WEBVTT 1 00:00:12.919 --> 00:00:50.560 Criminal justice, heal education, Good morning, afternoon, evening. However, and 2 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:53.600 whenever you are watching, you guys shouldn't know me by now, 3 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:55.799 But if you guys don't, my name is Holly's Sisa. 4 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:58.560 I'm the lovely host of this program we call Morning 5 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:02.000 Mimosa or We've Got Human Life, just this healing and 6 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:06.200 educator for the black and minority communities, and better yet, 7 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:11.319 we actually remixed that to specifically say we empower the 8 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:15.879 black and minority communities through wellness, justice and wisdom. Guys, 9 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:20.280 today we have somebody that embodies pretty much a lot 10 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:23.640 of those characteristics, and I am super duper excited to 11 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.439 have her on the show. Who I've been trying to 12 00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:28.480 get somebody from this organization to come on Morning with 13 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:31.480 Moses for a long time, So it's absolutely awesome that 14 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:34.359 she works for this organization. But she's also a martyr 15 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:38.760 in her own individuality. Right. But before we bring on 16 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:42.159 this queen, guys, let's get out one commercial from our 17 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:47.000 lovely partners here at Danelle's Crafts and Harley Hindrich. 18 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:51.840 Good Morning, afternoon or evening. 19 00:01:51.959 --> 00:01:52.959 It is Harley. 20 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.680 I am the owner of the Nales Crafts where we 21 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.840 can make crochet items from our family to yours. 22 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:00.280 There are two ways. 23 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:02.239 So you can get a handmade item for Canail's Crabs, 24 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:04.760 and I'm gonna tell you about them. The first way 25 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.280 and the easiest way, is to just pick from our 26 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:11.039 available now inventory. We have items like this awesome floppy 27 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:14.680 hat and other items that are available as is ready 28 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.639 for sale immediately. However, you might want something a little 29 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:21.960 bit more custom like this beautiful red dress. No problem, 30 00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:24.199 we got you. You would just fill out an order 31 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:27.680 form also located on our Instagram page and we will 32 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:31.120 complete your order. Something to note about a custom order 33 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:33.919 is that custom orders are to be paid for in 34 00:02:34.240 --> 00:02:36.159 full before we get started, so. 35 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.080 We can get the material before you and we can 36 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:41.479 pay the laborer ahead of their labor. If you mentioned 37 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:42.759 Morning Mimosa's. 38 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:44.840 At the end of your checkout or at any point 39 00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:46.759 you're in your purchase, you get ten. 40 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:48.599 Dollars off your total, So shout out to. 41 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:49.520 Holly for that. 42 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:54.840 Continued to partnership and support. If you want to place 43 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:58.039 an order with Gnail Crabs, we are open year round. 44 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.280 There are only two months of the year where we 45 00:03:01.319 --> 00:03:04.439 do not take orders. Of July because me the. 46 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:08.759 Owner, that's my birthday in December where we honor our 47 00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:09.919 farmers sister. 48 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:12.680 And the name of our company, Ganioker. Other than that, 49 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:15.479 order away, we are available. 50 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:29.240 Now Dame once again. Guys, that is Nanel's Crafts and 51 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:32.039 Harley Hendrix. Please please please make sure that you guys 52 00:03:32.039 --> 00:03:34.759 are buying from her. Guys, you guys have been promoting 53 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:38.479 her business for twice some time and I love, love, 54 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:42.879 love love getting based from her. But guys, I've already, 55 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:46.680 you know, praised another queen. Let's welcome another one, as 56 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:49.400 DJ called would say, to the show. But guys, let's 57 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:52.479 make sure we welcome her the proper way. You guys 58 00:03:52.560 --> 00:04:07.439 know how we do it. Oh my goodness, thank you, 59 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:09.560 thank you, thank you so much for coming on the 60 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:13.400 show today. It is such an honor to have you on. Guys. 61 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.719 I just I want her to say her name, but 62 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:17.639 I also want to say it because it's just it's 63 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:24.240 so it's so beautiful neoncore. You see how that rolls 64 00:04:24.279 --> 00:04:29.839 off the tongue. Neoncore. Just it's just sexty. I love it. Welcome, 65 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:32.920 Welcome to Morning with Moses Queen. Thank you so much 66 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:34.079 for being on the show today. 67 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:40.279 Oh so happy, Thank you so much for having me, Holly, Yes, 68 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:41.959 my name is Neoncore. 69 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.839 Also the Crochets. 70 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:46.560 I need that red dress. 71 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:51.040 Oh my okay, Harley does her thing. 72 00:04:50.959 --> 00:04:56.040 Right, Oh my gosh. And she said that she'd be 73 00:04:56.040 --> 00:04:58.279 off in July because it's her birthday. My birthday is 74 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:02.560 also in July, so I'm like, okay, let's go already 75 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:03.079 a connection. 76 00:05:04.199 --> 00:05:08.439 Yeah, absolutely love it. Well. As you guys know, we 77 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:11.720 care about the person that is our guest for the show. 78 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:14.160 So we're gonna go ahead and we're gonna ask her, 79 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.920 so just do a little introduction about herself and who 80 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:17.319 she is. 81 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:26.000 Ooh okay, this is always an interesting question. 82 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:28.120 My name is Neil burge Wage. 83 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:35.360 I am the daughter of Cecilia, a book, daughter of Nanuel. 84 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:41.160 And I say my mother's names, my grandmother's names, because 85 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:45.279 those are who I came from, those are we are 86 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.199 very much so like a matriarchal family, and so I 87 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:53.959 gotta get reverence their first and foremost. I am a storyteller. 88 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:58.920 I am a radical communicator. I like to say, as 89 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:03.439 far as like my job goes, I'm a cancer. 90 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:07.879 Piscey's moon, Virgo, rising. 91 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:13.160 Nature, girly through and through, and I'm just really honored 92 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:18.600 to be here today and really excited to unpack this 93 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:22.199 conversation feeling kind of nervous. 94 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:27.560 So yeah, like, let me let me grand myself. 95 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:32.279 You're gonna You're gonna do amazing. One of the things 96 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:34.399 that we value here in Morning and Moos is making 97 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:37.319 sure people feel like family. So if you ever get nervous, 98 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:39.920 just let me know. I'm here for you. I'm here 99 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.839 for you. So we're gonna start off with our first question. 100 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:46.360 So we're going to start off with the power of 101 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:50.639 our story. So you have worked closely with our our 102 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:54.279 Story initiative. Why was it so vital for black women 103 00:06:54.480 --> 00:07:00.279 and gender expansive individuals to archive their own truth rather 104 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.360 than letting them out, letting outside resources write them. 105 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.399 Oh, it is such a juicy question. 106 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:18.319 When it comes to our story and specifically black women 107 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:24.480 and black films to be able to be at the 108 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:31.120 frontline of that. I think it's because there's a lot 109 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:40.879 of nuance to our experiences. There is oftentimes, like at 110 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:46.360 least from my experience just listening to and I say, like, 111 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:50.240 when I talk about like storytelling, I mean like throughout 112 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:54.560 different mediums, whether that is through communications or like through 113 00:07:54.600 --> 00:08:00.519 the arts, film, anything of that sort. I feel like 114 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.480 storytelling is very much so like an Umberella, and there's 115 00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:07.079 like different ways to tell stories. But specifically when it 116 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:12.120 comes to the ways in which I experienced in the 117 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:17.399 past our stories being told, they weren't being told by us. 118 00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:25.720 They weren't or they were being exploited, and so it's like, yeah, 119 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:29.680 like you have black women who are saying these stories, 120 00:08:29.720 --> 00:08:36.279 but the person essentially like producing the story or like 121 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:39.759 directing the story or whatever, is using it for their 122 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:45.840 own gain. And I think that there's something very beautiful 123 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:50.000 when we're able to collaborate as Black women, as black 124 00:08:50.039 --> 00:08:53.200 fans to be able to not only like create the 125 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:55.919 platform to tell the story, but then also like share 126 00:08:55.960 --> 00:09:01.120 the story in a way that unpacks that nuance and 127 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:05.399 then also hosts dignity. So yeah, that's what I would 128 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:06.240 say as far as. 129 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:10.759 That, thank you so much for your response to that. 130 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:16.000 So from the research that I've done in the here 131 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:22.159 Black Women's Series, you use poetry to explore complex topics 132 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:27.360 like reproductive justice. How does art help us communicate things 133 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:31.480 that standard conversations sometimes can't reach. 134 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:39.200 MM, Well, first and foremost they hear Black Women's Series, 135 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:44.360 such an amazing, such an amazing project I want to 136 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:50.200 shout out my good sis free for just the idea 137 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:51.440 and the creative direction. 138 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:54.399 So it's a three part series. 139 00:09:55.440 --> 00:10:00.720 The first one was a short documentary which interview three 140 00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:06.759 black women about their experiences navigating through abortion and reproductive justice. 141 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:12.240 And then my part was like poetry talking about like 142 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:15.519 the reclamation of the black women's body. And then the 143 00:10:15.600 --> 00:10:18.519 third one was a call to action when it comes 144 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:26.200 to how do we hold lawmakers accountable? So that was 145 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:29.519 just like an amazing, amazing, amazing project I would say 146 00:10:29.639 --> 00:10:32.519 for to hear black women. 147 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.360 Like the poem the Black Women's Body poem. 148 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.600 Specifically, the way. 149 00:10:40.440 --> 00:10:43.000 That I was approaching that project was. 150 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:51.120 How again, like how do how do I how do 151 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:55.600 we like really like center dignity and how do we 152 00:10:55.679 --> 00:11:00.000 also use art to transform and open up conversations around 153 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:06.399 hard issues. As an artist, I do believe that art 154 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:09.799 is one of, uh one of the ways and like 155 00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:13.159 a very important tool to be able to talk about 156 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:17.200 like very hard conversations when it comes to issues because 157 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:22.279 working in just like the nonprofit space, like social justice space, 158 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:24.919 sometimes language is like. 159 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:28.360 What are these big words that we're using, Like what 160 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.799 does this mean? Da da da da da? 161 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:32.799 And so it's like, how do we like translate that 162 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:36.279 to something real, like something that you could like actually 163 00:11:36.279 --> 00:11:38.639 feel in your body and you could be able to 164 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:39.559 like open up and be. 165 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.399 Like, hey, you know, like I don't know what. 166 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:44.480 Reproductive justice means, but. 167 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:47.759 I do know that I want to reclaim my body, 168 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:49.639 you know, Like I do know that I want to 169 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:53.200 have like autonomy over my body, over my choices and whatnot, 170 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.279 and so like what does that look like? 171 00:11:56.679 --> 00:11:59.120 But yeah, so I feel like for me. 172 00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:03.759 I've always thought like that art was like that middle 173 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:08.320 language that can like translate and allow people to because 174 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:12.120 art makes you feel, you know, as someone who creates it, 175 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:15.480 as someone who experiences it, it does. 176 00:12:15.360 --> 00:12:17.360 Open you up in a way, and it's like I 177 00:12:17.399 --> 00:12:19.360 don't really like let me explore this more. 178 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:21.039 Do I want to learn about this? Do I not 179 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:21.960 want to learn about this? 180 00:12:22.039 --> 00:12:26.679 But it like makes you feel something, and so yeah, 181 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:31.360 like it's a different language within itself. And I really 182 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:37.320 felt honored to be able to even be considered for 183 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:41.320 that for that project, and I thought it was like 184 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:46.039 a beautiful way, especially like the way like the series happened. 185 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:50.080 That was absolutely awesome And I'm glad that you were 186 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:52.279 able to be a part of something so amazing, because 187 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:55.039 it just seems like you're just doing just amazing things 188 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:59.240 with art and being able to translate that with justice. 189 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:03.399 I'm like, that's I'm not saying, that's not an easy 190 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.519 thing to do. So I'm glad that you're able to 191 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.919 navigate through that. So my next question has to do 192 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:15.840 with healing through creativity. So you're yes for me. So 193 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:21.600 your work spans poetry, dance, and digital media. Do you 194 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:23.919 find that different art forms that allow you to tap 195 00:13:24.039 --> 00:13:29.840 into different parts of your own healing journey? 196 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:40.600 The short answer is yes, Yeah. I think. 197 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:48.759 When it comes to writing, writing for me feels very 198 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:55.879 much so meditative. I think of my journal as my therapist. 199 00:13:55.919 --> 00:14:00.159 I think that's the best way to describe that. When 200 00:14:00.200 --> 00:14:09.080 it comes to movement, it's it's somatic. I'm somebody who 201 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:13.960 struggles with being in my body, and so it's very 202 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:17.519 important for me to do things that make me be 203 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:21.360 in my body, whether that is dancing, whether it is 204 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:28.399 like performative are like, whether it's exercise, like I need 205 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.639 to be in my body because I'm somebody who will 206 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:35.840 literally like be like bye, like I disassociate a lot, 207 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:40.679 and so that for me is very healing to be 208 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:42.360 able to just be grounded. 209 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:46.360 And then when it comes to just. 210 00:14:46.279 --> 00:14:51.240 Like digital media and like multimedia and like exploring in 211 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:56.039 that form, that's like my creative healing for real, for real. 212 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:00.840 So yeah, I feel like they tap, Like it's just 213 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:05.679 like caps different aspects of healing for me and of grounding, 214 00:15:06.120 --> 00:15:12.399 And I think it's beautiful because I'm able to have 215 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.159 to be present in order to figure out like what 216 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:23.840 kind of expression I'm looking for. There's this person I 217 00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:25.559 there's like a TED talk that I watched and it 218 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.080 was talking about like the eight Oh, I'm sorry. It 219 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:34.840 was talking about like the different dimensions of rest. I 220 00:15:34.840 --> 00:15:38.000 don't know if you're familiar with the NAP ministry and 221 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:41.399 like Trish er Hershey and the amazing work that she does, 222 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:45.039 but this person was just talking about like there are 223 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:47.919 different ways in which you need to rest, and the 224 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:51.159 ways in which I think about healing is very much 225 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:56.960 so from like a rest perspective until it's like you 226 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:00.000 need to Like there's like I don't want to butcher it, 227 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:03.320 y'all should look it up, but it's like like how 228 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:07.960 do you rest spiritually? Like how do you rest socially? 229 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:13.720 Like how do you rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and then 230 00:16:13.799 --> 00:16:15.320 I'm going to forget the other three So I'm not 231 00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:18.120 even gonna say it, but I feel like that's kind 232 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:22.399 of how I approach my creative work too. It's like, 233 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:25.080 what are the different dimensions that I'm trying to tap 234 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:28.240 into as I'm creating. And not only that, but also 235 00:16:28.279 --> 00:16:32.320 it's like I'm experiencing because art heals me too. 236 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:38.200 I thank you so much for sharing that. So we're 237 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:40.720 going to go into the fourth question. We have three 238 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:44.240 more questions to go, and this one pertains to the 239 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:50.200 spirit of rest. Now. Yeah, so, as you guys heard 240 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.559 in the beginning, she is she works for the soldierscl 241 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:57.639 Sisters here in Colorado because I know I have my 242 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:00.120 podcast is national so that I have to reach or 243 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:02.320 I mentioned that. So it is an organization here in 244 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:06.039 Colorado that she works for, and they often emphasize that 245 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:12.359 rest is a spiritual practice. As a multi media artist 246 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:17.039 and professional, how do you personally protect your peace and 247 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.559 make room for rest? Mm hmm. 248 00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:24.960 That is such a good question and funny that like 249 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:27.400 that was the next question I'm talking about. 250 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:36.920 Ooh, I struggle with this, I do. 251 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:46.200 I think right now, the ways in which I'm prioritizing 252 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:55.920 rest is by it's gonna sound crazy, but by saying yes, 253 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:02.359 by like saying yes to supper is. I think what 254 00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:04.799 protects protects. 255 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:07.920 Me is whimsy. 256 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:11.519 Like I'm a very whimsical person, and I think that 257 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:15.680 sometimes in the work, especially like movement work, being in 258 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:21.279 movement spaces, trying to advocate for community being met with 259 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:28.160 like so much rigidness, it's very hard to be whimsical 260 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:32.359 to like hold on to the joy, to like like no, 261 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:35.400 like the world is really a great place and. 262 00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.119 It's not doom and gloom. 263 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.880 And so I feel like I've been saying yes to 264 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:48.960 surprises and that's been helping me rest more because it's like, 265 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:56.319 oh so like an example that I can give one 266 00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:02.640 of my friends was and this somebody maybe friend is 267 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:05.279 a stretch and my friends, my real friends, they're gonna 268 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.680 be like, this is your problem. 269 00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:10.200 You be thinking everybody is a friend. 270 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:18.559 But it was a cool surprise because I was recently 271 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:26.319 asked to I'm trying to like say my words in 272 00:19:26.359 --> 00:19:29.920 a way that won't get me in trouble. Somebody asked 273 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:32.279 me if I can come to a film premiere that 274 00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:33.480 was sold out. 275 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:36.640 We didn't have no tickets. 276 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:40.599 They were like come and I said, yes, let's go. 277 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.720 Let's pull up. 278 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:50.400 And I pulled and it was an event. 279 00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:52.960 And I don't know if you know about Boots Riley, 280 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.720 but Boots Riley was there and I got to meet 281 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:55.279 Boots Riley. 282 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:56.759 It was like so cool. 283 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:01.559 He wrote sorry to bother You and then the show 284 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:04.759 I Am a Virgo. He has a new movie coming 285 00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:09.200 out called I Love Boosters. Yet we watched I Love 286 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:11.880 Boosters and it was like a special premiere. 287 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.440 But I feel like that's how I'm protected my resk by. 288 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:21.079 Like feeding my spirit, like feeding my creativity, like feeding 289 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:27.359 my whimsy, feeding like all the things that make me great. 290 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:32.240 I absolutely love that, and I don't I don't blame it. 291 00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:36.200 We only live once, right, so you know you're not 292 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:47.519 doing anything criminal. No, I absolutely love that. So we're 293 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:50.000 gonna move over to the question number five, which is 294 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:59.359 the the ancestral connection. Hm hm, So I am also 295 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:05.160 I was born to Kongali's parents, so I I know 296 00:21:05.240 --> 00:21:08.440 a little bit. But the question pertaining to that is, 297 00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:11.960 you have been involved in traditional African dance and drumming, 298 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:17.799 drumming assemblies. How does connecting with those ancestral rhythms feed 299 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:21.240 into the work of the modern day liberation. 300 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:29.599 Ooh, the immediate answer is sankofa. You know, like we 301 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:35.000 gotta go back and get it. And for me, I 302 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.480 have had the privilege of. 303 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.559 Just being. 304 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:49.200 Sitting literally at the feet of many amazing elders in community. 305 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:52.079 Shout out to Seneca, shout out to go to Peiju, 306 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:57.279 who have they They're the ones that literally like, no, 307 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:00.519 you know, like you gotta you gotta be rooted in 308 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:04.440 terms of like your ancestry and your spirituality. It's interesting 309 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:07.720 to me because I actually grew up a Jehovah's witness 310 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:13.119 and so like for me, and not only that, but 311 00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:17.599 like migrated here when I was really young, and so 312 00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:21.119 I didn't really have a connection to I would say, 313 00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:30.480 like my ancestors my just like family outside of my 314 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:34.759 mom and my sisters. And so I feel like that 315 00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:39.599 work has been very important in allowing me to like 316 00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:41.440 reclaim who I am and who I know to be. 317 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:51.519 And it's it continues to just like unpack every single day. 318 00:22:52.359 --> 00:22:55.240 But I will say when it comes to just like 319 00:22:55.519 --> 00:23:00.680 the dancing and the drumming, I want to be accountable 320 00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.880 and say, just in case. 321 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:10.279 You know, I haven't been to dance in a while. 322 00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:21.200 I'll hold myself accountable, okay, but I feel like it's 323 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:24.039 just so much deeper. I don't know, the work is 324 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:27.599 so much deeper than just like exploring the dance and 325 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:34.359 exploring the drums and again just like that unearthing and 326 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:40.359 opening inside which has led me to. 327 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.240 So many things. 328 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:48.000 Who well, I thank you for sharing that. We are 329 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:52.599 on questionabistics, which is going to go into defining restoration. 330 00:23:53.359 --> 00:23:56.680 When we talk about community restoration, we are often talking 331 00:23:56.680 --> 00:24:02.200 about more than just finances. What does a truly restored 332 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:04.799 community in Denver look like to you? 333 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:13.480 That's a tough question. 334 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.039 It is. 335 00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:25.000 It looks like, yeah, it looks like collaboration. 336 00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:33.160 I think that it requires everybody to quote unquote have 337 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.599 a seat at the table. 338 00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.480 I feel like. 339 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:43.680 Everyone has different needs and that's what I've learned more 340 00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:49.359 than anything in doing this work. And some people's needs 341 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:52.559 are immediate, you know, like it's like, no, I literally 342 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:55.400 need food right now, or I need housing right now, 343 00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:59.599 or I need this thing right now. Like some things 344 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:06.039 are very urgent, while other things are not so much urgent, 345 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:11.480 And so it's like, how do we hold space for 346 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:16.480 those conversations and how do we allow people to feel 347 00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:23.240 safe to name their urgent needs because a lot of 348 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:26.599 people don't because they feel like people don't care or 349 00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:32.200 don't know, or like there's just like people are disconnected. 350 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:34.799 And I think that there are different priorities when it 351 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:35.440 comes to. 352 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:39.720 The city of Denver. 353 00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:47.000 Overall, everything's just like so spread out, and sometimes I 354 00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:53.480 wish it would like come together to be able to 355 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:57.680 like hold all those complexities because there are people who 356 00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:01.880 are making decisions for people who aren't in the room, 357 00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:05.640 and I don't think that's okay, Okay, do we get 358 00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:09.559 the people in the room and what does it require? 359 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:17.720 But I think that sometimes like being in community. I've 360 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.519 been saying this a lot lately, is like it can 361 00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:25.759 be inconvenient, and so like are you willing to inconvenienced? 362 00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:30.160 And so ask the real question like are you willing 363 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:32.400 to go, you know, like pick up that person that 364 00:26:32.519 --> 00:26:34.480 you feel like needs to be in the room. 365 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:39.160 Are you willing to listen? Are we willing to wait? 366 00:26:39.680 --> 00:26:41.000 Are we willing to hurry up? 367 00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:45.039 So it's a very complicated question. 368 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:51.000 That's interesting that you mentioned that because my last question 369 00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:55.599 for you is pertaining to the creative call to action. 370 00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:01.119 So for the listeners who want to support social change 371 00:27:01.160 --> 00:27:04.519 but don't feel like activists, how can they use their 372 00:27:04.599 --> 00:27:08.799 own unique creative gifts to help the movement. 373 00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:13.200 I love this question. 374 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:25.200 Because it is unique, and I almost think that in 375 00:27:25.319 --> 00:27:29.160 movement spaces and like social justice and like social change spaces, 376 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:35.640 the narrative is that you have to be at the 377 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.839 front lines and you have to like go and you 378 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:39.799 have to protest, and you have to put your body 379 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:41.759 on the plane, and you have to do all this stuff. 380 00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:45.599 And it's like, that's not true. That is literally not true. 381 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:51.119 I for me think that the uniqueness comes from like 382 00:27:51.160 --> 00:27:53.240 who you are and what you are willing to bring, 383 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:58.039 whether that is through your art and that could look 384 00:27:58.119 --> 00:28:04.039 like whatever, you know, like music, dancing, It could whether 385 00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:06.559 or not you want to like you know, like go 386 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:11.160 feed your community, like that's literally you're doing social change 387 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:16.160 work there. Whether you want to read, knowledge is power, 388 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:21.000 you know, like read, you could read, you know, like 389 00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:24.240 you could research, you could you could do so many things, 390 00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:28.039 you know, like and it does it's not just about 391 00:28:28.079 --> 00:28:30.119 like being on the front lines and like putting your 392 00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:33.519 body in a line, like there are so many things. 393 00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:36.400 I think it's more so like for me, like I 394 00:28:36.440 --> 00:28:39.759 think like social justice and like social change and like 395 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:43.200 movement is a value, and so it's like, how do 396 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:45.119 you break down that value and like what are you 397 00:28:45.160 --> 00:28:48.960 willing to like contribute from that? 398 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:53.839 And you guys heard that here and that's why I 399 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:56.839 made sure that that was the last question. A lot 400 00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:59.160 lot a lot of people don't know where to start 401 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.720