't go away.
00:54:24.079 --> 00:54:27.360
I think my passion just kind of took my heart won my heart over.
00:54:27.440 --> 00:54:32.159
Um, because I do have a really big passion for music and filmmaking.
00:54:32.480 --> 00:54:36.639
Um what's that song um by Kendrick, I Can Have It All?
00:54:36.719 --> 00:54:37.760
Is that what it is?
00:54:39.039 --> 00:54:52.480
Maybe not all at once, but I think as you think about your future, um, you know, I just it we have people who have these ideals and they're really, you know, convicted in them, and they do other things, and then we have people running for office.
00:54:54.000 --> 00:55:08.559
And somehow I see in you a person who can actually do some stuff, get your creativity there, and at the same time do a really good job representing because you told me that you have a really compelling life story.
00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:09.280
Yes, ma'am.
00:55:09.440 --> 00:55:10.960
And that's is that what drives you?
00:55:11.280 --> 00:55:11.599
Yes.
00:55:11.840 --> 00:55:23.039
Um, honestly, everything that I went through as a child and the fact that I'm just now able to be supported in the way I need to.
00:55:23.280 --> 00:55:28.800
Um, the fact that I had to see my mom struggle for so long, I'm determined to never go back to that place.
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:29.199
Yeah.
00:55:29.360 --> 00:55:32.800
I'm I'm determined to make it off off of Corbett.
00:55:32.880 --> 00:55:42.239
I'm determined to become something bigger than what I what I am right now, and to never go back to being that person that everybody saw as nothing.
00:55:42.559 --> 00:55:44.480
I just want to tell you that you give me hope.
00:55:44.960 --> 00:55:52.800
Um, when I talk to you and I hear what you've been through, but I see who you are, how accomplished and poised you are.
00:55:53.519 --> 00:55:56.320
It just gives me hope that our future is in good hands.
00:55:56.480 --> 00:56:01.199
There's so many people who talk about young people as though somehow young people are a problem.
00:56:01.519 --> 00:56:04.800
And all of the conversations we've been having, young people, what's wrong with young people today?
00:56:05.039 --> 00:56:05.840
Come on now.
00:56:06.000 --> 00:56:08.320
Um They're not only a problem, they're the solution.
00:56:08.880 --> 00:56:10.000
Tell them they're the solution.
00:56:10.400 --> 00:56:18.800
And it's not the solution, and you have a vision and more ideals than so many people who are older than you, and that's why it's so important to have young people as leaders.
00:56:19.199 --> 00:56:19.679
Question.
00:56:19.840 --> 00:56:20.400
Yes, ma'am.
00:56:20.559 --> 00:56:23.039
Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Haley Stevens.
00:56:23.119 --> 00:56:24.400
What are your thoughts?
00:56:27.440 --> 00:56:31.039
I don't want to hear anything else about somebody endorsing Haley Stevens.
00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:33.440
I want to know what Haley Stevens is gonna do for me.
00:56:33.679 --> 00:56:34.480
I want to know.
00:56:34.800 --> 00:56:38.559
Like, I I actually and I love Big Rich.
00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:39.679
Love Big Gretch.
00:56:39.840 --> 00:56:44.559
Big Gretch is she's great, but I don't care what she has to say about Haley Stevens.
00:56:44.639 --> 00:56:48.719
I want to know what Haley Stevens has to say about what she's gonna do for youth.
00:56:49.440 --> 00:56:51.280
I've heard you say some really amazing things.
00:56:51.519 --> 00:56:53.840
You love our mayor, Mary Sheffield.
00:56:54.000 --> 00:56:54.719
Yes, I love it.
00:56:55.199 --> 00:56:56.400
You love Big Gretch.
00:56:56.480 --> 00:56:56.719
Yes.
00:56:56.880 --> 00:56:58.559
Who are the other politicians you love?
00:56:58.719 --> 00:57:03.599
I love Big Gretch, I love Mary, I love um, I love Mondani.
00:57:04.320 --> 00:57:06.000
Um, hmm.
00:57:06.239 --> 00:57:07.840
Who else do I love?
00:57:08.159 --> 00:57:08.719
Hmm.
00:57:08.960 --> 00:57:10.000
I love Dean.
00:57:10.159 --> 00:57:11.199
Do you know who Dean is?
00:57:11.760 --> 00:57:12.719
He's not really Yeah.
00:57:12.880 --> 00:57:13.360
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:57:13.519 --> 00:57:14.000
He's not really important.
00:57:14.320 --> 00:57:14.880
He's a commentator.
00:57:14.960 --> 00:57:15.199
Yeah, yeah.
00:57:15.440 --> 00:57:17.199
Dean Withers, I think it's freaking love Dean.
00:57:17.360 --> 00:57:18.159
Freaking love Dean.
00:57:18.320 --> 00:57:21.599
Um I want to ask you about President Obama.
00:57:21.840 --> 00:57:22.400
Yeah.
00:57:22.800 --> 00:57:24.800
You got any memories of that or no?
00:57:25.519 --> 00:57:30.400
I just remember not having to think about politics when Obama was in office.
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:39.280
And as a kid, that was something that like when Donald Trump got in office, I become I became extremely aware of politics all of a sudden.
00:57:39.440 --> 00:57:40.480
And I was eight.
00:57:40.800 --> 00:57:44.079
So the first eight years of my life, Obama was the president.
00:57:44.400 --> 00:57:45.280
So you were born in 08.
00:57:45.360 --> 00:57:45.599
Yes.
00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:46.159
Oh wow.
00:57:46.960 --> 00:57:49.039
The first eight years of my life, Obama was president.
00:57:49.119 --> 00:57:52.239
So I I didn't I wasn't worried about politics.
00:57:52.960 --> 00:57:54.159
You thought about politics.
00:57:54.480 --> 00:57:56.639
Because yeah, I had to at that point.
00:57:56.960 --> 00:57:59.280
I I hear from folks, it's a lot different.
00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:02.159
I was in college when Trump was elected.
00:58:02.320 --> 00:58:06.159
Um, I was a so I was a freshman or a sophomore in college.
00:58:06.480 --> 00:58:08.719
When Trump was elected, I was a sophomore that year.
00:58:08.800 --> 00:58:08.880
Yeah.
00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:12.400
And so I was almost a year and a half, two years removed from being in high school.
00:58:12.480 --> 00:58:20.079
But I remember hearing from my friends who are in a grade below me how much it affected their high school experience, Donald Trump's presidency and the campaign.
00:58:20.320 --> 00:58:24.000
And I I went to a predominantly white school in Midland.
00:58:24.800 --> 00:58:43.760
People that went to uh DPS schools around that time tell me that it was like people there were there might have been some, you know, uh, you know, some some uh I don't want to say misinformation, but um people thought that Trump was gonna come in and just kill us all.
00:58:43.920 --> 00:58:45.280
Is that kind of like the thought?
00:58:45.440 --> 00:58:50.719
Like people were like, oh wow, like America's over, it's over, like he's gonna send us back to Africa.
00:58:50.960 --> 00:58:52.400
Is that something that you heard?
00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:57.519
Um that I'm I'm smart, so I'm pretty smart.
00:58:57.599 --> 00:59:04.719
So I knew he's he's not just gonna like come murder all of us, but I also knew that he doesn't have my best interest at heart.
00:59:04.880 --> 00:59:07.760
Um and that he also will not support me.
00:59:07.920 --> 00:59:12.079
Um because like I said, I'm I'm a black woman and I'm also a lesbian.
00:59:13.440 --> 00:59:17.599
He's all nothing that he stands for is something that will benefit me.
00:59:18.000 --> 00:59:20.559
Um he's trying to take away my right to get married.
00:59:20.719 --> 00:59:23.760
If I he's trying to take away the right for me to have an abortion.
00:59:24.559 --> 00:59:31.679
There's all different types of things that I just know he's not somebody who will benefit me.
00:59:31.920 --> 00:59:40.159
And honestly, I prefer my presidents without felonies, but that might just be a me thing.
00:59:40.400 --> 00:59:40.880
You know what?
00:59:41.440 --> 00:59:44.719
And I I I want to be really careful about that too, right?
00:59:44.960 --> 00:59:57.519
Because I have friends who are returning citizens, yeah, who feel as though when we say things like that, and I know this is not how you meant it, yeah, that we um we are um saying things that further marginalize them.
00:59:57.760 --> 00:59:58.000
Yeah.
00:59:58.159 --> 01:00:00.960
But you know, Donald Trump is not a returning citizen.
01:00:01.119 --> 01:00:01.360
Yeah.
01:00:01.519 --> 01:00:04.159
He didn't pay for any of his crimes.
01:00:04.400 --> 01:00:05.280
Yeah, he didn't at all.
01:00:05.599 --> 01:00:08.079
He didn't, he there's no consequences to him.
01:00:08.239 --> 01:00:18.239
And so I think when I hear you say that, you're not saying that you would not support somebody who had done a crime, paid their done their time, and then redeemed themselves.
01:00:18.559 --> 01:00:18.719
No.
01:00:18.800 --> 01:00:32.639
Uh what I'm saying is I would prefer to have somebody who one, either one didn't do those things, or two did those things and actually did something to rehabilitate it.
01:00:32.800 --> 01:00:36.880
I like Donald Trump has done nothing but prove that he's just gonna do it again.
01:00:37.119 --> 01:00:37.360
Right.
01:00:37.599 --> 01:00:39.360
So, you know, currently corrupt.
01:00:39.440 --> 01:00:39.679
Yes.
01:00:39.920 --> 01:00:42.159
And if he had a chance to do it again, he would again.
01:00:42.239 --> 01:00:42.880
That's that's the fear.
01:00:43.199 --> 01:00:44.000
He'd jump at it, yes.
01:00:44.159 --> 01:00:44.320
Right.
01:00:44.559 --> 01:00:44.880
Yes.
01:00:44.960 --> 01:00:50.159
So um, I just wanted to draw that because I do have friends and they hear that um a different kind of way.
01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:50.639
Yes.
01:00:50.800 --> 01:00:56.960
Oh, I just I don't have anything like I like I don't have anything against felons.
01:00:57.199 --> 01:01:05.440
Um my stepdad is actually um a felon, and I'll he's one of the most innovative and wise men I know.
01:01:05.599 --> 01:01:09.119
And if I could vote for him, I would, to be quite honest with you.
01:01:10.079 --> 01:01:22.880
I want to ask you an interesting question that I always think all the three people, well, one, two, three, four people uh that are doing this podcast, Michael and Griffin are are behind camera, um, and of course Donna.
01:01:23.599 --> 01:01:25.119
What generation are you a part of?
01:01:25.840 --> 01:01:26.079
Me?
01:01:26.320 --> 01:01:26.480
Yeah.
01:01:26.639 --> 01:01:27.599
Are you Gen X?
01:01:28.559 --> 01:01:31.599
I I say I'm Gen X, but I'm actually the tail end of boomers.
01:01:31.679 --> 01:01:32.719
You're a boomer, okay.
01:01:32.960 --> 01:01:38.480
And so all of us are technically, according to Google, a part of Gen Z.
01:01:38.880 --> 01:01:40.559
Jay, you were born in 2008.
01:01:40.800 --> 01:01:41.360
Yes.
01:01:42.239 --> 01:01:46.000
Are you got friends that are like, you know, 14, 15 right now?
01:01:46.079 --> 01:01:48.480
What's the difference between Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
01:01:48.639 --> 01:01:54.639
Because 2010, Gen Z ends, and it's now a new generation called Gen Alpha.
01:01:54.960 --> 01:01:56.079
Are you familiar with Gen Alpha?
01:01:56.400 --> 01:01:56.880
I am, I am.
01:01:57.039 --> 01:01:58.559
What's the difference between them?
01:01:59.199 --> 01:02:04.480
I feel like um in like the closer age gaps, it's a little harder to tell.
01:02:05.119 --> 01:02:10.480
But in those ones that are just like a little farther, they're really bratty.
01:02:10.880 --> 01:02:12.320
They're really, really bratty.
01:02:12.639 --> 01:02:14.880
Maybe that's just that they're like seven, eight, nine-year-olds.
01:02:15.360 --> 01:02:18.159
No, it's just like it's like they're a different type.
01:02:18.320 --> 01:02:21.760
Because I was a very polite and well-mannered kid.
01:02:21.920 --> 01:02:25.360
They're just really like they, but I don't say that as it's a bad thing.
01:02:25.519 --> 01:02:29.280
They I love that they have their own opinions and they have really strong minds.
01:02:29.360 --> 01:02:31.199
Like that is actually something I really admire.
01:02:31.679 --> 01:02:35.920
There, there are people also who really grew up in the wake of a pandemic.
01:02:36.079 --> 01:02:36.400
Yes.
01:02:36.880 --> 01:02:41.280
So that that impact on them has to be different than what your childhood was like.
01:02:41.679 --> 01:02:44.960
Although you you how old were you when when the pandemic hit?
01:02:45.039 --> 01:02:51.199
I think I was in like fifth grade, I thought it was like to go through that as a child, not realizing.
01:02:51.360 --> 01:02:55.679
I think the first thing is not realizing how different Donald Trump's presidency was.
01:02:55.760 --> 01:02:56.000
Yeah.
01:02:56.159 --> 01:03:15.519
Um, I think kids younger than me, by maybe four, five, six, seven, eight years, yeah, they don't have a full grasp on how Trump completely upended the Republican Party and how it was so shocking to watch, not just as a as a um person, perhaps you know, like Donna on the left or yourself, but to the conservative Republicans.
01:03:15.599 --> 01:03:21.199
I mean, conservatives in in Midland, uh Bay City Saginaw that I knew who were like, oh my god, what is this guy doing?
01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:22.880
This is NBC Celebrity Apprentice.
01:03:22.960 --> 01:03:24.480
What are we doing, Republican Party?
01:03:24.800 --> 01:03:32.000
It was such an episode, and then you had the pandemic years later that was so weird.
01:03:32.159 --> 01:03:35.360
Like, I never thought that that something like that could ever happen.
01:03:35.440 --> 01:03:37.519
It wasn't on anyone's bingo card, right?
01:03:37.679 --> 01:03:40.400
That's probably because it probably shouldn't have happened.
01:03:40.559 --> 01:03:44.719
Like, um there, I feel like there was better ways that that could have been dealt with.
01:03:45.199 --> 01:03:47.840
And it didn't have to be a pandemic.
01:03:48.079 --> 01:03:48.400
Sure.
01:03:48.559 --> 01:03:50.480
But that might be just an opinion.
01:03:50.880 --> 01:03:53.599
You know, we're we're in the midst of a semi-epidemic right now, right?
01:03:53.760 --> 01:03:54.639
In the state of Michigan.
01:03:54.719 --> 01:03:55.599
What how do you pronounce that?
01:03:55.760 --> 01:03:57.840
I don't know, but it's like lettuce for the biggest thing.
01:03:58.079 --> 01:03:59.920
We don't know if it we don't know if it's lettuce.
01:04:00.000 --> 01:04:02.559
There's people who have not eaten lettuce, there's people who have.
01:04:02.800 --> 01:04:14.559
The FDA is investigating, but you think this man laid off all of these people who are in the in the the scientific investigators who can actually help us figure out what's going on.
01:04:14.800 --> 01:04:15.440
That's one thing.
01:04:15.760 --> 01:04:16.079
Oh.
01:04:16.480 --> 01:04:22.960
And all of these storms, the our our power going out because nobody wants to investigate global warming.
01:04:23.039 --> 01:04:32.400
Oh my oh, it's just it's just everything like I really want a president who cares about our environment and our food and and our care and us.
01:04:32.480 --> 01:04:45.840
I I want you know, even when I think about, you know, speaking of care, yeah, all of the health workers who are being deported, oh, in senior homes are like we don't have enough staff to really take care of people.
01:04:46.079 --> 01:04:52.400
The kind of short-term crisis that we're in right now is really scary to me because yeah.
01:04:52.800 --> 01:05:03.039
And then not only that, is the fact that we are acting like we don't have time to deal with internal issues, but we're fighting other people's wars.
01:05:03.920 --> 01:05:23.280
That's that's something that's very interesting to me because we don't have money f to have emp to employ scientists, to employ people for who can help climate control, but we have money to send money to other countries to help fight a war that they're already winning.
01:05:24.239 --> 01:05:26.559
We got a lot of money going around in the United States.
01:05:27.039 --> 01:05:30.480
That criticism is something that I've been hearing on the campaign trail.
01:05:30.719 --> 01:05:32.559
It is debate night.
01:05:32.719 --> 01:05:38.800
We are recording on Monday, July 27th, uh, after this episode is published.
01:05:38.960 --> 01:05:44.480
You guys will have already seen the US Senate Democratic primary debate between U.S.
01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:49.360
Representative Haley Stevens of Birmingham and Abdul Al Sayed of Ann Arbor.
01:05:49.519 --> 01:05:52.880
Abdul, of course, is the former Detroit and Wynne County Health Director.
01:05:53.039 --> 01:05:55.280
Um I gotta go to the um debate.
01:05:55.360 --> 01:06:02.559
It's at Fox Two in Southfield, and so I'm gonna go home and and take a shower and um Um go to Southfield.
01:06:02.960 --> 01:06:08.800
My phone has been absolutely buzzing, and I I'm yeah, it's been a whirlwind for me.
01:06:08.880 --> 01:06:09.519
I can't lie, y'all.
01:06:09.599 --> 01:06:15.440
I of course, as you guys see, I'm at the heart of this national discourse over what black voters are going to do.
01:06:15.760 --> 01:06:21.280
Uh, we appreciate uh all of you guys reading my work uh at Michigan Chronicle and on Twitter.
01:06:21.679 --> 01:06:23.920
Can I just say how proud I am of you, Sam?
01:06:24.719 --> 01:06:25.519
I really am.
01:06:25.679 --> 01:06:41.519
I think that you are um just doing an amazing job being in the street, talking to people, um, finding out about things, and you're not, you know, really what you're doing is listening, talking, and representing Detroit in a way I have not seen us represent it.
01:06:41.599 --> 01:06:42.159
So I'm really proud.
01:06:42.480 --> 01:06:43.280
Well, thank you very much.
01:06:43.360 --> 01:06:43.599
Yeah.
01:06:43.840 --> 01:06:46.559
Jay, I want to thank you for joining us.
01:06:46.719 --> 01:06:53.840
Um, when I saw your name on our thing, I was like, yes, you followed through because I could be telling people like, come on, like join the show.
01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:58.559
Like I really wanted a young perspective um about this Senate primary.
01:06:58.719 --> 01:07:03.840
When I met her, it just felt like you were already that was like, you're 17 years old, what?
01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:05.199
17 going on.
01:07:05.360 --> 01:07:05.679
What?
01:07:06.000 --> 01:07:06.480
Right.
01:07:06.719 --> 01:07:09.760
And so we want to thank you for our discussion.
01:07:09.840 --> 01:07:13.039
We close out every show by doing shout-outs.
01:07:13.199 --> 01:07:19.599
If you have anybody that you think you want to shout out, maybe something, maybe one person, maybe several people.
01:07:19.679 --> 01:07:21.440
Um, don't mean to put you on the spot.
01:07:21.599 --> 01:07:22.639
I can start with Donna.
01:07:23.440 --> 01:07:26.880
Oh, shout out Philip Johnson, my um baby, my son.
01:07:27.199 --> 01:07:35.920
He came to Detroit um and he was in the film festival for um LGBT, Detroit's um Hotter Than July Film Festival.
01:07:36.079 --> 01:07:39.840
Um he has a series that is now on here TV.
01:07:40.079 --> 01:07:44.079
And he showed the fourth um episode of the series.
01:07:44.159 --> 01:07:48.639
So there's been two have been released, one next week and one the week after.
01:07:48.719 --> 01:07:54.239
But this one, he was not only writing, acting, um directing, but he was actually acting in it.
01:07:54.880 --> 01:07:57.599
And he was so fantastic.
01:07:57.760 --> 01:08:07.599
I was so proud of him for everything he's done to make his dreams come true and just represent his community so well and all the sacrifice of time and everything he made.
01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:09.519
Um, Mama could not be more proud.
01:08:09.920 --> 01:08:10.239
Yeah.
01:08:10.719 --> 01:08:13.440
Um I like to shout out a few people.
01:08:13.599 --> 01:08:18.239
Um, the first person I would love to shout out is Aaron Walters.
01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:20.720
Um that was the first man who ever believed in me.
01:08:20.880 --> 01:08:25.039
Um I just hope he knows how much I appreciate him, how much he changed my life.
01:08:25.359 --> 01:08:34.079
Um another man who I want to shout out is Hugh Johnson, uh, who is helping me um host a few events called Stacklands Open Mic Nights.
01:08:34.319 --> 01:08:45.680
Um he's really been a driving force in me being able to make this possible um and create a lot of opportunities for kids who want to work in music or media and production.
01:08:46.079 --> 01:08:51.279
And I I just I'm grateful for the opportunity and I really want to say thank you so much.
01:08:51.760 --> 01:08:56.640
I want to shout out um some people that I worked with in Kalamazoo.
01:08:56.800 --> 01:08:58.399
You guys don't know these people's names.
01:08:58.560 --> 01:09:05.359
Maybe I've talked about Mickey Shekilo before, but Brendan Bufa was the editor at the Western Herald when I first started.
01:09:05.600 --> 01:09:06.960
I was covering sports.
01:09:07.119 --> 01:09:10.079
Um, I hadn't even thought of doing news or political coverage.
01:09:10.319 --> 01:09:13.760
When I was at MLive, Kalamazoo Gazette Mark Tower was my main editor.
01:09:13.840 --> 01:09:18.640
Mickey Shekilo is the regional manager of MLive that gave me my first shot.
01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:20.079
Mark Tower left journalism.
01:09:20.159 --> 01:09:24.000
Mickey Shekhailo is um now at Crane's.
01:09:24.239 --> 01:09:29.119
And I also want to give another, just another shout out to Malachi Barrett.
01:09:29.359 --> 01:09:33.439
Um, he is sort of the reason why I'm going so hard right now.
01:09:34.000 --> 01:09:39.359
Um, I would say that I would try to compete with Malachi, but I never really did.
01:09:39.680 --> 01:09:47.840
He was much better than me and was always just there and was willing to um give more of his time.
01:09:48.000 --> 01:09:50.720
Um he sacrificed his self for the public.
01:09:50.960 --> 01:09:53.119
And that's I'm finally now, I think.
01:09:53.199 --> 01:09:54.479
I'm 29 years old.
01:09:54.640 --> 01:10:03.920
I think I'm finally feeling how he felt um just sort of giving your life up for public consumption of information.
01:10:06.000 --> 01:10:08.159
Connect protect Sam Robinson, y'all.
01:10:08.720 --> 01:10:09.600
Thank you so much.
01:10:10.479 --> 01:10:11.359
I want to, yeah, go ahead.
01:10:11.520 --> 01:10:12.319
But let me just say this.
01:10:12.479 --> 01:10:14.319
Yeah, Jay, you have to come back.
01:10:14.479 --> 01:10:14.720
Yeah.
01:10:15.119 --> 01:10:18.239
I really want to have your thoughts after the election.
01:10:18.399 --> 01:10:18.640
Okay.
01:10:18.800 --> 01:10:21.439
Um, so we can get your thoughts on what does this mean.
01:10:21.600 --> 01:10:23.760
And of course, we want to partner with you on some things.
01:10:23.920 --> 01:10:27.680
You're an e-sider and a real um credit to this community.
01:10:27.760 --> 01:10:28.640
So let's stay connected.
01:10:28.880 --> 01:10:29.840
Okay, we will, for sure.
01:10:29.920 --> 01:10:31.359
I'll definitely stay in town tech.
01:10:32.000 --> 01:10:32.399
Awesome.
01:10:32.479 --> 01:10:33.439
Thank you so much, Jay.
01:10:33.600 --> 01:10:39.760
If you guys listening, I also want to thank all you guys listening and watching and reading, please keep it locked.
01:10:39.920 --> 01:10:46.800
We are gonna have more um from voters all across Metro Detroit on this U.S.
01:10:46.960 --> 01:10:47.760
Senate race.
01:10:47.840 --> 01:10:50.399
Um, the next episode, what is it?
01:10:50.479 --> 01:10:51.279
Is that gonna be the Monday?
01:10:51.439 --> 01:11:01.119
Yeah, that's gonna be August 3rd, and so that'll come as you guys are as the polls are closing, as you guys are hitting the polls on Tuesday, August 4th.
01:11:01.279 --> 01:11:03.760
We want to thank you so much for listening to Authentically Detroit.
01:11:03.840 --> 01:11:11.920
Please hit us up on our socials at Authentically Detroit on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or you can visit our website, authentically-detroit.com.
01:11:12.159 --> 01:11:13.760
We want to thank you so much for listening.
01:11:13.840 --> 01:11:23.119
And one last time, if you missed the candidate forum, of course, Haley and Abdul are not going to be the only people on your Democratic primary ballot.
01:11:23.199 --> 01:11:30.000
Uh, you guys have legislative races that are sort of microcosms of the greater dynamics playing out um nationally and statewide.
01:11:30.159 --> 01:11:34.479
So if you missed the candidate forum that ECN held, please check it out.
01:11:34.640 --> 01:11:38.800
The full replay is on Authentically Detroit YouTube channel under live videos.
01:11:38.960 --> 01:11:39.840
Thank you guys so much.
01:11:40.079 --> 01:11:42.319
Almost 1,000 views so far.
01:11:42.560 --> 01:11:42.960
Let's go.
01:11:43.039 --> 01:11:44.800
Let's pass the 1k mark, guys.
01:11:45.279 --> 01:11:45.920
Thank you so much.
01:11:46.319 --> 01:11:46.560
Thank you.
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:10.240
Up next, Authentically Detroit welcomes Jay Smith, an official influencer for Detroit Public Schools Community District, to discuss a youth perspective on politics ahead of the 2026 Michigan primary election.
00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:18.320
And of course, what we're reading from the Michigan Chronicle, we're going to talk about how Wayne County voters will shape the Democratic Party's future.
00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:22.079
And in the race for U.S.
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Senate, what the entire country's been talking about, Governor Whitmer is getting in the mix.
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She endorsed Haley Stevens uh last week.
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We're going to talk about that and what it means for the race.
00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:34.000
Keep it locked.
00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:36.479
Authentically Detroit starts after these messages.
00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:52.640
Interested in renting space for corporate events, meetings, conferences, social events, or resource fairs, the Stodermeier Wellness Hub and Mac Market are available for rental by members, residents, businesses, and organizations.
00:00:53.439 --> 00:01:03.439
We offer rentals for activities such as corporate events, social events, meetings, conferences, art classes, fitness classes, and more.
00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:12.400
To learn more about our rentals and reserve space, visit ecnetroit.org slash space rental.
00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:40.319
Welcome to another episode of Authentically Detroit.
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.840
We're broadcasting live from the Stademeyer inside of the East Side Community Network.
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I'm Sam Robinson.
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And I'm Donna Givens-Davidson.
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We want to thank you so much for listening in and supporting our efforts to build a platform of authentic voices for real people here in the city of Detroit.
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We want you to like, rate, and subscribe to our podcast on all platforms.
00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:06.319
Today, we have Jay Smith here to discuss politics from the perspective of someone that you probably haven't been hearing much of.
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Young people.
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And if you missed our candidate forum, please check it out.
00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:17.520
The full replay is up on Authentically Detroit's YouTube channel under live videos.
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Now we are here in studio with Jay Smith.
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Jay, we met at the African World Festival two weeks ago, maybe a couple weeks, maybe three weeks now.
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Um but at that African World Fest, I talked to a number of um older, wiser, uh more experienced uh folks who uh tell me that they're voting for uh a candidate based on the ads that they see on TV.
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Now you told me that you're not actually able to vote yet, is that right?
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Yes, sir.
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Yes, sir.
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And so if you were able to vote, uh you would not be voting for the candidate that you saw on the TV ads.
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You said that you may have seen some of those ads, some of those mailers as well, talking about Haley Stevens and Barack Obama.
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It's been incredibly effective for Stevens.
00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:13.840
Of course, Obama uh worked with Haley Stevens on his auto rescue back in uh his presidency.
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And she's using that fact, he's she's using his endorsement of her in 2018 and 20.
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That was in general elections against Republicans, uh, to campaign uh in 2026 against Abdul Al-Sayed.
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You mentioned to me that uh his politics are exciting to you.
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Yes, yes, yes, yes.
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One thing that's really concerned me about Haley Stevens is the fact that I haven't seen anything about her that is that doesn't have Obama's face on it.
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Um I the one thing that I would look for in a candidate is what they are going to do for the people.
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What are they what are you gonna do for us?
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And Abdul has done he's stated over and over what his plan is, and he's been very consistent in that.
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And when he's been asked questions to bait him into being let off his track, he's always returned back to what he what he's for, which is the people.
00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:01.280
Right.
00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:10.800
You know, I I do want to say that um there is a perspective that older voters are all for um Haley Stevens because of the Obama commercial.
00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:12.719
There's certainly many people who are not.
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Yes.
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Um, and many people on my Facebook page.
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In fact, I'd have to say that 90% at least of the people who are commenting on politics, um, black people my age or thereabouts um are actually for Abdul El-Sayed.
00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:30.879
He got the support from the um the black um slate.
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He's gotten support from a lot of different places.
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I think there's a mix, but I think that among younger voters, there's less of a mix.
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Yes.
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Is that safe to say that among younger voters there is, and I know that there's some polls that have said that 67% of older black voters are are supporting him, and maybe I just don't know black people because that's not what I'm actually seeing and hearing in my circles.
00:04:54.079 --> 00:05:06.560
Um I feel like that might also have a lot to do with the people that you surround yourself with because you don't seem like the type of woman to surround yourself with, people who aren't um well-versed and educated in what they do.
00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:23.519
Um but I know a lot of people who have seen both candidates, and because they see her with Obama and they don't know who Abdul Saeed is and they don't really want to do the research, they just go off of what they've seen.
00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:31.680
Um they're gonna vote for the lady who has Obama behind her, and I don't think that's really I don't think who I'm blaming is the people who are voting.
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:39.600
I think what I'm more upset about is the fact that she's trying to use him as her whole campaign.
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And that's not well, that's not something I'm looking for in a candidate, to be honest.
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I I agree with that, and I I I'm not disagreeing with you.
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I'm saying that I think that, you know, and I I posted this on Facebook, I think it was yesterday, that there's no such thing as the black vote.
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There's um black people vote, and we have differences of opinion, and it all comes from our own perspectives.
00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:09.519
Those people who are really invested in a lot of issues, and for me, I'm really an issues-driven person around justice, they really do care what a candidate says.
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Yes.
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Um, there's other people who care but are not as invested, and it's easier for them to be persuaded, and I think that's what I'm hearing from you all.
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And then there are some people who actually agree because the other thing is that there's a split in the Democratic Party right now around um Gaza.
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There are some people who say, listen, Israel has the right to defend itself.
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Um, Jewish people have always been our allies, and we have to stick with them.
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And I hear that from some people.
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Or other people, well, this is a complicated issue, it's not a local issue, and we need to just focus on Michigan.
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Are you hearing that, Sam?
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Those things?
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Yeah, I mean, I'm man, I've over the last couple weeks I've heard literally everything.
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And um, you know, one of the one of the big things that I hear uh to Jay's point is uh she mentioned um people didn't know who Abdul Al-Sayed was.
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Uh he's of course the former Detroit and Wayne County Health Director.
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Um when he was, I'm just not sure that he was visible enough for people just sort of watching the news every night, or maybe they have a subscription to the free press or the news, but they're not really paying attention to the you know what's happening inside the Wayne County Juvenile Justice Center.
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He did run for governor in 2018.
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And so people remember him for his run for governor.
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A lot of the people that I hear that support him, even just like at the Apple store, I just talked to a guy named Logan Page.
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Uh, he told me that you know a lot of uh folks that were around in his 18 gubernatorial bid are back.
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And I I do think that gubernatorial bid sort of perfectly set up um his ability to have a statewide base.
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You know, he has supporters in Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Saginaw, Traverse City, all over the state.
00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:08.399
Um, of course, Haley Stevens um has been in Congress since Abdul has been a political candidate.
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She was first elected in 2018.
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And um I hear a lot of folks saying that they're gonna go with what they know.
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I hear some folks saying that you know they've seen Haley in their communities, and um she's she's certainly in the last stretch of this race been targeting black voters.
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Both Abdul El Sayyed and Haley Stevens are really prioritizing black voters in this last few days of the race.
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I don't think that people have really seen her in the Detroit community outside of political, um political elites, you know.
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She hasn't been shocked.
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I talked to a guy named Dev Devon James uh at Northwestern High School Alumni's Soulfest.
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Uh he told me that, you know, he he has seen Haley Stevens at community events.
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He's got a lot of people.
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What I mean is prior to this run for Senate, I don't think that she has been that visible in this community.
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I don't.
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Um I believe that Barack Obama is the thing that people connect her with, and that's what got her over the edge.
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Um because I did not know anything about Haley Stevens, and I'm out, you know, sometimes anyway, and I read a lot about people.
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Um so I think that she was invited into a lot of spaces, and she has done a good job um campaigning in a lot of spaces, especially spaces where she expects those type people.
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She was in a couple of churches um yesterday.
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She goes to lots and lots of churches, and so people do see her there.
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And I think too, I I will just say this in as somebody that has observed her in these spaces.
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Before she was running for Congress as a just a uh member of Congress from 21 to now, I've been covering the legislature and Michigan's congressional delegation.
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When she's in uh our spaces, maybe not your spaces, Donna, but when she's around black people like at Fixins or at a church or at um Greater Grace with uh Wendell Anthony, with Jim Clyburn, you know, she's very comfortable and it's it's a real um you know, she she she it's a reciprocal relationship that she has with a lot of those folks.
00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:15.919
She does have that.
00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:20.559
But when she ran the first time, she was running in Birmingham and Rochester Hills, she was not running in Detroit.
00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:27.440
Yes, and I think it's safe to say that that 11th Congressional District is not one that really um she had to turn out Detroiters.
00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:32.720
Yeah, she in fact the parts of Oakland County that she was representing were majority white um parts.
00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.399
Now, she's a good politician, I suppose, and she knows she's comfortable with people.
00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:40.720
She worked on Obama's auto rescue thing.
00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.720
And so she does have those skill sets.
00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:46.080
I'm not looking at her political skills.
00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:47.679
I go with what Jay says.
00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:51.360
I just don't know what she's planning to do that will solve the problems.
00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:54.480
What I hear is what she's not going to do.
00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:55.840
I'm not going to stand up.
00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:59.200
I'm going, you know, she doesn't support ICE, she says.
00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:08.320
She's going to fight um, you know, Trump and she says she's going to do those things, but I don't have a sense of where her justice platform is.
00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:19.039
Um, Abdul is also a person who is Arab American in a city where there is tension, long-standing tension between Arab and Black voters.
00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:34.960
And I think it's also help helpful to point out that some people who don't know him but do know his name is Abdul El-Sayed, will not trust him on the basis of his identity because of long-standing feelings that those people did not support us.
00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:49.919
And then you also have a layer of people who are still upset about 2024 and who believe that the Arab community in the Metro Detroit area um helped get Trump elected because they didn't um stand up and they didn't fight for um Kamala Harris.
00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:53.279
Now, he did endorse Harris, but people say he didn't all the time.
00:11:53.840 --> 00:12:09.120
You know, so I think there's a number of factors that give her some level of credibility in our community, but I don't think it's true that she has been exceptionally visible until the Senate run inside of our community.
00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:14.080
I think it's wonderful that you say that actually, and you brought up a wonderful point that I was gonna bring up.
00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:32.159
Um, and black communities, um, sometimes Arab with there's tensions with Arab Americans, and I have actually heard that um amongst people that like, hey, I'm not gonna vote for him because that's that I just that's just from my personal experience, that's not the type of person who I want in office.
00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:57.519
And not saying this is my opinion, but I s it is an opinion that I've heard, and I feel like at one point, at one point do we start voting for what we actually want to see happen, because we keep voting for people who who are not doing what we want them to do, but then when a person comes to you and says, Hey, I want you to have free health care, you you don't want to vote for him because he's because he's an Arab American.
00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:00.879
But that's wrong if somebody says, I don't want to vote for a black person.
00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:01.360
Exactly.
00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.279
Because I don't trust those people.
00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:21.440
And it's interesting that in the United States, in a nation where white people, enslaved black people, in a nation where you have whole memes about Karens calling the police on people, somehow there's more trust in a white woman than in an Arab man.
00:13:21.519 --> 00:13:23.519
And that to me is how white supremacy works.
00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:30.159
Somehow they are made innocent unless proven guilty, but other people of color are guilty unless proven innocent.
00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:43.200
And that is to me how internalized racism works, where we are more willing to help hold other people of color accountable than even the white people who we know have been oppressive in um in recent history.
00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:49.919
And now, I mean, the majority of white people in the United States, men and women, I believe, voted for um Trump.
00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:56.879
So if we're going on those majorities, why would we angrier at the Arab community than at the white community?
00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:04.879
Well, I'll tell you why, is because they think that uh the Arab Michigan's Arab community, Muslim community, played a role in Kamala Harris's defeat to Donald Trump.
00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:07.120
They don't think that that the white community did.
00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:16.399
Well, uh they also will blame Hispanic males who voted 46 percent for the we don't know how how they voted.
00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:20.480
There's a type of we we don't know how Hispanic males voted.
00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:27.840
The other thing is these statistics are thrown out, and when a person gets deported, we say, well, they shouldn't have voted for Donald Trump.
00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:33.759
Most people, the vast majority of people who are immigrants at risk of deportation, can't vote.
00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:34.159
Exactly.
00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:42.559
I think that the reality is that we hold other people of color accountable at a higher level than we hold white people accountable.
00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:42.960
Yeah.
00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:57.519
There's a certain segment of Democrats in Detroit who are so quick to say things that I think progressive leftists or members of other minority groups would call racist or xenophobic.
00:14:57.759 --> 00:15:09.360
Of course, the video that I took with the Farmington school board member Angie Smith, you know, she's been criticized for saying that, you know, don't come in here speaking Arabic, don't come out playing your Arabic music.
00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.000
Abdul Al Sayyed, of course, has never done that.
00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:18.240
I think she may have been referencing Amir Maklid, the uh Michigan, University of Michigan regent who defeated Jordan Acker.
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:27.360
Uh El Sayed has not come out to any Arabic music, but of course, that prompted the Haley Stevens campaign to condemn those comments.
00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:34.559
Angie Smith is a school board member who uh the Stevens campaign has actually propped up.
00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:42.960
Uh I think they put a photo of her uh on their Instagram uh as an endorsement, as a notable um endorsement.
00:15:43.279 --> 00:16:02.000
And so talking to folks at that event, you know, it Angie Smith is not the only person that will weigh it into that conversation about how Arab Muslims um or people like Abdul Al-Sayed who supported Uncommitted, despite the fact that they endorsed and voted for Kamala Harris, they feel like uncommitted uh in February.
00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.039
That was, of course, the protest against President Joe Biden.
00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.679
They feel like that had to do with uh Kamala Harris's loss.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.879
We we we blame everybody but Kamala Harris for losing.
00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:15.279
You saw Jim Clyburn blame black voters yesterday.
00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:18.720
Yeah, well, Jim Clyburn is the one who brought us um Joe Biden.
00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.360
He's played such a significant role.
00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:24.639
First of all, Jim Um Clyburn needs to stay out of Detroit politics.
00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:29.039
When he says he doesn't see black people at these rallies, it's none of his business.
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.159
I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, but who are you to tell black people?
00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:37.120
And that really upsets me for him to um be positioned as a spokesperson for black people.
00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:44.000
He certainly has his right to his opinion, but when he starts talking about what black people don't like and want and whatever, it's it's annoying to me.
00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.960
Um I wonder how many black people know who Jim Clyburn is.
00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:49.440
And I and I say that not in disrespect at all.
00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:55.039
I really're so out of touch with just American political culture.
00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:58.000
Not everybody knows who these characters are, these longstanding abuse.
00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.480
Keep in mind this other thing.
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:12.720
For so long, black people had to fight our way into political representation.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:14.799
We didn't have it, we couldn't vote.
00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:18.400
When we got when we voted, people discriminated against us.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:23.039
And I think there's a lot of people feeling like we just got our own representation.
00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:27.839
And now you have these other people of color who don't even like us coming in.
00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:36.640
And it's almost like, you know, this internecine warfare where I've heard people say things like the browning of the black vote is a problem.
00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:44.960
This feeling that other people of color should not be able to represent, be represented at the national level because they cannot be trusted with our issues.
00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.559
Yeah, and they point to Shri Tanadar and of course Rashida Talib.
00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:51.039
And and they compare them and say they're the same person.
00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:52.559
Well, they're of course not.
00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.559
They are diametrically opposed.
00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.000
They are both non-black congressional delegates that represent Detroit.
00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:07.279
There's an interesting thing that a person that you know you don't like, but he's been so funny on Facebook lately, Keith Williams, um, he told me that Detroit does not have a Jim Clyburn.
00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:09.839
And I thought that was a really compelling thing to say.
00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:19.920
Of course, John Conyers, um, people like uh Kwame Kilpatrick's mom, people like um Griggs.
00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:21.759
What was his first name?
00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:28.160
Um I'm not from Detroit, and so I don't have the Diggs, you mean Diggs, yes, Charles Diggs, excuse me.
00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:28.559
Jeez.
00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:36.240
But keep in mind Black political power is not something at the root of Shri Tanadar or Rashida Talib's politics.
00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:37.200
And so that's the right.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:46.400
Rashida Talib, Rashida Talib is a Palestinian woman who was born and raised in Detroit and grew up among black people.
00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:56.559
About 20 to 25 percent of the electorate of black people, black eligible black voters in Detroit participate in the voting franchise.
00:18:56.799 --> 00:19:00.160
30% in some years, 40% in a whole lot of years.
00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:09.039
So I think there is this pretense that the black political establishment is representative of black people all over the city when a lot of people are just completely pulled out of politics.
00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:14.079
Rashida Taleb is extremely popular among people who actually vote in her district.
00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.599
When she was voting in the 13th Congressional District, she was popular here.
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:20.960
She's now in the 12th congressional district and she's popular there.
00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:28.240
And so I guess my issue with a person like Keith Williams, it's not personal to him, but my positioning is he wants to be Jim Kleiber.
00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:30.799
And he's not because he doesn't have that kind of sway.
00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:37.599
But people like him will think, will dismiss issues like environmental justice issues as not really black issues.
00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:43.519
And most of the progressive policies that I care about are not really black issues when he speaks.
00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:53.599
He cares about reparations, he cares about black businesses and black capitalism, but the average Detroit resident is trying to figure out how am I going to afford where I'm going to live.
00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:56.480
And so my issue is not liking a person personally.
00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:57.359
I don't know, Keith.
00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:00.240
And sometimes people can, some people think Donald Trump is funny.
00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:10.319
My focus in politics is are you advocating for and standing out for for issues that will materially impact black people in a positive way?
00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:19.440
And I believe Rashida Talib has, I know she has, she was a my congresswoman, and she actually had her um service office in our building.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.240
She had more people that she served than any other congressperson in Michigan.
00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:35.759
I mean, you're talking about constituent services where people are coming saying, my social security check got cut, my Medicaid got cut, I need help getting a birth uh my my passport, I need help with these things that are happening.
00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:41.359
And her constituent services system is per none the best in our state.
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.400
That is what I think matters when you're talking about voters.
00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:46.319
Now compare that to Shri Tanadar.
00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.920
Shri Tanadar is nowhere to be found.
00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:51.920
He's not fighting for our issues.
00:20:52.079 --> 00:21:03.599
When we had polluted air and when Silantis was coming in and building up this new plant that they built, Rashida Lee was telling us before anybody else about the environmental dangers in our community.
00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:14.480
She and Stephanie Chang, who is also not black, helped circulate a petition and got over a thousand signatures and people in our community saying, please do something to make sure our environmental health is good.
00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:18.960
Now, you know, Keith Williams wouldn't care about that, but there's many black people who do.
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:23.039
And I think that's when it gets me, is because it's not a personality thing for me.
00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:25.039
It is absolutely about issues.
00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.559
It is about what have you done for our community, what will you do for our community?
00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:31.119
And I takes it back to you, Jay, because that's what you want to know.
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:31.920
Right?
00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:32.559
Yeah.
00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:42.880
Um, honestly, I just like if if I was voting today, it was my vote would 100,000 percent go to Abdul.
00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:51.119
Because Haley, like, it feels like Haley's trying to manipulate black voters in every way possible.
00:21:51.279 --> 00:22:01.680
Like, um, like I've seen ads for Abdul, I mean ads against Abdul, where they call him a misogynist, where they call him all Different types of things.
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:15.119
I feel like she's trying to manipulate black black voters in every way that she possibly can, especially with using the first black president as as uh a a whole campaign run.
00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:18.160
Like I just I don't I don't know anything that she stands for.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:21.119
I just know that she wants me to vote for her.
00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:22.079
Yeah.
00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:23.039
So yeah.
00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:28.640
I I would I would like to know what what what ideals is she running on.
00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:34.799
Like and and this and this is for um you know Democrats in period and people running for office.
00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.720
There are many people who are in office right now who I think are doing a good job.
00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:43.599
But because you are a black person who is also a Democrat does not mean that I think you are acting on our behalf.
00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.000
Yeah.
00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:44.480
Okay.
00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:58.400
I am not, I I believe, and I I hate to say this because I am such a proud black person, and I really do believe black people have to be, you know, organized and willing to build our own power.
00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:06.160
But building our power does not mean that we allow somebody simply because they are black to um represent us.
00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:18.559
You know, um, it does not mean that we allow somebody who comes to our churches and who comes to our hangouts get our vote simply because they are friendly or cool with black people.
00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:26.640
I'm a hundred percent focused on what are your policies, what do you stand for, what will you do if you're elected to office.
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:27.440
That's it.
00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.000
Yes.
00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:36.880
Like if you look at if you look at um Mom Dani, Mom Dani has done more in the community than I've ever seen anybody in a political office do ever.
00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:41.920
And he's only been in like what a hundred, a hundred and thirty days or something, or a hundred and ten.
00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:51.359
Um if you look at if you look at um Mary Sheffield, Mary Sheffield is most of the reason that I've gotten to school on time a lot of days.
00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:56.880
She's she's a lot of the reason where I can do a lot of stuff that I I want to do because I don't have to pay to get on the bus.
00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:01.279
I don't have to, you know, she's she's works in the community, community actively.
00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:06.480
She I she's she's helped me out in more than more ways than she probably even knows.
00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:12.880
And she she makes sure she stays connected with young people in the community, which I feel like has been lost in politics.
00:24:13.039 --> 00:24:20.240
Like I feel like a lot of politicians have lost the fact that there are that young people are still here.
00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:24.480
You know, one of the most monumental things she did, the the bus is one of them, right?
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:24.960
Yes.
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:31.440
The other thing is ensuring that everybody who worked full-time in the city of Detroit had a living wage.
00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.519
That is crazy.
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.599
That is so beautiful.
00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:43.920
And it's the kind of thing that a mayor can do that changes circumstances for people and says everybody who works for me deserves living wage.
00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:47.039
You can set a standard for other people when you follow that standard.
00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:49.680
That free bus fare is beautiful.
00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:51.920
I remember, you know, I worked at the Youth Development Commission.
00:24:52.000 --> 00:25:01.440
I remember how much money you used to have to spend purchasing bus tickets for young people over the summer just to make sure they could get to and from work or a bus cart, and this is year-round, right?
00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:03.680
All night and day.
00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:15.519
Honestly, like she's she's done so much for my community, especially people my age with the summer Fridays, the Occupy the Summers, everything.
00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:24.160
There was an Occupy the Summer a few days ago where there was money donated to people, young people in business.
00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:26.799
You do you know how much that means for our community?
00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:31.759
Like we are we are being invested in in a way that I haven't seen anybody invest in us.
00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:34.000
Like Mary Sheffield is one of them ones.
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:39.599
I really and I feel like um the issue with voters is a lot deeper than we know.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:56.640
Like I feel like when we look at who we're going to vote for, I feel like a lot of the reason people don't want to, like a lot of the reason people don't want to vote for Abdul is because black people don't really mesh well with Arab Americans.
00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:06.319
I feel like we have been discriminated against and and and and beat down so long that we think everybody is against us.
00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:10.319
You know, I have to say that I hear that about Arab Americans, right?
00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.200
Yes.
00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.359
Arab American people hate us.
00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:13.680
Yeah.
00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:22.400
And then I go to the grocery store where Arab American people work, you know, Lafayette Market, they hire these women and they make the best sweet potato pies ever.
00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:25.200
And I went there on Christmas Eve and they were like, listen, we're open on Christmas.
00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:30.400
If you need anything else, everybody in that store, from front to back, is nice.
00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:33.440
They hire black people, they are friendly to black people.
00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.440
And I have all these positive experiences with human beings.
00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:43.680
And then something happens where one Arab person does something and it becomes the entire Arab community.
00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:50.559
I feel like that's how racism works, where you blame a whole group of people for the actions of some people.
00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:51.119
Yes.
00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:55.359
And I feel like we've been marginalized so much that we started marginalizing other people.
00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:57.519
And people don't realize that that's not okay.
00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:02.079
Just because it happened to you doesn't mean that you can just do it to other people, and that means it's okay.
00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:04.960
That's that will never be okay, actually.
00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:17.759
Um just because you saw one person do that, but you see another person has a whole different perspective on things, has a whole different plan for things, and but you would rather vote for the woman who's using a black man.
00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:18.640
Wow.
00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:28.400
And you know, and and let me say this too, because um I am humble enough to understand I'm not perfect.
00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:28.799
Yes.
00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:32.000
And so I don't look for perfection in other people.
00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:35.119
Sometimes I say the wrong thing and do the wrong thing.
00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:36.720
The question is, where is my heart?
00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:37.039
Yes.
00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:38.400
And you can decide where it is.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:42.559
You can say, you know what, she messed up this time, and therefore her heart is in a bad place.
00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.200
I think we played this gotcha game with politics.
00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:51.039
We look for everything the man said or done, and we find this flaw, and then we decide to disqualify the whole human being.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:58.640
My issue is not even that commercial, because I could have that commercial and not be irritated if there were not all of these other things.
00:27:58.799 --> 00:28:08.559
If she did not create a fake ad from his campaign and having it be Mike Rogers and send it out and say that Mike Rogers endorsed him, if she did not do some of those things.
00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:22.240
And all of this stuff about him being anti-woman to me, that is um Islamophobia in disguise because the the the bias against people who are a Muslim is that they hate women.
00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:24.720
Um a good friend of mine is Muslim.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:28.160
He ran for Congress as Muslim, Keith Ellison, and guess what?
00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:29.680
He was accused of hating women.
00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:29.920
Yes.
00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:34.240
And he is a very progressive person in terms of the right to choose.
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:39.839
Um, all of the issues that I wanted somebody to be aggressive, and he worships differently than I do.
00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:44.160
And again, what kind of America do we want to see?
00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:54.640
Do we want to see an America where all the other people of color get treated badly except for black people because we paid our dues and we built this country, or do we want to understand that justice exists for everybody?
00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:55.279
Yes.
00:28:55.440 --> 00:29:02.880
And I I love the way you said that because in a lot of ways you said a lot of things that I couldn't really articulate myself.
00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:07.279
Um and I really, I really appreciate your perspective on that.
00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:15.119
And when okay, I watched an interview of Abdul and they asked him how he felt about um trans rights.
00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:20.160
And as um a black lesbian woman, that that really mattered to me.
00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.160
Like that, his opinion on that really mattered to me.
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:24.319
So that video really caught my attention.
00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:26.640
And something he said really interested me.
00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:33.359
He said, when you start taking away rights from one person, you you that's you opening up the door for them to take rights from you.
00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:39.200
So I've I've he so he said that he wouldn't, he advocates for everybody.
00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:43.680
He advocates for everybody, and that's something that I haven't heard a lot of politicians say.
00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:54.640
And to know that if that was something that I decided, not that it is something I want to do, if that was something that I decided to do in my life, that I would be supported by the person who I want to be in office, you know?
00:29:54.880 --> 00:29:55.039
Yeah.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:58.079
I don't know Haley Stevens, and I don't know that she wouldn't, right?
00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:01.039
Yeah, I know Abdul, I've known him for 10 years.
00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.960
I knew when he worked in the health department.
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:10.880
My daughter worked on his campaign when he was running for governor, and he's a person I could call up and say, I need help with this, or he's been on our show before.
00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:24.400
So also, I'm not even just looking at campaign propaganda, I'm looking at knowing who seeing a person when they're running for office, seeing them when they're not running for office, and just seeing who that where their heart is, and it gives me a sense of where he is.
00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:43.680
I don't think that again, I'm not trying to advocate against a candidate, but I do think what you said is really significant, and that is you support people because of who they what they are going to do, what they say they're going to do.
00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:46.880
And I'm, you know, I have my issues and things I agree about.
00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:52.079
So um what specifically does Abdul support that you agree with?
00:30:52.480 --> 00:30:54.799
The mo the biggest thing is free health care.
00:30:55.119 --> 00:31:00.799
Um because I know how difficult it has been for me to get to a good doctor.
00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:06.000
Um I know how difficult it is for me to get to a good dentist.
00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:20.559
Um and we have insurance and stuff, but how hard it is to access good health care here um without having to pay an arm and a leg for it, uh that is something that I really, really support.
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:26.559
That is something that that like free health care is something we need, like genuinely.
00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:32.160
And I don't see enough people advocating for it, and the fact that he does really has moved me for real.
00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:39.359
So my son had a job and he was laid off and he got another job a couple weeks later.
00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:43.759
But when you get another job, then you have a waiting period to get your insurance.
00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:50.480
Yeah, and in that waiting period, he went to the doctor and had to be had some work done.
00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:59.119
And he was okay, you know, but he had to go to the doctor, and he ended up owing, you know,$13,000 for one doctor's visit.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:02.240
So now he's back at work and he has insurance.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:09.279
It's not like he's not working getting insurance, and then you have other people who are insured, and their deductible is$10,000.
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:14.640
Yes, and then what about those people who can't get insurance?
00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:16.480
Who what about those people who can't work?
00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:18.799
What about those people who are homeless?
00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:20.480
What if they have to go to the hospital?
00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:23.599
Now they're left with a$10,000 debt that they'll never be able to pay.
00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.000
Yeah.
00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:25.599
I mean, there's so many ifs.
00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:31.359
And then the other thing is that um this this was a a true situation.
00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:34.960
Um I went through a job change, right?
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:41.839
And so um I took my daughter to visit a friend, she fell down and hurt her toe.
00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:47.680
And so over the course of a few hours, her toe was hurting so badly.
00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:53.759
And I was like, within one of the few periods of my life where I did not have health insurance and I didn't know what to do.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:33:03.839
So I'm terrified because it's like your toe is hurting, and I'm driving her around and I'm buying her tape and trying to tape it up and doing everything but taking her to the doctor.
00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:08.079
Finally, I remembered okay, if you go to you know, emergency, they have to treat you.
00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:09.440
So I take her to the emergency room.
00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:10.640
This is like 20 years ago.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:14.240
Take her to the emergency room, and her toe is broken.
00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:21.200
But I delayed getting her care because I didn't think I could afford to get her health care.
00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:21.759
Yes.
00:33:22.000 --> 00:33:32.079
Um, during COVID-19, we had family members, uh, my husband had family members who had COVID and were afraid to go to the hospital because they didn't think they had health insurance.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:37.359
How many times we put off taking care of ourselves because we don't think we can get care, even when we can.
00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:43.519
You know, and so I had to say, listen, if they go to the hospital, the hospital's gonna sign them up for health insurance.
00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:45.359
Don't worry about it, you're gonna get care.
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:52.400
Um, but there's that fear we have of those big bills, you know, and so I think that's an important one.
00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:55.359
Anything else before we move on to some other things?
00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:02.400
Um, just really the way that I've seen that he really advocates for the people.
00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:06.720
Like he doesn't his campaign isn't selfish.
00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:16.159
Like, I I've seen a lot of selfish politics lately, and a lot of people only moving off their own interests, um, or a lot of people moving to be liked.
00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:23.360
Um I saw another video where Abdul was like, he said, I don't need you to like me, I need you to like you.
00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:26.159
And you know what, yeah.
00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.760
You know what, yeah.
00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:30.639
So so Haley's running on some things.
00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:33.360
Let's talk about what she says she's running on.
00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:36.880
Um it says Haley Stevens is fighting back.
00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:42.159
Um, she's the only Democrat running for Senate who isn't a millionaire.
00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:42.719
Okay.
00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:46.239
She took on Trump to protect Obamacare, Medicare, and Social Security.
00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:52.000
She's ranked Michigan's most effective Democrat in the House, and we need Stevens in the Senate.
00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:54.159
Those are things on her website.
00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.719
Um, do any of those resonate with you?
00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:00.159
Uh not really.
00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:02.960
Um, can you go back over it again?
00:35:03.280 --> 00:35:03.519
Okay.
00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:07.760
Um, she's the only Democrat running for Senate who isn't a millionaire.
00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:08.320
Okay.
00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:13.599
Um she took on Trump to protect Obamacare, Medicare, and Social Security.
00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.360
She's ranked Michigan's most effective Democrat in the House.
00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.480
Um, the Obamacare one.
00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:26.320
You know, no million, you don't you don't care if the candidate is a millionaire or not, if they're rich.
00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:27.599
Not really.
00:35:28.079 --> 00:35:28.400
Not really.
00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:28.880
Not really.
00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:32.079
Um, it's like we're gonna learn more about Abdul Al-Said's finances today.
00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:34.480
He says he's gonna release his personal financial disclosure.
00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:34.639
Okay.
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:37.440
The Stevens campaign has been hitting him over the head with that.
00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:37.760
Okay.
00:35:38.000 --> 00:35:39.199
Saying that he's hiding something.
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:47.360
He's hiding perhaps foreign assets or a his wife owns a property um, I believe, in India.
00:35:48.239 --> 00:35:49.840
That is that really bothers me.
00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:50.960
I have to say that.
00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:52.400
Why should I care?
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:58.480
This man is a Rhodes Scholar, he's got a PhD and an MD, and his wife has an MD.
00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:00.880
And I'm mad they are almost millionaires.
00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:02.000
I don't care.
00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:13.519
And when you start asking, do they have does it do these people who are first generation citizens of the United States have ties to people in other countries, that feels like Islamophobia to me.
00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.400
I'm gonna be honest with you.
00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:22.000
It feels like you are implying that if you have a house in this place or you got money from these people that you must be bad.
00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:25.679
You know, it's it actually makes me angry.
00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:26.159
Yeah.
00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:28.079
That that that part makes me angry.
00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:30.960
If I'm, you know, and I don't want to get angry about that.
00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:36.320
It just does make me angry because it feels like um anyway, okay.
00:36:36.639 --> 00:36:38.320
I I just well, I'm sorry.
00:36:38.400 --> 00:36:39.519
I wanted to comment on that.
00:36:39.679 --> 00:36:42.719
I don't care how much money a politician makes.
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:48.800
You went to school for all of these years and did all of these debates and did you gonna have money.
00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:50.800
Like, I don't care how much money you make.
00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:52.400
Are you trying to do better for me or not?
00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:53.679
He's written two books.
00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:54.960
He's a public speaker.
00:36:55.199 --> 00:37:02.719
I'm just saying if you go to, if you look at how much doctors make, we shouldn't be surprised that two doctors in the household make that.
00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.639
Let's talk about these are the things that she says.
00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.760
This is what I was looking for.
00:37:06.159 --> 00:37:16.800
Um, equitable federal investment, ensure federal resources and infrastructure investments are delivered equitably to underserved Michigan communities to strengthen public services, transit and economic opportunity where it is needed most.
00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:18.159
How do you feel about that?
00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:25.360
Honestly, it sounds like the same thing that I've been hearing a lot.
00:37:25.519 --> 00:37:29.920
Like she's she's trying to win this over with Obama.
00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:30.559
I don't know.
00:37:30.639 --> 00:37:44.559
Iconomic empowerment and access, expand access to capital and training for underserved communities and advance an industrial policy that creates jobs, lowers cost, and strengthens Michigan's economic future.
00:37:44.960 --> 00:37:49.519
I love the strengthening Michigan's economical future.
00:37:49.679 --> 00:38:01.519
Um in what ways is what are there any ways that she's investing in people my age if she's invested in the economic future?
00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:02.880
We'll we'll get to that.
00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:13.280
Safer communities, advance fair and accountable policing, yes, invest in community-based violence into violence prevention, and strengthen Common Sense gun safety laws to protect families and rebuild trust.
00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.679
That's that's that's decent.
00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.559
That's decent.
00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:27.119
Family health and family stability, lower health care costs, advance health equity, protect science-based care, and defend social security, Medicare, and Medicaid so families can live with dignity, health, and security.
00:38:27.519 --> 00:38:29.440
Medicare and Medicaid are very important.
00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:30.559
I really do like that.
00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:32.960
Um Lower Medicaid, Medicare.
00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:42.639
Lower Medicare is definitely is is it would be more influencing if there wasn't another candidate advocating for free health care.
00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:47.119
Education, innovation, and STEM workforce future.
00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:58.480
Ensure Michigan leads 21st century manufacturing and innovation by investing in education, STEM and job training pipelines, policies that strengthen the supply chain, and prepare workers for the industries of the future.
00:38:58.880 --> 00:39:00.639
That is a place where I really do agree with her.
00:39:00.719 --> 00:39:03.760
I've I do feel like investing in education is very important.
00:39:04.159 --> 00:39:13.039
Um that is actually something that that is really that would be convincing to me.
00:39:13.199 --> 00:39:24.480
Um I feel like education is probably the best place to invest, especially in STEM, and making sure that we're are in the forefront of that, that is something I agree with.
00:39:25.760 --> 00:39:27.440
Water and infrastructure.
00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:37.760
Prioritize safe, clean drinking water, invest in lead pipe replacement and fight contamination like PFAS, especially in communities most affected by environmental injustice.
00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:38.719
Okay.
00:39:39.039 --> 00:40:01.920
On that, I would like to say, um, yes, I would like to um see that we invest in clean drinking water, but I also would like to see us also not investing in those data centers, those those those tech companies that are drinking up all of our water.
00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:05.760
Um I I would also see like to see that somewhere in her campaign too.
00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:16.400
The last one is lowering housing costs, increase housing supply, support low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, and strengthen pathways to the middle class.
00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:24.880
Lower housing causes lowering housing lower housing costs to what?
00:40:25.039 --> 00:40:27.840
Because No, it says increase housing supply.
00:40:28.079 --> 00:40:29.119
Increase housing supply.
00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:34.159
Support low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities, and strengthen pathways to middle class.
00:40:34.239 --> 00:40:35.760
It doesn't say lower housing cost.
00:40:37.280 --> 00:40:39.599
So I'm just going through these are the agenda items.
00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.239
And then I just want to close off because this is important.
00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:50.480
The Michigan Hope Agenda is more than a policy document, it's a promise as part of my love letter to our black and brown communities in Michigan.
00:40:51.199 --> 00:40:57.039
That together we can create a Michigan that works for people and our community is not against them.
00:40:57.360 --> 00:40:59.119
That is triggering me a little bit.
00:40:59.360 --> 00:41:01.039
That's triggering me a little bit.
00:41:01.280 --> 00:41:10.639
Um just mainly because like I feel like her campaign is targeting us like a whole lot.
00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:26.960
Um without like actually I feel like her campaign target is targets us a lot, but it doesn't seem like once she actually gets into office that'll be something that will be a priority.
00:41:27.280 --> 00:41:28.719
It almost feels like pandering to you.
00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:30.719
Yes, this love letter to black and brown.
00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:32.559
You know who needs clean water?
00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:33.679
White people.
00:41:33.840 --> 00:41:34.079
Yes.
00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:36.079
You know who needs housing?
00:41:36.320 --> 00:41:36.960
White people.
00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:38.320
Everybody needs these things.
00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:44.239
Why why are you it's it you're saying this like it's our love letter to the blacks, like the whites don't need it.
00:41:44.559 --> 00:41:51.679
And when you position it like that, it almost makes it feel like, you know, us against them rather than to our Michigan community.
00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:58.960
Yes, and I feel like that's a lot of that I that was that connects with a point that I tried to bring up earlier.
00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:05.920
Um I feel like we have been forced to believe that we can't trust anybody but each other.
00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:13.920
Is it we have been forced to believe that it's either white or it's black, or black anybody who's not black is against us.
00:42:14.159 --> 00:42:31.440
Um and I also feel like that has opened a door for people who are white or who aren't black to whenever they say that they love black people, that's opened a door for black people to actually listen to them.
00:42:31.519 --> 00:42:45.679
Or when they're supported by a black person, it's opened the door for black people to listen to them instead of actually considering all of their options and wearing all of their options because one person said, Okay, I love black people, or okay, yeah, I'm I'm writing a love letter to black people.
00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:48.559
Like, and I I just feel like that's really cringy.
00:42:48.719 --> 00:42:51.039
Yeah, it's like it's it makes me feel weird.
00:42:51.360 --> 00:42:53.039
I don't I don't like that verbiage.
00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:55.920
There's a couple things I don't see here, and I'm gonna throw them out.
00:42:56.159 --> 00:42:58.400
I don't see anything here about water affordability.
00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:58.880
Yeah.
00:42:59.039 --> 00:43:00.480
And is water a human right?
00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:02.079
Yes, water is a human right.
00:43:02.320 --> 00:43:04.559
I don't see anything in here about housing affordability.
00:43:04.800 --> 00:43:05.599
I thought I thought you did.
00:43:05.679 --> 00:43:06.639
That's why I'm like, that's what I'm saying.
00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:17.199
I don't see anything I hear about industry and creating industry, but I don't see anything in here about environmental protections.
00:43:17.360 --> 00:43:17.679
Yeah.
00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:26.960
One thing, um like especially with the housing, how were you wanting to increase housing availability, but not wanting to lower housing prices?
00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:35.519
I was there's um I was driving to work today and I turned, I was taking um Werner and I turned left on McClellan.
00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:40.719
And there's this new company that's gonna be building houses in that community.
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:41.119
Yeah.
00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:48.480
And so um I looked it up, you know, took the little thing, and you know, they have a little QR code and I used it so I could look it up.
00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:53.920
And those houses are gonna be four hundred and fifty to four hundred and sixty seventy thousand dollars.
00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:54.800
You see what I mean?
00:43:55.039 --> 00:43:59.760
And so you can build new housing without making that housing accessible to people.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:01.199
Inside of our community.
00:44:01.440 --> 00:44:02.639
I can do you one better.
00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:12.239
How about you go into those low-income neighborhoods like mine where there are abandoned houses all the way through the neighborhood and fix those up and make those affordable housing?
00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:16.239
See, that's why you and I are going to be friends because that is exactly what I think.
00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:19.280
I think you start with fixing up the housing that we have.
00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:19.760
Yes.
00:44:19.920 --> 00:44:25.519
It is always going to be cheaper to take a vacant home and rebuild that vacant home than starting from scratch.
00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:26.800
Almost always.
00:44:26.960 --> 00:44:30.800
And I can't, you can say, no, you can't do it, but we're doing it's still expensive.
00:44:30.880 --> 00:44:39.440
You still need subsidy, but you can do for$100,000,$150,000 to an existing home, what would cost$400,000,000 to do to a new home.
00:44:39.599 --> 00:44:39.840
Yes.
00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:48.559
That's that's like why why would you go and build homes that are going to be expensive when the homes that are already expensive are they not able to be bought because we're not making any money.
00:44:48.719 --> 00:44:48.960
Yeah.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:56.800
Like, and I I'm as a person who lives in a neighborhood with three at least three abandoned homes on my street.
00:44:57.119 --> 00:45:00.000
I would love to see y'all come out here and fix some of the houses.
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:01.679
Let's let's have that conversation.
00:45:01.920 --> 00:45:02.480
Um okay.
00:45:02.639 --> 00:45:04.079
Let's have that conversation.
00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:10.559
I would love to see somebody come out here and and and cut down all the weeds on the city's property.
00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:21.599
I would love to see somebody come out here and put windows in those houses that that that um people who are less fortunate sneak into and just completely trash.
00:45:21.840 --> 00:45:22.239
Right.
00:45:22.480 --> 00:45:33.280
You know, I would love to see y'all actually invest in our community instead of letting people who aren't going to buy up the property and put things in our neighborhood that aren't going to help our neighborhood.
00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:33.840
Yeah.
00:45:34.079 --> 00:45:38.960
So I what I'm hearing from you is that you think that we need to make your neighborhood secure.
00:45:39.199 --> 00:45:39.519
Yes.
00:45:39.679 --> 00:45:41.920
And then help restore your neighborhood.
00:45:42.079 --> 00:45:42.239
Yes.
00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:45.679
Because a lot of the neighborhoods now has how how long have you lived in that neighborhood?
00:45:45.920 --> 00:45:47.039
Um, three or four years.
00:45:47.280 --> 00:45:47.840
Three or four years.
00:45:48.000 --> 00:45:48.400
Yes, ma'am.
00:45:48.559 --> 00:45:51.119
Are you familiar with the neighborhood, what it was like 10 years ago?
00:45:51.199 --> 00:45:51.920
How old are you?
00:45:52.159 --> 00:45:54.320
Um, I'm 17, but I wasn't here 10 years ago.
00:45:54.800 --> 00:45:55.599
You were seven anyway.
00:45:55.760 --> 00:45:57.039
Yeah, I wasn't I wasn't in Detroit.
00:45:57.440 --> 00:45:57.840
Where were you?
00:45:58.079 --> 00:45:58.960
I was in Nashville.
00:45:59.119 --> 00:45:59.679
Oh, okay.
00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:00.079
Yeah.
00:46:00.239 --> 00:46:01.519
So you moved to Detroit when?
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:06.880
Uh when I was in seventh grade, which was like five years ago.
00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:07.360
Five years ago.
00:46:07.440 --> 00:46:07.840
Oh wow.
00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:08.239
Yeah.
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:12.239
So let's talk about your experience in Detroit um compared to Nashville.
00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:18.719
Um in Nashville, I lived in uh a housing project.
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:24.719
Um and compared to what it is now, it was a lot better.
00:46:24.960 --> 00:46:27.920
Um but actually it's being gentrified right now.
00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:33.280
Um everything around it is gentrified, but that um it was never bad.
00:46:33.440 --> 00:46:34.639
Like I was safe.
00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:35.760
I was a safe kid.
00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:40.239
Like I was a kid who I could go outside and play with my friends.
00:46:40.480 --> 00:46:51.119
I knew at certain time I have to go in the house because I know it gets kind of, you know, after after it gets dark, it gets a little, but I knew as a kid in that neighborhood I was always safe.
00:46:51.199 --> 00:46:52.320
I was always gonna be protected.
00:46:52.559 --> 00:47:06.400
But here it's a little harder to believe that just based off the fact that um I've I've experienced a lot of bad things here.
00:47:06.559 --> 00:47:10.719
Like um on public transportation, I've seen multiple weapons.
00:47:10.800 --> 00:47:12.480
Um just recently on the bus?
00:47:12.639 --> 00:47:12.880
Yes.
00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:20.639
Um just recently a man tried to fight the bus driver, he got kicked off the bus, threw a brick through the window um of the bus.
00:47:20.719 --> 00:47:22.480
Um did the window shatter?
00:47:22.639 --> 00:47:23.280
It shattered.
00:47:23.360 --> 00:47:24.800
We had to wait for another bus.
00:47:25.039 --> 00:47:35.599
Um I the neighborhood that I live in specifically, like I've been to higher income neighborhood, um, and that that's not bad.
00:47:35.840 --> 00:47:42.079
But in the neighborhood that I live in specifically, is no there's no investment in my neighborhood.
00:47:42.239 --> 00:47:50.960
Like our school, the school that the only school that I know of in our neighborhood, they kids are allowed to do whatever they want to do.
00:47:51.039 --> 00:48:03.039
Well that's Duke Ellington, yes, yes, and I that that was a terrible experience for a school and it really shapes it really explains why the neighborhood is what it is.
00:48:03.199 --> 00:48:07.840
Um let me let me ask you a question because you lived in um public housing in Nashville.
00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:12.400
Yes, and um public housing has been largely dismantled in the United States.
00:48:12.559 --> 00:48:15.440
Do you believe that rebuilding public housing makes sense?
00:48:15.840 --> 00:48:16.159
No.
00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:17.119
Why not?
00:48:17.679 --> 00:48:27.519
Because when you tear the projects down and you build something on top of the projects, where are all the people from the projects gonna go?
00:48:28.000 --> 00:48:31.360
So I mean, so rebuilding the public housing so they have a place to go.
00:48:31.599 --> 00:48:37.599
Yeah, I'm I'm if they're all coming back, it's gonna end up in the same situation.
00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:38.159
I don't know.
00:48:38.400 --> 00:48:39.280
What situation?
00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:55.519
Um the shootings, the fighting, the the because when you're not when you're just rebuilding the buildings and not rehab rehabilitating the people, it's not gonna change anything.
00:48:56.079 --> 00:49:00.159
I do think that we need to invest more in the people, yes, and not just the physical housing.
00:49:01.039 --> 00:49:03.920
Cause if you just change the housing, like that's not gonna do anything.
00:49:04.159 --> 00:49:05.760
So that's a really interesting concept.
00:49:05.920 --> 00:49:08.079
Tell me what you would do to f rehab the people.
00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:28.400
I feel like the first place that we sh that I would start personally, if that was my I would start in trying to get people affordable counseling, um, as well as jobs, um as well as affordable transportation, which w we have here.
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:30.639
We have pretty affordable transportation.
00:49:30.880 --> 00:49:34.480
Um You know, I see a lot of challenges in families.
00:49:34.639 --> 00:49:34.800
Yeah.
00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:43.840
That's our families sometimes it's like there's so much trauma that goes on and people don't know how to get along with each other, and people carry that trauma and they take it out on each other.
00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:50.159
Do you think family therapy or some type of family interventions are necessary in order to stabilize our community?
00:49:50.800 --> 00:49:54.159
Yes, but I feel like in some cases it might make it worse.
00:49:54.320 --> 00:50:13.760
I feel like self-therapy would always I feel like that should be first, and then on a case-by-case basis, that should be like family intervention if it's needed, or if that's something that feels appropriate, then that's that's definitely something that could help improve a lot of lives.
00:50:14.880 --> 00:50:20.239
Yeah, because I see a lot of parents, especially as people become teenagers, don't get along with their teenagers anymore.
00:50:20.480 --> 00:50:27.039
And you see a lot of families just broken up because of that, and the teenagers are couch surfing somewhere because the parents don't let them stay there anymore.
00:50:27.199 --> 00:50:30.000
And I think a lot of it is unhealed trauma on all sides.
00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:32.400
Like all of these bad things have happened to all of us.
00:50:32.639 --> 00:50:37.360
How can we live together in this space and um be the people we want to be to each other?
00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:43.679
Yeah, and then I think we also have to get out of that extreme survival mindset that I feel like a lot of people are in.
00:50:43.840 --> 00:50:53.679
Like a couple days ago, I walked into my gas station, um, the gas station by my house, and I heard some people talking about um a club that they just opened or something like that.
00:50:53.840 --> 00:51:07.760
And I asked him, I said, um, why instead of like when you guys get money, why instead of investing in your community and starting something that could actually help do we open things like clubs and gambling centers and stuff like that?
00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:15.360
And he told me to keep the mindset that I have one, but he also said, Um, that's all we know.
00:51:15.519 --> 00:51:17.599
He said, So you gotta get it how you live.
00:51:17.760 --> 00:51:19.119
And I said, No, you don't.
00:51:19.280 --> 00:51:20.719
You don't have to get it that way.
00:51:20.800 --> 00:51:23.360
That's not that that's not the only option.
00:51:23.440 --> 00:51:25.440
That's just the only option that you were taught to have.
00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:27.039
So let's talk about you.
00:51:27.280 --> 00:51:27.599
Yeah.
00:51:27.840 --> 00:51:28.079
Okay.
00:51:28.559 --> 00:51:30.719
Um, because we haven't spent a lot of time talking about you.
00:51:30.800 --> 00:51:31.760
You're a student where?
00:51:32.079 --> 00:51:32.960
Um, Castec.
00:51:33.280 --> 00:51:34.000
What year are you?
00:51:34.239 --> 00:51:35.039
Um a senior.
00:51:35.199 --> 00:51:38.719
And what role do you play in um Detroit public schools?
00:51:38.960 --> 00:51:46.400
Um, I'm a DPS CD influencer and um as well as a DPD intern right now.
00:51:46.960 --> 00:51:49.599
Um Detroit Public Police Department intern?
00:51:49.920 --> 00:51:50.320
Yes, ma'am.
00:51:50.480 --> 00:51:51.519
Oh, so you see a lot.
00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:52.000
Yeah.
00:51:52.079 --> 00:51:54.400
Um actually it's changed my perspective on police a lot.
00:51:54.480 --> 00:51:55.679
I used to hate the police.
00:51:55.920 --> 00:51:59.679
Um before I didn't even know that this was gonna be my job.
00:52:00.000 --> 00:52:02.000
And when I first got there, I hated it.
00:52:02.719 --> 00:52:07.440
And then I met two officers, Officer Smith and Officer Everett.
00:52:07.599 --> 00:52:13.199
Um, they completely changed my perspective on police officers, and maybe it's just because I'm in recruiting, I don't know.
00:52:13.280 --> 00:52:17.360
But those are uh I've learned that a cop doesn't equal a bad person.
00:52:17.519 --> 00:52:17.760
Yeah.
00:52:17.920 --> 00:52:23.039
I think sometimes it's the culture of policing, yeah, but not the individual officers.
00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:29.360
We had an incident in this building last year, and some officers came out and we talked, and I really liked them.
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:31.920
I was like, wow, these are great people, wonderful people, right?
00:52:32.079 --> 00:52:37.440
And so it is not the people who are in those uniforms, and a lot of times they are risking their lives, right?
00:52:37.760 --> 00:52:38.079
Yeah.
00:52:38.320 --> 00:52:42.639
Um like from the stories I've heard, they do some crazy things.
00:52:42.719 --> 00:52:46.000
Like they risk their lives every single day to make sure that we're safe.
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:52.239
And I also learned a lot about myself and that I also marginalize people sometimes.
00:52:52.320 --> 00:53:01.599
And I'm I wanna admit that I do, I did make that mistake in saying like all police officers are bad just because I've had a couple bad experiences with them.
00:53:01.679 --> 00:53:08.079
Like I've been rushally profiled before by a police officer, and I feel like I let that make me hate police.
00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:08.400
Yeah.
00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:10.159
Well, I mean, that's the human nature, right?
00:53:10.239 --> 00:53:12.480
Yeah, we have this experience with that backgroup.
00:53:12.559 --> 00:53:15.199
We already talked about happening with tariffs and other people of color, right?
00:53:15.280 --> 00:53:15.440
Yeah.
00:53:15.599 --> 00:53:18.880
So let me tell you, you want to be what when you graduate?
00:53:19.039 --> 00:53:20.480
What is your ambition?
00:53:21.039 --> 00:53:23.360
Um, I don't want to put myself in a box.
00:53:23.519 --> 00:53:26.880
Um but I do want to be a filmmaker.
00:53:27.039 --> 00:53:32.480
Um, I do want to work in creating opportunities and music and media for young people.
00:53:32.559 --> 00:53:44.000
Um, because I know a lot of times I feel like those types of dreams are are told people with those types of dreams are told to have a backup plan or that that dream might be a little too high.
00:53:44.159 --> 00:53:51.039
But uh a phrase that I really like to go by is shoot for the sun, even if you fall, you'll be amongst the stars.
00:53:51.440 --> 00:53:51.840
That's great.
00:53:51.920 --> 00:53:52.079
Yes.
00:53:52.559 --> 00:53:55.360
You know, I think not that I think you need a backup plan.
00:53:55.519 --> 00:53:55.920
Yeah.
00:53:56.079 --> 00:53:59.039
But I'm listening to you, and you how old are you?
00:53:59.199 --> 00:53:59.679
I'm 17.
00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:05.039
17, and you already have a pretty um sophisticated political philosophy, right?
00:54:05.199 --> 00:54:10.639
Yeah, like you have ideas about so many things, and you're just gonna get smarter and more knowledgeable as you go on.
00:54:11.119 --> 00:54:12.559
Would you consider politics?
00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:13.599
I actually have.
00:54:13.760 --> 00:54:14.079
Okay.
00:54:14.400 --> 00:54:20.400
Um uh as a kid, I wanted to be a lawyer, I wanted to be a councilwoman.
00:54:20.559 --> 00:54:23.920
Um I and that dream didn't go away.
00:54:24.079 --> 00:54:27.360
I think my passion just kind of took my heart won my heart over.
00:54:27.440 --> 00:54:32.159
Um, because I do have a really big passion for music and filmmaking.
00:54:32.480 --> 00:54:36.639
Um what's that song um by Kendrick, I Can Have It All?
00:54:36.719 --> 00:54:37.760
Is that what it is?
00:54:39.039 --> 00:54:52.480
Maybe not all at once, but I think as you think about your future, um, you know, I just it we have people who have these ideals and they're really, you know, convicted in them, and they do other things, and then we have people running for office.
00:54:54.000 --> 00:55:08.559
And somehow I see in you a person who can actually do some stuff, get your creativity there, and at the same time do a really good job representing because you told me that you have a really compelling life story.
00:55:08.800 --> 00:55:09.280
Yes, ma'am.
00:55:09.440 --> 00:55:10.960
And that's is that what drives you?
00:55:11.280 --> 00:55:11.599
Yes.
00:55:11.840 --> 00:55:23.039
Um, honestly, everything that I went through as a child and the fact that I'm just now able to be supported in the way I need to.
00:55:23.280 --> 00:55:28.800
Um, the fact that I had to see my mom struggle for so long, I'm determined to never go back to that place.
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:29.199
Yeah.
00:55:29.360 --> 00:55:32.800
I'm I'm determined to make it off off of Corbett.
00:55:32.880 --> 00:55:42.239
I'm determined to become something bigger than what I what I am right now, and to never go back to being that person that everybody saw as nothing.
00:55:42.559 --> 00:55:44.480
I just want to tell you that you give me hope.
00:55:44.960 --> 00:55:52.800
Um, when I talk to you and I hear what you've been through, but I see who you are, how accomplished and poised you are.
00:55:53.519 --> 00:55:56.320
It just gives me hope that our future is in good hands.
00:55:56.480 --> 00:56:01.199
There's so many people who talk about young people as though somehow young people are a problem.
00:56:01.519 --> 00:56:04.800
And all of the conversations we've been having, young people, what's wrong with young people today?
00:56:05.039 --> 00:56:05.840
Come on now.
00:56:06.000 --> 00:56:08.320
Um They're not only a problem, they're the solution.
00:56:08.880 --> 00:56:10.000
Tell them they're the solution.
00:56:10.400 --> 00:56:18.800
And it's not the solution, and you have a vision and more ideals than so many people who are older than you, and that's why it's so important to have young people as leaders.
00:56:19.199 --> 00:56:19.679
Question.
00:56:19.840 --> 00:56:20.400
Yes, ma'am.
00:56:20.559 --> 00:56:23.039
Gretchen Whitmer endorsed Haley Stevens.
00:56:23.119 --> 00:56:24.400
What are your thoughts?
00:56:27.440 --> 00:56:31.039
I don't want to hear anything else about somebody endorsing Haley Stevens.
00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:33.440
I want to know what Haley Stevens is gonna do for me.
00:56:33.679 --> 00:56:34.480
I want to know.
00:56:34.800 --> 00:56:38.559
Like, I I actually and I love Big Rich.
00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:39.679
Love Big Gretch.
00:56:39.840 --> 00:56:44.559
Big Gretch is she's great, but I don't care what she has to say about Haley Stevens.
00:56:44.639 --> 00:56:48.719
I want to know what Haley Stevens has to say about what she's gonna do for youth.
00:56:49.440 --> 00:56:51.280
I've heard you say some really amazing things.
00:56:51.519 --> 00:56:53.840
You love our mayor, Mary Sheffield.
00:56:54.000 --> 00:56:54.719
Yes, I love it.
00:56:55.199 --> 00:56:56.400
You love Big Gretch.
00:56:56.480 --> 00:56:56.719
Yes.
00:56:56.880 --> 00:56:58.559
Who are the other politicians you love?
00:56:58.719 --> 00:57:03.599
I love Big Gretch, I love Mary, I love um, I love Mondani.
00:57:04.320 --> 00:57:06.000
Um, hmm.
00:57:06.239 --> 00:57:07.840
Who else do I love?
00:57:08.159 --> 00:57:08.719
Hmm.
00:57:08.960 --> 00:57:10.000
I love Dean.
00:57:10.159 --> 00:57:11.199
Do you know who Dean is?
00:57:11.760 --> 00:57:12.719
He's not really Yeah.
00:57:12.880 --> 00:57:13.360
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:57:13.519 --> 00:57:14.000
He's not really important.
00:57:14.320 --> 00:57:14.880
He's a commentator.
00:57:14.960 --> 00:57:15.199
Yeah, yeah.
00:57:15.440 --> 00:57:17.199
Dean Withers, I think it's freaking love Dean.
00:57:17.360 --> 00:57:18.159
Freaking love Dean.
00:57:18.320 --> 00:57:21.599
Um I want to ask you about President Obama.
00:57:21.840 --> 00:57:22.400
Yeah.
00:57:22.800 --> 00:57:24.800
You got any memories of that or no?
00:57:25.519 --> 00:57:30.400
I just remember not having to think about politics when Obama was in office.
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:39.280
And as a kid, that was something that like when Donald Trump got in office, I become I became extremely aware of politics all of a sudden.
00:57:39.440 --> 00:57:40.480
And I was eight.
00:57:40.800 --> 00:57:44.079
So the first eight years of my life, Obama was the president.
00:57:44.400 --> 00:57:45.280
So you were born in 08.
00:57:45.360 --> 00:57:45.599
Yes.
00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:46.159
Oh wow.
00:57:46.960 --> 00:57:49.039
The first eight years of my life, Obama was president.
00:57:49.119 --> 00:57:52.239
So I I didn't I wasn't worried about politics.
00:57:52.960 --> 00:57:54.159
You thought about politics.
00:57:54.480 --> 00:57:56.639
Because yeah, I had to at that point.
00:57:56.960 --> 00:57:59.280
I I hear from folks, it's a lot different.
00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:02.159
I was in college when Trump was elected.
00:58:02.320 --> 00:58:06.159
Um, I was a so I was a freshman or a sophomore in college.
00:58:06.480 --> 00:58:08.719
When Trump was elected, I was a sophomore that year.
00:58:08.800 --> 00:58:08.880
Yeah.
00:58:09.039 --> 00:58:12.400
And so I was almost a year and a half, two years removed from being in high school.
00:58:12.480 --> 00:58:20.079
But I remember hearing from my friends who are in a grade below me how much it affected their high school experience, Donald Trump's presidency and the campaign.
00:58:20.320 --> 00:58:24.000
And I I went to a predominantly white school in Midland.
00:58:24.800 --> 00:58:43.760
People that went to uh DPS schools around that time tell me that it was like people there were there might have been some, you know, uh, you know, some some uh I don't want to say misinformation, but um people thought that Trump was gonna come in and just kill us all.
00:58:43.920 --> 00:58:45.280
Is that kind of like the thought?
00:58:45.440 --> 00:58:50.719
Like people were like, oh wow, like America's over, it's over, like he's gonna send us back to Africa.
00:58:50.960 --> 00:58:52.400
Is that something that you heard?
00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:57.519
Um that I'm I'm smart, so I'm pretty smart.
00:58:57.599 --> 00:59:04.719
So I knew he's he's not just gonna like come murder all of us, but I also knew that he doesn't have my best interest at heart.
00:59:04.880 --> 00:59:07.760
Um and that he also will not support me.
00:59:07.920 --> 00:59:12.079
Um because like I said, I'm I'm a black woman and I'm also a lesbian.
00:59:13.440 --> 00:59:17.599
He's all nothing that he stands for is something that will benefit me.
00:59:18.000 --> 00:59:20.559
Um he's trying to take away my right to get married.
00:59:20.719 --> 00:59:23.760
If I he's trying to take away the right for me to have an abortion.
00:59:24.559 --> 00:59:31.679
There's all different types of things that I just know he's not somebody who will benefit me.
00:59:31.920 --> 00:59:40.159
And honestly, I prefer my presidents without felonies, but that might just be a me thing.
00:59:40.400 --> 00:59:40.880
You know what?
00:59:41.440 --> 00:59:44.719
And I I I want to be really careful about that too, right?
00:59:44.960 --> 00:59:57.519
Because I have friends who are returning citizens, yeah, who feel as though when we say things like that, and I know this is not how you meant it, yeah, that we um we are um saying things that further marginalize them.
00:59:57.760 --> 00:59:58.000
Yeah.
00:59:58.159 --> 01:00:00.960
But you know, Donald Trump is not a returning citizen.
01:00:01.119 --> 01:00:01.360
Yeah.
01:00:01.519 --> 01:00:04.159
He didn't pay for any of his crimes.
01:00:04.400 --> 01:00:05.280
Yeah, he didn't at all.
01:00:05.599 --> 01:00:08.079
He didn't, he there's no consequences to him.
01:00:08.239 --> 01:00:18.239
And so I think when I hear you say that, you're not saying that you would not support somebody who had done a crime, paid their done their time, and then redeemed themselves.
01:00:18.559 --> 01:00:18.719
No.
01:00:18.800 --> 01:00:32.639
Uh what I'm saying is I would prefer to have somebody who one, either one didn't do those things, or two did those things and actually did something to rehabilitate it.
01:00:32.800 --> 01:00:36.880
I like Donald Trump has done nothing but prove that he's just gonna do it again.
01:00:37.119 --> 01:00:37.360
Right.
01:00:37.599 --> 01:00:39.360
So, you know, currently corrupt.
01:00:39.440 --> 01:00:39.679
Yes.
01:00:39.920 --> 01:00:42.159
And if he had a chance to do it again, he would again.
01:00:42.239 --> 01:00:42.880
That's that's the fear.
01:00:43.199 --> 01:00:44.000
He'd jump at it, yes.
01:00:44.159 --> 01:00:44.320
Right.
01:00:44.559 --> 01:00:44.880
Yes.
01:00:44.960 --> 01:00:50.159
So um, I just wanted to draw that because I do have friends and they hear that um a different kind of way.
01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:50.639
Yes.
01:00:50.800 --> 01:00:56.960
Oh, I just I don't have anything like I like I don't have anything against felons.
01:00:57.199 --> 01:01:05.440
Um my stepdad is actually um a felon, and I'll he's one of the most innovative and wise men I know.
01:01:05.599 --> 01:01:09.119
And if I could vote for him, I would, to be quite honest with you.
01:01:10.079 --> 01:01:22.880
I want to ask you an interesting question that I always think all the three people, well, one, two, three, four people uh that are doing this podcast, Michael and Griffin are are behind camera, um, and of course Donna.
01:01:23.599 --> 01:01:25.119
What generation are you a part of?
01:01:25.840 --> 01:01:26.079
Me?
01:01:26.320 --> 01:01:26.480
Yeah.
01:01:26.639 --> 01:01:27.599
Are you Gen X?
01:01:28.559 --> 01:01:31.599
I I say I'm Gen X, but I'm actually the tail end of boomers.
01:01:31.679 --> 01:01:32.719
You're a boomer, okay.
01:01:32.960 --> 01:01:38.480
And so all of us are technically, according to Google, a part of Gen Z.
01:01:38.880 --> 01:01:40.559
Jay, you were born in 2008.
01:01:40.800 --> 01:01:41.360
Yes.
01:01:42.239 --> 01:01:46.000
Are you got friends that are like, you know, 14, 15 right now?
01:01:46.079 --> 01:01:48.480
What's the difference between Gen Z and Gen Alpha?
01:01:48.639 --> 01:01:54.639
Because 2010, Gen Z ends, and it's now a new generation called Gen Alpha.
01:01:54.960 --> 01:01:56.079
Are you familiar with Gen Alpha?
01:01:56.400 --> 01:01:56.880
I am, I am.
01:01:57.039 --> 01:01:58.559
What's the difference between them?
01:01:59.199 --> 01:02:04.480
I feel like um in like the closer age gaps, it's a little harder to tell.
01:02:05.119 --> 01:02:10.480
But in those ones that are just like a little farther, they're really bratty.
01:02:10.880 --> 01:02:12.320
They're really, really bratty.
01:02:12.639 --> 01:02:14.880
Maybe that's just that they're like seven, eight, nine-year-olds.
01:02:15.360 --> 01:02:18.159
No, it's just like it's like they're a different type.
01:02:18.320 --> 01:02:21.760
Because I was a very polite and well-mannered kid.
01:02:21.920 --> 01:02:25.360
They're just really like they, but I don't say that as it's a bad thing.
01:02:25.519 --> 01:02:29.280
They I love that they have their own opinions and they have really strong minds.
01:02:29.360 --> 01:02:31.199
Like that is actually something I really admire.
01:02:31.679 --> 01:02:35.920
There, there are people also who really grew up in the wake of a pandemic.
01:02:36.079 --> 01:02:36.400
Yes.
01:02:36.880 --> 01:02:41.280
So that that impact on them has to be different than what your childhood was like.
01:02:41.679 --> 01:02:44.960
Although you you how old were you when when the pandemic hit?
01:02:45.039 --> 01:02:51.199
I think I was in like fifth grade, I thought it was like to go through that as a child, not realizing.
01:02:51.360 --> 01:02:55.679
I think the first thing is not realizing how different Donald Trump's presidency was.
01:02:55.760 --> 01:02:56.000
Yeah.
01:02:56.159 --> 01:03:15.519
Um, I think kids younger than me, by maybe four, five, six, seven, eight years, yeah, they don't have a full grasp on how Trump completely upended the Republican Party and how it was so shocking to watch, not just as a as a um person, perhaps you know, like Donna on the left or yourself, but to the conservative Republicans.
01:03:15.599 --> 01:03:21.199
I mean, conservatives in in Midland, uh Bay City Saginaw that I knew who were like, oh my god, what is this guy doing?
01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:22.880
This is NBC Celebrity Apprentice.
01:03:22.960 --> 01:03:24.480
What are we doing, Republican Party?
01:03:24.800 --> 01:03:32.000
It was such an episode, and then you had the pandemic years later that was so weird.
01:03:32.159 --> 01:03:35.360
Like, I never thought that that something like that could ever happen.
01:03:35.440 --> 01:03:37.519
It wasn't on anyone's bingo card, right?
01:03:37.679 --> 01:03:40.400
That's probably because it probably shouldn't have happened.
01:03:40.559 --> 01:03:44.719
Like, um there, I feel like there was better ways that that could have been dealt with.
01:03:45.199 --> 01:03:47.840
And it didn't have to be a pandemic.
01:03:48.079 --> 01:03:48.400
Sure.
01:03:48.559 --> 01:03:50.480
But that might be just an opinion.
01:03:50.880 --> 01:03:53.599
You know, we're we're in the midst of a semi-epidemic right now, right?
01:03:53.760 --> 01:03:54.639
In the state of Michigan.
01:03:54.719 --> 01:03:55.599
What how do you pronounce that?
01:03:55.760 --> 01:03:57.840
I don't know, but it's like lettuce for the biggest thing.
01:03:58.079 --> 01:03:59.920
We don't know if it we don't know if it's lettuce.
01:04:00.000 --> 01:04:02.559
There's people who have not eaten lettuce, there's people who have.
01:04:02.800 --> 01:04:14.559
The FDA is investigating, but you think this man laid off all of these people who are in the in the the scientific investigators who can actually help us figure out what's going on.
01:04:14.800 --> 01:04:15.440
That's one thing.
01:04:15.760 --> 01:04:16.079
Oh.
01:04:16.480 --> 01:04:22.960
And all of these storms, the our our power going out because nobody wants to investigate global warming.
01:04:23.039 --> 01:04:32.400
Oh my oh, it's just it's just everything like I really want a president who cares about our environment and our food and and our care and us.
01:04:32.480 --> 01:04:45.840
I I want you know, even when I think about, you know, speaking of care, yeah, all of the health workers who are being deported, oh, in senior homes are like we don't have enough staff to really take care of people.
01:04:46.079 --> 01:04:52.400
The kind of short-term crisis that we're in right now is really scary to me because yeah.
01:04:52.800 --> 01:05:03.039
And then not only that, is the fact that we are acting like we don't have time to deal with internal issues, but we're fighting other people's wars.
01:05:03.920 --> 01:05:23.280
That's that's something that's very interesting to me because we don't have money f to have emp to employ scientists, to employ people for who can help climate control, but we have money to send money to other countries to help fight a war that they're already winning.
01:05:24.239 --> 01:05:26.559
We got a lot of money going around in the United States.
01:05:27.039 --> 01:05:30.480
That criticism is something that I've been hearing on the campaign trail.
01:05:30.719 --> 01:05:32.559
It is debate night.
01:05:32.719 --> 01:05:38.800
We are recording on Monday, July 27th, uh, after this episode is published.
01:05:38.960 --> 01:05:44.480
You guys will have already seen the US Senate Democratic primary debate between U.S.
01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:49.360
Representative Haley Stevens of Birmingham and Abdul Al Sayed of Ann Arbor.
01:05:49.519 --> 01:05:52.880
Abdul, of course, is the former Detroit and Wynne County Health Director.
01:05:53.039 --> 01:05:55.280
Um I gotta go to the um debate.
01:05:55.360 --> 01:06:02.559
It's at Fox Two in Southfield, and so I'm gonna go home and and take a shower and um Um go to Southfield.
01:06:02.960 --> 01:06:08.800
My phone has been absolutely buzzing, and I I'm yeah, it's been a whirlwind for me.
01:06:08.880 --> 01:06:09.519
I can't lie, y'all.
01:06:09.599 --> 01:06:15.440
I of course, as you guys see, I'm at the heart of this national discourse over what black voters are going to do.
01:06:15.760 --> 01:06:21.280
Uh, we appreciate uh all of you guys reading my work uh at Michigan Chronicle and on Twitter.
01:06:21.679 --> 01:06:23.920
Can I just say how proud I am of you, Sam?
01:06:24.719 --> 01:06:25.519
I really am.
01:06:25.679 --> 01:06:41.519
I think that you are um just doing an amazing job being in the street, talking to people, um, finding out about things, and you're not, you know, really what you're doing is listening, talking, and representing Detroit in a way I have not seen us represent it.
01:06:41.599 --> 01:06:42.159
So I'm really proud.
01:06:42.480 --> 01:06:43.280
Well, thank you very much.
01:06:43.360 --> 01:06:43.599
Yeah.
01:06:43.840 --> 01:06:46.559
Jay, I want to thank you for joining us.
01:06:46.719 --> 01:06:53.840
Um, when I saw your name on our thing, I was like, yes, you followed through because I could be telling people like, come on, like join the show.
01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:58.559
Like I really wanted a young perspective um about this Senate primary.
01:06:58.719 --> 01:07:03.840
When I met her, it just felt like you were already that was like, you're 17 years old, what?
01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:05.199
17 going on.
01:07:05.360 --> 01:07:05.679
What?
01:07:06.000 --> 01:07:06.480
Right.
01:07:06.719 --> 01:07:09.760
And so we want to thank you for our discussion.
01:07:09.840 --> 01:07:13.039
We close out every show by doing shout-outs.
01:07:13.199 --> 01:07:19.599
If you have anybody that you think you want to shout out, maybe something, maybe one person, maybe several people.
01:07:19.679 --> 01:07:21.440
Um, don't mean to put you on the spot.
01:07:21.599 --> 01:07:22.639
I can start with Donna.
01:07:23.440 --> 01:07:26.880
Oh, shout out Philip Johnson, my um baby, my son.
01:07:27.199 --> 01:07:35.920
He came to Detroit um and he was in the film festival for um LGBT, Detroit's um Hotter Than July Film Festival.
01:07:36.079 --> 01:07:39.840
Um he has a series that is now on here TV.
01:07:40.079 --> 01:07:44.079
And he showed the fourth um episode of the series.
01:07:44.159 --> 01:07:48.639
So there's been two have been released, one next week and one the week after.
01:07:48.719 --> 01:07:54.239
But this one, he was not only writing, acting, um directing, but he was actually acting in it.
01:07:54.880 --> 01:07:57.599
And he was so fantastic.
01:07:57.760 --> 01:08:07.599
I was so proud of him for everything he's done to make his dreams come true and just represent his community so well and all the sacrifice of time and everything he made.
01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:09.519
Um, Mama could not be more proud.
01:08:09.920 --> 01:08:10.239
Yeah.
01:08:10.719 --> 01:08:13.440
Um I like to shout out a few people.
01:08:13.599 --> 01:08:18.239
Um, the first person I would love to shout out is Aaron Walters.
01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:20.720
Um that was the first man who ever believed in me.
01:08:20.880 --> 01:08:25.039
Um I just hope he knows how much I appreciate him, how much he changed my life.
01:08:25.359 --> 01:08:34.079
Um another man who I want to shout out is Hugh Johnson, uh, who is helping me um host a few events called Stacklands Open Mic Nights.
01:08:34.319 --> 01:08:45.680
Um he's really been a driving force in me being able to make this possible um and create a lot of opportunities for kids who want to work in music or media and production.
01:08:46.079 --> 01:08:51.279
And I I just I'm grateful for the opportunity and I really want to say thank you so much.
01:08:51.760 --> 01:08:56.640
I want to shout out um some people that I worked with in Kalamazoo.
01:08:56.800 --> 01:08:58.399
You guys don't know these people's names.
01:08:58.560 --> 01:09:05.359
Maybe I've talked about Mickey Shekilo before, but Brendan Bufa was the editor at the Western Herald when I first started.
01:09:05.600 --> 01:09:06.960
I was covering sports.
01:09:07.119 --> 01:09:10.079
Um, I hadn't even thought of doing news or political coverage.
01:09:10.319 --> 01:09:13.760
When I was at MLive, Kalamazoo Gazette Mark Tower was my main editor.
01:09:13.840 --> 01:09:18.640
Mickey Shekilo is the regional manager of MLive that gave me my first shot.
01:09:18.800 --> 01:09:20.079
Mark Tower left journalism.
01:09:20.159 --> 01:09:24.000
Mickey Shekhailo is um now at Crane's.
01:09:24.239 --> 01:09:29.119
And I also want to give another, just another shout out to Malachi Barrett.
01:09:29.359 --> 01:09:33.439
Um, he is sort of the reason why I'm going so hard right now.
01:09:34.000 --> 01:09:39.359
Um, I would say that I would try to compete with Malachi, but I never really did.
01:09:39.680 --> 01:09:47.840
He was much better than me and was always just there and was willing to um give more of his time.
01:09:48.000 --> 01:09:50.720
Um he sacrificed his self for the public.
01:09:50.960 --> 01:09:53.119
And that's I'm finally now, I think.
01:09:53.199 --> 01:09:54.479
I'm 29 years old.
01:09:54.640 --> 01:10:03.920
I think I'm finally feeling how he felt um just sort of giving your life up for public consumption of information.
01:10:06.000 --> 01:10:08.159
Connect protect Sam Robinson, y'all.
01:10:08.720 --> 01:10:09.600
Thank you so much.
01:10:10.479 --> 01:10:11.359
I want to, yeah, go ahead.
01:10:11.520 --> 01:10:12.319
But let me just say this.
01:10:12.479 --> 01:10:14.319
Yeah, Jay, you have to come back.
01:10:14.479 --> 01:10:14.720
Yeah.
01:10:15.119 --> 01:10:18.239
I really want to have your thoughts after the election.
01:10:18.399 --> 01:10:18.640
Okay.
01:10:18.800 --> 01:10:21.439
Um, so we can get your thoughts on what does this mean.
01:10:21.600 --> 01:10:23.760
And of course, we want to partner with you on some things.
01:10:23.920 --> 01:10:27.680
You're an e-sider and a real um credit to this community.
01:10:27.760 --> 01:10:28.640
So let's stay connected.
01:10:28.880 --> 01:10:29.840
Okay, we will, for sure.
01:10:29.920 --> 01:10:31.359
I'll definitely stay in town tech.
01:10:32.000 --> 01:10:32.399
Awesome.
01:10:32.479 --> 01:10:33.439
Thank you so much, Jay.
01:10:33.600 --> 01:10:39.760
If you guys listening, I also want to thank all you guys listening and watching and reading, please keep it locked.
01:10:39.920 --> 01:10:46.800
We are gonna have more um from voters all across Metro Detroit on this U.S.
01:10:46.960 --> 01:10:47.760
Senate race.
01:10:47.840 --> 01:10:50.399
Um, the next episode, what is it?
01:10:50.479 --> 01:10:51.279
Is that gonna be the Monday?
01:10:51.439 --> 01:11:01.119
Yeah, that's gonna be August 3rd, and so that'll come as you guys are as the polls are closing, as you guys are hitting the polls on Tuesday, August 4th.
01:11:01.279 --> 01:11:03.760
We want to thank you so much for listening to Authentically Detroit.
01:11:03.840 --> 01:11:11.920
Please hit us up on our socials at Authentically Detroit on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or you can visit our website, authentically-detroit.com.
01:11:12.159 --> 01:11:13.760
We want to thank you so much for listening.
01:11:13.840 --> 01:11:23.119
And one last time, if you missed the candidate forum, of course, Haley and Abdul are not going to be the only people on your Democratic primary ballot.
01:11:23.199 --> 01:11:30.000
Uh, you guys have legislative races that are sort of microcosms of the greater dynamics playing out um nationally and statewide.
01:11:30.159 --> 01:11:34.479
So if you missed the candidate forum that ECN held, please check it out.
01:11:34.640 --> 01:11:38.800
The full replay is on Authentically Detroit YouTube channel under live videos.
01:11:38.960 --> 01:11:39.840
Thank you guys so much.
01:11:40.079 --> 01:11:42.319
Almost 1,000 views so far.
01:11:42.560 --> 01:11:42.960
Let's go.
01:11:43.039 --> 01:11:44.800
Let's pass the 1k mark, guys.
01:11:45.279 --> 01:11:45.920
Thank you so much.
01:11:46.319 --> 01:11:46.560
Thank you.
