Welcome to this very special episode of Nuki podcast I’m your host Pani and I’m here with my co-host to to Uncle these days go by papa no I’ll stick te how are you I’m good man how are you I’m doing well it’s been a while
It’s been a while yes for sure yeah but uh we are back today uh yeah let’s let’s get uh jump right into it uh today we are here with a special guest um somebody uh I don’t know how I can uh introduce him but I’m going to introduce
Him is a man with many hearts uh it’s someone I I call um a big brother someone who um we call a mentor uh a coach yes uh it is one of the few in this community especially our Africa community who has impacted the life of
Many young men um and women continue and continue uh to do a lot of work in the community uh is someone who has been recognized highly in the community by the state I can say of Colorado uh by some of the elect official of this community uh is the one
And only big brother y GRE greit the last name you destroy that last name but it’s all good I did no you’re good G mesco can you try that g you got it gabra mesco g g mesco yes sir what does that mean uh the second part
The first part gbra is like a common name that’s given in Eastern Africa particularly in erria and Ethiopia the second part Mescal means cross okay oh well well let’s stick with you all we’re going to practice we PR yeah we we going to stick with a y not a j
That’s very interesting yes sir with a Y it’s been a while sir how are you it has been a long while um thank you for that introduction I appreciate it yeah and as you ask me how I am I want to start off by just saying it’s really good to be
Here in this space m it’s good to see both of y’all co-hosting yes and spending time with your passions I’m sure there’s a lot going on in your own personal lives and at home and all of that so it’s it’s it’s good to hear it’s good to see that um you guys are
Spending time with your passions um doing this thing thank you so much I’m doing doing good to answer your question directly that’s that’s it for me today you know I’m doing good it’s been a lot um but I’m doing good today good to hear yes sir good to
Hear yeah so going back to what spanny said um he he done a lot a lot of great great great things especially he has made an impact on our lives as refugees here in the US or here in Colorado yes um like I don’t know if span want to
Jump right into it or if you want to go you know right be you know like a maybe a background check on you like where you from how you end up here when and yeah but mostly I would love to know how did you end up cuz the first time we met you
Many of us it was at the African Community Center that’s right how did you end up there yeah I could tell you that story for sure but I do want to take just a short time you guys asked me how I was but I do want to spend some
Time how are you guys doing today before I get today you know today it’s only fair that I ask as well hey great uh we are doing great um God is blessing us we are alive uh everybody’s good um I can say overall we are doing great
That’s good every day a blessing that’s good man yes sir yeah I’m I’m very grateful to be here excuse me I’m I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be here to see another day um to see family members friends so I’m I’m very very grateful today um can’t complain really awesome
Awesome well thank you for sharing that and to answer your question the there um how did I end up at African Community Center and uh even going off of the words that you guys just shared there on how your day was I think uh at the age of about
20 reaching about 21 at that time um it was my last year in college at the University of Denver that I learned about a place called the African Community Center wow here in Denver Colorado and at that time as a 20-year-old actually come back from studying abroad in South Africa um for
Six-month period um after which uh uh I was able to visit the country where I was born and raised um I came here to the us at the age of 12 attended Denver public schools meil middle school as English Second Language learner wow and then graduated from South High School wow in
20 thank you and another South alumina but with him was decades a decades ago decades ago man hey hey don’t make no even even as even we graduate it’s been 11 years now and that and that’s the thing I also wanted to speak about is um just how time flies
You know yeah it’s it’s amazing that the three of us we’ve known each other for such a long time yeah um I think that extends back to maybe I don’t know what years was that 2008 that’s why it was 2008 2008 my goodness that’s when you
All resettled yes yeah so how I got to ACC and how I got to meet both of you was in my last year of college 2007 after I studied abroad in South Africa after I visited erria where I was born and raised for for a month period I
Came back directly for my last two quarters at the University of Denver and I remember in January of 2007 is when I learned from a professor about the African Community Center about refugees res settling to the state of Colorado and how this organization was helping and from that I got to learn
About the after school program um at the African Community Center so I actually was able to meet you guys where I eventually became an employee I started off as a volunteer that January of 2007 with the after school program um at a small building yeah assisting in o yeah
And assisting uh with after school programming um as a volunteer y’all are taking me back and um before you uh before like what were you studying you know I’m glad you asked that because as I want to share how I ended up there that’s part
Of the reason how I ended up at at um African Community Center I graduated with a ba in international studies okay um go you yeah um so that’s what what I graduated with um did you want me to elaborate further on that or I mean what what
Interest do you in that it was is it because you’re international student like what was the plan because you know you you found out about AC African Community Center like when you’re about to graduate so those other years you know like what what was your plan like
After I graduate I’m going to do this absolutely absolutely and that’s what I wanted to get into so we’re on the same page you know having immigrated here um and understandably I think you guys may have had the same experiences that I’ve had um coming here as refugees right um and
Going back on the words that we just shared on our our day was being good being grateful and the blessings I felt very lucky to have had a chance move to move here to the US you know um to have that ability of having opportunities
That I would not have had in my native country where I was born and raised and so as I finished up a South High School I originally had signed up to be a student of physics and astronomy so in my mindset early on was oh got to figure
Out the world what is this world what is this universe you know um and very quickly on that first year of college I was living in a living in a international living and learning community um so I was living on campus um again not only immigrating to the US
I was able to attend University um because I was awarded a scholarship um that allowed me to attend a University for free um so I felt very fortunate um in the circumstances that had come upon me right yeah um of course I did my homework and worked hard
Because that’s the first thing I would do when I get home is get the homework done so then I could do the fun activities yeah I just did not want to think about that so I think that helped me get good grades on all of that
Um but what got to me was living in that International Liv Learning Community taking a two credit course in international relations MH um that’s when my mind started opening up about myself being a 17 18yar olds asking those questions of who am I yep what am
I doing here and how is it that I got here um and what was in my Foundation speaking about your baby earlier the conversations that we had you know having foundations for kids what was it the foundation for me where did I come from um how did I end up here and what
Is my role in this universe or this world um and from that Theo as as he discussed um with with my studies my goal at that time when I decided I would do International Studies was here I am in America but because of the friends
That I made who are still my friends to this day who are from Southeast Asia across Africa my my goal when I was in university in college was International Development right the the UN right yall have had that it’s like got to go got to make a difference in
This world have large impact and so that’s what was driving me especially around the end of my second year in college especially the third year of college and that fourth year and actually the reason I studied abroad in South Africa was um I had choices I wanted to go either Sou
Southeast um southeast Asia or somewhere in the continent of Africa I had looked at Uganda even um couldn’t find the fitting program there and it’s funny y’all know how much I love soccer I knew the World Cup was going to happen in 2010 in South Africa and you like I
Can’t go there for free yeah well that right I predicted like World Cup is coming in four years so in 2006 I said well South Africa is a Fitting Place for me at this St I want to learn more about the country and maybe also if it is International Development work here I
Thought in my fourth year like I can go make a difference yeah in South Africa maybe in the future or somewhere in Southeast Asia or the United Nations yeah or watch the World Cup or watch the World Cup which I was able to do later
On but we can talk about that later but that’s that’s about my studies and and how that happened and how I ended up at at um African Community Center in uh January of 2007 and it’s uh it’s crazy and the I stuck with it right and one of
The main reasons that I stuck with it was that summer of 2007 there was a soccer program that was started and that was really a hook for me um to be involved and continue to be involved and a year later I met y’all yeah it’s funny wow that’s I see I still have
Photos when you two USS to the mountain tournament soccer tournaments I remember you have that yeah I have one my you post it and another one was amadu Karim oh yeah you remember Big Show and other other people um yeah so man those are those photos you got posted in this video
Though I don’t know they might have to those those are Treasures you don’t just post them I’m kidding we’ll see special they’re very special I think that’s the time did we have like rotisserie chicken or something I that just came back in my mind that just came back in my mind yes
Yes thank you for reminding me of that that’s a good memory thank you for reminding me of that it really is um so and then let Let Me Take You Again way back but this time I’m going to include your family like how did you end up in the US
Look um it’s it’s actually pretty amazing um and I don’t think we must have never discussed this but it’s something that I am very grateful for um while at the same time it um I think it has hugely impacted me in my life mhm um
I’m sure you guys are maybe aware of the lottery Visa the div that’s also called DV that’s they sir yes sir that’s how myself and my family um ended up in Denver Colorado is my mother had applied for it um got lucky and won where um my
Mom and my dad and one older brother and myself settled here in Denver Colorado so that’s how my family and I got here wow is it lock though but or it was meant to be say that one more time it was it lock or it was meant to be that’s a beautiful
Question look at you now you here is it I was talking about like the universe and then the world and neor doing neighborhood work now and uh that’s a that’s a really great question um um it’s hard for me to to to to say which but you know to pinpoint it but
There’s definitely been um moments in my life many times where I felt like it’s meant to be depending on circumstances that I was going under yeah nice let let me ask you this before I’m this guy I’m telling you yo do you remember the first day you took us to school me and
Eric oh my god do you remember what happened my memory is so man I can’t even remember what I did yesterday um hold on were we in that van the AC do you remember no it wasn’t I think it was your car yeah I think it was the to us
Have that little the Toyota Camera that I had oh man that Toyota was gold it was gold or little Sil silver that little car Sil oh wait you wait I did have a little car there that was a Volkswagen Jetta I think like tiny yeah yeah but the the
Cora silver one silver one so ah which was it to South to South you came to our house you pick us I I I feel like were you were you all living close to puron First no no Al Federal oh when you guys were when you first resettled it yeah no I don’t
Remember what happened what happened so first day school okay he came pick us up M when it dropped us so it’s supposed to come to pick us and show us the way to get on the bus or the train to get back home so when he
Dropped us well I think English I think we were just weeks in and all this thing yep yep it dropped us off you have to register within a month period and there was so many folks resettling through ACC and other places yeah he Dro us up he told us
Not to leave school he’s going to come to get us oh and then what you did this is what happened when school was they let everybody out everybody that we met that day left they all exit that M door straight to the bus guess what did everybody do go to the bus go
To the bus we all went to the bus we got got lost so when he came to the school to get us we were not a school oh no so now now y started going crazy trying to figure out where we were the school didn’t know where we were because we
Left and now you start going back and forth between the school and our house try to see try to find us all those time we were in the bus and it was BS 11 that was going east to Center Point oh no so when we got to center point we was like
Center Point in Aurora or something in Aurora but y’all were on okay we were on the opposite side west side yeah yeah so that’s where BS 11 stop and the driver told us to exit we was like no we live by Alam and feral oh no so that was the
Street we remember the driver was like you’re on the wrong bus oh no so the driver has to find another bus that was going wet to get us on and told the driver D on Al and fed wow so that’s the boss driver to us back another hour and half driving
Back from Center Point going west my good so when we got to Federal and Mississippi it dropped us there was Bus 30 he was like take 30 and he told the driver for that boss Dro themid and federal oh wow so that’s how we got dropped and then we remember oh okay
This is where we live here’s canos Street are and then we got up everyone was like what happened why did why why didn’t you guys wa for you all now we start explaining and I remember my brother call you to tell you like we made it home and all these things and it
Was crazy but that was the first day that you all took us to school and that’s what happened I remember that story oh my goodness thank you for sharing that I just I can’t trace back I can’t remember well now was going to stay on YouTu forever it’s always going to be there
That’s good yeah keeping our memories yeah thank you for sharing that bro yeah you’re welcome which is a good memory I always remember I always said this I was like yeah I got lost and that was a sense that that never got lost again I feel like every at least majority of us
Have that kind of story well with me I was fortunate cuz remember Tito Tito yes where is we talk about that later face just yeah so I was fortunate because like people that I knew were already there and we lived in the same area so I didn’t get the the experience
The great experience there I I I think my family my family was the one of the two that was living West okay everybody El is East do you remember the other family that was living on the west if I’m not mistaken that I do remember on they were further Sil yeah sil’s family
Was yes I recall that and I remember yeah showing them the bus routes I’ll never forget that and I don’t mean like to forget you but I just remember we were speaking about soccer upstairs I remember like I’m going back to what you’re were sharing about like the language and how
Difficult it is your first week two weeks and until you learn the language and one form of communication I had with silver and Eugene at that point was like Arsenal Manchester United soccer like how else are we supposed to understand one another you know so you just
Reminded me of that as well but um yeah man we all have we all have those stories of so my other question was uh so you came from an e East African country yes sir that don’t speak any other language other than English and maybe some Greece or but like it’s not
French no and majority of the kids that you worked with spoke French like how were you able to communicate with with all of us before we picked up certain words yeah people skills like how did you how were you able to work told you man Arsenal Manchester United like
That’s that that gets you that gets you to places and maybe that comfort you know sign language and such but that’s a that’s a really good question um how were you able to do it it’s not even ass like how were you able to do it cuz everything made sense it
Makes sense also as aunte I just as a volunteer because you started as a volunteer I started as a volunteer and with the soccer program but then I was um I was assigned my role also as I became um employed at African Community Center one of my roles was um to help
Families register for school and at that time I was going to mention this too there were so many families in 2008 not only throughout Africa there were so many so many settling especially within the African Community Center other two agencies that were also resettling there were just so many
Coming in and so I do understand that you know as an example with with with the elders like your parents maybe at that time like they would have interpretation for Job searches and things like that um I think if I remember correctly again um as he said with African Community Center it was
Just overwhelming of um um um of how much work needed to get done so somehow someway Theo I I hope I was I hope I did okay I know fig does not make sense and I just remember this like it was every day every week of just like you did
Great I I I think even there was the language barrier but you were able to to to bring every kids together whether some speak English or like whether the different dialogue that was spoke absolutely but you were able to bring everybody together yeah and as saying that and I’m
Just pointing to what you’re saying because a commonality one of the things uh if we go back to verbin park 2 it was a soccer man that socer you don’t need language yeah two place like every time like bring Verina Park and um at the the old African Community Center like there
Was there was Hol there was a place like five two three minutes a walk where we will play s park right there like yeah right next to it there was one I remember yeah so those two places I’ll never forget it yeah those were they’re not the same anymore though no they’re
Not they are not well you know what now that you said that immediately I was just thinking about verb a part but even the small park around aan Holly that’s that neighborhood has also has changed completely I don’t even know if that Park maybe they took it maybe there’s
There’s been a bunch of buildings and everything around but yeah yeah not not the same anymore yeah huh I do have a quick update of about verbina Park but I’m going I’m going to keep it till later I’m sure in some way it’ll come back and I’ll I’ll share it
In a bit we make a note of that we have to please so from another thing sorry span another thing uh another impact you had was we I don’t know for other about we we our parents every time I wanted to do something and I’ll mention your
Name no no no even it’s like a where you going I’m there’s this going on we okay they one say no so that that’s that’s another thing that’s good man and I’m happy to hear that uh also just reflecting back on the past um I think
Maybe going back to the language and how able to do it as I reflect on right now and even in current work that I’m doing um and I think just in general in life like I think just being present uh being consistent um being positive maybe being
Joyful maybe I I think I think uh you know spreading positivity even when we can understand each other just a little bit just the smile the laughter the eyes you know I think maybe that goes along the way what Theo and what you’re bringing up about you know as you recall your your
Your parents you know so that’s good thank you for sharing that too bro yeah definitely and we’re going to be here for hours remembering memories here I know it’s it’s crazy because like the in year 2008 there was so many of us that came in the United States that I
Think God wanted you to be that guy to connect and to welcome everybody and now you started with the soccer program after school and I think um and also with the Indo soccer leag man yeah that’s still there still there is it um it’s called
BL yeah all the way by close to the police academy yeah yeah M view yeah and we had we had all those things happening and I do I do want to say you know as we’re talking too um I think in the background as we’re recalling you know the verbina park happening here’s
Here’s Y and other staff that were connected maybe with the youth program and 2008 9 10 11 I think there was a lot of resment happening and even after that um and there’s a lot of work that goes into the background as I’m sure you guys
Are aware not only with ACC but many other different organizations that are able to to to help folks resettling in this country and in this city you know so it’s it’s a lot of work and as I say that you know I’m also reflecting and even reflecting on my drive here to come
Meet you guys um for myself I can speak for myself and I’m sure it’s very the same to others who are in the same field um serving and and assisting maybe or whatever words you may use they also get a lot out of it and just want to share
With you all too including for myself you know um as we started like why international studies and what were your plans right and here’s this big plans but at the very same time it’s uh for me it’s been connecting to what’s in front of me um trying to assist how I can and
Being finding joy in that and finding that passion and connecting and I do get a lot out of it too you know um it’s blessings and it’s a lot of blessings as well you know to meet all those who have come as new Americans in this country
And it happens to be you know it’s a it’s in the neighborhoods whether Alam Federal as he mentioned or or it’s East Aurora or it’s Central Denver or it’s in East kfax where I still um am connected to that neighborhood um um um you know who told me about Street fraternity
Let’s get to Street fraternity yeah you know who told me about Street fraternity this one time Emily yep a while back ago years back uh this one time I was coming from work we end up in the same bus somehow like and she’s like oh your well
Has this and this going on I was like wait what you should go check it out and yeah that had to be around 201 exactly April 1st of 2013 was when Street fraternity first opened um couple of years before that I had met this guy named Dave stalls um who had tremendous
Experience with running nonprofits and starting nonprofits including big nonprofits and um he ran a space called a spot between uh in the ’90s early early 90s to late ‘ 90s up to early 2000s I believe um which I was in high school at that time and uh between 1999
Until 2003 um and I met I got to meet him through his son and he was looking for um getting back to do work um Grassroots organization work and one of the areas that he was walking around and discovering for places was um East Co neighborhood um and as you know uh
Street fraternity now in the basement of the Disabled American Veterans building is only what six to seven blocks from bbina Park yeah so it ties into what we were just talking about I’m like here I am doing this work with this Foundation I’m still active at verbina Park and
Guys are still showing up and having the soccer um as a positive means in that neighborhood and in their lives hopefully yeah um so got to meet this dude through his son um and then there was two other key uh staff people currently um who was also who were also
There since day one um you guys have surely met them leavon uh leavon lyes and ability and the guy that I was talking about earlier Dave stalls um and early on as he was looking to get back to do work he was specifically focused on and had passions and interests around
The elements of violence and the violence and how that violence impacts uh Youth and young men uh collectively in the Denver metro area but he was interested in those spaces and he was able um when he was walking around the the the the neighborhood is when he was
Able to see that basement with the disabled American veterans um and they’ve been in that building for 35 years wow um and so and they were the only ones when Dave was expressing to them and saying we want to work with violent young men other places around
Aurora side and on the Denver side was like n get the violence out of here we don’t have what do you mean you want to work with violent young men we don’t want the violence exactly we don’t want those dad kids here um that’s what he was deeply passionate about meanwhile
Here I am at vabina Park right um and it was during that time that um that street fraternity started yeah do you want me to keep going yeah yeah and the vision was like all right this is going to get started and 10 to 15
People maybe up to 20 will be in the space um that could get identified who can benefit from the space you know um that either we can reach out to yeah and they could be in the space depending on how consistent they want to be but I
Don’t have to tell you guys um you brought up yourself funy about four different teams and this and that right yeah and so that need and that want in the neighborhood was you know outgrew what was the anticipation to do in that space right and there was a lot
Of adapting and being flexible um to the needs and the wants of the youth that came in um and a lot of the leadership including from the board of directors of Street fraternity including from Dave um including from amadu who was on the board and leavon um also as a staff uh
Eventually had to make those decisions and say well we need to serve who’s coming into this space yeah um now another thing I don’t know if you’ll remember um I think was it either I don’t know what year it was my friends and I were trying to
Start an nonprofit or we started a nonprofit back back in our country and I remember that y’all were down uhhuh and then I I uh I attended one of your board meetings to get an idea you did yeah see see I remember I remember I remember in
The basement by the ping pong room having this conversation I remember like a barbecue like but then you told me the the specific day I remember coming she’s like I attend a few board meeting cuz you want should do this again keep going and then and so yeah I was like I don’t
Know if you remember but then like and then you you guys gave me a piece of paper to like you know the kind of questions to ask and to see and then yeah it’s been going it’s been going yeah so as as your a nonprofit it’s
Great uh like the students we like some of the students are even graduate like they graduated already congratulations are you serious yeah it was it about helping children you pay for school my man that’s beautiful bro providing uh school supplies that’s beautiful bro you never told me that would have gave you a
Shout out long time ago n that now I want to check man let’s go do a car wash and get 3 million you guys or find other means to find support but that’s thank you for sharing that man that’s that’s beautiful um and to the listeners you know uh one thing that
Y’all don’t know maybe that we discussed before getting on is just how long it’s been since we’ve seen one another and we we’ve really tried to do this and um I’ve canceled multiple times just because things have happened uh but you know I’m I’m so glad you are the most
Busy man in this city so we know so so why Street fraternity how did you guys come up with that name Street fraternity yeah or Street what name could you see what name could you see it be uh well if I have to imagine some people would have put Urban Youth
Development you know like endanger man like prevent thing some type of you know but you guys went straight way straight fraternity let me call this dude how why did he say Street fraternity yo Dave um but as you can imagine maybe in around the languages that we use so far
You know and who to attract into that space and who to have in that space um I know that I think even man we’ve had conversations about the guys and the people that we know yeah maybe from younger age um conversations that we’ve had of challenges that people have had so
Maybe a lot of times you hear people say maybe even in our communities oh that’s just the street streets yeah so I could think of that name saying that and what is the word fraternity being added on there mean you know yeah what I do love is though the guys that participate
They’ll call it whatever they want you know over time so okay um depending on which countries they resettle from they’ve given it different different names as far as like you know what what they mean what it means for them um so I think for me outside of outside of the
The name is what is happening inside of that space you know and what does it mean for the participants and the young men and how do they feel in that space and do they have a sense of ownership do they feel like the space belongs to them
Do they identify with the space so more than the name itself uh for myself and even for the organization itself yeah it’s it’s an ID identifiable that’s how we identify is the street fraternity um that’s the name that was given from early on and as it started but more than
The name is what happens in the space and how the young men that voluntarily choose to be in that space feel to be in that space all right sounds good I’m trying to take it deeper Theo it’s it’s coming it’s coming it’s coming I know I I know you want to get
All the good stuff for the people you got get to the deeper part so when you got started Street fraternity mhm what was the goal was he like okay let’s say when a young man or woman walked in what was the goal for that person living that
Building what was that person was going to receive for sure I can answer that very simply um so it’s been 10 and a half years right yeah um it does feel like a very long time but at the same time it feels like a short time too so there’s been a lot
That’s happened um I don’t think I need to share with you guys much but the neighborhood as you know is not um safe tell me more did you read that the paper how do you feel yeah how do you feel about the neighborhood why did you choose the word not safe
Um not safe because what has happened um the what has like the tragedy the tragics that has that has happened to um young people like same ages as um us and also same like same like same story we have the same story majority of them we all of them in their
Family came here through you know for a better life but then they way um like at a pretty pretty young age even they were even younger than us yeah and you know their life ended yeah in the same like same area MH um also uh there’s also a
Mother that was um there’s yeah so um all those so that’s why I’m saying is not safe because of those things that have happened yeah and also um when you go to the is it 13th like the street is different now uh you guys have like you know people don’t drive faster anymore
Like they have been yeah you know a lot yes so and that is because also like you you know the city or the realize how there’s a lot you know lot people are always there so people have to slow down the way you’re driving all those things
So along with that word you know as you said safe not feeling safe um other issues that you could see in the neighborhood is yeah the violence that you’re speaking about um also the school progress um how well Youth and young men are doing because we focus for Youth and
Young men between the ages of 14 to 25 over the last several years we’ve had to make some space and even historically make some space for those who are under 14 because you know we tell them come back when you’re 14 but they continuously will show up because
Whether they know it or not and of course those that that come they want to be in that space for XYZ reasons so along with the not feeling safe and the violence that that you’re mentioning there or that some folks may hear about on the news or what have you um the
Tragedies is also that School progress that I just mentioned how well are the students doing in school whichever school they’re going whether on the Denver side or the Aurora side um as well as you know the mental well-being how was that how was that status right
MH um depending on the effects of the neighborhood the state the nation the world how well are they doing with the mental well-being I think importantly also is um you know we could also bring up the alcohol or drug misuse as well being an issue and has been an issue as
Long as this organization has ex existed and we also understand it’s been a continual issue in the neighborhood even prior uh refugees coming from anywhere being resettled yeah so this is not an issue that just started 10 years ago it’s not an issue that started 20 years
Ago it’s been an ongoing issue in this specific neighborhood that we’re speaking about and so um while at the same time um imagine being the 14 year olds that we were or 18 year olds trying to figure out like what are we going to do
In life or as we spoke like I’m 21 and going to go to the UN [Laughter] right going to change the world immediately and we want that and who’s to say that we can’t do that and when I say we as Youth and Young People um still young people Theo and that’s fine
That’s fine but what I wanted to add you’re just more wiser than us what I wanted to add to that is also having a place you know where they can identify and belong to has been key and important in those years so going back to that question of
Like when a young person decides to step into that space for us it’s voluntarily showing up to that space we’re not they’re not re ired to be there they don’t have to do anything while there they’re not required to do this activity or that activity um when in that space
So they choose to show up um and when you’re saying what they receive from being there is the seven different rooms that had been laid out you guys have both seen it y um so it’s having those seven rooms which also become part of the programs that they receive part of
The services that they receive but importantly um um importantly is going back to that consistency right right going back to that being present um that we’ve spoken around already so at Street fraternity we’ve been open year round every single year we’re not Clos we’ll close one week um during July 4th week
We’ll close around the holidays time we may close with seasonal changes take a couple of days off um or when school is out we may take a few days just everybody you know go and relax miss a place and come back but I think that consistency and being present is also
Something that they get yeah um and when in that space it’s also an opportunity to engage with positive male role models in the community so um it’s staff that are there as positive positive male role models it’s also volunteers who could be in that space as positive male role
Models and so the takeaway is that once that they step into that space you know have it be it’s an alternative education space you’ve gone to school um you know maybe you’re not doing well in school maybe you are too but you choose to show up to Street fraternity what else are
You getting there by engaging with positive male role models in that space and how does that impact you in your home at school with your family your with your significant others with your girlfriends um um and how does that impact your personal growth so our hope
Has been and continues to be that to build that Brotherhood so that to achieve that personal growth um so those are some of the things that that that a young man that chooses to show up can get um and really like a lot of times maybe we’re just hanging out what do you
Just get from hanging out you’re building that relationship yeah and so you know have it be a situation that might be of Crisis related to the issues that we talked about have it be a small issue that might be with a sibling or a parent or
At school then at the very least in around food we could talk about it or the young men know that during the time that we’re open they can ask us hey can I talk to you or we may see them you know look in some kind of way and we
Could check in privately or ask if if if they want to talk you know um so that those things go a long way and even in around the violence like we are present we are there so if it is that we can help in any way to interv inter
Intervene or prevent any any any any causes or any negative impact that can come about at least we have that relationship that we’ve built up in the space where a young man can openly share with us what their challenges and obstacles are and if we’re able to help
Um and a lot of times it’s just talking man yeah yeah a lot of the guys just that’s why we started this say that again that’s why we started this beautiful man talking yes sir um uh speak go touching again on the violence wait sorry I used the word not
Safe I don’t know if you wanted to use a different word oh no I’m good with that okay yeah um so touching on the violence you uh young some young men have lost their lives and most of them you had a personal relationship with them now how
Did that affect fect you personally or how does that affect you personally I wanted to go deep as a father as a father because most of this they’re like your kid I I I would say that because some you have known them for so long and
Some is like you know so like when we look up to like I as I introduce him like as a big brother because a lot of us look up to we look at you at you and still look at you like yeah you is one of the big
Brother you know lay the foundation for us not to choose this part but to choose the other part I’m I’m taking it in and I had all these thoughts that flooded in and um how you how’ you ask it h how’ you ask it you said oh how have you felt so
Those guys were personally close to you how how is that how did it how did it personally impact me is how you said it um I think it outside from being the executive director for sure I think that um I think it I think it affected all of
Us right yes um even if for folks that knew them uh from a distance or from very very close it impacted us I’ll say organizationally it deeply impacted us cuz it’s very close you know um we’re still here you know keeping on going and that’s the most important thing for us
Is uh keeping that door open so that the young men and the youth have that opportunity to voluntarily show up you know um how did it personally impact me let me add another one you know when we were suppos another when we were go ahead
When we were when we were you know I’ll say this too like part of part of the reasons that you know when we first had talked was January of 2022 yes so a lot that’s when I was going to show up as well had to bury somebody life life has
Been happening and ongoing it was it was was crazy year um and even this year deep a lot I’m not going to go in detail but we also have lost um three individuals uh two uh very close and a third a volunteer just recently oh wow
Um and adults who um who’ve been a part of community and around the food distribution just this year so um it’s it’s a lot it’s it’s so personally take a deeper ask that other question I got answers for you I just love looking at you and and I’m like you
Got another question that’s going to just like yeah so how does you know personally impact you and how do you deal with it yeah it angers you it makes you frustrated it makes you feel like related to conversations from earlier like man why isn’t there enough resources in the
Communities now when I say communities I’m going to specifically Focus your question in a community like the East kfax neighborhood where Street fraternity is and also where verbina Park is where we spend a lot of time to get way back right yeah so it’s anger frustration um
Personally um you might not see that in me and in my face it’s anger and frustration but again like I said like lack of resources that it fills in the neighborhoods um so personally just you get deep in your head and just think about those um you could get deep in
Your head and also think about personally um and others too like why why these individuals you know yeah um and unfortunately you know it’s not just those individuals that we know that have passed away and the circumstances that they did um and also there’s many others in simil similar neighborhood and even
Not similar neighborhood and even the status of the nation the state like with gun violence it’s everywhere right it’s being talked about everywhere but the question is like that’s another level that I think about also is like what is being done like what is being done at the neighborhood level okay we believe
Some of the things that we have done and continue to do are helpful in some way yeah it’s not perfect it’s not a solution maybe but it’s a little bit helpful um but it’s it’s the wish that there could be larger action taken for these issues and a lot of the times I
Personally feel like related to what you asked me here is it’s a lack of resources in neighborhoods such as East cfax um lack of resources lack of opportunities that have existed um pre- time I’ve this Friday will be 2 six years that I’ve been in the US so even
Prior to me here and all of that I think it’s a collective it’s a whole wider issue M um and personally I’ve got personally I’ve gone I’ve gone to a good place around these days with the Deep tragedies um you’ll ask the questions why why these individuals but
Um and really like going back to your point earlier um when you’re asking me about my personal life luck or happens for a reason um many times maybe some things even tragedies do happen for a reason yeah you know and how do you remain sin how do you remain s do you run
Around the neighborhood do you I stay sayane man I can’t stop reading international news the news somehow some way maybe it just boils me up and it energizes me and it keeps me going so there’s a part of that that keeps me going I think and keeps me sane
Is just to be like it’s all right this is this is it there’s always challenges and just keep going keep pushing um to remain saying as far man I have a torn ACL still so I can’t play soccer I I I’ve done a lot of biking I’ve got this
Really nice bike that I have in this summer last summer just spending time biking and just checking out that’s been that’s been really good okay to keep me sane uh to stay sane uh my colleagues my friends my colleagues and my friends I mean I call them colleagues and friends
Too I think collectively um as a group we’re able to share with one another and heal together too yeah and including uh I will say including with participants um just having open dialogues and checking in on each other whether we’re at Street fraternity or outside of Street fraternity and making sure that
We’re checking in you know um mentors that I mentioned earlier who are also friends you know like when those times comes just like yo I got I gotta process I got to talk about this and get it out of my head definitely and scream it out and
Yell it out so there’s been a lot of screaming and yelling and um in my mind and you know what I mean and just that anger and frustration because it’s it’s really unfortunate especially especially many of the things that have happened over the last 3 four years um it’s it’s
Very frustrating for for many people and a lot of people um yeah let me ask you this people oh well many or Society of okay let me I’m going to say then you put on society man no no well there’s this thing that say you may be born into a
Poverty but you choose to remain poor that’s up to you that’s a conservative say saying that’s a republican saying man oh you you know so the question let me get to my question my thought so you might you born in a poverty mhm and you if you choose to
Remain in the environment of poverty that’s up to you what’s what choices are you giv what choice are you giv yeah to get well to get away from that instead of reming to what opportunities are you given to get away from that okay well school should be one of them great what
Else where are we going with this I’m listening bro so sorry no no you’re good so my thing is if because what I’m trying to say based on your line of work okay and the community you serve you see firsthand of disadvantage it is lack of resource lack of opportunity and all these
Things you see that is there a way to as you are mentoring all those youth to show them because we come from to wor to here at least there is we can say 4.57% chance of making it the compared to coming from back home in Africa
Mhm so as you’re mentoring them do you see there is that opportunity or that window where you can tell those people instead of choosing to remain into the environment or drain that well bad crew or remain in the negativity MH here you can choose to choose a better future and jump the hump
And move the move out of this environment of poverty you know if I had like a magic thing the magic wand magic wand thank you um as you’re saying that um in asking that question I can only think in my mind whether it’s individuals that we’ve known I can only
Think about like the education system maybe um not only for people we’ve known but also just the education system in general maybe for example in around the East SCH fast neighborhood that we’re speaking about and so if you’re thinking in your mind of you know individuals that struggle or as you’re asking that
Seeing people that have lack of resources there are resources out there too I understand and also questions about I can ask you know other SM like are there resources being um implemented mented or put into place where it’s understood by those that do need the resources is it of ease
To get to the resources and for sure there’s going to be some individuals that are just going to f up and not follow up or what have you like I get that but in particular with youth or young adults I just feel internally in my gut like come on like where do most
Kids spend their time during the day outside of sleeping hours or outside of being at home it’s like at the school um so I think like to your question there that’s the magic one like that just came up is how can we adequately like holistically support a young
Person in the school time and so if they’re having challenges with school um or not performing well how can we support the teachers and I don’t know I’m not saying this is a solution whatever but that’s the only thing that’s coming into my mind is like where
Is most time spent I can go back to experi experiences as you guys took me back like how to ACC and all the way to Street frat and today in this table like you’re saying you know and I I think early on during the times at ACC and helping um families register their
Students to school I was seeing the difference um I was seeing I was seeing the difference in um education Background by those who who were being resettled and also um entering the schools whether Middle School elementary or high school um and I felt and I think about this
Very often I think about it very often like it comes to my mind a whole lot from that experience um and even being around the soccer field comes a lot and it is and now we’re specifically focusing on those that resell the refugees right and I think it’s also
Maybe relevant for those that immigrated I think it’s also relevant for local born um from low-income communities let’s say or a neighborhood like East kfax regardless of race background or such is I noticing the not just the lack of not lack um the foundation of English
You guys can you guys can recall back to 2008 and N maybe from different countries reset on here and like you you may know the you know the level of English for certain parts um or even where we from right or where I reset me coming as immigrant like my English
Level would was maybe higher than my other really good friends from middle school and high school I saw that when I went to Meo when I went South you know what I mean I received the same scholarship my close friends till this day like two of them got the same
Scholarship didn’t finish college because one chose like a business rout the other maybe was strugg I don’t know you know there like out of out of South High School I think there was eight of us that received that scholarship um and some of us completed our education you
Know what I mean but going back um to the resettlement that I was saying I think um that that level of English having resettled or that level of education for the kids locally born um from first grade to third grade those early years that we were speaking about
Earlier I think I think that was crucial and then if we go back to the experiences that we were speaking about um and the folks that we made know um you name you named some names earlier um from from when we went to soccer in that
In that tournament yeah um you you you mentioned some names on there that still struggle on the streets yes you know and it’s and it’s heartbreaking to see right um but I always think in my mind about not only the English level but also even the native tongue um foundational
Language Basics did that individual have it or not um and what are the effects of that let’s say resettling here at 14 um and having to do a biology homework or something you know what I mean and like trying to finish college and graduate or trying to finish High
School rather and trying to graduate and trying to go to college like what are those obstacles and I think those obstacles that an individual we can maybe name that we care about like is going through struggles and then add in what I said earlier around the violence
Issues add in the drugs and alcohol add in the mental well-being um and not and the school progress that that we’re speaking about right now so if you didn’t have those foundations back to where you’re coming from or you’re locally born and you didn’t have those
Foundations I go back to like that magic one like magic one right um how can we support those individuals now those St in school I just yeah so education for you education yeah yeah well he he give a very deep um meaning to that question deep so no no because
Deep enough because the way uh you explain it I’ve hardly heard anybody explain it that way because most of the time we do not think about the background a far back you want like oh how old are you 14 here you are figure it out make it get out and we never
Thought about that whole background why is pushing those young men into that Canal of to choose that lifestyle instead of choosing the positive one but yeah thank you and I’m not saying like each individual doesn’t have that responsibility right um I think we all do we have to make the right choices
Absolutely but when you’re being pressured by just different elements and are around and you happen to be there yeah I think you know I was earlier this year close friends of mine um yeah yeah yeah uh yeah yeah it’s it’s it’s it’s a lot I I I you know when we
First res resettled um settled here in the US with my family we were we’re I don’t know eight minutes drive five minutes Drive um where Street fraternities now so um and I don’t think y’all lived in the neighborhood I lived I lived there I lived apartment
Or man at least five years five years let me see a while yeah yes something like that cuz yeah I went like my whole High School experience was there um my first year or two years so about six six years years a long time yeah you there
Until and it was it was different then though yeah it was way different yeah it doesn’t feel the same now right no even driving there is is different I think it’s what you all mentioned to the different different situations that have occurred over the past yes unfortunate
But you know um yeah it’s really unfortunate and here we are discussing this right but yeah at the very same time there’s surely other neighborhoods who have similar orces or Wars um experien this but it’s it’s really sad the status of the world too so um yeah that’s why we have a lot
Of work to do yes we do those that want to go to the UN that’s why you want to go to the UN I mean why those that want to go to the UN have a lot of work to but I feel like you’re doing the same thing just in a different area
Think absolutely in a in a different thing but I just started thinking too you know like um yeah yeah you huh why not you the most corrupt organization in the world man the worst organization in the world so cor corrupt so what are we doing about it I mean corruption that’s that’s
Defining a a human being honestly the UN is run by human being yeah so are you say there multiple human beings right yes and that’s a lot of corruption combined well let’s let’s but but could I just share something that came to mind is I think you know given given y’all’s experiences right
And imagine like so many others with similar and different backgrounds like um different experiences like do y’all ever dream of like I don’t know you’re doing things with with your nonprofit like where do you hope to take that and how do you like where do you see it in the
Future that’s a good question I haven’t thought about he’s thinking about going overr the government become the president going what going to overr the burundian government and be the president there you go I did not say that that’s the the end goal I did not say maybe that’s what that’s what would
Like you to do I don’t do politics yeah I think he’s projecting yeah do you do you think like I I’m asking in a question format that do you think like you know y’all and others like you from all different parts of the world like we
All have do you feel like you have some kind of sense of responsibility yeah of course of course of course and yeah like and it’s it’s not just the nonprofit it’s many other things got yeah yeah um the the one of the problem I have with
Myself is I can’t focus on one thing yeah yeah that’s one still work do you want to focus on one thing no I I think I don’t think that would be like I I want for me to remain desend I have to focus on lot on a lot of things yeah great one
Well for me he’s the one that’s going to overthrow his government and be a dictator I don’t know why he’s projecting that on me I’m just just maybe he can get things done as a dictator you can’t you get things done a dict you can’t get things
Done de with democracy it never work for us why are we trying to get into politics right now he say he won’t talk politics no I’m not I don’t I talk politics we get into politics that’s fine um personal question with politics what what what what what is what’s going on with your
Country and the other country all right no comment all right I knew you were going to say exactly that yeah what what’s going on is um what’s going on in the streets yeah the bigger guys the bigger gu is it’s I had a comment too about what you were
Saying and I said the magic wand but as you were asking that question I I was having the feeling of like you know and reflecting on what you said about humans too you know or the you being a a human and corrupt isn’t there enough in this world like there’s is
Enough for everybody yeah I believe so so why do we just complicate it so like as you’re asking me like what’s going on in your country I’m like brother I don’t know I don’t know I mean things should just I mean it’s should basic like yeah
Does that frustrate you guys like it it does um you know in all those things my thing is like if you greedy bastards bastard you know billionaires who hate each other so much want to go or create an island a private island where you guys want to go and Slaughter each other
There I’ll be fine with that just leave the money behind but let’s let’s leave the innocent life the innocent family who had struggling had to make and living how to survive how to feed their kid how to see their kid you know ups and down
To put them to school not a good like all these things they had the one paying the prices for your stupid stuff your stupid disagreement that’s my thing is and it’s hard for human to see that those people they are living lavish life the kids are flying what private with expensive
Bodyguard living all this expensive life but those everyday people do not have the luxury to live that life and they’re the one paying the paying the prices and no one is there to point finger at them and say stop this yeah and now we are blaming innocent people we
Are talking down like you know to people but where the people who are controlling this thing they are living in Dimensions what is the African Pro proverb when elephants fights fights the grass offer the grasser no when elephant fight elephants fights the grass suffer oh the grass suffer
Yeah with a grass man they’re the elephants no because at the end of the day whatever is going on like with your country um when I study my country history and the the the war that it went through genocides everything that’s going on in the Middle East everything that’s going
On World War I World War II Ukraine and every other place it leads back to money somebody is making money oh yeah off of it 100% 100% 100% so is the money the problem or is the people money is the root of all evils no the love of money now you more
Edited that way the love of money we can get into that too I’m I’m remember friend’s question as you guys were talking brought up money how much money is enough if all those shoes or he said I leads back to somebody’s making money off of it how much money they trying to get
Like I don’t think how much is enough I don’t think is about is what the friend ask if if you ask if you ask me I will tell you like a very specific thing and if you ask Bill get he will answer you with a different question yeah with a
Different answer I think it has to do with the system yeah I think is they’re preventing a system not about like because if it’s about money well why youa must keep no it’s about money cuz like he said the reason why he’s asking your friend asked that
Question is because they can’t seem to be enough correct so will there ever be enough it depends who you ask yeah what do you think world is evil I don’t think there’s enough you don’t think there enough what about for what about for you for me
Personally I’ll be lying if I say there will be enough like how much is enough because I also believe that when I get if when I get to that point not if when I get to that point M when I get to that point I feel like there’s something that
Is going to like bring out of me yeah I believe money will bring brings a good or something else no it will be decided when I get to that point if it’s going to be good or bad respect yeah yeah and that’s that’s what’s going
To be better be good I was say respect good or bad I to the bad respect the hope is good when I’m not there but you know but I that’s when you see like wow I mean you seen people with power even if it’s little power they true personality come out yeah
So it’s a lot well it’s a lot it’s a lot think about I like what you said about systems and I was thinking that like where is the world leading to with the all things happening maybe as you all think about that too it’s just like all these happenings maybe
Nothing maybe it’s just an ongoing cycle thing that just happens and happens or or is there indeed something like a change of some sort there has to be that’s on the way because recently um the new bukina fos president under the 34 years um Captain will become the president he said this about
The terrorism in West Africa that’s been running the whole continent he said we don’t build weapon in Africa we do not have um a way or Refinery to extract oil or any of the our natural resource in the ground how where did those people which where did they get the
Money to go buy those weapon and they have a powerful weapon equipment than the actual National Army how did that happen because somebody’s making money off of you are preventing a sovereign country to buy weapon and to arm themselves for against for to prevent any foreign or domestic threat against
Them but you are giving access to those terrorists who are terrorizing the whole continent committing crazy crime but you are allowing them access to bu those heavy machine guns and all this thing and when he was saying the in his speech I listened to her I was like ma’am that’s what
Did if we all can ask ourselves that question maybe we can find a way to put an end to that because re is benefiting from that because somebody has to give there whole transaction that’s happening yeah see and whoever is giving that’s who you have to find a put a stop to
That but remember that one book you um referred to me to read something economy yeah that book explains everything why all this are why all this is happening man you should send me the ti have the be interested yeah I’m trying to look for it actually I’m trying to
Look for it oh you still have the book um I have so what about like this Bitcoin and this and that isn’t that isn’t that like a big thing what happen or what I don’t know I don’t uh crypto is back to more than 30,000 now so that’s
Good I’ve lost money into that well money trasers are like is it always going to be money stuff or like what’s going to happen what’s in the future what’s coming up yeah anything or we just mve the we’re just moving the way we are moving so it’s
Really sad though like I mean you describing that situation civilians always suffer mhm because my thing is is like they’re created for a reason okay and because we are the one who lost the book is called the new confessions of an economic Hitman yes oh so you know the book
Okay yeah good it was a recommended book in my International Studies course wow yeah he refer it to Prince if you see this Rob Prince was a professor I think it was his class that he recommended it did you ever read it I did but it’s been
A long time I need to read it again yeah he’s the one that recommended to me and it’s very interesting probably a g at the garage at my parents place like locked up in boxes I’m going to go look for it actually like like some of my
Parents I want to go look for it yeah he he explains what happens behind the scene and it makes sense when you see what’s happening right now also uh the Panama papers I don’t know if you ever read it bro the Panama papers is way
They bury that story no no no the Panama papers not the recent one okay not the recent one so there was another one it was the same so it was just talking about the corrupt leaders and there was another one that just that was leaked other documents that were leaked and
That’s when I don’t know if you remember it was it Instagram okay and WhatsApp and Facebook went offline for three days like I remember I don’t know for how long because that yeah that story had just broke out the only thing that was active was was
Twitter now does does that make sense it makes sense like when that was L okay when that that story like those documents were licked everyone was Furious why the social media were not working within few minutes they didn’t want people within few minutes all the sudden everything went dark Facebook
Whata Instagram and WhatsApp and those things are owned by one person gotcha shut down and then and then the F the focus shifted huh away from the documents being you as why did the social media shut down TW uh Facebook what’s happening like it was more like
People were mad at on Facebook U with what’s his name mark zerber for his technical team not been able he was never about the league and when they came back no one mentioned the leak as y talking I’m just like how do we hold them accountable we can’t we
Can’t because we don’t have their money but we live in a country that is a democracy so it it sounds good on paper okay that’s good I’m not I’m yeah do you feel like there’s more democracy here oh of course then okay yeah of course do we
Have room to like us as no I mean us as as a middle class everyday people or because there is a different level of our money talk okay the way our money talk is not the same way it talks out Mak zero noise I feel like um like to span’s
Point yeah go ahead but our brains and we have vo no so that’s what I was about to say that’s what I was about to say that’s what I was about to say so to to spun this point to spun this point for for instance what happened with Facebook yeah what happened with
Facebook um we we have the power not to support it true the only way the only reason it’s functioning is because we’re supporting it yeah and um and that goes to other big corporations yeah and but then the the thing I don’t like about democracy is if us three were to decide
Like you know what we’re going to protest and boycott This and like yeah yeah you guys do that I’m gonna go this way you can’t force me to do it yeah so it’s going to take a long time to convince me why this is the right thing
To do for sure sure and if I’m benefiting from it financially then that’s another level of convincing me again to so let’s pay everyone to vote pay pay people to vote I just made that up I you can’t pay I can’t eat the money and not
Vote but it has to be proven that you vote so that you got to prove that you vote and then you get and then you get $3 million no need for car wash I’m telling you oh it’s it’s funny uh since you are this social media topic have you watched
This movie called social media I have not you have not it’s I don’t know if it’s still on Netflix is social media or social dma social Facebook control people social dilemma dilemma social dilemma I might I think I did see that when it first came
Out or such like uh yeah yeah when I watch it I was like oh man and how the Creator were talking about like those people The Mastermind behind it they don’t let their own kit use use makes sense the platform and I was like huh very interesting because they know the
Outcome of this product that faing us that’s why they did not want the own kit to part of it well in addition to that too you remind me of like news talks about Tik Tok and this and that it’s like there’s so much to that yeah don’t
Know as we know more we know less and it’s crazy and well by the statistically let’s get this get statistically statistically since 2010 which is the year like social media Facebook my space disappear suicide rate among young people or overall when increased dramatically not good not good and
Majority of suicides are done by gunshots oh Lord now you want to talk about gun ownership and stuff okay I did that on purpose because he want everybody to own guns you do I mean respect oh no no I don’t have anything the way he talk about
It the way he talks about like somebody’s paying this guy to talk like this no the way he put everybody there who are your sponsors you guys I should ask this questions before I agree to this no no I was supposed to be here two years ago but who are your sponsors sir
I’m n no they’re not so here’s my of course you’re not going to say yes said this I’ve said you’re not going to say yes it’s okay one day when I found out that they paying you I’m sewing you for half of it no they’re not so I’ve said this I’ve
Said we have to live in the society where we have to be able to adapt to the environment we live in because recently um a conges brother that we lost he was due to the same situation this time he was stabed in a bad neighborhood just close to where you um
You we talk about the community you Ser close to that area you are stab and that’s what I said like if you going to be outside or come home late at night mhm make sure if if you are living into that environment make sure you have to
Be able to match the lifestyle of that environment because if in order to protect yourself exactly that’s what I said that if you don’t want to do that make sure you also move out of that environment live where you will not need the peace let me ask you a question you
Can afford it let me let me ask you a question M do you live in the neighborhood where you feel like you need a peace just a question do you live in a city or state or Nation I’m just adding to your question ah he’s saying neighborhood he say neighborhood so in
The neighborhood that you live in do you think you need a peace did you cross the street over here no no no is a yes or a no question or you can explain it yo I don’t live here so I don’t know but how much of this is
Yeah go ahead the difference you see this man wrot smoke I did not oh oh Smokey Hill yeah yeah okay all say of Smokey Hill yeah is if you live there your packet has to be deep it’s it’s wealthy mhm this side I haven’t been to this area in a long I’ve
Only driven it’s yeah so so you feel like you need a piece because I feel like because of the money that are there with the amount of Patrol CS to prevent this neighborhood for I do not need it because the amount of caps we have in Disney Bo is crazy
You don’t feel like you need very present yes got is it you you don’t need it aora or in aora in a SM High School is right there okay got you I CLE you say you don’t need it you okay now that’s all I wanted to know I thought time
Time you are very trick okay you got me today two hours total that was going up you got me that one last you you got me today you got me today so I I didn’t get you I just ask a question I do I I just
Want to say this too I think I I respect what you’re saying you know and obviously we live in a country where that’s legal right um and I respect what you’re saying um but I always question too how much of it and I understand I think the reality of it and hearing just
Like as you described neighborhoods and I also want to just say like why is it why are the neighborhoods always like that man it’s just like that street that device so you’re describing that feeling that you have but how much of like what we’re discussing in Saye is just like
Elements and it’s just like it’s like an umbrella of is it an umbrella of fear that’s all across like like the world and is it is it those things that maybe have us have these conversations and I understand you gave that example um like that brother that
Got stabbed as he were saying but that’s also happening not just in that neighborhood it’s also happening the shootings that are happening in a lot of places as you said the cases of suicide since 2010 with social media is happening everywhere and it just feels like uh domestic VI domestic you know
Like um if you guys on a guy is in the sife you know one is angry they you know going to run right after you know and and those things are happening like those situation domestic violence are happening in the Seer places where there is maybe I’m just
Saying yeah they have the resources and all that it still happens so like I just feel like you know like that magic one thing too it’s just like as collectively you know as a city or state or what have it just feels like everyone man everyone just need everyone everyone just
Like I some kind of magic one like yo yeah but you know I know it’s a lot deeper not real a lot deeper and more complex than that way different yeah that’s crazy yeah well what we can do as African as immigrant we can go back home build our country our continent our
Society to be better of than what we are experiencing ladies and gentlemen I introduce you you could do I you know what I I I just have to comment and say this too like I feel like this is a home for me that may be a home where I came from
Yeah I still see it as that and it is but no America is my home ladies and gent this country yes I’m I’m I’m a very hold on ladies hold on hold on hold on Marcus gavi and Martin Luther King are arguing get out of
Here but I just want to say you know I think we’re very privil privileged to be in this country right having come from Africa and you know we stand on the shoulders of so many people that came before us to even allow to be speaking
Here you know what I mean yeah and I think we also have that responsibility right um having I see us as privileged Africans here in this nation um as a nation that has gotten to where it is how it got there and of course Native Americans here too so I think that when
I’m saying like I feel like this is a home too I um knowing that history and I feel like we also have a responsibility you know what I mean like I I hear what you’re saying about let’s do this like I got you but I want to also just I think
Maybe encourage and if you know encourage and to at least think about like you know what you just said about doing that there I I I also want you to feel like if you’re not to be like you could do that here too true Martin Luther King say I belong here Marcus
Garvey said we need to go back can you cannot I’m saying both ex I’m saying both me I’m say I’m calling you Martin Luther King I’m calling Marcus Garvey and who are you ex me nah I’m just a humble servant no um also before we let you go
I wanted to let you know and tell you you are doing a great great great thing great work and I’m not saying because of something that I seen I’m saying it because of the impact he had my like personally had no life and uh yeah I
Don’t I don’t know how to thank you a lot of people I’m not yeah when I’m not speaking personally I know a lot of people that have benefited from your work and I really do appreciate you yeah I never told you that but I wanted to
Tell you in front of everybody yeah we thank you for that do appreciate you yeah don’t give up um it’s a big calling I think even though you want to go to you but God look at you like no you belong here you belong here this is what um you
Have impacted so many life uh if you don’t know that um you have changed perspective um a lot of you um you have become a point of reference um for a lot of us um yeah we really appreciate you and keep going hopefully this is not the end maybe get to a
Higher position bigger um you you know that your community is here we will always support you definitely and thank you guys so much for those words for taking the time today I’m proud of both of y’all thank you and with that too I do want to add
You know as as y’all are speaking um we are going to continue doing the work at Street fraternity we have opportunities that are upcoming in this next year to two to three so I think collectively to share ideas and and and be more consistent communication as much as we
Can I will try to commit to that for this upcoming year and thank you all for your patience and uh having me on the show I’m so glad I could be here check it off you know like like this has been in mind for quite a while so thank thank
You thank you V for being patient and just with that like there’s a lot of work out there that needs to get done with your passions your passions many others that are listening um so I look forward to staying in communication with you guys and with everything that we’re
Doing at Street at we have some exciting things that are upcoming in the next half a year to a year so I look forward to yeah spending more time with y’all and dreaming and making making a difference thank you this has been a pleasure uh for this special uh episode
With our big brother and Mentor y Joel Joel We want to thank you so much for taking the day out of a time out of your busy schedule and come spend with us here the last couple hour and to talk and thank you to all the viewer and
Listener of n podcast and we thank you um thank you and see you again thank you Peace
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