- 2 days ago
ESSENCE Black Futures honorees, Dr. Brandon Frame, Tevon Blair, Dr. Topeka Sam and Mayor W. Mondale Robinson discuss the power of community, education and advocacy in the face of political and social challenges, urging us all to stay informed and engaged.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00It is not the need of every black person to do something like start an organization.
00:05Paying attention, sharing information that's real about things that can hurt and does hurt our community
00:11is as revolutionary as starting an organization.
00:14Using your voice does not require you to be recognized by essence.
00:17It does not recognize you or realize for you to be recognized by anybody.
00:22It's just that action of doing.
00:30Hello everyone. I am essence news and politics editor, Melissa Noel.
00:36And today I am so excited to be joined by a few of our 2025 essence black futures and now list honorees.
00:45So one, I just want to start off by giving each of you a round of applause and to really, really thank you for the incredible work that you do.
00:55We are celebrating your groundbreaking work as part of this list.
00:59This is only the second time we have done this in recognition of people who are shaping a bold black and beautiful future.
01:08So we're honoring people like you all who have done that.
01:12And it's really, really important, especially in these times where we're seeing so many black voices silenced,
01:18that we continue to celebrate the people who are ensuring that we are heard, seen and celebrated.
01:24Joining me today, I have Dr. Brandon Frame, founder of the Black Man Can and professor of social emotional learning at Sacred Heart University.
01:34Tavon Blair, executive director of Excel Leader and the driving force behind both HBCU.
01:41Dr. Topeka K. Sam, founder of the Ladies of Hope Ministries.
01:47And W. Mondale Robinson, mayor of Enfield, North Carolina and founder of the Black Male Voter Project.
01:56Thank you all so much for joining me this afternoon.
01:59Thank you so much for having us.
02:01Thank you for having us.
02:02Of course.
02:03So let's get into this conversation.
02:05Our 2025 Black Futures List Now honorees.
02:09I want to start off hopeful and on a positive note and ask you, even in these times that we're in right now,
02:17I mentioned that, you know, so many black voices are being silenced right now.
02:21But what is it that gives you hope for the black, for us?
02:26What gives you hope about our black futures as a community, even in these times that are so polarizing and we are seeing a lot of division?
02:35Well, I'll kick things off with the word you said, community.
02:37Community is what keeps me driving.
02:40And I know that like we have we talk about this word community wanting to build community.
02:44But it's possible is for us to actually do these things, regardless of whichever subgroup you're part of.
02:49We have seen his history has shown us how strong and powerful we can be.
02:54And so when everything is being shut down around us or people are removing black from their, you know, websites and things like that,
03:01there's us who tell our stories and us being a community with each other to drive the change.
03:06So the word that I can give to people is just like talk to people around you.
03:10Talk to people that are in your space, in your community and be very genuine about building community and building connections with others.
03:18And that's just going to keep you sane and whatever is happening around us right now.
03:22Thank you for that.
03:24Yeah, I want to I want to add and build on that.
03:26I think about community.
03:27But I think these these times are forcing us to also think about how we forge that community.
03:35We do have our different interests and things that allow us to be in different communities because because you like sports or you like hair, whatever these these communities.
03:45But this is forcing us to say, hey, we need to come together as black people, as the diaspora, as a community.
03:53Right. We can't actually be like, OK, I'm from the Caribbean. I'm from Africa.
03:58I'm African-American. I'm black American. Like this is forcing us to say, hey, because we're watching class warfare take place.
04:05We're watching racial warfare take place. And it's going to be incumbent upon us because even in the diaspora, we are different socioeconomic statuses.
04:12We have these different identities and we have to start to think about what is community look like by just saying this is the diaspora.
04:19We are all coming together to put our buying power together, put our spending power together, put our political power together, not just in these smaller groups.
04:26We do have to come together as mass. I think it's forcing us to think about community in that way and moving past some of the division that we even have in our own community as black people so that we can be one force.
04:39Mayor Robinson or Dr. Sam, do you have anything to add there?
04:42Yeah, sure. What I've said is that I'm just really, really excited about this list. Right.
04:49The fact that, you know, you all saw us and the work that we do for me is indicative of all of the work that we are doing in our communities around the country.
04:59You know, while we are always looking at the top down, unfortunately, I think it's just human nature.
05:06If we're really looking at what's happening on the ground, there are those of us that are working in community each and every day that irrespective, honestly, to who's in office.
05:16We understand what's happening within our communities and we are the solution.
05:21We've created organizations. We are all aligned at making sure that our community has the resources and opportunity in order to thrive and not just survive, but thrive.
05:32And I think this is a unique moment where it will allow us to come together and hopefully pull resources together within our community that will also help us to continue to do the work that we know our community so desperately deserves and needs.
05:48Yeah. And I think, you know, in continuations and also just a soft pushback on something about like not not separating ourselves.
05:56I think it's important that we name that we are Caribbean, that we are, you know, that we are from certain countries in Africa, that we are from Brazil, because what happens is then it prevents the majority or the mainstream for just making us one thing.
06:10If we're doing it, if we're naming who and what we are to add power to black people, I think that is important.
06:17Now, if we're doing it to delineate, then that's something different completely and toxic in itself.
06:22But I think it's important that people don't just believe black people are southern or urban folk.
06:27We need to know people need to know that we are also country people.
06:30We are also from the islands.
06:31We are also from Latin America.
06:33Actually, the largest Latin American country have more black people than any country except for Nigeria.
06:38We're talking about Brazil.
06:39So I think that's important to add power to who and what we are.
06:42But it also points out a blazing, a blazing lie that exists in our world and our ethos.
06:49None of this is new for us.
06:51The world feels as if this is this this moment is new.
06:54But to be black in the new world is to be in this exact moment for the past few centuries.
07:00So I think what people can do is tap into their blackness, even if they are not black and know that the spirit of resistance that exists in us, not that we are superheroes and that we don't suffer.
07:10But we have we have a unique way of surviving in whiteness, in the face of whiteness.
07:16And I think in this moment we will be challenged.
07:18When I say we, I'm talking about the collective outside of blackness, because black people will thrive and survive through this.
07:24But the people outside of us that are in proximity to blackness, better, better latch on quickly if they are to expect and survive.
07:32Because I think what happens is the only time America has felt something similar to this would be the tragedy of 9-11, where the world niggerized America in a way to make them feel black.
07:42And I think the only lessons to be taught are those of our past.
07:47You mentioned there for people to tap into their blackness, even if they're not black.
07:51What do you mean by that?
07:53Yeah, I mean, we're talking about a people.
07:55If you look at our community, America has created a violent system.
07:59And I mean, what I mean by violence, I'm talking physical.
08:02I'm talking about emotional and then also, you know, death, that that's not physical death, that that is represented by black people in a way that is unique.
08:11Black people make up the lowest rung of most social markers, if not all of them.
08:14Black men, for instance, we die younger than anybody, not just in this country, but in out of 152 countries out of all of the countries in the world.
08:22You need to go to places like Afghanistan.
08:24Black men are the only people in this country that would be born, could be born rich or poor and will still wind up poor in their life.
08:32Black men are uniquely discarded from America's system.
08:36So when I say tap into your blackness, you need to figure out how to be American, even when America is saying that you aren't.
08:42That requires you to put this country and all of its institutions above yourself.
08:46And we do that better than most people.
08:48OK, that really brings me to another point.
08:51All of you really mentioned some really specific key things in your responses.
08:56And so one thing it made me think about is the fact that right now a lot of people are saying, you know, for the next four years, black people are resting.
09:03Right. We are resting. We're off the clock. We're we're not you know, we're not involved in this.
09:09What is your response to that? Is this a time to rest?
09:12How do you respond to that or how can we kind of, I guess, rest but still be engaged for the people who are trying to figure out what do I do during this time?
09:22Especially for those who are feeling despondent.
09:25This is not a time to rest while, yes, I think so often we are, you know, looked at and I really don't like the word resilience because we come, you know, we overcome so much and, you know, we're so strong and courageous and we have to do so much that other races don't because of the expectation of the strength that we have to have.
09:47So do I feel that we need to rest? No. Do I think it's a time to reset? Yes.
09:52And I say that because right now is a critical time for us to come together.
09:58I am not a person that goes against the current.
10:03You know, that's not who I am, who I am as I try to go in the current. Right.
10:08So even I mean, I'm a swimmer, you know, I can do all the things.
10:13But it's important for me to understand what's going on in our country and we cannot ignore what's happening around us because we can look up in four years and be left behind. Right.
10:24And so we cannot ignore. It is not do not rest, sisters and brothers.
10:29Right now, you must get engaged. And while it may feel uncomfortable in certain cases, why we may not like the things that we're seeing, that we're hearing and we understanding.
10:40We understand that how this will harm so many people on so many levels.
10:48Right. We still have to engage because you have to understand what's going on other than what you hear and what you see.
10:56So I'll take it to you next. Is it a time to rest?
10:59What can people do right now, especially from the youth perspective?
11:02As I know the work that you do is heavily focused on HBCU students, especially as we talk about engaging in the voting process.
11:10So I'm going to switch the word around a bit. I know we're saying rest, but I think to let people know, like, rest is very important.
11:16You should do that. Let's not get comfortable.
11:19I think we've been comfortable for so long. And what we've seen this past election cycle is that there were people who didn't understand, one, what is happening on the national level when it comes to voting or what these issues actually are.
11:34The way that people talk to college students or talk to just people who are not every day really involved in, like, what's happening on politics or what's on the news.
11:44And they've gotten comfortable and saying that, hey, we've done this. We've we've been able to get, you know, these huge wins, but we've done our part.
11:51And it's like more so. Yes, we've had these great wins. We were able to see people step into leadership.
11:56We've been able to see more black leaders into executive roles. But what are we doing in our local communities?
12:03What are we doing to make sure that we are educating our communities about what's happening?
12:07And so we see that we got comfortable for so long. A lack of education started to become a priority.
12:12And it was a way that I saw like for students, they are so easy to say that I'm not political.
12:21And it's like, actually, you are. Let me explain the different experiences that you have every day of how the different policies that happen on campus,
12:28the policies that happen in your community are shifting and making changes in your life.
12:32And so, yes, prioritize rest, but know that you can never get comfortable and think that things are going to be OK,
12:38because right now we're seeing history repeat itself. We have been in these places before.
12:43And it seems like everything like pause or shifted after the 1960s.
12:49And we saw progress happening and progress continue to happen.
12:54And then we got very comfortable in 2008 and then we got comfortable again in 2012.
12:59And I want like our leaders and I'm so glad that you all talk about black futures, because what are we doing today?
13:08What are what are the people in leadership doing today? The people in our communities, the role models,
13:12educating and ensuring that these next generation of leaders have the resources, they have the proper education to make informed decisions.
13:20And I think we've gotten so comfortable. And so, yes, let's prioritize rest.
13:24But do not say like put your foot on the people's necks. Let's not release.
13:30Let's continue it. Pressing down and talking to everyone. I know we focus specifically on college students.
13:35We want to make sure these college students are going back into their community, talking to their families,
13:39talking to communities outside of the school at Dilley University in New Orleans.
13:44And it's called the Gentilly community. Go out into Gentilly and talk to the community and make sure that they are educated and have the resource to make informed decisions.
13:52And you can also rest.
13:54Dr. Frame, you with with the black man can you specifically are focusing on young men, boys, black men in particular.
14:02And we saw black men really in the spotlight, particularly in the last election.
14:06We will continue to see, you know, black men kind of come to the forefront a little bit more.
14:12So talk a little bit about what that means to you in terms of this idea of or should people be resting?
14:18And how does that really kind of how does that specifically speak to your demographic and how we should really be paying attention to black men and their needs?
14:29First, just to answer the question about rest, the answer is no, we can't rest.
14:34I think I don't know too many black men that have just rested.
14:38There's that's another conversation around prioritizing yourself in terms of self-care and so that you can show up your best self.
14:44But it's definitely not the time to rest. It is the time to mobilize.
14:49It is the time to mobilize. It is the time to strategize.
14:52It is the time to think about how we as black men continue to show up for our community because we have done so and been doing so.
15:01And so the spotlight has been spot has come about a little more than it has in the past.
15:08And even that's why we even started Black Men Candace to tell the stories of black men and how they're showing up in their communities all across the country and have been doing so over time.
15:17And so I see black men coming together, mobilizing for voting, mobilizing HBCUs.
15:23Brothers want to be active. Brothers want to be involved, want to be engaged.
15:28We want to connect. And I see that happening.
15:31And the beauty is like just with who you are spotlighting in black futures now, it shows that. Right.
15:37Just as well as the sisters who are doing amazing work and mobilizing and strategizing and there's no time to rest.
15:44And as we continue to do the work, I think it is connecting the islands of success. Right.
15:49A lot of times we find ourselves in silos.
15:52We do find ourselves on island by ourselves or we feel that we're on an island by ourselves, which goes back to the community aspect of bringing us together.
16:00Like there needs to be opportunity for all of us that are black futures now to just connect and see where the synergy lies.
16:06There is somebody that I know that everybody knows that can be like, oh, you know what?
16:10You need to know this person and you need to know this person.
16:13This is where funding can come from.
16:15We need to have those conversations so that we can strategize, mobilize and continue to move our communities, us and society forward.
16:24Yeah. And I think I think, you know, I appreciate the conversation and also the especially from the youth on the call reminding us that rest is is something that's essential and comfort is completely different.
16:37I do want to say, though, you know, we're in a moment of white white backlash.
16:42We see this every time there's black progress in this country.
16:44There's always every at every moment black people make progress.
16:48We see white people push back in a way that it resembles this.
16:52Right. Donald Trump is not the first Donald Trump is what I like to say.
16:55You know, there were the Klan. There were white citizens.
16:57We got the 60s. Then we got Ronald Reagan. Right.
17:00So I think I think people forget that what we're doing is repeating history in a way that is unhealthy.
17:06And part of that is grounded in the fact that we are resting when we shouldn't be.
17:10We should be building. This is a moment where we should be.
17:12We should be working harder than ever.
17:14We should be working harder now than we are when when people that see the world the way that we see it are in political power,
17:20mainly because us resting tells people other people that we don't stand up for what's our or what we what we what we are owed.
17:29And black people are owed a lot if you consider the fact that right now the eyes being you as a as a racial slur against us.
17:36And the taking it taken of it is an exact attack on who we are and what we represent to this country.
17:42This is this is a reminder to black people.
17:44This administration in its first couple of months has been a reminder to black people that whiteness believes that democracy means white people have to lose something so as to make black people equal.
17:56We're not looking for equal. We're looking for equity.
17:59And I think that's what's missing. And that's what we're obligated to fight for in this moment, because it's missing in all of the policies and executive orders we've seen presented thus far.
18:07And they've all if you look at them, whether they look like their attack on other people, they're rooted in anti blackness.
18:14For instance, the attack on this birthright citizenship, when we know birthright citizenship was created to protect the newly freed enslaved folk.
18:22When we see the attack on DEI, while we know other people benefit more than we do, it is an attack on the equaling out of the field for black people.
18:31When we see the attack on the equal rights amendment of the 1960s, we know that was designed so that black people coming into the workforce for the first time could have equal access to jobs.
18:43So we see this attack on blackness, even if people aren't saying that we know out loud that America is doing one of those white backlash moments and we are obligated to fight and not rest on our loans in this moment because there's no rest for the weary.
18:57And right now in this moment, black people still are the weary in this country.
19:00Thank you all for such powerful responses there.
19:04And I think the things that really stuck out to me is across the board, like understanding that this is not a time for rest.
19:10We cannot get comfortable, but knowing that we have to be in community and the ways in which you presented and the examples, those tangible, tangible examples that you provide of how we can do that.
19:21Because I think for a lot of people, it's not it's not just about that they don't want to or sometimes they don't even know where to start.
19:29And I think each of you really gave us just very tangible like examples that anyone can do for how you can get started right where you are.
19:37And I think that's really powerful. I want to take a turn here to you, Dr. Sam, because your work focuses on justice reform, financial empowerment.
19:48What do you think is one thing that needs to shift and how we support formerly incarcerated people so that they can thrive as leaders in our community?
20:00How like how can we continue to shift as we go along to create that support where it's necessary in our own communities?
20:07So in our own community, we need to acknowledge that, you know, one in three adults has experienced incarceration. Right.
20:16First of all, that's across the board. It's irrespective to whether you're black, you're white, you're brown.
20:21One in three adults. I think so often in our community is still a big stigma. Right.
20:27Right. Unfortunately, about the fact that people from our families and our communities go to prison when people come home from incarceration.
20:35They need safe places to live. We need, you know, equitable opportunities and growth focused careers.
20:41We need, you know, to be able to pursue educational goals and other things.
20:47We need to be able to live where we desire to live and not where someone tells us we have to.
20:53You know, and I think it starts within our community.
20:56Even when I think about, you know, my organization, my organization historically has been supported by other people and not within even my own community.
21:07And yet I focus specifically on women and families that are impacted by the carceral system, which is disproportionately impacted, especially around women with black and brown families.
21:19So I think the first thing is to us for us to stop saying it's their issue and it's our issue, you know, to understand that we have to provide opportunities for each other, because if we don't do it, especially in these times, you know,
21:36I kind of while I saw everything happening around DEI, you know, this is something that I've been fighting for, you know, even people with convictions to be included in a protected class of people.
21:48Because when you think about stopping opportunities, people with convictions are the last ones that we think about.
21:56Right. And that often is irrespective of race. You know, when you think about housing, you know, a person can afford housing.
22:03You can, you know, have the credit, you can have the job. And yet because you have this conviction, people will not want to rent you.
22:10So what do we do? We encourage people to purchase a home because there's no discrimination in that.
22:16But often people don't realize that they can purchase because of the rhetoric that's out there around what people with convictions can do.
22:24And so, you know, I just would love to see more of our community embracing those of us that have experienced incarceration.
22:33I would love to see our community, you know, uplift those of us who've experienced incarceration and to understand that, you know, especially in our community.
22:45Right. Everyone has a family member that is experienced some type of trauma that has either landed them to being unsheltered through some type of substance misuse, some type of emotional and mental trauma and or incarceration.
23:00And so acknowledging the issue, embracing our community when we come home, 95 percent of all people incarcerated will come home one day and we want to come home into safety, security and into love.
23:13And so that's what I ask, especially in this time that we need each other.
23:19Thank you so much for that. I love that the doc. I'm sorry.
23:22I love the doc being so polite about this. She's so eloquent about how she speak about it.
23:29And there is definitely some critiques for our community on how we see our brothers and sisters coming home from the incarceration system.
23:35But we are also we are also obligated to put fire to America and question what it means to be incarcerated in this country or be impacted by the criminal justice system.
23:44When a person who is now the president of the United States did not have to put F on his application.
23:49We should be demanding that no state, nobody, no job ask anybody about their their their criminal history or past or until they've been promised this job.
23:59Because we see that America continues to show us that while while a lot of people in this country, we imprison more people, black and white people, brown people as well than anybody in the world.
24:09But we know that the system disproportionately affect our community and it affects us when it comes to job sentencing over policing and all of that has to be questioned at this moment.
24:20So the blessing, if there is one in Donald Trump being president is going forward, how do we interact with black people with felony convictions?
24:27And we have to demand more and we need to hold feet to fire as it pertains to these people that are coming home because the system is not playing fair.
24:35Because I would posit anybody and find out try to find out which black man, which black woman with 37 felony convictions could become president in this country.
24:44Actually, which black man that is overqualified, which black woman that is overqualified like we just saw one who had services in local government, state government, federal government and was vice president.
24:55And that still was not enough to be a white man with 37 felony convictions.
24:59So we are we're obligated to have a real conversation about what our criminal justice system is doing mentally to people and also what it's doing to them when they come home about leaving people behind.
25:09You literally you literally answered the next question I had as a follow up.
25:13So thank you for that, Mayor Robinson.
25:16Does anyone else have anything to add there before I move on to the next question?
25:20Because I know we have a lot to say, a lot happening here, and I really appreciate all the thoughtful responses.
25:25I'll just add in one.
25:27Thank you, Dr. Sam, for what you're like adding to the conversation, because I think about young people like this college students that I work with.
25:34It should not be only people who have like a lived experience of being formerly incarcerated to advocate for these issues.
25:40It should be everyone advocating for these issues and how we talked earlier about us being in our subgroups.
25:45And, you know, we're only segmented in these areas.
25:49We should be learning how to be advocates for other issues that may not directly impact us.
25:53But it expands to the conversation on the importance of it.
25:57So when we talk about DEI, we always advocate for the issues that personally impact us.
26:02But what else can we do to become advocates on issues that can support a new community, a different community that is being impacted?
26:10And so to our conversation earlier about rest, maybe shift that rest and try to mentor and try to look back and like find these young people who are doing the work.
26:20So we think about the civil rights movement and just movements in general.
26:24Young people have been the ones doing that work.
26:27And so we can't rest and just all of our leaders rest, all of our mentors, our role models rest.
26:33What will the future look like?
26:34And I would love to just find ways to empower these HBCU students to be advocates on so many different issues.
26:40Thank you so much for that, Dr. Frame.
26:42I wanted to come to you a bit on this because both as an educator and as a founder,
26:48just thinking about how do we ensure that social emotional learning becomes like a foundational tool for the next generation of black leaders.
26:57We know the work that you do with social emotional learning, the work that you do with your organization.
27:02But how do we ensure that that becomes a tool that we can utilize in our communities as we understand that, hey, we can't necessarily rest, but we have to find communities.
27:11So how do we utilize that as a way to do that?
27:15Thank you for that question. I think the first one of the first things we have to ask ourselves is,
27:20why is it not prioritized and even in our K through 12 education system?
27:25I spend a lot of time with different school districts and even the classes that I teach are focused on the implementation of social emotional learning.
27:33If we just take just all of us here and we go back to being in middle school or high school and I and I would ask you,
27:41how are you doing with your social emotional skills? What are your strengths, challenges and needs?
27:46Everyone here might not be able to answer that question.
27:48If I were to ask you how you're doing academically, what are your strengths, challenges and needs?
27:52You'd be able to give me some sort of answer. I'm good at this subject, maybe not so good at this subject, whatever it may be.
27:58That's still kids today. Right. So kids are graduating from our high schools, not having the opportunity to think about their social emotional skills and learn that they are skills.
28:07That's a big piece that we have to talk about when we're talking about social emotional development is that when we talk about empathy, compassion, self-awareness, self-management.
28:16These are skills which means they can be taught. And so what does it look like to ensure that's happening in our schools?
28:21What does it look like to ensure that is also happening at home so that we grow young people into adults who have social emotional skills that are able to use their emotional intelligence to lead,
28:31to build community, to have conversation with each other?
28:35And so it's very important that we prioritize that and that in your respective communities and even at the state level and the federal level, we're talking about how are we teaching social emotional skills?
28:46Right. We're watching them try to dismantle the Department of Education. Right.
28:52And things that are watching them ban books. Right. These are all things that we have to fight for.
28:58We have to show up and say, hey, this is wrong. I know something.
29:02One of the things that we're working on is black men against banned books. Right.
29:06Like, how are we mobilizing even black men to just show up? Right.
29:10Another area is black men for maternal health. Right. All these areas, because this goes back to what it looks like when we mobilize one just as black men.
29:18If we if I get 100 black men to show up to the to the Capitol building and to go into offices and meet with legislators, whether it's a red state or blue state.
29:27If 100 black men show up to walk into different offices, the news is showing up. Right.
29:31And think about all the different topics that we could make bring to the forefront because we showed up every day because all those buildings are public buildings.
29:39Whether you're in Albany here in New York, you're in Atlanta, you're in Washington, D.C.
29:44All those buildings where your state and your local and your federal people said are public buildings.
29:49You can walk in any single day, go through the security scanners and walk to your representative's office.
29:54What does it look like for us to mobilize in that way and really make noise on the things that are really important to us as we also marching in the streets and doing what we need to do to ensure that we have a future that allows for students to have social, emotional skills and so much more.
30:12Well, I thank you for that. And it seems like we have to stay tuned because there's a lot coming up.
30:17And I loved hearing, you know, black men for some of the things you talk about black men for maternal health when it comes to banned books, those kinds of things.
30:25So look forward to those follow ups for sure.
30:28I want to just kind of wrap up the conversation here by asking each of you to let me know if there was one thing that one call to action that you have for our communities for 2025 and beyond.
30:42What would that be? I know it may be hard to just choose one, but if there was a call to action that you that you have, what would that be and why?
30:50The call to action for our community is to read, to read and to educate ourselves on what has happened before and how we can.
30:59Yes, we are repeating history right now. But what did our ancestors do? What did our past leaders do?
31:05Nothing that we're seeing today is new. The only thing new is the technology that exists.
31:09And so by having opportunities for us to open up a book and explore what has happened or what knowledge that we can gain to help educate and ensure that our young people are being educated.
31:19As we know, book bands are a thing that the education is being taught a bit differently is that we do our part and to ensure that we are talking to young people, even though they may seem like it's hard to get through to people.
31:31Just, you know, hey, find a way to speak to them, have them put that phone down and you just have genuine conversations.
31:38And I'm telling you, it would be so much more of an impact and change for their future lives because we are advocating and fighting for their future.
31:44Dr. Sam, would you like to go next?
31:46I think for the sake of this conversation, I would I would ask that we as a people continue to love each other, continue to hold each other and continue to support each other.
32:02You know, this is not a time for us to have a lack of limitation viewpoint.
32:07We must continue to work together. We must come together. We cannot separate from one another.
32:14We have to open up opportunities for anyone.
32:18We need to make sure we are working together to give the things that we need to give within our community.
32:24Take care of our children. We cannot turn a blind eye.
32:28You know, when you're walking down the street and you see our kids fighting or you see a child acting, you have to stop them.
32:34Sometimes you just have to hold them and hug them. We have to take care of each other.
32:39I think about there's a few things.
32:42One, I think what Dr. Sam just mentioned around a call to action around connecting with the ally, allyship, if you will,
32:52because aside from the race warfare, we really are watching class warfare take place with the policies that are being put forth,
33:00which gives us an opportunity to connect across races and ethnicities because, yes, person is black or white,
33:08but like we're in the same socioeconomic status.
33:10Those certain policies and things that are being put out are going to affect us the same simply because of where we fall monetarily.
33:18So I think that that is is really important as a call to action to think about what does that look like?
33:24And if you think about it, that is why they killed Fred Hampton.
33:26That is why they killed Dr. King. They killed Dr. King for that.
33:28I have a I have a dream speech. They killed him for the poor people. Right.
33:32So when you can connect people across socioeconomic lines, that that's scary. Right.
33:38To to the establishment or the I would become the puppet masters of mankind who are trying to, you know, do different things.
33:46And then I think also just thinking about that we are the architects.
33:50We are innovators. We are the storytellers and the revolutionaries pushing the culture forward.
33:56And so we need everyone. We need everyone's voice, everyone's vision and everyone's power so that we can support black futures, support black led initiatives and elevate black excellence.
34:08Mayor Robinson, to bring us home, wrap us up.
34:13Yeah, I think, you know, we started this call before we started recording where, you know, collectively, I think all four of us thought that it was important that we said to essence, it is not vain to be seen.
34:25So we thank you all for seeing us. And I think that is a perfect place to remind black people where we should be right now.
34:31It's not a magic thing to be involved in your community. It's not magic that changes community.
34:37It is the empathy that changes community.
34:39And I think both everybody that spoke before me told us like the idea of the call to read more is not an arrogant or a bourgeoisie call.
34:47It is to empower your mind.
34:49This brother was asking his young brothers asking us to make sure that what we are saying or sharing is true information, not misinformation, which we know does so much harm to our community and the work.
35:00I think also the idea that supporting community is necessary and is the most revolutionary thing you can do.
35:07Politics is a big part of my life. Not only am I a mayor of a town, I'm also the founder of Black Male Voter Project, which is the nation's first organization that focused solely on increasing black men's participation in politics.
35:19But it is not. It is not the need of every black person to do something like start an organization.
35:26Paying attention, sharing information that's real about things that can hurt and does hurt our community is as revolutionary as starting an organization.
35:34Using your voice does not require you to be recognized by essence.
35:38It does not recognize you or for you to be recognized by anybody.
35:43It's just that action of doing.
35:45So many of us gave up on doing small things make big actions.
35:50There's not a dollar bill that does not start with one cent.
35:53So we should all be at least doing the one cent.
35:55Be a penny.
35:56And then knowing that if 99 other people do it, you've got a dollar.
35:59So let's keep these dollars politically, socially and equity.
36:05I think that was a perfect note for us to end on.
36:07I want to thank each of you, not only for the work that you do every single day, but for literally exemplifying community and living in community and showing us how to do that as well.
36:19We are so honored to have you as a part of our 2025 essence black futures list.
36:24We honor you.
36:25We thank you.
36:26And we will continue to amplify your work.
36:28So thank you so much for joining us today and congratulations again.
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