Native lamp Pod is a production of iHeartRadio and partnership with Recent Choice Media.
Guys.
This is Andrew Gellam, This is also Tiffany Craus, and this is Angela Rae and together we make up what Native Lampod. Welcome everybody, which.
All y'all, welcome home.
Happy Valentine's Day because that's recording day. Happy Black History Months, Happy Black History Months.
I was about to check in with y'all.
Y'all live the most fabulous lives.
I mean, I think I've seen y'all at fashion shows.
We were together in your say.
Hopefully y'all are having or expect to have an amazing Valentine's Day by the time you all are in listening room. I hope everybody at home had a lovely one. Either you were loving the one you were with or you were loving being by yourself. Either way, I'm just happy for you, Okay, Happy Valentine's all Right, So we've had since the last time we were together. The Super Bowl and gone, the Valentine's dating gone, Usher gone, and them. Taylor Swift, she's still.
Here, still here us.
She's going on tour, which you mean, And guys, a married man in Vegas.
I saw the news. Boy, what is Vegas for? It is not for a shotgun.
Wedding, comment, residency and other news.
What the hell have y'all been up to? Ladies?
Okay, I can say, well, we've been up to. We did go to fashion Week, New York Fashion Week, and Angela encouraged me to wear a ponytail, which I've never done. I felt like my forehead is too big for that. And now that I've born this ponytail, I will be wearing it in perpetuity.
So I'm loving it.
Show everybody, Yeah, with my hair back and forth.
What y'all think out there in pod?
In pod world, Andrew's been making fun of me, talking about somebody please get to get that horse some water.
Listen.
It was out of respect for all animal life. Yeah, you know, all mammal life, all mammal life.
But yeah, we've been kicking it.
We've been kicking it, Angela.
We went to Sergio Hudson's fashion show Amazing in particular, and that's our time where we all reconnect.
It's our you know, our little girl time, and we love.
It all right, So if people want to know what y'all were.
Wearing Hudson.
Sergio down to the socks. We were searching.
Down to the socks and you had no socks.
Yes, right, it was a good time. What you been up to, Andrew. We hadn't seen you such.
You know what.
The last time we were together, you said to me, uh, Tiffany, that the rattlers have been looking for me. So I decided to let y'all find me. I'm right here, baby, this family way representing my orange and green go, Rattlers go, rattlers go, rattless, strike, strike, strike again. I am a proud of them. It's the Florida and M University and Farmer Step president on the books. Yeses have been a I'm a lifetime member of the alumni Association. And if
you're not stop repping until you get paid up. Y'all paid up? Okay, Andrew?
I love that you said, let me tell you about this black history I made for black history, right.
And I mean, just a really quick point about what you're saying about pay up because a lot of HBCU's alumni. You asked did you have a nurturing environment there? And people say yes, and then it's like do you give back to your school? And then a lot of people say no, so I love that point, Andrew, thank.
You, Tiffany. Folks got dead. I get it, but I'm just saying every little bit okay. On this episode, we're going to discuss Biden is old. The Special Prosecutors Report put the president's cognitive abilities back at the center of the twenty twenty four election conversation. Democrat Tom Suazi wins George Santos's former congressional seat Long Island, New York. Should anyone anyone be joking about George Floyd's death? And it's almost time for the All Star Game, which you all
know you can't resist. Our friend Tiffany Cross is brilliant sports commentary. We also get to the viewers questions, our favorite part of the pod. Stay tuned, everybody, and welcome home, Iiff Angela. I don't really know where to begin except where we have to began. But in the meantime between time, y'all, Trump then lost at the DC Appeals Court. He wants the Supreme Court to issue a ritisseurciar rory to bring the case to the US Supreme Court to do what
stop the January sixth trial. He wants to put that on postponement. Anybody have an answer as to why Tiffany I don't.
I honestly, I got it. Just be honest.
I'm e with talking about Trump. I know he's the front runner of the Republican Party and we have to talk about it. But honestly, one thing Andrew that frustrates me is people talk about Biden's age and compare it like it has like like Trump is not the existential threat not just to America but the globe. So to me, all the indictments and I can't even keep up with all Trump's challenges. I've always often said trying to cover him and all his scandals is like trying to catch confetti.
And when I hear people make this false equivalence like, oh, but Biden's old, It's like, yeah, Trump is old, and he's crooked, and he's a trader, and he is an existential threat to the globe. So I kind of want to address some of these issues that people seem to have with Biden's age, which I do think is a legitimate concern, but it pales in comparison to the concern from the other front runner, in my opinion.
So that's it. Oh, Angela, you but you're already there. You want to take it from there.
Sure, I was just gonna say tip to your point.
Eighty six percent of Americans agree that Joe Biden is too old in their concern, and then sixty two percent of Americans agree that Trump is too old in their concern. So therefore a majority of Americans think that Joe Biden and Donald Trump are too old for the presidency.
According to this latest ABC News ipsos.
Paul, I think that what we now have before us is there's an elephant in the room, no pun intended, because of Special Prosecutor Robert Hur's recent report where he quotes says he's a well meaning elderly man with a poor memory. And I think that what we really see as someone who took a flamethrower approach. Merrick Garland appointed a Trump appointee to be special prosecutor, probably in the name of fairness because somebody asked him to do that.
I'm asking for his resignation at this point. But what he also indicates very clearly is that Joe Biden cannot be charged in this classified document's case. And it's not because he was a well meaning elderly man with a poor memory. It's because there was no case that they could prosecute. We all know when they got a little bit of something, they're going to go forward with it because they couldn't.
I think that speaks volumes.
So on this point again, to just encapsulate this around age, Joe Biden is the oldest sitting president at this time at eighty one. Donald Trump, by the time, if he were elected in the fall, would then be tied with Ronald Reagan at seventy eight years old for being the second oldest. I think that we should always be taken into consideration age, mental ability, and fitness. For attorneys, we have to do character fitness. We don't have to do
psychological evaluations. But I think that is fair game for the president of the United States. And furthermore, when you look at corporate boards, seventy two you have to be seventy two or under for most corporate boards, for CEOs you have to be sixty five and under. These are fair points. But again, when to Test's point, there's an existential crisis, democracy is on the line. Would you rather take an old full or a fascist?
I take the old full, yeah, And I don't think a lot of people are paying attention to the minutia of politics, right. I think people are like the whole thing with Biden in the campaign documents. Unless you're like sitting in the echo chambers watching cable news twenty four hours a day, people aren't talking about that, you know, like people here Biden's I'm old and Trump is crooked, Like those are the two people have a tendency to
read the headlines and not the story. I think if you look at these two candidates and see what the implications are from each of them. When Trump was in office, his own staff consistently talked about invoking or evoking the twenty fifth Amendment. It was not the media calling for that, it was his staff. No, you have not heard anything like that from Joe Biden's camp. And I'm not here to be a spokesperson for Biden or an apologist for the party. I think we have to acknowledge it's a
legitimate concern about his age. But you got two choices right now, And so if you're thinking about I'm gonna sit this out because I'm not excited about either candidate, or if you're thinking you know that you're confused about who to vote for because they're both old. I think both of those are bad choices. And Andrew, you've said this, you said, when you sit out, that is making a decision.
The decision.
Yeah, what are your thoughts on how this, Andrew?
Because you've run for office so many times and you know how much energy it takes and one yes, yes, and you know what energy it takes. I mean, what do you think about how this is going? There's not going to be another like Joe. Biden is the he is the soldier we taken to this war.
So what Yeah, And.
I've said at the convention, they could.
Well, I don't think they could. Hopefully will be uneventful at the convention. Wouldn't that be news? But I gotta tell y'all, it baffles me that we are camped out in this Biden age, you know, campfire, when Trump is the maniac out there calling Nancy Pelosi by one of his opponent's names. He's these rants. I know, we don't listen as much as we used to him because now the media has finally learned that the man is a
carnival you know, Barker and a carnival act himself. But he's saying just the most outrageous things and frankly the most dangerous things, uh, that could be coming out of a former president of the United States and certainly someone who hopes to be president of the United States. Again, this is what I hope. I hope that all of us sit down and take a very very very serious look at they're both old. Dr let's take that out
the recipe. We got two choices, Option A, Option B. Actually option A and option Z. If you want to be close to the highest of alphabet, you know, the heavens, stay with the a's Andrew Biden the one. No, just just since short, we have to we have to mature ourselves in this electoral process that when you have two candidates, it's not about the perfect. The perfect it can't be
the enemy of the good. And in this case, we have a good option in Joe Biden, and we've got the most experienced of the candidates out there and somebody who's not gonna quite frankly launch us into according to Donald Trump, world War two. But he missed that part of history. Uh, Donald Trump would launch us into World War three or certainly allow you know, sick of fans of of of of Vladimir putin to take, you know,
to have their way, and he said as much. All I'm saying is age needs to be relegated to its proper place. And in my opinion, it ain't nothing but a number.
Can I say.
Saying something about that entry, because one I think we have to acknowledge this is about Vice President Kamala Harris. You know, people are we cannot have her a pulse away from presidency because people are intimidated by the leadership of black women and they would rather see this country turn to ashes before they see somebody who looks like
me run it. And that's a really unfortunate mentality. But I think to your point, Andrew, what you're referencing is Donald Trump talked about countries who are not paying their fair share into NATO he would not protect. This is a huge for folks who don't.
Know what NATO is.
It is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's an agreement established after World War Two. It's hugely important. And for him to say we will no longer protect you, that was a huge deal ten years ago when he said this, And now the Republican Party is falling in line saying yep, we agree with that when he says, listen, Vladimir Putin, you can do what you want when I'm in office, because I'm gonna leave those countries out in the open for you to annex, for you to do whatever you like.
I cannot stress what an existential threat that is to the globe, not just domestic policies, but to the globe. I'm kind of over Trump and all of this.
I feel you, and the only reason why, as you all know, I mean, I don't have to convince you, but certainly for our listeners who were so thankful for It's important, as asinine as it feels, having to reflect on Donald Trump's comments, what he's saying, what he's not saying, who he's meeting with, and how he's campaigning. We have learned this much. This man says the quiet part out loud. He means what he says, and we ought to take
him at his word. So we don't find ourselves over the creek, over the barrel, you know, without a let me just go here. Let's hear how the president's own administration is now responding to these new claims around Biden's age and fitness and so on and so forth.
It ain't that new, but the report is newer, right, the reward is and unfortunately, Angela, the reason we're talking about is because you've got now Democrats who are.
Co signing these kinds of comments for either all alternati an alternate agenda, or they really believe it. Let's hear from a Press secretary, Jean Pierre.
Look, I got this question last week as well, and I'm just going to say, what the what doctor O'Connor's kind of a what he said to me about a year ago when the report came out last year obviously on his physical which is the president proves every day how he operates, how he thinks, right by dealing with word leaders, by making really difficult decisions on behalf of the American people, whether it's domestic, whether it's national security, and so he shows it every day on how he thinks,
how he operates. And so that is how the doctor o'conter sees it, and that's how I'm going to leave it.
Well, the Press secretary took a very polite approach to addressing this question. And what I meant by we've got to mature ourselves as we approach elections. What I mean is why your local mayor, school board member and commissioner might be relied on to be at the city festival and cut ribbons and do those kinds of things. Those are just not my expectations anymore for a president of the United States. I want them to know what they're talking about them, I want what they're talking about. I
want them to be steeped in public policy. I want them to have a heart for people and to be clear in their compass around why it is every single day they choose to get up and do the hardest job on earth.
So far as I know, I see now we down a different road, and I'm just gonna say that this is exactly the problem. This is why people are starting to see a closing gap between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. There does seem to be a callus side of Joe Biden that's popping up.
Look at the response to Israel and Gaza.
You know, like I'm talking about ribbon.
No, no, no, I'm not.
I'm never talking about ribbon cutting. I don't need you to cut no ribbon. I need you to show up for black people the way they showed up for you in South Carolina. I need you to show up for these kids who are dying every single day. I need you to show up in our wages. I need you to show up. There's all this talk about Donald Trump and the Stimmies.
Joe Biden didn't want to sign the stimmies.
Show up on that show up when when black people need relief, don't just claim credit for the black businesses that were started under your administration. Show up and give them some additional relief, some additional access to government contracts, some additional says to party contracts, some advice.
I can keep going.
I'm saying, at the end of the day, I don't feel like he is demonstrating that he's Yes, he's different, he's not a fascist. But your response to what is happening in Gaza is callous. Your response to what is happening at the border is callous. That is not okay. You have to draw a wider gap between you and evil. And it used to be that this big tent party put people first. That is the way that it must be. I'm sorry, I am not gung ho Biden right now.
What I was most excited about was Kamala telling the Wall Street Journal last week that she was ready to serve and there was no question about that. That's what I'm most in response to his age. And I'm just saying, like, I don't want us to get to the point where we started being like, well, he's such a good man, like I want him to be a good man on policy. I don't need him to show up and know my name and pat me on the back. I want to see it in the policy.
I'm sorry, I don't see it right now, co sign.
But I just got to say this much, which is I would rank him as among the most accomplished democratic presidents in the history of the now. He he ain't boastful like we have seen in the past. He can't play no saxophone. There were a lot of you know, just kind of old white men. I'm just saying, a lot of white white old man tactics, you know, sort of the vibes that you get from him. But I can't tell y'all enough what that stimulus package you did for everyday Americans. And I that it went, but but
we never had that before. It didn't exist under a different administration. The closest we ever had before was Roosevelt, and quite frankly, from student aid and learned forgiveness to the incentivized programs that exists at the federal level for freaking first time home ownership, and on and on and on childcare, the way in which they have.
So credit. But we're white people over like a college kids are.
Dying, like you can get a child tax credit if your kid's dead, Like, we just can't.
We can't implement policy.
This way, three Antela. But for you and everyone else out there, two things can be true at once. He can be wrong in his approach with regards to to Israel and what's happening to the Palestinian people who deserve their own state, and how dare be life? That true just at the same time as his emphasis on trying to make sure that the American people cannot just live and survive, but they can thrive. And I believe that that work is in his heart. I've seen it exhibited
in public policy. Now we just need those public policy positions renewed. And he's got to get at it with a more vigorous fight, both him and the Vice President and Democrats on the Hill to deliver not just talk about it, but be about it.
Yeah, I will shout them out. On the unemployment rate, too. The black unemployment rate is the lowest has been in history.
I want it.
I acknowledge where I've seen growth, but I'm just telling you the other things are so it's blind shocked it can.
I just tiff I didn't cut you out five times inside, No, I'm.
About to cut all of us off because we have gone over.
At the time, I was just going to say, you brought up immigration and that was a big deal in the special election here in New York, and I know we wanted to talk about that.
No, Tiffany, you're right on it. Thank you for taking us. Well, we want to go, which is to hear from our viewers, which I hope you noticed in the past couple of episodes. We've been trying to make sure that your voice is not at the end, but is all throughout this podcast. We wouldn't be here without you, and we also wouldn't be here without the sponsor. So we're gonna take a quick record.
Be right back.
All right, we're back. So we promised you that that you were questioned. Let's here.
My name is.
Tanisha Lyons Porter.
I live in Los Angeles, California, View Park, Wednesory Hills.
To be exact.
I have a question, so election time, local elections, propositions, all of that stuff. How do you all do your due diligence to research the judges and the board members and the propositions Because California, I don't know about other states, but it be confusing. And our family used to do it as a group, but my dad passed away a few years ago, my mom is gone, and we still want to do it as a group, but.
It's overwhelming, and it's overwhelming.
So how do you all do your due diligence and research for your local elections?
That's a perfect, perfect question and a good transition from talking about the presidential now the congressional. Look, folks want to talk about state and local. How do y'all make your decisions? What do you do when you're vetting a candidate or a policy position that may be on the ballot? Tiffany wants you let us know?
Yeah, Well, first I want to say how much I love this question, Andrew, And I'm actually really interested in your response because you've run at a local level and a state level, which is different than running at a federal level, and I think you know understanding who's responsible for what is so integral to our civic engagement in
the process. For me, I first want to make sure I understand the exact issue, because the interesting thing about this question asking at state and local level, this is where voting blocks can fracture. That's why I don't like terms like the black vote or the Latino vote, because that some of these down ballot initiatives there are things about you know how budgets are operated, or you know where or how budgets are allocated. I should say, so I try to look at it and make sure I'm
getting material and information from the source directly. All of these candidates have a website. You can go there and look and see how they feel about something. For people who are curious about this, you'd be surprised if you're somebody and somebody's running for a state rep. If you can get twenty or thirty of your friends at your house and you say, hey, we would like to invite you to my home to hear exactly how you feel. Reach out to them because that is precisely what they need.
They will show up at your home and answer questions and engage with you, but make sure you're informed. I will say, do not go off political ads. Political ads are meant to do exactly that sway your opinion, and it might not be accurate. It's meant to sway the person's opinion to their liking, and sometimes people don't even know that some of these ads are are funded by
extremists or right wing organizations. During the Super Bowl you see a lot of religious ads, and when you start digging to say, who's paying for this, we love Jesus Dad, it is somebody who does not live their life according to the principles of a good book.
I'm gonna assure you.
So I would say, go to the source and don't be afraid to reach out to candadas directly and see where your values align.
I love that.
I love that. What about you, Angela?
Well, one of the things that I still very much do My parents and I fill out our ballots together in Washington State, and I love doing that because it turns into a little debate, and I think that you guys can see that I didn't fall far from that. So we've been doing that since I was a little kid and I couldn't vote and I wanted to. I definitely understand what she's saying about wanting to do that as a family, and we will sit there and pull
up the positions. As Tip is talking about that voter booklet that comes out with their positions, look them up, fact check them, see if any of your homies endorse some and the day in there like you can look at it that way. But I think this question is great because sometimes voting day is not just that, you know, second Tuesday in November. There are also elections throughout the year.
There are primaries, and there are special elections of which there was just one Andrew tell us about that just the other day election in New York.
Rah, Well, I'm saying to them, but the Democrats did win that race. I want to speak though, Angela if I could to the question, I believe it was Tanisha from La and just say this communal aspect of voting that has been so deeply, I think, sort of stitched into our community and our culture. We've got to maintain that because what the opposition wants to do is make this thing seem complicated, overly intellectual, and frankly not accessible for everyday people. And why is it that they don't
want it accessible for every day people? Because they didn't want you holding them accountable like that they want you to listen to. Tiffany said, those ads which may not be backed by them, and even the ones back by them, are usually portraying what it is that they want you to believe about them. Could be true, could be not,
could be frankly a little bit of both. So the communal aspect breaks down I think one of the most significant barriers to entry, which is the shit is too complicated and it's you know, I just I would rather check out and deal with what I got to deal with rather than go and try and understand and learn about that. And so I would just recommend, you know,
keep that communal aspect up. In addition to what my colleagues have just said, beautiful question, and we want you all to of course keep the questions and comments coming. We want to, of course invite you to download eight and also get feedback to the podcast, because as you know, we listen and we put it right here weekly in front of you, y'all. We're gonna transition real quick to politics.
Is what everywhere.
I need some excitement.
Politics are what everywhere everywhere?
A little delayed angela look delayed, No, no, no messing with you politics are very where.
I have to tell you, ladies, this is probably one of my more favorite parts of the podcast, where we get to I don't know, trafficking things that we may or may not be expert.
Tiffany, I'm a sort expert. And how dare you? Anyway?
Who won the Super Bowl?
Tip?
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl? And just for those who don't know, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelsey both play for the Teas and they're on the same team.
Good job.
Thanks did you get Did they come for you? Did they come for your friends?
Well?
A little bit, A little bit, It's fine.
They really dragged us more for talking about Travis Kelsey saying he didn't like didn't say that, but.
You know that's how you know they don't.
Listen to this, That's what I'm saying. Don't watch clips and think that's the whole thing. Don't we headlines and think that's the whole story. Listen to the entire podcast and some good stuff in there. You might learn something. Stop being sweater fingers and listen before you weigh in. Because it takes every day everyone to fight some of these comments.
But I did the other day. I broke thank you.
I'm sorry.
So when when Angela refers to breaking the rule, I just think, you know what, your opinion of me is really your business, and uh.
I'm with that.
Yeah, you want you down in the show off of misinformation? You know, I'm quick to check and I'll turn it effact.
Well, whatever, what are we? What is the politics everywhere?
Well, y'all tell me where is it today? Well?
I so, something that I found interesting is it's been a lot of drama in the world of comedy from clubs, two people, you know, throwing hooks back and forth. And so that's been really interesting to watch because obviously I'm not a comedian.
I'm just naturally funny.
Are you sure you're not a comedian, But I'm naturally funny. Different.
I think I could do. I think I could get on stage and riff. I really do. Notice to all my comedian friends, I think so.
So long as you don't like my boy, comedian David.
Louke, Okay, I like I honestly, I don't like why you call him your boy.
Don't call him your boy.
Listen, I said, you know.
Maybe you're welcome in everybody home.
Let me. I think that's what we do here. I think we I think we have grace. We are a we are to meet.
The lots are changed for this dude.
Let's David Lucas, who is a comedian pretty popular amongst his audience.
I don't think I've never heard. Honestly, I don't think he's I've never.
Man, this is the most shine he about to get ever. In like the first and last time we ever.
Going to I didn't have a huge following. He was grossly unheard, up mostly up.
And coming comedian. All right, we make space for all.
He's up and gone.
Who took it? Some say a little too far when he joked about the unfortunate and untimely passing the murderer of George Floyd, which really spurred a reaction from the audience. Y'all take a look and tell me what we think.
And all these good ass white people at my show, and you wanted to show them the reason George Floyd got his neck kneeled dog no ooh had that joke. It's just a joke, man. I would have never kneeled on George Floyd's neck. I would have shot that, and that was It's called comedy. You really stop to put the house with you look like you drive a yellow taxicab. You y'all good? Are y'all about? I like Kyle Rittenhouse too.
For those of you who are listening and not watching, you missed audience members getting up, walking out, shouting back and forth. Jesus, remember when the comedy was like funny? This guy's like low brow.
I mean, I am sick from this clip. I'm sick.
There's there's, but there's there's just there's just no comedy there. Y'all think I guess.
Who was laughing. I want to know who is.
Sometimes when people outside of the community hear somebody in the community say that they are, they mistakenly think this is an appropriate joke.
And there was nothing funny about that.
The nervous there's also the nervous laughs laugh.
I heard laughter, and I didn't find that funny. And Angela, I would say, Angela disagree. I didn't want to even play the clip at all. Well, because it gives a highlight I think is disrespectful to the Floyd family to have to hear that. I think it's disrespectful to all of us who remember that moment so keenly. And I think the key to comedy is it has to be funny, and what this man lacks in humor he makes up for in controversy. And he will find that actually is
not talent. And so I think he's already gotten too much airtime on Native Landpod in my personal opinion.
Well, I just think, you know, part of this is are we There're two questions for me. One we've just seen after the super Bowl. You know, Kanye sort of you know, put itself back out there a little bit.
Maybe he has a deal, possibly a redeal underway, but really you know, speaking up and talking a little bit more about his mental health, making you know, bad statements and actions all along the way.
But who among us hasn't And I just wonder what is the road to like recovery once you do something so foolish. Now I don't even know if this guy, the comedian recognizes the harm of his ways. You all are right to focus first on the family, which is it's got to be harmful to them. But if we were to carry this, you know, a little step further, I'm just wondering, how do people start to you know, rehabilitate themselves and become part of frankly acceptable audience, and
then two for me. And this is probably even bigger than the first, and it is, have we really learned anything from the summer of our awakening, where we thought folks regardless of their color, where they live, with neighborhood, where they grew up. We're starting to understand at least appreciate the plight of black folks, black men particularly, but black folks in this country has released to criminal justice. Did we learn a lesson?
But this is the thing, right, So Tiff talked about how we disagreed about whether or not to play the clip. I wanted to play the clip because I think there are more people who hold that sentiment than not. And what is what is reflected in is to this very point around twenty twenty.
Do you know since twenty twenty.
There have been three hundred and forty billion dollars committed by Fortune one thousand companies towards racial justice efforts. So if they're laughing this in this comedy club and we cannot account for what was initially sixty six billion now has turned to three hundred and forty billion, then the joke is on us. The joke is on us as black consumers, our buying power is near one point three
trillion dollars. The fact that you can continue to say, I'm committing this, I'm gonna I'm gonna push this money towards efforts that protect your safety and ensure your livelihood and your viability and equity in this country. But I am going to as soon as the Supreme Court says no affirmative action in higher education college admissions, now I'm going to retract everything that I did.
Racial reckoning no more.
We shall overcome hell, we done overcame enough, y'all have what you need. I'm pulling all of this back, all of my DEI team Meta, Google, Amazon, Twitter, and everywhere else, including Paramount that just laid off a lot of people just the other day, most of them black folks. All of that is dissipated because you can't handle a little pressure. You can't get creative for the people that helped you
to build this joint. Like, I have so many issues with this fifty five percent increase in DEI positions after George Floyd's death. We are forty percent of the attrition rate of the layoffs in those roles. That is the joke on us, well the people laughing in that comedy club. Are probably in hiring positions, are probably in authority making decision making positions and saying they're good they're gonna do one thing, but really doing another.
Yeah, they may not be.
Even if they're not in hiring positions, they're certainly in safe positions, like their.
Jobs are not of risk at ours.
But I think you bring up a good point, Angela about all the commitment we heard. I think this will be a great thing for Congress to take up, like call back from some of these people and say, hey, remember that money you said you commit to racial justice. What happened with that? Because what it became was a marketing tool. It became a marketing slogan racial reckoning and not actually a policy standpoint or a real commitment by the private sector.
Just since December, by the way, Tiff has done that. They're just not in the majority, right, but it's happened.
I think that's a really good point.
But I want our viewers to understand just since December of twenty twenty three, thirty three percent of jobs that were hired to promote racial equity and DEI positions have been lost. That's just since December this is in the past three months. Moreover, more than twenty states have either banned or planned to ban DEI initiatives in their states. Why is all this happening because of right wing MAGA extremists. And so when we a lot of you guys, a lot of our viewers, and thank you for weighing in
and reaching out with your questions. A lot of our viewers have asked us to weigh in on the Future Fund, which was a fun dedicated to funding black It was a venture capital fund dedicated to funding black owned businesses. And so this is something the sad part of all of this the gentleman going after this, Ed Bloom. He's a right wing extremist who this is the same person who went after affirmative action and to his credit, got it all the way to the Supreme Court. So he's
doing exactly what he said he would do. But I want people to understand that when black folks win, it does not mean that other people lose. Actually everyone wins.
There was a study that came out in twenty sixteen that found that one most venture capitalist funders are white men, and so there is less than point one percent of people or point three percent rather of people of color who are in a position to fund these Because of that number, the narrow amount of people who do get funding has cost the US to lose out over one point one million minority owned businesses and forfeit more than nine million job opportunities. Black owned businesses does not mean
we only employ black people. It contributes to the economy and everybody wins. So while you're cutting your nose off despite your face, you are literally denying yourself and your children opportunity because you cannot stomach equality in this country. You don't believe in yourself enough to have a level playing field, and that's why your efforts are constantly trying to keep us demoted. That our outlook is watch me
leap frog all over you and still win. A free people will never be suppressed for any longer time than history would deny us.
Well, listen, y'all both have dropped some bars on this one, and I couldn't I could not agree more. I'm hopeful, y'all, and I don't know if you have an optimistic outlook around what this can actually become if we leaned into the moment and health people accountable. But it seems to me that for corporate America, this was very much so performative.
A lot of what was done, even the funds that were established, the the symbolic contributions that were given to black led organizations, the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and on and on and on and on, Black Lives Matter, you name it. If it had black ended it, it was getting flow. The problem is is that if you went back and check with those organizations right now, I bet many of them would be sad, but would truthfully report that a lot of those donors have gone away.
How do you sustain a movement? How do you change community in society? If you're a one time giver, a performative actor who doesn't show up for the march, the putting stamps on envelopes in the office, the call time or text time. In order to achieve the games that we're trying to still claw back, it takes more than just a game, an incident, a march, a petition, a visit to Congress or your local city hall. It requires more than that. If that's what you give, then don't
be surprised by what you get. But if you put real energy, real effort, real organizing, real concentrated momentum and constituency building amongst your family, then your friends and your church members or your sit on the couch members or whoever you.
Can do all that their equity should.
All I'm saying is is, unfortunately we live in the world that we live in, and when we fail to do those things, people tend to contract contract to pull back from their commitments, and we want to hold them accountable. But listen, y'all, I don't want to leave this politics everywhere without going to a special place for you. Tiffany, I'm ready. You've got to You've got a love love relationship I understand with with All Star weekend, can you just enlighten the people on your fascination.
Oh Andrew, I'm sorry. Before we move on, I just want to say I misspoke. I said the Future Fund, and it is actually the Fearless Funds. I want to shout out fearless Black women who are still out there fighting the good fight.
By the way, led by a rattler.
Shout out to shout out to FAM you so apologies. The Fearless Fund not the Future From but we appreciate you being fearless about our future.
So thank you.
Hey, well, Tiffany, you can interrupt our commercial breaks anytime when you want to talk about a ratler and fearless funding for black and minority women, black women led businesses to Okay, y'all will be right back after this bill paying segment. All right, y'all. So, tiff we have waited with bated breath long enough. What's up with this All Star weekend?
Okay?
On this weekend?
I just want to say, because you know, these are back to back events that happen. We had the Super Bowl, which I think has a different a different crowd than All Star. I don't know if y'all remember when All Star was in Atlanta. I think collective, if he has a society, we were like, this is never happening again.
Like it was, don't even be talking about the season women.
It was just so much foolishness that happened. I mean, the airlines to everything. So this year All Star is in Indianapolis, but every season, every All Star season. Because as you all are well aware, I'm very sought after for my athletic opinions on sports and whatnot. I'm not going to weigh in on All Star here, but I just say it is one of the check Fine, I will just say I have a comment in a question.
My question is I don't quite understand who is playing at all Star like, who are the teams that play? So I'm asking that for our audience who might not understand. Obviously I know, but you guys weigh in and it's just one of the most beautiful experiences because I'm always reminded of nineteen eighty three when Marvin Gay saying one of the most beautiful renditions of the national anthem.
I was just a bit I wasn't born yet anyway, I was just aweve it.
But are we gonna get to hear?
Mary?
Can we?
I would like to play one little clip of him singing if we can get we got to He took his time with it. Let us Nick, Can you can you roll that Marvin Gay clip?
Nick?
Drop it?
He love it.
He took his time.
And so for those who don't know.
The next best redision I think people would argue is Whitney Houston when she's saying at the super Bowl, it was just I've never heard another person be able to command that song the way she did. She actually said Marvin Gaye version of singing the national anthems her inspiration because he really took his time with it. But you look at that scene with his aviator glasses on, and that's smooth as he looks. It's just a beautiful moment in this Black History Month that I just wanted us
to shout out. Now, Angela or Andrew, who want to tell me tell our audience about who who's playing in this game?
Yes, so I really want.
I want to just say first that I almost forgot it was the national anthem, which I hate so much that Marvin Gaye was singing that I just want to be honest about it.
I don't like it.
Then check out that second and third Stanza if you confused about why anyway, So, the All Star weekend Tiff includes several activities. There is the dunk Contest, there's a three point contest, and they are not teams in the
traditional sense of the NBA who are playing. It's the Eastern Conference versus the Western Conference teams that play against each other, and folks, because this is politics everywhere, it's a great time to remind folks that people actual vote on who they want to play those teams for our audience. Of course, what people you if I know you voted, of course you're going to suppress your own vote.
I'm gonna vote.
And then they have to be currently in the NBA to play. Yes, you cannot be retired. You can't be an aspiring basketball player. Spudweb also known as Tiffany Cross or Muggy Vogues also known as Tiffany Cross.
You cannot play.
But I do want to shout out booth thing because Jaleny will be coaching the Rising Stars in the Rising Stars Tournament. There are four teams that are selected to play in the Rising Stars Tournament, and he's also getting the Boblaneer Community Assist Award at the NBA Legends Brunch on Sunday.
So shout out to j Yesler.
How do I if he needs like an assistant coach or somebody on the sideline, like, how do I do? I?
Just?
Should I text him? Or should I?
Like?
How can I offer my services to support you?
You know what he told me to ask you this too? Can you drop a play really quick that you have run?
I'll DM, I'll damn it, Sammy.
Can you show it to me on your Yeah, I need to think it through and I'll get it to.
You after the show. Yeah, do that, Jalen, it's coming your way.
Congratulations Jalen on the award, the honor coaching. I will be tuned in.
Can we see that?
Are gonna show that part? Angela?
No, but you know what, I'll try to FaceTime you with thank you, thank you. I don't think they I don't know why they don't show that, but I'll make sure. Shout out to j R. L. A part of the reason why he's getting this award is Jalen founded the school Jalen Rose Leadership Academy.
Enter a learner and exit a leader. That's not even to the kids. Shout out to Detroit. What up though?
What congratulations? We're wishing you well. Uh, Tiffany, are you gonna make it?
I'm not going to all start because I don't want everybody talking to me every five minutes asking my opinion on the game and who I thought they should have voted for it to play, because I get tired.
Of getting my opinion on sports. So no, I'm not going Angela.
While you're in Indianapolis, let us know if there's any like political things happening there the we should pay attention to. If there's any like valid initiatives and tell the people, everybody who talks to it All Star please tell them submit your questions the Native Lamb Pod because we want to get questions from the people. So you'll be our Native Land ambassador on the ground at All Star. If you see Angela at All Star, stopper and say I got a question, and she'll videotape it.
We'll use it on the podcast.
And now I went from being the ambassador to being the digital media.
Yes, got it. I'm happy to do that.
But you know what, speaking of the Midwest, Andrew, there are some things happening in the Midwest that we should be being closest to. As you know, the Republicans all over the country are like hell bent because they're so pro life. They got another thing happen. And what's going on in Missouri, Andrew give.
Well, this is why we have to pay attention. I appreciate to if you deputizing Angela, you know, to basically be the correspondent on the ground. But in truth, this is where the rubber meets the road, y'all. At the state and the local we can talk about you know the purpose. Well, you know, a red man and age and all that stuff all we want to, but when it comes to your quality of life, I bet you are watching that school board. I bet you're paying attention.
To But these commonencies are like a huge deal.
And I you know this at the state level, I think a lot of times these things slip in and go past before we ever notice them. And the next thing we know, we sit in a doctor's office and they talking to us about, you know, letting this senator come sit in on my debrias because essentially what this is let me tell you.
So, Senator Mary Elizabeth Coleman, who is a Republican in the Missouri state Legislature, introduced a bill that would prohibit planned parenthood from getting state funds.
You know that this has been an age old thing they do over and over again, the Democrats.
And this is where I think it's so important because there are well meaning elected officials. It's why you need to pay attention and vote in your state and local races. There's some Democrats that were like, not on my watch, and they pushed back and they said, fine, if you're gonna have a vote on this bill, we're gonna have you do some roll call votes on some things. I think before we get into any more about this bill and this rape and incest exception, we should roll sound.
Well, you took away the right, Yes, you did.
You took away the rights of rape victims to have a choice, to be able to decide.
All those other items.
That were mentioned here, a lot of those were women that decided to have that. We're not saying that we're forcing an abortion.
We're saying, give them the choice.
If you should have a twelve year old just on health reasons alone, should have that choice if and But you're okay with that center of forced a birth of a rape twelve year old, I'm not okay with.
Suriy that you voted for. It's the law of Missouriy you voted for. I did first thing. I appreciated the argument. But we're the women they got women. No, they're not your sponsor. I'm just saying it's always interesting to me when you see on these abortion bills, and it happens in my state of Florida all the time. You spend a moment watching the legislature and it's men intensely going in on the debate floor over a woman's right to her own reproductive decision making.
There's a woman that actually called for the roll call vote on the rate and incest exception. Again, shout out to the folks who are holding it down. You know, when you're trying to protect the lives of people, the you know, the livelihood of these young folks. He mentioned a twelve year old, and they can't find it in their hearts to say, you know what, this is a total band would go too far. This is about planned parenthood and planned parenthood build Planted parenthood does so much
more than abortion. But to feed their messaging, you know, framework they will defund planned parenthood.
Yeah, it's insane.
Well, I want to just quickly pick up your point Andrew, that women make up half of society. We do not make up half of the elected representatives, and I think that is showing in policies like this. This is why I think this is so important because I'll say it every week.
The state and.
Local level is where policies are created and they bubble up to the federal level. And this is a great example of this. Sixty four thousand pregnancies have happened from rape in the United States. That has been since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. When you think about where black folks live, more than sixty percent of those who seek an abortion are people of color. And when you think about where black folks reside, a majority
of us live in Southern States. That is that Bible Belt quote unquote, where a lot of abortion bands have been enacted. So this is something that disproportionately impacts us and that we have to think about. I never address these people or call them pro life. They perhaps may be pro fetus, they are not pro life. You cannot be pro life and pro guns. You cannot be pro life,
and in my opinion, pro Trump. You cannot be pro life and support what's happening at the southern border with a razor wire, where my desperate my are swinging with their children and you are okay with them drowning. Nothing about that says pro life to me. This abortion band has always been about control, and it's sad. But it's really sad that there are so many women, who are particularly white women, to be honest, who vote in favor of these oppressive, draconian policies that have a direct, sad
impact on the majority of black women. And I just I can't. I don't know what's going to happen. But you think about folks in Mississippi who lack access to this kind of care. When you look at some of these states, that's an actingness. Look at some of their education levels, Look at how well they take care of their children.
Not very well. So you don't care.
About children, but you care about fetuses, you are a hypocrite.
There it is, and this is one of the reasons why it's really important that we lean into our local and state politicians that question. The point that Tiffany and Angela made about the states and locals being the laboratories, it really visualized when you think about lab rats, the people who we experiment with to see who lives, who gets cured. Many of the policies that are of course attacking women, but up and down across the spectrum of issues.
Many of those policies see the first light of day at a local or a state rule making or lawmaking set of hearings and practices, and then are obviously inculcated into the law. And unfortunately, before we look up and we know what's going on, you're down at your mayor's office asking for a social Security check when that's not our jurisdiction. But you failed to come and talk to me when we were Banschood by the NRA about guns and city parks where our kids play in our family's picnic.
These are the kinds of issues that are getting adopted at these levels. And so for our Native Native land podcasts, you know, listeners, we got to activate and in places sometimes you don't wait for the invitation to run. You decide that you gonna pull up a seat to the table yourself, and you'll get out there and you'll challenge to people who are standing in the way of your livelihood, your family safety and security, and your ability to prosper
as a community. Y'all. We're gonna wrap this session by hearing from another listener around some of the questions they have around how it is they can organize better where they live.
Hey, guys, my name is Matt Davis. I'm from Des Moines, Iowa. And so the question I had for you guys is a lot of times, like I know, when they've interviewed Charlemagne the God, I've even seen other interviews even with Angela and others, where they said the Democrats are losing the black voter, and so I was really curious, Like you know, some some have said that it's like because
during Trump's presidency he was cutting checks. Others just say it's policies that they're not seeing that are impacting their daily lives. So my question is, if you were to choose three things that were attainable, what three things would you choose that that could be done and implemented that would bring more black voters back to the Democratic Party.
And what do you think vose would be.
I'm gonna kick this, kick this over to you, Tiffany, but did want to say that this couple of.
He called my name, So I just want to defend myself, by the way, but go ahead, keep going.
No, you can get it done, Frank Goo.
So just quickly, I want to be clear about the fact that I have never been on any show at any time saying that black people are leaving the Democratic Party for the Republican Party.
That has never happened.
I do worry about the number of black men in particular. I still think that is a small number that have at least entertained the idea of voting for Donald Trump.
There is nothing wrong with black people.
Requiring that a party that they've been so loyal to has an agenda that also serves them. To that point, he asked for three things. I'll give you three things, reparations, police reform, and an equitable agenda that includes stronger reforms in affirmative action spaces.
I just want to say that Alicia Garza, as Angela often points out, has a wonderful black agenda, So I would direct anyone there. But I want to thank this viewer first of all for wigan and sending in your viewer question and even name checking Angela, so we you know, even if it may not have been the most accurate, but we super appreciate your question and thank you for that. I do kind of take issue with the premise of the question. There are not droves of black voters leaving
the Democratic Party for whatever reason. That is a talking point every election cycle. What I would love for the media talk about is what white folks are doing. I've said this plenty of times. What are conservative white not even just conservative, but talk about the conservative white folks.
The number of people to seventy five million plus people who are still willing to vote for Donald Trump despite this long list of things I can name talk to, there's a fracture within the Latino community, among Latino men who are venturing over to the Republican Party because of conservative policies. In much larger numbers than black people. Black people have upheld the Demoocratic Party at disproportionate rates other than any other community of color. So I kind of
take an issue with this. When we try to suggest the failure of this democracy, or if there's a slight decrease in voter turnout, the first thing people want to do is say, black folks, black folks, black.
Folks, I am not for it.
I I will always constantly kick it back to the white folks are still at the largest voting block in this country.
What are you doing?
And his name is Matt Davis.
Thank you Matt Davis for sending us.
Thank you, thank you for the question. And of course it's an invitation to invite all of you to submit your questions, your or your comments. You could take issue with something that we said. You can disagree or you can agree, and we'll do our very best to make sure that we put it up here. If there's a
learning tu double moment for folks. I just wanted to quickly say to Matt, I appreciate obviously the comments of my colleagues and also your question, and just say, I think if we put as much attention into meeting the needs of this core constituency as we put into turning this constituency out during an election, I think it would start to feel more like a respectful democratic relationship where my needs are being met, but your needs are being met also, and so you don't have to come up
with a crazy ad by to convince me of all the things that are so great that you're doing, because I would have experienced it, I would have championed it. I would have been invited into the conversation because I was treated like a I don't know, important voter. Are y'all, y'all one more segment with us, come right back after this commercial break. It's worth it. Okay, y'all, we're back, and the teaser was real. It is worth you sticking around for and you'll see why in a few moments.
TIF Angela, what are your calls to action? I guess I should have say, Andrew, what are your calls to actions? Y'all want me to go first? Y yeah, you don't want me last?
Y'all?
One thing, go and take your child, your nephew. You ain't got your niece, you ain't got none of them. Maybe your neighbor or your elderly neighbor's grandchildren, y'all take them outside to play. I'm so sick of my kids being addicted to these darn devices. I have to force them outside. There was a time when I was a kid, you couldn't get me indoors because we were outside playing
so much. I know it's a little bit of throwback, maybe old fashion, but adults, lestenie in and teach these these these young kids what it means to go out and be inventive, creative, create games when you ain't got no supplies except a rock to carve into the street, babement. I'm just saying, think about side, y'all. What you got, Tiff, I like that first.
I want to punctuate that. You know, I'm big on stay off your devices.
I promise.
I cannot when I'm with somebody and they're like this the whole time talking to me. I don't want to talk to though. Our time becomes a lot more limited. My call to action is a bit different, Mike.
That's true.
That is true. My call to action is to read something.
I think reading informs so much of our worldview and how we understand each other and different cultures and ethnicity and history and so I you know, I'm big on reading papers. I think papers are so hugely important. And some people say I don't want to hear bad news, and it's like, guys, if you don't read a paper, you clearly don't understand that it's not just bad news. There are so many things happening that there are think pieces, there are you know, people who bear witness to extraordinary
events across the globe. If you don't want to read the paper, if you do want to break, then read a book. I have so many amazing, wonderful books. Maybe one day I'll put out a reading list of suggested readings from me. But there are so many amazing books. So my advice is at least this this week, if you can try to take at least one hour across the week to read something. And we have a lot of friends of books, So joy read.
Got a book. We told you all about that.
I have a book, say it Louder, Andrew has one in his head, and there are a lot of books of pending books coming.
So plenty plenty out there to read.
I love that, I love you staying true to your journalism streak. Go read Angela.
Yes.
So for my call to action, I'm going to throw to a listener question and respond on the other side.
Piece to the Natives.
This is Daniel close caption will call Daniel Mawrence. I just want to thank you so much for playing a record that I wrote for y'all. It genuinely was from the heart. I'm so supportive of all of you.
Lincoln up Welcome Home with the Natives landing on the podcast Pace sixty for Briefs so hits.
But I had a question and I wanted to see if there was any thoughts or conversations about you all doing random pop ups and doing live broadcasts live podcasts, because one, it would allow you to engage in a more personal, intimate way with the Natives and then also hopefully energize and galvanize people to go out and vote, because as we're all hearing and I think seeing people are just not excited about choices, and I'm just afraid people are going to be, you know, choosing a couch instead.
So I wanted to just kind of throw that out there, and if you do do that, I'm gonna pull up and introduce y'all cross the t's dot the odds, gilling back to get them staying all business, will ride out bed.
Shout out to Daniel again. I so enjoyed the song.
It was a moment of levity in our podcast, and we're really really appreciative that we even have fans that would support in that way. I will say we have already started a little bit with this mini pod concept. As you all know, Part three of Andrew's testimony came out last Monday, and we're gonna start a mini pod concept. The next pod up will be one that explains the Native Land pod concept. When we say welcome home, we're talking about this virtual safe space that we created.
When we say native Land, we're talking about being true to our God, true to our.
Native land that is absolutely the continent, but also embracing some of the very important and significant work that we've done here. We celebrate Black History Month all year around around these parts. And then finally, I would say, around these pop ups and lives we are talking about it. We know that this campaign season is kind of a drab, it's not really fun we're not seeing a real primary as it were. The Republicans hardly have a contest, even though we had a hell of a lot of people
in there. And on the Democratic side, there's not really a primary when you have a sitting president in office. That's just the way it goes.
And so why not have a.
Native Lamppod campaign trail.
That is what we're talking about. So we want you to do on the other side of this. We know what Daniel's position is on this, but y'all, this is where we want you to weigh in. Make sure that you're following us on social media on all platforms at Native Lamppod. Let us know where you want us to come, let us know your capacity to host us.
And we're happy, happy, Yes.
We happy, because happy. That's when you extra happy, you happy, happy to pull up.
And that's exactly what we want to do.
We want to welcome you home, even where you live, and we want to be on the campaign trail as we get closer to general.
Very I love that can I just pay I would love to do HBCUs Angela like talk to some of the younger folks.
I love that idea. Some of the debates maybe.
So maybe people can drop in the comments where you want us to go. Please let us yeah yeah, if y'all want to see us, let us know.
We happy to pull up.
That is.
Cross the teens to doctor I steal them back to get them standing on business. Will Ry You could have been anywhere to put us Native Lay Podcast, So bring into the trust.
Yes.
Before we end the show, I want to remind everyone to leave us a review. Subscribe to Native lampod. We're available on all platforms and YouTube, and of course every Thursday you can look forward to new episodes dropping. We are Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and I'm Mandre Gillham. Welcome home y'all and there are how many two hundred and sixty three days until election day?
Native lampod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Reason Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.