It's really raining now. When you came in just a second ago, Grace, was it just started
at the range and just started. Okay. Great salad is here. She wants to be your older
person in the older in the older man, older woman, older person, older, which one do you
prefer? No, it doesn't matter. Okay, older. It's easy to remember. A few of the letters,
the better I am, older in the ninth district. Now, the reason she is running is Terry McCarthy
just retired and the seat was open and you're one of two people vying for that. And I got
to ask, and I asked all people when they're running for election, why do you want to do
it? I mean, the 50% of the people are not going to like anything you do. It's just that's
the way it is in the world. Half the people don't like your decision. They don't like
your face. They don't like anything about you. Why would you do that? I know you'll think
it's crazy, but my first answer is, I love this. I really do. I love everything about
civic engagement and finding solutions and working with people to get to a goal. And so
this opportunity to do that on be with the leaders that we have in Racine and trying
to create a future and a presence that is working for us right now, that is motivating
for me. And listening to my neighbors and listening to people in Racine have them
share their stories and their experiences and their wants and be able to translate that
to a committee of people and having us work together to create this space for our people
that live here. That's what I like.
Great Salon. Have you ever held public office before? Yes. Oh, you have. Yes. I currently
serve on the Racine Unified School Board. Okay. That's a tough one to talk about. 60%
of the people aren't allowed. You are 100% right with that. I don't want you to do
that. I'm going to like your decision. Give us a little background. So we get to know
you. That's why I like to bring the candidates in because you know, people are interesting.
They have interesting backgrounds where they started. Where were you born? I am from
California. Okay. Wow. Yeah. You came to the snow belt. Crazy, right? None of these
answers are going to make sense. No. I'm from California. Whereabouts? I was raised in
Albany, California, one square mile in the Bay Area. Oh, that's nice area. Okay. Good.
Yes. I and right next to Berkeley. Yeah. Where it's meant a lot of my time. Okay. So
morning, California. Have you wind up in Wisconsin? It's a long drive. Another ridiculous
answer here is coming. No. Actually, I was in a different line of work. And so was my,
my ex husband and I met him in California. And then we began working together actually. And
my father gave the approval for me to come to Chicago. And here I am. That's it. That's
a short answer. Long story short. Yes. So what have you done? Now, I know you said you
on the school board, but I've heard before we went on the air, you found an interesting life.
When did you give us a little bit of the life, life story? Okay. So. Did you win the
entertainment business, you said? Well, I was. I was a talent. That's actually how I met my ex
husband. It wasn't something. A pathway that my father would have agreed on and chosen. So we
snuck my aunt, my aunt snuck and taught me, you know, how to do things behind a camera.
Oh, this is what I want to know today. The sneaky part. That's it. Yeah. Well, okay. I would do
things like, for instance, and these are going to sound so fantastic, but I promise you
they're true. My cousin was in a group called Radiance and Prince,
mentored the group, right? So we would sneak and hang out at Chila E's house, right? And at
Chila E's. Chila E the drummer. Yes. And at the club. And we would sneak and go to like
studio practices and say, this is the only time I've ever lied to my father, but my aunt
and everybody else knew where I was, you know? And so she would drop us off over there or, you know,
we'd listen to the studio recordings and think, I had the most fantastic teenage life
that you can imagine, you know? And that's what got me hooked going in and doing producing.
And then I came all the way to Chicago and I got married with permission, right? And then I started
working at the New Vehicle Theater in Chicago and I was the marketing director and talent coordinator
at that theater and did a lot of things with Coca-Cola as a brand and create a lot of marketing
initiatives in the city of Chicago. Got to meet a lot of people.
I worked to do a lot of impactful things as well. I did work with the union in Chicago,
meaning that we brought the play Seraphina, which was the, I mean, Seraphina. Yes. And we,
I was able to help coordinate, you know, what that looked like. And not only that,
we were able to bring a new generation and make the union a little bit more diverse.
So that was when we had women and different ethnicities join the union in Chicago for the theatrical
state champion union. Okay. Quick break, when we come back, let's talk about the issues,
facing the people of Racine in your district then all across the city of Racine.
If you listen to Thunder and they, wow, that's loud that Thunder.
Yes, it is, it's loud. I'm looking around to see.
No, no, no, it's not going to leak. Although it did years ago, I'll tell you that story later on.
All right, coming up, we've got some, some more conversation with Grace Allens. She is in the
ninth district. She wants to be your older person in the ninth district. The election is April
first this Tuesday. Bad day to have an election. April Fool's Day.
I know, right? Not just that worked out like that. My guest is Grace Allens. In the middle
initial a C, I wonder if that was done on purpose. Do you be Gracie Allen like from Burns and Allen?
It worked out. They worked out. Yeah. Gracie Allen. So Grace Allen is running for the
older position in the ninth district on April first. You want your vote?
What problems do we have? I thought it's a wonderful life out here in Racine. But there are,
you know, people have problems. I don't particularly have any, but a lot of people do.
Let's talk about some of the issues. And I know some of the things you're looking at,
public safety, the rising cost of rent. And we have two referendums on the ballot. Let's talk
about the problems that we're facing here and what you're going to do about them.
Well, you know, it'd be so great if we could just wake up tomorrow and be in a space that was
comfortable for everyone. But we are actually in a space where it requires that we work together
to come to solutions. You know, that's the goal. What do we do for public safety?
I shared in a different conversation that, you know, my dad was a police officer. And I had
an opportunity to live up close to what that kind of experience is for, you know, people that are
in that field of work. And what it requires for them to be on the front line. But I also have
the experience of, we weren't police. We were supported. You know, you have your, your
laws that you have to live by. But the officers, to me, were always people that you could approach,
right? And they were, they were a living part of your community. And you worked together.
I think that where we are in racing, that is an approach that we need to consider.
When I was at school on career day, they say, what do you want to be? I said, I want to be
a police officer, a stock car driver or be on the radio. I don't know what happened. Oh,
we're an ice cream man. I want to be a good humor man too. Somehow I wind up here. But a good
friend of mine, David Serret, his dad was a police officer. And he actually gave me a police
hat to wear on, on career day. And I said, this is what I want to be. I wind up in radio.
You were so comfortable with that, right? You knew that, that person is someone that you could
go to, you know, if you needed something, but you also knew that was someone that was going to
protect you, if something, you know, happened, if there was an emergency. I still do. What do you mean
do you still? Same, same here. When I moved to Chicago, I could not figure my way around Chicago
at all. And it was nothing for me to ask an officer, say, hey, you know, I don't know where I'm going.
I see the exit over there. I just don't know how to navigate. That was for a lakeshore drive and
all that. And they literally would take me, you know, they say, hey, follow me. And I'll show you
where to go. I want our children, because that's where I start from, you know, what our children
are experiencing. And I want our children to know that our officers are there for them
to protect and to serve not to police, right? And so we need a community experience
when it comes to public safety, because it's there. It's part of us, but we need to kind of
make it work for us in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming. Now, we have two referenda,
referenda, referendums, referenda. I think referenda. That's on right to you.
We'll go with it. They didn't teach me that in grammar school. They say, here's a word that's
going to come and helpful to you in about 40 years, referenda. Learn it now. Okay, we have two of
them. One to deal with the fire, fire personnel and the other to deal with the school district.
Let's talk about the fire first. They want to add more personnel on the fire department, right?
Well, we want to be able to maintain and even excel the levels, the standard that we are
at right now and we're seeing this far as how we approach a fire emergency, right? But we also
need to allow them to have equipment, training, and not just training on how to approach a fire
emergency, but there are other personnel that are needed in those times, and they need to have
training as well. And I don't think anybody is really fighting that idea that we need to be able
to have that support. So the referendum, I know from talking to people at doors, it's really
supported. So in referendum, a very tricky when you read them because they're written by attorneys
and they're kind of convoluted. So if you want more fire personnel, you vote what yes, right?
Yes. Because sometimes they word it the other way around and no means yes. So yes means yes in
this, but okay, the next thing that has to do with schools, let's talk about that one.
Okay, well, I have a wonderful family of educators. So I'm always pro-education and I understand that
education, public school education may not be the pathway for everyone, but what we're asking
here as a former teacher myself is that everyone understand that we have to support our students
that are in the public school system, because that is a system that is there for every child,
you know, in our community. Not only that, but when these children are provided with the tools
that they need now, they will be well prepared for whatever leadership position they seek in
the future for their, they'll be career ready, they'll be life ready, etc. So we are asking for
this referendum. The referendum for our USDA in the past was for our buildings and our structures
and to reimagine what those spaces looked like for our children. Now we are proposing this
referendum so that we're able to continue to service our students at the capacity that we're
doing right now. You know, and sometimes when I see kids, I watch these YouTube videos, kids getting
in trouble. I don't mean like getting in trouble, like hanging out late in that. I mean getting
in trouble in violence. The teenagers recently, you have fired shots at that makeshift car show
they had there and killed a couple of people. Their lives are over. One of them is like 16, 15. His
life is over. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison. He gave it up for being stupid,
just for being stupid. You know, mental health is is a whole flux. That's just how I always say,
mental health is a whole flux. And and that is something that we strive to approach in a holistic
way in the public school space. And I think it's necessary. I would say that maybe we can and studies
will be done, you know, years from now, about the effects and the long-term effects of COVID,
and the children, how they are coming out of that experience. But our children may be as frustrated
as we are as adults, but they are not equipped with necessarily the tools on how to
navigate through those emotions. And I think we're seeing that frustration play out in different
areas. And it is tragic. And that is one of the reasons why we are asking for people to really
consider what this referendum looks like. Because those are the types of services that will not be
available in our classrooms coming in the next year. Not just a larger classrooms, not just the
smaller staff, but those kinds of other services that are available in our schools right now.
9th district, the election is April 1st. Grace Allen is running to be your older in the 9th
district. Now, where is the 9th district where people will not familiar with it? West Racine.
West Racine, Grace and Cemetery, though, it works. Yes. They can't vote for you there, but
you know, no, we have some wonderful businesses over there. I know you do, man. And yeah, we're
a really a strong community there. And I'm excited. I already represent two of the schools
for my district, Goodland and Fred. Okay. So I'm already working for our families
and our children over there. And I just want to continue that work at the common council
level so that we are now working for the entire city. Grace Allen, thank you very much for coming
in. Introducing yourself to our audience. So it's nice to meet new people. And Grace would like
your vote on April 1st for the 9th Aldermanic District here in Racine. In full disclosure,
we did offer your opponent a chance to come in, Paul Schwanky. He couldn't make it, but we did
offer it to him. And that's, that's, you know, he couldn't make it. Thank you very much for coming in.
Thank you for having me. It's raining and fun to ring out there. Yes, I think I want to hide.
No, thank you so very much. I can't wait until the stops. Thank you, Grace.