Episode 43

Bond, Kelsea Bond

In this episode of Clover Club, Erika chats with Kelsea Bond—union member, community organizer, and candidate for Atlanta City Council. Raised in Metro Atlanta, Kelsea brings a deep understanding of the city’s needs and a bold vision for a more equitable, sustainable future.

From affordable housing to public transit to a local Green New Deal, Kelsea breaks down what it means to fight for a city that serves everyone, not just the wealthy few. The conversation also dives into how grassroots organizing, public policy, and good old-fashioned community care can transform a city from the ground up.

If you care about the future of Atlanta—or just love hearing from passionate people doing real work—you’ll want to hear this one.

Learn more about Kelsea here

Shop Hawkins & Clover here

Transcript
Speaker:

Welcome to Clover Club, a podcast

about curious conversations and stories

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intended to make you laugh and learn.

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I'm your host, Erica, and today I am

stoked to be joined by Kelsey Bond,

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running for Atlanta City Council.

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District two.

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Kelsey, hi.

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Hey, thank you so much for joining us.

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Of course.

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Thank you for having me.

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Oh, the pleasure is mine.

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, I wanna start by sharing just the

funny way that we got connected.

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I have a friend, Nicole, who I've

known since middle school, and, uh,

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she sent me a message and she sent

me a link to your website and she

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was like, Hey, is this your district?

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And I was like, oh it is.

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And so I saw that Kelsey was

running for city council and

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I was like, that's so cool.

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And she was like, I know her, da da.

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And I'm like, wow.

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Do you think she'd wanna

come on my podcast?

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She like, I dunno, I'll ask.

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And so fast forward to

today and here we are.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I was gonna ask how you knew Nicole.

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Yeah.

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I was gonna ask how you knew Nicole.

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Yeah.

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So we, , I mean, she's

involved in the New York City,

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democratic Socialist of America.

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Very good organizer.

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And, , yeah, we've organized

together nationally.

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, I know she's involved in a lot

of ecosocialist stuff, so, yes.

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Yeah, she is, , she's one of the

people who really like walks the

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walk and, and talks the talk.

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Mm-hmm.

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Mm-hmm.

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Um, uh, and those New York

organizers are something else.

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They're very good.

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Are something else good?

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Yes.

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, so I'm very proud of her and it's

interesting, uh, you know, going from

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just hanging out in middle school to

watching her whole evolution in New York.

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Mm-hmm.

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So, shout out, Nicole.

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You're doing good work.

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Thank you for introducing us.

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Um, so Kelsey, we know where

you're at now, but let's turn

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the clock back for you as well.

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Mm-hmm.

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, are you from Georgia?

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Yes, I was born DeKalb Medical.

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Oh.

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, so not a Grady baby, but , grew up in

Decatur, , but had a lot of friends

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all over the city at like, , what is

now Midtown High School, north Atlanta.

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Yeah.

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, so I wasn't really like siloed

off in Decatur, but Okay.

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Grew up there.

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, went to UGA and then came back

to Atlanta right afterwards.

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Awesome.

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, how did you get interested in politics?

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Ooh.

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Um, so weirdly, I have

a very political family.

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I.

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Always knew that, but only recently

learned that my grandfather, my late

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grandfather bond, , was involved

like in the civil rights movement

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and also marched at the 1968

Democratic Convention in Chicago.

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Wow.

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Because, , they sent the

Democratic, , delegation was

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like segregationist at the time.

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Mm-hmm.

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And so he went with the contingent

protesting them like, ah, you're racist.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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So you don't like that.

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So it's kind of like ingrained in the way

that I was raised to care about politics.

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Genetically progressive.

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Yeah.

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Which is like when I meet people who

were raised conservative and then

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came around to progressive politics,

I'm like, wow, I'm so proud of you.

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How'd you do that?

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Because it's like, I feel like I started.

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Off on easy mode.

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You know, lucky you, I have a theory

that being raised conservative is

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like a pipeline to liberal ideologies.

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Yes, yes.

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Um, especially if you're queer.

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'cause it's just like, yes, you've gotta

break outta that, uh, a hundred percent.

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Mm-hmm.

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Um, it's interesting.

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I, my family is kind of

divided, unfortunately, which

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makes things interesting.

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, but a family member said to me once,

'cause I grew up in Roswell, Georgia.

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Mm-hmm.

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I was conservative.

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Mm-hmm.

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Like, I watched Fox News.

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Like that was how I started

my political mindset.

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, and they said to me like, you used

to be so conservative what happens?

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And I was like, well,

I've traveled the world.

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I've, uh, you know, met different

people who do different things.

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Mm-hmm.

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And I've just exposed myself just by

accident and intentionally to things

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outside of this very narrow bubble.

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And I've allowed my mindset to evolve.

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Like, I wish everybody.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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The more people you be and the more new

things you learn, you just naturally skew.

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More progressive and open-minded.

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Yeah.

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You just have to, and

they, are you a millennial?

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Yes.

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Okay.

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So I think they're saying like, our

generation is the first that's getting

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more and more liberal as we age.

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Mm-hmm.

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As opposed to more conservative.

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Yeah.

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Like our parents.

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Not all of our parents, but because

we can't afford homes, so we can't

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afford to be more conservative.

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Yeah.

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Well, and it's interesting too,

like any hopes of inheriting wealth.

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I mean, just literally the past week

watching what's happening to stocks.

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Mm-hmm.

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, there's so much, , uncertainty

for the future of Yeah.

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And everyone, but you know, and we

lived through the:

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so that kind of ingrained in me like,

oh, we are not guaranteed X, Y, Z.

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Yes.

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Um, you know, American dream.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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It's interesting the contrast

between what you're taught.

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Did you went to public school.

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Mm-hmm.

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Um, what you're taught in school growing

up, and then once you get into the

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real world and you're like, oh yeah.

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Oh yeah.

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That was slightly biased.

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Yeah.

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Like we weren't really taught,

taught the way the world works.

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Yeah.

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In reality, not at all.

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, but I really think like

traveling is the most important.

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Mm-hmm.

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Like meeting other people

from other countries.

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Yeah.

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And, uh, almost by accident

sometimes it's like you can just

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say something that's like, oh,

well, you know, at home, da da da.

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And they're like, what?

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Yeah, yeah, yeah.

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Oh, that's not normal.

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No.

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My European friends are like.

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So how does not having healthcare

work, like please explain that.

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What do you mean college is not

free and they're just horrified and

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shocked by the state of things here?

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Yeah.

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I, um, I spent two weeks

in Morocco this January.

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Mm-hmm.

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And I came home and people were asking

how my trip was, and it was amazing.

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But one of the things that I kept

saying was, I'm really surprised how

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progressive it is because it's a monarchy,

but they have universal healthcare,

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education's free through college.

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There's lots of programs that are amazing.

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Mm-hmm.

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And, and I phrased it as progressive.

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And I mentioned that to a client of mine

and she was like, I just wanna point out.

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That's not progressive.

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There's nothing progressive about

taking care of your citizens.

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You know, it's very

standard everywhere else.

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Everywhere else.

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But if you're not exposed to

that, I understand how people

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think that that's like a luxury.

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Mm-hmm.

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, okay, so you've got a background.

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You from the jump have been

exposed to more liberal ideologies.

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Yeah.

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You've got a supportive family.

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, did you always want to get into politics

or what has this journey been like?

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Um.

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It's really hard to say.

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I think, , when I was a kid, I was

one of those super annoying kids that

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was like, why aren't we all recycling?

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Why don't we turn off the light

switch when we leave the room?

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, 'cause I remember watching the, , Al

Gore documentary about climate change.

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Oh yeah.

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And it just like got in my head

like, you know, and so I go into like

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emergency mode when I hear like, the

world is burning and we're not gonna,

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you know, live past 50 years from now.

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Yes.

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Like, and so I took that upon myself

as like, guys, we gotta do something.

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But that wasn't really echoed

in my surrounding, you know.

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People I was around.

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Yeah.

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Most people just wanna live their lives.

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They don't really, , take

things to heart in that way.

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Yeah.

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So you stay comfortable.

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Yeah.

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And then like, you know, growing

up we're also fed, you know, living

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in like a capitalist society.

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We're fed very individualistic

ideas about how to get out of

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these things like climate change.

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Yeah.

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And so, you know, I

took it very seriously.

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Oh, we should recycle, I should

go vegetarian, I should, you

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know, consume in a green way.

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, and it wasn't until.

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I think like 2020 when, you know, we had

the pandemic and all these protests broke

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out around the country that I realized

like, oh, we need collective action.

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We need millions of people to

come together towards a goal

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and I just can't consume my way

out of all of these problems.

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Yeah.

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So it was a long journey to realize

that, , 'cause we're really told by

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like commercials and the media like,

oh, it's all about your individual

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choices, but it's really about, you

know, we need to fundamentally change

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the way our society and economy work.

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Yes, absolutely.

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, I think it's really interesting when

you take a step back and realize

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putting the onus on the individual when

corporations are absolutely the problem.

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Yes.

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Is just a way to skirt around.

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Mm-hmm.

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Actual progress being made.

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Exactly.

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But they fucked up with our

generation because from.

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Sixth grade, they're like, you're gonna

be out of water by the time you're 26.

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Yeah.

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And so I feel like all of us

have anxiety about the world

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ending for various reasons.

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Mm-hmm.

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, and so yeah, I feel like we

have connected these dots maybe

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quicker than other generations.

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Mm-hmm.

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, but there still is, uh, I think

an element of like helplessness

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and hopelessness for people.

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Mm-hmm.

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And it makes it really

easy to just disengage.

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Yes.

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, I, did you go to the protest this weekend?

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I did.

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So did I.

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Mm-hmm.

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And I will admit, this is my

first protest I've ever attended.

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Ever.

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I ever, wow.

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So I'm somebody who.

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Uh, I mean, and I guess this literally

comes from a place of privilege, but I'm

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like, I'll donate, I'll talk about it.

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But like, I'm like, other people will

be out there like on the streets.

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Mm-hmm.

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And like, I always work Saturdays.

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Usually they're on Saturdays.

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I'm like, I'm not gonna

take, oh, that's fast work.

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Yeah.

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But this Saturday I was like,

no, I'm fucking taking off work.

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Like this is a really big deal.

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Mm-hmm.

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And one of the things that I found so

interesting was, so the group that I

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went with, I was with like nine lawyers.

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Mm-hmm.

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A pediatrician, a professor.

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Oh wow.

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And then there's like me, like a

hairdresser, podcaster, retailer.

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, and, but I was looking around, I'm

like, these are all normal people.

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Mm-hmm.

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Like, there's so much bias

in the news, and I will.

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Do myself the disservice of going to,

like, what is Fox News saying about this?

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'cause I wanna know what is

the other side being exposed

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to when it comes to this stuff.

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Yeah.

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And it's like paid protestors

and it's like, I wish I was

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paid, I literally lost money.

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Right.

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And be rich coming to this.

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Yeah.

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My phone board was

eight ninety nine alone.

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, and so it was interesting 'cause I

think I even maybe subconsciously

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had like ideas about mm-hmm.

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Who protests and what a

protest is like mm-hmm.

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And it was so wholesome.

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Yeah.

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Families and pets and like, it's

just like a lot of older people

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were there, tons of older people.

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It was like very lovely.

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And, , I still, I have friends

and clients and people in my

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life who agree with everything

that I post about and talk about.

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Mm-hmm.

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But they didn't go.

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And I, I, I'm curious about

like, so we know that 3.5%

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rule, , yeah.

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Like, how do we move that needle?

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Yeah.

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So I feel like you may have ideas on that.

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Yeah.

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I have a lot of ideas and I think that,

, I don't know, the thing that really got

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to me and pushed me to really organize

is when we were all stuck at home in the

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pandemic and everyone was just posting.

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Yeah.

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And again, it's like, you know, I grew

up with this, , kind of individualist

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individualistic ideology where, you

know, I thought, oh, I can just, if I

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just vote hard enough, if I just post

enough, then everything will change.

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You know, and people will change

their minds and it's like, no.

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And if you post on Instagram, if

you're like, have a normal follower

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count, you're maybe changing

three people's minds maximum.

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, so we need like much bigger reach.

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We need, you know, to be much more

strategic about how we're reaching

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people and what we're moving them to do.

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Yes.

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, and.

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And another thing is, you know,

ple were furiously posting in:

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trying to almost like virtue signal.

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I believe this, I believe that.

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Like it's a purity contest.

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Yes.

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And it's like, no, it's about what are

we changing in the world around us.

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Mm-hmm.

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Um, and even going to protests

every weekend, I still felt

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like the needle wasn't moving.

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You know?

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, , there were all, like, the rallying

cry of those protests in:

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was like police accountability.

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Yeah.

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Have we seen that?

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I don't think so.

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, and that's when it kind of clicked to me

that it's like, okay, even with protests,

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you can't just show up every week.

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You've gotta have a sustained strategy.

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Like who's your target?

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What power do they have to change things?

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How do you move them?

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What leverage do you have to move them?

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Yeah.

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Um, and that's where like organizing

comes in and, you know, getting

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involved in some kind of organization,

if it's a union, if it's a tenants

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union, if it's, you know, like housing

advocacy or something like that.

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, and that's like.

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Really what makes a difference when

you can have a sustained, , you know,

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strategy with like-minded people.

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Yeah.

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, where you're actually trying to

change something in real life.

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Yeah.

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That makes perfect sense.

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I totally agree.

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, I think also, and I've been saying

this the last couple months, what

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we're seeing happen now, they want

us to feel like this is a right

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versus left situation and it isn't.

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, and I think that in order to actually

enact change, we have to find ways to

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message that people on the other side

of the aisle realize this benefits me.

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Mm-hmm.

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Like these, all of these

policies and ideas, uh.

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At the end of the day benefit a society.

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Mm-hmm.

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Which I am part of.

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Mm-hmm.

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, but I think it's really hard when people

are in, and of course there's like a

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core group that's just, there's nothing

you can do to change their minds.

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Yeah.

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, but yeah.

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Protesting with the same group of people

to the same group of people repeatedly.

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Yes.

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It's not, it's falls on deaf

ears 'cause they're not growing.

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Yeah.

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So, uh, how do you navigate that?

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So this is where, , you know, to me the

best way path forward is to get people

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thinking of themselves as a class.

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Yeah.

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, and as the end, at the end of

the day, like whether you are a

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doctor, a hairdresser, a mailman.

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We're all working class, and we have

more in common than we do with, with each

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other than we do with like Elon Musk.

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Absolutely.

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Like he's a billionaire.

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Like he's got money that we can't

even visualize in our heads.

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He's not clocking in nine to five,

he's not worried about paying

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his rent or paying the bills or

raising his million children.

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Right.

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And you know, even if you consider

yourself like a professional,

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you know, a hundred K doesn't go

as far as it used to, you know?

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No, it doesn't.

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Yeah.

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Like it's, I really, it's,

it's not Right versus left.

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It's up versus down.

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Exactly.

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And when I say up, it's

like it's not millionaires.

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Mm-hmm.

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Because I have friends and

clients that are millionaires.

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Yeah.

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And their stocks also

just took a fucking hit.

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Right.

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Um, it's, it's crazy.

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Yeah.

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And it's just like, you know, if

you are worried about paying the

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bills, you have to work to live.

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Like we are all just a couple

paychecks away from, you know.

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Being in a bad spot, you know,

being precarious, being homeless.

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, and the more people realize that, I think

we'll recognize that we actually have

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to work together as the working class,

you know, by unionizing, by organizing.

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, because it's really the wealthiest

individuals in the country who

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are hoarding all the money that

we could be using for public

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healthcare that we could be using

to provide housing as a human right.

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, yeah.

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But they like to keep us distracted,

pointing fingers at one another,

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which is why like immigrants and like

trans people have become a scapegoat.

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Mm-hmm.

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Um, 'cause it's easier to make

up some fictional story about how

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they're causing your problems, right.

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As opposed to corporate gre.

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Yes, absolutely.

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, you pointed out something really I

think key here, which is, uh, removing

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the individuality from it and letting

people be like, because I think

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that like, there's, especially with

like my Republican family members,

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. There's total disassociation from

the groups that they're part of.

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Mm-hmm.

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And thinking like, oh, if you just work

hard enough, or if you just do this as an

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individual without realizing that there's

systems in place intentionally mm-hmm.

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To keep you at a certain stage of things.

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, and yeah, I feel like that is

a very, very, very hard message

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to communicate and mm-hmm.

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And break down, especially without

getting emotional or intense or, yeah.

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Yeah.

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I have a hard time with that.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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It's, it's, it's hard talking

with family members that are

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really ingrained in their ways.

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, but like, this is really why

it's helpful to lead with what

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we call bread and butter issues.

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Mm-hmm.

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Because no matter what you

think your political beliefs

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are, you need housing to live.

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No matter what political beliefs you have,

you've probably struggled with some kind

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of health issue or a family member has.

436

:

And like I've canvassed and knocked on

doors with residents, not necessarily

437

:

in my district, but others where they

may identify as Republican, but their,

438

:

you know, mother is experiencing, you

know, going through cancer treatment.

439

:

Yeah.

440

:

And they know how expensive it is

and oh, they, you know, property

441

:

taxes are increasing and they're

worried about their mortgage.

442

:

, and it's like we all feel these things

and the more that we start with what

443

:

we have in common and what common

needs we have, the harder it is for

444

:

the ruling class or the billionaires

to use these scapegoats to distract us.

445

:

Right?

446

:

Yeah.

447

:

If we're leading with, you deserve

healthcare as a human right,

448

:

they'll forget about this scary

story they told, you know, about

449

:

to make immigrants seem evil.

450

:

You know?

451

:

Yeah.

452

:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

453

:

, I think it's insane to think that

anybody should go bankrupt over health.

454

:

Issues.

455

:

Mm-hmm.

456

:

Like that's just a wild thing.

457

:

And I think it's just the way that people

are able to, to disassociate these issues

458

:

and like, well it won't happen to me.

459

:

Mm-hmm.

460

:

Or that, that there's not a well

of empathy that you can't extend

461

:

to people who have circumstances

that don't apply to you.

462

:

Yeah.

463

:

That I think is a huge issue.

464

:

Mm-hmm.

465

:

That I have a hard time navigating.

466

:

Yeah.

467

:

And I think, you know, I think that's

part of why our generation, millennials,

468

:

as you said, are a little, you know,

us and Zoomers are moving further

469

:

and further left as we grow older is

because, you know, increasingly like

470

:

we are experiencing these things.

471

:

Like we're experiencing housing precarity,

we're experiencing, so many of my

472

:

friends still live with their parents.

473

:

Yeah.

474

:

Right.

475

:

Because we cannot afford to

pay the rent in the city.

476

:

Mm-hmm.

477

:

Um.

478

:

And you know, the more you experience

that yourself or you, you know, witness

479

:

it, having to friends and family,

the more you kind of realize like,

480

:

oh, these issues affect all of us.

481

:

I can't just work my

way out of a, out of it.

482

:

, you know, none of us are immune

to the effects of this system.

483

:

And thinking that you are immune only

ends up hurting yourself in the long run.

484

:

Yeah, absolutely.

485

:

So affordable housing is one of the

platforms that you're campaigning on.

486

:

So tell me what your ideas and strategies

are for the city of VI income Yes.

487

:

For your district.

488

:

Yeah, so I mean, there are a

lot of reasons that we're in,

489

:

uh, affordable housing crisis.

490

:

, but just anecdotally, so when I moved

back to Atlanta, , in, you know, district

491

:

two from college, my rent was like.

492

:

$800.

493

:

Um, and over the last 10 years that I've

lived there, it's basically doubled.

494

:

Wow.

495

:

, and that is, has your income doubled?

496

:

Absolutely not.

497

:

Absolutely not.

498

:

And that's the thing.

499

:

It's like, if I, you know, was

making double the income, maybe,

500

:

you know, I'd feel that less.

501

:

I mean, I would feel that less.

502

:

Yeah.

503

:

But I mean, that's a thing.

504

:

And so.

505

:

You know, I, a lot of people

know this anecdotally, how

506

:

much their rent has increased.

507

:

, but when you actually look up the

hard numbers, since:

508

:

has increased 36% in Atlanta.

509

:

And that's such a big number.

510

:

It's such a big number, and

wages have only gone up 12%.

511

:

Wow.

512

:

So it's like, if you feel the gap, it

is not just you, it's not in your head.

513

:

This is everybody.

514

:

Yeah.

515

:

, and you know, part of the problem is, , we

have a lot of strict zoning regulations in

516

:

Atlanta, um, where a lot of neighborhoods

are zoned for just single family houses.

517

:

Um, when, you know, we all know how

many people are moving to the city

518

:

and it's only going to continue.

519

:

And if we want to meet that need, we need

to change zoning regulations so that we

520

:

can build more dense multi-family housing.

521

:

. You know, apartment buildings, duplexes,

ADUs, , and so that's really where a lot

522

:

of this stems from is zoning regulations

that keep people from building the kind

523

:

of apartment buildings that can house the

amount of people that are coming here.

524

:

Yeah.

525

:

Affordably.

526

:

I think something really interesting,

and I'm sure you're aware of this, like.

527

:

I don't know, this was maybe a couple

years ago, but there was a big blow up on

528

:

Nextdoor because they were talking about

changing the zoning around Marta stations.

529

:

Mm-hmm.

530

:

To have more, you know, dense housing.

531

:

Mm-hmm.

532

:

And these are liberal neighborhoods.

533

:

Yeah.

534

:

But when it came to building at their

backyard, all of a sudden they were like,

535

:

oh, well we don't mean like near us.

536

:

Yeah.

537

:

And it turned into a huge issue.

538

:

Mm-hmm.

539

:

And so people are really being

forced to reckon with Yes.

540

:

Their belief systems.

541

:

Yes.

542

:

And then, you know, so

what do you say to that?

543

:

Yeah, I mean, that's the

most ironic part of it.

544

:

And something that, you know, we've

been dealing with in our campaign.

545

:

'cause our district, it's 85% blue.

546

:

Mm-hmm.

547

:

Um, very liberal progressive district.

548

:

You know, you see the signs in

this house, we believe, you know,

549

:

a lot of rainbow flags and Yeah.

550

:

You know, I grew up in Decatur,

so I'm well acquainted with.

551

:

You know, living in a

liberal neighborhood.

552

:

, and, but I think that, you know,

there's this idea of what it means

553

:

to be a liberal or a Democrat

where you check certain boxes.

554

:

Like I believe in abortion rights.

555

:

I am pro-immigration.

556

:

I am, , you know, believe in at

least an expanding healthcare.

557

:

Yeah.

558

:

, and when it comes to municipal politics,

it's almost like there's this disconnect

559

:

where it's almost like we haven't

written the playbook of what it means

560

:

to be a good progressive city dweller.

561

:

Yeah.

562

:

Um, and I, and this is something that

I am, you know, trying to do through

563

:

my campaign, is shift the narrative and

shift the goalpost of what it means to.

564

:

Be a good progressive neighbor.

565

:

Yeah.

566

:

, and you know, especially for

homeowners, you know, and I understand

567

:

the argument, again, being from

Decatur of, you know, oh, I love

568

:

the character of my neighborhood.

569

:

I love these old historic houses.

570

:

They are beautiful, right?

571

:

Sure.

572

:

Like there are some beautiful

neighborhoods in Atlanta

573

:

and in district two.

574

:

, but we need to be able to

share that with everybody.

575

:

Right?

576

:

And, you know, some people, you know,

if you consider yourself a progressive

577

:

or liberal, , we need to recognize that,

you know, the city has limited space.

578

:

And if we really care about our neighbors,

we really care about creating an inclusive

579

:

city where everyone feels welcome.

580

:

Where, you know, people aren't

getting pushed out 'cause

581

:

they can't afford it anymore.

582

:

We need a little bit of self-sacrifice

and, you know, make some space

583

:

for people who deserve to live

here too, who can't afford it.

584

:

, so I think we really need

a, a narrative shift there.

585

:

Mm-hmm.

586

:

, and I think education on the topic and

education around, you know, why this

587

:

is so necessary, we'll go a long way.

588

:

Yeah.

589

:

I totally agree with you.

590

:

And I think a, a simple statement, people

should be able to , afford to live mm-hmm.

591

:

In the city that they work in.

592

:

Absolutely.

593

:

Period.

594

:

Mm-hmm.

595

:

, so yeah.

596

:

I, I agree.

597

:

That's gonna require just a

little bit of mental expansion.

598

:

Yes.

599

:

But it's so important.

600

:

And anybody who back to travel,

anybody who's been to a city realizes

601

:

that density is what makes it a city.

602

:

Mm-hmm.

603

:

And public transportation.

604

:

Mm-hmm.

605

:

And not this, let's just drive

from target to Home Depot.

606

:

You know, it's, it's, yeah.

607

:

There's a lot of like

suburban vibes in this city.

608

:

Mm-hmm.

609

:

And, uh.

610

:

Uh, we're gonna have to deal with that.

611

:

Mm-hmm.

612

:

Yeah.

613

:

Precisely.

614

:

And, , to me housing density

and transit go hand in hand.

615

:

Yeah.

616

:

'cause part of the reason why I

think a lot of policy makers drag

617

:

their feet on expanding transit

in Atlanta is the argument that

618

:

we don't have the density mm-hmm.

619

:

Yet.

620

:

Mm-hmm.

621

:

, and so, you know, that's

why housing policy, zoning

622

:

policy, that's the first step.

623

:

If we can bring a lot of people

into a neighborhood, build a lot

624

:

of new affordable housing, or make

existing housing more affordable, , we

625

:

now have the justification to put

public transit there, that we have

626

:

enough people to actually use it.

627

:

Sure.

628

:

, so these two policies need to be paired.

629

:

Mm-hmm.

630

:

, and, you know, we have this

opportunity where a city's growing.

631

:

We have an opportunity to intervene

and plan it with intention Yes.

632

:

Instead of as an afterthought.

633

:

, which in a lot of ways is what

happened with the belt line.

634

:

, like there were promises to make

all this housing affordable.

635

:

Most of my friends cannot

afford to live there.

636

:

They have looked.

637

:

, and, , instead it's now

feels like an afterthought.

638

:

Like, oh no, we need to hurry up

and build this affordable housing.

639

:

It's like, no, you can

plan that from the start.

640

:

And we have a great opportunity

right now to intervene and do that

641

:

before our population size doubles.

642

:

Yeah.

643

:

, it's interesting too, I think a

lot of developers talk the talk

644

:

when they're looking for funding.

645

:

, and then when it comes right down to it.

646

:

The, the actions are

not in alignment mm-hmm.

647

:

With the promises.

648

:

Mm-hmm.

649

:

, I live on the BeltLine.

650

:

Yeah.

651

:

And I am very lucky that I bought

a place when I was 21 years old.

652

:

Oh, that's really smart.

653

:

The BeltLine did not exist.

654

:

I remember my real estate agent,

like pointing to these old

655

:

dusty railroad tracks and being

like, sorry about the eyesore.

656

:

I'm sure they'll do

something with that one day.

657

:

Wow.

658

:

And then we know what happened.

659

:

Oh.

660

:

Um, so as somebody who lives literally

directly on the BeltLine and has the

661

:

entire duration of the BeltLine, I feel

very passionately about people who don't

662

:

live on the BeltLine, who have strong

opinions about rail on the BeltLine.

663

:

Mm-hmm.

664

:

So does that fit into your

campaign, the belt line?

665

:

Absolutely.

666

:

Yeah.

667

:

Absolutely.

668

:

Tell me your thoughts.

669

:

So I've been thinking a lot about

this because of the recent changes

670

:

that the mayor made, um, and I, can

you tell us what those changes are?

671

:

Oh, yes, absolutely.

672

:

Let's start there.

673

:

So, , to give a little context,

so was it 20 years ago that they

674

:

started planning the belt line?

675

:

, so it was, not to get too

into it, but it was a.

676

:

Thesis, written by a Georgia Tech

student, , to take the old railroad

677

:

that surrounded the city, , and

repurpose it into a transit

678

:

corridor, , meaning a walking trail.

679

:

, and, uh, you know, the plan was

to build affordable housing along

680

:

it so it could really be this, you

know, investment in the public good.

681

:

, and uh, along with a walking trail,

the initial plans, um, called

682

:

for a, , light rail line to be

built around circling the city.

683

:

, and, uh, you know, this was all planned

with a vision of, you know, a belt

684

:

line that was very inclusive, , that

was giving back to the community and.

685

:

To make it affordable for the

people who already live here.

686

:

Yes.

687

:

, and so now what we've seen, especially

in the part of the belt line that runs

688

:

through our district, like where PO

City market is, is a lot of development,

689

:

a lot of commercial development, a

lot of cool fun stuff like yogurt

690

:

shops and cool restaurants and like,

I think there's even like a doggy

691

:

like Popsicle place or something like.

692

:

So there is, I know exactly

what you're talking about.

693

:

I've got my dogs.

694

:

Yep.

695

:

Fun stuff.

696

:

, but you know, we have to ask how

much has the BeltLine project really

697

:

given back to the people who need it?

698

:

Right.

699

:

, and so, uh, there was a vote in

:

700

:

sales tax to the more MARTA program.

701

:

, 'cause we all know Marta very limited,

, could use some improvement, could use.

702

:

, and so the, the original more MARTA

plan called for, you know, rapid bus

703

:

lines, , a few other things, but it

included the plan for belt, mine rail,

704

:

, and the original plan was to extend the

downtown street car to the BeltLine.

705

:

Mm-hmm.

706

:

, and then have rail along built at

first, , along a certain portion of the

707

:

BeltLine where Pont City Market is now.

708

:

And that is in district two.

709

:

, and it's been in recent years that a sort

of coalition formed against BeltLine Rail.

710

:

. A lot of, I think like wealthier

homeowners are, you know, composed

711

:

and, and business interest composes

coalition and , so they have

712

:

been lobbying and advocating to.

713

:

Basically like a peeve.

714

:

Those plans.

715

:

Yeah.

716

:

, and it's strange because I've

heard arguments against rail and

717

:

the more I look into them I'm

like, this seems kind of fake.

718

:

You know, like, oh, well what

happens to the trees that are there?

719

:

And it's like, okay, well if your

real concern is the environment, don't

720

:

you think that investing in light

rail long term is a better investment

721

:

in our green future for the city?

722

:

Yes.

723

:

Um, and there's not really a lot

of mature trees on the BeltLine.

724

:

They're new trees.

725

:

They're new trees.

726

:

They're young trees.

727

:

That's silly.

728

:

Okay.

729

:

Sorry.

730

:

Continue.

731

:

We can replant them.

732

:

, and then there's this other plan to,

so light rail, , ideally would be

733

:

built along, it's like rail over grass.

734

:

So it's still a kind of like green area.

735

:

And the grass, , is meant

to like quiet the train.

736

:

So it's not the super

loud disruptive thing.

737

:

If you've ever seen light

rail, it's not like a.

738

:

Big choo loud.

739

:

Yeah.

740

:

You know, machine at all.

741

:

, and, uh, so there's this alternative

plan that's being pushed by this

742

:

group to pave more of the belt line,

to basically like, have two paths

743

:

running there, two concrete paths.

744

:

And, but, , pods like little like robot

wally, self-driving pods along it.

745

:

And so this is the like,

alternative plan that's being

746

:

proposed by some people to rail.

747

:

And, , it's just like, well, what,

what Now, now we've paved the path.

748

:

So your environmental

argument is out the window.

749

:

Yeah.

750

:

, and, and it's like these self-driving

pods haven't been proven to work.

751

:

Like they've trialed them in other cities

and they don't have a great track record.

752

:

, and so anyway, so.

753

:

The mayor, it's an election year and

the mayor's campaigning very hard, even

754

:

though he's uncontested as of right now.

755

:

But, um, he has been a long time advocate

of BeltLine Rail and even campaigned

756

:

on that during his first mayoral run.

757

:

And just a couple of weeks ago, he

completely pulled the plug on the

758

:

East side BeltLine Rail Plan, , which

had been in the works for like almost

759

:

a decade, tons of research and, you

know, planning had gone into this.

760

:

, and it was our best shot of getting

light rail in the next decade in Atlanta.

761

:

And so he kind of switched up the

plans and said, oh, you know, we're

762

:

building it on the Southwest Trail now.

763

:

And, , but the kind of more you

look into that, and he kind of

764

:

used this equity issue there.

765

:

, but the more you look into it, you realize

there's no plan to fund this new proposal.

766

:

There's no like.

767

:

You know, , background

planning research gone into it.

768

:

And, you know, you can't help but think

that this was kind of just an election

769

:

year ploy that, so that he could, you

know, get the pressure off of him.

770

:

And BeltLine rail would be somebody

else's problem the next mayoral term.

771

:

Um, and so, you know, to me, investing

in light rail is crucial for our city.

772

:

And like I said, it's growing.

773

:

We're going to build more housing.

774

:

Hopefully we build enough housing.

775

:

Yeah.

776

:

, and we're going to need investment in

public transit to get all these people

777

:

around the city because traffic's

just gonna get worse if we don't.

778

:

A hundred percent.

779

:

And it's an investment for the

environment, for a green future and.

780

:

It's just not sustainable to have

a city this size without real

781

:

public transit options, you know?

782

:

And that was our shot to do that.

783

:

Yeah, it's very disappointing and

uh, it sows distrust in politicians.

784

:

Exactly.

785

:

And, uh, we see that at the national

level, we're seeing it at the local level.

786

:

, and I think there's just

growing frustration.

787

:

, , so we're talking about, you know,

adding density to our housing.

788

:

We're talking about adding, you

know, public transportation means

789

:

that can help people get to work

and, you know, live a city life.

790

:

What else is important to you mm-hmm.

791

:

For district two and Atlanta in general?

792

:

Sure.

793

:

Definitely democracy.

794

:

, so, , part of what inspired me to wanna

run for the seat is my experience.

795

:

In 2021 with Cop City.

796

:

Mm-hmm.

797

:

, so when, it's kind of a long

story, but when this plan was first

798

:

introduced, , in the summer of 2021,

uh, it was introduced very abruptly

799

:

by a now ousted city council member.

800

:

, and, , organizers and the

community had a very short

801

:

amount of time to respond to it.

802

:

And, , so it was first

introduced, , to Lisa's land.

803

:

To the Atlanta Police Foundation.

804

:

And then, , there was some pushback

on council and they decided to

805

:

delay the vote for three months.

806

:

Okay.

807

:

And during this time, , I was a big

part of organizing canvases to knock

808

:

on doors, , in and around the area

where they have now built cop city.

809

:

Mm-hmm.

810

:

Talking to residents about it, letting

'em know there was no public outreach

811

:

about the plans on the part of the city.

812

:

, and, you know, a lot of people on the

ground were upset that there was really no

813

:

opportunity to make public comment on it.

814

:

'cause at the time, . City council

meetings were still virtual

815

:

'cause it was pandemic time.

816

:

, and you could only call and

leave a two minute message and

817

:

hope they actually listened.

818

:

Yeah.

819

:

, and so, you know, very rightly

so, you know, community members

820

:

said, you know, we need a public

info session, we need a town hall.

821

:

We need an opportunity to actually hear

what the people who live here think.

822

:

And you know, what they

want out of this space.

823

:

'cause it was a, you know, historic

forest, green space bike trail, like.

824

:

We should have more community

input into what's done with our

825

:

resources and our public land.

826

:

Mm-hmm.

827

:

, and I was just really, it's not

that my hopes are high, but I

828

:

was really heartbroken by the way

that city council handed all that.

829

:

Yeah.

830

:

, there was no public town hall.

831

:

We had to organize our own.

832

:

, there was, you know, no opportunity

for public comment beyond

833

:

leaving the voicemail and it

was just constant gaslighting.

834

:

Mm-hmm.

835

:

, and even though, you know, I know

that, you know, some city council

836

:

members were able to push to get rid

of some of the worst parts of that

837

:

proposed project, , it still ended up

passing despite such a huge outcry.

838

:

Yeah.

839

:

Like a national outcry, a national outcry.

840

:

The spread outside of Atlanta.

841

:

Yeah, exactly.

842

:

And.

843

:

That just made me feel like, wow,

we don't really live in a democracy.

844

:

And Democrats really like to point to

the Republicans for like gerrymandering

845

:

and suppressing the vote, which

they totally do and it's evil.

846

:

But we've witnessed like a very

similar thing here in like this

847

:

democratic run city, , which I

don't think it's fair to residents.

848

:

And , you know, I've now that city

council meetings are in person again,

849

:

you know, like I'll go in and speak

on public comment, , when there's

850

:

a contentious piece of legislation

and even then you go, you have to

851

:

get their hours early to sign up.

852

:

, there's usually hours of proclamations and

kind of, you know, performative ceremonies

853

:

before you actually get a chance to speak.

854

:

And then it's only for two minutes.

855

:

And.

856

:

And then it's over and then

they still vote that way.

857

:

Yeah.

858

:

, so to me that there, there's a lot

to be done to increase transparency

859

:

in the way our city government works.

860

:

, more opportunities to

involve the community.

861

:

, and I mean, even, I didn't even talk

about like the referendum campaign,

862

:

which was an example of organizers

really trying, like truly trying to

863

:

use their democratic right to vote.

864

:

, and you know, city leaders, they don't

like other types of protests, right?

865

:

Like, they don't like it when

we're out in the streets.

866

:

They don't like it when, you know,

people are occupying the forest.

867

:

And then when we actually try to

use our democratic right to vote,

868

:

they're like, no, you can't do that.

869

:

Yeah.

870

:

, and it's, it's very ironic, but

I mean, it really underscores.

871

:

We need to do things

completely differently.

872

:

And I think that we should be using

referenda for major city decisions.

873

:

Like that's something that we should

be employing and that city council

874

:

members should be actively, you know,

putting these things up for a vote

875

:

instead of forcing organizers to, you

know, raise hundreds of thousands of

876

:

dollars, spend hours collecting petition

signatures in the hot sun when city

877

:

coun, when city council could have put

cop city up or a vote themselves mm-hmm.

878

:

Without community members having to do all

of that work and go through those lengths.

879

:

, so it's really just an insult to democracy

the way that got caught up in the courts.

880

:

And there was no real recognition,

, from the mayor or the city council,

881

:

majority of, you know, that kind of

coalition of folks that was really

882

:

just trying to have their voices heard.

883

:

Yeah.

884

:

, I think an important thing

to point out to you is, uh.

885

:

Let's say somebody is

listening who's for Cop City?

886

:

Mm-hmm.

887

:

Okay.

888

:

The next thing that comes along

though, that you're not for these

889

:

same issues are going to impact you.

890

:

Yeah.

891

:

And so everything you just

pointed out is so important.

892

:

, what are literal ways you

see that being changed?

893

:

Oh, like de the democratic process?

894

:

Yeah.

895

:

Yeah.

896

:

Like, because it feels so overwhelming

and intimidating to change.

897

:

I, I feel like there's a business

as usual vibe on city council.

898

:

Totally.

899

:

And they're like, yeah, you can

talk, but like, we already know

900

:

how we're gonna vote on this.

901

:

Totally.

902

:

And again, I'll be one

vote on council if I win.

903

:

So I cannot promise that, you know.

904

:

We will vote this way as a majority, but

I can promise that I will advocate for it.

905

:

I would like to see city council

meetings held at a different time of day.

906

:

Mm-hmm.

907

:

, 'cause they're really held smack

dab in the middle of the workday.

908

:

The average person has to take

off work again to wait for hours

909

:

to talk to for two minutes.

910

:

Yeah.

911

:

, there should be other ways to give public

comment that don't require, like coming in

912

:

and commuting and doing this whole thing.

913

:

, I'd like to see more city council meetings

held after traditional work hours.

914

:

Yeah.

915

:

Um, to give more people more

of an opportunity to show up.

916

:

, and again, I, I think we should

put up more things for referendum.

917

:

Vote.

918

:

Yeah.

919

:

, and then, you know, when

things are voted on.

920

:

They should be executed.

921

:

Yes.

922

:

The way that they were voted on, because

that's the real problem with a lot

923

:

of, , a lot that's wrong with Atlanta,

, is, you know, this more MARTA program

924

:

including Right light rail was voted on.

925

:

Mm-hmm.

926

:

It was voted on, it was

overwhelmingly popular.

927

:

It was like an 80%, , yes vote.

928

:

And it's just not being done.

929

:

It's basically like pocket vetoed.

930

:

And so a lot of it is execution.

931

:

You know, so part of that is, you know,

electing, uh, we do live in a strong

932

:

mayor system, so, you know, electing

a mayor that will follow through on

933

:

these promises, , that are made, you

know, because of a democratic vote.

934

:

, but, you know, hate to put it on

the voters themselves, but it also

935

:

does mean when we live in the system

that's undemocratic, we always have

936

:

to be organizing on the outside.

937

:

Yeah.

938

:

. And so what I'm hoping to do when I

get an office is something we call an

939

:

inside outside strategy, which means

I will recognize that I'll be in the

940

:

minority in there, but I'll be organizing

with community organizations, unions

941

:

on the ground who are advocating for

affordable housing for public transit.

942

:

, and building that strong community

coalition on the outside to

943

:

build pressure will help so much.

944

:

Yeah.

945

:

The people who are trying to do

the right thing on the inside.

946

:

That makes sense.

947

:

Mm-hmm.

948

:

Are you, I should know this

'cause it's my district.

949

:

Are you running against an incumbent?

950

:

Ah, so there was an incumbent and

he dropped out about a month ago.

951

:

Okay.

952

:

, and so now it is an open race.

953

:

Okay.

954

:

, but we have been campaigning since

January, so we are pretty thick in,

955

:

in, in the thick of it right now.

956

:

That's awesome.

957

:

Yeah.

958

:

Do you, do you know how many

people are running against you?

959

:

I think it's like.

960

:

Four, three.

961

:

Three people are also in

the race in addition to me.

962

:

Okay.

963

:

Yes.

964

:

So it's four total.

965

:

Yes.

966

:

, is there like an extreme range

on like what their platforms

967

:

are or are there similarities?

968

:

Like, can you speak to any of that?

969

:

So one, one thing you're taught as

a candidate is you're not supposed

970

:

to talk about your opposition.

971

:

Okay.

972

:

Um, but I will say that I am,

but I'll say, and you're also

973

:

supposed to keep it positive.

974

:

Mm-hmm.

975

:

Um, but I will say I'm definitely

without a doubt, the most

976

:

progressive candidate in the race.

977

:

Okay.

978

:

, I am, to my knowledge, the only

candidate who opposes Cop city.

979

:

Okay.

980

:

, and, uh.

981

:

I know that I am the only

candidate, uh, refusing corporate

982

:

money and developer money.

983

:

, and I have reason to believe

that some of my opposition take

984

:

will take a significant amount of

money from real estate interests.

985

:

Mm-hmm.

986

:

, so, , I believe that who you take

money from is incredibly important.

987

:

, it says a lot about your values and

the coalition that you're forming

988

:

and whose interest you're going

to be moving forward in office.

989

:

, and a lot of politicians really,

as much as they wanna believe that

990

:

they can make their own decisions,

they end up being very constrained

991

:

by whose funding their campaign.

992

:

And so all of my contributions.

993

:

Are just from regular people.

994

:

, I, I got some money from the

painter's union, which is awesome.

995

:

Hopefully some more unions.

996

:

, and, uh, you know, I am hoping that

that only insures further that once I

997

:

get in there, I am accountable to these

same working people who got me elected.

998

:

Not any developers, not any

real estate interests, not.

999

:

Corporations who are union

busting, , or anything like that.

:

00:40:00,190 --> 00:40:00,675

So, yeah.

:

00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:01,270

Yeah.

:

00:40:01,420 --> 00:40:05,050

Do you have any ideas on, 'cause I

think the entanglement of money in

:

00:40:05,050 --> 00:40:09,010

politics is obviously, I mean, at

such a small local level, like it's,

:

00:40:09,070 --> 00:40:10,540

it immediately starts with mm-hmm.

:

00:40:10,780 --> 00:40:12,460

Anybody who is curious about politics.

:

00:40:12,490 --> 00:40:14,470

And I think, I mean, I know

a lot of people who are like,

:

00:40:14,740 --> 00:40:16,120

fuck, should I run for something?

:

00:40:16,180 --> 00:40:16,390

Yeah.

:

00:40:16,540 --> 00:40:18,010

I wanna, I wanna create change.

:

00:40:18,130 --> 00:40:18,220

Mm-hmm.

:

00:40:18,550 --> 00:40:22,630

And I would assume not all, but the

majority of people who even consider a

:

00:40:22,630 --> 00:40:24,670

run are like, I'm gonna do it differently.

:

00:40:24,670 --> 00:40:24,880

Mm-hmm.

:

00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:27,250

I am not gonna be, be beholden

to corporate interests.

:

00:40:27,250 --> 00:40:27,340

Mm-hmm.

:

00:40:27,580 --> 00:40:28,210

I wouldn't do that.

:

00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:32,650

But I also understand if somebody,

the allure of, uh, you know, being

:

00:40:32,680 --> 00:40:34,450

presented with a lot of money.

:

00:40:34,450 --> 00:40:34,510

Yeah.

:

00:40:34,810 --> 00:40:35,290

, so.

:

00:40:36,070 --> 00:40:37,630

How do we disentangle that?

:

00:40:37,720 --> 00:40:45,280

Yeah, so this is, you know, the

whole theory behind how I'm running

:

00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:49,810

this campaign is we have, , we

just hired one staff person.

:

00:40:49,810 --> 00:40:53,710

We might hire two, but other than

that we have at least a hundred

:

00:40:53,710 --> 00:40:55,210

volunteers engaged in our campaign.

:

00:40:55,390 --> 00:40:55,480

Cool.

:

00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:59,420

, and these are the same people who are

donating and it actually, like, it warms

:

00:40:59,420 --> 00:41:04,040

my heart so much 'cause volunteering

is so hard and going out and canvassing

:

00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:09,020

it in the hot sign like that is a lot

of energy and time that you could use.

:

00:41:09,260 --> 00:41:12,560

Spending time with your family or

hanging out watching TV or whatever.

:

00:41:12,565 --> 00:41:12,665

Yeah.

:

00:41:12,870 --> 00:41:14,040

, having a personal life.

:

00:41:14,200 --> 00:41:15,610

, I am so like.

:

00:41:15,895 --> 00:41:20,425

Touched by how many people have come

out to volunteer for our campaign.

:

00:41:20,425 --> 00:41:24,295

Like we've got people not just knocking

doors, but helping with our comps, helping

:

00:41:24,295 --> 00:41:26,185

with our fundraising and event planning.

:

00:41:26,575 --> 00:41:31,755

, and , you know, we really, unfortunately

we live in the system where money

:

00:41:31,755 --> 00:41:34,785

can buy you your way into politics.

:

00:41:34,785 --> 00:41:35,085

Yeah.

:

00:41:35,135 --> 00:41:38,855

, and so literally, literally just

literally, if you're a billionaire,

:

00:41:38,855 --> 00:41:40,325

you can self-fund a campaign.

:

00:41:40,325 --> 00:41:41,165

You just can.

:

00:41:41,225 --> 00:41:41,525

Yeah.

:

00:41:41,525 --> 00:41:43,445

And you can win a

presidency and you can win.

:

00:41:43,445 --> 00:41:44,285

Exactly.

:

00:41:44,285 --> 00:41:45,275

And it doesn't matter, you know.

:

00:41:46,835 --> 00:41:47,975

Nothing else matters, you know?

:

00:41:48,025 --> 00:41:51,355

, , but you know, so like federally,

we do need to reform the way

:

00:41:51,355 --> 00:41:53,385

that, , campaign finance works.

:

00:41:53,445 --> 00:41:53,535

Mm-hmm.

:

00:41:53,815 --> 00:41:57,865

, but in the meantime, when we want to

elect real progressives to office who

:

00:41:57,865 --> 00:42:02,435

will champion working people and not

corporate interest, , we have to engage

:

00:42:02,435 --> 00:42:07,955

in this other new model of electing

people to office, which is very volunteer

:

00:42:07,955 --> 00:42:09,905

heavy, focused on knocking doors.

:

00:42:10,175 --> 00:42:13,595

, because, uh, you know, there's

limits on how many, how much money

:

00:42:13,595 --> 00:42:15,245

you can take from a single person.

:

00:42:15,275 --> 00:42:15,365

Right.

:

00:42:15,365 --> 00:42:15,995

You know, corporate.

:

00:42:15,995 --> 00:42:16,865

What is the limit?

:

00:42:17,225 --> 00:42:21,665

So for my campaign, it's $3,300.

:

00:42:21,755 --> 00:42:22,115

Okay.

:

00:42:22,165 --> 00:42:26,325

, but then if you include the

runoff, , that's an extra $1,800.

:

00:42:26,775 --> 00:42:27,105

Okay.

:

00:42:27,105 --> 00:42:32,415

So no person can donate more than $5,100

and no company either and no company.

:

00:42:32,445 --> 00:42:32,955

Oh, interesting.

:

00:42:32,985 --> 00:42:33,285

Okay.

:

00:42:33,285 --> 00:42:34,605

That's lower than I thought it would be.

:

00:42:34,635 --> 00:42:34,725

Mm-hmm.

:

00:42:34,965 --> 00:42:35,445

Okay.

:

00:42:35,535 --> 00:42:37,515

Yeah, and it's definitely higher for like.

:

00:42:38,205 --> 00:42:39,015

Bigger elections.

:

00:42:39,105 --> 00:42:39,465

Sure.

:

00:42:39,765 --> 00:42:42,705

, but you know, like this is why

we're leaning on this model

:

00:42:42,705 --> 00:42:43,695

that's so volunteer heavy.

:

00:42:43,695 --> 00:42:44,835

'cause volunteering is free.

:

00:42:44,835 --> 00:42:44,925

Yes.

:

00:42:45,045 --> 00:42:46,815

And any person can do it.

:

00:42:46,815 --> 00:42:49,305

Like, I have so many friends

who cannot donate, right?

:

00:42:49,305 --> 00:42:49,395

Mm-hmm.

:

00:42:49,635 --> 00:42:52,065

Because they work in food

service or they're between

:

00:42:52,065 --> 00:42:53,235

jobs or they're unemployed.

:

00:42:53,355 --> 00:42:53,505

Yeah.

:

00:42:53,555 --> 00:42:57,095

, but this is a way that anybody

can contribute and it means that

:

00:42:57,095 --> 00:43:00,575

you're bringing everyone into the

political process, not just people

:

00:43:00,575 --> 00:43:02,465

who can afford to be big donors.

:

00:43:02,525 --> 00:43:02,825

Yeah.

:

00:43:02,885 --> 00:43:08,195

, and you know, and, and part of the

reason that I wanna run is in previous

:

00:43:08,195 --> 00:43:12,320

conversations I've had with in incumbent

city council members, I'll ask like, well,

:

00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:14,795

why did you vote on this legislation?

:

00:43:14,795 --> 00:43:18,305

It seems kind of conservative or

right wing, or, you know, I don't.

:

00:43:18,320 --> 00:43:21,410

It doesn't seem like it

aligns with your values.

:

00:43:21,530 --> 00:43:21,620

Yeah.

:

00:43:21,670 --> 00:43:25,150

, and I've been told before, incumbent

city council members, they're scared

:

00:43:25,300 --> 00:43:28,810

that they'll be voted out, , and

replaced by a more right wing person.

:

00:43:28,930 --> 00:43:29,050

Oh, wow.

:

00:43:29,100 --> 00:43:31,710

, and so I'm running to show that

no, you're gonna get replaced

:

00:43:31,710 --> 00:43:33,240

by a more left wing person.

:

00:43:33,330 --> 00:43:33,900

Yes.

:

00:43:34,410 --> 00:43:39,330

And proving that it's possible to

elect people to office with less money.

:

00:43:39,330 --> 00:43:39,570

Right.

:

00:43:39,570 --> 00:43:40,770

Without corporate money.

:

00:43:40,800 --> 00:43:40,890

Mm-hmm.

:

00:43:41,130 --> 00:43:46,440

Um, but with a big coalition of volunteers

and working class people, like if we

:

00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:50,250

knock enough doors, that's more powerful

than spending, you know, tens of

:

00:43:50,250 --> 00:43:52,650

thousands of dollars on mailers and ads.

:

00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:52,830

Yeah.

:

00:43:52,830 --> 00:43:54,990

You know, so that's what matters.

:

00:43:55,610 --> 00:43:59,630

, , like I mentioned earlier, I, I'm a

donator and I'm a, I'm a poster and

:

00:43:59,630 --> 00:44:04,340

a verbal sharer, but it wasn't until

this last election cycle that I really

:

00:44:04,340 --> 00:44:06,380

escalated my involvement in politics.

:

00:44:06,380 --> 00:44:06,470

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:06,740 --> 00:44:10,670

I did a very good bit of canvassing

for the Harris campaign, and

:

00:44:10,670 --> 00:44:14,000

through that I met so many

interesting people and I got this.

:

00:44:14,435 --> 00:44:18,575

Just expanded comprehension of like

what the political process looks like.

:

00:44:18,575 --> 00:44:18,845

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:19,020 --> 00:44:23,255

And it makes sense to me that when you

have real people and real constituents

:

00:44:23,255 --> 00:44:26,165

that care about your message and

what you're trying to do, who are

:

00:44:26,165 --> 00:44:30,695

willing to get out there, I, I think

all of us can be doing more for the

:

00:44:30,695 --> 00:44:32,105

stuff that we say that we care about.

:

00:44:32,110 --> 00:44:32,120

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:32,495 --> 00:44:35,405

And we're all busy, like you

mentioned, we all have lives and

:

00:44:35,405 --> 00:44:36,935

friends and family and things to do.

:

00:44:37,115 --> 00:44:40,385

But even I feel like if once or

twice a month you can just get out

:

00:44:40,385 --> 00:44:45,095

there and just do something that's in

alignment with your claimed values.

:

00:44:45,125 --> 00:44:45,215

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:45,455 --> 00:44:46,715

We would see such a shift.

:

00:44:46,745 --> 00:44:46,985

Yes.

:

00:44:47,015 --> 00:44:47,675

Nationwide.

:

00:44:47,705 --> 00:44:48,065

Yes, we would.

:

00:44:48,110 --> 00:44:48,680

It's so important.

:

00:44:48,680 --> 00:44:49,000

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:49,295 --> 00:44:51,095

And it feels really good.

:

00:44:51,455 --> 00:44:55,895

That's the biggest part of it, is people

ask me all the time, 'cause I've been in

:

00:44:55,925 --> 00:44:58,085

organizing for like over five years now.

:

00:44:58,115 --> 00:44:58,205

Mm-hmm.

:

00:44:58,475 --> 00:45:01,835

And people ask me like, Kelsey, how

do you have the energy for this?

:

00:45:01,835 --> 00:45:03,335

Like, how do you have the time?

:

00:45:03,335 --> 00:45:06,755

And it's like, nothing makes

me happier than doing this.

:

00:45:06,785 --> 00:45:07,235

Yes.

:

00:45:07,235 --> 00:45:11,405

And talking with a stranger about

what's going on in your life.

:

00:45:11,405 --> 00:45:13,055

What do you think about this issue?

:

00:45:13,610 --> 00:45:15,200

It feels so good.

:

00:45:15,380 --> 00:45:16,550

Yeah, feels so good.

:

00:45:16,580 --> 00:45:19,790

And it makes you feel better

if you're like, in despair

:

00:45:19,790 --> 00:45:21,200

about the state of the world.

:

00:45:21,350 --> 00:45:21,500

Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:21,740 --> 00:45:23,210

Like go outside, touch grass.

:

00:45:23,210 --> 00:45:25,160

If you canvas, you're in the sun.

:

00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:25,370

Yeah.

:

00:45:25,370 --> 00:45:27,950

It's:

:

00:45:27,950 --> 00:45:31,040

Like you wouldn't leave the house

necessarily otherwise, you know,

:

00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:33,380

it's a, it's a good experience.

:

00:45:33,410 --> 00:45:34,430

It's a great experience.

:

00:45:34,430 --> 00:45:38,830

I like, after my first day of canvassing

last fall, , or la late summer, , I

:

00:45:38,830 --> 00:45:40,720

came home and I was like, I feel great.

:

00:45:40,810 --> 00:45:42,190

And like I should be

tired 'cause it's hot.

:

00:45:42,190 --> 00:45:42,310

Mm-hmm.

:

00:45:42,610 --> 00:45:45,910

I've been outside all day, but I

felt so enthused by the conversations

:

00:45:45,910 --> 00:45:47,230

that I was having with people.

:

00:45:47,380 --> 00:45:51,940

, and it's, it is like, if you wanna be

selfish about it, it's so rewarding.

:

00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:54,370

It's, um, like truly.

:

00:45:54,910 --> 00:45:55,780

I can't recommend it enough.

:

00:45:56,020 --> 00:45:57,490

Yeah, no, it feels so good.

:

00:45:57,490 --> 00:45:58,990

And you make friends, you know?

:

00:45:59,050 --> 00:45:59,140

Yes.

:

00:45:59,380 --> 00:46:01,570

You make like-minded

friends that also care.

:

00:46:01,690 --> 00:46:02,110

Yes.

:

00:46:02,350 --> 00:46:06,310

I found also it strengthened

relationships that I already had.

:

00:46:06,310 --> 00:46:06,400

Mm-hmm.

:

00:46:06,640 --> 00:46:09,460

So people who are maybe on the

peripheral of my social circle,

:

00:46:09,580 --> 00:46:11,800

but I notice like, oh, we're

posting like really similar stuff.

:

00:46:11,800 --> 00:46:13,075

We seem to be in alignment with our views.

:

00:46:13,075 --> 00:46:13,315

Mm-hmm.

:

00:46:13,540 --> 00:46:15,250

And they're like, oh,

you're canvassing today too.

:

00:46:15,250 --> 00:46:15,730

Let's meet up.

:

00:46:15,730 --> 00:46:16,330

Let's go together.

:

00:46:16,390 --> 00:46:16,450

Yeah.

:

00:46:16,450 --> 00:46:21,820

So it's like, I had one day I canvased

with two friends and like it's, it's no

:

00:46:21,820 --> 00:46:23,770

longer enough to sit back and complain.

:

00:46:23,830 --> 00:46:24,040

Right.

:

00:46:24,130 --> 00:46:27,220

We have to get involved and that

doesn't mean that you have to

:

00:46:27,220 --> 00:46:28,270

be the one running for office.

:

00:46:28,270 --> 00:46:28,360

Mm-hmm.

:

00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:31,960

But I think being, paying attention

at a local level, knowing what's

:

00:46:32,170 --> 00:46:34,810

going on, seeing what's in

alignment with you, and actually.

:

00:46:35,770 --> 00:46:37,600

Putting some effort and energy behind it.

:

00:46:37,600 --> 00:46:37,840

Yeah.

:

00:46:38,320 --> 00:46:39,940

We just absolutely have to.

:

00:46:40,180 --> 00:46:40,930

We have to.

:

00:46:40,930 --> 00:46:43,570

And it's because we're up against

so much and like, you know,

:

00:46:43,630 --> 00:46:44,950

I totally, I've been there.

:

00:46:44,950 --> 00:46:48,220

I've, you know, before I started

organizing, I was in this place where

:

00:46:48,220 --> 00:46:50,320

I was like, climate change is so big.

:

00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:51,580

How can we address it?

:

00:46:51,580 --> 00:46:51,640

Yeah.

:

00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:55,420

Like the, the lack of

universal healthcare is so big.

:

00:46:55,420 --> 00:46:57,700

How could I ever impact that?

:

00:46:58,030 --> 00:47:02,290

, and the only way out like in this rigged

political system and rigged economy,

:

00:47:02,290 --> 00:47:07,180

the only way out is millions of people

doing exactly what you just said.

:

00:47:07,240 --> 00:47:07,300

Yeah.

:

00:47:07,300 --> 00:47:08,350

That's the only way out.

:

00:47:08,410 --> 00:47:09,310

Yeah, I agree.

:

00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:13,920

I posted after the protest on Saturday,

. Just on my Instagram stories, , to

:

00:47:13,920 --> 00:47:15,180

my less than a thousand friends.

:

00:47:15,420 --> 00:47:17,010

But I was like, this is on us.

:

00:47:17,010 --> 00:47:17,100

Mm-hmm.

:

00:47:17,700 --> 00:47:18,600

No one's coming to save us.

:

00:47:18,630 --> 00:47:23,100

And I think there's this mindset of, oh,

I, I support this, but I don't have to

:

00:47:23,100 --> 00:47:24,690

be the one who's physically out there.

:

00:47:24,720 --> 00:47:24,930

Yeah.

:

00:47:24,930 --> 00:47:27,030

And it's like, people aren't

gonna do this on your behalf.

:

00:47:27,060 --> 00:47:27,180

Yes.

:

00:47:27,180 --> 00:47:29,880

We all need to find ways

that we can step it up.

:

00:47:30,060 --> 00:47:30,150

Mm-hmm.

:

00:47:30,285 --> 00:47:32,520

And if you're not somebody who

can canvas for whatever reason,

:

00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:35,880

donate what you can or share

about things or talk about things.

:

00:47:35,880 --> 00:47:35,970

Mm-hmm.

:

00:47:36,300 --> 00:47:37,950

Um, we've gotta get rid of this.

:

00:47:37,950 --> 00:47:39,030

Oh, we just don't talk about politics.

:

00:47:39,030 --> 00:47:39,690

We have to.

:

00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:39,960

Right.

:

00:47:39,960 --> 00:47:42,420

It impacts us all day, every single day.

:

00:47:42,450 --> 00:47:45,060

And everything that we're seeing

happen locally and nationally.

:

00:47:45,060 --> 00:47:46,590

This is not normal times.

:

00:47:46,650 --> 00:47:46,800

No.

:

00:47:49,050 --> 00:47:50,040

You can't ignore it.

:

00:47:50,505 --> 00:47:50,925

Yeah.

:

00:47:50,985 --> 00:47:54,225

Or not ethically, there's no ethical

way to ignore what's happening.

:

00:47:54,255 --> 00:47:55,455

You can't ignore it.

:

00:47:55,455 --> 00:47:58,785

And to your point, , you know, I've

known a lot of people who they,

:

00:47:58,785 --> 00:48:01,725

they don't wanna canvas 'cause

they're, they're introverted.

:

00:48:01,725 --> 00:48:03,285

Or like, maybe like, I have asthma.

:

00:48:03,285 --> 00:48:05,535

I can't canvas on the hottest stage Sure.

:

00:48:05,535 --> 00:48:05,985

The year.

:

00:48:06,265 --> 00:48:10,135

, but it's like, you know, you do

comms graphic design, like I have

:

00:48:10,255 --> 00:48:13,615

volunteers doing graphic design

and emails for my campaign.

:

00:48:13,645 --> 00:48:15,865

, there's tons of ways

that you can contribute.

:

00:48:15,955 --> 00:48:16,075

Yes.

:

00:48:16,135 --> 00:48:19,130

, and you'll only find out if you show up

and ask, you know, a hundred percent.

:

00:48:19,130 --> 00:48:19,450

Mm-hmm.

:

00:48:19,570 --> 00:48:20,050

A hundred percent.

:

00:48:20,605 --> 00:48:21,895

, okay, so.

:

00:48:22,150 --> 00:48:23,140

Broad strokes.

:

00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:24,250

We want affordable housing.

:

00:48:24,250 --> 00:48:24,340

Mm-hmm.

:

00:48:24,580 --> 00:48:25,900

We want public transportation.

:

00:48:26,050 --> 00:48:27,250

We want democracy.

:

00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:27,460

Yes.

:

00:48:27,460 --> 00:48:28,540

Back in our democracy.

:

00:48:28,540 --> 00:48:28,630

Yes.

:

00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:32,390

, are there any other kind of

key running points for you?

:

00:48:32,450 --> 00:48:35,780

Yeah, I would say, , also, so

I am a former union member.

:

00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:38,940

, I was a member of United Campus

Workers of Georgia, which

:

00:48:38,940 --> 00:48:41,100

is affiliated, uh, with CWA.

:

00:48:41,150 --> 00:48:44,120

, and I've done a lot of work with

local unions around Atlanta,

:

00:48:44,120 --> 00:48:48,030

including, , Starbucks, workers

United, , their first two union

:

00:48:48,030 --> 00:48:49,590

stores in Georgia were in Midtown.

:

00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:49,800

Oh, cool.

:

00:48:49,930 --> 00:48:53,350

, and, you know, they're all, I love

them so much, they're so inspiring,

:

00:48:53,350 --> 00:48:55,090

but they're all young, queer people.

:

00:48:55,360 --> 00:48:55,450

Mm-hmm.

:

00:48:55,690 --> 00:48:59,290

You know, who are just like into

Bernie Sanders and were realized

:

00:48:59,290 --> 00:49:00,850

that they deserve a living wage.

:

00:49:00,975 --> 00:49:01,265

Yeah.

:

00:49:01,285 --> 00:49:02,345

Um, and weird.

:

00:49:02,680 --> 00:49:03,850

Yeah, weird, right?

:

00:49:03,850 --> 00:49:04,090

Yeah.

:

00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:05,540

, but, uh, you know, I.

:

00:49:05,755 --> 00:49:09,535

Done work with, it's a teamsters, painters

union, tons of unions around Atlanta.

:

00:49:09,565 --> 00:49:11,815

People don't realize

Atlanta is a union town.

:

00:49:11,905 --> 00:49:11,995

Mm-hmm.

:

00:49:12,185 --> 00:49:16,505

, you know, we've got quite a lot of, you

know, bustling union activity going on.

:

00:49:16,555 --> 00:49:20,125

, but you wouldn't think that based on

the way, uh, it's reported in the news.

:

00:49:20,155 --> 00:49:20,365

Yes.

:

00:49:20,455 --> 00:49:25,525

Um, you know, we have a ton of anti-labor

laws at the state level, thanks to

:

00:49:25,525 --> 00:49:27,205

the Republicans who run the state.

:

00:49:27,740 --> 00:49:31,490

, but at the city level, I think that

there is a lot more that we could do

:

00:49:31,490 --> 00:49:35,300

in our limited capacity to support

organizing workers in the city.

:

00:49:35,550 --> 00:49:38,280

, so for example, the largest

union drive happening right

:

00:49:38,280 --> 00:49:40,260

now in the country is at Delta.

:

00:49:40,560 --> 00:49:40,800

Oh.

:

00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:42,330

Which is headquartered in Atlanta.

:

00:49:42,330 --> 00:49:42,480

Yes.

:

00:49:42,700 --> 00:49:46,810

, so for quite a long time, flight

attendants, ramp workers, mechanics

:

00:49:46,810 --> 00:49:48,430

have been trying to organize.

:

00:49:48,730 --> 00:49:51,250

, and our city really just

doesn't like to talk about it.

:

00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:55,620

Um, and it's because Delta's a very

powerful company, which, , you know,

:

00:49:55,620 --> 00:49:59,700

does a lot of public private com,

uh, partnerships with the city.

:

00:49:59,920 --> 00:50:03,850

, they're very strong relationships

between Delta and many politicians.

:

00:50:03,850 --> 00:50:08,230

And unsurprisingly, Delta donates

to a lot of political campaigns.

:

00:50:08,230 --> 00:50:08,290

Yeah.

:

00:50:08,290 --> 00:50:11,440

Which puts, , politicians in a sticky

place when it comes to speaking

:

00:50:11,440 --> 00:50:14,260

out on behalf of union organizing.

:

00:50:14,260 --> 00:50:14,380

Mm-hmm.

:

00:50:14,650 --> 00:50:18,430

Um, and so I would love at

bare minimum to see our city.

:

00:50:18,430 --> 00:50:22,415

Speak out more in favor of

organizing workers and just

:

00:50:22,475 --> 00:50:24,935

affirm that we are on their side.

:

00:50:24,965 --> 00:50:25,025

Yeah.

:

00:50:25,115 --> 00:50:27,275

Instead of playing it both ways.

:

00:50:27,545 --> 00:50:31,255

, and then on top of that we have

this, , city Department of Labor, which

:

00:50:31,255 --> 00:50:32,815

was created a couple of years ago.

:

00:50:33,325 --> 00:50:35,065

I haven't seen a lot going on with it.

:

00:50:35,065 --> 00:50:35,155

Mm-hmm.

:

00:50:35,525 --> 00:50:39,245

, and I feel like, you know, a

department like this, there's a great

:

00:50:39,245 --> 00:50:43,265

opportunity to lean into educating

Atlanta workers about their rights.

:

00:50:43,265 --> 00:50:45,665

We do live in a right to work

state, but people deserve to

:

00:50:45,665 --> 00:50:47,045

know what rights they have.

:

00:50:47,105 --> 00:50:47,285

Yeah.

:

00:50:47,335 --> 00:50:51,505

, and I think there's a really important

role that the city can play there in

:

00:50:51,715 --> 00:50:55,645

spreading this education, bringing

workers into the democratic process.

:

00:50:55,965 --> 00:50:59,985

, and, you know, just education and

advocacy can go an incredibly long way.

:

00:51:00,105 --> 00:51:00,345

Yeah.

:

00:51:00,375 --> 00:51:06,135

And just knowing that the city has

your back in a workplace fight.

:

00:51:06,200 --> 00:51:08,120

It goes a very long way.

:

00:51:08,180 --> 00:51:09,440

It means a lot to these workers.

:

00:51:09,440 --> 00:51:13,190

And right now they don't feel necessarily

like the city is on their side with

:

00:51:13,190 --> 00:51:15,440

these, you know, workplace disputes.

:

00:51:15,800 --> 00:51:16,550

That makes sense.

:

00:51:16,580 --> 00:51:16,670

Mm-hmm.

:

00:51:16,910 --> 00:51:18,560

Because it seems like

they're not, they're not.

:

00:51:18,565 --> 00:51:19,005

They're not.

:

00:51:19,325 --> 00:51:19,327

They're not.

:

00:51:20,000 --> 00:51:24,380

And then, uh, when, um, uh, Starbucks

workers were organizing in Midtown

:

00:51:24,380 --> 00:51:27,800

for the first time, I actually got

city council to pass a resolution

:

00:51:27,800 --> 00:51:29,390

in support of Starbucks workers.

:

00:51:29,510 --> 00:51:29,540

Okay.

:

00:51:29,690 --> 00:51:30,800

Um, it was very cool.

:

00:51:30,800 --> 00:51:34,460

And it made them feel like, oh

my God, someone's listening.

:

00:51:34,460 --> 00:51:35,510

You know, what was the resolution?

:

00:51:35,690 --> 00:51:38,450

So it was a completely, you

know, toothless resolution

:

00:51:38,450 --> 00:51:39,230

that didn't do anything.

:

00:51:39,290 --> 00:51:39,320

Okay.

:

00:51:39,320 --> 00:51:44,780

But it was, you know, affirming that, you

know, we stand with workers in this fight.

:

00:51:44,840 --> 00:51:45,170

Okay.

:

00:51:45,175 --> 00:51:48,735

, it was language borrowed from

I think like Minneapolis City

:

00:51:48,735 --> 00:51:50,055

Council or something like that.

:

00:51:50,175 --> 00:51:50,295

Okay.

:

00:51:50,395 --> 00:51:54,145

, but it, you know, that adds a little

bit of pressure when the employer sees.

:

00:51:54,445 --> 00:51:56,605

Wait, the city's on their side.

:

00:51:56,665 --> 00:51:56,965

Right.

:

00:51:57,085 --> 00:51:58,705

I better back up, you know?

:

00:51:58,705 --> 00:51:58,915

Yeah.

:

00:51:58,915 --> 00:52:00,955

I better stop firing people.

:

00:52:01,205 --> 00:52:04,115

, so even that kind of soft

pressure, it goes a long way.

:

00:52:04,415 --> 00:52:04,775

Yeah.

:

00:52:04,835 --> 00:52:05,465

That's awesome.

:

00:52:05,855 --> 00:52:06,335

Okay.

:

00:52:07,085 --> 00:52:07,745

What else?

:

00:52:07,995 --> 00:52:09,645

So we've got labor rights.

:

00:52:09,675 --> 00:52:12,435

, we've also got, you know,

Trump is in office now.

:

00:52:13,860 --> 00:52:15,195

He sure is.

:

00:52:15,195 --> 00:52:23,400

And, um, you know, he is, I mean, just

not respecting the law or the, you know,

:

00:52:23,420 --> 00:52:26,055

the democracy in any way, shape or form.

:

00:52:26,475 --> 00:52:27,975

He's just doing what he wants.

:

00:52:28,005 --> 00:52:30,030

So we're really in this time

of uncertainty right now.

:

00:52:30,370 --> 00:52:30,590

Yes.

:

00:52:30,770 --> 00:52:34,725

Um, but it's an especially

precarious and uncertain time for the

:

00:52:34,725 --> 00:52:38,025

communities that I keep mentioning,

like immigrants and trans folks.

:

00:52:38,025 --> 00:52:38,115

Mm-hmm.

:

00:52:38,395 --> 00:52:41,475

Um, are probably the

LGBT community at large.

:

00:52:41,695 --> 00:52:45,295

, and so I think that the city

needs to play a strong role in

:

00:52:45,295 --> 00:52:47,155

affirming our values and not just.

:

00:52:47,620 --> 00:52:50,980

Cave to Trump and his rhetoric.

:

00:52:51,040 --> 00:52:51,250

Yeah.

:

00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:56,200

Um, and you know, there are types of

like sanctuary city legislation that

:

00:52:56,200 --> 00:52:59,530

we could consider passing based on

what the Trump administration does.

:

00:52:59,810 --> 00:53:03,080

So for example, when abortion rights

were overturned in the court in

:

00:53:03,080 --> 00:53:09,300

:

decriminalize abortion in Atlanta.

:

00:53:09,300 --> 00:53:09,390

Mm-hmm.

:

00:53:09,690 --> 00:53:14,640

Um, just meaning that like this will be

the very, very, very bottom priority for

:

00:53:14,640 --> 00:53:20,010

a PD to go after anybody who, you know,

performs an abortion, has an abortion,

:

00:53:20,010 --> 00:53:23,910

is suspected of it, and says that they

won't co cooperate with state police.

:

00:53:23,910 --> 00:53:23,970

Yeah.

:

00:53:24,030 --> 00:53:25,890

Um, or police from other counties.

:

00:53:26,160 --> 00:53:28,230

, and so that's, I think, pretty powerful.

:

00:53:28,230 --> 00:53:29,460

And so, you know, if there's.

:

00:53:29,895 --> 00:53:33,915

Any wonky laws passed about

immigrants or trans healthcare.

:

00:53:33,915 --> 00:53:38,055

You know, we could do a similar type

of like, non-cooperation legislation.

:

00:53:38,415 --> 00:53:42,195

, there was also a donation

made, , from the city budget to

:

00:53:42,195 --> 00:53:44,625

Ark Southeast a couple years ago.

:

00:53:44,815 --> 00:53:47,305

, this is all Liliana Tiri legislation.

:

00:53:47,645 --> 00:53:52,455

, but , that donated $300 to ARC Southeast,

which is a, , what does it stand for?

:

00:53:52,875 --> 00:53:53,325

I don't remember.

:

00:53:53,325 --> 00:53:55,605

But it, it's an abortion fund essentially.

:

00:53:55,605 --> 00:53:59,625

And so it's money that helps

people go out of state, helps them

:

00:53:59,625 --> 00:54:00,885

get the resources they need to.

:

00:54:01,710 --> 00:54:03,150

Get abortion care.

:

00:54:03,270 --> 00:54:03,420

Yeah.

:

00:54:03,460 --> 00:54:08,290

, and so, you know, if we were put in

a position where trans healthcare

:

00:54:08,290 --> 00:54:11,620

was defunded in some way at the state

level, which we've already seen this

:

00:54:11,620 --> 00:54:16,800

legislative session, , they actually

banned, , trans state employees from

:

00:54:16,800 --> 00:54:20,790

using their state healthcare for

any like trans related healthcare.

:

00:54:21,040 --> 00:54:25,005

, so, you know, these communities are gonna

be put under a lot of stress, um mm-hmm.

:

00:54:25,210 --> 00:54:29,290

And are gonna be depleted of essential

healthcare and resources that they

:

00:54:29,290 --> 00:54:31,240

were other otherwise relying on.

:

00:54:31,520 --> 00:54:35,510

, so looking into what kind of like,

unfortunately, but bandaid solutions

:

00:54:35,510 --> 00:54:40,910

exist to help fill those gaps in the

meantime while programs are being

:

00:54:40,940 --> 00:54:45,400

defunded or banned, , by either the state

government or the Trump administration.

:

00:54:45,620 --> 00:54:48,380

, I think our city has a really

important role to play in standing up

:

00:54:48,380 --> 00:54:49,700

for these marginalized communities.

:

00:54:49,880 --> 00:54:50,360

And I.

:

00:54:51,035 --> 00:54:54,725

Standing firm on that, and not

just caving because Oh, they're

:

00:54:54,725 --> 00:54:55,865

scared of what Trump's gonna do.

:

00:54:56,075 --> 00:54:56,165

Yeah.

:

00:54:56,195 --> 00:54:58,655

Like we need political

leadership in moments like this.

:

00:54:58,745 --> 00:54:59,495

Absolutely.

:

00:54:59,825 --> 00:55:02,825

Uh, it's very frustrating too,

to watch the amount of time and

:

00:55:02,825 --> 00:55:06,995

effort and resources being spent

to marginalize such a small fucking

:

00:55:06,995 --> 00:55:08,855

percentage of the population than 1%.

:

00:55:08,855 --> 00:55:11,615

Like it is, this shouldn't

even be a conversation.

:

00:55:11,645 --> 00:55:11,855

Yeah.

:

00:55:11,915 --> 00:55:14,255

Not that it, we

acknowledge this, you know?

:

00:55:14,285 --> 00:55:14,495

Yeah.

:

00:55:14,525 --> 00:55:16,745

This is a thing that exists, but

it's like, these are human beings.

:

00:55:16,745 --> 00:55:18,575

These are constituents,

these are citizens, these are

:

00:55:18,575 --> 00:55:19,565

neighbors, these are friends.

:

00:55:19,595 --> 00:55:19,805

Yeah.

:

00:55:19,895 --> 00:55:22,205

Um, you don't even have to understand it.

:

00:55:22,265 --> 00:55:22,445

Yeah.

:

00:55:22,445 --> 00:55:24,125

But like, why do you fucking care?

:

00:55:24,125 --> 00:55:24,185

Yeah.

:

00:55:24,365 --> 00:55:26,165

It's so frustrating to me.

:

00:55:26,165 --> 00:55:28,535

But the amount of things that we

could be accomplishing if we would

:

00:55:28,535 --> 00:55:30,125

just leave these people alone.

:

00:55:30,130 --> 00:55:30,330

Yes.

:

00:55:30,335 --> 00:55:30,665

Yes.

:

00:55:30,850 --> 00:55:32,075

I, I don't understand it.

:

00:55:32,075 --> 00:55:33,845

And we literally spent.

:

00:55:34,265 --> 00:55:39,335

So much of this legislative session

talking about like trans children.

:

00:55:39,425 --> 00:55:39,515

Yes.

:

00:55:39,815 --> 00:55:42,725

And it's like, you know, I

mean, yeah, we should be doing

:

00:55:42,725 --> 00:55:44,075

good things for trans children.

:

00:55:44,075 --> 00:55:45,696

Look, if we're gonna

talk about them, , yeah.

:

00:55:45,701 --> 00:55:51,035

But it's just like, why does this taking

up like 30% of people's time and energy?

:

00:55:51,095 --> 00:55:51,575

It's ridiculous.

:

00:55:51,575 --> 00:55:52,535

The economy's in shambles.

:

00:55:52,895 --> 00:55:53,015

Yes.

:

00:55:53,105 --> 00:55:54,575

It's totally ridiculous.

:

00:55:54,685 --> 00:55:56,425

, I, we could talk about that all day long.

:

00:55:56,425 --> 00:55:56,515

Yeah.

:

00:55:56,575 --> 00:55:57,655

It's just so insane.

:

00:55:57,775 --> 00:55:57,835

Yeah.

:

00:55:57,885 --> 00:55:59,115

, but it is, you know.

:

00:55:59,640 --> 00:56:02,100

You referenced this earlier, like

there's always gotta be this boogeyman,

:

00:56:02,100 --> 00:56:05,700

this bad guy to kind of divert

attention from the things that they

:

00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:06,570

should be doing that they aren't.

:

00:56:06,570 --> 00:56:06,900

Exactly.

:

00:56:06,900 --> 00:56:09,270

And that actually benefit all of us.

:

00:56:09,270 --> 00:56:09,990

Exactly.

:

00:56:10,620 --> 00:56:13,800

, I think in a perfect Atlanta, I'd be

able to take, uh, you know, public

:

00:56:13,800 --> 00:56:15,240

transportation to get an abortion.

:

00:56:16,500 --> 00:56:17,220

Yes, yes, yes.

:

00:56:17,220 --> 00:56:18,960

This is what yeah.

:

00:56:18,990 --> 00:56:20,010

This is what we're working on.

:

00:56:20,095 --> 00:56:20,315

Yes.

:

00:56:21,630 --> 00:56:24,210

This is the goal day by:

:

00:56:24,570 --> 00:56:25,075

There we go.

:

00:56:26,760 --> 00:56:27,570

I'll wait until then.

:

00:56:28,890 --> 00:56:29,580

Oh my God.

:

00:56:29,910 --> 00:56:31,170

Um, that's funny.

:

00:56:32,580 --> 00:56:35,430

And just on public transit, we

talked a lot about BeltLine Rail.

:

00:56:35,430 --> 00:56:36,840

It's not all about BeltLine Rail.

:

00:56:36,840 --> 00:56:36,930

Sure.

:

00:56:37,210 --> 00:56:39,910

, you know, Atlanta, I don't

remember the exact statistic,

:

00:56:39,910 --> 00:56:43,390

but only a certain percentage of

Atlanta streets have a sidewalk.

:

00:56:43,480 --> 00:56:43,570

Mm-hmm.

:

00:56:43,930 --> 00:56:46,000

Um, you know, this is it.

:

00:56:46,000 --> 00:56:49,360

Georgia is actually one of the

most expensive states to own a car.

:

00:56:49,510 --> 00:56:49,930

Oh, interesting.

:

00:56:49,930 --> 00:56:51,970

Which is funny 'cause all we see is cars.

:

00:56:52,270 --> 00:56:52,450

Yes.

:

00:56:52,500 --> 00:56:56,100

, but it's like, that's just an extra burden

on the people who are forced to own a car.

:

00:56:56,100 --> 00:56:56,190

Mm-hmm.

:

00:56:56,430 --> 00:57:00,510

Because, you know, it, we don't

have a transit friendly city.

:

00:57:00,630 --> 00:57:00,750

Yeah.

:

00:57:00,780 --> 00:57:01,530

, so, you know.

:

00:57:02,130 --> 00:57:03,150

Better sidewalks.

:

00:57:03,150 --> 00:57:07,410

You know, not just, it's not all about

BeltLine rail, , sidewalks comprehensively

:

00:57:07,410 --> 00:57:08,730

around all parts of the city.

:

00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:12,360

'cause we all know that certain

neighborhoods are more heavily invested

:

00:57:12,360 --> 00:57:14,160

in than other parts of the city.

:

00:57:14,250 --> 00:57:14,430

Yeah.

:

00:57:14,430 --> 00:57:16,020

It's not very equitable at all.

:

00:57:16,250 --> 00:57:17,420

, also bike lanes.

:

00:57:17,450 --> 00:57:22,460

, I am a bike rider and, , I didn't

own a car until I was 26 actually.

:

00:57:22,460 --> 00:57:23,090

And so Oh wow.

:

00:57:23,210 --> 00:57:27,620

Impress, I've been, I have one

now, but it is, uh, not being used

:

00:57:27,620 --> 00:57:29,900

for reasons, but, um, it is dead.

:

00:57:29,900 --> 00:57:34,130

But I, um, you know, I bike around

the city and my electric bike.

:

00:57:34,250 --> 00:57:34,430

Cool.

:

00:57:34,430 --> 00:57:38,210

And, , I feel like I'm gonna die

most days when I'm out there.

:

00:57:38,240 --> 00:57:38,570

Yes.

:

00:57:38,630 --> 00:57:42,680

And you know, like pedestrian safety, bike

safety, like that's a public health issue.

:

00:57:42,860 --> 00:57:42,950

Sure.

:

00:57:43,370 --> 00:57:46,670

Um, and you know, we talk about

public health and safety in the city.

:

00:57:46,670 --> 00:57:48,530

There's this huge focus on policing.

:

00:57:48,560 --> 00:57:49,010

Right.

:

00:57:49,250 --> 00:57:53,510

And the city just think, seems to

think that the only way to address

:

00:57:53,510 --> 00:57:56,840

public safety is just funneling more

and more money into armed police.

:

00:57:57,170 --> 00:57:58,400

, and when you actually.

:

00:57:58,625 --> 00:58:03,695

Look at studies, you know, there are

tons of preventative proactive things

:

00:58:03,695 --> 00:58:07,745

that you can do to invest in community

services that long term, you know,

:

00:58:07,745 --> 00:58:09,995

improve community safety and health.

:

00:58:10,115 --> 00:58:10,205

Mm-hmm.

:

00:58:10,665 --> 00:58:15,795

, so side tangent, but you know, like

I would love to see a real protected

:

00:58:15,795 --> 00:58:17,925

bike lane grid around the city.

:

00:58:17,955 --> 00:58:18,195

Yes.

:

00:58:18,245 --> 00:58:19,115

, 'cause we are growing.

:

00:58:19,115 --> 00:58:22,685

We don't wanna be stuck in traffic when,

you know, a million more people move here.

:

00:58:22,895 --> 00:58:22,985

Mm-hmm.

:

00:58:23,515 --> 00:58:26,665

, and you know, you go to cities like

New York and Portland and there's just

:

00:58:26,665 --> 00:58:31,195

these beautiful bike lanes that are so

easy to use, they're actually protected.

:

00:58:31,525 --> 00:58:34,765

You know, and it tends to be, you

know, biking is not all about,

:

00:58:34,795 --> 00:58:36,775

you know, exercise and recreation.

:

00:58:36,775 --> 00:58:39,805

For some people, that's their

primary way of getting around.

:

00:58:39,805 --> 00:58:39,895

Yes.

:

00:58:39,925 --> 00:58:41,485

Like, they don't have alternatives.

:

00:58:41,515 --> 00:58:45,625

And so we need to make sure that these

people are safe when they're doing it.

:

00:58:45,895 --> 00:58:49,405

And studies show that you easily

increase ridership when you

:

00:58:49,405 --> 00:58:52,675

actually create protected bike

lanes and you change people's.

:

00:58:53,420 --> 00:58:56,870

, habits who are on the margin of, you

know, deciding whether to bike or not.

:

00:58:56,870 --> 00:58:58,190

Like a risk analysis.

:

00:58:58,220 --> 00:58:58,460

Yeah.

:

00:58:58,490 --> 00:59:02,450

You vastly increase ridership when you

just have safe protective lanes that

:

00:59:02,450 --> 00:59:04,610

actually go places that people are going.

:

00:59:04,850 --> 00:59:06,290

That seems so sensible, right?

:

00:59:06,290 --> 00:59:07,700

It's so sensible.

:

00:59:07,970 --> 00:59:11,820

And, , something, you know, else, , I

think about a lot as like, you know.

:

00:59:13,230 --> 00:59:16,230

A more conservative minded person

might write off a lot of what I'm

:

00:59:16,230 --> 00:59:19,950

talking about today as just, you know,

progressive pie in the sky ideas.

:

00:59:19,950 --> 00:59:23,520

But these are actually all

like very data-driven policies

:

00:59:23,520 --> 00:59:24,840

that I'm talking about.

:

00:59:25,140 --> 00:59:30,720

, you know, like it, it, the data shows

that adding one more lane to a street

:

00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:35,520

doesn't reduce reduce traffic congestion,

it just brings more people out driving.

:

00:59:35,610 --> 00:59:35,730

Mm-hmm.

:

00:59:36,150 --> 00:59:40,350

Um, studies show that when you, you

know, invest in sidewalks and bike lanes,

:

00:59:40,350 --> 00:59:42,840

that more people start using those.

:

00:59:42,990 --> 00:59:43,080

Mm-hmm.

:

00:59:43,560 --> 00:59:48,550

Um, and uh, I guess I wanna talk a little

bit about, , you know, crime as well.

:

00:59:48,610 --> 00:59:48,820

Sure.

:

00:59:48,850 --> 00:59:51,640

Um, and it's not something that

people are really talking about

:

00:59:51,640 --> 00:59:55,020

these days 'cause it was, a little

bit higher during the pandemic.

:

00:59:55,240 --> 00:59:58,030

, but when you look at, but it's

always something that comes up.

:

00:59:58,095 --> 01:00:00,915

, and, you know, I'm somebody, I

don't believe that it's ethical

:

01:00:00,915 --> 01:00:02,145

to put people behind bars.

:

01:00:02,145 --> 01:00:02,415

Right.

:

01:00:02,415 --> 01:00:06,525

I don't believe that it's

ethical to, you know, solve basic

:

01:00:06,525 --> 01:00:08,445

problems within armed police man.

:

01:00:08,445 --> 01:00:08,895

Right?

:

01:00:08,985 --> 01:00:09,165

Yeah.

:

01:00:09,225 --> 01:00:12,105

, and you look at other countries

and, you know, police do, are not

:

01:00:12,105 --> 01:00:14,085

armed in the same way as ours.

:

01:00:14,085 --> 01:00:14,175

Mm-hmm.

:

01:00:14,505 --> 01:00:18,105

Um, and we all know that there's

this, you know, systemic history

:

01:00:18,105 --> 01:00:21,825

of like racial discrimination

and American police departments.

:

01:00:21,855 --> 01:00:26,235

And that's not something that

we can ignore and just let, you

:

01:00:26,235 --> 01:00:29,355

know, black Americans keep dying

because of police violence.

:

01:00:29,605 --> 01:00:33,685

, so I would really like to see a city

invest in more preventative solutions

:

01:00:33,895 --> 01:00:37,845

to addressing crime, , and not just,

you know, throwing on this bandaid

:

01:00:37,845 --> 01:00:39,195

of more and more police funding.

:

01:00:39,375 --> 01:00:39,525

Mm-hmm.

:

01:00:39,885 --> 01:00:43,515

Um, our city budget, we're

actually headed towards a $20

:

01:00:43,515 --> 01:00:46,365

million deficit right now because.

:

01:00:46,795 --> 01:00:49,555

Our mayor over invested

in police and cop city.

:

01:00:49,825 --> 01:00:50,065

Huh.

:

01:00:50,215 --> 01:00:52,735

Specifically if only somebody

had protested against that.

:

01:00:52,825 --> 01:00:56,785

If only somebody had

said that might happen.

:

01:00:58,105 --> 01:00:58,465

That's so weird.

:

01:00:59,005 --> 01:01:03,145

But that's straight from the a JC and like

the city finance department, you know?

:

01:01:03,305 --> 01:01:07,085

, that is what we overspend time

and you know, where did it get us?

:

01:01:07,115 --> 01:01:10,535

, now we're gonna have to

probably lay off city workers.

:

01:01:10,535 --> 01:01:12,005

That's actually something

that's happening right now.

:

01:01:12,005 --> 01:01:14,225

City workers are about to be laid off.

:

01:01:14,505 --> 01:01:16,575

, they've already gotten

a return to work order.

:

01:01:16,575 --> 01:01:17,535

We know what that means.

:

01:01:17,595 --> 01:01:17,685

Mm-hmm.

:

01:01:18,135 --> 01:01:23,085

, but all that aside, you know,

studies show that when people have

:

01:01:23,085 --> 01:01:26,355

housing, when people have access to

healthcare, when there are public

:

01:01:26,355 --> 01:01:28,885

health services, , crime is reduced.

:

01:01:29,155 --> 01:01:29,485

Absolutely.

:

01:01:29,485 --> 01:01:30,055

Just period.

:

01:01:30,325 --> 01:01:32,695

And it's a better situation for everyone.

:

01:01:32,915 --> 01:01:35,045

, you know, putting people behind bars.

:

01:01:35,075 --> 01:01:35,945

It only.

:

01:01:36,760 --> 01:01:38,710

Makes our whole society worse.

:

01:01:38,740 --> 01:01:42,760

It puts a strain on our society and our

neighborhoods to put people behind bars.

:

01:01:42,760 --> 01:01:48,400

That doesn't change the

reason why crime happens.

:

01:01:48,430 --> 01:01:49,060

Yes, right.

:

01:01:49,240 --> 01:01:53,350

Crime happens because people are hungry,

because they don't have a job, because

:

01:01:53,350 --> 01:01:55,210

they're economically not doing well.

:

01:01:55,420 --> 01:02:00,220

And the best thing that we can do is

invest in working people's livelihoods

:

01:02:00,370 --> 01:02:02,720

long term, , to prevent crime.

:

01:02:03,040 --> 01:02:06,160

, and another thing, there's been

this, you know, there, cop City is

:

01:02:06,220 --> 01:02:10,050

one fight, but, , you know, there's

also been this long campaign to close

:

01:02:10,050 --> 01:02:12,060

the Atlanta City Detention Center.

:

01:02:12,330 --> 01:02:13,050

Oh, I didn't know about that.

:

01:02:13,050 --> 01:02:13,770

Um, yes.

:

01:02:13,770 --> 01:02:16,770

So it was built during the Olympics.

:

01:02:16,920 --> 01:02:17,040

Okay.

:

01:02:17,070 --> 01:02:21,570

Um, basically, you know, like whenever

there's a big, you know, the Olympics,

:

01:02:21,570 --> 01:02:23,280

the World Cups coming up mm-hmm.

:

01:02:23,345 --> 01:02:26,640

There's always this effort to

clean up the city for the tourists.

:

01:02:26,700 --> 01:02:29,520

Um, and you're always like, well,

why weren't you cleaning up?

:

01:02:29,895 --> 01:02:30,225

It.

:

01:02:30,255 --> 01:02:32,295

Why weren't you cleaning up before

for the people who live here?

:

01:02:32,355 --> 01:02:33,435

You know, great question.

:

01:02:33,465 --> 01:02:37,215

Um, it's always this kind of

like beautification that they do.

:

01:02:37,265 --> 01:02:42,275

, so they built the Atlanta City Detention

Center, which is a jail, um, in downtown.

:

01:02:42,495 --> 01:02:46,305

, essentially to put all the

houseless people there so that

:

01:02:46,305 --> 01:02:50,775

the tourist, you know, were not

bothered during the Olympic games.

:

01:02:50,775 --> 01:02:52,665

And it's just been there ever since.

:

01:02:52,665 --> 01:02:53,925

And hold on.

:

01:02:54,105 --> 01:02:54,225

Yes.

:

01:02:54,225 --> 01:02:56,325

Do they like put them there just

for the Olympics and let them out,

:

01:02:56,325 --> 01:02:58,605

or are they just like, you live in

jail now because your own house?

:

01:02:58,605 --> 01:03:00,555

I think just send a lot of them to jail.

:

01:03:00,555 --> 01:03:03,255

I mean, that's the thing is

like the criminalization of

:

01:03:03,255 --> 01:03:04,485

homelessness and poverty.

:

01:03:04,545 --> 01:03:07,425

You know, it's like when you are cleaning

your room in a hurry and you're like,

:

01:03:07,455 --> 01:03:09,915

oh, I'm just gonna shove all this laundry

under the bed and deal with it later.

:

01:03:09,915 --> 01:03:10,845

Yes, yes.

:

01:03:10,845 --> 01:03:11,355

Ridiculous.

:

01:03:11,355 --> 01:03:12,975

And it's just like, this is not what.

:

01:03:13,290 --> 01:03:16,590

These people need, you know, it's

not, it's a human helping anyone.

:

01:03:16,970 --> 01:03:20,330

, and so, you know, the AC CDC has

been open ever since then, and it

:

01:03:20,330 --> 01:03:22,640

had, , was like very rarely used.

:

01:03:22,720 --> 01:03:25,900

, and, , I think during Keisha

Lance Bottom's administration,

:

01:03:25,900 --> 01:03:28,240

she actually promised to close it.

:

01:03:28,240 --> 01:03:28,270

Okay.

:

01:03:28,480 --> 01:03:30,460

Um, there's a plan to close it, thanks to.

:

01:03:31,040 --> 01:03:35,490

, you know, uh, community organizers,

, this group, women on the Rise, uh,

:

01:03:35,490 --> 01:03:40,110

which is, uh, you know, formerly

incarcerated women advocating to, uh,

:

01:03:40,140 --> 01:03:41,670

close the jail among other things.

:

01:03:41,700 --> 01:03:44,850

And there's this promise to close

it, and then it just never happened.

:

01:03:45,080 --> 01:03:48,800

, and I think they ended up leasing

the jail to Fulton County.

:

01:03:48,990 --> 01:03:51,630

, it was this whole thing and a lot

of city council members who were

:

01:03:51,630 --> 01:03:54,420

previously on board with closing

it kind of changed their minds.

:

01:03:54,700 --> 01:04:00,010

, and so, you know, closing A CDC among

other, the organizers wanted to repurpose

:

01:04:00,010 --> 01:04:03,580

it into like a community center with

healthcare resources and stuff like that.

:

01:04:03,700 --> 01:04:03,880

Yeah.

:

01:04:03,930 --> 01:04:08,040

, so there's been a lot of broken

promises, , around A CDC in particular,

:

01:04:08,040 --> 01:04:12,600

but in general, you know, investing in

preventative community programs, things

:

01:04:12,600 --> 01:04:18,760

like pad, the Police Alternatives,

diversion, . , it provides a community

:

01:04:18,760 --> 01:04:20,560

with alternatives to policing.

:

01:04:20,560 --> 01:04:22,240

When it comes to handling problems.

:

01:04:22,270 --> 01:04:22,390

Yes.

:

01:04:22,420 --> 01:04:25,600

Um, it's like the alternative,

, instead of 9 1 1, it's, yes.

:

01:04:25,630 --> 01:04:26,625

3 1 1 3 1 1.

:

01:04:26,625 --> 01:04:26,825

Mm-hmm.

:

01:04:26,904 --> 01:04:28,900

Can I tell you a quick story

about my experience with that?

:

01:04:28,900 --> 01:04:28,990

Yes.

:

01:04:29,290 --> 01:04:33,220

, one morning I was out walking my dogs and

there was a running car in the visitor

:

01:04:33,220 --> 01:04:37,270

parking where I live, and there was a

man like hunched over the steering wheel.

:

01:04:37,510 --> 01:04:39,580

And, I'm like, this guy looks dead.

:

01:04:39,740 --> 01:04:41,870

, but also the car's running

like, this is so weird.

:

01:04:42,080 --> 01:04:45,800

. So I called 3 1 1 and I was like,

Hey, . There's this man, like, I'm

:

01:04:45,800 --> 01:04:48,020

concerned, like, I don't know if

there's been an overdose or a medical

:

01:04:48,020 --> 01:04:49,345

emergency or something like that, da da.

:

01:04:49,350 --> 01:04:50,900

And she was like, well,

go knock on the window.

:

01:04:50,900 --> 01:04:53,330

And I was like, I'm not

super comfortable with that.

:

01:04:53,510 --> 01:04:55,790

, but I know I'm supposed to call

you guys for like mental health or

:

01:04:55,790 --> 01:04:56,930

like any, like, stuff like this.

:

01:04:56,930 --> 01:04:58,460

And she was like, you need to call 9 1 1.

:

01:04:58,460 --> 01:05:01,640

And I was like, but I, I specifically

don't wanna call 9 1 1 because this

:

01:05:01,640 --> 01:05:04,760

doesn't, I don't need, I don't think

police are what's necessary here.

:

01:05:04,760 --> 01:05:04,850

Right.

:

01:05:05,060 --> 01:05:08,029

And she was like, you need, she just

like, she was like, we can't help you.

:

01:05:08,035 --> 01:05:08,900

You need to call 9 1 1.

:

01:05:08,900 --> 01:05:09,650

So I was like, what the fuck?

:

01:05:09,800 --> 01:05:10,670

So I was like, okay.

:

01:05:10,790 --> 01:05:13,820

So I hung up with her and I called 9 1 1

and I was like, this is not an emergency.

:

01:05:14,060 --> 01:05:16,610

Uh, three one one told me to call

you, but like, here's what's going on.

:

01:05:16,610 --> 01:05:17,630

And they're like, go knock on the window.

:

01:05:17,630 --> 01:05:18,950

And I'm like, I'm not comfortable.

:

01:05:18,950 --> 01:05:21,020

Like, I don't wanna like startle

this person that's like, right.

:

01:05:21,020 --> 01:05:21,470

I don't know what's going on.

:

01:05:21,470 --> 01:05:22,670

I'm not a doctor.

:

01:05:22,760 --> 01:05:23,060

Yeah.

:

01:05:23,060 --> 01:05:26,630

Um, I, I need like a professional

human to come help here.

:

01:05:26,820 --> 01:05:30,510

And so they sent three police

officers and an ambulance.

:

01:05:30,510 --> 01:05:30,540

Oh.

:

01:05:30,900 --> 01:05:33,029

And uh, they knocked on the window.

:

01:05:33,060 --> 01:05:34,260

He was very much alive.

:

01:05:34,390 --> 01:05:38,140

, he just like allegedly fell asleep

while waiting on his girlfriend.

:

01:05:38,140 --> 01:05:38,440

Interesting.

:

01:05:38,520 --> 01:05:38,820

, I'm sure.

:

01:05:39,795 --> 01:05:41,865

I don't know if it's like he'd been

drinking overnight, it doesn't matter.

:

01:05:41,995 --> 01:05:45,085

, but just the experience with

what should have made a situation

:

01:05:45,085 --> 01:05:47,695

like that easier to deal with.

:

01:05:47,755 --> 01:05:48,115

Yeah.

:

01:05:48,195 --> 01:05:49,335

, was really scary.

:

01:05:49,335 --> 01:05:52,965

But I was, I was so sensitive to being

like the white lady who's calling

:

01:05:52,965 --> 01:05:55,035

9 1 1 on the black guy who's in.

:

01:05:55,035 --> 01:05:55,545

You know what I mean?

:

01:05:55,545 --> 01:05:57,045

I was like, do I don't

wanna be in this situation?

:

01:05:57,050 --> 01:05:57,080

Yeah.

:

01:05:57,435 --> 01:05:58,395

Like it's not about that.

:

01:05:58,395 --> 01:05:59,955

Just it happens to be the dynamic.

:

01:05:59,955 --> 01:06:00,375

Yeah.

:

01:06:00,375 --> 01:06:02,805

But like, I just wanna make

sure this human is alive.

:

01:06:02,995 --> 01:06:05,305

, but I was like really disappointed

in the way that it was handled.

:

01:06:05,305 --> 01:06:05,875

Yeah.

:

01:06:05,875 --> 01:06:07,675

I was like, look at the point of

this, if you're just like, call 9 1 1.

:

01:06:07,825 --> 01:06:08,035

Yeah.

:

01:06:08,035 --> 01:06:08,815

It was very flippant.

:

01:06:08,815 --> 01:06:09,805

It wasn't like, oh, I'm so sorry.

:

01:06:09,985 --> 01:06:12,205

Like, let's talk about

how we can handle this.

:

01:06:12,265 --> 01:06:12,505

Right.

:

01:06:12,505 --> 01:06:13,230

It was little weird experience.

:

01:06:13,230 --> 01:06:14,395

That's very weird.

:

01:06:14,425 --> 01:06:14,695

Yeah.

:

01:06:14,695 --> 01:06:15,715

That's very weird.

:

01:06:15,775 --> 01:06:16,585

And that, that's the thing.

:

01:06:16,585 --> 01:06:17,335

It's like we could.

:

01:06:17,845 --> 01:06:21,505

Always invest more in our

alternatives to police.

:

01:06:21,550 --> 01:06:21,770

Yes.

:

01:06:21,865 --> 01:06:25,885

Um, and, uh, you know, making it

more comprehensive, making sure

:

01:06:25,885 --> 01:06:27,775

that service is 24 hours mm-hmm.

:

01:06:27,775 --> 01:06:30,325

And all parts of the city

every day of the week.

:

01:06:30,565 --> 01:06:34,225

There's, I think it's a very new

thing that we're trying as a city.

:

01:06:34,225 --> 01:06:36,654

I think other cities are a little

further along and they're kind

:

01:06:36,654 --> 01:06:41,115

of alternative to police, , you

know, department or whatever.

:

01:06:41,145 --> 01:06:41,295

Mm-hmm.

:

01:06:41,525 --> 01:06:43,835

, so we need to invest more in it.

:

01:06:43,835 --> 01:06:43,895

Yeah.

:

01:06:43,925 --> 01:06:46,685

So that service is better

and it truly helps people.

:

01:06:46,865 --> 01:06:47,225

Yeah.

:

01:06:47,285 --> 01:06:47,435

Yeah.

:

01:06:47,435 --> 01:06:48,335

I totally agree with that.

:

01:06:48,425 --> 01:06:51,845

And I think it's, this is something

where it's like, I don't wanna

:

01:06:51,845 --> 01:06:54,995

lose somebody who leans more

conservative, like police mm-hmm.

:

01:06:55,295 --> 01:06:56,045

Serve a purpose.

:

01:06:56,075 --> 01:06:56,435

Yeah.

:

01:06:56,525 --> 01:07:00,545

Um, we just need alternatives as well.

:

01:07:00,935 --> 01:07:01,025

Right.

:

01:07:01,025 --> 01:07:05,495

And people who know how to deescalate

situations instead of ramp 'em up.

:

01:07:05,825 --> 01:07:06,215

Right.

:

01:07:06,215 --> 01:07:09,215

Like, there's so many situations

where you're just like, why?

:

01:07:09,590 --> 01:07:10,910

Why would you need a gun?

:

01:07:11,090 --> 01:07:13,820

Just in what scenario

would you need a gun?

:

01:07:13,820 --> 01:07:17,150

And it just always ends up, you know,

with somebody getting hurt, right?

:

01:07:17,180 --> 01:07:17,330

Yes.

:

01:07:17,420 --> 01:07:21,200

Um, and especially the people who are

more likely to be profiled by police.

:

01:07:21,200 --> 01:07:21,290

Mm-hmm.

:

01:07:21,630 --> 01:07:24,690

, we have this huge problem of

like racialized policing and

:

01:07:24,930 --> 01:07:27,029

policing poverty and homelessness.

:

01:07:27,060 --> 01:07:27,120

Yeah.

:

01:07:27,980 --> 01:07:30,410

Like, I don't really

know where it goes wrong.

:

01:07:30,410 --> 01:07:34,190

Like, I don't know if it's with the

police training and the, you know, who

:

01:07:34,190 --> 01:07:36,650

they're wired to see as a threat, right?

:

01:07:36,680 --> 01:07:36,770

Mm-hmm.

:

01:07:37,170 --> 01:07:39,779

, it's just, I mean, it's just

racism a lot of the time.

:

01:07:40,260 --> 01:07:40,320

Yeah.

:

01:07:40,560 --> 01:07:43,660

But, uh, and classism, , but

it's like we shouldn't even

:

01:07:43,660 --> 01:07:45,430

have police in these scenarios.

:

01:07:45,460 --> 01:07:46,630

To begin with, right?

:

01:07:46,630 --> 01:07:46,720

Yeah.

:

01:07:46,720 --> 01:07:49,270

We need trained healthcare

professionals, medical

:

01:07:49,270 --> 01:07:52,570

professionals, , you know, caseworkers.

:

01:07:52,790 --> 01:07:55,640

, there's so many other ways to

handle these problems that actually

:

01:07:55,640 --> 01:07:57,080

work out better for everybody.

:

01:07:57,110 --> 01:07:58,400

Yeah, absolutely.

:

01:07:58,700 --> 01:08:01,880

And uh, that circles back to the

protest that was this past weekend.

:

01:08:01,880 --> 01:08:03,529

People were like, it was so peaceful.

:

01:08:03,529 --> 01:08:04,160

It was so nice.

:

01:08:04,160 --> 01:08:07,190

And it's like, yes, because

it was white protestors.

:

01:08:07,220 --> 01:08:07,520

Yeah.

:

01:08:07,585 --> 01:08:11,060

And we were met with a completely

different vibe Exactly.

:

01:08:11,060 --> 01:08:12,170

Than when it was black people.

:

01:08:12,170 --> 01:08:12,230

Yeah.

:

01:08:12,529 --> 01:08:16,910

And there's so much internalized

racism and policing, and we saw that

:

01:08:16,910 --> 01:08:19,040

on a national level as 5 million.

:

01:08:19,220 --> 01:08:23,180

Not all, but a majority white

people came out to say, fuck this.

:

01:08:23,210 --> 01:08:23,420

Yeah.

:

01:08:23,510 --> 01:08:27,920

Um, so it's, it's very obvious

what these biases are, but Yes.

:

01:08:27,979 --> 01:08:28,460

Yes.

:

01:08:28,460 --> 01:08:29,805

When you, once somebody's hand.

:

01:08:30,234 --> 01:08:32,545

Uh, high fiving the police at

a protest, you're like, okay,

:

01:08:32,545 --> 01:08:33,925

this is a different vibe.

:

01:08:33,925 --> 01:08:34,015

Yes.

:

01:08:34,915 --> 01:08:35,245

Very vibe.

:

01:08:35,815 --> 01:08:38,635

Well, and and quite frankly, you

probably noticed this also, there

:

01:08:38,635 --> 01:08:39,865

weren't a lot of police there.

:

01:08:39,870 --> 01:08:39,970

Yes.

:

01:08:39,970 --> 01:08:41,154

There were not armored vehicles.

:

01:08:41,154 --> 01:08:41,455

No.

:

01:08:41,455 --> 01:08:43,375

And like it was like real chill.

:

01:08:43,404 --> 01:08:43,705

Yeah.

:

01:08:43,805 --> 01:08:44,645

, which it should be.

:

01:08:45,005 --> 01:08:48,125

I mean, the right to organize

and protesters in general, they

:

01:08:48,125 --> 01:08:51,470

shouldn't be freaking out when we're

express expressing our democratic.

:

01:08:51,575 --> 01:08:51,875

Right.

:

01:08:51,880 --> 01:08:51,910

Yes.

:

01:08:51,910 --> 01:08:53,225

You know, to assemble.

:

01:08:53,345 --> 01:08:53,915

Absolutely.

:

01:08:54,184 --> 01:08:54,785

Absolutely.

:

01:08:55,444 --> 01:08:58,535

Uh, well this is, uh, very interesting.

:

01:08:58,565 --> 01:08:58,654

Mm-hmm.

:

01:08:58,895 --> 01:08:59,825

Lots to think about.

:

01:09:00,015 --> 01:09:05,444

, I'll link your campaign website and

relevant information in our show notes.

:

01:09:05,715 --> 01:09:10,274

Are there any, like parting words that you

would like to leave with our listeners?

:

01:09:10,274 --> 01:09:10,785

Yeah.

:

01:09:10,845 --> 01:09:12,975

So if you live in district two.

:

01:09:13,399 --> 01:09:13,910

Vote for me.

:

01:09:14,090 --> 01:09:18,590

Um, but, you know, if you wanna

learn more, I am, I'm available.

:

01:09:18,590 --> 01:09:22,670

, the links to contact me are all

on my website, kelsey vaughn.com.

:

01:09:22,890 --> 01:09:27,240

, I'm extremely hyper available,

um, is one call I have.

:

01:09:27,270 --> 01:09:31,710

Um, but you know, if you're somebody who

the stuff we talked about today resonated

:

01:09:31,710 --> 01:09:35,380

with you and you wanna live in a more

progressive green Atlanta, , you know,

:

01:09:35,380 --> 01:09:37,330

consider getting involved in our campaign.

:

01:09:37,330 --> 01:09:39,850

We canvas every Saturday at:

:

01:09:40,050 --> 01:09:43,930

, we've been starting out of either Freedom

Park or Central Park, , and, you know,

:

01:09:43,930 --> 01:09:48,760

getting out talking and knocking doors and

just talking to strangers makes you feel

:

01:09:48,760 --> 01:09:53,710

really good if you are down in the dumps

about where our national politics are at.

:

01:09:53,979 --> 01:09:58,690

, also we take donations if you, if you want

to donate, you know, , that link is also

:

01:09:58,690 --> 01:10:01,090

on our website, Kelsey bond.com/donate.

:

01:10:01,270 --> 01:10:02,470

We really appreciate it.

:

01:10:02,470 --> 01:10:03,700

Any amount helps.

:

01:10:03,809 --> 01:10:09,180

, and, uh, yeah, the election is November

4th, so we are a ways away, but you know,

:

01:10:09,180 --> 01:10:10,950

it's a, it's a marathon, not a sprint.

:

01:10:11,260 --> 01:10:15,430

, but yeah, totally get involved or reach

out if you have any questions at all.

:

01:10:15,540 --> 01:10:17,010

, you wanna talk about the campaign?

:

01:10:17,010 --> 01:10:18,630

You wanna learn more about our.

:

01:10:19,059 --> 01:10:22,900

Policies and how we plan to win

a green New Deal for Atlanta.

:

01:10:23,080 --> 01:10:23,410

Yep.

:

01:10:23,770 --> 01:10:24,280

I love that.

:

01:10:24,530 --> 01:10:27,410

, and if you're listening and you're not

in district two, there's a version of

:

01:10:27,410 --> 01:10:28,970

your district two that you do live in.

:

01:10:28,970 --> 01:10:33,590

And I encourage everybody to just get

more involved on a local level because

:

01:10:33,590 --> 01:10:37,309

it's really hard and frustrating

to see what's happening nationally.

:

01:10:37,520 --> 01:10:41,390

But you do as an individual, have

power to use your voice, to use

:

01:10:41,390 --> 01:10:43,340

your time, , and to make a change.

:

01:10:43,345 --> 01:10:43,495

Mm-hmm.

:

01:10:43,575 --> 01:10:47,300

So wherever you are, just get

a little more involved and the

:

01:10:47,300 --> 01:10:48,140

whole world will be better.

:

01:10:48,440 --> 01:10:49,040

Okay.

:

01:10:49,070 --> 01:10:51,830

, Kelsey, thank you so

much again for your time.

:

01:10:52,070 --> 01:10:53,300

That is it for today.

:

01:10:53,300 --> 01:10:54,950

Thank you everybody for listening.

:

01:10:55,130 --> 01:10:58,550

And if this episode made you smile,

sparked an idea, or reminded you of

:

01:10:58,550 --> 01:11:00,230

someone, will you send it their way.

:

01:11:00,380 --> 01:11:03,590

Sharing is the best way to help Clover

Club grow, and we're so grateful.

:

01:11:03,590 --> 01:11:07,610

When you do, while you're at it, would you

mind leaving us a quick rating or review?

:

01:11:07,760 --> 01:11:11,140

It really makes a difference and we

genuinely love hearing your feedback.

:

01:11:11,320 --> 01:11:16,390

, follow along on Instagram at Clover Club

Pod and as always, Clover Club listeners,

:

01:11:16,390 --> 01:11:19,000

get 15% off@hawkinsandclover.com

:

01:11:19,180 --> 01:11:21,580

with promo code Clover Club, all caps.

:

01:11:21,760 --> 01:11:23,470

Kelsey, thank you again.

:

01:11:23,530 --> 01:11:23,890

Thank you.

:

01:11:24,160 --> 01:11:25,660

We'll see y'all next week.

:

01:11:26,710 --> 01:11:27,010

Yay.

:

01:11:28,720 --> 01:11:29,320

Yay.

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About the Podcast

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Clover Club
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About your host

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Erika Audrey

Erika Audrey, a luminous presence hailing from the vibrant city of Atlanta, Georgia, is not your ordinary hairstylist and boutique owner. With a zest for life that's as contagious as her laughter, Erika is poised to take the podcasting world by storm as she embarks on her latest venture.

Launching her debut podcast is a natural extension of Erika's multifaceted personality. With an uncanny ability to seamlessly weave humor into her conversations, Erika's laughter-inducing anecdotes and razor-sharp wit are bound to captivate listeners. Her intelligence shines through as she tackles a diverse range of topics, proving that beneath the laughter lies substance and insight.