October 21, 2022 • 27 mins
Ed talks with White House Correspondent, April Ryan. Ryan is the longest-serving African American female ever in that position. She’s covered five presidents and this year she marked a quarter century working at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. They discuss her latest book, Black Woman Will Save The World: An Anthem, the upcoming midterm election and why people must invest in voting.
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Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome to the latest edition of one hundred The Gordon Podcast.
Today a conversation with White House correspondent April Ryan. Ryan
is the longest serving African American female ever in that position.
Now in the White House press room working for the Grio,
Ryan has covered five presidents of the course of her career,
(00:43):
and this year she marked a quarter century at six
hundred Pennsylvania Avenue. She's also an author. Her latest book
is Black Women Will Save the World an anthem. This
book is my love letter to America, celebrating people who
look like me, who are me, and putting an exclamation
(01:06):
point and a common not an eerie at this moment,
because we're gonna keep going. I think back to Shirley Chisholm,
who said, if you don't have a seat at the table,
bring a folding chair. Well, black women are now not
only bringing the folding chair, which we always have on
our back, but we've crafted some of the most beautiful
uh seats and tables and convening those tables. And I
(01:29):
think back to a time when Scholman Chishum said being
black a woman is a double whammy. Will not anymore, Um,
we are now in leadership positions where it makes a
difference to have our voices in the room and they
think back a couple of years ago, black women will
being vilified. It's time to celebrate. This is my love letter,
(01:51):
my love song to America about the greatness of black women.
How much of nostalgia did you have and putting this
together thinking about the women who raised you. My mother
is always with my late mother. She she passed away
fifteen years ago, and she was the epitome of strength, grace, um,
(02:14):
forward thinking, and she's always with me. But I hear
her words about the past and the moment we're in
because I was a kid who was born immediately after
we got all black books, got all the rights and
laws in their favor. And then to see it start
(02:34):
to roll back, but to also see the black women
who are at the front of the fight, the forefront,
to ensure that we have a better day, to ensure
that our grandchildren will be okay, our children will be okay.
It is just amazing to mark this moment because my mother, Um,
you know, she she passed away just before Barack Obama
(02:55):
officially threw his hat into the rain to our president,
and she said, then we'll see because she remembers a day.
But that was just a pipe dream emotion. Now these
moments are here, not just the first black president, the
black woman on the U. S. Supreme Court, a black
woman being called Madam vice President, the first black woman
(03:16):
White House Press secretary. Okay, um, just the list keeps
going on and on. How do we make sure that
we are proud of these moments, marking these moments, but
also understanding what we're facing in terms of the compressions
in the pushback April. Well, first of all, we marked
this moment because we celebrate everyone all the time, and
(03:38):
now it's time to singularly say, okay, black women, is
your turn. We noticed you, because if you don't notice it,
sometimes we pull along the wayside and it falls off
without the market He builds upon the moments of marketing,
demarcation or or marking the moment um. I believe that
we we have to celebrate one another. But this again
(03:58):
is the moment for black women to stand, rise, take
the bow, walk across the room with their their gowns
as they as they deliver opinions for the US. I mean,
we're doing all that. How did you decide to write
the book. As you do, I think what is great
about it as you do so anecdotally um in some ways,
(04:20):
and it makes it an easier read for people who
might not, uh, you know, read it any other way.
It's an easy read. But you get stories about the
the communion of women, the sisterhood in these unique spaces
like Lori Lightfoot, the mayor of Chicago. You know, there
(04:41):
was a coming together sisters at the time of keech
Lands Bottoms was mayor and and Muriel Bowser and in
so many others, the mayor of the worlds et cetera.
These black women coming together saying, oh, I'm going through
this test. The sister, here's my testimony if I went
through this test. But sister, you need self care. You know.
I'm starting to hear more about these rarefied communal spaces,
(05:05):
for these sisters who have never been in these spaces,
who are now coming together and talking about the moment,
how to walk through some of the stumbling blocks and
bring others along. I tell stories like the Valerie Jared,
our friend Valerie Jared, who, for all engens and purposes,
is one of the reasons why Barack Obama was President
(05:26):
of the United States she talks about her her legacy,
her legacy of slavery, that one of her ancestors was
raped by a slave owner. And now she's here sitting
in rooms making word policy, changing the globe. And sometimes
(05:47):
you wonder, you know, because of what count you from
the past? Do I belong here? We have those stories
and and you know Keisha Land's bottoms talking about and
I'll never forget this, This will stay with you forever.
Here's a woman who led one of the largest economies
in the nation. Here's a woman who, uh was the
mayor of a city that had a large number of
(06:10):
fortune five hundred companies, of the one of the most
powerful airports in the world. And yet someone, a man
came to her and said, who told you that when
she makes decisions? What you know, we're still faced with
so much as we still pressed on to lift up
the school house, lift up the church house, lift up
(06:31):
our house, the community, the government house, et cetera. How
do we make sure that black women don't take on
too much? Though, April, because that is something that I
remember my mom, my grandmother's, my aunt saw your beautiful
pictures of your mom. Yeah, there's that feeling, there's that
feeling sometimes. This sad piece is I think it's a
(06:52):
generational curse from the inception of Black people, Africans enslaved
in this country. We were given a heat and had
to figure out how to make it work, and we
do that so gracefully and skillfully better than other communities.
We have always been given the short stick. We've been
given a spoon what other people are given a shovel.
(07:14):
But we still make it work. And that's the piece. Um.
We are always gold on. And we have to learn
self care. We talked about that in that book and
in Black People Will Save the World and Anthem. One
of my dear friends for Drinking Newton, the widow human
Black Panther Party leader, she said one thing she didn't
(07:37):
realize the self care then and now she's working real
hard on that. And it's interesting for her to say
that because as we look now to celebrate the Black
Panther Party organization that was once vilified, we now celebrate.
You know, she said back then she didn't take care
(07:58):
of herself. It wasn't self care back and as they
continue to push for free clinics, for health for our community,
uh for food programs for our children, in our community
and all of those things. Now we see that the
government is pushing forward and and and and funding. But
she said, you know, it was something that she thought
(08:19):
of them, and she's not is attuned to it. Now
she's working on it. But think about this. She says that,
and the Black Panther Party was supported the membership was
mostly women women. And if she thinks that and thought
that back, then think about the membership there. And that's
(08:40):
kind of a mirror. This is unscientific, but it's kind
of a mirror into who we are. We are not
as black women, and we don't see ourselves in society,
doesn't see ourselves as this as the standard of beauty
in the eyes of the world. We are not considered vulnerable.
We don't have the vulnerability that other communities can celebrate
(09:03):
with their women. But yet we are considered the work
the workforce. We don't hurt um, so therefore you don't
need time off. And if you ask so many, so
many women, you know, what do they do? They're like, oh, well,
you know, I stay home, you know, or I'm gonna
go to lunch. What do you do to celebrate yourself?
(09:23):
What do you do to pause to rejuvenate, and for
so many of us it's hard to say, I go
out and care for myself because we're not conditioned that way,
and it's time to change that time. You and I
have young daughters. Uh, so we're trying to give them
kind of that path, and and I know that we've
(09:44):
been very blessed to have them walk that path so far.
But I I concern myself sometimes, particularly when I see
social media, Um, how do we make sure that they
understand there's the image of being a boss and there's
the reality of being a boss, and some instances we
fake it till we make it on social media. And
that's the problem I've heard from my own kids. Oh,
(10:06):
I see people having so much fun. Usaid, that's a snippet,
a created moment in many cases, when it's actually the opposite.
But what we do is and still in our young women,
the struggle but to strive to move forward. And I
think it's intrinsic. Um it's intuitive. Because I talked to
(10:28):
one of our friends, Cornell Belcher, he is Democratic polster
for Brilliant Corners, who said, when women moved to getting
these high, lofty places, particularly when it comes to government, spaces.
It's because it's out of love, just like with the
Black Panthers, he said, the move was about love when
(10:50):
you have men and many instances is about ego and power,
but we push for love. So we have to look
at that. You know, are we out your flossing and
being the boss? Because we want to flosshy be the boss?
So are we actually doing it? I don't believe in
the fake it to make until you make it uh
syndrome that we're seeing on social media. But I think
(11:11):
we need to allow our children and others to understand
that who we are is enough. If we don't reach boss,
we are still boss in our own space. Each one
of us plays a unique role, and um, I'm the
boss in my own space. My kids and my fiance
they don't care about what happens outside of this all.
(11:33):
But in a year out of the bost we fiance
and I are both the boss together. But we have
to remember we are enough. This space is enough, and
unfortunately we see a lot of the designers names on
our clothes branded or nuts, and we don't think we're enough.
(11:55):
And this book is my love song to America about
black women. Because we are enough. We are more than enough.
We have overcome, we are achievers. We're still doing that thing.
How do we make sure that this advancement isn't a
divide I remember Tiffany Cross and I had this discussion,
and you're starting to see articles written not just about
(12:17):
black men, but men in general in this sense of
kind of falling back and and not doing enough and
not doing what their quotes supposed to do. How do
we make sure that the success of black women isn't
a divider between black men and black women. So I'm
glad you brought that up. This is not intended to
divide it off anything. You know, black women have supported
(12:39):
our men. We have stood by them in the best
of times and the worst of times. But in this moment,
as we rise and we hit the pinnacle, I'm not
going to sit here and let it go by without
marking the moment. It doesn't mean that we're not marking
the moment of our men or other communities. We celebrate.
(12:59):
I celebrate I know all communities, religions, racists, what have you.
But for this moment, for me as a black woman,
to see this moment that my ancestors I never thought
would happen and so many others. I celebrate man, I
celebrate you. This is not a divider. This is a
moment to say, yes, sisters, rise up, men's women, everyone
(13:22):
from all races. Let's celebrate black women. And when someone
else writes a book about celebrating black man, I would
be the first one right there. I think it's important
for us to have those discussions because I know I've
heard it um you know and barbershop, when we're alone,
when men are alone, there is this sense of yeah
it sisters thinking. I see a lot of young brothers,
(13:43):
we have conversations with them about they think success. A
lot of them honestly is living off a woman. And
you know there's real concern, uh, between a number of
black men about that. Well, there is a concern because
right out you hit a point, Black women are rising
in numbers head of household, Black women are rising in
(14:05):
number as the bread winner. And I want to see
our brothers and sisters together. And what is unfortunate is
is that when you see these stats, it's a double
edged sword. It's showing that women can do it, but
the problem is they're doing it alone, and you don't
(14:26):
necessarily want to see that. And we want to celebrate
our brothers. But should women be the head of household?
Should women? And that's a whole another thing, as a
whole complex dynamic. You know, some people like I can
do it by myself. But are we communal or are
we isolated? You know, COVID showed us one thing. We
are not a community of isolators. We're saying more people
(14:49):
become communal. So here's the thing. Do we really want
to see the numbers rise women are head of households?
That means this no companion there. I'm not saying you
have to have a companion, be contentue yourself. But this
is not about bashing brothers. I want to see happy,
healthy relationships. That's all that's as a whole show. But
(15:16):
I cannot have you on this show without bringing up
what you cover every day. And we're walking into mid terms.
You and I have been talking about this now, it
seems like for a couple of years leading into it. Um,
what do you see, April? I mean, you know, be
a bit of a prognosticator for me. I see Stacy
Abram's fighting for her political life in Georgia, UM George's
(15:39):
ground zero. Stacy started the ground zero and now it's
extra because of all the controversy did he a didn't he?
With her? Shal Walker, Um Rockier warnuts Um lead is
widening a bit. Should have never been that close though
(16:01):
for so many of us to say you should have
never been that close. Um, We're watching Val Dimmings in Florida,
and then let's go to California. There's so many other
races between, but these are some of the ones that
we're watching. California. Karen Bat's in Los Angeles. She's going
(16:23):
up against um, someone who has got so much money,
a lot of money, a lot of money just making
it rain. But she's still in the race. But it's
we got to see how this turns out. In California,
it's crime, it's the economy, and it's homelessness. So we
got to see how this turns out. So we're watching
all the races. I cannot predict anything. I'm not a prognosticator,
(16:47):
but we're in We're in the midst of some really
interesting races. In a moment we never thought we have
more blacks running for office than ever before, and this
is really this is a went to watch. What do
you think about what we those of us who are
kind of in it have known for a long time.
But this um splinter nature of the Democratic Party. You know,
(17:11):
we saw Taulsy Gabbard's the other day kind of say, hey,
I'm done, I'm gonna be an independent. One can argue
whether she was that before the announcement or not, but um,
there is some some real rumblings between the factions. What
do you see there. So you're talking about the splinter
nature of the Democratic Party, I'm hearing more from the
(17:34):
Republicans who are talking about I'm leaving and I'm going
to be an independent. I think both parties are are
uh trying to find themselves and they're trying to find
themselves in this moment and what it looks like coming
out of this mid term and then what it works
into before and looks like we've got a long way
(17:57):
to go. There's so many issues. Both sides are saying,
you know, we're not who we used to be and
I'm gonna I'm gonna. I'm gonna blame a couple of
factors on the reason why these parties are not the same.
They've taken on a machine that they didn't realize. I'm
(18:19):
talking about both parties what the results would be if
they tried to tackle it or wrangle it. And I'm
talking about the Internet. Remember when Barack Obama ran for office,
he was able to successfully and skillfully and use the
Internet to his advantage. And New Greek Gingwich said, remember this,
(18:40):
he said, We've got to learn how to figure out
this Internet thing. Not only did they figure it out,
they've commandeered it and taking it over to the advantage
or disadvantage of democracy. And then we have outliers. He's
another piece for both parties. We have outliers who feel
(19:02):
that they weren't touched. One of the reasons why people
voted for Barack Obama is because they felt that they
were going to be included. One of the main reasons
why Barack Obama became president of the United States. He
spoke a language and hit a coward when people want
to change. Going into recession, gas prices were high, the
(19:22):
country was unhappy, we were in a war, we retired,
we re war wearing. Barack Obama brought a lighte and
change and he touched a group that it was not
necessarily under the umbrellament. Now the complete and polar opposite.
Donald Trump said changed, he touched the group that felt
(19:46):
that that he were not touched by politics of society.
What I gather here is that because of all of
these revelations and and the brokenness of the system, people
want to change. But how do you make everyone feel
(20:07):
the thing? Man. That's a tough equation that may not
have equal parts. Um. I think there's several things that
brought us to this point. It's more than messaging. It's
more than people in the party. It's about the politics
(20:27):
people we the people who feel like we're not touched,
and the kind of messages that we listen to and believe.
There's so many I'm going deeper than just the people
in the party. Uh, we're in a moment that you
can't put the genie bag in the bottle because the
bobble is broken. Do you think Trump will be viable
(20:49):
in twenty four That's I mean, that seems to be
the million dollar question for so many people. Okay, let's
see what happens in New York and Georgia and with
Mary Garland after January six. Um, the more information that
comes out, it seems, the more people dig in and
(21:10):
love him so much. UM, I don't know. I just
don't know. We have to wait and see if they're
going to be indictment. Some people are saying that January
six Committee has pushed it so much so that married
Garland has no choice but to dye. We just have
(21:30):
to see, because again, January six is created out of
people believing a falsehood that the election was stolen but
it wasn't legitimate, that Joe Biden is not the legitimate president.
So people are believing. If they believe that, and we
saw what that led to, they're believing the lines instead
(21:52):
of being told now, um, from the leaders of that action,
of the Republican line, what do you tell the black
voter who's disenchanted right now, who hasn't been moved enough
with only a couple of weeks left till election day,
the furtherest not there at this point, they don't know
(22:15):
if they're gonna vote. What do you tell them? Well, um,
I would tell them, you know, don't complain to me
because if you can't google it as simple as that
on your phone to figure out what the candidates saying,
what's on the ballot, what concerns you. I don't know
(22:36):
what to say. Um, this election, in any election, pertains
to you. It's all about you. But everything is on
the table at this point, from abortion rights to affirmative
action two l g B t Q rights. I mean,
that's just and we just talk to spreat Court. But
let's drill down the right to vote. You're right to
(23:00):
education being free. In education in some states, you have
to be well read. And when I say well read,
if you need, just go on a Google search and
look up the ballot in or particular area and then research.
Just read. There are a lot of articles and and
(23:23):
explainers about a lot of these issues in your local community.
It's not that cerebral. If you don't go, it's it's
more than votor African apathy. You just don't care. And
it's well, we had a very interesting time, especially when
gas prices, so our inflation is not the President says
(23:44):
we might have a slight recession too much as Yeah,
and and some would say though not on the ballot
democracy that is this. Yeah, let me ask you this
last thing, April. I remember talking to you at the
(24:04):
close of President obama second term and you were thinking
about leaving the White House. Frankly, uh, give me a
sense of the April that maybe I should have left.
Give me the sense of the mindset of that April
and the April i'm talking to today, the mindset of
(24:27):
that April back then to today. UM, I never imagined
what we would go through and what we're here today
dealing with. Never But when my history books didn't tell
me that, Civics lessons didn't tell me that I'm writing
history now, I'm here for it. The longest serving black
(24:50):
woman journalists in the White House kid from Baltimore, Robert
and Vivian's daughter. UM, I'm here for it. I'm gonna
stay around Lord's Will for another couple of years, and
if not, UM, I'll be writing another book on something else.
(25:12):
But I'm gonna stick around for another couple of years.
At least they've got five presents. UM. I don't want
to be in this situation where you gotta put me
out of there. I don't want to be in a
wheelchair like y'all know. UM, I'm gonna figure out what
what it's going to look like. I'm gonna try to
(25:33):
create my Lord's Will. I'm gonna try to create my
own exit. But I'm thankful that I stay even in
the wordst of times and I'm thankful, I say, because
I would have never seen twenty five years. I didn't expect.
I wasn't even thinking about that, you know. I was
just thinking about just going in and doing the work.
And the work is tedious and monotonous. But all I
(25:54):
kept thinking about is doing the work. And then as
I was doing the work, I happen going twenty five years,
like okay, okay, and then we'll see another two years,
because I think in two years, if I stay, I'll
be the longest serving Black person ever. So yeah, well,
we're thankful you stayed, especially um what we could not
(26:14):
have envisioned on that day. We talked what came after,
and we were glad you were on the front lines.
The book is called Black Women Will Save the World,
An Anthem celebration of Black women's resilience and strength, and
certainly you are one of those on that front line.
April Ryan savings world. Thank you girl, go always always,
always good to see you you too. Thank you Another
(26:40):
big thanks to April Ryan. Her new book, Black Women
Will Save the World An Anthem, is available now. One
is produced by Ed Gordon Media and distributed by I
Heart Media. Carol Johnson Green and Sharie Weldon are our bookers.
Our editor is Lands Pas Gerald Albright composed and performed
(27:03):
our theme. Please join me on Twitter and Instagram at
ed L Gordon and on Facebook at ed Gordon Media
Welcome to the latest edition of one hundred The Gordon Podcast.
Today a conversation with White House correspondent April Ryan. Ryan
is the longest serving African American female ever in that position.
Now in the White House press room working for the Grio,
Ryan has covered five presidents of the course of her career,
(00:43):
and this year she marked a quarter century at six
hundred Pennsylvania Avenue. She's also an author. Her latest book
is Black Women Will Save the World an anthem. This
book is my love letter to America, celebrating people who
look like me, who are me, and putting an exclamation
(01:06):
point and a common not an eerie at this moment,
because we're gonna keep going. I think back to Shirley Chisholm,
who said, if you don't have a seat at the table,
bring a folding chair. Well, black women are now not
only bringing the folding chair, which we always have on
our back, but we've crafted some of the most beautiful
uh seats and tables and convening those tables. And I
(01:29):
think back to a time when Scholman Chishum said being
black a woman is a double whammy. Will not anymore, Um,
we are now in leadership positions where it makes a
difference to have our voices in the room and they
think back a couple of years ago, black women will
being vilified. It's time to celebrate. This is my love letter,
(01:51):
my love song to America about the greatness of black women.
How much of nostalgia did you have and putting this
together thinking about the women who raised you. My mother
is always with my late mother. She she passed away
fifteen years ago, and she was the epitome of strength, grace, um,
(02:14):
forward thinking, and she's always with me. But I hear
her words about the past and the moment we're in
because I was a kid who was born immediately after
we got all black books, got all the rights and
laws in their favor. And then to see it start
(02:34):
to roll back, but to also see the black women
who are at the front of the fight, the forefront,
to ensure that we have a better day, to ensure
that our grandchildren will be okay, our children will be okay.
It is just amazing to mark this moment because my mother, Um,
you know, she she passed away just before Barack Obama
(02:55):
officially threw his hat into the rain to our president,
and she said, then we'll see because she remembers a day.
But that was just a pipe dream emotion. Now these
moments are here, not just the first black president, the
black woman on the U. S. Supreme Court, a black
woman being called Madam vice President, the first black woman
(03:16):
White House Press secretary. Okay, um, just the list keeps
going on and on. How do we make sure that
we are proud of these moments, marking these moments, but
also understanding what we're facing in terms of the compressions
in the pushback April. Well, first of all, we marked
this moment because we celebrate everyone all the time, and
(03:38):
now it's time to singularly say, okay, black women, is
your turn. We noticed you, because if you don't notice it,
sometimes we pull along the wayside and it falls off
without the market He builds upon the moments of marketing,
demarcation or or marking the moment um. I believe that
we we have to celebrate one another. But this again
(03:58):
is the moment for black women to stand, rise, take
the bow, walk across the room with their their gowns
as they as they deliver opinions for the US. I mean,
we're doing all that. How did you decide to write
the book. As you do, I think what is great
about it as you do so anecdotally um in some ways,
(04:20):
and it makes it an easier read for people who
might not, uh, you know, read it any other way.
It's an easy read. But you get stories about the
the communion of women, the sisterhood in these unique spaces
like Lori Lightfoot, the mayor of Chicago. You know, there
(04:41):
was a coming together sisters at the time of keech
Lands Bottoms was mayor and and Muriel Bowser and in
so many others, the mayor of the worlds et cetera.
These black women coming together saying, oh, I'm going through
this test. The sister, here's my testimony if I went
through this test. But sister, you need self care. You know.
I'm starting to hear more about these rarefied communal spaces,
(05:05):
for these sisters who have never been in these spaces,
who are now coming together and talking about the moment,
how to walk through some of the stumbling blocks and
bring others along. I tell stories like the Valerie Jared,
our friend Valerie Jared, who, for all engens and purposes,
is one of the reasons why Barack Obama was President
(05:26):
of the United States she talks about her her legacy,
her legacy of slavery, that one of her ancestors was
raped by a slave owner. And now she's here sitting
in rooms making word policy, changing the globe. And sometimes
(05:47):
you wonder, you know, because of what count you from
the past? Do I belong here? We have those stories
and and you know Keisha Land's bottoms talking about and
I'll never forget this, This will stay with you forever.
Here's a woman who led one of the largest economies
in the nation. Here's a woman who, uh was the
mayor of a city that had a large number of
(06:10):
fortune five hundred companies, of the one of the most
powerful airports in the world. And yet someone, a man
came to her and said, who told you that when
she makes decisions? What you know, we're still faced with
so much as we still pressed on to lift up
the school house, lift up the church house, lift up
(06:31):
our house, the community, the government house, et cetera. How
do we make sure that black women don't take on
too much? Though, April, because that is something that I
remember my mom, my grandmother's, my aunt saw your beautiful
pictures of your mom. Yeah, there's that feeling, there's that
feeling sometimes. This sad piece is I think it's a
(06:52):
generational curse from the inception of Black people, Africans enslaved
in this country. We were given a heat and had
to figure out how to make it work, and we
do that so gracefully and skillfully better than other communities.
We have always been given the short stick. We've been
given a spoon what other people are given a shovel.
(07:14):
But we still make it work. And that's the piece. Um.
We are always gold on. And we have to learn
self care. We talked about that in that book and
in Black People Will Save the World and Anthem. One
of my dear friends for Drinking Newton, the widow human
Black Panther Party leader, she said one thing she didn't
(07:37):
realize the self care then and now she's working real
hard on that. And it's interesting for her to say
that because as we look now to celebrate the Black
Panther Party organization that was once vilified, we now celebrate.
You know, she said back then she didn't take care
(07:58):
of herself. It wasn't self care back and as they
continue to push for free clinics, for health for our community,
uh for food programs for our children, in our community
and all of those things. Now we see that the
government is pushing forward and and and and funding. But
she said, you know, it was something that she thought
(08:19):
of them, and she's not is attuned to it. Now
she's working on it. But think about this. She says that,
and the Black Panther Party was supported the membership was
mostly women women. And if she thinks that and thought
that back, then think about the membership there. And that's
(08:40):
kind of a mirror. This is unscientific, but it's kind
of a mirror into who we are. We are not
as black women, and we don't see ourselves in society,
doesn't see ourselves as this as the standard of beauty
in the eyes of the world. We are not considered vulnerable.
We don't have the vulnerability that other communities can celebrate
(09:03):
with their women. But yet we are considered the work
the workforce. We don't hurt um, so therefore you don't
need time off. And if you ask so many, so
many women, you know, what do they do? They're like, oh, well,
you know, I stay home, you know, or I'm gonna
go to lunch. What do you do to celebrate yourself?
(09:23):
What do you do to pause to rejuvenate, and for
so many of us it's hard to say, I go
out and care for myself because we're not conditioned that way,
and it's time to change that time. You and I
have young daughters. Uh, so we're trying to give them
kind of that path, and and I know that we've
(09:44):
been very blessed to have them walk that path so far.
But I I concern myself sometimes, particularly when I see
social media, Um, how do we make sure that they
understand there's the image of being a boss and there's
the reality of being a boss, and some instances we
fake it till we make it on social media. And
that's the problem I've heard from my own kids. Oh,
(10:06):
I see people having so much fun. Usaid, that's a snippet,
a created moment in many cases, when it's actually the opposite.
But what we do is and still in our young women,
the struggle but to strive to move forward. And I
think it's intrinsic. Um it's intuitive. Because I talked to
(10:28):
one of our friends, Cornell Belcher, he is Democratic polster
for Brilliant Corners, who said, when women moved to getting
these high, lofty places, particularly when it comes to government, spaces.
It's because it's out of love, just like with the
Black Panthers, he said, the move was about love when
(10:50):
you have men and many instances is about ego and power,
but we push for love. So we have to look
at that. You know, are we out your flossing and
being the boss? Because we want to flosshy be the boss?
So are we actually doing it? I don't believe in
the fake it to make until you make it uh
syndrome that we're seeing on social media. But I think
(11:11):
we need to allow our children and others to understand
that who we are is enough. If we don't reach boss,
we are still boss in our own space. Each one
of us plays a unique role, and um, I'm the
boss in my own space. My kids and my fiance
they don't care about what happens outside of this all.
(11:33):
But in a year out of the bost we fiance
and I are both the boss together. But we have
to remember we are enough. This space is enough, and
unfortunately we see a lot of the designers names on
our clothes branded or nuts, and we don't think we're enough.
(11:55):
And this book is my love song to America about
black women. Because we are enough. We are more than enough.
We have overcome, we are achievers. We're still doing that thing.
How do we make sure that this advancement isn't a
divide I remember Tiffany Cross and I had this discussion,
and you're starting to see articles written not just about
(12:17):
black men, but men in general in this sense of
kind of falling back and and not doing enough and
not doing what their quotes supposed to do. How do
we make sure that the success of black women isn't
a divider between black men and black women. So I'm
glad you brought that up. This is not intended to
divide it off anything. You know, black women have supported
(12:39):
our men. We have stood by them in the best
of times and the worst of times. But in this moment,
as we rise and we hit the pinnacle, I'm not
going to sit here and let it go by without
marking the moment. It doesn't mean that we're not marking
the moment of our men or other communities. We celebrate.
(12:59):
I celebrate I know all communities, religions, racists, what have you.
But for this moment, for me as a black woman,
to see this moment that my ancestors I never thought
would happen and so many others. I celebrate man, I
celebrate you. This is not a divider. This is a
moment to say, yes, sisters, rise up, men's women, everyone
(13:22):
from all races. Let's celebrate black women. And when someone
else writes a book about celebrating black man, I would
be the first one right there. I think it's important
for us to have those discussions because I know I've
heard it um you know and barbershop, when we're alone,
when men are alone, there is this sense of yeah
it sisters thinking. I see a lot of young brothers,
(13:43):
we have conversations with them about they think success. A
lot of them honestly is living off a woman. And
you know there's real concern, uh, between a number of
black men about that. Well, there is a concern because
right out you hit a point, Black women are rising
in numbers head of household, Black women are rising in
(14:05):
number as the bread winner. And I want to see
our brothers and sisters together. And what is unfortunate is
is that when you see these stats, it's a double
edged sword. It's showing that women can do it, but
the problem is they're doing it alone, and you don't
(14:26):
necessarily want to see that. And we want to celebrate
our brothers. But should women be the head of household?
Should women? And that's a whole another thing, as a
whole complex dynamic. You know, some people like I can
do it by myself. But are we communal or are
we isolated? You know, COVID showed us one thing. We
are not a community of isolators. We're saying more people
(14:49):
become communal. So here's the thing. Do we really want
to see the numbers rise women are head of households?
That means this no companion there. I'm not saying you
have to have a companion, be contentue yourself. But this
is not about bashing brothers. I want to see happy,
healthy relationships. That's all that's as a whole show. But
(15:16):
I cannot have you on this show without bringing up
what you cover every day. And we're walking into mid terms.
You and I have been talking about this now, it
seems like for a couple of years leading into it. Um,
what do you see, April? I mean, you know, be
a bit of a prognosticator for me. I see Stacy
Abram's fighting for her political life in Georgia, UM George's
(15:39):
ground zero. Stacy started the ground zero and now it's
extra because of all the controversy did he a didn't he?
With her? Shal Walker, Um Rockier warnuts Um lead is
widening a bit. Should have never been that close though
(16:01):
for so many of us to say you should have
never been that close. Um, We're watching Val Dimmings in Florida,
and then let's go to California. There's so many other
races between, but these are some of the ones that
we're watching. California. Karen Bat's in Los Angeles. She's going
(16:23):
up against um, someone who has got so much money,
a lot of money, a lot of money just making
it rain. But she's still in the race. But it's
we got to see how this turns out. In California,
it's crime, it's the economy, and it's homelessness. So we
got to see how this turns out. So we're watching
all the races. I cannot predict anything. I'm not a prognosticator,
(16:47):
but we're in We're in the midst of some really
interesting races. In a moment we never thought we have
more blacks running for office than ever before, and this
is really this is a went to watch. What do
you think about what we those of us who are
kind of in it have known for a long time.
But this um splinter nature of the Democratic Party. You know,
(17:11):
we saw Taulsy Gabbard's the other day kind of say, hey,
I'm done, I'm gonna be an independent. One can argue
whether she was that before the announcement or not, but um,
there is some some real rumblings between the factions. What
do you see there. So you're talking about the splinter
nature of the Democratic Party, I'm hearing more from the
(17:34):
Republicans who are talking about I'm leaving and I'm going
to be an independent. I think both parties are are
uh trying to find themselves and they're trying to find
themselves in this moment and what it looks like coming
out of this mid term and then what it works
into before and looks like we've got a long way
(17:57):
to go. There's so many issues. Both sides are saying,
you know, we're not who we used to be and
I'm gonna I'm gonna. I'm gonna blame a couple of
factors on the reason why these parties are not the same.
They've taken on a machine that they didn't realize. I'm
(18:19):
talking about both parties what the results would be if
they tried to tackle it or wrangle it. And I'm
talking about the Internet. Remember when Barack Obama ran for office,
he was able to successfully and skillfully and use the
Internet to his advantage. And New Greek Gingwich said, remember this,
(18:40):
he said, We've got to learn how to figure out
this Internet thing. Not only did they figure it out,
they've commandeered it and taking it over to the advantage
or disadvantage of democracy. And then we have outliers. He's
another piece for both parties. We have outliers who feel
(19:02):
that they weren't touched. One of the reasons why people
voted for Barack Obama is because they felt that they
were going to be included. One of the main reasons
why Barack Obama became president of the United States. He
spoke a language and hit a coward when people want
to change. Going into recession, gas prices were high, the
(19:22):
country was unhappy, we were in a war, we retired,
we re war wearing. Barack Obama brought a lighte and
change and he touched a group that it was not
necessarily under the umbrellament. Now the complete and polar opposite.
Donald Trump said changed, he touched the group that felt
(19:46):
that that he were not touched by politics of society.
What I gather here is that because of all of
these revelations and and the brokenness of the system, people
want to change. But how do you make everyone feel
(20:07):
the thing? Man. That's a tough equation that may not
have equal parts. Um. I think there's several things that
brought us to this point. It's more than messaging. It's
more than people in the party. It's about the politics
(20:27):
people we the people who feel like we're not touched,
and the kind of messages that we listen to and believe.
There's so many I'm going deeper than just the people
in the party. Uh, we're in a moment that you
can't put the genie bag in the bottle because the
bobble is broken. Do you think Trump will be viable
(20:49):
in twenty four That's I mean, that seems to be
the million dollar question for so many people. Okay, let's
see what happens in New York and Georgia and with
Mary Garland after January six. Um, the more information that
comes out, it seems, the more people dig in and
(21:10):
love him so much. UM, I don't know. I just
don't know. We have to wait and see if they're
going to be indictment. Some people are saying that January
six Committee has pushed it so much so that married
Garland has no choice but to dye. We just have
(21:30):
to see, because again, January six is created out of
people believing a falsehood that the election was stolen but
it wasn't legitimate, that Joe Biden is not the legitimate president.
So people are believing. If they believe that, and we
saw what that led to, they're believing the lines instead
(21:52):
of being told now, um, from the leaders of that action,
of the Republican line, what do you tell the black
voter who's disenchanted right now, who hasn't been moved enough
with only a couple of weeks left till election day,
the furtherest not there at this point, they don't know
(22:15):
if they're gonna vote. What do you tell them? Well, um,
I would tell them, you know, don't complain to me
because if you can't google it as simple as that
on your phone to figure out what the candidates saying,
what's on the ballot, what concerns you. I don't know
(22:36):
what to say. Um, this election, in any election, pertains
to you. It's all about you. But everything is on
the table at this point, from abortion rights to affirmative
action two l g B t Q rights. I mean,
that's just and we just talk to spreat Court. But
let's drill down the right to vote. You're right to
(23:00):
education being free. In education in some states, you have
to be well read. And when I say well read,
if you need, just go on a Google search and
look up the ballot in or particular area and then research.
Just read. There are a lot of articles and and
(23:23):
explainers about a lot of these issues in your local community.
It's not that cerebral. If you don't go, it's it's
more than votor African apathy. You just don't care. And
it's well, we had a very interesting time, especially when
gas prices, so our inflation is not the President says
(23:44):
we might have a slight recession too much as Yeah,
and and some would say though not on the ballot
democracy that is this. Yeah, let me ask you this
last thing, April. I remember talking to you at the
(24:04):
close of President obama second term and you were thinking
about leaving the White House. Frankly, uh, give me a
sense of the April that maybe I should have left.
Give me the sense of the mindset of that April
and the April i'm talking to today, the mindset of
(24:27):
that April back then to today. UM, I never imagined
what we would go through and what we're here today
dealing with. Never But when my history books didn't tell
me that, Civics lessons didn't tell me that I'm writing
history now, I'm here for it. The longest serving black
(24:50):
woman journalists in the White House kid from Baltimore, Robert
and Vivian's daughter. UM, I'm here for it. I'm gonna
stay around Lord's Will for another couple of years, and
if not, UM, I'll be writing another book on something else.
(25:12):
But I'm gonna stick around for another couple of years.
At least they've got five presents. UM. I don't want
to be in this situation where you gotta put me
out of there. I don't want to be in a
wheelchair like y'all know. UM, I'm gonna figure out what
what it's going to look like. I'm gonna try to
(25:33):
create my Lord's Will. I'm gonna try to create my
own exit. But I'm thankful that I stay even in
the wordst of times and I'm thankful, I say, because
I would have never seen twenty five years. I didn't expect.
I wasn't even thinking about that, you know. I was
just thinking about just going in and doing the work.
And the work is tedious and monotonous. But all I
(25:54):
kept thinking about is doing the work. And then as
I was doing the work, I happen going twenty five years,
like okay, okay, and then we'll see another two years,
because I think in two years, if I stay, I'll
be the longest serving Black person ever. So yeah, well,
we're thankful you stayed, especially um what we could not
(26:14):
have envisioned on that day. We talked what came after,
and we were glad you were on the front lines.
The book is called Black Women Will Save the World,
An Anthem celebration of Black women's resilience and strength, and
certainly you are one of those on that front line.
April Ryan savings world. Thank you girl, go always always,
always good to see you you too. Thank you Another
(26:40):
big thanks to April Ryan. Her new book, Black Women
Will Save the World An Anthem, is available now. One
is produced by Ed Gordon Media and distributed by I
Heart Media. Carol Johnson Green and Sharie Weldon are our bookers.
Our editor is Lands Pas Gerald Albright composed and performed
(27:03):
our theme. Please join me on Twitter and Instagram at
ed L Gordon and on Facebook at ed Gordon Media
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