#RolandMartinUnfiltered - NY man charged in Jordan Neely Death, 1st SC Black woman Dems Chair, FCC Commissioner on Tegna deal

Episode Date: May 13, 2023

5.12.2023 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: NY man charged in Jordan Neely Death, 1st SC Black woman Dems Chair, FCC Commissioner on Tegna deal The white man who killed Jordan Neely on a New York subway train ...surrendered to police this morning and now is facing a charge of second-degree manslaughter. We will give you the details of his arraignment and show you what Jordan's family said following the arrest. In a historic move, the South Carolina Democratic Party will now be led by a Black woman. We will speak with South Carolina's new chair Christale Spain about her plans for the party's future. The FCC is considering the Tegna Standard available deal. I will speak with one of the commissioners to get his take on the potential impact and how this deal could change the media landscape as we know it. Morris Brown College launches a new esports program focusing on increasing industry diversity. We will speak with a Morris Brown esports professor about the program's goals and how it will benefit students. And in our Education Matters segment, NASA's Date Equity Access Priority initiatives are helping historically black colleges and universities get involved in space exploration. We will speak with the Education Project Manager from NASA Headquarters about these exciting new opportunities for students. Download the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox  http://www.blackstarnetwork.com The #BlackStarNetwork is a 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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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an iHeart Podcast. self. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. 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 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English.
Starting point is 00:01:05 I'm Greg Lott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. 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.
Starting point is 00:01:24 It makes it real. It really does. 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 iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast in may 12 2023 coming up on roland martin unfiltered streaming live on the black star network the white white Marine who choked Jordan Neely to death on a New York City subway train, he turned himself in today after being indicted and charged on the manslaughter charges.
Starting point is 00:01:54 We'll give you the details in that particular case. South Carolina's made history by naming a black woman as head of the South Carolina Democratic Party. We'll talk with her about how she is trying to revive that party after hundreds of thousands of black folks failed to vote in the last election. Time is running out for the FCC to decide whether or not the standard General Techno deal should go through. We will talk with one of the FCC commissioners, Brendan Carr, who says there should be a commission vote
Starting point is 00:02:25 on that particular deal. Also on today's show, Morris College has a class on e-sports. We'll talk with the sister who is teaching that class, Christina Granville. Also on today's show, we will talk in our Education Matters segment about a program with NASA
Starting point is 00:02:43 called the Date Equity Access Priority Initiative. We'll unpack exactly what NASA is doing to help HBCUs. Plus, two proud uncles, yours included, has family graduating from Howard University. I actually happened to run into actor Roger Guinovere-Smith, and I'll share with you what he had to say outside of Cranbourne Auditorium for today's graduation. It's time to bring the funk.
Starting point is 00:03:10 I'm Roland Markdown Filchard on the Black Star Network, let's go. He's got it. Whatever the biz, he's on it. Whatever it is, he's got the scoop, the fact, the find. And when it breaks, he's right on time. And it's rolling. Best belief he's right on time And it's rolling Best believe he's knowing
Starting point is 00:03:26 Putting it down from sports to news to politics With entertainment just for kicks He's rolling With some go-go-royal It's rolling Martin Rolling with Roland now. He's funky, he's fresh, he's real the best. You know he's Roland Martin now.
Starting point is 00:04:02 Martin. Former U.S. Marine Daniel Penny turned himself in today in New York City after he was charged for manslaughter in the murder of Jordan Neely. Now remember, this took place in New York City on a subway train station. Neely was arrested for a second-degree manslaughter He appeared in a Manhattan criminal court before Judge Kevin McGrath set bail at a hundred thousand dollars following penny surrender The attorneys for the Neely family held a news conference Discussing what they want to happen and they are fight for justice justice. What happened in the subway that day? First of all, what is this?
Starting point is 00:04:48 He's going to come up with more and more things to make himself look better because that's the only way that he can escape the consequences of what he did. But I tell you one thing, he cannot rewrite how the story ends. The story ends with his arms wrapped around George's neck, choking him to death. And that's what he has to pay for. Those are the consequences that we cannot allow in our society. We cannot allow that type of aggression on a whim's notice. We cannot allow that type of judgment.
Starting point is 00:05:16 And we cannot allow that type of crime to happen without consequences. Now, Penny claims he stepped in in an act of self-defense when Neely threatened him and others aggressively. However, some witnesses say that Neely was not specifically threatening Penny when he intervened. Now, the reality is he could have detained him, but he literally choked the life out of his body. Of course, this video has been shown all over the country. People that were shocked and stunned to literally see Jordan Neely die with the hands of Neely. The state's self-defense law allows people to use deadly force if they believe their life or someone else's life is an imminent risk. Penny is due back in court for another hearing on July 17th. Joining us right now is Gregory, a Georgia State defense attorney out of New York.
Starting point is 00:06:07 Gregory, how are you doing? Thank you. Thank you for having me today. All right. So let's unpack this here because a lot of people, there are different state laws when it comes to self-defense. We are very familiar with stay-on-your-ground laws. So walk people through what the law is there in the state of New York. Well, in New York state, there's a portion of the penal law called justification, and it's the circumstances under which a person can use physical force or deadly physical force to repel an attack in defense of themselves or a third person. Now, the issue that Penny has here, there were other people who were on this train station. Nobody else choked the life out of Jordan Ely.
Starting point is 00:06:56 Well, now this case has moved from the court of public opinion to the court of law. And as such, the laws and statutes of New York governing the use of force are going to apply. And, you know, one of the things that the law indicates is that if a person reasonably believes that they or a third person is in danger of imminent physical harm or imminent serious physical injury or imminent death, then the use of force becomes authorized. You know, the key words in that statute are reasonable, and that's an issue that will be sorted out during the course of an investigation. It was a subway car with a number of people aboard, so the authorities will be sorted out during the course of an investigation. It was a subway car with a number of people aboard. So the authorities will be interviewing individuals, and then those individuals will more than likely be asked to give testimony in a grand jury
Starting point is 00:07:58 to determine whether or not a probable cause exists for Mr. Penny to be charged with manslaughter. At the opening of your show, you indicated that Mr. Penny had been indicted. My information is that he hasn't been indicted. He's been arrested. And now, under New York state law, the district attorney's office has 180 days to vote. The grand jury has that period of time to vote an indictment against him. So right now, the process begins where testimony will be sought from the people who were present and possibly from Mr. Penny to determine whether or not probable cause exists to actually indict him on that felony charge for which he was initially arrested today. So as we look at this, first of all, they have video. Prosecutors have video in this case.
Starting point is 00:08:56 What they don't have is, one, you don't have a situation where Neely had a gun, had a knife. And so when you talk about this imminent physical harm, if you are Neely's, if you are, I'm sorry, Penny's defense attorney, how do you deal with that when you don't have a weapon and when there are other people on there as well who didn't do what he did? Well, you know, it's a very fact-specific analysis. And again, the issue is the only opinions that count, or judgment that counts, is going to be that of the individuals in the grand jury who are going to hear the evidence firsthand from the parties that were directly involved or who were witnesses to the acts that took place.
Starting point is 00:09:54 And it's going to be a question of reasonableness. You know, would a reasonable person have felt that they were in danger of imminent physical harm? And was the response reasonable under the circumstances? And, Gregor, when you say reasonable, it's also you're factoring in the amount of time he literally was choking him. And, exactly, it's fact-specific. So all of those factors are going to be analyzed by the grand jury, the conduct of the deceased, the reactions of the people, the other passengers in the subway car, you know, their perception of a threat or their perception that there was no imminent threat.
Starting point is 00:10:47 So, yeah, it's a very, very, very fact specific analysis. And, you know, grand jury proceedings are secret. So the public will not be privy to the actual testimony of the parties in the grand jury. All right, then, Gregory. Look, we certainly appreciate it. Thanks a bunch. We'll certainly be following this case to see what happens next from Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg's office. Thank you. All right, folks, got to go to break.
Starting point is 00:11:16 We come back. I'll talk about this with my panel. Also talk about some other news of the day. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Don't forget, folks, please, if you're watching Roller Martin Unfiltered on the Blackstar Network. Don't forget, folks, please, if you're watching YouTube, hit that like button. Also, download our Blackstar Network app, Apple Phone, Android Phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV. We also want you to support us in what we do, so please join our Bring the Funk
Starting point is 00:11:39 fan club. Send check and money order to PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C. 20037-0196. Cash app, dollar sign RM Unfiltered. PayPal RMartin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered. Zelle, Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And be sure to get a copy of my book, Why Fear? How the Browning of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds. Available at bookstores nationwide. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target. You can download your copy on Audible. We'll be right back. Hatred on the streets, a horrific scene, a white nationalist rally that descended into deadly violence. White people are losing their damn lives.
Starting point is 00:12:27 There's an angry pro-Trump mob storm to the U.S. Capitol. We're about to see the rise of what I call white minority resistance. We have seen white folks in this country who simply cannot tolerate black folks voting. I think what we're seeing is
Starting point is 00:12:43 the inevitable result of violent denial. This is part of American history. Every time that people of color have made progress, whether real or symbolic, there has been what Carol Anderson at Emory University calls white rage as a backlash. This is the wrath of the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Boys. America, there's going to be more of this.'s all the proud boys guys this country is getting increasingly racist in its behaviors and its attitudes because of the fear of white people the fear that they're taking our jobs they're taking our resources they're taking our women
Starting point is 00:13:17 this is white fear Black Star Network is here. Oh, no punches! I'm real revolutionary right now. Thank you for being the voice of Black America. All the momentum we have now, we have to keep this going. The video looks phenomenal. See, there's a difference between Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN.
Starting point is 00:13:53 You can't be Black-owned media and be scared. It's time to be smart. Bring your eyeballs home. You dig? We're all impacted by the culture, eyeballs home. You dig? 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 Blackstar Network. This is Judge Matthews. What's going on, everybody?
Starting point is 00:14:32 It's your boy, Mack Wilde. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your boy, Jacob Lattimore, and you're now watching Roland Martin right now. All right, folks, let's introduce our panel today. Matt Manning, civil rights attorney. Glad to have Matt on the show. He, of course, we're frequent panelists. Also, we have joining us, we have Michael Imhotep, host of the African History Network show.
Starting point is 00:15:05 Glad to have Michael on the show. Michael, of course, from coming to us out of Detroit. Matt Corpus Christi, Kilopathea Communications Strategist, Washington, D.C. Glad to have all three of you here. Matt, when you look at this particular case here, Penny has a problem. And Penny's problem is that there were a lot of people who were on this subway train. He's the only one who decided to apply lethal force to choke the life out of Jordan Neely. Nobody else did. So if he's going to make the argument, my life was in danger and
Starting point is 00:15:42 the other people were in danger. How so? Gun, weapon? Was the guy, what, just yelling? They're going to have to make that argument. Yeah, I think you're exactly right. And I think your previous guest was good in showing that reasonableness is the standard here, both in New York and in Texas and presumably in other states. So the question will be, was it reasonable to use really force at all, but to use force to this extent? And I think your point is well stated. I don't think he will have a good argument that he should have used force. I am kind of confused here, though, as to why Mr. Bragg's office charged him with manslaughter rather than murder. What generally happens when you go to a grand jury is they're supposed to
Starting point is 00:16:22 give you the charge that they think the evidence supports, but customarily prosecutors go to them with a potential charge. And sometimes that changes. And the reason I'm confused here is because manslaughter in New York is a reckless killing, which means you didn't intentionally or knowingly do it, but there was a substantial risk of harm that you disregarded. And putting somebody in a chokehold is much different than putting them in, you know, another kind of hold, right? Like if he had just kept his body such that he couldn't move, that might make more sense than choking him. But choking him, you know that the likely outcome is a person who's going to expire if you hold them too long. So I'm interested in seeing how this charge bears out, but I think your point is well stated. I don't think he's got a strong defense at all because it'll be very hard to show that he was reasonably in fear of any harm coming to him and or that force was necessary.
Starting point is 00:17:14 If you got a train full of people who did not think that that was appropriate because they set the benchmark. And that right here, Kelly, that that he also has to deal with. You're on a... 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.
Starting point is 00:17:47 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, 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. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English.
Starting point is 00:18:36 I'm Greg Lott. 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.
Starting point is 00:18:50 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.
Starting point is 00:19:13 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.
Starting point is 00:19:32 And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you've got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the
Starting point is 00:20:12 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Public transit system. Folks are recording. So we saw what happened. Now we don't have, well, first of all, what has not been released is video of what took place before. But we don't know what was all shot by various people that we can see what preceded the chokehold. You're right about that. But at the same time, I agree with what Matt is saying. And I think we're all on the same page here in that I am confused as to why I only take a charge of manslaughter when, as lawyers, we know that the saying is you can indict a ham sandwich. And considering that the jury is, you know, siloed and in a private setting such that pretty much they
Starting point is 00:20:57 could talk amongst themselves by way of the DA just presenting whatever they want to to the grand jury, I don't understand how the DA thought it was reasonable to not add the second-degree murder charge, right? Because we don't know whether there's malice, because that would be first, but second is like, you killed somebody. And I don't see any negligence here. It seemed like it was pretty intentional. So it seems like they are already feeding into the court of public opinion on the side that Mr. Penny did not necessarily do anything wrong, because otherwise second-degree murder would be one of the charges in the indictment. That's my opinion. Michael? Well, Roland, one, I knew charges were going to come here. Two, when Daniel Penny used a lethal chokehold. Now, keep in mind, he was a Marine, okay?
Starting point is 00:22:02 So he has training in self-defense. You put a lethal chokehold on somebody for 15 minutes. Now you can knock somebody out with that chokehold between 10 to 30 seconds. You had him in that chokehold for 15 minutes. So he also has to justify, uh, in court, uh, each minute, why'd you still have him in that lethal chokehold? The other thing is, if you feared for your life or the life of others, especially if you feared for his life, why didn't you try to get away? I'm not familiar with struggling with somebody for 15 minutes because you feared for your life like that. And what threat did he, what threat did Jordan Neely pose in the 10th minute, the 11th minute, the 12th minute, et cetera? So and then also this hasn't that these were child charges filed by the DA's office, not from an indictment from a grand jury.
Starting point is 00:22:57 From my understanding, it's still going before a grand jury. So maybe they'll come back with second degree murder charges. And that right there, again, what still just jumps out at me on this, Matt, is this this notion that. I acted in self-defense before something happened. When a person is not brandishing a weapon, anything along those lines. Let's just say, for the sake of conversation here, that Jordan Neely walked up to him and said, I'm going to knock you out. You still took an action that killed somebody.
Starting point is 00:23:43 I mean, yeah, that's true. I can see, obviously, having done this work, I can see a circumstance where somebody's not brandishing a weapon. A good example would be if he continued to motion towards his pockets as though he had a weapon, right? Twelve people might think that that's a circumstance where you're reasonably in fear for your life. But here, I don't think you have that at all.
Starting point is 00:24:02 And I think what's already happening with the common character assassination we see in the media is they're talking about other circumstances where Jordan Neely allegedly attacked other people on the subway and that kind of thing. But I don't see that evidence here. So that's one, immaterial. Two, the same kind of character assassination we always see. But three, it's going to make Daniel Penny's case that much harder if there's not anything he can point to to substantiate that he was in reasonable fear, because that's what the law does. It puts a duty on the person claiming self-defense to show that they were in reasonable fear, right, of their safety. So if that fear is not believed or is not reasonable, you can be convicted every day of the week. And that's what I suspect 12 people do in this case. And I think for me, what really, what I see here, Kelly, what I see here is you take this action, and what's amazing is to sit here and watch all of these nutcases on the right
Starting point is 00:25:01 hail this guy as a hero. And it shows you the complete and utter disregard we have for folks who may have, who have mental issues, folks who may be homeless, this notion that, yeah, it's okay to kill this guy. Society won't miss him. Well, I think it has more to... The added layer with the people on the right regarding this issue is that this was an unhoused, mentally ill black man.
Starting point is 00:25:33 I do not think that the vitriol from the right would be as vitriolic had this young man been white and had this young man been white and killed by another white man. Or further, had this young man been white and killed by another white man, or further, had this young man been white and killed by a black man. I don't think that we would be seeing the discourse that we are seeing now amongst the right regarding this issue. At the end of the day, this was a young black man who was mentally ill. This was a young black man who was mentally ill and unhoused. And frankly, not to
Starting point is 00:26:06 make it a stereotype, this happened in New York City. He is not the only one who has these issues. He is not the only one who is going through this. And it would be terrible precedent if Mr. Penny were to, God forbid, be acquitted of these charges or anything of that sort. But I think it's a terrible precedent now, the fact that he has only been charged or indicted with manslaughter. When, according to the video that we have seen and according to the legal experts that we have heard from, he could have been indicted for second-degree murder with everything going on. So right now, it's not, it's unfortunate that this is happening right now. But from what I'm hearing on the right, it's par for the course. See, the thing here for me, Michael, which makes these things so bothersome, is that when you listen to these people, what we have, we have this attitude, again,
Starting point is 00:27:09 in this society that these things, that this guy was a worthless human being who deserved to be killed because he was so-called loud and threatening people on a subway. Yeah, Roland, and a lot of these people who are echoing that, a lot of them on coup plotter TV, Fox News, a lot of these are white supremacists. Okay, let's be clear. These are the same people who cheered on Donald Trump when he was on CNN lying just the other night. Okay, these are the same people who we see over and over again who attack Black Lives Matter, et cetera. But let me just say this very quickly.
Starting point is 00:27:55 To have a lethal chokehold on Jordan Neely for 15 minutes does not sound like self-defense. That sounds like torture to me. Okay, number one. Number two, I don't know how many black people were on that subway, but God damn it. If you see somebody trying to execute one of us, I hope somebody would stand up and stop that intervene. Okay. That's totally uncalled for. So, you know, um, George Floyd, the, the, the, the knee on George Floyd's next neck was nine minutes and 26 seconds, if I remember correctly. That's a hold from jujitsu that cuts off the flow of blood to the brain.
Starting point is 00:28:31 This was 15 minutes, okay? So we got to have some respect for ourselves and intervene, especially when we see somebody white trying to execute somebody, one of us like this. We have to have more respect for ourselves also. Well, again, I mean, and that's the thing for me that really bothers me here, Matt. It is a state of mind. What we have in this country now is a state of mind that there are some people, a lot of people, who don't mean anything, who are throwaways, who if we kill them, we don't care. It sort of reminds me of the guy, the business owner in San Francisco. Just walking up, I'm just going to just water spray this homeless person.
Starting point is 00:29:16 I'm just going to just spray whatever, bug spray or bear spray. I'm just going to sit here and douse them. There is a lack of humanity. And again, I get it. You're on the subway and look, I've ridden the subway in New York City and somebody's out there yelling and screaming. And look, your whole deal is like, all right, let me stand here and let me see what this fool's going to do.
Starting point is 00:29:36 Let's see what his ass is going to do. But when you decide to take him down and you are a Marine, You have been trained in hand-to-hand combat. You know the difference
Starting point is 00:29:51 between detaining a man until the cops come and murdering him. And that's what Penny did. He chose to literally snuff the life. He sat there and had this man's life in his arms and said i'm gonna kill him yeah i mean i don't know that there's much i need to add i think you're
Starting point is 00:30:18 exactly right and i think what we see being fomented in our country right now is exactly what you said, which is that we are allowing the othering of people that whomever, you know, people find to be worthless or less than valuable. We see it in our state houses. We're seeing it on this subway. We see it in the media every day. And it's terrifying because what's happening is we're normalizing violence towards people, right? And we're normalizing violence towards the least of these, if you will, people afflicted with mental health. Instead of finding ways to help them and get them the treatment that they need, they're being killed in open, you know, public on the subway.
Starting point is 00:30:56 So I don't know how you curb that tide, but that's something that we're dealing with along with the erosion of democracy. And what we're saying is not only is there with the erosion of democracy and what we're saying is not only is there not a preservation of the dignity of those people there is an active assault against history against the truth being told in a lot of different spaces so we have to fight against that and i'm glad michael said that because you know there's an example of a case in the 1980s that they teach in law school where a man was shot in New York City on the subway. And it's that precise question about bystander innocence and bystander liability. And
Starting point is 00:31:31 what needs to happen is people need to step in when they see something like this happening and say, man, you're going too far. And that's one of the facts that I think will hurt Daniel Penny. My understanding is somebody indicated to him that Mr. Neely had defecated on himself at some point during the time he was being choked. And he disregarded that. And that'll be a very, very difficult fact for his defense team to fight against. Folks, hold tight one second. We come back. We'll talk with a history maker, the first black woman to lead the South Carolina Democratic Party. What is it going to take to get black folks in South Carolina to maximize their voting power? I will ask her that next.
Starting point is 00:32:08 You're watching Roller Mark Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. That was a pivotal, pivotal time. I remember Kevin Hart telling me that. He's like, man, what you doing, man? You got to stay on stage. 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.
Starting point is 00:32:45 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.
Starting point is 00:33:02 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.
Starting point is 00:33:36 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.
Starting point is 00:33:50 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 man. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corps vet.
Starting point is 00:34:14 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 matter and it brings a face to it. 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,
Starting point is 00:34:35 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. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-up way, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication.
Starting point is 00:35:10 Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. You know, y'all think I'm good. And he was absolutely right. What show was the other time? This was one-on-one. Got it. During that time.
Starting point is 00:35:27 And I was- So you're doing one-on-one. Yeah. Going great. Yeah. You're making money. You're like- I'm like, I don't need to leave. I don't need to leave from, you know, Wednesday, Thursday to Sunday. I, you know, I just didn't want to do that. You know, it was just like, I'm gonna stay here.
Starting point is 00:35:39 Oh, I didn't want to finish work Friday, fly out, go do a gig Saturday, Sunday. I was like, I don't have to do that. And I lost a little bit of that hunger that I had in New York. I would hit all the clubs and run around. I, you know, sometimes me and Chappelle or me and this one or that one, we'd go to the Comedy Cellar at one in the morning. I mean, that was our life.
Starting point is 00:36:01 We loved it. You know, you do two shows in Manhattan, go to Brooklyn, leave Brooklyn, go to Queens, go to Jersey, and I kinda just, I got complacent. I was like, I got this money, I'm good, I don't need to go, I don't need to go chase that, because that money wasn't at the same level that I was making, but what I was missing was that training. Yes.
Starting point is 00:36:22 Was that, was that. And it wasn't the money. It was the money, you know, it was that was that and it wasn't the money it was the money you know it was that that's what i needed up next on the frequency with me Dee Barnes, we're going to talk to Leslie Segar, a.k.a. Big Les, and talk about her incredible career as a dancer, choreographer, and DJ of Rap City. Magic Johnson was there, so half the NBA was there.
Starting point is 00:36:55 He won the Supermodel for all the Supermodels were there every day, after. Like it was a who's who of who's who. Right here on The Frequency in the Black Star Network. Hi, this is Essence Atkins. Hey, I'm Deion Cole from Blackist. Hey, everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond, and you're watching in history, Democrats have elected a black woman to lead them in the state of South Carolina. Chris Dale of Spain won the position with a commanding victory with the support of prominent Democrats such as longtime Congressman Jim Clyburn.
Starting point is 00:37:43 Her election comes in South Carolina will play a significant role in the Democratic presidential race. Of course, it'll be the first primary. This is the first time that has happened. She joins us now from Columbia, South Carolina. So first off, congratulations. Glad to have you on the show. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Starting point is 00:38:01 I'm happy to be here. Obviously, with South Carolina being first up, that is a huge change. So, look, Biden is running. You've got a couple of nominal candidates who announced they're running as well. And so what is that going to mean for you, for Democrats, for African-Americans in the state by now being the first primary? It means that, you know, Black voters go, we get to have our voices heard first, right? For the longest time, we've been at the end of the campaign cycle, but now we get to go first.
Starting point is 00:38:33 And so what that means is candidates are going to have to start talking about issues that matter to Black voters. They're going to have to start coming into the communities where Black voters are and trying to engage them in a real way, not in the same way that they've done in Iowa for 30 years. They're going to have to do that now here in South Carolina, you know, and support the black vote. And the thing right there, though, is not just them, you know, you know, recruiting the black vote. But let's talk about what has to actually happen in your state.
Starting point is 00:39:04 I mean, you're in a red state. Democrats have been losing statewide positions. But you've got a significant number of black people in South Carolina who simply do not vote. If black people actually voted their power in South Carolina, they could elect black people statewide. What do you do to change this? So we have to start doing year-round voter engagement. For the longest time, we've always just kind of dealt with that, the model of we leave our black voters to the end of the cycle, the end of a few weeks out from election day. And we can't do that anymore. We have to start using, seeing black voters as persuasion targets and talking to them early and talking to them often.
Starting point is 00:39:45 I just had a successful cycle at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where my role was senior advisor for black engagement. And I built a program that did just that. We started talking to black voters in April, the earliest ever at the DCCC. And we spent significant amount of money doing that. We started targeting them with digital ads, mail, radio, and we have to do those same things here in South Carolina because we can do those same things here in South Carolina. When you say talking to them, unpack that, because I believe there's a different conversation saying, hey, we need you to vote. I can't get you to vote unless you're registered. I can't get you to register unless you believe that my vote actually makes a difference, which then means I have to explain why these policies, why these issues matter, which then
Starting point is 00:40:38 gets you excited, then gets you comfortable with now I can register, now I can actually go vote. And so walk through what that actually looks like and means. So basically what that means, I'm talking about year-round voter engagement. That does include voter registration. So in 2020, I ran the coordinated campaign for the party when Jamie Harrison was at the top of our ticket. And we laid the foundation, that cycle, and we mobilized 1.1 million Democratic voters and a little less of those, about 800 plus thousand were Black voters. But we weren't successful as far as getting the victory. But what I did realize is that those Black voters were excited to vote for
Starting point is 00:41:17 Jamie. But one thing that I did discover later on when I launched a PAC, 46 Hope Road, to figure out why those voters weren't, those Obama 08 voters weren't turning back out is because we weren't doing collective organizing. We weren't holding their hand from the time that they were registered to vote all the way to November 4, Election Day. And so when I'm talking about that engagement, that is from voter registration. That is, hey, it's important for you to register. What issues matter to you? Get them registered. Make sure they get their voter registration card and just really stay connected with them
Starting point is 00:41:51 until it's time to mobilize them in November. So when I say talk to us, it's not about like, hey, Democrats are here. We need your support. We also have to figure out what is a mobilizing issue for them as well. Um, that was, I saw, I remember we did a story here. There was a tremendous drop-off of black voters in the 2022 midterms. Why? What happened? It was a tremendous drop-off period.
Starting point is 00:42:18 We've had the lowest voter turnout here in South Carolina, probably lower than we've seen in over a decade. So I don't really know. I wasn't at the party at the time, but there wasn't much of an effort to mobilize the voters in 2022. That is befuddling to me. I mean, because how can a South Carolinian be the head of a Democratic National Committee, but then in South Carolina, in his home state, there wasn't much of an effort to get folk to vote when you actually had competitive races. Well, Jamie, are you talking about Jamie Harrison? No, no, no. What I'm saying is, you know, you got you got the head of the DNC who's from South Carolina. And then what you're saying is you didn't have Democrats who are in South Carolina
Starting point is 00:43:06 who were engaged in trying to get the vote out in 2022. That's crazy to me. Well, I mean, it's, you know, the party, it's the candidates. You know, I'm not the person to answer that question because I didn't work here in 2022. I wasn't elected in 2022. It's just about the party's effort. It was kind of lackluster for whatever reason. Was it a was it a function of money and money and a function of how our party is structured?
Starting point is 00:43:36 Right. If you have a top of the ticket here in South Carolina and they're not invested in in the party apparatus, then the party doesn't really have an apparatus for that election cycle. So as you saw in 2020, when Jamie was the top of the ticket, he was highly invested in the party. And we had a very robust campaign cycle from, you know, all across the state, you know, from the, he invested in the races from the bottom all the way up to, of course, his own race. And so we were able to mobilize those 1.1 million voters. But if you turn around two years later and have a candidate that is not invested in organizing in that way, then the party can't really get the resources it needs to engage voters.
Starting point is 00:44:22 First of all, let's stay right there, because what you just described is being at the mercy, frankly, of candidates. And so what are you going to then say to these candidates, top to bottom, those who run for U.S. Senate, those who run for Congress, those who run for state oppositions, what they are going to have to do, because frankly, if the candidates go, hey, I'm sorry, we're not going to put the resources in there, are you going to look them in the eye and say, well, guess what? You're going to lose then. Absolutely. I'm going to say that. But what I do want to make sure that we're doing is having a very strong and robust candidate recruitment and training program so that candidates are aware of what their
Starting point is 00:45:05 expectations are and they know what they're expected to do and they know what the party's expected to do. And we're also going to work, I'm going to work with my executive committee to come up with a plan B because we cannot be at the mercy of candidates like that ever again. Because in 2020, we took, you know, three giant steps forward. And then in 2022, we took them all, took six steps back. So we can't afford to do that. We have to continue progressing. Questions from my panel. First off, Kelly.
Starting point is 00:45:34 Sure. First and foremost, congratulations. Thank you. I know this was no small feat. And as someone who has ancestral roots in South Carolina, both Carolinas, but South Carolina in particular, I'm really excited for you in this endeavor. My question to you is, even though I understand you are new to this position and you've mentioned that some of the problems in the past has been the lack of handholding, as you called it, from the voter being registered to actually getting the vote secured, while that may all be well and good, how do you plan on the sustainability of holding these voters within the Democratic Party? But more importantly, how are you
Starting point is 00:46:21 planning to hold the candidates within South Carolina accountable so that they actually see through and see, too, that the vote that they earned actually, frankly, is earned? How am I going to hold the candidates? Tell me one more time. I'm sorry. How are you going to hold candidates accountable, the Democratic candidates under your purview accountable for the vote that you are trying to galvanize in South Carolina? You know, it's all about really having a strategy. We're all going to be invested in that winning strategy. And a lot of times I've seen in the past from a different vantage point that everybody's kind of doing their own thing. And we can't do that, right? The party has a role in the election as well as the candidates. And so the accountability piece to me comes with we're doing our part, which is, you know, these voters here, right? We know the voters that we
Starting point is 00:47:22 need to mobilize and we know the voters that the candidate needs to try to persuade to vote. And so I think the accountability comes with being invested in the strategy. Like you only win if you're going to do what we've already laid out. And I don't think that that's been laid out fair enough for folks in the past. So that's just one of the ways that I see us holding them accountable, because here's what we're going to do. We can't go persuade independent voters. That's not the party's role. The party's role is to expand and mobilize the base voters. So if they understand that, I think that if they understand that and they're invested in winning, they'll be accountable, I believe. Michael. Hey, congratulations, Crystal. I think this is a big accomplishment. I agree with everything that you said, then with the outreach and starting early and continuous contact, things of this nature.
Starting point is 00:48:13 One thing that I think is really important is in the communication, the ongoing communication is assessing what has been accomplished under the Biden-Harris administration, what has been accomplished the past two years, et cetera, or three years. What are one or two ways that you plan to communicate what has been accomplished? One, and two, are you using the doc, just curious, are you using the document from whitehouse.gov, the Biden-Harris administration advances equity and opportunity for black Americans and communities across the country, because this is about a 26 page document that breaks down category by category, how the policies of the Biden Harris administration are helping African-Americans. Absolutely. I've seen that document. And the one thing that I will tell you is that just because we haven't been talking to our voters in that way, our voters don't know, right? They don't know their vote is working for them. And that is the role of the Democratic
Starting point is 00:49:05 Party. Like even with the bipartisan infrastructure law right here in South Carolina, right here in Columbia, the traffic is almost at a standstill because of all of the construction and people are frustrated. But what I want to make sure that our voters know, this is progress. This is your vote working for you. This is what your tax dollars are fixing these roads finally, right? Even with all the broadband, South Carolina is a rural state. So having the access to Wi-Fi across these rural counties is, you know, it's hugely beneficial to our voters. And we have to let them know, here is your vote working for you again, right here. You voted for this, you got it. Access to clean water. We've had our own counties
Starting point is 00:49:45 here that have had water prices that we're coming out of. So every community having clean drinking water is your vote working for you. And so we have so many things to celebrate and to tell our voters about the accomplishments. And we have to tell
Starting point is 00:50:02 them. We are not telling them. We're not talking to them. And that's what I'm going to change. Thank you. Matt? Congratulations on your election. My question for you is this. What, if any, leverage do you see this gives your party, in South Carolina in particular, in driving the national conversation in terms of policy, particularly maybe policy for us or just democratic policy in general. And what I mean is that if y'all are the first primary, you'll be the benchmark essentially for candidates and what they do in subsequent primaries. So how do you see that leverage that this gives y'all? I think that it gives black voters a voice, a voice early rather than later, right? So whatever the needs and the issues of black
Starting point is 00:50:43 voters are, when this cycle really gets started, that's what is going to happen. That's what the candidates are going to be talking about. Right. Because they're not going to be able to wait and push it to the background. They're going to have to lead off with issues that matter to black voters. Last question I have, that is, you have Bonds for Liberty that has taken over a significant number of school boards. And so a lot of focus oftentimes is on national and statewide races. But the reality is when you talk about a state Democratic Party, you're also looking at those local races. What is your strategy to retake those races?
Starting point is 00:51:19 Is it a matter of reminding people that, hey, you kind of got to vote in those races as well, because my understanding, 10 of the 14 largest school districts in South Carolina, a significant number of black folks, Monster Liberty, these crazy white right wingers, they're running through changing curriculum, firing superintendents. That's impacting black students. 100 percent. And that's a part of our, you know, I know I no longer want to leave out nonpartisan candidates in our candidate recruitment and training because, of course, we see the Republicans have changed the playbook. So we have to make sure that those folks are running strong as well. But we have to again tell our voters, you can't miss elections. Like, you feel the brunt of your city council election quicker than you will the presidential. Like, you feel the brunt of your city council election quicker than you will the presidential. Like you feel the brunt of your city council race quicker than you will,
Starting point is 00:52:08 you know, the presidential. So that is also a part of what the party has to do as far as that voter engagement, because it's the education piece. It's not just November in the even year. There are big races here going on this year, mayoral race in Charleston, the city of Charleston, a big mayoral race in the city of Greenville. So we've got lots of time to
Starting point is 00:52:29 practice what we need to do for next year in the general. Alright then, Ms. Bain, we sure appreciate it. Thanks a bunch and good luck. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me. Alright, gotta go to break. We'll be back, folks. Black and Missing will also talk about three white men who chased a black man and killed him in Jacksonville, Florida.
Starting point is 00:52:50 And also, four teens arrested for the killing of a black cop in Chicago. That's next on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Blackstar Network. We talk about blackness and what happens in black culture. We're about covering these things that matter to us, speaking to our issues and concerns. This is a genuine people powered movement. A lot of stuff that we're not getting. You get it. And you spread the word. We wish to plead our own cause to long have others spoken for us.
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Starting point is 00:53:58 Venmo is RMUnfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. On a next A Balanced Life with me, Dr. Jackie, what does it mean to actually have balance in your life? Why is it important and how do you get there? A masterclass on the art of balance. It could change your life. Find the harmony of your life. And so what beat can you maintain at a good pace?
Starting point is 00:54:24 What cadence can keep you running that marathon? Because we know we're going to have, you know, high levels. We're going to have low levels. But where can you find that flow, that harmonious pace? That's all next on A Balanced Life on Blackstar Network. 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
Starting point is 00:55:02 convinced it was that simple. 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,
Starting point is 00:55:34 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. 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,
Starting point is 00:56:14 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.
Starting point is 00:56:30 MMA fighter Liz Caramouch. 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.
Starting point is 00:56:48 And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you've got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad.
Starting point is 00:57:24 That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. My name is Charlie Wilson. Hi, I'm Sally Richardson-Whitfield. And I'm Dodger Whitfield. Hey, everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond,
Starting point is 00:57:40 and you're watching Roland Martin, my man, Unfiltered. Kennedy Myers went missing from her King Street, South Carolina home on April 21st. The 16-year-old is 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs 165 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Kennedy Myers should call the Williamsburg County, South Carolina Sheriff's Office at 843-354-0606, 843-354-0606. Folks, this story reminds me of the Mont Aubrey case. Three white men in Jacksonville, Florida, are accused of killing a black man who they actually chased. Ryan Nichols was charged with second-degree murder, while Daniel Degaria and Holden Dotson
Starting point is 00:58:44 were charged with accessory-degree murder, while Daniel Degaria and Holden Dotson were charged with accessory after the murder. The three men are accused of chasing a black man whose identity has not been released for no reason, shot and killed him. Jacksonville Sheriff's found the victim on May 2nd lying on the ground near a dumpster where police believe he was trying to hide from the men. He was pronounced deceased. The judges advised the guardia and Dotson that they may have hate crime charges added to the other charges. According to Florida statutes, hate crimes bring heavier penalties. This right here is absolutely insane. Kelly? It is absolutely insane. And unfortunately, it's not the first time we've seen something so insane. I hope that they
Starting point is 00:59:27 are convicted and sentenced to the highest sentence that they can possibly receive, because it is absolutely unacceptable to have such stupidity on top of racism in this country. There is no reason for this. This Black man lost his life. And for what? Because three people saw a black man crossing the street. This is not Jim Crow anymore. And it wasn't acceptable then. It sure isn't acceptable now. And hopefully the law will hold them accountable because based off of the information that we have available to us via media, they very well may be guilty of this crime, and they should be held accountable for it to the fullest extent of the law.
Starting point is 01:00:13 It is just, I mean, Michael, again, we continue to see what happens here. I mean, my goodness, they chased this guy and killed him. Yeah, Roland, you know, this is another sad event. Once again, I don't think it's coincidental that it's taking place in the state of Florida, where at the same time they are attacking how African-American history is taught in schools. At the same time, they're banning books dealing with the civil rights movement, et cetera. And the way you treat a people is largely based upon what you've been taught about a people, what you think about a people. And, you know, we can't let it escape this conversation that Florida is where Rosewood was. And the Rosewood, Florida massacre in 1923, where they destroyed an entire town,
Starting point is 01:01:06 white supremacists destroyed an entire town and ran those African-Americans out of Rosewood and took their land all because of a lie. All right. So this is another tragedy. Hopefully they get the full assist brought to justice and get the stiffest penalty. But things like this have to stop. Absolutely. This case here out of Chicago, quite sad. Arnott Preston, a 24-year-old police officer, was actually shot and killed as she was at her home. Now, what they're investigating, Matt, in Chicago is why did it take cops 30 minutes to respond to the shooting after the shot cam detected that shots were fired in the area of four African-American men where teenagers were actually arrested for her murder. Apparently, they had gone on a, go ahead and show the photos, folks. Apparently they had gone on a robbery spree and she was, three individuals, I'm sorry.
Starting point is 01:02:09 She was one of the victims. Again, a 24-year-old sister who, again, shot and killed. And I saw a news conference, Matt, where, we'll try to find a video video where her mother was just stricken by it and said she actually felt sorry for those young men. This here is a photo of that 24 year old officer, Miss Preston. I mean, this is obviously heinous and it's obviously indefensible. And what's layered on top of just the clear facts here is the fact that we're talking about juveniles. We're talking a 14-year-old child doing this. And obviously children can be charged as adults and children can understand to some extent gravity of those crimes. But, you know, the system has a whole different approach to juvenile prosecution than it does adult prosecution because of what we understand about neuroscience.
Starting point is 01:03:08 So I say all that to say what's especially sad here is you have three young men who committed this heinous crime. What happened to this woman is obviously the most important part of this. But a corollary to that is you have three young lives that are now gone. And it makes you have to do an examination of the circumstances that put them there, the circumstances of systems that are failing them holistically. And it culminates in things like this heinous shooting. And I hope that they're brought to justice. But I also hope that there is appropriate response and that we look at the systemic causes of what causes this kind of conduct. Indeed. Indeed. Also, while we are talking about Chicago, folks, what was also happening there, of course, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, of course, lost her reelection bid.
Starting point is 01:03:59 They also are dealing with this here. HUD has actually settled a lawsuit with the city of Chicago with regards to environmental racism. They're going to have to actually make some changes there. HUD found that Chicago City Hall effectively engaged in environmental racism for years. If you look at this here, since last year, HUD investigators accused the city of intentionally steering polluters to neighborhoods already overburdened with pollution and threatened to withhold tens of millions of dollars in federal funding if the city does not change its practices.
Starting point is 01:04:37 And again, what we're seeing is that they were steering folks to areas where black folks live. Lifeboat ahead a statement Chicago is listening to the long-standing concerns voiced by environmental justice organizations and community members who describe how intensive industrial operations in commercial transportation affect their neighborhoods health
Starting point is 01:04:56 quality of life. I mean Kelly was crazy here is again this is a city last four years had a black mayor significant African-American population. And here's HUD saying that this city, Chicago, was engaged in environmental racism. Well, and we've talked about this concept on your show before, Roland, and that you do not necessarily have to be white in order to be a white supremacist. And you certainly don't have to be non-black in order to be a white supremacist, and you certainly don't have to be non-black in order to be biased against black people. And if HUD is saying that environmental racism has been occurring in the city of Chicago, and the evidence points to that, then I just go with the evidence.
Starting point is 01:05:39 And based off of what you're saying, based off of what the media is saying about this issue, it is unfortunate that there are some Black people out there who do not necessarily care about or prioritize the lives of other Black people within their surroundings. And we have to find a way to root out those specific biased Black people and bring in people who actually care about the collective, who care about all black people and make sure that things like environmental racism don't happen in predominantly black cities or predominantly minority populated cities. What was crazy here, Michael, go to my iPad, please. And that is, it says central to a
Starting point is 01:06:22 complaint. This is from Chicago Sun-Times. Sent to a predominantly Latino community area surrounded by majority black neighborhoods. So let's take it out of the white folks area who got money and let's go to black and Latino folks are. Yeah, Roland, and we see this. This is the fight that is going on within the environmental justice arena, fighting against environmental racism. And, you know, also coupled with this, it may not play a part specifically in this case, but in other cases where we see things like this happen, gentrification is taking place as well. So this is part of the harm that has to be repaired when we talk about repairing the legacy of damage of slavery and post-slavery as well. Things like this that people don't really take into account,
Starting point is 01:07:37 but this type of racism is deadly. Also, last here, go to my iPad, Sun Time said, HUD still has an ongoing but separate civil rights investigation related to the power that Chicago City Council members wield to prevent low-income housing in their wards. We'll keep you abreast. So great job there by Secretary Marsha Fudge and the Department of HUD.
Starting point is 01:08:01 Folks, when we come back, why is the FCC not taking a vote on Standard General's opportunity to buy the television station groups? We'll talk to FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr next, right here on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Next, on the Black
Starting point is 01:08:22 Table, with me, Greg Carr. We look at one of the most influential and prominent Black Americans of the 20th century. His work literally changed the world. Among other things, he played a major role in creating the United Nations. He was the first African-American and first person of color to win the Nobel Peace Prize. And yet today, he is hardly a household name. We're talking, of course, about Ralph J. Bunch. A new book refers to him as the absolutely indispensable man. His lifelong interest and passion in racial justice, specifically in the
Starting point is 01:09:00 form of colonialism. And he saw his work as an activist, an advocate for the Black community here in the United States as just the other side of the coin of his work trying to roll back European empire and Africa. Author Cal Rastiala will join us to share his incredible story.
Starting point is 01:09:23 That's on the next Black Table here on the Black Star Network. Hi, I'm Dr. Jackie Hood-Martin and I have a question for you. Ever feel as if your life is teetering and the weight and pressure of the world is consistently on your shoulders? Well, let me tell you,
Starting point is 01:09:36 living a balanced life isn't easy. Join me each Tuesday on Black Star Network for Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie. We'll laugh together, cry together, pull ourselves together, and cheer each other on. So join me for new shows each Tuesday on Blackstar Network, A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie. 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.
Starting point is 01:10:10 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.
Starting point is 01:10:35 Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season One, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes one, two, and three on May 21st and episodes four, five, and six on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott.
Starting point is 01:11:11 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.
Starting point is 01:11:28 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. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill.
Starting point is 01:11:42 NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Cor vet. 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.
Starting point is 01:11:56 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. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad
Starting point is 01:12:35 because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond. Hi, my name is Bresha Webb, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. Well, I like a nice filter usually, but we can be unfiltered. Folks, in a few days, the financing was going to run out for Standard General's acquisition of the television group Tegna. Now, what would happen if they were able to do this? They would be acquiring the second largest TV group in the country based upon revenue. Now, Soo Kim, who leads Standard General, he's a Korean American.
Starting point is 01:13:35 They've been having this battle back and forth. They've been fighting various unions, some support, some don't. Critics have said they're going to be causing the loss of jobs. He said he's made a number of concessions saying they're going to be actually adding jobs. We actually have a partnership with Sue Kim, if this deal goes through, to expand our content as a black-owned media company on all of these various properties. And so if he's able to do this, joining us right now is the commissioner of the FCC, Brendan Carr. There are four commissioners.
Starting point is 01:14:08 They have a position that is vacant. The chair of the FCC, of course, sent this to the administrative judge. Many said that's a death knell because they don't have the judge admit it. They don't have enough time to actually investigate this here. What still is befuddling to me, Commissioner Carr, and I was there at the FCC meeting a couple of weeks ago, if you have an FCC commission and you have four commissioners, and yes, you have one person who's not there, why in the
Starting point is 01:14:32 world does the chair not say, look, we're the commission. We get to decide have an actual hearing, go through the facts, have an actual vote, because this has been looked at by the FCC for a hell of a long time, right? Yeah, you're right. Look, there's no question the FCC has the
Starting point is 01:14:52 authority to issue an up or down vote on the merits with respect to this transaction in time for that ruling to make a difference. Although, as you indicated, it doesn't look at all like that's going to happen. If you step back, what's concerning here is if you look at the ownership by minorities of full-power TV stations in this country, it's in the single digits. And we have worked for years to try to improve that. And without really us doing anything, this transaction came to the FCC. As you noted, minority owner Sue Kim would be purchasing about 60 full-power TV stations, and they'd be run by a
Starting point is 01:15:26 woman. That would put us for the first time into the teens, at least, in terms of the percentage of TV stations owned by a minority, increased by 50%. That doesn't happen very often when you can have the most significant pro-diversity injection of capital and ownership into broadcast TV. And the Internet's great. People are going direct to consumer. I think that's fantastic. Gets rid of the middleman. But there's still something very unique about the power of local television. I think this was one where the FCC really didn't run very good process. And I'm disappointed with where it is right now. You also have folks like Cedric Richmond, former congressman, who say that the FCC decision does not jive with the Biden-Harris administration on wanting more equity and inclusion when it comes to businesses in this country. Yeah, you're right. of the FCC's media regulations of our entire approach to media regulation is localism,
Starting point is 01:16:25 competition, and importantly, diversity, diversity of voices, diversity in all of its components. And again, it takes a lot of work to try to attract minority ownership in media broadcasting because access to capital is difficult. There's a lot of barriers to entry experience. And again, when you have a transaction coming to the FCC's door that says, look, we will put you in the teens, we will increase by 50% minority ownership of TV stations, and yet we just put this bad process. Again, to step back, this deal was before the FCC for a year. And as far as I could tell as a commissioner, I wasn't receiving no indication that this wasn't headed towards an up or down vote. And all of a sudden, the trapdoor fell out beneath of it. And just think about the signal that it sends, not just the negative signal
Starting point is 01:17:08 it sends in this particular transaction, but who's going to want to go through the expense and the risk of a year-long regulatory review at the FCC, only to be told at the end of that, by the way, you're not even going to get reviewed on the merits. We're just going to let you die when your financing runs out. One of the things that I have said, again, and I've been one of the people who has been, look, just out front, really pushing hard when it comes to ownership. And the thing here is that when you talk about this opportunity, there have been a number of civil rights groups that have signed MOUs with SU Kim with regards to this in terms of what it would mean. But, you know, we actually, look, I own this. And I can tell you, there's been no other major station group, there's been no other major station group that where we've met with who said, hey, let's do a deal and help grow and build a black owned media company. And that to me, that's why that's why I did it, because the ability for us to be able to get our content,
Starting point is 01:18:17 to have our content on these platforms, to be able to access local television stations where African-Americans are. That's what this is about. That's why we struck this deal. And so by the FCC not moving on it, not only do you deny Sue Kim, come on, guys, show the photo, not only do you deny Sue Kim this deal, you also are actually hurting someone like me, a black-owned media company, from being able to grow and being able to one day able to buy stations and build a media company. And so what ends up happening is the media, frankly, the second most powerful institution in the world behind the military, stays largely white in America.
Starting point is 01:18:57 Yeah, it's deeply, deeply disappointing. You know, one another idea that we threw out a couple of years ago was something called an incubator program. We launched it in the radio context, which is to say a large TV station could incubate a smaller new entrant, you know, women owned, minority owned. And they could do that in a way that wouldn't count against FCC's ownership rules. That radio incubator hasn't really seen a lot of uptake. My view is we need to expand that into TV and maybe look at some additional incentives. How do we create the right regulatory incentives so that large established TV, hopefully soon, and radio stations will bring on board new entrants, get them into the market, share resources, share talent, and allow them to flourish? I think that incubator program is another thing at the FCC that we really need to get going on. Well, and look, you used to have tax credits that played a huge role that expanded
Starting point is 01:19:48 the number of radio station ownership. Of course, that went away, and then we saw that contract as well. And the thing here, and again, I'm just going to, this is not an ideological deal, but here's the deal. When Sinclair took over all these TV stations, they infused their ideological perspective in these stations. So we understand. And look,
Starting point is 01:20:13 I know when you own, you get to do what you want. And so having a Korean-American who owns a station partnering with African-Americans, partnering with Latinos and others, that it expands the opportunity. And I would have thought democratically appointed FCC commissioners would like that. Yeah, look, I think ownership matters, to your point. And I think that's why we work so hard. You mentioned the tax credits, which were in place. They expired, and Congress hasn't put them back in place. Those seem to work.
Starting point is 01:20:47 Obviously, there was constitutional questions raised with respect to that. I think that was part of the expiring. But again, there's all these things that we try to do to introduce minority ownership. And yet this deal comes to our door. And all we have to do is say yes. And you go from, you know, 5 percent, 6 percent, 7 percent minority ownership of TV stations in this country into the teens right away. And that's a pretty good start. And again, I'm just I'm concerned about this transaction. I don't see a path forward at this point, unfortunately, process wise at the FCC. But again, more generally, I mean, who wants to go through this when there's just no certainty at all? So I think we've got work to do with the FCC to make sure that the ownership of TV stations, of radio stations better reflect the diversity
Starting point is 01:21:22 of this country. You have two commissioners who would like to let it be up and down vote, you and Commissioner Silington. There was a filing that I thought was interesting that stated, in any event, the applicant's request for a commission vote appears futile, given that it seems unlikely that the applicants could receive a majority vote in support of their proposed transaction because the FCC does not have a full complement of commissioners to vote or break a deadlock. First, Gregory Starks is an African-American. He's an FCC commissioner. As he actually publicly stated where he stands on this,
Starting point is 01:21:58 and first of all, how can someone say, well, it's going to be deadlock if you never actually have a vote? Yeah, well, process-wise at the FCC, the chair has complete control over what comes before us to vote and what gets yanked away from us in terms of casting a vote. That's a prerogative of the chair. So, again, even though there's four of us, even if three people came together and said they want to vote on the merits, unless one of those three is the chair, there's no action-forcing way that three commissioners can force a chair to bring something forward. You mentioned Commissioner Starks. He's been doing really good work at the FCC. He's been working hard. I was just with him at a historically Black university down here in Virginia. And he's been promoting some initiative to try to get
Starting point is 01:22:43 more low-income minority communities onto the internet with a particular program called ACP, which is a new subsidy discount to get low-income people online. So I think we're all rowing in the right direction here, but this is just a real big black eye for the FCC when we had a chance to do something to promote diversity, and plainly it looks like at this point we're not going to. Indeed. Commissioner Brendan Carr, we appreciate you joining us and coming here on Roller Mart Unfiltered to explain what's going on in this deal.
Starting point is 01:23:11 Thanks. Thanks so much. Thanks a bunch. I've got my panel here. This is the thing, Michael, that you have going on. So you've got something that's going on right here. Okay. You've got some Democrats who have been opposing, saying, oh, private equity, taking over this immediate property, they're going to be just slashing jobs left and right.
Starting point is 01:23:34 But you've got some other Democrats who have been saying, wait a minute, you've got Senator Robert Menendez saying, why are we not addressing the issue of diversity and ownership? You've got folks on both sides. You've got some union folks opposing, some union folks who are supporting. The thing for me is real simple. You're the FCC. You are appointed to make decisions. Do your job. Commissioner Rosenwald, just do it. Call for the actual vote or say, we're going to have an FCC hearing. We want to hear both sides and let's vote and see what the hell happens. Don't ship it off to an administrative judge to kill it. Yeah, I think the FCC should act on this. And this is one of the reasons why specifically black-owned media is so important, but how black-owned media
Starting point is 01:24:27 is also impacted by government decisions, by who's in office, by the FCC. So I think they should make a decision on this. And also, you know, we have to understand, and I think those of us on the panel know this, the Democratic Party is not a monolith. Those Democrats in the House and the Senate, they're not a monolith. And I think it's also important to have representatives in the House and the Senate who also have some type of background in media. The reason why I say that, specifically African-Americans, the reason why I say that
Starting point is 01:25:07 is because they can probably advocate better for African-American media than other people who may mean well but don't have any experience in this arena. Well, here's the whole deal. The FCC, that's what their job is, Matt. They are the Federal Communications Commission. There are four of them.
Starting point is 01:25:28 One person had a name withdrawn after opposition from Republicans. And so typically, whoever part is in control, they typically will have three Democrats, two Republicans, or three Republicans, two Democrats, typically how it goes. The thing here, though, is do your job. Literally, you've had months and months and months of research. That's why you have staff. Call a hearing and say, guess what? Those who are for this, we would love to hear your testimony. Those who are against, we're going to sit here and actually do a vote. This is sort of like the Supreme Court shadow docket.
Starting point is 01:26:11 So you don't actually have any hearings. You don't actually have any testimony, but you kill certain things or make certain rulings at Friday night at 9 p.m. so no one knows what's going on. That's essentially what's going on here. You're killing a deal by not actually holding a vote. It happens every day, and I hate it because they often try to put the lawyers in the position where we make some decision that they're afraid to make and they're afraid of voters having a response that they don't like. But I think you're 100 percent right. Or at least here, they should make it very clear what the potential objections are.
Starting point is 01:26:45 What I was wondering and what I was hoping to ask Mr. Carr is whether there's a concern about it being anti-competitive, whether there's some concern about, you know, monopoly concerns or some reason that it would justify not taking a vote. But I think your point is very well stated. Look, you're on this commission to make decisions and make the decisions, period. Right. Make have the vote. And then if the vote goes the way that the deal doesn't go through, then at least you've done your public duty and, you know, made the vote that you think should happen. And be on record. And be on record. This whole deal, I mean, when I went out of the hearing, Kelly, the chairwoman, I've had her on the show before, you know, nice one. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time,
Starting point is 01:27:27 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 call this taser the revolution. But not everyone was
Starting point is 01:27:43 convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. 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.
Starting point is 01:28:04 I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute season one, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes one, two, and three on May 21st and episodes four, five, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.
Starting point is 01:28:32 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.
Starting point is 01:28:44 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 man. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. Got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote.
Starting point is 01:29:09 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,
Starting point is 01:29:26 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. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you've got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else. But never forget yourself.
Starting point is 01:29:59 Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's Dadication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. And, you know, she goes, well, I can't speak to that because it's before the administrative judge. And there's also a lawsuit going on. So then I asked her, I said, OK, so you can't speak to the mayor. How about why not hold the actual hearing?
Starting point is 01:30:26 I can't speak to that. Her whole position was I can't speak to anything because of the administrative law judge. You're the one who actually sent it there. So it's like you can't say anything at all. And, again, I just simply go back to, I believe in leaders leading. And if
Starting point is 01:30:52 you don't think this should go through, do a vote and be on record. Guess what? If it deadlocks, it deadlocks. If it's 3-1 and you're the one and the other three support it, that's great. But don't sit here and not do anything because, oh, it's an easy way to kill a deal,
Starting point is 01:31:12 but not actually being on record. Well, I'm sensing, and I'm not trying to make this a super broad comment, but in what I'm seeing in the news and how Democrats have been behaving as of late, and by as of late, I mean the last, let's just say, five years to be conservative, this lack of wanting to be held accountable, this lack of being on the offense when it comes to issues and letting things just kind of rock, letting things ride such that they aren't blamed either way. And when something does go down, they can blame somebody else for it when at the end of the day, Democrats had the opportunity to do something about it ahead of time. And what I'm seeing here is that, frankly, the Democrats in the FCC are holding up process that would help left-wing issues such that you have diversity. Well, no, no, no, no, no. It's not necessarily left-wing issues.
Starting point is 01:32:23 So this is not an ideological thing. The bottom line here is this very simple. Here you have a Korean-American, owns a company. Now, there are Democrats that oppose him by saying, because you're private equity. And, yes, we have seen in the newspaper industry how some private equity companies have decimated jobs. One, not all companies are the same. You have commitments that have been made. But the point here is this here. I don't care if you say, sue Kim. I don't believe him. I don't believe Senator General. That's fine. Vote. Vote. Be on record and vote it down.
Starting point is 01:33:06 If there are three commissioners that are against it, vote. If there are two and two and it's deadlocked, it still doesn't go forward. My problem is you don't even want to take a vote. That to me is weak leadership. You're killing a deal by saying, yeah, we're not going to take a vote, so to me is weak leadership. You're killing a deal by saying, yeah, we're not going to take a vote, so we're just going to let it die over here because you don't want to actually be on record to vote. 30 seconds, final
Starting point is 01:33:34 comment. I understand that and I agree with you, but what I'm seeing again is a recurring theme of Democrats not wanting to take accountability because they don't know what the end result could be. Like you said, they need to do their job and vote. But because of, oh, we don't know what the repercussions are going to be if we vote one way or the other, we would
Starting point is 01:33:57 rather, you know, shift and let another entity deal with it. That is a recurring theme that I'm seeing. Well, that's crazy as hell to me. All right, folks. So again, we'll see. I doubt anything happens, but we'll see what happens in the next few days. Got to go to break.
Starting point is 01:34:13 We come back. We've got HBCU Connect. Boris Brown has a class dealing with e-sports. Yes, that is actually being taught at an HBCU. We'll talk with Christina Granville, a professor who's teaching that course. We'll also have our Education Matters segment talking with folks at NASA about an innovative program there.
Starting point is 01:34:36 Plus, my niece Faith graduates from Howard University. Oh, actually, it's happening right now. And I actually happened to run into a prominent actor while I was leaving whose nephew is graduating at the same time. I'll share that with you. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Blackstar Network.
Starting point is 01:34:58 On the next Get Wealthy with me, Deborah Owens, America's Wealth Coach, nurses are the backbone of the healthcare industry, and yet only 7% of them are Black. What's the reason for that low number? Well, a lack of opportunities and growth in their profession. Joining us on the next Get Wealthy is Needy Bartonelli.
Starting point is 01:35:21 She's gonna be sharing exactly what nurses need to do and what approach they need to take to take ownership of their success. So the Black Nurse Collaborative really spawned from a place and a desire to create opportunities to uplift each other, those of us in the profession, to also look and reach back and create pipelines and opportunities for other nurses like us.
Starting point is 01:35:49 That's right here on Get Wealthy, only on Black Star Headline. 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. My name is Charlie Wilson. Hi, I'm Sally Richardson-Whitfield.
Starting point is 01:36:22 And I'm Dodger Whitfield. Hey, everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond, and you're watching Roland Martin, my man, Unfiltered. សូវបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបា� All right, folks, it's graduation day all across the country. And a little bit earlier, I dropped by Howard University because my niece, Faith Marshall, she's actually graduating. Yeah, she was showing her graduating shoes. And so they're actually having the ceremony as we speak. She's an architecture major getting her undergraduate degree.
Starting point is 01:38:00 And then she'll actually be returning to get her master. So while I was about to leave, like literally I was leaving, I couldn't attend the ceremony because, of course, I had to host a show. And so guess who I run into? Actor Roger Guinevere Smith. You've seen him in many Spike Lee movies. Well, his nephew was graduating. And so, hell, while we're there, might as well talk to him. Here's our conversation.
Starting point is 01:38:31 Here at Howard University, my nieces graduate. Come on, let's micro up. Let's go. Let's go. No, micro. Is he your nephew? My nephew is graduating. Colin Montgomery Smith.
Starting point is 01:38:41 This is a fourth generation Smith coming through. Wow. Wow. Wow. And the first was my father. And tomorrow we will celebrate what would have been my father's 101st birthday. Wow. Chairman W. Smith Sr.
Starting point is 01:38:55 That's awesome. Always. Well, first of all, it's always good to see these young folks continue the tradition out here. And ready to do some great stuff. If you had to speak to them, what would you tell them? If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and appreciate agitation are those who want crops without plowing off the ground. I want rain without thunder and lightning. I want the ocean without the water. That's my goal. Well, they had an awards program, and the architecture department asked me to say a few words.
Starting point is 01:39:30 And I told them, I said, well, I get the commencement at Jackson State in December. I said, I'm going to tell you all the same thing. You belong in whatever room you walk in. Absolutely. Even if you have to build it yourself. You damn skipping. Good to see you, man. Good to see you.
Starting point is 01:39:45 All right, folks. Again, so congratulations to all the graduates, whether you went to HBCU, PWI, Community College. JUCO does not matter. And so congratulations. All right. Let's talk about my next guest and what she's doing. So now some of y'all are here going, I wish all these kids stopped playing games. But the reality is a lot of people are making a lot of money playing video games.
Starting point is 01:40:13 It is huge. It is a multi-billion dollar industry. And a lot of African-Americans are not fully engaged in it. Well, the folks at Morris Brown College decided to actually have a course that deals with e-sports. And so my next guest, Christina Granville, they actually hired her to teach that, yeah, I never thought I'd be calling
Starting point is 01:40:35 Professor Granville. Oh my god. Oh my god. But that's actually what she is. So she's actually in town. So you're in town doing something for the NBA? What are you doing? Yes, I work for the NBA 2K League as a NBA 2K League host. So I host the AT&T 5G Game Day Show.
Starting point is 01:40:53 I said, what's the NBA 2K League? What? It is an entire league of competitive pro players that play 2K. And they have salary. They have housing. They have full benefits. And they play professionally against each other in competitions and tournaments. Really?
Starting point is 01:41:06 For a lot of money. Tonight we're playing a 3v3 tournament. They're playing for a $600,000 prize pool. A lot of brothers and sisters playing? Yeah. I mean, the league is very diverse. There's not a lot of women in the league. We're still trying to push the culture forward with getting women involved in the league.
Starting point is 01:41:22 But there's a lot of men. There are a lot of black and brown brothers that are in the league doing their thing. They're killing it. All right, so how did this come about, this Morris Brown, this esports class? Oh, it is amazing. What Morris Brown is doing,
Starting point is 01:41:36 I like to call it the hard reset, like President James always say. We have a whole entire esports lab that is dedicated to students who want to get into esports, who want to learn about the NBA 2K League, who wants to learn about Overwatch and Call of Duty and all these other amazing leagues that are going on that for so long, African-American millennials, young adults have not been able to be a part of, maybe because of the resources or maybe because of things that they didn't know how to even get into it. So Morris Brown has opened up the floodgates to let students come in and learn about the world of esports. I'm a professor there and I teach intro to team management in esports. And we have a lot of other courses that are getting these students ready to learn the business, to learn the ins and outs of the esports arena. I love to tell people all the time and try to educate them. It's the fact that 84% of African-American millennials play video games,
Starting point is 01:42:32 but only 4% are actually in the gaming industry. So what we're doing at Morris Brown College... So we spend a lot of time playing the games, but we ain't getting paid. Oh, not at all. We are, I gotta say, we are the consumers, not the producers. And that is a problem. Well, that's the case with black people in a whole bunch of areas. It is. Where we're making
Starting point is 01:42:51 a bunch of other people rich. It is. However, the time is now for us to get in this space and encourage these young students to get in where they fit in. If you know you play video games, parents, stop telling your kids playing video games is bad. There are kids and young adults and adults who are making millions of dollars from video games, parents, stop telling your kids playing video games is bad. There are kids and young adults and adults who are making millions of dollars from video games, and they have been
Starting point is 01:43:10 benefiting from the black culture for the longest. And it's important that we continue to encourage our students to say, hey, if you want to get into video games, let's figure out the proper way to get you in that space. And at Morris Brown College, now you can get a degree in it. So this is a video here from your Instagram feed where there was a tournament there at Morris Brown. First of all, how many students are a part of this eSports lab? So we have the whole program. We have about maybe, I think, 30 to maybe 30 to 40 students who are in the eSports program.
Starting point is 01:43:43 And we're building that number as it goes. Of course, this is the hard reset for us. So we're trying to get more students involved, more students aware of what's going on at Morris Brown College and get them to come and engage with us at Morris Brown. Now, were you, first of all, how did they hire you? I don't know why you had to say it like that. No, I was asking what the hell, because you play video games?
Starting point is 01:44:05 Well, I used to play video games a long time ago. I played Duck Hunt, you know, a little NBA jam. So hold up. So you teaching, but you ain't actually playing. So let me tell you, this is the beautiful thing about esports. You ready for this? What? You don't have to be a gamer to be in esports.
Starting point is 01:44:20 Think about it. I'm a host in the NBA 2K League, one of the biggest leagues in all of esports. And I am a host who knows the game of basketball. I'm a former game. I'm a former basketball player. I played in college. I played semi-professional basketball. So I know the game of basketball and I've been able to leverage that into a world of being a host, into the world of now being a professor at Morris Brown College. Through all of my experiences with working with through the league, I was one of the first African-American females
Starting point is 01:44:50 to be a sportscaster for HBCU Sports League. So I have the experience. I have the accolades. I have the knowledge to do that and to educate and empower. But you can't play no games. Who? I can play the games now. Oh, now?
Starting point is 01:45:02 Now. Now you can play them. At first, of course, because when you're watching. Yeah, I see some kids in the class like, man, I can teach her. And I want them to. That's what we really want with our students. That's what we really want with everybody, especially our black culture, is to get involved and get engaged.
Starting point is 01:45:18 If you don't know how to play, it's okay. If you're a hairstylist, makeup artist, you do digital work, you're a photographer, there is room for you in the esports arena. I need everybody to understand that. You don't have to be a gamer, so don't listen to Roland. But whatever it is that you're passionate about, please don't... You do want to listen to me.
Starting point is 01:45:34 Look, don't listen to Roland. In this moment, he's a very smart guy, but in this moment, whatever it is that you're passionate about when it comes to esports, if you don't know anything about esports, there is room for you to be great, especially for African American students, to come in this space
Starting point is 01:45:50 and learn and then grow. I didn't know how to play 2K, but now I do. Alright, so I'm going to go to a break. We're going to come back and then we'll talk a little bit more about this here. Then we've got our Education Matters segment. We'll take some questions from our panelists and we'll see which one of them actually is still wrong playing
Starting point is 01:46:09 video games. I'm just. Well it's that grow still playing video games as if that's the problem. Yes, first of all it's called this for for intelligence call it ease that is not a problem as is called a tease you know get you see the whole point of television is like you do a tease keep people to come back after the break. See somebody is a point of television is like you do a tease to keep people to come back after the break. See, somebody is a newbie at hosting somebody.
Starting point is 01:46:28 Oh, we've been doing this for years, but you better get it rolling. Come on. Somebody's a veteran. Come on, Roland. You better ask somebody. Three Hall of Fames. You're watching Roland Martin on the filter on the Black Star Network.
Starting point is 01:46:39 Yes, that was Petty and Shay. I love you! Hatred on the streets, a horrific scene, a white nationalist rally that descended into deadly violence. On that soil, you will not be next time. White people are losing their damn minds. There's an angry pro-Trump mob storm to the U.S. Capitol. We're about to see the rise of what I call white minority resistance.
Starting point is 01:47:06 We have seen white folks in this country who simply cannot tolerate black folks voting. I think what we're seeing is the inevitable result of violent denial. This is part of American history. Every time that people of color have made progress, whether real or symbolic, there has been what Carol Anderson at Emory University calls white rage as a backlash. This is the rise of the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Boys.
Starting point is 01:47:31 America, there's going to be more of this. There's all the Proud Boys, guys. This country is getting increasingly racist in its behaviors and its attitudes because of the fear of white people. The fear that they're taking our jobs, they're taking our resources, they're taking our women.
Starting point is 01:47:48 This is white fear. Black Star Network is here. Oh, no punch! We'll be right back. Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN. You can't be Black-owned media and be scared. It's time to be smart. Bring your eyeballs home, you dig? 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.
Starting point is 01:48:53 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-ibillion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season One. 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,
Starting point is 01:49:26 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. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod.
Starting point is 01:49:45 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.
Starting point is 01:50:04 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.
Starting point is 01:50:23 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,
Starting point is 01:50:44 subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. Arapahoe, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication.
Starting point is 01:51:17 Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Hey, I'm Cupid. The mega, the Cupid Shuffle and the Wham Dance. What's going on? This is Tobias Trevelyan. And if you're ready, you are listening to and you are watching Roland Martin, Unfiltered. What? What? What? You asked what? You asked what? What? You asked what? You asked what? What? I asked for what?
Starting point is 01:51:50 We're back live. Thank you, guys. What? Welcome back. Like, seriously, you trying to sit here? Welcome back. Y'all, she was, y'all, she sat out. Let me explain to y'all what happened. Well, why you gotta come on shows with your friends, Lord Jesus? She literally, she literally sat out and she said, uh, uh, she said, uh, what time is this coming on?
Starting point is 01:52:06 I did not say what time it's coming on. Okay. Welcome back. This is the HBCU. She said, what time is this coming on? I said, we are live. And then she just said, see, here's the problem. I have so many jobs.
Starting point is 01:52:22 You never say nothing off air because I will put it on air. I see. We're having a whole conversation. Hey, can somebody send me this video? I didn't have time to tell my Instagram followers. And all my people. And I said, we only live five days a week. And we've only had Roland Martin unfiltered for four and a half years.
Starting point is 01:52:42 Congratulations. And I've known her in that same time. I've known you for almost five years. But I've been working. I'm actually right down the street at Capitol Run Arena at District E, hosting there as well. So I'm in between jobs. I'm in between jobs right now.
Starting point is 01:52:58 I'm hosting there. I'm also here. And then I'm going back to host because we have some more students that are coming to watch our 3v3 playoffs. So shout out to everybody at the NBA 2K League that's holding it down for me while I'm here on your amazing show that I'm so happy to be a part of. Live. Live. Let me show y'all.
Starting point is 01:53:17 This here is the Morris Brown Esports Performance Concentration Certification. 24 hours are required. You see the program description. And so they offer the classes in Introduction to Esports. Is that what you do? No, sir. Okay. Introduction to Business Modeling, is that what you do?
Starting point is 01:53:34 No, sir. Nope, that's no shock. Introduction to Social Media Management, is that what you do? No, sir. Okay, you got Esports Performance and Contemporary Issues, you do that? Nope. Introduction to Desk Hosting, is that what you do? I may be doing that in the fall. Okay, Introduction to Team Management. There I go do that? Nope. Enter the desk hosting, is that what you do? I may be doing that in the fall.
Starting point is 01:53:46 Okay, introduction to team management. There I go, that's me. Okay, first of all, so like what team management? So intro to team management, there's different teams in eSports, right? Got it. And you have to learn how to plan flights, how to plan events. So my students, what I did with them, I was teaching them and actually taking them to different arenas to show them how they can be a part and how they can build these teams.
Starting point is 01:54:07 Have you ever had an esports team? Have I had an esports team? Right. No, I have not. Gotcha. Have I had to manage one? Right. Like, and help them?
Starting point is 01:54:14 Yes, I have. How many players were you managing? Not players, just the whole entire thing. Oh, really? Getting ideas, trying to figure out how we're going to do this event, how we're going to do that event. Okay, all right. Come on, you want to pick me? Come on. Let's do it now. I'm going to go toe for toe with you going to do that event. Yeah. Okay. All right. Come on. You want to pick me. Come on.
Starting point is 01:54:26 Let's do it now. I'm going to go toe for toe with you. No, you can't. No, you can't. Come on, Rowling. Okay. Into the television production and esports career planning capstone. All right.
Starting point is 01:54:36 Let's go. We have questions for our panel. Let me see. The three of y'all, Matt, Michael, and Kelly. Let's see. Who likely spends a lot of time as a grown-ass person playing Oh, you know, don't do them like that. Oh, it's probably Matt.
Starting point is 01:54:51 It's probably Matt. You never know. It could be the young lady. It's probably Matt. Matt, is that you? I mean, Matt really a part-time lawyer. Oh. But he really a part-time lawyer.
Starting point is 01:55:03 And most of the time he's playing video games. All right, Matt, what's your eSports question for Christina? Here's my question, Christina. First off, why you go on a show where somebody do you this bad? But here's my question for you. In terms of eSports, is there a way for the students to actually monetize their involvement, like NIL deals or anything like that? Oh, yes, there are certainly ways to.
Starting point is 01:55:28 They can do streaming through Twitch, YouTube. They can also be a part of different tournaments. They can get on an e-sports team and make salary. There's prize money. There's so many different ways that they can monetize being a part of e-sports. All right. Let's see here. Kelly, what games do you play?
Starting point is 01:55:51 And don't say Ms. Pac-Man. How about Angry Birds? Hey, that's a good one. Candy Crush. Oh, Lord. Yeah. Kelly, what's your question? My question is, as I hear an echo, my apologies. You're fine.
Starting point is 01:56:10 You're fine. Go ahead. So my question is regarding esports in general, like you did allude to that you don't necessarily have to be an esports player to be in esports and you used yourself as an example in being a host for esports events. Can you talk about and expand, expound upon the other careers you can make within esports that would make this kind of major viable to students? Oh my goodness, there's so many different careers in esports, not only just being a host, host, but if you want to be a video game developer, an app developer, there's so many different ways. Matter of fact, we need lawyers. We need attorneys.
Starting point is 01:56:52 We need medical assistants. There's so much in eSports. There you go, Matt. You can stop playing games and be a lawyer. Go ahead. I'm sorry. Continue to play video games, but also then that's the way for you to relate to the players when you're working with them.
Starting point is 01:57:05 Esports is a world to where you can literally be anything in the outside world inside of the esports world. So it's super important that people understand you don't have to be a gamer. Even if you just only play Candy Crush or Aimbirds, you can still be a part of the esports space. And then make some very, very good money. I have told my students so many times, it's like, how do you fly everywhere? And it's because I've been afforded the opportunity to be in a space, in a world of esports
Starting point is 01:57:32 to do exactly what I love to do, and that's entertain, encourage, and empower people to get in where they fit in. Actually, she flies everywhere. Actually, she flies everywhere because she's a flight attendant. I'm a flight attendant now. What else do I do? I am Jamaican. I know I got like 12 jobs, but what else do I do? Right.
Starting point is 01:57:47 Matter of fact, somebody in the group chat said she look Kenyan. I look Kenyan? Somebody in the group chat said. Oh, my goodness. That's what my group chat said. Okay, group chat. She's not Kenyan. She's from Atlanta.
Starting point is 01:57:55 I'm Jamaican. I'm from Florida. Huh? Huh? You from Florida? I am from Clewiston, Florida, the sweetest town in America. Clewiston, Florida. That's where I'm from.
Starting point is 01:58:05 I never heard that town. You got to look it up. Yeah. You all be like, what's that near? Michael, what's your question? All right. Thanks, Christina, for this information. So I'm a Gen Xer.
Starting point is 01:58:16 I don't play video games. I'm busy doing research and teaching history classes. You lying. You lying. You lying. You lying. You lying. I'm busy doing research. You lying. His dad plays You lying. You lying. You lying.
Starting point is 01:58:26 His dad plays centipede. No, I don't. I don't play video games. So what's up? I don't have any video games. The shade is real.
Starting point is 01:58:33 Michael, you ain't never played video games? The shade is real. I don't play video games, but... What, Atari? He played Tetris. What'd you play, Atari?
Starting point is 01:58:43 No, back in the day, you know, what, Nintendo? He's trying to think about it. You played Galaga? Galaga. See, right there. Hold up, hold up, boom, right there. Dang your ass plane.
Starting point is 01:58:56 See, right there. See, he's trying to front. No, no, I'm trying to. I'm too big. No, no, first of all, you're trying to be all bougie. No, I have the African history. No, I had the African history. No, I had the African history network show. I don't play those things, games.
Starting point is 01:59:12 And then I said Gallagher, he goes, see right there, boom, your ass played it. I never said I never played video games. By the way, Roland, you do look good in blue and white. I don't care what anybody says. First of all, Alpha's gotta show y'all how to wear colors. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Don't get them started.
Starting point is 01:59:28 Hold up. Hey, Mike, let's be real clear. Oh, God, don't get them started. Let's be real clear, Mike. Look, ain't no Sigma ever. Hey, zoom the camera out. Oh, my Lord. Ain't no Sigma ever looked this good.
Starting point is 01:59:39 Oh, Lord. Oh, rolling, rolling. Hold up. Hey, Anthony, give me a wide shot. Give me a wide shot. See, no, give me the wide shot. Don't change that camera. Give me the wide. See, let me. No. Anthony, give me a wide shot. Give me a wide shot. See, no, give me the wide shot. Don't change that camera.
Starting point is 01:59:47 Give me the wide. See, no, no, give me the wide shot. Oh, my God. See, no, you don't understand, Michael. See, I'm going to let her answer your question, but I need to let you know, ain't no Sigma ever looked this good. Do you see this here, son? First of all, do you see? Hold up.
Starting point is 02:00:03 Hold up. You can't even. Boy, you better ask somebody. You messing with a grown-ass alpha. You better ask your little question, but you know damn well you can't rock. Alphas can wear all colors, son. Go ahead and ask your little question.
Starting point is 02:00:20 But anyway, Christina, you've gotten. Who's your daddy? What's the attraction? So over the past few years, eSports, the popularity of eSports has exploded with millions of people around the world involved in these games. What is the popularity of eSports, these multiplayer games and competitions, things like this? The popularity is being able to do something that you already love doing. And people are falling in love with being able to get paid
Starting point is 02:00:51 to do exactly what they love to do. That is where the popularity is coming from. I mean, they've already been doing it for years, but now that we're adding the money onto it, now that we're adding Twitch and YouTube and people are now watching people play video games for money. It's beyond crazy. And now you're changing not only your life, but your whole entire family's lives. So now people are paying attention to the world of esports. And then the prize pools are getting bigger and bigger and bigger every year. Just last year in the NBA 2K League, the prize pool was $2.2 million.
Starting point is 02:01:22 So every year the prize pool keeps getting higher and higher and more students, more adults, more young kids are starting to pay attention. And that's where the popularity is coming from. You have companies like FaZe Clan who have a whole entire house in California that these kids live in and they create content from playing video games.
Starting point is 02:01:40 Video games. From when they were younger, parents and people around them told them that, hey, you're not going to do anything with your life by playing video games. From when they were younger, parents and people around them told them that, hey, you're not going to do anything with your life by playing video games. Now they're proving everybody wrong. Now you see the popularity where
Starting point is 02:01:52 all these kids, 23, 24, 25-year- olds are millionaires from playing video games. So that's where the popularity is coming from. All right. First of all, so if people want more information, if y'all want more information on the Morris Brown eSports performance,
Starting point is 02:02:08 just go to morrisbrown.edu, morrisbrown.edu. Then you just type in eSports performance. You can take a look at that. And if folks are trying to follow you. Oh, don't make that face. What? I was about to say something. Get it off your chest.
Starting point is 02:02:23 I was about to say something. Get it off your chest. I was about to say something. Get it off your chest, bro. I to say something. Get it off your chest. I was about to say something. Get it off your chest, bro. I'm going to save it for Michael. Tell them where they can reach you. You know what? You guys can follow me on all social media platforms,
Starting point is 02:02:32 at MissBasketball1. You can also head on over to my website at www.MissBasketball1.com. Anything else you want to say? Shout out to all my Morris Brown students, to my whole entire Morris Brown family, everyone in Atlanta, to my family in Florida and everywhere all over. Shout out to the my Morris Brown students, to my whole entire Morris Brown family, everyone in Atlanta, to my family in Florida and everywhere all over. Shout out to the Granvilles.
Starting point is 02:02:50 Shout out to Clewiston, Florida that Roland has no idea. We're going to have to bring him to Clewiston, to Belgrade, to Pahokee, to South Bay, to Harlem, in Florida, right under Lake Okeechobee. So he'll know all about the muck. Girl, I ain't cheating. What? Y'all better pass the hat. We're going to get me to come here.
Starting point is 02:03:06 We're going to get you to come to Morris Brown. We're going to get you to come to Clewiston, Florida. And then we're going to bring you over to the NBA 2K League so you can see what it's all about. And I said that. You doing all them shout outs? I mean, I can keep going. You know I can talk.
Starting point is 02:03:20 No, we ain't trying to do all that. All right, we got to go to a break. We come back. Education Matters 7, we're going trying to do all that. You know I can talk. All right, we got to go to a break. We come back. Education Matters. We're going to talk about a program at NASA. Let's get back to some real stuff. Oh, this is very real. Don't listen.
Starting point is 02:03:31 Ah! Put that camera away. You're watching Rolling 5 Down the Filtrum. Put that camera on me. On the Black Star Network. Don't put the camera on her. She ain't running up here. It is very real.
Starting point is 02:03:39 Don't be mistaken. We're going to a break now. Don't be mistaken. Your segment's over. You can leave now. Don't be mistaken. Back in a moment. Don't be mistaken. It's real, and we are not going anywhere. East Force is here. Stop talking, girl. I'm going to a break. Don't get mistaken. Right now, your segment's over. You can leave now. Don't be mistaken. Back in a moment. Don't be mistaken.
Starting point is 02:03:45 It's real, and we are not going anywhere. East Force is here. Stop talking, girl. I'm going to break. Don't get this money. Get this money. When you talk about blackness and what happens in black culture, you're about covering these things that matter to us,
Starting point is 02:04:02 speaking to our issues and concerns. This is a genuine people-powered movement. There's a lot of stuff that we're not getting. You get it. And you spread the word. We wish to plead our own cause to long have others spoken for us. We cannot tell our own story if we can't pay for it. This is about covering us.
Starting point is 02:04:22 Invest in Black-owned media. Your dollars matter. We don't have to keep asking them to cover our stuff. So please support us in what we do, folks. We want to hit 2,000 people. $50 this month. Rates $100,000. We're behind $100,000. So we want to hit that. Y'all money makes this possible. Checks and money orders go to P.O. Box 57196, Washington, D.C. 20037-0196. The Cash app is Dollar Sign RM Unfiltered.
Starting point is 02:04:47 PayPal is R. Martin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Up next on The Frequency with me, Dee Barnes, we're going to talk to Leslie Segar, a.k.a. Big Les, and talk about her incredible career as a dancer, choreographer, and VJ of Rap City. Magic Johnson was there, so half the NBA was there.
Starting point is 02:05:11 Iman the Supermodel, all the supermodels were there every day, acting like it was a who's who of who's who. Right here on The Frequency and the Black Star Network. Whoo, whoo, whoo. Hello, everyone. It's Kiara Sheard. Hey, I'm Taj. Hello, everyone. It's Kiara Sheard. Hey, I'm Taj. I'm Coco.
Starting point is 02:05:29 And I'm Lili. And we're SWB. What's up, y'all? It's Ryan Destiny, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. We'll be right back. Folks, NASA has awarded nearly $12 million to eight HBCUs for the new Data Science Equity Access and Priority in Research and Education Opportunity. Damn, that's a long title. The funding will enable HBCU students and faculty to conduct innovative data science
Starting point is 02:06:28 research that contributes to NASA's missions. Tori Johnson, the Minority University Research and Education Project Manager from NASA, is here to explain how NASA DEAP initiatives work. First and foremost, Tori, glad to have you. Man, that's too damn
Starting point is 02:06:44 long. We got to shorten that title. Man, y'all government folks come up with some long names. We like our acronyms at NASA, Roland. You ain't lying. Long acronyms. All right, so people listen like, I don't know what the hell. What
Starting point is 02:06:59 the hell does all that mean? What are y'all doing? Break it down. As Joe Madison said, put it where the goats can get it. Certainly. It's good to be with you, Roland. Really, the essence of what D-E-A-P is all about is ensuring that this next generation of explorers, our young men and women at our historically black colleges and universities, have an opportunity to be part of the process of data science. And so part of our program at MIRAP, the Minority University Research and Education Project, we're focused on aiding those communities underrepresented and underserved in
Starting point is 02:07:39 STEM and making sure that they have a seat at the table as it relates to this new wave of technology and information research. So what is this money going to do specifically for the students and how many students are you trying to reach? Yeah, that's a great question. So these awards were just made to the eight HBCUs that you mentioned, those similar, Bethune-Cookman, Fayetteville State, FAMU, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T, Prayer View, and North Carolina Central, these schools are awarded up to a half a million dollars a year for three years to build their infrastructure and institutional capacity and research. So how do they get stronger on their campus? How do they build up their labs and their technology so that they can ultimately aid these students in being successful?
Starting point is 02:08:32 They can do this through internships, fellowships, but also getting them engaged in the real hands-on work, working with our NASA scientists and engineers. So go to my iPad, Anthony. So this is the NASA press release right here. And the different schools are doing different things. So, for instance, for Bethune-Cookman, the project will establish a DEAP Institute focusing on machine learning-based development of a virtual constellation of satellites that will
Starting point is 02:09:00 capture changing water levels from events such as storm flooding to multi-decade timescales such as sea level rise. And then, of course, there's famine of the schools. So did the universities specify what they want the money for? And that's why the different universities have different areas of emphasis? Absolutely. That's a great point. So it's a competitive process whereby we as a federal agency put out a request for proposals via solicitation. And so we put this out so that schools, in this case, minority-serving institutions, predominantly Black institutions and HBCUs, are able to propose how would they respond to this solicitation? And so, as you mentioned,
Starting point is 02:09:47 Roland, we've got things related to climate impacts, water research, sea level rise, flood detections, and how to better prepare ourselves for natural disasters. And so, we believe that the utilization of open data, meaning free data resources, and teaching and training our colleges and universities on how to access this data to better equip their communities. All right. Don't have much time. Quick questions from each panelist. Let's see here. I'll start with, well, you know, she probably, oh, my God, with the buoy.
Starting point is 02:10:24 Kelly? I'll start with, well, you know, she probably, oh my God, with the buoy. Kelly. Yes, I went to buoy, but I'm looking at the list of HBCUs selected, and I was just wondering what was the criteria for them in being selected, and are there any plans to expand that list of HBCUs so that more HBCUs can have this opportunity? Trying to get some money for her school, Bowie State, but go ahead. Absolutely. Absolutely. So would it be a competitive process? We were looking for schools that would be evaluated on intrinsic merit. What would be the relevance to NASA? What would be the management plan? We also are focusing heavily on partnerships and collaboration. So who would they be working with? Are they
Starting point is 02:11:13 bringing other institutions to the table? And ultimately, what are they doing for students? And as Roland mentioned earlier, looking for those schools that are looking to either expand their curriculum at that particular institution, development of laboratories, and how many students would be able to access the information. Michael? Thanks for coming on, Torrey. I wanted to know what are some of the different types of majors that are being looked at, that students are enrolled in now, and they're looked at as good candidates to become part of this program? Sure. So we're looking for students. Sometimes it's a focus on engineering. You might see data analytics. There are a number of programs
Starting point is 02:12:00 out at the various schools, but we always say STEM, right? We start with science, technology, engineering, and math, and also understanding that there are interdisciplinary studies that students would be working on. And so we invite them all to participate. Those students at those particular HBCUs that were awarded can obviously check with their faculty and with their professors to see how they can get involved. All right. Thank you. Matt? So, Torrey, I want to note that Roland wanted you to talk to the
Starting point is 02:12:32 goats because he's been doing that since he was out of Texas A&M. Here's my question. What happens with the data? Does that data actually be used by NASA or is that just data that the students are able to access and use for research purposes? It's a both and proposition, so I thank you for raising that. Initially, what we're trying to do is ensure that the HBCUs have access to the data. There's free data that we are downloading from satellites near real time all over the place, And a lot of times what the situation is, is that institutions are not aware of one, that the data is available to them and two, how to access it. And so we're partnering them with our science mission directorate
Starting point is 02:13:16 to make sure that they have folks aligned with them and then look at those impacts for their community. So it would also be the research that they're concerned about at that particular HBCU in their neighboring community. Christina. Hey. Question. Oh, I have no question. I've been over here listening. I thought you thought you a host. Come on. You got no question. Come on. You got Esports. We got NASA, HBCU. Is there a way that we can get in contact with you guys to figure out a way we can have this at Morris Brown College? Because we are in the hard reset and we're looking for more things like this to come to our HBCU. So I think what we have to do in a competitive model is one, say, can we share the work that's being done by these existing institutions? And that's yes. We use webinars and other forums, even have been going on what we call road tours to several HBCUs
Starting point is 02:14:12 and minority-serving institutions around the country to share what NASA is doing and what we're doing within the Office of STEM Engagement. So I hope we can engage with Morris Brown College and share some of the opportunities. And as we see the progress of this particular project, really have an opportunity to scale it up and maybe have another cohort and invite more institutions to participate. All right, Torrey, where do people go to get more information? They can check us at NASA.gov, and then you can look for the Office of STEM Engagement and MUREP, M-U-R-E-P. All right. We appreciate it.
Starting point is 02:14:47 Thanks so much. Thank you very much, Roland. Appreciate the time. Thank you very much. See, Christine, let me help you out. It's the fact that you got your leg crossed like this. Christine, let me help you out. I am cracking up right now. See, Christine, when you're a three-time Hall of Famer, you got to always be—
Starting point is 02:14:57 How many times are you going to say this? No, no, no. I'm helping you out. I'm helping you out. How many times are you going to say this? And all your family about to text you. You got to always be ready, Christina. Even when you are guest on a show, you got to always be ready
Starting point is 02:15:08 because you might have to hop in and host a show. You can't ever, ever say, I ain't got no question. Well, honestly, I didn't have a question, but I had a question in my heart. But you always have a question. I had a question in my heart. You always have a question ready. I gave him a question ready, and I'm here. See, that's right.
Starting point is 02:15:23 We're going to bring in a Morris Brown. That's all I know. We need more students in STEM anyway, so I love that. You might be teaching esports, but I'm teaching television. All right, Kelly! Listen, where do y'all get this man from? Kelly, Michael, and Matt, whatever hotel you
Starting point is 02:15:38 at playing your video games. I know you travel with your Wii. Y'all just let him sit up here and throw shade all day long. Yes. And y'all come back every week, every day. He and I already got into it.
Starting point is 02:15:54 I don't play video games. No, no, no, no. Hold on. You play video games now. Don't do us like that. He's still got an Atari. I'm not looking down on people who play video games. Christina, that boy got a Wii. Don't worry about that. Alright, Kelly, got an Atari. I'm not looking down on people who play video games. Christina, that boy got a Wii. Don't worry about that. All right, Kelly, thanks a bunch.
Starting point is 02:16:11 Matt, thanks a bunch. Michael, thanks a bunch. Girl, what? I want to say something. What? We are out of time. What? We are out of time.
Starting point is 02:16:18 We're almost out of time. I just want to say thank you so much for having me. I know we go back and forth, but I truly appreciate you for having me on your show. I truly appreciate your feedback that me on your show. I truly appreciate your feedback that you unsolicitedly give. I am so grateful. I am so grateful for you. I am so grateful to be on your
Starting point is 02:16:34 show, and I'm so grateful for all the things that you continue to do for not only black culture, but for everybody. You are a staple in our community. You are a legend, and I'm so grateful to be on your show, even though you drive me up a wall. So thank you for having me. I don't drive you up a wall. Thank you. That is who you are. You call me. That is who you are.
Starting point is 02:16:49 When you need some advice and counsel. Whoa, wait a minute now. You know, dog. I've called you two times. Today. No, today. I didn't call you today. I was working. Yes, you did. You need me to pull up the call log. Hey, Anthony, go to my iPad. You need to pull up the call log. Anthony, go to my iPad. You need to pull up the call log. Pull up the call log. I didn't call you today. Yes, you did. You need me to pull up the call log? Pull it out. Hey, Anthony, go to my iPad. You need to pull up the call log? Anthony, go to my iPad.
Starting point is 02:17:06 You need to pull up the call log? Pull up the call log. I didn't call you today. Yes, you did. I called you to say I'm on my way to your show. You see? Christina Granville on the way to the show. See the red part?
Starting point is 02:17:14 Go to the messages. That means you called. See, what he don't want to do is get me started. That means you called, girl. I would become petty. Anyway, see, I told y'all. But I'm going to be nice and loving kindness. Have I?
Starting point is 02:17:22 No, no. Y'all know my daddy a bitch, so I'm going to behave. You're going to be nice because you know doggone well your family are going to pick me over you. All right, y'all. All right, y'all. Listen, we got to go again. I'll be at the Howard University graduation tomorrow.
Starting point is 02:17:35 President Joe Biden is speaking. He's been moved to the Capital One Arena because of inclement weather. So to all of the folks who are graduating, congratulations, folks. I will see y'all on what you want. You're going to be with me tomorrow. I'm at Capital One Arena. We're doing the NBA 250. No, I'm going to be there. Lamar Jackson also has a benefit
Starting point is 02:17:54 tomorrow as well dealing with mental health. I'll be dropping by there as well. So I'll check out social media. Y'all, I got to go. See what happens when you just invite and try to be nice to some black people and just come in here all loud and everything. You know you love it. You cannot deny
Starting point is 02:18:09 the energy. I have probably one of the best energies in the whole wide world. Y'all pray for her. Please, keep me in your prayer. And pray for him. I'll see y'all on Monday right here on Rolling Button Unfiltered on the Black Star Network, download the app, Apple Phone, Android Phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Samsung, Smart TV.
Starting point is 02:18:30 Please support the Brina Funk fan club. I need to pay for some counseling after having to deal with this abuse from Christina. You know what? Check your money orders. Go to PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. Cash app, dollar sign, RM Unfiltered. PayPal, R. Martin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered.
Starting point is 02:18:49 Zelle, Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And of course, be sure to get a copy of my book, White Fear, How the Brownie of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds. Available at bookstores nationwide. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target. Download your copy on Audible.
Starting point is 02:19:06 And that's with Christina because you can't read, you can at least listen. Wow. All right. Shade is real. No, come on now. That's how I do it. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves.
Starting point is 02:19:15 We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. Arapahoe, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council.
Starting point is 02:19:43 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
Starting point is 02:20:06 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. 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
Starting point is 02:20:24 star-studded 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,
Starting point is 02:20:39 Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.

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