May 6, 2024 • 59 mins
This week on the Black Perspective, we kick off a new month with a look at the growing teacher crisis in America. News anchor Andrea Coleman shares her conversation with a Black businessman who is making big moves in Cuba. We also hear from BIN's Mo Kelly, Esther Dillard, Doug Davis, and Mimi Brown on various topics impacting the Black community.
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(00:00):
It's Sunday, May fifth, andtoday we kick off a new month with
a look at the growing teacher crisisin America. News anchor Andrea Coleman shares
her conversation with a black businessman makingbig moves in Cuba, and we'll also
hear from bi IN commentators Moe Kelly, Esther Dillard, Doug Davis, and
Mimi Brown on a variety of topicsimpacting the Black community. All that in
(00:23):
war are coming your way. Next, Welcome to the Black Perspective. I'm
your host, Mike Island. Welcometo the Black Perspective, a weekly community
affairs program on the Black Information Networkfeaturing interviews and discussions on issues important to
the Black community. Good Sunday toeveryone, and welcome to another edition of
The Black Perspective. On this firstSunday of May and Sinko de maya weekend.
(00:45):
We start today's program with a conversationcentered on education and teachers in the
black community. Esther Dillard has thedetails. Joining me is National Education Association
President Becky Pringle. Welcome is Pringleto the bi IN. Oh, It's
good to be back with you,Yes, sir, well, there have
been a lot of changes since welast spoke during the pandemic, and I
(01:06):
know one of the issues has beenthe need for more teachers and more counselors.
This is something that has been kindof been out there for a while.
However, at the same time,there have been studies now recently that
show that birth rates are down,inflation is forcing a lot of families to
move out of urban areas into cheaperhousing. So school districts are facing really
(01:29):
major issues when it comes to deficits. What in your opinion that do you
think that many of these school systemsare going to have to do to combat
this problem with funding and teacher shortages. So as so, what you just
laid out is the reality. Ithas always been that when we're talking about
issues related to public education, there'snever a single issue, there's never a
(01:53):
silver bullet answer. And historically,you know, I taught middle level learners
The Wonders of Science for thirty oneyears and so I've been in the business
for a long time and I've seena lot of things come and go.
And when we talk about solutions tosystemic problems, if we don't talk about
(02:15):
them holistically, then we're never goingto solve them or the solutions won't be
sustained. So you laid out alot of issues that are impacting the reality
that we have a crisis in educatorshortage. And I've been calling it a
five alarm crisis since the pandemic,because as we all know, the pandemic
(02:35):
made everything worse. It's not thatwe weren't having a crisis. We were
watching it at the NEA. Infact, we were following the students,
the color students, and whether ornot they were choosing to go into education,
and we were seeing that decline overthe last couple of decades. So
it has been an issue, andit's been an issue when we talk about
(02:57):
the areas that we are do nothave enough teachers certified in like special education
and English Language learners and physics andmath and those kinds of subjects that we
historically had a decent challenges. Butthere are so many other issues now that
(03:17):
we have got to think about solutionsthat are systemic and long ranging, and
we've got to invest in educators andin our public schools. It's a big
issue. And I know that asfar as getting there, getting the arms
around it around as far as schoolsystems around the country, this is going
to be something that will not goaway in the next two years or so.
(03:40):
It's going to be around for awhile. DEI initiatives they were introduced
or I guess not introduced, butpretty huge in twenty twenty. Now there's
a movement to push back many ofthe gains in many states. What do
you make of this, especially sinceI initially was supposed to be helping support
(04:00):
black and brown educators and students whojust needed support in many places where were
they were kind of feeling that thingswere kind of hostile toward them. Diversity,
equity, and inclusion are issues thatthis country has been wrestling with for
for centuries, and we've made progress. We've made certainly made progress in education
(04:23):
over the years, and we alsoknow that these are issues that we have
to continuously address because we have systemicinequities that are built into every social system
in this country, and in education, every one of those social systems impact
whether our students are able to cometo school ready to learn every day.
(04:46):
So we can talk specifically about inequitiesand education. Inequity and education funding,
we know largely that's driven by propertyvalues and specific areas, So we know
that there's a lack of equity theyare. We also know that we have
a significant issues around diversity in theeducation profession. It's going also going in
(05:10):
the wrong direction where we have anincreased number of students of color in our
public schools and we have fewer teachersof color teaching them at a time when
we have the evidence, we havethe evidence that more teachers of color,
particularly black teachers, have an impacton the learning of black students, and
they have an impact on the learningof all students, including our white students.
(05:32):
And so we know how important itis to address the issue of diversity
in education and in all social systems. And then inclusion. You know,
we talk a lot about what's happeningin this moment that so many attempts to
ban books and to not tell thecomplete true history of this country at a
(05:54):
time when we know that our studentsneed both those mirrors so they see themselves,
and they also need those windows sothey can see others. So inclusion
is absolutely critical. But just likewith everything else in this country, when
we take steps forward in racial andsocial justice, that progress is always mad
(06:18):
with stepping backwards in too many places. But we know that we have to
stay the course, we have tolift up our voicy. We have to
come together and organize because we knowthat the diversity in this country is actually
our strength in every way. Youtouched on the next question I was going
(06:40):
to get to, which had todo with black history in schools. Many
churches and parents are taking up themantle and teaching their kids at home black
history. But should that really takeschools off the hook? What do you
say to parents who really just wantto have it at home, of course,
but also taught in schools and notwatered down and eliminate it. What
do you say to them? Blackhistory is American history, so of course
(07:01):
it should be taught in schools,of course. And I, as the
daughter of a history teacher, wasreally fortunate that I had someone at home
also who not only could, buthonestly he demanded that we learn additional content
that because we know that schools can'tteach everything. And it was important to
(07:25):
my dad that I understood where myancestors came from me. He took us
on trips down to Charlottesville, Virginia, where my ancestors were enslaved, and
it was important for him to tellus our own story. But it is
the responsibility of public education to tellthe stories of all of the people of
(07:47):
this country, and so we haveto continue to expand our curriculum in that
way. We have to include thosevoices and those stories. That's how our
students will be able to become thecritical thinkers in the collaborative problems officers we
need them to be, so theycan be the leaders of a just society.
(08:07):
Some school districts, and I knowyou've read about this, that they
are trying to are choosing to getrid of school resource officers or SROs,
and this is an attempt to makeschools, I guess, less like jails
for black and brown students. Theywant to be a very easy and welcoming
environment. But some complain that thiscould really make things a little less safe
(08:31):
and secure at schools. And thenthere's this entire movement about arming teachers in
the classroom. I just wanted toget your take on both of those things.
The three million members of the NationalEducation Association understand the importance of having
safe, just and equitable schools forevery single student. And when I use
(08:54):
the word safe, I mean inevery way. I mean that we're creating
an environment a safe learning environments sothat they feel included, that they see
themselves, that they are valued andrespected, and I also mean they're safe
from gun violence. And we knowthat it is so important for our students
(09:16):
and the people who have dedicated theirlives to educating them have the resources and
tools in their schools to address themyriad of issues that come into our classrooms
every day. And so we havetaken up the issue of gun violence prevention
in this country because it not onlyaffects our students in schools, it affects
our students, especially our black andbrown students in their communities too. It's
(09:39):
absolutely essential that this country past comprehensivegun laws. We know that the Bipartisans
Safer Communities Act took a step,and we are grateful to the Biden Harris
administration for really taking this on,but we know we still need laws around
(10:00):
a storage of guns, safe storageof guns, and addressing assault rifles in
our schools and communities, making surethat we are taking on those red flag
laws where we know that there arepeople in our communities that should not have
access to guns. The answer isnot arming teachers with guns. The answer
(10:22):
is arming them with resources and additionalmental health professionals. The answers are not
more pistols on our streets. Theanswers are making sure that we are creating
those safe environments for all of ourstudents. And I'm going to leave the
last word on you on perhaps somethingthat you definitely want to bring out or
(10:45):
talk about that we didn't cover inthis conversation about education in America. You
know, Esther I, as Isaid, I get a chance to visit
educators and students and parents all overthis country, and I have never been
prouder to call myself a teacher thanI am in this moment as I see
(11:07):
them standing in gaps, which we'vealways done right. We've always brought materials
to kids. We've always done that, But the gaps are so much bigger
and deeper. And what educators arebeing asked to do in this moment while
they're under attack, as they tryto embrace all students and fight back book
bands and teach the accurate and completehistory of this country and have their students
(11:33):
understand the connection of that history towhere we are now. Even with all
of that, in this moment wherethey are still not paid commensurate with the
important work they do in this society. They still are standing up, they're
still speaking out, they're still teachingthe babies every day. I am so
(11:56):
incredibly proud of them, and Iwould encourage our students to follow me in
to this career because we need you, Our students need you, our country
needs you. Well. It's beena pleasure having this conversation with you.
Thank you so much for joining USNational Education Association President Becky Pringle on the
BIL. Thank you. I'm EsterDillard on the Black Information Network. Thanks
(12:22):
Esther, and please stay tuned formore from Esther as she returns later in
today's program with her weekly series TheColor Between the Lines. A black man
has accomplished something few Americans have.He's established a trade relationship with Cuba to
sell electric vehicles to the people there. He spoke with the Black Information Networks
Andrea Coleman about the historic opportunity.Mike John Felder is founder and CEO of
(12:46):
Premiere Automotive Export Ltd, which isheadquartered in Columbia, Maryland. He and
his team have been shipping vehicles tothe Caribbean for more than two decades.
In twenty twenty two, they receiveda license to export electric VA hicles to
Cuba. It is a first ofits kind agreement involving electric cars since the
US imposed and embargo against the countryin nineteen sixty one, which is more
(13:09):
than sixty years ago. It tookover fifteen years to get this done because
there were a number of roadblocks becauseof the embargo. The time John Felder
invested in getting a license to exportelectric vehicles to Cuba is now paying off
for him. Since twenty twenty two, Felder has received three orders from the
Caribbean nation, with more likely tocome. But John's agreement with the Cuban
(13:31):
government is more than just about businessfor this clean energy advocate. It holds
the promise of impacting everything from climateconcerns to government relations, and of most
importance to him, the people ofCuba. So what was key to solidifying
the deal with Cuba. First,you've got to get the Cuban's government to
trust it. I found that thiswas the key to my relationship with Cuba
(13:54):
was getting the Cuban government to trustme. And when you think about it,
I had to get the United Statesgovernment to say yes and Cuban government
to say yes. I really couldnot have achieved this subjective, but I
was able to get two adversaries tosay yes. So when when for everybody,
especially the Cuban people, it reallyis talk a little bit about the
(14:16):
Cuban people. What are they like? The friendliest people that you will ever
meet in your life. I trulyam amazed. I've been going to Cuba
since two thy thirteen, and whathas amazed me most is the friendly faces,
the kindness, their compassion that theyshow towards American It has been surreal,
(14:37):
I mean, just unbelievable. Butagain, they're the friendliest people I've
ever met on any island. Sotell us a little bit about how your
agreement with the Cuban government to sellthese cars to them will impact their lives.
Well, think about this. Whenyou think about Cuba, you're thinking
about old fifties and sixty eraw vehicles. They have thousands of these vehicles,
(15:00):
more than in the United States.Obviously, the downside to that, while
these vehicles look great, they alsopollute the air because they have no catalytic
converters. So every day the Cubanpeople have to breathe this air, this
toxic air, from these vehicles.So by moving them away from fossil fuel
into electric is going to mean acleaner environment for the Cuban people and a
(15:26):
healthier environment for the Cuban people.You are going to be exporting electric vehicles,
not only cars, but scooters.Correct. That is correct, and
I'm glad you brought that up.The electric scooters. We have our own
brand, which is called Bala andin Spanish that means bullet. The Balla
Scooters will be the safest electric scooterin the market in Cuba. As you
(15:50):
probably have heard, there have beenfires not only in the United States but
also in Cuba that have resulted inloss of life. So when the vallow
was in vision, the one thingthat I wanted was to be safe.
The Balla Scooter will be the firstscooter electric introduced in Cuba with removable lifting
them ion batteries that can be chargedseparately from the scooter, so that minimizes
(16:15):
the risk of any fires. AndI'm very excited about that. That's tremendous.
And your scooters are they available herein the US as well? Not
yet, Okay, I have toget the Department of Transportation approval. I
understand. Well, it seems likeyou've got a pretty good track record when
it comes to getting governments on yourside. So we look forward to hearing
more about that. Tell us alittle bit now, John, if you
(16:37):
will howl your agreement with the Cubangovernment impacts the US's relationship with that country.
Well. On my last trip toCuba, I was told that first
I was building a bridge. Nowthat bridge has become a highway. I
really believe that, Dude, theseelectric CAUs and what I'm doing in Cuba,
a lot of things are beginning tohappen behind the scene, and I'm
(16:59):
glad to be a part of that. Because when we think about the embargo,
we've never had an embargo on anycountry for over sixty years. So
through my efforts, through the effortsof Premier Automotive Expert, there's a softening
of feelings towards the Cuban people andthe US government, and I'm hoping that
that continues. Now, you area black Vietnam veteran of the US Air
(17:23):
Force. What does this mean,this opportunity and all that it's bringing together,
as far as these relations between thesetwo governments, What does that mean
to you? Personally? It meansa lot, obviously, and I'm hoping
that this story will inspire some otherblack American Afro American kid to look at
a guy that's now in his eightiesthat was able to achieve something that one
(17:48):
of my friends said was unachievable.And I hope that inspires someone to let
them know it's now in this country. You can do and be whatever you
want to be. I'll do,but you have to work for it.
It's not going to be given toyou. You have to work for it.
So talk, if you will fora moment to other black business owners
here in America who may be interestedin exploring the opportunities in Cuba. What
(18:11):
kind of advice can you give tothem about accessing the government or being able
at least to have doors open tothem. And then also what kind of
businesses may be attractive to the governmentthere. Cuba needs everything from toilet paper
to tube paste, to food tomeds. The embargo has had drastic effects
(18:32):
on the Cuban people. Things wetake for granted flour, sugar, coffee,
cereal. I took a box offruit loops to a ambassador's little daughter
last week who was very upset becauseshe was in Cuba now and she couldn't
find cereal fruit loops. So Itook her big box of fruit loops,
some powdered milk, and the happinesson her face will remain with me forever.
(18:56):
That's beautiful. And so what's thefirst step? How do you even
and began engaging the government there?Do you just send out an email or
is there a contacts some one atour embassy? Great question, Andrea.
In twenty twelve, I was invitedto go to Cuba. That's how the
relationship started. I was invited andI didn't understand it first why But after
(19:18):
getting there and you know, andfinding out that it was no issues according
to my attorney, got the approval. I went there. What they wanted
to talk about was electric cause,which totally blew me away that Cuba,
of all countries, would be wantingto talk about electric cars and growing green.
(19:40):
That's how it started. That istremendous. And is Cuba a lucrative
market? I mean, is thereenough disposable income for companies to go in
there and actually find a thriving marketfor their products and services. Currently there
are eight seven hundred private companies andmore coming. That's changing the land.
When it comes to the Cuban people, but obviously Cuba right now with disposable
(20:04):
income, the average Cuban is paidthirty to fifty dollars a month. However,
last year, the Cuban Americans senttheir relatives over a billion dollars through
Western Union, so that's where theeconomy is. That makes a lot of
sense. So now we understand thatthere's a documentary entitled Driving Towards Change that
(20:26):
features you and your deal with Cuba. Please tell us more about that.
It seems like you're a superstar,your celebrity, and we didn't know it.
Well, I am so excited aboutthe documentary, and so many people
had said after they heard about thestory, a lot of people were not
aware. And you mentioned the nameTraveling Towards Change. So when I envisioned
(20:49):
the documentary, it was so muchto tell, and I figured that would
be one way because everybody that heardabout the story wanted to know how did
this black American guy from a littletown in Hamlet, North Carolina achieved something
like this? So the story isdone. Well, I'm excited also because
(21:10):
Amazon Prime they will begin screening probablyin the next two weeks, so I
am very, very excited about that. Congratulations on that. We look forward
to seeing it and again it willbe streaming in about two weeks on Amazon
Prime. Is that correct? Thatis correct? Yeah? So what's next
for you, John? I mean, you have conquered quite a bit with
(21:30):
this deal with Cuba. What's next? What do you envision especially as you
continue to explore the opportunities in theCaribbean. Well, I want to continue
building this highway between our countries andgetting our trade deficit down because at the
end of the day, we're talkingabout money. We have one of the
largest trade deficits in the world.Obviously, we buy more goods from overseas
(21:53):
than we export too. So here'san opportunity ninety miles from our shores that
can buy all the products that wehave. They want to buy our product,
Let's give them an opportunity. Andso I'm hoping that this license is
a catalyst that moves that effort forward. That's my goal at the embargo soon
(22:14):
goes away and Cuba and the UnitedStates have open trade with each other.
The Cuban people deserve this now.Yeah. So how long is your license
for John? Five years? Fiveyears? Okay? Is there anything that
you have to do our goal oranything that you have to reach to be
able to renew it in five years. Well, if I keep my nose
clean, it automatically or will renew. Oh that's wonderful. So where can
(22:37):
our listeners learn more about you andyour company and your historic success. Well,
you can go to our website www. Premiere Automotive Export dot com.
Look on the about page that hasinformation that you can learn more about our
company. John Felder, Founder andCEO of Premiere Automotive Export Ltd. Thank
(22:59):
you again for joining us, andthank you for your service. John.
It's not lost on us that youare a veteran of the US Air Force.
We appreciate your service then and yourlegacy now. And congratulations on your
venture with Cuba and the documentary.We look forward to looking at it well.
Thank you so very much, Thankyou Andrea, and continued success to
John Felder and his company, PremierAutomotive Export Ltd. The Black Information Network
(23:22):
has an amazing team of commentators whobring their unique perspectives and opinions on stories
impacting the black community. Today,we check in with news commentator Moe Kelly.
I'm Moe Kelly on the bin withyour two minute warning. Webstern,
New York released bodycam footage showing theencounter between a local cop and Monroe County
District Attorney Sondra Dorley on Monday,April twenty second. You might have seen
(23:47):
it by now, but just incase you haven't, it shows Dorley being
pulled over for a speeding infraction.Dorley didn't wait around for her ticket and
instead drove off and drove home.Here's what happened after she failed to comply
and police caught up with her.Can you stay over here, ma'am.
You're this is a traffic this isa thing. This is a legal traffic
stop, ma'am. Do not goinside. Oh my god, ma'am,
(24:07):
come outside. You can't just goinside. This is a traffic stop.
Here's your phone back. I understandthe law better than you. You say
you're a DA. I had theDA. You know what I've been dealing
with all day? Three murders inthe city. And do you think I
really care if I was going twentymiles over the speed limit. Amazingly enough,
even though she didn't comply, shedidn't end up with a knee on
(24:27):
her neck. She didn't end upin an illegal chokehold. I mean it
is New York, asked the familyof Eric Garner. She has now made
a public apology. I just comefrom work. I was dealing with three
homicides that occurred over the weekend.I watched a video where an innocent cab
driver was executed, and I wasstill reeling from a frightening medical concern that
(24:48):
my husband received that afternoon. Butwe all had bad days and stress,
and it was wrong for me totake it out on an officer who's simply
doing his job. As always,there are two tiers of justice in America.
Not only did she manage to curseout a cop and leave a traffic
stop, defy the orders of lawenforcement, she lived to tell about it
and given the chance to offer upa bunch of excuses disguised as an apology,
(25:11):
and most importantly, her life willgo on uninterrupted hashtag not all lives
Matter. I'm mo Kelly at mistermo Kelly on social media, and that's
your two minute warning on the BlackInformation Network. Be sure to catch mo
Kelly, Roland Martin, and JamesT. Harris for their daily commentary right
here on the Black Information Network.Up next, Mimi Brown shines the spotlight
(25:33):
on a California based certification program designedto create a new workforce dedicated to supporting
children and kids with behavioral problems.I'm Memi Brown on the Black Information Network
and today I'm in conversation with BenGomash, a healthcare policy analyst at the
California Department of Healthcare Access and Information. And today we're tackling a very important
(25:56):
initiative by the State of California.But before we start, Ben, thank
you for joining us. How areyou? Thank you so much for having
me so even before the pandemic,we heard about children and youth struggling with
behavioral health challenges. How did thecertified Wellness program come about? Yeah,
that's a great question. And duringthe twenty twenty one twenty twenty two California
(26:18):
budget, there was a four pointfour billion dollar investment and a five year
plan to transform the behavioral health systemfor children in youth. And as part
of that, the state of Californiawas allocated about three hundred and forty million
dollars to develop and implement a newprofession called the Certified One's Coach role.
And so the Department of Healthcare Accessand Information h KAI is responsible for developing
(26:41):
out this profession and so we havenow been over the past two plus years
doing many many things to kind ofresearch, design and develop this. Through
extensive interviews with hundreds of students,parents, teachers, school administrators, and
other industry experts, we came upwith a model that we then turned into
(27:04):
figure out how do we actually implementthis in the state. So we've been
working very closely with these stakeholders aswell as under other industry experts to now
have this profession out in the world. So we have launched our certification and
our website and some other amazing opportunitiesto now have certified wellness coaches within the
(27:27):
workforce. And why is it importantto implement this state certified wellness coach program?
Another great question, and you know, through a lot of research,
we just realized that there's a needand we do notice we hear this when
we continue to connect with our behavioralhealth experts in the field. There's some
pretty alarming research out there. Intwenty twenty one, the Centers for Disease
(27:48):
Control and Prevention found that about fourand ten kids feel persistently sad or hopeless,
and nearly one third experience poor mentalhealth, and it's really important to
get to children in youth early,and so what we created here is a
profession that is in the primary preventionand early intervention space, so it's earlier
(28:10):
on in the continuum before ideally there'sa crisis. So we're doing what we
can to really increase overall capacity meetchildren in youth where they are and try
and get that prevention and intervention servicesprovided early so that we can try and
mitigate some of this crisis. Youknow, meeting children where they are is
(28:30):
so important. How will the wellnesscoaches work with the existing staff. Part
of what we've done is really seeingagain what's going to get in front of
children and youth the most effective way, and a big part of that is
integrating into our school system. Sowe've been doing a lot of work connecting
with county Offices of Education, localeducation agencies, school districts, everything across
(28:52):
the board to really see what ittakes to implement this profession into the public
school system. And so what we'rereally trying to do with this is hope
that our wellness coaches will ease theworkload of some of our school staff,
whether that be school psychologists, theteachers or even clinical staff and community based
(29:15):
organizations that continue to work with andpartner with our schools. So as part
of handling these broader non clinical services, we can increase access to key well
being in support services for our youthideally allow our license or credential staff to
focus on you have more complex needsor require higher levels of support. So
(29:36):
the school system has been a bigfocus for us in this early stages of
implementation. That said, we reallysee coaches being integrated anywhere that employers or
individuals feel they could be part ofthe support teams, so that could be
health centers, government centers, eventelehealth. So we really see this potentially
being a great new workforce to justincrease overall capacity and be another trusted individual
(30:02):
that a child or youth can goto. You know, as an adult,
I know asking for help is noteasy. Are you hoping children and
youth will feel comfortable reaching out towellness coaches if they're struggling? One hundred
percent, one big aspect and youknow, as we talk more with our
children in youth is it's all aboutreducing stigma. There's some stigma around saying
I need support, I need helpand We want this to be as easy
(30:27):
or as natural as someone you knoweating their veggies to stay healthy. Talking
about their mental health should also besomething that they feel comfortable doing. And
so a big part of that isensuring that kids need to be seen and
heard. So what we're really lookingto do is recruit and support a diverse
and representative workforce. We want tomake sure that our coaches, as much
(30:51):
as possible, represent the diversity thatwe see throughout California, so that kids
feel safe, They feel like theycan go to someone who understands them,
understands their experience, and ideally canbegin to address things and approach things before
it goes to a state of crisis. And speaking of recruiting, who would
make a good wellness coach candidate,maybe our listeners are wondering how they can
(31:14):
apply to become certified. There's twodifferent pathways right now. We have an
education pathway, which is for thosethat are recent graduates new into the workforce.
These would be people that are inthe fields of things like social work,
human services, addiction studies. Andwe also have a workforce pathway as
(31:36):
well, which is more for thosethat are already doing similar work or part
of behavioral health workforce. We expandedon some of those degrees as well to
include things like child development, earlyinterventions, psychology, and sociology. These
will be for people that again arealready in the workforce so have more extensive
field experience. And what we're doingis continuing to work with our community colleges
(31:57):
and our state university to really developcurriculum that align with our courses, topics
and competencies so that we ensure thatthese individuals can really dive into and support
our children and youth with behavioral healthneeds. And to learn more, you
can go to our website see aWellness Coach dot org and there's tons of
(32:22):
information both for employers, for potentialcandidates, and there's a very easy link
to find for getting certified that I'llgive you all the information that you need.
And speaking of information, how muchdoes it cost to become certified and
is financial support available? Yeah,Wellness Coach certification is free, so there
is no cost associated with getting certified. We're really trying to reduce any barriers
(32:47):
individuals might have to enter into thisprofession. And we also have scholarships available
annually to help students with education andrelated expenses. That is now open and
that will be active until three pmon Friday, May twenty fourth. So
we do have scholarships open now untilFriday May twenty fourth at three pm,
(33:10):
and they can learn more about thatby visiting our website at CA Wellnesscoach dot
org to learn all of the detailsand eligibility requirements. Absolutely, that's awesome,
so let's repeat that for our listeners. The scholarship application is open now.
It is now live and active.What does the scholarship cover. This
will cover one year of education ata community college or state university with a
(33:35):
maximum award amount of thirty five thousanddollars per student in exchange for one year
of service obligation, So that thirtyfive thousand covers a variety of things including
tuition and fees, and then someother education related expenses room and board,
books and supplies, transportation, evenloan fees is potentially dependent care. So
what we're really trying to do isreduce those barriers and encourage anyone that feels
(34:00):
that this behavioral health education is rewardingcareer opportunity and has a strong interest in
supporting our children and youth, especiallyin those marginalized communities. And let's remind
listeners that the website to visit formore information is see a Wellnesscoach dot org.
That's dot org. You can findmore information there about the Certified Wellness
(34:22):
Coach program. Applied to become certified. And as you mentioned, the scholarship
is open now. It is liveand active. Ben, can you tell
us who is eligible for the scholarships. Eligible applicants include students enrolled are accepted
into an associated bachelor's level social work, addiction studies or human services program and
(34:42):
this will be at a state college, so community college or university for the
twenty twenty four to twenty twenty fiveacademic year. As I mentioned, they
will be needing to commit to aservice obligation for one year, So for
every year that they are awarded ascholarship, there'll be one year of a
service obligation which involved working in aposition that requires a wellness certification. So
(35:02):
supporting our children and youth up throughage twenty five with behavioral health supports and
services and one a unique way.I love this to support our youth and
our children. Are there any otherstates with similar programs? There are one
of a pretty amazing program that welearned a lot from when we were developing
(35:23):
out. This program actually came fromAlaska, which I believe is your hometown,
I say, born and raised.I love that. Yeah. Yeah,
So it's part of they have abehavioral health aid program, so it's
there specifically to support Native tribal health. But we learned a lot from them,
connected from them, and they createda new role to provide culturally relevant
(35:45):
support for behavioral health and substance useneeds. And so there's some other states
doing some really cool groundbreaking work andwe continue to connect with them anywhere from
Oklahoma to Colorado and some of theseother states that are really trying to also
support this behavioral health crisis for ourchildren in use. And one thing,
(36:05):
what is the average salary of astate certified wellness coach. That's a great
question, and we're really leaving thatto employers to set the salaries. There's
so many things that go into settingsalaries, depending on geography and a variety
of other factors. So those salaryrangers will depend on the level of certification
as well as the work will beperformed, as well as the setting in
(36:28):
which they'll be doing that work.Let's remind our listeners one more time of
the website and of key dates thatthey need to be aware of. A
website again is CA Wellness Coach dotorg. Again, that's CA Wellness Coach
dot org. And as I mentioned, you can find lots of information about
our Wellness Coach program, what ittakes to be certified, what all the
(36:50):
eligibility requirements are for that, andthen our scholarship also being open. There's
more information about eligibility for that.And at the end of the day,
we're just see candidates who are passionateabout helping our children and youth. So
please share this information with family,friends, your community. Anybody that you
think really would be a good candidateis somebody that we would love to support.
(37:14):
You know, the time is now, the need is now. Anything
that we can do to continue supportingour children, youth and families. You
know, there's so much information herefor our listeners, a lot that they
can really benefit from. Thank youfor your expertise or insights and sutting light
on this certified wellness program. Again, I just want to mention scholarship applications
are open now and that website seea Wellnesscoach dot org. See a Wellness
(37:38):
Coach dot org is the website.Thank you Ben for joining us on the
Black Information Network. This has beensuch a treat for us and our listeners.
Thank you so much, Mimi,it was a pleasure being here today.
Thanks Mimi, and for more informationon the California Certified Wellness Scholarship Program,
be sure to visit cea Wellnesscoach dotorg. That's see a Wellness Coach
(38:01):
dot org. Gracie Award winning newsanchor Esther Dillard is back on today's show
to bring us another installment of hersegment, The Color Between the Lines.
I'm Ester Dillard on the Black InformationNetwork, chatting with writers and authors who
offer an added perspective for our listeners. This is the Color between the Lines.
(38:31):
In this edition of The Color Betweenthe Life, we're talking about a
documentary film that addresses the life ofDanielle Netz. She is a black woman
who was given three year, threelife sentences, but her sentence was commuted
by former President Barack Obama in twentysixteen. The film is by Nila Jefferson.
(38:52):
She is a native New Orleans filmmakerwhose work includes a twenty twenty film
twenty twenty one film as If NATedfrom the Promised Land, The Legacy of
Black Wall Street. She and DanielleMetz are joining me on the Bien to
share about their newly released documentary calledCommute It. Welcome Danielle Metz and director
(39:13):
Naila Jefferson to the b Thank youwell, thank you, miss Jefferson.
Please tell me and tell those whoare listening, what compelled you to want
to do a documentary on Danielle Metz'sstory. Well, Danielle and I we
were introduced through our pastor. Wewere both attending the City of Love Church
(39:35):
in New Orleans at the time,and Bishop Blest their Love introduced us and
he said, you know, haveyou met Danielle. She has a story
and you are a storyteller. Andso when I met Danielle and I heard
about her story. During that sametime, I had someone in my family
who was incarcerated, and so Ijust during those visits, I always saw
the children and always wondered what theywere going through us, how much incarceration
(40:00):
was impacting those families that I wouldsee in the visiting room. So that's
really what drew me to the storyinitially. And then of course when I
was talking to Danielle, she hadher experience was such that I felt like
people really needed to be brought intowhat it takes to get through a triple
life sentence and to see yourself onthe other side. And she told me
(40:23):
a lot about her children. Shetold me about the support of her family,
particularly her mother and her sister,and her brother also did work.
But I thought that this could bea very illuminating story about incarceration, especially
of women of mothers, who areoften forgotten when we talk about criminal justice
reform and mass incarceration, but notonly that, what it looks like when
(40:46):
you come back home. I don'tthink we see a lot of those stories.
I think a lot of times wethink that the work is done once
someone is released, but that's sometimesjust when the work is beginning. And
it's really been an extreme honor tosee what Danielle has done with her freedom
since returning home in twenty sixteen.Well, Danielle, why did you want
(41:07):
to do this documentary? I mean, ultimately you were going to have to
relive all these very painful moments inyour life. Well, I thought that
this documentary is something that needed tobe made, especially when you've experienced what
I've experienced on the inside. AndI was in there for twenty three years
and eight months, and I saw, like she said, she see people
(41:29):
in the visiting room. I livedit on the inside, and I hear
these women thinking about their children ortalking to their children, and they're you
know, not able to make itthrough. You know, it's really hard
when you tore the mother away fromthe family. And so I was like,
this is something that needs to bedone. You know, society needs
to know what happens on the inside, and we should have better solutions to
(41:52):
you know, people and not prisons. We shouldn't just think about prisons when
it comes to people committing crime.You know, we need to dig and
find out what caused them to getthere, what landed them there in the
first beginning in the first place.And that's something that is never explored because
people think when you go to prisonat oh, well they're rehabilitating and they're
going to do this. It's notlike that they don't even have services on
(42:15):
the inside for women. You know, I was a suiciychi edra. You
know, think about me serving threelife centis and I'm a suiciychidre I should
have been on the other side ofthe story, but they used my story.
If she can get through it,then maybe we can use her to
walk down these hallways and encourage otherwomen. And that's what I used to
do this. They need to putin society well, Miss Jefferson, and
(42:40):
know that there are so many movingparts to this story and how it was
probably extremely challenging trying to tell it. What was I guess the most difficult
part about telling the story, Well, we wanted to make sure this wasn't
a film that looked like anything elsethat was out there. When you look
(43:00):
at documentaries right now, they've becomea lot more commercial than they were ten
twenty years ago, and so you'rereally pushing up against that when you're trying
to make something that's a bit morerevelatory, a bit more revolutionary in the
way that we tell stories about incarceration. And so we didn't want to make
this a true crime story. Wereally wanted to make it about Danielle's journey.
(43:23):
Danielle voiced very early on that shedidn't want to make this a film
that kind of glorified anything, andthis one. She wanted to have this
as a legacy to leave for hergrandchildren and so on, and you know,
her grandchildren's grandchildren and generation after generation. And so that was the hardest
(43:44):
part, I think, trying tomake this film and kind of push against
the boundaries that the industry tries tobox you into. But we did it,
and so I'm really proud of whatwe created. And I'm proud that
we were able to bring Danielle onas a co producer for own film,
because that's something that's important as well, people having the power to tell their
(44:07):
own stories and sister empowerment. It'sso nice to see two women working together
to tell a story like this.I'm wondering you spent you said you spent
twenty three years and eight months behindbars. Did you ever think that you
were going to get out? Andwhat was it like learning that President Barack
(44:28):
Obama was actually considering commuting your sons. Well, it was days that I
thought I would get out. Insome days I didn't think I would get
out, But I was determined toget back to my family and my kids,
because you know, for twenty threeyears, we would buy heads after
every Christmas. My mom never spentthe Christmas as home. As long as
(44:50):
I was in prison. She wasthere every Christmas and every New Year.
So every New year that was ouryou know dream that I the next year,
I'll be coming home. Next year, I'll be coming home. And
so when I learned of President Obamabranding me clemency are even considering it,
it was like over the moon becausethis was somebody that I was just I
(45:12):
brought him into my space. Hewas like I always thought that he was
like my uncle, my cousin becausewe kind of favor to me and I
loved the First Family, and youknow, it was history because I was
like, man, a black manis president, Like who would have ever
thought? Just like, who wouldever thought that I would be free?
So I figured that, you know, I would take pictures and bring them
into my spaces and cut every pictureI see out and just put it on
(45:37):
my above my desk in the room, and I say, I'm gonna call
him into my space some kind ofway, and I guess God must have
heard my cry. And then hewas like he connected me. So I
figured that he was appointed for atime such as this. For those of
you who are just joining us,Semester Dillar with the Black Information Network and
(45:57):
we're talking about, and we're talkingwith award winning filmmaker Niyela Jefferson and Danielle
Mets about their documentary called Commute ItMis Jefferson, what do you hope vote
viewers will hopefully get from this documentary? The main nugget, the Clemency Initiative
is what President Obama created to allownonviolent drug offenders the opportunity to come back
(46:22):
home. So it was through thatinitiative that Danielle was able to come back
home. I want to say aboutsixteen hundred people were released under the clemency
initiative, but maybe sixteen thousand applied. So there are still so many people
that are still behind bars, andsince his time when he left office,
there are even more people. SoI want people to be aware of what's
(46:45):
going on that we still have somany mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers
trapped behind behind prison walls and theyneed to come home, especially those like
Danielle. She was incarcerated when shewas only twenty six and she had two
small children they were three and sevenat the time. So I think people
need to know what incarceration does tofamilies. But I also hope for people
(47:09):
who are incarcerated and people who arefrom incarcerated families that this film gives them
hope, because I think that's onething that you see with Danielle and her
children, and her mom and hersister and all of her family that's in
the film, that they are committedto maintaining their relationship no matter how hard
it is maintain They're committed to movingforward and staying united as a family.
(47:32):
Danielle, I remember looking at aclip that your team sent to me,
and they said it showed you beingvery joyous in New Orleans, but then
expressing that you for a long timeafter being released, was very You were
very angry, and I imagine insome ways you were trying to work through
(47:52):
that anger and find your purpose.Have you found your purpose and did you
figure out what exactly that you wereangry about and dismantle that or are you
still dealing with that anger. Idon't have that anger anymore, because yes,
I found my purpose and I knowthat God put me here. This
is my life mission to fight forthe women that I left behind. You
(48:14):
know, you have people like MichelleWest, she's serving thirty years. Lads
or dads been in there twenty fiveyears, Roberto Bell thirty years, and
these people. I was like,again, I was on the other side
of that story, so I knowwhat it feels like to feel forgotten and
to not have your voice be heard. So I use my story and it's
my story, is my story,but it's the story of so many other
(48:37):
women to amplify their voices. SoI committed myself to doing the work.
You know, I consider myself anabolitionist, and I feel like, you
know, we can the vision theworld without people just going to prisons.
Female incarceration six times higher than itwas in the nineteen eighties, and we're
not talked about enough. So Ihave found my purpose and I'm gonna do
(48:58):
this until these women start stepping outof the prison. And I want them
to know that if it happened forme, it can happen for them.
I am my sister's keeper. Awesome. Any final words, Missus Jefferson?
No final word? Well, Iguess I do. I'm must say no
family worlds. But I just hopethat people are really encouraged and inspired by
(49:21):
Danielle's story. It wasn't an easystory to tell. It's not easy to
open up and be vulnerable and shareyour family with everyone to see. But
she did that, and she didthat not only for herself, but she
did it for the women who arestill incarcerated. So I'm continually inspired by
her, and I know that otherpeople will be too when they watch the
(49:43):
film, and so I hope thatthey support her and the work that she's
doing and the work that the NationalCouncil is doing to free more women from
prison. Well, thank you NaelaJefferson and Danielle Matt for joining us on
the BNIM. Thank you for havingus. Thank you. The documentary film
is called Commuted. That's it forthis edition of The Color Between the Lines.
(50:05):
I'm mister Dilward on the Black InformationNetwork. Thanks Ester, and now
news anchor Doug Davis brings us hisconversation with Darryl Byers, CEO of Enterprise.
(50:25):
It starts with an Eye. It'san organization dedicated to growing black and
women owned businesses. Enterprise just receiveda big multimillion dollar grant, so business
owners be sure to grab a penand pad for this discussion. Doug,
Hey, Thanks Mike. My nameis Doug Davis, and welcome to your
Black Business, where we feature inspiringstories of black entrepreneurs, organizations and perspectives
(50:49):
surrounding black business. We're back withDarryl Bayer, CEO of Enterrise, and
organization dedicated to fostering the development ofsmall businesses owned by minorities and women at
the company has been awarded a generoustwo million dollar grant. While the yield
giving foundation initially set at one milliondollars, the grand amount was increased in
recognition of driss significant potential for impact. The foundation, created by philanthropist Mackenzie
(51:13):
Scott and in collaboration with Lever forChange, aims to amplify the growth and
reach of such pivotal enterprises. MisterByers, welcome back to the BI in
we left off with you discussing thequalifications for your program that these funds will
be attached to. What specific challengesfacing black owned businesses does Enerrise aim to
(51:34):
address with this grant? Yeah,you know, it's a very good question
because you know, typically I wasthere not an advocacy organization, but we
see this as a very important timefor black businesses. As you know,
with the recent Supreme Court decision,I don't think people realize how much that
expand it and there's been challenges toorganizations that look to prioritize funding over by
(52:00):
in capital for black businesses, andin some cases it's been found unconstitutional to
provide that funding. The SBA hasto change their whole structure around their eight
to A program because their original programwas found to be unconstitutional, unconstitutional by
a federal court. So we seeit. We see this as a very
(52:21):
critical time in the coming year,coming two years for black and brown businesses
because what we eventually see happening isthis question going again in front of the
Supreme Court, just like it didfor higher education, and we want to
make sure that we'd be able toinfluence that decision in some fashion. Absolutely.
(52:44):
Another question, in what ways doyou think the grant will contribute to
closing the racial wealth gap experience byBlack Americans through business ownership? So yes,
of course, as I stated,really wants growing business, growing businesses
that take our course. But youknow, we're all research organizations, so
we see this as an opportunity toopportunity to expand our research to really make
(53:07):
enterize the place that you turn toto look for information on growing a black
business. The data that people arelooking for the outcomes that occurs when you
grow black and brown businesses. Sowe want to use this a grant to
expand our research so you know,more the general public or more of those
(53:30):
the corporations out there that have beenpromising these funds for years and private foundations
understand the positive effect that their investmentwill have in organizations like Interrize and by
providing technical assistances assistance to black andbrown businesses. Right, and which probably
(53:51):
leads to this question, are thereany successful metrics or goals that RISE has
set or already has in place,let's say that can measure the impact the
grow and your success on black ownedbusinesses. Sure, you know, what
we do know is our program works. So you know, we've been compiling
data for twenty years. You knowone thing, We survey all of our
(54:14):
businesses, and you know from thetime you start day one, you start
taking the course on what you're findingvaluable about it until three years after you
graduate, and even further about whatyou learn, how it's affecting your business,
and what you've learned since taking ourcourse. What we do know is
that businesses who take our course rollthirty six percent. Businesses that take our
(54:38):
course and become get large contracts orcontracts with anchor institutions, you know,
the city, state, federal governmentcontracts, or those large corporations they grow.
In particular, we know that seventypercent that black owned businesses and low
income neighborhoods grow by se any percenthave to take care of course, So
(55:02):
all we're doing is providing the toolsthat makes for a level playing field.
And once again, this is ourresearch will show, this is what our
twenty years of helping businesses continues theshow. Finally, any partnerships or collaborations
with black community organizations or leaders,are they maybe being leveraged to try to
(55:25):
maximize the grant's reach and effectiveness.Sure, well, we're going to be
looking to continue our partnership. We'vebeen working with the Urban League of Western
Massachusetts and Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. That's just in Massachusetts. You know,
we have partnerships across the country,you know, the Delaware Black Chamber
(55:45):
or Commerce we do. We doa lot of work with the Urban League
done in Tennessee. We do alot of work with and we have corporate
partners. You know, we've donea lot of work with Honeywell in the
Boston area. You know, there'sWe've been funded by Eastern Bank, TV
Bank and Citizens Bank and many manymore. So you know, it's hard
(56:08):
to say one partnership and you talkabout an organization that's been in eighty cities
nationally around the country. But there'smany partners out there that we look forward
to to continue that partnership with.That's great. For folks who may not
know about the street Wise program,could you give them the rundown so they're
aware and then follow up. Yes, this is a very intensive. It's
(56:29):
a seven month program and you meetevery other week for three hours and you
have homework in between those meetings too. So the first thing you do is
develop a three year strategic growth plan. And as you take the five modules
that are associated with the course,and just to name a couple of the
two most popular ones I find isaccess and capital and understanding your finances,
(56:52):
and you continue to work on yourthree year growth plan. So that's seven
months months. You have a verypolished plan that you can take and work
on in the coming years to continueto grow your business. A lot of
people use that plan to bring tofinancial institutions to access that capital that we
(57:15):
that we've discussed, so but youhave to really, really willing, be
willing to make an investment in yourself. But the reward is amazing. So
you know, we hear a lot. I don't have the time to invest
that much time in taking this thestreet Wise MBA, but I promise you
(57:37):
the results speak for themselves. Sowhat's the cost. It's very affordable.
There's no cost to it. Sothat's that's a great thing about it.
The street Wise program is free.The street Wise program is free. I
spend a lot of I spend alot of my time traveling around the country
finding the funding to make sure thatfree because we're going to make sure that's
(58:01):
accessible to the people who need itmost. And that's why some of those
companies I just mentioned earlier, whythey're so important, Why the Eastern Bank,
TV bank, Honeywell, that's whyit's so important that those funds are
provided so that the companies can takethis course for free. Wow, hit
(58:24):
me with that website one more time, sir. Sure we're at www.
Entriz I N T E R IS E dot org. Darryl Byers,
CEO of Interrise, thank you somuch for the work that you do for
the black community. This is DougDavis. You're listening to your Black business
on the Black Perspective. Thanks Doug, and that's our program for this week.
(58:46):
For more on these stories, listento the Black Information Network on the
free iHeartRadio app or log onto binnews dot com where you can hear this
program and the latest news affecting theblack community. Also follow us on social
media at Black Information Network and onx formerly known as Twitter at black info
Net. Thanks for listening, andbe sure to join us next week at
(59:08):
this time for another edition of TheBlack Perspective right here on the Black Information
Network. The Black Information Network andsix time Emmy nominated news anchor Vanessa Tyler
welcome you to black Land, apodcast about the ground on which the Black
community stands right now. From storiesabout salvation and loss, I love the
(59:29):
person who had an a hirvy diagnosis, the dreams achieved or yet unfulfilled from
people who have made it. Isat down with a therapist and I began
my journey to those left behind.Listen to black Land on the iHeartRadio app
or wherever you get your podcasts
It's Sunday, May fifth, andtoday we kick off a new month with
a look at the growing teacher crisisin America. News anchor Andrea Coleman shares
her conversation with a black businessman makingbig moves in Cuba, and we'll also
hear from bi IN commentators Moe Kelly, Esther Dillard, Doug Davis, and
Mimi Brown on a variety of topicsimpacting the Black community. All that in
(00:23):
war are coming your way. Next, Welcome to the Black Perspective. I'm
your host, Mike Island. Welcometo the Black Perspective, a weekly community
affairs program on the Black Information Networkfeaturing interviews and discussions on issues important to
the Black community. Good Sunday toeveryone, and welcome to another edition of
The Black Perspective. On this firstSunday of May and Sinko de maya weekend.
(00:45):
We start today's program with a conversationcentered on education and teachers in the
black community. Esther Dillard has thedetails. Joining me is National Education Association
President Becky Pringle. Welcome is Pringleto the bi IN. Oh, It's
good to be back with you,Yes, sir, well, there have
been a lot of changes since welast spoke during the pandemic, and I
(01:06):
know one of the issues has beenthe need for more teachers and more counselors.
This is something that has been kindof been out there for a while.
However, at the same time,there have been studies now recently that
show that birth rates are down,inflation is forcing a lot of families to
move out of urban areas into cheaperhousing. So school districts are facing really
(01:29):
major issues when it comes to deficits. What in your opinion that do you
think that many of these school systemsare going to have to do to combat
this problem with funding and teacher shortages. So as so, what you just
laid out is the reality. Ithas always been that when we're talking about
issues related to public education, there'snever a single issue, there's never a
(01:53):
silver bullet answer. And historically,you know, I taught middle level learners
The Wonders of Science for thirty oneyears and so I've been in the business
for a long time and I've seena lot of things come and go.
And when we talk about solutions tosystemic problems, if we don't talk about
(02:15):
them holistically, then we're never goingto solve them or the solutions won't be
sustained. So you laid out alot of issues that are impacting the reality
that we have a crisis in educatorshortage. And I've been calling it a
five alarm crisis since the pandemic,because as we all know, the pandemic
(02:35):
made everything worse. It's not thatwe weren't having a crisis. We were
watching it at the NEA. Infact, we were following the students,
the color students, and whether ornot they were choosing to go into education,
and we were seeing that decline overthe last couple of decades. So
it has been an issue, andit's been an issue when we talk about
(02:57):
the areas that we are do nothave enough teachers certified in like special education
and English Language learners and physics andmath and those kinds of subjects that we
historically had a decent challenges. Butthere are so many other issues now that
(03:17):
we have got to think about solutionsthat are systemic and long ranging, and
we've got to invest in educators andin our public schools. It's a big
issue. And I know that asfar as getting there, getting the arms
around it around as far as schoolsystems around the country, this is going
to be something that will not goaway in the next two years or so.
(03:40):
It's going to be around for awhile. DEI initiatives they were introduced
or I guess not introduced, butpretty huge in twenty twenty. Now there's
a movement to push back many ofthe gains in many states. What do
you make of this, especially sinceI initially was supposed to be helping support
(04:00):
black and brown educators and students whojust needed support in many places where were
they were kind of feeling that thingswere kind of hostile toward them. Diversity,
equity, and inclusion are issues thatthis country has been wrestling with for
for centuries, and we've made progress. We've made certainly made progress in education
(04:23):
over the years, and we alsoknow that these are issues that we have
to continuously address because we have systemicinequities that are built into every social system
in this country, and in education, every one of those social systems impact
whether our students are able to cometo school ready to learn every day.
(04:46):
So we can talk specifically about inequitiesand education. Inequity and education funding,
we know largely that's driven by propertyvalues and specific areas, So we know
that there's a lack of equity theyare. We also know that we have
a significant issues around diversity in theeducation profession. It's going also going in
(05:10):
the wrong direction where we have anincreased number of students of color in our
public schools and we have fewer teachersof color teaching them at a time when
we have the evidence, we havethe evidence that more teachers of color,
particularly black teachers, have an impacton the learning of black students, and
they have an impact on the learningof all students, including our white students.
(05:32):
And so we know how important itis to address the issue of diversity
in education and in all social systems. And then inclusion. You know,
we talk a lot about what's happeningin this moment that so many attempts to
ban books and to not tell thecomplete true history of this country at a
(05:54):
time when we know that our studentsneed both those mirrors so they see themselves,
and they also need those windows sothey can see others. So inclusion
is absolutely critical. But just likewith everything else in this country, when
we take steps forward in racial andsocial justice, that progress is always mad
(06:18):
with stepping backwards in too many places. But we know that we have to
stay the course, we have tolift up our voicy. We have to
come together and organize because we knowthat the diversity in this country is actually
our strength in every way. Youtouched on the next question I was going
(06:40):
to get to, which had todo with black history in schools. Many
churches and parents are taking up themantle and teaching their kids at home black
history. But should that really takeschools off the hook? What do you
say to parents who really just wantto have it at home, of course,
but also taught in schools and notwatered down and eliminate it. What
do you say to them? Blackhistory is American history, so of course
(07:01):
it should be taught in schools,of course. And I, as the
daughter of a history teacher, wasreally fortunate that I had someone at home
also who not only could, buthonestly he demanded that we learn additional content
that because we know that schools can'tteach everything. And it was important to
(07:25):
my dad that I understood where myancestors came from me. He took us
on trips down to Charlottesville, Virginia, where my ancestors were enslaved, and
it was important for him to tellus our own story. But it is
the responsibility of public education to tellthe stories of all of the people of
(07:47):
this country, and so we haveto continue to expand our curriculum in that
way. We have to include thosevoices and those stories. That's how our
students will be able to become thecritical thinkers in the collaborative problems officers we
need them to be, so theycan be the leaders of a just society.
(08:07):
Some school districts, and I knowyou've read about this, that they
are trying to are choosing to getrid of school resource officers or SROs,
and this is an attempt to makeschools, I guess, less like jails
for black and brown students. Theywant to be a very easy and welcoming
environment. But some complain that thiscould really make things a little less safe
(08:31):
and secure at schools. And thenthere's this entire movement about arming teachers in
the classroom. I just wanted toget your take on both of those things.
The three million members of the NationalEducation Association understand the importance of having
safe, just and equitable schools forevery single student. And when I use
(08:54):
the word safe, I mean inevery way. I mean that we're creating
an environment a safe learning environments sothat they feel included, that they see
themselves, that they are valued andrespected, and I also mean they're safe
from gun violence. And we knowthat it is so important for our students
(09:16):
and the people who have dedicated theirlives to educating them have the resources and
tools in their schools to address themyriad of issues that come into our classrooms
every day. And so we havetaken up the issue of gun violence prevention
in this country because it not onlyaffects our students in schools, it affects
our students, especially our black andbrown students in their communities too. It's
(09:39):
absolutely essential that this country past comprehensivegun laws. We know that the Bipartisans
Safer Communities Act took a step,and we are grateful to the Biden Harris
administration for really taking this on,but we know we still need laws around
(10:00):
a storage of guns, safe storageof guns, and addressing assault rifles in
our schools and communities, making surethat we are taking on those red flag
laws where we know that there arepeople in our communities that should not have
access to guns. The answer isnot arming teachers with guns. The answer
(10:22):
is arming them with resources and additionalmental health professionals. The answers are not
more pistols on our streets. Theanswers are making sure that we are creating
those safe environments for all of ourstudents. And I'm going to leave the
last word on you on perhaps somethingthat you definitely want to bring out or
(10:45):
talk about that we didn't cover inthis conversation about education in America. You
know, Esther I, as Isaid, I get a chance to visit
educators and students and parents all overthis country, and I have never been
prouder to call myself a teacher thanI am in this moment as I see
(11:07):
them standing in gaps, which we'vealways done right. We've always brought materials
to kids. We've always done that, But the gaps are so much bigger
and deeper. And what educators arebeing asked to do in this moment while
they're under attack, as they tryto embrace all students and fight back book
bands and teach the accurate and completehistory of this country and have their students
(11:33):
understand the connection of that history towhere we are now. Even with all
of that, in this moment wherethey are still not paid commensurate with the
important work they do in this society. They still are standing up, they're
still speaking out, they're still teachingthe babies every day. I am so
(11:56):
incredibly proud of them, and Iwould encourage our students to follow me in
to this career because we need you, Our students need you, our country
needs you. Well. It's beena pleasure having this conversation with you.
Thank you so much for joining USNational Education Association President Becky Pringle on the
BIL. Thank you. I'm EsterDillard on the Black Information Network. Thanks
(12:22):
Esther, and please stay tuned formore from Esther as she returns later in
today's program with her weekly series TheColor Between the Lines. A black man
has accomplished something few Americans have.He's established a trade relationship with Cuba to
sell electric vehicles to the people there. He spoke with the Black Information Networks
Andrea Coleman about the historic opportunity.Mike John Felder is founder and CEO of
(12:46):
Premiere Automotive Export Ltd, which isheadquartered in Columbia, Maryland. He and
his team have been shipping vehicles tothe Caribbean for more than two decades.
In twenty twenty two, they receiveda license to export electric VA hicles to
Cuba. It is a first ofits kind agreement involving electric cars since the
US imposed and embargo against the countryin nineteen sixty one, which is more
(13:09):
than sixty years ago. It tookover fifteen years to get this done because
there were a number of roadblocks becauseof the embargo. The time John Felder
invested in getting a license to exportelectric vehicles to Cuba is now paying off
for him. Since twenty twenty two, Felder has received three orders from the
Caribbean nation, with more likely tocome. But John's agreement with the Cuban
(13:31):
government is more than just about businessfor this clean energy advocate. It holds
the promise of impacting everything from climateconcerns to government relations, and of most
importance to him, the people ofCuba. So what was key to solidifying
the deal with Cuba. First,you've got to get the Cuban's government to
trust it. I found that thiswas the key to my relationship with Cuba
(13:54):
was getting the Cuban government to trustme. And when you think about it,
I had to get the United Statesgovernment to say yes and Cuban government
to say yes. I really couldnot have achieved this subjective, but I
was able to get two adversaries tosay yes. So when when for everybody,
especially the Cuban people, it reallyis talk a little bit about the
(14:16):
Cuban people. What are they like? The friendliest people that you will ever
meet in your life. I trulyam amazed. I've been going to Cuba
since two thy thirteen, and whathas amazed me most is the friendly faces,
the kindness, their compassion that theyshow towards American It has been surreal,
(14:37):
I mean, just unbelievable. Butagain, they're the friendliest people I've
ever met on any island. Sotell us a little bit about how your
agreement with the Cuban government to sellthese cars to them will impact their lives.
Well, think about this. Whenyou think about Cuba, you're thinking
about old fifties and sixty eraw vehicles. They have thousands of these vehicles,
(15:00):
more than in the United States.Obviously, the downside to that, while
these vehicles look great, they alsopollute the air because they have no catalytic
converters. So every day the Cubanpeople have to breathe this air, this
toxic air, from these vehicles.So by moving them away from fossil fuel
into electric is going to mean acleaner environment for the Cuban people and a
(15:26):
healthier environment for the Cuban people.You are going to be exporting electric vehicles,
not only cars, but scooters.Correct. That is correct, and
I'm glad you brought that up.The electric scooters. We have our own
brand, which is called Bala andin Spanish that means bullet. The Balla
Scooters will be the safest electric scooterin the market in Cuba. As you
(15:50):
probably have heard, there have beenfires not only in the United States but
also in Cuba that have resulted inloss of life. So when the vallow
was in vision, the one thingthat I wanted was to be safe.
The Balla Scooter will be the firstscooter electric introduced in Cuba with removable lifting
them ion batteries that can be chargedseparately from the scooter, so that minimizes
(16:15):
the risk of any fires. AndI'm very excited about that. That's tremendous.
And your scooters are they available herein the US as well? Not
yet, Okay, I have toget the Department of Transportation approval. I
understand. Well, it seems likeyou've got a pretty good track record when
it comes to getting governments on yourside. So we look forward to hearing
more about that. Tell us alittle bit now, John, if you
(16:37):
will howl your agreement with the Cubangovernment impacts the US's relationship with that country.
Well. On my last trip toCuba, I was told that first
I was building a bridge. Nowthat bridge has become a highway. I
really believe that, Dude, theseelectric CAUs and what I'm doing in Cuba,
a lot of things are beginning tohappen behind the scene, and I'm
(16:59):
glad to be a part of that. Because when we think about the embargo,
we've never had an embargo on anycountry for over sixty years. So
through my efforts, through the effortsof Premier Automotive Expert, there's a softening
of feelings towards the Cuban people andthe US government, and I'm hoping that
that continues. Now, you area black Vietnam veteran of the US Air
(17:23):
Force. What does this mean,this opportunity and all that it's bringing together,
as far as these relations between thesetwo governments, What does that mean
to you? Personally? It meansa lot, obviously, and I'm hoping
that this story will inspire some otherblack American Afro American kid to look at
a guy that's now in his eightiesthat was able to achieve something that one
(17:48):
of my friends said was unachievable.And I hope that inspires someone to let
them know it's now in this country. You can do and be whatever you
want to be. I'll do,but you have to work for it.
It's not going to be given toyou. You have to work for it.
So talk, if you will fora moment to other black business owners
here in America who may be interestedin exploring the opportunities in Cuba. What
(18:11):
kind of advice can you give tothem about accessing the government or being able
at least to have doors open tothem. And then also what kind of
businesses may be attractive to the governmentthere. Cuba needs everything from toilet paper
to tube paste, to food tomeds. The embargo has had drastic effects
(18:32):
on the Cuban people. Things wetake for granted flour, sugar, coffee,
cereal. I took a box offruit loops to a ambassador's little daughter
last week who was very upset becauseshe was in Cuba now and she couldn't
find cereal fruit loops. So Itook her big box of fruit loops,
some powdered milk, and the happinesson her face will remain with me forever.
(18:56):
That's beautiful. And so what's thefirst step? How do you even
and began engaging the government there?Do you just send out an email or
is there a contacts some one atour embassy? Great question, Andrea.
In twenty twelve, I was invitedto go to Cuba. That's how the
relationship started. I was invited andI didn't understand it first why But after
(19:18):
getting there and you know, andfinding out that it was no issues according
to my attorney, got the approval. I went there. What they wanted
to talk about was electric cause,which totally blew me away that Cuba,
of all countries, would be wantingto talk about electric cars and growing green.
(19:40):
That's how it started. That istremendous. And is Cuba a lucrative
market? I mean, is thereenough disposable income for companies to go in
there and actually find a thriving marketfor their products and services. Currently there
are eight seven hundred private companies andmore coming. That's changing the land.
When it comes to the Cuban people, but obviously Cuba right now with disposable
(20:04):
income, the average Cuban is paidthirty to fifty dollars a month. However,
last year, the Cuban Americans senttheir relatives over a billion dollars through
Western Union, so that's where theeconomy is. That makes a lot of
sense. So now we understand thatthere's a documentary entitled Driving Towards Change that
(20:26):
features you and your deal with Cuba. Please tell us more about that.
It seems like you're a superstar,your celebrity, and we didn't know it.
Well, I am so excited aboutthe documentary, and so many people
had said after they heard about thestory, a lot of people were not
aware. And you mentioned the nameTraveling Towards Change. So when I envisioned
(20:49):
the documentary, it was so muchto tell, and I figured that would
be one way because everybody that heardabout the story wanted to know how did
this black American guy from a littletown in Hamlet, North Carolina achieved something
like this? So the story isdone. Well, I'm excited also because
(21:10):
Amazon Prime they will begin screening probablyin the next two weeks, so I
am very, very excited about that. Congratulations on that. We look forward
to seeing it and again it willbe streaming in about two weeks on Amazon
Prime. Is that correct? Thatis correct? Yeah? So what's next
for you, John? I mean, you have conquered quite a bit with
(21:30):
this deal with Cuba. What's next? What do you envision especially as you
continue to explore the opportunities in theCaribbean. Well, I want to continue
building this highway between our countries andgetting our trade deficit down because at the
end of the day, we're talkingabout money. We have one of the
largest trade deficits in the world.Obviously, we buy more goods from overseas
(21:53):
than we export too. So here'san opportunity ninety miles from our shores that
can buy all the products that wehave. They want to buy our product,
Let's give them an opportunity. Andso I'm hoping that this license is
a catalyst that moves that effort forward. That's my goal at the embargo soon
(22:14):
goes away and Cuba and the UnitedStates have open trade with each other.
The Cuban people deserve this now.Yeah. So how long is your license
for John? Five years? Fiveyears? Okay? Is there anything that
you have to do our goal oranything that you have to reach to be
able to renew it in five years. Well, if I keep my nose
clean, it automatically or will renew. Oh that's wonderful. So where can
(22:37):
our listeners learn more about you andyour company and your historic success. Well,
you can go to our website www. Premiere Automotive Export dot com.
Look on the about page that hasinformation that you can learn more about our
company. John Felder, Founder andCEO of Premiere Automotive Export Ltd. Thank
(22:59):
you again for joining us, andthank you for your service. John.
It's not lost on us that youare a veteran of the US Air Force.
We appreciate your service then and yourlegacy now. And congratulations on your
venture with Cuba and the documentary.We look forward to looking at it well.
Thank you so very much, Thankyou Andrea, and continued success to
John Felder and his company, PremierAutomotive Export Ltd. The Black Information Network
(23:22):
has an amazing team of commentators whobring their unique perspectives and opinions on stories
impacting the black community. Today,we check in with news commentator Moe Kelly.
I'm Moe Kelly on the bin withyour two minute warning. Webstern,
New York released bodycam footage showing theencounter between a local cop and Monroe County
District Attorney Sondra Dorley on Monday,April twenty second. You might have seen
(23:47):
it by now, but just incase you haven't, it shows Dorley being
pulled over for a speeding infraction.Dorley didn't wait around for her ticket and
instead drove off and drove home.Here's what happened after she failed to comply
and police caught up with her.Can you stay over here, ma'am.
You're this is a traffic this isa thing. This is a legal traffic
stop, ma'am. Do not goinside. Oh my god, ma'am,
(24:07):
come outside. You can't just goinside. This is a traffic stop.
Here's your phone back. I understandthe law better than you. You say
you're a DA. I had theDA. You know what I've been dealing
with all day? Three murders inthe city. And do you think I
really care if I was going twentymiles over the speed limit. Amazingly enough,
even though she didn't comply, shedidn't end up with a knee on
(24:27):
her neck. She didn't end upin an illegal chokehold. I mean it
is New York, asked the familyof Eric Garner. She has now made
a public apology. I just comefrom work. I was dealing with three
homicides that occurred over the weekend.I watched a video where an innocent cab
driver was executed, and I wasstill reeling from a frightening medical concern that
(24:48):
my husband received that afternoon. Butwe all had bad days and stress,
and it was wrong for me totake it out on an officer who's simply
doing his job. As always,there are two tiers of justice in America.
Not only did she manage to curseout a cop and leave a traffic
stop, defy the orders of lawenforcement, she lived to tell about it
and given the chance to offer upa bunch of excuses disguised as an apology,
(25:11):
and most importantly, her life willgo on uninterrupted hashtag not all lives
Matter. I'm mo Kelly at mistermo Kelly on social media, and that's
your two minute warning on the BlackInformation Network. Be sure to catch mo
Kelly, Roland Martin, and JamesT. Harris for their daily commentary right
here on the Black Information Network.Up next, Mimi Brown shines the spotlight
(25:33):
on a California based certification program designedto create a new workforce dedicated to supporting
children and kids with behavioral problems.I'm Memi Brown on the Black Information Network
and today I'm in conversation with BenGomash, a healthcare policy analyst at the
California Department of Healthcare Access and Information. And today we're tackling a very important
(25:56):
initiative by the State of California.But before we start, Ben, thank
you for joining us. How areyou? Thank you so much for having
me so even before the pandemic,we heard about children and youth struggling with
behavioral health challenges. How did thecertified Wellness program come about? Yeah,
that's a great question. And duringthe twenty twenty one twenty twenty two California
(26:18):
budget, there was a four pointfour billion dollar investment and a five year
plan to transform the behavioral health systemfor children in youth. And as part
of that, the state of Californiawas allocated about three hundred and forty million
dollars to develop and implement a newprofession called the Certified One's Coach role.
And so the Department of Healthcare Accessand Information h KAI is responsible for developing
(26:41):
out this profession and so we havenow been over the past two plus years
doing many many things to kind ofresearch, design and develop this. Through
extensive interviews with hundreds of students,parents, teachers, school administrators, and
other industry experts, we came upwith a model that we then turned into
(27:04):
figure out how do we actually implementthis in the state. So we've been
working very closely with these stakeholders aswell as under other industry experts to now
have this profession out in the world. So we have launched our certification and
our website and some other amazing opportunitiesto now have certified wellness coaches within the
(27:27):
workforce. And why is it importantto implement this state certified wellness coach program?
Another great question, and you know, through a lot of research,
we just realized that there's a needand we do notice we hear this when
we continue to connect with our behavioralhealth experts in the field. There's some
pretty alarming research out there. Intwenty twenty one, the Centers for Disease
(27:48):
Control and Prevention found that about fourand ten kids feel persistently sad or hopeless,
and nearly one third experience poor mentalhealth, and it's really important to
get to children in youth early,and so what we created here is a
profession that is in the primary preventionand early intervention space, so it's earlier
(28:10):
on in the continuum before ideally there'sa crisis. So we're doing what we
can to really increase overall capacity meetchildren in youth where they are and try
and get that prevention and intervention servicesprovided early so that we can try and
mitigate some of this crisis. Youknow, meeting children where they are is
(28:30):
so important. How will the wellnesscoaches work with the existing staff. Part
of what we've done is really seeingagain what's going to get in front of
children and youth the most effective way, and a big part of that is
integrating into our school system. Sowe've been doing a lot of work connecting
with county Offices of Education, localeducation agencies, school districts, everything across
(28:52):
the board to really see what ittakes to implement this profession into the public
school system. And so what we'rereally trying to do with this is hope
that our wellness coaches will ease theworkload of some of our school staff,
whether that be school psychologists, theteachers or even clinical staff and community based
(29:15):
organizations that continue to work with andpartner with our schools. So as part
of handling these broader non clinical services, we can increase access to key well
being in support services for our youthideally allow our license or credential staff to
focus on you have more complex needsor require higher levels of support. So
(29:36):
the school system has been a bigfocus for us in this early stages of
implementation. That said, we reallysee coaches being integrated anywhere that employers or
individuals feel they could be part ofthe support teams, so that could be
health centers, government centers, eventelehealth. So we really see this potentially
being a great new workforce to justincrease overall capacity and be another trusted individual
(30:02):
that a child or youth can goto. You know, as an adult,
I know asking for help is noteasy. Are you hoping children and
youth will feel comfortable reaching out towellness coaches if they're struggling? One hundred
percent, one big aspect and youknow, as we talk more with our
children in youth is it's all aboutreducing stigma. There's some stigma around saying
I need support, I need helpand We want this to be as easy
(30:27):
or as natural as someone you knoweating their veggies to stay healthy. Talking
about their mental health should also besomething that they feel comfortable doing. And
so a big part of that isensuring that kids need to be seen and
heard. So what we're really lookingto do is recruit and support a diverse
and representative workforce. We want tomake sure that our coaches, as much
(30:51):
as possible, represent the diversity thatwe see throughout California, so that kids
feel safe, They feel like theycan go to someone who understands them,
understands their experience, and ideally canbegin to address things and approach things before
it goes to a state of crisis. And speaking of recruiting, who would
make a good wellness coach candidate,maybe our listeners are wondering how they can
(31:14):
apply to become certified. There's twodifferent pathways right now. We have an
education pathway, which is for thosethat are recent graduates new into the workforce.
These would be people that are inthe fields of things like social work,
human services, addiction studies. Andwe also have a workforce pathway as
(31:36):
well, which is more for thosethat are already doing similar work or part
of behavioral health workforce. We expandedon some of those degrees as well to
include things like child development, earlyinterventions, psychology, and sociology. These
will be for people that again arealready in the workforce so have more extensive
field experience. And what we're doingis continuing to work with our community colleges
(31:57):
and our state university to really developcurriculum that align with our courses, topics
and competencies so that we ensure thatthese individuals can really dive into and support
our children and youth with behavioral healthneeds. And to learn more, you
can go to our website see aWellness Coach dot org and there's tons of
(32:22):
information both for employers, for potentialcandidates, and there's a very easy link
to find for getting certified that I'llgive you all the information that you need.
And speaking of information, how muchdoes it cost to become certified and
is financial support available? Yeah,Wellness Coach certification is free, so there
is no cost associated with getting certified. We're really trying to reduce any barriers
(32:47):
individuals might have to enter into thisprofession. And we also have scholarships available
annually to help students with education andrelated expenses. That is now open and
that will be active until three pmon Friday, May twenty fourth. So
we do have scholarships open now untilFriday May twenty fourth at three pm,
(33:10):
and they can learn more about thatby visiting our website at CA Wellnesscoach dot
org to learn all of the detailsand eligibility requirements. Absolutely, that's awesome,
so let's repeat that for our listeners. The scholarship application is open now.
It is now live and active.What does the scholarship cover. This
will cover one year of education ata community college or state university with a
(33:35):
maximum award amount of thirty five thousanddollars per student in exchange for one year
of service obligation, So that thirtyfive thousand covers a variety of things including
tuition and fees, and then someother education related expenses room and board,
books and supplies, transportation, evenloan fees is potentially dependent care. So
what we're really trying to do isreduce those barriers and encourage anyone that feels
(34:00):
that this behavioral health education is rewardingcareer opportunity and has a strong interest in
supporting our children and youth, especiallyin those marginalized communities. And let's remind
listeners that the website to visit formore information is see a Wellnesscoach dot org.
That's dot org. You can findmore information there about the Certified Wellness
(34:22):
Coach program. Applied to become certified. And as you mentioned, the scholarship
is open now. It is liveand active. Ben, can you tell
us who is eligible for the scholarships. Eligible applicants include students enrolled are accepted
into an associated bachelor's level social work, addiction studies or human services program and
(34:42):
this will be at a state college, so community college or university for the
twenty twenty four to twenty twenty fiveacademic year. As I mentioned, they
will be needing to commit to aservice obligation for one year, So for
every year that they are awarded ascholarship, there'll be one year of a
service obligation which involved working in aposition that requires a wellness certification. So
(35:02):
supporting our children and youth up throughage twenty five with behavioral health supports and
services and one a unique way.I love this to support our youth and
our children. Are there any otherstates with similar programs? There are one
of a pretty amazing program that welearned a lot from when we were developing
(35:23):
out. This program actually came fromAlaska, which I believe is your hometown,
I say, born and raised.I love that. Yeah. Yeah,
So it's part of they have abehavioral health aid program, so it's
there specifically to support Native tribal health. But we learned a lot from them,
connected from them, and they createda new role to provide culturally relevant
(35:45):
support for behavioral health and substance useneeds. And so there's some other states
doing some really cool groundbreaking work andwe continue to connect with them anywhere from
Oklahoma to Colorado and some of theseother states that are really trying to also
support this behavioral health crisis for ourchildren in use. And one thing,
(36:05):
what is the average salary of astate certified wellness coach. That's a great
question, and we're really leaving thatto employers to set the salaries. There's
so many things that go into settingsalaries, depending on geography and a variety
of other factors. So those salaryrangers will depend on the level of certification
as well as the work will beperformed, as well as the setting in
(36:28):
which they'll be doing that work.Let's remind our listeners one more time of
the website and of key dates thatthey need to be aware of. A
website again is CA Wellness Coach dotorg. Again, that's CA Wellness Coach
dot org. And as I mentioned, you can find lots of information about
our Wellness Coach program, what ittakes to be certified, what all the
(36:50):
eligibility requirements are for that, andthen our scholarship also being open. There's
more information about eligibility for that.And at the end of the day,
we're just see candidates who are passionateabout helping our children and youth. So
please share this information with family,friends, your community. Anybody that you
think really would be a good candidateis somebody that we would love to support.
(37:14):
You know, the time is now, the need is now. Anything
that we can do to continue supportingour children, youth and families. You
know, there's so much information herefor our listeners, a lot that they
can really benefit from. Thank youfor your expertise or insights and sutting light
on this certified wellness program. Again, I just want to mention scholarship applications
are open now and that website seea Wellnesscoach dot org. See a Wellness
(37:38):
Coach dot org is the website.Thank you Ben for joining us on the
Black Information Network. This has beensuch a treat for us and our listeners.
Thank you so much, Mimi,it was a pleasure being here today.
Thanks Mimi, and for more informationon the California Certified Wellness Scholarship Program,
be sure to visit cea Wellnesscoach dotorg. That's see a Wellness Coach
(38:01):
dot org. Gracie Award winning newsanchor Esther Dillard is back on today's show
to bring us another installment of hersegment, The Color Between the Lines.
I'm Ester Dillard on the Black InformationNetwork, chatting with writers and authors who
offer an added perspective for our listeners. This is the Color between the Lines.
(38:31):
In this edition of The Color Betweenthe Life, we're talking about a
documentary film that addresses the life ofDanielle Netz. She is a black woman
who was given three year, threelife sentences, but her sentence was commuted
by former President Barack Obama in twentysixteen. The film is by Nila Jefferson.
(38:52):
She is a native New Orleans filmmakerwhose work includes a twenty twenty film
twenty twenty one film as If NATedfrom the Promised Land, The Legacy of
Black Wall Street. She and DanielleMetz are joining me on the Bien to
share about their newly released documentary calledCommute It. Welcome Danielle Metz and director
(39:13):
Naila Jefferson to the b Thank youwell, thank you, miss Jefferson.
Please tell me and tell those whoare listening, what compelled you to want
to do a documentary on Danielle Metz'sstory. Well, Danielle and I we
were introduced through our pastor. Wewere both attending the City of Love Church
(39:35):
in New Orleans at the time,and Bishop Blest their Love introduced us and
he said, you know, haveyou met Danielle. She has a story
and you are a storyteller. Andso when I met Danielle and I heard
about her story. During that sametime, I had someone in my family
who was incarcerated, and so Ijust during those visits, I always saw
the children and always wondered what theywere going through us, how much incarceration
(40:00):
was impacting those families that I wouldsee in the visiting room. So that's
really what drew me to the storyinitially. And then of course when I
was talking to Danielle, she hadher experience was such that I felt like
people really needed to be brought intowhat it takes to get through a triple
life sentence and to see yourself onthe other side. And she told me
(40:23):
a lot about her children. Shetold me about the support of her family,
particularly her mother and her sister,and her brother also did work.
But I thought that this could bea very illuminating story about incarceration, especially
of women of mothers, who areoften forgotten when we talk about criminal justice
reform and mass incarceration, but notonly that, what it looks like when
(40:46):
you come back home. I don'tthink we see a lot of those stories.
I think a lot of times wethink that the work is done once
someone is released, but that's sometimesjust when the work is beginning. And
it's really been an extreme honor tosee what Danielle has done with her freedom
since returning home in twenty sixteen.Well, Danielle, why did you want
(41:07):
to do this documentary? I mean, ultimately you were going to have to
relive all these very painful moments inyour life. Well, I thought that
this documentary is something that needed tobe made, especially when you've experienced what
I've experienced on the inside. AndI was in there for twenty three years
and eight months, and I saw, like she said, she see people
(41:29):
in the visiting room. I livedit on the inside, and I hear
these women thinking about their children ortalking to their children, and they're you
know, not able to make itthrough. You know, it's really hard
when you tore the mother away fromthe family. And so I was like,
this is something that needs to bedone. You know, society needs
to know what happens on the inside, and we should have better solutions to
(41:52):
you know, people and not prisons. We shouldn't just think about prisons when
it comes to people committing crime.You know, we need to dig and
find out what caused them to getthere, what landed them there in the
first beginning in the first place.And that's something that is never explored because
people think when you go to prisonat oh, well they're rehabilitating and they're
going to do this. It's notlike that they don't even have services on
(42:15):
the inside for women. You know, I was a suiciychi edra. You
know, think about me serving threelife centis and I'm a suiciychidre I should
have been on the other side ofthe story, but they used my story.
If she can get through it,then maybe we can use her to
walk down these hallways and encourage otherwomen. And that's what I used to
do this. They need to putin society well, Miss Jefferson, and
(42:40):
know that there are so many movingparts to this story and how it was
probably extremely challenging trying to tell it. What was I guess the most difficult
part about telling the story, Well, we wanted to make sure this wasn't
a film that looked like anything elsethat was out there. When you look
(43:00):
at documentaries right now, they've becomea lot more commercial than they were ten
twenty years ago, and so you'rereally pushing up against that when you're trying
to make something that's a bit morerevelatory, a bit more revolutionary in the
way that we tell stories about incarceration. And so we didn't want to make
this a true crime story. Wereally wanted to make it about Danielle's journey.
(43:23):
Danielle voiced very early on that shedidn't want to make this a film
that kind of glorified anything, andthis one. She wanted to have this
as a legacy to leave for hergrandchildren and so on, and you know,
her grandchildren's grandchildren and generation after generation. And so that was the hardest
(43:44):
part, I think, trying tomake this film and kind of push against
the boundaries that the industry tries tobox you into. But we did it,
and so I'm really proud of whatwe created. And I'm proud that
we were able to bring Danielle onas a co producer for own film,
because that's something that's important as well, people having the power to tell their
(44:07):
own stories and sister empowerment. It'sso nice to see two women working together
to tell a story like this.I'm wondering you spent you said you spent
twenty three years and eight months behindbars. Did you ever think that you
were going to get out? Andwhat was it like learning that President Barack
(44:28):
Obama was actually considering commuting your sons. Well, it was days that I
thought I would get out. Insome days I didn't think I would get
out, But I was determined toget back to my family and my kids,
because you know, for twenty threeyears, we would buy heads after
every Christmas. My mom never spentthe Christmas as home. As long as
(44:50):
I was in prison. She wasthere every Christmas and every New Year.
So every New year that was ouryou know dream that I the next year,
I'll be coming home. Next year, I'll be coming home. And
so when I learned of President Obamabranding me clemency are even considering it,
it was like over the moon becausethis was somebody that I was just I
(45:12):
brought him into my space. Hewas like I always thought that he was
like my uncle, my cousin becausewe kind of favor to me and I
loved the First Family, and youknow, it was history because I was
like, man, a black manis president, Like who would have ever
thought? Just like, who wouldever thought that I would be free?
So I figured that, you know, I would take pictures and bring them
into my spaces and cut every pictureI see out and just put it on
(45:37):
my above my desk in the room, and I say, I'm gonna call
him into my space some kind ofway, and I guess God must have
heard my cry. And then hewas like he connected me. So I
figured that he was appointed for atime such as this. For those of
you who are just joining us,Semester Dillar with the Black Information Network and
(45:57):
we're talking about, and we're talkingwith award winning filmmaker Niyela Jefferson and Danielle
Mets about their documentary called Commute ItMis Jefferson, what do you hope vote
viewers will hopefully get from this documentary? The main nugget, the Clemency Initiative
is what President Obama created to allownonviolent drug offenders the opportunity to come back
(46:22):
home. So it was through thatinitiative that Danielle was able to come back
home. I want to say aboutsixteen hundred people were released under the clemency
initiative, but maybe sixteen thousand applied. So there are still so many people
that are still behind bars, andsince his time when he left office,
there are even more people. SoI want people to be aware of what's
(46:45):
going on that we still have somany mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers
trapped behind behind prison walls and theyneed to come home, especially those like
Danielle. She was incarcerated when shewas only twenty six and she had two
small children they were three and sevenat the time. So I think people
need to know what incarceration does tofamilies. But I also hope for people
(47:09):
who are incarcerated and people who arefrom incarcerated families that this film gives them
hope, because I think that's onething that you see with Danielle and her
children, and her mom and hersister and all of her family that's in
the film, that they are committedto maintaining their relationship no matter how hard
it is maintain They're committed to movingforward and staying united as a family.
(47:32):
Danielle, I remember looking at aclip that your team sent to me,
and they said it showed you beingvery joyous in New Orleans, but then
expressing that you for a long timeafter being released, was very You were
very angry, and I imagine insome ways you were trying to work through
(47:52):
that anger and find your purpose.Have you found your purpose and did you
figure out what exactly that you wereangry about and dismantle that or are you
still dealing with that anger. Idon't have that anger anymore, because yes,
I found my purpose and I knowthat God put me here. This
is my life mission to fight forthe women that I left behind. You
(48:14):
know, you have people like MichelleWest, she's serving thirty years. Lads
or dads been in there twenty fiveyears, Roberto Bell thirty years, and
these people. I was like,again, I was on the other side
of that story, so I knowwhat it feels like to feel forgotten and
to not have your voice be heard. So I use my story and it's
my story, is my story,but it's the story of so many other
(48:37):
women to amplify their voices. SoI committed myself to doing the work.
You know, I consider myself anabolitionist, and I feel like, you
know, we can the vision theworld without people just going to prisons.
Female incarceration six times higher than itwas in the nineteen eighties, and we're
not talked about enough. So Ihave found my purpose and I'm gonna do
(48:58):
this until these women start stepping outof the prison. And I want them
to know that if it happened forme, it can happen for them.
I am my sister's keeper. Awesome. Any final words, Missus Jefferson?
No final word? Well, Iguess I do. I'm must say no
family worlds. But I just hopethat people are really encouraged and inspired by
(49:21):
Danielle's story. It wasn't an easystory to tell. It's not easy to
open up and be vulnerable and shareyour family with everyone to see. But
she did that, and she didthat not only for herself, but she
did it for the women who arestill incarcerated. So I'm continually inspired by
her, and I know that otherpeople will be too when they watch the
(49:43):
film, and so I hope thatthey support her and the work that she's
doing and the work that the NationalCouncil is doing to free more women from
prison. Well, thank you NaelaJefferson and Danielle Matt for joining us on
the BNIM. Thank you for havingus. Thank you. The documentary film
is called Commuted. That's it forthis edition of The Color Between the Lines.
(50:05):
I'm mister Dilward on the Black InformationNetwork. Thanks Ester, and now
news anchor Doug Davis brings us hisconversation with Darryl Byers, CEO of Enterprise.
(50:25):
It starts with an Eye. It'san organization dedicated to growing black and
women owned businesses. Enterprise just receiveda big multimillion dollar grant, so business
owners be sure to grab a penand pad for this discussion. Doug,
Hey, Thanks Mike. My nameis Doug Davis, and welcome to your
Black Business, where we feature inspiringstories of black entrepreneurs, organizations and perspectives
(50:49):
surrounding black business. We're back withDarryl Bayer, CEO of Enterrise, and
organization dedicated to fostering the development ofsmall businesses owned by minorities and women at
the company has been awarded a generoustwo million dollar grant. While the yield
giving foundation initially set at one milliondollars, the grand amount was increased in
recognition of driss significant potential for impact. The foundation, created by philanthropist Mackenzie
(51:13):
Scott and in collaboration with Lever forChange, aims to amplify the growth and
reach of such pivotal enterprises. MisterByers, welcome back to the BI in
we left off with you discussing thequalifications for your program that these funds will
be attached to. What specific challengesfacing black owned businesses does Enerrise aim to
(51:34):
address with this grant? Yeah,you know, it's a very good question
because you know, typically I wasthere not an advocacy organization, but we
see this as a very important timefor black businesses. As you know,
with the recent Supreme Court decision,I don't think people realize how much that
expand it and there's been challenges toorganizations that look to prioritize funding over by
(52:00):
in capital for black businesses, andin some cases it's been found unconstitutional to
provide that funding. The SBA hasto change their whole structure around their eight
to A program because their original programwas found to be unconstitutional, unconstitutional by
a federal court. So we seeit. We see this as a very
(52:21):
critical time in the coming year,coming two years for black and brown businesses
because what we eventually see happening isthis question going again in front of the
Supreme Court, just like it didfor higher education, and we want to
make sure that we'd be able toinfluence that decision in some fashion. Absolutely.
(52:44):
Another question, in what ways doyou think the grant will contribute to
closing the racial wealth gap experience byBlack Americans through business ownership? So yes,
of course, as I stated,really wants growing business, growing businesses
that take our course. But youknow, we're all research organizations, so
we see this as an opportunity toopportunity to expand our research to really make
(53:07):
enterize the place that you turn toto look for information on growing a black
business. The data that people arelooking for the outcomes that occurs when you
grow black and brown businesses. Sowe want to use this a grant to
expand our research so you know,more the general public or more of those
(53:30):
the corporations out there that have beenpromising these funds for years and private foundations
understand the positive effect that their investmentwill have in organizations like Interrize and by
providing technical assistances assistance to black andbrown businesses. Right, and which probably
(53:51):
leads to this question, are thereany successful metrics or goals that RISE has
set or already has in place,let's say that can measure the impact the
grow and your success on black ownedbusinesses. Sure, you know, what
we do know is our program works. So you know, we've been compiling
data for twenty years. You knowone thing, We survey all of our
(54:14):
businesses, and you know from thetime you start day one, you start
taking the course on what you're findingvaluable about it until three years after you
graduate, and even further about whatyou learn, how it's affecting your business,
and what you've learned since taking ourcourse. What we do know is
that businesses who take our course rollthirty six percent. Businesses that take our
(54:38):
course and become get large contracts orcontracts with anchor institutions, you know,
the city, state, federal governmentcontracts, or those large corporations they grow.
In particular, we know that seventypercent that black owned businesses and low
income neighborhoods grow by se any percenthave to take care of course, So
(55:02):
all we're doing is providing the toolsthat makes for a level playing field.
And once again, this is ourresearch will show, this is what our
twenty years of helping businesses continues theshow. Finally, any partnerships or collaborations
with black community organizations or leaders,are they maybe being leveraged to try to
(55:25):
maximize the grant's reach and effectiveness.Sure, well, we're going to be
looking to continue our partnership. We'vebeen working with the Urban League of Western
Massachusetts and Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts. That's just in Massachusetts. You know,
we have partnerships across the country,you know, the Delaware Black Chamber
(55:45):
or Commerce we do. We doa lot of work with the Urban League
done in Tennessee. We do alot of work with and we have corporate
partners. You know, we've donea lot of work with Honeywell in the
Boston area. You know, there'sWe've been funded by Eastern Bank, TV
Bank and Citizens Bank and many manymore. So you know, it's hard
(56:08):
to say one partnership and you talkabout an organization that's been in eighty cities
nationally around the country. But there'smany partners out there that we look forward
to to continue that partnership with.That's great. For folks who may not
know about the street Wise program,could you give them the rundown so they're
aware and then follow up. Yes, this is a very intensive. It's
(56:29):
a seven month program and you meetevery other week for three hours and you
have homework in between those meetings too. So the first thing you do is
develop a three year strategic growth plan. And as you take the five modules
that are associated with the course,and just to name a couple of the
two most popular ones I find isaccess and capital and understanding your finances,
(56:52):
and you continue to work on yourthree year growth plan. So that's seven
months months. You have a verypolished plan that you can take and work
on in the coming years to continueto grow your business. A lot of
people use that plan to bring tofinancial institutions to access that capital that we
(57:15):
that we've discussed, so but youhave to really, really willing, be
willing to make an investment in yourself. But the reward is amazing. So
you know, we hear a lot. I don't have the time to invest
that much time in taking this thestreet Wise MBA, but I promise you
(57:37):
the results speak for themselves. Sowhat's the cost. It's very affordable.
There's no cost to it. Sothat's that's a great thing about it.
The street Wise program is free.The street Wise program is free. I
spend a lot of I spend alot of my time traveling around the country
finding the funding to make sure thatfree because we're going to make sure that's
(58:01):
accessible to the people who need itmost. And that's why some of those
companies I just mentioned earlier, whythey're so important, Why the Eastern Bank,
TV bank, Honeywell, that's whyit's so important that those funds are
provided so that the companies can takethis course for free. Wow, hit
(58:24):
me with that website one more time, sir. Sure we're at www.
Entriz I N T E R IS E dot org. Darryl Byers,
CEO of Interrise, thank you somuch for the work that you do for
the black community. This is DougDavis. You're listening to your Black business
on the Black Perspective. Thanks Doug, and that's our program for this week.
(58:46):
For more on these stories, listento the Black Information Network on the
free iHeartRadio app or log onto binnews dot com where you can hear this
program and the latest news affecting theblack community. Also follow us on social
media at Black Information Network and onx formerly known as Twitter at black info
Net. Thanks for listening, andbe sure to join us next week at
(59:08):
this time for another edition of TheBlack Perspective right here on the Black Information
Network. The Black Information Network andsix time Emmy nominated news anchor Vanessa Tyler
welcome you to black Land, apodcast about the ground on which the Black
community stands right now. From storiesabout salvation and loss, I love the
(59:29):
person who had an a hirvy diagnosis, the dreams achieved or yet unfulfilled from
people who have made it. Isat down with a therapist and I began
my journey to those left behind.Listen to black Land on the iHeartRadio app
or wherever you get your podcasts
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