Positively Gam is On One w/ Angela Rye

own table, you know. And yes, yeah, and it's and that's something to the point that you can relate to too. You guys literally have done that by providing space for our issues, and I think that it's imperative for us to do that in every single industry we touch, even the ones they don't want us to touch, but we know we belong. What's up, everybody, I'm Gammy and this

is Positively GAM. Every week I have raw in depth conversation with inspirational people pushing for change or everything from aging, relationships, politics, wellness to the current issues facing the black community. And this is an extra special episode because we are doing a crossover at show with Angela Rye, the host of On One Welcome Angela, I am so excited. I'm very nervous too. I have to admit I'm very nervous to talk to you, but I'm excited at the same time.

Don't be nervous. So Angela, you are the CEO of Impact Strategies of Political Advocacy firm in the Nation's Capital, also a c and and political commentator and MPR political analysts. We have many voices, we have many black women who come to the forefront now with their voices, but I consider you one of those prominent voices right now. And can you tell us a little bit about your journey and how you got here? Like was this always you

know what you saw yourself doing? No? Never. You know, it's so funny because you know, there are young people, especially when I could still go to college campuses and talk to them and they would say, you know, I want to be on TV. I've always wanted to do this. You know what should I do? And I say, first things first, I never wanted to be on TV. It's so interesting because I really did fall into it, although

some people would say I really come by it. Honestly, my dad had like a TV show on like Public Access back in the day. He has a radio show right now. He is truly a talker. You know, grew up debating my parents, believing that I could always have an opinion, so was groom for it in a lot of ways, but never knew that it was about I always just thought it was about being able to fully

express myself. And so what I can say is I definitely feel the pull around I'm supposed to use my gifts to serve humanity, particularly my community, and it just so happens that one of those gifts is advocacy through this through the spoken word, and that's I guess how you get to TV. But it was like law school and I wanted to go and make a difference. I wanted to be the female Johnny Cochrane, you know, like there were all of these other things that I aspired to,

but it wasn't TV. So if as a result of my work it was profiled, I was cool with that, But like going to be talking on TV, never and even thought about it. Got it? Do you feel And then this is a question that I that I ask a lot of people, do you feel pressure to be a role model? Oh? I think yeah? Like and it's crazy again because I'm learning through therapy how perfection is. Tendencies as a kid like just translate into trying to be perfect and trying to fit a certain mold as

an adult. So as a kid, I had some cousins shout out telling my cousins, I'm about to get y'all. You're gonna be mad. But this is the truth. Some of them were real bad. Like on my mom's side, they were they were always in trouble. And so I was the kid who was like, let me. I was like, I'm not even gonna go play with them because they're always in trouble. I'm gonna sit right here with the adults and I'm gonna be on my best behavior. Now.

On my dad's side of the family, I was a completely different human being and I'll be running around with my cousins on that side. But like I was trying to fit a certain image because what I realized gam and maybe this is manipulation. At an early age, if I was good, I got gifts, you know, like it was a whole thing. Like if I was on my good behavior, I got rewarded for that. So I was like, oh,

I'm gonna be I'm gonna play the part. So I think now I haven't been able to separate what part I'm playing from who I really am, and now I already went. I'm trying to unravel all of that and be like, oh no, it's okay to not be perfect because guess what, boo, You're really not. You know, it's like, wow, I'm learning a lot. So for sure, it's like it's

always been an intricate part of who I am. And even I can hear my dad now in my head saying practice makes perfect, little girly, you know what that meant? Stop saying that, you know? But he has some other good advice. Do you feel any pressure to, like, like,

for me one thing that I struggle with? So actually I'm gonna ask for your opinion on this or maybe your assistance on this, because I feel like I have a lot of pressure to present myself a certain way to the public eye, and it's not necessarily what I really feel. So sometimes I feel like I have to curb what I say and and and curb what I'm feeling so that it's more palatable. Yeah, where does that

you ever find yourself in that position? Absolutely? But I really want to know, like from you Where does that come from? Is it like, Okay, I'm hosting this show. I'm hosting this show, and people expect for it to be healing, and so if I speak my truth, it's gonna damage people and it won't be healing anymore. Like where, where does or to have you always felt some pressure to put on certain errors or perform a certain way?

Where does it come from? Yeah, I've I've always been a person that was very uncomfortable in my own skin, you know, which, actually I don't want to I don't want to lead off the discussion too much, but that actually that kind of discomfort and lack of self esteem

actually led me into my journey and addiction. So you know, I guess maybe some of that is left over, you know, but I feel like there's a lot of I feel like I have a lot of pressure also, you know, being Jada's mom, and you know, there's just a certain expectation how you present yourself and how you carry yourself in the world, and definitely on Red Table. It's it's so deep because I feel like this is a burden

that so many black women have. Whether you're on TV or you're on Facebook Watch, or you're on a podcast, or you are the first lady of a church, or you are you know, Kamala Harris now as VP or Michelle Obama's first lady. Like you can't ever be angry, You can't ever like use your hands when you talk, because that means you have an attitude if you you know what I mean, Like, you can't do any of that.

And and then how dare you say anything about racism or your own shortcomings or your own implicit bias or you just like you have to be you have to

fit perfect mode. And I think I think that it hamstrings a lot of us and drives if even if it's not to addiction, it drives a lot of us to performance, you know what I mean, into like dwelling and fully existing in wounded ego space instead of being able to unpack what your authentic truth is, and so I a thousand person relate to it and with so crazy is I think a lot of people would assume

I don't deal with that because I'm outspoken. But being outspoken doesn't always mean that you're telling your authentic truth sometimes, you know what I mean, Like, sometimes you're saying what

you believe people can handle. To your point about palatability, or you are saying things that you know you've been talking about with your friends, and maybe you shouldn't be saying it yet because you having fully processed with your truth is And that's the part that I feel like I'm really coming into now, like all right, should I be expressing this idea yet? If I don't quite have it? You know, like I feel now like I understand that I can destroy things with my words, and even if

that's my truth, does that mean it needs to be said? Yes? You know. So it's like, all right, maybe there's another form of processing that doesn't require me to verbalize it, and that's hard for me, and I'm learning that now. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's you know, I'm a work in progress. That's that's all I can say. I'm a work in progress, Thank goodness.

But we digress. No, this is not the digression. This is the me, you know, because because part of this, I'm so glad you raised this, because part of this is like I wonder if that is exactly how you were feeling on the show where you guys talked to Olivia. Olivia Jade with the college, the college admission scandal and her parents and like you were like, why do we

have to provide the space for this? You know? And I was like I was like, yeah, you know, like for real, why do we have to Because it's not just Olivia you worked to me, you were speaking to this larger issue of black women always having to make white women and white people feel comfortable process and there bs at our expense, at the expense of our energy and our exhaustion and our anger and our rage and our sadness. It's like, when do we get the whole space for us? So I was like, I feel this,

I feel it. Yeah, it was definitely was was some of that, but yeah, absolutely absolutely I did feel that way and it but you know, you know, it just was a very challenging situation wanting to honor, you know, what Jada felt, you know, was necessary for the show and what she felt was necessary because I give her props to I give I give both of us props for you know, trying to speak guard truth, because Jada was true to who she was and trying to live

a compassionate life, you know, and I was trying to be true to how I felt and how I I felt like a lot of people, particularly in my generation would feel about having her on under those circumstances. But and then when you think about the number of black mothers who go to jail because they use somebody else's address so their kid could go to a better public school, you know, and like, do real not two or three months? Do real jail time? You know? So I like, I

just I related to it so much. And I think part of the beauty of your podcast now and the show is you all give us space to process things that we have to bury very very you know, one day that stuff explos like Mount St. Helen's, you know, like one day it's like that's all got to come out. So I really do appreciate the fact that y'all talk about it from various perspectives, because we're also not monolithic, even in the same family exactly exactly, and that's what

the show is about. And so if you can't, you know, have an opportunity to speaks both both sides, then you know we're not really true to what the show is supposed to be about, which is the three generational um point of view. Not all care is created equal. Alaska's care stands wings and tails above the rust, and we want people to know so that the next time they book a flight, they'll book it with the most caring airline in this guy us to Alaska, every customer is

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air dot com slash miledge plan for details. Alaska rewards mileage Plan members with one mile for every mile they fly. No other airline offers this many miles or this level of care. Book online now at Alaska air dot com and earn one mile for every mile you fly on the most carrying airline in the sky. So, but you know, you and I we we decided to talk about the black woman's role in in America and particularly about the

impact on the election. And we all know you know, names that you know easily come to mind when we think about black women in history. We can go back to Sojournal Truth and Mary mcglee, A Bethune and I to B Wills. We can name all of those. We can talk about of course Michelle Obama, Stacy Abrams. But are there some sung heroes like grassroots people that come to mind that you might want to to shout out, Yeah, for sure, you know, and thankfully some of them are

my friends. You know, there are people who ran political action committees, and all political action committees are made the same. Some of them do collect donations to ensure that they can give to different candidates on the ground. Because it wasn't just about the presidential this year. It was you know, congressional races and still in the middle right now of the Georgia Senate runoff and maybe simple in the Senate which will make all the difference from a government standpoint,

but also stay in local races. And so you have people like Adrian Sharpshire who runs Blackpack and a lot of what their work is is canvassing and having to canvas during COVID, you know, like wow, shout out to Adrian for just having the fortitude and the innovation to

be able to still reach our voters. I think about Tamika Mallory, who's gotten a lot more attention this year, but Tamica for so long has been doing that work without any attention, and in some degrees, you know, people bashing her, and so Tamika on the ground being able to see her in North Carolina on theo both knocking on doors and they had a whole bust with untell

freedom and just doing like God's work. I think of Latasha Brown, who not only with Black Voters Matter in Georgia, you know, helped to flip Georgia blue this year, but also before this and the Alabama special election for Doug Jones. He lost this this term, but they helped to get Doug Jones elected in Alabama. If it wasn't for the work of Latasha Brown and Black Voters Matter, that wouldn't

have happened. And what's so incredible about them is they really make sure they're talking to the groups in those states and communities and they're funding those groups. So I love Latasha for that because she's she has a big enough energy and spirit to suck up all the action oxygen herself, but she really does ensure that she's giving a platform in space for other people who look like us.

And then I would say, finally, still on the pack side, Um, Stephanie Brown James co founded Collective Path with her husband Quentin James, and has been doing amazing work. She did amazing work at Emily's List and before that the Double A CP just incredible and so well thought you know, uh,

thought out and deliberate. She was an s g A president at Howard, Like she's been doing this work, and her leadership style is all about consensus, Like she'll come to you and say, you know, since what how are you feeling about this? Like what do you think we're doing wrong here? How can we get this right? And that's the kind of leadership this these days that we really need. And stacy of course, and and say and like, I mean, there were so many black women who made

this election happen. And then of course Kamala for for me, my unsung would be the key drawing Robinson from Baltimore, Maryland, who heads the UM Baltimore Chapter of Black Girls votes and I have on my Black Girl's Vote sweatshirt today. Yeah, Niki dra is Niki dra is really special, Like she's traveled to UM different cities and you know, to register voters and had unfortunately had to have virtual voter and

engagement parties. But you know that that organization is really strong in trying to inspire black girls and black women to use the political process to improve the quality of life with their families. You know, we know that of black women voted for the Biden Harris ticket, right, and we talk about the Democrats owing the black community. But I want to ask you and and and what we got out of it was as you mentioned, Biden one, and what we got was Kamala Harris. Kamala Harris. And

you know, I'm really feel excited about that. But before we we focus on Kamala, I want to ask you, do you feel like we really have a black agenda? Because I just feel like it's really important. I think that we have this expectation that, you know, the whoever is in in charge, whether it's Republicans or Democrats, you know, oh, the black community something. But what is it that we want them to do? I think that we have been non specific about that, and I think it's really important

that we have a black agenda. Do you feel like we've accomplished that yet? I love that and it actually takes me to another unsung hero. She's been getting a lot of shine for the work they've done to create the hashtag black Lives Matter. Alicia Garza, who also founded Black Futures Lab, talked to thirty thousand black people all over the country before the election, talking to them about what our agenda should be. That is the largest survey

of black people since the eighteen hundreds. I've never even heard of best survey. See that, And that's that was my question, like, who's going to come up with the black agenda? How are they? How are we going to determine what the black agenda is? And this is the thing. So what's so fascinating to me is we will make so many things trend and talk about so many things, and especially this question like who's gonna do a Black agenda? And we don't have one, but we do have one,

and we just don't lift it up. And it actually is really good work. And if I'm really being honest with you, it's not even as progressive as I am. Black people. The black folks she talked to from all different parts of the country. Black people can be pretty conservative, right, so what are expectations around policing? Are pretty conservative, we're just talking about accountability, body cans, and you know, for for economics, the economic agenda I think needs to be

fleshed out a little more. But one thing that was clear is Black people feel like we need better family lead policies and we at least need to be making fifteen dollars minimum wage so that we can live. And so when you look at it, all of these things are pretty palatable, And I think the most important thing is when we talk about a black agenda, we're talking about how we uplift all of the most vulnerable. When you help and you ensure that black people are taking

care of the whole country is taking care. We are, you know, experiencing COVID at worst numbers. We are experiencing what happens when there's an economic crisis at worst numbers. We are experiencing mass incarceration and criminal injustice at worst numbers. So if you start to fix things for us, it automatically fixes things for everyone else. What makes you so excited about Kamala Harris and what do you think that

she can really bring to the administration? Because I'm excited, I'm excited, and I would encourage I would encourage the listeners to take a look at the the interview that you did with Kamala Harris on on one, because it was excellent. It was when she was actually running for the presidency, but it was an excellent interview and it really gave me insight to what she's bringing to the table.

So what would you say about that one. You know, Kamala is one of the most genuine people I know in policics, and I think that people don't always see that because just like when we were talking about at the beginning of this and I was like, no, don't cut this off, because it's so real and we're impacted by it. Everywhere, she is judged by her skin color.

She's judged by the fact that, you know, her mom is East Indian or East Indian and her dad is Jamaican, and therefore she must not really know what the real black experiences as if slave ships didn't go to Jamaica too, right. She is judged by appearance and who she dated and all of these things that we all know as black women in every other role. But you would think that someone who has ascended to this level with me somewhat

exempt from some of these things. Kamala has as a result, I think, really put on a guard to protect herself because in like the in the purest sense, she is sensitive and she is kind and she really loves people. And when you're sensitive and kind and you really love people, that means you care a lot about what people have to say. So you see a lot of times when you her, you see someone who's really guarded, and I relate to that so much. That's not her at all.

She is so down to earth and has the best laugh and loves hip hop and loves our people and loves to cook, and it's so down for the cause and listens to everybody that has a good idea, probably some folks who got bad ideas to you know. And so what I think is incredible about her in contrast to Joe Biden, and frankly, the thing that I'm worried about for Joe Biden is this ability to hear, even

when it hurts. I'm gonna listen to you. I don't necessarily like how you're talking about my record, but let me see where I might have a growth opportunity. She brings that genuinely, and I think they were all gonna be better for it. What I am hopeful for is because she's coming in as a black women woman. There.

You know, people Joe Biden's closest advisors are white men, and I think that she'll be able to really push back on their perspectives on our culture for all women and for other people of color, um and marginalized communities at the time where we need it most given, you know, living in a trifecta pandemics from economic injustice to COVID you know, racial injustice, racism. So I think that she will be a gift for all of us in that role.

And I believe that she's going to use that platform for the people, as she said there in her campaign, Kamala Harris for the people. Yeah, yeah, I feel I love her conversation about changing the ideas of what UH

safe community looks like. I love that conversation. And once again I would I would encourage listeners to to go on YouTube and and and look at that interview that you had with her, because she talks about when you heal the black community, we you don't do that with more police, you know, and that's part of changing how you look at the criminal justice system too, because if you create safe communities, then you don't need more police and that means so many different things. So I mean,

but it's such a huge task. It's such a huge task. It's like, I don't know, And you asked her that question, like where do we start because we have to deal with economics, we have to deal with education. You know, we can't just be we're not looking for handouts at all we have we never got one even though we gave all the handouts, I say, the hand we gave about the handouts, the hand ups, the hand ends, like we gave given everything from the from the very inception

of this country. So when you do you ask me what I'm most excited about with her? What are you most excited about with this incoming administration? And what's your greatest fear? Too? I think what I'm most cited excited about once again is Kamala. You know, I'm very excited about having a black woman with that kind of power, recognizing to when we talk about power, there are limitations like if we don't flip the Senate, we're gonna be in the same position that President Obama was and we

and we really have to understand that. People talk all the time about what Obama didn't do and all of that. Like the President is not doesn't have as much power as you think he does. You know. It's the Senate you know, and Mr McConnell still being in power. He's gonna try to stop everything just like he did before, you know. So that is my fear. So my biggest fear is that we don't flip the Senate. And it's crazy because people don't know Barack Obama for his first

two years actually had the House in the Senate. They don't remember that, and they ended up losing the House and the Senate behind healthcare, which we needed, but people are so resistant to it because they're like, oh, um, we need to make sure that the insurance companies are good. What about the humans? What about the humans? Surely Chisholm is known for this quote, if they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. And I feel like you in particular are very familiar with

bring your own chair. Can you talk to us a little bit about that? You know, I like that quote, but I really would like for us to build our own table, you know, And yes, yeah, and it's and that's something to the point that you can relate to too. You guys literally have done that by providing space for our issues, and I think that it's imperative for us to do that in every single industry we touch, even

the ones they don't want us to touch. But we know we belong everywhere, and so to me, it's about, you know, if you see something where our stories aren't being told, or if you see that we're not being represented, whether it's in the incoming administration, it's a corporation on the board, in the c suite, or you see that you know there's a gaping hole in you know, management or middle management, or executive roles on sports teams, you know, or how folks use black things. We have to ensure

that we're always pushing for our interests. That's the only way our economic circumstances are going to change. Community shift, and we experienced the paradigm shift even in our own worthiness. We have to believe that we're worthy first, and I think that's not just about the finances, that's also about how we see each other. Yeah, you know that was gonna lead me into my next question, but I think

you answered it. Why is it so important to have a mix of different ethnicity, these ethnicities and power in political office and everywhere. And I think you you've answered that already. There was my There was a class I took an undergrad Adrian called critical Race Theory. A lot of will take that class, like in law school, and in this classroom. I went to University of Washington, so all my classes were like huge, big, you know, crazy sizes, but this was like a seminar class, so it was small,

like twenty five of us. Shout out to Dr Andrea Simpson who talked this class, by the way, but it was the most diverse class I ever had in college, and no other classes like that after nobody was the same race. It was for the first time in my life. White people were like, I'm Irish, my parents are Scottish, I'm Jewish. They weren't just saying like they were white, because it was it was appreciated that all of the

diversity in the classroom was really appreciated. My grade was so good in that class because it wasn't just the textbook, it wasn't just a professor. I had the benefit of learning the cultural experiences of my classmates. If we took that same thing and applied it into every other thing we did. We would all be so much smarter because we're learning perspectives, you know, And I think it's it's crucial. You cannot serve people if you don't understand anything about

where they're coming from. And you can't do that if you don't interface with people from their communities exactly. So it's super important you talk about in public office, they literally are being paid by taxpayers. They especially should have a diverse group when commonly, well, she's leaving the Senate. That will mean no more black women. If Governor Newsom doesn't appoint a black women, that's irresponsible, that's irresponsible. We cannot have that anymore. In did not have a and

only have two black men in the Senate. You know, it's it's actually really crazy, it is because that's not the world that we live in. That's not the world that we live in. The world is very diverse, and here in the United States we are, you know, we are filled and surrounded with all these different nationalities. And I mean we we we learned that growing up. I was not raised a Christian. I am now, but we

were not raised as a Christian. We were raised in the ethical society and one of the goals for the children in the community was they took us around and we learned about all different kinds of religion, all different kinds of religion. So that makes you feel comfortable with people that don't look like you. It gives you a sense of tolerance and acceptance of other people that don't look like you, that are different from you, you know.

And it also gave us an opportunity to learn about different religions so that when we became of age, we could make our own decisions about what religion we wanted to practice, you know what I mean. And that is part of being in a world that is full of people learning our differences and accepting our differences and learning you know what we're we're like because we still stuck on that word race, you know, and there's only one race,

and that's the human race, that's true. And the thing that that's that's so compelling about the ethical society that you're talking about is like how much safer would you know, kids be, would would adults be if they really had a different understanding, you know, like just pushing people like everything is not your way. That maybe your viewpoint, but that's not the only way. Yeah, so that's how I grew up. Okay, we're gonna wrap it up now because I know you gotta go Angelus. So we're gonna wrap

it up with the wouldn't you like to know? Set man? And this is where I ask you my my, my little rapid fire questions. And so one of them is something that you asked me. What book are you currently reading? Oh, I want to read cast but I am in the middle of um Clean our Food's Sacred Woman. I just got that in the good I can't wait to talk to you about this. I can't wait to talk to you about this. And then um, I was just reading.

I just finished Dr Dyson's new book, A Reckoning Um with Race, Uh, you know, a conversation with on Race with America. And then another book that I have to shout out because it's a game changer for me, is the Purpose of Power. We talked about Alicia Garza earlier and she just released her book. I don't never read one book at a time. I don't know if that's good or bad. Yeah, I don't either, I have to

be honest, I don't either. Do you prefer actually reading and holding a book in your hand or do you use kindle or audio books as well? Because I love audio books. I love them all. So I downloaded um Barack Obama's book and I'm only into like the third chapter. I started reading Dr Dyson's book for a book talk, and then I went back to Queen a Fool's book.

I'm gonna go back to Obama's book. And my brother Charlemagne's um icon Lenard was saying he's listening to it and reading it at the same time, and that's been really good. So I was like, maybe I'm gonna try that. Yeah. I find that when I'm reading a nonfiction that I have to actually read it. I need to hold it so I can make marketings and notations and all of that. But if I'm reading um fiction, I can I can just listen to it because it's just for entertainment and

I can get through it really really quick. Okay, one thing you want to get off your chest? Oh, one thing I want to get off my chest for this year, especially just because the other day the Proud Boys went and tore down a Black Lives Matter sign off of a historic black church in Washington, d C. In Metropolitan Amy. So what I really want to get off my chest is black lives matter, not just in your email signature block, but period. And there you go, and there you have it.

That part, what's a model that you live by? Oh my mom loves to tell me this and I'm working on it every single day, she says, Angela make big things small and small things nothing. Wow. I love that. Thank you so much, Angela, it was such a joy to talk to you. Please please share with with the audience and the listeners where they can find you on social media and what projects and what things you might have coming up. Well, I'm on Instagram at Angela ry

Twitter is Angela Underscore Rye. I am still doing my podcast. We're closing in on a book deal coming up here soon, so late breaking news right there. And then I'm looking forward to this detox. I know, I know you're doing twenty one days. I don't. I don't know if I'm gonna be able to do one day. I'm gonna I'm gonna start with you, and I'm gonna just make sure that you know I'm walking with you on the side and rooting you on and and I just need for you to root me for me to get this six

pack and we'll work on that too. I got it. I'm ready and I'm drink my water. There you go. Thanks so much, Angela, it was a joy. So these are my takeaways from my conversation with Angelo Ride today. Number one, we as black people must claim our space. And number two, as Shirtley Chisholm said, if they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. But as Angelo Wiz say, you can bring a chair, but you can also bring your own table. And with

that we're out. Thank you to my guests, Angela Rye. If you're listening on Apple Podcasts, be sure to rate and review the episode. Follow me on my Instagram at gammy nars to share with me your thoughts on the episode. I'm here, I'm talking, and I'm listening and as always, folks, stay grateful. Positively GAM is produced by Westbrook Audio. Executive producers Adrian Vanfield, Norris, Jada Pinkett Smith, Amanda Brown and Fallon jethro Co Executive producer sim Hoti, Segment producer Ash Francis,

Associate producer Erica Ron, editor and mixer Calvin Vailis. Positively GAM is in partnership with Aren't nineteen. Thank you to our sponsored Vasiline. Don't forget to check out how they are working towards equitable skincare at vasiline dot com