#RolandMartinUnfiltered - SCOTUS OKs Fed Layoffs, Medicaid Farmworker Mandate, PSLF Shakeup, Deltas in DC & Leafy Bamboo TP

Episode Date: July 9, 2025

7.8.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: SCOTUS OKs Fed Layoffs, Medicaid Farmworker Mandate, PSLF Shakeup, Deltas in DC & Leafy Bamboo TP The Supreme Court has just cleared the way for the Trump adminis...tration to restart massive layoffs across nearly two dozen federal agencies. We'll break down what this means for federal workers and services. The Trump administration is now signaling that able-bodied adults on Medicaid may soon be expected to replace undocumented farmworkers, as mass deportations ramp up across the country. Also tonight, we'll break down what "the orange one" has in store for your loan forgiveness programs. The proposed changes to Public Service Loan Forgiveness could hit borrowers hard. We'll speak with an expert about what's at stake and how it could impact millions of Americans. The ladies of crimson and cream are taking over Washington, D.C., this week for the 57th National Convention of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. We'll speak with the sorority's international president about the significance of this historic gathering. And in tonight's Marketplace segment, we're spotlighting Leafy--an eco-friendly brand that's reinventing everyday essentials, starting with bamboo toilet paper. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.  This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjD) and Risks (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform 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 00:02:37 on the Black Star Network. Supreme Court clears the way for Donald Trump to restart massive layoffs across nearly two dozen federal agencies. Also, speaking of these idiots, they're now signaling that able-bodied adults of Medicaid may soon be expected to replace undocumented farm workers. Then they say those same farm workers, yeah, y'all ain't getting amnesty. Proposed changes to the public service loan forgiveness program could significantly impact borrowers, especially African Americans. We'll talk to the expert about that. Plus, ladies of Crimson and Cream are taking over Washington, D.C. Delta Sigma Theta has their 57th national convention here. We'll talk with their international president about their gathering. Plus, in tonight's shop, blackstarnetwork.com marketplace'll spotlight Leafy, an eco-friendly brand that's reinventing everyday essentials,
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Starting point is 00:04:39 Well, the Supreme Court has cleared the way for Donald Trump to fire millions of federal workers that they were trying to wipe out with Doge. Now, the Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling paving the way for this action to take place. Now, here's what they basically said. Remember, in February, Donald Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to prepare for workforce reductions. Supreme Court says that's likely lawful thus allowing those layoffs to proceed. However, Supreme Court Justice Kataji Brown Jackson strongly disagreed. She was the only justice to
Starting point is 00:05:18 dissent criticizing the court's decision as hubristic and senseless. She said it's the wrong decision at the wrong moment, especially given what little this court knows about what is actually happening on the ground. She argued that her colleagues were making judgments from a, quote, lofty perch far from the facts. She also cautioned the court that they lack a real understanding of the current situation
Starting point is 00:05:43 on the ground and described this ruling as the wrong decision at the wrong time. Now keep in mind, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who often rules along with Jackson, she agreed with the rest of the court saying that the problem is what's before the court is not the actual plan saying they have been presented with one.
Starting point is 00:06:04 This though, is devastating news for a number of federal workers and this could cause more chaos. My pen name is Dr. Mustafa Santiago Ali, former senior advisor for environmental justice at the EPA out of DC. Dr. Larry J. Walker, social professor at the University of Central Florida out of Orlando and social justice leader and movement strategist Talik Mohammed who joins us as well from DC. Mustafa, I'll start with you. and social justice leader and movement strategist, Talik Mohammed, who joins us as well from DC. Mustafa, I'll start with you.
Starting point is 00:06:26 You've been one of those federal workers working in one of these agencies. And what we know is that lots of people, a lot of people have been despondent or unsure. This impacts not only the workers, their husbands, their wives, their partners, their girlfriends, their boyfriends, whatever you wanna call them, the children, folks in college, people don't understand what it means when you do mass layoffs like this, you
Starting point is 00:06:54 are causing a significant amount of harm up and down the board. Yeah, you know, you destabilize the economy, which is, you know, something everybody says that they care about and that they're trying to, you know, to stimulate, you destabilize the economy, which is something everybody says that they care about and that they're trying to stimulate. Because people think, well, it's just folks in Washington, D.C., but there are a large number of federal employees all across our country that help to prop up the economies in mid-size and larger cities, of course, sometimes in much smaller areas. So you do that. But what's more important also is the fact that you actually are putting us in a situation where the social safety
Starting point is 00:07:33 net that is so critically important in this country is being slashed by these sets of actions. There could be service disruptions. There will be service disruptions. Let me be very clear, because I've worked with over 17 federal agencies over the year. So I know the work that they do. I know how important it is. I know the high level that they do it at. So whether we're talking about health care or Social Security, Veterans Affairs, a number of different agencies and departments play a critical role in making sure that those services are out there. The other question that folks should be asking in this moment, based upon this Supreme Court decision, you know, is about the power balance or power imbalance, if you will, because Congress traditionally has been the one who makes decisions about restructuring or building of federal
Starting point is 00:08:21 agencies. But now we have given deference to this administration, which, you know, sort of rules through executive orders. I remember when folks said executive orders don't really have the power of law, but now because of the silence from folks on Capitol Hill, you're giving an individual who has no idea what's going on. The other thing that I'll say, you know,
Starting point is 00:08:41 before I close here is the fact that folks on Capitol Hill actually need to do their job. Because they're not doing their job, they're creating all of this unstable or unstableness that's currently going on. And these Supreme Court justices, I know that they have really important cases that they're often focusing upon, but they need to get out of DC and actually spend some time in Kansas City, spend some time in Pittsburgh, spend some time in Atlanta and a number of other locations across our country to actually see how these impacts are happening both physically,
Starting point is 00:09:16 mentally and spiritually on people because these stressors cause additional diseases. The mental impacts also of not knowing if you're going to be able to do the job that you took an oath to do. There are a number of things that play out underneath of this scenario. So yes, I know that this has went back to the lower court and that folks will continue to litigate,
Starting point is 00:09:37 but as they are doing this, you know, they put these folks in limbo and in many instances have taken away the things that people love. You know, they wanna to serve this country. They want to do a good job and people just continue to slash and burn without really having a real understanding of how it's going to play out. Larry, you've also worked on Capitol Hill and the point that Mustafa makes there about services, about what people do.
Starting point is 00:10:01 It's important, the delivery of services. You know, they're talking about cutting thousands of people. They made these decisions, no plan at all. It was just very willy-nilly. There was no strategic decision-making involved. And that's what's so problematic for lots of people. So this, what's happening with Doge, and obviously this particular ruling talked about
Starting point is 00:10:24 is a slash and burn as it released to the federal workforce. You know, you hear a lot of people talk a lot about, for instance, supporting veterans, but the VA is going to see substantial cuts. As Mustafa highlighted, there are a number of federal services that Americans take for granted and have for decades, for generations, that are going to be impacted by this decision and the possible cuts. Roland, I'm going to highlight two other things I think are really important. The impact this is going to have on Black folks. You know, about 19% of the federal workforce is Black, and we make up almost 15% of the U.S. population,
Starting point is 00:11:00 so we kind of outpace in terms of the percentage of Black folks in the federal workforce. And so this is going to have substantial impact on black people as Mustafa hollering with about health care. Another thing we talk about in terms of housing, maintain, paying your mortgage or rent, etc. The second thing I want to highlight as it relates to this particular ruling rolling is it's interesting how the Supreme Court during the Biden administration felt like they had the real the Biden administration in terms of the executive branch. But every decision that comes out the last several weeks is essentially giving more power to the executive branch, the Trump administration. So there's a contradiction in terms of what exactly the Supreme Court, what is it doing in terms of the Biden and Trump
Starting point is 00:11:39 administration. But overall, this is a devastating ruling, and as I said, will have a substantial impact on the black medical arts. You know, Tyler, one of the things that I think we need to recognize here, and this is something that you've heard people say. This is a perfect example of what happens when you exact an agenda, and let's be perfectly clear, that if a Democratic president did what Donald Trump is doing, there will be howls and screaming from right-wing media and Republicans,
Starting point is 00:12:20 and probably some Democrats too. But this is also what happens when you excise power, when you use power. And so we've heard this from other conservatives say, hey, you know, Democrats can get back their power, they can use the same thing. This should be a lesson to any Democrat who wants to be president one day. Damn it, when you get power, use it. Exactly, Roland. I couldn't agree with you more.
Starting point is 00:12:46 I think we have to play a more aggressive game. Because as we see here, this is not a government efficiency. It's about political retaliation. And I think when we see what Trump has happened, it's been over the prior tens of thousands of workers without cause. It's not just a shift in the country, but it's a dangerous blow to how democratic protections have played in past times. I would say, as a future president, we understand, like, if he is taking his power to the extent,
Starting point is 00:13:16 we must, you know, do, you know, take that same power to the commission before. And as even mentioned by our panelists, this is affecting many black and brown workers who have historically relied on civil service jobs as pathways to the middle class. And I think this could just mentally safeguard to really be loyal to one man or one party. And I think it's definitely a blow.
Starting point is 00:13:43 Again, I just want people to understand when you get power, you use it or you lose it. And that's what we're seeing right here. All right, folks, gotta go to break. We come back, we'll talk with the International President of Delta Sigma Theta. They're gonna have more than 20,000 deltas here in the nation's capital for their biannual convention.
Starting point is 00:14:02 And we'll talk about what their agenda is, especially with this maga hellhole we're living in. You're watching Roller Martin Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. This week on the other side of change. Mass incarceration, Trump administration is doubling down on criminalization and how it is profitable.
Starting point is 00:14:20 And there's something really, really perverse about saying that we need to put people in cages in order for other people to have jobs. Like, that is not how our economy should be built. Only on the other side of change on the Black Star Network. This week on A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie, we're talking faith, family, fatherhood, and the pathway to reentry. Most of us in some way, shape, form, or fashion
Starting point is 00:14:47 have had someone in our lives, whether it was a grandfather, a father, a uncle, a brother, or a cousin, who has been incarcerated or justice impacted. What does that look like in rebuilding family and relationships? What does it look like for us to be able to have substantive conversations,
Starting point is 00:15:04 come to the table, love on each other, while at the same time, get it all out in the open so that we can begin a new journey together? You know, the last thing you want is in the midst of trying to piece your life back together or home to not be a comfortable place. That's all next on A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie here on Black Star Network. Hello, I'm Paula J. Parker. Trudy Proud on The Proud Family.
Starting point is 00:15:32 I am Tommy Davidson. I play Oscar on Proud Family, Louder and Prouder. Hi, I'm JoMarie Payton, voice of Sugarmama on Disney's Louder and Prouder, Disney+. And I'm with Roland Martin on Unfiltered. ROLAND MARTIN Hi, y'all. Lots of red and white here in the nation's capital.
Starting point is 00:15:56 Now, one of my little producers is like, nah, it's creams and cream. Whatever, it's red and white. They're gonna be in nation's capital. Thousands here. Convention started yesterday. Joining us right now is the international president of Delta Sigma Theta, Sorority Incorporated.
Starting point is 00:16:13 Of course, Elsie is here. Now look, first of all, let's be real clear, Elsie, it's a whole lot of y'all here. How many of y'all here? How many hotels y'all hanging out? There's a whole lot of us here. Hey, Roland, great to see you. Okay, Elsie, hold up.? There's a whole lot of us here. Hey, Roland, great to see you. Okay, Elsie, hold up.
Starting point is 00:16:26 Yes, there are a lot of us here. It's only day two. There are over 20,000 of us registered. There are over almost 15,000 registered virtually as well. And you know some of those virtual attendees travel to DC as well. So you are right. The town is painted crimson and cream here in the city of Washington DC. So help me out. You got 20,000 registered in person, 15,000 virtual.
Starting point is 00:16:56 And you know you got a few thousand who ain't registered to the popular town. So we know. Oh, you know it. You know. Go ahead. I said you know it. You know that. Go ahead. I said, you know it. You know that we have many members who have traveled here. Those who did not get the opportunity to register, who can still come to many events on guest
Starting point is 00:17:18 passes, but they can be in the number. In addition to, again, some of those who are virtual, who chose to travel to Washington, D.C. But there are sorrows who are joining from all over the world as well, in addition to all who came to D.C. What jumps out at me right now, when you talk about your members, when you talk about how many who are here,
Starting point is 00:17:44 what's your focus with them being here? In terms of what do you want them to gain and what them to do when they leave here? Well, I would tell you, we come to our national conventions to take care of the business of Delta. You know, we focus on our guidelines, rules, regulations, and we focus on the resolutions that we want to make sure that we pass while we are here. And our resolutions are one of our many social actions, social justice initiatives, and that we focus on specific issues that are of importance of our communities,
Starting point is 00:18:23 issues that we want to make sure that are part of Delta's advocacy agenda. So that's a key part of what we do here, as well as to elect officers for the next biennium. But I will tell you in the times in which we find ourselves, we have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of our founders and we've had social action and our DNA since 1913. To be able to hear
Starting point is 00:18:49 from great speakers who will galvanize us. We will hear from Senator Cory Booker. He's been letting his voice be heard really loudly, not only on the Senate floor, but everywhere he can. We have a record breaking nine Delta Congress persons, one Senator and eight in the US House of Representatives. We will be hearing from them with our calls to action so we can make sure that we continue to focus on our legislative agenda, economic justice, educational justice, focusing on making sure
Starting point is 00:19:22 that we continue to fight for the rights that are being taken away from us every single day. Not only on the federal level, but on the local level, on the state level, anywhere that government convenes, if you will, from school boards, where we want to fight for the freedom to learn, to make sure that our history is not erased, to city halls, city councils, state legislatures,
Starting point is 00:19:51 where we are fighting for the rights to again, make sure that we continue to have free and fair elections, to make sure that our communities, people in our communities and marginalized communities can have the right to vote. So there's a huge agenda and we use this convention to also galvanize our members for our social action agenda as well as our programmatic agenda.
Starting point is 00:20:19 So we can go back in our communities in this nation and around the world and elevate the impact of Delta and do all important work of empowering our communities. We were just talking about the cuts the Supreme Court is going to be allowing, allowing the layoffs of thousands or potentially hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Does Delta have a specific plan to help your members who may be impacted by this decision? We have several things that we do.
Starting point is 00:20:52 We have several programs focused on economic development. We have a career fair going on right now to help our sisters through any transition they happen to be going through, including the massive layoffs to your point from a government, on the government level. But at the same time, we dig in very deeply with entrepreneurship,
Starting point is 00:21:19 because we know that we have to take care of our own from the perspective of making sure that we can support entrepreneurs, making sure that they can grow their businesses, making sure that they can control their own destinies, and also making sure that we are pouring dollars back into our own communities. You know with the the red days where we buy black and making sure that that is a continued focus, not only on those days, but all the time. So those are some of the things that we are doing
Starting point is 00:21:54 to make sure that we are supporting our sisters and also supporting our communities. Questions from our panel. Larry, you first. Yes, Madam President, thank you for your hard work. So I should acknowledge I have several deltas in my family, including my wife, Nicole. So I have to say that. I wanted to talk about a full- Larry, is she financial?
Starting point is 00:22:16 Yes, she is. Yes, she is. That is a good question, Roland. I love it. I love it. Don't start. Don't start, say it. Larry, Larry, you understand.
Starting point is 00:22:24 Delta is hardcore. That is a good question, Roland. I love it. I love it. Don't start. Don't start, Sayed. Larry, Larry, you don't understand. Delta's hardcore. They would have checked her information as soon as the interview was over. So, you talk about the women's suffrage movement and your involvement at that point in Washington, D.C. And now you're back in Washington, D.C. And I wonder if you particularly considering
Starting point is 00:22:46 the political, the moment we're dealing with in politics. And when you reflect on your founders involvement in the suffrage movement and today, what are some of your thoughts leading into the convention next couple of days? I will have to tell you, whatever we come back to the birthplace of Delta Sigma Theta, it is a special moment,
Starting point is 00:23:07 but I will tell you, it also feels different this time. Because when we think about the courage of our founders during a time that they fought for women's suffrage, even when they did not get the right to vote until the Voting Rights Act in 1965, if you think about it in widespread numbers. When we think about that, and when we think about the fact
Starting point is 00:23:31 that we seem to be going backwards instead of forwards in this country, we wanna make sure that we continue to do things to meet the moment. But doing things that are relevant for 2025, whether it's peaceful protesting, all the way to making sure that we continue to focus. And we're doing it state by state now,
Starting point is 00:23:52 since there's no national legislation on the table as we currently speak to protect voting rights. So we've had lawsuits in Texas and we were complaints and belong with LDF and we prevailed in a couple of the provisions to make it easier and not harder to vote. We engaged in a lawsuit in Georgia around voting rights. One in the state of Mississippi, DeSoto County around redistricting.
Starting point is 00:24:24 So we're trying to make sure that we're fighting on every front, not just in the streets, but in the courts and everywhere we possibly can. So we want to continue to do what we can to meet the moment. We will galvanize our members here. We're coming together in many different areas,
Starting point is 00:24:44 not just our meetings, but we'll be coming together right there on the campus of Howard University on Wednesday with our welcome event. And we'll use that as an opportunity not only to welcome SARS home, but to remind them of the rich legacy we have in social action, and to make sure that we are galvanizing for the moment and the days and the months ahead. Mustafa. Well, Madam President, thank you for 112 years, you and all the source who have been doing amazing work.
Starting point is 00:25:19 I know your priorities fairly well since most folks in my family are deltas. You have one that's focused on mental health and we know right now in this moment just the incredible weight that many folks in our communities are carrying. Can you talk a little bit about why that's one of the focuses that you all have? Absolutely and that was another meet the moment opportunity, but something that has long been very, very important to us because one of our five programmatic thrusts is physical and mental health.
Starting point is 00:25:53 But one of the key initiatives of my administration is the Live Well initiative, focusing on mental health, but very strongly focusing on mental wellness, on all aspects of mental wellness. And that is a multifaceted program that is so important. When I first came into office, it was during the pandemic. And we know that there were many that were struggling. We know that there were many on our college campuses, not only our members,
Starting point is 00:26:25 but other students across our campuses. We know that there was isolation from our elderly and all throughout this country. And so making sure that we focused on the mental wellness and how to maintain that mental wellness and how to recognize mental health challenges and making sure that there are things in place, whether it's being able to find a mental health provider,
Starting point is 00:26:56 whether it's focusing on programs on college campuses, whether it's our wellness Wednesdays that we conduct month after month to focus on the various aspects of mental wellness or our live well summit that we just completed where we focused on mind body and spirit. It is critical in a time like this. We started in a pandemic, but we're in another kind of pandemic right now when it comes to the challenges that we're having with, again, rights being taken away. Racial injustices where we should have racial justices, the erasure of our history, and so many more issues
Starting point is 00:27:40 that we are facing as a people, it is absolutely critical that we focus on our mental health during this period of time. Tyler. Yes, President Cook Holmes, this is so great to see you as always. I got to give a special shout out to my home traveler, Alphamu, at North Carolina A&T. As a proud member of Phi Beta Sigma. I know firsthand that our divine not always that's just our social best. That's a nice little youth group. We're going right ahead.
Starting point is 00:28:12 You got the blue, I got you, I got you. That's right, that's right. So we know our organization are not just, they are strategic pillars in our community in civic leadership, education and justice. As a president of a legacy organization with years of strong support in the community, what will your message be to the next generation of Deltas who are making their way to DC, which a bunch of my friends are already taking over the city?
Starting point is 00:28:39 Well, I will tell you that the message is that we have to always meet the moment and we always have to lead the way. It is up to us. If not us, then who? And so it's not enough to sit back. It's not enough to stroll. All the fun things we do, it's not enough to step and stroll. It's not enough to just focus on the things that are happening on specific campuses even,
Starting point is 00:29:12 or in communities. But it must be brought across this country. The things that we do must be global, and we must stay in the fight. And I will tell you, in addition to that, one of the things that we share with our members, and I certainly talk about with my fellow presidents on a regular basis,
Starting point is 00:29:30 that our collective power is unparalleled. We're almost three million strong if you look at the collective power of the D9. So in addition to us leading the way, I will tell you that the D9 should be leading the way. And we always say our hashtag is D9 stronger together. Because if we know that we if we continue to exercise our collective power, there's
Starting point is 00:29:57 nothing that we can't do. Whether it's focusing on some collective buying to be able to own our own things like conference centers, own our own museums. There's so many things that we have the opportunity to do if we use our collective voices and our collective power. So that's the other message that we wanna lead the way, but we have to also do it together. Absolutely.
Starting point is 00:30:27 So look, I speak a whole lot, travel a lot. And when I felt my voice being lost when I was at Essence Fest, I always carry something with me. So President Cook Holmes, tell your staff, go to store and buy you this, and keep it with you. I keep it in my bag at all times.
Starting point is 00:30:50 Tamela Mann and David Mann hooked me up and said, anytime you're losing your voice or you're getting ready to speak a lot, take this as an herbal spray. It will help you keep your voice. I actually have some in my purse, but I don't think I have been using it enough today. But Roland, I thank you for that tip.
Starting point is 00:31:10 I'm going to use it because I have a whole lot of talking I need to do tomorrow, so I need to figure this out quickly. You ain't lying, because you on day two. I want you to tell my sorry, Jackie, hello. You on day two. I don't want to lose it. You on day two. You can't be like that. Listen. I'm on day two. No, you on day two. You can't be like that. I'm on day two.
Starting point is 00:31:25 No, you tell her hi. You can't be the end, not the beginning. You tell her hi. I ain't seen her. I got back from essence. She was already gone to the convention, so you tell her hi when you see her. I will look for her until you say hello then. All right, then.
Starting point is 00:31:40 Do that. Well, I appreciate it. I know she got me a couple of tickets or something, so I'll be popping through. I'll see you. We look forward to seeing you. I'll see you at the convention center. And last question, how many hotels y'all got? Y'all feel up here?
Starting point is 00:31:55 I don't know of a hotel in the district where we don't have members. So I am, I'll be honest with you. I think I lost count, you know, after we got 50 or 60 contracts, but I would tell you, there is not a place within the district, not just the downtown area, but as far north as the hotels that are almost in Maryland.
Starting point is 00:32:19 So we're all over, and we know that we have SARS-AIDS in Virginia and Maryland too. All right then, President Cook-Holmes, we appreciate it. Good luck to a great week. Thank you, thank you so much. All right, thanks a bunch folks. We're gonna go to a break. We come back more on Roland Martin,
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Starting point is 00:33:08 Rollin' at RollinMartinUnfiltered.com. We'll be right back. Next on The Black Table with me, Greg Carr. The enigma of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. What really makes him tick? And what forces shaped his view of the world, the country, and Black America? The answer, I'm pretty sure, will shock you.
Starting point is 00:33:29 And he says, you know, people think that I'm anachronistic. I am. I want to go backwards in time in order to move us forward into the future. He's very upfront about this. We'll talk to Cory Robin, the man who wrote the book that reveals it all. That's next on The Black Table, only on the Black Star Network. Hey, what's up, y'all? I'm Devon Frank. I'm Dr. Robin B., pharmacist and fitness coach, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. So The guy who hung out with Donald Trump. Remember this photo right here? Donald Trump claimed he didn't know him.
Starting point is 00:34:26 Well, we know that's a lie. And we know Jeffrey Epstein. We know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie.
Starting point is 00:34:42 And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. And we know that's a lie. The guy who hung out with Donald Trump. Remember this photo right here? Donald Trump claimed he didn't know him. Well, we know that's a lie. And we know Jeffrey Epstein helped out a lot of Republicans. And remember, he cut a deal in Florida with prosecutors there. And Trump's Labor Secretary was the one who helped him out of that deal that they also wanted to keep secret.
Starting point is 00:35:02 Everybody allowed him to go to jail in the daytime and go home at night. It was really, I mean, it was a sweetheart deal. So a lot of people, especially Republicans, believed that it was a coverup. And who are the names? I remember Pam Bondi, when she came as attorney general, she was like, I have the list on my desk.
Starting point is 00:35:18 But then now they claim, oh no, there's no list. And again, MAGA is losing its mind. So today, at the cabinet meeting a reporter asked Trump about it and I swear he almost soiled the adult diaper he's wearing. It left some lingering mysteries. One of the biggest ones is whether he ever worked for an American or foreign intelligence agency. The former labor secretary who was Miami US attorney Alex Kostak, he allegedly said that he did work for an intelligence agency.
Starting point is 00:35:58 So could you resolve whether or not he did? And also, could you say why there was a minute missing from the jailhouse tape on the night of the study? Yeah, sure. If I could- Hey, ma'am, could I just interrupt for a second? Sure. Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking, we have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking
Starting point is 00:36:20 about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable. Do you want to waste the time? And do you feel like answering? I don't mind answering. I mean, I can't believe you're asking a question on Epstein at a time like this, where we're having some of the greatest success and also tragedy with what happened in Texas.
Starting point is 00:36:39 It just seems like a desecration. But you go ahead. Sure. Sure. Sure. First, to back up on that, in February I did an interview on Fox, and it's been getting a lot of attention because I said I was asked a question about the client list. And my response was, it's sitting on my desk to be reviewed, meaning the file along with
Starting point is 00:37:04 the JFK, MLK files as well. That's what I meant by that. Also to the tens of thousands of video, they turned out to be child porn downloaded by that disgusting Jeffrey Epstein. Child porn is what they were. Never going to be released, never going to see the light of day. To him being an agent, I have no knowledge about that. We can get back to you on that. And the minute missing from the video, we released the video showing definitively the video was not conclusive, but the evidence prior to it was showing he committed suicide. And what was on that, there was a minute
Starting point is 00:37:45 that was off the counter. And what we learned from Bureau of Prisons was every year, every night, they redo that video. It was old, from like 1999. So every night the video is reset, and every night should have the same minute missing. So we're looking for that video to release that as well, showing that a minute is missing every night and that's it on Epstein
Starting point is 00:38:08 But here's the thing it's the right that's making a big deal out of this They're the ones who are angry and upset and mad and yelling and screaming even Tucker Carlson went off on this whole deal and just said how, oh, this could cause a massive, massive storm on the right. Here was an interview that he had with somebody on that issue. Particularly not only deceived by the people
Starting point is 00:38:42 like the FBI director and the deputy director Dan Bongino But the attorney general who went on camera after assuming her office on the White House lawn These are supposed to mean things and said thousands of victims. We have the client list. We have the flight logs She held a little press conference whatever event with so-called influencers in which she gave them the Epstein files an infamous photo with so-called influencers in which she gave them the Epstein files, an infamous photo that was released. It turned out that that binder actually had redacted information in it, which was already public, just to demonstrate how they were turning the South La-
Starting point is 00:39:14 they're turning the White House effectively into a performative show and making light of the fact that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of underage victims. There are hundreds, if not thousands of underage victims. Mm, Magga, big man. Like, Magga's really upset, and they are just going crazy on this issue. Now that was him talking to Sagar and Jenny.
Starting point is 00:39:41 And again, they're just, I mean, they are really, really upset. And Dan Bongino lied to the people. It's the same Dan Bongino, who just beloved by the right, who left his media perch to go work for Trump. So, I mean, they are just big mad. Now, Trump and them are sitting here. You heard them say, that evil man. And Trump, people are sitting here. You heard them say that evil man.
Starting point is 00:40:05 And Trump, people are still talking about Jeffrey Epstein. They're still talking about Jeffrey Epstein. That despicable man. You mean this one? Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump. Trump.
Starting point is 00:40:47 Trump. Boy, look at having a grand conversation. Chummy, chummy, chummy, chummy, trummy. But they're like, oh, that despicable man. That man, how dare he. I mean, Trump was kicking it with him. You had one woman who was actually suing Trump saying she was raped. That's a fact, y'all. Like, don't get mad at everybody else. That's y' y'all. Don't get mad at everybody else. That's y'all boy.
Starting point is 00:41:09 And the right is so upset. Matter of fact, look here. This is collage of photos of Donald Trump and who? His boy Jeffrey Epstein. Ain't that interesting? I just think it's a trip Larry. Trump and who his boy Jeffrey Epstein. Ain't that interesting. I just think it's a trip Larry, that MAGA is so mad. So Trump gets mad at the reporter for asking the question when it's the people that voted for him who are pissed off.
Starting point is 00:41:41 Yeah, this is a role and this is a situation where you eat, you know, you know, people eat their own. They constantly, you know—for the last several years, they have fed on all these conspiracy theories. And you talked about just a few weeks ago, we had that, you know, the infamous photo op in front of the White House with the Epstein binders. It was circled on news, talked about for days. And DOJ, attorney general says she had some information
Starting point is 00:42:09 that she, you know, she phrased it a little bit differently than she did from the interview. But they fed this conspiracy theory, and people waiting for the payoff based on what we've heard for the last several years. And now they're backtracking. So all that does is feed more conspiracy. Well, Larry's talking, hold on Larry,
Starting point is 00:42:28 while Larry's talking, go to my iPad. Larry, remember this, they held up these binders, the Epstein FBI files, go ahead. Yeah, I mean, and you know, they talked about having these social media influencers who then went on their podcasts and once again, just went on and talked about how this information was coming out. And so once again, people who, you know, entered these conspiracy theories or, you know, follow these kinds of things are looking for a payoff in it.
Starting point is 00:42:56 And now it never came. And those same folks are now going to turn on the administration because now they think there's up, there's something think there's up to something. So there's a conspiracy inside the conspiracy. So it's going to be really interesting over the next several weeks, couple months, to see what this does in terms of public opinion for those who are right-wingers
Starting point is 00:43:17 who follow this kind of issue. But bottom line is, Roland, they fed the beast and the beast expected to be fed. And it's like being at the zoo and throwing red meat at a tiger. And, you know, you didn't throw the tiger any food this time. And, and now those folks have turned on administration. Tyler, like Midas Touch published this. The tweet was, here are 14 phone numbers associated with Donald Trump from Jeffrey Epstein's
Starting point is 00:43:40 little black book. I mean, I, I, I guess that's why he doesn't want to talk about it. Yeah, absolutely. And I think, you know, there's a double standard in how powerful men like Donald Trump are treated when it comes to associating with predators like Jeffrey Epstein, despite, as we just saw, years of photos, videos, and testimony,
Starting point is 00:44:02 and public connections to him. Trump has never faced full accountability. And I think the real question for his ties to Epstein, you know, is dangerous. And I think the silence of his administration and his silence sends a chilling message that if you're rich, if you're well connected and if you're white, you get to walk away free while survivors carry the weight. As you said before, even the survivor who came out or as we look at how Trump has talked about treating women
Starting point is 00:44:35 and I think he has not faced full accountability and I think it just sends a chilling message that many of us have already known to be true. This is Brian Shapiro was on Piers Morgan show. And of course, all of these little Trump defenders who always complain. Mustafa listen to what Shapiro lit them up on and he's absolutely right. When Haba did your show, where did she get that information from? Where did that come from back in February?
Starting point is 00:45:05 I would also say to Pam Bondi, she lied on Fox News, or maybe she was telling the truth. She said she had a list that was on her desk, Pierce. Where did that list go? Was she lying? Was that made up? And I'd also say thirdly, and I know this is something that Jack probably doesn't want to bring up, but the fact of the matter is that Jeffrey Epstein's on audio saying at one point Donald Trump was his best friend.
Starting point is 00:45:25 We also know that Donald Trump was on the Epstein flight log seven times. We learned that in the Maxwell case. So I don't think it's a stretch to say maybe Donald Trump might be somewhere in these files. Maybe. We don't know that for sure. But I know if it was the other way around and if it was Joe Biden that was best friends with Jeffrey Epstein at one point, that's all Jack and MAGA Republicans would be talking about I think Donald Trump is on this list and I think Donald Trump is in these files and I think the Trump administration is Oh
Starting point is 00:45:55 Here we go is hiding something that he's all right when how is that your show? What is here's the thing that cracks me up? Mustafa What's the thing that cracks me up? Mustafa. Trump, you asked that question? This feels like desecration. Oh, oh. So now all of a sudden, you wanna talk about the more than 100 people killed
Starting point is 00:46:20 in the floods in Texas, and the fact that 161 people are still missing. Oh, so now you want us to focus on that. Oh, so you don't wanna answer any questions about that. Maybe that's Mustafa because when the flood was happening, look who was golfing. Three days ago, he's on his way to play golf. But now, you don't want us asking about these things
Starting point is 00:46:55 because, oh, because of great things happening and the flood in Texas. No, it's called the First Amendment. We can ask any damn thing we want. And at some point, I wish one of these reporters would actually say, hey man, we can ask what the hell we want whether you like it or not. Yeah, exactly.
Starting point is 00:47:18 And the fact that we can multitask, we can take in multiple types of information and be able to analyze it and make some decisions for ourselves. It's interesting. We know that Trump hung out with Epstein, that Trump partied with Epstein. As the gentleman said, his name also appeared seven times on the flight logs. We know that Epstein was a test pilot. 17 times on the flight log. We know that Epstein was a... 17 times on the flight log. 17 times, okay.
Starting point is 00:47:46 I've read seven times before, so thank you for the correction. And then also, we know that, you know, based upon the way that we're looking at sex trafficking now, that Epstein was also moving folks over to the island and all kinds of different things. So, you know, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, we all know how the saying goes. So, of course, no one wants to have that attention on them when they're associated with someone who's done those types of things. But he had a history of not just one time being seen
Starting point is 00:48:18 with this individual, but multiple times. And, you know, no matter who else it might have been, if you found yourself in that situation, if people had all this documentation, both video and photos, then they're going to ask questions about, were you also participating in those types of nefarious behaviors that Epstein was convicted on? Not, you know, that people just, you know,
Starting point is 00:48:41 said maybe this is something that he's done, but he was actually convicted in relationship to the list. Yeah, that was the red meat that everyone kept talking about. And we're really interested in whose names on the list. I can't tell you how many times people would make, guesses about who might be on there. And of course, Trump's name came up along with a number of other folks.
Starting point is 00:49:02 So you can't get upset if you are going to, you know, affiliate with individuals who do those types of behaviors, criminal behaviors. And if you're gonna sit here and trash Hillary Clinton or Obama or Biden or Harris, then you gotta own it. Now, I heard Shapiro say 17, one lawyer said Trump said it was seven times on the flight log, so I'm gonna double check that.
Starting point is 00:49:23 But I do wanna read this quote, this is from a New York Magazine story. Trump quote, I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy, he's a lot of fun to be with. It's even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do. And many of them are on the younger side. Know that about it?
Starting point is 00:49:39 Jeffrey enjoys his social life. That was Donald Trump on Jeffrey Epstein. So I see why he doesn't want questions being asked about Jeffrey Epstein in the White House. All right, y'all, going to break. We'll be right back. Roland Martin on the Black Sun Network. This week on A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie, we're talking faith, family, fatherhood and the pathway to reentry. Most of us in some way, shape, form or fashion have had someone in our lives, whether it was a grandfather, a father, an uncle, a brother or a cousin
Starting point is 00:50:20 who has been incarcerated or justice impacted. What does that look like in rebuilding family and relationships? What does it look like for us to be able to have substantive conversations come to the table love on each other while at the same time get it all out in the open so that we can begin a new journey together. You know, the last thing you want is in the midst of trying to piece your life back together for home to not be a comfortable place. That's all next on A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie here on Black Star Network. Hey, what's up? It's Jami Roman. Hey, it's John Murray,
Starting point is 00:50:58 the executive producer of the new Sherri Sheppard Talk Show. It's me, Sherri Sheppard Talk Show. It's me Sherry Sheppard and you know what you're watching. Roland Martin Unfiltered. Folks, the Georgia chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is suing the state park over its plan to create an exhibit addressing slavery, segregation, and white supremacy. The lawsuit focuses on racist stone mountain, which features a monument depicting racist Confederate President Jefferson Davis, white domestic terrorist General Robert E. Lee, as well as white domestic terrorist,
Starting point is 00:51:38 racist Thomas Stonewall Jackson, all on a horseback. The monument was carved in 1915. In 2021, the Stone Memorial Association voted to relocate the Confederate flags at the monument and to build a quote truth-telling exhibit. This exhibit aims to inform visitors about the site's role in the revival of the Ku Klux Klan and its segregationist roots. It will also discuss how Confederate groups, including the Sons of Confederate Veterans, promoted the racist lost cause ideology,
Starting point is 00:52:12 which portrays slavery as a positive institution. The Sons of Confederate Veterans argued that relocating the Confederate flags violates Georgia law and that altering the monuments to fit the present political climate is illegal. They believe these charred changes are an attack on their history and show disrespect for Confederate soldiers. Okay, first of all, last I checked, they're not altering the monument, even
Starting point is 00:52:42 though yours truly believes blow that shit up. But to say that you have a visitor area, telling the truth, Mustafa, and what the problem is, because that's not altering the monument. It's actually showing as Paul Harvey would say now the rest of the story. And that's the point right there. You know, there, there's fear and truth. showing as Paul Harvey would say, now the rest of the story. And that's the point right there. You know, there's fear in truth, especially for those who know
Starting point is 00:53:11 they're coming from a dark place. They're coming from a place of misinformation and disinformation. And we need to be able to set the record straight. And people have a problem with that because they wanna create their own narrative, even when it is a false narrative. So, I hope the folks continue to move forward
Starting point is 00:53:29 on making sure that everybody who visits has a real understanding of all the trauma that was a part of slavery and the truth about what it really was, because if you don't do that, then people will continue to paint it in a picture that is not what our people actually experienced. Cannot stand, Larry.
Starting point is 00:53:55 Truth. What they still want is white history and not truthful history. Yeah, Roland, we need to make it real clear about, you know, when I think about my enslaved ancestors, what they had to endure, the trauma, the rape, et cetera. No, we need to tell the truth. I mean, isn't that what the country's all about today? We're about truth telling, right?
Starting point is 00:54:22 Isn't that what the country's all about today? We're about truth-telling, right? So you have to—this country struggles with its history. And I always tell people, I'm first generation, post Jim Crow. These—when you start these conversations, it's not that long ago, in terms of we can have conversations with individuals who were enslaved Africans. And so, yeah, the atrocities that these organizations in the Confederacy committed against enslaved Africans needs to be made clear.
Starting point is 00:54:51 Their history, why they chose what they did, at the years after that, in terms of, like we talked about the KKK and these other organizations that traumatized black communities for decades, they all need to be called on the carpet for what they did. And if you're an active member of the organization, you need to face what your ancestors did, and the fact that also that you're still involved in this organization that once again upholds what
Starting point is 00:55:17 the Confederacy did as some kind of shining example when they once again traumatized black people for decades. So no, we needed something that was completely honest and we needed a nice big poster or something right next to all those figures. Tyler, it's real simple for me. These folks despise the fact that we actually got an opportunity to read. They despise the fact that we now are in positions of power and they despise the fact that we actually got an opportunity to read. They despise the fact that we now are in positions of power. And they despise the fact that racist white men no longer control everything. And so they're going to suck it up. And I think they're going to lose this lawsuit because they're lying. The monument is not being changed.
Starting point is 00:56:01 Having a visitor sit right next to it, nothing wrong with that. So bring it. Absolutely. I saw a quote this week that said, offended by everything, ashamed of nothing, entitled to everything but contributing to nothing. And I think when I think about, you know, these symbols, they're in just mere history, they're ongoing living patriarchy, racism, and omission, especially in states like Georgia.
Starting point is 00:56:29 And I think the lawsuit is more than just like a legal maneuvering that they're trying to get around, but it's a fight over memory. It's a fight over power, and those whose stories get to be told and honored. And this monument is a living insult that legitimizes white supremacy. And I think real equity demands that removing these public honors for oppression and oppressors and telling
Starting point is 00:56:53 the fool, and as we said, the fool and honest truth, we must stand up to it and be present in this moment to ensure that they're trying to erase our history, but we must stand firm in how our history is being told. All right, folks, let's talk about something else these idiots are doing and the impact it's going to have on a lot of black people. Donald Trump and his people are unveiling plans for a major overhaul of student loans. And so what they're trying to, first of all, they're trying to shift which department.
Starting point is 00:57:28 This deals with the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. It was established 18 years ago, the PSLF allows government employees, such as teachers, firefighters, and nonprofit workers, to have their student loans forgiven after 10 years of qualifying payments. Education department could strip the benefit
Starting point is 00:57:47 from organizations involved in quote, illegal activities. Mangala Deskens, Director of Advocacy for Engagement at EdTrust joins us right now. So first and foremost, explain us what the hell that even mean, illegal activities. Thanks for having me this evening. I think before we talk about the specifics, I just want to kind of lay the groundwork so that we can really understand what we're seeing here. The Republicans in Congress in service of the MAGA agenda are making it clear. They don't want
Starting point is 00:58:21 black and brown students going to college. This is about making the rich richer by attempting to smother the aspirations of students of color across this country. And by passing this bill and by putting these restrictions and eliminations and changing to the rules and repayment plans, this is an attempt to make it so that black and brown students cannot go to school at all. So I just want to start there. The idea is to keep us from being able to go to school or put us in a level of debt that we can never get out of for the privilege of attempting to access the American dream. So walk us through this in terms of what do we know so far about these changes?
Starting point is 00:59:15 Sure. So, you know, the changes really affect two sides, the loan side and the repayment side. On the loan side, they eliminated federal loans that help graduate students pay for school and added borrowing limits to Parent PLUS loans. Parent PLUS loans are loans that Black and brown families disproportionately use. So this will force families to either go to banks and take higher interest loans that will create more debt for the family or make decisions on whether these students can go to college at all.
Starting point is 00:59:48 On the repayment side, they've changed income-based student repayment loan plans, making them more expensive and adding longer timeframes. And this was part of the way they were going to pay for their tax cut to billionaires, by making it more expensive for students who are giving their lives to public service to be able to repay the loans that help them achieve that ability. And if I could just pause you for a quick second, I just, I want to make this real for folks in a way that we can understand.
Starting point is 01:00:22 You know, I attended college, Florida A&M University, as a first-generation low-income student, and I graduated with over $50,000 in debt. Now, when you look at why I was low-income, you might wanna look at my grandmother being a sharecropper or my mother picking cotton as a kid on that same plantation. But alas, you see me, I was able to make it to college. By the time I was able to start repaying my loan,
Starting point is 01:00:49 I struggled to find employment, as many students do. And as a first-generation student, I didn't have a lot of familiar family help to help me move forward. So by the time I was able to start repaying my loan, my loan had ballooned to over $80,000. By the time I was able to get on an income-based repayment plan,
Starting point is 01:01:08 it went over to $100,000. Now, I'm here to say that public service loan forgiveness helped me. It helped me get out of a debt that would have saddled me for the rest of my life, a debt that I had because I spent my entire career fighting for people who look like me, who came from a debt that I had because I spent my entire career fighting for people who look like me, who came from the circumstances that I came from, so that people could have
Starting point is 01:01:30 the ability to achieve what we call this American dream. This is what these changes did. They are taking that ability away from further generations of students who are coming from backgrounds like me, trying to give their... All right, looks like our guest is frozen, so we're going to try to reconnect with him. So let's see here. Let's see it spinning. Mangala, are you still there? Sorry, can you hear me? Yeah, yeah, you actually froze there, but go ahead, keep going. I don't know where I froze, man. I was just getting into it. Well, again, we were talking about,
Starting point is 01:02:08 in terms of how this thing is being put together, and who is going to affect. First of all, when do these changes start? I mean, is it right now? What must folks do to prepare themselves? Yeah, for sure. So the changes start right now. Folks are already seeing their repayment
Starting point is 01:02:27 plans change. They're already seeing a raise in the amount of money that they have to pay. They're already seeing hits to their credit scores. And then as far for the repayment side and for the loans, this is for any future borrowers. So these are for students whose kids have did everything they were supposed to do and were able to get into college for this fall in 2025. They're going to have to deal with the consequences of this and the limitations on how much money they can borrow. And it will also affect the students who have already graduated, who are starting to repay their loans, now they're gonna have to give more and more of their income
Starting point is 01:03:09 to be able to keep this from hitting their credit or defaulting or hurting them financially as they sit under this debt burden. Questions from the panel, Tadek, you first. Yeah, absolutely. As we know, I say education is a right, not not a privilege and no one should have to choose between groceries and a loan repayment just for wanting to learn. My question for you would be, what does this pause in payment tracking mean for boroughs who have already dedicated years towards forgiveness from a lot of these like firefighters, teachers, and police officers. Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, there's, as what we often see with this current administration,
Starting point is 01:03:50 there's a lot that is opaque, things we don't quite know yet, but we know that they will probably not be legal. But that hasn't stopped anything before. What we know right now is that people are now unable to check their payment status, where you used to be able to see how close you were to public service loan forgiveness.
Starting point is 01:04:10 We know that some portions of public service loan forgiveness have went away. The true fallout, what we will see in total from this, we don't know yet. But what we do know is all of those folks, whether you talk about teachers, whether you talk about civil rights activists, whether you talk about folks who work in the public sector, all of those folks should be very concerned. And there are some actions that we think that folks can take, but I want to pause because we didn't get to that yet. Larry? Yeah. Thank you for all your work at Air Trust.. I want to give a shout out to your CEO, my friend Denise, while we're having a conversation.
Starting point is 01:04:54 And so let's talk a little bit about what happens if you're not able to pay these loans, because I think the Wall Street Journal reported that some people who are actually retired are actually having wages garnished. Can you talk a little bit about that because this is disproportionately going to impact black folks also? Oh, absolutely. So we are seeing wage garnishment actually happen.
Starting point is 01:05:16 We are seeing folks take major hits on their credit for being delinquent in their loans. And I think that it's been widely reported that there are many people who are struggling to pay these loans already, for being delinquent in their loans. And I think that it's been widely reported that there are many people who are struggling to pay these loans already, and we expect that that's gonna get worse. And so, you know, in doing this,
Starting point is 01:05:32 it's not just creating more expensive repayment plans that will saddle folks with a debt burden, but they are also garnishing wages on the other end. So it's leaving you with really a very limited set of options for what you do if you're not able to afford these loans, which many students are not. As we may remember, the administration's policies have caused many workers to be laid off,
Starting point is 01:06:00 many workers to lose their job, whether in the federal government or in related parts of different departments. So when you think about folks who are contractors for education services, when you think about folks who work for a variety of companies and entities that support the public needs, those folks are getting laid off because those loans are being illegally held or sorry, those grants are being illegally held by the administration.
Starting point is 01:06:28 So right now, you know, folks are really caught between really a rock and a hard place. You have to pay it, it's more expensive, but at the same time, if you can't, then your loans can be garnished. I mean, sorry, your wages can be garnished, sorry. Mustafa. Yeah, well, thank you for what you
Starting point is 01:06:46 and your organization does. Can you walk folks through, so, you know, there's a huge amount of money that's tied up in this. Now people are paying more money. We know there's a push to privatize education. So can you talk a little bit about where do the dollars go now? Does it go to
Starting point is 01:07:07 Treasury? Does it go, I know it doesn't go to the Department of Education, but I'm just going to say does it go to the Department of Education? Where do these additional dollars go? Well, these changes were passed as a part of this boo boo bill, bad, bad bill, big, bad, terrible bill, whatever we want to call it. The reason why these things were put into place outside of making sure that black and brown students don't have access to higher education or to college, which of course is the number one goal, the reason why they were added to this particular bill was in order to pay for tax cuts and
Starting point is 01:07:50 tax breaks to billionaires that the administration wanted to make sure they got through. So as far as like how these dollars move through the system, again, some of these things are opaque. The key thing to know is the reason why these additional dollars are being collected is to cover the cost of tax breaks for rich people. At Ed Trust, we like to call this, we call this bill the great heist, and that's what that's about. It's taking these folks' dreams and aspirations to be able to create a better life for themselves and their families through college and through the careers that come from that, and taking the debt that
Starting point is 01:08:30 folks took on in order to do that and taking that and raising that debt and charging folks more in order to pay for tax cuts to rich people. Which really shouldn't surprise me, surprise us because, remember, this is the same Trump administration. You remember Trump. He created a fake university in order to defraud students who were trying to get a better life out of their funds in the first place. So this idea of stealing from people who are looking for a better life in order to pay billionaires, millionaires and billionaires is not a new idea for Donald Trump, and it's not a new idea for what we've seen from his policies.
Starting point is 01:09:11 Well, for all the people who chose to sit the election out, well, they now have to continue with this because we tried to tell them. We told them what was going to go down. And then there was a whole lot of people who were yelling and screaming, why hasn't Joe Biden gotten rid of student loan debt? No, maybe you should have sat your ass out the 2016 election.
Starting point is 01:09:29 And then Trump went out of the point at three Supreme Court justices. Just saying. Angela, we appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thank you so much for having me. All right, folks, quick break. We'll be right back on Roller Mark on the filter, the Black Star Network. Don't forget, support the work we do. Join our Bring the Funk fan club. The goal is to get 20,000 of be right back on Roller Mart and on the Filchers of the Black Star Network. Don't forget to support the work that we do. Join our Bring the Funk Fan Club. The goal is to get
Starting point is 01:09:46 $20,000 fans contributing on average $50 each a year. $4.90 a month, $13 today. You support this show. You support all of the other shows on the network. You want to contribute via Cash App. Here is the QR code for Stripe. Use this QR code. You can also use it for credit card payments as well. Make it payable to Roller Mart and on the Filchers. You can also use it for credit card payments as well. Make it payable to Roland Martin Unfiltered. You got to check your money order and send that to PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C. 20037.0196. Paypal is R. Martin Unfiltered. Venmo RM Unfiltered. Zell, Roland at RolandSMartin.com.
Starting point is 01:10:21 Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. We'll be right back. Next on the Black Table with me, Greg Carr, the enigma of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. What really makes him tick? And what forces shaped his view of the world, the country, and Black America? The answer, I'm pretty sure, will shock you. And he says, you know, people think that I'm anachronistic. I am I want to go backwards in time in order to move us forward into the future
Starting point is 01:10:49 He's very upfront about this. We'll talk to Cory Robin the man who wrote the book that reveals it all That's next on the black table only on the black star network On the other side of change the mass incarceration This week on The Other Side of Change. Mass incarceration, Trump administration is doubling down on criminalization and how it is profitable. And there's something really, really perverse about saying that we need to put people in cages in order for other people to have jobs. Like, that is not how our economy should be built.
Starting point is 01:11:20 Only on The Other Side of change on the Black Star Network. ["Alone"] This week on A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie, we're talking faith, family, fatherhood, and the pathway to reentry. Most of us, in some way, shape, form, or fashion have had someone in our lives, whether it was a grandfather, a father, an uncle, a brother, or a cousin, who has been
Starting point is 01:11:45 incarcerated or justice impacted. What does that look like in rebuilding family and relationships? What does it look like for us to be able to have substantive conversations? Come to the table, love on each other, while at the same time get it all out in the open so that we can begin a new journey together.
Starting point is 01:12:05 You know, the last thing you want is in the midst of trying to piece your life back together for home to not be a comfortable place. That's all next on A Balanced I'm Dr. Bernard Hodges. And I'm Dr. Terrence Ferguson. And you're tuned in to... Roland Martin on the 50s. Protests have erupted across Kenya with tensions boiling over in the capital city of Nairobi. Eleven people have been killed, more than 560 arrested during widespread anti-government demonstrations according to
Starting point is 01:12:50 police. Fueled by anger over corruption, police brutality and a soaring cost of living, protests broke out Monday in 17 countries and 17 counties. The unrest coincided with Saba Saba, the July 7th day that commemorates Kenya's fight for democracy. But instead of celebration, the streets were filled with bonfires, tear gas, and a new generation demanding change. Protesters are calling on President William Ruto to resign, accusing his administration of failing to address the people's needs and deepening economic hardship.
Starting point is 01:13:26 Now, while that is happening, we are seeing significant unrest in Haiti as well. In Haiti, a very prominent hotel was burned down by gangs in the continuing problems that we see in that particular country. We're just quite unfortunate. It's the Hotel Olufsen, which was, of course, a Gothic 19th century mansion that was gutted.
Starting point is 01:13:52 This is what it used to look like right here. And this is what then happened when it went up in smoke. This is a aerial view of what it looks like now. They continue to see massive unrest there in Haiti as police, a multinational force, try to keep the peace in that particular city. But the reality is we continue to see gangs dominate and control so much of what happens there. Now, there are some folk who have a different view of the hotel, say it was a haven for NGOs as well as spies. Well, at the end of the day, that hotel has been burned down
Starting point is 01:14:33 and we don't see any substantive things happening from this country to help the folks there in that country as well. And so this right here, it said before it became a hotel all of a sudden, it was home to the Sam family until 1915. This is an image right here, and of course, and also it was built by the son of a Hades president
Starting point is 01:14:58 as well, and so it was converted to a hotel by the Swedish Gustav Olsen and gave it its name. And so you see right here the information on it. And then of course, this is what it looked like as well. So we hate to see the continued unrest there in Haiti. Let's talk about deportations. Haiti is one of the countries that Donald Trump has been targeting along with other African nations.
Starting point is 01:15:20 And guess what? Well, the Trump folks have made it clear to any of these undocumented workers on farms, you ain't getting amnesty. Also, they're attacking folks who what they call able-bodied Americans on Medicaid, in fact saying that they may force them to take jobs fueled by undocumented farm workers. Listen to the agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins,
Starting point is 01:15:43 saying that 34 million able-bodied people in Medicaid could serve as potential labor force for farms. There's been a lot of noise in the last few days and a lot of questions about where the president stands and his vision for farm labor. The first thing I'll say is the president has been unequivocal that there will be no amnesty. And I think that's very very important I and the rest of our cabinet certainly
Starting point is 01:16:08 Support that effectuate that and make sure that happens every single day The second thing to your question about mass deportations the president and I have spoken about that Once or twice and he has always been of the mindset that at the end of the day the promise to America To ensure that we have a 100% American workforce stands, but we must be strategic in how we are implementing the mass deportation so as not to compromise our food supply. Ultimately, the answer on this is automation, also some reform within the current governing structure, and then also when you think about there are 34 million able-bodied
Starting point is 01:16:44 adults in our Medicaid program. There are plenty of workers in America, but we just have to make sure we're not compromising today, especially in the context of everything we're thinking about right now. So no amnesty under any circumstances. Mass deportations continue, but in a strategic and intentional way as we move our workforce toward more automation and toward a 100% American workforce. Hmm. Really?
Starting point is 01:17:12 This initiative is part of Trump's one big, beautiful bill, which introduces the first ever federal work requirements for Medicaid recipients. Um, I really can't wait to see Larry, uh a lot of these white folks being sent to farms. Yeah. So the reason why you have migrant workers, among others, you know, obviously making a serious contribution to our economy is that Americans don't want these jobs rolling. And that's just the bottom line. This is hard work.
Starting point is 01:17:47 And so what you hear the secretary describing is servitude. Let's be clear about what we're hearing here. The other thing that's really interesting about this comments about those individuals on Medicaid is that they're talking about a lot of their voters. And I don't think, when a lot of this language is used, the way they switch it up, I don't think when they talk about people being at home and lazy, et cetera,
Starting point is 01:18:12 they're talking about a lot of their voters in red states. And I think those folks only hear immigrants and other people, but then they're talking about you, and they're gonna take, they're taking your Medicaid. And the other thing is, as it relates to this overall conversation, is it also talks about how they value other people's humanity. The majority of significant individuals,
Starting point is 01:18:33 a percentage of Americans work at jobs, but they don't even qualify for things like healthcare. So this is really more of an issue in terms of economic healthcare structure, in terms of individuals not only making a living wage, but also providing with comprehensive health care. But we're not going to have that conversation, because then that will force people to critique local, state, and federal government. So what you hear from the secretary, once again, is essentially describing some kind
Starting point is 01:18:57 of servitude for Americans. And secondly, once again, Americans are not taking those jobs. Yeah, I mean, so you see, I saw this video here, 100 undocumented workers at Glen Valley Foods in Nebraska got arrested. And so now the right is saying, oh, my goodness, it was packed. People were filling out forms for those jobs. Yeah, that's working at a plant.
Starting point is 01:19:25 I'm telling you right now, Mustafa, these white folks ain't gonna be in that heat picking no damn fields. Right. You know, most Americans, I've worked on farm worker issues of beginning in the early part of my career. So I know I've seen personally how hard that work is. And it's interesting because when we talk about
Starting point is 01:19:50 the folks who are on Medicaid, we're talking about people who are poor and sick and elderly and disabled and folks who are just trying to make it. I thought that they actually were going to go after the prison population. We're going to try and get them to do a lot of this work. But the reality of the situation is, you know, you've got a whole lot of people across this country, you know, are dealing with opioid addiction and dealing with fentanyl, dealing with all these different types of things that, you know, has already lowered their immune system, made them weaker.
Starting point is 01:20:15 So you're going to put them out there in the fields when it's 100 plus degrees, sometimes 110 degrees, working 12 hours, sometimes making, you know making just literally pennies on the dollar. Americans are just not gonna do that. I mean, there's just no way that you're gonna be able to make that become a reality. And so when you make these snap, well, they're not snap decisions. When these folks make these sort of decisions
Starting point is 01:20:41 that have these huge ramifications, they're not fully thinking it through. They're assuming that people, you know, as Larry said, are gonna be okay with being indentured servants. But that's just not the case. Whether you're talking about folks in Appalachia, you're talking about folks that are in the Rust Belt, you're talking about folks that are down in the Black Belt,
Starting point is 01:21:00 you know, it is just not a reality. And of course, it is a whole lot of their folks. So they voted for this without probably having the full understanding that you are also sacrificible because that's exactly what they're doing. They're finding people who they feel that have no value and they're going to try and push them
Starting point is 01:21:18 into these very difficult jobs. And there's a reason why, you know, folks demonize folks who are immigrants to our country. And but the reality is, is that they're helping to hold up this economy. And now you are completely destabilizing it. And now they're going to be looking for the next set of scapegoats to push this capitalistic set of actions forward. But these right folks are not, so check this out, I'm gonna read it first.
Starting point is 01:21:48 This is from the American Business Immigration Coalition. I said I'm gonna read it first. Come to me, before I play it. No, no, no, no, no, no, I'm gonna play it, I'm gonna play it, hold on, I'm gonna read it first. Immigrants are critical to the farming industry, said Rebecca Shee, CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition.
Starting point is 01:22:07 Wait until y'all hear these numbers that she lays out in the video. And I'm telling y'all, I'm telling you, Tylee, these white folks are not gonna be on farms. They are not gonna be in the heat 12, 14 hours a day. I'm telling you. So listen to this. This is from February of this year.
Starting point is 01:22:26 The Trump administration's push for mass deportations has major cities like Chicago on high alert, but some residents in rural areas are also expressing concerns, specifically farmers who are worried about losing their workforce. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 42% of farm workers are undocumented immigrants. Joining us now with more on the potential impact are Rebecca Shee, Chief Executive Officer at the American Business Immigration Coalition. And joining us via Zoom is Stephen Dorloff, a professor in educational policy at the University of Chicago and the director of Stone Center for Research on Wealth and Equality and Mobility. Thank you both for joining us.
Starting point is 01:23:02 Rebecca, I want to start with you. How important is the immigrant workforce to the farming industry? Thank you so much for having me. Immigrants are critical to the farming industry. Agriculture is a $3 trillion industry, and 72% of the ag workforce are immigrants. You know, what do you say to those people who have many different opinions on what's going on with immigration and who should be, who is illegal and who's not, especially when it comes to such big workforce-like farming? Right. Well, we appreciate having eggs on our shelves.
Starting point is 01:23:39 I mean, I'm having a hard time finding eggs right now, and I'm sure a lot of viewers are as well. We appreciate having avocados and milk and if you were to just remove a significant part of our farm workforce we're gonna start seeing $20 lettuces, $16 cartons of eggs or no milk because nearly all of the dairy farmers and farm workers here in our nation, including in Illinois and the Midwest, are immigrants. I also need that extended warranty. Are these people crying and whining, Tyllic, and they voted for Trump?
Starting point is 01:24:17 Absolutely. And I think this is a—just a sign of when you do not vote your interest in how it plays a game, you now become on the menu, per se. And I agree even more with my fellow panelists that this is nothing short of modern day, a nature servitude, and it's cruel. And I think it also mirrors a part in American history from sharecropping to chain gangs. And this is just a mirror of that. And I think it's clear you cannot pick your way out of poverty. And people deserve health care without being treated like their state-owned labor.
Starting point is 01:24:54 And as you said, if they're going to tell people to get out there in them fields, I can already hear the mean, the micro Jackson meme. They were like, uh-uh, get somebody else to do it. to me, they were like, uh-uh, get somebody else to do it. I'm just saying, I'm, you know, it's going to be a lot of people just sitting here, just whining and complaining and I'm just going to sit here and watch it all happen and watch them sing, you know, cry because again, they thought they were talking about some other people. They thought they were referring to some other people,
Starting point is 01:25:36 but they are about to learn real quick, no, it was y'all. It was y'all they were talking about. And that's what I'm gonna enjoy the most, Mustafa, because all these people, that's why we had a shirt, pull the graphic up, FAFO 2025. And we got Project Crossed Out.
Starting point is 01:25:59 This is, that's for y'all, because they're about to learn. See, when they talk about 34 million, see, a lot of white folk in America go, that's them black folks. That's them black folks. We played on the show, Tommy Tuberville, talking about them inner city rats,
Starting point is 01:26:18 them inner city rats taking federal aid. We gotta sit here and do something about them inner city rats. And see they do that and they love thinking as somebody else but then they look up and realize no they talking about you and see all these folks in these red in these red areas all these folks in these red areas they love talking about and they think as everybody else. See, these broke white people, and let me be real clear, I'm using the phrases for a reason.
Starting point is 01:26:53 These broke, illiterate, sick white people in red states, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas, West Virginia, parts of Virginia. All these folks, they love thinking,'s somebody else. It's them people. It's those people. It's them people. That is not us.
Starting point is 01:27:33 We the good people. We the nice people. They not talking about us. They not gonna take our healthcare. They not gonna take money from us. No, they talking about you, this is Tommy Tupperville talking to the man who took a bunch of money from the Russians, Benny Johnson. Uh, again,
Starting point is 01:27:54 he talked about inner city, but he talking about white folks in Alabama. Listen. Yeah. You know, I've spoken several times with Tom Holman who is basically running the inner city ice programs and You know, he told me he said he's been pushed at every corner when he goes these big big cities I'm sure if you get a mayor like this that takes over it'll even be worse And that's when you can you can stop the federal funding you can do anything President Trump can do anything he wants when it comes to the federal. Again, these these inner city rats, they live off the federal government.
Starting point is 01:28:29 And that's one reason we're $37 trillion in debt. And it's time that we find these rats and we send them back home that are living off the American taxpayers that working very hard every week to pay taxes. Even though his state gets is the sixth largest in the country that gets federal dollars. I guess he's talking about rural rats too, like in Alabama. Yeah, if that's the criteria that he's gonna operate from, that's just the reality of the situation.
Starting point is 01:28:58 You know, I've worked with a lot of communities, over a thousand communities in our countries, and you know, a number of those have been lower wealth white communities. And you know, a number of those have been lower wealth white communities. And, you know, when I come back to Washington, D.C., and hear how, you know, some of these folks talk about poor white folks,
Starting point is 01:29:14 they don't see them as human, right? They see them as less than. And I wish that, you know, you know, our lower wealth white brothers and sisters understood, you know, that these wealth white brothers and sisters understood, you know, that these folks do not value them and that they should be operating, you know, in partnership with all the other vulnerable communities and individuals who are out there so that you could actually make real change happen because these folks just use you.
Starting point is 01:29:39 That's the reality. I know it personally. You know, I grew up in Appalachia. I've seen the disinvestment in so many different types of communities, of course, black communities and brown communities, but also in lower wealth white communities. And so when you see people like Tuberville
Starting point is 01:29:53 or all these other individuals, you know, who are making salaries that, you know, folks who are out there just trying to survive, would love to have, you know, that's the dynamic that's playing out. So I'm gonna give everybody a quick stock tip as well, Roland, as I pass it back to you. If you wanna make a whole lot of money right now,
Starting point is 01:30:11 then go out and invest in Sunblock. And I guarantee you for all those folks who are gonna have to be out there in the fields, you're gonna make some money. Yeah, absolutely. All right, y'all, gotta go to break, we. Absolutely. All right, y'all. Got to go to break. We come back.
Starting point is 01:30:29 Our shopblackstarnetwork.com marketplace segment will talk about, that's right, Black-owned Tissue Company. Yeah, seriously. Back in a moment. On the next Get Wealthy with me, Deborah Owens, America's wealth coach, less than 5% of the top executive positions
Starting point is 01:30:55 in corporate America are held by women of color. We know it's not because of talent. A recent study says that it's micro-aggressions, unconscious bias, and limited opportunities being offered to women of color. On our next show, we're gonna get incredible advice from Francine Parham, who's recently written a book sharing exactly what you need to do
Starting point is 01:31:24 to make it up into the management ranks and get the earnings that you deserve. I made a point to sit down and I made a point to talk to people and I made a point to be very purposeful and thought provoking when I spoke to them. That's right here on Get Wealthy, only on Black Star Network. This week on the other side of change. Mass incarceration. Trump administration is doubling down on criminalization and how it is profitable. And there's something really, really perverse about saying that we need to put people in cages in order for other people to have jobs.
Starting point is 01:32:04 Like that is not how our economy should be built. Only on the other side of change on the Black Star Network. Next on The Black Table with me, Greg Carr, the enigma of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. What really makes him tick and what forces shaped his view of the world, the country, and Black America? The answer, I'm pretty sure, will shock you. And he says, you know, people think that I'm anachronistic.
Starting point is 01:32:32 I am. I want to go backwards in time in order to move us forward into the future. He's very upfront about this. We'll talk to Cory Robin, the man who wrote the book that reveals it all. That's next on the Black Table, only on the Black Star Network. All right folks, it's time for our segment, ShopBlackStarNetwork.com. Now we talk about going green, but what about when it comes to the bathroom?
Starting point is 01:33:31 Alright, we're spotlighting Leafy, the eco-friendly brand that's reinventing everyday essentials. And so, they've got bamboo toilet paper, they've got tissue paper as well. Joining us right now, co-founders Marvin Green, Charles Peaks. Glad to have both of y'all here. So, all right. So, how'd y'all decide to say, we're going to do eco-friendly toilet paper and tissue?
Starting point is 01:34:01 I mean, well, funny story. Going all the way back to 2020, I mean, well, funny story, going all the way back to 2020, I was in an accelerator program for a previous business, tech business, that I was, what I was funded for. Long story short, COVID hit, kind of shut everything down. But in the middle of that, what it did was sit me down or allow me to sit still and witness the civil unrest that was breaking out everywhere, COVID which basically put everyone in their homes, and then you know the staple after all of that is people going out losing their minds over toilet paper, so you know I kind of put all of those things together because I've also seen a lot of us running out and going and grabbing toilet paper.
Starting point is 01:34:50 So thought about it. I had a dream. All of this came to me in a dream, actually. I hit up my partner Chuck and said, hey, man, we need to come out with our own brand, you know, Toll Paper and add a central enterprise piece to it and kind of, you know, add a mission that elevated and educated people and the benefits of bamboo and the rest was history. So you sitting there laying down
Starting point is 01:35:18 and you dreaming about Toll Paper. Hey, it sounds crazy. It was a few different factors. I don't know if I ate something and I just jumped up like, whoa, wait a minute. Why am I thinking about toilet paper? Or if you ate something and you went to the bathroom and ran out.
Starting point is 01:35:36 Yeah, but listen, man, it hit me. One of them things though that once it hit me, I just grabbed my phone, started taking notes, called Chuck. And we always, we brainstorm ideas back and forth. We're serial entrepreneurs, so it was nothing new to us to bounce different ideas back and forth.
Starting point is 01:35:54 And once we put our heads down and really started to brand it out, put it together, and go with the actual raw materials that we wanted to go with. We put it out here with everybody, so that's what you're saying. Okay, so first of all, this is an individual package. And this right here is the six pack. Yes, sir. So explain to me why the individual, okay so explain the black wrapping or the gray,
Starting point is 01:36:30 like is there a reason behind it or just because? So that is, so the individual row is two ply row. No individually wrapped mainly for, we have for businesses and also for residents. So this one here, this is two ply? Yes sir, yes sir. Okay, so different between two ply and one ply. No, well the two ply is a lot thicker.
Starting point is 01:36:52 You mean your fingers ain't gonna break through. That's what you don't want. That's a good point. That's 100%. And then the six pack we have is three ply. That's the premium right there. This here is three ply? Yes, sir.
Starting point is 01:37:08 Okay. And then you got in the back, why choose bamboo? It says lint free and no tree. What does that mean? It means no lint. You know, when you go, and we're not really trying to examine the toilet paper. Hey man, listen, we trying to sell,
Starting point is 01:37:29 we trying to sell some damn toilet paper. So you got to need to explain why to buy you a nice Charmin. Listen, so Lent free though, like toilet paper, it's gonna leave length. It's gonna leave, you know, those, those, those little barriers, but it's gonna leave all that. Man, look, hold up, it's going to leave lint. It's going to leave, you know, those, those dill berries. But it's going to leave all that. Man, look, hold up, dawg.
Starting point is 01:37:49 You can't be trying to steal toilet paper, and you scared to talk about toilet paper. Listen, it's not going to leave no lint. You know, all natural, no lint behind, none of that. So, and another thing we also like to push is the educational piece behind it. We chose a bamboo because as we started doing our own R&D, we realized traditional toilet paper was poisonous.
Starting point is 01:38:15 I mean, there's a lot of forever chemicals that we're using. We're using formaldehyde, bleaches, chlorine, and we're putting it on the most sensitive areas of our body. And once you dig into that a little bit deeper, you realize that those are, you know, colon cancers, kidney cancers, things like that are on an uptick. Yeah, are on an uptick.
Starting point is 01:38:35 I'm not saying it's because of the toilet paper that you're using, but it can't, you know, the traditional toilet paper can't help you, or can't be something that's helping you as far as health. So when we went the bamboo route, we wanted to not only just sell toilet paper, not only to add sustainability, we also wanted to help, excuse me, add that health safe cost, I mean that health cost savings to your life as well because down the line, you eventually are
Starting point is 01:39:03 going to have medical bills also septic system pieces to it you know people down the line you're going to have to replace your septic system it's biodegradable so there's a lot of many or many different benefits when it comes to bamboo opposed to the traditional toilet paper and why we chose to go, you know, the opposite route. In fact, I came across a video the other day and I'm trying to find it. I was on, I don't know if it was Instagram, I don't know if it was on Twitter as well, and it was a video of a guy and he was talking about the forever chemicals that are in toilet paper. And he was talking about that. He was talking about that,
Starting point is 01:39:51 look, you are applying this to a part of your body where it gets into your body quite quickly. And it was the first time I actually had seen a video on that very thing. Go straight to your bloodstream, you know, most sensitive areas, so yeah. It's crazy when you start to really think about that. All right, so we done covered the lint-free and no tree.
Starting point is 01:40:17 We covered the biodegradable part, the no chemicals part, the 100% ambu, 100% bamboo, and the and the high quality three-ply okay so explain the more oxygen part more oxygen bamboo more hold up hold up you gotta let your partner talk I want his family like, damn, he ain't get to say nothing. Go ahead. So bamboo actually produces more oxygen than actual tree. It's a natural anti-biotic.
Starting point is 01:40:59 So the fight is a lot more diseases than actual tree wood. So, I mean, those things that, those are the things that we bring to the table outside of just having trees and chopping and messing up the ecosystem. We're saving a lot of trees and we just, I mean, we just don't wanna mess up the ecosystem with just chopping on every tree
Starting point is 01:41:19 that we have here in America. So we chose to switch it over to bamboo. All right, so, okay, I'm letting my panel ask a question. They might ask what I'm about to ask, but I'll wait. So let me go to them. And so Tylek, you're first. Yeah, let me let me just say I learned so much about toilet paper. I'm about to when I go into Barry, I'm about to get my phone toilet paper. I first want to say thank you for your vision and showing how entrepreneurship can drive both environmental sustainability and community uplift. I think you all are challenging the myth that social impact and business success are exclusive for one another, especially during this time when corporations are leaning away from those priorities.
Starting point is 01:42:03 My question for you would be, what advice would you have for other young entrepreneurs from underserved communities who are looking to break into this green industry and this space? I would definitely, out the gate, I would just think completely out of the box. I mean, me and Mark, we didn't grow up thinking that we were on a toilet paper company. That just wasn't an option or occupation to even pick up. So whatever you do think of or you have a you know I mean just a weird inkling of try it. I mean that's what I that's the number one thing I would definitely do is try it and you never know it may work but you don't know until you give it a shot. So just quick I mean traditional businesses and traditional jobs and careers and things like that as you as we know I mean, traditional businesses and traditional jobs and careers and things like that, as we know,
Starting point is 01:42:46 I mean, America's changing, the world is changing, you know what I mean? You can make millions of dollars from sitting in front of a computer screen right now. So you never thought that was possible back in the day. So now, I mean, I would just say completely think all the way out the box, and it should work. I mean, you never know. And I just add in there, I mean, as both kind of see, just be persistent. You're not going, you're gonna go through some days where it's like, man, this ain't it, but one, you gotta stick with it.
Starting point is 01:43:14 You gotta go through those ups and downs. You gotta learn, you gotta go through the fire and basically be refined to become the person that you're supposed to be in order to handle what it is that you're trying to create. So I would say just be persistent and stay firm in what it is that you believe and make impact happen.
Starting point is 01:43:36 All right, Larry. Yeah, gentlemen, congratulations for thinking outside the box. So my question deals with what are you projecting over the next three to five, even 10 years out in terms of market share, or percentage of market share you think you could capture over the next like three to five or 10 years out? Great question.
Starting point is 01:43:56 So we've actually, we actually believe that we can capture about 10%. And that's been aggressive with it, 10%. But we also have community that's been, you know, aggressive with it, 10%. But we also have community that's backing us. Going back early 2024, I would say we realized we had community is because when everything shut down with DEI, we were actually onboarding with, you know, Cleveland clinics, we were onboarding with a lot
Starting point is 01:44:22 of major corporations and then supplier diversity programs shut down, which kind of put us at a pause. But what we did was we took a video that we had with Chase Bank that was already featured across the country through Chase and shopped it around through social media. So we really got to see the impact of what social media could do. And it allowed us to go viral. But from that, we're pushing almost close to about a million in revenue this year, just from that social media impact that we have seen over the past few months. And then that allowed us what we just launched maybe a few days ago, is our equity crowd fund campaign,
Starting point is 01:45:05 which now takes our mission and then allows to educate and elevate our people, but now gives them an opportunity to invest in our company and grow with us. So our valuation right now is about 6.8 million, but we look to grow this thing along with community and bringing them on board through crowd equity you know to push it a little bit higher really capture a lot of the
Starting point is 01:45:32 the market share because right now everybody's focused on there are there are a few that are oh hold on one second one second hold on one second you hold on one second. You started breaking up there. Finish that last point. Can you hear me? Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Finish this.
Starting point is 01:45:56 Yeah, so no, yeah, we plan on capturing about 10%, I would say eight to 10% over the next three to five years. Okay, so where is your, let's see here, I'm on a website here, where's your equity crowdfunding campaign? Equity crowdfunding campaign is on WeFunder. People can find that at www.wefunder, W-E-F-U-D-E-R dot com backslash leafy.
Starting point is 01:46:30 Yep. Backslash leafy and it'll pull this right up. All right. Here. Let's see here. All right. We just launched it a couple of days ago. That actually is about the update to around 42,000. But it's going pretty fast and we're going to we're going right now this is just friends and family round but we're going to lock it we're going to shut it down at 100 K and then it's going to open back up at a different valuation but so right so so so right now it says 17,800
Starting point is 01:47:03 over the time ago but you're going to800 of a $50,000 goal, but you're gonna actually raise that to $100,000 goal? Yes, yeah, the goal is $100,000, but once it closes at $100,000, we're gonna reopen it again, but it's gonna be a different valuation. This is just friends and family round. Got it, got it.
Starting point is 01:47:19 Okay, all right. Mustafa. Yeah, well first of all, congratulations y'all doing amazing work. I mean, I personally invest in greener forms, green businesses and greener forms of energy. Just real quickly, you know, we, I think it's about 38,000 trees,
Starting point is 01:47:38 no, 85,000 trees that every day are called to create toilet paper. It's about 34 million a year. You all are actually in a really good space and being able to also help our communities, both breathe and the waste impacts that often are inside of our communities. I'm curious about, you know,
Starting point is 01:47:58 you currently have the toilet paper, but are you also thinking about other products? And if so, what do those look like? Well, here we go right here. We've got the, this is the tissue. That's the facial tissue. Facial tissue right here. What else you got?
Starting point is 01:48:13 So we are working on right now, we're working on our paper towels. Those should be released in here within the next three to four months. Then also we'll move over to paper plates and forks and napkins, bar napkins and CFOs and things of that matter. Yeah, the facial tissues are already, they're in beta tests through our hotel partners.
Starting point is 01:48:36 Yeah, so we're getting real-time feedback from the actual people who stay at these hotels to kind of, you know, integrate if there's anything that we need to change before we release it to the public. So those are about ready to go. Okay. All right then. So let's see here. So again, folks, if y'all want to get the product, go ahead and pull it up. shopblackstarnetwork.com. That's where you can actually, no, that's not what I want. I don't want the graphic, okay?
Starting point is 01:49:11 No, guys, y'all gotta do better. When I ask y'all to go to shopblackstarnetwork.com to buy the product, I need y'all to go to the website, okay? So go to the website. So you see it right here. I'm on the website, and you see right right here. I'm on the website and you see right here, Leafy Products and it says, co-founded by Marvin Green, DeAndre Martin, Charles Peakes.
Starting point is 01:49:31 And you see right here where you can get it. So people have been asking the question. So to get a 24 single roll box is 32.99. To get a 12 single roll box is 22.99. Explain to us how I mean, obviously, look, people make pricing decisions. And so how do your prices compare to toilet paper that we see in grocery stores or at big box retailers?
Starting point is 01:50:00 So right now we're neck and neck with a lot of the major brands. We do have to switch our pricing a little bit due to us not having any chemicals or anything at all. So pretty much like shopping in the organic section of the grocery store. So if you were to go buy organic apples or anything like that, you'd probably have maybe a 5% markup if that. But with the volume that we're seeing, we're able to fight those type of prices and be able to compete with the major brands as well. So we're right neck and neck with them.
Starting point is 01:50:32 Okay, all right. Any additional questions from the panelists? All right, cool. So again, y'all, go to the website. You will see right here where it says Leafy Products. If you go to the homepage, one second, you go to the homepage, you will see right there, they are at the top right there.
Starting point is 01:50:53 These are the other products that are on ShopBlackStarNetwork.com. We've had some of these folks on the show as well. And so again, these are black owned companies, great products. At the end of the day day I don't give a damn who you are yes buy toilet paper you know you do so you can support a black-owned company and get more information read more about them as well here and so the product is called leafy and as I said they have course, this is the single row here.
Starting point is 01:51:26 This is of course is the, this is the six pack, but really as you see right there it says, six equal 18 because this is the three-plot, correct? Yeah, yes sir. All right. And so again, on the website, they have a 24 single row box,
Starting point is 01:51:42 or they have a 12 single row box. Those are the two products they have right now. And so folks, please support them. And gents, we appreciate it. Good luck on the crowd fundraise as well. Yes, sir. Appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:51:56 All right. Thank you so very much. Folks, that is it for us right here on Rolling Martin Unfiltered on this Tuesday. Let me thank Mustafa, Larry, and Tyler for being on today's show. Gents, I certainly appreciate it. Thank you so very much. Folks, don't forget, information you get on this show, y'all, you ain't getting this other places. You're not getting other places. Ain't nobody else in black on me doing what we're doing. So we need your support. Let's
Starting point is 01:52:20 continue doing our work. Support us, join us by joining our Bring the Funk Fan Club. Your dollars allow us to be able to Fund the operation fund our five shows do all these that we do. So please support us and so Cash out you see the stripe cure code. Here we go right here Uh, and then if you're listening go to blacks go to rolling martin unfilter or blackstarnetwork.com To get the link, uh checks and money order make them payable to Roland Martin unfiltered send it to P. O box five seven one nine six Washington DC two zero zero three seven dash zero one nine six
Starting point is 01:52:52 Paypal's are Martin unfiltered Venmos are in unfiltered Zell Roland at Roland s Martin comm Roland at Roland Martin unfiltered comm don't forget download the blast Black Star Network app, Apple phone, Android phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV. You also, of course, can get my book, White Fear, How the Browning of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds available at bookstores everywhere. Be sure, course to get our swag. That's right get our shirts and all our good stuff. The role of Martin dot critter that spring dot com on this a little you know we're also doing a test of with another company we've been having some issues with custom spring a lot of the email and
Starting point is 01:53:41 so I'm working on that to test a second company and we hope to have that up very soon like real real soon. Don't forget you can also get listen to our audio podcast. You can go to I heart radio and you can have the podcast network to hear content as well and of course be sure to download the app fan base and download there and of course you can get more information on the crowdfunding raise. They've raised $12.5 million of $17 million.
Starting point is 01:54:10 So go to startengine.com forward slash fanbase. Y'all, that's it. I'll see you tomorrow, right here. Roller Marter Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Holla, right now it's time for Truth Talks. and it vanished in its prime. I'm Benedict Townsend and this is Vine, six seconds that changed the world. The untold story of genius, betrayal, and the app that died so that TikTok could thrive.
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