November 5, 2024 • 27 mins
Host Ramses J and cohost Q Ward conclude their series profiling the distinguished ladies of the 2024 National Council of Negro Women with two prestigious guests - . Dr. A Lois Keith and Shavon Arline-Bradley. Dr. Keith is a former educator and National Chair of NCNW, and Shavon Arline -Bradley serves as President and CEO of NCNW.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to our special series Distinguished Ladies of the NCNW
here on the Black Information Network. Recently, myself, Ramsay's Jah
and q Ward made our way to Baltimore for the
sixty first Annual Convention of the National Council of Negro Women,
and we're able to have some meaningful conversations with some
of the most powerful and influential Black women in America.
(00:20):
We discuss politics, education, healthcare, economics, and everything in between.
So sit back and enjoy today's episode of the Distinguished
Ladies of the NCNW here on the Black Information Network.
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we are back on day
three of the National Convention for the National Council of
(00:41):
Negro Women twenty twenty four. Today has been a magnificent day,
a magnificent mourning. We got a little bit of a
fellowship worship service in start the day off, and then
of course there were some housekeeping things that we were
(01:01):
allowed to witness, and we're seeing a bit of a
transition for the National Council of Negro Women, and we
thought it was important to have a conversation. So right
now we are joined by Lois Keith, so welcome to
the show and talk to us a bit about what
we just witnessed.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
A very very phenomenal event, one that pretty much made history.
We typically would have our harumbe breakfast or our celebrations
on the end, and then of course we would have
the installation of officers. But this time it was more
of a spiritual tone. To me, it gave us a mandate.
(01:46):
It kind of undergirded what we are in store for.
In fact, I feel that the prayers that went up
and just experiencing experiencing God, if I may say, in
the way that was experienced there.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
And I looked around and I.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Saw a room full of beautiful African American women dressed
in their time and what have you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
And so I just thought that was absolutely wonderful.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
So do us a favor, give us a little bit
of background on your relationship with the NCNW, and I
think what this moment has meant for you in particular.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, I am the longest serving person on the board
of NCNW, and I have really been on the board
now probably for decades. And I started off with being
a part of the nominating committee of nc and W,
(02:54):
which was really huge back in the day because we
actually campaigned for those, uh, And I mean we would
go through stack they would go through stacks and stacks
of papers, cause you know, we weren't in techno. Technology
was not available. And and I remember being at the
headquarters and I want to run for the nominating committee,
(03:16):
and I was up against women that had were our
owners of banks and this and that I was.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
A school teacher.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Hm.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I thought, let me just about out of disgracefully,
so I raised my head and I said, I want
my name removed from nomination. And doctor Dorothy Irene heike
he iconic, doctor Dorothy Irene height se no.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
No, no, no, no no hm.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
So by the end of the night, I I.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Made the slate.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
But that wasn't the end of it, because when we
got to convention there was still people, you know, that
could be nominated from the floor.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Well, moving forward, I was one of the ones that.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Received the nomination and was voted to become a member
of the nominating committee. And you want me to go keep.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Going with my history, yes, please please?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Well, and then after that I served on the Recertification
Committee of n C and W, where we would actually
re certify every section that we had. Yeah, every section
that we had we would have stacks and stacks and
it literally took look like a day or two to
(04:34):
go through. And we had criterias that we had to
adhere to so that each section could maintain their their certification.
And then I was at a function in Washington and
doctor Dorothy Irene Hight gave me a stack of papers
and told me when I go to my room, if
(04:55):
I would read through these papers, well, my name all
in the papers. Lois keyths chair of the of the
Membership Committee. And so I became the first board elected
membership chair. At first it was like an office, you know,
(05:18):
staff position more or less. So I called doctor Belmont Daily,
who was a past national president of Delta Sigma Theater
and she's very active with NAACP and surged in many
capacities on the board of NC and W a woman
that I respect a lot. So I called her and
(05:39):
I said, you know, I need to come to your room.
Doctor Heyde has made a huge mistake.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And I and so she said, come on down, come
on down. And so I said, doctor Hyde has made
a mistake. I said, she has my name in these.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Papers that said I was a membership chairperson. So she
said a doctor Heyight never makes a mistake, HM, Dorothy
Irene Height. I never said anything to doctor Hype. I
went home and I thought, Okay, what am I going
to do? And I don't remember how many hundreds of
(06:16):
sections we had who had who had never heard from headquarters.
I called every section and I introduced myself, wow to
every section president, and going through some of the rural
count states, they would say things, are you who you?
(06:40):
INAACP said again.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
And then I would repeat it and I said, oh no,
I'm Lois Keith.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I'm the chair of the Board of UH, chair of
NC and a membership.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
I'm sorry, membership.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So I developed a relationship with the presidents, which was huge, huge, huge,
And then of course you would have to sit and
you would have to listen to what has happened. And
I didn't get this, and you know, you were really nice.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
But I developed a.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Relationship and then that lasted a long time. And then
somehow between that, during that time, maybe I became assistant
secretary of NC and w okay, and I was still
(07:34):
looked like membership. I was still working with membership. As
a matter of fact, I was in Washington for the
Martin Luther King celebration, but we would always have a
board meeting so that we could attend the largest gathering
of leaders from around the country.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
So doctor Keith, our listeners did not have privilege of
being here with us to experience what we've experienced. And
you talked about the leadership style that you developed where
you were very, very intentional and very endearing to not
just all of your members, but to everyone that you encountered.
The reason why I pointed out that they can't see
(08:16):
you because they don't see this beautiful pink and green
that you have on representing Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated,
something that Ramses and I noticed that was really really
beautiful yesterday. And as a member of Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity Incorporated, I have been in plenty of rooms where
the Divine Nine was present, but there is a unity
(08:38):
amongst the NC ANDW Divine Nine affiliates that was just
so enriching to our spirits to witness that. Can you
tell us a little bit about your experience with that.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Let me go back to nineteen thirty five for NC
and I was first chartered, I guess you would say,
and it started in New York's City. It was formed
from the affiliate organizations. It was the affiliates that doctor
Mary McLeod but then brought together to form the National
(09:13):
Council of Negro Women. And so over the years we
have always had a presence with our affiliates, but not
to the extent that we have now. And so now
we have made a conscious effort to involved our affiliates,
and we are getting affiliates all the time that want
(09:35):
to become a part of NC and W yes and
the relationship. And believe it or not, I've had lots
of affiliates who have come to me during this time
and they said, you know, we really enjoy going to
our ulais or our conferences of what have you.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
But it's something of our NC and W.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I mean, we forget about our colors for a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
We have a pink and green.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You know, we are here for one common purpose and
we have unified and we have actually come together.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
And it is a beautiful thing to witness.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
If my voice didn't matter, people wouldn't be trying so
hard to silence me, And if my vote didn't matter,
they wouldn't work so hard to take it away. So
you know why I'm voting this November, because I know
they don't want me to.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
Your voice is powerful, your voice matters. Don't let your
voice be silenced. To register, confirm your voting status, or
get information about voting in your area, visit vote dot gov.
That's vote dot goov. A message from the Perception Institute
and the Black Information Network.
Speaker 8 (10:38):
Now we are joined at long last.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
We're sitting in the presence of Royalty right now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
By Madam President herself, shavn Arline Bradley. And you remember
her being on the show with us before. You may
remember her being on Civic Cipher with us too, indeed,
and uh, it's it's this has been a fantastic weekend.
It's well done, well executed. I probably shed tears, happy tears,
(11:14):
maybe three four times.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Yeah, we've been in the spirit.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
We've been in the spirit with you this entire trip
and the worship and experience that we just had this
Sunday morning, raised by a black woman pastor connected with
my sister who is a powerful, powerful vessel. We were
(11:39):
swept swept up today and it we have we have,
we have said this out loud. There will never be
something that n CNW is doing that God willing we
won't be in attendance for and that we will insist
that the black information network in our collectives put as
much resources into what you guys are doing as possible,
(11:59):
because this is if we were this anointed by this experience,
imagine how it was for our sisters and just has
been a very very powerful experience for us.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
How has it been for you sitting at the helm
of this?
Speaker 9 (12:13):
First of all, I want to say something to both
of you. The other day when you all came into
the room and came on that panel, the shift was
there because we brought in masculine energy to support the sisters.
And I don't think that y'all because you were worried
(12:34):
about being rushed. So I wanted to say on your
show publicly, you shifted it because you gave affirmation to
women in a moment where men and women that are
of African descent are being told we're not together.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Thank you for saying that.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
And if you didn't come in the way you came in,
it wouldn't have been as impactful. I had to sit
on it, and you asked me about what it means
to be at the helm. It's these moments that make
me rethink all the things that I'm dealing with. N
CNW right now is going through an evolution.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Indeed, it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I mean this intergenerational thing. Only are we bringing in
excitement amongst the black female organizations.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
But we are pulling in brothers.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
We are pulling in brothers that are getting on board
and say, look, I want to help you sisters.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, it's exciting.
Speaker 9 (13:33):
And I think that the beauty of it is because
I believe in black family. I believe in black connectedness.
I believe in the totality of blackness. There's a totality
in it, and it doesn't function when we're not on
the same page. And I think that n CNW personifies
(13:54):
what I think.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
But Thun was intending to do.
Speaker 9 (13:56):
She was intending to help black women in business, in
education right in all these space economics. And if she
did it right there, she knew she would gather the
men in it. I preach discerning about this that when
the women call, the men will follow. And then when
the men follow, when they have assignment, they know how
to then turn around and lead. Yes, ma'am, it doesn't
(14:19):
work without it working.
Speaker 8 (14:21):
You said that, And.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
That's why I preach about double all the time she
was a profit already, she's already a seek. But when
you think about civic ciphering, the work that you all
are doing, and the humility you have about black women,
when the women call, you come, and then when you come,
you activate your gift and the gift of you two have,
as I said in the hem of NCNW, is the
mouthpiece for people to understand the truth. We sat on
(14:47):
that panel together and talked about how to understand clarity
versus endorsement. We talked about one hundred and forty thousand
first time voters being exposed to voting because of education
from NCNW, an organization that for some laughed at.
Speaker 8 (15:08):
Many thought we were just then and gone. When do
after die?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
They died.
Speaker 9 (15:12):
She's been there for fourteen years, our fourth leader who
served for the longest time and was an icon. But
what I believe is happening now is that we are
finding ourselves in the moment of transition and shift, and
you too are a part of it.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
So I want to say thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I want to say something here too, because I think
you touched on something.
Speaker 8 (15:30):
That is critical.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We do have a diverse listenership at the Black Information Network.
Speaker 8 (15:36):
We have a diverse listenership.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Say, excither, I'm going to tell you a bit of
a story, and I'm going to speak to black men
specifically in this moment. Tanita, it's a name you may
not be familiar with, but it's a name that you
and I know very well. Tanita has been taking care
of us and organizing this. The reason I want to
(16:01):
share this story with you black men is because it
culminates in something I think that you need to hear,
especially in this political moment. Tanita has been a jewel.
And one of the things I've had to maintain is
that Q and I wanted to attend this in the
spirit of service. That's very important because at present my
(16:28):
understanding and Obama said this the other day, black men
some black men, that's just important to say what service
looks like and stand in service to women. That there's
some black men who are having a problem with that.
And I would put my manhood against any man on
any day of the week. And I came here in
(16:49):
the spirit of service. And Tanita knows that that well
because I said that a number of times. I also
want to say to black men, echoing what Q was
able to say on the stage, because that's something that
we say on the show and every time we have
a microphone and an audience, that a black woman is
as close to God as we can be on this planet.
I want to say that before I came to that conclusion,
(17:13):
I understood that. Before I knew the word for God,
I knew the word for mom. And for me, that
framed everything that I was supposed to do, the truth
of the path that I was supposed to walk in.
I don't want to take the floor from you, but
I understand. I want to make sure that we say this,
it's on record, and that the black men that are
(17:35):
able to listen to Q and myself as we affirm
these black women, the National Council of Negro Women, indeed,
that they can appreciate the gravity of this moment. Us
walking in service, US, US walking in passion, US understanding
the nature of the deployment of our bodies fueled with testosterone,
(17:56):
the strength that we have and the capacity that we
have to protect black women, to center black women, to
listen to black.
Speaker 8 (18:03):
Women, to affirm black women.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
It's this moment right now, right now, you can do
the thing as Q and I always say, you can
do it right now and.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Be right blessing us with the opportunity to be here
with you. You and I had a conversation yesterday that
I was not aware was possible that men can be
involved with NCNW in an official capacity. When it comes
to new blood, young blood and men being involved, what
(18:32):
can listeners do to not just be cheerleaders for NCNW
but participants.
Speaker 9 (18:38):
So we have the cl Franklin Associates named after doctor
Charles L. Franklin who passed away, who was the husband
of Alexis Herman, our past secretary of Labor, and the
Associates are really the personification of the male's presence.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
In community with sisters.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
And when I say that, it means nothing other than
that brothers have a space they can come and be
a part of the section to support them financially, to
support programming if they need help with programming, Brothers can
serve nashally with doctor I want to shout out Harry Johnson,
who's the past general president of Alpha Fay Alpha and
who is our current chair, my husband Andrew Bradley, Proud
(19:19):
Sigma Man, who is the Code Chair, who has been
putting together opportunities for fellowship for brothers who are in
solidarity with black women in their service. Where we've been
trying to focus for the brothers on the ground though,
has been how do I bring black men to the
table on the advocacy and policy connection. So going to
(19:41):
district days with our US representatives, right having brothers come
with the sisters. Don't go to the congress without the brothers,
don't come to the hill without the brothers, don't advocate
at the city council level without the brothers. That's what
associates do.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
We just vot in our bilaws.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
He associate supporters because membership yield something different and yields
a different benefit of voting.
Speaker 8 (20:02):
Brothers don't vote.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Brothers support us in the work in our organization and
in our sections. Associates are here to support the activations
and the groundwork. We don't want to strategize a plan
with our brothers. Let me think about women. Think about
you know what women are doing, were young girls are doing.
But also we are mothers of boys.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
We need men.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
Around these boys. So there is a conversation opportunity on
the ground for.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
It, and I can speak to that being in the
sections and working with the sections. We have quite a
few men that are part of our organization, and they
are as she said that, they are supporters. Any time
that we are doing particular things. If we are going
to the capitol, what have you, or you know, just
(20:47):
out and about feeding hunger or whatever, get passing out food,
men are there.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
They are there. I like to use the word in
the trenches with us.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Now we've we've taken this conversation and focused it on
getting the attention of men, and I really I think
that that's probably the main push that we should we
should take moving forward. But for people that are listening
around the country that might be not be based here
in Maryland in the area, people that might be in
(21:19):
Milwaukee or you know, Washington State or something like that.
Men in particular, what what would you ask them to
do if they're not connected with an organization like the NCNW.
Maybe they can support fiscally, Maybe they can organize locally.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Give us your idea.
Speaker 8 (21:40):
Of how they can make a difference.
Speaker 9 (21:41):
You can definitely go on s CW dot org and
find out what local section that's our chapters the section
is in your area. Bring your family one right, bring
your wife, bring her there to be a member. But two,
it is about brothers aligning with the other associates in
their communities. If they do that, they can support with
final resources to support programming. They can also be a
(22:03):
part of ground advocacy work. We have actually opened the
door for voter registration early voting work. The things we
talked about in our session around pole working right for
the election polls. We are looking for brothers to serve
with the sisters at the polls. This can't be just us.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
It has to be.
Speaker 9 (22:22):
And let me just say something about the presidents of
black men in the space because of the safety issues
that we've been finding voter suppression tactics. There's something about
a black man being in place right with sisters in
real time at the voting box. I'm also door knocking.
Canvasy high school registration? Can you y'all just say this
(22:45):
to you. I gotta do it. In the a state
all state strategy that we have Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, we are asking our
members to go to high schools and register high school seniors.
We need black men to go with us because the
boys always see women registering them. Yeah, there's a place
(23:06):
for the associates to come and help Burchis to young men.
This is a part of the process because we're trying
to create this continuity between what it means to transition
from young men to a man inside of this political space.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Doctor Keith, you talked with us, and I want to
say this before we let you guys go about the
history of this organization and all that you've poured into
it and all that it's poured back into you. I
hope you see that and that sister right there and
that powerful leader that you all have. We've gotten so
many thank yous and hugs and blessed you from all
(23:42):
of our sisters and mamas and aunties here, but we
cannot say thank you back to you all enough for
allowing us to be here, because you've changed us. We
thought we thought we were doing our job. We thought
we were we thought we've always been showing up for
our sisters. But coming here, we have learned that there's
so much much more that we can do, and we
are so excited to do so much more.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
So I'm gonna say thank you so many times over
and over.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Turn.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
Please, it's a situation that we got to talk about
on your show, this question of class in our community,
say about NCNW it makes us different, and not to
keep you so many all the time about this. We're
the one place that I can safelyast probably say now
that is the only seat or table I should say
(24:30):
with seats for everybody did say that you messed me
up with You messed me up with it all the
time because we like college educated and we pledge and
all this stuff. But you can come here and with
your college degree or no degree, with your church experience
or your or not unchurched experience. You're young, you're old,
(24:52):
doesn't matter. And I think this weekend hit me because
we have some folks that do parliamentary procedure or something
that don't, but they're both still count. That's that's different
because it's black and in black context we are challenged
with class. I got the coldes for me that she said,
your problem Shavin's going to be that you will learn it.
(25:14):
And when you learn it, sometimes you misclculate what it
means to not be and when you do that, you
leave people unconsciously you're not even trying to. And that
has helped me go all right, So whoever walks in
this door and you're a black woman, you're on the team,
talk to me, and that's that's the thing. So I
(25:35):
know I went over. I'm sorry, no, no, no, but I
had to say that. I had to say that. I
had to tell you that.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
See again, on this show, we listen to black women.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Amen, you talk. Amen.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So let's do this because I know you have to go.
Do me a favor one more time. Where people can
get more information, they can plug in digitally. Let's make
sure that we have that.
Speaker 9 (25:56):
I want you to get all these handles. First of all,
go to our website www dot n C and W
dot O r g org.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Follow us on.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
We're on every platform right now, Facebook, Instagram, We're still
on the X X. We're still in the X.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
They kicked me off. I told me my content was
too deep. I don't mind know.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I was happy.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I went on.
Speaker 9 (26:18):
Threads were on Instagram and let me just say this
at ncnw HQ under squagh q right, you know, my
COM's team is all over and check us out on
social I did a presentation in the plenary. Our viewership
is going over one hundred and thirty percent on social media.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
I can't even love that.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
That's nuts.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
So I love y'all.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
We love you. Keep my job.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
We love you too.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Thank you so much, our line Bradley lois Key. We
appreciate both of you. Thank you taking the time to
talk to us. We'll be back the next time you
do anything. We'll be on the ground.
Speaker 9 (26:52):
I love hey, You're welcome here. And hey, listen straight up,
folks at iHeart radio. We love the civic siteher Man.
I want to shautch all out and I'm gonna also
do the same back for you. We're gonna push your
platform because the people need to hear what you two
are talking about. You brother's a relevant. I love you
all right, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Be sure to check back for additional episodes right here
on the Black Information Network Daily Podcast
Welcome to our special series Distinguished Ladies of the NCNW
here on the Black Information Network. Recently, myself, Ramsay's Jah
and q Ward made our way to Baltimore for the
sixty first Annual Convention of the National Council of Negro Women,
and we're able to have some meaningful conversations with some
of the most powerful and influential Black women in America.
(00:20):
We discuss politics, education, healthcare, economics, and everything in between.
So sit back and enjoy today's episode of the Distinguished
Ladies of the NCNW here on the Black Information Network.
All right, ladies and gentlemen, we are back on day
three of the National Convention for the National Council of
(00:41):
Negro Women twenty twenty four. Today has been a magnificent day,
a magnificent mourning. We got a little bit of a
fellowship worship service in start the day off, and then
of course there were some housekeeping things that we were
(01:01):
allowed to witness, and we're seeing a bit of a
transition for the National Council of Negro Women, and we
thought it was important to have a conversation. So right
now we are joined by Lois Keith, so welcome to
the show and talk to us a bit about what
we just witnessed.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
A very very phenomenal event, one that pretty much made history.
We typically would have our harumbe breakfast or our celebrations
on the end, and then of course we would have
the installation of officers. But this time it was more
of a spiritual tone. To me, it gave us a mandate.
(01:46):
It kind of undergirded what we are in store for.
In fact, I feel that the prayers that went up
and just experiencing experiencing God, if I may say, in
the way that was experienced there.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
And I looked around and I.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Saw a room full of beautiful African American women dressed
in their time and what have you.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
And so I just thought that was absolutely wonderful.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
So do us a favor, give us a little bit
of background on your relationship with the NCNW, and I
think what this moment has meant for you in particular.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Well, I am the longest serving person on the board
of NCNW, and I have really been on the board
now probably for decades. And I started off with being
a part of the nominating committee of nc and W,
(02:54):
which was really huge back in the day because we
actually campaigned for those, uh, And I mean we would
go through stack they would go through stacks and stacks
of papers, cause you know, we weren't in techno. Technology
was not available. And and I remember being at the
headquarters and I want to run for the nominating committee,
(03:16):
and I was up against women that had were our
owners of banks and this and that I was.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
A school teacher.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Hm.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
So I thought, let me just about out of disgracefully,
so I raised my head and I said, I want
my name removed from nomination. And doctor Dorothy Irene heike
he iconic, doctor Dorothy Irene height se no.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
No, no, no, no no hm.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
So by the end of the night, I I.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Made the slate.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
But that wasn't the end of it, because when we
got to convention there was still people, you know, that
could be nominated from the floor.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Well, moving forward, I was one of the ones that.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Received the nomination and was voted to become a member
of the nominating committee. And you want me to go keep.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
Going with my history, yes, please please?
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Well, and then after that I served on the Recertification
Committee of n C and W, where we would actually
re certify every section that we had. Yeah, every section
that we had we would have stacks and stacks and
it literally took look like a day or two to
(04:34):
go through. And we had criterias that we had to
adhere to so that each section could maintain their their certification.
And then I was at a function in Washington and
doctor Dorothy Irene Hight gave me a stack of papers
and told me when I go to my room, if
(04:55):
I would read through these papers, well, my name all
in the papers. Lois keyths chair of the of the
Membership Committee. And so I became the first board elected
membership chair. At first it was like an office, you know,
(05:18):
staff position more or less. So I called doctor Belmont Daily,
who was a past national president of Delta Sigma Theater
and she's very active with NAACP and surged in many
capacities on the board of NC and W a woman
that I respect a lot. So I called her and
(05:39):
I said, you know, I need to come to your room.
Doctor Heyde has made a huge mistake.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
And I and so she said, come on down, come
on down. And so I said, doctor Hyde has made
a mistake. I said, she has my name in these.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Papers that said I was a membership chairperson. So she
said a doctor Heyight never makes a mistake, HM, Dorothy
Irene Height. I never said anything to doctor Hype. I
went home and I thought, Okay, what am I going
to do? And I don't remember how many hundreds of
(06:16):
sections we had who had who had never heard from headquarters.
I called every section and I introduced myself, wow to
every section president, and going through some of the rural
count states, they would say things, are you who you?
(06:40):
INAACP said again.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
And then I would repeat it and I said, oh no,
I'm Lois Keith.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I'm the chair of the Board of UH, chair of
NC and a membership.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
I'm sorry, membership.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
So I developed a relationship with the presidents, which was huge, huge, huge,
And then of course you would have to sit and
you would have to listen to what has happened. And
I didn't get this, and you know, you were really nice.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
But I developed a.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Relationship and then that lasted a long time. And then
somehow between that, during that time, maybe I became assistant
secretary of NC and w okay, and I was still
(07:34):
looked like membership. I was still working with membership. As
a matter of fact, I was in Washington for the
Martin Luther King celebration, but we would always have a
board meeting so that we could attend the largest gathering
of leaders from around the country.
Speaker 5 (07:55):
So doctor Keith, our listeners did not have privilege of
being here with us to experience what we've experienced. And
you talked about the leadership style that you developed where
you were very, very intentional and very endearing to not
just all of your members, but to everyone that you encountered.
The reason why I pointed out that they can't see
(08:16):
you because they don't see this beautiful pink and green
that you have on representing Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated,
something that Ramses and I noticed that was really really
beautiful yesterday. And as a member of Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity Incorporated, I have been in plenty of rooms where
the Divine Nine was present, but there is a unity
(08:38):
amongst the NC ANDW Divine Nine affiliates that was just
so enriching to our spirits to witness that. Can you
tell us a little bit about your experience with that.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Let me go back to nineteen thirty five for NC
and I was first chartered, I guess you would say,
and it started in New York's City. It was formed
from the affiliate organizations. It was the affiliates that doctor
Mary McLeod but then brought together to form the National
(09:13):
Council of Negro Women. And so over the years we
have always had a presence with our affiliates, but not
to the extent that we have now. And so now
we have made a conscious effort to involved our affiliates,
and we are getting affiliates all the time that want
(09:35):
to become a part of NC and W yes and
the relationship. And believe it or not, I've had lots
of affiliates who have come to me during this time
and they said, you know, we really enjoy going to
our ulais or our conferences of what have you.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
But it's something of our NC and W.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I mean, we forget about our colors for a few minutes.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
We have a pink and green.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
You know, we are here for one common purpose and
we have unified and we have actually come together.
Speaker 4 (10:06):
And it is a beautiful thing to witness.
Speaker 6 (10:09):
If my voice didn't matter, people wouldn't be trying so
hard to silence me, And if my vote didn't matter,
they wouldn't work so hard to take it away. So
you know why I'm voting this November, because I know
they don't want me to.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
Your voice is powerful, your voice matters. Don't let your
voice be silenced. To register, confirm your voting status, or
get information about voting in your area, visit vote dot gov.
That's vote dot goov. A message from the Perception Institute
and the Black Information Network.
Speaker 8 (10:38):
Now we are joined at long last.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
We're sitting in the presence of Royalty right now.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
By Madam President herself, shavn Arline Bradley. And you remember
her being on the show with us before. You may
remember her being on Civic Cipher with us too, indeed,
and uh, it's it's this has been a fantastic weekend.
It's well done, well executed. I probably shed tears, happy tears,
(11:14):
maybe three four times.
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Yeah, we've been in the spirit.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
We've been in the spirit with you this entire trip
and the worship and experience that we just had this
Sunday morning, raised by a black woman pastor connected with
my sister who is a powerful, powerful vessel. We were
(11:39):
swept swept up today and it we have we have,
we have said this out loud. There will never be
something that n CNW is doing that God willing we
won't be in attendance for and that we will insist
that the black information network in our collectives put as
much resources into what you guys are doing as possible,
(11:59):
because this is if we were this anointed by this experience,
imagine how it was for our sisters and just has
been a very very powerful experience for us.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
How has it been for you sitting at the helm
of this?
Speaker 9 (12:13):
First of all, I want to say something to both
of you. The other day when you all came into
the room and came on that panel, the shift was
there because we brought in masculine energy to support the sisters.
And I don't think that y'all because you were worried
(12:34):
about being rushed. So I wanted to say on your
show publicly, you shifted it because you gave affirmation to
women in a moment where men and women that are
of African descent are being told we're not together.
Speaker 8 (12:50):
Thank you for saying that.
Speaker 9 (12:53):
And if you didn't come in the way you came in,
it wouldn't have been as impactful. I had to sit
on it, and you asked me about what it means
to be at the helm. It's these moments that make
me rethink all the things that I'm dealing with. N
CNW right now is going through an evolution.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
Indeed, it is. It is.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
I mean this intergenerational thing. Only are we bringing in
excitement amongst the black female organizations.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
But we are pulling in brothers.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
We are pulling in brothers that are getting on board
and say, look, I want to help you sisters.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Yeah, it's exciting.
Speaker 9 (13:33):
And I think that the beauty of it is because
I believe in black family. I believe in black connectedness.
I believe in the totality of blackness. There's a totality
in it, and it doesn't function when we're not on
the same page. And I think that n CNW personifies
(13:54):
what I think.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
But Thun was intending to do.
Speaker 9 (13:56):
She was intending to help black women in business, in
education right in all these space economics. And if she
did it right there, she knew she would gather the
men in it. I preach discerning about this that when
the women call, the men will follow. And then when
the men follow, when they have assignment, they know how
to then turn around and lead. Yes, ma'am, it doesn't
(14:19):
work without it working.
Speaker 8 (14:21):
You said that, And.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
That's why I preach about double all the time she
was a profit already, she's already a seek. But when
you think about civic ciphering, the work that you all
are doing, and the humility you have about black women,
when the women call, you come, and then when you come,
you activate your gift and the gift of you two have,
as I said in the hem of NCNW, is the
mouthpiece for people to understand the truth. We sat on
(14:47):
that panel together and talked about how to understand clarity
versus endorsement. We talked about one hundred and forty thousand
first time voters being exposed to voting because of education
from NCNW, an organization that for some laughed at.
Speaker 8 (15:08):
Many thought we were just then and gone. When do
after die?
Speaker 1 (15:11):
They died.
Speaker 9 (15:12):
She's been there for fourteen years, our fourth leader who
served for the longest time and was an icon. But
what I believe is happening now is that we are
finding ourselves in the moment of transition and shift, and
you too are a part of it.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
So I want to say thank you.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
I want to say something here too, because I think
you touched on something.
Speaker 8 (15:30):
That is critical.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
We do have a diverse listenership at the Black Information Network.
Speaker 8 (15:36):
We have a diverse listenership.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Say, excither, I'm going to tell you a bit of
a story, and I'm going to speak to black men
specifically in this moment. Tanita, it's a name you may
not be familiar with, but it's a name that you
and I know very well. Tanita has been taking care
of us and organizing this. The reason I want to
(16:01):
share this story with you black men is because it
culminates in something I think that you need to hear,
especially in this political moment. Tanita has been a jewel.
And one of the things I've had to maintain is
that Q and I wanted to attend this in the
spirit of service. That's very important because at present my
(16:28):
understanding and Obama said this the other day, black men
some black men, that's just important to say what service
looks like and stand in service to women. That there's
some black men who are having a problem with that.
And I would put my manhood against any man on
any day of the week. And I came here in
(16:49):
the spirit of service. And Tanita knows that that well
because I said that a number of times. I also
want to say to black men, echoing what Q was
able to say on the stage, because that's something that
we say on the show and every time we have
a microphone and an audience, that a black woman is
as close to God as we can be on this planet.
I want to say that before I came to that conclusion,
(17:13):
I understood that. Before I knew the word for God,
I knew the word for mom. And for me, that
framed everything that I was supposed to do, the truth
of the path that I was supposed to walk in.
I don't want to take the floor from you, but
I understand. I want to make sure that we say this,
it's on record, and that the black men that are
(17:35):
able to listen to Q and myself as we affirm
these black women, the National Council of Negro Women, indeed,
that they can appreciate the gravity of this moment. Us
walking in service, US, US walking in passion, US understanding
the nature of the deployment of our bodies fueled with testosterone,
(17:56):
the strength that we have and the capacity that we
have to protect black women, to center black women, to
listen to black.
Speaker 8 (18:03):
Women, to affirm black women.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
It's this moment right now, right now, you can do
the thing as Q and I always say, you can
do it right now and.
Speaker 5 (18:11):
Be right blessing us with the opportunity to be here
with you. You and I had a conversation yesterday that
I was not aware was possible that men can be
involved with NCNW in an official capacity. When it comes
to new blood, young blood and men being involved, what
(18:32):
can listeners do to not just be cheerleaders for NCNW
but participants.
Speaker 9 (18:38):
So we have the cl Franklin Associates named after doctor
Charles L. Franklin who passed away, who was the husband
of Alexis Herman, our past secretary of Labor, and the
Associates are really the personification of the male's presence.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
In community with sisters.
Speaker 9 (18:58):
And when I say that, it means nothing other than
that brothers have a space they can come and be
a part of the section to support them financially, to
support programming if they need help with programming, Brothers can
serve nashally with doctor I want to shout out Harry Johnson,
who's the past general president of Alpha Fay Alpha and
who is our current chair, my husband Andrew Bradley, Proud
(19:19):
Sigma Man, who is the Code Chair, who has been
putting together opportunities for fellowship for brothers who are in
solidarity with black women in their service. Where we've been
trying to focus for the brothers on the ground though,
has been how do I bring black men to the
table on the advocacy and policy connection. So going to
(19:41):
district days with our US representatives, right having brothers come
with the sisters. Don't go to the congress without the brothers,
don't come to the hill without the brothers, don't advocate
at the city council level without the brothers. That's what
associates do.
Speaker 8 (19:56):
We just vot in our bilaws.
Speaker 9 (19:57):
He associate supporters because membership yield something different and yields
a different benefit of voting.
Speaker 8 (20:02):
Brothers don't vote.
Speaker 9 (20:03):
Brothers support us in the work in our organization and
in our sections. Associates are here to support the activations
and the groundwork. We don't want to strategize a plan
with our brothers. Let me think about women. Think about
you know what women are doing, were young girls are doing.
But also we are mothers of boys.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
We need men.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
Around these boys. So there is a conversation opportunity on
the ground for.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
It, and I can speak to that being in the
sections and working with the sections. We have quite a
few men that are part of our organization, and they
are as she said that, they are supporters. Any time
that we are doing particular things. If we are going
to the capitol, what have you, or you know, just
(20:47):
out and about feeding hunger or whatever, get passing out food,
men are there.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
They are there. I like to use the word in
the trenches with us.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Now we've we've taken this conversation and focused it on
getting the attention of men, and I really I think
that that's probably the main push that we should we
should take moving forward. But for people that are listening
around the country that might be not be based here
in Maryland in the area, people that might be in
(21:19):
Milwaukee or you know, Washington State or something like that.
Men in particular, what what would you ask them to
do if they're not connected with an organization like the NCNW.
Maybe they can support fiscally, Maybe they can organize locally.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
Give us your idea.
Speaker 8 (21:40):
Of how they can make a difference.
Speaker 9 (21:41):
You can definitely go on s CW dot org and
find out what local section that's our chapters the section
is in your area. Bring your family one right, bring
your wife, bring her there to be a member. But two,
it is about brothers aligning with the other associates in
their communities. If they do that, they can support with
final resources to support programming. They can also be a
(22:03):
part of ground advocacy work. We have actually opened the
door for voter registration early voting work. The things we
talked about in our session around pole working right for
the election polls. We are looking for brothers to serve
with the sisters at the polls. This can't be just us.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
It has to be.
Speaker 9 (22:22):
And let me just say something about the presidents of
black men in the space because of the safety issues
that we've been finding voter suppression tactics. There's something about
a black man being in place right with sisters in
real time at the voting box. I'm also door knocking.
Canvasy high school registration? Can you y'all just say this
(22:45):
to you. I gotta do it. In the a state
all state strategy that we have Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, we are asking our
members to go to high schools and register high school seniors.
We need black men to go with us because the
boys always see women registering them. Yeah, there's a place
(23:06):
for the associates to come and help Burchis to young men.
This is a part of the process because we're trying
to create this continuity between what it means to transition
from young men to a man inside of this political space.
Speaker 5 (23:19):
Doctor Keith, you talked with us, and I want to
say this before we let you guys go about the
history of this organization and all that you've poured into
it and all that it's poured back into you. I
hope you see that and that sister right there and
that powerful leader that you all have. We've gotten so
many thank yous and hugs and blessed you from all
(23:42):
of our sisters and mamas and aunties here, but we
cannot say thank you back to you all enough for
allowing us to be here, because you've changed us. We
thought we thought we were doing our job. We thought
we were we thought we've always been showing up for
our sisters. But coming here, we have learned that there's
so much much more that we can do, and we
are so excited to do so much more.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
So I'm gonna say thank you so many times over
and over.
Speaker 8 (24:07):
Turn.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
Please, it's a situation that we got to talk about
on your show, this question of class in our community,
say about NCNW it makes us different, and not to
keep you so many all the time about this. We're
the one place that I can safelyast probably say now
that is the only seat or table I should say
(24:30):
with seats for everybody did say that you messed me
up with You messed me up with it all the
time because we like college educated and we pledge and
all this stuff. But you can come here and with
your college degree or no degree, with your church experience
or your or not unchurched experience. You're young, you're old,
(24:52):
doesn't matter. And I think this weekend hit me because
we have some folks that do parliamentary procedure or something
that don't, but they're both still count. That's that's different
because it's black and in black context we are challenged
with class. I got the coldes for me that she said,
your problem Shavin's going to be that you will learn it.
(25:14):
And when you learn it, sometimes you misclculate what it
means to not be and when you do that, you
leave people unconsciously you're not even trying to. And that
has helped me go all right, So whoever walks in
this door and you're a black woman, you're on the team,
talk to me, and that's that's the thing. So I
(25:35):
know I went over. I'm sorry, no, no, no, but I
had to say that. I had to say that. I
had to tell you that.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
See again, on this show, we listen to black women.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Amen, you talk. Amen.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
So let's do this because I know you have to go.
Do me a favor one more time. Where people can
get more information, they can plug in digitally. Let's make
sure that we have that.
Speaker 9 (25:56):
I want you to get all these handles. First of all,
go to our website www dot n C and W
dot O r g org.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Follow us on.
Speaker 9 (26:03):
We're on every platform right now, Facebook, Instagram, We're still
on the X X. We're still in the X.
Speaker 8 (26:10):
They kicked me off. I told me my content was
too deep. I don't mind know.
Speaker 4 (26:15):
I was happy.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I went on.
Speaker 9 (26:18):
Threads were on Instagram and let me just say this
at ncnw HQ under squagh q right, you know, my
COM's team is all over and check us out on
social I did a presentation in the plenary. Our viewership
is going over one hundred and thirty percent on social media.
Speaker 8 (26:35):
I can't even love that.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
That's nuts.
Speaker 4 (26:37):
So I love y'all.
Speaker 8 (26:38):
We love you. Keep my job.
Speaker 4 (26:40):
We love you too.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
Thank you so much, our line Bradley lois Key. We
appreciate both of you. Thank you taking the time to
talk to us. We'll be back the next time you
do anything. We'll be on the ground.
Speaker 9 (26:52):
I love hey, You're welcome here. And hey, listen straight up,
folks at iHeart radio. We love the civic siteher Man.
I want to shautch all out and I'm gonna also
do the same back for you. We're gonna push your
platform because the people need to hear what you two
are talking about. You brother's a relevant. I love you
all right, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
Be sure to check back for additional episodes right here
on the Black Information Network Daily Podcast
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