#RolandMartinUnfiltered - Trump & Jan. 6,Black Churches & Predatory Lending,Alzheimer's & Black Elderly,Celebration Bowl Wrap

Episode Date: December 20, 2022

12.19.2022 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Trump & Jan. 6,Black Churches & Predatory Lending,Alzheimer's & Black Elderly,Celebration Bowl Wrap The January 6 committee holds its final meeting concluding the more than 17-month investigation and vote on the final report that will recommend to the Justice Department to prosecute suspects for their roles in the Capitol attack. Atlanta Pastor E. Dewey Smith is taking on loan companies.  He'll join me to discuss his recent efforts to eradicate targeted predatory lending practices against churches. The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol attack holds its final public meeting. The panel plans to approve its report and announce criminal referrals to the Justice Department. Support RolandMartinUnfiltered and #BlackStarNetwork via the Cash App ☛ https://cash.app/$rmunfiltered PayPal ☛ https://www.paypal.me/rmartinunfiltered Venmo ☛https://venmo.com/rmunfiltered Zelle ☛ [e-mail] Annual or monthly recurring #BringTheFunk Fan Club membership via paypal ☛ https://rolandsmartin.com/rmu-paypal/ Download the #BlackStarNetwork app on iOS, AppleTV, Android, Android TV, Roku, FireTV, SamsungTV and XBox 👉🏾 http://www.blackstarnetwork.com #RolandMartinUnfiltered and the #BlackStarNetwork are news reporting platforms covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an iHeart Podcast. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man.

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You dig? Today is Monday, December 19th, 2022, coming up on Roland Martin Unfiltered, streaming live on the Black Star Network. The January 6th committee holds its final meeting today, concluding more than a 17-month investigation and a vote on the final report that will recommend to the Justice Department to prosecute suspects for their roles in the Capitol attack.

Atlanta pastor E. Dewey Smith is taking on loan companies who are joining to discuss his recent efforts to eradicate targeted predatory lending practices against black churches. Also, Alzheimer's, a significant issue for African Americans. What can we do to actually watch out for it? And also how to care for people who have Alzheimer's. Singer Major talks about his new foundation

and what he wants to do to inspire hope to millions across the country. And we have a full recap of this weekend's 2022 Celebration Bowl, Jackson State versus North Carolina Central. It was an amazing game. It is time to bring the funk. I'm Roland Martin, unfiltered on he's on it. Whatever it is, he's got the scoop, the fact, the fine. And when it breaks, he's right on time. And it's rolling, best belief he's knowing. Putting it down from sports to news to politics. With entertainment just for kicks, he's rolling. It's Uncle Roro, y'all. It's Rolling Martin, yeah It's Uncle Roro, y'all Yeah, yeah It's Rollin' Martin, yeah

Yeah, yeah Rollin' with Rollin' now Yeah, yeah He's funky, he's fresh, he's real The best you know, he's Rollin' Martin Now Martin. Nearly two years removed from the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, the House Select Committee tasked with finding out exactly what happened is about to show its hand.

The committee held its final hearing today. Here is a recap. The chair recognizes a gentleman from Maryland, Mr. Raskin, for an opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I want to thank you for your extraordinary leadership of this committee. Generations to come will praise you and the vice chair for your unswerving devotion to the rule of law. Several months ago, you tasked several of our members in a subcommittee with bringing recommendations to the full committee about potential referrals to the Department of Justice and other authorities based on evidence of criminal and civil offenses that has come to our attention over the course of our investigation.

We are now prepared to share those recommendations today. Mr. Chairman, let me begin with some relevant background considerations to our criminal referrals. The dangerous assault on American constitutional democracy that took place on January 6, 2021, consists of hundreds of individual criminal offenses. Most such crimes are already being prosecuted by the Department of Justice. We propose to the committee advancing referrals where the gravity of the specific offense, the severity of its actual harm, and the centrality of the offender to the overall design of the unlawful scheme to overthrow the election

compel us to speak. Ours is not a system of justice where foot soldiers go to jail and the masterminds and ringleaders get a free pass. Mr. Chairman, as you know our committee had the opportunity last spring to present much of our evidence to a federal judge, something that distinguishes our investigation from any other congressional investigation I can recall. In the context of resolving evidentiary privilege issues related to the crime fraud doctrine in the Eastman case, U.S. District Court Judge David Carter examined just a small subset of our evidence to determine whether it showed the likely commission of a federal offense. The judge concluded that both former President Donald Trump and John Eastman likely violated

two federal criminal statutes. This is the starting point for our analysis today. The first criminal statute we invoke for referral, therefore, is Title 18, Section 1512, which makes it unlawful for anyone to corruptly obstruct, influence, or impede any official proceeding of the United States government. We believe that the evidence described by my colleagues today and assembled throughout our hearings warrants a criminal referral of former President Donald J. Trump, John Eastman, and others for violations of this statute. The whole purpose and obvious effect of Trump's scheme were to obstruct, influence, and impede this official proceeding, the central moment for the lawful transfer of power in the United

States. Second, we believe that there is more than sufficient evidence to refer former President Donald J. Trump, John Eastman, and others for violating Title 18, Section 371. This statute makes it a crime to conspire lawful functions of the United States government by deceitful or dishonest means. Former President Trump did not engage in a plan to defraud the United States acting alone. He entered into agreements, formal and informal, with several other individuals who assisted him with his criminal objectives. Our report describes in detail the actions of numerous co-conspirators who agreed with and participated in Trump's plan to impair, obstruct, and defeat the certification of President Biden's electoral victory. That said, the subcommittee does not attempt to determine all of the potential participants

in this conspiracy, as our understanding of the role of many individuals may be incomplete even today because they refuse to answer our questions. We trust that the Department of Justice will be able to form a far more complete picture through its own investigation. Third, we make a referral based on Title 18, Section 1001, which makes it unlawful to knowingly and willfully make materially false statements to the federal government. The evidence clearly suggests that President Trump conspired with others to submit slates of fake electors to Congress and the National Archives. We believe that this evidence we set forth in our report is more than sufficient

for a criminal referral of former President Donald J. Trump and others in connection with this offense. As before, we don't try to determine all of the participants in this conspiracy, many of whom refuse to answer our questions while under oath. We trust that the Department of Justice will be able to form a more complete picture through its own investigation. The fourth and final statute we invoke for referral is Title 18, Section 2383. The statute applies to anyone who incites, assists, or engages in insurrection against the United States of America and anyone who gives aid or comfort to an insurrection.

An insurrection is a rebellion against the authority of the United States. It is a grave federal offense anchored in the Constitution itself, which repeatedly opposes insurrections and domestic violence and indeed uses participation in insurrection by officeholders as automatic grounds for disqualification from ever holding public office again at the federal or state level. Anyone who incites others to engage in rebelling, assists them in doing so, or gives aid and comfort to those engaged in insurrection is guilty of a federal crime. The committee believes that more than sufficient evidence exists for a criminal referral of former President Trump for assisting or aiding and comforting those at the Capitol who engaged in a violent attack on the United States.

The committee has developed significant evidence that President Trump intended to disrupt the peaceful transition of power under our Constitution. The president has an affirmative and primary constitutional duty to act to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Nothing could be a greater betrayal of this duty than to assist in insurrection against the constitutional order. The complete factual basis for this referral is set forth in detail throughout our report. These are not the only statutes that are potentially relevant to President Trump's conduct related to the 2020 election.

Depending on evidence developed by the Department of Justice, the President's actions could certainly trigger other criminal violations. Nor are President Trump and his immediate team the only people identified for referrals in our report as part of our investigation. We asked multiple members of Congress to speak with us about issues critical to our understanding of this attack on the 2020 election and our system of constitutional democracy. None agreed to provide that essential information. As a result, we took the significant step of issuing them subpoenas

based on the volume of information particular members possessed about one or more parts of President Trump's plans to overturn the election. None of the subpoenaed members complied. And we are now referring four members of Congress for appropriate sanction by the House Ethics Committee for failure to comply with lawful subpoenas. Mr. Chairman, we understand the gravity of each and every referral we are making today, just as we understand the magnitude of the crime against democracy that we describe in our report. But we have gone where the facts and the law lead us, and inescapably, they lead us here.

Accordingly, Mr. Chairman, in light of these facts, I ask unanimous consent that the chairman be directed to transmit to the United States Department of Justice relevant select committee records in furtherance of these criminal referrals? Without objection, so ordered. Thank you Mr. Chairman, I now yield back. Gentleman yields back. Pursuant to notice, I now call up Select Committee's final report pursuant to section 4A of House Resolution 503. The clerk shall designate the report. Final report of the Select Committee to investigate the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol.

Without objection, the report will be considered read and open to amendment at this point. I now recognize the young woman from Virginia, Ms. Luria, for a motion. Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee favorably report to the House the select committee's final report, which includes the committee's legislative recommendations and criminal referrals of Donald D.A. Trump and others, pursuant to Section 4A of House Resolution 503. The question is on the motion to favorably report to the House. Those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, no. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.

Mr. Chairman, I request a courted vote. A recorded vote is requested. The clerk will call the roll. Ms. Cheney? Aye. Ms. Cheney? Aye. Ms. Lofgren?

Aye. Ms. Lofgren? Aye. Mr. Schiff? Aye. Mr. Schiff? Aye. Mr. Aguilar? Aye. Mr. Aguilar? Aye.

Mr. Aguilar? Aye. Mrs. Murphy? Aye. Mrs. Murphy? Aye. Mr. Raskin? Aye.

Mr. Raskin? Aye. Mrs. Luria? Aye. Mrs. Luria? Aye. Mr. Kinzinger? Kinzinger, aye.

Mr. Kinzinger, aye. How is the chair recorded? Mr. Chair, it is recorded. Mr. Chair, it is recorded. Mr. Chair, it is recorded. Mr. Chairzinger? Kinzinger, aye. Mr. Kinzinger, aye. How is the chair recorded? Mr. Chairman, you are not recorded. Chair votes aye. Mr. Chairman, aye. The clerk will report the vote.

Mr. Chairman, on this vote, there are nine ayes and zero noes. The motion is agreed to. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid on the table. Without objection, staff is authorized to make any necessary technical or conforming changes to the report to reflect the actions of the committee. The chair requests those in the hearing room remain seated until the Capitol Police have escorted members from the room. There being no further business, without objection, the select committee stands adjoined.

All right, folks, time to go to a break. We come back on Roland Martin Unfiltered. We'll talk about black churches being targeted, targeted with predatory loans, as well as nefarious bond companies. We'll talk with Pastor E. Dewey Smith. You don't want to miss our conversation. Don't forget to support the Black Star Network.

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Send your check and money orders to PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. Cash app, dollar sign RM Unfiltered. PayPal, RM Martin Unfiltered. Venmo, RM Unfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And don't forget to get a copy of my book, White Fear, How the Browning of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds, available on all platforms. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes.

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I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod.

And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves.

Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't

working and we need to change things. Stories matter and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.

Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you've got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else. But never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication.

Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. All stores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target. Also, download your copy from Audible. I'll be right back. I'm Deborah Owens, America's Wealth Coach, and my new show, Get Wealthy, focuses on the things that your financial advisor and bank isn't telling you, but you absolutely need to know. So watch Get Wealthy on the Blackstar Network.

Hi, I'm Dr. Jackie Hood-Martin, and I have a question for you. Ever feel as if your life is teetering and the weight and pressure of the world is consistently on your shoulders? Well, let me tell you, living a balanced life isn't easy. Join me each Tuesday on Blackstar Network for a balanced life with Dr. Jackie.

We'll laugh together, cry together, pull ourselves together, and cheer each other on. So join me for new shows each Tuesday on Black Star Network, a balanced life with Dr. Jackie. We're all impacted by the culture, whether we know it or not. From politics to music and entertainment, it's a huge part of our lives. And we're going to talk about it every day right here on The Culture with me, Faraji Muhammad, only on the Black Star Network. Pull up a chair. Take your seat. The Black Tape. With me, Dr. Greg Carr,

here on the Black Star Network. Every week, we'll take a deeper dive into the world we're living in. Join the conversation only on the Black Star Network. My name is Charlie Wilson. Join the conversation only on the Black Star Network. There's a pattern of banks and businesses defrauding black churches. One Atlanta pastor has filed a civil lawsuit that names numerous parties who participated in a national predatory lending scheme targeting several black churches throughout the U.S. I talked with Pastor E. Dewey Smith, pastor of the House of Hope in Atlanta, about this issue. So, Pastor Smith, tell me about this initiative as well to these churches.

And first of all, let's walk through the problem. You're laying out that the churches are being targeted when it comes to predatory lending? Yes, sir. You know, there's a financial instrument called bonds, bond transactions, where bond companies purportedly sell bonds to investors privately, and then they hire a local bank to be responsible for receiving the payments from the borrower, and then making interest payments and keeping a ledger of the people who supposedly purchased bonds. And so in 2004, the campus we currently own now was refinanced through bonds.

Bishop Earl Park was the pastor of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. And we purchased the campus in 2009, but the purchase was contingent upon us assuming their bond transaction, which was the only way we could assume it. And now we've discovered recently, after paying $17 million in 13 years, that the bonds were never sold in 2004, licensed, registered, or authenticated. And we've also discovered recently, we only found out because the vice president of the bank in Amarillo, Texas, was fired and banned from banking, primarily by the Texas Department of Banking. And then we've heard from other churches,

one in Florida and one in Raleigh, North Carolina, who've lost their properties, that those transactions were never officially done. And so bond transactions have been a major issue for churches for years, but it seemed as if African-American churches are being targeted. And so I guess what jumps out here, and a lot of this has to do with expertise, has to do with not really understanding these financial instruments. And then what happens is having trusted voices come to them

and assuring them everything is okay. And then folks go, okay, well, I trust this person. They're a Christian, they're a member, or they may be a fellow pastor. So let's go with it. Yeah, I think you're exactly right. In our case, our case dealt with forgery of initial documents. And so there's a RICO charge against the bank, the bond company, about 20 defendants in our case. I mean, theft by deception, theft by forgery, racketeer-influenced corrupt organizations. So ours is a little more intense. But in a case like Dr. H. Peter Hicks, who was one of my mentors growing up, Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., they had a similar issue with the bond company. And I'm not sure was Malfeasance involved, but I do know that the instrument is incredibly tricky.

And if you don't have a bond attorney and people who have the correct expertise in it, then it could lead to some very adverse consequences. So sometimes it is a matter of not having the right people aboard, but then sometimes the documents can be forged and misplaced and swapped out at closing. And so it can be very, very tricky. And it's got to invest people from Enron to Michael Milken to athletes. It happens all the time with investors. Have you lined up bond experts to say to any church, hey, if anyone approaches you or you're considering this, use these people. We've already vetted them. They know what's going on. Absolutely. And we've been in contact with the

NAACP and of course, SCLC and a few other organizations to kind of put together a conference and put together a checklist so when it happens we will know what to do. But what is also interesting is that most of the bond companies are now all of a sudden leaving the bond industry. We've received a myriad of calls from other bond companies who are not involved trying to negotiate this, come to some type of settlement because it's a real stain on the industry. And so we want to do all we can to empower people and also, you know, encourage some to even consider doing a clash action lawsuit.

But there are a few companies that have a history of doing this to churches, particularly African-American churches, and we want to just put all the information out there so they can go back through, you know, the documents and even talk to the SEC, because the bond company that we're involved with, the license was terminated by the SEC. They were banned and expelled by FINRA. Also, they were sanctioned by the FDIC. And so a lot of this information we should have known a few years ago when the sanctions happened. But but they never those federal agencies never reach out to the people who've been harmed by it to let them know that malfeasance has taken place. So I think that's a culpability there as well with the federal agencies for not sharing information.

You know, the, I mean, I think back to, there's so many stories. I think back to Pastor Kerber John Caldwell, what happened there with those Chinese bombs. And he's now in federal prison. I think back to and your point, this can be devastating because folks have lost churches. You mentioned Pastor H. Beecher Hicks. And one of the things that, of course, they eventually left that location and then moved out to Largo, Maryland. And it's devastating because you have people who have given, who have tithed, who have had offerings.

And this is, you know is black-owned property, and then all of a sudden it's gone because of one of these things. Absolutely. It's tragic because I think a lot of times it's predatory in the sense that sometimes traditional loans, when banks were kind of pulling away from lending to churches, you can get more money and the underwriting process is a little easier in terms of bond transactions. And so sometimes, you know, people can end up in situations where you bite off more than you can chew. They have all types of covenants and restrictions within the bond indentures where they can call the loan in at any time. And so it just can create a plethora of problems and it's heartbreaking to see it happening. And I just, you know, we assumed that ours was legitimate. We assumed that with the bond transaction and the indenture was solid and it had been in place for five years.

And, you know, I look back now to ask ourselves, our team has, because we had two attorneys involved in the initial transaction. But there was no way we could have caught forgery, forged documents at that time. And so it's just now we know what to ask for, and we just want to share that. And we're encouraging a few other churches to institute a class action lawsuit. One church is the African church that's in Raleigh, North Carolina, and the other church is in Orlando, Florida. They lost the building, and now they're having to rent the building back from the people in Fort Bozong.

Wow. They lost everything. It's sick, and it's evil, and it's diabolic, and it's predatory. And this is one of the things that I've done a number of commentaries and I was talking about HBCUs and contracts and expertise. And I really said this about a lot of our black institutions, that when we are moving in areas that is out of the norm, it really is vital to have subject matter expertise. So you can have an attorney, but the question is, is that their particular expertise? There are real estate attorneys. There are tax attorneys. There are, as you said, there are bond attorneys. I think a lot of times, a lot of us just assume, well, a so-and-so can handle this when, in fact, they can.

Reverend Floyd Flake also told me once, he said, hey, when we first started doing deals, you know, with banks, he said, $50 million, he said, I needed folk on my side of the table who spoke the exact same language as people on the other side of the table so they understood we knew what was going on. And so that expertise is so vital, and it may – it's going to cost you. But it's going to cost you a lot more if you don't have the expertise on the front end. It's funny you mention HBCUs because I found out that the bank that's involved in this situation with us, who's been trying to resolve it actually, to their ability, they actually wanted the banks for Shaw University there in North Carolina now, and it just made me wonder. I know it's a different type of lending in that I was a bond transaction with the fact that they handle,

I think, a lot of student loans for Shaw University. And it just made me wonder, you know, you know, are those things above board as well? Because this bank has a history of issues and a history of malfeasance where the president and the vice president both have been fired from the bank in the past few years. And so it just made me wonder again, you know, all the I's been dotted and T's been crossed. We have an HBCU renaissance, which is a beautiful thing, which is exactly correct. If we don't have the expertise at the table to people who know the lingo, know the tricks, and that we have the protection there because we didn't have a bond attorney.

We had a transactional attorney and a real estate attorney who were very, very solid. And again, there's no way they could have caught forgery. So I will say that. But there are a few other things now that we know that they could have looked for that could have possibly brought us to this conclusion sooner. But ours was a very, very tricky and deviant transaction and criminal. And so ours was a little different. But again, you have to have the right people in place who know to ask the right questions. So so so moving forward with this new this national effort, what is it going to look like?

And then what are you, I mean, are y'all planning on, you know, traveling the country? You're looking at having webinars, you know, really, how are you going to be, frankly, teaching and educating other churches and pastors about this very issue? That's a great question. We're looking to have our first webinar in January, and we have one of the gurus in terms of church finance, a guy whose name is Ken Lewis of CH Advisory Group. I met him 10 years ago at a conference at one of Bishop Jake's conferences, and he's been probably one of the leading guys in terms of banking and loan underwriting for churches, you know, with familiarity and dexterity with traditional loans and bond transactions. So we brought him in and a couple of other bond attorneys, one of the best bond attorneys

in the nation who's done it for about 38 years. And so just to help people kind of vet through it, to give a checklist. And so we look to have quarterly meetings. I'm hoping that Bishop Jakes has this conference in May of next year, 2023. And hopefully we have some opportunities to have some discussion there as well. And a few other pastors conferences throughout the year. And so we're just going to get together and try to get the information out there. Because I do think by having a checklist and people that you can talk to and having the right understanding of state law, because that would be helpful as well. And I think that list is important. As I was talking, I thought about the NFL Players Association and how they have, like for even the NFL, here are these certified agents. And then the Players Association has been very helpful in providing people and how they have, like for even the NFL, here are these certified agents.

And then the Players Association has been very helpful in providing people with reputable financial advisors and others because sort of the same thing, how players have been taken financially. And it's like, man, I didn't know so-and-so was screwing with different people like that. But being able to say, hey, here are people who have been vetted, who are trusted. So if you're looking for it, here's sort of a list of people who you can call from.

You know, Roland, I'm glad. Let me thank you for this opportunity, first of all, and all you've done and all that you do for us. But one of the biggest problems in the African-American church is we don't talk. Yep. And it's like we are just on our islands by ourselves and everybody's doing their own thing for whatever reasons. And the lack of collaboration and lack of communication amongst us is the main thing that's keeping us from really getting some traction. So, you know, everybody's a long ranger. And if we share our struggles and share our stories, rather than everybody just in their own corners, you know, having, you know, ecclesiastical urinating contest, you know, I think it'll help us to really just, hey, man, this is what I've gone through. This is what I did.

Here's the mistake I made. Here's how I bumped my head. Who are the people in your ministry? What did you do wrong? Avoid this, that, that. Because a lot of these things could have been avoided. I just found out that the same bond company in Atlanta screwed over church dating back to the 90s. A church I used to preach for when I was in college.

Same situation, same issue, same bishop connected that church in the 90s to these people. And, you know, that church had issues that they finally resolved, but no conversation. Well, I think a lot of it comes down to ego in terms of when I say ego, what I mean by that is it's like, well, you know, I don't want to, you know, I don't want our business to be out. I didn't want folks to understand. But the reality is you're helping somebody else not get trapped, not get caught. I mean, for me, if I'm rolling with somebody and i know they are they are shady my deal is i'm

telling everybody i'm telling everybody don't don't do nothing and again it ain't got nothing to do with you know well uh they're a frat brother or they're no no no if they if they shady no good no no it's so true. I mean, I think you're right. It's like, and the inability, and it is ego to the sense that, hey, man, I screwed up. You know, this is what I could have done differently. You know, in my case, we had the people, you know,

the real estate company did an appraisal. Well, they used a five-year-old appraisal on the property in 2009 when the economy had tanked. They put a new cover sheet to make the 2004 appraisal like it was 2009 appraisal. Well, I accepted it at face value. Well, it's $400 now, but at the end of the day, I should have done my own appraisal. You know what I mean? So things that I should have had, my head should have had an old bond attorney, you know? So things like that.

They told us they had search certificates of occupancy. They provided us with documentation of that. Only found out that that was forged as well. So things that I could have looked for and things I saw, I bumped my head. So it's like, I just stand before the church and say, hey, this is what happened, church. Here are the facts. Let the attorneys talk. Here's our board of directors.

Here's where we are. Here's what we did. We bumped our heads. Here's what we spent. Here's what we of directors. Here's where we are. Here's what we did. We bumped our heads. Here's what we spent. Here's what we're going after. And just once I got that off of my chest, now I don't have to be embarrassed or ashamed. Right. What was right, you know, and be transparent with the people. And so I think we got to do the same with each other. But we act as if we got all the answers.

And sometimes I think the other piece for pastors is, as you said about Pastor Flakes, listen, most of us, we preach and we teach. We're not attorneys. We're not CPAs. We're not accountants. We're not contractors. So, man, you know, how are we going to lead a building project of $20 million and we've never built a dollhouse? I mean, so surrounding yourself with people doesn't make you weak because you don't have the expertise around you. Well, absolutely. So this is great. If somebody is looking for information,

want to find out more, who do they call on their website? Who do they reach out to? Yeah, they can send me a message on eduismith.org and we'll send it to the appropriate people. Ken Lewis of CH Advisory Group is leading our charge, along with Derek Williams and a few others. And so I have a good team who's going to be leading this process. And, of course, we've already contacted the NWCP and a few others who's going to be up front as well. And so just send me a message, eduasmith.org, and we'll get information out and look forward to our first webinar in January.

All right. Patrick Smith, we certainly appreciate it, and hopefully folks will heed the message and then reach out to you and really take advantage of the learning opportunity because, yeah, what we don't want to see are our institutions fading away because of shenanigans. Thanks so much.

I appreciate the opportunity, man. Keep doing what you're doing. You're an inspiration to us all. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Take care. All right, folks. When appreciate the opportunity, man. Keep doing what you're doing. You're an inspiration to us all. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Take care. All right, folks.

When we come back, we're going to talk about Alzheimer's and its impact on the Black community right here on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. I am on screen, and I am representing what a Black man is to the entire world that's going to see this. And this might be the only black man, a representation of a black man that they see.

Right. So I am responsible. Right. For how they see black men. And it's my responsibility to, if I am not playing an upstanding, honorable, someone with a strong principle of moral core to make sure that this character is so specific that it is him, not black men. And I wish that more actors would realize how important their position is as an actor, as an actor of color playing people of color on screen. Because there are people that see us all over the world in these different images that we portray. And not everyone knows black people to know.

Yes, that's not all. I'm Deborah Owens, America's Wealth Coach, and my new show, Get Wealthy, focuses on the things that your financial advisor and bank isn't telling you, but you absolutely need to know. So watch. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops call this taser the revolution.

But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad.

Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. We are back.

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

Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things.

Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves.

We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you've got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else. But never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's Dadication.

Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Get wealthy on the Black Star Network. Hi, I'm Eric Nolan. I'm Shantae Moore. Hi, my name is Latoya Luckett, and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. Older African Americans are twice as likely as older whites to have Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. 23.1% of black Americans ages 70 and older are living with Alzheimer's. It is a silent epidemic in the

black community. Joining me now to discuss is Dr. Tomiko McGee-Rogers, the Associate Director for Recruitment and Strategic Initiatives at Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation. Tomiko, when we think about Alzheimer's, it is very, very difficult on so many people, especially the family members who have to care for someone. I know so many people who've had to do that. You think about early onset Alzheimer's as well. I think about B. Smith. I think about Dr. Charles Ogletree, folks who are relatively young. And so we still are in a conundrum to understand where it comes from, how it even develops, how to even recognize it. Yes, we are. And thank you. I want to thank you so much, Roland, for having me on your show. You're doing so much for the Black community, so thank you.

But you raise a very important question. There's so much more that we need to learn about Alzheimer's disease. And the reason why I'm here, too, is just to inform people we can learn more by participation in clinical trials. African-Americans are 35 percent less likely to receive a diagnosis. But Alzheimer's disease affects Black people as twice as likely compared to non-Hispanic whites. So it's so important that we get involved in research and clinical trials to ensure that treatment works for everyone and not just one population. So that's- So why? Why are we impacted more than anybody else? Do we know? Yeah. We have looked at it. Some people, researchers have seen diet, right? Diet plays a big part of it. Genetics, right? Our genetics play a big role.

And then just also, I can also just give you some information. We do some healthy brain promotion. And some of the things we encourage people to do is get sleep, get enough sleep, right? Exercise, right? Try to address your stress, your level of stress. That has a lot to do with cognitive decline and memory loss. So it's things that we can do to prevent it. But unfortunately, in the African-American community, we are, it's more prevalent. And we just need to do things to address those, as I said, diet, exercise, and sleeping better. So what do we look for? I mean, we hear this example all the time. Oh, folks, they begin to forget things, but a lot of us actually do that. So, you know, and what age, because we think about the early onset, you know, a lot of people thought before that was really, you know, 70 plus, but you're seeing more and more cases of people

in their early 60s getting Alzheimer's. Yes. So you raise a good question. Thank you, Roland, for that question. So I just want to reiterate, we all lose our keys, right? I know the other day I lost my keys. Where are my keys? But the distinction for Alzheimer's disease and when there's a problem is when you lose your keys, but then you see your keys and you look at them and you don't know what to do with them. You don't know that they're used to drive a car or you lose that remote and you look at them and you don't know what to do with them. You don't know that they're used to drive a car. Or you lose that remote and you find it, but you don't know the remote is used to turn on the TV, right? It's when it becomes and it impacts our daily life, our activities of daily life, and it affects our routines, our daily routine. And that's when we say if you have any concerns about your loved one, or if you have some

memory concerns, especially with the holidays coming around, right, is to reach out to your healthcare provider or your family member. The family member can reach out to the healthcare provider on their behalf. And then also possibly consider clinical trial participation because there is hope and there's a way. And that can help us to find a possible cure and treatment for Alzheimer's disease. You mentioned participating in clinical trials. If there's somebody out there who would love to do that, how do they do it? Yes, there's so many ways. So you can also first go to your healthcare provider. They will be able to provide information about open clinical trials that are recruiting currently. And then also, we do have a website. It's called the global, global, alls, A-L-Z, platform.org slash volunteer.

And you can go there and register and just register to receive more information about the clinical trials that are there. We have sites, research sites that we support that conduct these trials. And then also, I would just say, consider attending a Lunch and Learn and attending a community health fair and getting involved that way where you can learn more also about the clinical trials that are available and open to people out there. There is, I mentioned, I began this thing talking about caregivers. And I remember talking to Dan, who was Beastman's husband. And one of the things that he said that people don't understand is the toll it takes on the caregivers. So what advice for someone who now has to deal with that, whether it's Alzheimer's or dementia, because they must deal with their own mental health and physical health.

And it is such a burden on those individuals. Yes. Thank you so much for that question. Because, yes, it is. They typically tend to have a health concern or health condition as a result of taking care of that loved one. So I would just say, I would recommend they consider participating in support groups. There are so many support groups across the United States, and they can provide that support and, you know, that encouragement. And you are a part of a community that's also going

through what that person is going through. And then also just self-care. It's so important. And I know it's easier said than done, but it's so important to self-care. Take care of yourself, the person who is that caregiver. Go and see their health care provider. You know, go and talk to a therapist if you need someone or seek that counseling because it can be burdensome. Believe me, I understand. I've also had loved ones affected by Alzheimer's, and it can totally affect that

caregiver's life and greatly impact their life. So I would just say it's important to get self-care. Remember, put yourself first, too, and then also be a part of those support groups, and then reach out to your healthcare provider if you have any issues or concerns about your own health. All right, then. Well, doctor, we certainly appreciate it. Where can people go to get more information? Yes. Again, I want to just highlight that they can go to our website. It's global, alls, A-L-Z, platform.org slash volunteer. All right, then. Well, Cheryl, appreciate it.

Thanks for your information. Thank you so much, Roland. Have a great rest of your day. Thank you. All right, bye-bye. All right, folks, when we come back, our Black and Missing Report, we do this to focus and keep the attention on African-Americans who are missing.

And so we'll do that when we come back. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. If you're on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram, hit that like button, folks. Get those numbers up. We should be over a thousand on YouTube. And so make it possible.

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Zelle, Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And don't forget to get a copy of my book, White Fear, How the Browning of America is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds. it's time to be smart roland martin's doing this every day. Oh, no punching! Thank you, Roland Martin, for always giving voice to the issues. Look for Roland Martin in the whirlwind, to quote Marcus Garvey again. The video looks phenomenal, so I'm really excited to see it on my big screen.

Support this man, Black Media. He makes sure that our stories are told. See, there's a difference between Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN. I gotta defer to the brilliance of Dr. Carr and to the brilliance of the Black Star Network. I am rolling. We're rolling all the way. I'm gonna be on a show that you own. A Black man owns the show.

Folks, Black Star Network is here. I'm real revolutionary right now. Rolling was amazing on that. I love y'all. I'm real revolutionary right now. Rolling was amazing on that. Stay black. I love y'all. I can't commend you enough about this platform that you've created for us to be able to share who we are, what we're doing in the world,

and the impact that we're having. Let's be smart. Bring your eyeballs home. You can't be black on media and be scared. You dig? Folks, Black Star Network is peace. Oh, no punching! A real revolutionary right now.

Support this man, Black Media. He makes sure that our stories are told. Thank you for being the voice of Black America, Roller. I love y'all. All momentum we have now, we have to keep this going. The video looks phenomenal. See, there's a difference between Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN. You can't be Black-owned media and be scape. It's time to be smart.

Bring your eyeballs home. You dig? Shania Hall walked away from her Newman, Georgia home on December 4th and has not been seen since. The 17-year-old is 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs 175 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Shania Hall should call the Newman, Georgia Police Department at 770-254-2355, 770-254-2355 770-254-2355 770-254-2355 An Alabama inmate was cooked to death in an overheated prison cell.

A federal lawsuit was filed over the death of Thomas Lee Rutledge. It took place two years ago at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in an overheated prison cell. The lawsuit alleges the prison knew that the heating system was broken, causing the heater to overheat cells throughout the prison.

The night Rutledge died, correctional officers did not aid Rutledge at all, sitting with his face pressed to his window, trying to breathe in some cold air. And the prison knew the heating system was broken, and other men died from extreme heat due to the broken heater. Let's go to Georgia, where a former Atlanta police officer has been indicted in the 2019 shooting death of Jimmy Etcheson.

Last week, former Atlanta police officer Sung Kim was indicted on charges of felony murder and voluntary manslaughter and violation of oath by a public officer in connection with the 2019 shooting death of Jimmy Atchison. It's not clear if Kim, who retired from the Atlanta Police Department, has an attorney. But, again, we'll have the details when we get more information. A jury acquits a Washington state sheriff for chasing and harassing a black newspaper delivery man. Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer was found not guilty of misdemeanor false reporting

charges related to a confrontation with a black newspaper carrier in 2021. Troyer was accused of calling 911 to report that Cedric Altimer, a black newspaper carrier, threatened to kill him in January of 2021. Now, he made the call after following Alzheimer around the neighborhood in his vehicle. About 40 officers responded to the scene. Again, the jury found him not guilty. A Michigan man pleaded guilty to threatening Black Lives Matter supporters at multiple Starbucks. Kenneth Pilon, a Michigan eye doctor, pleaded guilty in federal district court

to willfully intimidating and attempting to discourage citizens from engaging in lawful speech and protest in support of Black Lives Matter. Pilon threatened to kill black people at nine local Starbucks using a racial slur to refer to his intended victims. He also left nooses in parking lots over two months in 2020. He'll be sentenced on March 23rd of next year. Folks, a man in California, a white man is charged with a felony for shooting an unarmed black man at an Airbnb. Mark Waters of San Jose was charged with felony assault with a semi-automatic firearm, resulting in significant bodily injury for an incident that took place in October. Waters shot the unidentified unarmed 21-year-old black man because he was renting an Airbnb in his neighborhood.

Waters confronted the unarmed man with a handgun and shot him in the leg as he ran for safety. Waters could be charged with a possible hate crime. And folks, Harvard University names Claudine Gay as the 30th university president. Gay is a widely admired higher education leader and distinguished scholar of democracy and political participation. She has served as the Edgley Family Dean of Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Scientists since 2015. Gay received her PhD from Harvard in political science, where she won the Toppen Prize for best dissertation in political science. As a quantitative social scientist, Gay served as an assistant professor and then a tenured associate professor at Stanford before being recruited to Harvard in 2006 as a professor of government. All right, folks, time for us to

go to a break. When we come back, we'll talk to Major, the singer Major, about his initiative to bring hope to millions through his foundation. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network for Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie. We'll laugh together, cry together, pull ourselves together, and cheer each other on. So join me for new shows each Tuesday on Black Star Network, A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie. When you talk about blackness and what happens in black culture, you're about covering these things that matter to us, speaking to our issues and concerns. This is a genuine people-powered movement.

There's a lot of stuff that we're not getting. You get it. And you spread the word. We wish to plead our own cause to long have others spoken for us. We cannot tell our own story if we can't pay for it. This is about covering us. Invest in black-owned media. Your dollars matter. We don't have to keep asking them to cover our stuff. So please support us in what we do, folks. We want to hit 2,000 people, $50 this month, raise $100,000. We're behind $100,000, so we want to hit that. Y'all money makes this possible.

Checks and money orders go to P.O. Box 57196, Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. The Cash app is Dollar Sign RM Unfiltered. PayPal is RMartin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Hello, everyone. It's Kiara Sheard. Hey, I'm Taj. I'm Coco.

And I'm Lili. And we're SWB. What's up y'all, it's Ryan Destiny and you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. Folks, so we were at Operation Global Hope Forum, had a chance to sit down and talk to my frat brother, the singer Major, about his new foundation, what they want to accomplish, what they want to achieve

by inspiring people and giving them hope all across the country. Here's our conversation. All right, folks. Y'all, he had the audacity to send me some damn talking points.. All right, folks. Y'all, he had the audacity to send me some damn talking points. You're welcome, Roland. As if I actually read talking points. I don't. You're welcome, Roland.

I don't. I don't. So, you know, so I guess he figured, you know, folk don't know. So he wanted to sit What? You want me to read this stuff? Listen, Roland, I just wanted to give you reference points. No, I mean, I got it. I mean, you know, like.

I think you're a brilliant man. He Grammy nominated, you know, Soul Train. Yeah, yeah. Awards, which I'm still confused how you have a Soul Train award being on a Soul Train show. I'm just saying. Well, they still have the awards because they still. It's all about honoring the music of soul, the black experience.

But I would love to see Soul Train. No, but it's the Soul Train Awards, which is tied to the show. Well, I would love to see the show again. Yeah, you're right. You're right. You're right. Because you always wanted to be one Soul Train dancer? Because I can hurt them.

I can hurt you. You open that line up. Bro, I'm mean with it, Doc. With what? Tell the people who you're interviewing, Roland, just in case. Ladies and gentlemen, seven Image Award nominations. Did you ever win? Bro, no, not yet. Oh, that's why you minor.

Listen, listen, until that win. Right. So I'm hoping we have a— Because all I see are nominations. Did you win a Soul Train award? I'm heavily nominated, bro. I need to win something. You're like the Susan Lucci of Egypt.

Can you cross me over? What? Can you tell the people? I mean, because, you know— I got four Image Awards. You do, and guess what? I've been nominated like nine, ten times, but I got four. But I need you to understand this.

I voted for you. Smart man. So did you vote for me? Probably not. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Roland Martin. I haven't even voted. Live. No, I'm talking about in the past.

No, I've never voted. Because remember they just changed it. Remember they just changed it. Yeah. For the longest, only members could vote. You're not a member? Okay, when you're a journalist, like I'm covering the group. No, you're not a member?

Because I'm covering the group. That doesn't matter. No, it does. Be a member. No, no, no, no. How do you stand as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated? Because, listen, without also being a member of the NAACP. No, no, no, no. No, because. Let me.

Because again. Because. Is it a conflict of interest? That's why. If you just listen. But is it, wouldn't Alpha be the same if we got more of those in line? No, no, no, no. Because I'm not actually covering Alpha on a regular basis.

Got it. So because I've actually covered the NAACP. Make it make sense. No, I'm trying to tell you. That's what it is. I mean, they've tried. So that was part of the deal there. So you sort of have that conflict.

And so, yeah. Yeah. So that was the reason why. And so it was only in the past couple of years when they opened it up to the nation at large where you don't have to be a member to vote on the Image Awards. Absolutely. And so now I can vote for you and hopefully get you a damn Image Award. Yeah, because this will be the eighth nomination. Because you have a lot of the certificates.

Bro, so many. Like, you know, your mantle has, like, you frame. Like, for me, like, I got the certificates. I don't even know where I put them. I just, like, I don't. I just, like, they mail it to you, and I'm like, okay, there it is. I just don't, you know. And I'll tell you what I do have.

Yes. I have a platinum certified song, a love song, that has taken me all over the world. If you heard it, you heard it. If you know it, you know it. What is it? This is why I love you. You're welcome.

Oh, that's right. That's right. I'm not going to clear that because, that's right. That's right. Because I got the publishing. That's right. No, but for real, that's one plaque I do have. There you go. That's a really good plaque. There you go.

Get in there, bro. There you go. Well, see, guys, I used to always mess with Anthony Anderson. Yeah. Because prior to Black-ish, Anthony probably was the most nominated, had never won an Image Award person. Yeah, yeah. And it wasn't until Black-ish.

Wow. He's won like six, seven, eight years in a row, whatever. And so we used to kind of go at it. You ain't going to ever let stuff just go. You got to. No, I mean, then it's not, everything else is boring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything else is boring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything else is boring.

So I am heavily nominated, beautiful people, if you are watching and you happen to be on the voting committee, please consider Major whole world in his hands for outstanding music video or outstanding gospel song. Well, first of all, since we're doing that, you know. Oh, you want to put your beard in? Since we doing that. That's disrespectful. Since we doing that. This is my moment.

On your show. This my shit. I mean, did you miss... There's so much disrespect. Did you miss all of this? Did you miss... I saw it. I'm just checking. I'm just checking. I'm just checking. So since you throwing that out there...

Vote for us both. And especially this Image Awards committee. Since I created Roller Mark Unfiltered and all the great work we've done, never been nominated. Since this network has been? Yeah. Wow. Never been nominated.

Best news show, best host, all of that. So I told my team, I said, listen. I said, we don't get nominated this year. Did y'all submit this year? Yeah, we did. Okay. I made it clear. I said, we don't get nominated.

I said, I ain't applying again. I ain't wasting my money. I ain't wasting my money. I think you'll be fine this year. We'll see. Okay. We'll see. And I don't wasting my money. I ain't wasting my money. I think you'll be fine this year. We'll see. Okay. We'll see. And I don't mind assisting in the campaign.

I mean, it's a whole bunch of mainstream news shows, but I got to keep reminding them we black. And you make the difference. Because the constituency that is our demo listens to what you say. They listen to what you bring, the unapologetic truth. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes.

But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated.

I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott.

And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves.

Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. Got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush.

What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content,

subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves. We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers, but we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-away, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized

my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov brought to you by the U S department of health and human services and the ad council. And I mean, it makes a difference, bro. So I have a feeling it'll be a different story. I hope so. But I'm going to be clear. We ain't applying again. I ain't wasting that money. You know.

Listen, I want to win. I want to win. You know, that money don't matter to CNN, MSNBC. It's just the write-up. But that $750 matters to us. That's lunch money for them. I'm just saying. That matters to us.

I mean, you know, I can buy some SD cards. I can buy some gear with that stuff. It seems like production wants some more SD cards. No, I'm just saying. If there are any generous donors out there,

please consider it. Oh, no, no. We appreciate that. Yeah, and it's called the Bring the Funk Fan Club. Yeah. And I got it down pat. Check your money orders,

go to P.O. Box 5. I've actually donated to the Bring the Funk before. See, there you go. Which means that when we roll the credits every Friday, your name wanted to know. See, there you go. Which means that when we roll the credits every Friday, your name is on there. Well, I didn't see my name. Oh, you don't see your name? I don't pay attention to the credits.

You don't see your name? I'll look. No, no, it's some black folks that they pause. Oh, that's a beautiful thing. Oh, they'll take a screenshot of their name and they'll tweet it to me. I did. And I'll be like, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. So I'll double check. So Kenan, double check to see if Major's name on there.

Hold up. First thing is, Kenan, go back and double check to see if he donated. I did. I know I did. To a cash app? It was to a cash app. OK, cool. And is somebody checking that?

It was a cash app. No, I can check right now. So let me check right now. Let me check right now. Let me see if Major. Johnson Finley. OK. A cash app and.

Absolutely there. Because, you know, it come to my email. It come to my email. So, you know, I'm just. It is absolutely there. Cash app Major. And it was also. What you say?

You say Major Johnson Finley. That's your government name? That's government. Okay. And it was also during the time, because something happened. Was it one of them? Yes. Major Johnson Finley, y'all, donated to the Breonna Funk.

I told you, my research is impeccable. You did. That was a little light. Not light. That was February 8th. You ain't going to tell me. That was February 8th, 2021. Major Johnson Finley, he donated $200.

That's significant. Right, but that was last year. You got all the organizations donated $200. That's significant. Right, but that was last year. I got you. That was last year. And I got a whole foundation trying to get some more. He didn't say nothing about it. You didn't give it to 2022? We not over. No, that was 2021. No, no, no. That was 2021.

That was February 8th of 2021. No, I'm just... It was, but I'm just saying, what you going to give in 2022? I don't know if I'm completely disrespected or just. I love the fact that you found my name, because that would have sucked if you couldn't have. Oh, no, you ain't, no, because then it'd be like. I'd be like, I pressed send.

Because when somebody tell me they give, no, the email come to me. I love that. That's the thing about you. I ain't got to call nobody and say, hey, run his name. He is a fact checker. Oh, I check on the spot. No fake news. No, I check on the spot.

So when somebody say they claim, oh, yeah, I gave. What was it? Venmo, Zelle, PayPal. I could check all of them. This is disrespectful. and I'm so glad my name was so let's talk about okay so you mentioned you mentioned your new song y'all please get lower get this boy an image award please please okay so let's talk about the foundation what you you're doing with it. So I'm looking here.

You know, I read this real quick. I thought it said become a dope dealer. It said today. It said hope dealer. I'm sorry. I got hope on my hat. Wait a minute. That's why I went.

Okay. But it's a play on. Oh, actually, I thought that was a John O'Brien hat. No, this is the major hope foundation. Okay, got you. The crazy thing is, just to bring it full circle, when I first moved to Los Angeles, California, after attending school in Boston at Berkeley, Before that.

Houston, Texas. Houston, Texas, you know, we Texas born and raised. All right, there you go. We're kind of family, so it's hilarious because his in-laws are my people, and yeah, yeah, so whatever. Anyway, I get to L.A., and I connect with an endeavor that wanted me to sing for Jeff Franklin, the creator of the TV show Full House. Got it.

And this man has so much money. The estate was brilliant. And they talk about proceeds are going to Operation Hope. And I'm like, what is Operation Hope? That's my thing. I talk about hope. Right, right, right. And so I did a little research and I said, I'm going to connect with this organization soon.

Fast forward to earlier this year, both myself, Stedman Graham, and John Hope Bryant were honored with an award for our commitment to community and service in our respective fields. And we talked, and it has been a connection and a bond ever since. He invited me here as the opening night's entertainment, as well as speaking on the panel about hope. And therein, we have Major Hope Foundation, which is my humanitarian commitment to amplifying hope in communities and people near and far. It's a beautiful venture. I'm nervous. I'm excited. And I'm just hopeful that this is going to impact and really connect the people. Yeah. And what do you want the foundation to do? How you will be touching the people? What will y'all be doing? So we have three tier programs.

One includes the major hope experience, which is a where music and motivation intersect. So we do acoustic concerts where it incorporates actually my major hope album series, a spoken word album series of motivations and pep talks as well as music. And we also have the Major Hope Experience Live, which on December 15th, to the folks in Los Angeles that are watching, make sure you get to the Peppermint Club because that's the last Major Hope Experience Live of the year. It goes down.

I guess I got to run this the next three days, huh? Yes, for the next three days. That's what cousins do. I can't hold this. That's what cousins do. I can't hold this the next next three days, huh? Yes, for the next three days. That's what cousins do. I can't hold this in. That's what cousins do. I can't hold this the next week. No, you got to run it the next three days. And also, so the Major Hope Experience, we have the Random Drops of Hope, which is a playoff of random acts of kindness.

We do pop-up charitable activations where we just serve the need immediately, take over gas stations, take over grocery stores in marginalized communities and whatnot. And then we lastly have confidence coaching where I do workshops that speak on effective communication, value systems, self-esteem for youth and young adults, our etiquette. It's a beautiful program, bro. All right, folks, hold tight one second. I got to go to commercial break. We come back more of my conversation

with a Grammy-nominated, NAACP Image Award-nominated singer, Major. You're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered right here on the Black Star Network. Hatred on the streets, a horrific scene, a white nationalist rally that descended into deadly violence. You will not be black. White people are losing their damn lives.

There's an angry pro-Trump mob storm to the U.S. Capitol. We're about to see the rise of what I call white minority resistance. We have seen white folks in this country who simply cannot tolerate black folks voting. I think what we're seeing is the inevitable result of violent denial. This is part of American history. Every time that people of color have made progress, whether real or symbolic, there has been what Carol Anderson at everyory University calls white rage as a backlash. This is the rise of the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Boys.

America, there's going to be more of this. Here's all the Proud Boys guys. This country is getting increasingly racist in its behaviors and its attitudes because of the fear of white people. The fear that they're taking our jobs, they're taking our resources, they're taking our women. This is white fear. Hi, I'm Israel Houghton with Israel the New Breed.

What's up, what's up? I'm Dr. Ricky Dillard, the choir master. Hey yo, peace world, what's going on? It's. Ricky Dillard, the choir master. Hey, yo, peace world. What's going on? It's the love king of R&B, Raheem Devon, and you're watching Roland Martin, Unfiltered. Welcome back, folks. Here is part two of my interview with Singer Major

with regards to his new foundation. It's always interesting to me when I talk to people and folks will say, you know growing up don't, never really got that. No. For you, like the confidence to wear that bandana around your neck. You're welcome. It's called fashion. You know, for you, we got video showing up on red carpets and no shirt on.

The man of ascots is commenting on my scarf. No, I'm speaking of confidence. Who here at the Hope Global Forum has seen Roland Martin with his ascots, his silk scarf? But I'm speaking of confidence. You should only be inspired. No, but I'm speaking of confidence. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

That's my point. No, but I'm speaking of confidence. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. That's my point. Okay. Okay. So. All right. Here we go with that bandana. So for you, what would you attribute that confidence coming from? Firstly, my mama. My mom had the intention, the great intention to help us understand that we are in the room because we belong there.

That literally was my commencement speech at Jackson State. Yeah. Friday. You belong in. Salute to you on that. You belong. And it was called, you belong in every room you enter. Every single room.

And I literally live by the mantra that when we show up to spaces, we show up as an answer to the need. We don't show up seeking answers. We show up as an answer. And if we make room for everyone, everyone's need will ultimately be answered. So my confidence has come by way of my mom making sure that when we step in spaces, and even before, do the work so that when you show up and the opportunity comes,

you can actually have something that connects and lifts and elevates the moment. The village made the difference for me. You know, the fraternity, the brotherhood, challenging me to be the best version of myself. So I have to just say from my mama to the village, to church, to the brotherhood, I couldn't help but to believe that I was worthy of the spaces I was in.

See, I guess for me, I think back to, and it's crazy, it literally goes back to preschool, elementary school. Yes, sir. And I just, and so for me, it was parents, it was grandfather, it was, so I've never, I was, I was having a conversation with somebody and they, they said they were asking this question because they were, they were having a meeting with the governor. Yeah.

And they want us in system, want some advice. And I said, everybody else is going to walk into the room just to be happy to be in a room. I said, walk in with ideas and a plan of action. Yes. I said, walk in with ideas and a plan of action. Yes. I said, walk in like you belong there. And she said, she says, dang, you cocky. I said, no, it's not cocky.

I said, but I do believe wherever I am, I am supposed to be there. Right. Right. So that's why this notion, when I hear people talk about imposter syndrome. I'm like, I ain't never. Well, let me tell you this. I didn't think that I wrestled with imposter syndrome until I remember Lovey Jones sharing. What's Lovey's last name?

Is it Jones? It was called Lovey. Yeah. My sister Lovey kind of brought that to the forefront of mainstream culture talking about imposter syndrome. Because I didn't know that I actually wrestled with confidence in the idea that I always walked in a room knowing that I was absolutely enough. my spaces, I shined so big that oftentimes it would make other people intimidated or insecure about how they move. So I would say, because I'm empathetic, I would be like, okay, well, maybe I should bring it down just a little bit because I don't want to do too much.

But for me, I did wrestle with it. I think a lot of times for me, it's not always confidence. It's just I move in courage and audacity to hope. And confidence, I think, ultimately is informed by the recollection. It's an always remember thing that I can stand in this moment because the last time I showed up, it ended well for me. Right. And so that's, that's for me what informs it. But I, I mean, I can, Oprah said she doesn't wrestle with imposter syndrome.

Quinta Brunson said it just recently. You said it. No, I, and the reason I don't is again, because I also, again, one, if I was invited, I was invited for a reason. Right. Two, and I'm really going back to elementary school. I remember there were programs that the city of Houston had. Yeah. That were summer programs, cultural programs.

And I remember, man, it was like our in Clinton Park was like this major thing at one of these, I think Albert Thomas Convention Center, and it may have been 2,000 or 3,000 people there. We performed on stage and there was no fear. And so I told somebody, I said,

hell, were you 8, 9, 10? No fear. But also, I guess I looked at my grandmother's catering business. There were times we did weddings, and we were working the deal. And it's 400, 500, 600 people there did face me as well. So the idea of being in a room, standing up, asking the question, I ain't faced, and not intimidated by who in the room.

I don't care how many PhDs. I don't care how many Nobel laureates or whatever. It's just a whole different attitude. And the thing is, I belong. And I wholeheartedly believe that. And I want to clarify that confidence and arrogance are two different things. And I think far too often because so many people wrestle with confidence and insecurity, that they challenge it because they have not mastered this sense of confidence.

So they'll call you arrogant. They call it arrogance, but that's not what it is. And really also, I think it's also based upon knowledge. Right. So if I got the knowledge, I'm like, man, let's go. Yeah. Let's like, we ain't even, like, I'm ready to swing. What good is all this information if I'm not moving

in the confidence to share it, to give it? And so to all of the folks that are insecure, which generally, if you're hating, it's insecurity showing up in its best effort to protect pride. Stop. Stop. There is room for all of us.

Be you unapologetically. Nobody do you like you do you. Make room for that. I say it like this, Roland. Far too big is the sky for only one bird to fly. And oh, how beautiful is the night when more than one star shines. There is room for all of us to confidently, unapologetically shine. Period. Right. for all of us to confidently, unapologetically shine, period.

Right. That's why when I meet young folks, especially black folks, and they'll shake my hand, maybe with their parents or whatever, or anybody, and I'm like, look me in the eye. Yeah. And that's exact tone. Yeah.

When you shake my hand, look me in the eye. Yeah. And they're like, and I go, now do it again. Yeah. And that's exact tone. Yeah. When you shake my hand, look me in the eye. Yeah. And they're like, and I go, and I do it again. Yeah. And the pair is looking like, I said, no. When you shake somebody's hand. Yes. You look them in the eye. Yes.

You don't look off. You don't look down. And it's really, I mean, I just, again, I just did the Jackson State graduation. And it was amazing the number. And I'm always studying people. I'm always studying body language. And it was amazing the number of people who walked across. So they would get their degree from the president.

And whenever I gave a commencement speech, I'd shake the hand of every graduate. Yes. And I'm standing there, and the number of these African-Americans who would be looking down, looking off, looking past and not looking in the eye. And part of this is because also how we've been trained. We couldn't look white folks in the eye. Right, right. And that's a mindset that we also pick up on.

Yeah. And I just think that when you talk about helping people and teaching people, it really is vital that we teach our folk having good self-esteem. But believing that you belong and believing in yourself. That's why when somebody speaks and they'll say something, I'm like, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. They're like, no, I didn't hear you. I'm like, I need you to project your name. Because it's like, oh, I'm like, I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. They're like, no, I didn't hear you. I'm like, I need you to project your name.

Because it's like, oh, I'm Kim. I'm Kim. Say it again. I'm Kim. I need you to say it. It's value systems. You were reared very well. I've met your parents, some great folks.

You were blessed to have that rearing and steering and the education and the village and the community and the commitment to assuring that you were properly cultivated. I think- And it ain't nothing to do with college. My mom and dad didn't go to college. Right, right, right. It's a value system. That's right. It's a value system. And so the confidence coaching that the Major Hope Foundation is committed to is literally to help people build a sense of self-worth, a value system, because oftentimes the marginalized are inundated with so much disenfranchisement and disadvantage and negativity that their sense of worth is so low that of course you're going to see more crime or of course you're going to see more degraded experiences because they don't feel they have anything to live for. And so I get right to the core of their heart to help them realize, no, you're necessary. I see you. I hear you.

And I will choose to understand you. And once you get that, you start living a different way and you have something to live for. Choices are different. And so, and that's, and you notice I said in youth and also adults, because a lot of adults have lived without this value system. A whole lot. And I speak to anti-recidivism.

I'm going to help to help them re-acclimate to the society that they didn't think they belonged in to let them know you were here because you are necessary. Well, it is always just, to me, I mean, this is vital because, again, to your point, if it wasn't cultivated growing up, if it wasn't a part of your family structure, you really do have to be taught and begin to break those things down. Like, people will come to me, and I'll be, I mean, I'm talking about, we're talking about corporate leaders. I was with this one sister, and when the company basically said, yo, we're done with you, I. I mean, this is a brilliant...

I mean, she absolutely is CEO material. Yeah, yeah. And was sitting there wondering, will I find another job? Stuff like that. And I'm sitting looking at her like, the hell you... And it was a trip, and I was like,

well, have you met this person, this person, this person? She's like, no, I said, you need to meet these people. So we're sitting there having lunch. And while we're sitting there, I'm texting the people. I need you to meet so-and-so. And then I go, okay, so-and-so said to email him. So-and-so said to call him.

And she goes, wait a minute. I said, oh, I'm sorry. You thought I was going to wait until Monday? And she was like, so you just, I said, oh, I'm sorry. You thought I was going to wait until Monday? Right, right. And she was like, so you just, I said, yes. While we were sitting here, while you were talking, I sent them a text. Absolutely. I'm like, what are we waiting for? Yeah.

And she was just like, and again, and this is not somebody who I knew for a very long time, but I instantly picked up her spirit and what was holding her back. And I said, baby, there are larger jobs with smaller companies. And she told me, she said, you know what? One of the greatest mistakes I should have done international travel early in my career. She's telling me all these different things. And so I'm speaking. No, no, no. This, this.

Call this person. Do this. You can do this. This is going to happen. Five months later, she hits me up, becomes CMO of a global company. We're pointing directly to the CEO. She tells me this. I saw it on LinkedIn.

And I said, you're now in a position to be CEO. She's like, whoa, whoa, whoa. She's like, what? Oh, my God. I said, stop. I said, stop. What are you doing? Yeah.

I said, stop limiting yourself. Come on. Yeah. I said, stop it. Yeah. Yeah. You are not going to have a conversation with me. Yeah. I said, stop limiting yourself. Come on. Yeah. I said, stop it. Yeah. Yeah. You are not going to have a conversation with me. Yeah.

I said, you are now on the path to be a CEO. Yes. She and I had a conversation a couple of months ago. She turned down a CEO opportunity that was base level $40 million. Right. Right. Right. Because, right, right. Because it was the right opportunity. And when she told me that, I said, didn't somebody tell you?

Yeah. You were CEO material? But she needed somebody to speak that into her, and I would literally tell her, do not repeat that again whenever you and I talk. Bro, we— And this is somebody who's like a major corporate leader. Listen, that's why I salute you so much. I salute you so much.

Black Star, Black Star speaks to a marginalized yet powerful community, helping them understand that if you haven't heard it from anybody else, you are necessary, you are mighty, you are qualified, and you are absolutely worthy. So step up and rise up in it and shine unapologetically. That's it. That's what it is, bro. I see what you're doing, Roland, and I pray for you in more moments than you probably

realize. I speak about you in more moments than you probably realize because I know you're doing the great work that many get credit for that you are not always getting credit for. But in right time, in now time, there are people speaking your name in rooms that it's all going to make sense very soon. You will see, bro. You will see. And if God

uses me as a vessel to do it, because I got access to a few folk too, use me, God, because the world needs to have more change agents and hope dealers like you, my brother. And again, I didn't want nothing from this sister.

I wasn't asking for no check. But it would be nice for you to remember the brother that spoke like that. That's true. But we're sitting there and I'm looking at, she was defeated. Bruh. No, I'm talking about she was crushed and I was like

The hell you doing? Yeah, you got all now. I said pick yo ass. No, I said no you I said you will not but you know crushed in my present, you know Roland that speaks to the climate of Seeming divide that that exists now a lot of people aren't necessarily moving in the way they move, be it opposition or partisan, simply because they believe it. It's because that's the safest space where it coddles their comfort. But if you want to make change, if you want to make impact, it's going to be uncomfortable.

And that's where confidence comes into play. It lets you know that you have permission to disturb the familiar, to interrupt the comfortable in order to see the better and the different and the change. And so for me, that's how I move in spaces where, you know, a lot of times we call it ignorant. There's a lot of ignorant folk that are moving and leading in these spaces and these capacities. And we don't even realize as arrogant as they come off, they are some of the most insecure people ever.

And if you get to the heart of it, once you just have a conversation with them, you'll realize that that conversation can literally be the catalyst to get to the changed mindset, the shift, the mindset shift, to get them to rise. We were talking earlier about independence

and being an independent artist. Yeah. And when you were like, yeah, I was like, you were like, yeah. But here's the deal, though. I'm glad you said that. I'm glad you said that. Yes, it is. Yes.

But the reality is being an owner is tough. Yes. And 7 Streeter and I had this conversation. Woo! I love her. When 7 went independent. Yeah. And her deal was, I had to oversee all of this.

We're both on the same label. And the thing is that what people don't understand, and I said this to you, what I love, so what I've always loved, is freedom and flexibility. I love that. I love that when you said that earlier. Freedom and flexibility. And there's a cost. that when you said that earlier. Freedom and flexibility. And at a cost. That's what ownership provides you. Yes, and so

being able to say, no, I'm going here. Yeah. And I don't have to ask permission. So the thing for me with this show was, I wasn't, I was not going. I mean, I go back. I knew CNN.

September 2008, Jim Walton called me to his office. He says, I'm going to use a boxing analogy. We think you're a better counter puncher than puncher, meaning you're better show contributor than host. I go, I know. He went. He goes, I said, I know I'm not ready to host. Yeah.

So I said, here's what I need you to do. I need you to send your notes to your coaches. Right. On what I need to do to become a host. And then partner me with them. He called my agent. He was like, that's not how I expected the conversation to go. I knew when I was ready for a weekly show.

I hosted a weekly show on TV for three years because he didn't want to give me one. Then I knew I was ready for a daily show. Yeah. It happened the following year. Yeah. My deal here was when TV One entered the show, I said, I'm not going to sit at home and wait for somebody to validate me by saying, we're going to give you a show.

Yeah. Because you just said it when you said permission. Yeah. I gave myself permission to be my own show show. Yeah. Because you just said it when you said permission. Yeah. I gave myself permission to be my own show host. Yeah. So now I've given shows to four other people, five other people. And that's part of the deal.

Part of the, again, when I see confidence coaching, the foundation, we have to teach people to give themselves permission. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And that sir. Yes, sir. And that's what I believe hope provides. I said it earlier on the panel. Oftentimes when we hear people say, keep hope alive,

shout out to Reverend Jackson, my guy. Love you, man. Don't lose hope. You got to keep your hope. We hear it as mere cliche without any power, but I believe that cliches were divinely intended to be repeated until we finally get it. Hope is powerful. It's liberating. It's an anchor. And it is also your permission, as we were speaking, to believe for greater than what the current circumstance is trying to convince you to believe.

Every storm runs out of rain, beautiful people. Name one that didn't. You can't. Theoretically and literally, every single storm runs out of rain. Yes, there'll be casualties. Yes, there'll be devastation. But soon enough, the sun comes out and reminds you that there is more to the story than what the previous or current chapter is giving you. Stay with it.

Lock in. Rise up. Black Star Network. Beautiful Star U. Be all of that. It's major. I know what no feels like. I heard no so many times that I had to flip it as an acronym that from here on out, bro, N-O is now next one.

Because if it ain't this one, it's going to be the next one. See, I actually flipped it. No. On to the next. No, no. Right. It's on. It's on. I did that no. Right. It's on.

It's on. I did that too, bro. It's on. And I even, I mean, Doc, I'm telling you, I even, I'm telling you, but that goes back to confidence, hope, belief. And there's so many people, they're just, they run up against that one obstacle or two or 10 or 20. Say it, 10 or 10 or 20.

Say it. 10 or 20 or 30. And it happens. And it happens. And it happens. And it happens. The problem is, the problem is. Don't quit, y'all. But the problem is, a lot of us who have achieved something don't talk about it enough.

Yes. I use the example. I'm going to talk to Bishop T.D. Jakes. Nobody ever wants to talk about Bishop T.D. Jakes. Nobody ever wants to talk about Bishop T.D. Jakes when he was digging ditches in West Virginia. Right, right, right. They want to talk about preaching to a million in Africa. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, no, no, no, no. When he was in the mud, under houses. But it's the same bishop. Absolutely. And I think that's the mistake that people make. That's why for me, when I'm talking about support us in this show, I am transparent with what stuff costs. Yes, sir. And I'm saying, yo, we're trying to go here. This is going to cost $150,000. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We need y'all to give. Yeah, yeah. And because

it's letting people know that this just don't happen just by happenstance. Right. And so I think it's a lot of people, that's what it is. Too many people, they've absolutely given up hope. They don't have that confidence in themselves, and they want somebody else to give them permission. And this is not a poor thing. Again, I was talking to a sister who making high six, seven figures. If I told you the name of the company, it's one of the top Fortune 500 companies in America.

Yeah. Not the bottom. Yeah. One of the top. She thought there was no future. I looked at her like she was out of her mind. I said, baby, it's called the Fortune 500. Hello.

You work for one of them. Yeah. It's 499 others. What you doing? Come on, bro. And it's just, I mean, and you just need, so it ain't about, and look, she's highly educated. But that's the piece I think a lot of people just don't understand, Doc. So where can they get more information about the foundation? The foundation, now that's major.com forward slash major hope, major hope, major hope is the foundation. You can go to my Instagram everywhere online. Now that's major

at now that's major. You will find it. Y'all I'm about the business. I've been doing it. I've been doing the serving and the service to my community out of my own pocket. But I said by wise counsel, I realized that I needed to make it official. We are a 501c3. I'm excited about it. I have an incredible board that includes top execs from AT&T, Wells Fargo, Shell, Nespresso, Nestle. I'm grateful. Everyday people, we're coming to your community to serve you. And I might give you a little song in between.

But do know that whatever it's going to be, just like my mama named me, it's going to be major. Well, first of all, you see on his car the colors of black and gold. I'm surprised that hat's not black and gold. I always have, oh, this hat? Oh, I got one of those.

But, you know, I got the gold feather. You know we can't help it, bro. But of course, but of course, but of course, but of course, I almost wore black and gold today. I'm gonna have it tomorrow. Right, right. Me too. Me too. I can't, I can't go anywhere without black and gold. Just let them know. It just makes sense. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time. have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution.

But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multibillion-dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1

Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. We are back. In a big way.

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

of what this quote-unquote drug ban. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things.

Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.

I always had to be so good no one could ignore me. Carve my path with data and drive. But some people only see who I am on paper. The paper ceiling. The limitations from degree screens to stereotypes that are holding back over 70 million stars. Workers skilled through alternative routes rather than a bachelor's degree. It's time for skills to speak for themselves. Find resources for breaking through barriers at taylorpapersilling.org. Brought to you by Opportunity at Work and the Ad Council.

Let them know. All right, baby. Always good to see you. H-Town. Yes, indeed, bro. Appreciate it, dawg. Yes, indeed. Peace. All right, they're going to get a quick photo. Okay. On the next Get Wealthy with me, Deborah Owens, America's Wealth Coach, inflation is on the rise. Interest rates are high. Can you still thrive during these uncertain times?

On the next Get Wealthy, you're going to meet a woman who's done just that, living proof of what you need to do to flourish during these uncertain times. These are times where you take advantage of what's going on. This is how people get rich or richer. That's right here on Get Wealthy, only on Black Star Network. On the next A Balanced Life with me dr jackie tis the season tree trimming party going and gift giving and i don't know about you but for me sometimes it can be overwhelming and sometimes it's just downright exhausting surviving the holiday season we got tips for you for staying

sane solvent striving and, and thriving, and sometimes keeping a little money in your pocket. Two things just out of the gate. Set boundaries and set a budget. On a next A Balanced Life right here on Black Star Network with me, Dr. Jackie. We're all impacted by the culture, whether we know it or not. From politics to music and entertainment, it's a huge part of our lives. And we're going to talk about it every day right here on The Culture with me, Faraji Muhammad, only on the Black Star Network's very own Roland Martin, who joins us to talk about his new book, White Fear,

how the browning of America is making white folks lose their minds. The book explains so much about what we're going through in this country right now and how, as white people head toward becoming a racial minority, it's going to get, well, let's just say even more interesting. We are going to see more violence. We're going to see more vitriol because as each day passes, it is a nail in that coffin. The one and only Roland Martin on the next Black Table, right here on the Black Star Network. Hi, I'm Israel Houghton with Israel and New Breed.

What's up, what's up? I'm Dr. Ricky Dillard, the choir master. Hey, yo, peace, world. What's going on? It's the love king of R&B, Raheem Devon, and you're watching Roland Martin, Unfiltered. All right, folks. we were in Atlanta last week for the Celebration Bowl, the 7th Annual Celebration Bowl, pitting the winner of the MEAC Conference, North Carolina Central,

against the SWAT winner, Jackson State University. It was a fantastic, fantastic week. And so we, of course, were covering some different events, but it came time, and it was a barn burner. Of course, Central won 41-34 in overtime. An amazing game. And so here's some of the sights and sounds

of the 2022 Celebration Bowl. We'll be right back. Thank you. ¶¶ ¶¶ © BF-WATCH TV 2021 ¶¶ EGLE BRIDGE! ¶¶ Let's go. We'll be right back. Let's go. We'll be right back. All right, folks. So normally people are talking about the halftime shows, but everyone was talking about what happened on the field. Goes down to the wire. And, of course, Jackson State down by seven with seven seconds left. And then all of a sudden, Shador Sanders hits

Travis Hunter in the end zone as the time expired to force an overtime. I was literally standing right there as it unfolded. Here's the video that I shot. Oh, he's going to win. Then we go to the overtime, folks. And then what happens, North Carolina Central, they're able to score a touchdown. and it was a punch that thing through. They go up by seven. Jackson State gets the ball. Goes down to a third down.

And guess what? They could have topped the game. This happened and we were in the right spot and I shot this and I was sitting there going, I cannot believe what just happened. After he dropped that third down touchdown, easy touchdown, it's now fourth down. One final play for Jackson State. But he could get a first down. Wow.

Wow. Fingers crossed. FANS ROAR Takk skal du ha. The Stamford FANS ROAR Oh, my God. FANS ROAR come on nice nice stay still stay still Stavros Stavros the first time in his life. All right, folks, hold tight one second. We've got to go to a break, and we'll continue with our recap with 2022 Celebration Vote powered by General Motors. So let me go to a break. You're watching the Black Star Network. financial advisor and bank isn't telling you, but you absolutely need to know.

So watch Get Wealthy on the Blackstar Network. Hi, I'm Dr. Jackie Hood Martin, and I have a question for you. Ever feel as if your life is teetering and the weight and pressure of the world is consistently on your shoulders? Well, let me tell you, living a balanced life isn't easy. Join me each Tuesday on Blackstar Network for a balanced life with Dr. Jackie. We'll laugh together, cry together, pull ourselves together, and cheer each other on. So join me for new shows each Tuesday on Blackstar Network, a balanced life A Balanced Life with Dr. Jackie. We're all impacted by the culture, whether we know it or not. From politics to music and entertainment, it's a huge part of our lives.

And we're going to talk about it every day right here on The Culture with me, Faraji Muhammad, only on the Black Star Network. Pull up a chair, take your seat, the Black Tape. With me, Dr. Greg Carr, here on the Black Star Network. Every week, we'll take a deeper dive into the world we're living in. Join the conversation, only on the Black Star Network. My name is Charlie Wilson. Hi, I'm Sally Richardson-Whitfield. And I'm Dodger Whitfield. Hey, everybody, this is your man Fred Hammond, and you're watching Roland Martin, my man,

Unfiltered. All right, welcome back to the Black Star Network right here for our post-2022 Celebration Bowl coverage. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated.

I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. We are back.

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

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

It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. Sometimes as dads, I think we're too hard on ourselves.

We get down on ourselves on not being able to, you know, we're the providers. But we also have to learn to take care of ourselves. A wrap-up way, you got to pray for yourself as well as for everybody else, but never forget yourself. Self-love made me a better dad because I realized my worth. Never stop being a dad. That's dedication. Find out more at fatherhood.gov. Brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ad Council. Powered by General Motors. Here is more of that coverage of an amazing, amazing bowl game. I'm not going to be down.. The Stavros Stavros And, folks, quite an emotional Jackson State fan stunned and undefeated going into this game. The only loss of the season, not winning the HBCU National Championship.

And so a lot of players and coaches in the room celebrated. Coach Deion Sanders was doing his part to console his team, console his players. It was an extremely emotional moment on the field for Deion Sanders, for Jackson State players, and for their fan base. And then, you'll see, I even caught Coach Sanders embracing Jackson State great and Hall of Famer Robert Brazeal played for the Houston Oilers when the game was over. Now, I grew up watching the Houston Oilers, Love You Blue, and got a chance to talk to Hall of Famer Robert Brazeal about this game,

about this team, and about Coach Sanders. Thank you. Thank you for what you did, man. Don't hurt him. Go ahead and what you did, man. It's going to hurt. It's going to hurt. Come on. You're a man, man. It's going to hurt.

Where at? Your thoughts just about this team? They didn't win the final game. Your thoughts about just this team? Very, very. I'm used to it. I'm used, very, I knew Joe DeLon. He was trying. He dropped out.

He's still in the game. So it's not like there's nothing to be said about him. It's going to hurt him. I know about this team. He pulled up. He did what nobody could ever do. I still feel those losses and the Steelers. I still feel those monsters.

Don't trust me. I still feel them. I don't see them. Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. Just your thoughts just on what Deion did for this team this week. I'm grateful for what Deion has done. That's my thought.

I am so grateful for what he has done. Deion has did everything that he told me he was going to do. He didn't win it out. He won his first championship back-to-back. And I'm happy to win his first national championship. It hurt me. I appreciate that. Thank you, man.

I appreciate it. Now, folks, it wasn't all about Jackson State. The winner was North Carolina Central, and I got a chance to catch up with the Chancellor, Johnson Akele of North Carolina Central, a good buddy of mine. I've spoken on the university campus a couple of times, and he was elated with how his team performed

in winning the Celebration Bowl. All right, folks, here's The leader of North Carolina Central. You must feel real good about this win. I feel great about this win. Feel good about this win. They said we couldn't do it, and we shut them down. National champion. Your guys were, I was there at the, of course, team dinner.

They were loose. They were having fun. They came to play. They were ready to play, and they were of course, team dinner. They were loose. Yes. They were having fun. Yes. They came to play. They came to play. They were ready to play. And they were informed and safe. They shut them down.

Well, everybody kept asking me who was I cheering for. So I just did Jackson State commencement. I said, well, I've spoken at both schools, so I was pulling for a tie. And Roland is my good friend. He's going way back. He's really my best, you know. Yeah. Look Roland is my good friend. He's going way back. He's rooting for the best, you know. Yeah, thank you. Look, it was absolutely great.

It was a good game. And so what does this game also mean, the level of tension? What does it mean for your university and your alumni? Well, what it means is that we just prove ourselves to be number one in the classroom and on the field. We are number one, and we are winners. D-Goose are winners. They have to believe it.

This is it. All right. This is it. I look forward to coming back. Thank you, brother. I appreciate it. I look forward to seeing you come back again. Yes, sir.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Coach Trey Oliver was absolutely ecstatic, excited, but also made clear his players, they came to play and came to win, and they proved their point at the MEAC is where they play some serious football. Yes, sir. Dorn, we chatted on Wednesday, and you said your team was not scared. We're not scared.

We're going to come back down, and, you know, like I said, we ain't about all that talking and all that social media and all that chirping, man. In our conference, we play football, and we're a physical brand. We could have played better today. You know, we made a lot of mistakes. But at the end of the day, we persevered, and I'm so proud of my guys. What does this win also mean for your alumni, for the MIAC,

and really for the institution, having this national exposure, all eyes on Jackson State and North Carolina Central. Right. We're an outstanding university, and it's great for the world to see it, for the nation to see our brand. And, you know, we're going to improve, and like I said, it's so much bigger than me.

I'm just so happy for our university and for our university to put on a show like this on national television. And when that fourth down pass went out, your team exploded. And you could see it really wins them. They were loose. They were not uptight. And they were really walking with a sense of confidence. Right.

We have a proper team. They trust themselves. They believe in themselves. And, you know, it's not an arrogance, but it's just confidence. And, you know, we talk about a thumb and step mentality, not too high, not too low. And the guys could have folded their tail when we gave them that last play over here, the crazy play.

But we're going to fight back, man. We're going to keep our head up, and we're going to fight back. I see you, Reed. Congrats on being national champs. I'm already one. Oh, man, thank you, son. Congratulations. What's going on, man?

Long time. Congratulations. What's going on, man? Long time. How you doing? Athletic director Lewis Perkins. Boy, he was a happy, happy man holding that heavy Celebration Bowl trophy. You ready? Feels good holding that, huh? Yeah, it feels great. Feels great.

It's heavy, but it feels great. Talk about this team. Feels good to hold that, huh? Yeah, it feels great. Feels great. It's heavy, but it feels great. Talk about this team. When I was at the dinner Wednesday, I told Coach this. They were loose. They were having fun. And they were feeling good the entire week. You know what?

This is a really, really, really close group. The coach is good. They love each other. They play for each other. And, you know, they came here on a mission. This was a business trip. And never did one second they think they were just going to, you know, come here here on a mission. This was a business trip. And never did one second of anything. They were just going to, you know, come here and roll over. It was going to be a dogfight.

And we took some of their best punches. Coach came back with that awesome fake punt. I couldn't believe it. And I was like, okay, we're going to be all right. We're going to be good. Well, the guys jumped out to a 10-0 lead. And a lot of people were like, oh, these guys not playing. You know what?

We start fast most of the time. But we know Jackson State. We know they're a good team. And they were going to come back throwing haymakers. And we took some tough blows from them. And they got some talented folks over there, too, now. So we knew they weren't going to lay down. And after halftime, we just regrouped and came back at them.

So the second year, so much attention for this game. This place on Jackson State in the SWAC. And just like South Carolina State, North Carolina Central represented for the MIAC. You know what? The MIAC brand of football is fierce. It's tough. It's physical. And it might be six teams, but every week it's a dogfight.

And nobody backs down from anybody. So what you see is what you get with Smash Mouth Football. And we were able to win today. All right. Congratulations. So much, man. Thanks for the chance. Thank you. Hold on. Thank you. Mouth Football, and we were able to win today. All right. Congratulations. So much, man. Master Tim. Thank you.

Hold on. Thank you. Appreciate it. Get Bulldogs. I'm taking this thing. Bulldogs. Wait, thank you. What'd you call it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can't give it up. Okay. I cannot give it up. Thank y'all. Get Bulldogs. Let us know we good. Oh, yeah.

Congratulations, Coach. Thank you. Thank y' you so much. And after we talked with the North Carolina Central staff, we then went to the post-news conference where Coach Sanders gave his final news conference as head coach of Jackson State, and where I also got a chance to ask him about that emotional moment on the field with his players in Robert Brazil. Coach Roland Martin, there were two emotional moments after the game.

You were picking players off the bench, but also in the tunnel. You embraced Robert Brazil, and both of you were very emotional. Talk about those two situations after the game I wanted to have a last opportunity to speak to my team as a unit so that's why I was trying to get them in

and comfort them as well because a lot of those young men were emotional because we didn't fathom a loss we don't think like that with Robert Brazil, that's like big brother. That's like uncle. And I feel like I let him down. Like that's my man. Like I called a few people before accepting the job to let him know what I was contemplating. And he was one of the ones because I wanted his blessing.

And I wanted to understand the lay of the land because I didn't really know a lot about HBCUs. And he's been there every step of the way. He's done things that you don't even understand. But he's been there for me to give me guidance and comfort and love and wisdom. And I sincerely love him. And I feel as though I let him down. And that's going to be with me for the rest of my life. I love him that much.

He's in the meetings on Friday just to be there for us. He's always there. Whenever he can make the games He's there and the young men love him not because of what he's accomplished, but who he is to us So for everything that you did how do you feel like you let him down for everything you accomplished we lost man Lost twice I'm a winner. I know I don't just measure.

I'm sorry, sis. I apologize. I apologize. I don't measure everything by W's and L's because, you know, graduation rate, people saying I was troubled legally. I think we have several kids that are fathers. I want them to be great fathers. You can't measure that kind of stuff. But, you know, not winning, you measure that kind of stuff.

But I feel like we won, but we didn't win that game. But that's just me. I just feel like I let them down. And that hurts. I love them that much. I want to make note of a man that's been there just me. I just feel like I let him down. And that hurts. I love him that much. I want to make note of a man that's been there for me. You know, throughout all this, I've lost several people

through this short journey of Jackson. My pastor was one of them. And God sent me another man that has filled that void and then some. Is Pastor Smith here? Yeah. My old buddy. God.

I love you, my brother. I love you, too. They don't understand what I dealt with in the hospital, do they? No clue. They have no clue. They don't understand what I dealt with in the hospital, do they? They have no clue. But you did. You were there. You came every time I needed you.

Pick up the phone every time I call you. So a lot of things we may seem to make it seem like it's easy, but it's not easy spiritually or physically or psychologically emotionally but god will send you a man and god send you so i just wanted to recognize you and listen in your time to let you know let you know how what you mean to me i love you guys hey guys uh some of you i may never run across again i hope i do dr cavill i love you colors thank. We'll change the game up on. Hey, but let me tell you something. We would have never gotten to the level that we've gotten to if it hadn't have been for y'all.

They're good at it, but, you know, some of y'all just got a negative opinion. You're going to do what you do. God bless you. I need you to. I need y'all to. Because then another guy with a positive opinion is going to flip that whole thing.

But thank you just for shining light on HBCUs. I'm not walking away. I'm going to still always love HBCUs in my time. Ashley Robinson gave me an opportunity that was phenomenal, and I was able to maximize my moments. But if it had not been for those opportunities, I probably wouldn't have received those other opportunities that I have received. So I'm forever in debt.

I'm going to miss the sign phone with all my heart, Dr. Little, our cheerleaders. I mean, so many people I can't be on to have a roll call. But I thank y'all, each and every last one of y'all, for what you've contributed, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, anybody that has ever reported, not on just me, but HBCUs, and uplift this whole movement. The movement don't stop with a man, although it may have started.

The movement don't continue with a plan. I'm going to say that again. The movement don't stop with a man, although it may have started like that. But the movement is going to continue with a plan. God bless. God bless. Nobody clapping? Walk around. walk around All right, folks, that's it for today's show.

I appreciate General Motors partnering with us for our coverage of the Celebration Bowl. It was a fantastic, fantastic game. Plus, we also partnered with them for the Bayou Classic and the SWAG Championship as well. If y'all want to see any of that coverage, simply go to the Blackstar Network app and you can check it out. Folks, that is it. I got to go.

I'll see you guys tomorrow right here on the Blackstar Network. I'm Roland Martin. You know how we always end it, huh? The I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no.

This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast.

Yes, sir. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real.

It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I always had to be so good, no one could ignore me. Carve my

path with data and drive. But some people only see who I am on paper. The paper ceiling. The limitations from degree screens to stereotypes that are holding back over 70 million stars. Workers skilled through alternative routes rather than a bachelor's degree. It's time for skills to speak for themselves. Find resources for breaking through barriers at taylorpapersceiling.org. Brought to you by Opportunity at Work and the Ad Council.

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