April 11, 2025 • 51 mins
Black Oklahomans past and present hold a pivotal position in understanding the black experience in America. Just over 100 years since the destruction of Greenwood in Tulsa, OK and in the midst of concerted efforts to mute the teaching of history (through policy like HB 1775) its critical to uncover the untold history of the Black experience in Oklahoma. Launching in Tulsa, Black History Saturdays, founded by Kristi Williams is a community education program created for the purpose of educating young people, their families, and the wider community toward a more honest and comprehensive understanding of Black history in Oklahoma and across the globe. The goal is to increase public knowledge, promote youth engagement, and equip the next generation of change-makers with historical and cultural knowledge that will inspire them to create powerful impact within their communities.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Speaks to the planet.
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I go by the name of Charlamagne Tha God and
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Speaker 1 (00:55):
Real good, Let's just keep a real straight shot with
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Speaker 3 (01:00):
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all of us.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Street Shot No Chaser. What's your girl?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Tesslon figure Out on the Black Effect Podcast networking. Well, Hello, everybody,
Straight Shot No Chaser family.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Shout out to everybody in the comments.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We are live straight Shot No Chaser on the Black
Effect Podcast Network. I am your host, tesslim Figureo. You
are my co hosts, my co teacher, my straight shooter.
I want to appreciate everybody for joining me on this
particular show that is so, so so critically important. I
have Christy Williams here with Black History Saturdays. You guys
(01:38):
have heard me talking about her over the years. She
has been somebody that I have supported for a minute
and in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She also was one of the
trainers for the Push the Line training that we did
in Atlanta in twenty twenty two. She's had me come
(01:59):
do some training for her her and toul Us, Oklahoma.
So she's been the trainee, the trainer, and now just
completely taking over the Black History Saturday space as the founder,
creator of the idea, and so I wanted to give
her one her flowers and two you know, an opportunity
to explain to you with Black History Saturdays is all
(02:19):
about how the program became. They've mentioned it on the
view the other day, and so I wish they would
have said her name.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm working on that, but they talked about it.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Saying, the lady you know, started Black History Saturdays because
of you know, what was happening in her hometown, but
not even just her hometown, the state of Oklahoma, which
votes Republican in every single county. Christy took it upon
herself to start this program. So we're going to give
her an opportunity to explain it to you, and for
those who want to join the show, I will be
(02:50):
dropping a link if you have some questions for her,
because we want to take some questions as well, which
is why we're now doing this live show format. This
will still be on the Black Effect Podcast Network on
our Heart Radio the audio version, but I have now
you know, invested in the software to be able to
have you guys be my fourth of my third panelists,
(03:14):
my co hosts, to be able to ask questions when
we have great guests on like we do today.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
So welcome Christy, thanks for joining the show.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Thank you for having me, and I am so proud
of you. I keep telling you that because I really
mean it. All the things you've been, you accomplished and
still doing and just being that voice that we need
for our people. You are amazing. You are powerful, and
I'm just so glad to call you friend.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Thank you so much. Well, how did you start Black
History Saturdays? You know, let's get straight into that. What
happened in Oklahoma that made you say, you know, we
have to do something about this.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah, So in Oklahoma they passed us our governor, Governor Stick,
he passed this House Bull seventeen seventy five that restricts
black history from being taught in schools. And it's so
vague it doesn't even really give like specifics. So whenever
a teacher may teach anything related to black people, and
(04:13):
if she gets told on that, teachers in trouble and
can lose her certification, he or she and so, and
that has happened. Teachers have lost their jobs and losing
their teaching certification. We also have bandled over one hundred
books in Oklahoma. So if a teacher even requests a
book like the Narrative of Frederick Douglas or Tony Morrison's
(04:40):
The Bluest Eye, the color purple, how to kill a
Mockenberg and they're gonna get fired. So this this is
the reality. And so I got pissed off about it.
I did, and I just created my own space where
we can teach black history and learn some organizing skills
from pushing the line training from you. And so that
that's what I did. I organized educators and started my
(05:02):
own school from pre K to adults. As my youngest
is four years old and my oldest is ninety years old.
Mister Tucker is ninety years old. And so I started
out with one hundred and twenty participants. Today I have
three hundred and fifty three participants, one into our third
year of blackness.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Let's let's slow that down, because you know, I love
you know I love the numbers, y'all, y'all know I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
All over the country. Let's let's let's get them numbers.
Let's run them numbers back one last time. You started
out with one hundred and twenty What.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
One hundred and twenty participants?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
What does that mean? Does that mean they come every week?
They come? One time? They let's first kind of talk
about the war?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Is this a I know it's every Saturday, but when
people signed up, kind of like push the line. Let
me go give a shout out to that where we
are rolling out, push the line again. We're gonna start
it June fourteenth. It is a five module, if you will,
five different courses that you take two hours each each time.
Now you can join a la carte. You can just
(06:07):
pick up, you know, one of the sessions, or you
can say for the whole program.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
The program is ten hours.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So let's before we talk about the participants, because I
want to make sure we really put some context around that.
Is it every Saturday? It starts over? Is it a
program they sign up for? What?
Speaker 1 (06:22):
What do you mean when you say participant? What does
that mean?
Speaker 4 (06:25):
So when I say participants, I mean and we started
out trying to do every Saturday, and it was a lot.
So now I do the second Saturday of each month,
and we've also added some evening classes because adults wanted more.
But we do the second Saturday of each month. And
this is a whole school day. And when I say
whole school day, breakfast is at eight forty five, class
(06:45):
starts at nine fifteen, Lunch is at twelve thirty, class
ends at two forty five. I even have recess for
the littles. So it is a prepare to go to school.
You fished the line for real, so kind of like
what we did. We started at six.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
But do they get it all in one session or
does it continue on?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
It continues on? We actually we do this all year.
By the way, it's not just something that we do
Black History Month. We start in Black History Month, so
we start there, but we don't end there, and so
we are out December in January because of the holidays,
but we use that time to plan and to write
our curriculum. And again we're writing our own own curriculum,
(07:29):
creating our own framework. And so love that.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Maybe I'm slow, Christy, maybe I'm slow. I got my
helmet on.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Let me let me.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Cause I fast, and I don't think I'm getting either
I'm slow or I'm not asking a question right. So
what I'm asking is when they sign up mm hmm,
if they so, just like we'll pushing line. You know,
we have five modules they go into. I'm asking, is
is this a program that somebody I know it's once
a month. Do you teach the same class every month
(08:01):
or does it compound? Is what I'm asking you and June.
Is it okay, we're gonna cover these three leaders. In July,
we're gonna cover these three Do they have to attend
all year or is it you can pop in at
any time and pick up where you left off.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'm trying to get a clear ass on this program.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Or is it do every single time and you can
kind of get in where you fit in or are
you teaching the same thing every month to different people?
That's what That's what I'm trying to get clear answer on. No, No,
you are like a semester, like a college semester or
is it ala carte class? No?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
So it is it is an actual class where we
have a continuation. So these are the same people that
come back every time, and we do have people that
pop in. I don't, you know, say no to people
who want to come in June or July, but they
just have to pick up where we're starting, right, Well,
they just have to pick up where we are, and
(08:53):
so our teachers are really good about also giving them
a lessons of that they've missed and things like that.
So it is a continuation and the curriculum is planned
for the whole year.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Okay, So it is a so just so we're clear,
because I want you know, i'd be trying to we
gotta talk.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Make it real clear. Ye is that twelve month program.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
It is a ten month program because we're out December
in January. But for our educators it's all year, our
twelve months because we use that time for planning PD.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Hey yeah, you assist there. Want to help you on
the marketing so that way people can understand it is.
So when the question was so guys, let me just
resay it again so that people can understand. It is
a ten month program. Just like Push the Line is
a five. I won't say months, it is a five.
It's five modules, five classes to complete the program. Push
(09:50):
the Line is five five modules, all two hours apiece,
a ten hour program. So I know you you have you.
This has grown organically so you haven't had to really
market it. But the reason why I'm doubling on this,
what you've marketed locally is just blew up. But the
reason why I'm wanting to make sure we frame this
is because, as you know, I'm always trying to teach
(10:11):
and train. I want to make sure people understand what
this program is when you say participants, because that's huge, Christy,
that you have one hundred and twenty people that started
to three hundred plus that signed on to a ten
month program.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's critically important.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
You don't want to just market it like, oh, you know,
it's just something on Saturday, because there's classes where you
just teach the same thing every single Saturday, or if
there's classes that have a continue you know, but your
curriculum is a ten month curriculum. Now, people can come in,
get in where they fit in. But the idea is
that somebody goes once a month and you know, do
(10:49):
a ten month program. The teachers that come the other
two months. We're talking about ten month program because I
want people to reason. I want people, Christy to sign
up for the duration of it. And so this is
part we have to be clear as I'm helping you
market this out nationally. Like Tiffany's asking, is the curriculum
(11:10):
to purchase? Yes, she We're working on that. Also people
ask is it online? Yes, As I'm rolling out my
training and Christy will be a part of that. So
I just want you guys to know that yes, it
will be online. Yes, there's curriculum to purchase. She's getting
that stuff together. And by the way, while we're here,
(11:31):
please donate to Black History nine one eight. If you
want to watch the show live for the Instagram that's
listening right now, go to the link in the bio
to watch it live, because that's important. I want you
to drop your comments there so Christy can see what
you're saying as well. So again, just to recap you,
I'm probably saying why you spend so much time on that.
(11:53):
It's important, It's very important. And also want Christy, so
I want her to market a program nationally. It is
a ten month program where people come once a month,
but you can also come at any time within that
ten months and pick up where you left off. So
I just wanted to make sure we understood what that meant.
And so you started out with one hundred and twenty.
(12:13):
Now you're up to three hundred that attend that sign
up to participate in this ten month program.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
That is correct. That is correct.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
You know why that's important.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Also, christ again, while I'm doubling down on that and why,
I want you to make sure you and when you're
talking about that to other media, people don't sign up
for three month programs a semester at a college is
three four months to five the chattery all agree a
semester in college is three or four months. So to
have three hundred plus people that sign up for a
(12:50):
ten month program to learn black history, that says a
whole lot about our need, about our desire to want
to know our history, and says a lot about the
program that you built. So flex that don't just say
we just do it on saturdays. And no, no, no,
this is a ten month program long enough to have
(13:12):
a baby. Amen five in the chat, it takes nine
months to go from having a.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Fetus an ideal of a child. A we had a
good night at home.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And now it's I'm impregnated to actually birthing, to actually
birthing a child. So you gotta you gotta leave with that.
Were making sure what is about black history? It's a
ten month curriculum. A ten month curriculum that people sign
(13:46):
up to a ten once a month, every Saturday. However,
you can jump in at any time. Yes, because you're
gonna learn something at any time. Whether you jump that's
the same thing. We'll push the line. You're gonna learn
something whether you come in at the wheel. Our soldiers
now push the line program. And the reason why you're
probably saying why am I doubling this because Christy is
one of our trainers.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
So we're using this time to you know, market both.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
You can come in on we are soldiers, or you
can come in on show me the money. Either way
you're going to learn something. But to push the line
program absolutely builds. It's very important that you build. Now,
I would I would guess Christian, you Craig mean if
I'm wrong, the Black History Saturday is not necessarily build,
(14:34):
meaning you don't have to know what you knew before
you can come in at module four, five, ten eleven.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
But what would be the benefit of them staying for
all ten months?
Speaker 4 (14:44):
The benefit of those staying for all ten months is
just learning things that you did not know. And says
what I really love about Black History Saturdays, not just
because I founded it, but because it's a family thing.
So you know, I don't have any drop offs. There's
no parents dropping off kids. The way we built our
curriculum is so like the first three months, the curriculum
(15:05):
is on Africa, and so every family is learning about Africa,
but just on different levels. Because now keep in mind,
when they come in, we are breaking them up by grades, right,
so we have educators for each grade, but everyone is
learning about Africa. So on the way home, moms will
say what did you learn today? And they're going to
talk about what they learn, but it's going to be
(15:26):
something that mom did not know, you know. So now
there's a whole nother learning session that is happening. And
so that's one of the things that I love. But
what people gain by doing the whole ten months is
you're you're in a space where you're with your community.
Right one of our city the city councilor Vanessa ha Harbor,
(15:46):
who you know, she's an educator there. So now the
kids get to see the people who are working in
their community. And not only are they also learning about
the past, but they're learning about things that are happening
in their own communities as well. Even have a chef
come in test who actually cooks a meal. They cook
breakfast in a lunch, but the lunch I've always made
(16:08):
sure that everyone has an opportunity to taste something like
they've had African food, food from the Caribbean, so they're
having a Black history lesson through their food. And so
before they even eat and Sometimes while they're eating, the
chef will come out and give a history lesson about
what it is that they're eating.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Oh wow, so wait home, let's cause it because that's
fun history lesson on what they're eating.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Are they.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Picking a certain meal that only has the significance to it,
like in other words, it's not just cheeseburgers and.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Fries for lunch. They're actually creating something that has some
history to it.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Absolutely, absolutely so, even like the months where we've had chicken,
they're talking about chicken, you know, and how we've created
all these residents y'all chicken and.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Luck Yes, because you know Marcella's love eating the greens.
One thing, get their free plate. So I want them, yes,
pauls for Marcella's to make sure we get He want
to know what y'all cooking over there, so in the
chat so that you they so whatever meal it is,
(17:22):
that too is a lesson.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
That's a lesson. And I could we have a food
bank here and and told so where I could have
got free sack lunches for everybody, but I said no,
I want to I want to do this with quality
and and and do it the right way. And so
then that and that's what we've done, and we've been doing.
This is our third year, and I have families that
have been there with me since day one, and they
(17:46):
are so excited about you know that that they what
they've learned. And one of the things there is this kid.
His name is Tripp and his mother's Tracy Gibbs. He
he didn't want to come because what kids do. You
don't want to get up early on Saturday morning, right,
But they made he. She got his butt up and
said you going, you going, especially you in eleventh grade
in high school. But he said, now that he started going,
(18:08):
he loves it.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
And so now he's.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You're talking no kid, He ain't no kid at me. No,
Well that's important. I think that's again another flex I'm
trying to I want you to flex certain things. You're
so humble, and so your sister are just trying to
give you certain things because I do understand what we say,
no kid want to get up? Yeah, because but when
you said that, I'm thinking about somebody wanting to watch cartoons,
I am even more of a flex. When you talk
(18:33):
about a fifteen you know, of course his kid to us,
he's not a he's a full teenager. What you sixteen
year old? I would have same, he's eleventh grade, probably sixteen. Oh,
it was a sixteen year old want to get up
on a Saturday and not hang out with their friends.
So that's a different. This is important, Christy, as you go,
as you expand this the things to brag on or
(18:55):
not break on, because when you say, you know, as
mama said, no, you're gonna get up, I really thought
about an adolescent, but his mom really at the end
the day, a sixteen year old, that's a lot. You know,
you're grown, so to go so one for his mother
to have influence over him still says a lot. Yes,
you know they give up at certain name when they
get a certainname, do what you're gonna do it a
(19:16):
lot and then for him to go and then still
and then be captured by it, get on so many
other things.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
As a young black teenage boy is here.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
So when you tell that story, make sure that you're
saying a teenage you know, a teenager, because that's a different.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Just let you know how it landed with me.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
When I hear a kid, I'm thinking, you know, young
forcing totally different than because Jada's seventeen. She makes her
own schedule, she does her own thing. I don't make
her do anything.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
So I think that's huge.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, it is huge. And he's a and Trupp has said,
you know, now with my teachers when we're he said, mo,
I'm in history class, I have a whole different perspective
of history and I'm able to to and also in
that history. And so you know, he's just said, I
would never known a lot of things had I not
been at Black History Saturdays. And so that's that's a
(20:09):
good thing. And we're giving kids more reading skills too,
you know at Black History Saturdays. And then we're teaching
them storytelling, which is huge. You know, at the end
of the day we go back, we going to cafeteria.
Everybody meets in the cafeteria and I picked two people
to share from each class what they learned, and so
that helps them being able to stand up in front
(20:31):
of a crowd and talk about what they learn their
storytelling and don't realize that they're doing it, but we
I mean, it's it's it's really a great program and
have a lot of fun doing it. This Saturday is
Black History Saturdays. So working hard to get that going
for this Saturday, and I can't I can't wait to
see all the folks that come, and they love coming.
(20:51):
And like I said, we even started having We're gonna
actually start in May, but we're going to have evening
classes at my church, history Vernonami Church, the church whose
basement survived in nineteen twenty one Tusa Race massacre. And
so we'll be having more evening classes there. And that's
another flex tis when you have people saying we want
more and they want to learn more. And so we're
(21:15):
gonna definitely be doing that and then streaming those classes
and having some guest teachers come in to do a
Black history lesson as well.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Now, tell us about your connection to the Tulsa Race massacre.
And because you're in Tusa, Oklahoma, but you're not just
in TOAs, Oklahoma, it's a part of your story.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Yeah, So I'm a descendant of the nineteen twenty one
Tulsa Race massacre and a Creek Freeman descendant as well.
My great eye Janey, was in the Dreamland Theater when
the massacre happened at seventeen years old and she was
able to escape. And so I've been knowing her stories
to the day she died. I was in the sixth
grade when she passed away, and we thought she was crazy.
(22:04):
She used to like she never caught it a riot
or a massacre. She caught it that time when white
people were killing black people. And and we used to
think she was crazy, my sister and I and my cousins.
But one day I was at home. I was in
high school or just coming out of high school, and
the news was on and I saw Johnny Cochrane and
Charles Ogletree on the news, and I seen these survivors
(22:27):
telling their stories, and I says what I'm Janie said,
And so ever since then, I always wanted to learn
more and be an advocate for Greenwood. And that's what
I've been doing ever since. And so that is my
connection to Greenwood. And when I say I'm a Creek
Freeman descended, a lot of people don't know. The five
civilized tribes here in Oklahoma own slaves, you know, And
(22:51):
that kind of blows people minds when you talk about that.
But my great great grandfather, Jesse Franklin, came on the
trailer tears as a slave to the Creek Nation. We
were in ancipated June fourteenth, eighteen sixty six, got a
whole different June teen than the June teenth that we
celebrate nationally. But he also was appointed to serve as
Supreme Court Justice to the Creek Nation in eighteen seventy four.
(23:13):
So I have a deep roots not only in green Wood,
but in Black Oklahoma history.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
As we call it.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Yeah, a lot of people don't know about Oklahoma history
and that the flag is a Native American flag and
that it's heavy, heavy, heavy, you know, Native American ancestry
and all of that, and you do it.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Let's talk with Chrissy.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Look, you know like she ain't no fight of knowing
that she's sol and got a little sweet boys, but
really be putting it down for real, because you're done
follow a lot to make sure that Black Creek has voice.
Tell us a little bit. I just want people just
know a little bit about that, like some of the
challenges you've had to you know that you've advocated for that.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You called me on my phone about I'm making.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Sure you know that people don't forget you know that
a lot of the Native Americans own slaves and what
that looked like for uh, the descendants of Black Creek
to have access to Native American benefits, which is different
than talk about because a lot. Because when I invited
you RACI Route, I was like, Chris, everybody don't know
(24:19):
about the name, Like they literally know what you're talking about,
because if you're from that part of the country, they
don't know what you're talking about. So we have the
reparations and I want you to talking about that the
community that you're working on up there. But then there's
a whole other conversation on Native Americans who owned slaves,
which means they became Creek because of their slave master.
(24:39):
Just give people a little bit of knowledge on that.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Yeah, so and ooh, that's a whole other history lesson
in it.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
But when we talk about the Five Civilized tribes, there's
the Creek, Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Seminole, and I missed
it one Creek. It's Creek, Creek, Cherito, Chickasaw, Seminole, and
Chickasawce that's I already said. Anyways, five of them, and
they called them the five civilized tribes. They called them
(25:09):
civilized because they sided with white supremacy in their own slaves.
We again, as I talked about the Creek Nation. We
were emancipated June fourteenth, eighteen sixty six, which means that
we became Creeks. We actually became members of the tribes.
And then a few years later on the Dolls Roads
they allotted land. Each family got one hundred and sixty
(25:31):
acres of land.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So just to be clear, not born Native American became native.
Like if you married into a family, if.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
You will absolutely absolutely okay, and then you got one
hundred and sixty acres of land. And if you had
a family twelve even if it was a little baby,
everybody got twelve acre, mean one hundred and sixty acres
of land. And a lot of that land was oil,
so which made a lot of black folks wealthy. Everybody
(25:59):
went to see the movie Killer of the Blood Flower
Moon and they showed the o sage women who were
raped and killed for their land. But it happened to
a lot of black people too, and so that story
just hasn't been told. But as far as the Creek Nation,
we were kicked out of the tribes in nineteen seventy nine,
so we lost everything. And so as we're talking about reparations,
(26:20):
we're talking about reparations.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Calls right there going fast. Why were you kicked out
of the tribe of nineteen seventy nine?
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Basically because they didn't want to share the pie, you know, Yeah,
they wanted the money to themselves that they were getting
and they didn't want to share it. So basically, I
mean they kicked us out. And so there have been
lawsuits to try to get us back into those tribes
the Cherokee Nation. About four years ago they actually won
(26:49):
their case, and so those black Cherokees are now they're
black Cherokees, and so a lot and tells a lot
of them don't even really know what that means. You
have now you have a lot of black people. We're
just happy that they don't have to pay their car tax.
You know, they can go get healthcare, which those things
are important. But they get twenty five thousand dollars to
(27:11):
go to school for college, They get twenty five thousand
dollars on a home, you know those that is that
is a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Is that one of your modules that you teach?
Speaker 4 (27:22):
We do treat We do teach about We talked, we
talk about Freeman, and when we say Freedman, we're talking
about freeman of the tribes. Because now there is two
there's two different meanings of that. So like when you
say black Creeks, there are black Creeks that are in
the tribe because they were actually born they either have
you know, and if you can prove that it's actually
(27:42):
one of your family members. We like to say the
blood rule, but we don't go buy it. You go
by the treaty and you go by the blood rule.
You're gonna be trying forever to try to prove this.
It's impossible to prove how much blood you have, right,
you know, it's just it's just too much. But you
go by the treaty because the treaty says that you know,
you are a citizen of this tribe if if if
(28:05):
you were born into it, or you're a freedman. And
so there's two different things. So you can be a
freedman of the tribe is but your freedmen are trying
to get back into the tribe of the Cree nation.
But black Creeks already are are members of the tribe
because they have proven that either their mother, the father,
someone was creaked by blood and you can you can prove.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
That, but by blood but not by blood, but like
by own slave ownership.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Right if if if you were a member by slave ownership,
you are considered a freedman.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Okay, gotcha.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
So this is why when when we when I merged
you in the reparations conversation and they were talking about Freeman,
they wen't talking about the same freeman you're talking about.
They were talking and that's why I was like, Christy,
they getting confused, Like you got to have something just
on that because it's not a huge population, one that
people even know they're a part of, or that even
(28:59):
you know that's connect the to tribe and then also
the within the small population it is. It's not a
lot of Christie's. So when when you're using that language
freemen and free, you know, it was kind of going, oh,
you know, it's a whole and and maybe that's the
(29:19):
one we need to do on my platform, my training platform,
to just explain, you know, the differences between the two
because a lot of people just don't know. And if
you're using these words that are interchangeable, you hear freeman
a lot freemen a lot a lot of people.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
In the reparence to the movement said that's how that
that's what the name should be. But they're talking about
the descendants of those enslaved, not specifically what you're talking about, Uh,
you know, of of the Cree nation.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
And that's critically important.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Yes, absolutely, it.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Was something I was gonna ask with that, And guys,
if you got a question, put it three up and
I'll drop the link if you got a question. It
was something I was gonna ask about that though about Oh,
that was a statement I was gonna make. This is
critically important not to be the divisive between indigenous people,
(30:13):
but this is critically important because shout out to my
sisters who mothers Native American and I don't know what
tribe she's from, she's black. Native American. Queen is on
my Instagram all the time. I interviewed her before on
Straight Shoting No Chaser, and there's this conversation that, you know,
(30:33):
Native Americans and Blacks were hand in hand and loving
on each other and were kind of the same, and
you know, lift all both times, and that might be
true in some in isn't.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
But what you're talking about wasn't.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
The black folks got put out that they did not
want you to have been It was all good until
it came down to sharing those resources.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
And my understanding that currically.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
You're right that it was not a clue by your type,
moment or theme. As we were coming on the trailer tears,
I was taught in Oklahoma history that like we were,
we came as Kumbai yai, right, But no, that was
not the case. Black folks was actually building the trail
on the trailer tears for them to walk through to
(31:15):
walk on. But as I was saying, when we talk
about this, you know how they treated their slaves. The
Chickasaw was one of the worst. They identified their slaves
by removing digits on your toes or your fingers. So
if you had a thumbus and they knew who you
belonged to, or if your pinky toe was missing, they
(31:36):
knew who you belonged to. And you can read the
Oklahoma slave narratives. A lot of it is free online.
The other book you'd have to buy, but you can
read the stories of these people who were recorded like
in the nineteen thirties and forties that tell the stories
of being slaves to the trots. So these stories exist.
A lot of people just don't know about it. A
(31:58):
lot of black Oklahoma history of people just don't know
and that's Okla.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Yeah, nobody talking about o'lahma. That's roight me.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I'd be like, Chris, you got to break this down
because I don't know what you're talking about. They really,
even in Oklahoma, I don't know what they're talking about.
And this is why it's important you know what you're doing.
I'm dropping anybody have any questions, uh, and this is
if you come on, I need you to ask the question,
you know, just go straight to asking the question.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I want to be respectful of Christy's time.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Any questions about the program, if you are in position
to support, I do have the cash app here Cash
app Black History nine to one eight five dollars ten dollars.
It is a nonprofit program. National Geographic does support the program.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
The program is free to those that are tend in Tulsa.
She does not charge people to come, so it is
an absolute free class. So that's important guys that people
know that. But again, we can't just expect everything to
just keep being for you know, we have to. I'm
being very honest and what I'm telling you this personally,
I want to help Christy expand the program over the country,
(33:09):
and I do want her to have other income sources
coming in because the reality of it is, no, there's
not a ZEL link.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
People have to give out their numbers on ZEL.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Y'all love being on ZEL, but people when y'all in
these public formats, guys, people don't really give out their
ZEL because it has to give out their phone number
or uh, you know, their email address. You have a
way to donate on the website, correct is ww what
Black History Saturdays.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
With an S dot com?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Three Saturdays with the S dot com. You can donate
there as well.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Right, So go to Black History Saturdays with an as
dot com if you want to donate through that link.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
But I do want her to expand the program because.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
It's important to have other strings besides us having to
depend on large organizations.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Because what happens is and that y'all just getting information.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Now, what happens is if we have if we're one
hundred percent dependent upon other organizations, then what happens if
that organization decides they don't want it.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Anymore, and that means we don't have the program.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
So this is on the three things that I keep
telling y'all about Safe Stack remember the third one is secure,
secure the permit. But I also talk about securing our nonprofits,
securing organizations that matter, securing podcasts you care about secure
and a part of that is through donation. And I
want to give another t be because you know, y'all
get trained with me, not just no podcasts to the
(34:40):
system asked about Zel, I really do this is important, guys.
I really do want you, guys, if we are going to,
you know, really try to secure our organizations. I do
want you guys to consider. I know a lot of
people may not like cash apt because maybe you say
you know the security of it or the issue, but guys,
(35:00):
I really want you to secure, to have another way
to send people payments, and cash app is usually the way,
or vemo blat people don't use Vemo. But that's important, guys,
because if everybody say, well does she have a Zel?
Does she have a Zel, then nobody's gonna get any
donations because most people, I'm just telling you, when they're
on these national programs, they're not.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Because even the sisters still asking for a Zeil link.
Nobody ain't no Zel.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
You have to go to the website if you want
to pay that way but I want you, guys to
consider other ways of supporting people besides needing their personal
information like an email or a number. My zeal is
connected to my email. I don't want my personal email
out there because then I will get floody. I think
about when people are on national platforms. They don't want
(35:45):
people flooding in with their personal email. They don't want
people having their numbers. So ZEL again, you know you're
always gonna get trained. ZEL is for you giving money
to your friends, you know, within your circle and your
folks and all of that.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Supporting organizations, you have to use other resources.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Like PayPal, like quick books, like cash out, like the
most The reason why people use the cash aup guys
because it's the simplest way to give.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
It's the easiest way to give, and most people have it.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
So please consider that if you want to be in
the business of trying to figure out how we can
support our organizations, because I see that a lot, Christy,
when I see you know, on different platforms and people saying,
well what is or azel people keep asking aboutself. That's
for your own internal you know, uh, communications with friends
and maybe stuff like that. So please consider cash app guys.
(36:37):
Because I want to help Christy really expand this program. Uh.
And again you can go to the website ww dot
black History Saturdays with an s dot com. So we'll
take a question from Lovey, and Lovey just getting straight
to the question, sweet, I don't want to because I
want to be respectful of her time. If anybody else
has a question, click the lie at the bottom. I'll
(37:01):
put the link again at the bottom to ask the
question and then we'll get out of here.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
So go ahead, love it. What's your question?
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Okay?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
My question is, first of all, I love what you do.
Shout out to my wife test you'll know, Chris, that's
my wife right there, Salt to my wife test Es.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I love what you do.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
I'm a son of a black panther. I have a
quick question. The two part question is your this is
available online?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
This?
Speaker 5 (37:31):
Of course that I could push the I'm ment to
a lot of fallbers, and I think this will be
important for them to hear your word.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Is this something I could push you online? That to
push you online?
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (37:41):
And actually, uh, the second Saturday in May, we will
be kicking off our online versions as well, so you'll
be there'll be more. I mean, so many opportunities for
you to click in online. So everyone can, you know,
have some lessons in black history, guys. I think it's
(38:02):
and we can moving that number.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
We're trying to get to three hundred to three thousand
to three hundred thousand with the power of Taz and I.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
So we're gonna keep moving that needle.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Something my mother told me.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
I always refer to my mom because he was the
black people. She told me one thing that she thinks
segregation was the worst thing to happen to us. But
she also just tapped into me and said she thinks
that by the force of hearing of the President that be,
that is forcing us back into segregation.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Yeah, a lot of people think the segregation was the
best thing, Like keep us over here and y'all go
over there.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
You know, that's what the native of America did.
Speaker 3 (38:42):
They segregated, got their own land, got their own you know,
they're still within America, but still got their.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Own, you know, own thing.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
So right now, it's definitely thanks for your question of it.
It's definitely uh, you know, forcing people to uh you know,
have to network and uh be of community in ways
they have never been, uh.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
You know before.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
So I think I think it's a it's a good thing.
I think it's going to make us really have to connect. Uh,
we happened before, and what I'm hoping that it's not
just a you know, stuff happens and spikes that people
feel really good and then they go back to you know,
business as usual.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
So I'm hoping that this is something that you know,
we can continue on. And as far as.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
Online, she's rolling out online but also within the Push
the Line online training program that we're kicking off in June.
Christy will be a part of that as a trainer
for one of our organizers on how to organize these
types of things because I see people asking, you know,
can I teach you myself? Is it something I can curriculum?
(39:51):
And and guys, I'm gonna say this, and I'm saying
it respectfully as possible. It's a reason why you know,
I know, people think they can just duplicate, you know,
what somebody else does, and Chrissy's handing out their curriculum
so people can know. But guys try to invest in
or participate in what she's doing because the knowledge that
(40:12):
they have, the institutional knowledge that they have the information
that they have you may not have. I know, we
always say, well, we can just teach it ourselves, or
you know that happened with COVID. Yeah, but you don't
know everything to teach you do?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
You just don't. You don't you're not knee deep in
it on a daily basis.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
I can give you a curriculum to say, teach people
the five things that you matter of fact, we'll use
push the line example. These are the five things that
you need to do to start your campaign. The information
I'm giving you you can find online.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
It's no secret.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
You know.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
It's not like, Okay, it's going to say open up
a website, start a website, open up a bank account.
But the knowledge that you're going to get from me
and from other experts, we're going to tell you, hey,
but when I open up that bank account, this is
what I learned. Look out for this, look out for that.
So guys connect with the actual teachers. It's a reason,
you know, why you have people who are knee deep
(41:00):
in this stuff that's gonna give you information that you
may not otherwise know. So for those of you that
are saying, oh, is it a curriculum that I can learn,
I'm cautioning Christy on that, making sure that as she's
giving that information out, we do want you to run
with it on your own, because Christy is just like that.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
She want to run with it on.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
She want everybody sign up online, get it, get it,
get to get it. But I also want to make
sure that we're educating people properly and that you know
that you're getting the information from me in the classroom.
So when they do the online, gather your family around,
you know, have people around learn it, learn it, you know,
learn what the teachers.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
It's called train the trainer. I trained Christy, she training y'all.
She gonna train somebody else.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
We must be okay with norm what we know and
norm what we don't know. And I want to be
clear about that because a lot of people have asked
for the curriculum.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Oh, let me just learn it.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Well, no, you would need to learn everything in her head.
Wanted to teach it the way she taught it. So
respect the gift, respect the craft, and more importantly, let's
teach our babies the right way. And that comes from
your expertise.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
So absolutely, and tess one thing that I really want
to stress to people because a lot of black folks
don't really get it or understand how critical this is.
There's eighteen other states that has the same or similar
legislation that right now to Oklahoma has where they're restricting
or just completely banning black history from public schools. And
(42:34):
then also just between twenty twenty twenty three and twenty
twenty four, there's ten thousand books that were banned, and
that tripled the number than it was the year before.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
And so in the book worth breaking news, it's gonna
get worse.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
It's gonna get worse. And in the books that they
are banning are majority all black books, right, any book
that has to deal with race or gender, they're completely
just they're just banning. And so and what's in those books?
Our stories that that are in these books, and so
we're going back.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
You have a banned book library, right.
Speaker 4 (43:10):
Yes, I have a band book library where I started
my own library where community can come in and check
out band books. Even at my church when I started,
we have Reverend Franceta, Reverend i Am Martin Att of
the historic vernon Ami Church. Uh, they at least a
wolf she does our Sunday school. But they they started
a band book library. I mean a band book club. So, uh,
(43:32):
they pick a band book and everybody reads the band book.
And so there are things like that. I think that
communities can do in response to that as well. But
I'll say, if these band books, y'all need to buy
these books up, you know, and keep them at home.
It's just and what happened with the National Park Service
in the Smithsonian, these are things that are telling us
(43:53):
that we got to start preserving our history and learning it.
And if you don't learn it, you don't even know
what they're doing to it. If you're not you know,
equip with that knowledge to know. So we have to
learn our history. It's so important.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Yes, ever, he's asking, you know, is there a cost
for each person to participate? That's the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
She does it for free. But I'm telling you now,
I'm changing that. I need her to have another source.
So don't even answer the quest. I'll answer this question, Christy,
because you'll start saying, I'm just gonna know. That's why
we sit over it broke. Now, you know, from keep Free,
Free Free, everybody want the information, everybody want to take
the information, everybody want the gift. But again, the program
(44:34):
she offers in Tulsa in person is free, but I'm
working with her on a and even even on the
streaming she's doing is free. But again we need another
way of another source. I do not want it completely
dependent upon national geographic I just don't. So to answer
your question, Ebany, what I'm trying to do with her
(44:57):
on my platform is yes, you know, like couple of hours,
whatever it is. Whatever that might be twenty five bucks,
it might be it's something very small, you know, but
at least it's putting something, you know, back into the
actual program. And I encourage people to sit around, like
five of y'all sit around and put it on the TV,
you know, and watch it or put it on the
you know, interactive. So to ask your question, Ebany, I'm
(45:18):
working on that with her. But she does have free
you know, it's free every Saturday, and the streaming is
gonna be free. But again I'm just telling you in
front of everybody, because I'm definitely gonna call you bat
when I get off the phone.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
You offering this streaming free over and over and over.
Speaker 3 (45:35):
Christy, I do have concern with that because when if
you're asking people to donate out of the kindess of
they heart. I'm just telling you they may not, and
I know that's a part of your work, just wanting
to give it away for free. But I am dead ass,
and I'm just saying this. I am appreciative of National
Geographic giving you the money and the resources.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
But as you know, you don't have to say it,
I'll say it for Christy. The money is limited. It's
not that much.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And again, we do not want to just depend on
National Geographic to fund that black program, so we have
to get more creative and make things kind of make sense.
So if you attend the free streaming that she's doing,
please donate. She's not gonna ask, I'm asking. I'm asking
(46:20):
donate because if not, Guys, this is why they they
can stop and start everything we're doing because they control
the money.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
They control the money. So Ebany, I hope to answer
your question. It is absolutely free.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
And I'm saying that as somebody had to learn that
my own way. Christy, you know, everything I've done has
been free, free, free, free training, free training. Less they're
a client of mine, we gotta stop that. We haven't
stopped that because at the end of the day, it
does the program doesn't grow. We don't get the people
that we need to participate to be a part of it.
We're taking the hits. You know, Christy putting her name
(46:57):
out here, first and last name, where everybody else, you know,
going under fake names and you know, get to hide.
Speaker 1 (47:03):
And Christy can't get no job nowhere. It's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
She is to have our Instagram under a different name
because she didn't want her job to see what she
was doing. She literally just changed it a couple of
weeks ago when I rolled her out national, I was like, Christy,
people got to be able to find you, and they
can't find you under these four and five different names.
How don't they talid eight nine to two, they have
to find you for a five minute? You appreciate this
real game I'm giving you. So see y'all get to
(47:27):
go by and I'm just looking at the comments, lips galore,
culture of uh just looking at the name Ebanie Jone
that sounds like a real name, Evan Webers but meals
coop all that y'all get to go under different names,
which I appreciate.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
But who's taking the hit?
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Christy Williams and teseslim figuero meaning not going to get
another job, people that don't want to hire you, people
that say no, you're gonna be a problem on the job,
people that say, you know, hey, we don't want you
around here. People that literally go after their way to
destroy your programs. So what I'm asking is, if we're
going to take if people like us are going to
be out here front lining it, taking the hit, then
(48:09):
be like on the Verizon commercial and being a background
supporting us. Guys, it's really really important. It's really really
important because it's only so much you can continue to
keep asking people to do for free.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
It really really is.
Speaker 3 (48:20):
So guys, follow Christy. She's on my on my Instagram.
Is Christy is it Underscore Williams Underscore Black Wills your Instagram?
Speaker 4 (48:31):
Uh huh, it's Christy Williams, Christy Underscore Williams.
Speaker 1 (48:35):
Yes, we got something else after that. It's not just
Christy Williams. It's let me look at.
Speaker 4 (48:41):
I'm literally just changing.
Speaker 3 (48:42):
Like Tess this said, Underscore Williams, Underscore Black, Underscore History
And if you can't find it, it's in my stories.
Speaker 1 (48:53):
She's on my page, She's on our remote news page.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
If not hit Marcella's up he'll give you information, but
again we'll be rolling her out in our programs. I
want to help what I what I can do to
share my platform to make this something national. But again,
I don't want to work Christy to death either. She
has fifty five jobs, you know, in addition to this,
she's feeding people, you know, full programs, guys, And I'm
(49:19):
just telling you straight up. She needs the resources you know,
and order to be able to do it.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
But you get to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
You're not getting You're not just giving and not getting
anything if you go pay fifty dollars for one of
those classes, twenty five dollars for one of those you
know where they make the mugs and the symmetric classes
and cook classes, you know those little classes. Twenty five
bucks and twenty five bucks. You know, it's no different, y'all.
Pay it to the white folks, give it to crazy.
(49:47):
So she's able to do this ten months for free,
for people with three hundred people in the room.
Speaker 5 (49:52):
I do.
Speaker 3 (49:52):
I want to see her be able to have some
revenue come in so that way, if the company doesn't
want to fund her in the fourth year, she can
continue to do the work. Guys, so thank you so
much Christy for coming on.
Speaker 2 (50:06):
I ate you.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
I hope, guys we were able to answer your questions.
Please replay this, share this YouTube interview, and also it
will be on the Black Effect podcast network the audio
version for those of you to love, just audio only,
and thank you for tapping in.
Speaker 1 (50:22):
Thank you so much, Christy. Expect to see more of Christy.
Speaker 3 (50:25):
I honor her last month of Black History for Women's
History Month, so you're gonna continue to see me supporting her.
Thank you to all my supportive folks in the comments,
love me. Marcella's as usual lifts glow. I do see
you a lot in the comments, so I appreciate you
and all of you guys that rock with me. Subscribe
to the channel. We're gonna keep using this YouTube channel.
We're gonna keep getting the digital discipline. Everybody else on
(50:48):
the Black Effect is on YouTube and the audio. I'm
copy the only one that haven't utilized my YouTube, and
I'm changing that because again, we want to make sure
that we're growing and right now more than ever, we
need these resources out to the guys.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
So thank you so much. I appreciate you, guys, and
we'll tap in next week.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
If you like what you heard on Straight Shot No Chaser,
please subscribe and drop a five star review and tell
a friend. Straight Shot No Chaser is a production of
the Black Effect podcast Network in iHeartRadio on Teslin figure Out,
and I like to thank our producer editor mixer Dwayne
Crawford and our executive producer Charlotte Magne to God. For
more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
(51:26):
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaks to the planet.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
I go by the name of Charlamagne Tha God and
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(00:54):
want to ask your question?
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Real good, Let's just keep a real straight shot with
no chase. So I'm gonna get a little bit rougher.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
I'm here for those who really believed in the American process,
all of us.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Street Shot No Chaser. What's your girl?
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Tesslon figure Out on the Black Effect Podcast networking. Well, Hello, everybody,
Straight Shot No Chaser family.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Shout out to everybody in the comments.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
We are live straight Shot No Chaser on the Black
Effect Podcast Network. I am your host, tesslim Figureo. You
are my co hosts, my co teacher, my straight shooter.
I want to appreciate everybody for joining me on this
particular show that is so, so so critically important. I
have Christy Williams here with Black History Saturdays. You guys
(01:38):
have heard me talking about her over the years. She
has been somebody that I have supported for a minute
and in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She also was one of the
trainers for the Push the Line training that we did
in Atlanta in twenty twenty two. She's had me come
(01:59):
do some training for her her and toul Us, Oklahoma.
So she's been the trainee, the trainer, and now just
completely taking over the Black History Saturday space as the founder,
creator of the idea, and so I wanted to give
her one her flowers and two you know, an opportunity
to explain to you with Black History Saturdays is all
(02:19):
about how the program became. They've mentioned it on the
view the other day, and so I wish they would
have said her name.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
I'm working on that, but they talked about it.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Saying, the lady you know, started Black History Saturdays because
of you know, what was happening in her hometown, but
not even just her hometown, the state of Oklahoma, which
votes Republican in every single county. Christy took it upon
herself to start this program. So we're going to give
her an opportunity to explain it to you, and for
those who want to join the show, I will be
(02:50):
dropping a link if you have some questions for her,
because we want to take some questions as well, which
is why we're now doing this live show format. This
will still be on the Black Effect Podcast Network on
our Heart Radio the audio version, but I have now
you know, invested in the software to be able to
have you guys be my fourth of my third panelists,
(03:14):
my co hosts, to be able to ask questions when
we have great guests on like we do today.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
So welcome Christy, thanks for joining the show.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Thank you for having me, and I am so proud
of you. I keep telling you that because I really
mean it. All the things you've been, you accomplished and
still doing and just being that voice that we need
for our people. You are amazing. You are powerful, and
I'm just so glad to call you friend.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
Thank you so much. Well, how did you start Black
History Saturdays? You know, let's get straight into that. What
happened in Oklahoma that made you say, you know, we
have to do something about this.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Yeah, So in Oklahoma they passed us our governor, Governor Stick,
he passed this House Bull seventeen seventy five that restricts
black history from being taught in schools. And it's so
vague it doesn't even really give like specifics. So whenever
a teacher may teach anything related to black people, and
(04:13):
if she gets told on that, teachers in trouble and
can lose her certification, he or she and so, and
that has happened. Teachers have lost their jobs and losing
their teaching certification. We also have bandled over one hundred
books in Oklahoma. So if a teacher even requests a
book like the Narrative of Frederick Douglas or Tony Morrison's
(04:40):
The Bluest Eye, the color purple, how to kill a
Mockenberg and they're gonna get fired. So this this is
the reality. And so I got pissed off about it.
I did, and I just created my own space where
we can teach black history and learn some organizing skills
from pushing the line training from you. And so that
that's what I did. I organized educators and started my
(05:02):
own school from pre K to adults. As my youngest
is four years old and my oldest is ninety years old.
Mister Tucker is ninety years old. And so I started
out with one hundred and twenty participants. Today I have
three hundred and fifty three participants, one into our third
year of blackness.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Let's let's slow that down, because you know, I love
you know I love the numbers, y'all, y'all know I'm.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
All over the country. Let's let's let's get them numbers.
Let's run them numbers back one last time. You started
out with one hundred and twenty What.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
One hundred and twenty participants?
Speaker 1 (05:37):
What does that mean? Does that mean they come every week?
They come? One time? They let's first kind of talk
about the war?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Is this a I know it's every Saturday, but when
people signed up, kind of like push the line. Let
me go give a shout out to that where we
are rolling out, push the line again. We're gonna start
it June fourteenth. It is a five module, if you will,
five different courses that you take two hours each each time.
Now you can join a la carte. You can just
(06:07):
pick up, you know, one of the sessions, or you
can say for the whole program.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
The program is ten hours.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
So let's before we talk about the participants, because I
want to make sure we really put some context around that.
Is it every Saturday? It starts over? Is it a
program they sign up for? What?
Speaker 1 (06:22):
What do you mean when you say participant? What does
that mean?
Speaker 4 (06:25):
So when I say participants, I mean and we started
out trying to do every Saturday, and it was a lot.
So now I do the second Saturday of each month,
and we've also added some evening classes because adults wanted more.
But we do the second Saturday of each month. And
this is a whole school day. And when I say
whole school day, breakfast is at eight forty five, class
(06:45):
starts at nine fifteen, Lunch is at twelve thirty, class
ends at two forty five. I even have recess for
the littles. So it is a prepare to go to school.
You fished the line for real, so kind of like
what we did. We started at six.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
But do they get it all in one session or
does it continue on?
Speaker 4 (07:06):
It continues on? We actually we do this all year.
By the way, it's not just something that we do
Black History Month. We start in Black History Month, so
we start there, but we don't end there, and so
we are out December in January because of the holidays,
but we use that time to plan and to write
our curriculum. And again we're writing our own own curriculum,
(07:29):
creating our own framework. And so love that.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Maybe I'm slow, Christy, maybe I'm slow. I got my
helmet on.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Let me let me.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Cause I fast, and I don't think I'm getting either
I'm slow or I'm not asking a question right. So
what I'm asking is when they sign up mm hmm,
if they so, just like we'll pushing line. You know,
we have five modules they go into. I'm asking, is
is this a program that somebody I know it's once
a month. Do you teach the same class every month
(08:01):
or does it compound? Is what I'm asking you and June.
Is it okay, we're gonna cover these three leaders. In July,
we're gonna cover these three Do they have to attend
all year or is it you can pop in at
any time and pick up where you left off.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I'm trying to get a clear ass on this program.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Or is it do every single time and you can
kind of get in where you fit in or are
you teaching the same thing every month to different people?
That's what That's what I'm trying to get clear answer on. No, No,
you are like a semester, like a college semester or
is it ala carte class? No?
Speaker 4 (08:33):
So it is it is an actual class where we
have a continuation. So these are the same people that
come back every time, and we do have people that
pop in. I don't, you know, say no to people
who want to come in June or July, but they
just have to pick up where we're starting, right, Well,
they just have to pick up where we are, and
(08:53):
so our teachers are really good about also giving them
a lessons of that they've missed and things like that.
So it is a continuation and the curriculum is planned
for the whole year.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Okay, So it is a so just so we're clear,
because I want you know, i'd be trying to we
gotta talk.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Make it real clear. Ye is that twelve month program.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
It is a ten month program because we're out December
in January. But for our educators it's all year, our
twelve months because we use that time for planning PD.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Hey yeah, you assist there. Want to help you on
the marketing so that way people can understand it is.
So when the question was so guys, let me just
resay it again so that people can understand. It is
a ten month program. Just like Push the Line is
a five. I won't say months, it is a five.
It's five modules, five classes to complete the program. Push
(09:50):
the Line is five five modules, all two hours apiece,
a ten hour program. So I know you you have you.
This has grown organically so you haven't had to really
market it. But the reason why I'm doubling on this,
what you've marketed locally is just blew up. But the
reason why I'm wanting to make sure we frame this
is because, as you know, I'm always trying to teach
(10:11):
and train. I want to make sure people understand what
this program is when you say participants, because that's huge, Christy,
that you have one hundred and twenty people that started
to three hundred plus that signed on to a ten
month program.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
That's critically important.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
You don't want to just market it like, oh, you know,
it's just something on Saturday, because there's classes where you
just teach the same thing every single Saturday, or if
there's classes that have a continue you know, but your
curriculum is a ten month curriculum. Now, people can come in,
get in where they fit in. But the idea is
that somebody goes once a month and you know, do
(10:49):
a ten month program. The teachers that come the other
two months. We're talking about ten month program because I
want people to reason. I want people, Christy to sign
up for the duration of it. And so this is
part we have to be clear as I'm helping you
market this out nationally. Like Tiffany's asking, is the curriculum
(11:10):
to purchase? Yes, she We're working on that. Also people
ask is it online? Yes, As I'm rolling out my
training and Christy will be a part of that. So
I just want you guys to know that yes, it
will be online. Yes, there's curriculum to purchase. She's getting
that stuff together. And by the way, while we're here,
(11:31):
please donate to Black History nine one eight. If you
want to watch the show live for the Instagram that's
listening right now, go to the link in the bio
to watch it live, because that's important. I want you
to drop your comments there so Christy can see what
you're saying as well. So again, just to recap you,
I'm probably saying why you spend so much time on that.
(11:53):
It's important, It's very important. And also want Christy, so
I want her to market a program nationally. It is
a ten month program where people come once a month,
but you can also come at any time within that
ten months and pick up where you left off. So
I just wanted to make sure we understood what that meant.
And so you started out with one hundred and twenty.
(12:13):
Now you're up to three hundred that attend that sign
up to participate in this ten month program.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
That is correct. That is correct.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
You know why that's important.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Also, christ again, while I'm doubling down on that and why,
I want you to make sure you and when you're
talking about that to other media, people don't sign up
for three month programs a semester at a college is
three four months to five the chattery all agree a
semester in college is three or four months. So to
have three hundred plus people that sign up for a
(12:50):
ten month program to learn black history, that says a
whole lot about our need, about our desire to want
to know our history, and says a lot about the
program that you built. So flex that don't just say
we just do it on saturdays. And no, no, no,
this is a ten month program long enough to have
(13:12):
a baby. Amen five in the chat, it takes nine
months to go from having a.
Speaker 1 (13:20):
Fetus an ideal of a child. A we had a
good night at home.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And now it's I'm impregnated to actually birthing, to actually
birthing a child. So you gotta you gotta leave with that.
Were making sure what is about black history? It's a
ten month curriculum. A ten month curriculum that people sign
(13:46):
up to a ten once a month, every Saturday. However,
you can jump in at any time. Yes, because you're
gonna learn something at any time. Whether you jump that's
the same thing. We'll push the line. You're gonna learn
something whether you come in at the wheel. Our soldiers
now push the line program. And the reason why you're
probably saying why am I doubling this because Christy is
one of our trainers.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
So we're using this time to you know, market both.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
You can come in on we are soldiers, or you
can come in on show me the money. Either way
you're going to learn something. But to push the line
program absolutely builds. It's very important that you build. Now,
I would I would guess Christian, you Craig mean if
I'm wrong, the Black History Saturday is not necessarily build,
(14:34):
meaning you don't have to know what you knew before
you can come in at module four, five, ten eleven.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
But what would be the benefit of them staying for
all ten months?
Speaker 4 (14:44):
The benefit of those staying for all ten months is
just learning things that you did not know. And says
what I really love about Black History Saturdays, not just
because I founded it, but because it's a family thing.
So you know, I don't have any drop offs. There's
no parents dropping off kids. The way we built our
curriculum is so like the first three months, the curriculum
(15:05):
is on Africa, and so every family is learning about Africa,
but just on different levels. Because now keep in mind,
when they come in, we are breaking them up by grades, right,
so we have educators for each grade, but everyone is
learning about Africa. So on the way home, moms will
say what did you learn today? And they're going to
talk about what they learn, but it's going to be
(15:26):
something that mom did not know, you know. So now
there's a whole nother learning session that is happening. And
so that's one of the things that I love. But
what people gain by doing the whole ten months is
you're you're in a space where you're with your community.
Right one of our city the city councilor Vanessa ha Harbor,
(15:46):
who you know, she's an educator there. So now the
kids get to see the people who are working in
their community. And not only are they also learning about
the past, but they're learning about things that are happening
in their own communities as well. Even have a chef
come in test who actually cooks a meal. They cook
breakfast in a lunch, but the lunch I've always made
(16:08):
sure that everyone has an opportunity to taste something like
they've had African food, food from the Caribbean, so they're
having a Black history lesson through their food. And so
before they even eat and Sometimes while they're eating, the
chef will come out and give a history lesson about
what it is that they're eating.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Oh wow, so wait home, let's cause it because that's
fun history lesson on what they're eating.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Are they.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Picking a certain meal that only has the significance to it,
like in other words, it's not just cheeseburgers and.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Fries for lunch. They're actually creating something that has some
history to it.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Absolutely, absolutely so, even like the months where we've had chicken,
they're talking about chicken, you know, and how we've created
all these residents y'all chicken and.
Speaker 5 (16:56):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (16:59):
Luck Yes, because you know Marcella's love eating the greens.
One thing, get their free plate. So I want them, yes,
pauls for Marcella's to make sure we get He want
to know what y'all cooking over there, so in the
chat so that you they so whatever meal it is,
(17:22):
that too is a lesson.
Speaker 4 (17:24):
That's a lesson. And I could we have a food
bank here and and told so where I could have
got free sack lunches for everybody, but I said no,
I want to I want to do this with quality
and and and do it the right way. And so
then that and that's what we've done, and we've been doing.
This is our third year, and I have families that
have been there with me since day one, and they
(17:46):
are so excited about you know that that they what
they've learned. And one of the things there is this kid.
His name is Tripp and his mother's Tracy Gibbs. He
he didn't want to come because what kids do. You
don't want to get up early on Saturday morning, right,
But they made he. She got his butt up and
said you going, you going, especially you in eleventh grade
in high school. But he said, now that he started going,
(18:08):
he loves it.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
And so now he's.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
You're talking no kid, He ain't no kid at me. No,
Well that's important. I think that's again another flex I'm
trying to I want you to flex certain things. You're
so humble, and so your sister are just trying to
give you certain things because I do understand what we say,
no kid want to get up? Yeah, because but when
you said that, I'm thinking about somebody wanting to watch cartoons,
I am even more of a flex. When you talk
(18:33):
about a fifteen you know, of course his kid to us,
he's not a he's a full teenager. What you sixteen
year old? I would have same, he's eleventh grade, probably sixteen. Oh,
it was a sixteen year old want to get up
on a Saturday and not hang out with their friends.
So that's a different. This is important, Christy, as you go,
as you expand this the things to brag on or
(18:55):
not break on, because when you say, you know, as
mama said, no, you're gonna get up, I really thought
about an adolescent, but his mom really at the end
the day, a sixteen year old, that's a lot. You know,
you're grown, so to go so one for his mother
to have influence over him still says a lot. Yes,
you know they give up at certain name when they
get a certainname, do what you're gonna do it a
(19:16):
lot and then for him to go and then still
and then be captured by it, get on so many
other things.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
As a young black teenage boy is here.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
So when you tell that story, make sure that you're
saying a teenage you know, a teenager, because that's a different.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Just let you know how it landed with me.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
When I hear a kid, I'm thinking, you know, young
forcing totally different than because Jada's seventeen. She makes her
own schedule, she does her own thing. I don't make
her do anything.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
So I think that's huge.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Yeah, it is huge. And he's a and Trupp has said,
you know, now with my teachers when we're he said, mo,
I'm in history class, I have a whole different perspective
of history and I'm able to to and also in
that history. And so you know, he's just said, I
would never known a lot of things had I not
been at Black History Saturdays. And so that's that's a
(20:09):
good thing. And we're giving kids more reading skills too,
you know at Black History Saturdays. And then we're teaching
them storytelling, which is huge. You know, at the end
of the day we go back, we going to cafeteria.
Everybody meets in the cafeteria and I picked two people
to share from each class what they learned, and so
that helps them being able to stand up in front
(20:31):
of a crowd and talk about what they learn their
storytelling and don't realize that they're doing it, but we
I mean, it's it's it's really a great program and
have a lot of fun doing it. This Saturday is
Black History Saturdays. So working hard to get that going
for this Saturday, and I can't I can't wait to
see all the folks that come, and they love coming.
(20:51):
And like I said, we even started having We're gonna
actually start in May, but we're going to have evening
classes at my church, history Vernonami Church, the church whose
basement survived in nineteen twenty one Tusa Race massacre. And
so we'll be having more evening classes there. And that's
another flex tis when you have people saying we want
more and they want to learn more. And so we're
(21:15):
gonna definitely be doing that and then streaming those classes
and having some guest teachers come in to do a
Black history lesson as well.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
Now, tell us about your connection to the Tulsa Race massacre.
And because you're in Tusa, Oklahoma, but you're not just
in TOAs, Oklahoma, it's a part of your story.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
Tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Yeah, So I'm a descendant of the nineteen twenty one
Tulsa Race massacre and a Creek Freeman descendant as well.
My great eye Janey, was in the Dreamland Theater when
the massacre happened at seventeen years old and she was
able to escape. And so I've been knowing her stories
to the day she died. I was in the sixth
grade when she passed away, and we thought she was crazy.
(22:04):
She used to like she never caught it a riot
or a massacre. She caught it that time when white
people were killing black people. And and we used to
think she was crazy, my sister and I and my cousins.
But one day I was at home. I was in
high school or just coming out of high school, and
the news was on and I saw Johnny Cochrane and
Charles Ogletree on the news, and I seen these survivors
(22:27):
telling their stories, and I says what I'm Janie said,
And so ever since then, I always wanted to learn
more and be an advocate for Greenwood. And that's what
I've been doing ever since. And so that is my
connection to Greenwood. And when I say I'm a Creek
Freeman descended, a lot of people don't know. The five
civilized tribes here in Oklahoma own slaves, you know, And
(22:51):
that kind of blows people minds when you talk about that.
But my great great grandfather, Jesse Franklin, came on the
trailer tears as a slave to the Creek Nation. We
were in ancipated June fourteenth, eighteen sixty six, got a
whole different June teen than the June teenth that we
celebrate nationally. But he also was appointed to serve as
Supreme Court Justice to the Creek Nation in eighteen seventy four.
(23:13):
So I have a deep roots not only in green Wood,
but in Black Oklahoma history.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
As we call it.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Yeah, a lot of people don't know about Oklahoma history
and that the flag is a Native American flag and
that it's heavy, heavy, heavy, you know, Native American ancestry
and all of that, and you do it.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Let's talk with Chrissy.
Speaker 3 (23:35):
Look, you know like she ain't no fight of knowing
that she's sol and got a little sweet boys, but
really be putting it down for real, because you're done
follow a lot to make sure that Black Creek has voice.
Tell us a little bit. I just want people just
know a little bit about that, like some of the
challenges you've had to you know that you've advocated for that.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
You called me on my phone about I'm making.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
Sure you know that people don't forget you know that
a lot of the Native Americans own slaves and what
that looked like for uh, the descendants of Black Creek
to have access to Native American benefits, which is different
than talk about because a lot. Because when I invited
you RACI Route, I was like, Chris, everybody don't know
(24:19):
about the name, Like they literally know what you're talking about,
because if you're from that part of the country, they
don't know what you're talking about. So we have the
reparations and I want you to talking about that the
community that you're working on up there. But then there's
a whole other conversation on Native Americans who owned slaves,
which means they became Creek because of their slave master.
(24:39):
Just give people a little bit of knowledge on that.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
Yeah, so and ooh, that's a whole other history lesson
in it.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
But when we talk about the Five Civilized tribes, there's
the Creek, Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Seminole, and I missed
it one Creek. It's Creek, Creek, Cherito, Chickasaw, Seminole, and
Chickasawce that's I already said. Anyways, five of them, and
they called them the five civilized tribes. They called them
(25:09):
civilized because they sided with white supremacy in their own slaves.
We again, as I talked about the Creek Nation. We
were emancipated June fourteenth, eighteen sixty six, which means that
we became Creeks. We actually became members of the tribes.
And then a few years later on the Dolls Roads
they allotted land. Each family got one hundred and sixty
(25:31):
acres of land.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
So just to be clear, not born Native American became native.
Like if you married into a family, if.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
You will absolutely absolutely okay, and then you got one
hundred and sixty acres of land. And if you had
a family twelve even if it was a little baby,
everybody got twelve acre, mean one hundred and sixty acres
of land. And a lot of that land was oil,
so which made a lot of black folks wealthy. Everybody
(25:59):
went to see the movie Killer of the Blood Flower
Moon and they showed the o sage women who were
raped and killed for their land. But it happened to
a lot of black people too, and so that story
just hasn't been told. But as far as the Creek Nation,
we were kicked out of the tribes in nineteen seventy nine,
so we lost everything. And so as we're talking about reparations,
(26:20):
we're talking about reparations.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
Calls right there going fast. Why were you kicked out
of the tribe of nineteen seventy nine?
Speaker 4 (26:26):
Basically because they didn't want to share the pie, you know, Yeah,
they wanted the money to themselves that they were getting
and they didn't want to share it. So basically, I
mean they kicked us out. And so there have been
lawsuits to try to get us back into those tribes
the Cherokee Nation. About four years ago they actually won
(26:49):
their case, and so those black Cherokees are now they're
black Cherokees, and so a lot and tells a lot
of them don't even really know what that means. You
have now you have a lot of black people. We're
just happy that they don't have to pay their car tax.
You know, they can go get healthcare, which those things
are important. But they get twenty five thousand dollars to
(27:11):
go to school for college, They get twenty five thousand
dollars on a home, you know those that is that
is a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Is that one of your modules that you teach?
Speaker 4 (27:22):
We do treat We do teach about We talked, we
talk about Freeman, and when we say Freedman, we're talking
about freeman of the tribes. Because now there is two
there's two different meanings of that. So like when you
say black Creeks, there are black Creeks that are in
the tribe because they were actually born they either have
you know, and if you can prove that it's actually
(27:42):
one of your family members. We like to say the
blood rule, but we don't go buy it. You go
by the treaty and you go by the blood rule.
You're gonna be trying forever to try to prove this.
It's impossible to prove how much blood you have, right,
you know, it's just it's just too much. But you
go by the treaty because the treaty says that you know,
you are a citizen of this tribe if if if
(28:05):
you were born into it, or you're a freedman. And
so there's two different things. So you can be a
freedman of the tribe is but your freedmen are trying
to get back into the tribe of the Cree nation.
But black Creeks already are are members of the tribe
because they have proven that either their mother, the father,
someone was creaked by blood and you can you can prove.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
That, but by blood but not by blood, but like
by own slave ownership.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
Right if if if you were a member by slave ownership,
you are considered a freedman.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Okay, gotcha.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
So this is why when when we when I merged
you in the reparations conversation and they were talking about Freeman,
they wen't talking about the same freeman you're talking about.
They were talking and that's why I was like, Christy,
they getting confused, Like you got to have something just
on that because it's not a huge population, one that
people even know they're a part of, or that even
(28:59):
you know that's connect the to tribe and then also
the within the small population it is. It's not a
lot of Christie's. So when when you're using that language
freemen and free, you know, it was kind of going, oh,
you know, it's a whole and and maybe that's the
(29:19):
one we need to do on my platform, my training platform,
to just explain, you know, the differences between the two
because a lot of people just don't know. And if
you're using these words that are interchangeable, you hear freeman
a lot freemen a lot a lot of people.
Speaker 4 (29:34):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
In the reparence to the movement said that's how that
that's what the name should be. But they're talking about
the descendants of those enslaved, not specifically what you're talking about, Uh,
you know, of of the Cree nation.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
And that's critically important.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Yes, absolutely, it.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
Was something I was gonna ask with that, And guys,
if you got a question, put it three up and
I'll drop the link if you got a question. It
was something I was gonna ask about that though about Oh,
that was a statement I was gonna make. This is
critically important not to be the divisive between indigenous people,
(30:13):
but this is critically important because shout out to my
sisters who mothers Native American and I don't know what
tribe she's from, she's black. Native American. Queen is on
my Instagram all the time. I interviewed her before on
Straight Shoting No Chaser, and there's this conversation that, you know,
(30:33):
Native Americans and Blacks were hand in hand and loving
on each other and were kind of the same, and
you know, lift all both times, and that might be
true in some in isn't.
Speaker 1 (30:43):
But what you're talking about wasn't.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
The black folks got put out that they did not
want you to have been It was all good until
it came down to sharing those resources.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
And my understanding that currically.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
You're right that it was not a clue by your type,
moment or theme. As we were coming on the trailer tears,
I was taught in Oklahoma history that like we were,
we came as Kumbai yai, right, But no, that was
not the case. Black folks was actually building the trail
on the trailer tears for them to walk through to
(31:15):
walk on. But as I was saying, when we talk
about this, you know how they treated their slaves. The
Chickasaw was one of the worst. They identified their slaves
by removing digits on your toes or your fingers. So
if you had a thumbus and they knew who you
belonged to, or if your pinky toe was missing, they
(31:36):
knew who you belonged to. And you can read the
Oklahoma slave narratives. A lot of it is free online.
The other book you'd have to buy, but you can
read the stories of these people who were recorded like
in the nineteen thirties and forties that tell the stories
of being slaves to the trots. So these stories exist.
A lot of people just don't know about it. A
(31:58):
lot of black Oklahoma history of people just don't know
and that's Okla.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Yeah, nobody talking about o'lahma. That's roight me.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I'd be like, Chris, you got to break this down
because I don't know what you're talking about. They really,
even in Oklahoma, I don't know what they're talking about.
And this is why it's important you know what you're doing.
I'm dropping anybody have any questions, uh, and this is
if you come on, I need you to ask the question,
you know, just go straight to asking the question.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
I want to be respectful of Christy's time.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Any questions about the program, if you are in position
to support, I do have the cash app here Cash
app Black History nine to one eight five dollars ten dollars.
It is a nonprofit program. National Geographic does support the program.
Speaker 4 (32:44):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (32:45):
The program is free to those that are tend in Tulsa.
She does not charge people to come, so it is
an absolute free class. So that's important guys that people
know that. But again, we can't just expect everything to
just keep being for you know, we have to. I'm
being very honest and what I'm telling you this personally,
I want to help Christy expand the program over the country,
(33:09):
and I do want her to have other income sources
coming in because the reality of it is, no, there's
not a ZEL link.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
People have to give out their numbers on ZEL.
Speaker 3 (33:19):
Y'all love being on ZEL, but people when y'all in
these public formats, guys, people don't really give out their
ZEL because it has to give out their phone number
or uh, you know, their email address. You have a
way to donate on the website, correct is ww what
Black History Saturdays.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
With an S dot com?
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Three Saturdays with the S dot com. You can donate
there as well.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Right, So go to Black History Saturdays with an as
dot com if you want to donate through that link.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
But I do want her to expand the program because.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
It's important to have other strings besides us having to
depend on large organizations.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Because what happens is and that y'all just getting information.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Now, what happens is if we have if we're one
hundred percent dependent upon other organizations, then what happens if
that organization decides they don't want it.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Anymore, and that means we don't have the program.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
So this is on the three things that I keep
telling y'all about Safe Stack remember the third one is secure,
secure the permit. But I also talk about securing our nonprofits,
securing organizations that matter, securing podcasts you care about secure
and a part of that is through donation. And I
want to give another t be because you know, y'all
get trained with me, not just no podcasts to the
(34:40):
system asked about Zel, I really do this is important, guys.
I really do want you, guys, if we are going to,
you know, really try to secure our organizations. I do
want you guys to consider. I know a lot of
people may not like cash apt because maybe you say
you know the security of it or the issue, but guys,
(35:00):
I really want you to secure, to have another way
to send people payments, and cash app is usually the way,
or vemo blat people don't use Vemo. But that's important, guys,
because if everybody say, well does she have a Zel?
Does she have a Zel, then nobody's gonna get any
donations because most people, I'm just telling you, when they're
on these national programs, they're not.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
Because even the sisters still asking for a Zeil link.
Nobody ain't no Zel.
Speaker 3 (35:24):
You have to go to the website if you want
to pay that way but I want you, guys to
consider other ways of supporting people besides needing their personal
information like an email or a number. My zeal is
connected to my email. I don't want my personal email
out there because then I will get floody. I think
about when people are on national platforms. They don't want
(35:45):
people flooding in with their personal email. They don't want
people having their numbers. So ZEL again, you know you're
always gonna get trained. ZEL is for you giving money
to your friends, you know, within your circle and your
folks and all of that.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
Supporting organizations, you have to use other resources.
Speaker 3 (36:03):
Like PayPal, like quick books, like cash out, like the
most The reason why people use the cash aup guys
because it's the simplest way to give.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
It's the easiest way to give, and most people have it.
Speaker 3 (36:14):
So please consider that if you want to be in
the business of trying to figure out how we can
support our organizations, because I see that a lot, Christy,
when I see you know, on different platforms and people saying,
well what is or azel people keep asking aboutself. That's
for your own internal you know, uh, communications with friends
and maybe stuff like that. So please consider cash app guys.
(36:37):
Because I want to help Christy really expand this program. Uh.
And again you can go to the website ww dot
black History Saturdays with an s dot com. So we'll
take a question from Lovey, and Lovey just getting straight
to the question, sweet, I don't want to because I
want to be respectful of her time. If anybody else
has a question, click the lie at the bottom. I'll
(37:01):
put the link again at the bottom to ask the
question and then we'll get out of here.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
So go ahead, love it. What's your question?
Speaker 2 (37:15):
Okay?
Speaker 5 (37:16):
My question is, first of all, I love what you do.
Shout out to my wife test you'll know, Chris, that's
my wife right there, Salt to my wife test Es.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I love what you do.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
I'm a son of a black panther. I have a
quick question. The two part question is your this is
available online?
Speaker 4 (37:31):
This?
Speaker 5 (37:31):
Of course that I could push the I'm ment to
a lot of fallbers, and I think this will be
important for them to hear your word.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Is this something I could push you online? That to
push you online?
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (37:41):
And actually, uh, the second Saturday in May, we will
be kicking off our online versions as well, so you'll
be there'll be more. I mean, so many opportunities for
you to click in online. So everyone can, you know,
have some lessons in black history, guys. I think it's
(38:02):
and we can moving that number.
Speaker 5 (38:04):
We're trying to get to three hundred to three thousand
to three hundred thousand with the power of Taz and I.
Speaker 4 (38:10):
So we're gonna keep moving that needle.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
Something my mother told me.
Speaker 5 (38:14):
I always refer to my mom because he was the
black people. She told me one thing that she thinks
segregation was the worst thing to happen to us. But
she also just tapped into me and said she thinks
that by the force of hearing of the President that be,
that is forcing us back into segregation.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
Yeah, a lot of people think the segregation was the
best thing, Like keep us over here and y'all go
over there.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
You know, that's what the native of America did.
Speaker 3 (38:42):
They segregated, got their own land, got their own you know,
they're still within America, but still got their.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Own, you know, own thing.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
So right now, it's definitely thanks for your question of it.
It's definitely uh, you know, forcing people to uh you know,
have to network and uh be of community in ways
they have never been, uh.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
You know before.
Speaker 3 (39:07):
So I think I think it's a it's a good thing.
I think it's going to make us really have to connect. Uh,
we happened before, and what I'm hoping that it's not
just a you know, stuff happens and spikes that people
feel really good and then they go back to you know,
business as usual.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
So I'm hoping that this is something that you know,
we can continue on. And as far as.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
Online, she's rolling out online but also within the Push
the Line online training program that we're kicking off in June.
Christy will be a part of that as a trainer
for one of our organizers on how to organize these
types of things because I see people asking, you know,
can I teach you myself? Is it something I can curriculum?
(39:51):
And and guys, I'm gonna say this, and I'm saying
it respectfully as possible. It's a reason why you know,
I know, people think they can just duplicate, you know,
what somebody else does, and Chrissy's handing out their curriculum
so people can know. But guys try to invest in
or participate in what she's doing because the knowledge that
(40:12):
they have, the institutional knowledge that they have the information
that they have you may not have. I know, we
always say, well, we can just teach it ourselves, or
you know that happened with COVID. Yeah, but you don't
know everything to teach you do?
Speaker 1 (40:23):
You just don't. You don't you're not knee deep in
it on a daily basis.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
I can give you a curriculum to say, teach people
the five things that you matter of fact, we'll use
push the line example. These are the five things that
you need to do to start your campaign. The information
I'm giving you you can find online.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
It's no secret.
Speaker 2 (40:40):
You know.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
It's not like, Okay, it's going to say open up
a website, start a website, open up a bank account.
But the knowledge that you're going to get from me
and from other experts, we're going to tell you, hey,
but when I open up that bank account, this is
what I learned. Look out for this, look out for that.
So guys connect with the actual teachers. It's a reason,
you know, why you have people who are knee deep
(41:00):
in this stuff that's gonna give you information that you
may not otherwise know. So for those of you that
are saying, oh, is it a curriculum that I can learn,
I'm cautioning Christy on that, making sure that as she's
giving that information out, we do want you to run
with it on your own, because Christy is just like that.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
She want to run with it on.
Speaker 3 (41:20):
She want everybody sign up online, get it, get it,
get to get it. But I also want to make
sure that we're educating people properly and that you know
that you're getting the information from me in the classroom.
So when they do the online, gather your family around,
you know, have people around learn it, learn it, you know,
learn what the teachers.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
It's called train the trainer. I trained Christy, she training y'all.
She gonna train somebody else.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
You know.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
We must be okay with norm what we know and
norm what we don't know. And I want to be
clear about that because a lot of people have asked
for the curriculum.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Oh, let me just learn it.
Speaker 3 (41:56):
Well, no, you would need to learn everything in her head.
Wanted to teach it the way she taught it. So
respect the gift, respect the craft, and more importantly, let's
teach our babies the right way. And that comes from
your expertise.
Speaker 4 (42:12):
So absolutely, and tess one thing that I really want
to stress to people because a lot of black folks
don't really get it or understand how critical this is.
There's eighteen other states that has the same or similar
legislation that right now to Oklahoma has where they're restricting
or just completely banning black history from public schools. And
(42:34):
then also just between twenty twenty twenty three and twenty
twenty four, there's ten thousand books that were banned, and
that tripled the number than it was the year before.
Speaker 1 (42:45):
And so in the book worth breaking news, it's gonna
get worse.
Speaker 4 (42:49):
It's gonna get worse. And in the books that they
are banning are majority all black books, right, any book
that has to deal with race or gender, they're completely
just they're just banning. And so and what's in those books?
Our stories that that are in these books, and so
we're going back.
Speaker 1 (43:08):
You have a banned book library, right.
Speaker 4 (43:10):
Yes, I have a band book library where I started
my own library where community can come in and check
out band books. Even at my church when I started,
we have Reverend Franceta, Reverend i Am Martin Att of
the historic vernon Ami Church. Uh, they at least a
wolf she does our Sunday school. But they they started
a band book library. I mean a band book club. So, uh,
(43:32):
they pick a band book and everybody reads the band book.
And so there are things like that. I think that
communities can do in response to that as well. But
I'll say, if these band books, y'all need to buy
these books up, you know, and keep them at home.
It's just and what happened with the National Park Service
in the Smithsonian, these are things that are telling us
(43:53):
that we got to start preserving our history and learning it.
And if you don't learn it, you don't even know
what they're doing to it. If you're not you know,
equip with that knowledge to know. So we have to
learn our history. It's so important.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Yes, ever, he's asking, you know, is there a cost
for each person to participate? That's the whole thing.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
She does it for free. But I'm telling you now,
I'm changing that. I need her to have another source.
So don't even answer the quest. I'll answer this question, Christy,
because you'll start saying, I'm just gonna know. That's why
we sit over it broke. Now, you know, from keep Free,
Free Free, everybody want the information, everybody want to take
the information, everybody want the gift. But again, the program
(44:34):
she offers in Tulsa in person is free, but I'm
working with her on a and even even on the
streaming she's doing is free. But again we need another
way of another source. I do not want it completely
dependent upon national geographic I just don't. So to answer
your question, Ebany, what I'm trying to do with her
(44:57):
on my platform is yes, you know, like couple of hours,
whatever it is. Whatever that might be twenty five bucks,
it might be it's something very small, you know, but
at least it's putting something, you know, back into the
actual program. And I encourage people to sit around, like
five of y'all sit around and put it on the TV,
you know, and watch it or put it on the
you know, interactive. So to ask your question, Ebany, I'm
(45:18):
working on that with her. But she does have free
you know, it's free every Saturday, and the streaming is
gonna be free. But again I'm just telling you in
front of everybody, because I'm definitely gonna call you bat
when I get off the phone.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
You offering this streaming free over and over and over.
Speaker 3 (45:35):
Christy, I do have concern with that because when if
you're asking people to donate out of the kindess of
they heart. I'm just telling you they may not, and
I know that's a part of your work, just wanting
to give it away for free. But I am dead ass,
and I'm just saying this. I am appreciative of National
Geographic giving you the money and the resources.
Speaker 1 (45:54):
But as you know, you don't have to say it,
I'll say it for Christy. The money is limited. It's
not that much.
Speaker 3 (45:59):
And again, we do not want to just depend on
National Geographic to fund that black program, so we have
to get more creative and make things kind of make sense.
So if you attend the free streaming that she's doing,
please donate. She's not gonna ask, I'm asking. I'm asking
(46:20):
donate because if not, Guys, this is why they they
can stop and start everything we're doing because they control
the money.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
They control the money. So Ebany, I hope to answer
your question. It is absolutely free.
Speaker 3 (46:34):
And I'm saying that as somebody had to learn that
my own way. Christy, you know, everything I've done has
been free, free, free, free training, free training. Less they're
a client of mine, we gotta stop that. We haven't
stopped that because at the end of the day, it
does the program doesn't grow. We don't get the people
that we need to participate to be a part of it.
We're taking the hits. You know, Christy putting her name
(46:57):
out here, first and last name, where everybody else, you know,
going under fake names and you know, get to hide.
Speaker 1 (47:03):
And Christy can't get no job nowhere. It's a real thing.
Speaker 3 (47:05):
She is to have our Instagram under a different name
because she didn't want her job to see what she
was doing. She literally just changed it a couple of
weeks ago when I rolled her out national, I was like, Christy,
people got to be able to find you, and they
can't find you under these four and five different names.
How don't they talid eight nine to two, they have
to find you for a five minute? You appreciate this
real game I'm giving you. So see y'all get to
(47:27):
go by and I'm just looking at the comments, lips galore,
culture of uh just looking at the name Ebanie Jone
that sounds like a real name, Evan Webers but meals
coop all that y'all get to go under different names,
which I appreciate.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
But who's taking the hit?
Speaker 3 (47:45):
Christy Williams and teseslim figuero meaning not going to get
another job, people that don't want to hire you, people
that say no, you're gonna be a problem on the job,
people that say, you know, hey, we don't want you
around here. People that literally go after their way to
destroy your programs. So what I'm asking is, if we're
going to take if people like us are going to
be out here front lining it, taking the hit, then
(48:09):
be like on the Verizon commercial and being a background
supporting us. Guys, it's really really important. It's really really
important because it's only so much you can continue to
keep asking people to do for free.
Speaker 1 (48:19):
It really really is.
Speaker 3 (48:20):
So guys, follow Christy. She's on my on my Instagram.
Is Christy is it Underscore Williams Underscore Black Wills your Instagram?
Speaker 4 (48:31):
Uh huh, it's Christy Williams, Christy Underscore Williams.
Speaker 1 (48:35):
Yes, we got something else after that. It's not just
Christy Williams. It's let me look at.
Speaker 4 (48:41):
I'm literally just changing.
Speaker 3 (48:42):
Like Tess this said, Underscore Williams, Underscore Black, Underscore History
And if you can't find it, it's in my stories.
Speaker 1 (48:53):
She's on my page, She's on our remote news page.
Speaker 3 (48:56):
If not hit Marcella's up he'll give you information, but
again we'll be rolling her out in our programs. I
want to help what I what I can do to
share my platform to make this something national. But again,
I don't want to work Christy to death either. She
has fifty five jobs, you know, in addition to this,
she's feeding people, you know, full programs, guys, And I'm
(49:19):
just telling you straight up. She needs the resources you know,
and order to be able to do it.
Speaker 1 (49:24):
But you get to be a part of it.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
You're not getting You're not just giving and not getting
anything if you go pay fifty dollars for one of
those classes, twenty five dollars for one of those you
know where they make the mugs and the symmetric classes
and cook classes, you know those little classes. Twenty five
bucks and twenty five bucks. You know, it's no different, y'all.
Pay it to the white folks, give it to crazy.
(49:47):
So she's able to do this ten months for free,
for people with three hundred people in the room.
Speaker 5 (49:52):
I do.
Speaker 3 (49:52):
I want to see her be able to have some
revenue come in so that way, if the company doesn't
want to fund her in the fourth year, she can
continue to do the work. Guys, so thank you so
much Christy for coming on.
Speaker 2 (50:06):
I ate you.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
I hope, guys we were able to answer your questions.
Please replay this, share this YouTube interview, and also it
will be on the Black Effect podcast network the audio
version for those of you to love, just audio only,
and thank you for tapping in.
Speaker 1 (50:22):
Thank you so much, Christy. Expect to see more of Christy.
Speaker 3 (50:25):
I honor her last month of Black History for Women's
History Month, so you're gonna continue to see me supporting her.
Thank you to all my supportive folks in the comments,
love me. Marcella's as usual lifts glow. I do see
you a lot in the comments, so I appreciate you
and all of you guys that rock with me. Subscribe
to the channel. We're gonna keep using this YouTube channel.
We're gonna keep getting the digital discipline. Everybody else on
(50:48):
the Black Effect is on YouTube and the audio. I'm
copy the only one that haven't utilized my YouTube, and
I'm changing that because again, we want to make sure
that we're growing and right now more than ever, we
need these resources out to the guys.
Speaker 1 (51:00):
So thank you so much. I appreciate you, guys, and
we'll tap in next week.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
If you like what you heard on Straight Shot No Chaser,
please subscribe and drop a five star review and tell
a friend. Straight Shot No Chaser is a production of
the Black Effect podcast Network in iHeartRadio on Teslin figure Out,
and I like to thank our producer editor mixer Dwayne
Crawford and our executive producer Charlotte Magne to God. For
more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
(51:26):
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Host
Tezlyn Figaro
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