Before I start, every put your phones, ipads, etc. in the air. This is gonna be a social presentation...\n\nOne reason we are losing in the eyes of the public is our inability to connect with folks-to tell a story. Well, I want to do just that. Let me tell you a story...\n
I’m from Chicago but before we even get there we have to discuss the era...\n
A lot of political change in the 80’s\n-Reagan had a defined platform. Undo the crime of the 70s and heroine. Be tough on crime and criminals. (Reference Iran-Contra) \n-The 80’s birthed me\n
And to crack...\n
Not this crack...\n\nThat crack...\n
And my parents were drawn to that flame. To support that habit we moved around a lot and one of those locations would be to Paducah, Ky where my maternal grandmother lived. \n
<Engage the crowd> Who knows where this is? \n\nYou may know Kentucky more for this though...\n
Values\nWent to Church. The Jesus I was introduced to taught me to \nBe earnest; Be humble; Work hard; Accepting of others despite differences: Duty to others \nShe always stressed being well put together\n\nBut all in all we were pretty poor. We survived on 3 things: Grandmother&#x2019;s Social Security, Food Stamps and the Food Truck\n\n
Food Stamps...\n
And Paducah&#x2019;s parks and rec department...\n
Paducah Parks and Recs. Someone please tell me what these three things have in common...\n(They were provided by some form of government)\n
Paducah Parks and Recs. Someone please tell me what these three things have in common...\n(They were provided by some form of government)\n\nMy grandmother took great care of us but because she was so reliable w/me, my parents were able to fall deeper into their respective addictions. Going back and forth to jail. It was like a game of dysfunctional tag. \n
Off to college. Without aide from the government there&#x2019;s NO way I could have gone. \n
I was a very happy child...\n
But as my southern folks in the room would say, the Good Lord called her home. And while that was a very sad day for my parents it was also their &#x201C;oh shit&#x201D; moment...\n
Between my parents there was a collective &#x201C;Oh Shit!&#x201D; \n
So we moved to CA on greyhound. Nice little 3 day trip. We lived with family for a while. Lived in a few shelters before settling into...\n
It was crazy learning about the Great Depression in school. In high school I identified far too much with the Grapes of Wrath. After spending some time hopping between Bay Area shelters we eventually settled in Oakland. \n
Parents starting working to get clean w/the help of local gov&#x2019;t. Some other services that helped us survive were: \n
Went to rehab w/my mother. Heard some amazing stories and realized all of these folks had stories. I learned very valuable lessons about people at a very young age. I also learned that jail sentences for addicts rarely help and true rehabilitation is possible. I learned that all life is precious. \n
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So now my parents are clean, I make it through high school...\nI ended up graduating high in my class, I won a state championship in Debate my Junior Year of HS and I was the captain of my basketball team...\n
Don&#x2019;t worry if you can&#x2019;t find it, you&#x2019;re not racist, we actually did look alike... Here I am\n
...and for the record, I could ball.\n
Then it was off to college and I would have never gotten there without my government...\n
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And what is it that we are asking for as progressives when it&#x2019;s all said and done. An equal playing field:\nWe want everyone to pay their fair share of taxes\nWe want interracial, straight and gay couples to have equal marriage rights\nWe want schools in poor neighborhoods to be as good as those in rich ones\nWe want a poor kid from the slums to have the same playing field as someone from the palace \n
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...College Grad\n
...Political Activist\n
Nah...\n
The reiterate what I said earlier, one reason we are losing in the eyes of the public is our inability to connect with folks-to tell a story. Well, I want to do just that. Let me tell you a story...\n
Can you tell me why you are you? Why you have these values? If not, GET OFF THE DAMN MIC. GET FROM BEING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. FIGURE THAT OUT FIRST AND IT NEEDS TO BE DEEPLY PERSONAL. PEOPLE DON&#x2019;T ALWAYS VOTE ISSUES, THEY VOTE PEOPLE.\n