February 23, 2022 • 10 mins
Antjuan Seawright is back to share why involvement in local elections is more crucial for the community than the national election as well as the role of money in politics.
Host: @itstanyatime
Guest: @antjuanseawright
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, Money Movers, Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily podcast,
determined to give you the keys to the Kingdom of
financial stability, wealth and abundance. Antoine, You've had a really
interesting career trajectory. Tell us a little bit about that
(00:22):
pivotal moment when you realize you wanted to become not
the person that was signing the back of the text,
but the front of the chests and years at South
Carolina's oldest African American public relations advertising firm, one of
the oldest in the country's Sunrise Communications. UH started my
journey there right out of college. Worked there for three years.
(00:44):
The CEO, senator and pastor Darale Jackson, decided that I
was doing a good enough job that he trusted me
to pass the business onto me. So I was company
president and CEO. Certainly that role for six additional years.
Is what I realized. In those six years run the company.
I was doing everything required to run my company. I
(01:08):
was doing the business development, I was doing the process
and I was doing the managing. I was doing the accounting.
I was doing all the things. So I said myself,
if I want this idea of greatness or tap into
my extended potential. Then I had to It was spaith
journey and I uh went and found the necessary paperwork
(01:31):
to start my LLC. It would be interested in this.
I sat on people and I was approved by the
secretary for seven months. What was it fear that held
you back or you just were so busy? It was
seven months and I said on it because I wanted
to be sure. I was sure and everything in business
(01:54):
uh and sometimes you get the call, but you have
to make sure you prepare for the call. Over me.
It was a seven month period to make sure I
was prepared for the calls. And I brought in a
client to my to my firm while I was still
at Sunrise, and when that went well, that was my
trigger point. And I went equally to the Senator at
(02:16):
the time and I said, you know, I think I'm
gonna do this thing, and he was fully supportive. And
tell you about the grace of God. Every single client
I brought into Sunrise that I had, they went with
me to Blueprint and I did. That says a lot.
That says a lot about your work ethic and what
you delivered to them and the value you added to
that firm. So I can understand how that really reinforced
(02:39):
you being able to make that next move on your own.
And it's a faith darning. Look, if you're in a
standstill or if you're at the pregnant pause moment, don't
stay because opportunities will pass you by. My dad used
to say, opportunity only danced with those on the dance floor.
And I ll even if you can't dance, you can.
(03:02):
If you don't have rhythm like me, still get on
the dance floor. Somebody will help you out. Well, listen,
I am that girl. I only have a little bit
of rhythm, but I'm always on the dance floor. Antonine,
you mentioned about how a lot of people have a
fear of being involved in politics and are hesitant to
really put their money behind some of the candidates that
(03:23):
there's trying to support. What role does money play in
the political system. You know, there's a scripture somewhere in
the Bible um that says money is the answer to
all things. Now another scripture that says the love of
money is the root of evil. But two different scriptures
says money is answer to all things. When you think
(03:43):
about what it takes to run a campaign, nuts and
boats and the rudiments of any effective campaign. It takes money.
I ran for office in two thousand and twelve for
a local school war race. I end up spending forty
or six thousand dollars for a school war race. To
run for a state Senate seat in South Carolina where
I live, it will cost you about a million dollars
(04:04):
on a good day. Um. And so you know, think
about the money that was spent to elect Barack Obama
and Joe Biden. I mean with the billions of dollars,
and so money is so important. That's why relationships are
so important. An investment in any campaign or in any
business made by someone else is and is a demonstration
of trust and a demonstration of appeal. And you absolutely
(04:28):
have to have that from people, particularly if you don't
have it yourself. And that's why I always tell people
who are running office and they come to me, the
first thing I said, do you have a roll index
where you can call on at least ten to twenty
people that can give you a thousand dollars? Or second,
can you right yourself a check? And most people say
know or yes or whatever, And they said why, And
(04:48):
I said, it's called skinning. In the game, and you
have to treat this as an investment, not an expense,
because if you don't invest in yourself, if you because
invest in yourself as a demonstration of even yourself, there's
nowhere in hell you can get anyone else to do it.
And you have to be the first one to write
the first check into investing in yourself so that other
people can follow. Even if you don't write the first check,
(05:10):
you should be in a position where you could if
you needed you. Right, So, it's clear that major corporate
lobbyists leverage quite a bit of power due to their
massive funds earmarked for politics. How can the average citizen
even compete with that and make a mark? You know?
There there there, there are people who play different roles
(05:31):
and say what you want about the lobbyists who give money.
At the end of the day, they don't necessary elect
these people. It's the people. It's it's big Mama in
the neighborhood who is known to call, get on the phone,
go through the phone book and call everyone about election. There,
that's my mother and my neighborhood. It's the n double
a CP president. It's the local pastor who allows the
(05:54):
candidate to come by to church the Sunday before the
election to remind people to vote. And so while money
plays a role, it doesn't play the ultimate role. It's
all about people. And there's one thing we learned from
Barack Obama. A ten, fifteen, twenty five dollar contribution can
go just as far and have even more impact, perhaps
than someone who gave ten to twenty dollars. Barack Obama's
(06:17):
historic campaign was fueled by small donations everyday, people doing
extraordinary things by making an investments. Oh I love that
because you know, I want to know that my small
contribution actually plays a role in electing the candidate that
I'm passionate about. So it's it's really it's reassuring to
hear that. Yeah, you know again, money plays, they roll,
(06:40):
But we cannot allow we in particular people look like
us because our resources are not the same from from
for the most part as as we can allow money
to be as decide in fact of whether we're treated
a certain way. Our vote is the strongest alliance we have.
We have to exercize that. And for the who can
(07:00):
give money, we should do that. Absolutely, we should. In
particularly we should give the candidate and causes that matter
to us question again, so what are the ways in
which grassroots campaigns helped to raise capital and support for
political candidates within local communities. Well, the spart was telling
you they put their resources together and they make a
(07:24):
unified investment um. And that's what I've tried my best
to understand, help people understand their strength and numbers and
politics and in life. Uh And just like life, politics
is a game of addition and multiplication, not subtraction and division.
And so when we're unified with our money, with our vote,
with our voice, good things can happen. And I will
(07:46):
just tell you telling you the local racists, in my view,
have far more impact on a community, more so than
the national elections. When you're tracking getting picked up. You
can't call the White House, but you can't call your
local sheriff, your d A. And we saw that with
Brianna Taylor, you know, and I think this is what
(08:06):
people are starting to recognize now. You have to be
involved in voting on your candidates from the top of
the ballot all the way to the bottom. And that
includes giving them money and resources. And guess what given
to a candidate doesn't always have to quate to miney
Sometimes it's time, but it's making phone calls and the
text mess and the emails, knocking on doors, putting out flyers.
(08:29):
Sometimes human investment, sweat equity goes further than green equity.
Oh that's a great, great point, Antoine. As we close out,
why is it important for black and brown voters specifically
to show their support through financial contributions and perhaps even
time contributions to a campaign. Well, I think it's a
(08:50):
pure demonstration that we're uh ever evolving, uh sadly in
politics for people who don't look like us, and some
do look like us, the expectation is not for us
to give money. And for for a long time a
lot of a lot of us did not have the
resources to extend outside of our normal life. But now
(09:13):
I think generations are getting better, We're getting more educated,
we understand how we can have a louder say so
in the process. And so if you can, even if
it's five dollars, three dollars, give five dollars and go
knock on fifty doors, that will equate to contribution in
the eyes of a candidate, that is great. Well, Antoine,
(09:34):
please tell everyone in the Money News audience where they
can reach you. On social media or where the best
way to reach out to you is those media's probably
on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Is at Antoine A and
T j u A n my last name, she right
s E A W R I G H T. Worst
(09:55):
case scenario if you're dial nine one one, I'm sure
they'll be able to find me. Please don't do that everyone, However,
it will probably work. Thank you so much Antoine for
joining us today, and drive safely and have a good one.
That's all we have time for right now. Money Movers,
make sure you keep it locked to the Money Moves
podcast powered by Bank Greenwood. Thank you so much for
(10:18):
tuning in Money Moves audience. If you want more or
a recap of this episode, please go to the Bank
Greenwood dot com and check out the Money Moves podcast blog.
Money Moves is an i heeart radio podcast powered by
Greenwood Executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc. For more podcast
(10:38):
on I Heart radio, visit the i Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from.
Hey, Money Movers, Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily podcast,
determined to give you the keys to the Kingdom of
financial stability, wealth and abundance. Antoine, You've had a really
interesting career trajectory. Tell us a little bit about that
(00:22):
pivotal moment when you realize you wanted to become not
the person that was signing the back of the text,
but the front of the chests and years at South
Carolina's oldest African American public relations advertising firm, one of
the oldest in the country's Sunrise Communications. UH started my
journey there right out of college. Worked there for three years.
(00:44):
The CEO, senator and pastor Darale Jackson, decided that I
was doing a good enough job that he trusted me
to pass the business onto me. So I was company
president and CEO. Certainly that role for six additional years.
Is what I realized. In those six years run the company.
I was doing everything required to run my company. I
(01:08):
was doing the business development, I was doing the process
and I was doing the managing. I was doing the accounting.
I was doing all the things. So I said myself,
if I want this idea of greatness or tap into
my extended potential. Then I had to It was spaith
journey and I uh went and found the necessary paperwork
(01:31):
to start my LLC. It would be interested in this.
I sat on people and I was approved by the
secretary for seven months. What was it fear that held
you back or you just were so busy? It was
seven months and I said on it because I wanted
to be sure. I was sure and everything in business
(01:54):
uh and sometimes you get the call, but you have
to make sure you prepare for the call. Over me.
It was a seven month period to make sure I
was prepared for the calls. And I brought in a
client to my to my firm while I was still
at Sunrise, and when that went well, that was my
trigger point. And I went equally to the Senator at
(02:16):
the time and I said, you know, I think I'm
gonna do this thing, and he was fully supportive. And
tell you about the grace of God. Every single client
I brought into Sunrise that I had, they went with
me to Blueprint and I did. That says a lot.
That says a lot about your work ethic and what
you delivered to them and the value you added to
that firm. So I can understand how that really reinforced
(02:39):
you being able to make that next move on your own.
And it's a faith darning. Look, if you're in a
standstill or if you're at the pregnant pause moment, don't
stay because opportunities will pass you by. My dad used
to say, opportunity only danced with those on the dance floor.
And I ll even if you can't dance, you can.
(03:02):
If you don't have rhythm like me, still get on
the dance floor. Somebody will help you out. Well, listen,
I am that girl. I only have a little bit
of rhythm, but I'm always on the dance floor. Antonine,
you mentioned about how a lot of people have a
fear of being involved in politics and are hesitant to
really put their money behind some of the candidates that
(03:23):
there's trying to support. What role does money play in
the political system. You know, there's a scripture somewhere in
the Bible um that says money is the answer to
all things. Now another scripture that says the love of
money is the root of evil. But two different scriptures
says money is answer to all things. When you think
(03:43):
about what it takes to run a campaign, nuts and
boats and the rudiments of any effective campaign. It takes money.
I ran for office in two thousand and twelve for
a local school war race. I end up spending forty
or six thousand dollars for a school war race. To
run for a state Senate seat in South Carolina where
I live, it will cost you about a million dollars
(04:04):
on a good day. Um. And so you know, think
about the money that was spent to elect Barack Obama
and Joe Biden. I mean with the billions of dollars,
and so money is so important. That's why relationships are
so important. An investment in any campaign or in any
business made by someone else is and is a demonstration
of trust and a demonstration of appeal. And you absolutely
(04:28):
have to have that from people, particularly if you don't
have it yourself. And that's why I always tell people
who are running office and they come to me, the
first thing I said, do you have a roll index
where you can call on at least ten to twenty
people that can give you a thousand dollars? Or second,
can you right yourself a check? And most people say
know or yes or whatever, And they said why, And
(04:48):
I said, it's called skinning. In the game, and you
have to treat this as an investment, not an expense,
because if you don't invest in yourself, if you because
invest in yourself as a demonstration of even yourself, there's
nowhere in hell you can get anyone else to do it.
And you have to be the first one to write
the first check into investing in yourself so that other
people can follow. Even if you don't write the first check,
(05:10):
you should be in a position where you could if
you needed you. Right, So, it's clear that major corporate
lobbyists leverage quite a bit of power due to their
massive funds earmarked for politics. How can the average citizen
even compete with that and make a mark? You know?
There there there, there are people who play different roles
(05:31):
and say what you want about the lobbyists who give money.
At the end of the day, they don't necessary elect
these people. It's the people. It's it's big Mama in
the neighborhood who is known to call, get on the phone,
go through the phone book and call everyone about election. There,
that's my mother and my neighborhood. It's the n double
a CP president. It's the local pastor who allows the
(05:54):
candidate to come by to church the Sunday before the
election to remind people to vote. And so while money
plays a role, it doesn't play the ultimate role. It's
all about people. And there's one thing we learned from
Barack Obama. A ten, fifteen, twenty five dollar contribution can
go just as far and have even more impact, perhaps
than someone who gave ten to twenty dollars. Barack Obama's
(06:17):
historic campaign was fueled by small donations everyday, people doing
extraordinary things by making an investments. Oh I love that
because you know, I want to know that my small
contribution actually plays a role in electing the candidate that
I'm passionate about. So it's it's really it's reassuring to
hear that. Yeah, you know again, money plays, they roll,
(06:40):
But we cannot allow we in particular people look like
us because our resources are not the same from from
for the most part as as we can allow money
to be as decide in fact of whether we're treated
a certain way. Our vote is the strongest alliance we have.
We have to exercize that. And for the who can
(07:00):
give money, we should do that. Absolutely, we should. In
particularly we should give the candidate and causes that matter
to us question again, so what are the ways in
which grassroots campaigns helped to raise capital and support for
political candidates within local communities. Well, the spart was telling
you they put their resources together and they make a
(07:24):
unified investment um. And that's what I've tried my best
to understand, help people understand their strength and numbers and
politics and in life. Uh And just like life, politics
is a game of addition and multiplication, not subtraction and division.
And so when we're unified with our money, with our vote,
with our voice, good things can happen. And I will
(07:46):
just tell you telling you the local racists, in my view,
have far more impact on a community, more so than
the national elections. When you're tracking getting picked up. You
can't call the White House, but you can't call your
local sheriff, your d A. And we saw that with
Brianna Taylor, you know, and I think this is what
(08:06):
people are starting to recognize now. You have to be
involved in voting on your candidates from the top of
the ballot all the way to the bottom. And that
includes giving them money and resources. And guess what given
to a candidate doesn't always have to quate to miney
Sometimes it's time, but it's making phone calls and the
text mess and the emails, knocking on doors, putting out flyers.
(08:29):
Sometimes human investment, sweat equity goes further than green equity.
Oh that's a great, great point, Antoine. As we close out,
why is it important for black and brown voters specifically
to show their support through financial contributions and perhaps even
time contributions to a campaign. Well, I think it's a
(08:50):
pure demonstration that we're uh ever evolving, uh sadly in
politics for people who don't look like us, and some
do look like us, the expectation is not for us
to give money. And for for a long time a
lot of a lot of us did not have the
resources to extend outside of our normal life. But now
(09:13):
I think generations are getting better, We're getting more educated,
we understand how we can have a louder say so
in the process. And so if you can, even if
it's five dollars, three dollars, give five dollars and go
knock on fifty doors, that will equate to contribution in
the eyes of a candidate, that is great. Well, Antoine,
(09:34):
please tell everyone in the Money News audience where they
can reach you. On social media or where the best
way to reach out to you is those media's probably
on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Is at Antoine A and
T j u A n my last name, she right
s E A W R I G H T. Worst
(09:55):
case scenario if you're dial nine one one, I'm sure
they'll be able to find me. Please don't do that everyone, However,
it will probably work. Thank you so much Antoine for
joining us today, and drive safely and have a good one.
That's all we have time for right now. Money Movers,
make sure you keep it locked to the Money Moves
podcast powered by Bank Greenwood. Thank you so much for
(10:18):
tuning in Money Moves audience. If you want more or
a recap of this episode, please go to the Bank
Greenwood dot com and check out the Money Moves podcast blog.
Money Moves is an i heeart radio podcast powered by
Greenwood Executive produced by Sunwise Media, Inc. For more podcast
(10:38):
on I Heart radio, visit the i Heart Radio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from.
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