Protecting Black Futures: Health, Education & Community with Asia McWright

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Up next, Authentically Detroit welcomes Asia McWright from Vivant Health to discuss the opening of their new HIV Care and Prevention Center in Highland Park, plus what we're reading this week in the Michigan Chronicle.
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Packed Field of School Board candidates could chart new paths for DPS C D.
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Welcome to another episode of Authentically Detroit, broadcasting live from the Staudemeyer inside of the East Side Community Network.
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I'm Donna Givens Davidson.
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It's just me today because Sam had an unexpected conflict.
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Thank you for listening in and supporting our efforts to build a platform of authentic voices for real people in the city of Detroit.
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We want you to like, rate, and subscribe to our podcast on our platforms.
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Today we have Asia McRight from Vivant Health in the building with us.
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Hi, Asia.
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How are you?
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I'm good.
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How are you doing?
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I'm doing well.
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I'm really excited to have this conversation with you.
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Um, my first professional job was HIV AIDS prevention in 1985.
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And so um I am so personally attached to this issue, but it's been so long since I've had any um, you know, connection to HIV AIDS directly.
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So this is going to be an opportunity to catch up and find out what's going on.
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Okay.
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I'm here for it.
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All right.
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So um can you talk about your role at Vivant?
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Yes.
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So I am the director of operations at Vivant.
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I've been with the company for two and a half years.
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So I oversee all of the daily operations.
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So I oversee the Ypsilanti site and also the Metro Detroit site.
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Okay.
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We're gonna talk about it in a minute, but let me describe my understanding of who Vivant is, a leading provider of HIV care, treatment, and prevention.
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You celebrated the official grant opening of your new Metro Detroit Health Center on October 2nd, just a couple days ago.
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And the 16,000 square foot center brings comprehensive primary medical care and an on-site pharmacy together with specialized HIV care and prevention, case management, food pantry, syringe services, and other harm reduction programming in a coordinated setting.
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Behavioral health services will begin October 16th.
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The health center began serving patients at the Victor Street location in August 2025, and the October 2nd ribbon cutting formally introduced a new facility and services to community members, leaders, partners, and supporters.
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So it help me understand.
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Um when did Vivant Health um get formed?
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Um and how did why who and why was this um organization service created?
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Yeah, for sure.
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So I'm not sure if you're familiar, but Unified was also pre-merger.
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So Unified was here for I don't know, 10 plus years, 15 plus years.
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They were well known.
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Um Vivant came about when they decided to do a merger in 2024, and so that officially took place in May 2024.
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Merger with who?
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With Unified.
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Yeah, so Unified merged with what organization?
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With Vivant.
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Okay, so Vivant proved preceded Unified.
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Yes.
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Okay, so what let's talk about Vivant and then the merge.
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Yes.
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So uh Vivant is an organization that is across multi-states.
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We're in six or seven different states right now.
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We recently did a merger here in Metro Detroit.
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We're the more newer one.
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Um so right now we have a multitude of different services.
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We have case management, medical, pharmacy, food pantry, and of course prevention and harm reduction.
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Our goal is to open up the behavior health sometime soon within a couple of weeks.
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Fingers crossed, everything goes well, and we'll be opening it up soon.
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All right.
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Wow, that's amazing.
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So in 1985, um, my mother was the social worker for the AIDS project of the Detroit Health Department.
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Okay.
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And so she was the only social worker at the health department.
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Um, you know, MSW, and she was she worked with a lot of students, bringing them along.
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And I was a lost child to say the least.
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And um there was an organization that I'm sure you've heard of Community Health Awareness Group that was formed by the Detroit Health Department.
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And I decided to volunteer there because I wasn't sure what I was doing with my life.
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And when I did volunteer there, you're talking about 1985.
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Um, I was able to eventually give pre- and post-test counseling to people who believed who were testing for HIV.
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Yes.
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And so if people tested positive, they went to see my mother.
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Okay.
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If they tested negative, they came to see me and some of the other people who were trained as um pre- and post-test counselors, right?
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And then um the following year, I was placed over the support group.
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Um, and so Dr.
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Crane, the university health centers, would send people with HIV to Community Health Awareness Group.
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Yes.
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And we and I I provided them with support.
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Um, a lady named Beverly Snyder, one of my colleagues, would cook an amazing meal.
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We met in a church basement, we provided transportation, and we just had great conversation.
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Um, and I loved that work, right?
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And then we understood that people were struggling, and we got some funding to provide case management services to help people get housing.
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And so when I hear what you're doing, a big part of what we did was street outreach.
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We worked with people who were returning citizens or people who were part of the same affinity groups at most risk and um and employed them.
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And so, and then after I left, but certainly, you know, when things were in full swing, that's when we got our needle exchange program.
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And so um, yeah, we did a lot of the things that Vivant is now doing.
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Yes, and those were really, you know, groundbreaking things at the time in our community, and those of us who worked there like to believe that we helped stem the tide of HIV AIDS in our community because it never became as bad as it did in many other major cities, unlike say COVID-19, where we were like around zero at one point.
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Detroit was never ground zero for um HIV AIDS spread.
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Um, so yeah, it's been years.
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My mother left the health department and she actually went to another job.
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She started, she formed an organization called Chow, the Coalition of Health Outreach Workers.
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So shout out to you, mommy.
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Um, and she created a board game.
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It was an HIV AIDS game where people could learn about risk factors by playing the game.
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It was like bingo.
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And yeah, she was a creative.
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So okay, near and dear.
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I can tell.
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I can tell.
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You know a lot of knowledge about just the background of HIV prevention, harm reduction.
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So it was kind of, you know, heartwarming to hear someone else say they know about it.
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Because you don't really run into a lot of people that know about you know what we do, and not even just violent, just the work itself.
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So it's greatly appreciated.
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I would also say that, you know, uh Metro Detroit has the highest preference of HIV.
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Um in the state?
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Yeah, in the state.
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Okay, in the state.
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And people that are impacted by this tremendously are people of color.
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Yeah.
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And so our goal was to try to, you know, end the HIV epidemic.
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That is the goal for Vibe and our submission.
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And so we thought that having an integrated care model would definitely assist with us trying to end that HIV epidemic.
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Also, one of my biggest things, and I think Viben helps as well, is just that stigma.
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I think the stigma is just, it's ridiculous these days.
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And so when we built this center, we built it in place of basically understanding that this is a place clients can come to, they can feel safe, but also educate the community.
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This is our time to educate them.
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We're in the middle of the city, although we're located in Highland Park, we know Highland Park is basically it is, it's like inner city Detroit, right?
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It's Metro Detroit.
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So we pick a really great location so that we're able to be easily accessible.
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We're right off of Woodward.
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We have bus stops all through.
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We have it on the main street, on Woodward, of course, and then we also have a couple of bus stops right on Victor Street.
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And so they're able to get that transportation that they need, and we're also able to provide transportation based off like funding and things like that.
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We do the best we can, but some are our goals too is to try to get that person enrolled in insurance so we can utilize that insurance as well, insurance transportation.
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That's wonderful.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah.
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So um, you know, back in the day, there were so many, many, man, many misunderstandings.
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You're right.
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I mean, you talk about the stigma, yeah.
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It was really bad then, right?
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People were afraid, doctors were afraid to treat people with um HIV AIDS or suspected with HIV AIDS, people were afraid to sit next to them, touch doorknobs.
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There were all of these misconceptions about how it spread and a lot of shame.
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Yeah.
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And in those days, it was an absolute death sentence.
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If you found out you had HIV AIDS, that meant you were probably not going to live beyond five years.
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And if you were a black woman, beyond six months.
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Yeah.
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Um, because uh and and there's always been some misunderstandings about who's at risk and why.
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And you're absolutely right, um, people of color, black folks, let's just call it what it is.
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Black folks at a high are at a heightened rate risk of HIV AIDS.
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Yes.
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And black women are at a higher risk of HIV AIDS, isn't that true?
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Yes, but from basically from the data we've shown too that there are a lot of black men that are living with HIV AIDS.
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Well, what I mean is comparison to other women.
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Yes, correct.
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We have this, yes, definitely it's more men than women.
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Yeah.
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But we are risking the risk factors.
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Why are we at risk?
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That's a great question.
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It's kind of a loaded question as well.
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Um so, like I stated before, you know, people of color are now being affected tremendously by it, of course.
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Um, our community is affected by it tremendously as well.
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So that is basically affecting putting black women at risk as well.
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We're one of the biggest black cities across the states, Detroit is, and so it just puts us at risk in regards to, you know, black males being the ones that are infected, and it just trickled down to black women being at risk as well.
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Right.
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I mean, one of the major um uh tri vectors is men having sex with men.
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Yeah, right.
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That's a disease vector.
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We don't we want to say it's equal opportunity, but it's not really as equal as we want to say it is.
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Men having sex with men, and so down low behavior, the hiding of who you are can sometimes mean that you're not taking the right precautions because shame, this the stigma begins with um homophobia and then it extends to HIV.
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Is that still something that you're seeing?
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I agree.
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And so that's where it comes in, where we try to educate people.
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And just because vibant is just treating people living with HIV, we are doing the work in regards to doing PrEP and PEP.
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And so that's where it comes in.
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We have to educate people and say, hey, this is what HIV is about.
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It's you can live a long, healthy life.
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You should not be afraid of someone's, you know, gay, transgender, whatever it may be.
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So when we do those outreach events, we're not strictly just going after the LGBTQ community, we're trying to educate the entire community because at some point we have to understand that people are living these lives and are living secretly.
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They shouldn't have to.
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You're not necessarily in the community, yeah.
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Even if you are engaging in similar behavior, again, because of shame and stigma and all the horrible things that go along with judgment.
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Yeah, I just wish.
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So, one of my my goals too, even with our building ourselves, is that we didn't want to put the name on a building.
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We didn't want people to know what we were and what we did.
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And so we're getting away from that.
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We want people to know, like, yes, this is vibe and health.
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If they look into it and they learn about it, great.
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But we have to understand that we're in the community and we're here to stay, and people need to learn about it.
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And it's not, it's not something that's a deaf wish.
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I can't say it enough.
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And it's nothing to be afraid of or ashamed of.
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It's all about education.
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We're all the same people, we're all humans.
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We're all humans, yeah.
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And we all are um, you know, vulnerable to some type of disease.
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Correct.
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And this is one.
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Yes.
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And I think that the the disproportionate stick crazy stuff.
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But, you know, going back to PrEP, it exists.
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There was no PrEP when I was young.
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There was no PrEP when I was doing it.
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There was AZT, and AZT was sort of like, you know, chemotherapy.
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It made you sick.
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Yeah.
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And it may have extended your life, but it did not necessarily, you know, kill the disease.
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Now we have effective treatments and also PrEP.
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Talk about PrEP.
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Yes, PrEP.
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But we have a multitude of different ways to treat people that would like to be on PrEP.
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We have injectables, we have pills, whatever fits best for you.
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All you need to do is just schedule that appointment and try to get some assistance and some education.
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We have a prevention team that is really like perfect, like they know everything about PrEP.
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And then we also have a medical team that's willing to explain what PrEP does and what is it for.
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And so they try to figure out what's the best way for you to do it.
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Right.
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But PrEP is something everybody does not understand.
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Got it.
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Got it.
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So let's talk about PrEP.
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Yeah.
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So PrEP is something that you um, if you are in a community or if you're having sex with someone that is living with HIV, you can take PrEP to ensure that you do not contract HIV.
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And so it may be injectable or it may be appeal, and you would take it however often, whatever.
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Yeah, whatever way you decide to take it.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And so with PrEP, I know that there were concerns about access to PrEP.
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Can people afford PrEP?
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But it's my understanding that PrEP is made available so that people, there's no income barrier to accessing it.
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Is that true?
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Yes.
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So that again is one of our goals, you know.
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So we do have a pharmacy there.
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And so our pharmacy team, their goal is to try to assist them as best as possible.
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So if they are in uninsured and they are not living with HIV, we can definitely try to assist them and try to get in rodent insurance, but also try to get some type of discount code or some sort to ensure that we can get them on prep.
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Yeah.
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So you don't have to go to CVS to get your prep.
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No, you can come right to us and get back in health and have the privacy protected.
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Now, I was at the LGBT Detroit Film Festival.
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Okay.
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And um the folks from PrEP were there.
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And you know, they sponsored, I think they had a whole, you know, display because it's not something one of the risk factors in our community is that we may be using PrEP less often than other communities with facing similar risk.
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Is that your experience?
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Yes.
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And I think again, it's all about education.
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We need to just educate the people.
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And so we have like a mobile unit.
00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:24.720
We just recently got this mobile unit, really are proud of it, really excited about it.
00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:30.240
And so with this mobile unit, our goal is to go out into the community and just explain to people what PrEP is.
00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:31.440
Make it fun, also.
00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.200
We try to do games, educational games.
00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:38.080
I know you said at one point that your mom did something along the lines where throwing the bags and things like that.
00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:42.799
We just we created a game where it's like a balloon and it's balloons in the butt and you pop it.
00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:46.639
And with that being said, we try to do a little bit of education while teaching people.
00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:48.879
So we try to make it, you know, interactive.
00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.000
We just have to educate the people.
00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.000
Yeah, great games are a great learning tool.
00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:52.799
I think so too.
00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:55.840
It gets people interested, and it's kind of funny the way we did it.
00:15:55.919 --> 00:16:02.399
So you know, the way you learn is sometimes it's by listening, sometimes it's by writing, and sometimes it's by doing.
00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:02.799
Yeah.
00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:07.759
But when you do something, you're more likely to learn it than if you are just listening andor writing it.
00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:08.559
So that's correct.
00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:11.440
When you do all of it, it is just a great educational piece.
00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:11.919
Yeah.
00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:26.080
Um so I want to get into women with HIV and the risk factors, because if men who are at risk who have sex with men are at risk, women who have sex with men who have sex with men are also at risk.
00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:29.759
And I'm not suggesting that injection drug uses are not also at risk.
00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:43.200
But let's stay in this lane for a minute because in my experience, a lot of women did not know that their partners were um having sex with men until they got they contracted HIV.
00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:44.559
Until they tested positive.
00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:45.120
Yeah.
00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:56.720
I think a piece of that is knowing your status, you know, maybe getting tested in a monthly or bi-monthly, and also having those conversations with your partner and also using protection as well and being on prep.
00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.919
So there's a multitude of things that we can do to try to protect ourselves.
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:12.640
There are, but I think that, you know, there is this assumption that when you're dating, this person that you're dating is your person and they are only having sex with people like you, right?
00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:12.960
Yeah.
00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:14.319
And that's not always the case.
00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:14.799
Yes.
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:25.519
And so um rather than having to do some background checks on somebody, you know, you may want to limit who you're having sex with until you know them well enough, right?
00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.839
I mean, I think that that's a risk factor.
00:17:28.160 --> 00:17:30.160
And if not, protection.
00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:45.279
And even if so, unless you are really 100% certain or 99% certain that this person is not also having sex with somebody else, use protection because you is you'd rather be safe than sorry, right?
00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:45.759
Correct.
00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:46.400
I agree with you.
00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:55.039
Like I said, I think, you know, being on prep and having that conversation with your partner and say, hey, I think we should go ahead and do this, you know, having those conversations.
00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:59.759
We actually have a group called Healthy Relationships, and this is an evidence-based intervention.
00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:08.720
And of course, this is like after you've tested positive and now you're trying to enter the dating world again and you're trying to explain, hey, I have HIV.
00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:12.880
Just navigating those conversations and talking to your family about it.
00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:18.640
But with that being said, is that we have to make it a comfortable conversation to start talking about like, hey, prep is okay.
00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:20.319
Let's go, let's go get prep.
00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:23.839
Let's go, let's wear condoms, let's do what we need to do to ensure that we're safe.
00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:26.400
But I think prep is kind of the way we can protect ourselves.
00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.319
So we just need to educate people.
00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:37.279
So I think it's also important to point out that there's no medication that you can take that does not present side effects.
00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:38.079
Yeah.
00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:45.599
And so um, are there people who don't take it because they've had side effects or they're afraid of the side effects?
00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:52.480
Yeah, um, I would have to say that I wouldn't know the answer off-rip, but I'm pretty sure there are people out like out there like that.
00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:53.680
I'm pretty sure there is.
00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:58.240
Like for me, like you, we all say, Oh, I don't like that medicine because it makes me feel some type of way.
00:18:58.319 --> 00:18:58.480
Yeah.
00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:03.519
But that's a part of you just talking to your medical doctor and figuring out, hey, what works for me and what doesn't.
00:19:03.680 --> 00:19:09.759
And so it may be an ejectable, it may be pills, or it may be some other type of solution or brand that may work best for you.
00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.799
So there's prep, but prep is not the only one.
00:19:13.039 --> 00:19:13.440
Yeah.
00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:15.680
Who are the other what are the other types?
00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.799
Brands, you mean?
00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:17.440
Yes, brands.
00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:23.279
So there's like uh Discovy, there's uh uh I cannot think of the name of it right now.
00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:25.920
But there's Discovy, there's Shravada.
00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:28.400
I feel like I've heard those on TV.
00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.039
Yeah, for sure.
00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:29.920
On commercials.
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:30.160
Yeah.
00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:33.519
I don't really pay attention to medication commercials with those names try to bring about.
00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:34.400
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:35.599
They're definitely out there though.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:37.279
So they just have to speak with their medical.
00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:41.279
Are they all the same or do they have different chemical profiles?
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.160
Do you know?
00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:48.640
So I'm not the physician, but I do know that they all have difficult, like different um chemical profiles.
00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:55.680
Because some of them, you know, if you are someone that is having sex with me and me MSM, then you probably should take a particular one.
00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.640
If you're a cisgender, then you will probably take a particular one.
00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:04.319
And so, yeah, and so that's where those conversations come in where you have to speak with your medical provider in regards to those things.
00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:04.799
All right.
00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:12.799
So now somebody has thinks they might have been exposed to HIV and they come to you to get tested.
00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.799
Yeah, we definitely do that, yes.
00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:16.079
But what if they don't?
00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:22.640
What if the what about people who are at risk who have not yet in their minds been exposed?
00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:26.799
What kind of services do you offer to somebody who's um fits a risk profile?
00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:29.759
Yeah, so that kind of speaks to our prevention team.
00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:32.960
And so we have a prevention team that has a mobile outreach van.
00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:39.359
And so we go out and we may be talking to someone that is in sex work or they may be utilizing drugs.
00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:52.640
And so we go out and we do testing, but also supply them with safer supplies because we all know that that's how some people contract is basically passing along through syringes or um, you know, sexual activity, things like that.
00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:59.920
And so our prevention team goes out and they do a lot of testing, provide condoms, safe sex packets, anything that they're really interested in.
00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:03.519
We even go as far as making sure that they have they have a preference.
00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:08.559
So some people may prefer Trojans, Magnums, um, flavor, whatever it may be.
00:21:08.640 --> 00:21:12.559
We try to provide them so that they feel comfortable and they utilize what they need and what they want.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.200
Okay.
00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:15.759
Um so injection drug use.
00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:17.599
Do you also work with injection drug users?
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.480
Yes, we do.
00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.200
Yes, we do.
00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:24.640
So our Detroit team, we just got harm reduction syringe services within the year.
00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.279
Our Ypsilani team, they've been doing it for some time.
00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:34.160
I say 10 plus years, but we've been we've passed out a great deal of syringe supplies, and it has been great for the community.
00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:44.079
I believe we've had 80 um reversals, meaning that we reverse 80 uh overdoses pretty much, which is pretty big.
00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:47.519
You know, that number may sound small to anybody that's not in the community.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.160
That's huge.
00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:48.960
That's huge.
00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:49.680
That's huge.
00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:50.160
Yeah.
00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:55.279
And so that's we do injectable um Narcan, and we also just do the Narcans as well.
00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:58.400
Even like our clients, they prefer injectable Narcans because it's quicker.
00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:58.960
Oh, wow.
00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.519
I didn't know that.
00:21:59.680 --> 00:21:59.759
Yeah.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:07.200
So when you say in the community, are you working with a subset of injection drug users or just anybody who's using injection drug?
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:08.640
Anybody who's using drugs.
00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:08.960
Yeah.
00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:10.000
We do not judge.
00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:16.720
I've seen people come in from a long day after work and they came to get their safe, you know, their supplies and no judgment.
00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:17.440
How was your day?
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.000
It was good.
00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:18.799
It was bad.
00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.839
I need this, you know, I need to pass it along to my friends.
00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:29.839
We even have people come in and bring like cases and cases of needles, which have been used just to, you know, do the syringe exchange for their friends.
00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:33.039
So it's good for the community no matter where they're coming from.
00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:35.599
How many patients, how many people do you guys work with?
00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:37.200
Yeah, so that's a great question.
00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:41.519
So for our medical, we have currently 90 clients.
00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:43.839
So we just started in November.
00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:46.000
So we're working up that number and growing it.
00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:51.920
But our case management, we're probably in like 300, 300 around, around there, 300.
00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:53.920
Do you partner with any organizations?
00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:55.039
Yeah, we do.
00:22:55.200 --> 00:23:00.559
Um, that has been one of my biggest things since I came on board, was just making sure that the community trusts us.
00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:06.720
And the only way we can do that is if we go work with other organizations so that they know who we are and get a face to us.
00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.960
So right now we do work with Advantage Health.
00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:10.720
They're located right there on Six Mile.
00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:20.799
And so they've been able to refer a couple of clients over to us that's living with HIV, that's recently out of care or recently diagnosed because they don't have, that's not their specialty, and this is our specialty.
00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:23.519
Um, we also work with University Trade Mercy.
00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:31.279
So our initial plan was to get dental in our in our center, but we decided to double down on medical because we felt like that was the bigger need.
00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:39.359
And so we partner with UDM so that they're able to get clients and get not tested, I'm sorry, to do any uh teeth cleaning, things like that.
00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:43.680
So anytime they come in, they say we got some dental concerns, we will try to get them referred over there.
00:23:43.839 --> 00:23:47.680
We make sure their insurance is taken care of, and then they go and get the treatment that they need.
00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:50.799
We also work with um Avalon.
00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:56.160
So that is somebody that has probably been abused, like sexually abused or something like that.
00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:59.359
And so we're able to provide them with PEP.
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:12.000
We've even had an encounter where a client didn't have insurance or didn't feel comfortable coming in, but we convinced her to come in and we left the medications at the front desk where she, you know, where she didn't have to come in and do anything like that.
00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:16.400
She came and got the mass that she needed, and she was on her way and she was greatly appreciated.
00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:25.039
But yeah, and we're also working with various universities to do SCI and STD testing, majority of the Ipsil and because that's you know, that's where all the colleges are.
00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:30.960
So we got U of M, we got Eastern, um, we are working at Oakland University.
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:33.680
We're also also working with UDM as well for testing.
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:44.079
Okay, what about um other organizations that serve um you know folks like um you know LGBT Detroit and can't think of the name of the organization serving young people.
00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.039
Ruth Ellis.
00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:45.920
Ruth Ellis, thank you.
00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:47.599
So we're right across the street from Ruth Ellis.
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:50.240
Okay, yeah, so they do we do partner together.
00:24:50.319 --> 00:25:03.200
Um, so they let us know when they have days where people can come in and shower, nobody matters the age, uh if they're living with HIV, so we let our clients know to go over there, and vice versa, if they have any clients that need to come over.
00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:04.720
Okay, yeah.
00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:06.319
And and what about LGBT?
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:06.720
No.
00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.880
No, we have not partnered with them.
00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:12.559
Yeah, so my thing is we're really working on trying to build like those relationships.
00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:15.759
Yeah, we're working on those relationships, yeah.
00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.200
Amazing people over there.
00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:21.920
Zaire is somebody I've known for some time and I have a lot of respect for.
00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:26.799
They're on the West side, but you know, they're doing good work too, and I think we all have to work together.
00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.759
Yes, I agree.
00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:41.680
Um, how do you differentiate your work from, say, a community health awareness group or um the Detroit Health Department and other entities that may have specialized services for people who are living with HIV?
00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:45.119
Yeah, I think we're all we all have the same mission.
00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:47.039
We all have the same mission, the same goal.
00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:51.920
And our goal is to try to get clients into care and make sure that the stigma is going away.
00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:56.880
But I think we're a little bit different due to the fact that um, I think we have that integrated care model.
00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:01.839
I know some places do, but I believe we're the only health center that has like that food pantry.
00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:05.920
And so that food pantry gives us that model of giving that person that dignity.
00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:08.160
They're able to come in and go shopping on their own.
00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:12.000
We actually have a cart, grocery bags, and it gives them that dignity.
00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:16.160
They walk in and pick what they want and what they feel like they need for the moment.
00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:20.880
I also think that um our viral suppression speaks for itself.
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:25.759
So we um so the state is at a, what is it?
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.240
The goal is not ours is 90%.
00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:37.519
And that is two, I think it's two times more than the state, and then also like nationally.
00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:42.559
So our viral suppression, it shows for itself, meaning that our integrated care model works.
00:26:42.720 --> 00:26:45.359
It works and it shows it in like people's lives.
00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:49.440
I was just having this conversation with some folks from Henry Ford earlier today.
00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:50.799
We were with Henry Ford too.
00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:51.680
Oh awesome, right?
00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:53.359
Yeah, so it's one of our partners.
00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:57.599
And um, they actually donated this building to us in 2012.
00:26:57.759 --> 00:27:05.920
So we love Henry Ford, but um, we were having this conversation today about holistic health, and that health is not just that physical thing.
00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:11.440
Um, everything you're doing for the people that you serve is contributing to their health, correct?
00:27:11.680 --> 00:27:24.799
Not just to their emotional health, but since your mind and body are connected, um, and it sounds like you have a um a whole person that really looks at that person and says, How do I help keep you feeling whole?
00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:25.680
Correct.
00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:34.880
Because if you aren't feeling whole, the likelihood of you engaging in healthy behavior for yourself and others goes down.
00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:36.160
Is that correct?
00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:36.960
Correct.
00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:48.720
So when that person comes in that door, so if they're coming in from medical and we're getting to talk to them and we're finding like, hey, I don't have anywhere to live, okay, let's get that case manager in to try to assist with some sort of housing.
00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:51.279
Okay, um, I also don't have anything to eat.
00:27:51.440 --> 00:27:57.839
Let's try to get you to the food pantry so that you can get food and make sure that you feel good and you can eat and you can take your medicine too.
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:01.599
Because if you're not taking your medication medication, it just goes down from there.
00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:02.079
Yeah.
00:28:02.240 --> 00:28:02.400
Yeah.
00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.920
I think that.
00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:08.880
Um, so the medication alone does not produce the viral road load, though.
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:09.680
The care.
00:28:09.920 --> 00:28:10.559
The care itself.
00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:11.599
The care itself.
00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.240
Okay.
00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:13.839
So how are you funded?
00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:27.680
So we are funded through Ryan White dollars, and then we also are funded through state dollars, like so we have prevention dollars, and that is through the state, but we are funded through Ryan White, but also we are funded through Vivant Dollars, which is unfunded pretty much.
00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:28.559
Yeah.
00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:29.200
All right.
00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:36.160
And does um prep also or some of these other organizations contribute contribute to your organization, really?
00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:38.720
No, we're just with Ryan, we have Ryan White dollars.
00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:39.039
Okay.
00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:42.799
Um, we do have Hapwa, which is in the Ypsilanti office only.
00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:44.720
Um but yeah, we just have Ryan White dollars.
00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.920
Describe what Hapwa is.
00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.480
I know what it is.
00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.279
Yes, yes.
00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.720
So um that is housing.
00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:53.839
So the housing people for live um housing opportunities for people with AIDS.
00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:54.880
Yes, correct.
00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:56.079
Yes, it is.
00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:57.039
Yeah, correct.
00:28:57.359 --> 00:29:01.440
It is um the funding to prevent homelessness.
00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:02.160
Correct.
00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.440
But that's only an Ipsilani.
00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.880
Yeah, we only have an Ipsilani.
00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:06.319
Who has it here?
00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.799
So the ones that hold it, from my understanding, is happy.
00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:14.640
The city holds it, but housing is tough in Detroit.
00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:15.359
We all know that.
00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:16.960
It's really, really tough.
00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.279
Um, section eight is closed right now.
00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:23.200
We I went to a housing convention and they plan on opening it soon.
00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:25.680
It's been closed for like three years, is what they tell me.
00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:26.720
It opens.
00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:30.640
Um what's opening is actually not section eight.
00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:31.599
It's the waiting list.
00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:33.200
Yes, the waiting list, correct.
00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:33.759
You're correct.
00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:35.839
So then you're just the waiting list.
00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:38.720
Yeah, and then you have to wait, and then you get pulled off the waiting list.
00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:42.640
Yes, and there's a very short time to find housing.
00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:46.400
So, with all of the holistic care that you're providing, right?
00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:51.119
You're doing everything, food, mind, body, soul, all of that, right?
00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:54.720
But the person doesn't have a home.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:01.759
How do you provide the holistic support for somebody who is underhoused or homeless?
00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:03.599
Yeah, that's a tough one.
00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:09.119
So the goal is to try to speak with their case manager and try to work through it as much as possible.
00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:12.720
We really, really lean on all the resources that Detroit has.
00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:16.000
Um, and we try to see what's the best fit for that client.
00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:18.319
So it takes time, but we try to do our best.
00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:20.079
We try to utilize the 211.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:24.079
We try to utilize, you know, basically if you go here, they can't turn you away.
00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:27.119
Or we try to say, hey, do you have a family member you can live with?
00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:30.079
It's just basically trying to navigate what best fit for that client.
00:30:30.319 --> 00:30:40.799
Yes, that was a question of mine around family members, because, you know, um back in the day, um, people sometimes were um put out of their homes.
00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:41.119
Yeah.
00:30:41.279 --> 00:30:42.640
And that was one of the risk factors.
00:30:42.799 --> 00:30:50.799
That's one of the reasons why Hopple was formed, was to address the displacement of people who get displaced upon diagnosis.
00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:53.039
Is that still happening?
00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:54.799
Yes.
00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:59.599
And I think just not along with diagnosis, I think other things play a part in that.
00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:04.079
We deal with a lot of people of this population that are fighting mental health as well.
00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:06.640
And so mental health plays a huge part in that too.
00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:15.599
And so sometimes mental health and what you have going on medically doesn't go as well with your family and your friends, and they're not as understanding.
00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:17.759
And so that's where that problem coming in at.
00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:21.039
So it's just not HIV, it's that mental health aspect as well.
00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:22.319
That's the bigger issue.
00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:25.039
And by mental health, you mean behavioral health, right?
00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:25.359
Yes.
00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:27.599
Because that also includes drug use.
00:31:27.839 --> 00:31:28.160
Correct.
00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:46.960
And sometimes injection drug use, but other drug use, because we're talking about people who are dealing with a lot of trauma and stigma around their identity sometimes, and that's the likelihood of sometimes people self-medicating to address that, in addition to other types of organic mental health problems.
00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:50.640
Sometimes it is a behavioral health pattern.
00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:51.440
Correct.
00:31:51.599 --> 00:31:52.880
You know, that comes with that.
00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:53.440
Yeah.
00:31:53.599 --> 00:32:02.240
And so when we open our behavioral health, our plan is to try to, you know, attack that part as well in regards to behavioral health.
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:09.039
And we have actually a waiting list for our clients because they're really interested in doing it, which really makes me excited because I'm like, okay, great.
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:20.000
They really want this behavioral health, which means a good thing because now they've been focusing on their medical, their pharmacy, the case management, all of those social determinants, and now they're like, okay, I'm ready for behavioral health.
00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:24.160
So it's just showing that you know they're ready for that next step to live that healthy life.
00:32:24.400 --> 00:32:25.039
That's great.
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:25.519
Yeah.
00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:35.359
So let's talk about kids and we're gonna take a break because we know that um the risk factors don't start when people become adults.
00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:35.759
Yes.
00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:48.640
Um one of the saddest situations when I was doing the support group was a 19-year-old man who attended Morehouse University.
00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:49.359
Okay.
00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:53.200
And he was in the prime of his life.
00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.359
He was just starting, right?
00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:05.200
And he comes to the support group and he looks across the room and he sees a man he had sex with unprotected.
00:33:05.680 --> 00:33:11.440
And he's listened to the story, and he knows this man knew he was infected at the time they had sex.
00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:13.759
And so he was really devastated.
00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:21.279
And um, he said things like, I didn't I don't even know if I'm gay, I don't even know who I am, and I'll have a death sentence.
00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:26.799
And that to this day breaks my heart because he was 19 and he was such a rising star.
00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:32.079
Um, but we're not doing enough to educate young people about the risk, are we?
00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:33.599
I agree with you.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:46.160
Um, and it's kind of sad, and it sadness me because even when we try to go into those communities with kids, it's not respected or it's not allowed in the schools.
00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:52.000
You know, we try to go around and pass out those safe sex kits, or just try to educate the youth.
00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:54.400
And it's like, oh no, we don't want to talk about that right now.
00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:55.920
So again, there goes that stigma.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:33:59.759
And we're not talking about just being gay, but we want to say that oh, kids aren't having sex.
00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:02.319
It's they're too young, they're not doing this, they're not doing that.
00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:03.920
No, we need to educate them.
00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:04.960
That's the piece of it.
00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:09.840
So we're gonna take a break, and when we come back, we're gonna have a conversation about schools.
00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:16.639
I expected to have this conversation with Sam, but I'm gonna try to work this into our conversation here, Asia.
00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:19.039
So we'll be right back.
00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:19.840
All right.
00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:40.719
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00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:51.519
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00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:09.519
And we're back.
00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:13.679
We're back with Asia McRae from Vivant Health.
00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:23.840
And we're talking about schools now, we're talking about young people now because we know that health behavior does not begin at 19, 20.
00:35:24.239 --> 00:35:31.760
It starts actually when people are really young, and then sexuality emerges as people become older.
00:35:31.920 --> 00:35:41.599
Sometimes, and I you know, I'm I hate to be negative because you know, sometimes it's voluntary, but a lot of times it's involuntary, if we're being honest.
00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:55.360
A lot of people's first sexual experiences are molestation, and you know, and so sexual attitudes and sexual behaviors sometimes get distorted from the very beginning.
00:35:55.760 --> 00:36:03.119
Yeah, and the patterns continue into adulthood, correct?
00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:12.159
Yes, and so we don't really have a mechanism right now, and you said it's because the schools are in denial.
00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:14.719
Yes, correct, correct.
00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:15.440
Yeah.
00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:27.840
Um, I'm at a point right now where I'm like, okay, let's just stand on the corner and pass these supplies out and talk to the children so they so that they can know the only way we can teach them is if we talk to them and educate them.
00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:29.920
You know, it's just not us just doing the work.
00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:39.280
I think society in general, we need to put it in this the television, we need to put it out there on postboards, whatever it may be, just so that we can educate these kids.
00:36:39.599 --> 00:36:39.920
We do.
00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:42.159
But you know, there's school-based health clinics.
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:48.880
And are the school-based health clinics actually touching HIV AIDS prevention?
00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:51.599
I can't speak to that, but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:51.920
Yeah.
00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:52.800
I don't think so.
00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:55.119
And it's a disservice, right?
00:36:55.360 --> 00:36:59.440
We should be talking about um sexual health with children.
00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:02.559
Um, but this is fair if you talk about it, they're gonna do it.
00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:10.719
Like, yeah, because we've reached out to like activity centers, um, high schools, and things like that, and it hasn't been receptive at all.
00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:22.159
You know, it's like, uh, parents would be upset about it, you know, so we pull away from it, but we try to do our due diligence to reach out to these community partners and schools, but they don't want to take us up on these offers, and they should.
00:37:22.480 --> 00:37:34.719
Well, we have a teen center here, and we work with a coalition of other people with teen centers, and so there's also a possibility that you work with um youth serving organizations to support this information.
00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:36.960
I'm certain our staff would be interested.
00:37:37.119 --> 00:37:42.400
We've worked with a lot of young people who have, you know, different backgrounds and different identities.
00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:46.639
Yeah, what's wrong with educating them and protecting them, right?
00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:51.199
Um, and now we are about to elect new school board members.
00:37:53.199 --> 00:38:00.239
The Detroit School Board is the body that sets a policy for Detroit public schools.
00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:07.679
This is the group of people who gets to say these things are allowable in our space and these things are not.
00:38:08.239 --> 00:38:14.559
Um, so let's talk about that for a minute because um a lot of people don't really look at school board races.
00:38:14.639 --> 00:38:24.639
We're so busy looking at Senate and we're so and and state and house representatives and governor that we're not looking at our school board.
00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.199
Correct.
00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:30.159
And the school board has so much power over things that we care about, like children.
00:38:30.320 --> 00:38:31.599
Yes, and our future.
00:38:31.920 --> 00:38:32.239
Our future.
00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:40.159
And then people say, Well, look, you know, um the school quality dictates where people want to buy homes and where they want to live.
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:40.719
Well, great.
00:38:40.800 --> 00:38:42.960
Then we should be taking this more seriously, don't you think?
00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:44.079
I agree with you 100%.
00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:45.599
That was beautifully said.
00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:47.519
I actually, yes.
00:38:48.960 --> 00:39:04.559
So um listen, the board um is going to um steer the district through the end of funds available through a$94.4 million settlement filed 10 years ago on behalf of Detroit students that allege poor learning conditions.
00:39:04.719 --> 00:39:17.119
They said that the Detroit Public School District had a responsibility, no, actually, they said the state of Michigan had a responsibility to pro provide literacy to students.
00:39:17.519 --> 00:39:27.679
And so the governor, uh the governor at that time reached an agreement, a settlement with the Detroit public schools to pay$94.4 million.
00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:38.960
And it was really um a landmark case because uh the Michigan State Constitution does not um there's no right to reading.
00:39:39.280 --> 00:39:43.119
Yeah, there's a right to education, there's no right to literacy, right?
00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:59.519
And so this allegation that wait a minute, the school's underperformed and our kids aren't literate because the state did not provide the resources was a novel argument that I was right there front and center, and I I had a friend who was at the same at the time working with them.
00:39:59.679 --> 00:40:01.519
Um now we got the money, yeah.
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:03.360
And that money, do you have children?
00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:04.079
Yes, I do.
00:40:04.239 --> 00:40:04.719
How old?
00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:07.280
I have a 13-year-old and a five-year-old.
00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:09.840
Um, do any of them attend Detroit Public Schools?
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:11.039
No, they don't.
00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:11.760
Yeah.
00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:21.840
So I have a stepdaughter, she lives in uh Inkster, so she attends Taylor, and then my son just started school, and so he attends uh Stevenson that's located on the Lasher.
00:40:22.079 --> 00:40:23.760
Yeah, uh-huh, Southfield.
00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:24.559
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:25.519
We live in that area.
00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:26.239
Yes.
00:40:26.480 --> 00:40:34.079
Um my granddaughter is at Marcus Garvey Academy, so this is really personal to me, right?
00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:48.159
If there's a building issue, if there's no air conditioning, if you know there's other kinds of things happening in the buildings, I experience that from a grandmother's point of view.
00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:54.239
And there are a lot of people who've been complaining this year about the lack of air conditioning in schools.
00:40:54.559 --> 00:40:56.639
Yes, I've been seeing that topic on Instagram.
00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:58.320
What have you been saying?
00:41:00.239 --> 00:41:03.280
That um we have to do better.
00:41:03.440 --> 00:41:04.239
We have to care about it.
00:41:04.320 --> 00:41:05.519
I'm a product of DPS myself.
00:41:05.840 --> 00:41:06.400
I was gonna ask you.
00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:09.280
Yes, I went to Mumford High School, graduated in 09.
00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:16.159
Um, and I'm gonna give my accolades because I feel like a lot of people feel like uh DPS isn't worthy enough, and I think it is.
00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:20.400
Although my kids are not attending BPS schools, I still believe in DPS schools.
00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:22.800
I still have cousins, I have nieces and things like that.
00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:24.559
That's still in those in those schools.
00:41:24.719 --> 00:41:26.960
And we should care about it because this is our future.
00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:27.920
This is our home.
00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:29.599
Like Detroit is my home.
00:41:29.840 --> 00:41:33.119
But I graduated with a bachelor's degree, a master's degree.
00:41:33.199 --> 00:41:34.239
I'm going to get my doctorate.
00:41:34.320 --> 00:41:34.559
So I'm not sure.
00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:36.719
I went to Western Michigan.
00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:37.280
Awesome.
00:41:37.519 --> 00:41:44.880
Went to Western Michigan, then I went to Central Michigan for uh grad school, and then now I'm going to Oklahoma State University to get my doctorate.
00:41:44.960 --> 00:41:47.199
It's a professional, but it's still a doctorate.
00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:52.400
Um, but yes, I am a big like I really believe that we should do better with DPS.
00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:55.039
I've heard that we are our kids.
00:41:55.840 --> 00:41:57.599
Our literacy rate isn't great.
00:41:57.840 --> 00:42:01.280
Um they're focused on the wrong things right now.
00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:05.039
I mean, they the isn't really that different though, right?
00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:05.440
Yeah.
00:42:05.599 --> 00:42:13.840
I mean, you know, I've been in the school reform space for a number of years, and it's always the same thing.
00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:22.880
Um, the the accusations, the criticisms are always the same that the schools aren't educating kids, that kids can't come out of these schools learning things.
00:42:23.760 --> 00:42:36.639
Um when you were in high school, there were some there was this finding that Detroit public schools were the worst schools in the United States, and students would be better off staying at home than going to school and learning.
00:42:36.800 --> 00:42:37.599
And look at you now.
00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.320
Yes, right?
00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:38.719
Correct.
00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:42.239
So I think that And that came from my parenting, my mother and father.
00:42:42.719 --> 00:42:51.280
I was going to say so much of what we blame schools for has to do with what's happening in homes and communities.
00:42:51.440 --> 00:43:04.480
When you have concentrated poverty, then you have parents without the resources, the behavioral health, um, we have mass incarceration, and all those things contribute to trauma.
00:43:04.719 --> 00:43:04.960
Yeah.
00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:08.000
And that trauma shows up in that bully.
00:43:09.280 --> 00:43:11.519
Or not wanting to do the work, or not wanting to do the work.
00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:17.039
And sometimes I don't want to do the work because I don't think I can do the work.
00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:19.119
That confidence.
00:43:19.760 --> 00:43:24.000
It's, you know, um, there's this concept of academic identity, right?
00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:24.320
Yeah.
00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:26.559
Like you probably when you were a little girl, you knew you were smart.
00:43:26.639 --> 00:43:27.760
When did you know you were smart?
00:43:28.239 --> 00:43:29.199
My mom always told me.
00:43:29.360 --> 00:43:31.440
You say you were beginning, my mom and dad, yeah.
00:43:31.599 --> 00:43:34.880
Yeah, so when you know you're smart, yeah, you do the work.
00:43:35.199 --> 00:43:35.360
Yeah.
00:43:36.159 --> 00:43:41.199
If you know you're smart, you expect to be able to understand things.
00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:41.519
Yeah.
00:43:41.840 --> 00:43:42.719
What if you don't?
00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:43.840
Neither.
00:43:44.239 --> 00:43:46.239
Algebra is not going to teach itself.
00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:48.480
You have to put effort into learning.
00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:49.199
Yeah, for sure.
00:43:49.440 --> 00:43:52.239
And will you put that effort in if you expect to fail?
00:43:53.280 --> 00:43:59.840
How many of our students go home and never hear any good things about themselves and their teachers?
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:05.519
The parent goes to the parent-teacher conference, the teacher says he's bad, she's bad, they don't want to learn.
00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:07.360
I worry that they can't learn.
00:44:07.679 --> 00:44:11.679
So many things happen to children inside these institutions.
00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:21.199
But when kids have parents as their first advocates, as their first teachers, then it's harder for a school to show up in that way.
00:44:21.360 --> 00:44:21.679
Yeah.
00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:29.760
Um, and so from my ex in my experience, you know, as a parent, um, my kids all knew they were smart.
00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.440
The schools all knew they were smart.
00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:33.039
There was no question about that.
00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:34.719
You know, we're just gonna keep at it.
00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:41.039
But I remember having a conversation with some students at a church conference.
00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:43.679
Okay, and I was supposed to talk about education.
00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:48.800
And so I said, How many of you are good at basketball and everybody raised their hand?
00:44:49.039 --> 00:44:52.159
And I said, How many of you are good at math and nobody raised their hand?
00:44:52.239 --> 00:44:54.159
And then this that's not fair.
00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:56.000
Basketball is fun.
00:44:56.559 --> 00:45:03.199
Yeah, and you know, I am a living witness that basketball is not fun if you don't think you can play.
00:45:03.440 --> 00:45:03.760
Okay.
00:45:04.159 --> 00:45:11.440
I can play basketball and my ball goes anywhere but near the basket, and I am humiliated, my shoulders hurt, my arms hurt, I give up.
00:45:11.519 --> 00:45:15.360
Yeah, I don't keep trying because in my mind I'm not good at basketball.
00:45:15.519 --> 00:45:15.760
Yeah.
00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:20.079
And I said, if you practice math, did you ever take math classes?
00:45:20.239 --> 00:45:21.039
Yes, of course.
00:45:21.280 --> 00:45:22.239
Did you ever enjoy math?
00:45:22.400 --> 00:45:24.400
Um, I've never enjoyed math ever.
00:45:24.480 --> 00:45:25.119
I'll be honest.
00:45:25.280 --> 00:45:27.119
And that's and that's and you know what that's called?
00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:28.719
That's a math identity.
00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:29.119
Yeah.
00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:31.119
And let me tell you what happens, right?
00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:34.480
You struggle with math, and you go home and you tell your parents, they say, Oh, I wasn't good at math.
00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:35.360
You can be a tutor.
00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:40.320
But a lot of times the parents will say, I was not good at math either.
00:45:40.480 --> 00:45:45.920
There is not an expectation that American children are good at math.
00:45:46.079 --> 00:45:46.400
Yeah.
00:45:46.559 --> 00:45:50.639
And there's definitely not an expectation that black American children are good at math.
00:45:50.800 --> 00:45:52.079
Yeah, I get that, yeah.
00:45:52.320 --> 00:45:58.719
You know, but if you are Asian, good at math, there's an expectation that you will be good at math.
00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:03.119
It's not that Asian kids are Japanese kids are not smarter than black kids.
00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:12.880
Japanese kids are more confident they can master math than most black kids are, and it has a lot to do with our identities.
00:46:13.199 --> 00:46:20.960
And so I'm really um fascinated by this whole idea that our identities shape who we become, how we see ourselves shapes what we do with our lives.
00:46:21.199 --> 00:46:21.920
Yeah, for sure.
00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:24.960
You're a smart woman, but you were a smart girl.
00:46:25.280 --> 00:46:25.519
Correct.
00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:28.800
And you were expected to go far, and that's what happened.
00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:34.000
What you can't do is put all of those ingredients on the school district.
00:46:34.320 --> 00:46:35.280
Correct, correct.
00:46:35.360 --> 00:46:44.159
I mean, it takes the parents, like uh, this one young lady, she has been going to this park where all the kids are hanging out, and she said, Hey, get to class, get to class, get to class.
00:46:44.239 --> 00:46:48.960
She's at the gas station, making kids leave the gas station, or even asking parents, like, hey, why are you late?
00:46:49.119 --> 00:46:50.559
Like, you need to get to class.
00:46:50.719 --> 00:46:51.920
So it starts at home.
00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:53.599
The parents have to care as well.
00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:55.599
But it's not that parents don't care.
00:46:55.840 --> 00:46:56.719
No, I agree.
00:46:56.960 --> 00:46:59.039
A lot of times you have to take the extra step.
00:46:59.679 --> 00:47:02.320
You have to understand the steps.
00:47:02.559 --> 00:47:02.800
Yeah.
00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:06.719
You have to understand that your child could be a good student.
00:47:06.960 --> 00:47:09.840
You have to understand the outcome of these things.
00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:10.079
Yeah.
00:47:10.320 --> 00:47:14.480
And if nobody modeled that for you, how are you going to model that for your kid?
00:47:14.639 --> 00:47:18.559
And then you deal with all of the behavioral health issues that people deal with.
00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:19.360
You know?
00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:19.679
Yeah.
00:47:19.920 --> 00:47:28.159
And so I think a lot of times we attribute ineffective school parenting to motivation.
00:47:28.320 --> 00:47:28.480
Yeah.
00:47:28.719 --> 00:47:32.559
But motivation, again, is impacted by your identity.
00:47:32.800 --> 00:47:34.480
I'm the parent of a smart kid.
00:47:34.559 --> 00:47:36.159
I expect my kids to do well.
00:47:36.639 --> 00:47:40.079
And you know, a lot of parents, they're just grown-up kids, right?
00:47:40.480 --> 00:47:47.599
So if you didn't think you were smart in third grade, you don't think you're smart when you're 23, you don't think you're smart when you're 33, and you have this kid, and you don't think you pass that down.
00:47:48.079 --> 00:47:54.559
And so I was talking to this lady the other day, and she's marveling over the fact that her grandson is so smart.
00:47:54.639 --> 00:47:56.559
And she's like, I can't believe he's so smart.
00:47:56.719 --> 00:47:57.440
How did you do it?
00:47:58.079 --> 00:47:59.840
She didn't expect him to be smart.
00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:00.320
Yeah.
00:48:00.719 --> 00:48:16.159
And that's part of our problem is I would say it's centuries of white supremacy have conditioned us to accept a lower status, a lower expectations.
00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:21.440
And the only way to beat that, I don't think you can change that by beating people up.
00:48:22.159 --> 00:48:22.320
Yeah.
00:48:22.719 --> 00:48:28.639
I think you change that by lifting people up and helping people say, Your child can do this, you can do that.
00:48:29.039 --> 00:48:35.840
I've seen it work, and I get so excited about seeing young people who the light bulb turns on, and it's like, I am smart.
00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:36.239
Correct.
00:48:36.639 --> 00:48:37.679
And then you can do everything.
00:48:37.840 --> 00:48:38.159
Yeah.
00:48:39.360 --> 00:48:40.719
You know, I agree with you.
00:48:40.960 --> 00:48:46.239
Because, you know, we all have ancestors who are not allowed to learn how to read.
00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:46.800
Yeah.
00:48:47.039 --> 00:48:52.639
You know, I was just talking to my husband about this this morning, actually, this this conversation, that's why I was smiling.
00:48:52.719 --> 00:48:55.519
Because I'm like, we just were literally just talking about this.
00:48:55.760 --> 00:49:00.000
And it's the simple fact that um, you know, like it's our ancestors.
00:49:00.159 --> 00:49:08.800
I feel like my generation, myself, was the first to actually be able to do what my parents and my grandparents actually imagined themselves to.
00:49:08.960 --> 00:49:12.639
They didn't know they can do it, honestly, because they didn't have the opportunity to do so.
00:49:12.800 --> 00:49:21.119
And so, like, my my grandparents didn't know they can do this, or you know, they had those that stigma or um trauma, things like that.
00:49:21.199 --> 00:49:24.159
And so then my parents raised me the best they could.
00:49:24.320 --> 00:49:36.639
And so then I broke the glass ceiling, and so now I'm breaking the glass ceiling even more by teaching my kid, like, hey, you're this, you're that, and encouraging them and being there, being at those parents' conferences, even taking that other kid along with me.
00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:42.320
You know, like I my goal is to try to be that parent that is in the school as well, as much as possible.
00:49:42.639 --> 00:49:46.719
Be a part of my daughter's basketball team, go to my son's school.
00:49:46.800 --> 00:49:50.079
He's in the kindergarten, so I can only do so much with them.
00:49:50.159 --> 00:49:52.320
But you know, my husband broke that ceiling, right?
00:49:52.480 --> 00:49:52.800
Yeah.
00:49:53.199 --> 00:49:59.679
And the important thing to understand is he broke that ceiling, but he came from people who equipped him to break that ceiling, right?
00:49:59.920 --> 00:50:05.360
Yeah, he didn't come from unintelligent people, he came from people who did not pursue education.
00:50:05.519 --> 00:50:10.480
Yes, the intelligence was gained by your parents, and then you built your skills in schools.
00:50:10.639 --> 00:50:10.880
Correct.
00:50:11.119 --> 00:50:15.039
Um, we come from great stuff, and I, you know, it's so important for us to understand that.
00:50:15.199 --> 00:50:15.360
Yeah.
00:50:15.599 --> 00:50:17.599
Can we talk about Nicole Hannah-Jones for a minute?
00:50:17.840 --> 00:50:18.719
Go for it.
00:50:21.519 --> 00:50:37.039
So Nicole Hannah Jones is has recognized that there is school inequities and that black children in New York City tend to go to schools with the fewest resources in her mind, the teachers who are the least equipped in her mind.
00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:45.360
And that if she sends her daughter at five years old, she will be in a district.
00:50:45.519 --> 00:50:46.320
Have you heard about this?
00:50:46.480 --> 00:50:47.039
I think I have.
00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:48.320
Um wow.
00:50:48.480 --> 00:50:49.760
Okay, this is big news.
00:50:50.159 --> 00:50:56.079
This New York Times uh magazine cover, and it's been the topic of conversation in my family.
00:50:56.239 --> 00:50:58.000
Boy, if we debated this one.
00:50:58.400 --> 00:51:06.719
So, you know, she's a reporter for the New York Times, yeah, and she decides she's gonna send her kid to a majority black low-income school in New York City.
00:51:06.800 --> 00:51:06.960
Yep.
00:51:07.119 --> 00:51:11.519
So she sends her to a school that is located across the street from public housing.
00:51:12.559 --> 00:51:16.639
And I think at that time they had a good principal or whatever, and the principal left.
00:51:16.800 --> 00:51:25.280
But she takes her to this school, and maybe a couple years later, she's quoted saying things like, Well, I'm an effing New York Times reporter.
00:51:25.440 --> 00:51:27.599
If I go into that school, things will change.
00:51:27.760 --> 00:51:32.559
If I see a problem, I write a letter and it changes immediately, or something like that.
00:51:32.719 --> 00:51:37.440
Um, something that so her daughter ends up, and I'm gonna get some of these facts wrong.
00:51:37.519 --> 00:51:40.960
So, listeners, please be gentle with me.
00:51:41.039 --> 00:51:42.480
I'm trying to get the facts right.
00:51:43.280 --> 00:51:49.840
But her child goes to school and she finds out her child cannot read in fourth grade.
00:51:50.400 --> 00:51:57.280
And then when she's in another grade, she realizes that nobody's been checking her math homework.
00:51:57.920 --> 00:52:02.960
And so all year long she's been turning in this math homework and nobody's checked it.
00:52:03.440 --> 00:52:10.239
And at the end of the year, her mother realizes that all of the math homework, that she all the problems that she solved were wrong.
00:52:11.760 --> 00:52:24.559
So in middle school, she sends her child to similar middle school, and in middle school, her child finds out that uh her mother intentionally sent her to a school like this to make a point.
00:52:24.800 --> 00:52:25.039
Okay?
00:52:25.280 --> 00:52:25.440
Yes.
00:52:25.760 --> 00:52:27.519
And she says, Why are you doing this?
00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:31.199
She says, Well, your education is not more important than these other kids' education.
00:52:31.280 --> 00:52:32.559
Why should they get a better education?
00:52:32.639 --> 00:52:35.199
I'm gonna put you in this school to change it.
00:52:35.920 --> 00:52:49.840
And so the daughter rebels, she gets a, you know, she gets uh into a private school that she tests into, and she tells her mother, you made a mistake.
00:52:50.639 --> 00:52:57.199
So when she was five years old, she was on the cover, picture of her is on the cover with the little, you know, afro puffs on her way to school.
00:52:57.360 --> 00:52:57.519
Yeah.
00:52:57.760 --> 00:53:06.480
And now that she's 16 years old, she's not only on the cover, but there's lots of pictures of the daughter in this story by name, describing this whole journey.
00:53:06.639 --> 00:53:06.960
Yes.
00:53:07.599 --> 00:53:08.800
React to that.
00:53:10.159 --> 00:53:12.480
I think it was unfair to the daughter.
00:53:12.800 --> 00:53:15.119
Um, I think she could have taken a different route.
00:53:15.360 --> 00:53:20.000
I think that this may sound extremely selfish, but I'll stand by it.
00:53:20.079 --> 00:53:26.000
But it's no way I will put my kid at risk in regards to not having the education that they need.
00:53:26.159 --> 00:53:32.400
If she's a New York seller or I'm sorry, um New York Times reporter.
00:53:32.559 --> 00:53:33.360
Yeah, reporter.
00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:37.119
You should go in there and do your own research, but I wouldn't put my kid at risk for that.
00:53:37.280 --> 00:53:43.280
And then even if that was the case, why didn't she take the extra step to make sure that her kid's homework was checked?
00:53:43.440 --> 00:53:46.639
You know, like why didn't you follow behind your own kid as well?
00:53:46.800 --> 00:53:50.079
So if my kid brings homework home, I'm gonna check it as well.
00:53:50.320 --> 00:53:53.840
But if they don't bring homework home, but she says she turned the homework in.
00:53:53.920 --> 00:53:58.719
So yeah, I'm saying if you don't turn homework home, don't you wonder where's your homework?
00:53:58.880 --> 00:54:00.719
What are you doing in math class?
00:54:01.039 --> 00:54:01.679
Yeah.
00:54:02.559 --> 00:54:07.440
So what you're saying is that she'd never brought homework in, so she didn't know that her daughter was not doing home.
00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:13.199
You know, I was really struggling with this, and then I remember because my youngest graduated from high school in 2013.
00:54:13.360 --> 00:54:13.599
Yeah.
00:54:13.760 --> 00:54:14.960
It's been a minute, okay?
00:54:15.119 --> 00:54:15.519
Uh-huh.
00:54:15.840 --> 00:54:20.159
When he graduated from high school in 2013, you know how I knew he was doing his homework?
00:54:20.400 --> 00:54:20.800
How?
00:54:21.039 --> 00:54:21.840
Power School.
00:54:22.320 --> 00:54:22.960
What was it?
00:54:23.199 --> 00:54:23.920
Power School.
00:54:24.159 --> 00:54:24.880
What is that?
00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:36.159
It's an electronic board that interfaces with parents at post grades of homework and grades, and so they would post his assignments on there.
00:54:36.239 --> 00:54:39.119
And I know if he was missing an assignment, do they have that in your kids' schools?
00:54:39.280 --> 00:54:41.840
Yeah, so they have something along the lines called like iReady.
00:54:42.639 --> 00:54:44.480
Every school district does that, yeah, right?
00:54:44.719 --> 00:54:44.880
Yeah.
00:54:45.039 --> 00:54:46.000
Even in New York.
00:54:46.159 --> 00:54:46.800
Yeah.
00:54:47.599 --> 00:54:54.000
And so it's so hard for me to understand how that is not educational neglect.
00:54:54.079 --> 00:54:59.840
I reacted so strongly to that because that was such a big part of me parenting my kids, always knowing what they were learning about.
00:55:00.079 --> 00:55:01.920
As in it falls on the parent, right?
00:55:02.320 --> 00:55:02.800
Exactly.
00:55:03.360 --> 00:55:07.039
And so I just made excuses for some parents, right?
00:55:07.119 --> 00:55:10.159
Because I do understand that some people don't know.
00:55:11.039 --> 00:55:12.800
But you're a New York Times reporter.
00:55:13.519 --> 00:55:21.280
And you did an education beat and you did not know about iReady, Power School, whatever the heck your school district is using.
00:55:21.360 --> 00:55:22.480
It just seemed crazy to me.
00:55:22.559 --> 00:55:29.599
I'm reading this, and it's like But I thought the initial reason why she put her there was to try to see like how well she would do.
00:55:29.840 --> 00:55:35.599
So why would she not do her own research as well and say, well, how what did you learn at school and document that?
00:55:35.760 --> 00:55:37.599
You know, I don't, I don't, I don't know.
00:55:37.760 --> 00:55:40.079
You know, I I just I I don't want to get into it.
00:55:40.159 --> 00:55:45.039
I mean, you know, I've made, like any parent, many mistakes as a parent.
00:55:45.679 --> 00:55:46.960
But you know what I didn't do?
00:55:47.039 --> 00:55:52.480
I didn't put them on the front page of New York Times magazine and use them as an experience, experiment.
00:55:52.559 --> 00:55:57.679
And this one writer, I wish I remember her name, she said, you know, this would never happen to a black son.
00:55:58.159 --> 00:56:02.400
That black daughters get sacrificed for things like this.
00:56:02.559 --> 00:56:05.119
We're expected to carry the burden of our race.
00:56:05.280 --> 00:56:06.480
Do you think that's true?
00:56:06.639 --> 00:56:09.679
Or do you think this is just um a mis misguided parent?
00:56:09.760 --> 00:56:11.599
Or do you I think it was a misguided parent.
00:56:12.400 --> 00:56:14.159
Do you think she would have done that for a son?
00:56:15.840 --> 00:56:20.800
You think she would have put her son in a school where he would have been exposed to some things?
00:56:22.159 --> 00:56:28.079
I'm a mother of a son, and I for me, I I wanted it for my boy or girl.
00:56:28.400 --> 00:56:28.639
Yeah.
00:56:28.880 --> 00:56:37.519
I wouldn't either, but I think that there is something to be said for this idea that we have to protect bad black boys from bad influences.
00:56:37.679 --> 00:56:37.840
Yeah.
00:56:38.000 --> 00:56:43.679
And that black girls are supposed to be able to thrive regardless in some instances.
00:56:44.000 --> 00:56:48.800
I mean, I get where you're coming from that, but I'll say that, you know, I grew up in a household where it's four girls.
00:56:48.960 --> 00:56:53.280
My mom and dad raised us, and we didn't have any brothers, but they always wanted the best for us.
00:56:53.360 --> 00:57:03.119
You know, they wanted us not to go to Mumfort, but I decided that I wanted to go to Mumford because I went to a summer program and I had a great time, meaning I love the teachers, I love the program.
00:57:03.440 --> 00:57:07.760
You know, Mumford has that had that program for higher achieving students, right?
00:57:07.920 --> 00:57:08.239
Yeah.
00:57:08.480 --> 00:57:11.519
So you weren't in the regular Mumfort, were you?
00:57:13.199 --> 00:57:15.039
I think I would say this.
00:57:15.280 --> 00:57:24.880
I think for Mumfort, because we're in the middle by Renaissance and things like that, you would typically get those students that probably didn't that got kicked out or some sort, and they would go to Mumfort.
00:57:25.199 --> 00:57:28.480
And Mumford had a great administrative team, Miss Spike.
00:57:28.719 --> 00:57:32.159
I'm not sure, Linda Spite, one is one of the best principals ever.
00:57:32.320 --> 00:57:34.159
And I just think she just had an awesome team.
00:57:34.239 --> 00:57:36.480
I learned a lot, it was a safe school.
00:57:36.880 --> 00:57:37.840
It was just awesome.
00:57:38.320 --> 00:57:43.119
But I said that to say that my parents didn't sacrifice us and put us in a bad school.
00:57:43.199 --> 00:57:45.920
We just decided to go there because we we liked the school.
00:57:46.159 --> 00:57:47.599
My grandmother taught at Montfort.
00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:48.159
Oh, really?
00:57:48.400 --> 00:57:49.199
Yeah, she taught at Montfort.
00:57:49.360 --> 00:57:50.480
We're talking about the 1960s.
00:57:50.719 --> 00:57:56.079
Yeah, so Mumford, my oldest sister went to Montford back when Cass started at 10th grade.
00:57:56.159 --> 00:57:57.679
She went to Montfort for ninth grade.
00:57:57.840 --> 00:57:58.000
Okay.
00:57:58.159 --> 00:58:03.119
And I grew up in the Bagley neighborhood, so Mumfort was definitely, you know, some it was a neighborhood school.
00:58:03.199 --> 00:58:04.960
I know many people who went to Mumford.
00:58:05.199 --> 00:58:12.559
And Montford has always been a school that has had, you know, some high, very high achieving students and some in all different levels, right?
00:58:13.199 --> 00:58:23.360
But my daughter, who was at Renaissance right around the time that you were at Mumford, had friends who also, like you said, went to Mumford in between, you know, back and forth to Renaissance.
00:58:23.599 --> 00:58:28.559
And as I recall, I heard there was a program that was for college-bound students.
00:58:28.960 --> 00:58:31.519
Yes, they did have like AP classes and things like that.
00:58:31.679 --> 00:58:33.519
So they did have those type of things, that too.
00:58:33.760 --> 00:58:33.920
Yeah.
00:58:34.000 --> 00:58:36.880
So you could go to Mumford and get a good education.
00:58:37.199 --> 00:58:43.840
I think one of the disservices of the article that she wrote was this suggestion that going to majority black school meant failure.
00:58:44.000 --> 00:58:44.159
Yeah.
00:58:44.400 --> 00:58:48.159
Because a lot of majority black schools are still producing high-achieving students.
00:58:48.400 --> 00:58:49.360
Yes, excellent.
00:58:49.679 --> 00:58:53.519
And so this that that that felt like stereotyping to some people.
00:58:53.679 --> 00:59:04.159
Um, and I'm not trying to beat up on her, but I do know that um that there is a tendency, they say, you know, mothers um raise their daughters and love their sons.
00:59:04.480 --> 00:59:06.320
And that have you ever heard that sentence?
00:59:06.480 --> 00:59:07.119
I've definitely heard it.
00:59:07.199 --> 00:59:07.360
Yes.
00:59:07.920 --> 00:59:09.760
I have I'm a I'm a fan for girls.
00:59:09.840 --> 00:59:10.320
I'm like you.
00:59:10.480 --> 00:59:10.800
Oh, yeah.
00:59:10.880 --> 00:59:11.039
Okay.
00:59:12.159 --> 00:59:14.639
When you don't have any sons, the daughter has to be like the son, right?
00:59:14.719 --> 00:59:17.679
You gotta be like my dad was rough for me.
00:59:17.760 --> 00:59:23.039
I mean, he's you know, had we had rules, you know, your grades gotta be this, your grades gotta be that.
00:59:23.119 --> 00:59:27.519
You're not gonna be out, you're not gonna walk around a corner and do just, you know, like some girls will walk around.
00:59:27.599 --> 00:59:30.719
My dad didn't allow that, wasn't going on every weekend.
00:59:31.039 --> 00:59:33.199
Uh, basketball, grades came first.
00:59:33.280 --> 00:59:36.960
I played basketball from elementary all the way up to junior college.
00:59:37.039 --> 00:59:39.679
Um, I was pretty good, but I don't know.
00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:44.960
But like you said, I didn't have any brothers, but I probably would say my dad probably would be a little sexist, to be honest.
00:59:45.119 --> 00:59:45.360
Yeah.
00:59:45.519 --> 00:59:47.519
I just that was just a question.
00:59:47.599 --> 00:59:49.920
I I I don't have a thought on that either way.
00:59:50.079 --> 00:59:52.000
I was just curious what you thought about that.
00:59:52.079 --> 00:59:52.400
Yeah.
00:59:52.559 --> 00:59:56.719
Um, but I think that, you know, there's so many questions about the right to privacy for a child.
00:59:56.880 --> 01:00:04.960
Can a child really consent to being on the cover story for something like that and having all of their, you know, challenges?
01:00:05.199 --> 01:00:18.000
Um, I think there are also coming from my perspective, working with school reform organizations like Detroit Parent Network and 42 Ford, it's like, wait a minute, ma'am, why were you the answer?
01:00:18.239 --> 01:00:21.679
Why weren't you working with organizations that are to try to figure it out?
01:00:22.000 --> 01:00:27.840
Exactly, because that's the other thing is can one person, no matter how good they are, ever change a system?
01:00:28.000 --> 01:00:30.719
Or do we have to work collectively to change systems?
01:00:31.039 --> 01:00:32.880
We have to work collectively to change systems.
01:00:33.039 --> 01:00:33.920
That's the only way.
01:00:34.159 --> 01:00:40.880
And I don't think we should sacrifice one kid just, you know, for one for that one thing that it wasn't successful.
01:00:41.039 --> 01:00:43.199
You didn't make any changes from what I understand.
01:00:43.280 --> 01:00:44.559
She didn't make any changes at all.
01:00:44.880 --> 01:00:45.840
The school did not improve.
01:00:46.000 --> 01:00:54.960
Her daughter says she made a mistake, and so then people are like, you know, I'm proud of her for coming forward and being vulnerable and acknowledging her heirs.
01:00:55.119 --> 01:00:59.760
And then she came out and said, I think people think I regret what I did, but I don't.
01:00:59.920 --> 01:01:02.400
And so it's like, okay, yeah, good.
01:01:02.719 --> 01:01:09.760
But I think, you know, it it's raised the issue at the very least of what parents should be doing, how we should be selecting our schools.
01:01:09.840 --> 01:01:13.199
And I don't think you have to choose between a majority white school and a good school.
01:01:13.440 --> 01:01:18.639
Well, let me ask you this: how do you select the school from based from your experience and hearing different conversations?
01:01:18.800 --> 01:01:19.920
How do you pick a school?
01:01:20.159 --> 01:01:28.800
I know for me, I just for my kindergarten, I had to I looked at scores and the the atmosphere, the culture.
01:01:29.039 --> 01:01:32.719
How do you like how do we decide what is a good school to send your kid to?
01:01:33.039 --> 01:01:33.519
All of that.
01:01:33.679 --> 01:01:40.320
You know, I think a lot of times people look at test scores, but I think that you can walk in the school building and you can feel the culture.
01:01:40.480 --> 01:01:41.920
Yeah, close your eyes.
01:01:42.079 --> 01:01:45.840
And I think that culture matters as much as anything.
01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:52.320
Um, I don't think we should be hyper-focused on test scores, which are not really scientific anyway.
01:01:52.400 --> 01:01:56.400
It's just somebody throwing out some questions and they're deciding this means you're smart.
01:01:56.480 --> 01:02:01.760
And there's so many reasons why test scores are biased and inaccurate predictors of somebody's knowledge.
01:02:02.400 --> 01:02:06.719
Um when my kids were younger, I probably relied too much on test scores.
01:02:07.039 --> 01:02:09.840
But I really did want my kids to go to a majority black school.
01:02:10.320 --> 01:02:13.840
It was important to me for them to have a good identity.
01:02:14.000 --> 01:02:20.079
I went to a majority white high school, okay, and I stopped caring about school.
01:02:20.960 --> 01:02:27.920
And I did not want to see, I was just angry a lot of times because of all of the microaggressions and outward aggressions.
01:02:28.159 --> 01:02:35.119
You know, back in those days it was not unusual to be called the N-word and having teachers treat you differently and classmates treat you differently.
01:02:35.519 --> 01:02:39.840
True story, this past Saturday, I graduated 45 years ago.
01:02:40.159 --> 01:02:42.480
And so Mercy.
01:02:42.719 --> 01:02:42.880
Okay.
01:02:43.039 --> 01:02:45.119
And so we had a 45th reunion.
01:02:46.559 --> 01:02:48.880
And not a single black classmate of mine went.
01:02:49.840 --> 01:02:51.840
Just to tell you how it felt.
01:02:52.079 --> 01:02:52.320
Right.
01:02:52.719 --> 01:02:58.159
And I went to the 40th, and I was like one of three that went.
01:02:58.320 --> 01:03:02.480
And there were about 30 black girls who graduated with me from Mercy.
01:03:02.719 --> 01:03:03.039
Wow.
01:03:03.199 --> 01:03:09.039
And so we're on social media planning our own reunion so that we can be in a space where we feel safe.
01:03:09.360 --> 01:03:14.480
And it's interesting because at first I think people did not even acknowledge how much trauma they experienced.
01:03:14.639 --> 01:03:24.159
And so my decision was I want my kids to grow in a go to school in a place where they feel like they are the desired, whatever.
01:03:24.239 --> 01:03:28.639
So my youngest two graduated from Groves High School, which is yeah.
01:03:28.800 --> 01:03:33.119
Um, they went to Southfield schools and then they graduated from Groves High School, and that's majority white.
01:03:33.199 --> 01:03:37.599
But by the time they were there, they already had their academic identity shaped.
01:03:38.159 --> 01:03:44.559
That said, I had to fight to get them in the right places.
01:03:44.719 --> 01:03:46.880
I had to go to school and go to bath for them.
01:03:46.960 --> 01:03:56.960
They didn't want to let my son in honors classes, and you know, I had to say, wait a minute, you know, yeah, we're not having this conversation over the phone.
01:03:57.360 --> 01:04:03.599
Bring his transcript to the school board meeting and put it on public record, explain to the public why he does not belong in honors classes.
01:04:03.840 --> 01:04:06.480
And they shockingly discovered he did.
01:04:06.559 --> 01:04:13.199
Um, because I want him to be, if the school is going to have levels, I want you to be have access to the top level.
01:04:13.519 --> 01:04:19.199
Um, I think it's interesting that you said that you wanted your kids to be around um the black community.
01:04:19.440 --> 01:04:21.760
Because I feel like I struggled when I got older.
01:04:21.920 --> 01:04:29.760
Um I went to all black schools all through elementary, and then my freshman year, I went to Tennessee State University for undergrad.
01:04:29.840 --> 01:04:33.760
And of course, tuition was a bit high, and I said, let's let's go back home to Michigan.
01:04:33.920 --> 01:04:39.199
And then I went to Western, and it was a complete shock because I had never been around so many white people in my life.
01:04:39.440 --> 01:04:51.360
And so I think for me, I really want my kid to be in an area that's like multicultural and comes from different backgrounds because literally I'm 20-something years old and I've never been in a room full of white people.
01:04:51.519 --> 01:04:56.320
And so that kind of took me back a little bit, and I start feeling the microaggressions.
01:04:56.480 --> 01:05:01.840
I remember doing a project, and they blatantly just ignored me for the group project.
01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:04.639
Like I showed up and I'm like, where's everybody at?
01:05:04.800 --> 01:05:07.199
Then go to class and we have the project.
01:05:07.360 --> 01:05:10.159
And the teacher pulled me aside, like, hey, they said you didn't do anything.
01:05:10.239 --> 01:05:11.519
I'm like, I was there.
01:05:11.840 --> 01:05:13.920
You know, I text, nobody responded.
01:05:14.000 --> 01:05:14.960
I was at the spot.
01:05:15.119 --> 01:05:21.280
And so that was my first time going through microaggressions of really just or just racism in general.
01:05:21.440 --> 01:05:26.000
I had a actually an advisor that was just like, you should change your major, and it hurt my feelings.
01:05:26.079 --> 01:05:27.280
And I'm just like, oh wow.
01:05:27.440 --> 01:05:34.800
I've never run across so many like Caucasian people, and I was stunned, honestly, because I have never been around so many.
01:05:34.960 --> 01:05:40.800
And so for me, I just don't want my kid to have that same experience that I experienced because I had been around black people my entire life.
01:05:40.960 --> 01:05:42.800
But also in the world isn't but just black.
01:05:43.119 --> 01:05:46.159
It isn't, but you graduated from high school knowing you were smart.
01:05:46.400 --> 01:05:46.800
Yeah.
01:05:47.039 --> 01:05:47.679
Let me say this.
01:05:47.920 --> 01:05:48.800
But it still was a shocker.
01:05:49.119 --> 01:05:49.760
It was a shocker.
01:05:50.000 --> 01:05:52.400
But my kids went to grows.
01:05:53.039 --> 01:06:03.679
My daughter started the second semester of her sophomore year, my son started in, you know, in Birmingham schools when he was in middle school.
01:06:04.960 --> 01:06:06.159
In the high school.
01:06:06.800 --> 01:06:12.000
Most of the parents there were professionals, hardworking, educated, whatever.
01:06:13.280 --> 01:06:16.639
Almost none of the black kids were in honors AP.
01:06:17.519 --> 01:06:19.440
Some of them were in college prep.
01:06:19.679 --> 01:06:21.679
A bunch of them were in remedial.
01:06:22.159 --> 01:06:33.199
And a group of them were also in an alternative school, which was actually Gross High School, that was taught in the C-home, a portion of the C-home building where they were learning on a computer.
01:06:33.599 --> 01:06:38.400
But they all played football together and they all ran track together and they all were cheerleaders together.
01:06:38.480 --> 01:06:46.800
And so I'm watching black parents put their kids in a district where they are not exposed to the education that they deserve.
01:06:47.119 --> 01:06:48.800
But that's where you have to advocate.
01:06:49.119 --> 01:06:53.679
But if you don't know to advocate, then you don't advocate.
01:06:54.000 --> 01:06:58.000
I think a lot of our parents just assume I'm putting my kids in this school.
01:06:58.079 --> 01:06:58.400
Yeah.
01:06:58.639 --> 01:06:59.599
It's very friendly.
01:06:59.760 --> 01:07:03.280
You didn't see a lot of outward racism at growth because it's not what it is.
01:07:03.519 --> 01:07:09.599
But you saw a lot of steering black kids not towards upper classes, and that's not just growth.
01:07:09.679 --> 01:07:11.360
That is a national phenomenon.
01:07:11.440 --> 01:07:20.159
And I'm not saying parents shouldn't, but I would say to Nicole Hannah-Jones and to others, it's not where you put your kids, it's what you do about it.
01:07:20.400 --> 01:07:20.719
Correct.
01:07:20.880 --> 01:07:21.119
Okay.
01:07:21.280 --> 01:07:21.519
Yes.
01:07:21.760 --> 01:07:26.639
If you are your kids are in an all-black environment, make sure they have exposure to other things.
01:07:26.800 --> 01:07:28.800
And that's sometimes the mistake.
01:07:29.039 --> 01:07:34.480
My eldest graduated from Renaissance and she went to U of M and it was the same thing, like, whoa.
01:07:34.960 --> 01:07:35.199
Okay.
01:07:35.679 --> 01:07:38.719
And so you know, that experience, you hear that a lot.
01:07:38.960 --> 01:07:40.320
And there's that trade-off.
01:07:40.400 --> 01:07:44.880
Do we trade off how and as parents, we're making trade-offs for our kids every single day.
01:07:45.119 --> 01:07:51.760
It's like, hmm, I like this district because they have pretty good grades and they're teaching the culture, but they have this, that.
01:07:52.079 --> 01:07:54.400
And you know, yeah, we we struggle with that.
01:07:54.480 --> 01:08:04.719
And I think that's what charitably she was trying to depict is that there's no easy pathway for black parents in choosing education for our kids.
01:08:04.960 --> 01:08:05.199
Yeah.
01:08:05.440 --> 01:08:07.440
Regardless, you have to advocate for your kid.
01:08:07.519 --> 01:08:09.119
I think that's the lesson here.
01:08:09.519 --> 01:08:13.599
But you have to know what to advocate for.
01:08:13.840 --> 01:08:18.159
So my daughter went to um Bernie Middle School.
01:08:18.399 --> 01:08:18.720
Okay.
01:08:19.039 --> 01:08:24.880
And some of her classmates from Bernie went to um, and that's the Southfield School, went to Groves.
01:08:25.119 --> 01:08:27.119
Sarah went to Renaissance.
01:08:28.159 --> 01:08:30.960
And at Renaissance High School, I was just mad.
01:08:31.039 --> 01:08:34.880
I was like, they are not, they had a new principal, and I'm like, she's not teaching anything.
01:08:35.119 --> 01:08:38.720
And we moved into the Birmingham part of the Southfield district.
01:08:38.800 --> 01:08:40.079
I was like, you're going to Groves.
01:08:40.239 --> 01:08:44.319
And I think she's forgiven me because Renaissance was a lot of fun and Groves was not.
01:08:44.560 --> 01:08:46.079
So, you know, she's in Groves.
01:08:46.159 --> 01:08:54.000
And um, so she's there, and the teacher immediately put her in the honors AP track because she wrote a paper that she really liked.
01:08:54.079 --> 01:08:56.079
And this teacher's like, you're really smart.
01:08:56.319 --> 01:09:01.760
And she's telling everybody, well, I had a friend whose daughter started freshman year in Groves.
01:09:01.840 --> 01:09:04.159
She did not know there was an honors and AP track.
01:09:04.479 --> 01:09:06.319
Nobody talked to her about it.
01:09:06.960 --> 01:09:11.760
And so if you're going to do it, I I wanted to write a book about it.
01:09:11.920 --> 01:09:15.760
Yeah, about that that probably I'm writing.
01:09:15.840 --> 01:09:17.359
I've I've started writing books, right?
01:09:17.439 --> 01:09:28.000
So I wanted to write a book about it because I wanted to do like a parent's guide to help parents understand there is no right or wrong, but if you're gonna do it, here's some things that you need to know because we go in there.
01:09:28.319 --> 01:09:29.840
You went to Montfort.
01:09:29.920 --> 01:09:30.079
Yes.
01:09:30.319 --> 01:09:35.439
When you went to Montfort, your teachers were committed to making sure Asia was going to get there.
01:09:35.600 --> 01:09:35.760
Yeah.
01:09:36.000 --> 01:09:40.159
And you were exp you were exposed to people really seeing you as a startup.
01:09:40.479 --> 01:09:41.439
Who you are, yes.
01:09:43.039 --> 01:09:47.600
In a lot of majority white districts, you have to fight for people to see your kids that way.
01:09:48.000 --> 01:09:49.359
And even so, some of them won't.
01:09:49.520 --> 01:09:54.800
I remember going to a parent teacher conference on Santa and A, and the biology teacher would not sit down with me.
01:09:55.199 --> 01:10:02.640
And then she made some little sleeping comments about what he wasn't doing well, like he had his handwriting wasn't great on a he had all A's.
01:10:02.720 --> 01:10:03.199
What do you mean?
01:10:03.359 --> 01:10:04.960
You can't even address me.
01:10:05.039 --> 01:10:11.039
And so we have to equip our kids with that power, and then we have to be there too.
01:10:11.279 --> 01:10:12.159
Yes, correct.
01:10:12.399 --> 01:10:19.119
You know, yeah, and I think once you understand how the systems work, then you don't have to worry about it.
01:10:19.279 --> 01:10:19.520
Yeah.
01:10:19.680 --> 01:10:21.359
But a lot of parents don't understand.
01:10:22.000 --> 01:10:24.880
Yeah, that's where we have to take our time and just educate ourselves.
01:10:24.960 --> 01:10:31.840
So I know you keep saying that, you know, they don't know, but to have to go Google it, we Google everything else, you know.
01:10:32.239 --> 01:10:34.479
It's not even Googlable.
01:10:35.119 --> 01:10:36.159
Like, okay.
01:10:38.079 --> 01:10:47.119
The school, the alternative school for Birmingham, is not an actual school.
01:10:47.439 --> 01:10:48.479
It's a program.
01:10:49.199 --> 01:10:49.520
Okay.
01:10:50.079 --> 01:10:57.439
So if you Google the school data, you can say this many black kids, this many whatever, these are the test scores of kids coming out here, right?
01:10:57.920 --> 01:11:01.039
But the programs don't have data, they're not required to report it.
01:11:01.439 --> 01:11:01.760
Okay.
01:11:02.079 --> 01:11:07.439
And so Birmingham has one, West Bloomfield has one, Farmington has one.
01:11:07.600 --> 01:11:14.800
They have these alternative schools that really function like programs and disguise or hide what's really happening with black kids inside of those districts.
01:11:15.359 --> 01:11:15.920
Oh wow.
01:11:16.640 --> 01:11:20.319
And it's it should not be an open secret.
01:11:20.399 --> 01:11:21.359
It's not an open secret.
01:11:21.439 --> 01:11:25.439
I my son, um he's like, all the black boys are going to this school.
01:11:25.600 --> 01:11:33.760
And I started doing research, and I had a friend who was there and I was advocating, and then she called me up after he graduated from high school, and then she said they're trying to put my son in that school.
01:11:33.920 --> 01:11:35.760
I said, pull him out and put him in Southfield.
01:11:35.840 --> 01:11:37.840
Do not let them put him in that school, he's not gonna learn.
01:11:39.119 --> 01:11:53.760
And um, it's such an issue, and I think we're so focused on what Detroit public schools does wrong, yeah, that we're not really looking at 21st century racism in suburban schools.
01:11:54.079 --> 01:11:55.840
That's a whole nother conversation.
01:11:56.399 --> 01:12:06.960
And I'd be happy to have with you online and stuff, and when you're looking to put your kids in school, I have I did get my master's in education leadership and manage charter schools for five years.
01:12:07.199 --> 01:12:12.319
And so I'm steeped in school knowledge and I just love sharing it with people so that people can make really good decisions.
01:12:12.399 --> 01:12:14.560
But Nicole Hannah Jones story hit me.
01:12:15.279 --> 01:12:18.000
Now we have school board elections, and I just have one question for you.
01:12:18.239 --> 01:12:20.079
Yeah, who's on the Southfield school board?
01:12:20.880 --> 01:12:21.600
That's a good question.
01:12:21.760 --> 01:12:22.479
I do not know.
01:12:22.560 --> 01:12:24.479
Yeah, and I'm gonna educate myself on it.
01:12:24.800 --> 01:12:26.239
Yeah, listeners.
01:12:26.720 --> 01:12:32.960
Yeah, 42 Forward has produced information on every candidate for Detroit public school.
01:12:33.039 --> 01:12:37.680
They've read their questionnaires, those who produced them, and you can read them.
01:12:37.920 --> 01:12:40.000
Bridge Detroit has that information.
01:12:40.159 --> 01:12:43.840
You can read it, and you can read, even though you don't have that information.
01:12:43.920 --> 01:12:44.960
You're right, you can Google them, right?
01:12:45.039 --> 01:12:45.840
Yeah, I can Google them, yeah.
01:12:46.479 --> 01:12:47.920
And don't wait until election day.
01:12:48.159 --> 01:12:48.800
Yeah.
01:12:49.279 --> 01:12:52.560
Two types of people you should Google school board members and judges.
01:12:52.800 --> 01:12:53.439
Yes.
01:12:54.000 --> 01:12:54.560
Yes.
01:12:55.199 --> 01:12:55.920
Look them up.
01:12:56.159 --> 01:12:56.399
Yeah.
01:12:56.560 --> 01:13:07.680
It's funny you say that because again, me and my husband was having this conversation in regards to us making more sound decisions in regards to making the right voting decision that best fits us in the community as well.
01:13:07.920 --> 01:13:14.239
But in general, we were talking about we were all raised to be democratic for the most part, and we never made like a sound decision.
01:13:14.319 --> 01:13:20.800
Growing up, we were always saying, You're Democratic, you're Democratic, opposed to actually looking at all of the candidates and seeing what works actually works best for you.
01:13:20.960 --> 01:13:25.359
And so I just say that we're gonna do a better job of looking at our candidates and learning about them.
01:13:25.600 --> 01:13:28.239
So talking about them because being a Democrat can mean a thousand things.
01:13:28.319 --> 01:13:32.159
Being a Republican really just means one thing now because you got Trump as president.
01:13:32.239 --> 01:13:34.640
Yeah, but being a Democrat can mean a thousand things.
01:13:34.720 --> 01:13:37.199
Just because you're Democrat does not mean we're aligning on values.
01:13:37.359 --> 01:13:38.880
You have to look at who that person is.
01:13:39.039 --> 01:13:48.800
I encourage everybody to know who your candidates are, know what your issues are, research and then vote because an informed vote is always going to get you to the place you want to be.
01:13:48.960 --> 01:14:00.000
Um, Sam Robinson has an article in Michigan Chronicle that goes over all of this information about what's happening with the Detroit school board members, read Michigan Chronicle, meet Bridge Detroit is free online.
01:14:00.800 --> 01:14:01.359
All right.
01:14:01.520 --> 01:14:07.760
So um, yeah, but uh, you know, as parents, there's no simple solution, there's no magic bullet that's gonna end racism.
01:14:07.840 --> 01:14:15.439
We just gotta fight every day in whatever tools we have and coming back to um vibe in health.
01:14:15.760 --> 01:14:16.079
Yes.
01:14:16.319 --> 01:14:24.399
That means educating yourself on your health, educating yourself on how to protect yourself from every kind of risk factor.
01:14:24.479 --> 01:14:29.199
And if the schools are not gonna teach your kids about these things, teach your kids at home.
01:14:29.439 --> 01:14:32.640
Nothing stops you from teaching your kids about how to protect their health.
01:14:32.880 --> 01:14:36.960
Talking to kids about protecting themselves from disease is not going to make them have sex.
01:14:37.039 --> 01:14:38.479
It might actually scare them.
01:14:38.800 --> 01:14:39.119
Okay?
01:14:39.359 --> 01:14:39.920
Yes.
01:14:40.239 --> 01:14:43.439
But protection is not ever a threat.
01:14:43.760 --> 01:14:47.359
I want to thank you for um coming on and rolling with me.
01:14:47.600 --> 01:14:50.000
Minus Sam, I think this has been a great conversation.
01:14:50.159 --> 01:14:53.760
I feel like me, you, and your husband are friends, and so let's hang out.
01:14:54.399 --> 01:14:55.840
Yes, I enjoyed the conversation.
01:14:55.920 --> 01:14:58.239
This is my first time doing something like this, so I enjoyed it.
01:14:58.399 --> 01:15:05.760
We're gonna take a break, and when we come back, we're going to acknowledge people we want to recognize somebody you want to shout out today.
01:15:05.840 --> 01:15:06.880
It's a shout-outs.
01:15:07.039 --> 01:15:07.920
So take a break.
01:15:08.000 --> 01:15:10.159
We'll be right back with our shout-outs.
01:15:15.119 --> 01:15:22.560
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01:15:58.479 --> 01:16:00.239
Okay, welcome back, everyone.
01:16:00.479 --> 01:16:08.159
If you have topics that you want discussed on Authentically Detroit, you can hit us up on our socials at Authentically Detroit on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
01:16:08.319 --> 01:16:11.920
Or you can visit our website, authentically Detroit.com.
01:16:12.640 --> 01:16:15.039
All right, now it's time for shout outs.
01:16:15.279 --> 01:16:16.159
Really time.
01:16:16.319 --> 01:16:17.840
Let's start with you, Asia.
01:16:18.000 --> 01:16:20.079
Do you have anybody you want to recognize?
01:16:20.399 --> 01:16:23.600
Oh, I would love to recognize my family as a whole.
01:16:23.680 --> 01:16:27.680
That's including my parents, my siblings, and my husband and my children.
01:16:27.840 --> 01:16:31.840
Uh they've been the most supportive since the very beginning.
01:16:31.920 --> 01:16:32.560
They're awesome.
01:16:32.720 --> 01:16:33.520
I just love them.
01:16:33.760 --> 01:16:34.159
All right.
01:16:34.319 --> 01:16:34.640
Yeah.
01:16:34.880 --> 01:16:48.079
Well, I want to shout out um Barbara Bearfield, um, Sarah Gleitra, I think I hope you have your name right, and the committee that put together the event that I MC'd yesterday, um, Jason for Abdul.
01:16:48.560 --> 01:16:55.439
I have never been an MC before, any time in my life, but I was an MC yesterday on the stage, like trying to get the crowd hyped up.
01:16:55.520 --> 01:16:57.840
I don't know how good I was, but it was fun.
01:16:58.000 --> 01:17:00.880
Um, it was a packed room, raised a lot of money.
01:17:01.119 --> 01:17:03.600
Um, Donovan McKinney came.
01:17:04.560 --> 01:17:05.680
Ayish came.
01:17:05.840 --> 01:17:10.880
It was like a family reunion of people who were fighting the same fight in the same battle.
01:17:10.960 --> 01:17:14.399
And so um thank you, first of all, for having that event.
01:17:14.560 --> 01:17:17.600
And then thank you for asking me to MC.
01:17:17.760 --> 01:17:20.640
It could be the beginning of a new career, who knows?
01:17:20.880 --> 01:17:28.880
Um I want to thank Stephanie Chang also for inviting me to help lead the um canvassing yesterday.
01:17:29.039 --> 01:17:33.359
I was not able to do two things at one time, but canvassing went well.
01:17:33.680 --> 01:17:45.279
And um thank people who get involved, whoever your candidate is, when you get involved because you believe in justice, you believe that things can and should be good.
01:17:45.439 --> 01:17:46.960
Um, that's how you make a difference.
01:17:47.119 --> 01:17:47.359
Yeah.
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So um thank you so much for listening, and we'll see you next week.