1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,600 Hello, hello, this is Zulema Gomez here for the bold and the brave. 2 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:13,320 Hi, Hobson. 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:14,200 Thanks for joining. 4 00:00:14,700 --> 00:00:15,300 Hi, Zulema. 5 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:16,200 Thank you for having me. 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:17,500 I'm very excited to be here. 7 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:19,100 Oh my goodness. 8 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:23,000 I have been so excited for you to join us on a more regular basis on 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,700 the podcast and co-host and host moving forward. 10 00:00:26,700 --> 00:00:30,300 But since you are coming back and I think you were here maybe one 11 00:00:30,300 --> 00:00:32,900 or two podcasts ago, I wonder if there's anything you'd like to 12 00:00:32,900 --> 00:00:35,200 share about yourself and why you're in this civic space. 13 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,700 I am the operations and special initiatives associate with the 14 00:00:39,700 --> 00:00:43,400 National Parent Leadership Institute and the head of the legislative 15 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,300 advocacy and policy team. 16 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,600 We do a lot of legislative advocacy work. 17 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,600 I'm also in law school and I've been involved in political campaigns 18 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,400 throughout different parts of my career. 19 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,900 Civic engagement, advocacy, all of those things are right in my alley. 20 00:00:55,900 --> 00:00:59,300 I'm very excited for the conversations we're going to have today, but 21 00:00:59,300 --> 00:01:01,300 also that we're going to be having going forward. 22 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:07,800 Yes, I have the wonderful privilege of working with Hobson and is a 23 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:11,600 fellow policy nerd like many of us at MPLI. 24 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:12,700 So welcome. 25 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,900 And for those who don't know me, I am Zulema Gomez and I am the 26 00:01:15,900 --> 00:01:20,200 director of implementation and capacity building at MPLI. 27 00:01:20,500 --> 00:01:22,900 We really wanted to take the time today to talk a little bit about 28 00:01:22,900 --> 00:01:25,400 what's happening in policy and politics. 29 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,100 As parent leaders, as civic leaders, it's always important to pay 30 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:31,500 attention what's happening in federal government, maybe some things 31 00:01:31,500 --> 00:01:33,200 that are happening at the local level. 32 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:37,000 And then there's some important work that we are doing at MPLI that 33 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,100 we'd love to highlight. 34 00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:42,600 And then of course, we have some important honorable mention kind 35 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,400 of dates and holidays coming up that we honor in different ways as 36 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:47,100 civic leaders. 37 00:01:47,100 --> 00:01:49,400 But I know Hobson, you're in Atlanta. 38 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:50,900 You all got a bunch of snow. 39 00:01:50,900 --> 00:01:53,600 How are you faring with this weather? 40 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:54,500 How are you doing? 41 00:01:54,500 --> 00:01:56,800 We're actually doing fairly well. 42 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:57,800 We were very concerned. 43 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,500 We got like five inches of snow, which is the most I've ever seen 44 00:02:00,500 --> 00:02:06,600 in Atlanta, but I actually saw a snow plow truck in Atlanta and 45 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:09,200 it really helped because the roads are drivable. 46 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:09,800 So it's great. 47 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:11,400 But yeah, we're hanging in there. 48 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,200 Yeah, these are the days to appreciate like the folks who are 49 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:17,800 keeping our cities going right. 50 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:19,200 The infrastructure going. 51 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:20,800 100%. 52 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:24,400 You don't realize how much goes into getting one plow truck into 53 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:27,100 the city, especially when you're not a place that often has snow. 54 00:02:28,300 --> 00:02:29,600 Yeah, absolutely. 55 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,800 And I think on the opposite end of the spectrum in California, 56 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,300 we're sort of like in a different place. 57 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:38,000 Many folks have heard about the fires, several fires that are 58 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:38,900 happening in LA. 59 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:42,800 We have some strong winds again today and are expecting the 60 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,600 containment to be a little bit more difficult, but we've heard 61 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,500 a lot from folks checking in. 62 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:50,000 A lot of people know I'm in California, Southern California, 63 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:52,900 and we are not in LA County. 64 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:55,600 We're in San Diego County, but definitely our neighbors, our 65 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:59,400 community is rallying a lot to help those who have been affected 66 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:00,200 by fires. 67 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,600 And if you are someone who is interested in helping, there 68 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:08,100 are many organizations to give to directly that are helping 69 00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:10,600 with folks who have been completely displaced have lost 70 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,400 their homes and we're happy to share more information on that, 71 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,400 but just feeling a lot of gratitude and appreciation for 72 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,000 check-ins, but also for our neighbors and other states and 73 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:21,900 other countries, right? 74 00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:24,600 We've seen Canadian and Mexican firefighters that have come in 75 00:03:24,900 --> 00:03:28,500 in large numbers to help out and just feeling so much gratitude 76 00:03:28,500 --> 00:03:31,700 for the community that's here to help in LA. 77 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:33,500 Yeah. 78 00:03:36,100 --> 00:03:38,600 So Hobson, you know, these are some of things that are happening 79 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,200 locally in our communities, but I wonder as a civic leader, 80 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,500 if there are any things that you're paying attention to either 81 00:03:45,500 --> 00:03:48,000 at the federal level that you think we should highlight in 82 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,700 this conversation, what's coming up as far as this new administration 83 00:03:52,700 --> 00:03:53,200 coming in? 84 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,100 Yeah, for me, it's definitely going to be about the confirmation 85 00:03:59,100 --> 00:04:01,700 of these cabinet appointments and seeing who's going to be running 86 00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:05,600 a lot of our executive agencies in 2025 and going forward. 87 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,500 And then also just looking at the balance of Congress right now 88 00:04:10,500 --> 00:04:14,700 and the Supreme Court and what a 2026 midterm election looks 89 00:04:14,700 --> 00:04:18,000 like. So I'm thinking a little bit ahead, but also thinking 90 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:21,800 kind of in the here and now and figuring out a pathway to move 91 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:23,300 forward. How about you? 92 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,400 Yeah, I think the appointments will are on my mind, the cabinet 93 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:31,900 appointments. This week there are hearings happening. 94 00:04:31,900 --> 00:04:34,300 So I think there are a few key names that we're going to hear 95 00:04:34,300 --> 00:04:38,700 that are potentially going to oversee large departments in 96 00:04:38,700 --> 00:04:42,500 our country that definitely will have a trickle-down impact 97 00:04:42,500 --> 00:04:43,900 into our local communities. 98 00:04:43,900 --> 00:04:46,900 I know that there are a couple that I'm thinking about quite 99 00:04:46,900 --> 00:04:48,300 a bit and paying attention to. 100 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:49,900 I wonder if there's a couple for you. 101 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:54,100 I'm looking specifically at, for example, Scott Turner, who 102 00:04:54,100 --> 00:04:58,100 would be looking at leading HUD or Housing and Urban Development 103 00:04:58,100 --> 00:05:04,300 and Robert F. Kennedy, who is sort of got tagged in for overseeing 104 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:05,700 Health and Human Services. 105 00:05:05,700 --> 00:05:08,400 I wonder if there's anyone else on your mind that we can sort 106 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,900 of start to sort through and check in on. 107 00:05:10,900 --> 00:05:14,500 Yeah, I mean, I'm thinking about Linda McMahon, who's said to 108 00:05:14,500 --> 00:05:19,800 be the Education Secretary and Laurie Chavez de Rameur, who is 109 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:21,800 said to be the Labor Secretary. 110 00:05:21,800 --> 00:05:25,300 Both of them have some interesting policy perspectives and 111 00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:28,300 have been the topic of discussion in terms of whether or 112 00:05:28,300 --> 00:05:31,200 not they're going to be getting confirmed for the cabinet. 113 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,200 But I do want to, I feel like this is something that I never 114 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,500 took a moment to actually like look up. 115 00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:39,400 What is like, what is the cabinet? 116 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,000 You know, what does the cabinet do? 117 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:42,100 What is their role? 118 00:05:42,100 --> 00:05:46,500 So I actually went to White House, Whitehouse.gov, and it kind of 119 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:49,000 lays out the different roles of the executive branch. 120 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,400 And for cabinet, it just says the cabinet is an advisory body 121 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,500 made up of the heads of 15 executive departments. 122 00:05:55,500 --> 00:05:58,300 They're appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate, 123 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:00,800 and the members of the cabinet are often the president's 124 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,000 closest confidants. 125 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,100 They run major federal agencies and play an important role in 126 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:07,700 the presidential line of succession. 127 00:06:07,700 --> 00:06:10,600 So that gives you kind of, viewers, that gives you a little 128 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,000 bit of an idea about the role that some of these folks are 129 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,000 going to be playing, but also the importance that they have, 130 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,200 especially in that succession line. 131 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,600 These folks are folks that might be leaders of the country. 132 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,800 So they're just very interesting and important to recognize 133 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,100 and be aware of those cabinet leaders, I think. 134 00:06:31,100 --> 00:06:32,500 And there's a process, right? 135 00:06:32,500 --> 00:06:36,400 So just because the president has appointed or the president 136 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:40,400 elect has appointed or selected members of the cabinet, 137 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,700 it doesn't mean that they will be in that place, right? 138 00:06:42,700 --> 00:06:46,600 So there is a whole hearing confirmation process, background 139 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,500 checks, things like that, that have already eliminated some 140 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:52,400 early appointees in the last month or so. 141 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,800 But then, you know, we have other folks moving forward to 142 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:56,000 the hearing process. 143 00:06:56,100 --> 00:06:58,000 So I think that's important to say that, yes, they've been 144 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,100 appointed, selected, but not yet confirmed. 145 00:07:01,100 --> 00:07:03,300 There's a process to that still. 146 00:07:03,300 --> 00:07:05,500 Yep, yep, yep. 147 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:08,300 And I think this kind of goes to my other concern around 148 00:07:08,500 --> 00:07:10,000 the balance of Congress right now. 149 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,800 This general concern that we've had from the founding of our 150 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,700 country between efficiency and tyranny. 151 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:19,100 Right now, the Republicans have control over both houses of 152 00:07:19,100 --> 00:07:21,600 Congress, the presidency, and the Supreme Court. 153 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,500 What that does on the positive side is that it gives the 154 00:07:25,500 --> 00:07:29,300 Republican Party opportunities to pass legislation with little 155 00:07:29,300 --> 00:07:30,600 to no resistance, right? 156 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:35,300 Because in order to get a bill passed, you have to get 50% 157 00:07:35,300 --> 00:07:38,500 in one chamber, get it over to the other chamber, get it passed 158 00:07:38,500 --> 00:07:40,600 in that chamber, then get it to the president's desk. 159 00:07:40,700 --> 00:07:43,700 Republicans have both of those chambers, also have the 160 00:07:43,700 --> 00:07:44,500 presidency. 161 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,300 And then in the event that somebody thought that that bill 162 00:07:47,300 --> 00:07:50,400 was unconstitutional, the Republicans also have control 163 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:51,400 of the Supreme Court. 164 00:07:51,500 --> 00:07:56,800 And so right now, there's not much avenue for contesting 165 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:00,900 Republican legislation outside of pulling some Republican 166 00:08:00,900 --> 00:08:02,100 votes if you can. 167 00:08:02,100 --> 00:08:05,700 So it's just an interesting place to be in, especially when 168 00:08:05,700 --> 00:08:08,600 you're looking at the other side of the coin of tyranny, of 169 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:10,700 not having that checks and balances available. 170 00:08:10,700 --> 00:08:14,300 Having another party that has a say, it just means that 2026 171 00:08:14,300 --> 00:08:17,700 midterm election is going to be even more important. 172 00:08:19,300 --> 00:08:24,200 Right, if we don't have, if our values don't align with the 173 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,000 things that the Republican Party is doing. 174 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:27,500 Yeah. 175 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:29,200 Oh, go ahead. 176 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,400 No, I was just going to say, yeah, I mean, I think it's 177 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,100 going to be important even if you want to maintain and keep 178 00:08:35,100 --> 00:08:36,400 this majority, right? 179 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,600 It's just going to be a pivotal election for both sides to 180 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,400 either keep that power or try to take some of it away. 181 00:08:45,500 --> 00:08:47,900 Yeah, and I think because of that, there are a lot of political 182 00:08:47,900 --> 00:08:51,500 analysts that are predicting that there will be a lot of policy 183 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:54,300 new laws that will be passed in the next two years because of 184 00:08:54,300 --> 00:08:55,700 that potential flip. 185 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,700 So I think paying attention to what's coming down the line as 186 00:08:58,700 --> 00:09:00,100 always will be important. 187 00:09:00,300 --> 00:09:03,200 It was interesting you talked about the sort of control of 188 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:04,000 the Supreme Court. 189 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,500 I think it's important to say that no party or president can 190 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:09,800 dictate what the Supreme Court does. 191 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:15,200 However, if we again are paying attention to pattern and value 192 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,700 alignment, we see very conservative members of the 193 00:09:18,700 --> 00:09:23,100 Supreme Court and a lot of stripping away of a variety of 194 00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:26,600 human rights and civil rights that have happened just in the 195 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:27,700 last few years. 196 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,500 So I think it is fair to say that a lot of things are aligned 197 00:09:31,500 --> 00:09:35,600 right now for the Republicans more conservative policies. 198 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:40,100 Yeah, and then to your point, historically, the Supreme Court 199 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:44,000 has had political leanings, but they have also been susceptible 200 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,800 to societal pressures as well. 201 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:49,100 So, you know, this isn't a conversation to say that all hope 202 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:50,000 is lost, right? 203 00:09:50,100 --> 00:09:55,200 There's still advocacy that can be done and again, all hope is 204 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,500 lost if you're not aligned, but it could be the greatest thing 205 00:09:57,500 --> 00:09:58,000 ever for you. 206 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:01,600 So, you know, there's still opportunities for advocacy and 207 00:10:02,300 --> 00:10:06,800 having your voice heard, you know, so keep pushing if that's 208 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:07,500 where you are. 209 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,100 Yeah, I think where there's hope is that there's a lot that 210 00:10:11,100 --> 00:10:15,300 could be done on the local and state level to really protect 211 00:10:15,300 --> 00:10:19,500 communities from some of the larger federal decisions either 212 00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:23,600 from the Supreme Court or from legislators at the federal 213 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:24,100 level. 214 00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:26,800 So sometimes there are laws that are passed at the federal 215 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:31,700 level, but counties, cities and states will create their own 216 00:10:31,700 --> 00:10:35,400 laws sort of like buffer the impact and we saw this around 217 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:37,200 the overturning of Roe v. 218 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,000 Wade and how there were states that immediately put it to 219 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,900 citizen vote to protect reproductive rights for people, 220 00:10:44,900 --> 00:10:45,900 right within those states. 221 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:48,600 I think if you're seeing that as we're paying attention, it 222 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:52,800 might be time to organize or join coalitions and organizations 223 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,900 that are doing that work of trying to really create protections 224 00:10:56,900 --> 00:10:58,300 after these laws are passed. 225 00:10:58,400 --> 00:10:59,300 So I think I'm with you. 226 00:10:59,300 --> 00:11:00,500 I'm always in a place of hope. 227 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:03,500 Maybe not initially like let's be honest and human. 228 00:11:03,700 --> 00:11:06,200 I have definitely shed tears for decisions that have been 229 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,900 made, but then very quickly have found community and places 230 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:13,300 where I can put my energies and I think the case here and even 231 00:11:13,300 --> 00:11:16,500 as we were looking at some of the cabinet appointments, there's 232 00:11:16,900 --> 00:11:20,200 one where I find a little bit more hope based on some of 233 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,700 their actions and we have to remember that just because 234 00:11:22,700 --> 00:11:26,600 someone is Republican or Democrat, they're not always 235 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,900 making the best decisions for our community despite the 236 00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:29,500 party, right? 237 00:11:29,500 --> 00:11:33,200 And you mentioned Laurie Chavez de Remer who would be overseeing 238 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:33,900 labor, right? 239 00:11:33,900 --> 00:11:37,000 So she could become the labor secretary and is someone who 240 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:43,500 has historically been pro-union, pro-labor, pro-workforce in 241 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,500 some of the policies and laws that she's tried to have passed. 242 00:11:46,500 --> 00:11:50,700 So I think there's some positive there and some history there. 243 00:11:50,900 --> 00:11:55,100 What we don't know is how she'll align to what the administration 244 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:59,500 overall policies have been which have been very anti-workforce, 245 00:11:59,500 --> 00:12:04,600 very anti-regulation when it comes to building and businesses 246 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,800 and so there's a little bit of what feels like a contradiction 247 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:08,500 and values. 248 00:12:08,500 --> 00:12:11,900 So it'll be really interesting to see what this potential 249 00:12:11,900 --> 00:12:14,900 secretary, Laurie Chavez does in light of the administration 250 00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:16,000 that's pulling her in. 251 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:19,300 Yeah, and I think similarly on that, I think there's a lot of 252 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:21,900 discussion around the Trump administration wanting to get 253 00:12:21,900 --> 00:12:24,600 rid of the Department of Education as we know they've won 254 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,200 the presidency, but they've also appointed an education 255 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:31,500 secretary and Linda McMahon who you know, long-time owner of 256 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:36,800 the WWE and a long-time advocate and someone who is highly 257 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:38,400 involved in the education space. 258 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:42,400 So she's someone who's very much advocate for school choice, 259 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,600 but she's somebody who definitely has been involved in 260 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:49,600 education and implementing system education throughout 261 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:50,200 the country. 262 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,600 Yeah, I think she has definitely been very school choice, 263 00:12:54,700 --> 00:12:55,700 pro-charger school. 264 00:12:55,700 --> 00:12:58,000 So if you're a parent leader that's aligned with some of 265 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,200 those values, I think this is someone that might be an advocate. 266 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,500 I do think it's important to talk about what school choice 267 00:13:04,700 --> 00:13:07,700 means and really specifically through that conservative 268 00:13:07,700 --> 00:13:12,500 lens. It hasn't always meant just freedom to take your kids 269 00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:14,400 to whatever school they want, right? 270 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:19,400 In some cases, school choice has also led to stripping away 271 00:13:19,500 --> 00:13:22,700 the choice for materials and curriculum similar to a lot of 272 00:13:22,700 --> 00:13:24,400 the work that Moms for Liberty do. 273 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,900 It doesn't mean that it's Liberty for All. 274 00:13:26,900 --> 00:13:30,000 It really just means actually stripping away liberties to 275 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,900 read whatever young people want to read. 276 00:13:32,900 --> 00:13:35,800 And so I think this is just another reminder that we need to 277 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:36,400 pay attention. 278 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,500 We might hear words like, oh, they're all for school choice. 279 00:13:39,500 --> 00:13:39,900 Great. 280 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:40,600 We're good. 281 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,400 I can tap out and that's not what this means, right? 282 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,400 If anything, we have to always dig in and see what we're 283 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:47,600 learning about folks. 284 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:48,500 I think Robert F. 285 00:13:48,500 --> 00:13:52,800 Kennedy is another one of these appointees that, you know, 286 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:55,500 we hear a lot of conflicting things, but it's important to 287 00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:56,200 do research. 288 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:56,600 Robert F. 289 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,000 Kennedy potentially become the Secretary of Health and Human 290 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,800 Services talks a lot about health, but it's important to 291 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,800 look at his history and how he impacts. 292 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:07,900 There was another letter that went out today in the New York 293 00:14:07,900 --> 00:14:11,500 Times where health officials from all across the country 294 00:14:11,500 --> 00:14:15,900 thousands are calling for him not to be confirmed in this 295 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:16,400 position. 296 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,400 There's great concerns, but then there was recently a letter 297 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,900 of support from 800 health officials. 298 00:14:22,100 --> 00:14:25,000 So again, it's important to look at like why do these health 299 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,800 officials support someone like Robert F. 300 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,900 Kennedy for this place and why do these thousands not like 301 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:33,900 what is it in his body of work is advocacy and there might 302 00:14:33,900 --> 00:14:36,100 be some alignment and values for us as parent leaders and 303 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:39,200 some of the things he says, but let's look at process and 304 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,800 and how science has come into some of that work as well. 305 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:46,600 Yeah, 100% and I think that one of the appointees that I'd 306 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:50,400 like to highlight that you kind of spoke to earlier with 307 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,300 Scott Turner who's said to be the Secretary for the Department 308 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:55,700 of Housing and Urban Development. 309 00:14:55,700 --> 00:14:58,900 He's actually the Trump administration's highest ranking 310 00:14:58,900 --> 00:15:01,900 black person that has been selected up until this point and 311 00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:03,400 he's a former NFL player. 312 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:07,200 I didn't find much about his work in housing and urban 313 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:11,400 development specifically, but you know, I'm sure that he'll 314 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:14,800 have some policies that align with the Trump administration's 315 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:17,800 but it'll be interesting to see what policies come out of 316 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,600 that branch or that agency as well over the next few years, 317 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:26,300 especially given the lack of documented experiences out there. 318 00:15:26,300 --> 00:15:30,100 So there's something to consider and also just to re-emphasize 319 00:15:30,100 --> 00:15:31,100 this process point. 320 00:15:31,100 --> 00:15:36,400 The Senate are the ones who confirm these appointees 321 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,400 opportunity for advocacy as the MPLI advocacy guy, right? 322 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:41,600 Call your senators. 323 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,000 Tell them to encourage other senators to vote yes or no for 324 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:48,700 the appointees that you believe are good or bad for the country. 325 00:15:48,700 --> 00:15:51,500 There's always an opportunity to have your voice heard and 326 00:15:51,500 --> 00:15:55,800 especially with an administration that has consolidated 327 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:56,400 so much power. 328 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,200 It can be even more important to have your voice heard in 329 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:03,300 situations like this, even if it's to go from one Trump 330 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:07,000 appointee to a different Trump appointee or to make sure that 331 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:12,100 RF Kennedy gets the Health and Human Services Secretary position. 332 00:16:12,300 --> 00:16:15,400 Whatever your position is, your voice is definitely needed 333 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:16,300 in this process. 334 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:21,100 Hobson, I think that's so important and so for example, 335 00:16:21,100 --> 00:16:22,300 let's take Scott Turner. 336 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:27,200 So potentially this is someone who will oversee section 8 337 00:16:27,500 --> 00:16:31,300 affordable housing development housing vouchers and really 338 00:16:31,300 --> 00:16:35,100 look at all policies tied to housing, right? 339 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,100 So if I am someone who's really passionate about affordable 340 00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:42,400 housing or making sure that section 8 budget expands, I 341 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:43,500 would call my senator. 342 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,300 It's you won't your senator won't pick up right there. 343 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:49,000 Not going to pick up the phone, but you might hear from an 344 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,500 aide and all you have to do is say my name is my goodness. 345 00:16:52,500 --> 00:16:59,400 I live in this district and I want senator so-and-so to oppose 346 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:04,200 the confirmation or or approve and for these reasons, right? 347 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:08,100 And so these calls add up and they keep those Kelly's does 348 00:17:08,100 --> 00:17:12,700 it always sway a senator or a legislator not always but we've 349 00:17:12,700 --> 00:17:16,200 heard from a lot of legislators who will ask how many oppose 350 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:20,300 how many calls have I received around this and it can help 351 00:17:20,300 --> 00:17:21,500 inform the decision. 352 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:25,500 So I think it's a really good reminder of like how we can 353 00:17:25,500 --> 00:17:29,000 take action on things that feel so large and out of our reach 354 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,900 but that they impact us directly all of us depend on housing 355 00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:36,300 and definitely affordable housing would be nice. 356 00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:38,700 So if this is something you're passionate about these are 357 00:17:38,700 --> 00:17:41,900 the calls that you can make or emails very quick emails, 358 00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:45,200 right doesn't have to be your life story or all the data 359 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,900 research. I'll go if you have some of that link it but sometimes 360 00:17:48,900 --> 00:17:51,800 they're just looking for the yeses and nays when it comes 361 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,500 to those calls and it can help sway sometimes. 362 00:17:55,100 --> 00:17:58,400 Yeah, 100% and like you said advocacy is an ongoing process. 363 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,300 So even if it doesn't help sway the first time establishing 364 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:04,000 relationship with your senator's office can never be a bad thing. 365 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,200 So I definitely encourage you all to get involved if you can 366 00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:11,300 is there anything else around the new administration? 367 00:18:11,300 --> 00:18:13,400 I know we have the inauguration coming up. 368 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:16,100 I think the results of the election were just certified 369 00:18:16,100 --> 00:18:19,500 last week with no, you know, we have to say this now. 370 00:18:19,500 --> 00:18:22,600 There was no sorts of crazy happenings with the certification 371 00:18:22,600 --> 00:18:27,800 just clean clear drama no violence no insurrections vice 372 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:32,400 president Kamala Harris did what she was appointed to do, 373 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,600 right, which is to certify this and I think was a great 374 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,100 example of what this process should look like and hopefully 375 00:18:39,100 --> 00:18:43,600 this continues forever after this seamless process. 376 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,000 The inauguration is next Monday. 377 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,200 So it's January 20th. 378 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,500 I think I had mentioned to you it this is for me always 379 00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:53,900 feels like a teaching moment as a parent. 380 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:59,300 I have kept my son from attending school to witness the full 381 00:18:59,300 --> 00:19:02,700 inauguration, you know one year we received an email from 382 00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:05,300 a teacher that said that we're going to show the inauguration 383 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:07,000 and so I think that was great. 384 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:09,900 It was great to have a teacher in partnership, but for me 385 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:13,200 it's important especially with this last cycle now that my 386 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,400 son is older in 2020. 387 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:18,500 I wanted him to witness the first female vice president 388 00:19:18,500 --> 00:19:22,700 see that live and the speeches the swearing in and all the 389 00:19:22,700 --> 00:19:25,300 celebrity guests what was beautiful about that was all the 390 00:19:25,300 --> 00:19:29,000 wonderful diversity reflected at that event this year. 391 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,200 We just have this conversation this weekend around watching 392 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,400 what we might see who might be on how it might be different 393 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,000 or similar though. I might not keep him from school this year. 394 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,600 I think it'll be important to have a conversation when I 395 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:42,800 pick him up in school. 396 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:43,700 You'll be able to see it. 397 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:44,400 It's a day off. 398 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:46,300 It's a holiday Martin Luther King day. 399 00:19:46,300 --> 00:19:47,200 So that'll be great. 400 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,900 So I don't have to keep him from school. 401 00:19:49,900 --> 00:19:51,800 But yeah, so we want to witness that life. 402 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:52,700 Sorry. 403 00:19:53,700 --> 00:19:56,100 No, no, it's going to be interesting for me. 404 00:19:56,100 --> 00:20:01,600 I always compare the different tones of the speeches of the 405 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,700 incumbent or the president sitting president and then the 406 00:20:04,700 --> 00:20:08,000 incumbent president and kind of how that transition happens 407 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:12,700 and then also comparing like, you know, like Joe Biden's 408 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:18,200 inauguration in 2020 even to Donald Trump's last inauguration 409 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:18,900 in 2016. 410 00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:21,800 Like what are going to be the differences between how Donald 411 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,600 sounded in 2016 to how he's sounding now in 2024, right? 412 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:29,200 You know, what are what are how is he going to express his 413 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:30,000 plans for the country? 414 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,300 There's been a lot of concerns around some of the ways he's 415 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:36,900 expressed that and then there's been a lot of excitement around 416 00:20:36,900 --> 00:20:38,500 some of the plans that he's had, right? 417 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:44,500 So I think as always with Donald Trump his words and the 418 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:49,300 energy that he brings is going to be the news of that day. 419 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:53,300 And so I'm interested to see I wouldn't say I'm necessarily 420 00:20:53,300 --> 00:20:56,500 excited, but I am interested to see what that's like and what 421 00:20:56,500 --> 00:20:57,500 those differences are. 422 00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:00,700 Yeah, and we're possible. 423 00:21:00,700 --> 00:21:03,700 I think the reason why we encourage to watch live is that 424 00:21:03,700 --> 00:21:06,400 you're not getting you're getting the full context, right? 425 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,100 Sometimes you can listen to the news cycle or watch the news 426 00:21:10,100 --> 00:21:13,600 later that day, but you're going to hear clips without context. 427 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:18,100 You're going to hear a reporter say something their own opinion 428 00:21:18,100 --> 00:21:23,000 often and then a clip of something and so where possible watching 429 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,600 live or reading the full transcripts allows us to make decisions 430 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,000 around sort of like move with energy what we're hearing about 431 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:30,800 policy. 432 00:21:31,100 --> 00:21:34,100 I think that's why it's so important to encourage if you can 433 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:38,200 listen or watch live rather than just leaning on like what the 434 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,800 media is going to feed us right unless it's a trusted source. 435 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,700 And even then, you know, I always recommend all sides.com 436 00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:50,200 as the place that will give you the news sort of like the 437 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,800 center of you when it comes to news and I'm sure there's other 438 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,500 resources around fact-checking but you don't have to fact-check 439 00:21:56,500 --> 00:21:58,800 as much as if you're watching live and if you hear something 440 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:02,000 that is like you're kind of questionable then you can go to 441 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,500 factcheck.org or you know, do your own research at the moment 442 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,100 and there's a lot a lot of fact-checking that has to be done 443 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,000 with this incoming president. 444 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,400 So we know that there's historical numbers around how much 445 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,700 fact-checking happens anytime he speaks and I think that's the 446 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:19,100 work that we do as parent leaders as well. 447 00:22:19,100 --> 00:22:21,400 We have to do our research just because they're throwing out 448 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,600 numbers and dates and names will be important to develop those 449 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,100 research and skills in these coming years. 450 00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:29,000 Yes. Yeah. 451 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,100 No, I mean, and I think folks often underestimate the power 452 00:22:32,100 --> 00:22:33,900 of a quick Google search. 453 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,400 Like you said, I think that you can there's going to be a lot 454 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:40,400 of things that are going to come up with the Google search, 455 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:44,200 right? But I think if you get one source on either side of 456 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,200 an issue and then one that's in the middle that way you can 457 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:48,700 formulate your own opinion, right? 458 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:51,600 You I wouldn't go into the research thinking I'm going to 459 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:54,400 read something and then that's going to be my opinion for the 460 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,600 rest of forever but go into it with an open mind, you know, 461 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:58,800 I want to look at this side. 462 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,700 I want to look at this side and then I want to develop my image 463 00:23:03,700 --> 00:23:05,800 of the world based on the information I've gotten. 464 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:07,600 So I love that you brought that up. 465 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:11,400 I think it's going to be vitally important over the next four 466 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,700 years and even, you know, even past that irregardless of this 467 00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:16,500 administration. 468 00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:16,900 That's right. 469 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:20,400 I think it's just like with the age of social media with the 470 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:24,200 how easily information is manipulated nowadays. 471 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,300 It just takes fact-checking and checking your sources in order 472 00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:33,700 to be a educated and informed decision-maker in this country. 473 00:23:34,900 --> 00:23:35,300 Right. 474 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,600 Yeah, I mean even just looking up some of these cabinet 475 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:38,700 appointees. 476 00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:41,200 It started with Google, right? 477 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:45,400 So you enter the name and the three main sources that I relied 478 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:46,800 on as I was looking down the list. 479 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:50,000 I ignored Wikipedia not to say that they're never trusted, 480 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:53,700 but we know that those things can be edited by regular people 481 00:23:53,700 --> 00:23:56,900 for very many different reasons, but looked at the Associated 482 00:23:56,900 --> 00:24:01,900 Press looked at CNN and looked at BBC and all of them had similar 483 00:24:01,900 --> 00:24:04,500 things, but all of them have something different by BBC has 484 00:24:04,500 --> 00:24:07,600 a different perspective on American politics, which I always 485 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:12,400 enjoy and Associated Press is very usually very factual just 486 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,100 what's been said and you know, a lot of really good sources 487 00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:18,600 there, but I appreciate the Google start right? 488 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,300 Like where do I start to start with Google and look at what 489 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:25,600 sponsored content at the top and then keep going after that, 490 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,800 but I think these are skills that we want to model to our 491 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:33,900 children or to other young people because as you said in 492 00:24:33,900 --> 00:24:37,800 this age of social media, this isn't actually getting better 493 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:39,900 for us right to find trusted sources. 494 00:24:39,900 --> 00:24:41,000 If anything, it's getting worse. 495 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,600 We just saw Mark Zuckerberg who owns Metta right Facebook 496 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:49,900 and Instagram just talked about removing censorship which are 497 00:24:49,900 --> 00:24:53,400 about to make a lot of those faces even less trustworthy 498 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,700 sources and we've already seen that with people posting that 499 00:24:56,700 --> 00:25:00,100 Mark Zuckerberg has done this or that all of which are lies 500 00:25:00,100 --> 00:25:04,800 but really in an attempt to poke fun at this incoming like 501 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:06,800 new policy around removing censorship. 502 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:10,800 So those are definitely places not to rely on for sources. 503 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:17,900 Yeah, and just just to maybe put a tie tie up the bias conversation 504 00:25:17,900 --> 00:25:19,800 and verifying sources. 505 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:25,400 I think one you mentioned all sides.com earlier one resource 506 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,900 that they have that I utilize a lot is the media bias chart. 507 00:25:28,900 --> 00:25:33,900 So it's just a chart that it has all of these different media 508 00:25:33,900 --> 00:25:39,900 outlets and their different political biases on a scale from 509 00:25:39,900 --> 00:25:44,400 way left-leaning to central to way right-leaning. 510 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:49,400 This helps me when I'm doing this research and I find a piece 511 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,700 of information that maybe I'm like, oh this sounds great. 512 00:25:51,700 --> 00:25:55,100 I'm like, oh this sounds crazy, you know, I'll go onto the side 513 00:25:55,100 --> 00:25:57,300 and be like is okay. 514 00:25:57,300 --> 00:25:59,500 This was one of those super left-leaning sites. 515 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:01,700 So, you know, let me just take this with a grain of salt. 516 00:26:01,700 --> 00:26:05,500 They might be doing, you know, trying to manipulate how I'm 517 00:26:05,500 --> 00:26:06,900 looking at the situation, right? 518 00:26:06,900 --> 00:26:09,700 And so just being aware of that I think is very very important 519 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:10,100 to swap. 520 00:26:10,100 --> 00:26:14,200 How's that? Can you tell me if you're looking at the tool in 521 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,800 real time the three sources that I listed where do they fall 522 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:18,600 on that vines chart? 523 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:19,400 I'm really curious. 524 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:23,600 So I listed Associated Press, BBC and CNN. 525 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:31,100 So CNN is center left looking at you said BBC, right? 526 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:39,600 BBC is BBC is actually Center and Associated Press is also 527 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:40,600 center left. 528 00:26:40,600 --> 00:26:41,400 That's interesting. 529 00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:46,700 Okay, so I'm central left, but you know, I could probably do 530 00:26:46,700 --> 00:26:48,200 some more work to go more central. 531 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:49,100 Very interesting. 532 00:26:49,100 --> 00:26:49,600 Thank you. 533 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,700 Very interesting tool. 534 00:26:51,700 --> 00:26:54,100 So we talked about the inauguration happening on Martin 535 00:26:54,100 --> 00:26:54,900 Luther King Day. 536 00:26:54,900 --> 00:26:59,200 If you're not watching the inauguration and doing other 537 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,400 things, hopefully to honor Martin Luther King Day. 538 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:05,700 I wonder what does this holiday usually look like for you outside 539 00:27:05,700 --> 00:27:09,300 of like this other thing that's overlapping, right? 540 00:27:09,300 --> 00:27:11,500 Are you planning on doing anything for Martin Luther King Day? 541 00:27:11,500 --> 00:27:16,800 Well, so I'll give you a two-part answer, right? 542 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:20,000 When I was growing up, my grandma used to always Martin Luther 543 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,000 King Day was like one of those gift holidays where she would 544 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,000 give us books from Martin Luther King or Malcolm X and we 545 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:26,400 would read. 546 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:32,100 That's something that I did for like first maybe 17 18 years 547 00:27:32,100 --> 00:27:32,500 in my life. 548 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:36,400 Obviously, they were increasingly increasing difficulty 549 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:37,600 of reading level, right? 550 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:42,100 It wasn't the same little books, but nowadays it's really just 551 00:27:42,100 --> 00:27:44,600 more about spending time with my family and having some of 552 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:45,600 those conversations. 553 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:51,100 My aunt who my grandma's sister, she loves to have us over 554 00:27:51,100 --> 00:27:53,600 for like a family game night and we like to play games like 555 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,200 Black Heart Revoked and different like Black History kind 556 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:02,200 of games, which is fun and in its own right and just kind of 557 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,400 gives us an opportunity to fellowship and eat some good 558 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,800 food and have some fun together while talking about Black 559 00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:09,200 History. 560 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:11,600 That's wonderful. 561 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:14,000 I love the way your family honors that those are all like 562 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:18,700 really great ways to like honor but also to be with family 563 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:21,300 and it feels like a like a true holiday. 564 00:28:21,300 --> 00:28:22,100 That's beautiful. 565 00:28:22,100 --> 00:28:22,900 It's wonderful. 566 00:28:22,900 --> 00:28:23,700 Thank you. 567 00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:25,200 What about you? 568 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:25,600 What do you guys? 569 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:27,800 Yeah for it's different things. 570 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,000 We always listen to Dr. 571 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:31,700 King's I have a dream speech in the car. 572 00:28:31,700 --> 00:28:35,200 So we always listen to that speech on the way dropping my 573 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:36,200 kiddo off to school. 574 00:28:36,200 --> 00:28:39,700 So we make sure that we hear it or watch it like on YouTube, 575 00:28:39,900 --> 00:28:42,600 but there's always projects going on in the community. 576 00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:45,400 So it might be like a cleanup but it's a day of service. 577 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:49,700 And so I look to see who's doing something so that I can be 578 00:28:49,700 --> 00:28:50,300 a part of that. 579 00:28:50,300 --> 00:28:54,100 So I'll be doing that this week to see who's doing a specific 580 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:57,400 project and joining in for a couple of hours. 581 00:28:58,100 --> 00:29:01,800 So making sure that so service I think is a part of that but 582 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,200 also making sure that my son is fully, you know, again every 583 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:09,200 year his understanding of what that speech means changes and 584 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,300 so does mine depending on what's happening in the global 585 00:29:11,300 --> 00:29:11,900 context. 586 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:17,000 It is a deep reminder of how much work we have to do to 587 00:29:17,000 --> 00:29:20,800 ensure that dream comes true for all of us and sometimes it's 588 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,800 a great place to see like I think Dr. 589 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,300 King would be proud right and many of his contemporaries 590 00:29:26,300 --> 00:29:27,600 of some of the work that's happening. 591 00:29:27,900 --> 00:29:31,300 So it just depends on where I am emotionally on that day of 592 00:29:31,300 --> 00:29:34,000 the year where I can hear that speech often. 593 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:38,600 Reflect on with a lot of the different terminals that have 594 00:29:38,600 --> 00:29:41,300 happened over the last few years and there's been a lot of 595 00:29:41,300 --> 00:29:46,200 conversations about needs for new racial reckonings and all 596 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:50,300 of this but I do often sit with the reality that there are a 597 00:29:50,300 --> 00:29:55,900 lot of our ancestors who would be ecstatic to see the world 598 00:29:55,900 --> 00:29:57,600 that has been created. 599 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,600 We're not necessarily where we want to be but compared to 600 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:04,800 where we were and what they were fighting through a lot of 601 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:05,700 progress has been made. 602 00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,600 So I think that's important to reflect on and sit with on 603 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:09,600 the day as well. 604 00:30:09,900 --> 00:30:11,100 Yeah, that's a good reminder. 605 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:11,900 Absolutely. 606 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:16,000 Yeah, and I think speaking of the work, there's a lot of 607 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:18,800 things that we are doing at MPLI, you know, like we focus 608 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:22,600 a lot on racial justice and racial equity, but there are 609 00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,000 many projects that we're working on and I know we wanted 610 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:29,300 to highlight at least one or two of those that really allow 611 00:30:29,300 --> 00:30:33,900 us to sort of show how parent leaders, civic leaders continue 612 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:37,200 to move the needle for children and families in our country, 613 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:38,400 different parts of the country. 614 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:41,400 Is there anything that you're particularly excited about 615 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:45,600 that's in your sort of like project sphere at MPLI? 616 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:49,600 Yeah, so we are actually doing some work with the Central 617 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,900 Ohio Parent Leadership Training Institute to bring advocacy 618 00:30:53,900 --> 00:30:56,400 training and trip to the capital to their community. 619 00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:59,700 So what that entails is we're going to have a four-part 620 00:30:59,700 --> 00:31:03,200 virtual training series teaching parents the ins and outs 621 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,100 of the legislative process on how to research and prepare 622 00:31:07,100 --> 00:31:12,700 for advocacy doing research, how to write a pitch and how 623 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:15,900 to deliver that pitch and then we're actually going to take 624 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:18,400 them to the capital and give them an opportunity to advocate 625 00:31:18,700 --> 00:31:22,200 to some of their legislators on, you know, a series of bills 626 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:23,900 that they've expressed some interest at. 627 00:31:23,900 --> 00:31:28,600 This is our third official trip to the capital, our second 628 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:32,300 one with an actual advocacy curriculum that we've built 629 00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:35,300 out. This curriculum has evolved over time, has taken a 630 00:31:35,300 --> 00:31:38,400 lot of great feedback from some of our trainees. 631 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,300 But yeah, so I'm just very excited for that. 632 00:31:40,300 --> 00:31:43,200 This is set to be our biggest trip yet. 633 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:44,200 I think it's going to be great. 634 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:45,800 So I'm excited. 635 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,400 What's a lot of moving parts for sure, and I always see 636 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,800 your passion for the topic through this project. 637 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:56,800 I can tell that's really where your passion is. 638 00:31:57,100 --> 00:31:58,600 I'm excited to see how it goes. 639 00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:02,300 I'm just wishing you so much luck and hopefully I can 640 00:32:02,500 --> 00:32:05,100 support in any way to help make that come together in a 641 00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:06,400 way that you're happy with. 642 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:08,400 What about you? 643 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:09,800 What's going on in your neck of the woods? 644 00:32:10,900 --> 00:32:13,700 I think one thing to highlight, you know, part of the work 645 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:16,100 that we do is the implementation of the Parent Leadership 646 00:32:16,100 --> 00:32:18,900 Training Institute in local communities, which is that 647 00:32:18,900 --> 00:32:22,300 civics and democracy training for parent leaders and 648 00:32:22,300 --> 00:32:25,700 advocates for children and families and the work just 649 00:32:25,700 --> 00:32:26,500 keeps growing. 650 00:32:26,500 --> 00:32:30,200 I was just in Sacramento a couple of weeks ago for their 651 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:33,500 retreat, Sacramento, California, and it was their fourth 652 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:38,000 cohort, but their second cohort in Spanish and it was 653 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:41,700 so amazing to see the diversity in the Hispanic community 654 00:32:41,700 --> 00:32:45,700 that was there, the different reasons why folks join PLTI 655 00:32:45,700 --> 00:32:47,500 and community just kept coming up. 656 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:52,700 I'm here because I feel isolated or this is my third week 657 00:32:52,700 --> 00:32:56,300 in this country and I knew that I would learn more or find 658 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:59,500 a community and you know, I think we were only like 20 minutes 659 00:32:59,500 --> 00:33:02,400 in and there were tears everywhere, but it was just so beautiful 660 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,900 to see both the growth of PLTI in this particular community, 661 00:33:07,300 --> 00:33:11,400 but another reminder of what PLTI does. 662 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,900 It's not just about advocacy training and that is the primary 663 00:33:14,900 --> 00:33:17,800 focus, right? Increased civic engagement, but that community 664 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:21,700 piece cannot be taken for granted and I don't think we 665 00:33:21,700 --> 00:33:24,400 highlight that enough when we talk about PLTI. 666 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:28,500 So I just wanted to highlight one, the growth, but a reminder 667 00:33:28,500 --> 00:33:32,700 that for many, if we're thinking of doing outreach and marketing 668 00:33:32,700 --> 00:33:35,500 for PLTI, if you're someone in a community that's interested 669 00:33:35,500 --> 00:33:38,400 in joining a Parent Leadership Training Institute, the community 670 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,000 that you walk away with at the end of those 20 weeks, it's 671 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,500 like family in the best sense of the word. 672 00:33:43,500 --> 00:33:46,800 So family is a trough word for you. 673 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,900 Know that in PLTI, family becomes a place of like true connection 674 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,900 and support that allows you to not just move good community 675 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:58,300 work forward and change forward, but it has allowed for people 676 00:33:58,300 --> 00:34:01,700 to make individual changes for themselves, right? To go back 677 00:34:01,700 --> 00:34:04,100 to school, to learn new languages. 678 00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:05,600 It's just been amazing. 679 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,100 So yeah, just celebrating the great growth of PLTI. 680 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:09,700 I love that. 681 00:34:09,700 --> 00:34:13,100 I don't know how I can follow up such a great monologue 682 00:34:13,100 --> 00:34:13,700 like that. 683 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:17,800 Well, I was going to ask, because I think next month you and 684 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:21,000 Melvette have like a really interesting topic planned. 685 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,100 Do you want to just give a little quick preview about that? 686 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:28,800 Yeah, we're going to be discussing housing policy and 687 00:34:29,000 --> 00:34:32,600 movement of housing policy in America, talking about what policies 688 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:33,600 are going into effect. 689 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,500 What are some parent leaders doing in the area of housing? 690 00:34:36,500 --> 00:34:38,000 So it's going to be a great conversation. 691 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,700 We're going to invite a couple of parent leaders from our great 692 00:34:41,700 --> 00:34:43,400 work into the conversation. 693 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:44,700 So it should be great. 694 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,000 Hopefully we will see you all there. 695 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:49,500 That would be exciting. 696 00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:52,000 Yeah, we are planning on having parent leaders or couple parent 697 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:54,600 leaders who are going to join us on the podcast and speak to 698 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:57,600 some of the work that they're doing in the area of housing 699 00:34:57,600 --> 00:34:59,700 and moving policy around housing. 700 00:35:00,300 --> 00:35:01,600 Well, this is great conversation. 701 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:02,600 Thank you so much, Hobson. 702 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,400 I really appreciate you just like talking about what's been 703 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:06,300 happening. 704 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,800 I look forward to like how you give deeper context to what 705 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:14,500 all of this means for us and how it all works and by it all 706 00:35:14,500 --> 00:35:17,100 we're talking about policy and politics in this country civics. 707 00:35:17,100 --> 00:35:19,700 So just excited to have your great expertise in the space. 708 00:35:19,700 --> 00:35:20,200 Thank you. 709 00:35:20,300 --> 00:35:23,400 Thank you for having me and I look forward to working with 710 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,900 you and Moveda and the great parent leaders over the next 711 00:35:25,900 --> 00:35:26,500 few months. 712 00:35:26,500 --> 00:35:27,900 So thanks for having me. 713 00:35:29,500 --> 00:35:30,100 Absolutely. 714 00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:40,800 Bye.