High Blood Pressure Scare & The Weight of Grief: Real Talk with Michelle

Say what now? That's what I say. It's time to start the show. Wow. Good. Oh my god. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. What's happening family? Welcome to the show. It is Michelle Brown here, WNOV, 860 AM, 106.5 FM. You are listening to say something real.

I can hear that little whistle because my tooth is missing. It's so funny. I was talking yesterday and it was just like, okay. This is gonna be a struggle for the next four, five, six months. This is gonna be crazy. But I'm whistling off. So I got the gap and the tooth. I'm just whistling all over the place. And let me just say this.

Went to the dentist yesterday getting my procedure done to get started and this is a public service announcement to get started Got you know this going this done this done this done and then they took my blood pressure and it was like Your blood pressure is too high to do the procedure Mm-hmm, and I had not

I had not taken my blood pressure medication in about four days. He had blacked you. Yep. I mean, well, I was out. I was out. So I was trying to, you know, I had called the doctor to get the refill, but it was just a whole thing. But I could have been more proactive and on it, you know. But I was like, I'll get to it. I'll get to it. I'll get to it. And yeah, Dr. O'Rell said your blood pressure too high. You can't get the procedure today. Come back next week. And so.

That's what ends up happening. So my mouth's still raggedy. It's going to be raggedy for a while, but you know, it is one of those things that people are right when they talk about, you know, high blood pressure, high potential being a silent killer. Because while I think you notice certain things, that's off.

It's not that overwhelming like that pain at ache and you're not doing what you're supposed to and then You like you realize it, but when somebody looks at you and says you do realize you in stroke territory You do realize you playing with your kidneys You need to be and so Yeah, it was one of those times when I literally had to just like, you know take stock of what the doctor was saying so just for other people

If you, you know, be consistent in your medication, don't be, don't be Michelle, be better. And I'm going to be better. But be consistent because it's ridiculous to be gone when you didn't have to be. You know, to things that you could have took care of, that you didn't take care of.

You know, and I got my friends they'd be like your AC one you're this and that I'm like, I don't know none of them numbers and I said I don't know my blood sugar supposed to be and my friend, you know, I'm like, okay She might as well be a medical doctor because you can run everything down. Tell you what you're this and this and that Look, I know what the numbers supposed to be my blood pressure up. So I actually, you know, I took my blood got my medication right away yesterday I took it this morning. It was already down

And, you know, I just got to get my bottom number down. But so I just wanted to say that out loud, be accountable. Somebody said, Wilson, why are you working? Yeah, man. Oh, don't be having no raggedy mouth jokes. Don't have no raggedy mouth jokes. I'm going to tell you right now.

My false tooth is being worked on as we speak. Because I got to have a temporary until the digital end plan stuff is completed. So yeah, Terry, Joe, don't be a person. I know what's the why you weren't. Well, you know, I got a plug on that. I need to just have a map. You got a plug on the temporary, too. Who got a plug? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

The things you can order online. Yeah, you just pop over the top of your teeth. I was like, boy, if you don't get out of here. He was like, yeah, he was like, I mean, people were able to go to the club. Yeah, no, seriously. You're grill gone. Yeah. And then they just put it on and they be smiling at the crowd. So you can get a braggler or you can get a fancy black hole. That's what, and he was like down to the ladder and he says, pop me. I'm like, man, I'm not putting that message while I'm out. So, you know, but if all stop while I was whistling while I'm talking, and I can hear it too. I was just.

like, oh my God. And I got, I got a long, got a long journey ahead. Y'all going to be on it with me because I'm going to whine and complain all the way through, all the way through. And to y'all parents, but this is not my issue though. Cause I actually lost this tooth when I was 18, um, playing softball. But to, to you parents, man, take care of your kids team. Cause some of y'all don't be taking your kids to the dentist cause y'all got dentures. And so going to the dentist, they'll be on your mind.

Y'all ain't taking your kids to the dentist on no regular basis They're not getting the care that they need and then these kids mouth end up being raggedy when they get grown take your kids to the dentist man and in bad party is if you receive like title 19, I don't know what's called them or Medicaid title 19, whatever it's called when we were in the Senate office one of the things that used to just kill us is a number of dentists that did not take you know like state insurance. Yeah

And so there will be people that will be driving as far as two or three hours away in the state to come to Milwaukee to go to a dentist that still accepted some of these medical programs to pay for their dental care. And I remember this crazy story, this woman said they had drove three hours. So I don't know if they were up by Marinette, Wisconsin or somewhere, but they had driven three hours to get here only for the dentist office to be closed.

like the dinners didn't come in that day or something like that. So, yeah, I mean, it's crazy man. So, yeah, like that dental piece is real. So, yes, and I haven't said good morning to the bros. So Jermaine, I see you want to say something. Let me say good morning first. Good morning. What's going on with your player? So, when you lost your tooth, did you have a service for it? Did I have what? A service for it. A service for my tooth? Yeah, because you lost it. Remember, you know,

When you lose something, do you always have a serve when you lose your keys? Do you have a service for you? You did not. Oh, I had a hell of a service. But I had a service. How you doing this morning, bro? Because, um, you know, October.

Yes. Oh my god. It is October 1st. And on the serious note, October. I still got Christmas decorations in the family room. Oh, leave it up. They never miss it. You got 60 more. No, they're not up. They end up, they end up being. Oh, okay. But I literally just stepped over two Christmas walls yesterday on the floor. Because we still, you know. Yeah. Man, it is October 1st. October 1st, yeah. And uh. Oh.

You know, for like 30 plus years, October has really been rough for me. Why? Because this is the month that I lost one of my best friends in 98. He was shot and killed. And I've been carrying that weight with me. So every October, and it seems like since he passed in 98 that every October starts off gloomy and raining. So you know, you got to flip it though, man. But I don't know how. And I've been trying because a celebration.

Yeah, so like what did this cat like, you know, what did he do? Listen, you know, what was his favorite dream? I can't even play the music. You gotta flip it, man. To the extent that you can, you gotta flip it. Like, October, what's his name? DeAndre Flippin. DeAndre Flippin? Say, look, he talking to you. I just said, you gotta flip it. And his name is DeAndre Flippin. He's like, she telling you, bruh, you gotta be like, hey.

October is DeAndre for Whipping Month. This is what I'm doing and how I'm going to, you know, honor this brother. You got to figure out a way because 30 years is a long time to be, you know, still grieving to an extent. I'll be honest, man. I've only been to his grave site since he passed because I actually sat there and watched him put him in the ground. Like I sat there for hours. Yeah, but they put him in the ground. I sat there.

Like I didn't leave the cemetery. I remember it's about like eight o'clock. Like I sat there. It was dark and I just sat staring there because I was um You know the day that he died He had called me to come pick him up So what let me go back the night before that we was in the studio and we did a song with the Latin world brothers We recorded the song I dropped them off and he was like man, I'm a car you in the morning so you can come pick me up

Cool. So in the morning when he called me, I told him I was on my way, but it was like, it seemed like it was taking me forever to get dressed and leave out the house. So I'm getting dressed, whatever, but you know, something kept happening and stopping. So I'm like, what? So finally I was getting ready to walk out the house. I got dressed right over here. And as I was walking out the house, I was on the porch. I was walking to my car. I saw his cousin.

Running down the street. So I see him running, but I don't pay no attention. He running fast So I'm coming down the steps and he was like, bro They just shot drain. I'm like, what? So when we get over here to twat the burline Sorry, 11th the burline we pull up to his grandmother's house and I didn't see any paramedics I didn't see any tape. So I'm like, man, that gotta be false. That can't be

You know what's happening? So I went up to the door when I run the doorbell his grandmother came to the door, but she was crying So that caught me up, huh? So she was like, please go see about my baby They said he land in the middle of the street off our Harvard and over on when he saw I'm like, I don't know so I drove down there when I got close My heart dropped because I started saying police and take

So I'm like hold on so I jumped out of my car. I left my car running everything I jumped out of my car and As I was walking up to the officers that were standing there I saw his shoe that he had on the night before So that's how I knew it was him. I'm like hold on so I ran past the officers and when I ran past them I've seen him land on the grass

So we know That loss It's a part of it you never get over you never get that you never Hopefully you never forget but and and you know, this is where a kwayku Would be most helpful And folks that are you know help people with grief counseling and dealing with loss and

You know, my stuff is just the most rudimentary, simplistic thing. It's the only thing I know how to do, which is how do I turn this in a way that it becomes something positive? You know, how do I, like I said, celebrate this life, do things and honor that individual that they love to do,

um, you know places they would have gone things they would have had um But you know, uh without fail I Said everything is still sitting in the family room Because life stopped over at our house on January 3rd when location mom passed life came to a halt and you went into mold to

you know, get her ready for the transition and take care of all the bills. I mean, all the stuff associated with her passing. And, you know, it was, it just, everything had to happen in short order. But ironically, just yesterday, I was talking to one of LaKisha's family members who came by because they wanted to get a personal item of LaKisha's mom because people obviously are still grieving. You know, so.

There is no quick fix. But I think for me, some of it is how I choose to remember. How I choose to talk about stuff. But for folks that are going through, I'm sure you identify with what you may say. And we figure out a way to compartmentalize so that we can make it through the day, that we can continue on with everything.

So, I will just say that October, you know, can take on a little bit different significance in that I'm celebrating this brother's memory because when I say that I have more ignorant Keon Jackson Malone moments, it is Keon was just too much like my brother and you know, Keisha got his big water head up on the side of our refrigerator. So, I see him every day.

When I pass by the refrigerator go turn the alarm off because I'm the first one up in the morning I look at his face every day and You know, I'll say something to the picture, you know, like what a big boy You know, I'm gonna say something But I think it is to the extent where it's possible how you Go through these memories of people because I can't keep reliving the day you die. I gotta begin to

to try to relive the good times we had, the things that we did. I'm gonna be honest with you. I've tried. So you should probably talk to somebody. Everything and it's like, it's almost like, you know, I've been carrying it with me because I told him I was gonna come get him and how he ended up getting killed.

You know, I feel like that if I would have got there, he would have never been with the person that set him up. No. And I'm just like, man. You know, the blame, I will tell you, I have seen this situation so many times, if woulda, coulda. Like you said, something keeps you from being on time. You don't know if that was something keeping you out of harm's way as well. You know, you weren't supposed to be there.

because both of y'all could have got and it wasn't your time necessarily. And, you know, so I'm not going to try to understand the bigger, broader plan of these things. But there are so many if I had went left instead of right, you know, if I had done this instead of that, that we will end up blaming ourselves or undue pressure on ourselves about how things happen. Because if it wasn't that day,

But somebody was hellbent on trying to come after this dude. This wasn't a random act of violence. It could have potentially just been another day. I intervened and prolonged that moment, but I can't be with you 24 seven. And so again, I would encourage you, I would encourage you, I would encourage you. Go up back up. Somebody said, didn't Dr. Myers lose her mom and have a kidney transplant in the same year? Let me tell you something. When I say.

There's been a roller coaster ride dealing with everything that has been going on. It's been a roller coaster ride. That's what I would say. Yeah. But Jay, you might need to talk to somebody, bro. I probably do. Because if you've been trying to handle it and wrestle with it yourself and you still are not in a better spot on it, you might need to talk to somebody. Yeah, because I find myself getting mad.

Yeah, like when I told her start off and then like around the day that he got murdered I Feel that that same anger I felt Years ago, so I don't I don't want to talk to you But you but I mean look we can't still be in the same place 30 years later So if what you've been doing is not working and you know, we will find some people

And, you know, you figure out somebody you trust won't talk to, but you got to talk to somebody because you got you got you got to deal with this. We're not going to do another 30 years of this. You got to deal with this. But self-blame, bro. You've been in these streets long enough to know if somebody else had a desire to come for somebody, you know, we have seen people lay in wait for two years to, you know, exact revenge, harm, whatever they're going to do.

Um, so we will we will find somebody for you to have a conversation with or some conversations I keep telling y'all y'all need to be on the couch No, let me say good morning to Clark Kent Yeah, we just need to be with with quake who this morning. Yeah We need to be wait. Who's here this nigga make me sick

Who said that? Rosalind Anderson, who make you sick? I'm looking at the social media posts. Yeah. And they say, that made me sick. Who? Who are we talking about? Now, I need to know. Did I miss some up in the chat? Let me see. Let me see. Yeah, go back. Look, look, look. Do we need to deal with some trouble in the chat? Okay.

Oh, George, I knew George was gonna weigh in praying for you, Jermaine. Okay, we'll figure it out. Well, look, I'm up against my first break of the morning, so I'm gonna go ahead and do that. Oh, okay, I can take the call. Okay, well, let me take a call. I got a caller on the line. Hey, caller, what's happening? Good morning, Sheila. Hey, good morning, Angela. How you doing this morning?

I'm doing good. I'm doing real good. Guys, it's good. Thank you, Lord, for waking me up this morning. And Jermaine, I'm here for you, bro. You know, I love you. You're my dude. I'm so sorry you're going to do what you're going to do about your friend.

You know, hey, I can't hold you wet. I'm with you food. You better know it. I'm trying to come back around. No, I'm here. I had a mommy yesterday myself. You know, with this pain that I got going on, the devil was driving me hard. I wanted to go get one. I want to go get drunk. But amazing phone calls to some white people. They call, you know, talk me off their lead.

And I'm so wait one thing for that they did because I might have but you know I'm keeping my head up keep my head a boy wild and focus on the right things instead of the wrong thing You know, that's what you gotta do I Know I can do it and I'm gonna do it regardless All right, Angela

Thank you for checking in this morning. I'll be in touch with you, but I appreciate that you got in. Yes, ma'am. All right, family. Look, let me take a break. You know what? And I guess this first this first conversation kind of fits the mood right now. The lady down in Tennessee. I don't know why these folks keep trying it.

They have seen people have walked back on the drugs used to execute people on the methods used to execute people. And there are folks that just like we want to continue to make this a part of our penal system. And I'm not a proponent of death penalty. So, you know, I get some people probably do need to be put under, but I'm not going to redo it. So.

I'll talk about this when I come back on the other side. Michelle, Brian, WNOV a 68. Yeah, I am whistling while I work. I'll be right back. All right, y'all. So, you know, I'm not one who says when it, you know, when it's your time, it's your time, you know, you can't run from death. I'm not that person because sometimes I think.

people literally are in the wrong place at the wrong time. You get caught up. And you know, people say, no, God had a plan. And I'm like, really? Did he have a plan for me to be hit by a car when I walked out of the street this morning? Or was this just this reckless driver? So I never know how to assign when crazy things happen. But this story out of Tennessee with this botched execution.

I'm going to take it directly from the New York Times to help people fully appreciate this moment. So a Tennessee woman convicted of murder survived two doses of a lethal injection yesterday before state officials had to finally just give up the idea that they were getting ready, you know, to kill her. And ultimately,

had to end up taking her to the hospital. And Jermaine, how did you phrase that? So, you was. So, you gonna try to kill me and then save my life? I mean, like, what's this do that make? Like, try to kill me. This is where laws and policy become real. Because the policy, the law is, if you have botched or failed attempts at an execution, then you have to do everything you can.

to save the person's life. To make that, yeah. But you're trying to kill me. Yeah, but you can't die in that way. You can't die because of their failure to either have the correct dosage of the medication that they're using to kill you or whatever. In some cases, it was the electric chair malfunctioned. But down in Tennessee, this is the second time this year that they attempted to execute someone

and it didn't work out. Maybe somebody's, you know, putting water in the, uh, to save somebody diluting. Well, and the thing that's so crazy is that, you know, so there had been this back and forth on the court because this is a woman who committed a murder when she was 18 years old. Oh, yeah. Yeah, she committed a murder. I think she just killed one and I'm going to go through real quick and grab it. But she committed a murder when she was 18 years old. Her name is Krista Pike and

You know, so there were lawyers going back and forth, trying to stop the execution from happening. Tennessee, you know, they were rushing like, no, we're going to get it done. We're going to get it done today. So all these court rulings back and forth, Tennessee was doing everything they could to press to get this woman killed yesterday. And a pair of emergency filings, her lawyers said that while two syringes of Fina Barbatal.

the lethal drug had been administered, she had not even lost consciousness. She still had a heartbeat and was audibly snoring. Oh, she was asleep. She was getting her some good sleep. So, you know, folks are like, they don't know immediately what went wrong with the administration of the drugs. But and then the woman who she killed, because I think the woman she killed was 19, her family

It was either her mom or somebody from her family had flown in to see this woman be executed Like that part and I've talked about this before I don't get that part. I'm not coming to see you die Like I'm gonna feel better because I see you take your last breath I don't know what kind of heart you have but I'm not come I'm not bringing my loved one back because I watch you die I'm not taking

any joy, glee, solace in watching you take your last breath. That's just some barbaric nonsense to me. But I mean, I get it. I love my son. I love my grandbaby. I love my brother. I love my folks. But I'm not coming to watch someone be executed.

if they took that person's life. I mean, why would you want that mental imagery? You and this is 30 years later or whatever. I got to go back and look at the time frame on this, but they made this mistake now twice. A lot of and I've talked about this before on my show. A lot of the companies that made the drugs that you would use to perform an execution have stopped doing that.

people didn't like the PR they started getting out of the business and Folks were walking away from doing it. So, you know, they were trying to tell people like look Some of this stuff is not working as intended But Tennessee had to try they wanted to go ahead and execute this woman yesterday So all these people were there in the witness room waiting to see her die She you know

Talked to you know, we had a final little conversation got strapped to the gurney They went ahead and injected her at one point she even said that she had a burning spot in her arm felt like it was going to burst She asked if that was normal and then the curtain was briefly closed so she noticed something was off with the injection and Literally you about to die and you ask the question is this normal?

What's happening like I don't know what's normal with the execution but they closed the curtains and Then they reopened them and when the curtains closed again for nearly an hour reporters started saying what the heck is going on? Adding that they could hear breathing and steady snoring Just before 9 p.m. Reporters were told to leave For news

emergency of vehicles arrived at the prison as witnesses were addressing the news conference left about 15 minutes later officials at the prison and this prison is riverbed maximum security institution down in Nashville they did not even address the reporters afterward even though they're like look go in here it's gonna be a press conference in a statement the Tennessee Department of Corrections said quote it have followed every step of the state's

lawful established execution protocol approved by Attorney General Office. The lethal injection chemical in the protocol has consistently been effective. But again, it was the second time this year that they failed to administer these drugs in a way that got the result they wanted. In May, the state called off one of four planned executions because medical staff could not find a vein while administering the lethal drug.

So after they try and it don't work, do they reschedule? Like, is it a to be determined situation or what? Is it a team? What? To be continued? Yeah, to be continued to be determined. Like, what is it? So in some cases, and I got to figure out what's federal law versus state law. If you have a failed attempt, they can't try it again.

So it's over. It's over. So you tried to kill me and it didn't work. Yep. And then so now it's just over. I'm just incarcerated for the rest of my life. So I don't know if that's across the board in every state and I'll look real quick in the next commercial break. Yeah. But yeah, in some states, when you when you fail, you don't get a second kick at the can. So do they just let you out? No, you stay incarcerated. Well, no, I see. I'm only saying this because if you was slated for the death penalty, right? And if it would have worked,

You would have been out because you would have been on on your way to the funeral home and cemetery, right? Yeah, so now that you Now that you beat the hell No She already spent the rest of her life and they tried to take it it didn't work She gotta continue man. She gotta continue. No, they tried they failed they got to let her go

So if they would have injected her, and she would have died, right? And they would have took her to the corner. And if, for some miracle reason, her heart would have started beating back. She'd have came back because they didn't take her organs out at that time. So her heart started back beating. Do they take you back to prison? Because they can't kill her no more.

You're going back to prison, Jermaine. Just leave it alone. You're not getting out, Jermaine. You're not getting out. And so I have to go back and look. So this is connected to a 1995 murder. This girl, this woman and her boyfriend at the time and another friend lured a 19-year-old young woman into the woods on the University of Tennessee campus, taunting and torturing her. They beat her with asphalt rocks.

slashed her with a box carver. Ms. Pike, who was 18, as I said, took a piece of the lady's skull with her, which she showed to at least one person. Tedadriel, Tedarro, oh, Tedarro, his name is Tedarro. Tedarro, I've never seen him in Tedarro. Tedarro ship, Mrs. Pike's boyfriend testified to carving a pentagram into

the victim's chest, a gesture that sparked fears of Satan worship. Because Tennessee laws applies the death penalty only to people 18 and older at the time of the crime to Darrell, who was 17, was simply sentenced to life in prison. He actually was up for parole last year and got denied. She was 18, so she can get the death penalty. You lock her up.

So you want to let it go? You want to let it go? And so the parent of the victim who had come from Jacksonville, Florida to Tennessee to Nashville for the witness execution, she was adamant that Miss Pike could not atone for the death of her daughter and should be executed. And I'm just like, and this is I just was having this conversation. People are not going to like it.

I know that they are listening to the show that have had horrific things happen to people that they love and family members. But this woman is saying she can't atone for what she did. You are not God, judge and a jury. You are not. You are not. Your daughter's death had his day in court. This woman was found guilty and yep, she was even in fact, you know, ordered to be executed. But one of the things

that when this went before the Supreme Court, three justices dissented in, you know, going ahead and approving the execution because it had been stayed by lower court because people brought information in that hadn't really been considered that this 18 year old at the time had gone through a huge amount of abuse as a child has suffered a great amount of trauma and how all those things played into her mental state.

when she is committing this crime. And you know, people like, I don't care. I don't want to hear what her mental state is. And one of the things I just said yesterday, you don't get to discount what people have been through and how that reshapes them and how that, you know, could force them to act. And even in doing some of the most heinous things you can do, I still need to pay attention to how we get here.

You didn't just wake up born evil and you know, just like oh, yeah, I'm gonna take a piece of somebody's skull How we get here? What did you see? How does that mess up your development? And then how is that? What do they say hurt people hurt people? How does that play out in these streets? So Yeah, you know just on a mama hot that this girl did not get put to death but

Tennessee continues to be a part of this small group of states that continue to push for executions. In Alabama, just this past month, there was a man executed using lethal injection. The Supreme Court had blocked this execution by nitrogen gas. And so, you know, because again, they having problems finding these cocktails that you need to kill people. So Oklahoma,

They still got executions and in in Oklahoma. They executed three people in one day. In one day. In one day. This was back in August. They executed three people in one day. So, you know.

Ultimately, I would have to go do some more research to figure out what happens now that this was unsuccessful Do you get another attempt to try to take this woman? You know out but This is madness and crazy This is absolute madness and crazy. And yes, the crime she committed were disgusting and got awful You don't get around that and and the mental of that parent who has to know that somebody

You know Deface their child's body in this way. I mean some I said, yeah, they cut a piece of you know, you son skull out and kept it as a souvenir like that That's enough to make you go crazy. It really is You know, but at the end of the day I still I Just do not believe in killing people

I just don't, I just don't, it's not my job to do it. I just, I don't believe in that. Where are we, I got a phone call. Let's go to the phone. Hey, caller, what's happening? Hey. Hey. I'll get you off the speaker. Yeah, that is Robert. I need to get rid of that. For me, I'm like a judge, jury,

I don't think nobody should be doing that. And they said that lady put her head up and talked, said something burning me on my side. Yeah. She was even singing at one point. Like with her spiritual advisor, she was still alert. And see, that's like, that was in the night. I mean, 90 something, right? That time happened. Yeah, she did this back in. You slide your butt all the way to see that.

Like who would I wouldn't want to do that? I mean I would have to put a duplicate that person already like I mean I would say you cast if you haven't done that well You need to do oh my god, you ain't done that well. You should be at a castle style Everybody's done that so well, but you said if you say your barbaric people does that I saw that picture

Michelle when they hang that one guy and all them people was there That was long ago. I saw a sign said 1960 because I was 1961 That one long No, it's you know a few years before I'm born Yeah, no, it was a lot. Yeah, no in that picture. Right. Of course. They are of course there

You know and and whatever you passed down and passed along like I just said, it's just a certain aspect of people that's so Just barbaric to me, you know, I never understood anybody who could walk somebody into a gas chamber or somebody who You know comes and puts on their finest clothing to watch somebody be hung from a tree and burned at the stake and you know the one black woman

who had her baby removed from her stomach and the skull of that child crushed, you know, by, you know, onlookers laughing and got their kids out there. It's like, it's a sick people and they don't, they don't see themselves in that way. But there's something wrong with you when you think that this is something I need to observe and I need to be a part of and I need to witness. It's something hell wrong with you.

But go ahead. Go ahead, bro. I'm sorry. That movie eight mile. Oh, yeah. And that officer didn't like that. That's birds. I wanted to do something to do that here. That was just, oh, my God, I wouldn't look. Y'all have a great day. All right. Thank you, bro. And, you know, and one thing that the Supreme Court justices, the liberal justices dissented and the decision to allow Tennessee to move forward. And they say it.

quote, I see no reason to short circuit the ordinary process of appellate review, particularly in light of the grave consequences of an erroneous decision. Tennessee's desire to expedite Pike's execution by a few days or even weeks cannot outweigh the interest in what's going on. And so, you know, they say it like, why y'all have to try the killer today? If you kill it next week or in two weeks after we've had time to thoroughly go through all of this,

What's the difference? What is the difference? But nope, we help it. We're going to do what we need to do and we get ready to kill this woman today. Well, I guess, you know, somebody else had other plans. Somebody else had other plans. All right. So I got to take a break. I know this is a crazy way to start this morning. We're going to see. We're going to see. So you try to kill me.

It don't work. So now you got to save my life. Some I said they must be getting the execution Jews from Amazon or jail markets. We'll be right back. All right, family, welcome back to the show. So I took a minute to try to figure out what is the process in Tennessee if someone has been has, you know, unsuccessfully had a execution.

you know, situation. So, as I said, this was the second time that Tennessee had botched this. Medical doctors and medical professionals had met with legislators and the governor back in May to say, look, y'all need to cut this mess out because this stuff does not work. And what they talked about is back in May, this other guy that they attempted to execute, I think his name was Carrother, Tony Carruthers. So,

They said they They couldn't get his veins So they said they stuck them in his arms and in his feet with needles trying to get a vein a Doctor did is started a central line through his collarbone and shoulder They said this man groaned in pain and that blood was oozing from these puncture wounds

after more than an hour of them trying to find a bang to kill this man, the governor finally called the warden and said, cut it out. Stop. But what they said is that he was given a reprieve for one year. So evidently, Tennessee does not have a law that says if we botch the execution, we don't get a second try at it. So he got a one year reprieve. So this man potentially will be back in this situation again.

come May of 2027. Let me go to the fall line. Hey, Caller, what's happening? Hey, good morning. Good morning. I'm in my truck. I'm sorry, my worker. I had posted this on social media, but when I heard about this story, the first thing I thought about was the three men in the fire department. It's kind of hard to hear you. You said the first thing you thought about was three men in the fire department.

Okay. Okay. Okay. I got you. I could hear that part. Okay. That's okay. That's okay. It just, I don't know, you know, they, they were putting that fiery furnace to die, right? Right. And then, um, you know, they go back and look in there. They, they're not human. You know,

Think about it think about it and You know, maybe I don't know but I do

All right. I hear you. I hear you. Yes, man. Thank you. And so for folks that are like, okay, wait, what's the fiery furnace? Um, this comes from Daniel, uh, chapter three, uh, in the Bible, King Nebuchadnezzar, uh, of Babylon built a huge gold statue commanded everyone to bow down and worship it whenever music played. Anyone who refused would be thrown into a burning fiery furnace.

three Jewish officials named Shadrach, Wee Shad, and Abednego refused to worship the idol. They told the king they served only God who could save them. But even if he did not, they still were not bowed to a pagan god. The enraged king Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than normal. The extreme heat killed the soldiers who threw the three men inside.

However, the king looked into the fire and saw four men walking around completely unharmed. The fourth figure looked like the son of God or an angel. The king called the three men out of the fire. They came out with no burns and their clothes did not even smell like smoke. Nebuchadnezzar then praised their God and promoted the three men in Babylon. So.

So, what about the soldiers that died? Put them cash in there, man. You told me to put it in there and now I'm gone. Yeah, he's just, but that's, hey, okay. Got another caller? Got a whole bunch. Let's get to me. I don't know what kind of morning this is. Oh, let's go. Hey, caller. What's happening? Hey, let's share.

It's October 1st. It's breast cancer awareness month. Just want to remind everyone to go have their mammograms before the year is out. And is it okay if I ask the Crawley question not to switch? Oh, of course. Please. I got a question. Please, what's this? Please, what's this? Go ahead. No problem. Have you seen online social media where these top influencers are questioning David Crawley? I don't know. They're trying to make it out as

you know, they need to reactivate Hong in order for David to still be Mr. Carly to still be relevant. And they checked his social media and his campaign and they can't see where his events are. And he's going to mess it up for everybody. And if it wasn't for the Hong supporters right now trying to keep his name in the in the limelight, he would be done. They say he only ran just because he didn't want to see Hong win.

But then now he's just being a lame duck and not making business around. But I'm just, I'm disturbed because I'm like, why are you all using your platform to even put this out here and then they'll end with, well, we're still going to vote for you, David. But we're just saying, you know, you need to be more visible out here. You need to put some events up on your social media pages so the people who don't know you can come out instead of taking it for granted. And these are our own Democrats or our own people that's on the left.

seeing this stuff about him, right? No, I mean, because you got people that still, quite frankly, upset or bitter, frustrated that Hong didn't advance. And so they even want people to not vote, you know, right?

That's what I'm going to understand. So why are you out here? And these are mainly women that I've been seeing with huge violence for like the local area. And they're just all like, you know, they're disturbed because he's not, you know, showing up at different events, but they're going to still vote for him. So I'm like, you're doing a disservice by even saying that stuff. So do you think in your opinion that

He should be more visible or do you think that he's working as hard as he can right now? We just need to hold the line and wait until November 3rd. I mean, the reality is, and thank you for the call. I appreciate the question. Yes, ma'am. The reality is David Crawley is right now on a grueling schedule because while he is running for office, he is still Milwaukee County executive. They are still in the midst of a budget situation. And so, but you, I get me, I get his media.

coverage on the county side, not on the campaign side, but I get his press releases every day. You know, we're at this event, we're at this place, we're at this place, we're ribbon cutting. I was in Nova High School, like I said, not yesterday, day before, and the principal said he was just here last week. He was there for something though that the county was doing in relationship to the area, but then it's an entire 72 counties.

So you're not going to be just in Milwaukee or in Waukesha or Wauwatosa. This young brother has had to go to all 72 counties to campaign. So he's at events everywhere. And so when somebody says, oh, I don't see a lot of your social media. Well, and then, you know, so let me, because I have not looked at his campaign page. So I'm pulling it up right now.

But I know on the county side, his schedule is stupid on the county side. So anybody is like, you know, oh, we don't see him. You're being ridiculous because he has to get to 72 counties and you're going to multiple events. You're doing multiple hits. I've seen legislators. They like, OK, we work in the southeast corner of the state today. We work in the northeast. We work in this. We work in that. But.

The the demands on your time is so crazy. So I'm going to go to his Facebook page Let me see. Let me see and see what I see. So there's DC All right, I'm gonna pull up his page, but yeah, I just to me that's just you know, people just talking out

They mouth and don't fully understand what it takes to run a statewide campaign, the kind of resources that you have. And this man still got three kids at home with his wife who has a full time job. So you still got to be daddy. You still got to pay the mortgage. You still got to be responsible for the house along with your wife, Erica. And then you, you know, you still, you got a baby in college, but your other kids, you got the county and you went in a statewide campaign.

You know what you say Clark? Yeah, they're not trying to hear it and it's ridiculous But if you understood the demands of a campaign like David Carly Has probably got to be walking around with toothpicks holding his eyes open right now because

You always talking, you always on, you don't never get to have a down, you know, moment. You always in the strategy, Chesson. You always on your way to the next event. Like I watched it when Lena ran, when I've worked with other candidates. And as the person who was planning a lot of it, when Chris Abley was running, it was 24-7. 24, and then you're doing.

Meetings here and outside the state because you got to go raise money So, you know, he was out in DC at Congressional Black Caucus. You're you're here and here So for somebody send them like you're not at enough events. You don't know what you're talking about and this has nothing to do with like Oh, I'm a David supporter and I'm defending David I'm talking about as somebody who's been a political director for campaigns and who's managed to run campaigns You don't know what the hell you're talking about

These schedules are grueling. They are crazy. And yet alone a statewide race. I've only done county races. No, no, I'm lying. I did do a statewide race when I worked on Mary Burke's campaign. And I got tired of driving because you're driving from one end. I went from being her Southeast person to just being her person for the state.

You're driving from one end of the state to the other one from here to there all day You know multiple days. There is no Sundays. There is no weekend. This is not stopped So for people sitting up jaw-jacking who have never run a campaign or who have never run for office makes miss me with that There's no way you look at this young brother's schedule and you don't understand what's going on, but it's 72 counties if he just went

to each county one time. That's 72 visits. Think about that. In the course of a short amount of time, we are less than 60 days now from this election. We're 60 days away. So you got to make it into 72 counties multiple times. Still do the business of the county and still take care of your family.

And then to that college point, y'all, y'all are poisoning the wheel because you hollering about whether or not he's going to be present at an event. What are the policies? What is the, what is, what is the work that he's proposing? What's his plan? What is he talking about? Cause you think Tom Tiffany give a damn about you and your events? Not at all.

All right. Okay. So, so let me, let me switch gears for a second. Um, back to something more of it. Y'all, the pilot who gets stabbed midair. Again, you talking about, I don't know if it's God. I don't know what it is.

But those hundred and seventy four people on that plane was supposed to be dead. You see the video? No, I did not see the video. Somebody was on the plane. They was on the plane and they went live on the plane when all this was happening. You see people jumping up, running to the cockpit. You see kids on this plane. You know, they're looking around. They scared. First of all, how the planes are designed, the cockpit.

is locked and you can only open it from the inside. So, they were saying, at first, they was reporting that somebody got into the cockpit and stabbed the pilot. Then it came out, it was this guy. The copilot. That was next to him. The copilot. The copilot stabbed the pilot and he intended to crash that plane. Yeah. You know what, that kind of brought some of that. How do they get in the car?

Because the pilot was able to open it. No, no, no, he's saying how did the people get so yes So the co-pilot who was sitting next to him flying the plane is the person who ended up stabbing the pilot But the pilot even with all of his injuries Still managed to get up and open the cockpit door, right and then people saw him Realized something was going on and then of course even before that

because the plane began to nose down. Yeah, it was jerky. Yeah. And so I think they said like 14 to 17,000 feet, this plane going straight down. Yeah. This, this copilot had meant to, to wreck that plane. They said something about Jihad. So, and if that was the case, then yeah, you know, you, yeah, you were terrorists. You, you're doing it. Um, so was this one of Israel's plans? It was. So, well, it was, um, a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. And so the.

So I'm assuming it was a but it was it was a fly divide plane So I don't know like the whole like who works for who and how the whole thing goes But it was the passengers who see this pie, you know the pilot they run in they get that co-pilot They put dude in a chokehold get him out of there, but what I'm trying to get some some clarity on because What's the eyes that it was two pilots sitting on that plane?

Right, right that was able to able to fly that plane But there was another version of this that I've heard that before the two pilots got to the cockpit a regular Regular passenger who was not a pilot who had played video games Got in the cockpit to keep that plane from going further down

So I've been looking for that account because I've heard this in multiple places But that before the actual pilots get in there a Regular passenger who was like no I play video games was able to keep that plane from going Straight down so I don't know I'm trying to come up with the actual stuff because all the stuff I was seeing it was on social media Where people was talking about this, but what's the odds y'all?

that there are two pilots on that plane. So ultimately, they get diverted to Saudi Arabia. And so I see the video now and I'm looking at the blood on these people's faces. But I got you. But this is crazy. This is absolutely crazy. But that man fought. That pilot, he fought.

And got that door open so people could understand but just think about you don't even think the enemy is sitting right next to me and If he hadn't got out of that cockpit, it's over because to Jermaine's point you can't get in You cannot get in so that had to be one That had to be one heck of a situation. Let me go

When that plane landed every man on that plane whooped that co-pilot or at least got a punch in Before they got off that plane. I would have because That is crazy and so I think they said it was a CNN news anchor I said if a hundred and sixty six Israelis go home tonight without a scratch It is all down to the bravery of one single man captain Schmidt my March here. It is not I hate when people do that. It is not

because somebody still had to fly the plane. You know, people be killing me turning people into like stop it. The pilot did his thing, not taking nothing from the pilot, but two other people had to fly that plane to safety. So if you say 166 Israelis and then some people were like, well, if he didn't get out, it would never been an opportunity. Stop short changing people on acknowledging what everybody does.

because what about the people who put the man in a chokehold? You know, it's like, I hate when, you know, people just get on the airways and just be running their mouth and talking and you're trying to create a narrative. This man didn't single handedly say to play. Multiple people helped to save the plane and save these people's lives. Yeah. So, you know, yeah, y'all can only thank him and it's extraordinary bravery. Stop playing. That man was fighting for his own damn life.

He was fine with his own life. It's not just life for the passengers. He fight for his own life. Do I have a call? Let me go to the phone line. Hey, quality. What's happening? Hey, I think the problem for me is with the death penalty is always the wrong people that's getting it and the people who deserve it. They always go past. I think sometimes with the death penalty is too quick. I think some people should be tortured.

You know, like these people who always want to rape kids, and then they don't have to register on a sex offender list. And then they let them out because, you know, they let a pale, perky skin. I think some people should be, I think some people should be tortured. How do you feel about that? I don't agree with any of that.

I don't believe in anybody torturing anybody and I understand the horrific crate the horrific crime of Pedophilia and sexually assaulting children. I don't believe in any of that I'm not Jesus I'm not God and I'm not the most religious person in the world But it is not for me to exact that kind of justice I work through the system. I prosecute people I put them in jail for the rest of their life I'm not here to take nobody's life and I'm definitely not here to torture nobody

Well, how do you feel about eyes for an eye two for two? That's not my mentality. That's not my mentality. I'm working the process We have systems in this country and we have systems in place to keep us from being barbaric animals We have systems Okay, and I understand that but it's not about being a barbaric animal, but I feel like the same testosterone and rush

that they got from doing this to a young child or an innocent person, that person should have the same opportunity to have that same feeling when they see them being tortured. But this is the thing. But there is the mentality of the person who committed the initial crime is different

hopefully than the mentality of the person exacting that revenge. Because you don't kill and maim and torture people and not walk away mentally changed from that. In some cases messed up from that. That's why when people execute folks on behalf of the state, they usually like on a firing squad, they would have multiple shooters.

so that no one shooter had to know it was their bullet that was the actual bullet that took that person's life. So because we understand if you're not really a villain and a horrible person, you're just an everyday regular Joe Blow who is now put in a situation where you got to kill somebody. You don't walk away from that unscathed.

You don't walk away from that not mentally impacted. And a lot of people don't walk away from that being in the right state of mind. Because that's not who I am. That might have been who the perpetrator was. That might have been who the killer was, the pedophile was, but I'm not that person. But now I've had to act like that person to exact revenge. But that's gonna mess with my spirit, my mind, my soul.

So that's why I don't think that you do an eye for an eye in the way they talked about a biblical Well, thank you so much and I'm so glad you answered that I just said I asked cuz I think sometimes They expect for us to be the bigger person and I feel sometimes you don't have to be the bigger person You should be a hundred times quicker than the person who did it

I got you. I didn't look and we all got our opinions. You entitled to yours. I appreciate it, bro. You too. You have a wonderful day. Yes, sir. You too. And I'm going to tell you right now, for me, it is not about being the bigger person. It's about doing the right thing. It's not about being the bigger person. It's about doing the right thing. And I am not put on this earth to take nobody else's life. I'm just not.

I ain't built for it. I don't wanna do it. I don't see the value in it. I'd much rather you sit in jail for the rest of your life and just rot and have to think about what you did as you sit inside that little four by eight sale or whatever that mess is and realize that you, because you gotta replay that mess over and over and over again. To me, that's punishment. Me killing you and you quickly being gone, that ain't punishment.

I feel better because you're gone, but I want you to to to suffer. So you're suffering is that loss of freedom and having to replay in your mind how I get here. And then as your body begins to deteriorate and you age in that prison and you realize like if you ever realize it, like me, all of this was stupid because this people sitting in jail right now who understand everything they did to lead up to that moment. It was stupid.

And you do find people who have remorse for what they did to other people. I was wrong for that. I turned my life around to the extent that you can turn it around in prison. I've asked for forgiveness, but I just got a problem with people who believe that they get to decide who lives and who dies. God, if you believe in God, God didn't give you that right to decide who lives and dies. He didn't. He didn't. Go ahead, you man.

No, I was gonna say I mean if you go on torture somebody I Say you you string them up and tickle their feet And then take the little feather and put in their ear and just torch, you know torturing like that That's not too much for the rest of their life. No, I mean cuz for me being tickled in my feet is torch. I hate it

Like, no, no, no, seriously. I hate it. So just having somebody tickle your feet for the rest of your life. Jesus Christ. I can't take it. I cannot. I cannot. Tickle your feet for the rest of your life. I cannot mess with you this morning. It's break time anyway. All right, let's go to break time. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the break, Jesus. I appreciate you. Thank you for the break. Bro, man, does somebody tickle your feet? No, no, I got it right. All right, break time.

All right, family. Welcome back to the show. So, uh, most folks that listen to the program, you all know I'm huge on representation. Uh, I believe that communities, organizations, uh, workplaces need to reflect the people that they serve. And as long as I've been in Milwaukee, I have been aware of the group MAPC and have never had.

any real direct contact with them. I've heard about events, heard about, you know, positions on issues, but the folks that are with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Alliance of Black School Educators have been this quiet force, sometimes quiet force in the background that have been working and

Doing what's necessary to move the needle for our community in terms of our children in the educational arena I am fortunate this morning that I have in the studio. He was bragging talking about he retired But uh And he's a doctor. Yes, dr. Richard because I like to put them handles on here dr. Richard blocking

Hey doc, how you doing this morning? Good morning, how you doing? Good, good. I heard you former principal over at Miss High School. Yes, so the 25, 26 school year I was the principal there. Okay. And so then after, in June, I retired. So look, for folks that are not familiar with the organization, what's the little background? Why do you guys become a thing? So for the Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators, it started in 1969. It started off as the Black Administrators Council, and it was

black administrators in the district. We had black administrators in 1969. We had black administrators in 1969. It wasn't that many. Okay. But again, that was the reason of the organization coming together to fight against common issues that they did. Again, one was representation and then also being the champion for children. Okay. Children that look like you and me. And so then we became a part of the National Alliance of Black School Educators. I think it was 1974, 75. And we have been a force in the city.

all these years. And so, as a young person, when I came into NPS, I was mesmerized by it because I used to have a conference annually from Wednesday to Friday. But due to Act 10, we had to get, we couldn't no longer do that. And so, we had to re-invigorate. So masks used to have a conference? Yes. Okay. Used to have a conference, you know, south side by the airport. And then again, it was something to see.

Educators of color all come together. Okay. And do you realize, okay, there are some people here that are actually fighting for children here in the city to make sure that our students are getting the education, the equality that they need. And so we, we, we do.

teacher recognition. Every year we have a huge teacher gala down at the convention center. We give out scholarships to high school students. We do PD for staff. We do a mentoring for young teachers as professional development. I'm sorry. Yeah, that's that teacher. I know we do PD for educators. And so then we also just have a cop somewhere where you can come together for a common bond because sometimes

When you're doing this work, you can feel alone. So let me ask you, what are our numbers like? I mean, because we frequently hear, you know, particularly interrelationship to Milwaukee public schools. And I was going to ask, is it open to public schools or is it, you know?

teachers that teach in any arena, private, charter, voucher, choice. So that's one question. But I think I would hear statistics like 70 percent of Milwaukee's teachers are white. That's true. Is that is that still kind of? That's still true. OK, that's still true. OK, so our organization and the district itself in terms of students is 70 80 percent African American. OK, that's great.

And so, but to answer your question, anybody can be a part. You don't have to be just a part of more public schools. You can be a part of the metropolitan area. OK, so you can be a brown deer. Glen Hills Middle School, Glendale. So it is a K-12 education only, or do you have folks from? Nope. We actually have some people that's in higher education that work with us as well. And so, again, if you want to come and help move this organization forward, we'll welcome you.

So have we ever seen the time because how long have you been an educator? 28 years and has that whole time been here in, Wisconsin? All in Milwaukee public schools. Okay. So have we ever seen a time where that number was hired in 30% black teachers? Or is this the highest it's been? I can't answer that percentage for a long time answer that like completely, but for the most part, yes.

We have even though it seems like it's a lot of black educators is really not. When I came in, there still was like a quota of how many black people could actually work in one building. What does that mean? So so there used to be a rule law policy that only so many black people can work in a building. So usually that represented like two, three, four black. Yes, that's yeah, that used to be it's been a thing. I don't remember what year they got. They got rid of it, but it was.

still in effect when I got into MPI. And do we ever know why that was a policy or what was the harm in more than this designated number of black folks being in the building? Do we ever know what was the thought, the rationale behind that? I mean, I have my personal opinion. I mean, because just think about that. We want to limit the number of people in a building. So first of all, I'm thinking then, let's just say we say we only taken two per building and we got.

for just to make this an easy example, we got 100 buildings. So we're talking 200 people. So that means, therefore, I can limit how many black folks can become educators and work in the city of Milwaukee. Absolutely. So it's intended to keep folks out. Absolutely. OK. All right. I'm frustrated. So let me let me ask this thing, because before you we went on air, just, you know, just kind of talking to you, getting background. So you went to school here in Milwaukee.

I mean, I attended school. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know how much. I'm sorry. I actually did. What's the difference? So you was in the building. I was in the building. But. So. What did you say? Memories just started singing. I mean, because you mentioned that you ended up leaving school. You didn't actually. Yeah. So for people who know me, yeah, I dropped out of high school in the 10th grade, 17 years old.

So I was a hard-headed I'm curious Born and raised Milwaukee 5 3 2 0 6 24th of Hopkins is where I started out in this city I Went to the NPS. I could I was like a lot of

other kids that we see today. I was just being passed along, right? And so when I got in the fourth grade, my mama wanted me to play the organ in church. So she's going to have me do music lessons. The lady told my mom, I can't teach your son how to play music. My mom was, why not? I'm paying you money. She said, your son can't read, right? And so it's like so many of the students that I see, I was one of them. And so that's when my educational journey began to change. And at that point, my parents took me out of

Milwaukee Public Schools and they put me into a private school. I think I went to that. I went there for the first year. They kicked me out immediately. They said, just so I could never come back to this school. St. John St. John's on 38. Okay. So he could never come back. I was like, I'm not. I gave them hell that year. So after 17, then what do you do? How do we get on this track? I went to the army. And so I joined the army when I was 17 years old.

And the ironic thing is, once I got in, after I did basic training, I did this thing called the MOS Military Occupational Specialty. And it was 31 November, Communications. I scored the highest in the class. So I scored undergraduate, right? And just a year prior, I'm a 1.4, 1.5 student. That's crazy. And what it taught me was, like, I had ability

But like a lot of kids that we see they're just bored. We're not connecting with them in the classroom. I mean, even if a kid can't read or write, they still have some intelligence, right? Right. I mean, if you give them a video game, they're going to run circles around me. That takes intelligence, right? It's just what we're giving out. They're not interested in or you have to be able to apply it, have them to see how they can apply what you're teaching them to their lives. And a lot of times what we say in schools, don't match up.

What's happening in our neighborhoods, right? And so that we I hate to say it like this, but I was taught this thing called a subculture, right? Was normal to us in our neighborhood. Sometimes for other people, they look down on it, but we find we feel like it's just fine. And you can't tell us anything different. So I'll use Nancy Reagan, right? When you say say no to drugs, right? Right.

And we talk about how we try to vilify these people. But in our communities, these same people on their businesses, they own their homes. They operate like normal. Right. But now you're telling me when you're trying to not smoke weed, but I own the barbershop. Ta-da. That's what I mean. You know, I smoke, but I go to work every day. And so now when you grow up, you realize everything that they telling you was hypocrisy because a lot of people.

Not just us live the same way. You know, so like your story is just crazy. And first of all, just so inspiring because we will see teachers who will have written you off. Oh, you know, and in no way imagine you come back and do the things that you do. You're alone, you know, military career. You go on to, you know, work your way in through education, becoming a principal, ultimately retiring from the district. So.

When you all are convening and coming together, do y'all have the same conversations? We haven't because we'll be here sometime like these kids today. Oh How do we grab them and bring them back? I was in Nova a couple of days ago and I was talking about voting voting registration But I had these and I had more boys and girls and I but I had these young brothers asking me so are we a blue state?

You know, are we this? So the things you don't think they talking about and they listening to they did. And, you know, they needed some clarification. But are y'all saying to see the same things we are? You see everything. I mean, as an educator, especially where I have been, my 28 years have been on the North side. OK, all 28 years. So I have seen. And this is everything I want to go.

Don't know why not I've had some of my best times or some of the most challenging situations. So I was a teacher at Malcolm X Academy, which is the old Robert Fulton I Was at Marshall I was a basketball coach at Marshall Middle School teacher and I did a lot of college tours and stuff and a lot of those kids who come from

This zip code five three two one six or whatever some of them are doing great On my page and my social media page I still highlight some of those kids because I get tired of hearing the negative negative rhetoric Right, but I'm one you can't tell that too because I have too many receipts what I mean by that is I got students right now that are financial advisors with Northwestern mutual life I got two students that are becoming medical doctors out of the medical college I have students that are real estate people the whole nine so I have

Students that are fire chiefs. From walking fire department, so I have a lot of people who I've seen become successful coming from areas that people have written them off, or they say that those kids and don't have those abilities, but they're becoming the leaders for tomorrow. So let me flip it for just a second. So, um, Dr. location Myers, her family business is education. I mean, daddy, both teachers in the public school system, uh, other family people that are close to them. So.

Her family we always say the family business is education One of the things that I hear her heart on all the time is is way too many black folks that are education adjacent So they are security at the school. They appear professional at the school, you know, you work in the kitchen You are not the teacher though. And so she is always trying to push people if you hear

You might as well be, you know, and you can't you might as well be the educator. What is the thing that we are missing that we're not either recruiting more teachers of color or we're not getting them in a classroom? I mean, it's paid a barrier. What's happening that we can't get more black folks to be educators? Education is not easy. I mean, if I can say being a teacher is not easy. And I just want to give you a little pushback. OK, some of that support staff, whether it be the cook.

Where there be the Janet or whoever they're just as important as a teacher

How do we shift that number from a 60 70% student body, but only a 30% actual teacher? Because while that that that support staff is important, the people making decisions about grades about opportunities about chances are people that don't tend to most often look like our kids. So no, no shade. Look, come on now. Everybody is important. Absolutely. So no, so that's not the Congress.

conversation, the conversation is the people. Yeah. How we, what are we doing? How are we missing the boat on bringing in more black teachers? There's a couple of things to that. So when I first became a teacher, I was at UWM. Um, I don't know what it is now, but at, at one point they only accepted 30 people a year to be teachers to go into a teacher track. And so you had to wait. And a lot of times people don't want to wait when you're trying to put food on your table. So you're going to go somewhere else with another opportunity is going.

presented so. The systemic barriers that I talked about, only so many people committed to building, that could have played a part to it as well. And the fact that education is tough. If you don't have thick skin, if you don't have thick skin, I would not ask you to come. I mean, why do I and we're up against the clock? We're about to end in our segment. But why do I need thick skin? Thick skin in what way? Because you're going to do with every issue that society has with children.

Right. So whatever kids are going through at home, they're going to bring it to school. Right. And whether it could be food issues, it could be dysfunctions that's going on in the home. As an educator, you can feel some of it because they're going to bring whatever burden they have with with them to that building.

And you can't take it personal. My kids teasing you about how you look. Oh, yeah. Oh, no, no, no. I can play the thugs. You talk about me. I'm going to talk about you. You got to have fun with the classroom. So yeah, they're going to talk about you. Dr. Myers, Dr. Myers, you know, she all little. And when she started teaching in Prince George's County, I love what he should tell the story. He should went into the classroom. She the shortest thing in the room. A greater. She the shortest thing in the room. And one of the kids was talking slick.

and she heard him and he was like ribbing her and saying whatever. She went, got a chair, pulled it up to the board, and wrote in the biggest letters she could write, yo mama. I was like, oh yeah, oh yeah. You did what? She was like, oh no, we gonna get it out the way. Don't come for me. And I was like, Keisha, you cannot do that in the classroom. Yes you can. What up?

You didn't say yes, you can't. Yes, you can't. Before you go, when you talk about being a leader or working at builders, you have to be able to listen and build relationships, right? So I went out to Vincent. And of course, Vincent has a negative stigma to it. But when you get into that building, you realize that there's some really bright kids in the building. They're just dealing with different circumstances. And so let me give you an example. I had a young man, and I'm not going to say his name, but he would come to school and he would

Always do things he wasn't supposed to first thing in the morning. So I put him out to build and whatnot. And so one day I actually caught him cutting hair in the building. Right. And so I tell him, hey, man, listen, if you don't fade me up, you got to get out today. Right. And so he pulls out this fake prank and this white stuff and he gives me a lining. But when you begin to dig deeper, I found out that he was he was at the time he was 17 living with his grandparents, grandmother. She passed away.

So he had to move into a group home. He didn't turn 18. So he had to get out and he had to get out here in this world. So there's no more, you know, safety nets. And so I found out that he was and this line that he gave me, he gave it to me in two minutes, standing up in the hallway, perfect line. And I realized, OK, he's doing this to pay rent. Right. Him and his brother. He's a senior. He's dealing with his grandmother dying. He's dealing with life changing.

Right. So he was so good that I had put it on my Facebook page and it was hilarious. Right. But G saw these clippers. Yeah. He said, tell that young man to give me a call. Right. Long story short, the young man did graduate this past June. He's down at M.A.T.C. getting his barber license. So. So but again, if you don't take the time to get to know those kids, then you'll never know what they're going through and you won't understand.

how to be able to help them get along. So look, let's do this because you're here to actually promote an event that you guys are having. So we want to make sure that folks that, you know, want to come out and support you all meet you all because it actually is me. I think cool. Like all these white educators to be able to put names and faces together. So tell people about the events you have coming up tomorrow. So we have our meeting Greek kickoff tomorrow, October 2nd. It is from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. is free.

to anybody that want to come, free food, free music, and we'll be giving out prizes. But this is our kickoff to start this 26, 27 year. And so we'll look for anybody to come out. We have live band for you to play and come find out more about MAPSY and be willing to join us and help us in this work as we work for students. And where's the event at? The event will be at the African-American Center of Wisconsin, located at 3020 West Valley Street.

Again, 3020 West Valley Street, the African American Center for of Wisconsin. Is that the women's center? I think it is. Yes. Yeah. Boy, you're about to get cussed out leaving out the women's. Oh, the African American. We're African American women's. Let me rephrase the African American Women's Center. Yeah. Yeah. It was too hard to get that building. So that's happening over 3020 West Valley. The time is six to nine p.m. It's free to get in. Is that correct? Yes. So look, y'all.

I think it's important to come out and see the people that are.

Working with our children, they need our support as much as we need them to show up in the classroom and in, you know, administrative roles to be prepared to fight and advocate on behalf of our children. It's a circle. We all got to support one another. So if you have time tomorrow, you got children in school or you just care about the state of education and you want to be able to connect with some of the people that are helping our kids navigate these systems, please consider coming out and joining these folks tomorrow. And he did say something about some prizes. So.

So, you know, I may need to come get my raffle ticket. So once again, I really, really appreciate y'all making time and reaching out Dr. Watkins. So tell folks the name of the organization again and how you pronounce it. It's the Metropolitan Milwaukee Alliance of Black School Educators. MAPSY for short. MAPSY.

Yes. And again, we've been around since 1969. Well, look, we're going to make sure that folks come out and support y'all so y'all can be around another 30, 40, 50 years because we got work to do and we need everybody that is willing to help our children. We need to support these folks. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Yep. All right, family. That is a wrap for the show for this week. I'm out. Y'all got a lot to do. Jermaine, Clark.

Appreciate you, guys. Don't get no trouble over the weekend. And family, I'll talk to you all next week. Folks online. Appreciate y'all. Everybody listening. Appreciate y'all. Peace.