Good evening a good evening and happy hump day it is halfway through to the weekend I hope that you all had a fantabulous day I know that my day was was a little extra spicy today we are in the midst of this series on the divine nine sisterhood edition this week and so
We will continue with another divine nine guests on tonight for everyone who will be catching the rod cast on the replay thank you so much for hanging out sharing and supporting the Angela ratio for all of my live viewers you know what to do whenever you get on the broadcast
Especially those of you and Facebook land and those of you who are also watching live on YouTube go ahead and slide into the comment let me know where you are watching from and if you have a snack because you know it’s eight o’clock some of you may have already had
Dinner but it may be snack time because it is prime time so I mean that what your Angela ratio snack is or your favorite Angela ratio beverage we are going to be getting started in just a moment as always we get started with our array of motivation moment and for our
Ray of motivation moment for tonight I just want to talk about discipline and motivation discipline the motivation there is a difference oftentimes we are not motivated to do some of the things that we say we want to do the things that we could do I don’t like using the
Word should but the things that we could do whether that’s getting up earlier in the morning so that we get a head start on the day whether that is working out whether that is doing Mill prep that’s a note to self because I have not meal prepped in a couple of weeks whatever
That might be it might be journaling it might be meditation it might be reading your Bible it might be having morning tea whatever that is motivation doesn’t last I think I heard one of the great motivational speakers say that because motivation doesn’t last you need it
Every day almost like you need a bath or a shower every day but that’s where discipline comes in when you are not motivated it is the discipline that keeps you going and as adults we have to self-discipline you know when I was a kid I used to hate
Hearing that belt buckle sound because I knew what that meant that was a form of discipline because there was something that I was not doing on my own but now as an adult I have to have my own kind of belt buckle of sorts and keep my
Self-discipline to do the things that I say that I want to do and particularly those things are gonna take me to the next level in every area of my life so just want to remind you every day you may not be motivated to do something but that’s where your discipline comes in
And that is your rate of motivation moment for this hump day edition of the Angela Rea show hey and when you’re going to noodles and company yeah you you know if I was a little bit closer tonight yeah you could give me some noodles hey LT LS rolling up I’m the
Angela race show on tonight well I want to go ahead and bring on our guests you know I’ve been talking about this this entire week divine nine week and one of my guests reminded me that maybe I just want to explain what the divine nine is
For those who may not be familiar the divine nine is the group of nine sororities and fraternities historically black sororities and fraternities that started at the turn of the century you have Alpha Phi Alpha you have Alpha Kappa Alpha Omega Syfy Kappa Alpha Phi Delta Sigma Theta Phi Beta Sigma Zeta
Phi Beta Sigma Gamma Rho and the iota is the last ones founded in 1963 and while often times there may be a certain view of sororities particularly as we think of college students and looking at movies many many members of the Divine nine have gone on to do amazing things
They are extremely contributing members to the greater community and as I mentioned last night we just lost two of them in Reverend Ct Vivian who is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Congressman John Lewis who was a member of Phi Beta Sigma so thus far this week
We have talked to ladies from Sigma Gamma Rho sorority and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority well tonight I am Green on one of my own a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated she is a blogger under the account Delta fierce which she has accounts across multiple platforms with over 30,000 followers she
Is a West Point graduate as well as a veteran you can sometimes find her modeling and coaching track please help me welcome shillitoe dowdy show Lila thank you so much for being on the Angela ratio today thank you well tell Michel Lila what have you been doing
During this time way this this time of not being able to do the things that you know we normally do when we’re not in the pandemic well so usually I’m on the go I’m hopping from South Carolina to Georgia to my home fan of Alabama the
Pandemic head it has had me at home in Alabama I’ve been helping out with my family I am the oldest of thinkit’s so my siblings sometimes they’re like my children but I’ve been home it is an election year so I’ve been helping with some of my local campaigns and um we’ve had a
Runoff election last Tuesday we have another local election coming up at the end of August and I also will be a field organizer for a congressional campaign in the congressional first district and in Alabama so that’s what I’ve been doing for my time along with focusing on
Myself physically um I have a track and field background I ran cross-country and track when I was a cadet at West Point in RIF and miles and the army and so I’m trying to continue that lifestyle up it gets it gets a bit tough as you get
Older and your body starts to break down so yeah the pandemic has it slowed me down and I really was at home and I’ll go in for three months I’m back in Atlanta because I pay rent here and I say I have an apartment here and because
Of our event that we have tomorrow where we are standing in solidarity with our store mayor Keisha Atlanta bottoms so yeah a pandemic it’s like a blessing and a curse I miss been around my sorority sisters I miss being on the go I had about six or seven consciousness I’m
Supposed to attend this summer between the Delta regional conferences the n-double-a-cp conferences my league you know just basically wiped my schedule clean but the positive aspect of it is I want to run for office someday and I want to get involved in politics so it provided me the
Opportunity to work on campaigns and get the experience that I will need someday now you just mentioned West Point being a cadet there what was that college to be experienced like at West Point it was an experience like no other so I ran track I was on the top athlete in the
State of Alabama I was a distance runner so I knew I was gonna pay for train by I may pay for college through a renovation and I was also an RTC house design commander in high school of my RTC program and so I had that military influence in my high school upbringing
And eight songs aware of the United States Military Academy at West Point and I chose to go there I dare to down to West Point and Alabama I chose to go there because I knew West Point was going to challenge me and it challenged me unlike regular college where in order
To graduate you must meet the academic requirements at West Point you have to meet the military requirements at academic requirements and the physical fitness requirements so a little girl now three pillars that you’re graded in and so it was it was tough academic wise the academics that are on the on the
Same lowest and a belief it’s hard for yell in Columbia so it was it was it was a struggle um I was challenged every day the black community is what helped me get through the Academy it’s the community is bigger than it was when I was there was only six percent black but
It was it was a struggle um I learned some awesome leadership skill sets and the academies took me out of my comfort zone and some classes I was on the female and they only african-american of course I had my racial issues that occurred I was there when Obama was
Elected November 4 2008 um we had some incidents occur but overall it was it was a great experience and I want to say great yet traumatising because I had some some some not so positive things happen but you know what I endured at the Academy contributed to making me the
Woman that I am today so it was an interesting experience a great opportunity I’m having to be a brand into West Point now hoping to go to the HBCU in about three years of law school okay you mentioned military and what my line sister just mentioned thank you for your
Service so definitely thank you for your service and you talked about you know being one of the only females and black females sometimes in your classes and you you you got some rank when you’re in the military you know what was that experience like being in the military
Being black and being a female so in training graduate for West Point everyone graduates and their Commission and they said listen as long as they meet the medical requirements and it’s similar to those who attend regular institutions of higher learning and they do art you see they also enter the
Military use active duty or reserves and the second lieutenant always plunders go active duty I was a kind of still am on paper I’m in the AI arm and the individual rating reserves I was the air defense artillery officer which focuses on defending air space and
We really don’t defend much and you know things but Washington DC you kind of do the work overseas when we’re defending the Middle East but it was interesting air defense is a branch that does not have a lot of black offices a lot of the African Americans they matriculate into
The HR branch and within the logistics bridge so it was similar to my West Point experience within my battalion I was the only officer I made it to the rank of captain if I choose to continue on right now um if I what I said on
Active duty I would have been major in about 2 or 3 years so it’s gonna take a little bit longer in the reserves if I choose to stay but it was it was challenging as a black woman is similar to corporate America the military it’s it’s um it’s mainly talk Asians really
The white man’s world so I had to battle the stereotypes that comes along with being a black woman you know they try to put the angry black woman stereotype on you even when they even you do not fit that mold so just happens to come in prove your word prove you’re
Just as good as as your male counterparts you know they’re they’re expecting you to be weak as a wiener to be weak physically but you know I caught them off guard because I was a strong runner um but it was it was the military stuff is also challenging I wasn’t a fan
Of the consistent moving around so I’ll enforce stationed in Lawton Oklahoma Fort Sill is their Fort Bliss Texas which is in El Paso Texas I deployed for a year to Bahrain using the Middle East next to Saudi Arabia and then I this a time I shot out for faith in something
South Carolina near Columbia so it’s it’s it’s similar to corporate America but it’s a little bit more structured so the Melissa fair was a great experience thank you for your support and um even though I’m out the motor will always be a part of who I am so right now I am a
Military academy liaison officers the United States Military Academy I assist applicants with their packets from West Point because to go to a service academy such as West Point Air Force Academy or Annapolis which is the Naval Academy you need a congressional nomination and and you have to pass the physical fitness
Says though if I see any potential candidates that I think possess the skill sets and make it through such a tough institution you know I kind of want them towards West one way and then we already have people who are in this system in your local area I can pull up
The system and look and see who is on the path who submitted the application and I kind of hit them up ask them what they need I gave them their physical fitness sense and not about something else but the military and eat with me kind of having lunch without basically
Already the four years aren’t you see the four years at the academy the six years on active duty it’s embedded in Who I am so I noticed like in my regular life I like structure and discipline because I believe their lifestyle for so long do you still talk in terms of
Military time are you at chapter meeting and say asuras we’re gonna meet at 1600 hours so I’ll go active duty I was really good at not letting the military become my whole life some people they serve on active duty you know they’re doing the military stuff on a weekday and on the weekend
Some of them to stay at home me you know thanks to Delta and other organizations I was always out and about and not Linda builds her become my whole life so when it was time to transition out I was able to do it effortlessly because I was already mingling with the civilian
Population but some people do not have some people are not that great at it and that’s why we have like such a high bettering homeless population and whatnot so thankfully I you know I was I had prepared myself for the transition now you also do some modeling you’ve been in pageants
Why would how would you describe representing the way that you do and I’m in an industry where beauty is sometimes does not include people who look like you and I it’s very important in the beauty pageant industry even in a model industry and growing up as a black girl
In America me being of a darker complexion you kind of you see that your beauty isn’t valued as others and I think competing and I did majority of that while I was on active duty I think it’s very important for people to know that you can’t put limits on someone
Can’t put them inside a box and it’s great to get you can see someone that looks like you I was some people do pageants and they can’t stop them losing but I kind of did it from the experience and I’m very competitive so it was just
It was a great opportunity is very it’s it can be very offensive money-wise but met some great women pantry is almost like a supported within itself so I caused them women laugh competing with my Fanta Queens and my favorite sisters and finally mine’s a little different
I did a lot of my modeling when I was in Ohio sexy so I was around women of color they were mostly of Hispanics percent and so I’m low it like the token black girl even in even in the pageant industry you’re liking something black girl so I make sure that I
Represent us to the fullest I’ll debunk all those negative stereotypes that are floating around about us and I just enjoy the ride I don’t have a pageant coming up now I’ll probably maybe in a year to hop into another pageant but it’s a great experience and very rewarding you know
Okay you have a question from one of our loyal viewers edwin evans do you see it I gotta look good but I go be a besito really question we were a trailblazer at West Point who were your mentors and do you encourage young women to seek military careers um I don’t like
The first woman who had the most influence on me as a freshman English slang happens to be a member of the Sigma Theta she was not a graduate um but the faculty bodies is not diverse they’re trying to get a lot of us to come back but West Point located 45
Minutes north of New York City in the mountains and nearby nice and fun and location but um she was a she was South Carolina say her name is crystal hue a lot of my mentors you know I think nationally we have mentors that look like us um but it’s always good to have
A mentor – it doesn’t look like you just have their perspective on your growth in the development I also aim to mentor the african-american females who are entering the Academy behind the music Ave the the african-american entry rate is increasing every year I graduated in 2012 so I always think
Aim submit for them well right now our numbers are increasing so much I kind of like mentor who I can and then I kind of like try to reach out to the dullest cousin’s went in there when I was a student but they are they are there now
And then also what I did was I took the yearbook and Facebook was a nest until desi was I was definitely 12 and I like went through the yearbook wrote down the names all the african-american women who came before me I found them on social media I reached out I started doing
Their relationships so that was me everybody to do it many nobody with IDs but I was just like I wanna know who kept away from me okay before me and what was what were there and when it came to this environment in an environment such as these so you do a
Lot of different things what is a typical day like for you pretty Rona like the Rona is different but what is outside of the pandemic what is a typical day like for you um NUI I don’t I wake up early so I guess I could kind
Of play next to them on the military because you have to be on base in like that 36 o’clock so I still have that the early bird gets the worm mindset I try to work out early because um well you have a busy schedule and you’re going
Throughout the whole day if you feel like all the work on an afternoon and the day goes on you’re gonna procrastinate so I’m not trying to go try to work out early um go about my daily business and I’m active in the end of the CPM in the Atlanta branch the
Atlanta young professional of the Urban League the decal County the decal chapter county of the National Council of Negro Women so there somebody is clearly always having a meeting like I know me be home at like 8:30 9:00 so now some meetings replace replace all those meetings that
I got we have so I’m only going all day every day I’m never really at home so it’s I’m gonna stay pretty busy and somehow they’re independent we got somehow been able to kind of mess of it I don’t like to be sealed so that’s what I’m learning I always need to be
Involved in something itself with the pandemic I’m like okay what’s next sound like now you have definitely reached some levels of success you know graduating from West Point as well as being in the military no one reaches those kinds of levels of success without overcoming challenges how would you say
You’ve been able to overcome some of your major challenges they open the to them and knowing that you’re not gonna be great at everything being willing to fail and learn from those failures they’re willing to learn from others okay before you also been willing to ask for help and always putting your
Best foot forward and everything you do I feel like that mics on generically this that’s that’s how I perceive the recipe for success knowing that it’s a so this is the vine nine week and if anybody didn’t know you are definitely representing in your letters how would
You say sisterhood as a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated has impacted your life um it’s crazy I always wanted to be in those uh um and even if I took I’ve always been surrounded with great women I don’t know I just I feel like me but
Like it is like for the most part I’ve always found myself prompt like women and those are provider and I feel like if I take those out I’ll be missing something so it has provided me with unlimited resources unlimited love unlimited support if I ever need Direction guidance motivation I know I
Can reach out to my source and just not even reaching out just watching the adult some women move it’s just all it’s all inspiring it’s motivating like I’m always like I’m what am I doing with my life NYX like I’ve never continued oh and I feel like there’s just so many
Awesome women who’s lazy so maybe past when you look at black women they leadership around the country personally to me when I what I’ve noticed and there’s like a 50% chance that she is a member of our organization um but just it’ll just it just warms my heart and I
Really hate dirt it’s endemic I’m not around my sorority sisters and I don’t get to see them as much it’s like that’s good that’s it so far um and I need to see them tomorrow tomorrow we’re gonna be down to the capital listen but um in there’s Louie a dozen
Women everywhere like you almost can’t go anywhere without another mm in whether it be a restaurant your ordinary like I’ve had when I’ve been in the library study and I’ve been in the restaurant I’m just defending the line and we’re like everywhere you can’t get away you have a question from Queen
Dominique hello ladies I was gonna read it to you she said now I’m gonna read it myself but respects on so we can have great lighting but the ring light puts a glare on your glass I’m gonna let some what have you learned about the system during all these years
Oh what’s up Cassandra I know that is I’ve learned that I’m stronger than I think I am you know you think when you’re going through something oh like this is gonna break me I don’t know what I’m gonna do but whenever I come across the obstacle
And I’m stumbling and I’m just you know stressed out in the end once you figure it out it you overcoming your leg okay there wasn’t it hard so I just know that um I possess the skill set to overcome any obstacle you know you just have to believe in yourself and I don’t
What’s your hit book all right we got another question from Latonya obviously you like a certain one day so long term though lots ago I want to be a congresswoman for the first congressional district of the lower five counties of Alabama um I was born and
Raised there so my heart is there um I’m in a life and a learner right now but once I go to law school in like 2023 I move back home after um after law school but at conference I mean sinning is there the citizens there but Congress
But before that I’m I want to work my way up someone I like city council mayor those are options but also a state representative but long-term Congress and so I get to work on I’m working on some directional campaign right now the candidate is a member of Omega sci-fi
You can like I said you can’t get rid of you can’t get away from the divided line 30-year Marine is Victor directed in a lazy feed wrench in my hometown so um yeah I’m excited I feel like God does stuff and move doors for you at this pandemic what’s going on I probably
Would have been able to take on the field organizing position that he’s offered me my big campaign manager coming up but I’m gonna organize it for now but um yeah congresswoman it’s like they’ll see me though for me Wow now I have a question for you I will
Actually know what we got another question from Edwin before we get to my question um so the put up a little perform now so the excuse that would be close to my heart I am very big on social advocacy so um passing legislation that hold the police
Accountable for some of the things some of the negligence and the things that they do in society that we kind of let them get away with what else um health care reform I just feel like as a country and me I’m my family is from the
Lower class it’s seeing that um so my telling personal stories and my mother tribe commit suicide and like two years ago and she has nice little for forty days and she has a ton of medical bills now and it’s just overwhelming that you know we can’t get free health care and
Is in in our country in that it’s just so expensive to the point where I know people who don’t go to the doctor because they don’t have health insurance and they don’t want to risk being a medical did like um my mother did not want to take the ambulance cuz she was
Like oh this $2,000 so health care is very um near dare to be uh political justice justice reform Oh from the dresses reform and working with our prison system so I don’t know how many of y’all have seen just mercy but there are so many african-american men that
Are in prison who are innocent their african-american men who are in prison who have received sentences that are ridiculous I know someone else’s they had a prison sentence their life for drugs and it’s a non-violent crime so that’s actually what I want to focus on
When I get out of law school is helping helping those who are in prison who should not be authentic freedom okay yeah all right we’re gonna wrap it up final question for you you know think about this period of time and when I say this period of time I mean both the
Pandemic as well as the increased action of social justice what do you think the legacy will be for our divine line organizations oh I think the legacy will be centered around how we reacted and something that symbolized like what we’re doing tomorrow when we’re standing in solidarity with our sorority sister how
We react to our leadership how we react to the injustice is that are occurring to the average citizen I think that would be something that we will be able to reflect on when it comes to like what happened in 2020 and how did the divine nine respond and so I’ve been seeing
Different events being held around the country five papers of the sorority on a national level about members of the Divine now on a big level and on a smaller level like me and us Lauren and Zeta we put on a food drive this past Saturday in Alabama and we also like we
Shot some stuff Department provided kovat testing and it was a rural area and the pastor was like they have not been able to get testing out there it’s only been about it’s only been in the inner cities and Alabama like doesn’t even have that meaning big cities in
Size like Birmingham Montgomery so you don’t think about the people who live in the rural areas so it I think it will be a focus around how did we respond to it well they said shout the response or individual member response we all have our own individual power to to be impact
On the current awesome well shillelaghs instagram is scrolling at the bottom of the screen you can connect with her on instagram thank you so much for taking the time out of even though you are not on the road as much you still have all those zoom meetings so I appreciate you
Taking the time to share your perspective particularly the military perspective as being a member of the divine nine and have a great evening thank you for having me I enjoy discussion and we will I’m sure we will have a great evening thank you all right bye bye hi well that
Is it for the humph day edition of the Angela ratio as always I would like to remind you of ray of motivation number 50 for cleaning a mirror does not change the person who is reflected in it until next time I encourage you to go out and be the
Change have a great evening
source
