- 2 days ago
This panel will explore how community-driven networks fuel artistic and economic opportunity, the role of Black entrepreneurship in preserving cultural legacies, and the challenges of protecting these spaces amid gentrification and displacement. We’ll also discuss how collective action and recovery efforts are helping to sustain the creative and entrepreneurial ecosystems that make these communities thrive. A 5-minute Q&A will follow.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00Please please are here.
00:02Please please are here.
00:04At AT&T we can confidently guarantee our guarantee.
00:06Without further ado, I give you Mellow.
00:11Because getting what you deserve isn't always guaranteed.
00:14It's a mini Mellow.
00:16Come on.
00:17Mini Mellow!
00:19You know what AT&T guarantees?
00:21The deals you want.
00:22With your choice of our most popular plans.
00:24Like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
00:26On our own.
00:27Please stop.
00:29A masterpiece.
00:30A masterpiece.
00:31A masterpiece.
00:32Five, four, three, two, one.
00:33He's out.
00:39All right.
00:40They like that one so much, we're going to do it again.
00:44You know?
00:45Because it was that good.
00:47Okay, so up next, we've got a discussion about how community-driven networks
00:51fuel artistic and economic opportunity.
00:55Presented by AT&T, Dream & Black,
00:58this conversation will also explore the role of black entrepreneurship in preserving cultural
01:03legacies and the challenges of protecting these spaces amid gentrification and displacement.
01:11Here to get into all of this, please welcome actor, author, and Grammy-nominated musician D Smoke,
01:18media personality DJ Head, supermarket founder Olympia, and creative expert and cultural architect
01:25host, Danie Taylor.
01:26Danie Taylor.
01:38Good afternoon, everybody.
01:39Hello.
01:40Howdy, hello, my name is Donyea Taylor
01:45and I am honored to be here to lead this discussion today
01:48on behalf of Dreamin' Black.
01:50I'm gonna welcome my panelists to the stage.
01:54Give it up for Olympia.
01:59DJ Head.
02:06And last but not least, Dee Smoke.
02:08How y'all feeling today?
02:14Yeah, we're gonna do a little rearranging real quick.
02:18That wasn't in the script, what we just did, but it's.
02:21So show of hands, how many people here are from LA?
02:26Okay, from, yeah, okay.
02:29Altadena in the building, okay.
02:31How many people are transplants?
02:34Okay, so this is a really important conversation
02:37that we're having here today on behalf of Dreamin' Black.
02:40I'm not from LA, I'm from Maryland.
02:43Woo, Maryland in the building, yes.
02:46Okay, so let's get started.
02:48To start, I'd like for each one of you to talk about
02:52your personal or professional relationship with LA.
02:55Hello, everyone, my name is Olympia.
03:00It's good to see everyone here.
03:02Thank you guys for being here today.
03:04And my relationship with LA operates on a cellular level.
03:09It operates in my soul.
03:11Like, I'm really from Los Angeles,
03:13and I feel like myself and Los Angeles are interwoven.
03:16And I'm just from here.
03:18I grew up here, and it's like when you bake a cake,
03:21the ingredients is just, like, baked into me.
03:23So that's what I would say in my relationship with LA is.
03:28Okay, after that for Olympia.
03:31Okay, what about you?
03:32I'll go second.
03:32I share the same sentiment.
03:35I know the LA that the transplants don't know.
03:38You know, I know the LA that seasons you,
03:40that tries you, that grows you, challenges you, you know.
03:47And I know the LA where we lose some along the way, LA.
03:50You know what I'm saying?
03:51And it was so funny.
03:52I was on tour with Sir one time,
03:54and people were talking about places to eat in LA,
03:57and somebody from outside of LA knew more of these,
04:00like, dope, fancy restaurants that were popping up.
04:03And they looked at me like,
04:04you from LA, and you don't even know that?
04:06And I'm like, I know where to pull up
04:07and get a plate of food.
04:09You know what I'm saying?
04:09So that's, like, my experience in LA.
04:12And I'm from Englewood, too,
04:15so that's a distinction I have to make.
04:17You know what I'm saying?
04:17Being from Englewood,
04:19you don't really say you're from LA
04:20unless you're talking to a crowd
04:22full of beautiful transplants
04:23and a couple native sprinkled.
04:26But then my professional relationship with LA,
04:30I was blessed to have the opportunity
04:32to teach Spanish at so many,
04:34Spanish art, you know, financial literacy
04:37at so many of these high schools
04:39from Englewood High, Westchester High,
04:42View Park High,
04:42right on Crenshaw and Slauson
04:44across the street from, you know,
04:45Nipsey's shop while he was still with us.
04:48So that relationship with LA, you know,
04:50gave me a whole beautiful experience
04:54with all the youngsters and the communities in LA.
04:56I'm from a different part.
05:05I'm from a section that's not really talked about
05:07or celebrated.
05:09I'm from what we call the East Side.
05:10If you're not from LA,
05:11you probably never heard of it.
05:14It's not East LA.
05:16It's not East Lowe's.
05:17We call it the East Side.
05:18It's east of the 110 freeway.
05:20For the people that don't know,
05:21where you see the Staples Center,
05:22yeah, we call it that,
05:23where you see the Staples Center on that freeway
05:25that you'll be on sitting in that traffic,
05:27I'm from the other side of the freeway
05:28where y'all don't go.
05:29It ain't no resources.
05:31You know, we got the Tamale Lady.
05:32We got candy houses.
05:34We got stuff like that on my side of town.
05:36My mom family is from Compton.
05:39My dad family from Linwood.
05:40I'm from Carson.
05:41Like, I grew up and down a street called Wilmington
05:43my whole life.
05:45I didn't go to the West Side,
05:47where he from,
05:47until I was a grown man.
05:48So, I also want to speak to the duality
05:51of the LA experience
05:53because it's really real.
05:55Like, the Beverly Center,
05:56y'all probably know about the Fox Hills Mall.
05:58I never, I didn't go there
06:00until I was 23 years old
06:01because where I'm from,
06:03on my side of town,
06:04you got to ride the bus through 17 hoods
06:07to get over there.
06:08We ain't, that ain't what we doing.
06:10So, my experience with LA is a little different,
06:13but it's still an authentic LA experience
06:18that a lot of people come from.
06:20And I think there's something special about it, too.
06:23So, for all the transplants, welcome.
06:25Welcome.
06:27Thank you for that welcome.
06:28Like I said, I'm from Maryland.
06:31I came to LA about five years ago.
06:34I came to LA because I didn't really feel like
06:36Maryland was a good community for me
06:39as a black creative.
06:40Like, growing up in Maryland,
06:41you don't see a lot of people having creative jobs
06:44and things like that.
06:45So, I moved to LA.
06:46This is where I had my first, like,
06:48real corporate creative job.
06:50And it has just watered me so much.
06:52So, I'm really excited to just chat with you all today.
06:55I will say the creative community in LA
06:59is pretty special.
07:02How would you all say that networking
07:04in the creative community
07:06has increased economic and artistic opportunities
07:09for black and bound creatives?
07:10And if you could share some examples
07:13of that connection
07:14from where each of you all sit
07:16in your respective industries.
07:18Y'all gonna keep making me go first.
07:20I'm just playing.
07:23Yeah.
07:23So, as it relates to networking,
07:26as they both mentioned,
07:27there is...
07:28Los Angeles is multifaceted
07:30and that's what makes it magical.
07:31So, that's what is, like,
07:33the secret sauce of you having, like,
07:35all these ingredients mixed in.
07:37And I think that what's powerful about that
07:40is you have the opportunity.
07:46You know, like, a lot of times people come here
07:47and you'll take them to certain places.
07:49Like, you might take them to Compton
07:50or you might take them to Inglewood.
07:52And they'll be like,
07:53this is the hood?
07:54Like, question mark?
07:55Like, how's this the hood?
07:56Et cetera.
07:56You know what I mean?
07:57Like, people don't really understand, like,
07:59the history of, like,
08:01how everything formed here.
08:03But the fact that you have
08:06various socioeconomic demographics,
08:11like, in one place,
08:13kind of mixing together.
08:14Like, for example,
08:15like, I went to Hamilton High School.
08:16So, that was kind of, like,
08:18a school that your parents would send you to,
08:20to, like, you know,
08:21when they're sheltering you
08:21and they want you to, like,
08:22get out of, like,
08:23whatever area you actually stay in.
08:26And so, like,
08:27being able to be,
08:28see and be around
08:29all different kinds of black people
08:32from all different kinds of backgrounds
08:33and just all communities, period.
08:36Like, this is really a melting pot
08:37and there's, like,
08:38so many people here.
08:39So, I think, like,
08:41as far as networking,
08:42like, this is one of the best places on earth
08:44to be able to network.
08:45And I feel really blessed
08:46to be actually be able to be grounded
08:48and be from here
08:49so that I give both sides
08:50of being able to network
08:51within my own community
08:52of people that are actually from here
08:54and, like,
08:55get to meet people
08:56who come from all over the planet
08:57to be able to reside in Los Angeles.
09:07With regard to networking,
09:09I think it's one of the most important things
09:10that you'll ever do in your life.
09:13Quiet is kept.
09:14I think that's what college is for
09:15is just networking
09:16and building your tribe
09:17and building lifelong connections.
09:21I know the teachers don't like
09:22when I say that.
09:24But...
09:24But I also think that, like,
09:29the L.A. experience
09:30specific to my city
09:32is unique.
09:34And I notice that
09:35when people do come here,
09:36they base their L.A. experience
09:37on people that they meet
09:38that are not from here.
09:39And I always encourage people
09:41to get out.
09:42I'm not telling you
09:42to go get in a black truck
09:44and drive around the hood
09:46or go to Watts
09:47and, you know,
09:49point your iPhone at...
09:50Please don't.
09:50Yeah, just...
09:51I'm not saying that,
09:52but I'm saying
09:53build authentic connections
09:55with people
09:56who have grassroots
09:57and who have equity
09:59in these communities
10:00because it's enrichment there.
10:02Like, it's culture there.
10:03And a lot of people overlook it
10:05by, you know,
10:06by taking pictures
10:07of being in the palm trees
10:08or being in the nightlife
10:10and stuff like that.
10:11That's all cool,
10:12but these neighborhoods
10:13have a lot of culturally potent,
10:16like, atmosphere there
10:17that I think you could tap into
10:18just by talking to people.
10:20Going to, you know,
10:21going to a hilltop coffee shop
10:24or going to these different places
10:25where there's curation there
10:28for you to network
10:29with people that look like you,
10:31come from your community.
10:32I advocate strongly
10:33for black and brown communities.
10:34That's just where I come from.
10:35But I think that
10:38when it comes to networking specifically,
10:42I think that people need to,
10:45I think,
10:45I notice a lot of people
10:46are always looking down.
10:47Like, you're always in your phone, right?
10:49Even when you go to
10:50a networking event,
10:52people are looking down
10:53in their phone.
10:53Like, you already know
10:54the people there.
10:54You know what I'm saying?
10:55So I think it's about
10:56lifting your chin up,
10:57looking around,
10:58and seeing somebody
10:59that you might think
10:59is interesting
11:00and just introducing yourself.
11:02I struggled with that
11:02for a long time,
11:03and I believe that
11:04it also held me back
11:05for a long time.
11:06So that's what I think.
11:08Now, I was,
11:09okay, I was about to say,
11:10because I heard you say
11:11something backstage
11:12about networking
11:13and, like, your thoughts on that.
11:15So I'm curious
11:16to hear your perspective.
11:17Yeah, I always,
11:20like, part of me cringes
11:21a little bit
11:21when people lead
11:22with the networking,
11:23like, question
11:24or that ethic,
11:26because one of my favorite books,
11:27Seven Habits
11:28of Highly Effective People,
11:29it distinguishes
11:30between the character ethic
11:32and the personality ethic, right?
11:34Character is earned
11:35the hard way.
11:36Personality is taught,
11:38like, there's a certain performance
11:39you can do
11:39to win people
11:41kind of thing, right?
11:42And I think networking
11:44is so beautiful
11:45when it's done
11:46amongst people
11:47who have done their time
11:48in the laboratory,
11:50whatever their respective lab is, right?
11:52My lab was
11:53a Spanish classroom by day,
11:56a studio by night,
11:58and music videos
11:59on the weekend
12:00with whatever
12:01expendable income
12:03I had after
12:04substitute teaching
12:05all week, right?
12:07You know, DJ Head
12:08didn't tell y'all
12:09that his laboratory
12:11was in the living room
12:13and in the living room
12:15was the lounge
12:16and in the bedroom
12:17was the podcast
12:19slash radio space,
12:20you know,
12:21in the middle of the hood.
12:22Like, I was on the east,
12:23we drove from Englewood
12:24to the east side
12:25to go, you know,
12:26and it's people walking out,
12:27like Kendrick
12:28and like all these people
12:29coming through that same space
12:31because they were building
12:33something authentic
12:34and they weren't,
12:35they weren't like online
12:36promoting it like that,
12:37it just kind of started to grow
12:39because what they did
12:40and what they,
12:41what they did was so unique
12:42and so authentic,
12:43you know,
12:43and then I met Olympia
12:45years before she has
12:47this beautiful space,
12:49you know,
12:49one of the only,
12:50you know,
12:51fully sustainable,
12:52all the beautiful words
12:54about food
12:54that you could come up with
12:55her grocery store
12:57on Slauson
12:58is all of that
12:59but she was like
13:01teaching the community
13:03about health,
13:04you know,
13:04giving organic food away
13:06and all of this stuff
13:07and we just connected
13:08and didn't know why
13:09at the time
13:09but now,
13:10you know,
13:11we've collaborated
13:11on multiple projects
13:12and things like that
13:13so I say all that to say
13:15networking is best done
13:17when people have done
13:18the work in the laboratory
13:20like they've,
13:21they've worked on themselves
13:23because you don't want
13:24to be the person
13:25who is only tugging
13:27and not being like,
13:28hey,
13:28I contribute this
13:29to every space I occupy,
13:31you know what I'm saying
13:32because that's when
13:32it's beautiful.
13:33I'm probably talking
13:34to the wrong people
13:35because y'all look lovely
13:36and intelligent
13:37and all that
13:38but,
13:38you never know
13:39and it's a,
13:39it's an ongoing cycle too
13:41like if it's too much
13:42energy going out
13:43and not enough energy
13:44going in
13:45to make sure it's like,
13:46hey,
13:46I'm showing up
13:47and people will pull me in
13:49like when I did
13:50the right work
13:51like networking
13:52kind of happened to me,
13:54you know,
13:54people will reach out to you
13:55because they are,
13:56they know who you are
13:58based on what you've put into,
13:59what you've contributed
14:00to the world
14:01and all the spaces
14:01you occupy
14:02so,
14:03yeah,
14:04just so we don't have
14:05too many people being like,
14:06let me get everybody
14:07number and all
14:08because then after a minute
14:09it'll be like,
14:09who are you though?
14:11Yeah,
14:11I definitely,
14:12and this is LA,
14:12sorry about that,
14:13this is LA
14:14so it's a lot of that,
14:15you know,
14:15and you don't want
14:16to be that person
14:17because it's hard
14:18to escape that stigma
14:19because it's like,
14:20what are you contributing?
14:22I feel like what he's saying
14:23is basically like
14:24networking organically
14:25is really important
14:27and to both of their points
14:29it's just like,
14:30a lot of my most important
14:31connections just came from me,
14:33you know,
14:33going to something
14:34that I was interested in
14:36and,
14:36you know,
14:37just like genuinely
14:38engaging there
14:39and then down the line
14:40it just turns into another,
14:42it turns into something,
14:43it's like a C,
14:43you know what I mean?
14:44So,
14:45like the same way he said,
14:46like a lot of my most
14:47important connections
14:48came from school
14:48whether it's high school
14:49or whether it's college
14:50and just from me
14:53genuinely pursuing my path
14:55and from you like
14:56walking your path
14:57and like applying yourself,
14:58like that's gonna help you
15:01like get where you're
15:02trying to go
15:02and Issa Rae always says
15:04like don't try to network,
15:05don't focus on networking
15:06vertically of where you're
15:08always trying to like
15:08network up the chain,
15:10like focus on like
15:11who's around you,
15:12what skills do they have
15:13and like how can you work
15:14with the people around you
15:15because like everybody,
15:17I don't know what I could say here
15:18but every Negro is a star
15:19so like we have,
15:22all of us have like power
15:24and talent
15:25and brilliance inside of us
15:26and it's just about like
15:27being able to like
15:28bring it out of each other.
15:30I love everything,
15:31oh yeah,
15:32clap it up,
15:32clap it up,
15:33clap it up.
15:33the common denominator
15:36that I got from you all
15:37is that y'all have really
15:38been in the field
15:40and I feel like a lot of creatives,
15:43especially now in this digital era,
15:44we think that networking
15:46is sending a DM
15:47or posting an Instagram story,
15:50it's networking is done,
15:51you know, online
15:53but it seems like you all
15:54have done it a lot in person
15:56and those connections,
15:57I think,
15:58last the longest
15:59and I do want to talk
16:00about something that you said,
16:01you mentioned Hilltop
16:03and you also talked about
16:04like just doing stuff
16:05in the lab
16:06and I feel like so many people
16:07start in the lab
16:08like Issa Rae
16:09where she started her series
16:11on YouTube
16:11and now she has
16:13all of these different things
16:14that have sprouted
16:15from her being in the lab.
16:18How do you all,
16:19how would you all say
16:20that black entrepreneurship
16:21in LA helps to preserve
16:24the cultural legacies
16:25that are here on the ground?
16:28If I could speak to that,
16:29I'm from Englewood
16:31and I'm going to say
16:33I'm about,
16:34I'm at least 75% proud
16:37of the way in which
16:38Englewood is changing
16:40because gentrification
16:42can look a whole lot worse
16:43than it looks right now.
16:45The places where
16:46there's the most growth,
16:47there's a strong black presence
16:50like there are people coming in
16:52who care for
16:54and understand
16:55the existing culture
16:56and try to maintain
16:57and preserve that
16:58to a certain degree.
16:59Of course you have
17:00the tech people coming in
17:01that don't give a care at all.
17:05I don't know,
17:05you know,
17:06that they don't care.
17:07But because we've seen it happen
17:10the wrong way so many times,
17:12the entrepreneurs coming
17:15into Englewood
17:16have had a heart
17:18for black people,
17:20for people of color
17:20and have made businesses
17:23that provide us spaces.
17:24You know,
17:24the Nile is something
17:25relatively new in Englewood.
17:27You know what I'm saying?
17:28And it's a good time.
17:30You know,
17:30I feel safe going there
17:32relatively.
17:33You know,
17:33I would,
17:35you know what I'm saying?
17:36Relatively.
17:37Safety is temporary.
17:39That's something
17:40I learned in L.A.
17:41Like,
17:41you're safe one moment
17:42and then you're like,
17:43all right,
17:43it's time to go.
17:44Can you touch on
17:46the 25%?
17:47You said you're 75% happy.
17:49What's the 25%
17:50look like for you?
17:52I guess the 25%
17:53is just the L.A.
17:54instinct that
17:55don't fully trust nothing.
17:57You know what I'm saying?
17:57Like,
17:58don't trust these new
17:59niggas over there.
18:02Oh,
18:02sorry.
18:03Yeah,
18:03no,
18:03it's not,
18:04it's not that there's
18:04a 25% that I'm like,
18:06ah,
18:06I don't like that part
18:07necessarily.
18:08It's just an adjustment
18:09that needs to be made.
18:10Change is a constant.
18:11When you have
18:12a Clippers stadium
18:13next to a SoFi stadium
18:16next to the forum,
18:18things are different
18:19and then you got,
18:20you know,
18:21you can tell
18:21when there's a,
18:23when there's a,
18:25what's one of them
18:26pop stars' names?
18:27When their concert
18:28is going on,
18:28you know what I'm saying?
18:30You can tell how much
18:30pop music I listen to.
18:32But you can tell
18:33when that concert
18:34is going on
18:35because people,
18:36the parking extends
18:37all through the city
18:38so people are walking around
18:39and it's like,
18:39oh yeah,
18:40you're not from here.
18:41You know,
18:41and so as a native,
18:43you want to be in a place
18:44that has its own charm
18:46and when that's disrupted,
18:48you can feel it.
18:49So those little things,
18:51you know,
18:51it's a huge entertainment hub
18:53but the beauty of it is,
18:55like,
18:55I like the market streets.
18:57You know what I'm saying?
18:58The market street
18:59is kind of like ours.
19:01It's still like old buildings.
19:03It still has,
19:04it's like if,
19:05if all of those stadiums
19:07were the pier,
19:08you know,
19:09that's the Santa Monica promenade.
19:11You know what I'm saying?
19:11Just a little bit more personable,
19:13a nice little walk
19:14and so it's just
19:17the adjustments we have to make
19:18that's the 25%
19:19and that's a constant,
19:21you know.
19:22I do want to ask you,
19:24Olympia,
19:24that question
19:24because you actually have
19:26a brick and mortar storefront
19:28which I think is pretty rare
19:30just in general
19:31in the United States
19:32but to have something
19:33that is standing
19:35that people can go into
19:37in L.A.,
19:39how do you use
19:40your storefront
19:41to preserve
19:42the culture of L.A.?
19:44Well,
19:45I feel really blessed
19:46to know a lot
19:46about my history
19:47as an L.A. native
19:49so I highly encourage
19:50everyone
19:51whether you're from Los Angeles
19:52or whether you're not
19:53from Los Angeles,
19:54this is one of the most
19:55amazing places
19:56on the planet.
19:57Some of the black people
19:57that have come up
19:58through here
19:59and put work in here
20:00are some of the most
20:01amazing people
20:02on earth
20:03and their stories
20:04need to be told
20:05and heard
20:05so I'll just throw out
20:07a couple of books
20:08I'll do a book
20:10and a documentary
20:11one of my favorite
20:12documentaries
20:13is Bastards of the Party
20:14it's very important
20:16for people
20:17not to just like
20:18observe gang culture
20:19from the outside
20:21but not understand
20:22like how it came about
20:23and know that
20:24it was actually meant
20:24to protect us
20:25when people were like
20:26being chased down
20:27by the Klan
20:28etc.
20:29So I highly recommend
20:30that movie
20:30if you could find it
20:31they make it very rare
20:32to find
20:32but you search on YouTube
20:34you'll find it
20:35and then also
20:37the warmth of other sons
20:38like most people
20:39that are from Los Angeles
20:40like a lot of people
20:42are like
20:42their family is like
20:43from Louisiana
20:44or came from the Midwest
20:46etc.
20:46Like you know what I mean
20:47so just observing
20:49the great migration
20:50and like coming to understand
20:52like how we came to be here
20:54but even before that
20:55a lot of people
20:55don't know that
20:56half of the founders
20:57of the city of Los Angeles
20:58when it was incorporated
21:00half of those people
21:01were black people
21:01and I grew up
21:02in Los Angeles
21:03and nobody ever
21:05told me that
21:05like my whole life
21:06I had to be like
21:07I don't know
21:08I was probably like
21:0830 years old
21:09before I found that out
21:10so I think it's really
21:11important to like
21:12know the history
21:13people like Biddy Mason
21:14you know
21:15the people that own
21:16downtown LA
21:17like the woman
21:18that owned Beverly Hills
21:19like these were black people
21:20so people coming here
21:23from other places
21:23or just being from here
21:25and the psychology
21:27being like
21:27oh like this is like
21:29a white place
21:30or this is a this place
21:30or that place
21:31like no we're very much
21:33a part of the story
21:34like we're very much
21:35like indigenous
21:36like to the space
21:37so I think it's important
21:39to know
21:39and I say that to say
21:41that as it relates
21:42to entrepreneurship
21:43there is no liberation
21:45without economic freedom
21:47like if you don't have
21:49an economy
21:51if you don't have
21:52an economy
21:53you really don't have
21:54any legs to stand on
21:55because you're not
21:57in control of anything
21:58like they say to have
21:59like any kind of a town
22:00you need
22:01what do you need
22:01like a grocery store
22:02you need a hospital
22:03you need a school
22:04like those are three
22:05like main ingredients
22:06or whatever
22:06and a lot of times
22:07like we in a bank
22:09I'm sorry
22:09that was the fourth one
22:10and a lot of times
22:11we find ourselves
22:12not in ownership
22:13and not in control
22:14of those things
22:14so I just
22:16I basically just think
22:17it's really important
22:18for us to look back
22:19at our past
22:20like think about
22:22the amount of
22:23home ownership
22:24in Los Angeles
22:24like black home ownership
22:26is like higher
22:27than like most other places
22:28in the country
22:29and there's a story
22:30behind that
22:30that people should
22:32look into
22:32and all of these things
22:34are like directly
22:34tied to entrepreneurship
22:35so the LA that we love
22:37that we're able to enjoy
22:38like the cultural beacon
22:39that it is
22:40like it come
22:41it came from like people
22:42like putting in work
22:43hustling
22:43and being entrepreneurs
22:45and like creating
22:46like their own communities
22:47and as far as
22:48supermarket being here today
22:50like the reason
22:51that I do what I do
22:52why
22:52the reason I do
22:54what I do
22:55is because
22:56it's just necessary
22:58I know that
22:59like none of the other
23:00things that I want
23:00to see happen
23:01for my community
23:02are possible
23:03without us being
23:04in good health
23:05and without us
23:06having space
23:07to like heal ourselves
23:09like both physically
23:10spiritually
23:11everything else
23:11like without us
23:13having community spaces
23:14to be able to gather
23:15and work on these things
23:16and without us
23:17having a place
23:18where we could go
23:18to get affordable
23:19organic food
23:20none of the other goals
23:22are going to happen
23:22and it's like
23:23it gets overlooked
23:25but like you have
23:25to kind of start
23:26like on your fork
23:27and you have to
23:28kind of start
23:28like with each other
23:29like with the space
23:30that you have
23:31with each other
23:31yes
23:32what I like
23:35about your answer
23:36Olympia
23:36is you kind of made
23:37like this
23:38hierarchy scale
23:40of like how
23:41we can contribute
23:42to the community
23:43that we all live in
23:44and I like how you
23:45touch on the historic
23:46part of it
23:47what can you
23:48what information
23:49do you have
23:49to the transplants
23:50that are in the audience
23:52to tell them
23:53how they can help
23:54people that do live
23:55in LA
23:56and are from LA
23:56how you all can come
23:58together to protect
23:59these spaces
23:59because I do feel like
24:00and I'm speaking
24:01as a transplant
24:02as well
24:03I do feel like
24:05sometimes I don't know
24:06where to put my efforts
24:07unless it's something
24:09really big
24:10that happens
24:11like the Altadena fires
24:12it's like
24:12then that's when
24:13the education came out
24:14then it was like
24:16okay let me do
24:17my research
24:17but outside of
24:19natural disasters
24:19outside of
24:21concentrated areas
24:22that need help
24:23like that
24:23what can we
24:25as a community
24:25do to come together
24:27and fight back
24:28and to preserve
24:29the integrity
24:30of the spaces
24:31that were here
24:31before we were
24:32if it's anything
24:33I could like
24:34genuinely ask for
24:35like if I could
24:36wave a magic wand
24:37like I feel like
24:38a lot of transplants
24:39like when they come here
24:40like they'll move
24:41to a lot of black transplants
24:43like they'll be like
24:43in North Hollywood
24:44or sometimes they'll be
24:45in downtown LA
24:46and I really wish
24:47like I can't go back
24:49five years in time
24:49and stuff
24:50but I really wish
24:51like people
24:51actually like
24:52moved to Englewood
24:53moved to Leimert
24:54because we shouldn't
24:55be like seeing
24:56ourselves as separate
24:58you know what I mean
24:59because basically
25:00what happened
25:00is like there was
25:01something called
25:02white flight
25:02so when we started
25:04to move into these areas
25:06like white people
25:07started to move out
25:08and then the businesses
25:09also left
25:10so it kind of like
25:11left the neighborhoods
25:12like destabilized
25:14and then we had
25:15the crack epidemic
25:15which was basically
25:16like it was done
25:17on purpose list
25:18on purpose list
25:19I'm tripping
25:20we know what you mean girl
25:23it was done purposely
25:24it was done purposely
25:25to like destabilize the area
25:27and get people to move out
25:28so if we can actually
25:29get people from
25:30our community
25:32who are like educated
25:33and talented
25:33et cetera
25:34to like not be afraid
25:35to live next to each other
25:36like we shouldn't be afraid
25:37to live next to each other
25:38that's really powerful
25:39if you're not ready
25:40to give up your lease
25:41and move yet
25:42just like be around
25:43like find out
25:44like where people are
25:45and the biggest thing too
25:46is like be respectful
25:47like sometimes
25:48I hear different conversations
25:49there's like all these
25:50assumptions about like
25:52what LA is
25:53and you know
25:54like sometimes
25:54there's a sense of like
25:55oh I stay away
25:56away from that
25:57because a lot
25:57I mean when we get down
25:58to the bottom of it
25:59it's like people that
26:00move here
26:00they're moving here
26:01for work
26:01like they're moving here
26:02to like pursue something
26:03they're not necessarily
26:04moving here
26:04to like integrate
26:05into a new community
26:06and that's very different
26:07from how the great
26:09migration occurred
26:10it would be like
26:10one person will move here
26:12you might be living
26:13with someone you don't know
26:13but like that's your family now
26:14like that's your grandma
26:15that's your auntie
26:16and like that's how we were able
26:17to make it through
26:18so I think just kind of
26:19restoring that energy
26:21of knowing that like
26:22we are a part of each other
26:24like we're together
26:25like we're one
26:26and you know
26:27setting aside time
26:29for everything
26:29like he said
26:30not to just be networking
26:31not to just be pursuing things
26:32but like setting aside time
26:34to like actually engage
26:35in like community building
26:36will take us a really long way
26:38because the thing about it
26:39with the fires and everything
26:40like this is not the first time
26:42that a black neighborhood
26:44has burned down
26:45like a lot of our neighborhoods
26:47that just seem to keep burning down
26:49throughout the years
26:50like I recently saw Posse
26:51for the first time
26:52and I was like really impactful
26:54but I'm saying that to say
26:56that it's not a matter of like
26:58oh like how can people
26:59that move here help us
27:01but it's like
27:02how do we create resiliency
27:04amongst ourselves
27:05so that no matter
27:06where disaster occurs
27:08throughout the nation
27:10like we're connected
27:10to be able to support each other
27:12like we have to build
27:13our networks
27:14build resilient
27:15like infrastructure
27:16to be able to support each other
27:18no matter what's happening
27:19because something
27:19is happening here today
27:20and tomorrow is going to be
27:21something somewhere else
27:23so you know
27:24we just need to be able
27:25to like support each other
27:26so eighth
27:30if I may
27:32and just to piggyback
27:34off some of you
27:35saying perhaps
27:36we need to develop
27:37like a proactive
27:38volunteering list
27:40you know
27:40like she kind of
27:42spoke to us
27:42waiting for disaster
27:43to happen
27:44but it's so many
27:45organizations
27:46that need support
27:47you know
27:48and not to knock
27:50anybody moving here
27:52but there's a certain
27:53for every person
27:54that's here
27:54that can move to LA
27:55I'm sure y'all know
27:56a hundred people
27:57who are still in
27:59the place
27:59where you grew up
28:00right
28:01so there's a certain
28:01degree of mobility
28:04there's a certain
28:04degree of resources
28:06and some people
28:07just
28:07some people just
28:09are like
28:09I'm gonna hop
28:10on your couch
28:10until I figure it out
28:12right
28:12so I'm not knocking
28:12I'm not saying
28:13that everybody
28:14got a silver spoon
28:14but
28:15if you're coming
28:17to a new place
28:17it's such a fair exchange
28:19to be like
28:19oh there's this organization
28:21my friend has
28:22an organization
28:23called
28:23It's Bigger Than Us
28:24and so
28:26if you look that up
28:26I'm sure you'll find
28:27dope information
28:28but they put on
28:29new things
28:29in the community
28:30whether it's
28:31giving back to kids
28:31at Christmas
28:32and you know
28:33or volunteering
28:34before there's a disaster
28:36but I think
28:37that's a beautiful way
28:38to get out
28:39and one
28:40meet people
28:41but in a way
28:42that's contributing
28:42to what their effort is
28:44and it's just
28:46there's something
28:46that intrinsically happens
28:48when you just
28:48give of yourself
28:50you start to see
28:50your value
28:51and value yourself
28:53a whole lot higher
28:54you know
28:54instead of measuring
28:55by all the comparisons
28:56that we tend to
28:57look at
28:59when we pick up
28:59our phones
29:00or when we
29:00when we have
29:01our high dreams
29:02we always comparing
29:03ourselves to the future
29:03version of ourselves
29:04versus being like
29:05right now
29:06my time
29:07my hands
29:07my presence
29:08is a contribution
29:09to these spaces
29:10and so
29:13maybe that list
29:14you know
29:15I just named one
29:16but I wish I had more
29:17I like that idea
29:17I would definitely
29:18somebody start that
29:19in a Google Doc
29:20and share it
29:20once this is over
29:22so I can sign up
29:22for that volunteer list
29:23you mentioned something
29:25about like this high dream
29:26that we have
29:27and we're here
29:28on behalf of AT&T
29:30Dream in Black
29:30they're committed
29:31to uplifting
29:33and celebrating
29:33the culture
29:34and those who
29:35continue to shape it
29:36it's a future forward
29:37platform that inspires
29:38all that success
29:39can look like
29:40anything you can dream
29:41Olympia you kind of
29:42touched on your dream
29:44as far as
29:46Dream in Black
29:47is like what that
29:48means to you
29:48which is connection
29:49and us coming together
29:50and not being separate
29:51but I would love
29:52to hear from you
29:53D Smoke and DJ Head
29:54what your dream
29:56looks like
29:56and what does
29:57Dream in Black
29:57mean to you
29:58Dream in Black
30:00means to me
30:00just being proud
30:02of who you are
30:04where you come from
30:05what you look like
30:06you know
30:07I see a lot of people
30:08who are not necessarily
30:10proud of their lineage
30:11they're not proud
30:12of the way they look
30:13they're not proud
30:13of how they feel
30:14they don't like themselves
30:15they don't like
30:16where they at economically
30:17they don't like
30:18where they at spiritually
30:19and I think it's about
30:20growth
30:20and I think it's about
30:21allowing yourself
30:22to grace
30:22to grow
30:23and for me
30:25Dream in Black
30:25is I started
30:26as a young Black boy
30:27on the east side
30:29of my mom
30:29single mom
30:30we lived in the car
30:31we was on welfare
30:31until we was 18
30:32they kicked me off
30:33we didn't have
30:34a lot of resources
30:35and I had a dream
30:36that I wanted to be dope
30:37I wanted to be great
30:38I wanted to be bigger
30:38than my circumstances
30:39and so to me
30:41a lot of people
30:43are parents
30:44a lot of people
30:44are not parents
30:45but I think it's about
30:47pouring into those dreams
30:48not just for your children
30:49but for the people
30:50around you
30:50I don't believe
30:51that your supporters
30:52are the same thing
30:53as your friends
30:54and family
30:54like one of my OGs
30:56used to tell me
30:57if you do a show
30:57if you do an event
30:58and everybody there
30:59you know everybody
31:00that means you don't
31:00have any fans
31:01you don't have any clientele
31:02you don't have any customers
31:03so what that looks like
31:05to me is having a dream
31:06that you want to be
31:08bigger than what
31:09your current circumstances
31:09are no matter what
31:10they are
31:11and then watering
31:12those dreams
31:13so they grow
31:13into something great
31:14I think to me
31:22my personal dream
31:24is to like
31:25leave it all here
31:27you know
31:28not leave any talent
31:30any effort
31:31any you know
31:32love that I could have
31:33extended to somebody
31:34unexpressed
31:36and so I've been blessed
31:38like I can't even tell you
31:41why I was born into
31:42the family I was born into
31:43but I've been blessed
31:44with the gift of music
31:45you know
31:46the household I was in
31:47had classical music
31:48gospel music
31:49Stevie Wonder
31:50and then rap kind of
31:52snuck through the cracks
31:53when my uncles and cousins
31:54brought it in
31:54Outkast you know
31:55and so that's a gift
31:58that I was given
31:59and now my job
32:00is to figure out
32:01how to use that
32:02and to the best
32:05of my abilities
32:05but do it in a way
32:07that's also impactful
32:08right
32:08like to what ends
32:10why
32:10what's your
32:10understanding your why
32:12there's a book
32:12start with why
32:13understanding your why
32:15and what you do it for
32:16will keep you from
32:17making decisions
32:18that
32:19that
32:21cause you to feel
32:22like empty
32:23you know
32:24because in
32:24in LA
32:25a lot of times
32:26this
32:27the grind
32:28and the professional
32:29being ambitious
32:31can get you somewhere
32:32and
32:33to where you're like
32:35okay I made it
32:35but why do I feel this way
32:37right
32:37they said
32:38management
32:39determines
32:40you know
32:41management
32:42will build a ladder
32:44right
32:44but leadership
32:45will say
32:46you know
32:46you gotta lean it up
32:47against the right wall
32:48you don't wanna climb
32:49that ladder
32:50and be like
32:50dang
32:51we went real high
32:52in the wrong direction
32:53right
32:54and so
32:55in the same sense
32:56having a sense
32:58of purpose
32:59will
32:59determine
33:00how you
33:01how you approach
33:03the things
33:04that you're doing
33:04so that
33:05it's both
33:06successful
33:07and meaningful
33:08at the same time
33:09because I
33:10and
33:10we gotta be careful
33:12not to envy people
33:13who have
33:14an appearance
33:14of success
33:15but are
33:16heavily addicted
33:18to
33:18whether it be
33:20substances
33:20or a lifestyle
33:21that's not
33:22serving them
33:23and the people
33:23around them
33:24or that people
33:25who have
33:26a certain lifestyle
33:26but aren't
33:27necessarily free
33:28whatever that means
33:29in ways that they
33:30would like to be
33:30so
33:30that's what it means
33:33to dream
33:33to understand
33:34who you are
33:35where you're headed
33:36and take it
33:36as far
33:37in the right
33:38direction
33:38as possible
33:39I'm gonna chime in
33:44on that question
33:46I think for me
33:47dreaming in black
33:48when you think
33:48of the color black
33:50in like
33:51outer space
33:51like how vast
33:52it is
33:52like outer space
33:53is black
33:54it's like a lot
33:55of black matter
33:56there
33:56and I always
33:58try to dream
33:59with that sentiment
34:00like knowing that
34:01there is no limit
34:03to my dreams
34:04I think
34:04sometimes
34:05as black creatives
34:06and us living
34:07in LA
34:08our dream
34:09is to just
34:10make it
34:10to the next month
34:11or to just
34:12do this project
34:13or to just do
34:14like some of our
34:15dreams are
34:16similar to
34:17what's on our
34:18to-do list
34:19so dreaming
34:20in black
34:20to me
34:21is like dreaming
34:21beyond your
34:22to-do list
34:23beyond a project
34:24beyond an accolade
34:25beyond something
34:26that you can put
34:27on paper
34:28but more about
34:29something that
34:29actually fuels
34:30your soul
34:31because I do
34:32think that
34:32once you do
34:33reach a certain
34:34level of success
34:35or you do
34:35cross off the
34:36things that you
34:37wanted to do
34:37on your to-do list
34:38there may be times
34:39where there's still
34:40something empty
34:41inside of you
34:42and that is
34:43the whole point
34:44of dreaming
34:44because when you
34:45accomplish your dreams
34:47that is what
34:48fills you up
34:48so that's what
34:49dreaming in black
34:49means to me
34:50I want to thank
34:51you all for
34:52this conversation
34:53for everybody
34:56yes clap it up
34:58clap it up
34:59for everybody
35:01that was interested
35:03I seen a couple
35:04of ears perk up
35:05and eyes raised
35:05when we were
35:06talking about
35:06how to support
35:07there's actually
35:08an Altadena
35:09and Pasadena
35:09installation
35:10in the back
35:12so you can head
35:12there
35:13leave a note
35:13to support
35:14AT&T will be
35:16donating funds
35:16to the American
35:17Red Cross
35:18to assist those
35:19impacted by the
35:20California wildfires
35:21they will also
35:22be matching
35:22100% of employee
35:24charitable contributions
35:26to the California
35:27Fire Foundation
35:28the LA Fire Department
35:29Foundation
35:30the California
35:31Community Foundation
35:32and the American
35:34Red Cross
35:34so let's clap it up
35:35for AT&T
35:36and where can
35:39everybody find you
35:41you want to
35:41leave them with
35:42a handle
35:42a website
35:43address
35:44my Instagram
35:47is supermarket
35:48so you just
35:49type
35:50supermarketing
35:50and you take
35:51the E's out
35:52so S-U-P-R
35:53M-A-R-K-T
35:54and I would love
35:56to be able to
35:57feed all of you
35:57guys
35:57we have grocery
35:58deliveries
35:58everything's organic
35:59we accept EBT
36:00we got big discounts
36:01in light of the fires
36:02going on right now
36:03so I look forward
36:04to being in community
36:05with you guys
36:06you can find all my
36:08you can find all my
36:13artistry stuff
36:14if you type in
36:16D Smoke 7
36:17that's on Instagram
36:18Facebook and all that
36:19and one thing
36:19shameless plug
36:20I finished a book
36:22and I will be
36:23putting that book
36:24out probably
36:24in the next year
36:25but that book
36:26is called
36:27Vivid Isaiah
36:27so you can also
36:29I would love it
36:30if y'all all go
36:31follow that page
36:32you know
36:33it's in the realm
36:34of Afrofuturism
36:36I love
36:36I'm super inspired
36:37by the books
36:38that changed my life
36:39one of which
36:40was The Alchemist
36:41and I felt like
36:42we needed a
36:43Hood Alchemist
36:44so that was my
36:45inspiration
36:45I wrote it while
36:46I was still in the
36:47classroom and now
36:48I'm excited to share
36:49with the world soon
36:50so please follow
36:51Vivid Isaiah
36:51as well as
36:52D Smoke 7
36:53I'm gonna definitely
36:55be reading that
36:56that sounds fine
36:57DJ Head on everything
36:58no A
36:59DJ HED
37:00I also have a
37:01nationally syndicated
37:02radio show
37:02called Effective
37:03Immediately
37:03with my co-host
37:05Gina Views
37:06I believe in
37:07empowering black
37:08women me and my
37:09team so I got
37:10black co-hosts
37:11I got a black
37:11producer
37:12black women are
37:14you know the
37:15backbone of this
37:15so make sure you
37:17check out Effective
37:17Immediately on all
37:18platforms
37:19and you all can
37:22find me at
37:24Donye Taylor
37:25on Instagram
37:26Twitter
37:26I also have a
37:27newsletter
37:28earthtodonie.substack.com
37:31a lot of the
37:32work that I do
37:32is at the
37:33intersection of
37:34creativity
37:35wellness
37:36and intelligence
37:37so if you're
37:38into that type
37:39of stuff
37:39follow me
37:40and don't forget
37:40to follow my
37:41lovely panelists
37:42it was so good
37:43talking to you
37:44all
37:44and yeah
37:46I'll see you
37:46all around
37:47later
37:47please please
37:54are good
37:54please
37:55please
37:55are good
37:55at AT&T
37:56confident
37:57guarantee
37:58without
37:58for a due
37:59I give you
38:00mellow
38:01because getting
38:04what you deserve
38:04is no one's guarantee
38:06it's a mini mellow
38:08come on
38:09mini mellow
38:10you know
38:11what AT&T guarantee
38:13the deals you want
38:14with your choice
38:14of our most popular
38:15plans
38:16like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
38:18on our own us
38:19please stop
38:21we're about to peace
38:22we're about to peace
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