Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome back to now. No opportunity wasted. I'm your host, Angelica Ross. Now, today's episode is. Listen, I feel like I gave y'all a one two punch with today's episode. Last week we have feminista Jones. This week, we got Renita Shannon, two brilliant black women who know what's up when it comes to this political arena. Who knows what it.
[00:00:24] Speaker B: What's. What's.
[00:00:25] Speaker A: What's at stake here when it comes to project 2025 and when it comes to how important and how powerful our vote is. Renita Shannon is a powerful advocate for equality right here in Georgia. She has been tirelessly working for reproductive rights, racial justice, LGBTQ equality. She stands up against all political opposition and inspires me and others to take action and push for real change. So, in today's conversation, we talk a lot about the election and what's at stake. So get ready for a powerful and truthful conversation with Renita Shannon.
[00:01:09] Speaker B: All right, welcome back to now. I am with the beautifully brilliant table shaker. And not just any table. She be at the table, table in the houses and representing and doing things. She's been in the conversations. Please welcome to now my friend, former House Representative Renita Shannon.
[00:01:36] Speaker C: Hello, for being here. It's good to see you, my good friend.
[00:01:40] Speaker B: It's very good seeing you, too. You look gorgeous.
[00:01:43] Speaker C: Thank you. So do you.
[00:01:45] Speaker B: Thank you so much. Thank you.
So, you know, first question, I'm just gonna throw it to you right off the bat, is just, how are you doing, girl? Like, how are you doing right now?
[00:01:55] Speaker C: I'm doing well. I think community leaders everywhere are sort of working hard to sort of keep the community together. We've had a lot of shifts and a lot of changes this year. Unexpected changes with, obviously, I'm referencing the presidential election and changing of candidates. And, you know, folks who are organizers, like myself, have been constantly in this struggle to, you know, make sure that the things that we believe in are getting elevated to the decision makers. And so, having been a decision maker when I served in the house and also a activist the entire time, the struggle that we're in right now is one that's not unfamiliar, but there have been some unexpected changes.
[00:02:35] Speaker B: Ooh, unexpected. I probably put it a little lightly. Yes, for sure. But, you know, and I'll say unexpected in the ways of, like, what was odd is, like. Cause you and I, you know, folks, for folks that don't know, you and I have been in lots of conversations, like, just weekly pretty much, and sometimes daily, but, like, just around not only this stuff, obviously, but also just giving me the inside information and, you know, consulting me on my plans to be more politically engaged here in Georgia. What I think is interesting, there have been a lot of twists, turn surprises. You know, I feel like I don't know if it's a the american politics or actual episode of Scandal, you know, just with the who, you're on the seat or you're, you know, the edge of your seat. But, you know, like I, because we've been conversations for a long time on politics, you know, that I have been one of those voices that have been very vocal about Biden just not being our best option right now.
And I took a lot of political for that, you know what I mean? Online through, in personal relationships, as if I'm not down for the cause. I think through a lot of this conversation, even as Kamala Harris has become the now candidate, I think that I'm hoping that we are arriving through dialogue and through challenging of pushing each other and kind of, you know, some of it's been a little bit aggressive or whatnot, but we've been getting to a place to understand that she's still interviewing for a job and that she is not a celebrity.
She is someone we are hiring to represent us and to make decisions in the best interest of the american people.
And yes, there are intersections that have invested interest in what that looks like. But this time, I think now more than ever, communicates why we need to be more lockstep with each other and intersectional about those demands. So what does it look like for you when they say, you know, as black community or even as black queer community, what it looks like in this election? To put our own mask on first when it comes to voting, but also recognizing intersectionally what this moment means for, you know, everyone who has a vote.
[00:05:07] Speaker C: Absolutely. So, number one, you're right. I also was a person who gave my, you know, truthful opinions around what Biden was doing and what his policy looked like. And to your point, you know, elected officials are not rock stars. They are not entertainers, and they certainly are not people that, you know, I feel like the energy with the Democratic Party for so long has been, let's just put these people up and not have any criticisms or any questions after putting them up. And that is a really bad place to be in. And I feel like that is what we have had. It's certainly what we had when Biden was a nominee, where people were being told, if you have any criticisms of any decisions that he's making, well, then you must want Trump elected and that's just not right. So now we're seeing the same for Vice President Harris as she has now become the nominee. People are saying, listen, the demands have not changed, specifically referencing what's going on with the conflict in Gaza and what's happening with Israel and Palestine. You know, people are saying the demand has not changed. We still want the US to stop funding this genocide and we still want the US to stop giving weapons to Israel to carry out this genocide. So for me, the demands have not changed. I am encouraged about the switching of the candidates because I don't think that we were, you know, we were on track absolutely to lose under Biden. Now we at least have a chance. But a lot of is going to come down to exactly what you said, which is how willing are the candidates to listen to voters and to actually hear what voters are saying and not come from a place of condescension, where they are just sort of saying, listen, I'm the candidate, I'm your best hope, and you just need to get on board. I've been saying for a long time and received pushback just like you have received. But what I've been saying is what I know as a community organizer, people don't have to do anything. You have to talk to people. You have to earn their vote. You have to give people respect. And if you're asking for them to vote for you, you have to earn that vote. And that means having honest, genuine conversations where you respect them as much as they respect you as the elected official. And so I'm not speaking from a place of inexperience. I was elected in the House representatives for six years and then ran for lieutenant governor. And that entire time, I kept the mindset of an organizer, which is somebody who is listening more than talking and hearing what demands folks are coming up with. So I personally think that where we are now, I think that we're in a situation where there is an energy of, we have less than 100 days. So everybody just hurry up, hop on board, don't ask any questions. And that is not a strategy that ever works for the voters. Yes, we have less than 100 days, but we still need to hear what are the specific policies and what are the commitments coming from Vice President Harris so that folks will be engaged and want to work to help elect the campus, you know, to elect Harris and walls. And that is absolutely what was missing from the Biden campaign.
[00:08:02] Speaker B: Well, let me, let me ask you this.
Do you think that the gap is closing on the knowledge where, you know, I think initially, maybe around October, you know, 7th, maybe people weren't so informed.
And I think that obviously that there's been a lot of intention around that, which is really sad to discover the amount of intention behind that. But, you know, to speak up about America funding Israel and a genocide at that.
Do you think that people are finally starting to click the connect the dots at our money going there instead of, oh, you see the homeless out there?
You don't think those billions of dollars could have done anything about the homelessness on the streets?
[00:09:17] Speaker C: Absolutely. And so it's two part number one, to your point, this is what I always tell folks in interviews. It is not the 1980s anymore. You do not just have to listen to whatever your elected officials telling you and then have no way to sort of check if their actions are matching their top. In the eighties, all you had was just whatever media the candidate put out and you really had didn't have, you know, you didn't have the Internet or any other sources to really, you know, sort of match up. If what the candidate has campaigned on is actually what they are doing while they're in office, that's not the case today. Today we've got plenty of resources for people to look with their own eyes and see what elected officials are doing versus what they campaigned on. And all of that stuff is easily accessible and it never goes away. It's on the Internet. So that is a big difference that I think that, and, you know, I'm always speaking, I'm speaking for the left because, you know, I am a black queer progressive. And so I'm going to pay attention to that. And so, you know, that is where I think that the left really has to recognize, specifically the Democratic Party left, elected officials, anyone who is not aligned with conservatives, they have to realize that people are able to check the homework of the elected officials. Of the elected.
[00:10:29] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:10:30] Speaker C: The second thing is to your point, yes. When you say we need to put our mask on first as a community before we sort of put a mask on someone else, I think the thing that I want to lift up is exactly what you said just now, which is that all the masks are connected. So if we are sending, you know, we're sending billions, I think I saw today that another $20 billion was sent to Israel. You know, that is money that could be going to folks in, I feel.
[00:10:56] Speaker B: Like I'm in a bad marriage because my husband, I'm like, well, where do we get, where did we get $20 million from? I thought we was broke. You said we didn't have money for healthcare.
[00:11:08] Speaker C: Exactly. Health care, education, to deal with the unsheltered population. Lots of things that we were being told that we don't have money for and now, but we have money to send to carry out a genocide. And so absolutely, I definitely think that people are looking at this and saying, these are my tax dollars, workers who I always first and foremost represent my family. I grew up, my parents were paycheck to paycheck. I know exactly what that feels like. And even as an adult, struggled paycheck to paycheck. And so, you know, people are absolutely connecting the dots that their tax money is what the government has to work with and they don't want their tax dollars being sent to blow up children. That's just, and people are not wrong for saying that. I just hope that democrats will listen to folks who are saying that they want to see their tax money being used in ways that will help their lives because ultimately that is what government is for. Government is going to exist. It should not be something that just takes your money and you never see direct benefits from it. It should be something that it makes your life.
[00:12:17] Speaker B: Well, I mean, think about a nonprofit with federal funds.
If they're not showing that they are servicing the population there's claiming to serve with the funds that are, they're being given, then they don't get funded. You know, that that kind of ceases to happen. So what I'm looking at right now, because, you know, I want you to expand on something you said to me once. You said, you know, you know, obviously, yes, I think this is great that you want to, you know, run for office and take this position of, you know, especially as a black trans woman who would not normally have the privilege to run for a job that's going to pay me $17,000, you know, if I get the job or whatever it might be, you know, to do this public service. So one, you know, you were definitely affirming in that, but you also alluded to, you're like, you know what? But there are other ways to make a political impact.
When we talk about voting, you know, sometimes the conversation is just about the vote and what you can do there.
You yourself have been an organizer outside.
You've also been stamped a leader on the inside for years.
Each position comes with its responsibilities.
And, you know, again, I always go back to this buddhist definition I always go to, which is the ability to respond.
And so what we're looking at is like Kamala Harris coming into a position where she's saying, I want to take responsibility in this position.
So we also have to acknowledge her ability to respond.
To who? To everyone, whether it is Donald Trump, whether it is Republicans and people who still live in this country, who she's still going to have to lead, as well as those folks whose families are in Gaza and all these different places.
Can you talk to me about what other ways can we as individuals and as leaders respond in this moment other than just voting?
[00:14:53] Speaker C: Absolutely. So what we can do in this moment is something that we should all be doing not only in this moment, but into the future. And that is actually continuing to make our thoughts, opinions and demands known to elected officials. Now, this just sounds so simple, but I'm going to tell you why. It's not very simple. A lot of people think, well, this is our, isn't this already happening? The answer is no. What generally has been happening is folks have been electing elected officials, and I'm not talking about organizers who are paid with nonprofits because that's their job to sort of continue to engage, but it has. I'm talking about the everyday person who has been revved up for an election, and people are talking about, hey, we need your vote, and then they go and vote. What happens after that is that there's a drop off. And then people just assume that this elected official, because they said they had the same values that I say I have when they campaigned, are automatically carrying out those values when they're in office. And that is just not true. What I saw as an elected official the six years I served in the House representatives was that after you get elected, that is when the actual real work and the real courage is needed. And there's no shortage of things from people to political parties to lobbyists. There's no shortage of people who are trying to get you to do what they want versus what the public wants. And so a lot of times for a lot of elected officials, courage decreases. After they are elected. It does not increase. And that is exactly the point where folks in the public need to understand the impact that they can have on continuing to say, hey, listen, I did vote for you. This is how I feel on issue XYZ. And this is what I want to see even when it's not election time, because most of the issues that elected officials are dealing with and when they are passing laws and legislating are, they're getting a lot of their, making up their mind about how they want to move forward, not only from their own personal values, but it's also what the public is telling them and so, too often there is just a complete drop off after a person has voted. And, you know, I'm not saying that people have to get out and canvas every Saturday or do anything like that, but it can just be just as simple as going online and tweeting towards your elected official, hey, this issue, this is something I care a lot about. It can be interfacing with them on social media. I mean, any way that you can raise your voice with your elected officials, that is what is really going to be something that, you know, that folks really need to take a look at outside of election time, because that's actually what's more important.
[00:17:30] Speaker B: Yes.
So in Georgia, I don't think that we can take for granted anything, number one. But I think that, you know, on the chopping block, I feel like our Yden women's rights when it comes to bodily autonomy as well. And that includes cis and trans women.
And we have one of the sites for cop City being built.
And so when, you know, as a Georgian, you know, and we're going to, you know, put our faith behind one of these choices that we can push towards the line of what we need, what does the work look like, both in the response we want from our next president on these specific issues, as well as what then do we do in the meantime, after you said like that, do we cast that vote? As someone who lives in Georgia, who wants the right to decide what to do with their own body, who doesn't want to live in a police state, what does the work look like? Because I think, like, right now, one thing that you've talked about and illuminated is that it should be very clear if it isn't clear to everybody at this point, we are way past the time of just voting. Like, if you haven't known, and a lot of us obviously have been organizers and doing a lot of things, but it's almost been like, people think that that's been my job. And I, like, wanna really clarify that I appreciate the accolades and the awards for my advocacy that I have been doing and my activism, but please know I did not apply for this job.
I didn't. I did not apply to be an advocate. It just happened because I'm black, trans, you know what I'm saying? And then had to say, wait, no, you can't pee on me. You know, like that kind of stuff. So what does the work look like for people who want to hold on to free Georgia, both in asking what we would need from our candidates, but also in creating a community solution, possibly because their solution is more policing.
[00:19:58] Speaker C: Absolutely. So cop city is a great example, and I would say what the work looks like is what I mentioned before, which is using your voice to make elected officials know what it is that you want when it's not election time. So actually continuing that relationship and engaging and coming from a place of power, don't talk to your elected officials, as in, oh, my gosh, if you could just please do XYZ. You need to come in from that place of power, whether it's online, you know, and, you know, whether it's online or however you're engaging with them, thinking about it, as in, I elected you to represent me, so I am telling you what I want. That is the place of power that everyone needs to come from. The second thing is also helping to educate the public, which is what a lot of organizers do. And so you brought up cop city. That's an excellent, excellent example.
Millions and millions are being spent on cop City, more than what the original budget even ever called for. Meanwhile, everyone can look around and see that we do not have enough mental health resources. No matter if you are Republican, Democrat, no matter where you are on the spectrum, everybody will agree that there are just simply not enough mental health resources. Most families don't. Every family has folks in their family who struggles with mental health. And most families will tell you, I have no idea what I can, what resources are available, or there's not enough resources available when my loved one is having an episode. And so that right there, I think a lot of times people kind of take the, they think about educating their friends and family on the issues as being some huge, major job. It's nothing. You can just break it down, make it easy. It's just as simple as saying, I don't think we need to be building a militarized police, a cop city when we literally don't have the basics that we need. And so it's simple things like telling folks we have a limited budget, okay? And if we're spending all of it on policing, we're not going to have any money to spend it on the things that we need, which that actually do reduce crime. And so I think that with as, I think the public has done a great job, actually even take that back. I know the public has done a great job in educating themselves on what is happening with Israel and Palestine. And that happened really fast. The education on that was really fast. I think that people need to keep up that same energy as it relates to other issues.
[00:22:07] Speaker B: And things like meta is, is manipulating things through an algorithm. I'm one who specifically can say that, like, I saw just firsthand, like, all of my stuff, like, just went to, like, zero, whoosh, like, and it was just like, I have 450,000 followers. Why? You know, and of course, you know, but it was like.
And then when I realized that and switched it up, obviously, like, I've changed my profile, I'm turning into a Trojan horse because I realized my celebrity, my power, is not in the hands of meta. They just, it's just their platform where my profile is. But people, like, my power is so separate from that.
[00:22:49] Speaker C: Well, the other thing is the proof, you know, the thing is that people are going to keep chasing an outlet to get the information you want. So people moved away from meta and Instagram for the most part, and got all their information on TikTok, which that's why the government's trying to shut down TikTok now. But the point is, people are always going to find an outlet to be able to educate. So you think about in the sixties and seventies, it might have been paper flyers to raise consciousness. Today, more of it happens online. I guess what I'm saying is that, that one to one education that folks can do beyond contacting their elected official, but talking to their friends and loved ones about issues that they see as important and helping to educate, why these issues matter. So, for example, like what you were saying earlier about why we should be concerned about what's happened in Palestine? Well, because the same policing tactics that are used on Palestinians to run apartheid, they're trading that information here with local police departments in Georgia and many other states in the country. So all of the masks are connected. Education is what makes the tide turn. And then also once you have that education, talking to the folks that you know, who you do have access to, whether that be just your friends, your family, your coworkers, whoever, to let them to educate them on what it is that, you know, and then coming together to make sure the elected officials know that you are not going to go away. You're there when it's time for them to get elected. You'll be there once they are.
[00:24:15] Speaker B: Absolutely. You know, and I, you know, you've talked to me about this before as well. You know, just as I envision myself, you know, more and more in the depths of this, you know, the thing that you have said, the thing that Bruce Franks juniors has said to me is that feel confident that you can stay exactly who you are, that you can be, you know, but what happens sometimes is that, you know, I don't mind facing the beast. I don't mind stepping into the arena.
But when sometimes I, you know, sometimes. And I guess that's why I always have to focus on, you know, this sort of my own personal board of directors, sort of which, you know, which includes you, that I can sound bored off of very specific things because if I listen to all of the things out here in the voices, but it's just not. It's not even the fact that I'm listening to the voices. I'm experiencing the real suppression, both from the algorithm and from capitalism.
I've had, I've had jewish politicians calling events that I was at, asking for me to be removed, not knowing that I volunteered my time to be there. And they were just paying for my expenses because of, that's how much I cared about the cause I was at. And so. But I've seen this network both attempt and also some successfully limit my reach.
And what's been very interesting for me to, in a purposeful way, figure out, as is meant for me to figure out in my shoes. I just hear from so many different people who, coming from celebrity culture, someone coming from acting in Hollywood who would be like, girl, won't you just, you know, be quiet and just, you know, girl, do act and, you know, know this and know that or whatever.
But one thing that a, one of my trans sisters pulled me aside, Valerie Spencer. And she was like, listen, sweetie, I know that you want to advocate for Palestine and doing all the things that you're doing, she's like, but also you're letting meta make you invisible to us, to the community that needs to see you, that needs, that wants to see, that wants to hear from you and all these different things. Now, you know, obviously there's a yin and yang to that in the sense that, you know, some of that is not seeing me because of competition and because of, you know, other things or whatever. And the rest of it is the algorithm removing me from the visibility because there are some people going out of their way to stay connected to me into the things that I'm doing and putting out there. And there are others who are fine with me being washed out of the algorithm. But either way, what I have to offer and contribute is important and should be visible.
And so I've had to think about, I've got to navigate this differently because that's their shit.
They created that. And our government is not even paying attention to the antitrust regulations we have in place to protect us from this type of behavior that is connected to my making money where brands and things are looking at my metrics and wanting to connect to my 450,000 followers, but can't because meta is actively suppressing my account.
So I've had to recognize the reality of that electronically, while also figuring out a ways to create other accessible electronic means and in person community and activation.
But what does the challenge look like? Because I know you've been there on the inside, as someone who is wanting to hold accountability and say, no, no, look here, this is why we can't do this. Or did you read on this bill, this is attached to that. What is the experience like? Because I know you had to take a break, right? You know, what's the experience like being that person on the inside that needs.
[00:28:50] Speaker C: To push well, so I would say for me, this is the value that I always held the highest, which is just that authenticity always wins a day. So for me, you know, staying authentic to my values and staying authentic to what I believed always worked best for me. And I always find that that resonates the hardest with the public. So sure, I face the same thing, colleagues telling me, hey, will you stop talking about police and why we need major reforms, why we need to spend less money on police? Will you stop talking about removing money from police departments? No, I will not, because my community elected me to talk about the everyday problems that are hitting the everyday Georgians, and that is one of the issues. And so I always find that even though the road can be tough, lifting your voice, as you mentioned, you know, whether you're getting suppressed from meta or whether it's just individuals who would like you to stop talking, I think that there's always more who may be silent, who aren't, who do agree with you. And that's what it is. It's always the loudest voice. The loudest voices are, you know, those in opposition, but there are a bunch of folks who, you know, and it's always larger, there are larger numbers of those who are just silent. They hear what you're saying, they agree with you, and that's why they continue to support and to lean in. So I think that that is one thing. And I also know, just as an organizer, at the end of the day, and this is something that I think all organizers know, and it is very specific to having that background of organizing, which is that any issue that you are organizing on, of course it's going to be hard too, and you're going to get pushback in opposition. If everybody agreed with you, there'd be no reason to organize. There'd be nothing to organize because it would already be organized and it would be happening for me. I think that everybody needs to manage what it is that they can handle. You know, obviously, I don't want to see folks put themselves in a position where they are the pushback that they're using their voice and the pushback they receive is so severe that it's causing them personal stress, like, you know, anxiety that's out of control or anything like that. But I think that everybody has to figure out what feels comfortable for them, at what level of using their voice, and then take those steps to lead their community. And when I say community, that could just be talking to folks in your family, like, lead at whatever level is comfortable for you. Lead at whatever level you feel that you can sustain. Because the goal of the folks who are in opposition, who do not want to see people lifting their voices for change, is that they want to wear you out. They want you to run yourself so crazy that you end up having to stop advocating and stop organizing. And that is the worst thing that can happen for our movement. So I think the other thing that I'll mention, too, for folks is that, you know, you have to realize that it takes all of us to work together and lead and move forward with change. You can't. It's like they say, how do you eat an elephant one bite at a time? So it's no one person's individual job to save the entire world or to, you know, lead an entire movement. It's everyone coming together, contributing what they can contribute. And sometimes folks can contribute a lot. Sometimes folks, you know, that ebbs and flows. Sometimes you can only contribute a little bit. And so what I'm saying is these things sound very simple as far as, you know, make your demands known to your elected officials, stay in contact and engage with them. Lead at whatever level you can. But these really are the basic things that have sustained and won success for movements, you know, in the past. You look at the civil rights movement, we see stories all the time about people doing small things and large things to advance the civil rights movement. No, everyone was not MLK.
Everyone wasn't. But there are a lot of folks who contributed to that movement. And so I think that that kind of removes, when you think about it, in a way, of figuring out what you can contribute and then doing that, that actually makes things much more realistic as far as whatever leadership level that you are going to provide.
[00:32:52] Speaker B: There's this conversation around, especially white people should be very mindful about using words like articulate when describing black women, especially such as yourself.
The thing, though, that I wanted to point out is that, you know, your shit and what I'm, you know, and so what I mean by that is, like, that's not to be, like, there's a lot of work, you know, to be able to be a representative. Representative, you know, and I think that I have been learning, as well, a lot of things.
And, you know, I try, you know, I'm very transparent, you know, like, with a lot of the things, especially on this podcast, because with this podcast, you know, our listeners, our community is people who hear me and want to understand or do already understand. And so, you know, just because, you know, I've been very great. I've great at a lot of things. I'm a great actor. You know, I love doing that.
I have spent years in things like toastmasters.
I have done a lot of things in college when it comes to, like, you know, reading difficult texts like Michelle Foucault and thinking about, like, a panopticism and just understanding the police state and being able to improve my reading comprehension and to be able to communicate both creatively as well as orally in various ways in writing and whatnot.
And I do get a lot of compliments on those specific skills.
What I have learned through this podcast is that I had to work on my skill of listening.
And I think that that's not an easy thing for people to say or admit to, you know, especially when it's on display, you know? And so some of that has been just through my pure excitement of being on the same conversation with folks and just wanting to still speak and not, you know, being in practice of listening. And I take that note right now just to say that, like, I'm the type of leader who wants to be aware, who wants to be accountable to being what they would say is a great leader. I don't want people to just call me that because they're trying to be nice after my funeral and don't want to say anything bad to the dead. I want them to mean it, and I want it to be real. So I realized that not only is that something that I need to work on, but that you are absolutely right that whether it's Kamala Harris or whether it's whoever, what we need right now, the type of leaders we need right now are someone who is great also at listening as well as leading.
[00:36:19] Speaker C: Yeah. And I think that. I think there's quite a few things that make you a great leader in the community. Number one, you know, what your capacity is. And, you know, you have in the face of folks telling you, hey, you could just stick to acting and that's already enough. We don't need you to be an activist. You have decided, no, this is really important to me and this is really, truly, you know, my calling. I feel like I am supposed to be lifting my voice because I have the strength to lift my voice in ways that others may not have the strength to lift their voice. And so you continue to push forward in spite of people telling you, hey, there's an easy road. That's just one of the things. The second thing is you do constantly work to educate folks on issues and you do plug in where you can really have an impact and you make it your business to educate yourself on the issues and also educate others. And then you also do a great job of keeping the community connected and keeping yourself connected to community. So I would argue that you are a good listener because just in the personal space of knowing you, you always talk about how you never forget what is going on with your community. And you make it your business to keep your thumb on, you know, keep not your thumb, but keeping your ear to the ground on what's happening with your community and even just thinking nationally what's happening with your community. So I think that all those qualities make a great leader. And I think that's why people have realized and recognized your leadership, because it truly is authentic, it is unique, it is absolutely necessary. We need it today. And, yeah, not everybody is going to be capable of doing it the way that you do it.
[00:37:46] Speaker B: Well, that is a glowing endorsement from Renita Shannon. Oh, wow. Listen, I feel great about that. Listen, thank you so much. And also just thank you so much for seeing me. And just from the beginning, we kind of just saw each other on the Internet and just, I saw you doing your thing and I was like, who is this telling these people off in the house and like, what's going on? Let me repost that video. And like, you know, just, and being, you know, for me as I've been, like, becoming, stepping in more into my queer identity, you know, as someone, as a trans woman who's not just cis, heteronormative or, you know, just looking for to embody that, you know, which I think there's just so many ways that I decolonize and unpack that and all kind of things. And I'm, you know, probably still going to be unpacking all of those things. But one thing that has really, like, attracted me to you, like a magnet, you know, and just in our friendship and everything, is that you reflect to me what it looks like to be a strong woman, like, and just, like, in a strong person. But, like, that is not in respect to patriarchy's demand.
That is bold and unapologetically queer. And because we have so many people that believe that in order to step into representation, they need to diminish those parts of themselves.
And so, you know, I don't take it lightly. They're not a lot.
There are not a lot of people that I can look to that have been in the places that I'm trying to follow that are being so authentic. You know, again, like you said, authenticity. Authentic. Authenticity always wins. But just thanking you for doing that. And like you said, you know, we've had this conversation before, but you deserve, like, everything in the sense of.
Because you show up, because you do the work.
Whenever you say, excuse me. Pause.
I'm taking a moment. Okay, I did that for a little bit. A couple years. I'm gonna do something different because, like, you talk about this ebb and flow, and again, you. I keep saying Bruce frankstring, because he's like, you. You are, you all are a part of my inner circle. That is, he's like, you know, look, I was in the house. I did this. I did this. I had people after me in this kind of way or whatever that, you know, he. It was a lot. And. But he's also now training the next, you know, fleet of folks to go in and do the things as well. And when he's ready to do his thing again, you know, that's time. But I think that.
I don't know how we got there, but I think somehow we got into this space, I guess, performative allyship. And maybe it's from, I mean, excuse me, performative politics, all of it. And I think maybe it's from social media, and this whole essence of, if it did, if it ain't on the gram, it didn't happen.
But right. Understate being, but when we're in community with each other, beyond those things, then we know sister did her thing, and she's. She all right, right now. She don't call her for that right now, you know what I'm saying? Or whatever it is. But I think that we need to find a way to start giving each other that grace.
Leaders. And maybe that comes with checking in with each other. Maybe that comes with being in better community with one another, understanding that we're still, for the most of us, I guess, understanding this inside outside strategy, but also realizing more and more through America's imperialism that our invested interests might not, might actually be in conflict with the interests of the american people. That's wild to say that the american interests, the american interest as a government, as a nation might be in conflict with the wants and desires of the american people.
[00:42:07] Speaker C: But that's what's changing, you know, and that's what I love about this time of folks educating themselves and using their voices, because both political parties now have, and, you know, not everything is about, you know, political parties, but at the end of the day, you got people making decisions that the rest of us have to live with. And so, you know, both political parties now are realizing that more and more the american people's demand is that stop spending all of our tax money on wars and things that are happening outside of the US. And so that is a prime example of what you're saying about where government for so long has taken tax money and has said we'll spend it however we want. And largely a lot of it is going outside of the country. People are now saying, no, I would like for us to mind more of our own business and put our gas masks on before we are attempting to be so heavily involved in international affairs. There are ways to be involved without completely giving away all of our resources abroad. We have things that we need here. So that's one thing that I'll say that you can see where there are issues that previously, you know, that decades ago it would have been lock and stop. This is what will happen. And there would have been no pushback from the public, where now you do see pushback, and a lot of times it's bipartisan. The second thing I'll say is thank you for the compliments and always the consistent support. I will say we have been a support network for each other. But for those who are listening to your podcast, who are now feeling revved up like, yes, I'm ready to at least take a step to be a part of fighting for the progressive change that we want to see. What I would say is don't let anybody talk you out of using your voice. As you mentioned before, you said you did toastmasters. I did, too. I used to do oratorical contests and speaking contests. What I want folks to know is not everyone's going to sound like me and you as they lift their voice and they shouldn't feel like if they don't sound like me or you, they don't have anything to contribute. And so that is how a lot of times folks will kind of make you feel. A lot of it has to do with anti blackness, but folks need to realize that authenticity is going to win the day. And however you lift your voice, there are going to be folks and community that is going to resonate with that. So don't let anybody talk you out of raising your voice and remember how important your live life experience is because that is what truly makes everyone an expert on their own community.
[00:44:24] Speaker B: Wow. Wow. Yeah. I mean, yeah, you are great. Yeah. You're really good at this. Yeah. You should try representation. No, thank you again, Renita, for we're definitely especially. We live. You're right here in Georgia. Maybe we're gonna cook some food or something, have you come over? But we can continue this conversation because, you know, the weeks are coming and we're getting closer and closer to this election. I'm getting closer and closer to, you know, talking more openly about all of the more details of my plans, you know, so, you know, as what I'm telling the people is, you gonna see a lot more of Anita Shannon. So thank you, Renita, for joining me today.
[00:45:08] Speaker C: I'm happy to do it.
[00:45:10] Speaker B: We will be right back, you guys. All right.
[00:45:12] Speaker A: Thank you so much, Renita Shannon, for shedding so much light on what's at stake in this election.
[00:45:18] Speaker B: Thank you again for continuing to just.
[00:45:22] Speaker A: Encourage me and affirm me as I get ready to, you know, again step into my leadership on a different level. So just thank you so much, Renita Shannon. So before we go, I'm going to.
[00:45:35] Speaker B: Actually just share the buddhist word for.
[00:45:37] Speaker A: Today from Buddhism, day by day wisdom for modern life. I know it's been a long episode already, so I'll just end with this. For September 9, what matters is winning. In the end, the wins and the losses along the way are of secondary significance. It's final victory in life that counts, and that is the reason for our buddhist practice. No matter how powerful or famous or privileged a person might be. Nichiren says, from a buddhist point of view, it's all nothing more than a dream, an illusory pleasure.
True happiness can only be attained by revealing the state of buddhahood within your own life.
So this week, I want you to look for happiness and everything that you desire, not outside of yourself, but just within your own life. Find an opportunity to value and affirm that you are and have all that you need.
No opportunity wasted.
