#RolandMartinUnfiltered - Mason, TN Going to Court, Banks & Slavery, Obama At The White House, Gaetz v Austin, Melanie Dolls

Episode Date: April 6, 2022

4.5.2022 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Mason, TN Going to Court, Banks & Slavery, Obama At The White House, Gaetz v Austin, Melanie Dolls A  majority-Black Tennessee town is fighting back against the state's comptroller's financial takeover. Represented by the NAACP, the town of Mason is headed to court tomorrow after accusing Jason Mumpower of violating the Equal Protection Clause and going beyond his authority under state and federal law as comptroller through unlawful efforts to take over the town's finances. We'll have an update from the President of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP. A heated exchange between Rep. Matt Gaetz and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin clashed during today's House Armed Services Committee.   In Georgia, a black professor no longer teaches in-person classes after she called campus police to remove two students for being two minutes late. And it's being called the largest settlement Georgia has paid out in about 30 years for the death of a black man. President Barak Obama was back at the White House today to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act. The Role of Financial Institutions in the Horrors of Slavery and the Need for Atonement was today's topic in The House Financial Services Committee hearing. We'll explore that with Rev. Mark Thompson, the Senior Advisor at the Institute of Politics Policy. And in this week's Marketplace, a toymaker is doing what she can to make sure black beauty is represented. Support #RolandMartinUnfiltered and #BlackStarNetwork via the Cash App ☛ https://cash.app/$rmunfiltered PayPal ☛ https://www.paypal.me/rmartinunfiltered Venmo ☛https://venmo.com/rmunfiltered Zelle ☛ [e-mail] Annual or monthly recurring #BringTheFunk Fan Club membership via paypal ☛ https://rolandsmartin.com/rmu-paypal/ Download the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox 👉🏾 http://www.blackstarnetwork.com #RolandMartinUnfiltered and the #BlackStarNetwork are news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bring your eyeballs home. You dig? We'll be right back. Today is Tuesday, April 5th, 2022. Coming up on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. A majority black Tennessee town is fighting back against the state controller's financial takeover. We'll talk with the president of the Tennessee State Conference, the NAACP. They are suing the state controller on behalf of Mason, Tennessee. Also, folks, on today's show, a heated exchange between Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

They clashed during today's House Armed Services Committee. Of course, Republicans and their nonsense about critical race theory. In Georgia, a black professor is no longer teaching in-person classes after she called the cops to remove two black students who were two minutes late to her class.

It's also being called the largest settlement Georgia has paid out in about 30 years for the death of a black man. Those two stories out of Georgia. President Barack Obama was back at the White House today to celebrate the success of the Affordable Care Act. We'll show you what took place and the role of financial institutions in the, of course, first dealing with the issue

of slavery. The need for atonement was today's topic at the House Financial Services Committee hearing. We'll explore that with Reverend Mark Thompson, the senior advisor of the Institute of Politics and Policy. And in this week's Marketplace segment, a toy maker is doing what she can to make sure black beauty is represented.

Folks, it's time to bring the funk. I'm Roland Martin, unfiltered, on the Black Star Network, he's on it. Whatever it is, he's got the scoop, the fact, the fine. And when it breaks, he's right on time. And it's rolling. Best belief he's knowing. Putting it down from sports to news to politics. With entertainment just for kicks.

He's rolling. It's Uncle Roro, y'all. It's Uncle Roro, yo It's Rollin' Martin, yeah Rollin' with Rollin' now He's funky, he's fresh, he's real the best You know he's Rollin' Martin Now Martin All right, folks, the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP, they are suing the state controller on behalf of Mason, Tennessee.

They're seeking a temporary injunction tomorrow to cease the financial takeover of that particular town. The NAACP is helping out this majority black town file this lawsuit against Tennessee's comptroller claiming discriminatory practices. Last month, Tennessee comptroller Jason Mumpower said he was taking over the town's finances because of financial mismanagement and it has significant financial debts. Joining me now from Jackson, Tennessee, is Gloria Sweetlove, president of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP. Gloria, glad to have you on the show.

What is the standing of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP in filing this lawsuit? Well, we are the premier organization that believes in civil rights and social justice, not only in Tennessee, but across the nation. We have been on the ground with the officials in Mason since this first happened. In this unprecedented move, once Ford announced that they were going to bring a $5.6 billion plant to the area, and Mason is only about four and a half miles from that site. There would definitely be more business and more industry. All of a sudden, in an unprecedented move, Munpower sent, first of all, a letter to all of the citizens of Mason trying to get them to surrender their charter.

Of course, we showed up and say, don't surrender your charter. Of all the things you do, keep your charter because that gives you the power. He pushed forward to take over their finances. And we've said that we know that there is nothing in Tennessee Code Annotated Law at all that gives them the power to do that. So we're standing with Mason, uh, filing for some injunctive relief.

And we are standing with Mason and asking people to support Mason as they pay back $250,000 that this administration did not cause to be missing, but that happened in the previous all-white administration, but was actually passed down to this particular administration. And it certainly raises questions why the comptroller did not actually take action against the city when it was run by white folks.

Exactly. And the thing of it is, he does not have the authority to do that. You have to understand, this comptroller is a former speaker of the House of Representatives in Tennessee. He got beat out for that seat. And now he felt like he could come and levy his power over these people. But we say, no, no. We're going

to stand with them. We were rallying with them on Saturday. We are asking people to support them by giving to the cause and making sure that we pay back, they pay back this debt so that they can move forward and becoming the town that they really want to be

because they love their town and he has no authority to take it over. So, uh, on that particular point, saying he doesn't have the authority, uh, and so, but according to the Comptroller, he does. So, what does the Constitution say?

Well, nowhere, our lawyers have looked, uh, at Tennessee Code annotated throughout, and he does not. There's nothing that gives a comptroller authority to take over a town. The thing with him taking over the finances, that's what our lawsuit is about, to give us some injunctive relief to allow them to pay back. They've actually taken part of their CARES Act funds and paid back part of the money.

So now they still owe an additional $250,000. Remember, the current administration, Mayor Gooden and Vice Mayor Rivers and those all in person, they did not create this debt. This debt was created in the administration before them. No, he does not have the power to do it, and we believe a judge

will side with us. All right, then. Well, look, that's taking place tomorrow. What time is the hearing tomorrow and which city in Tennessee? It is in Nashville, and I think it is at 11 a.m. You said 11 a.m.? Which city?

Nashville, Tennessee. All right then. So we'll certainly be following up tomorrow to see what happens in that court in Tennessee. Thanks a lot. Thank you. All right, folks. Bringing in my panel right now, Dr. Mustafa Santel-Ghali,

former senior advisor for environmental justice at the EPA. Teresa Lundy, principaler of TML Communications. She at the dog house after last week. Yeah, you know why. And then, uh-huh, uh-huh, trying to say I'm in the same age group as your dad and he dang near 90 years old. Stop it. And we were joined later by Demario Solomon-Simmons,

Civil Rights Attorney and Founder for Justice for Greenwood. This battle back and forth here is important, Mustafa. And this is why it's important to have civil rights groups who also can utilize their lawyers to fight on behalf of African Americans. And I hear people complain, oh, I don't know what the NAACP is doing or I don't know what these groups are doing. People have no idea that there are many court challenges

that take place that folks simply don't hear about. This is one of the things that they actually do. You know, the NAACP and a number of our organizations, they just, they do the work. You know, it's not always about being in the middle of the news. It's about, you know, doing those foundational things to help our communities to be in a better place. This is just one additional example. We now have our own folks

who are fighting this hostile takeover. Let me say it again. It is a hostile takeover, $5.6 billion plant. This is a future plant, but yet we've got these actions that are very antiquated that, you know, folks there in Tennessee are trying to do to hurt literally this Black community. That plant is going to be focused on bringing, you know, the next generation of trucks and batteries, when we talk about this clean economy, into the mix. So as people are trying to move forward with new technology and new opportunities, now folks are trying to sneak in and take, you know, the resources away from this Black community and take their power away.

So that's why the NAACP and others are so critical in helping to protect our power and helping to protect our wealth. So, again, Teresa, this has been an ongoing battle here. And it is worth asking to the Comptroller, where were you when white folks were running this joint? Yeah, I mean, that is the question of the hour. But part of it is, you know, same point to Mustafa's. Having these organizations, these civil rights organizations working on the back end

of individuals that they are representing, you know, sometimes it's not being on the front lines of protesting, but it is being in the courtroom. And so I think people are getting a real-life, you know, front-runner understanding of some of the civil rights membership dues, where the membership dues are going, but also making a precedent so this issue doesn't happen again. Indeed, indeed. All right, folks, going to a break.

We come back on Roland Martin Unfiltered. Drama on Capitol Hill today. Pentagon Secretary Lloyd Austin got into a fierce back and forth with an idiot out of Florida, Matt Gaetz. You know the one who's under investigation having sex with underage women? Yeah, that same Matt Gaetz. And so wait till we show you what he had to say as a part of

the Republicans continuing nonsense over critical race theory and the issue of race. Not only that, wait till we show you a bill that's being offered by a white Republican woman in Ohio. I told y'all this is not just about critical race theory. It's about 1619 Project. It's about diversity, equity, inclusion. So, we're going to show you that

and so to understand what's going on by white Republicans in the United States. You're watching Roller Barton Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. On the next Get Wealthy, did you know that the majority of households headed by African American women

don't own a single share of stock, no wonder the wealth gap continues to widen. Next on Get Wealthy, you're going to hear from a woman who decided to change that. I have been blessed with good positions, good pay, but it wasn't until probably in the last couple of years that I really invested in myself to get knowledge about what I should be doing with that money and how to productively use it. Right here on Get Wealthy on Blackstar Network. Pull up a chair, take your seat. The Black Tape. Pull up a chair, take your seat, the black tape. With me, Dr. Greg Carr, here on the Black Star Network.

Every week, we'll take a deeper dive into the world we're living in. Join the conversation only on the Black Star Network. You ever want to do a soap opera? I did it before on Another World. I did it years ago with Joe Morton, Morgan Freeman, called Another World. It's the funk now, but that's how I started in TV, on Another World. I did it years ago with Joe Morton, Morgan Freeman. Called Another World. It's the funk now, but that's how I started, in TV. You?

My first job. You? My very first TV job. Joe Morton and Morgan Freeman were on a soap opera? Together. Yes. I know. Oh, I loved it.

I played a prostitute. I was real raw. My name was Lily Mason. I was a hoe on Tuesday, and then I owned the town two weeks later. That's how they do you. Right, that's how Tuesday, and then I owned the town two weeks later. That's how they do you. Right, that's how it's so popular.

You evolve, yeah. So now I'm on this, but I'm rich from Jump Street. So I'm loving it. Hi, I'm B.B. Winans. Hi, I'm Kim Burrell. Hi, I'm B.B. Winans. Hi, I'm Kim Burrell. Hi, I'm Carl Painting. Hey, everybody, this is Sherri Shepherd. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered,

and while he's doing Unfiltered, I'm practicing the wobble. Today on Capitol Hill, Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida showed his whole ass when he was questioning Pentagon Secretary Lloyd Austin. Folks, if you want to see Stuck Unstupid and what today's Republican Party looks like, watch this fool. Secretary Austin, why should American taxpayers fund lectures at the National Defense University that promote socialism as a strategy to combat China? It's the National Defense University as an academic institution, and I don't know of any such lecture. Well, that's surprising because it was widely reported. The National Defense University had Thomas Piketty come,

and this was the title of his lecture, responding to China, the case for global justice and democratic socialism. So now that you know that they did this, would you agree that embracing socialism is not an effective strategy to combat China? Well, I certainly don't agree with embracing socialism. I think so. That means I'm sorry. We're not going to do this. We're not going to let the guy say four words and still talk and then cut him off. I control the time, Mr. Chairman. Yeah, but you also have to be fair to the witnesses.

No, but I got the answer I wanted. I have a follow-up. My follow-up question is if we don't embrace it, then I guess why did the National Defense University put out a statement? Again, this is funded by U.S. taxpayers, saying in this talk, Mr. Piketty will argue that the right answer lies in ending Western arrogance and promoting a new emancipatory and egalitarian horizon on a global scale, a new form of democratic and participatory ecological and post-colonial socialism. So why would we invite people we don't agree with to evangelize views and values that we don't share at the National Defense University when we should be learning strategy about how to

combat our enemies and make assessments that are accurate? And we do learn a lot about strategy and about about the military and about joint force development and so that is our focus in these in these institutions I don't know what the what the context of this particular or content of this but Mr. secretary I've shared with you the context the context wasn't better understand socialism so we can defeat it the context wasn't better understand socialism so we can defeat it. The context wasn't learn about it so that we can offer countermeasures. The concept was that it's time for socialism. And the reason I know that's the context is because the lecture was pulled from a book written by Thomas Piketty entitled Time for Socialism. And I just can't help but like notice.

And so your question was whether or not we- I control the time. Your question was whether or not we embrace socialism. You guys have been blowing a lot of calls lately on matters of strategy, Mr. Secretary. And I just can't help but notice... And so your question was whether or not we... I control the time. Your question was whether or not we embrace socialism. You guys have been blowing a lot of calls lately on matters of strategy, Mr. Secretary. You guys told us that Russia couldn't lose. You told us that the Taliban couldn't immediately win. And so I guess I'm wondering, what in the $773 billion that you're requesting today

is going to help you make assessments that are accurate in the face of so many blown calls. You've seen what's in our budget. You've seen how the budget matches the strategy. And so I'll let that speak for itself. Well, I mean, I've also seen that we're behind, Mr. Secretary. We're behind in hypersonics. We failed to deter Russia. Last year, China flew more sorties— So what do you mean we're behind in hypersonics? How do you— Okay, who's ahead in hypersonics. We failed to deter Russia. Last year, China flew more sorties. So what do you mean we're behind in hypersonics? How do you? Okay, who's ahead in hypersonics?

How do you make that assessment? I don't know. I make that assessment because China is fielding hypersonic weapons systems, and we are still developing them. I make that assessment because Russia actually used one. By the way, your own people brief us that we are behind and that China is winning. Are you aware of the briefings we get on hypersonics? By the way, your own people brief us that we are behind and that China is winning. Are you aware of the briefings we get on hypersonics?

I am certainly aware of briefings that we provide to Congress. But it's not just the hypersonics. It's all over the world. It's in Taiwan, where China last year flew more sorties than ever before. It's North Korea on pace to shatter prior records, the number of missiles that they are testing. And so while everyone else in the world seems to be developing capabilities and being more strategic we got time to embrace critical race theory at West Point to embrace socialism at the National Defense University to do mandatory pronoun training do you know it's it's again this is the most capable the most combat credible force in the world it has, and it will be so going forward.

Not if we continue down this path. Not if we embrace socialism. The fact that you're embarrassed by your country? Oh, no, no, no. I'm embarrassed by your leadership. I am not embarrassed for my country. I wish we were not losing to China. It's what you're saying.

You know what? That is so disgraceful that you would sit here and conflate your failures with the failures of the uniformed service members. You guys said that Russia would overrun Ukraine in 36 days. You said that the Taliban would be kept at bay for months. You totally blew those calls. And maybe we would be better at them if the National Defense University actually worked a little more on strategy and a little less on wokeism. Has it occurred to you that Russia has not overrun Ukraine because of what we've done and our allies have done?

But that was baked into your flawed assessment. That was baked into your flawed assessment. And so I saw that the Obama administration tried to destroy our military by starving it of resources. And it seems the Biden administration is trying to destroy our military by force feeding it wokeism. I yield back. Folks, that whole display shows you how much of an ass Matt Gaetz is. But that's today's Republican Party. Take Ohio Representative Jean Schmidt.

She has introduced House Bill 616 that is going to do this here. It says that school districts shall not select any textbook, instructional material, or academic curriculum that promotes any divisive or inherently racist concept described in section 3313.6029, the revised code. Check this out, y'all. As used in this section, divisive or inherently racist concepts include all of the following. Critical race theory, intersectional theory,

the 1619 Project, diversity, equity, and inclusion learning outcomes, inherited racial guilt, any other concept that the State Board of Education defines as divisive or inherently racist in accordance with rules adopted under Chapter 119 of the Revised Code. Now, again, what you're facing here, and what did I warn y'all from day one? I warned y'all. This had nothing to do with critical race theory.

That that was the umbrella they were trying to put everything under. The goal here, very simple to Mario, is to attack anything dealing with race, dealing with diversity, dealing with inclusion. And dealing with black people's history in this country. No doubt, Roland, you're 100% correct. This is really trying to make sure that our history is not taught. And not only just our history, but their history of destruction, their history of colonialism,

their history of enslavement, their history of genocide, their history of land theft, their history of redlining, their history of Jim Crowism. That is what they don't want to be talked about. It says inherit guilt. What do you mean inherit guilt? It's just the facts as it is in this country. It's inherited guilt. What do you mean inherited guilt? It's just the facts

as it is in this country. It's a fact that you burned down Greenwood in 1921. It is a fact that you killed Dr. King in 1968. It is a fact that Rodney King was beaten almost to death in 1991 and you sent his trial out to a white area called Simi Valley for those officers to be

acquitted. Those are facts. This here is Senator Jean Schmidt, Teresa, as reporters are trying to ask her questions. See, I've got to go to the Senate. Please don't harass me. No, I can't. Please. Why do you feel the need to introduce this here in Ohio? Why do you want to talk about this?

I don't know. Boy, amazing how when they have to ask them questions, oh, oh, my God, don't harass me. The reporter is simply asking you questions. Oh, oh my God, don't harass me. The reporter is simply asking you questions. Agreed. You know, part of it is you have to take a look at how some of these elected officials, once they get elected, they choose to be cut off from the public. You know, so I'm sure the reporters probably sent an email, tried to get the same answer, likely tweeted their office to try to get a response. But this is essentially what we see. We see elected officials, you know, they want to be

bold about the legislation that they put out. But when it comes to trying to get real answers for the concerns of the people, they are running back to sit in the Senate chambers or the House chambers and, you know, they're probably sitting there not talking for the next 20 to 30 minutes until they're brought up for their time to speak. But again, you know, dodging crucial questions that essentially they're making a decision on our lives. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time.

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Here's the deal. We got to set ourselves up. See, retirement is the long game. We got to make moves and make them early. Set up goals. Don't worry about a setback. Just save up and stack up to reach them. Let's put ourselves in the right position. Pre-game to greater things. Start building your retirement plan at thisispretirement.org. Brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council.

The thing, Mustafa, is, again, they are so angry over the fact that we now have a voice in redefining what America looks like. What they want us is to continue to buy the nonsense of the white view of America and how it was created and how it is viewed? You know, the whitewashing, you know, of history in our country has always been there. They've just now, you know, sort of hyperized it. We also got to be very clear. This is a part of a strategy. You know, this is not folks just kind of doing stuff.

Folks understand that Ohio is going to be critical in 2022 and 2024. And, you know, we have to just understand that individuals, these elected officials are trying to find leverage to, or actually trying to, you know, build these things between communities so that they can win votes. And that's just what a part of this is about. The other part of it is, we just need to call out the fact that Secretary Austin is a member, he's one of the folks with that real high integrity

in who they are and how they conduct themselves. And Matt Gaetz, he's up for, or he's being investigated because of sleeping you know, sleeping with a minor. So we just need to call out the fact that those two different dynamics that you saw when he was being, you know, questioned there on Capitol Hill, you know, the two different types of men and how they've led their lives and the value that we should place in, you know, what's going on in that space. Well, we just have to understand the war that we're engaged in.

And this is why, Demario, my book, White Fear, is dropping in September, because this is precisely what I'm talking about. This is absolute white fear run amok and them using their political power. Yeah, and as a former state lobbyist for a progressive institute here in Oklahoma, I know what's going on here. You have these bills that are already templates that are drafted by places like ALEC.

They give these particular legislators the bill, and they run on it. And as we just stated, they use this for votes. They are afraid of losing power. They're afraid of losing the ability to be over everything, to take everything for themselves and for their community. That includes monetary power, voting power, economic power, and also the mind educational power. You know, Dr. Carter G. Wilson told us, if you control

a man's thoughts, you don't have to worry about his actions. And that's what they're trying to do here. They're trying to control the thoughts of Americans about the true history of this country. It's distasteful, it's disgusting, but it's par for the course. This is what America's always been about. This is what Trump means when he says, make America great again.

Going back to a white supremacist mind state where they can control every aspect of our learning, our movement, our money, and our ability to live as free and independent people. Well, and that's what we gotta be prepared for, and a lot of that was because of the person we're about to show next, when he was elected. That's President Barack Obama.

He was at the White House today, uh, for a celebration with the Affordable Care Act, and the chain that the Biden-Harris administration is making to it. And so, here is what took place today when President Barack Obama had sort of a homecoming with his VP Biden at the White House. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, everybody. Have a seat. Have a seat.

Thank you. Vice President Biden. Vice President. That was a joke. That was all set up. My president, Joe Biden. Vice President Harris. Our dear friend, Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all the members of Congress who are in

attendance today, the members of Cabinet, it is good to be back in the White House. It's been a while. I confess I heard some changes have been made by the current president since I was last here. Apparently, Secret Service agents have to wear aviator glasses now. The Navy mess has been replaced by a Baskin-Robbins. And there's a cat running around,

which I guarantee you Bo and Sonny would have been very unhappy about. But coming back, even if I have to wear a tie, which I very rarely do these days, gives me a chance to visit with some of the incredible people who serve this White House and who serve this country every single day. A lot of times, out of the limelight, they make this government function, and they help people in ways big and small. And from the outside, sometimes people don't understand just how grueling this is and how

many sacrifices people make, because those of us who are in front of the cameras oftentimes get the credit. But it's a lot of people who are devoted day in, day out to making this country better that matter. And a lot of them are represented here. And that's not just in the West Wing, by the way. It's also in the Residence. There were a lot of people who looked after our families that I will always be grateful

to. So it's wonderful to be back to say thank you to all of you. But most of all, coming back here gives me a chance to say thank you and spend some time with an extraordinary friend and partner who was by my side for eight years. Joe Biden and I did a lot together. We helped save the global economy, made record investments in clean energy. We put guard rails on our financial system. We helped turn the auto industry around, repeal, don't ask, don't tell. But nothing made me prouder than providing better health care and more protections to

millions of people across this country. So when President Biden said he was not going to just celebrate the ACA, but also announce actions that would make it even better, I had to show up. I think it's been well documented just how difficult it was to pass the ACA. You can get a lot of testimony here in case folks haven't heard. As a country, we have been talking about reforming health care for 100 years. Unlike almost every other advanced economy on Earth, we didn't have a system that guaranteed access to health care for all of its citizens. Millions of people didn't have health insurance, often because their employers didn't provide it or because it was too expensive.

But despite the fact that our health care system didn't work well, it was hard to change. Health care represents about one-fifth of our economy. That's trillions of dollars that are involved. So there were a lot of different economic interests that were vying to maintain the status quo. And because the majority of Americans did have health care, some people naturally worried that they'd lose what they had. The media was skeptical of past failures.

There was a lot of misinformation, to say the least, flying around. And it's fair to say that most Republicans showed little interest in working with us to get anything done. That's fair to say. But despite great odds, Joe and I were determined, because we'd met too many people on the campaign trail who'd shared their stories, and our own families had been touched by illness. And as I said to our dear friend Harry Reid, who is missed, I wished he was here today, because he took great pride in what we did. I intended to get health care passed even if it cost me reelection, which for a while looked like it might. But for all of us, for Joe, for Harry, for Nancy Pelosi, for others, the ACA was an example

of why you run for office in the first place, why all of you sign up for doing jobs that pay you less than you could make someplace else, why you're away from home sometimes and you miss some soccer practices or some dance recitals. Because we don't – we're not supposed to do this just to occupy a seat or to hang on to power. We're supposed to do this because it's making a difference in the lives of the people who sent us here. And because of so many people, including a lot of people who are here today, made enormous sacrifices.

Because members of Congress took courageous votes, including some who knew that their vote would likely cost them their seat. Because of the incredible leadership of Nancy and Harry, we got the ACA across the finish line. Together. And the night we passed the ACA, I've said it before, it was a high point of my time here because it reminded me and it reminded us of what is possible. But of course, our work was not finished. Republicans tried to repeal what we had done again and again and again. They filed lawsuits that went all the way to the Supreme Court three times. I see Don Morella here, who had to defend a couple of them. They tried explicitly to make it harder for people to sign up for coverage.

And let's face it, it didn't help that when we first rolled out the ACA, the website didn't work. That was not one of my happiest moments. So given all the noise and the controversy and the skepticism, it took a while for the American people to understand what we had done. But lo and behold, a little later than I'd expected, a lot of folks, including many who had initially opposed health care reform, came around. And today, the ACA hasn't just survived, it's pretty darn popular.

And the reason is because it's done what it was supposed to do. It's made a difference. First 20 million, and now 30 million people have gotten covered thanks to the ACA. It's prevented insurance companies from denying people coverage based on a preexisting condition. It's lowered prescription drug costs for 12 million seniors. It's allowed young people to stay on their parents' plan until they're 26. It's eliminated lifetime limits on benefits, but often put people in a jam.

So we are incredibly proud of that work. But the reason we're here today is because President Biden, Vice President Harris, everybody who's worked on this thing understood from the start that the ACA wasn't perfect. To get the bill passed, we had to make compromises. We didn't get everything we wanted. That wasn't a reason not to do it. If you can get millions of people health coverage and better protection, it is, to quote a famous American, a pretty big deal. But there were gaps to be filled. Even today, some patients still pay too much for their prescriptions.

Some poor Americans are still falling through the cracks. In some cases, health care subsidies aren't where we want them to be, which means that some working families are still having trouble paying for their coverage. Here's the thing. That's not unusual when we make major progress in this country.

The original Social Security Act left out entire categories of people, like domestic workers and farm workers. That had to be changed. In the beginning, Medicare didn't provide all the benefits that it does today. That had to be changed. Throughout history, what you see is that it's important to get something started, to plant a flag, to lay a foundation for further progress. The analogy I've used about the ACA before is that, in the same way that was true for early forms of Social Security and Medicare, it was a starter home. It secured the principle of universal health care, provided help immediately to families,

but it required us to continually build on it and make it better. And President Biden understands that, and that's what he's done since the day he took office. As part of the American Rescue Plan, he lowered the cost of health care even further for millions of people. He made signing up easier.

He made outreach to those who didn't know they could get covered. Make sure that they knew. Made that a priority. And as a result of these actions, he helped a record 14.5 million Americans get covered during the most recent enrollment period. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when you have an administration that's committed to making a program work. And today, the Biden-Harris administration is going even further by moving to fix a glitch in the regulations that will lower premiums for nearly one million people who need it and allow 200,000 more uninsured Americans get access to coverage. I'm a private citizen now.

But I still take it more than a passing interest in the course of our democracy. But I'm outside the arena, and I know how discouraged people can get with Washington. Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Everybody feels frustrated sometimes about what takes place in this town. Progress feels way too slow sometimes. Victories are often incomplete. And in a country as big and as diverse as ours, consensus never comes easily. But what the Affordable Care Act shows is that you

are driven by the core idea that together we can improve the lives of this generation and the next. And if you're persistent, if you stay with it and are willing to work through the obstacles and the criticism and continually improve where you fall short, you can make America better. You can have an impact on millions of lives. You can help make sure folks don't have to lose their homes when they get sick, that they don't have to worry whether a loved one is going to get the treatment they need.

President Joe Biden understands that. He has dedicated his life to the proposition that there's something worthy about public service and that the reason to run for office is for days like today. So I could not be more honored to be here with him as he writes the next chapter in our story of progress. I'm grateful for all the people who've been involved in continuing to make the ASA everything it can be. And it is now my great privilege to introduce the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden.

Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. Please. My name is Joe Biden. I'm Barack Obama's Vice President. And I'm Jill Biden's husband.

By the way, the only reason Jill is not here today, she's working. She's teaching. The President I hear you. Mr. And so, I just want you to know that's why she's not here. Good afternoon, everyone. Mr. President, welcome back to the White House, man. It feels like the good old days. Being here with you brings back so many good memories. We just had lunch together,

and we weren't sure who was supposed to sit where. Look, it's fitting that the first time you return to the White House is to celebrate a law, a law that's transforming millions of lives because of you. And I say because of you. You had a lot of help, the staff, and I helped a little bit.

But it's because of you. A law that shows hope leads to change. And you did that. You did it. Let's be honest. The Affordable Care Act has been called a lot of things. But Obamacare is the most fitting. Obamacare.

I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley

comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, It's really, really, really bad. Plus on Apple Podcasts.

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man.

We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves. Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher.

Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't working and we need to change things. Stories matter and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does.

It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Here's the deal. We gotta set ourselves up.

See, retirement is the long game. We gotta make moves and make them early. Set up goals. Don't worry about a setback. Just save up and stack up to reach them. Let's put ourselves in the right position. Pre-game to greater things.

Start building your retirement plan at thisispretirement.org. Brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council. I can tell you all how much Barack Obama cared about getting this done. Throughout the countless hours of negotiations and the relentless political attacks, he never, ever, ever gave up. And I guarantee you that. If I had time, I could tell you all the times when he'd say, should we compromise? Should we do it? And I'd say, well, we ought to think about it. No, if I do that, then so-and-so won't get covered. This group of people won't get covered. Whether it was after meeting or during our weekly lunch and we met every single day, he'd remind me why we're doing this in the first place.

We're doing this in the first place for people who needed it and deserve to be treated with dignity. Dignity. The idea that when you can't afford health insurance for your children, your spouse, male or female, it doesn't matter. Not only are they in trouble, but you're deprived of your dignity.

Barack, you talked about the idea that it was important that we make sure that you couldn't outrun your insurance. I can remember there with Beau, thinking to myself, what would I do if they, thinking to myself, what would I do if they walked in and said, you've outrun your time here, and there are still 35 days to live? The things that change people's lives. We both understood the Affordable Care Act wasn't

about a single President or the presidency. It was about the countless, countless Americans lying in bed at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering, my God, my God, what if I get really sick? What am I going to do? What are my family going to do? Will I lose the house? Discussions we had in my house with my dad

when he lost his health insurance. Who's going to pay for it? Who's going to take care of my family? You know, in America, healthcare, as we've all three said, will have now said, healthcare should be a right and not a privilege. And — healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. And with the help of members of Congress, especially Nancy,

and the advocates for families who are here today, 12 years ago last month, 12 years ago, we made a good effort toward that proposition, and it should be right. When — and, Barack, when you signed the Affordable Care Act and the law, it became the most consequential piece of health insurance — the most consequential piece of legislation, in my view —

since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. It made a difference in people's lives every day. We just talked about where we were before the Affordable Care Act and what happened in the past 12 years to make life a lot better for people. I'd like to talk about where we go from here because — because we knew back then, as Barack —

as the President said, we knew that we had to keep strengthening this legislation. Look, that's why I ran for President, and I promised to protect and build upon the Affordable Care Act. As soon as I entered office, that's exactly what Kamala and I did and what our administration and the Democrats in Congress here today did.

We passed the landmark American Rescue Plan, which not only helped us on COVID-19 get it under control and our economy back on track, it got millions more people insured under the Affordable Care Act. It made it easier for people to sign up for coverage in the middle of a pandemic. It opened to special enrollment people to sign up for coverage in the middle of a pandemic. It opened to special-enrollment people and gave millions and millions of Americans more time to enroll.

It quadrupled the number of navigators out there in the communities, helping people to sign up for coverage because it's confusing to people. It's confusing. The President has heard me say, when we work together, you know, they say, well, Biden and Obama are doing great on foreign policy.

If you want to do something difficult, try health care. Not a joke. Not a joke. So we continue to expand Medicaid. Missouri and Oklahoma became the 37th and 38th states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The President of the United States. Mr. All right, folks. If you want to see the restth and 38th states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. All right folks, if you want to see the rest of that, simply go to whitehouse.gov.

All right, coming up next, more drama on Capitol Hill, this time with the House Financial Services Committee. We'll tell you what took place there. And we'll break down other issues, of course, of roller martin and filtered. Folks, don't forget, you want to support what we do. It's all about, again, speaking to the issues that other people

are not focusing on. They're ignoring. You can download the Blackstar Network app. We want to get to 50,000 downloads by May 1st. By May 1st. And so, Apple Phone, Android Phone, Apple TV, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, Samsung

Smart TV. Don't forget to also support our Bring the Funk fan club. Every dollar you give goes to support this show. And so you can see the check of money or to PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C. 20037. Cash app is DollarSide RM Unfiltered. PayPal is R Martin Unfiltered. VenmoRMUnfiltered. PayPal is RMartinUnfiltered. Venmo is RMUnfiltered. Zelle

is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And so again, support us in what we do. We'll be back. You're watching the Black Star Network. Back in a moment. On the next A Balanced Life April is Autism Awareness Month

we will be having a very special conversation on education, advocacy and working in that space whether you have a child on the spectrum or not this is a space for you this is a conversation you don't want to miss join me Dr. Jackie on A Balanced Life on Blackstar Network.

We're all impacted by the culture, whether we know it or not. From politics to music and entertainment, it's a huge part of our lives, and we're going to talk about it every day right here on The Culture with me, Faraji Muhammad, only on The Black Star Network.

What's going on? This is Tobias Trevillian. Hey, I'm Amber Stephens-West. Yo, what up, y'all? This is Jay Ellis, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. All right, folks. Welcome back to Roller Mart Unfiltered. Here is today's Black and Missing. All right, folks. Alicia Aaliyah Bryant has been missing from Sacramento, California since March 21st. The 15-year-old is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She has two tattoos, has cherries on her left thigh, and the name Jafari on the right side of her chest.

The left side of her nose is pierced. Alicia is known to change her hair frequently. When she was last seen, she had light brown highlights on her hair. She may wear wigs, dye her hair, or change her hairstyle. Anyone with information should call the Sacramento County California Sheriff's Office at 916-874-5115. 916-874-5115.

916-874-5115. A black college professor, Carissa Nicole Gray, is no longer teaching in-person classes at Georgia State University. She called police on two black students for arriving to class two minutes late. This took place at the Perimeter College at Georgia State University. Now, here's what Bria Blake, who was in the same classroom, said happened in this TikTok video. Two black students had the police called on them today

at Georgia State's Perimeter Campus in Newton County for being two minutes late to class. You heard me correctly, two minutes late to class and they had the police called on them. When the professor then asked them to leave, Taylor responded and said, we paid to be here. The professor, Carissa Gray, then responded, okay, and left the room. When she returned, she returned with two armed police officers. The woman cop, whose name I do not know, proceeded to grab Taylor's things and try to forcibly remove them from the room. They then said that if they did not leave,

they would be charged with trespassing. The students arrived to the classroom. The door was wide open. They were allowed to enter, walk all the way to their seats, sit down, and proceed to take out their things to take notes. The woman police officer proceeded to hold on to Taylor's things until Taylor agreed to leave. She then went down to the advisement center to figure out who it was that she could talk to to file a report. She was directed to go to the department head of Professor Mason, then told Taylor that her only two options were to either stay in an environment that she didn't feel safe in or take an F. When we went across the street to the other building to file a complaint with the student life department, we were then informed that this was not the first time that the police had been called on a student for something irrational. Taylor also disclosed that she felt as though

this action taken by Professor Carissa Gray was in retaliation to an earlier event that happened earlier on in the semester. Time and time again, we've seen the police being weaponized against black people. Calling the police on two students for being two minutes late to class is extremely unreasonable and dangerous. Both of the students, a woman and a man, started crying because they were so terrified of what could happen to them. Please share this video. I'm trying to spread this story so that people can know what's going on.

Stuff like this cannot keep happening to black youth in America. Stop weaponizing the police against black people. Now, according to the school's code of conduct, instructors have the authority to remove students from class and are called security in cases that can be perceived as disruptive behavior. Georgia State University officials are investigating what happened here. This is beyond strange, Teresa. Like, two minutes late?

Two minutes late? The students had every right to be in that classroom. It didn't matter if it was two minutes late or Two minutes late? The students had every right to be in that classroom. It didn't matter if it was two minutes late or five minutes late. It just seemed like the professor was just unprepared for the lesson. So anytime, you know, and I went to college, and I wish a professor would have said, if you're late, do not come to class. I'd probably say, please reimburse me my tuition for this course. Because, you know, and I think the young lady was right in her TikTok video.

I'm so glad that we're utilizing social media in this way, because if this video didn't go viral, right, there probably wouldn't have been any consequences for this professor. I think it was countless times this was happening in the student union, according to the video. And, you know, it just doesn't seem like, you know, this professor in particular is willing to take, willing to get any consequences for her actions. But it seems like she's being very petty. This was a very dangerous, dangerous act that can happen from any college or professors, especially during the times we are in right now. I just don't understand, Mustafa, why the professor's being a hard ass for two minutes late.

I mean, look, it's college. You come in two minutes late. Look, I get it if you say, like, perfect example. When I spoke, a few years ago I was asked to address some students at Howard University. I think I was in town for Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. This was before I moved to D.C. And what I did was I gave the students a current event quiz at the outset after I was introduced. And I said, whoever scored the highest could actually get a paid opportunity to help us with

the assignment. And so several students came in late. When they came in, they were like, oh, man, I wish I knew. I said, well, that's why you come on time. Then I said, but you go late, so you missed out. Now, guess what? That is a point of coming on time. But if you're having a class, who gives a damn if they're coming in two minutes? It's two minutes late. Really? Yeah, I mean, I was late in college, and everybody else was late, you know, from time to time.

I didn't hear anything about her having a conversation with them about what may have been going on, and that wasn't even needed, to be quite honest. You know, she escalated a situation and took it to a place that was extremely dangerous. We know how we're often seen by law enforcement, whether they're Capitol Police or others. So she should have had the sense to not even engage in that way. She should have just did her job. You know, your job is to share information. You are dealing with adults.

They get to make the decisions that they want. If they want to come to class five minutes late, ten minutes late, don't show up at all. You know, it'll be reflected in their grades. So for this type of action to have taken place, they don't, they're not yet ready to actually teach at the college level. You know, DeMario, I had a flashback because when I was in Texas A&M, it was an English class. And it was, the class was every Tuesday and Thursday. Okay? It was every Tuesday and Thursday. And so, the thing that was a trip to me was I worked at the newspaper.

I used to come in class late, and a professor pulled me, we had a test, and he pulled me aside. He said, I want to speak to you at the class. I was like, all right, fine. So he said, you know, I got a problem. I was like, what's the problem? He said, you know, you come into my class late. You're not doing well on your test. He went through this whole deal.

And I was like, you done? And he was like, yeah. I said, man, I'll be honest with you. I said, I don't care about this class. I said, let me explain something to you. I said, this class is irrelevant to my future. I said, I've had job offers since I was a freshman. I said, I need you to understand that I work at the newspaper in town, the Bryan College

Station Eagle. I said, now, if I got a choice between reading your 100 pages or staying late, working at the newspaper, writing stories, I said, I ain't never getting around to your 100 papers. I said, so I just need you to understand, I don't need an A, I don't need a B, I don't need a C. I just need to pass your class. I said, I know what I'm going to do with my career, and your English class is not a priority. My priority is to learn as much as I can as a newspaper reporter right now. So when I graduate, I will be one of the best at what I do. I said, so listen, I'm going to come to your class late.

I said, and that's how it's going to go. I was not. Now, again, some of y'all, because I know some of y'all out there listening. Y'all gave a damn about magna cum laude, cum laude, some of y'all, because see, I know some of y'all out there listening, y'all gave a damn about magna cum laude, cum laude, your grade point average. I knew what nobody going to ask me after college, what the hell I made

in the class. What nobody going to ask me for no transcript. Only thing I've ever been asked is fill an application out that you graduate. That's it. As a matter of fact, I haven't even been asked that question since my second job and that was 1993 and

So I understood the game and so what this professor needs to understand and then look and I get it I had some people who like damn rolling that was arrogant No, what it was was I was locked and loaded on my career, not that damn class. And you've got to understand that. And so, if you're the professor, if they come in late, that's on them. If they don't show up, as Mustafa said, that's on them.

And if they don't pass, you know what you say? Should have came on time, should have skipped my class. Next. You don't call the damn cops. Well, you know, I got a master's in higher ed, and I taught full-time professor at the University of Oklahoma, African American Studies. I've also taught graduate courses at Langston University, the only historically black college or university

west of the Mississippi here in Oklahoma, here in Tulsa. And I've been very rigid when it comes to my syllabus and it comes to being on time. My former athlete, as you know, and to me to be late to be on time is to be late. And so I'm very I'm very strict about that. But the way that I do it is if you are late a certain amount of minutes, you just get docked off some points. You know, these people are adults. So I would say in this situation that she totally overreacted. I think she broke the law. I think that's a false, she made a false police report based on the information we have now. So I think that's a crime. I think she's also could be liable

for a civil liability, intentional affliction, emotional distress. That's outrageous. I think that's a crime. I think she also could be liable for civil liability, intentional affliction, emotional distress. That's outrageous. I think someone already said that. It's outrageous conduct to go get the police because someone is two minutes late. That's ridiculous, especially in this environment when we know, as the young lady stated, the weaponization of police puts us at an arm's weight. We could be beaten. We could be tased. We could be pepper sprayed. We could be killed just by having police conduct. And therefore,

you shouldn't have this unnecessary police interaction. I think she's also potentially liable for some negligence. The entire school, if they have a policy that you just showed, that says, oh, you can't call the police if someone is being unruly in your class. But they haven't given her proper training on what is considered unruly behavior. Simply walking into a class late is not unruly behavior. Now, if you're in there fighting, cussing, I refusing to leave, then maybe so. But literally walking in two minutes late as a former college professor, as someone who has taught many, many courses over the last 15 years, that's completely ridiculous.

She should be held accountable both criminally and I think they should think about filing a lawsuit against her and the university. See, here's why I ain't even, I'm not even docking points. And I've been an adjunct professor, University of Texas at Arlington.

And this is the philosophy that I have. First of all, the classroom ain't a job. Again, I don't know what you got going on before. I don't know if you may have had transportation issues. I don't know what went on. So I'm not tripping on that whole thing. I ain't tripping on that. It's just, so again, it's two minutes and the reason why and again

I know somebody watching cuz y'all see on the chat y'all like rolling you was but yes, I was special and different Because again, this is what college professors have to understand one. Who am I dealing with? It's a perfect example. Journalism class. We had an assignment, and it was a test day. So here's what they would do. They would give you a set of facts on a sheet of paper, and you then would have to write a story based upon the set of facts on the sheet of paper. It was a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class. It was 50 minutes. I came to the class 15 minutes late.

I left the class 15 minutes early. I told you it was a 50-minute class. So the next time, the next class, professor asked me to stay at the class. And she said, Roland, you made an 84 on this paper. You know, had you applied yourself and not came to class late, left class early, then you could have made a better grade. I said, Dr. Thomas, I'm going to be honest with you. I didn't care about your age. She goes, what? What do you mean? I said, Doc, I need you to understand something. I purposely came 15 minutes late,

and I purposely left 15 minutes early. I said, because I had to teach myself how to write a story in 20 minutes. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes, but there's a company dedicated to a future

where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multibillion-dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. We are back.

In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves. Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug ban.

Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. Got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't working and we need to change things. Stories matter and it brings a face to them.

It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. is the long game. We got to make moves and make them early. Set up goals. Don't worry about a setback.

Just save up and stack up to reach them. Let's put ourselves in the right position. Pre-game to greater things. Start building your retirement plan at thisispreetirement.org. Brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council. I said, because see, Doc, I'm going to graduate. And I'm going to be in a situation where we're going to be on deadline. And I'm going to come back from a scene.

I'm going to have to sit down and write a story in 20 minutes on deadline. And if I've never practiced writing a story on deadline, then I'm not going to be good at writing a story on deadline. I said, so here's what you're going to do. You're going to tell me how I made an 84. And then you're going to tell me where I missed those 16 points. And the next class, I just want you to know, I'm coming in here 15 minutes late. And I'm leaving 15 minutes early because right now I am putting myself in

the position to be great in my craft. Man, she looked at me like I was crazy. And so then, then she, then, now hold up, then she, then she got an attitude with me. And finally, I had to say, you know what, Doc, let's just do this here. Why don't you teach the rest of the students and then I'll be over here? I said, because you know why? Don't none of them want to be in journalism. They all in here because they failed the other colleges. They're just trying to get a degree. I know what the hell I'm trying to do. I'm focused on my career. So if you can't help me get to my goals in my career, then let's move on. Now, she could have called a cop if she wanted to, but I needed her to understand she was dealing with a different type of student because my vision was totally different and I was

clear on what I was trying to do. I had some other professors who saw that and said, brother, we teach you differently than we teach the other students. So the point I'm making is this here. When you're in college, you grown. You don't have a mama and daddy telling you when to wake up, telling you when to go. You don't have to come to class. And again, it's on you as a college student. And if you shake your head all you want to, DeMario, but if that college student decides to be late or not come, they're going to suffer the consequences of their actions. But the

consequences of their actions should never be the professor calling the cops on them for being two minutes late. Well, no question about that. I think we all agree on the cops. We're talking about college, and I've taught both undergrad and graduate students. There's a difference here. well no question about that i think we all agree on the cops we're talking about college and i've taught both undergrad and graduate students there's a difference here graduate students people are working and families that have really good reasons why they may be able to make a call well you were athlete you were athlete a whole bunch of us had to work in undergrad yeah i wasn't, but I'm saying it's a different mentality.

I believe in teaching the transgress, bell hooks. I believe in utilizing the classroom and the college education to help people become adults. I don't believe that people in college, just because you're 18 or 22 years old, that you've grown. Just because you're outside your home, you still haven't fully developed.

And we're trying to create... No, you've grown. No, you've grown. Just because you're outside your home, you still haven't fully developed and we're trying to create... No, you grown. No, you grown. Hold up. Hold up. You 18, DeMario? DeMario. DeMario. Nobody can come to you, Roland, can come to their job 15 minutes late and say, well, I already know what I need to do.

Stop right there. What's the operative word? Stop right there. What's the operative word you just used? I don't know. Everything I said was bars. What's the operative word? Stop right there. What's the operative word you just used? I don't know. Everything I said was bars. No, what's the operative word? You said, if somebody come to your? Job, your employment.

Job, that's it. College ain't a job. But it's a freeing ground. In fact, Demario, Demario, in a college classroom, you don't live with a job. You get paid to be there. I'm paying to be there. We got a different philosophy. We got a different philosophy on how what is the college experience. It's not even about the grade. It's not even about necessarily what's the actual subject unless you're dealing with some type of hard science. Man, come on.

It's really specific to a career. It is about teaching someone and helping someone, guiding them to be an adult, to be the best version of themselves. And if people think they can just show up when they want to and leave when they want to, that's not real life. Yes, it is! Hold up. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. DeMario, it is real.

It is real life when you are... No, no, no. Follow me here. DeMario, DeMario, DeMario. It's real life when you are no no no follow me here Demario Demario Demario is real life when you get is you get to make decisions and then whatever the Consequences of your decisions you then have to live with them. See that's the whole Say at some point and I'm a, no. See, at some point, and I'm going to put Mustafa and Teresa in here, at some point, we've got to accept the reality that when

you are no longer in high school, it does change. You no longer have your mama and daddy saying get your butt up, the school bus is going to be here, or I'm coming back in 20 minutes and I'm dropping you off. No, you have to get yourself up. You have to feed yourself.

You got to get there. And what I'm saying is, if that person chooses to come in late, that's on them. What happens to them as a result of their decisions, that's how they learn the lesson, Mustafa. Yeah, no, I agree with you. You know, I teach at American University right now.

And, you know, if the students want the sauce that I'm giving, then that's great. And if they don't, then professor put those two young men in a life and death situation. And we should stay focused on that because, you know, what this individual did, maybe there are others in the state where they teach that have done some similar things that just didn't get the attention. So we should stay focused on the fact that young people are going to make decisions. You hope that they make the best decisions, but they're also dealing with the real world and real life. And we just need to be mindful of that. But again,

don't put young people in life and death situations. They got enough of that when they're outside of the classroom. You know, Teresa, somebody in the chat said, Roland, how you going to be in journalism and not respect English? I said, no. It's not that I didn't respect English.

Well, people don't understand. And yes, I understand that I was a different student. I understand that I went to a communications magnet in high school. So essentially, my four years in high school was like my four years in college. I walked onto the campus with more media knowledge than seniors had when I was at Texas A&M.

But still, but that's also part of my point. What I did was, I didn't work for the school newspaper. I worked for the local newspaper. I interned at the television station. I worked at the radio station. What I actually did was, I actually created my own curriculum outside of school that I knew was going to position me for graduating. And I get all that stuff about the college experience, but

this is what I always understood, Teresa. I'm here to get a sheet of paper. It's a sheet of paper. Now, people can sit and talk about, oh, the experience. It's a sheet of paper. College is a conduit to you getting a job and building a career. I don't get all, you know, all this other stuff, how people get all excited. Oh, my God, you missed the experience. Yeah, that's all great and wonderful. It's about getting a job, building a career. And all I'm saying is this here. If I had professors who were so rigid, then I would not have been able to craft my college career

the way I wanted to because I knew what I need to be successful. And frankly, how they were teaching me was not the pathway for me. And that's why I did what I did. So I'm not tripping on somebody coming two minutes late. I'm not. Yeah, you're absolutely right. There's not a particular way to have that college experience. I know mine, because I did a dual transfer situation,

I had to work full-time, and then I went to school twice a week. But I still earned that same white paper, that bachelor's degree that is sitting on my wall. to school twice a week. But I still earned that same white paper, that bachelor's degree that is sitting on my wall. But it was a struggle. So I think if this professor, and particularly, you know, had an issue with students showing up to class late, then there should have been a policy inside of her syllabus that says if you come more than 20 minutes, 20 to 30 minutes to my class late, then you are subject to, you know, be asked to leave. And I think that is also a choice of that student when they select that

course. But anytime we have to subject students, and again, students come at all different ages, right? We're assuming that this is a young person that was late for class when it could be, you know, a mother of three who's probably 45. So there is different ranges from either a younger mindset or an older adult who has a, who is juggling a bunch of responsibilities that is saying, listen, I need this education. I need this white paper in order to take me to the next level. So even if that person was late inside of a college institution, and if they was also late on their job, you know what happens? Consequences happen.

And some of those consequences mean you're going to, on the workplace, you might get a write-up, you might get a talking to, but ultimately you get fired. And the same thing that can happen inside of a college institution, you can either show up or fail. And then you have to take the course again and you have to spend more money. So these are the things that have to go into it. But I think the professor did not do a service to, one, her job profession and also to the students who came there to learn. The students who, you know, each of them is likely between $15,000 and up per student. And they lost out on education and they had to deal with this traumatic experience because it is traumatic. Some students, you know, didn't grow up from the urban areas or and again, we don't really know or the rural areas.

But now they're in this school dealing with this situation. They're dealing with something that they didn't have to deal with. So I think the university needs to step up and maybe put a little bit more emphasis on what the policy is because that just seemed very vague and very disrespectful to the students that were there trying to learn. Now I'm going to say this here, and I'm going to let Demario make his comment. I love these people who say, if you were a college professor,

you wouldn't feel that way. Y'all clearly missed it when I said I was an adjunct professor. And my philosophy was very simple. You are going to suffer the repercussions of your decisions. I had some students who came to me and they skipped my class because it was rush. And it was a couple of white girls, white sorority rush. And they were upset because they lost points.

And I said, I'm sorry, did you know we had class? They said, yeah. I said, but you chose to go to rush. Yeah, you're not gonna make an A. So she started crying. I said, why are you crying? I said, who went to Rush? She said, I did.

I said, did I tell you to go to Rush? No. So why are you crying? I said, you made a decision and that was your decision. Now you have to live with the consequences of the decision. Your ass not making an A. She's like, well, can you give extra credit? No.

Because your ass went to rush. Now, to your point, DeMario, understand when I run newspapers, I've told staffers when I ran newspapers, I said, when I ran the Chicago Defender, I said, look, I don't need to see y'all. Long as

you have your story in by X amount of time, and I can reach you when I'm editing it, we fine. I ain't asking where you are, but your ass better have your work in. Now, you go off and do whatever you want to do, act a fool, you ain't got your work in, then we got problems. And they were like, wow.

And I said, yes, because that's how I was when I was in the newspaper. I thought it was stupid when you had to sit at your desk the whole time working in the newspaper. No, you should be out working your sources. But I told them, I don't give a damn. You go to the movies. You go to the movies from 10 to 12. But guess what?

I better see those three stories at 4 o'clock. And not at four or five. Again, that was situation where you control your time. And that's all I'm saying. And I just think that sometimes you got some professors who act a fool and now in this case, they back in class. She not. Looks like somebody might've learned a valuable lesson. Don't be so damn rigid and call the cops and then nods on you. Go ahead, Demario.

Well, I don't think she's rigid. I think she's foolish. I think that we all can be in 100% agreement that there's no way that a police should be called or someone walking into a classroom late. And my simple point to close out this segment, if you wanted to be over with, is that as a college student... Hold up. Now, I'm going to decide when it's over with, but go ahead. That's what I said.

I had somebody in the chat say, okay, Roland, let's move on. I was like, Erica Williams? I said, if you... No, no, I'm just saying. I'm calling her out. I said, Erica Williams, you don't decide when I move on. I do. Go ahead. Right. This is the Roland Martin show. This is Roland Martin unfiltered.

So I understand that. Roland Martin unfiltered. That's why you be punking me, don't let me talk. But that's cool. I'm cool with that. Listen, I'm just simply saying, from my perspective, I have an associate, master's, bachelor's, law degree, taught at a university. I've been at a university for 27 years.

I believe that the university experience overall, not for very unique individuals like your career path, even my wife's, Mia, who's also a journalist. It's kind of a different career path on a college campus. But part of it is teaching these young people, most of the time, to Teresa's point, not all the time, as undergrads, how to be adults, how to be responsible,

how to talk if they have an issue, right? If they're saying, look, I have to work late some nights or I have children, how to be able to approach the professor, go to office hours and say, this is my issue, how to communicate. Then I also believe as a professor, it's on me, you know, as Bell Hooks talks about in her book, Teaching the Transgress, it's on me

to make the classroom experience something that the students want to participate in, that they want to show up in, even if it's a subject that's not relevant necessarily to their career path. But they're so enthused and excited about my teaching style, what we're talking about, and the material, how I make it come to life, that they want to show up early. They want to be there. They want to participate. So that's my point. Well, I'm going to tell you right now, you tripping on two minutes late, man, go on with that nonsense.

I hope she don't get her job back. But that's also a disrespect that if you're walking in 15 minutes late while I'm lecturing or talking and you just come in and do what you want to do. Hey, hey, dawg. Do you not respect my time? Because this is my profession. No, guess what?

No, and guess what? If I walk in 15 minutes late, your ass keep talking. Yeah, that's disrespectful. No, it's not. I had stuff to do. I'm coming out of an athletic background. You walk into practice 15 minutes late, you're going to run. Hey, hey, guess what?

We ain't talking. Hold up. Hold up. Do you want me to pull the Allen Iverson? We talking practice. Not the game. Practice. Not the game.

Practice. I'm with Allen Iverson. Do you know what college was? Practice. Do you know what I was preparing for? The game. So you right. When I walked in 15 minutes late, that shit was practice.

And it wasn't even a journalism class. It was a non-journalism class. So I'm telling you right now. You're a one-off. Hey, guess what? You're the only brother in America that has its own black network that's really black-owned, putting forth black perspective throughout the nation. So you're an exception.

No, no. No, hold up. No, no, no. Before I did all that. I'm talking about the regular students. Well, guess what? Before I did that, that was a reason I got promoted three times in the first year and a half I was in the business.

That was a reason seven months into the business, I was on the team to recover the and national convention when some folks waited ten years That was a reason on the second job that I was sent to the Alfred P Murrah federal building when it blew up in Oklahoma City the in a lot and I was and I was again two years out of college Do you know why all that happened? Because I walked in 15 minutes late and kept my ass at that newspaper working late that particular night. So guess what? You damn right.

I walked in 15 minutes late and it paid off. That's the whole point. I had a game plan because it wasn't practice. It was the game. Got it? All right. I'm going to break. I'm going to holler at Mark Thompson next about what took place at the House Petro Services Committee today

dealing with the issue of slavery. You're watching Rolling Mark Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Damn it. Pull up a chair. Take your seat at the Black Tape with me, Dr. Greg Carr, here on the black star network every week we'll take a deeper dive into the world we're living in

join the conversation only on the black star network this is judge math what's going on everybody it's your Wiles, and you are watching Roland Martin. Oh, y'all, today at the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight, folks, and Investigations, they held a hearing called, An Enduring Legacy, the Role of Financial Institutions and the Horrors of Slavery and the Need for Atonement to Examine the Role of Financial Institutions in the Practice of Slavery in the United States.

Reverend Mark Thompson, the senior advisor at the Institute for Politics, Policy and History, host of Make it Plain, joined us from Martinsburg, West Virginia. So Mark, first of all, y'all got video of the hearing? We ain't got no video of the hearing? So how are we talking about what took place in the hearing? Well, in fairness, Rolla, to you.

Mark, go ahead. Well, no, no, in fairness to your team, the hearing had started. It lasted for about 20 minutes, and then they had a three-hour recess. And so it wasn't much of a hearing, and it didn't last very long. And thank you for having me. But a few things. But you did say they had 20 minutes, right?

Yeah, but it was all, you know, opening statements. So don't be too hard on yourself. I know you're trying to bail them out, but it ain't working. It ain't working. Y'all should have had at least, y'all could have had at least 60 seconds from a 200 minute hearing. But go right ahead, Mark. So tell us what happened in the hearing. Just we ain't got no video. Well, well, the there was conversation. There was a sighting of some news.

I think many of us have already heard that there are a number of banking and financial institutions made their first fortunes off of slavery. We were assets. We were collateral as enslaved people. And something still needs to be done about that. But it didn't quite get to what that could be. come up because hr 40 would establish a commission to determine what types of forms reparations would take unfortunately we're at 215 yes votes and house leadership is afraid to bring hr 40 to the floor brother roland in a midterm election year. So House leadership has gone down to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and asked the Biden White House to issue H.R. 40 as executive order. I don't know if that's going to happen either. But this is you only need 218 votes to pass something in the House. And we think those votes exist. If it were to pass the House, whether or not it passes the Senate,

that would still give, I would think, Biden the political cover necessary to actually do an executive order. He can do an executive order by commission. Can't do George Floyd Policing Act. You can't do voting rights by executive order. But you can do a commission to study and determine what forms reparations would take. And these banks, these financial institutions, have to also be a part of that, because many of them... J.P. Morgan got started off of the slave trade. Wall Street, the first commodities on Wall Street

were our ancestors. That's why it's called Wall Street. Our ancestors built a wall so as not to offend the sensibility of lower Manhattan's white and Dutch residents when the auctions

were taking place. That's why it's called Wall Street. So, we were practically currency. And so something ought to be done. Unfortunately... Well, first, Mark, though, I mean, which is the purpose of the hearing, it lays

out... Because this is the problem, again, why all these white Republicans are so pissed off with the 1619 Project. What they don't like... And it's not just the 1619 Project. I mean, we've had folks writing... Lerone Bennett, the late Lerone Bennett and Simeon Booker and others in Ebony and other magazines.

They've been writing about this stuff for years. But the problem you're dealing with is white America has never bothered to learn this history. And so when we're talking about even when you talk, again, when the story came out, talking about

how Georgetown University would have been DOA, dead, not exist today had they not sold slaves and took that money to keep the school open. People need to understand how these companies became the companies that they are. They were built on the institution of slavery. Capitalism just simply did not just exist. Slavery created what is now known as the capitalistic society. America, we're always taught in school,

again, oh, the industrial revolution. America could not do the damn thing in the industrial revolution unless it had the resources that came from slavery. That's right. That's right. You're absolutely right. And this is why, of course, there are those who don't want the 1619 project to exist, don't want this history told. Frankly, there are those who don't want reparations. You know, someone made the argument today that what is owed by these financial institutions

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Pre-game to greater things. Start building your retirement plan at thisispretirement.org. Brought to you by AARP and the Ad Council. So that, and it was also used to put forward the argument, we know what just happened in California, the position that only those who can prove their direct lineage to an enslaved ancestor should be entitled to some type of reparations payments. That decreases the window and opportunity for many of us because most of us don't have that. Most of us can't prove that. And something Dr. Ron Walters used to say to those who want to,

on our side, want to make the case for how much money it should or shouldn't be, he used to say this, Roland, when a plaintiff files a civil suit, the plaintiff doesn't negotiate against Horry himself. You put it out there and you put out there what it is you are owed. You don't act on behalf of the defendant and say, well, we know you can't afford that anyway, so we're going to minimize the amount of the payment that can be made. We know that there are probably trillions of dollars owed us on the part of these financial institutions. We should not give up or relinquish any effort to get as much of, if not all of that money, and whether it comes in the form of direct payments

to those of us who are descendants of enslaved people, or whether it comes in the form of investment in our institutions today, long-term investments, or both, we should not be cutting off any of that or letting any of them off the hook. Well, bottom line is this here, when you talk about the information, it's the knowledge, that's what matters, that's what's critical matters. So hopefully, so you said they recessed, they ever come back to the committee?

No, no, I think it's done. And I don't know what happened. It must have been some other business on the Hill, and they didn't get through it. So I have to find out whether they're going to do follow-up. But Congresswoman Waters and Congressman Al Green led the hearing. It was a joint committee hearing. And they did bring up H.R. 40.

And hopefully we can move that, because at the end of the day, that commission would take all of this and study it and have hearings in our communities to get input from us, the community, us as African-Americans, as to what can be done, what should be done. So that's really where we ought to go. And frankly, I don't think we should give up on pressing the House. This would be an historic vote, no matter what happens in the Senate. To pass the first and only reparations bill in the history of this country would be significant to pass. And I think it would

really force the Democratic president's hand to go ahead and appoint this commission and get it up and running and stand it up while he's still in office. The commission really had in the legislation is actually only supposed to exist for about two years anyway. Got it. All right. Mark, I appreciate it. Thanks a lot.

Thank you, brother. All right, folks. I want my top back, too. No, you can't. You can't get this one. Sorry. No, it's mine. I'll let you borrow it. Oh, really?

Oh, okay. So FedEx me that back after the show. I don't know what world you're talking about. Hey, Roland, you got a minute for me to tell you why I'm in West Virginia? Real quick? Yeah, the Poor People's Campaign. Yeah, and folks, let me just say this real quick. Folks focusing on Ukraine,

let me tell you what I found out today. There's an industrial plan here that is billowing smoke within the proximity of five schools in Martinsburg in this area. And we're marching there tomorrow. Rockwell is what it is. And they are one of the only companies, people focus on Ukraine, Rowan, they're one of the only companies that still does business with Russia when everybody else is obeying the sanctions and has stopped business with Russia. Joe Manchin is complicit in that.

So once again, you've got a U.S. senator working with a company in his own home state that is still doing business with Vladimir Putin. So we got to deal with all that. And I just want people to be aware of that and the environmental dangers that are taking place here and what Joe Manchin is doing once again

not to do what's right by his constituents or our people. Okay. All right, Mark. I appreciate it. Thanks a bunch. Folks, we'll come back. Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrice Cullors is responding to an article that came out yesterday questioning the purchase of a $6 million home.

People have been talking about this. We're gonna talk about it. She drops a statement. I'm gonna read that to you as well. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. On the next A Balanced Life, April is autism awareness month. We will be having a very special conversation on

education, advocacy, and working in that space. Whether you have a child on the spectrum or not, this is a space for you. This is a conversation you don't want to miss. Join me, Dr. Jackie, on A Balanced Life on Black Star Network. We're all impacted by the culture, whether we know it or not. From politics to music and entertainment, it's a huge part of our lives, and we're going to talk about it every day right here on The Culture

with me, Faraji Muhammad, only on the Black Star Network. Hi, I'm B.B. Winans. Hi, I'm Kim Burrell. Hi, I'm Carl Painting. Hey, everybody, this is Sherri Shepherd. on the Thaw Network. Thank you. Alright folks, yesterday the folks at New York Magazine dropped this story that conservative media has been pushing all around. It says, Black Lives Matter secretly bought a six million dollar house. Allies and critics alike have questioned whether the organization's money has gone.

It's written by a Sean Campbell. In the article, they talk about this particular home, and they say how it was purchased and all those different things along those lines. And so it's a 6,500-square-foot home, more than a half-dozen bedrooms, bathrooms, several fireplaces, a sound stage, a pool in the bungalow, and parking for more than 20 people. And it was purchased for nearly $6 million in cash in October 2020 with money that had been donated

to Black Lives Matter GNF, the Global Network Foundation. Now, one of the things that conservative media has been focused on, and you've had a lot of back and forth, a lot of attacks and things going on, people demanding where did the money go, questioning things along those lines. Well, Patrice Cullors actually responded. She posted this on her Instagram page. So I want to read this. She said, yesterday's article in New York Magazine is a despicable abuse of a platform that's intended to provide truthful information to the public.

Journalism is supposed to mitigate harm and inform our communities. The fact that a reputable publication would allow a reporter with a proven and very public bias against me and other black leaders to write a piece filled with misinformation, innuendo, and incendiary opinions is disheartening and unacceptable.

To clarify again, the property the reporter addressed was purchased in 2020 as a space where those within the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation and broader movement community could work, create content, host meetings, and foster creativity. Although I cannot speak to how BLMGNF uses the property currently as I left the organization last year in May, it was purchased to be a safe space for black people in the community. The reason it wasn't announced prior is not nefarious, as the headline infers, the property needed repairs and renovation. I do not own the property. I have never lived there and made that clear to the reporter. I want to be clear. While I will always see myself as a

part of the BLM community, I am no longer in leadership and I am not a part of any decision making processes within the foundation. I have never misappropriated funds and it pains me that so many people have accepted that narrative without the presence of tangible truth or facts. Nevertheless, this will soon be made clear upon the release of the BLM 990s. To those within our movement and others who have looked to me for leadership,

I'm sorry you have consistently had to engage with this kind of hateful and erroneous content. I admittedly have not always responded, and I know my silence has contributed to doubt. I apologize if it has caused you harm of any kind, but I'm asking you all to understand the enormous pressure and fear that comes with living under the constant threat of white supremacist terror

and real threats on my life and those of people I love. But I'm no longer letting fear hold me back from calling out these attacks. What's happening to me and to our movement is both racist and sexist. This is bigger than me. It's about a long history of attacking black people and black women specifically, creating unsafe conditions for us and our families, scrutinizing our every move publicly and privately in ways that are unfair and unjust. It's dangerous, and we should all be trying to stop it, interrupt it, protest it. Still, we have to remember that we're a part of a legacy of freedom fighters, and that comes with the hardest of moments as well as many victorious days. Elders in the

movement whose name we now chant were at times named enemies of the state, were shunned by the communities and attacked viciously without relent by the opposition. I have spent the last 22 years of my life in service to black people and others suffering under the weight of oppression. I'm privileged to have led work that resulted in successful ballot measures. We've stopped jails from being constructed

and created civilian oversight, the largest sheriff's department in the world, LA County. We've supported families against sheriff's violence and police violence. We've built community gardens and so much more. However, the conditions of our people still require more. More money, more time, more care and resources. And we should, can, and will do more.

I understand some of the concerns and critiques coming from within and outside our movement. No community organizer is above criticism. In fact, I'm grateful for it, especially first of all, no community organizer is above criticism. In fact, I'm grateful for it, especially when it's about helping people do and be better. But what has happened to me is not about accountability or healing. It's about destroying my life and destroying a powerful movement. Despite all of

this, I will continue fighting for my people and our movement will continue on. They can't kill it. We are still winning and will continue to win. We're also still learning and growing. I'm still learning and growing, and I'm asking you all, my community, for a measure of grace, yours in love, and service, Patrice. So here's what I think is happening here, folks. That's a problem. And this is, I want the panel to deal with this here, because I think it's important. And that is, I want the panel to deal with this here, because I think it's important. And that is, there are several tentacles, if you will, to the Black Lives Matter movement. You have the grassroots piece, you've got the piece that deals with chapters, you've got the foundation, you've got all of this.

So here's the first thing that comes out. And I have been saying this. First, if Patrice left in May of 2021, so right now, who is the leader of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation. That person should be speaking. That person should be leading. Who is he? Why isn't he out here? You also should have, and I've said this to Patrice and others. Remember when I had Patrice on the show

and she was telling me all these different parts, I was confused. I think part of the problem here, Teresa, a huge part of this is communication. And that is getting people to understand the multiple pieces that make up the so-called Black Lives Matter movement. The problem, matter of fact it happened

It happened as a news story. There was some activists in Boston who were indicted But misuse of funds the headline said BLM activists Well in the article it said that one of the groups that gave them money Was the black lives matters chapter? So what has happened is media now just calls everybody BLM. If you're black and protesting, you're Black Lives Matter. If you actually wear a shirt that says

Black Lives Matter, go up, yep, you're BLM, as opposed to understanding there's a structure as an organization, and I think one of the things that they have to do is lay out, so right now, who is the foundation? Who leads it? Who's on the board? Who are the trustees? And then what do they support?

And then the other aspects, who leads them? Who's over it? What do they do? What are they involved in? It can't just sort of be it's all lumped in together. You're absolutely right because Black Lives Matter has been in

the news for a whole ton of scrutiny, right? And it's unfortunate because the movement, once scrutiny happens, you know, public opinion also comes into, to also discourage other individuals who want to support the movement. And so we can't get distracted by this. And thus, you're right, a communications plan, some goals, some guidelines, some points of

interest would actually help to have a better understanding of the roles and operations and how monies are being spent, like any other normal nonprofit. The checks that has been written to Black Lives Matter organization does go to one organization. So there may be, you know, Black Lives Matter movement, Black Lives Matter, other chapters and other names. But if the solid foundation, I would say it's the umbrella nonprofit organization, was very clear about who they are. Well, I think they're clear about who they are. But just some of those roles and responsibilities and where some of their influence actually goes to and what causes they support and what missions, you know,

they've actually participated in, then I think, you know, some of the headliners wouldn't be just a clickbait for individuals that is looking to destroy this big organization. The thing here, Mustafa, is that one of the things that they were doing was, and we discussed this before on the show, they were literally trying to create an organization after the horse had already left the barn.

I mean, it was like, you're now trying to get control of this thing because it just took off. And you've had all different growing pains. But the thing that I have said is, again, who does what? Who is over what? If something happens right now, who can I call? Here's the problem. The problem is, if you're asking right now, so here's this story right here. In an email statement on April 1st, are y'all still seeing this here? No, you're not. Let's see if I can pull it back on. Give me one second.

Set the screen mirroring. See if I can pull it back up. Okay, this is this article from New York. In an email statement on April 1st, Shaloma Bowers, a BLM G and F board member, said the organization bought campus with the intention for it to serve as housing and studio space for recipients

of the Black Joy Creators Fellowship. Okay, blah, blah, blah. All right. So here's the deal. Mustafa, I don't know who the hell Shaloma Bowers is. I've never had Shaloma Bowers on this show. I dare say to Shaloma Bowers, you might want to come talk to black media so we even know who the hell you are.

And then you're a board member. Who are the other board members of the foundation? Who's the chair of the board? That's leadership. Leadership is not letting the person who left still do the talking.

It's about structure. It's about transparency. And it's also about accountability. And I remember us talking about that, you know, quite a while ago now about, you know, people will come into this new moment and say, well, we don't really have to have the structure. You know, we want to make sure that there's real fluidity and all these other types of things that have value. But when it comes down to being able to be accountable for the actions that are going on, then as you said, there's someone who has to be able to be that individual for that particular part who can speak and who can educate folks on who the organization is and what is going on in that

space. And when you don't have that, then you leave these gaps in your process that make you vulnerable. And we know those who would like to deconstruct our organizations and the good work that happens, they look for where the gaps in what they have there, and then they will manipulate those. So, you know, it's not just for what's going on here in relationship to Black Lives Matter. It is for all the new important organizations that will come into being to just really remember that you've got to have that structure. You've got to have the transparency. You've got to have the accountability. And you have to continually educate folks on the good work that you're doing and who you are.

You know, this is... Look, we know, Mario, how black organizations have often been attacked historically. What I have always said to... I said to a lot of young activists in the wake of Michael Brown and George Floyd, I said, keep your financial house in order because that is how they got Al Capone and that's how they're going to go after anybody black. And so when they start raising questions

about the money, that's what seeds, that's what sows seeds of discontent and causes even black folks to start questioning. And I also need to caution black people. Be very mindful of the sources that you're reading promoting information because you have to also understand some media outlets have an agenda themselves to take out BLM. Well, that's what I was going to say. Look, as a founder and executive director of a 501c3 nonprofit, I understand, as Mustafa stated, you need to be transparent, have accountability processes in place. And as they talked about, you know, following your 990s, which ours are, you know, we're doing all of that.

So I'm happy to know that we won't be in this situation. But we cannot forget what Malcolm X taught us to paraphrase that the media, particularly the white media, will have those who are our friends, have us hating those who are our friends and loving those who are our open enemy. So while this organization has some issues, maybe have some growing pains,

I'm still skeptical anytime time white media comes in to try to disregard and bring ill repute on a black organization that is trying to push forward a narrative to stop people from killing us. At the end of the day, what the Black Lives Matter movement is about

is the same what we all want on this show, for police officers and the state, the government, because the police is just an arm of the government, shooting down our brothers and sisters in the street with impunity. That is what we must stay focused on.

That is what matters, right? Stopping these people from shooting and killing us and then making sure those who have experienced this police government violence, that they have the very, very best legal counsel, the very best emotional mental therapy, the very best opportunity to try to move past or try to heal the wounds that come from

having someone killed by police violence, particularly in such a public way as Mike Brown, as Terrence Crutcher, as Sandra Bland, as George Floyd. The list goes on and on and on. So I think we should all stay real focused on what is the real goals of these organizations and who benefits the most by undermining black organizations. And as the sister stated about, you know, the fear that she has from white supremacy and death threats as someone who has received death threats.

I understand that is a real deal, and you have to find a way, Roland, as you always say, to not be scared, but it does not mean it's not a reality. So we have to keep all that in mind as we look at these stories coming from these so-called mainstream media outlets? Well, and again, I've had, look, we've had Melina Abdullah, who's over the grassroots portion

of Black Lives Matter on this show. We've had Patrisse Cullors on this show. We've had Alicia Garza, another co-founder who's no longer affiliated with BLM. But let me say this here, if you are a Black Lives Matter global network foundation leader, you should be talking to black media. You should be talking to black media.

You should be talking to black-owned media. You should be talking to black journalists. So that way you're communicating what's going on. And so that should happen. And so, again, to Shaloma Bowers, again, I don't know who that is I don't recall meeting this person who else whoever else is on the board y'all getting killed killed on the media side Y'all might want to start playing some offense Because right now the defense is looking bad and you cannot have the person who left

Still out here being the leading voice because that simply gives, it makes no sense. The person who's gone can't talk about what you're doing right now because they're not there. I'm just saying. Gonna come back, our Marketplace segment. We'll talk to a black business owner, folks, who's a toy maker.

You're watching Rolling Mark and Unfiltered. Don't forget, download the Blackstar Network app, Apple phone, Android phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox, Samsung TV as well. Also, first of all, I don't know what y'all doing YouTube. Why I gotta hit y'all up now? I don't know why we're not at 1,000 likes.

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We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. We'll be right back. Wetered. Venmo, rmunfiltered. Zelle is rolandat, rolandasmartin.com. Rolandat, rolandmartinunfiltered.com. We'll be right back. On the next Get Wealthy, did you know that

the majority of households headed by African-American women don't own a single share of stock? No wonder the wealth gap continues to widen. Next on Get Wealthy, you're going to hear from a woman who decided to change that.

I have been blessed with good positions, good pay, but it wasn't until probably in the last couple of years that I really invested in myself to get knowledge about what I should be doing with that money and how to productively use it. Right here on Get Wealthy on Black Star Network. Now, did you ever want to do a soap opera? I did it before on Another World. I did it years ago with Joe Morton, Morgan Freeman, called Another World.

It's a funk now, but that's how I started in TV. You? My first job. You? My very first TV job. Joe Morton and Morgan Freeman were on a soap opera? Together. Yes. I know.

Oh, I loved it. I played a prostitute. I was real raw. My name was Lily Mason. I was a hoe on Tuesday, and then I owned a town two weeks later. That's how they do you. Right, that's how soap opera. You know, you evolve.

Yeah. So now I'm on this, but I'm rich from Jump Street. So I'm loving it. Alright folks, the toy industry is quite competitive. Multi-billion dollar industry and it's not easy folks to break into it. We talk about what's going on. This black entrepreneur seeks to change the standard of beauty by adding to the representation of black people with her dolls. The Melanie Dolls changes the dynamics of how the world visualizes black beauty and how each black girl pictures themselves.

Each doll comes with three things that can be found in all black women, beauty, self-love, and courage. Datrice Thomas, founder of the Melanie Dolls, joins us now from my hometown of Houston. How you doing? I'm doing well today. How are you doing? Doing great. All right, so tell us about the Melody Dolls.

So, first of all, I do want to give a proper introduction. My name is Datrice Thomas. Datrice. Okay, gotcha. Yes. I'm 22 years old. I attend the University of Houston, where I major in economics with a minor in technology and entrepreneurship.

Just a little more detail about the Melanie Dolls. It is a black doll company that I created not only to properly represent the black demographic, but to actually teach black girls how to feel exceptionally beautiful inside and out, how to gain self-love, and how to develop courage. You know, ultimately fueling their potential to do anything they want in life.

So when did you start it? I started this about a year and a half ago. And why? Was there a cause? Was there a tipping point? What was the reason? There was a tipping point. The tipping point was the Black Lives Matter movement. When I saw the George Floyd incident, and then it kind of led me to reflect on the Breonna Taylor killing. And those things just really triggered me, but I allowed them to trigger me in the most positive

way possible. I wanted to change the narrative in which black people see themselves. Because oftentimes we're viewed for and known for and in the media for bad things that happen to us. And I just wanted to completely change that narrative. Uh, and-and so, um, did you start making them yourselves? Uh, did you have a partner? We make them with my hands. I manufacture them, and then I sell them.

Gotcha. Uh, and in the last year and a half, how many have a partner? We make them with my hands. I manufacture them, and then I sell them. Gotcha. And in the last year and a half, how many have you sold? I have sold, I want to go on record saying, I'm not going to tell you how many I sold, but I made $10,000 in two days. And, you know, as a broke college student, that's crazy. And it's only going up from here. The demand has exceeded.

So this next drop that I have coming out at the end of this month will be crazy. Now, is it the one doll? Do you have multiple dolls? Right now, I'm only selling one skew, which is the Brianna doll. That's the first doll that they showed on there. Mustafa, got a question? Yeah, well, congratulations, sister. I think you're in a $3.8 billion industry, so you're definitely in the right place. You know, you talked a little bit about our representation. When you share your dolls, is there information that also accompanies them to help to educate young girls, or is there a plan to continue the education? So along with the dolls,

I have this thing called Black Girl Mantras. And essentially what that is, is it's positive statements that you can repeatedly say to yourself to boost confidence. So with every doll that is purchased, a free Black Girl Mantra is given along with it. All right then, Theresa, your question. Well, thank you so much for creating a doll

that looks like me. I think it is very inspiring to the young women and also the young adults. So tell me a little bit about, I think you said you started this a few years ago or during the first one? Yes. Okay, well, congratulations on that.

So is this something that you plan on taking maybe to an international scale as well? Definitely, definitely. What I saw, what happened with the the dolls is that i feel as if black people we haven't really had an outlet to accurately represent us um so when the dolls did very well i knew that this was something that i would have to take internationally globally like i want to change black beauty and not just. I want to be a black representation of all demographics, so your Africans, you know, East Africans.

Anyone with melanated skin, I want them to feel seen, and I want them to feel beautiful. All right, so you got your website. You also, are you on Instagram? Where can people reach you? Yes, I am. I'm on Instagram at TheMelanieDolls, and myself is It's underscore Daytreese.

So you said The Melanie Dolls? Is that what you said? Yes, The Melanie Dolls. Okay, all right then. Well, look, certainly congratulations. Good luck with it. Keep building. And it's always important for entrepreneurs

to know the business of the business. And so we'll see what happens for you next. Thank you. All right, thanks a bunch. That's it for us folks. Demario, thanks a bunch. Teresa, Mustafa, I appreciate y'all as well. Always glad to see you here.

Teresa, how old is your daddy again? No, I'm just checking. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. So, if you want, Teresa, I can see your daddy's outfit like this. I'm just saying, you know, since you're sitting here. I'm coming to the studio.

None of this Skype no more. I'm coming to the studio in D.C. We're going to talk about it. Yeah, uh-huh. Yeah, uh-huh. Yeah, whatever. Yeah, whatever. And of course, y'all know last week, we, of course, in our Marketplace segment, we talked about Rock Deep. I'm rocking the Nagast 1619 shoes today. Y'all get a shot of these. So these are the ones that I'm rocking today. And so, Nagaz, well, we had them before in our Marketplace segment. And so I decided to be a little bit more

comfortable. And y'all getting a shot? Let me take a step back. Okay, cool. All right, cool. All right. Y'all getting a shot? We got 10 damn cameras in here. Alright then, so turn this way. Y'all see they got 1619 on the back of the shoes. So you actually see it right there. You should see. So on the back of these shoes right there. So you'll see. So pretty cool.

So very comfortable. Very comfortable. And so I appreciate that. Alright y'all, that's it. I appreciate it. Y'all be sure to follow us. Don't forget all the platforms on every platform. Hit us..

Switch camera right here. Come on here. You ain't got zoom out. Come here. Alright, now y'all remember. Go to all the platforms. Oh, y'all just really just screwed that shit up. Really?

Damn. Really? Really? Got to point it to the pads? I'm just saying. Like really? My lord. Alright, y'all.

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in the first hour. That's it, y'all. I will see y'all tomorrow. Roland Martin Unfiltered. Holla! Holla! I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes.

But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We asked parents who adopted teens to share their journey. We just kind of knew from the beginning that we were family.

They showcased a sense of love that I never had before. I mean, he's not only my parent, like he's like my best friend. At the end of the day, it's all been worth it. I wouldn't change a thing about our lives. Learn about adopting a teen from foster care. Visit AdoptUSKids.org to learn more. Brought to you by AdoptUSKids, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Ad Council.

I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We met them at their homes.

We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast.