Juneteenth 2026, The Obama Center, & The Jay-Z Drama

Explore the true meaning of Juneteenth 2026, a deep dive into the Obama Presidential Center, and the truth behind Jay-Z’s hair.

In this powerful summer episode of Raised by Her, mother and daughter reunite for an authentic, cross-generational dialogue exploring black culture, institutional change, and systemic reality. The hosts unpack the grand opening of the fully digital Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, celebrating its architectural intentionality and legacy as a living "home for hope." Transitioning to a deeper historical reflection, they confront the nuanced complexities and modern commercialization of the Juneteenth federal holiday, balancing personal Capitol Hill insights with ancestral resilience. The conversation takes a global shift to analyze the UK’s proposed social media ban for minors under 16, examining digital protection versus individual autonomy. Finally, they honor the late Clive Davis and dissect the intersection of corporate enterprise and cultural authenticity through Beyonce and Jay-Z's latest moves.

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TIMESTAMPS: 

00:00 The Positivity Pivot: Welcome to Summer 2026
03:29 Tracy Morgan Controversy: Do Teachers Deserve the Blame?
06:32 Classroom Trauma: A First-Day Lesson in Resilience
09:11 The Obama Presidential Center: Inside the Historic Opening
11:59 "Black Love" & Partnership: The Power of Michelle Obama
16:10 A Tribute to Motherhood: The Story Behind the Wardrobe
19:06 Changing the Game: The First Fully Digital Library Architecture
24:05 A Home for Hope: Creating Present-Day History
30:08 PureMD MedSpa: Natural looking confidence
31:19 Juneteenth 2026: Delayed Justice & Enduring Cultural Power
34:24 Opel Lee: The Grandma of Juneteenth’s Walking Campaign
36:41 Unfiltered Truths: The Systemic Debate Over Federal Holidays
40:02 Commercialization vs. Family Legacy: How to Truly Celebrate
43:35 Sisterhood & Luxury Spaces: Manifesting Black Excellence
49:01 UK Social Media Ban: Protecting Children vs. Youth Autonomy
51:58 Putting the Genie Back: The Tech Company Enforcement Debate
01:00:00 Remembering Clive Davis: The Legacy of a Master Dream Maker
01:03:30 Jay-Z Cuts His Locks: Hair Texture & Fatherhood Statements
01:06:20 Corporate Deals vs. Cultural Loyalty: The Target Boycott
01:09:33 Embracing Your Crown: Generational Wisdom for the Future

🎤 New episodes every week. Honest conversations between mother and daughter on family, womanhood, and navigating life across generations.

Speaking, partnerships, and press: raisedbyherpodcast@gmail.com

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Thank you so much for joining us on the Raised by Her podcast. It really helps us out. If you download, subscribe, like, and love. And also please leave us a review.

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Welcome back to Raised by Her. Yes. How's it going? It's great. It's uh warm. It's summertime. Summer two. Welcome to summer 2026. Yes, my favorite time of the year. Yes, I know that. I know that. I well, I like summertime, but spring is my favorite, and fall is my favorite. I have two favorites.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

You have two favorites. Yes. Yeah, I think I am a bit put off by spring and fall due to the allergies.

SPEAKER_02 0:43

Well, now, okay, we're not going to talk about that.

unknown 0:45

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

But it's all good. It's all good. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 0:49

It's been an exciting week.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

It has. I have been just thrilled by all of the positive press. Yeah. And everybody has just been feeling so good. Now, I I want to say that um, even though the Spurs lost, okay, the city of New York had an outstanding celebration for the Knicks, and there was a lot of love and camaraderie. And I was really glad to be able to see all of that kind of love and people coming together. So huge parade.

SPEAKER_01 1:17

Pivoted your sports interest now from basketball to soccer as we're doing all the World Cup things.

SPEAKER_02 1:24

Well, I'm proud of the United States because uh they're still in these various matches. And I only know about soccer because back in the day you used to play soccer. So I understand um what the game is all about, but I have not been watching a lot of the matches for the World Cup. But a lot of people have.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Yeah. Well, I mean, you already know more about it than I do. I was just asking because I was like, you know, sports, basketball, soccer, football.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

Yes, well, uh yes, it is uh 'tis the soccer season, and it appears that the United States um will have a chance to continue to move it, move forward, and the team is doing remarkably well, and we'll just see what happens. Okay. I look forward to hearing all about it from all the viewers. I think our many listeners and our viewers understand that even though you played all the sports, I was the one that was really uh the champion of let's try this, let's try that, and your father as well.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Yeah, no, if I'm not on the court or the field, I lose interest almost immediately. Yeah, I I I do understand that.

SPEAKER_02 2:25

So it's also golf season, but uh any updates there? Uh well, no, there've been some really good matches, and uh there's some rising stars that I've been surprised to learn. Rising stars.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

You know, but uh I'll keep you informed. Okay. Let me know. Let me know. Okay. So we got um lots of comments and responses on a few of our topics from last week, but we are going to primarily focus on all things positive this week. We're gonna try to pivot because both of us are kind of feeling like, man, that was just we want to feel differently, and we want you all out there to also feel like the positivity in listening to our public.

SPEAKER_02 3:04

The purpose of us being here is to be able to not only inform and to have a good conversation and get you thinking about some things, but also to be able to lift your spirits and make sure that you're ex you're having some kind of joy in your life as we move life forward, as we go through the reality of life. Yes, and the things that we've been talking about are reality. I mean, it's it's real, but uh we're just gonna try to move it in another direction, okay?

SPEAKER_01 3:29

So what's hilarious is that I say that, but then of course we have to do our little recap. So we're gonna go like a tiny bit. We're gonna respond to respond to some of the topics of the past. So we're not gonna talk about the the cases, the lawsuits, but I I was fascinated, I was caught off guard by the responses to our Tracy Morgan conversation. And just as a quick reminder, Tracy Morgan made some derogatory comments about teachers and teaching profession. Yes. And so if you want to hear more about that, you know, go back and listen to last episode. But we um when we were talking about it, we were like, oh no, this is unacceptable.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

We believe in teachers, we honor them, and we support them, we feel that they are underpaid, and we think that it is totally unfair when individuals who are successful really don't credit the teachers who have helped them get there.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

So a lot of people agreed with Tracy Morgan, though. Like, I think I still that when the clip went out, I think it started with like it hurt my heart. I'm like, oh man, this hurt my heart too. I'm watching the comments. I was like, oh my gosh. Okay, I'll read you some of them. Okay, so one of them says, if he's talking about this generation of teachers, I can see where he's coming from, to be honest. Some teachers are just really bad.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Oh, wow. Okay, well, I understand that not everyone has had excellent teachers. And we know that in our life, in our lifetime, whether it was in grade school or high school or college, we haven't all had excellent teachers. But it's not fair, I believe, to just blame all teachers because you had a bad experience in the classroom.

SPEAKER_01 5:11

Another person said, Why are most children in this country not reading at their grade level? Teachers suck, and I can't wait for AI to put them out of a job. Oh. No, people were going, wow, it was it was it was AI to put the teacher out of the job. Okay, these are the middle ground comments.

SPEAKER_02 5:28

I'm not sure. But but see, I think that there's responsibility on many different levels. I think responsibility is not on just the teachers for the learning experience, but I believe that the possi that in order for a child to be successful, there has to be reinforcement within the household. And so I think you need to have, I mean, you you had a book in your hand when you were six months old. If not earlier. Well, I was reading to you. You know, we were reading to you and um there were always books around, always always a part of the learning experience. Um, that was just a part of what we do. Now, we understand that not everybody has that opportunity within a household, but learning is not, and reading is not just from what the teachers are teaching you.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

But go ahead. Okay. Oh, I mean, I'll just I'll say one more and then we'll we'll move on to the topics of this week. Um, another person said he wasn't joking, he was speaking from a place of trauma. He didn't have great experiences in the education system. Okay. Which is one of the things we we suspected. Yeah, because we're like, that is just really aggressive.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

We thought that there was probably a personal story there. And it would have been, I think, helpful to if he had shared what those personal experiences were, what it was, because we we do understand that there is trauma in childhood or trauma in the classroom. Uh, I can talk about the fact that um when I went from one school to another school, an all-white school, that I had a teacher and I remember that experience. I her her name was Mrs. Montgomery, and my very first day of school, because I'm in this all-white school and there was an all-white classroom, and I was the only black child there. Yes, I've heard this. And and and so the very first day in my new school, she kept me at lunchtime. I couldn't go home for lunch because I didn't know the spelling words. Now, she didn't obviously want me in the classroom, and my mother was looking for me anyway. That traumatized me. I it allowed me to, I think, having to grow, but I remember it like it was yesterday. And what I talk about in that particular experience, I talk about the fact that when my mother came into the school and she was looking for me, and I'm sitting in the classroom by myself, this new school, first day of school, and I am in tears. Yeah. And my mother is coming, saying, What is wrong? And the teacher said that she knew that I shouldn't be there, and whatever else she said, and that I didn't know the spelling words. And in her classroom, if you don't know the spelling words, my mother said, How could she know the spelling words? This was her first day of school. My mother took my hand, took me down to the principal's office. Now, you know, I'm terrified. And I heard my mother, my mother, who was four foot eleven, Rosa, God bless you, I saw her grow because she walked into that principal's office, found the principal. I'll be right back. And I heard her just really share how traumatized and how I deserve to be treated. I deserve to be in that school. And so, yes, there are experiences like that. But for the most part, we have to depend, I believe, on teachers and doing well.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

I mean, I I agree with you. And I don't, I don't think I have a a story like that, fortunately, or maybe I've just blocked it out if I do. But um I think the fact remains that we, despite how some people felt, um, we still stand by teachers and we still support them. And if you truly have an issue with the education system, be a part of the solution and have to have you right.

SPEAKER_02 9:01

Run for your school board or make sure that you're a part of assisting what the solution needs to be in your community, in your school for your child. Be there.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

That's right. Yep. Okay. Okay. So let's talk about this Obama Presidential Center opening. Yay! Oh, I was so excited.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

I was watching a part of it in real time. And um, I didn't remember, I don't know how I missed it, that it was starting on uh at 11 o'clock that morning. And so when someone said, Are you watching it? And I thought, is it on now?

SPEAKER_01 9:35

And wait, so I want to go even before the actual day of the opening because there were some really cool big moments even before that, which I was like, oh. So for example, the portrait. Did you see the portrait revealed?

SPEAKER_02 9:49

I didn't see the portrait, the portrait of uh Barack and Michelle. Um, and when they saw it, it brought tears to their eyes.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

It brought tears to their eyes, and it was just so well done. Can I give you a few stats and facts about it? Yes. Okay, so it was painted by an internationally renowned artist, and she focused on utilizing vibrant colors and referencing and referencing the Obama's life together and their key moments together. So the portrait is titled The Obamas Springing Forth. I love it. And it stands at nine feet tall and seven feet wide, and it's in the free part of the center. So you don't have to pay to see it. So uh you'll probably hear us say several times to when you're in Chicago, stop by. Right. Right. Um, some of the specifics that she incorporated. She incorporated like small photographs into the portrait, and she incorporated like the cover of Stevie Wonders album and various books that the Obamas have either authored or talked about how much they loved. And she even went as detailed as incorporating plants that have symbolic ties to the Obama. So she, in some of her interviews, she's talked about how much, how much research that she did and how much, and the staff were talking about how much time she was spending really learning who they were so that that could come out in her art. And to your point, I think it absolutely did. It was revealed and it brought tears to their eyes immediately.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

What I love about this story is the fact that as an artist, she was chosen to capture the essence of our first African-American president and the African-American first lady, and she took it beyond. She decided to not only personalize it, but to use her skill set, her artistic creativity, and her imagination to bring it to life. Um, in one article I read, it said that Michelle said, when you see it, you feel the joy and the love of their relationship and their partnership, and it's going to be here forever and ever and ever. How good that had to make them feel.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

I also, on a personal note, really loved the fact that Michelle Obama is like in the center.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

And but to Barack's credit, he really has indicated that he is only where he is today. And they had the life they had because he had not only a beautiful, smart partner, but he had a woman who was of quality by his side. And I love the way when he describes her as being a woman of quality.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

I mean, one of the things that I think is going to come out in this conversation is how much we respect the honesty in their relationship and how much they love and respect each other. Each other. As both of them have talked about it at the various moments leading up to the opening. And then, of course, in their speeches during the opening. I mean, it's just, you're like, yes, black love.

SPEAKER_02 12:48

And we are able to remember now the fact that it was 10 years ago when they were in the White House. I didn't that 10 years have passed so quickly. But what they represented in terms of a family too. And I I think the the special moments just brought back um that moment in time when we as a country could celebrate all things good about that leadership and about how we as a country were able to come together. Now they had all kinds of challenges. All types of yeah. But many of which we don't even have. That's true. But what we are able to see with the grand opening of um the Obama Center is that even in spite of challenges, even in spite of what you have to go through, what you decide to focus on with your legacy place in space in Chicago, which was right and they built it right up the street from where Michelle grew up, which is which is another honor in itself. I mean the partnership partnership. But uh but it it represents the fact that what we want to be able to focus on in life, in addition to all of those challenges, we want to focus on what were we able to accomplish, what were we able to do together, and what do I stand for? And that's what I think this new center, presidential center, really represents. What he stood for as a president, as a man, as a father, as a friend, as a community advocate. It's just great. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

One of my favorite um stories that I'm just now remembering, she told it a while ago. Um, you were speaking about women of of quality, and they were at a restaurant, and one of her former boyfriends owned that restaurant. And so, you know, they caught up. And then when he when he left, uh Barack was like, See, you could have been married to a restaurant owner. And she was like, No. No, I couldn't. If I was married to him, he would be president.

SPEAKER_02 14:48

Oh, I love that statement. How about that? See, you know, that's claiming who you are and what you are and what you represent and what you bring to the table. I love it. That's that's true. You know, that that that is such a um, I have to just indicate that's such an ensign moment. One of your flea aunts, because uh her father, who was a general, um, she would often say that daddy would uh give credit to to mommy for helping me to just move up in the uh helping her to move up in the ranks. And what he said was that he was doing the job, but what she was doing was not only supporting him do the job, but she was making sure that all of the other aspects of his life was handled in a way that was only going to be able to move him forward. And I I guess in the military rankings, it's important to be able to look a certain kind of way and to be Oh yeah, the military is a whole separate thing. To to uh move a certain kind of way and to uh make sure that you attend certain things and you look the part. And so when he got his first star, um he was able to not only say a tribute to uh to his wife. And so I think successful men really who are confident understand that um it's a partnership. Mm-hmm. I love it. Yeah, I hadn't heard that that particular Oh really?

SPEAKER_01 16:10

You hadn't heard okay. No, I missed that one. So um okay, another moment that I loved leading up to the actual day of the opening was an event where they the Obamas were addressing community leaders and stakeholders. And she walked out and she had on a skirt with a portrait of her late mother, Marion Robinson. And she, of course, had been working on it, uh, but Barack Obama hadn't seen it. And so he immediately teared up and she was like, We're gonna give him a minute because and it was like their favorite portrait of her. Yes. And I just just it's every moment was just so well done because we've talked a lot on this podcast about fashion and the role that fashion plays in a woman's life and in her professional life. Yes, absolutely. And also her specific Michelle Obama's specific ability to be able to utilize fashion to tell a story and go beyond it just being uh a typical piece or a traditional piece. And so for me, this represented um just another moment of utilizing personal fashion and doing it in tribute. It was just awesome.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

I I was touched by not only the uh the portrait and and the story behind uh her choosing this particular item, but the relationship that she had with her mother and the tributes that she was able to give her mother throughout her mother's life. Her mother's been uh passed away uh just a year ago or so. And she was Michelle was able to talk about uh Marion Robinson and what she brought to not only her Michelle's life, but also how she was able to navigate in spaces that were not spaces that little black children were in. And she said being from a strong family allowed her to be able to know and grow. But having a mother by her side was something that really she tributes to her um being the woman that she is today. And so that recognition of legacy continues now that her mother is no longer here on earth. It's a beautiful portrait, it's a beautiful um, I think, replica of um her mother's smile and face. But I remember when Michelle said, I'm going to be in the White House and we're bringing mom along.

SPEAKER_01 18:37

Oh, yeah, to be able to help with the she's been very clear that um it would not have worked without her.

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Yes, yes, and I think Barack um tearing up when he saw the um the article, not the article, I'm sorry, this the article of Cosmo that he it demonstrated his closeness to his mother well. So agreed. So yes, you're right. These moments leading up to it. I mean, the event itself was amazing, but all of these other things, yes.

SPEAKER_01 19:05

Yes, okay. Um now we can get to the actual event of it all. Now we've talked about the event.

SPEAKER_02 19:10

Intentionality, Donica, is what we're talking about. We're talking about each moment in time leading up to it, and it took now, what, over 10 years to be able to actually build this facility, and there were a lot of stops and starts and a lot of challenges in terms of the contractors and the space and where it was going to be. But the intentionality of the celebration of when it finally happened on the moment uh in time that represents Juneteenth, 2026 in the United States of America was significant as well.

SPEAKER_01 19:42

And it's something that has never been done before, which you know I love. I'm like, Yes. It is the first fully digital presidential library, meaning that in traditional presidential libraries, you know, it's housing all this physical paper and the documents and the letters and the archives. But this one's fully digital and accessible by all.

SPEAKER_02 20:06

And accessible by all. And they wanted to make sure it was accessible by all because they really felt that Barack's work in community, things that he had done in order to be able to rise up to the presidency was all supported by everyday people. Yes. And he felt that he wanted his library to be representative of that. I think also from Michelle's standpoint, um, in her invitation to come to the um the center, they call it a center, which does have a library adjacent to it in the city of Chicago, but she said also come and visit my garden.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

Yes, yes. So their intentional use of the parks and recreation. Uh, I mean, it features walking trails and playgrounds and vegetable gardens and community barbecue grill spaces. And I actually uh looked this up because I was fascinated about the architecture of it. Okay. And so the folks, the architects behind it who he who Barack Obama had been working with, they they drew up the design and he was like, think bigger, like do it differently. Oh yeah. I like this. I want you to go vertical because I don't want it to be a massive horizontal space that utilizes all of like this green and takes away all the green space. Right. So we're gonna go up. And so that's why they were able to incorporate all these environmental elements and the neighborhood aspect of it. It's because, again, to your point about intentionality, that's a part of the design that he wanted.

SPEAKER_02 21:45

So the lesson here is to not just do what's been done before, make it uniquely your own, have some imagination, have some creativity, but don't feel that there are limitations because that's what I feel when people started saying, well, it can't be. In on the south side of Chicago because, because, because he didn't let that stop them. When they decided that's where they wanted it to be, well, it can't be because, because, because, they didn't let that stop them. They felt like we can make this happen.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

So I'll actually take it one step further. His exact quote was, I want this building to be exactly the opposite of all presidential libraries. Right. Right.

SPEAKER_02 22:25

So but to that point, on grand opening day, those living presidents who are still here were right there by their side and their wives. Those pictures were awesome. The pictures of George Bush and his vibes too. That's then and um, you know, the Clintons and I mean, you know, cross party lines, you know, the Bidens, and you could just tell there was joy for Michelle and for Barack, but also just I think a joy to be able to participate in this moment in history. So a friend of mine said, you know, I think it would be great to to go, so I'm gonna try to get some tickets. Um, that was the day that we had this opening celebration and they were already sold out through November. So I think it may be a while.

SPEAKER_01 23:17

So we want people to go and support, but uh know that you you uh That was just for the paid portion, they can still go and experience the free portion. Yes, but I think you want to go I I think go multiple times.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

Yeah, well, like um when we visited the African American Museum in Washington, D.C. when it when it opened, the lines were very long, but we had an opportunity to go early on, and then to go back again, and then to go back again because you were an ambassador, uh a part of the That's true.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

That's true. I actually still am, yeah. Okay at uh ambassador for the Smithsonian African American Museum in Washington, D.C. And um that opening was awesome as well. And you you're absolutely right in terms of these moments in time and how special they are. And um we're here for openings done well, especially when an opening is done well.

SPEAKER_02 24:09

So I love the music. I love the um the sense of celebration of so many of our great artists, uh, from Jennifer Hudson to Common to Stevie Wonder, many people who were a part of helping Barack Obama become president.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

Yes, my friends who worked on his campaigns or were Obama fellows over the years, they received direct invitations to um again, going back to the intentionality, but he was just, or they were just very um appreciative and wanting to make sure that everybody who um, well, not everybody, but certainly the folks who who had taken the time and had taken the jobs and had gone into public service on their behalf were were honored in this moment as well. Because one of the things that uh differentiates this center from the other presidential centers um and also comes under a bit of criticism, but I we're gonna ignore that because I don't really feel like it's it's super relevant. This isn't just a museum. It's a living, it's not just a museum honoring the past. Yes, it is a yes, it honors the past, but it is a functional space that to me says in the present, you have the opportunity to create history. So that is why you can be here and plug in in this way and do this and read these books and see this and get inspired here so that you can go off and make your own history.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

That's a beautiful way to, I think, encourage young people, talking about teaching moments and learning moments, and it's cross-generational in terms of the things that they have there, the hands-on kinds of experiences and the fact that from youngsters all the way to those who are elderly, there is something there for you to encourage you. They call it a home for hope, that you can have an opportunity to feel a part and a presence in that kind of space that not only makes you proud to be an American, but also proud to be an individual who can have a future depending upon your dream.

SPEAKER_01 26:24

We're talking a lot about the center itself and how um we really respect it already, even though it's only been open now a couple days. Um but I also, and we've talked a little bit about the event itself and and yes, the the speakers and the singers. I loved seeing the foursome kind of back together. Yes, Barack and Michelle, but also their daughters who are off kind of living their own lives, but obviously came back to support their parents. And they looked great, they looked like they were flourishing, they were fabulous, and everybody had braids. And I loved that part.

SPEAKER_02 27:05

You like the fact that everybody had braids?

SPEAKER_01 27:07

Yes. I was like, are we going on vacation next week? Is this just a as somebody who has worn braids uh for a lot of my life? I go here ahead of it. Right. I was like, yes, I'm here for micros. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 27:20

Well, I you know, the the the micro braids. I hadn't actually thought about that hair moment that all of uh that they all had, but it was a beautiful family moment. And it just reminds you of the family unit and the family support that they had when they were in the White House during his eight years that he was president, but but also what they represented in terms of a solid family unit. And I think that was uh a part of what that that statement was um seeing them all together. And your his daughters are beautiful young women in their own right, and they are living their lives and proud, I'm sure, to be in Obama, but also just proud to be a black woman in America today.

SPEAKER_01 28:01

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And uh one of I thought this was so funny. So um obviously both of their speeches, both Barack Obama's speech and Michelle's speech, were great. I loved hers more. And uh she took she took a good amount of time in in honoring him and talking about him, and she was like, he's gonna be mad at me because he told him not to do this, but I'm gonna do it anyway. Right.

SPEAKER_02 28:24

She did. Oh, wait a minute. She said, and I want you to look at me. I thought I said, oh. Yes. And he did. He he did he obeyed that moment.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Um that was a beautiful moment. It really was, it really was. And then I also thought it was just um, I think moving forward, though, in future engagements, um, he should go first in terms of this week.

SPEAKER_02 28:48

Like, you know what? And and you've heard him say this before. I hate following her. Yeah. Um, but but her her remarks were very poignant in terms of the individuality of not only their relationship, but the kind of man that he is. Yeah. And you know, not every moment is a perfect moment, but his his desire to be able to do the right thing was what he stood for. And that's what I felt. And I was watching that in real time, and I said, look at him with tears in his eyes. Um, and they they've had a lot of special moments like that that they have shared with the world. Sure. But during her speech, as she was acknowledging his accomplishments, it was more important for her to, I think, highlight the man that she chose to marry. Agreed.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Agreed. So yeah, he did everything that he told her that he would, which I thought was really well actually beyond that. Well, yeah that's true. You remember what me? Yeah, she did say that.

SPEAKER_02 29:50

She said I can't remember the exact I think it was something like Um, if you marry me, um you I'm going to um be an interesting life. Make sure you have uh an amazing life, and I'm going to show you the world. And she said he did that and more. That's not the exact quote, but I I love that. Yes, yes, yes. So to our sponsor, Pure MD MedSpa, the premier MedSpa in the Midwest.

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SPEAKER_02 31:11

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SPEAKER_01 31:19

Um so this also going right back into that intentionality, opened during Juneteenth weekend. Absolutely. And I thought we could talk a little bit about Juneteenth and what that truly is, why it is a holiday now in 2026, um, and the importance of it. We can talk a little bit about some of the controversy because uh we have uh our own opinions. And um I was on the hill when uh this got when the legislation got signed into law to make it um a federal holiday, and I had my opinions about that as well, which I'll share here in a second. But um I just want to like spit some facts about why don't you put some facts?

SPEAKER_02 32:11

Because I I think that there is still today some misunderstanding of why Juneteenth is a significant holiday in America, but specifically a day that African Americans uh celebrate our emancipation from slavery in a significant way, although we had been emancipated two years prior. So go ahead, give us the 1865 facts and what's going on there.

SPEAKER_01 32:36

Yes, yes. Okay, so Juneteenth is short for June 19th, and it's referring to America's second Independence Day, and it's the longest-running African-American holiday. Um, and its importance stems from the historical reality, the delayed justice, and its enduring cultural power.

SPEAKER_02 32:58

So it was When you say delayed justice now, you you're talking about the fact that there were slaves who were not who did not know or who were not notified that they were free at the time that they became emancipated.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

That is correct. Thank you for that. Yes. It became the 11th official U.S. federal holiday on June 17th, 2021, when then President Joe Biden signed it into law, the Juneteenth National Independence Day. And it was the newest federal holiday created since Martin Luther King Day was adopted in 1983.

SPEAKER_02 33:32

I remember having uh when we owned our radio station, uh, we would have Juneteenth celebrations. Um, this was in the 90s and the early 2000s, and there were so many people that didn't know the history but didn't understand why we were having uh celebrations uh with throughout the community. And so we would always go through what I call the black history moment, and the people would go, I didn't know that. Or the true history moment. Or the true history moment. I didn't know that. And so it's so important to be able to make sure that young people have an appreciation for why we have these moments of celebration, and then to have had all the individuals who continued to push forward to make sure that it became a federal holiday.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

So there were two main catalysts for why it became a federal holiday. One, again, this was signed into law in 2021. We all know um the 2020 kind of racial justice movement that occurred after the murder of George Floyd. Yes, George Floyd. And so this was um a little bit after that moment, you know, the following year. And then also a woman by the name of Opal Lee. Yes, she was uh the biggest champion for this. She was God bless her. God bless her. Go ahead. A retired teacher and activist. A teacher, imagine. I'm sorry. I just had to bring that moment, you know. A retired teacher, and she is known as the grandmother of Juneteenth. At the age of 89, she began a walking campaign from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, D.C., traveling 2.5 miles a day to symbolize the two and a half years it took for enslaved Texans to learn that they were free. And she gathered 1.5 million signatures on a petition, demanding for the holiday. And she stood right next to President Biden Biden when the bill was signed to the law.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

We were watching um that moment in in time because it was so hysterical. What's it hysterical? Historical. It was a historical moment because not only what uh what Opal had done, but because it really helped us as a nation to believe that this too can still happen in 2021. Yes, that you don't give up. And when you have a woman who is in her late 80s who is so determined, that was a part of not only her mandate in life, but her passion, but it was a part of her purpose, I believe, because she did not give up. And that's something that we have to take deep down inside to understand as individuals. You may not know initially what your purpose is when you come into life, but it'll come to you if you keep working on it and doing the right thing.

SPEAKER_01 36:14

Yeah, I mean, and so that is the story of June 18th and why it's a very important thing.

SPEAKER_02 36:19

And so Michelle and Barack wanted to make sure that their presidential library center opened during a signific a significant time. And so all the delays and all the cost overruns and everything that they had and the challenges, they wanted to make sure in 2026 the grand opening occurred at that time.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

So um I would be remiss not to talk a little bit about the controversy around Juneteenth, however, because that is the reality in which we live. And you were on Capitol Hill at that point too, so you you know something about it. You know, yeah, and and one of my challenges um was that at the time we were actively trying to pass additional voting rights legislation legislation and legislation to address the racial wealth gap that exists in the city. And some of this kind of in, I'm sorry, yes, in this in this country. And well, in the city too, but it could be in the city and the country. In the country, yes. Federal, federal legislation, um, as well as address some of the criminal justice reforms that were being proposed at the time. And so none of that happened by the Biden administration. And I very much felt like they were like, um, here's a holiday. And so I I honor the work that went into Juneteenth. I honor the history, I take the time to to celebrate. Um, but also for me at that time, and still now, it just for that moment in 2021, it did not go far enough in terms of the needs and the direct asks of the black community in 2021 following everything that we went through in 2020.

SPEAKER_02 38:04

So if um your grandmother was here, what she would have said in terms of that conversation, she would have said, what you really understand about our country and our nation is that yes, there will be two steps forward, but generally there's always one step backward. And you have to take a look at what the purpose is. And what you're talking about now is that the reaction that the country had to the the situation of the death of of uh George Floyd and the all of the the murder. The murder all of the push that we have been had we have had in this country for social justice, for criminal rights to be um not only acknowledged, but for there to be some honesty and integrity reformed and that you still don't have the rights of people being identified. And so there are people who believe then what they do, those in power and control will decide to give you something that can distract you from the real issue. And that's what I hear you saying. There was a moment that was uh really to distract us as a people about what was really going on. And mommy would uh always talk about reparation. She would talk about the fact that that uh we as a people, African Americans, are owed a certain amount of not only honor and respect, but we are we are owed money, we are owed the the rights of uh Americans in general. So, and in this our year where we are celebrating our 250th anniversary of the United States of America, we have to be reminded that it should not be so difficult for us, us as a people, us as a nation, as a culture, to get that which we desire. Yes. Which we deserve, which is ours and our birthright.

SPEAKER_01 40:02

I agree. So um 30 states in Washington, D.C. have passed permanent laws making Juneteent an official paid holiday. Um states like Alabama just uh recently passed that law last year. I didn't know that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 40:18

Thank you for sharing that.

SPEAKER_01 40:19

Um other, I think valid criticisms around Juneteenth include the commercialization of it. Um and um also how is this day truly honored? So for example, Martin Luther King Day is I feel like the the the second part of that is the day of service. Whereas uh it was like Juneteenth, oh, we'll take the day off. Well, I mean, but I mean we can't, but can we so I think there's a valid conversation to be had around how best to utilize that moment beyond just it being a federal holiday?

SPEAKER_02 41:00

So I I mentioned before our our radio station honoring it, and uh our suggestion was that you use this day as not only a lesson, a history lesson, but use it as a family day. So where you were talking about uh MLK Day being a day of service, where we used to get up and you used to be there on MLK there, get up in the morning and we used to march. But but um growing up, we we had to be there. We had to, I do remember. So on Juneteenth, it was important to not only have your moment of uh historical relevance, but also to spend some time with family members and to be able to talk about your legacy and the meaning of your family at that point, because we are all connected to the history of the slaves that were able to withstand the challenges of coming from Africa, being stolen from Africa, taken from Africa, and then brought to this country and then living through all the things that have occurred. So that was one way that we were encouraging individuals to acknowledge and and and celebrate. But you know, it goes to when we talk about commercialization, it goes back to what do we do today just to celebrate the various holidays?

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Yeah, I mean, well, it's it's tricky in a capitalist society, right? I mean, we it is that part I feel like it it is what it is. Um, my main challenge again was that some of those systemic changes were right not addressed. But uh nevertheless, we persevere.

SPEAKER_02 42:35

We do.

SPEAKER_01 42:35

And um, I am grateful for the holiday. I'm glad that it exists um in 2026. And I hope that everybody had a wonderful Juneteenth and celebrated in a moment that truly honors um, truly honors the holiday.

SPEAKER_02 42:53

Also, we'd love to be able to hear from our listeners and our viewers. Um, what did you do in honor of Juneteenth? What did you do and your family members in honor of just acknowledging um our historical significance and presence? And what is your reaction to the opening of the Obama Center? And um, how do you like what it is the Obamas have now been able to plan for all of us in the United States of America?

SPEAKER_01 43:21

So I'll tell you, because you like you, you said that you didn't watch it in real time. I I watched just a part of it in real time. Oh, you watched a part of it in real time. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 43:29

Uh um Michelle's speech and uh and then some of Barack's speech, and then I was interrupted.

SPEAKER_01 43:35

Ah yes, well, yes, I understand. Yeah. I I do understand that. I also did not watch it in real time. Um, I have a new uh tradition, actually. During Juneteenth weekend, there is a group of executive women, they're six of us, and we mentor each other, we pour into each other, we Um, we just spend time together. Okay. And we do it now. We've done it for the past few years. Every Juneteenth weekend, one of us is responsible for hosting. Oh. And so during the opening, all of us were on planes to the West Coast. Oh, okay. But when all of us arrived, a good reason not to be watching it in real time. Actually, turn it back down because I don't want to hear the additional commentary. But I want to see. But it was really cool for all of us to get there. And then when we went to lunch to be able to talk about our reactions to what we had just missed because we were all okay.

SPEAKER_02 44:39

So this is a group of um African American sisters who celebrate sisterhood. Yes. And you are supporting each other. What I like about what you just said, to me, that is the essence of what that the Juneteenth holiday is all about, what you have just described in terms of your support.

SPEAKER_01 45:00

That's that's really how I feel about it. We are we absolutely um embody and incorporate a certain element of freedom into how we like to spend that weekend. And so, yes, we do our executive training and then all of our spas and then all of all these luxury things. Um, but we also always incorporate an element of black culture. So some cities we go to the museums, in other cities we go and support local artists. Um and it's just it's a it's cool. It's cool. It's a cool so if you all are looking for ways to celebrate Juneteenth, um, that could be one. Could you know, uh travel with your people and have new experiences, do black things in new and different cities.

SPEAKER_02 45:49

The Black Dance Festival was going on when uh when you were the true, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:54

We didn't end up going, but what's funny, we were at a private wine tasting, and so you know, we're we're in the back and we're getting our service and everything, and everything's everything's fabulous. And then they seat another group of but this is a bigger group of like 10 black people, and we were like, now wait a minute, is this like a black section that y'all are trying to like a black section of the of the winery? Okay, I did see that. Yeah, it kind of went up a little bit. But the coolest thing, and so um, some of the members from that table eventually came over and they were like, Who you yeah, exactly, exactly. And so we we told them, and they were people who were similarly situated, they were other HBCU graduates, there were some intersections in terms of the corporate 10, 20, and 50 fortune companies that these executives were working on. These were high level then. That's that's impressive. It was just um there's this good blackness in this white luxury space, but you know, we made it, we made it our own and we've got a couvre.

SPEAKER_02 47:01

Just think about that.

SPEAKER_01 47:02

It was fabulous.

SPEAKER_02 47:03

And it happened, some would say um accidentally, but I believe it happened because you all manifested this really wonderful celebration of your sisterhood and your support and Black Excellence on a whole never level.

SPEAKER_01 47:19

Yes, we we go to cities and manifest things.

SPEAKER_00 47:22

That is without a doubt.

SPEAKER_02 47:23

Well, that's a part of what this mentoring group has been for you. I I I've I've watched you over the years, and it's been just a wonderful moment in time to see you not only develop this this sisterhood, but also how you all have supported one another. And the woman who leads it, I've had an opportunity and blessing to be able to meet her. And um, she's like another mother, but also with a professional mentoring sincerity about what she wants in terms of success for this group of women that she is connected to in a special way.

SPEAKER_01 47:56

Yeah, all that. All that.

SPEAKER_02 48:00

So uh this has been a a good um week in terms of being able to understand, I think, uh the essence of not only who we are, but what we are and what we represent. So we want to really make sure that uh our young sisters out there, as well as those who are more seasoned, uh, don't just pass by this moment in time, but really pause and listen to the kind of things that we say that we do. And then you you plan forward, you just kind of move it forward. You don't know what you can do until you start moving and doing it. That part. Absolutely. Yes. Just start. It's got to do it.

SPEAKER_01 48:37

Take the first step. Um, okay. So there's some other things outside of outside of Barack and Michelle and and and what they have um they've been doing that we wanted to touch on. Um so are you ready to get into those?

SPEAKER_02 48:53

I will, but I guess I guess I I guess I just want everybody to know that this is our mother-daughter time. Okay, go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 49:00

Go ahead. Well, I just thought this this was so fascinating and it's an evolving conversation, but I definitely wanted to have it with you as well as hear um from our viewers and listeners. So the UK has proposed a social media ban for children under the age of 16 across all social media applications. So that would be platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, apps, um, as well as uh applying that to some gaming sites as well. And also children will be blocked from harmful functions like live streaming and communicating with strangers. And I didn't even know this was a thing, but Lord, I they should definitely incorporate this in there. People under the age of 18 will be barred from using AI intelligence and developing romantic companionships. Ooh. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 50:00

So when I first read this, I thought um good for them, good for the UK. Uh, there's some other nations that have put some of these kinds of laws in place. And um we can understand why Australia would be one in the forefront, but um because they they try their best to, I think, have a certain kind of standard. You you wanted to know from me what did I think about this? And I there I have I have two opinions about um banning certain things um until age appropriate. I don't know how you can can in 2026 decide to ban something that people are already using, because it it reminds me of whether it was cigarette smoking or just trying to look at um uh alcoholism and people really saying, you know, there's a certain time in life, but everybody wasn't using those particular uh items at that point. You're now coming to a point where you're trying to ban something that people have familiarity with. It I would believe it would be very hard to impose those kinds of laws. And I don't know what kind of repercussions or what um kind of penalties that they will have. I would imagine that's probably household to household. Uh, I would imagine that they would try to control the devices, but I think that the young people will have ways to be able to get around it because they feel like you're taking away some of their rights. Do I think it's a good thing? Of course, I think it's a good thing because what we have found over the years is that there's um there's an addiction to for young people uh to using social media. There are also a lot of problems with self-esteem, with um, with bullying issues, with people not feeling good about themselves. Many of the mental health challenges I think are really attributed to social media. But this is like trying to put the genie back in the bottle. And I don't know how you would do that.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

So you you point out something um that folks obviously are talking about. We mentioned Australia, and by the way, this is a global trend. So we're gonna dive a little bit deeper into Australia, but uh there are a dozen other nations that are considering their own restrictions: France, Ireland, Denmark, and Malaysia as well. But using Australia as a case study, 70% of Australian children successfully bypass any country age-gating rules. And so you're 70%. 70%. Right. And so the enforcement part is is um something that's being discussed. But um what the government is saying is that the onus is on the tech companies to develop that. And they were like, y'all can do it if you wanted to. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 52:52

And they are the ones that will have penalty if if the users, you know, so it's not it's not the mothers and fathers and but it would be those who are developing the um not only the software, but also the devices that allow people. You said 70%.

SPEAKER_01 53:10

I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_03 53:11

Come on, yeah, think about that.

SPEAKER_01 53:12

Right. And so they they have to, I mean, you have to be able to develop the technology to now kind of stop that addictive piece that you that you've already developed and customized to to make kids addicted to it. In terms of the I I'm coming from the perspective of if there's an issue, a broad issue like this, yes, legislate for it. Um and you have to start somewhere, and then you can just innovate kind of moving forward. But it's also going to take um true market testing, what's working, what's not working. Um, but you can't say, in my opinion, uh that, oh, this won't work, so we're not going to address it.

SPEAKER_02 53:57

The the other part of this is uh within your own environment, excuse me, with on within your own environment, um some of the AI devices and some of the um social media devices have been used in the classroom in a connecting way. I mean, you're you're connecting classrooms to other classrooms around the world, you're connecting different cultures and people there we always go to the uh the extreme in terms of the the negative impact because we can see it, we can feel it. And and they're doing, as I've said before, a lot of research on how this has impacted young people, but there are many positives uh as well in terms of learning for young people. So you're going to give me a tablet and say, okay, here, this is where you're doing your lesson, this is where you're learning, but you're making sure everything else is blocked. And you know kids figure out how to get around that anyway. So I think it's an it's going to be really challenging. But we'll see what the tech companies come up with.

SPEAKER_01 54:58

Yes, we will. Um, probably not in the US. Got some strong lobby over here, and we're in a and it's not from a government perspective. Right. Yeah, I'm really interested in the city. We're taking away people's rights. I mean, that that's you know, kids. We're we're, you know. Well, we're talking about kids, but I'm when I go back to it.

SPEAKER_02 55:14

Kids don't have rights. But you know, when we talked about, I as I mentioned before, uh, I used to years ago work for the uh Ohio Department of Liquor Control. And we we talked about how to be able to make sure that people drink responsibly, how to make sure that there is this mandate uh to make to allow people to learn how to be able to, I think, not only drink responsibly, but also to be able to limit their alcohol intake so it doesn't impact other people. You've worked in that profession.

SPEAKER_01 55:50

Oh yeah. I mean, I've worked for big alcohol as well as big tobacco. Right.

SPEAKER_02 55:54

So, you know, uh can you control these kinds of things? And that's different, but it's similar in terms of young people in the controls.

SPEAKER_01 56:03

This is what I'll say. I will say I do believe that it is the role of government to protect public interests. And so when there is a threat, it is their responsibility to that is why they are elected to be able to come up with solutions based on how our government is structured to help protect the public and children who can't protect themselves.

SPEAKER_02 56:29

I agree with you, but let's go to gun control, same kind of thing. That you are supposed to limit access to young people having guns within your uh within your your home. And look at what's happened in many instances in in the schools, and who are the individuals who have handled.

SPEAKER_01 56:50

Well, I think uh that's a result of uh state rights versus the federal what's truly allowed. Quite well taken. Um I the one worry I have about this, because I I'm generally in support, but to your point, not just in how it's helped with democratizing learning, but also um democratizing opportunity for individuals, uh kids around the world, um, whether that's learning how to create a new business or learning how to develop and gain interest that they otherwise would never have had any idea of, but for being able to access it on a social media platform. Um, I think kids have done a remarkable job of educating themselves and getting involved in things like climate change and environmental issues and advocating for the world that's going to exist when they are adults and just having access to the information, I think, is important. So, I mean, I don't have a solve for this, but that would be my main concern in locking down opportunity for all.

SPEAKER_02 58:08

What I hope is happening is that this conversation is not only taking place uh in the countries that you mentioned, but if it becomes a worldwide kind of initiative for young people, that there is a synergy and a connectivity to to be able to think about how we can do this together, because only globally if we do it together will it make sense for for young people. And and I'll I'll use this example. Um, again, um when I was 15 years old, I had my first trip to France, and um my nine-year-old French brother was able to drink wine. And I just felt felt like, uh oh, well, this is really interesting, but they didn't have the limitations in France uh for young people and the consumption the that we had in the United States. Now my mother was appalled, of course, but um my my thought was they learned to drink responsibly and and and he did not appear at least to have a uh problem at the age of of nine, but they're toasting and they're having their family dinner. So when you start um parenting a child and trying to make sure that they understand what some limitations are, things are age appropriate. I think that's ultimately what I'm what I'm trying to say here.

SPEAKER_01 59:27

Yeah. So I I I yeah, yeah, I do agree with um Europe, generally speaking, I think has better drinking habits than the US. We we continuously have some challenges there for a whole host of reasons. Um But okay, but let us know what you all think about this. What do you think about banning social media for individuals under the age of 16? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:50

Yeah, I mean it's it's hard. I'm I'm glad they're doing it because I I I think it's going to help in the long-term future, but let's do it together.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:00

Um, I meant to mention this at the start of uh our conversation before we get into our last topic, but um, but I forgot, but it just came back to me. Um we are the day that we are recording this, we just got notification that Clive Davis has passed away. Oh, yes. And um I mean, he's such an an icon and a big figure in the music industry. Ah, yes. I know you have had uh specific experiences. Yes. I um I I feel for the family. I also now really want the documentaries. I I want to know all the tea because I feel like there is so much that wasn't said, and uh there's I'm like saying it now. And so, you know, I am big on consuming my streaming services. And so I am like now like Netflix. Let's see, somebody, somebody go hit hours and let us behind the scenes.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:03

What I read, um, I mean, he he was a dream maker and a star maker. And I had an opportunity a few times to interact with him because he would come to radio and records conventions, he would come to uh the the large events, he would sometimes sponsor them, he would introduce us to new talent, uh he would support Black Radio in a very significant way because uh we were selling a lot of product and it was meaningful to um to his company. Um but but most important, when he would do a um, I won't call it a workshop, I'll just say a speech or or a presentation. He was a gentleman who seemed to know what to say at the right time in a room full of executives who all thought that they knew more than the people that were around skill. And so it was valuable because they would listen to him. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's a valuable skill. It was um, and and so um black radio has had uh a very challenged um history as well in terms of being able to control our product and to be able to celebrate our talent. And I was in this industry when things were changing, when we were going through moving into the the beginnings of of rap music, but also what Clive Davis was doing was celebrating someone like Whitney Houston and being able to say, listen to this young woman and listen to who who her who she's representing in terms of her music and and her her voice.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:44

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:45

Um so it was uh it was a great moment in time. And um I uh it was he was a gentleman in in my presence, but I had an opportunity because I I owned a couple of radio stations to to be in some spaces that um he represented, I think, the the beauty and the essence of but black music was all about.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:09

I love that. Okay, wonderful. Well, like I said, I want to see it in the documentary. Okay, all right, all right.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:14

Well, there's another side, but we won't go there right now. One at all. One at all. God bless him and the the contributions. He made a whole lot of money, and um, he did also make a lot of dreams come true. That's what I what I choose to remember at this moment in time.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:29

I mean, that's a cool legacy, dream maker. That's what he was. Yeah. Um, all right.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:36

Speaking of dreammakers and radio and music. Yeah. How about how about that? Yeah, yeah, yes. Oh my goodness. Jay-Z and Beyonce have been in the news. They have. Um, as always, they're they're always doing us something. Um, we talk about Beyonce often. We also um have have had occasion to mention Jay-Z, but most recently he cut his locks off.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:02

Yes, yes, he did that a few weeks ago for the Roots uh picnic concert. And then a few weeks after that, Beyonce um dropped a mini documentary, seven minutes, so not really documentary, but outlining kind of how they utilized her product to take out his locks and the why of it all. Um, and then all of that is um in synergy with them launching their products in Target and Jay-Z also having a partnership with Target and him facing some backlash.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:43

But we we're still uh the African-American culture or people in general are supposed to be boycotting Target at this point, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:50

Well that's that's a part of why they're like, look, sir, okay. So we we already we did the NFL thing with you, right? We were boycotting the NFL with the and and he decided to strike a deal, you to do the happy type show and bring all the talent. Okay, and kind of like, here we are again. Um, so where do your loyalties lie? Well thing. And I mean, I would say I think it's a business decision, Donica.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:18

Well, I mean, I'm saying that that uh, you know, God bless Beyoncé and Jay-Z to um have their um their moment in time and to use their skill sets to be able to help other businesses. So what I'd like to think is that um he will use this moment to be able to bring together some opportunities maybe for African American businesses or for other business people, because he has the eye excuse me, he has the eyes and ears of a a large corporation that is probably still receiving um, I think, repercussions of the boycott. So um Um you know, he's a smart businessman.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:02

I feel like he tells it in his own words, uh I'm not a businessman, I'm a business. Okay. Okay. All right. So yeah, I mean, I I agree with you. It's a business decision, and uh he has been nothing if not consistent. Would it would it my I guess what I was saying? Yes, when people show you who they are, leave them the first time. That's exactly right. Uh and I I don't subscribe to the idea that you should lose out on business opportunities, opportunities because of um some other potential challenges. I think there's always opportunity to create something better out of challenging moments. And so, like you, I am choosing to believe um that that is what they um are doing. I mean, a part of the criticism they're receiving as well is that they're like, this is all so manufactured, and we are used to a little more authenticity uh from both of them, but particularly Beyoncé.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:05

We are used to authenticity and we're also used to um supporting our culture and supporting what we believe in and supporting our causes. And it makes it challenging when you become, I think, one of the voices that people listen to and you're not being your authentic self. When you're in that situation and you have to choose between I, me, and my, or do I just do what's good for the for the broader uh for the broader cause? Um, my parents raised me to remember that the broader cause is probably why you are where you are. And uh you had this one opportunity, you'll get another opportunity. So be able to look yourself in the mirror and be able to feel good about the decision you made. So if they feel good about the decision they make, they've made all the way to the bank. So okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:51

And I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I understand that. Yeah. Um and to your to your point about um leveraging an opportunity and then being able to then leverage that to provide opportunity for others is something that I do think that we have seen both of them do uh in the past.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:08

And so you don't know the backstory, and that's why I'm I'm saying that uh for a person who's many times been under criticism for a decision made, they don't know the they didn't know. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. But you know, um what happens on the the uh the back end is people go, uh so I'm hoping that there is that other uh arsenial uh hall moment where you go, hmm, okay, now it makes some sense.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:38

I do love the story around um why he took out his his locks.

SPEAKER_02 1:08:44

Oh, in celebration of uh his father, and he wanted to have uh an afro. Um that was one of the reasons. And there was another reason too with his single.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:54

Yeah, in in um the video that Beyoncé dropped, she talked about the fact that Blue Ivy was really struggling with her hair and her afro texture. And so um he wanted to show his daughter that um her hair was just like his hair and that it's beautiful and uh manageable and visible and and all of that. And so there has been, I think, good celebration around his choice to do that, to celebrate it and what that means for fatherhood. I think that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:29

And we just uh celebrate Father's Day. And so I I think that's a nice connection to Father's Day, but also a statement. We talk so often about our hair and what our hair represents to us and the struggles that African Americans have had over the years with uh with hair. You were mentioning earlier about the Obama, the Obama girls in their braids and the and the celebration of their ethnicity. What Jay-Z is saying is this is me, and I want to be able to embrace my daughter, and I want her to embrace her crown in the way that she so deserves. So Yeah. The Crown Act.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:07

Yes, it is. Um yes, and one of my favorite things about black hair is how versatile it is. It is.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:15

And we can do anything we want to with it whenever we want to. So that is the beauty and the essence of I think not only b black ethnicity and the opportunity to be more and do more, but also do you and be you and celebrate that. And continue to live a life you love. Continue to live a life you love. Anything else for the people before we No, this is just uh it's a wonderful time. Make sure you connect with someone that you do love and do something good for yourself.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:45

Yes, do something good for yourself. Um, and also please like, subscribe, comment, love, yes, love, and we will see you next week. We want to hear from you.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:09

She's got wisdom, she's got death, she's got questions, she's got letters, two voices gonna lie, like waves, and that's the moment. That's the key always.