WEBVTT
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All right, I think we're ready to begin.
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Um, my name's Monique Linder.
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I'm the director of the film,
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and I'm standing here with my executive producer,
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Kevin Lindsay, CEO of Minnesota Humanities.
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And then on my right
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and my left, our two,
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I called them our innovation lab stars.
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So we have this music
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and art development program at OMG Studios.
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Rah and Anaya were part of our cohort from two years ago,
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but you can see they're here with us.
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It's a one year cohort because they are stars.
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Um, they're, they're gonna do something
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that is really important part
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of our film called Innovative Breathing.
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Um, the technique that they develop.
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Um, our cons, I would say our content is
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pretty serious, right?
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It's educational, it's truth,
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but it is our history,
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and we do this breathing to bring us together in this space.
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Mr. Lindsay, um, talk about Minnesota Humanities
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and why they are a partner in making these cultural films.
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Uh, again, thanks everybody for coming out tonight.
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My name again is Kevin Lindsay,
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and I have the pleasure of serving as the CEO
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of the Minnesota Humanities Center.
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Um, briefly for folks
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that may not know about the Minnesota Humanities Center,
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every state has a humanities center
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or humanities organization that partners
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with the National Endowment for Humanities.
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We've been in existence here in Minnesota
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for a little over 50 years.
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We thought that, uh, partnering with OMG Studios
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and a fantastic Monique Linder was something
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that would be really important to help us support civics
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and democracy within our state.
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We do a lot with K 12
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and a lot of programming also with colleges.
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The folks that you're gonna see within the film.
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You'll see an interview with myself
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and Brian Stevenson from the Equal Justice Initiative.
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Brian is a noted civil rights attorney.
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You've seen the movie Just Mercy. It's on his life.
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You'll also get a chance to see an interview
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with Judge Jerry Blackwell,
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who's a federal District court judge.
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Some people might know him
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as a lead prosecutor in the Derek Chauvin case.
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And then Duchess Harris, uh, who is the endowed chair
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of four African American studies at McAllister College.
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Um, this period of time, the 13th, 14th,
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and 15th Amendment, it really frames, I would say, a lot
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of our thinking within our country of
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who is in and who is out.
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And again, when we think about the founding of our country,
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I always start with the idea that yes, white men were able
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to vote, but only if they had property.
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Mm-hmm. So this idea of economics and race
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and gender was intertwined right at the very
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beginning of our country.
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And for us, within Juneteenth, sometimes we will show is,
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um, the colors of Juneteenth.
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They're red, white, and blue.
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Uh, it's a bursting star,
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and really the originators
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and the keepers of the faith of Juneteenth did.
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So to really underscore that the celebration of Juneteenth
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is really to be aspirational articulated in the
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Declaration of Independence.
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And that idea is that we can be truly inclusive
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and live into that inalienable rights for everyone and all.
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So, um, we're very happy to be part of this project.
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Really happy to support Innovation Lab
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and the wonderful musicians that are part of, uh,
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the effort there with Monique.
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Thank you so much. What we'll do, um, we'll get started
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with the breathing, then we'll watch this film,
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and then we'll have this beautiful discussion.
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All right. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you.
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All right, everybody. I'm Brother Rah.
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Um, just wanna let you guys know
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that we are recording right now,
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and you'll be able to listen to this audio on K-Z-M-O-H-D,
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our website, where the film is also, um, available to watch.
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So me and Anaya are, like she said, stars.
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Um, we lead the podcast at K-Z-M-O-H-D.
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All of the intros and all
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of the community discussions will all be
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available to listen to.
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Hey, everybody, my name is Anaya,
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and I'm so grateful to be in space with you guys today.
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We came a long way to be here.
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Um, and that's the beautiful thing about bringing this film
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around to other places.
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Um, like she mentioned, this is our second year doing this.
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So to have another round of sharing the truth, um,
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sharing history
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and sharing it across the landscape of Minnesota
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and not just in the city where I grew up, um,
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and stay, um, is really beautiful.
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So I'm excited to be expanding knowledge to elsewhere, um,
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other than just where we treasure it with ourselves
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and in our communities, but to expand that community today.
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So, thank you for being here,
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and I'm excited to get in conversation
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with you guys after the film.
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Um, but first we're gonna start with a breath.
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So if you guys could all get just comfortable in your
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chair, uh, put anything that you have to the side
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and, um, just free your hands.
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You can close your eyes if you want to,
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otherwise you find a soft gaze.
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And just take a few deep breaths to yourself
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and just notice your body.
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Now, as a community, let's take a deep breath in. Inhale.
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Let it go.
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Let's do this two more times.
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Breathe in. Exhale.
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Inhale, breathe out.
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Now just notice what your body is feeling.
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So, like Ms. Linder said, we take these breaths
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to stay present in these moments and to calm
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and relax our bodies, but more importantly,
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so we can strengthen our relationships
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and, you know, make healthier decisions
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and really just become our best selves.
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And like Mr. Lindsay said, really hopefully fulfill the,
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the ideals that are laid out in the Constitution.
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Yeah, we want you to remember to
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hold your breath with you.
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Um, you always have it, and it's always a tool to use.
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So throughout this film, um, feel free to take breaths.
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Feel free to take notes.
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Um, but remember that you have the power to regulate.
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Um, you have the power to your body is amazing,
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and it does everything you need.
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So beautiful. Again, thanks for being here.
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Um, enjoy the film.
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Thank you so much for watching this with us.
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Um, before we get into conversation, I wanna take a moment
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to breathe, once again, to ground ourselves,
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to take in what we just heard.
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Um, we're in a different position than we were before.
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We have more information than we had before.
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So take a moment to sit with that. Um, sit with yourself.
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I'm gonna do a breath with you.
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Um, we're just gonna, we're gonna add some movement, um,
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but we're still gonna ground a little bit.
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So I'm gonna ask, if you put your hands on your lap,
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take a couple deep breaths.
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Just breathe in and out.
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As you would, you can close your eyes
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if you're comfortable, or find a soft gaze.
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Now, as we inhale collectively, I want you
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to move your hands to the front of your lap.
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Inhale. Exhale. Bring them back.
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Okay. So you had a, a few minutes to share
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with your neighbor some thoughts
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that you had about the film.
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Um, let's just start with an easy one.
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Is there something you shared with your neighbor
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that you thought was very interesting about the film,
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or something that you learned within the
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film that you hadn't heard before?
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Anybody? I'm gonna give the mic to you so we can,
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Uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stand up.
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First of all, I want to say thank you, Kevin
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and Minnesota Humanities,
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and to you for bringing this, uh, film to us.
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I was sitting there with fia, and FIA was crying.
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Uh, especially like, it's the first time I'm, I'm learning
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that these three young folks
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who were lynched in Duluth, we are in Minnesota.
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It's the first time I'm learning. Can you imagine that?
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So it gives me, like, you know, to thank for those
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who paved the way for us.
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I am still new in the country.
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Uh, those, uh, you know, who paved the paved the way for us.
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And we are very grateful.
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We are, we have more freedom,
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more like the work and all of it.
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But at the same time, there is a lot
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of work that need to be done.
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Um, immigrant advocate
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and the work we do, uh, we have seen
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that, uh, you know, the people that we have been working
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with changing the way they are
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because of the current political climate
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and the federal government leaders,
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critics against immigrants
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and folks of color and minorities.
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And we have seen if an organization is allies
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that we have been working with, who change it, their face
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and cutting us and don't wanna do with anything
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with our organization is, and people with us.
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So there, there is a work ahead,
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but we need this kind of work, all of us, to support,
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to continue and to educate. Thank you so much.
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Thank you. Thank you. That was, um, so appreciative.
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Stand up up. You don't have to stand off. Just say her
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Name.
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Victoria McQuain Creek.
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Um, I know
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Fia, um, said something which I had heard
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before, that as an immigrant, this is new.
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Mm-hmm. And,
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and that she could not ever see
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how someone could survive.
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Mm-hmm. That, and my response was,
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and she said, can you believe that?
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And I said, yes. 'cause I'm here. Yeah.
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Asha. Right. Um,
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and so what, what the film
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brings out in me is,
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as an educator, you know, being culturally responsive
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and things of that nature, in order to tap into
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and connect with a learner, um,
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being culturally responsive means I need to know
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that safety for me.
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Mm-hmm. It looks different for safety for someone else.
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Mm-hmm. And I say that
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because my history
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in this space, in this time in this community is one
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that has experienced safety at times
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and other times not.
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And so when I see something like this where we have
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on this, the display of violence and aggression
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and harm, um,
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activated in me is that ancient ancestor, DNA,
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that says, are we not safe?
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Right? And if I'm not safe, then I can't feel like I belong.
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And if I don't feel like I belong,
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then I don't feel like I'm welcome.
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And people don't even know that. Right?
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So somebody yelling an epithet out there car
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as they're passing by while I'm setting up for a barbecue
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on the quad at the college,
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and triggers that ancestral response
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that I'm not safe, even
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though it's a different time and place.
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Right? Right. And so I say all that
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because what I'm starting to see in this is the work
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that I'm doing on me
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and in our community, is that in order to practice
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that activation of love, that knowledge,
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that deep knowledge of self
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and the ancestral things
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that are influenced in every single solitary thing
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that comes up, um, has to be deeply understood.
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And then from there, being able to connect with f fia
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who is not culturally from here
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and is trying to understand how, how do we get together
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and make it, make it happen.
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Right. How do we make it happen together?
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And so that's what I'm starting to see is
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that the culturally responsive way in which we can adapt
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and shift how we do what we do when we know self deep enough
261
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Yeah.
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That it's real. And it's also a deeper bird dive
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recognizing, oh, culturally, that's not the same thing.
264
00:13:49.235 --> 00:13:51.935
So the trigger of somebody yelling an epithet out the
265
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their car may not impact fauzi the same way
266
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and trigger a deep fear in me.
267
00:14:02.715 --> 00:14:05.175
Mm-hmm. And so that, that's what
268
00:14:05.175 --> 00:14:07.535
that just brought to me. Thank
269
00:14:07.535 --> 00:14:08.535
You. Thank you, thank you.
270
00:14:08.535 --> 00:14:10.895
That, um, what you just said, um,
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reminded me of why we make these films
272
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and being able to come into community with you
273
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to have these discussions is a very important part
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of the, uh, journey.
275
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It's the journey of truth.
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Being able to sit here
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and confront the truth of our history instead of that
278
00:14:38.285 --> 00:14:40.975
what society has done bury the history.
279
00:14:40.975 --> 00:14:43.455
Right. Don't think about it. It happened.
280
00:14:43.835 --> 00:14:46.735
But part of what we're doing is we can't act
281
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like it's normal, not addressing us
282
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and not confronting it.
283
00:14:52.605 --> 00:14:57.085
Right. We're sitting in, in, in these times that mirror
284
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what was going on.
285
00:14:59.575 --> 00:15:03.285
Right. And maybe we're not having exhibition lynchings,
286
00:15:03.305 --> 00:15:04.445
but pretty close.
287
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When you think about George Floyd
288
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and you think about Philando Castile that
289
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we're still addressing these issues in society today
290
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because we didn't confront it.
291
00:15:15.945 --> 00:15:19.685
We didn't. Yeah. You've gotta go back. Yeah.
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And in order to move forward.
293
00:15:22.145 --> 00:15:25.965
And so that's, that's what we're doing. We are doing it.
294
00:15:26.425 --> 00:15:30.405
It feels often, like it's a small part. Right.
295
00:15:31.425 --> 00:15:36.085
It feels that, like the burden is so huge
296
00:15:37.395 --> 00:15:41.365
that just being together, I don't care if it's five or 10,
297
00:15:41.465 --> 00:15:43.805
but being in community with you is
298
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so important with you.
299
00:15:47.055 --> 00:15:50.965
Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for saying that.
300
00:15:51.025 --> 00:15:53.525
And, and, you know, sitting there
301
00:15:53.785 --> 00:15:56.045
and I could hear your pain, I could, you were
302
00:15:56.045 --> 00:15:57.285
behind me, I could hear it.
303
00:15:57.385 --> 00:15:59.765
And, um, understanding that one
304
00:15:59.765 --> 00:16:01.645
of the things we did was the film
305
00:16:01.645 --> 00:16:05.165
before this, we traveled to Africa to confront
306
00:16:06.025 --> 00:16:09.365
our history, because when we were out with our film,
307
00:16:09.385 --> 00:16:11.885
our pre previous film and the film
308
00:16:11.905 --> 00:16:16.485
before, we were hearing things in, in community, like, well,
309
00:16:16.995 --> 00:16:21.445
your ancestors enslaved, you know, your ancestors.
310
00:16:21.445 --> 00:16:25.805
Right. It was all about a lot of denial
311
00:16:26.185 --> 00:16:28.765
or about a lot of transfer of the pain
312
00:16:28.945 --> 00:16:30.365
and give it back to you.
313
00:16:30.415 --> 00:16:34.285
Right. So we said, okay, we're gonna, we're gonna go back.
314
00:16:34.385 --> 00:16:38.325
So we traveled with our youth to Africa.
315
00:16:39.105 --> 00:16:42.405
We stayed in a village that had a king
316
00:16:42.465 --> 00:16:45.805
and a queen that participated in the
317
00:16:46.555 --> 00:16:48.645
international slave trade.
318
00:16:49.665 --> 00:16:53.525
And we were able to sit with them and confront this history
319
00:16:53.905 --> 00:16:57.845
and talk about it, and ask why we asked tough questions.
320
00:16:58.945 --> 00:17:01.205
And it was very powerful.
321
00:17:02.425 --> 00:17:04.725
Um, raw was there, so
322
00:17:06.005 --> 00:17:09.965
watching this take place from the eyes of youth was,
323
00:17:10.145 --> 00:17:12.085
it was just powerful, raw.
324
00:17:12.145 --> 00:17:15.005
Do you wanna say a few words about that? Yeah,
325
00:17:15.005 --> 00:17:16.005
Sure.
326
00:17:16.535 --> 00:17:19.885
Thank you. Um, yeah,
327
00:17:19.985 --> 00:17:22.445
the experience was very impactful.
328
00:17:23.705 --> 00:17:28.245
Um, my biggest takeaway was the understanding
329
00:17:28.475 --> 00:17:30.485
that slavery
330
00:17:31.385 --> 00:17:33.445
or indentured servitude,
331
00:17:34.225 --> 00:17:35.885
it just looks different depending on
332
00:17:35.915 --> 00:17:37.645
what people it's coming from.
333
00:17:38.385 --> 00:17:43.285
Um, so the, the blanket statement of,
334
00:17:43.345 --> 00:17:44.885
you guys enslaved yourselves,
335
00:17:45.145 --> 00:17:47.645
or there's slavery all over the world,
336
00:17:47.825 --> 00:17:49.525
or everybody has had slavery.
337
00:17:50.025 --> 00:17:52.285
That's a really surface level thing that a lot
338
00:17:52.285 --> 00:17:56.565
of people love to say to just dismiss the dehumanization
339
00:17:57.345 --> 00:18:02.005
and the foundation of their economic system that they built.
340
00:18:02.505 --> 00:18:04.845
That's all that stuff is just used to miss that
341
00:18:05.105 --> 00:18:06.365
and treat it as if
342
00:18:06.945 --> 00:18:09.605
the transatlantic slave trade was the same as anything else.
343
00:18:09.635 --> 00:18:12.165
When we all know, you know, it's completely different.
344
00:18:12.225 --> 00:18:16.045
And most importantly, um, it, it was,
345
00:18:16.225 --> 00:18:18.885
and still is a behavioral modification process.
346
00:18:19.465 --> 00:18:21.245
You know, it's identity rearrangement.
347
00:18:21.245 --> 00:18:23.085
So it's not just ch shackles
348
00:18:23.185 --> 00:18:27.205
and chains, you know, they're creating the so-called negro.
349
00:18:28.615 --> 00:18:32.765
Thank you. Are there others that, oh, go ahead.
350
00:18:34.585 --> 00:18:37.965
Uh, with me, it was, uh,
351
00:18:38.595 --> 00:18:39.965
very painful to watch.
352
00:18:40.865 --> 00:18:43.725
Um, I am African,
353
00:18:44.285 --> 00:18:46.525
I never walked in those shoes,
354
00:18:47.385 --> 00:18:52.085
but since I came to America, I noticed a lot of things when,
355
00:18:52.505 --> 00:18:54.285
in particular in black woman.
356
00:18:55.105 --> 00:18:57.525
And when I walk in rooms and,
357
00:18:57.625 --> 00:19:00.725
and in some spaces I'm not received.
358
00:19:01.945 --> 00:19:04.685
Um, and then in our area,
359
00:19:06.275 --> 00:19:10.325
what happened was they, there was a group who attacked, uh,
360
00:19:10.545 --> 00:19:12.725
new American owned businesses.
361
00:19:13.785 --> 00:19:18.765
And, uh, they, uh, you know, uh, they will, uh, they even
362
00:19:20.035 --> 00:19:24.605
kind of destroyed our murals that we put in our marketplace.
363
00:19:25.705 --> 00:19:28.085
And today, last night,
364
00:19:29.235 --> 00:19:32.445
they actually stoned our building, uh,
365
00:19:32.505 --> 00:19:36.085
and broke our, um, uh,
366
00:19:36.985 --> 00:19:38.965
and so we have the best mayor,
367
00:19:39.385 --> 00:19:42.525
and she's working with us to kind of go to the bottom of it,
368
00:19:42.525 --> 00:19:44.045
because we just bought the building.
369
00:19:44.105 --> 00:19:45.605
We didn't even put any cameras.
370
00:19:46.305 --> 00:19:48.925
But what I was crying about is
371
00:19:49.825 --> 00:19:52.165
I'm complaining about small things.
372
00:19:52.445 --> 00:19:55.085
I was not received, or I was attacked,
373
00:19:55.705 --> 00:19:59.645
or our mirrors, uh, was, you know,
374
00:19:59.825 --> 00:20:01.365
uh, destroyed.
375
00:20:01.545 --> 00:20:05.485
Uh, the same group, we are taking them to court.
376
00:20:05.665 --> 00:20:09.325
Uh, they have a name, some kind of, uh, I don't know if the,
377
00:20:09.625 --> 00:20:12.085
uh, Ahmed, do you remember their name?
378
00:20:12.315 --> 00:20:17.285
Patriot something? Uh, a patriotic group. Patriotic, yes.
379
00:20:17.945 --> 00:20:20.885
Uh, so, um, anyways, they,
380
00:20:22.435 --> 00:20:26.365
they attacked the schools that New Americans go to
381
00:20:26.985 --> 00:20:28.045
the English class.
382
00:20:28.225 --> 00:20:31.205
And so I'm complaining about minor stuff.
383
00:20:32.195 --> 00:20:35.925
Then when I watch this video, I said, wow, if
384
00:20:36.515 --> 00:20:40.645
they can overcome this, and they even have generational
385
00:20:41.065 --> 00:20:45.005
and they have their children speaking to you, I mean,
386
00:20:45.365 --> 00:20:47.525
I just need to learn from you guys
387
00:20:47.985 --> 00:20:51.125
and just carry that spirit of,
388
00:20:51.985 --> 00:20:53.445
you know, let's survive.
389
00:20:53.535 --> 00:20:57.565
Let's go on and now let's strive and, you know, and,
390
00:20:57.585 --> 00:20:58.925
and make this history.
391
00:20:59.185 --> 00:21:02.965
And, and I like the film. It's just, it will stay with me.
392
00:21:03.345 --> 00:21:07.005
And if there is a website, uh, to watch with my kids,
393
00:21:08.005 --> 00:21:10.245
I want them to know the history also.
394
00:21:10.505 --> 00:21:13.005
So thank you for the good work. Thank
395
00:21:13.005 --> 00:21:14.005
You. Wow.
396
00:21:14.005 --> 00:21:16.045
I think that's super interesting.
397
00:21:16.465 --> 00:21:20.045
Um, in hearing what both of you guys have said,
398
00:21:20.345 --> 00:21:23.885
I'm thinking about this concept of like, we are here
399
00:21:23.885 --> 00:21:28.165
because our ancestors lived, and I mean, all of us.
400
00:21:29.065 --> 00:21:31.725
And so we have brown skin.
401
00:21:32.385 --> 00:21:35.885
Um, and so what you're experiencing is not minor.
402
00:21:36.145 --> 00:21:39.445
It is also fully packed and loaded with history.
403
00:21:40.225 --> 00:21:43.445
Um, and so similar to what Monique said,
404
00:21:43.445 --> 00:21:46.285
we have not confronted our history yet fully.
405
00:21:46.705 --> 00:21:49.125
And so we are all a product of our history.
406
00:21:50.065 --> 00:21:51.965
Um, I'm here because they lived,
407
00:21:51.985 --> 00:21:53.645
and we as a society are here
408
00:21:53.645 --> 00:21:58.325
because of what we, what America endured
409
00:21:58.625 --> 00:22:00.085
and what America decided.
410
00:22:00.505 --> 00:22:03.965
Um, because like they're saying in this film,
411
00:22:06.145 --> 00:22:10.765
our government did a lot to, um, to destroy,
412
00:22:12.005 --> 00:22:14.625
um, the success of our country really.
413
00:22:14.925 --> 00:22:18.265
Um, and especially that of black Americans.
414
00:22:19.885 --> 00:22:23.565
So we do have to sit with that as a collective.
415
00:22:23.565 --> 00:22:26.965
And this is again, why we are truth telling in this moment.
416
00:22:28.305 --> 00:22:31.605
We are mirroring history right now. We always are.
417
00:22:31.865 --> 00:22:34.445
Um, we go in a circle that is the way of life.
418
00:22:34.865 --> 00:22:36.285
And so we're coming back around.
419
00:22:36.395 --> 00:22:38.405
Something I'm thinking about is the
420
00:22:38.485 --> 00:22:39.805
government shut down right now.
421
00:22:40.345 --> 00:22:43.485
Um, the film just kind of sparked that in my mind, like,
422
00:22:43.545 --> 00:22:47.085
wow, actually, yeah, the government is shut down.
423
00:22:47.125 --> 00:22:48.525
I don't know if it still is, I'm not sure.
424
00:22:48.665 --> 00:22:52.285
But, um, I recently remembered, I completely forgot
425
00:22:52.285 --> 00:22:54.725
that in 2019, I was in DC when the
426
00:22:54.725 --> 00:22:56.045
government was shut down then.
427
00:22:57.025 --> 00:23:01.605
And, um, feeling like the eeriness of the, of the wind, um,
428
00:23:01.785 --> 00:23:04.005
in that space and just being in America
429
00:23:04.025 --> 00:23:08.045
and witnessing that we are, um, reiterating
430
00:23:08.795 --> 00:23:10.165
what we know to be true.
431
00:23:10.785 --> 00:23:14.205
Um, and humans. We, we, we recite patterns, um,
432
00:23:14.955 --> 00:23:16.445
whether we want to or not.
433
00:23:16.585 --> 00:23:19.885
And so we are in patterns and patterns, um,
434
00:23:19.955 --> 00:23:22.165
because of a deep, deep history.
435
00:23:22.345 --> 00:23:24.365
So it is important to highlight that
436
00:23:24.425 --> 00:23:26.965
and not just look at it, but dig it up
437
00:23:27.545 --> 00:23:29.285
and do something with what we find.
438
00:23:30.505 --> 00:23:32.885
So, thank you. Yes.
439
00:23:33.395 --> 00:23:34.965
Does anyone else have something?
440
00:23:36.125 --> 00:23:40.445
I wanna thank you all for, for bringing this to us.
441
00:23:40.765 --> 00:23:43.165
I wish this place was full of people because
442
00:23:44.485 --> 00:23:49.005
although the, I have read a lot about reconstruction
443
00:23:49.005 --> 00:23:52.085
and I didn't learn anything new, it's still really
444
00:23:52.595 --> 00:23:54.125
impactful to see it.
445
00:23:54.555 --> 00:23:55.765
It's different to read it,
446
00:23:56.305 --> 00:23:58.325
but when you look at it, um,
447
00:23:59.185 --> 00:24:00.685
you take it in in a different way.
448
00:24:01.825 --> 00:24:06.565
And I think I feel so
449
00:24:09.005 --> 00:24:13.105
bereft of what could have been, I mean, the eight years,
450
00:24:13.485 --> 00:24:15.465
you know, we were eight years in power, right?
451
00:24:15.535 --> 00:24:17.385
That book, those eight years,
452
00:24:18.045 --> 00:24:20.825
so much good was happening.
453
00:24:21.245 --> 00:24:25.385
And I think that that's what really
454
00:24:26.245 --> 00:24:30.905
why I struggle and fight to try and change that narrative is
455
00:24:30.905 --> 00:24:34.035
because we all are impoverished
456
00:24:34.575 --> 00:24:36.355
by what's going on and what has happened.
457
00:24:37.175 --> 00:24:41.635
Um, but the, the burden,
458
00:24:42.215 --> 00:24:44.395
as you know, is not equally shared.
459
00:24:45.815 --> 00:24:49.835
And so, um, I try
460
00:24:49.835 --> 00:24:53.115
to shoulder my portion of the burden by trying to make it
461
00:24:54.025 --> 00:24:55.355
different and better.
462
00:24:55.695 --> 00:24:57.955
But thank you, thank you for bringing this.
463
00:24:58.415 --> 00:25:00.995
We appreciate that when
464
00:25:04.135 --> 00:25:05.155
we made this film,
465
00:25:05.375 --> 00:25:08.715
and you can see we traveled to Montgomery, Alabama,
466
00:25:08.765 --> 00:25:11.875
where Brian Stevenson had just built this amazing,
467
00:25:12.015 --> 00:25:16.155
if you've never been to Montgomery, please take that trip
468
00:25:17.135 --> 00:25:22.035
and go through that immersive experience
469
00:25:22.135 --> 00:25:23.755
and take it all in.
470
00:25:23.975 --> 00:25:28.955
And again, um, my conversations, um, with Brian Stevenson,
471
00:25:29.095 --> 00:25:31.755
it, it's been years since he first opened the first Legacy
472
00:25:31.855 --> 00:25:33.115
Museum and,
473
00:25:33.215 --> 00:25:36.435
and really saying that we can't move forward
474
00:25:36.565 --> 00:25:38.435
until we can confront this history
475
00:25:39.975 --> 00:25:42.315
and being in community.
476
00:25:42.735 --> 00:25:45.195
And like you said, your burden
477
00:25:46.575 --> 00:25:48.835
and we all take a piece of this, right?
478
00:25:50.015 --> 00:25:52.115
And like Brian said, we shall overcome.
479
00:25:52.735 --> 00:25:56.355
And I do believe that. So it's, it's, it's not hopeless.
480
00:25:56.515 --> 00:26:01.175
I mean, we're in a country, we're in it, it's not a movie.
481
00:26:01.705 --> 00:26:04.895
Right. We are in it,
482
00:26:05.445 --> 00:26:06.895
it's happening all around it.
483
00:26:07.155 --> 00:26:09.495
You talk about birthright citizenship, and,
484
00:26:09.835 --> 00:26:14.415
and when, um, judge, um, Blackwell talked about
485
00:26:15.525 --> 00:26:18.735
getting the community whipped up, that's what's going on.
486
00:26:18.745 --> 00:26:20.655
We're living in it right now. Mm-hmm.
487
00:26:20.835 --> 00:26:23.415
And so being in community with you,
488
00:26:23.515 --> 00:26:27.375
and, um, I'm so grateful to Minnesota Humanity Center
489
00:26:27.375 --> 00:26:31.975
because they enable, um, they support the films
490
00:26:32.315 --> 00:26:33.695
so that we can make 'em,
491
00:26:33.695 --> 00:26:36.175
but they enable this, this to take place.
492
00:26:37.315 --> 00:26:40.615
The other films you mentioned, the other films
493
00:26:40.615 --> 00:26:42.135
that you mentioned, the previous ones,
494
00:26:42.155 --> 00:26:43.805
are they on the humanities?
495
00:26:43.805 --> 00:26:46.725
They're, we can watch them there. Awesome.
496
00:26:47.955 --> 00:26:50.725
They're actually, you have to go to my website,
497
00:26:51.105 --> 00:26:52.805
omg media solutions.com.
498
00:26:53.115 --> 00:26:55.845
Okay. If you take the bookmark that's on the table,
499
00:26:55.845 --> 00:26:57.725
there's a QR code, it'll take you right
500
00:26:57.725 --> 00:26:59.485
to the film, this year's film.
501
00:26:59.745 --> 00:27:00.885
And if you go to the bottom
502
00:27:01.065 --> 00:27:03.965
and click on the link, it says Juneteenth Film series,
503
00:27:04.585 --> 00:27:06.685
you can watch all six of them.
504
00:27:07.265 --> 00:27:08.925
We have six films there. Wonderful.
505
00:27:09.035 --> 00:27:11.245
Okay. I'll Pick. And you mentioned for,
506
00:27:11.305 --> 00:27:14.405
for your children, um, going back and telling this,
507
00:27:14.405 --> 00:27:18.525
because my biggest, you can call it a fear.
508
00:27:19.385 --> 00:27:20.645
My concern is that
509
00:27:21.345 --> 00:27:24.325
if we don't teach young people this history,
510
00:27:24.755 --> 00:27:27.125
history will continue to repeat itself.
511
00:27:28.025 --> 00:27:31.885
And so we make these films available, they're free
512
00:27:32.225 --> 00:27:33.485
to watch, to share.
513
00:27:33.865 --> 00:27:36.725
And we're hoping that even, you know, sometimes
514
00:27:37.505 --> 00:27:40.005
you bring this up to a family member,
515
00:27:40.035 --> 00:27:41.605
they don't wanna talk about this.
516
00:27:41.615 --> 00:27:44.685
Right. And it's hard.
517
00:27:44.705 --> 00:27:46.165
But you have a film here,
518
00:27:46.665 --> 00:27:50.565
and then maybe you could at least show the film
519
00:27:50.665 --> 00:27:54.565
to family members and have this con conversation in your own
520
00:27:55.345 --> 00:28:00.005
way and form so that they can receive that information
521
00:28:00.065 --> 00:28:02.725
and then you can have a conversation about it in private.
522
00:28:04.315 --> 00:28:06.525
Yeah. So as the Medicine Humanity Center,
523
00:28:06.535 --> 00:28:08.245
we're in the process of like finalizing
524
00:28:08.245 --> 00:28:09.685
these materials for the classroom.
525
00:28:10.255 --> 00:28:13.205
Great. Um, and I do think that there are parallels,
526
00:28:13.205 --> 00:28:16.445
if we wanted to make the movie longer, we could have drawn
527
00:28:16.445 --> 00:28:17.885
that and drawn parallel.
528
00:28:18.065 --> 00:28:21.485
So for the 13th Amendment, it ends slavery except for
529
00:28:22.235 --> 00:28:24.325
when individuals commit crimes.
530
00:28:24.695 --> 00:28:27.765
Right. So begs that question as it relates
531
00:28:27.765 --> 00:28:29.085
to the prison pipeline,
532
00:28:29.465 --> 00:28:32.165
and sort of, some folks would be viewing over-incarceration
533
00:28:32.165 --> 00:28:34.885
in the United States and the, who bears that burden
534
00:28:34.905 --> 00:28:36.205
of over-incarceration.
535
00:28:37.865 --> 00:28:42.205
And then to the idea that all being equal under the law,
536
00:28:42.225 --> 00:28:44.245
and this idea of it being important
537
00:28:44.265 --> 00:28:46.965
to just being born here Right.
538
00:28:46.965 --> 00:28:50.485
Makes you a citizen. And now some of the conversations today
539
00:28:50.825 --> 00:28:53.565
of whether there should be a different classification
540
00:28:53.905 --> 00:28:55.085
for certain folks.
541
00:28:55.265 --> 00:28:57.325
And how would we go about deciding
542
00:28:57.355 --> 00:29:00.645
that there's history we can draw upon within
543
00:29:01.165 --> 00:29:03.125
congressional debates that might inform
544
00:29:03.145 --> 00:29:05.325
how we think about these respective issues today?
545
00:29:05.705 --> 00:29:08.605
And what does it mean about equal, um,
546
00:29:09.155 --> 00:29:10.605
treatment under the law?
547
00:29:11.495 --> 00:29:14.645
Again, this conversation, should it be left up to the states
548
00:29:15.065 --> 00:29:18.245
so that in one state maybe a woman gets certain amount
549
00:29:18.245 --> 00:29:20.085
of rights, and then in another part of the,
550
00:29:20.085 --> 00:29:21.525
another state she does not?
551
00:29:22.655 --> 00:29:24.925
Again, are there lessons that we can draw upon?
552
00:29:24.945 --> 00:29:26.765
And if we really understand this history,
553
00:29:27.585 --> 00:29:30.245
the 15th Amendment, when we talk about the right
554
00:29:30.245 --> 00:29:31.925
of en enfranchisement
555
00:29:31.925 --> 00:29:35.125
and voting, again, this idea of
556
00:29:35.785 --> 00:29:38.885
how does the government decide who gets the right to vote
557
00:29:39.585 --> 00:29:42.405
and should it be the other way around, right?
558
00:29:42.705 --> 00:29:43.925
Is that the assumption is
559
00:29:43.925 --> 00:29:45.925
that everybody gets the right to vote.
560
00:29:46.145 --> 00:29:47.725
It shouldn't be a difficult hurdle.
561
00:29:48.695 --> 00:29:50.085
Again, there are lessons
562
00:29:50.155 --> 00:29:51.885
that can be drawn upon that history.
563
00:29:52.825 --> 00:29:56.725
Um, it is important, I think, uh, for ancestors
564
00:29:56.785 --> 00:29:58.245
to pass on information
565
00:29:58.245 --> 00:29:59.925
because sometimes, uh,
566
00:30:00.005 --> 00:30:02.405
even if you have a more salt on your head than pepper,
567
00:30:02.905 --> 00:30:06.205
you sometimes forget that there might be generations ahead
568
00:30:06.205 --> 00:30:08.285
of you that struggle mightily,
569
00:30:08.865 --> 00:30:11.725
and in some ways more than what you are, uh,
570
00:30:11.725 --> 00:30:12.805
experiencing now.
571
00:30:13.185 --> 00:30:15.485
But please, I don't want anybody to think that
572
00:30:15.485 --> 00:30:18.525
that trivialize trivializes any of the issues
573
00:30:18.525 --> 00:30:19.725
that you're facing today.
574
00:30:20.445 --> 00:30:21.445
'cause they are significant.
575
00:30:22.545 --> 00:30:26.895
But hopefully it gives you a little hope
576
00:30:27.645 --> 00:30:30.295
that you can overcome the challenges before you,
577
00:30:30.445 --> 00:30:33.215
because you know of others that have succeeded beforehand.
578
00:30:34.195 --> 00:30:39.135
So, um, Josie Johnson in some circles
579
00:30:39.155 --> 00:30:40.335
is known as the First Lady
580
00:30:40.335 --> 00:30:42.255
of Civil Rights in the state of Minnesota.
581
00:30:42.275 --> 00:30:43.815
And when I first became Commissioner
582
00:30:43.815 --> 00:30:45.855
of Human Rights in the state, uh,
583
00:30:46.155 --> 00:30:47.455
we had a breakfast meeting,
584
00:30:47.515 --> 00:30:51.255
and I was, uh, a sponge soaking up as much information
585
00:30:51.315 --> 00:30:52.335
as possible from her.
586
00:30:52.395 --> 00:30:56.575
And just sort of this idea of, Hey, Minnesota has the
587
00:30:57.625 --> 00:31:00.135
worst unemployment rate for African Americans.
588
00:31:00.315 --> 00:31:04.375
In 2011, when I took over the position, it was 36, 30 7%.
589
00:31:04.915 --> 00:31:06.815
That's a depression. Right.
590
00:31:07.715 --> 00:31:10.975
Um, to the idea of over-incarceration within the state.
591
00:31:11.635 --> 00:31:13.655
We can't pass a law Kyle by in the box
592
00:31:13.655 --> 00:31:14.895
that would be silliness,
593
00:31:15.035 --> 00:31:18.135
or we can't pass a law as it relates to, as a state,
594
00:31:18.185 --> 00:31:20.735
we'll look at equal pay for women.
595
00:31:22.125 --> 00:31:23.895
Well, we did. Right.
596
00:31:24.595 --> 00:31:26.375
And I like to think in part is
597
00:31:26.375 --> 00:31:29.295
because Josie was behind me supporting
598
00:31:29.315 --> 00:31:31.935
and pouring in stories of what can happen
599
00:31:32.635 --> 00:31:33.735
if you stay the course.
600
00:31:34.795 --> 00:31:38.255
So please know that this is a stay of the course film.
601
00:31:39.365 --> 00:31:42.815
This is not all these people are terrible kind of film.
602
00:31:43.675 --> 00:31:48.255
And I think the other piece of the love aspect, uh,
603
00:31:48.275 --> 00:31:51.495
and I was saying earlier that you wanted to hear more
604
00:31:52.035 --> 00:31:53.615
of the conversation, and there is more.
605
00:31:53.615 --> 00:31:54.975
That was my favorite part of the film.
606
00:31:55.525 --> 00:31:59.255
When Kevin asked Brian that question, I was like, whoa.
607
00:31:59.685 --> 00:32:03.215
Because I saw a shift. He brightened up. Right.
608
00:32:03.355 --> 00:32:04.775
And you could see that in the film
609
00:32:04.775 --> 00:32:07.495
that it just made him just be you.
610
00:32:07.755 --> 00:32:09.495
You know, lawyers don't beam much,
611
00:32:09.555 --> 00:32:11.175
but to me, he was beaming.
612
00:32:11.175 --> 00:32:12.175
Right?
613
00:32:14.195 --> 00:32:19.055
So this idea of, um, how much courage
614
00:32:19.055 --> 00:32:21.095
and how much love people had,
615
00:32:21.435 --> 00:32:23.215
and it just being a powerful force
616
00:32:23.555 --> 00:32:25.855
and just understanding that that is something
617
00:32:26.285 --> 00:32:28.855
that we all have the control over
618
00:32:29.755 --> 00:32:32.295
and maybe pouring out into the world, uh,
619
00:32:32.395 --> 00:32:34.815
may have more benefits than sometimes we might
620
00:32:34.815 --> 00:32:35.975
be willing to acknowledge.
621
00:32:36.915 --> 00:32:38.335
And it's just a great reminder
622
00:32:38.795 --> 00:32:41.845
of all the wonderful things those prior ancestors did.
623
00:32:46.425 --> 00:32:48.205
Any other thoughts on, on the film?
624
00:32:49.925 --> 00:32:52.725
I, I'll say, and I know lots of thoughts,
625
00:32:53.145 --> 00:32:55.445
and then we're probably Oh, we're okay with time.
626
00:32:55.515 --> 00:32:59.725
Okay. I, one of the, um, I had the opportunity to
627
00:33:00.265 --> 00:33:02.245
screen this film for a, uh,
628
00:33:02.345 --> 00:33:05.325
pretty large Minnesota philanthropist, um,
629
00:33:05.325 --> 00:33:07.005
Northwest Area Foundation.
630
00:33:07.825 --> 00:33:11.205
And in one more month,
631
00:33:12.065 --> 00:33:14.925
the film was received really powerfully.
632
00:33:15.465 --> 00:33:18.805
One more month, we are traveling to Montgomery
633
00:33:19.945 --> 00:33:21.885
to see all the museums.
634
00:33:21.885 --> 00:33:23.005
And you see some of the,
635
00:33:23.185 --> 00:33:25.245
the pictures from the newest exhibit,
636
00:33:25.245 --> 00:33:28.605
which is the monument sculpture park with the big monuments.
637
00:33:29.225 --> 00:33:31.765
And, um, so we're traveling there
638
00:33:31.905 --> 00:33:35.245
and we're gonna go take three days to go
639
00:33:35.305 --> 00:33:38.365
and fully immerse the board directors, the staff.
640
00:33:38.945 --> 00:33:42.165
But I really encourage, uh, take the trip, the peace
641
00:33:42.165 --> 00:33:44.965
and the national, um, memorial for Peace
642
00:33:44.965 --> 00:33:49.125
and Justice, um, is where you will see the, um,
643
00:33:49.925 --> 00:33:52.085
monuments to Clayton Jackson McGee.
644
00:33:53.225 --> 00:33:56.765
And, um, just, it's just an incredible experience.
645
00:33:57.185 --> 00:34:01.245
But the Duluth Lynching, um, I never learned about it
646
00:34:01.655 --> 00:34:03.165
until I moved to Minnesota,
647
00:34:03.265 --> 00:34:05.765
and I've been living here since 2010.
648
00:34:06.145 --> 00:34:09.325
But it's history, it wasn't it, the history books,
649
00:34:10.065 --> 00:34:11.565
it wasn't talked about.
650
00:34:12.305 --> 00:34:16.045
And so a lot of what you're seeing in our films is just
651
00:34:16.045 --> 00:34:17.565
that history that was buried.
652
00:34:19.145 --> 00:34:21.645
We, we did a program together a couple of years ago,
653
00:34:21.705 --> 00:34:24.965
and Federal district court Chief Judge John Heim,
654
00:34:25.185 --> 00:34:26.405
had made mention that he did not
655
00:34:26.405 --> 00:34:27.565
know about the Duluth Lynching.
656
00:34:27.565 --> 00:34:31.005
And he lived, as he says, the stone throw away
657
00:34:31.415 --> 00:34:32.605
until he was an adult.
658
00:34:33.145 --> 00:34:35.725
Wow. So, to this extent, there is so much, uh,
659
00:34:35.725 --> 00:34:36.885
that's just not known.
660
00:34:37.385 --> 00:34:39.925
And Monique made the mention of the three names,
661
00:34:39.925 --> 00:34:43.565
which are etched and, um, I don't think it's granite,
662
00:34:43.565 --> 00:34:45.805
but I'm, I'm gonna mis misspeak as it relates
663
00:34:45.805 --> 00:34:48.645
to the stone type, the EGI.
664
00:34:49.385 --> 00:34:52.885
Um, they have identified,
665
00:34:54.545 --> 00:34:57.045
not all, but as many that can be documented,
666
00:34:57.425 --> 00:35:00.205
all the lynchings that occurred in the United States.
667
00:35:01.665 --> 00:35:02.965
So you can see,
668
00:35:03.145 --> 00:35:06.485
and you walk into kind of a, an area similar to this.
669
00:35:06.485 --> 00:35:08.965
There will be kind of stones
670
00:35:08.995 --> 00:35:11.525
that are broadly in the shape of kind of a coffin.
671
00:35:12.585 --> 00:35:14.285
And then you can see the names
672
00:35:14.385 --> 00:35:15.965
and the dates of all the people
673
00:35:15.965 --> 00:35:17.765
that were lynched in respective states.
674
00:35:19.625 --> 00:35:22.485
Um, it's very powerful to be able to see
675
00:35:23.135 --> 00:35:27.045
those respective names in the respective areas, uh,
676
00:35:27.305 --> 00:35:29.245
all throughout the United States.
677
00:35:30.065 --> 00:35:32.885
And then often, well, the piece
678
00:35:32.885 --> 00:35:35.245
that also struck me was just sort of the one wall
679
00:35:35.245 --> 00:35:37.250
that they have, which is very similar to sort, sort
680
00:35:37.250 --> 00:35:38.310
of like walking up in here,
681
00:35:38.705 --> 00:35:41.325
in which there are little stories, vignettes as
682
00:35:41.325 --> 00:35:44.965
to the reasons why, um, individuals were lynched.
683
00:35:45.145 --> 00:35:49.005
And some of those were, I wanted to be paid for my labor,
684
00:35:50.225 --> 00:35:54.885
or my significant other, my spouse, my daughter,
685
00:35:55.745 --> 00:35:58.805
uh, was violated and I had to marry to ask
686
00:35:58.865 --> 00:36:00.045
for justice to be done.
687
00:36:01.425 --> 00:36:05.405
Um, or simply I was playing a chess or Checker's game
688
00:36:05.505 --> 00:36:09.045
or something, and I won the game and was lynched.
689
00:36:09.125 --> 00:36:11.845
I mean, it was just, those stories are just heart wrenching.
690
00:36:13.465 --> 00:36:17.805
So I'm, I'm a Victoria again,
691
00:36:18.425 --> 00:36:21.885
and one of the things that keeps coming up
692
00:36:21.885 --> 00:36:24.365
as we talking about how
693
00:36:26.195 --> 00:36:31.045
this is a parallel history is today, yesterday is now,
694
00:36:31.865 --> 00:36:35.165
um, and I'm just thinking about how
695
00:36:38.085 --> 00:36:39.805
challenging it is to think about the things
696
00:36:39.805 --> 00:36:44.245
that have happened to the ancestors on, uh, in America.
697
00:36:44.945 --> 00:36:46.285
And then thinking about today.
698
00:36:46.705 --> 00:36:49.005
And it just came to me as you were talking about, I will,
699
00:36:49.025 --> 00:36:51.645
you know, I wanted to be paid for my work,
700
00:36:52.225 --> 00:36:54.245
and I'm thinking about driving,
701
00:36:55.745 --> 00:36:57.245
I'm thinking about shopping.
702
00:36:57.595 --> 00:36:58.845
Yeah. I'm thinking about
703
00:37:00.075 --> 00:37:02.005
walking down the street while black.
704
00:37:02.265 --> 00:37:06.645
Mm-hmm. So the, that and today, this,
705
00:37:07.185 --> 00:37:10.445
and the fact that while the, the likelihood
706
00:37:11.065 --> 00:37:15.685
of actual violence maybe not as high now as it was then
707
00:37:17.305 --> 00:37:21.725
we seeing that is again,
708
00:37:21.795 --> 00:37:24.165
just like situating it in the now mm-hmm.
709
00:37:24.625 --> 00:37:29.205
As while it happened then for any number of reasons
710
00:37:29.745 --> 00:37:32.965
it could happen Now, even though it may not happen.
711
00:37:33.135 --> 00:37:36.685
Right. It's the threat of that changes
712
00:37:36.865 --> 00:37:38.485
how everybody does everything.
713
00:37:39.585 --> 00:37:40.685
So thank you.
714
00:37:41.675 --> 00:37:46.085
It's important. And also it's very important, um,
715
00:37:46.755 --> 00:37:48.845
that we collectively,
716
00:37:48.845 --> 00:37:51.565
because it is, it's all of our history, right?
717
00:37:51.575 --> 00:37:52.605
We're in this together.
718
00:37:53.345 --> 00:37:57.045
And, and that's why I love that powerful piece about, um,
719
00:37:57.995 --> 00:37:59.005
love for one another.
720
00:37:59.425 --> 00:38:00.845
You know, that's why we're here.
721
00:38:00.945 --> 00:38:03.605
We are here to take care of one another.
722
00:38:03.985 --> 00:38:07.685
So when you think of it in that spiritual sense of, um,
723
00:38:08.785 --> 00:38:13.165
we can't allow the hate to continue flowing.
724
00:38:13.945 --> 00:38:16.765
We have to make sure that in our communities,
725
00:38:16.765 --> 00:38:18.565
that we are spreading as much love.
726
00:38:18.795 --> 00:38:21.885
Because the film also displayed that, you know,
727
00:38:23.085 --> 00:38:26.085
enslaved people, they could have sought
728
00:38:26.115 --> 00:38:27.645
revenge and they didn't.
729
00:38:28.755 --> 00:38:30.085
They wanted citizenship.
730
00:38:30.155 --> 00:38:33.565
They just wanted, they didn't have a home to go home to.
731
00:38:34.075 --> 00:38:35.325
This was home now.
732
00:38:35.825 --> 00:38:39.165
And so they just wanted to be integrated into society.
733
00:38:40.615 --> 00:38:44.365
Thank you. I just, um, appreciated
734
00:38:44.365 --> 00:38:46.885
that you lifted up our own history here.
735
00:38:47.665 --> 00:38:51.245
Um, and I think
736
00:38:52.405 --> 00:38:54.965
Northerners in the past have liked to think
737
00:38:54.965 --> 00:38:57.285
that this was just a southern problem, right?
738
00:38:57.285 --> 00:39:00.485
Mm-hmm. But Ottertail County, at the end of World War,
739
00:39:00.645 --> 00:39:03.965
I had a very high population of people of color,
740
00:39:04.025 --> 00:39:05.085
and they were driven out.
741
00:39:05.635 --> 00:39:08.045
Also happens to be the home of the John Birch Society.
742
00:39:08.585 --> 00:39:11.125
Um, so the history's very real here.
743
00:39:12.295 --> 00:39:16.075
And so I, I just appreciate that you lifted that up as well.
744
00:39:17.035 --> 00:39:18.715
'cause we need to own it for here as well.
745
00:39:18.925 --> 00:39:20.755
Thank you. And we did our research
746
00:39:20.775 --> 00:39:24.035
and we did understand that history before we came.
747
00:39:24.535 --> 00:39:26.915
And one of the things I wanna highlight is, um,
748
00:39:27.395 --> 00:39:32.235
I wanna lift up, um, rah, who also found a piece
749
00:39:32.235 --> 00:39:33.995
of history or credit.
750
00:39:34.775 --> 00:39:38.915
Um, you wanna say what you found? I'm not sure what you're,
751
00:39:38.985 --> 00:39:40.635
What You're referring to. Which
752
00:39:40.635 --> 00:39:42.035
One man we found so much.
753
00:39:43.175 --> 00:39:45.675
Oh, you're talking about Thurgood Marshall? Yes. Okay. Okay.
754
00:39:45.675 --> 00:39:49.515
Yeah. Today, today is the day
755
00:39:50.135 --> 00:39:53.435
in 1967 that Thurgood Marshall, who you saw in the,
756
00:39:53.455 --> 00:39:58.115
in the film, um, he was sworn into at, he was sworn in
757
00:39:58.115 --> 00:40:02.195
as a Supreme Court Justice, um, representative.
758
00:40:03.055 --> 00:40:05.275
So yeah, that was, that was cool that we get
759
00:40:05.275 --> 00:40:06.675
to see this on this day.
760
00:40:07.175 --> 00:40:10.155
But yeah, like you said, uh, we, we did study
761
00:40:10.415 --> 00:40:13.795
and we learned that Fergus Falls at one point was the
762
00:40:13.795 --> 00:40:16.275
highest population of black people mm-hmm.
763
00:40:16.355 --> 00:40:18.355
Outside of the Twin Cities. Yeah.
764
00:40:18.415 --> 00:40:21.755
So it's, it's crazy to think that, um, like you said,
765
00:40:21.895 --> 00:40:23.995
you wouldn't assume these things happen in Minnesota
766
00:40:24.695 --> 00:40:26.835
or anywhere, not in the South,
767
00:40:27.335 --> 00:40:29.315
but you, you never really know
768
00:40:29.315 --> 00:40:30.755
where people's hearts are, I guess.
769
00:40:31.655 --> 00:40:34.435
That's right. And our last film talks about that a lot.
770
00:40:34.695 --> 00:40:37.995
Um, slavery's impact on Minnesota specifically.
771
00:40:38.775 --> 00:40:41.075
And, um, so check that out.
772
00:40:41.495 --> 00:40:43.835
Um, you'll see some familiar faces in there as well.
773
00:40:44.735 --> 00:40:49.675
Um, and so I appreciate even coming to the place
774
00:40:49.685 --> 00:40:53.355
where there was the highest population of black people, um,
775
00:40:53.545 --> 00:40:54.595
outside of the cities.
776
00:40:54.955 --> 00:40:56.355
I never would've known that,
777
00:40:56.375 --> 00:40:57.915
and I never would've come here for real.
778
00:40:58.575 --> 00:41:00.395
So I'm grateful to be here, um,
779
00:41:00.495 --> 00:41:02.275
and interact with history in that way.
780
00:41:03.095 --> 00:41:06.235
Um, I wanted to say something about what you said, Victoria.
781
00:41:06.935 --> 00:41:10.755
Um, I'm thinking about how many,
782
00:41:11.465 --> 00:41:12.915
what we've been talking about generally,
783
00:41:13.015 --> 00:41:15.555
how many stories are undocumented, like
784
00:41:15.555 --> 00:41:17.355
how many are documented on that wall,
785
00:41:17.855 --> 00:41:21.995
but then how many are not recorded, not remembered.
786
00:41:22.135 --> 00:41:26.395
Mm-hmm. And the importance of documenting that.
787
00:41:27.055 --> 00:41:31.875
Um, and engaging in documentary, engaging in information,
788
00:41:33.425 --> 00:41:36.445
um, and thinking about how we're not too far away.
789
00:41:36.825 --> 00:41:41.325
Um, and so driving while black is real, again,
790
00:41:41.325 --> 00:41:44.285
because we live in America,
791
00:41:44.915 --> 00:41:47.485
like America is a weighted word.
792
00:41:48.265 --> 00:41:51.725
And so, um, I'm thinking about
793
00:41:52.235 --> 00:41:54.765
what Judge Jerry Blackwell said in the film as well.
794
00:41:54.865 --> 00:41:58.965
His father was a sharecropper on a plantation in
795
00:41:58.965 --> 00:42:01.325
Georgia, his father.
796
00:42:03.105 --> 00:42:04.165
And he wasn't
797
00:42:04.165 --> 00:42:05.165
That long Ago. Yeah.
798
00:42:05.165 --> 00:42:08.685
And he, um, looking at him come out
799
00:42:09.355 --> 00:42:11.645
onto his, into his, what is it?
800
00:42:11.645 --> 00:42:14.285
Chambers, chambers, judge's, chambers. I'm like, wow.
801
00:42:14.405 --> 00:42:18.405
I was watching that. Um, I was watching that trial, um,
802
00:42:18.405 --> 00:42:20.885
while I was in high school on, on,
803
00:42:20.985 --> 00:42:23.205
on the TV while I was doing Zoom School.
804
00:42:23.275 --> 00:42:27.205
Like, it's crazy what we're experiencing.
805
00:42:27.265 --> 00:42:29.685
And it's quite unfathomable, honestly.
806
00:42:30.465 --> 00:42:32.725
And so the deeper I go, the,
807
00:42:34.165 --> 00:42:35.485
I don't know if it makes more sense
808
00:42:35.545 --> 00:42:38.445
or less sense how we could continue to do this.
809
00:42:38.825 --> 00:42:39.825
So
810
00:42:40.795 --> 00:42:41.795
Yeah. Again,
811
00:42:41.795 --> 00:42:44.205
going to Justice Marshall, right?
812
00:42:44.345 --> 00:42:48.405
So within the course of the lifetime being denied entrance
813
00:42:48.405 --> 00:42:50.925
to the University of Maryland, um,
814
00:42:51.025 --> 00:42:53.885
and then deciding that it's not gonna stop him.
815
00:42:54.745 --> 00:42:56.805
Um, and then he stumbles across
816
00:42:56.945 --> 00:43:00.005
as mentor guide throughout his
817
00:43:00.005 --> 00:43:01.165
life, Charles Hamilton Houston.
818
00:43:01.905 --> 00:43:05.125
And you then start to have the architecture, which leads
819
00:43:05.125 --> 00:43:06.885
to Brown versus Board of Education,
820
00:43:07.745 --> 00:43:08.965
and it then culminates
821
00:43:09.555 --> 00:43:11.725
with him sitting on the United States Supreme Court.
822
00:43:12.425 --> 00:43:14.765
So just imagine as a young man
823
00:43:15.345 --> 00:43:18.445
in this country being told you could not go to a law school
824
00:43:18.445 --> 00:43:20.485
of your choice because of the color of your skin.
825
00:43:21.105 --> 00:43:23.205
And in your lifetime you get
826
00:43:23.205 --> 00:43:25.125
to sit on the highest court in the land.
827
00:43:26.945 --> 00:43:31.125
So, um, it's the ying and the yang.
828
00:43:32.065 --> 00:43:35.845
So cool. Do we listen as Lincoln says, to the bad angels,
829
00:43:36.425 --> 00:43:39.805
demons on one or the good angels on the other side.
830
00:43:40.745 --> 00:43:42.045
And we have a choice.
831
00:43:43.265 --> 00:43:47.165
And that's, uh, what we're hoping is that people will be
832
00:43:48.235 --> 00:43:49.925
open to that real conversation
833
00:43:50.225 --> 00:43:52.485
and not keep it at a surface level as
834
00:43:52.485 --> 00:43:56.805
to really leaning into the highest ideals of creating space
835
00:43:56.825 --> 00:44:00.285
for all to be seen under the Declaration of Independence.
836
00:44:00.285 --> 00:44:04.445
This idea that it's a**l inalienable rights for all.
837
00:44:06.795 --> 00:44:08.805
There's a, oh, oh, go ahead.
838
00:44:11.245 --> 00:44:13.725
I just wanna add one more experience.
839
00:44:13.885 --> 00:44:17.365
I had, I bought my house 2006,
840
00:44:17.985 --> 00:44:21.765
and, uh, I was the only black family there.
841
00:44:22.705 --> 00:44:26.885
Uh, and so my neighbors, first I went to them,
842
00:44:27.165 --> 00:44:30.005
I shook their hands, and then I made some bussas
843
00:44:30.225 --> 00:44:33.125
and pastries, and they didn't like it.
844
00:44:33.235 --> 00:44:34.765
They stole me like that.
845
00:44:35.625 --> 00:44:39.205
But then they started a campaign of calling police.
846
00:44:40.835 --> 00:44:44.405
They'll call police if anything I do, if my children come
847
00:44:44.405 --> 00:44:48.085
outside, if we go to shut police, police was like,
848
00:44:48.425 --> 00:44:52.405
and then the police will come and yell at me and shake me.
849
00:44:52.425 --> 00:44:55.165
And I was like, I didn't know how to breathe out.
850
00:44:56.705 --> 00:45:00.565
And then I went to one of, uh, you know, one of the
851
00:45:01.455 --> 00:45:03.765
early people who came to Moorhead area,
852
00:45:04.385 --> 00:45:06.245
his name is Thomas Jefferson.
853
00:45:07.085 --> 00:45:11.245
I told him, Thomas, uh, you know, since I bought this house,
854
00:45:12.285 --> 00:45:13.845
I am suffering these people.
855
00:45:14.105 --> 00:45:15.485
We have to hide from them.
856
00:45:15.995 --> 00:45:18.965
Like, when my kids come from school, I just take them,
857
00:45:19.385 --> 00:45:23.485
we spend more time outside of our house, like in the park
858
00:45:23.665 --> 00:45:28.005
or in the library until it gets dark so we can go home.
859
00:45:28.865 --> 00:45:31.445
So I told him like, I don't feel safe.
860
00:45:31.705 --> 00:45:33.525
I'm attacked from every corner.
861
00:45:35.595 --> 00:45:39.565
He's the first one who introduced me to the, uh, uh,
862
00:45:40.755 --> 00:45:44.725
this group in New York, NAA, uh, um, a a c.
863
00:45:45.105 --> 00:45:46.605
Yes. Yes.
864
00:45:46.985 --> 00:45:49.925
He introduced to me that group,
865
00:45:50.185 --> 00:45:51.965
and then I connected with them.
866
00:45:51.965 --> 00:45:56.885
Nobody responded back to me. And then I, I gathered myself.
867
00:45:57.165 --> 00:45:59.445
I was like, you know what, I'm, I'm gonna leave.
868
00:45:59.545 --> 00:46:02.765
I'm gonna have a life. And then, uh, I went
869
00:46:02.785 --> 00:46:07.165
to the police chief, uh, and I didn't have any knowledge.
870
00:46:07.245 --> 00:46:09.805
I didn't know anybody, but I went to the police chief
871
00:46:10.665 --> 00:46:14.285
and I told him that if his police people,
872
00:46:14.395 --> 00:46:16.725
they don't stop coming to my house
873
00:46:17.185 --> 00:46:21.125
and listening to the crap that the neighbors are doing.
874
00:46:21.825 --> 00:46:26.085
Huh. Uh, I already called the na I was just,
875
00:46:27.705 --> 00:46:31.205
and say, if I don't get peace, you know, you guys,
876
00:46:32.075 --> 00:46:33.525
I'll bring this department.
877
00:46:33.995 --> 00:46:37.165
I'll just make all those kind of comment. And it made sense.
878
00:46:37.545 --> 00:46:39.765
It worked. It worked.
879
00:46:40.865 --> 00:46:45.005
So then what he did, the police chief, he sent two
880
00:46:45.145 --> 00:46:47.045
of his senior police,
881
00:46:47.545 --> 00:46:50.205
and then they went all over neighborhood
882
00:46:50.425 --> 00:46:52.605
and told to leave that family alone.
883
00:46:52.835 --> 00:46:55.085
Otherwise they will bring our police down.
884
00:46:55.625 --> 00:46:57.645
So this is how I survived.
885
00:46:57.865 --> 00:47:00.525
And my kids told me for a little bit
886
00:47:00.525 --> 00:47:02.805
after they couldn't handle it, they said,
887
00:47:02.945 --> 00:47:04.805
ma, why can't we move?
888
00:47:04.985 --> 00:47:08.045
So that I said this house, I will never even sell it
889
00:47:08.045 --> 00:47:10.765
because it is historical to our family.
890
00:47:11.465 --> 00:47:14.645
So there is small things in the service that happened.
891
00:47:15.185 --> 00:47:18.485
But one thing I wanted to talk about is when,
892
00:47:18.555 --> 00:47:22.205
when you talk about the black community, there is a lot
893
00:47:22.205 --> 00:47:23.765
of mental health going on.
894
00:47:23.765 --> 00:47:28.245
Mm-hmm. A lot of, um, you know, there is a lot of, um,
895
00:47:29.385 --> 00:47:32.765
you know, uh, in our community,
896
00:47:33.785 --> 00:47:37.325
in Fargo, black community are like 10%.
897
00:47:38.465 --> 00:47:41.525
And the jails, we have 100%. Mm-hmm.
898
00:47:42.385 --> 00:47:43.965
And also in Morehead,
899
00:47:44.305 --> 00:47:48.245
we are 30% including every ethnic group.
900
00:47:49.265 --> 00:47:53.725
And that also, uh, we occupy the jail.
901
00:47:54.665 --> 00:47:57.045
So there is other works that needs
902
00:47:57.065 --> 00:48:01.885
to be also looked at later on, which is, how can we tackle,
903
00:48:02.825 --> 00:48:06.445
uh, all this, uh, oppressing work
904
00:48:06.625 --> 00:48:08.405
that's happening underground.
905
00:48:08.705 --> 00:48:09.705
That's right.
906
00:48:11.505 --> 00:48:14.285
One of the things that Judge Blackwell said in the film is
907
00:48:14.315 --> 00:48:18.965
that if the judicial, when we talked about the judicial sys,
908
00:48:19.065 --> 00:48:23.845
um, um, branch being so important right now, right.
909
00:48:25.005 --> 00:48:26.965
Actually, it's always been important.
910
00:48:27.265 --> 00:48:30.525
If you don't uphold the rule of law, then we have nothing.
911
00:48:31.305 --> 00:48:34.205
And so, one of the things that we have to do
912
00:48:35.065 --> 00:48:38.005
is really get involved in the law, of course,
913
00:48:38.005 --> 00:48:40.965
understanding the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
914
00:48:40.965 --> 00:48:44.765
Right? How many, how have you read the,
915
00:48:45.115 --> 00:48:48.845
anybody read the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendment entirety?
916
00:48:49.145 --> 00:48:53.805
Not in its entirety. You have all of our laws
917
00:48:53.985 --> 00:48:57.005
and society are baked into those three amendments.
918
00:48:57.005 --> 00:48:58.765
And so it's important to know then,
919
00:48:58.925 --> 00:49:00.245
'cause that's where all of our rights are.
920
00:49:01.145 --> 00:49:05.685
Um, but the other thing, um, when you, uh, listen to, um,
921
00:49:05.895 --> 00:49:07.485
judge Blackwell, Kevin Lindsay
922
00:49:07.825 --> 00:49:12.645
and Brian Stevenson upholding the rule of law, holding
923
00:49:13.825 --> 00:49:16.005
the legislature accountable.
924
00:49:16.455 --> 00:49:20.005
Right. You're shaking your right. That's the,
925
00:49:20.435 --> 00:49:21.435
It's depressing.
926
00:49:22.065 --> 00:49:23.765
The, the Supreme Court rulings
927
00:49:23.825 --> 00:49:24.825
Are depressing. That's less Hear you,
928
00:49:24.825 --> 00:49:25.405
929
00:49:28.445 --> 00:49:30.365
I say, I I agree with you a hundred percent.
930
00:49:30.465 --> 00:49:32.005
We need to uphold the rule of law,
931
00:49:32.105 --> 00:49:34.325
and we need to honor our constitution, uh,
932
00:49:34.395 --> 00:49:36.445
from the First Amendment on through to the,
933
00:49:36.745 --> 00:49:38.005
all the, all the rest.
934
00:49:38.425 --> 00:49:40.245
But it's so, it's so depressing
935
00:49:40.245 --> 00:49:43.965
to have our legislators turn a blind eye to what's going on,
936
00:49:44.025 --> 00:49:45.965
and then to have our Supreme Court just
937
00:49:46.825 --> 00:49:49.125
not uphold precedent.
938
00:49:49.905 --> 00:49:53.085
Uh, it's, it is a very stressful time for many
939
00:49:53.085 --> 00:49:54.565
of us, for all those reasons.
940
00:49:55.425 --> 00:49:56.445
You know, when you sit
941
00:49:56.505 --> 00:49:58.925
and you say, okay, well, how can I,
942
00:49:59.795 --> 00:50:01.245
like you said, it's depressing, right?
943
00:50:01.555 --> 00:50:04.005
What, what do we do? But I think it's
944
00:50:04.005 --> 00:50:05.405
community that has to leave.
945
00:50:05.955 --> 00:50:10.685
It's how we work together in community, how we unite.
946
00:50:11.035 --> 00:50:14.365
It's how do we prevent when you see something wrong
947
00:50:14.515 --> 00:50:19.445
happening in your community with a, a family being harassed
948
00:50:19.445 --> 00:50:21.165
because of the color harassed,
949
00:50:21.165 --> 00:50:22.445
because of the color of their skin.
950
00:50:23.365 --> 00:50:25.885
Everyone has to stand up. There's a great story, um,
951
00:50:26.045 --> 00:50:29.165
I have you ever heard of, of Viola El, what is it?
952
00:50:29.165 --> 00:50:32.325
El Lizzo. El Lizzo. Viola Lozo.
953
00:50:33.585 --> 00:50:37.565
During the height of the Civil Rights movement, uh, suburban
954
00:50:38.255 --> 00:50:40.965
white mother in Detroit is watching the news
955
00:50:41.585 --> 00:50:43.405
of what's going on in the south.
956
00:50:43.585 --> 00:50:46.205
All of the racial tension
957
00:50:46.505 --> 00:50:48.605
and, um, during Jim Crow.
958
00:50:49.345 --> 00:50:53.365
And she decides she has to go there to help.
959
00:50:54.565 --> 00:50:57.645
I can't just stay here being a suburban mom, I need
960
00:50:57.645 --> 00:50:59.085
to get down there and I need to help.
961
00:50:59.785 --> 00:51:03.965
She gets in her car and she drives to the South
962
00:51:05.345 --> 00:51:08.365
and is helping anyway, transport people,
963
00:51:08.585 --> 00:51:11.005
the protestors, um, in Selma.
964
00:51:11.865 --> 00:51:14.085
And she's really embedded in it,
965
00:51:14.085 --> 00:51:17.925
helping at Dr. Martin Luther King helping any way she can.
966
00:51:18.795 --> 00:51:22.245
Well, the Kku Klux Klan kills her, right
967
00:51:23.455 --> 00:51:28.045
There is this huge memorial, um, right outside of Selma
968
00:51:28.265 --> 00:51:31.605
to her dedicate dedicated to her.
969
00:51:32.705 --> 00:51:37.425
Her daughter is a very big part
970
00:51:37.425 --> 00:51:38.865
of the King Center with Dr.
971
00:51:39.025 --> 00:51:42.785
Bernie's King. So you have these generations
972
00:51:42.815 --> 00:51:45.945
that are carrying on and fighting.
973
00:51:46.045 --> 00:51:49.025
And that's what we have to train every generation
974
00:51:49.165 --> 00:51:51.305
to stand up to fight,
975
00:51:51.695 --> 00:51:56.465
because your rights are not given, it's not a given.
976
00:51:56.795 --> 00:52:01.065
Right. So that's really what it's all about, being vigilant.
977
00:52:01.485 --> 00:52:03.145
But we all have to stand up
978
00:52:03.145 --> 00:52:04.785
and fight when we see something wrong.
979
00:52:06.645 --> 00:52:08.905
So within the movie, I ask a question,
980
00:52:08.925 --> 00:52:11.145
and I frame it as it relates to Judge Hasty.
981
00:52:11.965 --> 00:52:13.185
Um, for those of you
982
00:52:13.185 --> 00:52:17.585
who do not know Thurgood Marshall's family Tree, uh,
983
00:52:18.055 --> 00:52:19.265
that was his cousin.
984
00:52:19.525 --> 00:52:21.545
So you can imagine sort of what dinner was like
985
00:52:21.545 --> 00:52:25.225
between Thurgood and a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge.
986
00:52:26.605 --> 00:52:29.545
And his quote, I think, is apt no matter
987
00:52:29.575 --> 00:52:31.745
what point in time you are in our nation's history,
988
00:52:31.845 --> 00:52:35.025
and it is a democracy is never fully won,
989
00:52:35.725 --> 00:52:36.785
but it can be lost.
990
00:52:36.785 --> 00:52:39.465
Mm-hmm. Right? So this idea is that there has
991
00:52:39.465 --> 00:52:42.665
to be a constant examination among all of us as citizens.
992
00:52:43.165 --> 00:52:46.625
Are we living into the high ideals that we have put forward?
993
00:52:47.405 --> 00:52:50.945
Or are we so passive that it can all fall apart
994
00:52:51.885 --> 00:52:55.985
and then something steps into that void that's antithetical
995
00:52:56.125 --> 00:52:58.265
to the democracy that we are all like.
996
00:52:58.985 --> 00:53:00.505
I think those are always the questions
997
00:53:00.505 --> 00:53:02.665
that we are asking ourselves as a society.
998
00:53:03.485 --> 00:53:07.785
Um, so within this space, I do think, uh, the film starts
999
00:53:07.785 --> 00:53:09.185
to push us forward within that.
1000
00:53:10.105 --> 00:53:14.425
N-A-N-A-A-C-P is a traditional way in which people have
1001
00:53:14.585 --> 00:53:15.985
referred to the naacp.
1002
00:53:16.765 --> 00:53:19.585
Um, and again, just a bit of trivia,
1003
00:53:19.585 --> 00:53:23.585
and we've thought about this as it relates to the next role
1004
00:53:23.685 --> 00:53:25.805
or next, uh, film, is
1005
00:53:25.805 --> 00:53:27.885
that there's a young college student at the University
1006
00:53:27.885 --> 00:53:32.405
of Minnesota that sees what's going on, uh, in Duluth,
1007
00:53:32.625 --> 00:53:34.125
and he becomes very passionate
1008
00:53:34.125 --> 00:53:36.725
and he decides he wants to be a civil rights advocate,
1009
00:53:36.985 --> 00:53:39.605
and he becomes the executive director of the naacp.
1010
00:53:40.295 --> 00:53:42.245
Right. And that's a Minnesota story.
1011
00:53:42.735 --> 00:53:44.085
Again, I don't know
1012
00:53:44.585 --> 00:53:47.965
how many people in Minnesota know that story.
1013
00:53:48.585 --> 00:53:50.325
Um, so that's a little bit
1014
00:53:50.325 --> 00:53:51.885
of a teaser kind of going forward.
1015
00:53:52.625 --> 00:53:55.845
Uh, the last thing that I would say is, you know,
1016
00:53:55.845 --> 00:53:56.845
we're the Humanities Center.
1017
00:53:57.135 --> 00:53:59.525
We're a nonprofit. We're telling the respective stories.
1018
00:53:59.715 --> 00:54:02.005
They're gonna be issues which are gonna bubble up.
1019
00:54:02.625 --> 00:54:05.845
Uh, I'm more than happy to, I'll be old school for a second,
1020
00:54:05.955 --> 00:54:07.125
open up my Rolodex.
1021
00:54:07.395 --> 00:54:09.205
It's not a Rolodex, but you know what I mean.
1022
00:54:09.825 --> 00:54:12.525
So to that extent, if there are other resources,
1023
00:54:12.585 --> 00:54:15.085
I'm more than happy to sort of point people in a direction.
1024
00:54:15.385 --> 00:54:18.165
But that's unfortunately not the business that I'm in now.
1025
00:54:18.585 --> 00:54:20.885
But I'm happy to identify folks
1026
00:54:20.925 --> 00:54:22.925
that are working at the state or working at the city
1027
00:54:22.945 --> 00:54:25.125
or county government that can assist on
1028
00:54:25.125 --> 00:54:26.405
those respective issues.
1029
00:54:27.445 --> 00:54:30.365
Absolutely. For us, in the rural, um,
1030
00:54:31.065 --> 00:54:34.765
in the greater Minnesota, uh, people
1031
00:54:34.865 --> 00:54:36.645
of color needs those knowledge.
1032
00:54:37.425 --> 00:54:40.765
Uh, we need to know where to go and how to find help.
1033
00:54:40.945 --> 00:54:43.325
And, you know, uh, it's just, uh,
1034
00:54:43.785 --> 00:54:47.405
and for grassroots like us, we will share it if we get
1035
00:54:47.405 --> 00:54:48.725
that kind of information.
1036
00:54:48.775 --> 00:54:50.925
Right. Thank you. That, yeah. Um,
1037
00:54:51.025 --> 00:54:53.125
One you had mentioned earlier about, um,
1038
00:54:53.465 --> 00:54:54.885
the mental illness, right?
1039
00:54:55.495 --> 00:54:59.325
Which we know is a big problem, right? It's in crisis.
1040
00:55:00.305 --> 00:55:03.205
Um, a lot of what you're seeing in,
1041
00:55:04.455 --> 00:55:07.165
especially in African American, it's systemic
1042
00:55:07.305 --> 00:55:09.685
and it, you can trace it all the way back to
1043
00:55:10.275 --> 00:55:11.965
that period of enslavement.
1044
00:55:12.865 --> 00:55:16.085
And so it's never would you say 14 hundreds
1045
00:55:16.345 --> 00:55:19.645
to the 14 hundreds, and it's never been addressed.
1046
00:55:20.105 --> 00:55:24.005
And so that's another reason why we have
1047
00:55:24.005 --> 00:55:25.485
to confront this history.
1048
00:55:26.585 --> 00:55:30.245
We can't keep letting generations pass on that trauma.
1049
00:55:30.625 --> 00:55:31.645
And that's what's happened. We,
1050
00:55:31.655 --> 00:55:33.045
we've gotta put a stop to that.
1051
00:55:33.355 --> 00:55:34.355
Yeah.
1052
00:55:35.925 --> 00:55:38.765
I also just wanna say, um, part of the reason
1053
00:55:38.995 --> 00:55:43.525
that we do the breath work, um, is also to emphasize
1054
00:55:43.595 --> 00:55:47.165
that we are, you know, facilitating healing modalities
1055
00:55:47.355 --> 00:55:50.005
that aren't aligned with the medical system.
1056
00:55:50.825 --> 00:55:54.525
And a lot of people will notice
1057
00:55:54.555 --> 00:55:56.445
that we have all these mental health problems,
1058
00:55:57.225 --> 00:56:01.725
but, you know, we're still relying on a detrimental system
1059
00:56:01.865 --> 00:56:03.765
to heal these problems that they caused.
1060
00:56:04.195 --> 00:56:05.965
When in reality, it's not possible
1061
00:56:06.025 --> 00:56:07.685
unless you learn your history.
1062
00:56:08.025 --> 00:56:11.565
You know, you can't heal the slave mind
1063
00:56:11.645 --> 00:56:13.285
with medicine, you know?
1064
00:56:13.305 --> 00:56:16.125
And of course there's a lot of other mental health issues
1065
00:56:16.145 --> 00:56:18.045
and diagnosis that come from that,
1066
00:56:18.505 --> 00:56:20.325
but that's, I just wanna say that's the reason
1067
00:56:20.325 --> 00:56:22.405
that we do come up here and, and do breath work.
1068
00:56:22.785 --> 00:56:25.165
So when there is young people in the crowd, they'll know,
1069
00:56:25.165 --> 00:56:27.925
okay, we're not just, you know, emphasizing something
1070
00:56:27.925 --> 00:56:30.165
that they might have already heard a million times over.
1071
00:56:31.585 --> 00:56:33.245
And it's a practice knowing by myself
1072
00:56:33.245 --> 00:56:35.365
that lean on your, lean on your breath.
1073
00:56:35.365 --> 00:56:37.005
That's what we say a lot. Lean on it.
1074
00:56:37.275 --> 00:56:38.845
Even in the classroom, I know
1075
00:56:39.405 --> 00:56:40.605
educators that are here in the room.
1076
00:56:41.195 --> 00:56:45.005
It's something that you can use when you have a classroom
1077
00:56:45.025 --> 00:56:47.285
of young people and you teach them the power
1078
00:56:47.705 --> 00:56:48.925
of breathing together.
1079
00:56:49.215 --> 00:56:54.045
Right. And that issues don't always have to be solved
1080
00:56:54.545 --> 00:56:56.285
or never should be solved with violence.
1081
00:56:56.295 --> 00:57:00.405
Right. Stop and breathe. Get, get, get them to breathe.
1082
00:57:00.875 --> 00:57:01.875
It's, it's powerful.
1083
00:57:03.745 --> 00:57:05.885
Um, I was just gonna emphasize
1084
00:57:05.885 --> 00:57:07.805
what you said about know, know thyself.
1085
00:57:08.065 --> 00:57:10.685
Um, and to know thyself, you have to connect with self.
1086
00:57:10.795 --> 00:57:13.645
Knowing thyself also means connecting with the people
1087
00:57:13.785 --> 00:57:15.245
who are around you.
1088
00:57:15.425 --> 00:57:20.045
Um, your community and breath helps me to do that.
1089
00:57:20.125 --> 00:57:21.125
I know for sure.
1090
00:57:21.855 --> 00:57:25.365
Right. Um, so I
1091
00:57:27.235 --> 00:57:30.735
have a Onyx collective.
1092
00:57:30.955 --> 00:57:33.535
We exist so that black people in rural
1093
00:57:34.335 --> 00:57:36.095
Minnesota are connected.
1094
00:57:37.035 --> 00:57:41.095
Our, are economically supported and whole.
1095
00:57:42.435 --> 00:57:45.775
And what I am finding in just the very short year
1096
00:57:45.775 --> 00:57:49.815
that I've been engaged in this really specific heart work
1097
00:57:49.815 --> 00:57:54.695
of mine, is that as much as vicarious
1098
00:57:54.755 --> 00:57:58.015
and secondary trauma exists, so does
1099
00:57:58.845 --> 00:57:59.855
vicarious joy.
1100
00:57:59.955 --> 00:58:04.375
Mm-hmm. And every time, um, we gather
1101
00:58:04.515 --> 00:58:08.975
as Onyx Collective, there is this moment
1102
00:58:09.425 --> 00:58:11.575
where I can see
1103
00:58:12.075 --> 00:58:14.575
and sense the entire line.
1104
00:58:15.155 --> 00:58:16.575
And most of us don't know each other
1105
00:58:16.595 --> 00:58:18.535
who are gathered in these places together.
1106
00:58:18.955 --> 00:58:22.895
But the entire lineages of at least mine,
1107
00:58:23.435 --> 00:58:27.735
is healed because I am just sitting in space
1108
00:58:28.235 --> 00:58:32.615
and time in a place where we get to just experience
1109
00:58:34.085 --> 00:58:38.175
free and clear joy of just existence.
1110
00:58:38.915 --> 00:58:43.335
And it heals forwards the, the descendants who aren't here.
1111
00:58:43.875 --> 00:58:46.855
It goes backwards to those who have gone before.
1112
00:58:47.515 --> 00:58:50.815
And it just is expanded in the moment.
1113
00:58:51.035 --> 00:58:55.335
And so, I, I say all that to say that
1114
00:58:56.715 --> 00:58:59.855
we, yes, we, and I am, I've done the excavation
1115
00:59:00.835 --> 00:59:02.895
of figuring out, you know, all the things that
1116
00:59:03.775 --> 00:59:05.655
activate things that are not loving me,
1117
00:59:06.435 --> 00:59:11.035
and actively work towards making sure
1118
00:59:11.035 --> 00:59:13.075
that I'm able to manage those in the moment.
1119
00:59:13.455 --> 00:59:17.755
And then I also inoculate myself, um, by
1120
00:59:18.865 --> 00:59:20.955
chasing vicarious
1121
00:59:21.265 --> 00:59:24.245
Joy Onyx.
1122
00:59:24.295 --> 00:59:27.405
Collective. Collective. Are you based here in Fergus Falls?
1123
00:59:27.465 --> 00:59:29.045
In Fergus Falls. Okay. I need to look.
1124
00:59:29.045 --> 00:59:31.205
You look it up, right? It's beautiful.
1125
00:59:31.705 --> 00:59:33.885
And I know we're getting close to that time.
1126
00:59:34.665 --> 00:59:36.485
Oh, we are past the time. I'm sorry.
1127
00:59:36.965 --> 00:59:38.005
I think we're past the time. Yeah.
1128
00:59:38.025 --> 00:59:41.525
But that's a really good point to, to, to land on for us.
1129
00:59:41.685 --> 00:59:42.925
I think, um, one thing
1130
00:59:42.925 --> 00:59:45.605
that I have appreciated at the Humanity Center, uh,
1131
00:59:45.605 --> 00:59:47.885
listening to our poet lawyer at Glen Westerman,
1132
00:59:48.115 --> 00:59:50.525
professor Westerman talks about, there's a lot
1133
00:59:50.525 --> 00:59:52.885
of trauma in telling the stories of indigenous people,
1134
00:59:53.225 --> 00:59:56.645
but it's always important no matter when they all convene
1135
00:59:56.845 --> 00:59:58.685
together to make space for joy.
1136
00:59:59.505 --> 01:00:01.405
Yes. Um, so we do have some program called
1137
01:00:01.405 --> 01:00:02.765
Essence of Joy, just right.
1138
01:00:02.985 --> 01:00:05.565
For that, just to really underscore the importance
1139
01:00:05.825 --> 01:00:08.285
of making time for joy. So thank you.
1140
01:00:08.285 --> 01:00:10.885
That's a great way to end. Thank you so much.
1141
01:00:11.015 --> 01:00:15.085
Thank you for coming. And we'll just keep on going, right?
1142
01:00:15.545 --> 01:00:20.005
Yes. Thank you. Keep on keeping on, keep on. Yes.
1143
01:00:20.795 --> 01:00:23.405
This is Brother Rah. My name is Anaya
1144
01:00:24.025 --> 01:00:27.125
And you're tuning in to K-Z-M-O-H-D hd.
1145
01:00:27.665 --> 01:00:31.285
We just finished our screening at Fergus Falls
1146
01:00:32.475 --> 01:00:33.765
Westridge Cinema.
1147
01:00:34.865 --> 01:00:37.045
And the conversation was very rich.
1148
01:00:37.625 --> 01:00:39.805
It was, we went a bit over time,
1149
01:00:40.345 --> 01:00:41.645
but I think it was beautiful.
1150
01:00:42.105 --> 01:00:45.095
Um, it was really beautiful,
1151
01:00:45.115 --> 01:00:47.335
the perspectives we had in the room today.
1152
01:00:47.605 --> 01:00:51.015
Yeah. A lot of people had some really good stuff to say.
1153
01:00:51.105 --> 01:00:52.135
There was some brothers
1154
01:00:52.135 --> 01:00:55.535
and sisters from the continent of Africa who
1155
01:00:56.155 --> 01:00:58.895
had never heard or seen this history before,
1156
01:00:59.835 --> 01:01:02.095
and they brought up some really deep emotions.
1157
01:01:02.995 --> 01:01:06.975
So it was a very good experience for me to,
1158
01:01:07.315 --> 01:01:10.935
to see people in real time learning African history.
1159
01:01:11.085 --> 01:01:13.575
Just African history in America. Right.
1160
01:01:14.685 --> 01:01:17.615
Yeah. I think there's this distinction
1161
01:01:17.635 --> 01:01:21.175
or separation that, um, has kept us apart mm-hmm.
1162
01:01:21.525 --> 01:01:25.375
From identifying with each other's experiences.
1163
01:01:25.645 --> 01:01:27.575
Exactly. And so to be like, wow,
1164
01:01:27.575 --> 01:01:28.855
I can't believe this happened to you.
1165
01:01:28.965 --> 01:01:30.095
Like, no, this is
1166
01:01:30.455 --> 01:01:31.455
Happened to you. This
1167
01:01:31.455 --> 01:01:34.175
isn't happening to us. Yeah. Yeah.
1168
01:01:34.635 --> 01:01:37.935
Um, I think that's super, super beautiful
1169
01:01:37.995 --> 01:01:39.175
to like meld together.
1170
01:01:39.355 --> 01:01:41.015
And then thinking about our last film,
1171
01:01:41.435 --> 01:01:43.655
we both got the opportunity to go to Ghana,
1172
01:01:43.715 --> 01:01:45.975
and I'm still understanding like why mm-hmm.
1173
01:01:46.195 --> 01:01:48.135
Why did I, like, why did that happen for me?
1174
01:01:49.115 --> 01:01:51.415
Um, but in alignment with
1175
01:01:51.955 --> 01:01:54.175
The mission, With the mission and with, and the times.
1176
01:01:54.485 --> 01:01:57.055
With the timing with R'S Trip and, um,
1177
01:01:57.555 --> 01:02:01.255
and Monique's trip to Ghana, I shortly
1178
01:02:01.265 --> 01:02:03.335
after went and that's beautiful.
1179
01:02:03.515 --> 01:02:06.095
And so, um, I'm grateful for that.
1180
01:02:06.315 --> 01:02:09.215
I'm grateful to have brought in my ex,
1181
01:02:09.775 --> 01:02:13.135
expanded my understanding of what it means to be African,
1182
01:02:13.765 --> 01:02:16.815
what it means to be black in America, what it means
1183
01:02:16.815 --> 01:02:21.245
to be black period and connected, um, completely
1184
01:02:22.185 --> 01:02:23.725
to everyone across the globe
1185
01:02:24.785 --> 01:02:26.275
that has skin that looks like us.
1186
01:02:27.615 --> 01:02:31.675
It is now 43 on October 2nd.
1187
01:02:33.455 --> 01:02:36.795
And, um, I just wanna say I really appreciate this platform
1188
01:02:36.795 --> 01:02:41.115
that Monique has provided for us to share history
1189
01:02:41.175 --> 01:02:43.315
and to share our experience as young people.
1190
01:02:44.495 --> 01:02:48.715
So we are checking out from Fergus Falls.
1191
01:02:49.795 --> 01:02:54.155
Fergus Falls, October 2nd. This is so beautiful.
1192
01:02:54.525 --> 01:02:58.475
Don't hold your breath. Exhale.
1
00:00:00.335 --> 00:00:02.075
All right, I think we're ready to begin.
2
00:00:02.935 --> 00:00:04.915
Um, my name's Monique Linder.
3
00:00:05.095 --> 00:00:06.435
I'm the director of the film,
4
00:00:07.255 --> 00:00:10.395
and I'm standing here with my executive producer,
5
00:00:10.405 --> 00:00:13.595
Kevin Lindsay, CEO of Minnesota Humanities.
6
00:00:14.615 --> 00:00:16.155
And then on my right
7
00:00:16.175 --> 00:00:18.235
and my left, our two,
8
00:00:18.395 --> 00:00:21.555
I called them our innovation lab stars.
9
00:00:21.775 --> 00:00:22.915
So we have this music
10
00:00:23.815 --> 00:00:27.035
and art development program at OMG Studios.
11
00:00:28.635 --> 00:00:32.595
Rah and Anaya were part of our cohort from two years ago,
12
00:00:33.215 --> 00:00:34.635
but you can see they're here with us.
13
00:00:34.635 --> 00:00:37.675
It's a one year cohort because they are stars.
14
00:00:38.575 --> 00:00:41.235
Um, they're, they're gonna do something
15
00:00:41.235 --> 00:00:42.595
that is really important part
16
00:00:42.595 --> 00:00:44.515
of our film called Innovative Breathing.
17
00:00:44.895 --> 00:00:46.715
Um, the technique that they develop.
18
00:00:47.215 --> 00:00:50.075
Um, our cons, I would say our content is
19
00:00:50.075 --> 00:00:51.195
pretty serious, right?
20
00:00:52.275 --> 00:00:54.705
It's educational, it's truth,
21
00:00:56.025 --> 00:00:57.565
but it is our history,
22
00:00:58.815 --> 00:01:03.275
and we do this breathing to bring us together in this space.
23
00:01:04.295 --> 00:01:08.395
Mr. Lindsay, um, talk about Minnesota Humanities
24
00:01:08.655 --> 00:01:11.315
and why they are a partner in making these cultural films.
25
00:01:13.135 --> 00:01:15.315
Uh, again, thanks everybody for coming out tonight.
26
00:01:15.375 --> 00:01:16.795
My name again is Kevin Lindsay,
27
00:01:16.855 --> 00:01:18.435
and I have the pleasure of serving as the CEO
28
00:01:18.435 --> 00:01:19.795
of the Minnesota Humanities Center.
29
00:01:20.335 --> 00:01:21.955
Um, briefly for folks
30
00:01:21.985 --> 00:01:24.315
that may not know about the Minnesota Humanities Center,
31
00:01:24.365 --> 00:01:26.995
every state has a humanities center
32
00:01:27.695 --> 00:01:29.795
or humanities organization that partners
33
00:01:29.825 --> 00:01:32.275
with the National Endowment for Humanities.
34
00:01:32.805 --> 00:01:34.635
We've been in existence here in Minnesota
35
00:01:34.775 --> 00:01:36.155
for a little over 50 years.
36
00:01:37.055 --> 00:01:39.635
We thought that, uh, partnering with OMG Studios
37
00:01:39.635 --> 00:01:42.275
and a fantastic Monique Linder was something
38
00:01:42.275 --> 00:01:44.675
that would be really important to help us support civics
39
00:01:44.675 --> 00:01:46.595
and democracy within our state.
40
00:01:46.695 --> 00:01:48.115
We do a lot with K 12
41
00:01:48.175 --> 00:01:50.435
and a lot of programming also with colleges.
42
00:01:51.445 --> 00:01:54.225
The folks that you're gonna see within the film.
43
00:01:54.245 --> 00:01:55.785
You'll see an interview with myself
44
00:01:55.965 --> 00:01:59.505
and Brian Stevenson from the Equal Justice Initiative.
45
00:01:59.715 --> 00:02:02.025
Brian is a noted civil rights attorney.
46
00:02:02.365 --> 00:02:05.065
You've seen the movie Just Mercy. It's on his life.
47
00:02:05.685 --> 00:02:07.665
You'll also get a chance to see an interview
48
00:02:07.665 --> 00:02:09.385
with Judge Jerry Blackwell,
49
00:02:09.385 --> 00:02:10.785
who's a federal District court judge.
50
00:02:10.895 --> 00:02:11.985
Some people might know him
51
00:02:12.005 --> 00:02:14.145
as a lead prosecutor in the Derek Chauvin case.
52
00:02:14.965 --> 00:02:18.225
And then Duchess Harris, uh, who is the endowed chair
53
00:02:18.225 --> 00:02:21.545
of four African American studies at McAllister College.
54
00:02:22.285 --> 00:02:24.705
Um, this period of time, the 13th, 14th,
55
00:02:24.705 --> 00:02:27.945
and 15th Amendment, it really frames, I would say, a lot
56
00:02:27.945 --> 00:02:29.785
of our thinking within our country of
57
00:02:29.805 --> 00:02:31.305
who is in and who is out.
58
00:02:32.015 --> 00:02:34.395
And again, when we think about the founding of our country,
59
00:02:34.595 --> 00:02:38.075
I always start with the idea that yes, white men were able
60
00:02:38.075 --> 00:02:40.115
to vote, but only if they had property.
61
00:02:40.135 --> 00:02:43.795
Mm-hmm. So this idea of economics and race
62
00:02:43.935 --> 00:02:45.995
and gender was intertwined right at the very
63
00:02:45.995 --> 00:02:47.435
beginning of our country.
64
00:02:48.415 --> 00:02:52.515
And for us, within Juneteenth, sometimes we will show is,
65
00:02:52.655 --> 00:02:54.555
um, the colors of Juneteenth.
66
00:02:55.425 --> 00:02:56.675
They're red, white, and blue.
67
00:02:57.255 --> 00:02:58.795
Uh, it's a bursting star,
68
00:02:59.845 --> 00:03:02.725
and really the originators
69
00:03:02.825 --> 00:03:06.225
and the keepers of the faith of Juneteenth did.
70
00:03:06.245 --> 00:03:11.175
So to really underscore that the celebration of Juneteenth
71
00:03:11.715 --> 00:03:15.255
is really to be aspirational articulated in the
72
00:03:15.255 --> 00:03:16.535
Declaration of Independence.
73
00:03:17.035 --> 00:03:20.095
And that idea is that we can be truly inclusive
74
00:03:20.355 --> 00:03:24.015
and live into that inalienable rights for everyone and all.
75
00:03:24.915 --> 00:03:27.815
So, um, we're very happy to be part of this project.
76
00:03:28.275 --> 00:03:30.295
Really happy to support Innovation Lab
77
00:03:30.315 --> 00:03:32.935
and the wonderful musicians that are part of, uh,
78
00:03:32.935 --> 00:03:34.175
the effort there with Monique.
79
00:03:35.395 --> 00:03:39.385
Thank you so much. What we'll do, um, we'll get started
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with the breathing, then we'll watch this film,
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and then we'll have this beautiful discussion.
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All right. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you.
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All right, everybody. I'm Brother Rah.
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Um, just wanna let you guys know
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that we are recording right now,
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and you'll be able to listen to this audio on K-Z-M-O-H-D,
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our website, where the film is also, um, available to watch.
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So me and Anaya are, like she said, stars.
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Um, we lead the podcast at K-Z-M-O-H-D.
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All of the intros and all
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of the community discussions will all be
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available to listen to.
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Hey, everybody, my name is Anaya,
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and I'm so grateful to be in space with you guys today.
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We came a long way to be here.
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Um, and that's the beautiful thing about bringing this film
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around to other places.
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Um, like she mentioned, this is our second year doing this.
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So to have another round of sharing the truth, um,
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sharing history
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and sharing it across the landscape of Minnesota
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and not just in the city where I grew up, um,
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and stay, um, is really beautiful.
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So I'm excited to be expanding knowledge to elsewhere, um,
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other than just where we treasure it with ourselves
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and in our communities, but to expand that community today.
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So, thank you for being here,
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and I'm excited to get in conversation
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with you guys after the film.
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Um, but first we're gonna start with a breath.
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So if you guys could all get just comfortable in your
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chair, uh, put anything that you have to the side
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and, um, just free your hands.
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You can close your eyes if you want to,
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otherwise you find a soft gaze.
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And just take a few deep breaths to yourself
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and just notice your body.
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Now, as a community, let's take a deep breath in. Inhale.
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Let it go.
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Let's do this two more times.
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Breathe in. Exhale.
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Inhale, breathe out.
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Now just notice what your body is feeling.
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So, like Ms. Linder said, we take these breaths
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to stay present in these moments and to calm
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and relax our bodies, but more importantly,
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so we can strengthen our relationships
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and, you know, make healthier decisions
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and really just become our best selves.
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And like Mr. Lindsay said, really hopefully fulfill the,
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the ideals that are laid out in the Constitution.
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Yeah, we want you to remember to
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hold your breath with you.
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Um, you always have it, and it's always a tool to use.
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So throughout this film, um, feel free to take breaths.
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Feel free to take notes.
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Um, but remember that you have the power to regulate.
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Um, you have the power to your body is amazing,
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and it does everything you need.
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So beautiful. Again, thanks for being here.
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Um, enjoy the film.
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Thank you so much for watching this with us.
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Um, before we get into conversation, I wanna take a moment
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to breathe, once again, to ground ourselves,
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to take in what we just heard.
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Um, we're in a different position than we were before.
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We have more information than we had before.
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So take a moment to sit with that. Um, sit with yourself.
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I'm gonna do a breath with you.
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Um, we're just gonna, we're gonna add some movement, um,
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but we're still gonna ground a little bit.
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So I'm gonna ask, if you put your hands on your lap,
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take a couple deep breaths.
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Just breathe in and out.
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As you would, you can close your eyes
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if you're comfortable, or find a soft gaze.
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Now, as we inhale collectively, I want you
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to move your hands to the front of your lap.
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Inhale. Exhale. Bring them back.
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Okay. So you had a, a few minutes to share
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with your neighbor some thoughts
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that you had about the film.
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Um, let's just start with an easy one.
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Is there something you shared with your neighbor
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that you thought was very interesting about the film,
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or something that you learned within the
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film that you hadn't heard before?
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Anybody? I'm gonna give the mic to you so we can,
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Uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stand up.
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First of all, I want to say thank you, Kevin
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and Minnesota Humanities,
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and to you for bringing this, uh, film to us.
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I was sitting there with fia, and FIA was crying.
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Uh, especially like, it's the first time I'm, I'm learning
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that these three young folks
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who were lynched in Duluth, we are in Minnesota.
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It's the first time I'm learning. Can you imagine that?
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So it gives me, like, you know, to thank for those
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who paved the way for us.
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I am still new in the country.
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Uh, those, uh, you know, who paved the paved the way for us.
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And we are very grateful.
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We are, we have more freedom,
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more like the work and all of it.
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But at the same time, there is a lot
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of work that need to be done.
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Um, immigrant advocate
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and the work we do, uh, we have seen
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that, uh, you know, the people that we have been working
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with changing the way they are
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because of the current political climate
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and the federal government leaders,
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critics against immigrants
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and folks of color and minorities.
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And we have seen if an organization is allies
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that we have been working with, who change it, their face
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and cutting us and don't wanna do with anything
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with our organization is, and people with us.
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So there, there is a work ahead,
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but we need this kind of work, all of us, to support,
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to continue and to educate. Thank you so much.
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Thank you. Thank you. That was, um, so appreciative.
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Stand up up. You don't have to stand off. Just say her
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Name.
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Victoria McQuain Creek.
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Um, I know
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Fia, um, said something which I had heard
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before, that as an immigrant, this is new.
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Mm-hmm. And,
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and that she could not ever see
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how someone could survive.
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Mm-hmm. That, and my response was,
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and she said, can you believe that?
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And I said, yes. 'cause I'm here. Yeah.
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Asha. Right. Um,
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and so what, what the film
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brings out in me is,
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as an educator, you know, being culturally responsive
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and things of that nature, in order to tap into
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and connect with a learner, um,
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being culturally responsive means I need to know
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that safety for me.
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Mm-hmm. It looks different for safety for someone else.
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Mm-hmm. And I say that
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because my history
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in this space, in this time in this community is one
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that has experienced safety at times
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and other times not.
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And so when I see something like this where we have
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on this, the display of violence and aggression
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and harm, um,
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activated in me is that ancient ancestor, DNA,
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that says, are we not safe?
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Right? And if I'm not safe, then I can't feel like I belong.
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And if I don't feel like I belong,
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then I don't feel like I'm welcome.
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And people don't even know that. Right?
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So somebody yelling an epithet out there car
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as they're passing by while I'm setting up for a barbecue
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on the quad at the college,
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and triggers that ancestral response
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that I'm not safe, even
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though it's a different time and place.
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Right? Right. And so I say all that
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because what I'm starting to see in this is the work
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that I'm doing on me
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and in our community, is that in order to practice
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that activation of love, that knowledge,
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that deep knowledge of self
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and the ancestral things
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that are influenced in every single solitary thing
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that comes up, um, has to be deeply understood.
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And then from there, being able to connect with f fia
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who is not culturally from here
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and is trying to understand how, how do we get together
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and make it, make it happen.
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Right. How do we make it happen together?
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And so that's what I'm starting to see is
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that the culturally responsive way in which we can adapt
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and shift how we do what we do when we know self deep enough
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Yeah.
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That it's real. And it's also a deeper bird dive
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recognizing, oh, culturally, that's not the same thing.
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So the trigger of somebody yelling an epithet out the
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their car may not impact fauzi the same way
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and trigger a deep fear in me.
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Mm-hmm. And so that, that's what
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that just brought to me. Thank
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You. Thank you, thank you.
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That, um, what you just said, um,
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reminded me of why we make these films
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and being able to come into community with you
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to have these discussions is a very important part
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of the, uh, journey.
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It's the journey of truth.
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Being able to sit here
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and confront the truth of our history instead of that
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what society has done bury the history.
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Right. Don't think about it. It happened.
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But part of what we're doing is we can't act
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like it's normal, not addressing us
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and not confronting it.
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Right. We're sitting in, in, in these times that mirror
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what was going on.
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Right. And maybe we're not having exhibition lynchings,
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but pretty close.
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When you think about George Floyd
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and you think about Philando Castile that
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we're still addressing these issues in society today
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because we didn't confront it.
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We didn't. Yeah. You've gotta go back. Yeah.
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And in order to move forward.
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And so that's, that's what we're doing. We are doing it.
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It feels often, like it's a small part. Right.
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It feels that, like the burden is so huge
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that just being together, I don't care if it's five or 10,
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but being in community with you is
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so important with you.
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Thank you. Thank you. And thank you for saying that.
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And, and, you know, sitting there
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and I could hear your pain, I could, you were
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behind me, I could hear it.
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And, um, understanding that one
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of the things we did was the film
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before this, we traveled to Africa to confront
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our history, because when we were out with our film,
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our pre previous film and the film
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before, we were hearing things in, in community, like, well,
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your ancestors enslaved, you know, your ancestors.
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Right. It was all about a lot of denial
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or about a lot of transfer of the pain
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and give it back to you.
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Right. So we said, okay, we're gonna, we're gonna go back.
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So we traveled with our youth to Africa.
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We stayed in a village that had a king
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and a queen that participated in the
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international slave trade.
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And we were able to sit with them and confront this history
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and talk about it, and ask why we asked tough questions.
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And it was very powerful.
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Um, raw was there, so
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watching this take place from the eyes of youth was,
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it was just powerful, raw.
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Do you wanna say a few words about that? Yeah,
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Sure.
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Thank you. Um, yeah,
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the experience was very impactful.
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Um, my biggest takeaway was the understanding
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that slavery
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or indentured servitude,
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it just looks different depending on
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what people it's coming from.
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Um, so the, the blanket statement of,
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you guys enslaved yourselves,
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or there's slavery all over the world,
336
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or everybody has had slavery.
337
00:17:50.025 --> 00:17:52.285
That's a really surface level thing that a lot
338
00:17:52.285 --> 00:17:56.565
of people love to say to just dismiss the dehumanization
339
00:17:57.345 --> 00:18:02.005
and the foundation of their economic system that they built.
340
00:18:02.505 --> 00:18:04.845
That's all that stuff is just used to miss that
341
00:18:05.105 --> 00:18:06.365
and treat it as if
342
00:18:06.945 --> 00:18:09.605
the transatlantic slave trade was the same as anything else.
343
00:18:09.635 --> 00:18:12.165
When we all know, you know, it's completely different.
344
00:18:12.225 --> 00:18:16.045
And most importantly, um, it, it was,
345
00:18:16.225 --> 00:18:18.885
and still is a behavioral modification process.
346
00:18:19.465 --> 00:18:21.245
You know, it's identity rearrangement.
347
00:18:21.245 --> 00:18:23.085
So it's not just ch shackles
348
00:18:23.185 --> 00:18:27.205
and chains, you know, they're creating the so-called negro.
349
00:18:28.615 --> 00:18:32.765
Thank you. Are there others that, oh, go ahead.
350
00:18:34.585 --> 00:18:37.965
Uh, with me, it was, uh,
351
00:18:38.595 --> 00:18:39.965
very painful to watch.
352
00:18:40.865 --> 00:18:43.725
Um, I am African,
353
00:18:44.285 --> 00:18:46.525
I never walked in those shoes,
354
00:18:47.385 --> 00:18:52.085
but since I came to America, I noticed a lot of things when,
355
00:18:52.505 --> 00:18:54.285
in particular in black woman.
356
00:18:55.105 --> 00:18:57.525
And when I walk in rooms and,
357
00:18:57.625 --> 00:19:00.725
and in some spaces I'm not received.
358
00:19:01.945 --> 00:19:04.685
Um, and then in our area,
359
00:19:06.275 --> 00:19:10.325
what happened was they, there was a group who attacked, uh,
360
00:19:10.545 --> 00:19:12.725
new American owned businesses.
361
00:19:13.785 --> 00:19:18.765
And, uh, they, uh, you know, uh, they will, uh, they even
362
00:19:20.035 --> 00:19:24.605
kind of destroyed our murals that we put in our marketplace.
363
00:19:25.705 --> 00:19:28.085
And today, last night,
364
00:19:29.235 --> 00:19:32.445
they actually stoned our building, uh,
365
00:19:32.505 --> 00:19:36.085
and broke our, um, uh,
366
00:19:36.985 --> 00:19:38.965
and so we have the best mayor,
367
00:19:39.385 --> 00:19:42.525
and she's working with us to kind of go to the bottom of it,
368
00:19:42.525 --> 00:19:44.045
because we just bought the building.
369
00:19:44.105 --> 00:19:45.605
We didn't even put any cameras.
370
00:19:46.305 --> 00:19:48.925
But what I was crying about is
371
00:19:49.825 --> 00:19:52.165
I'm complaining about small things.
372
00:19:52.445 --> 00:19:55.085
I was not received, or I was attacked,
373
00:19:55.705 --> 00:19:59.645
or our mirrors, uh, was, you know,
374
00:19:59.825 --> 00:20:01.365
uh, destroyed.
375
00:20:01.545 --> 00:20:05.485
Uh, the same group, we are taking them to court.
376
00:20:05.665 --> 00:20:09.325
Uh, they have a name, some kind of, uh, I don't know if the,
377
00:20:09.625 --> 00:20:12.085
uh, Ahmed, do you remember their name?
378
00:20:12.315 --> 00:20:17.285
Patriot something? Uh, a patriotic group. Patriotic, yes.
379
00:20:17.945 --> 00:20:20.885
Uh, so, um, anyways, they,
380
00:20:22.435 --> 00:20:26.365
they attacked the schools that New Americans go to
381
00:20:26.985 --> 00:20:28.045
the English class.
382
00:20:28.225 --> 00:20:31.205
And so I'm complaining about minor stuff.
383
00:20:32.195 --> 00:20:35.925
Then when I watch this video, I said, wow, if
384
00:20:36.515 --> 00:20:40.645
they can overcome this, and they even have generational
385
00:20:41.065 --> 00:20:45.005
and they have their children speaking to you, I mean,
386
00:20:45.365 --> 00:20:47.525
I just need to learn from you guys
387
00:20:47.985 --> 00:20:51.125
and just carry that spirit of,
388
00:20:51.985 --> 00:20:53.445
you know, let's survive.
389
00:20:53.535 --> 00:20:57.565
Let's go on and now let's strive and, you know, and,
390
00:20:57.585 --> 00:20:58.925
and make this history.
391
00:20:59.185 --> 00:21:02.965
And, and I like the film. It's just, it will stay with me.
392
00:21:03.345 --> 00:21:07.005
And if there is a website, uh, to watch with my kids,
393
00:21:08.005 --> 00:21:10.245
I want them to know the history also.
394
00:21:10.505 --> 00:21:13.005
So thank you for the good work. Thank
395
00:21:13.005 --> 00:21:14.005
You. Wow.
396
00:21:14.005 --> 00:21:16.045
I think that's super interesting.
397
00:21:16.465 --> 00:21:20.045
Um, in hearing what both of you guys have said,
398
00:21:20.345 --> 00:21:23.885
I'm thinking about this concept of like, we are here
399
00:21:23.885 --> 00:21:28.165
because our ancestors lived, and I mean, all of us.
400
00:21:29.065 --> 00:21:31.725
And so we have brown skin.
401
00:21:32.385 --> 00:21:35.885
Um, and so what you're experiencing is not minor.
402
00:21:36.145 --> 00:21:39.445
It is also fully packed and loaded with history.
403
00:21:40.225 --> 00:21:43.445
Um, and so similar to what Monique said,
404
00:21:43.445 --> 00:21:46.285
we have not confronted our history yet fully.
405
00:21:46.705 --> 00:21:49.125
And so we are all a product of our history.
406
00:21:50.065 --> 00:21:51.965
Um, I'm here because they lived,
407
00:21:51.985 --> 00:21:53.645
and we as a society are here
408
00:21:53.645 --> 00:21:58.325
because of what we, what America endured
409
00:21:58.625 --> 00:22:00.085
and what America decided.
410
00:22:00.505 --> 00:22:03.965
Um, because like they're saying in this film,
411
00:22:06.145 --> 00:22:10.765
our government did a lot to, um, to destroy,
412
00:22:12.005 --> 00:22:14.625
um, the success of our country really.
413
00:22:14.925 --> 00:22:18.265
Um, and especially that of black Americans.
414
00:22:19.885 --> 00:22:23.565
So we do have to sit with that as a collective.
415
00:22:23.565 --> 00:22:26.965
And this is again, why we are truth telling in this moment.
416
00:22:28.305 --> 00:22:31.605
We are mirroring history right now. We always are.
417
00:22:31.865 --> 00:22:34.445
Um, we go in a circle that is the way of life.
418
00:22:34.865 --> 00:22:36.285
And so we're coming back around.
419
00:22:36.395 --> 00:22:38.405
Something I'm thinking about is the
420
00:22:38.485 --> 00:22:39.805
government shut down right now.
421
00:22:40.345 --> 00:22:43.485
Um, the film just kind of sparked that in my mind, like,
422
00:22:43.545 --> 00:22:47.085
wow, actually, yeah, the government is shut down.
423
00:22:47.125 --> 00:22:48.525
I don't know if it still is, I'm not sure.
424
00:22:48.665 --> 00:22:52.285
But, um, I recently remembered, I completely forgot
425
00:22:52.285 --> 00:22:54.725
that in 2019, I was in DC when the
426
00:22:54.725 --> 00:22:56.045
government was shut down then.
427
00:22:57.025 --> 00:23:01.605
And, um, feeling like the eeriness of the, of the wind, um,
428
00:23:01.785 --> 00:23:04.005
in that space and just being in America
429
00:23:04.025 --> 00:23:08.045
and witnessing that we are, um, reiterating
430
00:23:08.795 --> 00:23:10.165
what we know to be true.
431
00:23:10.785 --> 00:23:14.205
Um, and humans. We, we, we recite patterns, um,
432
00:23:14.955 --> 00:23:16.445
whether we want to or not.
433
00:23:16.585 --> 00:23:19.885
And so we are in patterns and patterns, um,
434
00:23:19.955 --> 00:23:22.165
because of a deep, deep history.
435
00:23:22.345 --> 00:23:24.365
So it is important to highlight that
436
00:23:24.425 --> 00:23:26.965
and not just look at it, but dig it up
437
00:23:27.545 --> 00:23:29.285
and do something with what we find.
438
00:23:30.505 --> 00:23:32.885
So, thank you. Yes.
439
00:23:33.395 --> 00:23:34.965
Does anyone else have something?
440
00:23:36.125 --> 00:23:40.445
I wanna thank you all for, for bringing this to us.
441
00:23:40.765 --> 00:23:43.165
I wish this place was full of people because
442
00:23:44.485 --> 00:23:49.005
although the, I have read a lot about reconstruction
443
00:23:49.005 --> 00:23:52.085
and I didn't learn anything new, it's still really
444
00:23:52.595 --> 00:23:54.125
impactful to see it.
445
00:23:54.555 --> 00:23:55.765
It's different to read it,
446
00:23:56.305 --> 00:23:58.325
but when you look at it, um,
447
00:23:59.185 --> 00:24:00.685
you take it in in a different way.
448
00:24:01.825 --> 00:24:06.565
And I think I feel so
449
00:24:09.005 --> 00:24:13.105
bereft of what could have been, I mean, the eight years,
450
00:24:13.485 --> 00:24:15.465
you know, we were eight years in power, right?
451
00:24:15.535 --> 00:24:17.385
That book, those eight years,
452
00:24:18.045 --> 00:24:20.825
so much good was happening.
453
00:24:21.245 --> 00:24:25.385
And I think that that's what really
454
00:24:26.245 --> 00:24:30.905
why I struggle and fight to try and change that narrative is
455
00:24:30.905 --> 00:24:34.035
because we all are impoverished
456
00:24:34.575 --> 00:24:36.355
by what's going on and what has happened.
457
00:24:37.175 --> 00:24:41.635
Um, but the, the burden,
458
00:24:42.215 --> 00:24:44.395
as you know, is not equally shared.
459
00:24:45.815 --> 00:24:49.835
And so, um, I try
460
00:24:49.835 --> 00:24:53.115
to shoulder my portion of the burden by trying to make it
461
00:24:54.025 --> 00:24:55.355
different and better.
462
00:24:55.695 --> 00:24:57.955
But thank you, thank you for bringing this.
463
00:24:58.415 --> 00:25:00.995
We appreciate that when
464
00:25:04.135 --> 00:25:05.155
we made this film,
465
00:25:05.375 --> 00:25:08.715
and you can see we traveled to Montgomery, Alabama,
466
00:25:08.765 --> 00:25:11.875
where Brian Stevenson had just built this amazing,
467
00:25:12.015 --> 00:25:16.155
if you've never been to Montgomery, please take that trip
468
00:25:17.135 --> 00:25:22.035
and go through that immersive experience
469
00:25:22.135 --> 00:25:23.755
and take it all in.
470
00:25:23.975 --> 00:25:28.955
And again, um, my conversations, um, with Brian Stevenson,
471
00:25:29.095 --> 00:25:31.755
it, it's been years since he first opened the first Legacy
472
00:25:31.855 --> 00:25:33.115
Museum and,
473
00:25:33.215 --> 00:25:36.435
and really saying that we can't move forward
474
00:25:36.565 --> 00:25:38.435
until we can confront this history
475
00:25:39.975 --> 00:25:42.315
and being in community.
476
00:25:42.735 --> 00:25:45.195
And like you said, your burden
477
00:25:46.575 --> 00:25:48.835
and we all take a piece of this, right?
478
00:25:50.015 --> 00:25:52.115
And like Brian said, we shall overcome.
479
00:25:52.735 --> 00:25:56.355
And I do believe that. So it's, it's, it's not hopeless.
480
00:25:56.515 --> 00:26:01.175
I mean, we're in a country, we're in it, it's not a movie.
481
00:26:01.705 --> 00:26:04.895
Right. We are in it,
482
00:26:05.445 --> 00:26:06.895
it's happening all around it.
483
00:26:07.155 --> 00:26:09.495
You talk about birthright citizenship, and,
484
00:26:09.835 --> 00:26:14.415
and when, um, judge, um, Blackwell talked about
485
00:26:15.525 --> 00:26:18.735
getting the community whipped up, that's what's going on.
486
00:26:18.745 --> 00:26:20.655
We're living in it right now. Mm-hmm.
487
00:26:20.835 --> 00:26:23.415
And so being in community with you,
488
00:26:23.515 --> 00:26:27.375
and, um, I'm so grateful to Minnesota Humanity Center
489
00:26:27.375 --> 00:26:31.975
because they enable, um, they support the films
490
00:26:32.315 --> 00:26:33.695
so that we can make 'em,
491
00:26:33.695 --> 00:26:36.175
but they enable this, this to take place.
492
00:26:37.315 --> 00:26:40.615
The other films you mentioned, the other films
493
00:26:40.615 --> 00:26:42.135
that you mentioned, the previous ones,
494
00:26:42.155 --> 00:26:43.805
are they on the humanities?
495
00:26:43.805 --> 00:26:46.725
They're, we can watch them there. Awesome.
496
00:26:47.955 --> 00:26:50.725
They're actually, you have to go to my website,
497
00:26:51.105 --> 00:26:52.805
omg media solutions.com.
498
00:26:53.115 --> 00:26:55.845
Okay. If you take the bookmark that's on the table,
499
00:26:55.845 --> 00:26:57.725
there's a QR code, it'll take you right
500
00:26:57.725 --> 00:26:59.485
to the film, this year's film.
501
00:26:59.745 --> 00:27:00.885
And if you go to the bottom
502
00:27:01.065 --> 00:27:03.965
and click on the link, it says Juneteenth Film series,
503
00:27:04.585 --> 00:27:06.685
you can watch all six of them.
504
00:27:07.265 --> 00:27:08.925
We have six films there. Wonderful.
505
00:27:09.035 --> 00:27:11.245
Okay. I'll Pick. And you mentioned for,
506
00:27:11.305 --> 00:27:14.405
for your children, um, going back and telling this,
507
00:27:14.405 --> 00:27:18.525
because my biggest, you can call it a fear.
508
00:27:19.385 --> 00:27:20.645
My concern is that
509
00:27:21.345 --> 00:27:24.325
if we don't teach young people this history,
510
00:27:24.755 --> 00:27:27.125
history will continue to repeat itself.
511
00:27:28.025 --> 00:27:31.885
And so we make these films available, they're free
512
00:27:32.225 --> 00:27:33.485
to watch, to share.
513
00:27:33.865 --> 00:27:36.725
And we're hoping that even, you know, sometimes
514
00:27:37.505 --> 00:27:40.005
you bring this up to a family member,
515
00:27:40.035 --> 00:27:41.605
they don't wanna talk about this.
516
00:27:41.615 --> 00:27:44.685
Right. And it's hard.
517
00:27:44.705 --> 00:27:46.165
But you have a film here,
518
00:27:46.665 --> 00:27:50.565
and then maybe you could at least show the film
519
00:27:50.665 --> 00:27:54.565
to family members and have this con conversation in your own
520
00:27:55.345 --> 00:28:00.005
way and form so that they can receive that information
521
00:28:00.065 --> 00:28:02.725
and then you can have a conversation about it in private.
522
00:28:04.315 --> 00:28:06.525
Yeah. So as the Medicine Humanity Center,
523
00:28:06.535 --> 00:28:08.245
we're in the process of like finalizing
524
00:28:08.245 --> 00:28:09.685
these materials for the classroom.
525
00:28:10.255 --> 00:28:13.205
Great. Um, and I do think that there are parallels,
526
00:28:13.205 --> 00:28:16.445
if we wanted to make the movie longer, we could have drawn
527
00:28:16.445 --> 00:28:17.885
that and drawn parallel.
528
00:28:18.065 --> 00:28:21.485
So for the 13th Amendment, it ends slavery except for
529
00:28:22.235 --> 00:28:24.325
when individuals commit crimes.
530
00:28:24.695 --> 00:28:27.765
Right. So begs that question as it relates
531
00:28:27.765 --> 00:28:29.085
to the prison pipeline,
532
00:28:29.465 --> 00:28:32.165
and sort of, some folks would be viewing over-incarceration
533
00:28:32.165 --> 00:28:34.885
in the United States and the, who bears that burden
534
00:28:34.905 --> 00:28:36.205
of over-incarceration.
535
00:28:37.865 --> 00:28:42.205
And then to the idea that all being equal under the law,
536
00:28:42.225 --> 00:28:44.245
and this idea of it being important
537
00:28:44.265 --> 00:28:46.965
to just being born here Right.
538
00:28:46.965 --> 00:28:50.485
Makes you a citizen. And now some of the conversations today
539
00:28:50.825 --> 00:28:53.565
of whether there should be a different classification
540
00:28:53.905 --> 00:28:55.085
for certain folks.
541
00:28:55.265 --> 00:28:57.325
And how would we go about deciding
542
00:28:57.355 --> 00:29:00.645
that there's history we can draw upon within
543
00:29:01.165 --> 00:29:03.125
congressional debates that might inform
544
00:29:03.145 --> 00:29:05.325
how we think about these respective issues today?
545
00:29:05.705 --> 00:29:08.605
And what does it mean about equal, um,
546
00:29:09.155 --> 00:29:10.605
treatment under the law?
547
00:29:11.495 --> 00:29:14.645
Again, this conversation, should it be left up to the states
548
00:29:15.065 --> 00:29:18.245
so that in one state maybe a woman gets certain amount
549
00:29:18.245 --> 00:29:20.085
of rights, and then in another part of the,
550
00:29:20.085 --> 00:29:21.525
another state she does not?
551
00:29:22.655 --> 00:29:24.925
Again, are there lessons that we can draw upon?
552
00:29:24.945 --> 00:29:26.765
And if we really understand this history,
553
00:29:27.585 --> 00:29:30.245
the 15th Amendment, when we talk about the right
554
00:29:30.245 --> 00:29:31.925
of en enfranchisement
555
00:29:31.925 --> 00:29:35.125
and voting, again, this idea of
556
00:29:35.785 --> 00:29:38.885
how does the government decide who gets the right to vote
557
00:29:39.585 --> 00:29:42.405
and should it be the other way around, right?
558
00:29:42.705 --> 00:29:43.925
Is that the assumption is
559
00:29:43.925 --> 00:29:45.925
that everybody gets the right to vote.
560
00:29:46.145 --> 00:29:47.725
It shouldn't be a difficult hurdle.
561
00:29:48.695 --> 00:29:50.085
Again, there are lessons
562
00:29:50.155 --> 00:29:51.885
that can be drawn upon that history.
563
00:29:52.825 --> 00:29:56.725
Um, it is important, I think, uh, for ancestors
564
00:29:56.785 --> 00:29:58.245
to pass on information
565
00:29:58.245 --> 00:29:59.925
because sometimes, uh,
566
00:30:00.005 --> 00:30:02.405
even if you have a more salt on your head than pepper,
567
00:30:02.905 --> 00:30:06.205
you sometimes forget that there might be generations ahead
568
00:30:06.205 --> 00:30:08.285
of you that struggle mightily,
569
00:30:08.865 --> 00:30:11.725
and in some ways more than what you are, uh,
570
00:30:11.725 --> 00:30:12.805
experiencing now.
571
00:30:13.185 --> 00:30:15.485
But please, I don't want anybody to think that
572
00:30:15.485 --> 00:30:18.525
that trivialize trivializes any of the issues
573
00:30:18.525 --> 00:30:19.725
that you're facing today.
574
00:30:20.445 --> 00:30:21.445
'cause they are significant.
575
00:30:22.545 --> 00:30:26.895
But hopefully it gives you a little hope
576
00:30:27.645 --> 00:30:30.295
that you can overcome the challenges before you,
577
00:30:30.445 --> 00:30:33.215
because you know of others that have succeeded beforehand.
578
00:30:34.195 --> 00:30:39.135
So, um, Josie Johnson in some circles
579
00:30:39.155 --> 00:30:40.335
is known as the First Lady
580
00:30:40.335 --> 00:30:42.255
of Civil Rights in the state of Minnesota.
581
00:30:42.275 --> 00:30:43.815
And when I first became Commissioner
582
00:30:43.815 --> 00:30:45.855
of Human Rights in the state, uh,
583
00:30:46.155 --> 00:30:47.455
we had a breakfast meeting,
584
00:30:47.515 --> 00:30:51.255
and I was, uh, a sponge soaking up as much information
585
00:30:51.315 --> 00:30:52.335
as possible from her.
586
00:30:52.395 --> 00:30:56.575
And just sort of this idea of, Hey, Minnesota has the
587
00:30:57.625 --> 00:31:00.135
worst unemployment rate for African Americans.
588
00:31:00.315 --> 00:31:04.375
In 2011, when I took over the position, it was 36, 30 7%.
589
00:31:04.915 --> 00:31:06.815
That's a depression. Right.
590
00:31:07.715 --> 00:31:10.975
Um, to the idea of over-incarceration within the state.
591
00:31:11.635 --> 00:31:13.655
We can't pass a law Kyle by in the box
592
00:31:13.655 --> 00:31:14.895
that would be silliness,
593
00:31:15.035 --> 00:31:18.135
or we can't pass a law as it relates to, as a state,
594
00:31:18.185 --> 00:31:20.735
we'll look at equal pay for women.
595
00:31:22.125 --> 00:31:23.895
Well, we did. Right.
596
00:31:24.595 --> 00:31:26.375
And I like to think in part is
597
00:31:26.375 --> 00:31:29.295
because Josie was behind me supporting
598
00:31:29.315 --> 00:31:31.935
and pouring in stories of what can happen
599
00:31:32.635 --> 00:31:33.735
if you stay the course.
600
00:31:34.795 --> 00:31:38.255
So please know that this is a stay of the course film.
601
00:31:39.365 --> 00:31:42.815
This is not all these people are terrible kind of film.
602
00:31:43.675 --> 00:31:48.255
And I think the other piece of the love aspect, uh,
603
00:31:48.275 --> 00:31:51.495
and I was saying earlier that you wanted to hear more
604
00:31:52.035 --> 00:31:53.615
of the conversation, and there is more.
605
00:31:53.615 --> 00:31:54.975
That was my favorite part of the film.
606
00:31:55.525 --> 00:31:59.255
When Kevin asked Brian that question, I was like, whoa.
607
00:31:59.685 --> 00:32:03.215
Because I saw a shift. He brightened up. Right.
608
00:32:03.355 --> 00:32:04.775
And you could see that in the film
609
00:32:04.775 --> 00:32:07.495
that it just made him just be you.
610
00:32:07.755 --> 00:32:09.495
You know, lawyers don't beam much,
611
00:32:09.555 --> 00:32:11.175
but to me, he was beaming.
612
00:32:11.175 --> 00:32:12.175
Right?
613
00:32:14.195 --> 00:32:19.055
So this idea of, um, how much courage
614
00:32:19.055 --> 00:32:21.095
and how much love people had,
615
00:32:21.435 --> 00:32:23.215
and it just being a powerful force
616
00:32:23.555 --> 00:32:25.855
and just understanding that that is something
617
00:32:26.285 --> 00:32:28.855
that we all have the control over
618
00:32:29.755 --> 00:32:32.295
and maybe pouring out into the world, uh,
619
00:32:32.395 --> 00:32:34.815
may have more benefits than sometimes we might
620
00:32:34.815 --> 00:32:35.975
be willing to acknowledge.
621
00:32:36.915 --> 00:32:38.335
And it's just a great reminder
622
00:32:38.795 --> 00:32:41.845
of all the wonderful things those prior ancestors did.
623
00:32:46.425 --> 00:32:48.205
Any other thoughts on, on the film?
624
00:32:49.925 --> 00:32:52.725
I, I'll say, and I know lots of thoughts,
625
00:32:53.145 --> 00:32:55.445
and then we're probably Oh, we're okay with time.
626
00:32:55.515 --> 00:32:59.725
Okay. I, one of the, um, I had the opportunity to
627
00:33:00.265 --> 00:33:02.245
screen this film for a, uh,
628
00:33:02.345 --> 00:33:05.325
pretty large Minnesota philanthropist, um,
629
00:33:05.325 --> 00:33:07.005
Northwest Area Foundation.
630
00:33:07.825 --> 00:33:11.205
And in one more month,
631
00:33:12.065 --> 00:33:14.925
the film was received really powerfully.
632
00:33:15.465 --> 00:33:18.805
One more month, we are traveling to Montgomery
633
00:33:19.945 --> 00:33:21.885
to see all the museums.
634
00:33:21.885 --> 00:33:23.005
And you see some of the,
635
00:33:23.185 --> 00:33:25.245
the pictures from the newest exhibit,
636
00:33:25.245 --> 00:33:28.605
which is the monument sculpture park with the big monuments.
637
00:33:29.225 --> 00:33:31.765
And, um, so we're traveling there
638
00:33:31.905 --> 00:33:35.245
and we're gonna go take three days to go
639
00:33:35.305 --> 00:33:38.365
and fully immerse the board directors, the staff.
640
00:33:38.945 --> 00:33:42.165
But I really encourage, uh, take the trip, the peace
641
00:33:42.165 --> 00:33:44.965
and the national, um, memorial for Peace
642
00:33:44.965 --> 00:33:49.125
and Justice, um, is where you will see the, um,
643
00:33:49.925 --> 00:33:52.085
monuments to Clayton Jackson McGee.
644
00:33:53.225 --> 00:33:56.765
And, um, just, it's just an incredible experience.
645
00:33:57.185 --> 00:34:01.245
But the Duluth Lynching, um, I never learned about it
646
00:34:01.655 --> 00:34:03.165
until I moved to Minnesota,
647
00:34:03.265 --> 00:34:05.765
and I've been living here since 2010.
648
00:34:06.145 --> 00:34:09.325
But it's history, it wasn't it, the history books,
649
00:34:10.065 --> 00:34:11.565
it wasn't talked about.
650
00:34:12.305 --> 00:34:16.045
And so a lot of what you're seeing in our films is just
651
00:34:16.045 --> 00:34:17.565
that history that was buried.
652
00:34:19.145 --> 00:34:21.645
We, we did a program together a couple of years ago,
653
00:34:21.705 --> 00:34:24.965
and Federal district court Chief Judge John Heim,
654
00:34:25.185 --> 00:34:26.405
had made mention that he did not
655
00:34:26.405 --> 00:34:27.565
know about the Duluth Lynching.
656
00:34:27.565 --> 00:34:31.005
And he lived, as he says, the stone throw away
657
00:34:31.415 --> 00:34:32.605
until he was an adult.
658
00:34:33.145 --> 00:34:35.725
Wow. So, to this extent, there is so much, uh,
659
00:34:35.725 --> 00:34:36.885
that's just not known.
660
00:34:37.385 --> 00:34:39.925
And Monique made the mention of the three names,
661
00:34:39.925 --> 00:34:43.565
which are etched and, um, I don't think it's granite,
662
00:34:43.565 --> 00:34:45.805
but I'm, I'm gonna mis misspeak as it relates
663
00:34:45.805 --> 00:34:48.645
to the stone type, the EGI.
664
00:34:49.385 --> 00:34:52.885
Um, they have identified,
665
00:34:54.545 --> 00:34:57.045
not all, but as many that can be documented,
666
00:34:57.425 --> 00:35:00.205
all the lynchings that occurred in the United States.
667
00:35:01.665 --> 00:35:02.965
So you can see,
668
00:35:03.145 --> 00:35:06.485
and you walk into kind of a, an area similar to this.
669
00:35:06.485 --> 00:35:08.965
There will be kind of stones
670
00:35:08.995 --> 00:35:11.525
that are broadly in the shape of kind of a coffin.
671
00:35:12.585 --> 00:35:14.285
And then you can see the names
672
00:35:14.385 --> 00:35:15.965
and the dates of all the people
673
00:35:15.965 --> 00:35:17.765
that were lynched in respective states.
674
00:35:19.625 --> 00:35:22.485
Um, it's very powerful to be able to see
675
00:35:23.135 --> 00:35:27.045
those respective names in the respective areas, uh,
676
00:35:27.305 --> 00:35:29.245
all throughout the United States.
677
00:35:30.065 --> 00:35:32.885
And then often, well, the piece
678
00:35:32.885 --> 00:35:35.245
that also struck me was just sort of the one wall
679
00:35:35.245 --> 00:35:37.250
that they have, which is very similar to sort, sort
680
00:35:37.250 --> 00:35:38.310
of like walking up in here,
681
00:35:38.705 --> 00:35:41.325
in which there are little stories, vignettes as
682
00:35:41.325 --> 00:35:44.965
to the reasons why, um, individuals were lynched.
683
00:35:45.145 --> 00:35:49.005
And some of those were, I wanted to be paid for my labor,
684
00:35:50.225 --> 00:35:54.885
or my significant other, my spouse, my daughter,
685
00:35:55.745 --> 00:35:58.805
uh, was violated and I had to marry to ask
686
00:35:58.865 --> 00:36:00.045
for justice to be done.
687
00:36:01.425 --> 00:36:05.405
Um, or simply I was playing a chess or Checker's game
688
00:36:05.505 --> 00:36:09.045
or something, and I won the game and was lynched.
689
00:36:09.125 --> 00:36:11.845
I mean, it was just, those stories are just heart wrenching.
690
00:36:13.465 --> 00:36:17.805
So I'm, I'm a Victoria again,
691
00:36:18.425 --> 00:36:21.885
and one of the things that keeps coming up
692
00:36:21.885 --> 00:36:24.365
as we talking about how
693
00:36:26.195 --> 00:36:31.045
this is a parallel history is today, yesterday is now,
694
00:36:31.865 --> 00:36:35.165
um, and I'm just thinking about how
695
00:36:38.085 --> 00:36:39.805
challenging it is to think about the things
696
00:36:39.805 --> 00:36:44.245
that have happened to the ancestors on, uh, in America.
697
00:36:44.945 --> 00:36:46.285
And then thinking about today.
698
00:36:46.705 --> 00:36:49.005
And it just came to me as you were talking about, I will,
699
00:36:49.025 --> 00:36:51.645
you know, I wanted to be paid for my work,
700
00:36:52.225 --> 00:36:54.245
and I'm thinking about driving,
701
00:36:55.745 --> 00:36:57.245
I'm thinking about shopping.
702
00:36:57.595 --> 00:36:58.845
Yeah. I'm thinking about
703
00:37:00.075 --> 00:37:02.005
walking down the street while black.
704
00:37:02.265 --> 00:37:06.645
Mm-hmm. So the, that and today, this,
705
00:37:07.185 --> 00:37:10.445
and the fact that while the, the likelihood
706
00:37:11.065 --> 00:37:15.685
of actual violence maybe not as high now as it was then
707
00:37:17.305 --> 00:37:21.725
we seeing that is again,
708
00:37:21.795 --> 00:37:24.165
just like situating it in the now mm-hmm.
709
00:37:24.625 --> 00:37:29.205
As while it happened then for any number of reasons
710
00:37:29.745 --> 00:37:32.965
it could happen Now, even though it may not happen.
711
00:37:33.135 --> 00:37:36.685
Right. It's the threat of that changes
712
00:37:36.865 --> 00:37:38.485
how everybody does everything.
713
00:37:39.585 --> 00:37:40.685
So thank you.
714
00:37:41.675 --> 00:37:46.085
It's important. And also it's very important, um,
715
00:37:46.755 --> 00:37:48.845
that we collectively,
716
00:37:48.845 --> 00:37:51.565
because it is, it's all of our history, right?
717
00:37:51.575 --> 00:37:52.605
We're in this together.
718
00:37:53.345 --> 00:37:57.045
And, and that's why I love that powerful piece about, um,
719
00:37:57.995 --> 00:37:59.005
love for one another.
720
00:37:59.425 --> 00:38:00.845
You know, that's why we're here.
721
00:38:00.945 --> 00:38:03.605
We are here to take care of one another.
722
00:38:03.985 --> 00:38:07.685
So when you think of it in that spiritual sense of, um,
723
00:38:08.785 --> 00:38:13.165
we can't allow the hate to continue flowing.
724
00:38:13.945 --> 00:38:16.765
We have to make sure that in our communities,
725
00:38:16.765 --> 00:38:18.565
that we are spreading as much love.
726
00:38:18.795 --> 00:38:21.885
Because the film also displayed that, you know,
727
00:38:23.085 --> 00:38:26.085
enslaved people, they could have sought
728
00:38:26.115 --> 00:38:27.645
revenge and they didn't.
729
00:38:28.755 --> 00:38:30.085
They wanted citizenship.
730
00:38:30.155 --> 00:38:33.565
They just wanted, they didn't have a home to go home to.
731
00:38:34.075 --> 00:38:35.325
This was home now.
732
00:38:35.825 --> 00:38:39.165
And so they just wanted to be integrated into society.
733
00:38:40.615 --> 00:38:44.365
Thank you. I just, um, appreciated
734
00:38:44.365 --> 00:38:46.885
that you lifted up our own history here.
735
00:38:47.665 --> 00:38:51.245
Um, and I think
736
00:38:52.405 --> 00:38:54.965
Northerners in the past have liked to think
737
00:38:54.965 --> 00:38:57.285
that this was just a southern problem, right?
738
00:38:57.285 --> 00:39:00.485
Mm-hmm. But Ottertail County, at the end of World War,
739
00:39:00.645 --> 00:39:03.965
I had a very high population of people of color,
740
00:39:04.025 --> 00:39:05.085
and they were driven out.
741
00:39:05.635 --> 00:39:08.045
Also happens to be the home of the John Birch Society.
742
00:39:08.585 --> 00:39:11.125
Um, so the history's very real here.
743
00:39:12.295 --> 00:39:16.075
And so I, I just appreciate that you lifted that up as well.
744
00:39:17.035 --> 00:39:18.715
'cause we need to own it for here as well.
745
00:39:18.925 --> 00:39:20.755
Thank you. And we did our research
746
00:39:20.775 --> 00:39:24.035
and we did understand that history before we came.
747
00:39:24.535 --> 00:39:26.915
And one of the things I wanna highlight is, um,
748
00:39:27.395 --> 00:39:32.235
I wanna lift up, um, rah, who also found a piece
749
00:39:32.235 --> 00:39:33.995
of history or credit.
750
00:39:34.775 --> 00:39:38.915
Um, you wanna say what you found? I'm not sure what you're,
751
00:39:38.985 --> 00:39:40.635
What You're referring to. Which
752
00:39:40.635 --> 00:39:42.035
One man we found so much.
753
00:39:43.175 --> 00:39:45.675
Oh, you're talking about Thurgood Marshall? Yes. Okay. Okay.
754
00:39:45.675 --> 00:39:49.515
Yeah. Today, today is the day
755
00:39:50.135 --> 00:39:53.435
in 1967 that Thurgood Marshall, who you saw in the,
756
00:39:53.455 --> 00:39:58.115
in the film, um, he was sworn into at, he was sworn in
757
00:39:58.115 --> 00:40:02.195
as a Supreme Court Justice, um, representative.
758
00:40:03.055 --> 00:40:05.275
So yeah, that was, that was cool that we get
759
00:40:05.275 --> 00:40:06.675
to see this on this day.
760
00:40:07.175 --> 00:40:10.155
But yeah, like you said, uh, we, we did study
761
00:40:10.415 --> 00:40:13.795
and we learned that Fergus Falls at one point was the
762
00:40:13.795 --> 00:40:16.275
highest population of black people mm-hmm.
763
00:40:16.355 --> 00:40:18.355
Outside of the Twin Cities. Yeah.
764
00:40:18.415 --> 00:40:21.755
So it's, it's crazy to think that, um, like you said,
765
00:40:21.895 --> 00:40:23.995
you wouldn't assume these things happen in Minnesota
766
00:40:24.695 --> 00:40:26.835
or anywhere, not in the South,
767
00:40:27.335 --> 00:40:29.315
but you, you never really know
768
00:40:29.315 --> 00:40:30.755
where people's hearts are, I guess.
769
00:40:31.655 --> 00:40:34.435
That's right. And our last film talks about that a lot.
770
00:40:34.695 --> 00:40:37.995
Um, slavery's impact on Minnesota specifically.
771
00:40:38.775 --> 00:40:41.075
And, um, so check that out.
772
00:40:41.495 --> 00:40:43.835
Um, you'll see some familiar faces in there as well.
773
00:40:44.735 --> 00:40:49.675
Um, and so I appreciate even coming to the place
774
00:40:49.685 --> 00:40:53.355
where there was the highest population of black people, um,
775
00:40:53.545 --> 00:40:54.595
outside of the cities.
776
00:40:54.955 --> 00:40:56.355
I never would've known that,
777
00:40:56.375 --> 00:40:57.915
and I never would've come here for real.
778
00:40:58.575 --> 00:41:00.395
So I'm grateful to be here, um,
779
00:41:00.495 --> 00:41:02.275
and interact with history in that way.
780
00:41:03.095 --> 00:41:06.235
Um, I wanted to say something about what you said, Victoria.
781
00:41:06.935 --> 00:41:10.755
Um, I'm thinking about how many,
782
00:41:11.465 --> 00:41:12.915
what we've been talking about generally,
783
00:41:13.015 --> 00:41:15.555
how many stories are undocumented, like
784
00:41:15.555 --> 00:41:17.355
how many are documented on that wall,
785
00:41:17.855 --> 00:41:21.995
but then how many are not recorded, not remembered.
786
00:41:22.135 --> 00:41:26.395
Mm-hmm. And the importance of documenting that.
787
00:41:27.055 --> 00:41:31.875
Um, and engaging in documentary, engaging in information,
788
00:41:33.425 --> 00:41:36.445
um, and thinking about how we're not too far away.
789
00:41:36.825 --> 00:41:41.325
Um, and so driving while black is real, again,
790
00:41:41.325 --> 00:41:44.285
because we live in America,
791
00:41:44.915 --> 00:41:47.485
like America is a weighted word.
792
00:41:48.265 --> 00:41:51.725
And so, um, I'm thinking about
793
00:41:52.235 --> 00:41:54.765
what Judge Jerry Blackwell said in the film as well.
794
00:41:54.865 --> 00:41:58.965
His father was a sharecropper on a plantation in
795
00:41:58.965 --> 00:42:01.325
Georgia, his father.
796
00:42:03.105 --> 00:42:04.165
And he wasn't
797
00:42:04.165 --> 00:42:05.165
That long Ago. Yeah.
798
00:42:05.165 --> 00:42:08.685
And he, um, looking at him come out
799
00:42:09.355 --> 00:42:11.645
onto his, into his, what is it?
800
00:42:11.645 --> 00:42:14.285
Chambers, chambers, judge's, chambers. I'm like, wow.
801
00:42:14.405 --> 00:42:18.405
I was watching that. Um, I was watching that trial, um,
802
00:42:18.405 --> 00:42:20.885
while I was in high school on, on,
803
00:42:20.985 --> 00:42:23.205
on the TV while I was doing Zoom School.
804
00:42:23.275 --> 00:42:27.205
Like, it's crazy what we're experiencing.
805
00:42:27.265 --> 00:42:29.685
And it's quite unfathomable, honestly.
806
00:42:30.465 --> 00:42:32.725
And so the deeper I go, the,
807
00:42:34.165 --> 00:42:35.485
I don't know if it makes more sense
808
00:42:35.545 --> 00:42:38.445
or less sense how we could continue to do this.
809
00:42:38.825 --> 00:42:39.825
So
810
00:42:40.795 --> 00:42:41.795
Yeah. Again,
811
00:42:41.795 --> 00:42:44.205
going to Justice Marshall, right?
812
00:42:44.345 --> 00:42:48.405
So within the course of the lifetime being denied entrance
813
00:42:48.405 --> 00:42:50.925
to the University of Maryland, um,
814
00:42:51.025 --> 00:42:53.885
and then deciding that it's not gonna stop him.
815
00:42:54.745 --> 00:42:56.805
Um, and then he stumbles across
816
00:42:56.945 --> 00:43:00.005
as mentor guide throughout his
817
00:43:00.005 --> 00:43:01.165
life, Charles Hamilton Houston.
818
00:43:01.905 --> 00:43:05.125
And you then start to have the architecture, which leads
819
00:43:05.125 --> 00:43:06.885
to Brown versus Board of Education,
820
00:43:07.745 --> 00:43:08.965
and it then culminates
821
00:43:09.555 --> 00:43:11.725
with him sitting on the United States Supreme Court.
822
00:43:12.425 --> 00:43:14.765
So just imagine as a young man
823
00:43:15.345 --> 00:43:18.445
in this country being told you could not go to a law school
824
00:43:18.445 --> 00:43:20.485
of your choice because of the color of your skin.
825
00:43:21.105 --> 00:43:23.205
And in your lifetime you get
826
00:43:23.205 --> 00:43:25.125
to sit on the highest court in the land.
827
00:43:26.945 --> 00:43:31.125
So, um, it's the ying and the yang.
828
00:43:32.065 --> 00:43:35.845
So cool. Do we listen as Lincoln says, to the bad angels,
829
00:43:36.425 --> 00:43:39.805
demons on one or the good angels on the other side.
830
00:43:40.745 --> 00:43:42.045
And we have a choice.
831
00:43:43.265 --> 00:43:47.165
And that's, uh, what we're hoping is that people will be
832
00:43:48.235 --> 00:43:49.925
open to that real conversation
833
00:43:50.225 --> 00:43:52.485
and not keep it at a surface level as
834
00:43:52.485 --> 00:43:56.805
to really leaning into the highest ideals of creating space
835
00:43:56.825 --> 00:44:00.285
for all to be seen under the Declaration of Independence.
836
00:44:00.285 --> 00:44:04.445
This idea that it's a**l inalienable rights for all.
837
00:44:06.795 --> 00:44:08.805
There's a, oh, oh, go ahead.
838
00:44:11.245 --> 00:44:13.725
I just wanna add one more experience.
839
00:44:13.885 --> 00:44:17.365
I had, I bought my house 2006,
840
00:44:17.985 --> 00:44:21.765
and, uh, I was the only black family there.
841
00:44:22.705 --> 00:44:26.885
Uh, and so my neighbors, first I went to them,
842
00:44:27.165 --> 00:44:30.005
I shook their hands, and then I made some bussas
843
00:44:30.225 --> 00:44:33.125
and pastries, and they didn't like it.
844
00:44:33.235 --> 00:44:34.765
They stole me like that.
845
00:44:35.625 --> 00:44:39.205
But then they started a campaign of calling police.
846
00:44:40.835 --> 00:44:44.405
They'll call police if anything I do, if my children come
847
00:44:44.405 --> 00:44:48.085
outside, if we go to shut police, police was like,
848
00:44:48.425 --> 00:44:52.405
and then the police will come and yell at me and shake me.
849
00:44:52.425 --> 00:44:55.165
And I was like, I didn't know how to breathe out.
850
00:44:56.705 --> 00:45:00.565
And then I went to one of, uh, you know, one of the
851
00:45:01.455 --> 00:45:03.765
early people who came to Moorhead area,
852
00:45:04.385 --> 00:45:06.245
his name is Thomas Jefferson.
853
00:45:07.085 --> 00:45:11.245
I told him, Thomas, uh, you know, since I bought this house,
854
00:45:12.285 --> 00:45:13.845
I am suffering these people.
855
00:45:14.105 --> 00:45:15.485
We have to hide from them.
856
00:45:15.995 --> 00:45:18.965
Like, when my kids come from school, I just take them,
857
00:45:19.385 --> 00:45:23.485
we spend more time outside of our house, like in the park
858
00:45:23.665 --> 00:45:28.005
or in the library until it gets dark so we can go home.
859
00:45:28.865 --> 00:45:31.445
So I told him like, I don't feel safe.
860
00:45:31.705 --> 00:45:33.525
I'm attacked from every corner.
861
00:45:35.595 --> 00:45:39.565
He's the first one who introduced me to the, uh, uh,
862
00:45:40.755 --> 00:45:44.725
this group in New York, NAA, uh, um, a a c.
863
00:45:45.105 --> 00:45:46.605
Yes. Yes.
864
00:45:46.985 --> 00:45:49.925
He introduced to me that group,
865
00:45:50.185 --> 00:45:51.965
and then I connected with them.
866
00:45:51.965 --> 00:45:56.885
Nobody responded back to me. And then I, I gathered myself.
867
00:45:57.165 --> 00:45:59.445
I was like, you know what, I'm, I'm gonna leave.
868
00:45:59.545 --> 00:46:02.765
I'm gonna have a life. And then, uh, I went
869
00:46:02.785 --> 00:46:07.165
to the police chief, uh, and I didn't have any knowledge.
870
00:46:07.245 --> 00:46:09.805
I didn't know anybody, but I went to the police chief
871
00:46:10.665 --> 00:46:14.285
and I told him that if his police people,
872
00:46:14.395 --> 00:46:16.725
they don't stop coming to my house
873
00:46:17.185 --> 00:46:21.125
and listening to the crap that the neighbors are doing.
874
00:46:21.825 --> 00:46:26.085
Huh. Uh, I already called the na I was just,
875
00:46:27.705 --> 00:46:31.205
and say, if I don't get peace, you know, you guys,
876
00:46:32.075 --> 00:46:33.525
I'll bring this department.
877
00:46:33.995 --> 00:46:37.165
I'll just make all those kind of comment. And it made sense.
878
00:46:37.545 --> 00:46:39.765
It worked. It worked.
879
00:46:40.865 --> 00:46:45.005
So then what he did, the police chief, he sent two
880
00:46:45.145 --> 00:46:47.045
of his senior police,
881
00:46:47.545 --> 00:46:50.205
and then they went all over neighborhood
882
00:46:50.425 --> 00:46:52.605
and told to leave that family alone.
883
00:46:52.835 --> 00:46:55.085
Otherwise they will bring our police down.
884
00:46:55.625 --> 00:46:57.645
So this is how I survived.
885
00:46:57.865 --> 00:47:00.525
And my kids told me for a little bit
886
00:47:00.525 --> 00:47:02.805
after they couldn't handle it, they said,
887
00:47:02.945 --> 00:47:04.805
ma, why can't we move?
888
00:47:04.985 --> 00:47:08.045
So that I said this house, I will never even sell it
889
00:47:08.045 --> 00:47:10.765
because it is historical to our family.
890
00:47:11.465 --> 00:47:14.645
So there is small things in the service that happened.
891
00:47:15.185 --> 00:47:18.485
But one thing I wanted to talk about is when,
892
00:47:18.555 --> 00:47:22.205
when you talk about the black community, there is a lot
893
00:47:22.205 --> 00:47:23.765
of mental health going on.
894
00:47:23.765 --> 00:47:28.245
Mm-hmm. A lot of, um, you know, there is a lot of, um,
895
00:47:29.385 --> 00:47:32.765
you know, uh, in our community,
896
00:47:33.785 --> 00:47:37.325
in Fargo, black community are like 10%.
897
00:47:38.465 --> 00:47:41.525
And the jails, we have 100%. Mm-hmm.
898
00:47:42.385 --> 00:47:43.965
And also in Morehead,
899
00:47:44.305 --> 00:47:48.245
we are 30% including every ethnic group.
900
00:47:49.265 --> 00:47:53.725
And that also, uh, we occupy the jail.
901
00:47:54.665 --> 00:47:57.045
So there is other works that needs
902
00:47:57.065 --> 00:48:01.885
to be also looked at later on, which is, how can we tackle,
903
00:48:02.825 --> 00:48:06.445
uh, all this, uh, oppressing work
904
00:48:06.625 --> 00:48:08.405
that's happening underground.
905
00:48:08.705 --> 00:48:09.705
That's right.
906
00:48:11.505 --> 00:48:14.285
One of the things that Judge Blackwell said in the film is
907
00:48:14.315 --> 00:48:18.965
that if the judicial, when we talked about the judicial sys,
908
00:48:19.065 --> 00:48:23.845
um, um, branch being so important right now, right.
909
00:48:25.005 --> 00:48:26.965
Actually, it's always been important.
910
00:48:27.265 --> 00:48:30.525
If you don't uphold the rule of law, then we have nothing.
911
00:48:31.305 --> 00:48:34.205
And so, one of the things that we have to do
912
00:48:35.065 --> 00:48:38.005
is really get involved in the law, of course,
913
00:48:38.005 --> 00:48:40.965
understanding the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
914
00:48:40.965 --> 00:48:44.765
Right? How many, how have you read the,
915
00:48:45.115 --> 00:48:48.845
anybody read the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendment entirety?
916
00:48:49.145 --> 00:48:53.805
Not in its entirety. You have all of our laws
917
00:48:53.985 --> 00:48:57.005
and society are baked into those three amendments.
918
00:48:57.005 --> 00:48:58.765
And so it's important to know then,
919
00:48:58.925 --> 00:49:00.245
'cause that's where all of our rights are.
920
00:49:01.145 --> 00:49:05.685
Um, but the other thing, um, when you, uh, listen to, um,
921
00:49:05.895 --> 00:49:07.485
judge Blackwell, Kevin Lindsay
922
00:49:07.825 --> 00:49:12.645
and Brian Stevenson upholding the rule of law, holding
923
00:49:13.825 --> 00:49:16.005
the legislature accountable.
924
00:49:16.455 --> 00:49:20.005
Right. You're shaking your right. That's the,
925
00:49:20.435 --> 00:49:21.435
It's depressing.
926
00:49:22.065 --> 00:49:23.765
The, the Supreme Court rulings
927
00:49:23.825 --> 00:49:24.825
Are depressing. That's less Hear you,
928
00:49:24.825 --> 00:49:25.405
929
00:49:28.445 --> 00:49:30.365
I say, I I agree with you a hundred percent.
930
00:49:30.465 --> 00:49:32.005
We need to uphold the rule of law,
931
00:49:32.105 --> 00:49:34.325
and we need to honor our constitution, uh,
932
00:49:34.395 --> 00:49:36.445
from the First Amendment on through to the,
933
00:49:36.745 --> 00:49:38.005
all the, all the rest.
934
00:49:38.425 --> 00:49:40.245
But it's so, it's so depressing
935
00:49:40.245 --> 00:49:43.965
to have our legislators turn a blind eye to what's going on,
936
00:49:44.025 --> 00:49:45.965
and then to have our Supreme Court just
937
00:49:46.825 --> 00:49:49.125
not uphold precedent.
938
00:49:49.905 --> 00:49:53.085
Uh, it's, it is a very stressful time for many
939
00:49:53.085 --> 00:49:54.565
of us, for all those reasons.
940
00:49:55.425 --> 00:49:56.445
You know, when you sit
941
00:49:56.505 --> 00:49:58.925
and you say, okay, well, how can I,
942
00:49:59.795 --> 00:50:01.245
like you said, it's depressing, right?
943
00:50:01.555 --> 00:50:04.005
What, what do we do? But I think it's
944
00:50:04.005 --> 00:50:05.405
community that has to leave.
945
00:50:05.955 --> 00:50:10.685
It's how we work together in community, how we unite.
946
00:50:11.035 --> 00:50:14.365
It's how do we prevent when you see something wrong
947
00:50:14.515 --> 00:50:19.445
happening in your community with a, a family being harassed
948
00:50:19.445 --> 00:50:21.165
because of the color harassed,
949
00:50:21.165 --> 00:50:22.445
because of the color of their skin.
950
00:50:23.365 --> 00:50:25.885
Everyone has to stand up. There's a great story, um,
951
00:50:26.045 --> 00:50:29.165
I have you ever heard of, of Viola El, what is it?
952
00:50:29.165 --> 00:50:32.325
El Lizzo. El Lizzo. Viola Lozo.
953
00:50:33.585 --> 00:50:37.565
During the height of the Civil Rights movement, uh, suburban
954
00:50:38.255 --> 00:50:40.965
white mother in Detroit is watching the news
955
00:50:41.585 --> 00:50:43.405
of what's going on in the south.
956
00:50:43.585 --> 00:50:46.205
All of the racial tension
957
00:50:46.505 --> 00:50:48.605
and, um, during Jim Crow.
958
00:50:49.345 --> 00:50:53.365
And she decides she has to go there to help.
959
00:50:54.565 --> 00:50:57.645
I can't just stay here being a suburban mom, I need
960
00:50:57.645 --> 00:50:59.085
to get down there and I need to help.
961
00:50:59.785 --> 00:51:03.965
She gets in her car and she drives to the South
962
00:51:05.345 --> 00:51:08.365
and is helping anyway, transport people,
963
00:51:08.585 --> 00:51:11.005
the protestors, um, in Selma.
964
00:51:11.865 --> 00:51:14.085
And she's really embedded in it,
965
00:51:14.085 --> 00:51:17.925
helping at Dr. Martin Luther King helping any way she can.
966
00:51:18.795 --> 00:51:22.245
Well, the Kku Klux Klan kills her, right
967
00:51:23.455 --> 00:51:28.045
There is this huge memorial, um, right outside of Selma
968
00:51:28.265 --> 00:51:31.605
to her dedicate dedicated to her.
969
00:51:32.705 --> 00:51:37.425
Her daughter is a very big part
970
00:51:37.425 --> 00:51:38.865
of the King Center with Dr.
971
00:51:39.025 --> 00:51:42.785
Bernie's King. So you have these generations
972
00:51:42.815 --> 00:51:45.945
that are carrying on and fighting.
973
00:51:46.045 --> 00:51:49.025
And that's what we have to train every generation
974
00:51:49.165 --> 00:51:51.305
to stand up to fight,
975
00:51:51.695 --> 00:51:56.465
because your rights are not given, it's not a given.
976
00:51:56.795 --> 00:52:01.065
Right. So that's really what it's all about, being vigilant.
977
00:52:01.485 --> 00:52:03.145
But we all have to stand up
978
00:52:03.145 --> 00:52:04.785
and fight when we see something wrong.
979
00:52:06.645 --> 00:52:08.905
So within the movie, I ask a question,
980
00:52:08.925 --> 00:52:11.145
and I frame it as it relates to Judge Hasty.
981
00:52:11.965 --> 00:52:13.185
Um, for those of you
982
00:52:13.185 --> 00:52:17.585
who do not know Thurgood Marshall's family Tree, uh,
983
00:52:18.055 --> 00:52:19.265
that was his cousin.
984
00:52:19.525 --> 00:52:21.545
So you can imagine sort of what dinner was like
985
00:52:21.545 --> 00:52:25.225
between Thurgood and a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge.
986
00:52:26.605 --> 00:52:29.545
And his quote, I think, is apt no matter
987
00:52:29.575 --> 00:52:31.745
what point in time you are in our nation's history,
988
00:52:31.845 --> 00:52:35.025
and it is a democracy is never fully won,
989
00:52:35.725 --> 00:52:36.785
but it can be lost.
990
00:52:36.785 --> 00:52:39.465
Mm-hmm. Right? So this idea is that there has
991
00:52:39.465 --> 00:52:42.665
to be a constant examination among all of us as citizens.
992
00:52:43.165 --> 00:52:46.625
Are we living into the high ideals that we have put forward?
993
00:52:47.405 --> 00:52:50.945
Or are we so passive that it can all fall apart
994
00:52:51.885 --> 00:52:55.985
and then something steps into that void that's antithetical
995
00:52:56.125 --> 00:52:58.265
to the democracy that we are all like.
996
00:52:58.985 --> 00:53:00.505
I think those are always the questions
997
00:53:00.505 --> 00:53:02.665
that we are asking ourselves as a society.
998
00:53:03.485 --> 00:53:07.785
Um, so within this space, I do think, uh, the film starts
999
00:53:07.785 --> 00:53:09.185
to push us forward within that.
1000
00:53:10.105 --> 00:53:14.425
N-A-N-A-A-C-P is a traditional way in which people have
1001
00:53:14.585 --> 00:53:15.985
referred to the naacp.
1002
00:53:16.765 --> 00:53:19.585
Um, and again, just a bit of trivia,
1003
00:53:19.585 --> 00:53:23.585
and we've thought about this as it relates to the next role
1004
00:53:23.685 --> 00:53:25.805
or next, uh, film, is
1005
00:53:25.805 --> 00:53:27.885
that there's a young college student at the University
1006
00:53:27.885 --> 00:53:32.405
of Minnesota that sees what's going on, uh, in Duluth,
1007
00:53:32.625 --> 00:53:34.125
and he becomes very passionate
1008
00:53:34.125 --> 00:53:36.725
and he decides he wants to be a civil rights advocate,
1009
00:53:36.985 --> 00:53:39.605
and he becomes the executive director of the naacp.
1010
00:53:40.295 --> 00:53:42.245
Right. And that's a Minnesota story.
1011
00:53:42.735 --> 00:53:44.085
Again, I don't know
1012
00:53:44.585 --> 00:53:47.965
how many people in Minnesota know that story.
1013
00:53:48.585 --> 00:53:50.325
Um, so that's a little bit
1014
00:53:50.325 --> 00:53:51.885
of a teaser kind of going forward.
1015
00:53:52.625 --> 00:53:55.845
Uh, the last thing that I would say is, you know,
1016
00:53:55.845 --> 00:53:56.845
we're the Humanities Center.
1017
00:53:57.135 --> 00:53:59.525
We're a nonprofit. We're telling the respective stories.
1018
00:53:59.715 --> 00:54:02.005
They're gonna be issues which are gonna bubble up.
1019
00:54:02.625 --> 00:54:05.845
Uh, I'm more than happy to, I'll be old school for a second,
1020
00:54:05.955 --> 00:54:07.125
open up my Rolodex.
1021
00:54:07.395 --> 00:54:09.205
It's not a Rolodex, but you know what I mean.
1022
00:54:09.825 --> 00:54:12.525
So to that extent, if there are other resources,
1023
00:54:12.585 --> 00:54:15.085
I'm more than happy to sort of point people in a direction.
1024
00:54:15.385 --> 00:54:18.165
But that's unfortunately not the business that I'm in now.
1025
00:54:18.585 --> 00:54:20.885
But I'm happy to identify folks
1026
00:54:20.925 --> 00:54:22.925
that are working at the state or working at the city
1027
00:54:22.945 --> 00:54:25.125
or county government that can assist on
1028
00:54:25.125 --> 00:54:26.405
those respective issues.
1029
00:54:27.445 --> 00:54:30.365
Absolutely. For us, in the rural, um,
1030
00:54:31.065 --> 00:54:34.765
in the greater Minnesota, uh, people
1031
00:54:34.865 --> 00:54:36.645
of color needs those knowledge.
1032
00:54:37.425 --> 00:54:40.765
Uh, we need to know where to go and how to find help.
1033
00:54:40.945 --> 00:54:43.325
And, you know, uh, it's just, uh,
1034
00:54:43.785 --> 00:54:47.405
and for grassroots like us, we will share it if we get
1035
00:54:47.405 --> 00:54:48.725
that kind of information.
1036
00:54:48.775 --> 00:54:50.925
Right. Thank you. That, yeah. Um,
1037
00:54:51.025 --> 00:54:53.125
One you had mentioned earlier about, um,
1038
00:54:53.465 --> 00:54:54.885
the mental illness, right?
1039
00:54:55.495 --> 00:54:59.325
Which we know is a big problem, right? It's in crisis.
1040
00:55:00.305 --> 00:55:03.205
Um, a lot of what you're seeing in,
1041
00:55:04.455 --> 00:55:07.165
especially in African American, it's systemic
1042
00:55:07.305 --> 00:55:09.685
and it, you can trace it all the way back to
1043
00:55:10.275 --> 00:55:11.965
that period of enslavement.
1044
00:55:12.865 --> 00:55:16.085
And so it's never would you say 14 hundreds
1045
00:55:16.345 --> 00:55:19.645
to the 14 hundreds, and it's never been addressed.
1046
00:55:20.105 --> 00:55:24.005
And so that's another reason why we have
1047
00:55:24.005 --> 00:55:25.485
to confront this history.
1048
00:55:26.585 --> 00:55:30.245
We can't keep letting generations pass on that trauma.
1049
00:55:30.625 --> 00:55:31.645
And that's what's happened. We,
1050
00:55:31.655 --> 00:55:33.045
we've gotta put a stop to that.
1051
00:55:33.355 --> 00:55:34.355
Yeah.
1052
00:55:35.925 --> 00:55:38.765
I also just wanna say, um, part of the reason
1053
00:55:38.995 --> 00:55:43.525
that we do the breath work, um, is also to emphasize
1054
00:55:43.595 --> 00:55:47.165
that we are, you know, facilitating healing modalities
1055
00:55:47.355 --> 00:55:50.005
that aren't aligned with the medical system.
1056
00:55:50.825 --> 00:55:54.525
And a lot of people will notice
1057
00:55:54.555 --> 00:55:56.445
that we have all these mental health problems,
1058
00:55:57.225 --> 00:56:01.725
but, you know, we're still relying on a detrimental system
1059
00:56:01.865 --> 00:56:03.765
to heal these problems that they caused.
1060
00:56:04.195 --> 00:56:05.965
When in reality, it's not possible
1061
00:56:06.025 --> 00:56:07.685
unless you learn your history.
1062
00:56:08.025 --> 00:56:11.565
You know, you can't heal the slave mind
1063
00:56:11.645 --> 00:56:13.285
with medicine, you know?
1064
00:56:13.305 --> 00:56:16.125
And of course there's a lot of other mental health issues
1065
00:56:16.145 --> 00:56:18.045
and diagnosis that come from that,
1066
00:56:18.505 --> 00:56:20.325
but that's, I just wanna say that's the reason
1067
00:56:20.325 --> 00:56:22.405
that we do come up here and, and do breath work.
1068
00:56:22.785 --> 00:56:25.165
So when there is young people in the crowd, they'll know,
1069
00:56:25.165 --> 00:56:27.925
okay, we're not just, you know, emphasizing something
1070
00:56:27.925 --> 00:56:30.165
that they might have already heard a million times over.
1071
00:56:31.585 --> 00:56:33.245
And it's a practice knowing by myself
1072
00:56:33.245 --> 00:56:35.365
that lean on your, lean on your breath.
1073
00:56:35.365 --> 00:56:37.005
That's what we say a lot. Lean on it.
1074
00:56:37.275 --> 00:56:38.845
Even in the classroom, I know
1075
00:56:39.405 --> 00:56:40.605
educators that are here in the room.
1076
00:56:41.195 --> 00:56:45.005
It's something that you can use when you have a classroom
1077
00:56:45.025 --> 00:56:47.285
of young people and you teach them the power
1078
00:56:47.705 --> 00:56:48.925
of breathing together.
1079
00:56:49.215 --> 00:56:54.045
Right. And that issues don't always have to be solved
1080
00:56:54.545 --> 00:56:56.285
or never should be solved with violence.
1081
00:56:56.295 --> 00:57:00.405
Right. Stop and breathe. Get, get, get them to breathe.
1082
00:57:00.875 --> 00:57:01.875
It's, it's powerful.
1083
00:57:03.745 --> 00:57:05.885
Um, I was just gonna emphasize
1084
00:57:05.885 --> 00:57:07.805
what you said about know, know thyself.
1085
00:57:08.065 --> 00:57:10.685
Um, and to know thyself, you have to connect with self.
1086
00:57:10.795 --> 00:57:13.645
Knowing thyself also means connecting with the people
1087
00:57:13.785 --> 00:57:15.245
who are around you.
1088
00:57:15.425 --> 00:57:20.045
Um, your community and breath helps me to do that.
1089
00:57:20.125 --> 00:57:21.125
I know for sure.
1090
00:57:21.855 --> 00:57:25.365
Right. Um, so I
1091
00:57:27.235 --> 00:57:30.735
have a Onyx collective.
1092
00:57:30.955 --> 00:57:33.535
We exist so that black people in rural
1093
00:57:34.335 --> 00:57:36.095
Minnesota are connected.
1094
00:57:37.035 --> 00:57:41.095
Our, are economically supported and whole.
1095
00:57:42.435 --> 00:57:45.775
And what I am finding in just the very short year
1096
00:57:45.775 --> 00:57:49.815
that I've been engaged in this really specific heart work
1097
00:57:49.815 --> 00:57:54.695
of mine, is that as much as vicarious
1098
00:57:54.755 --> 00:57:58.015
and secondary trauma exists, so does
1099
00:57:58.845 --> 00:57:59.855
vicarious joy.
1100
00:57:59.955 --> 00:58:04.375
Mm-hmm. And every time, um, we gather
1101
00:58:04.515 --> 00:58:08.975
as Onyx Collective, there is this moment
1102
00:58:09.425 --> 00:58:11.575
where I can see
1103
00:58:12.075 --> 00:58:14.575
and sense the entire line.
1104
00:58:15.155 --> 00:58:16.575
And most of us don't know each other
1105
00:58:16.595 --> 00:58:18.535
who are gathered in these places together.
1106
00:58:18.955 --> 00:58:22.895
But the entire lineages of at least mine,
1107
00:58:23.435 --> 00:58:27.735
is healed because I am just sitting in space
1108
00:58:28.235 --> 00:58:32.615
and time in a place where we get to just experience
1109
00:58:34.085 --> 00:58:38.175
free and clear joy of just existence.
1110
00:58:38.915 --> 00:58:43.335
And it heals forwards the, the descendants who aren't here.
1111
00:58:43.875 --> 00:58:46.855
It goes backwards to those who have gone before.
1112
00:58:47.515 --> 00:58:50.815
And it just is expanded in the moment.
1113
00:58:51.035 --> 00:58:55.335
And so, I, I say all that to say that
1114
00:58:56.715 --> 00:58:59.855
we, yes, we, and I am, I've done the excavation
1115
00:59:00.835 --> 00:59:02.895
of figuring out, you know, all the things that
1116
00:59:03.775 --> 00:59:05.655
activate things that are not loving me,
1117
00:59:06.435 --> 00:59:11.035
and actively work towards making sure
1118
00:59:11.035 --> 00:59:13.075
that I'm able to manage those in the moment.
1119
00:59:13.455 --> 00:59:17.755
And then I also inoculate myself, um, by
1120
00:59:18.865 --> 00:59:20.955
chasing vicarious
1121
00:59:21.265 --> 00:59:24.245
Joy Onyx.
1122
00:59:24.295 --> 00:59:27.405
Collective. Collective. Are you based here in Fergus Falls?
1123
00:59:27.465 --> 00:59:29.045
In Fergus Falls. Okay. I need to look.
1124
00:59:29.045 --> 00:59:31.205
You look it up, right? It's beautiful.
1125
00:59:31.705 --> 00:59:33.885
And I know we're getting close to that time.
1126
00:59:34.665 --> 00:59:36.485
Oh, we are past the time. I'm sorry.
1127
00:59:36.965 --> 00:59:38.005
I think we're past the time. Yeah.
1128
00:59:38.025 --> 00:59:41.525
But that's a really good point to, to, to land on for us.
1129
00:59:41.685 --> 00:59:42.925
I think, um, one thing
1130
00:59:42.925 --> 00:59:45.605
that I have appreciated at the Humanity Center, uh,
1131
00:59:45.605 --> 00:59:47.885
listening to our poet lawyer at Glen Westerman,
1132
00:59:48.115 --> 00:59:50.525
professor Westerman talks about, there's a lot
1133
00:59:50.525 --> 00:59:52.885
of trauma in telling the stories of indigenous people,
1134
00:59:53.225 --> 00:59:56.645
but it's always important no matter when they all convene
1135
00:59:56.845 --> 00:59:58.685
together to make space for joy.
1136
00:59:59.505 --> 01:00:01.405
Yes. Um, so we do have some program called
1137
01:00:01.405 --> 01:00:02.765
Essence of Joy, just right.
1138
01:00:02.985 --> 01:00:05.565
For that, just to really underscore the importance
1139
01:00:05.825 --> 01:00:08.285
of making time for joy. So thank you.
1140
01:00:08.285 --> 01:00:10.885
That's a great way to end. Thank you so much.
1141
01:00:11.015 --> 01:00:15.085
Thank you for coming. And we'll just keep on going, right?
1142
01:00:15.545 --> 01:00:20.005
Yes. Thank you. Keep on keeping on, keep on. Yes.
1143
01:00:20.795 --> 01:00:23.405
This is Brother Rah. My name is Anaya
1144
01:00:24.025 --> 01:00:27.125
And you're tuning in to K-Z-M-O-H-D hd.
1145
01:00:27.665 --> 01:00:31.285
We just finished our screening at Fergus Falls
1146
01:00:32.475 --> 01:00:33.765
Westridge Cinema.
1147
01:00:34.865 --> 01:00:37.045
And the conversation was very rich.
1148
01:00:37.625 --> 01:00:39.805
It was, we went a bit over time,
1149
01:00:40.345 --> 01:00:41.645
but I think it was beautiful.
1150
01:00:42.105 --> 01:00:45.095
Um, it was really beautiful,
1151
01:00:45.115 --> 01:00:47.335
the perspectives we had in the room today.
1152
01:00:47.605 --> 01:00:51.015
Yeah. A lot of people had some really good stuff to say.
1153
01:00:51.105 --> 01:00:52.135
There was some brothers
1154
01:00:52.135 --> 01:00:55.535
and sisters from the continent of Africa who
1155
01:00:56.155 --> 01:00:58.895
had never heard or seen this history before,
1156
01:00:59.835 --> 01:01:02.095
and they brought up some really deep emotions.
1157
01:01:02.995 --> 01:01:06.975
So it was a very good experience for me to,
1158
01:01:07.315 --> 01:01:10.935
to see people in real time learning African history.
1159
01:01:11.085 --> 01:01:13.575
Just African history in America. Right.
1160
01:01:14.685 --> 01:01:17.615
Yeah. I think there's this distinction
1161
01:01:17.635 --> 01:01:21.175
or separation that, um, has kept us apart mm-hmm.
1162
01:01:21.525 --> 01:01:25.375
From identifying with each other's experiences.
1163
01:01:25.645 --> 01:01:27.575
Exactly. And so to be like, wow,
1164
01:01:27.575 --> 01:01:28.855
I can't believe this happened to you.
1165
01:01:28.965 --> 01:01:30.095
Like, no, this is
1166
01:01:30.455 --> 01:01:31.455
Happened to you. This
1167
01:01:31.455 --> 01:01:34.175
isn't happening to us. Yeah. Yeah.
1168
01:01:34.635 --> 01:01:37.935
Um, I think that's super, super beautiful
1169
01:01:37.995 --> 01:01:39.175
to like meld together.
1170
01:01:39.355 --> 01:01:41.015
And then thinking about our last film,
1171
01:01:41.435 --> 01:01:43.655
we both got the opportunity to go to Ghana,
1172
01:01:43.715 --> 01:01:45.975
and I'm still understanding like why mm-hmm.
1173
01:01:46.195 --> 01:01:48.135
Why did I, like, why did that happen for me?
1174
01:01:49.115 --> 01:01:51.415
Um, but in alignment with
1175
01:01:51.955 --> 01:01:54.175
The mission, With the mission and with, and the times.
1176
01:01:54.485 --> 01:01:57.055
With the timing with R'S Trip and, um,
1177
01:01:57.555 --> 01:02:01.255
and Monique's trip to Ghana, I shortly
1178
01:02:01.265 --> 01:02:03.335
after went and that's beautiful.
1179
01:02:03.515 --> 01:02:06.095
And so, um, I'm grateful for that.
1180
01:02:06.315 --> 01:02:09.215
I'm grateful to have brought in my ex,
1181
01:02:09.775 --> 01:02:13.135
expanded my understanding of what it means to be African,
1182
01:02:13.765 --> 01:02:16.815
what it means to be black in America, what it means
1183
01:02:16.815 --> 01:02:21.245
to be black period and connected, um, completely
1184
01:02:22.185 --> 01:02:23.725
to everyone across the globe
1185
01:02:24.785 --> 01:02:26.275
that has skin that looks like us.
1186
01:02:27.615 --> 01:02:31.675
It is now 43 on October 2nd.
1187
01:02:33.455 --> 01:02:36.795
And, um, I just wanna say I really appreciate this platform
1188
01:02:36.795 --> 01:02:41.115
that Monique has provided for us to share history
1189
01:02:41.175 --> 01:02:43.315
and to share our experience as young people.
1190
01:02:44.495 --> 01:02:48.715
So we are checking out from Fergus Falls.
1191
01:02:49.795 --> 01:02:54.155
Fergus Falls, October 2nd. This is so beautiful.
1192
01:02:54.525 --> 01:02:58.475
Don't hold your breath. Exhale.
