June 17, 2025 • 35 mins
Tezlyn Figaro discusses her personal journey and the emotional loss from leaving the Black Mecca Atlanta and returning to Orlando, Florida.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, don't ask your question real.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Let's just keep it real, straight shot with no chasing.
I'm gonna get a little bit rough. I'm here for it.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Those who really believed in the American process, all of
us Street shot no chase.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
With your girl tesseling figure Out on the Black Effect
podcast Network network. But it was happening everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
It's a Tesla and figure out with a straight shot
no chase on the Black Bed podcast Network. Joined with
my trustee, I don't want to say sidekicks, my trust
the brother Marcellus who people somebody that they said they
love your infectious laugh.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I hate it. You don't like your laugh. I don't
like you.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
One of my brothers he listened to the podcast and
he was like, you gotta you have a well he said,
you have a like a radio type voice. And now
I was like, nah, but what you like a talking
about your voice?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Your laugh? What you don't like that your laugh? Because
you laugh a lot. I don't like it. I just
don't like it. Why would you want to laugh first?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You definitely laugh a lot. Well, you definitely laugh a lot.
So I appreciate I keep you, keep you rolling.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Right now before we start. I want to know we
always talk about your intro. Who did your introt?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, from Atlanta, Billboard Killer, who's actually well, I don't
know if he's from Atlanta, but he lives in Atlanta.
And I told him I wanted a West Coast sound,
you know, I said it was and that's why you're
the piano you know that doctor dre kind of sound.
And yeah, so I told him, I was like, it
gotta be a West Coast sound. I need to be,
(02:09):
you know, make sure if you listen to it. He said, okay,
I got you, and so he put that together for me.
So the name is bill Boy Killer. I was like,
no disrespect to Atlanta, but I don't want to strip
a sound. I want to West Coast sound, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
So he did that, and UH really do like the
you know what he was able to put together. Shut
up to him. M Yeah, I love it. I love
to what hypes me up, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
So, yeah, I even if I changed the name of
the show just to my name or everyone to do,
I still want to keep that sound. And gave me
an extended version too. That's just a quick, you know,
thirty seconds. But yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Gotta have that Tupac.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You know, I was like, I need that Tupac, that
West Coast, that nineties West coast. Yeah, that sound like yep,
I got to I need that. So that's that's that's
what you're that's what you're feeling through that. So producers,
you know, that's what they do. They put together your
vision and so uh, he said, he got me. So
he we want me to do come in and do
some spoken words, get on the mic again. It's been
(03:14):
a long time since I've done that. I haven't did
that since I've been in since I left Orlando. Now
that I'm coming back to Orlando, we'll see, maybe I'll
get the poetry bug in. I don't know. You know,
I'm just gonna be honest with everybody. You know, y'all,
y'all are part of the family. We just be talking
on this podcast like we on the phone. I'll be
forgetting that was the people be listening to this. But
(03:35):
you know, y'all part of the family. But I I
you know, y'all really want y'all to just keep me
in prayers. I pray for y'all, and you know you
pray for me. When I came to Orlando Friday. You know,
when I left, I was devastated, Marcellus. You know, I
because I didn't leave by choice. I left because when
(03:59):
we lost our contract with the Amway Center because the
healthcare reform expirion could not afford you know, we had
to put.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
A higher bid in, so we lost it.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They did offer me, They said, well, you know, you
can split up the work with the other two minority contractors,
will bring them on in, but you know, bring you
in with them. But instead of putting eighteen workers to
forty workers one hundred workers, you may get like five
or six, which would have been fine if I had
if I was in a position I was in now
(04:29):
and I had other things going on, and you know,
finally some help to help me scale up.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
I would have taken that.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It'll be like, okay, cool, we'll get you know, five
to seven people until we can scale up and you know,
build it back up and at least, if nothing else,
just keep the city contract right and do some other things.
But I've always I've never had staff that could help
me grow, especially in cells.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So it was just all me. So I was like, yeah,
I can't do that.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm gonna end up paying out of pocket the fees
and you know, the tax and all that stuff just
to keep people working. And my lease was getting ready
to come up, you know, expire it, you know, renew and.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
June having a kid.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Contrary to pop your popular belief of thinking it's all
about a text tax return once a year, it's actually
about taking care of a kid year round, and every
decision being made based off that child. If I was single,
no big deal. I would have just put my stuff
in storage, you know, when slipping my homegirl's house and
you know, figured it out. But I had Jada, so
(05:30):
I got to make sure she's stable, got to make
sure you know, he has and at the time, let's
see seven, eight, nine, ten eleven, so at that time
she was five or six, so you know, I had
a baby, baby, you know, And so I said, I
can't risk. At that time, my ex husband was living
in Atlanta, so there wasn't anybody you know, in Orlando.
(05:52):
And I said, I can't risk not knowing how I'm
gonna pay my bills.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
You know, I got to make sure Jada's in school,
got to make sure she's straight.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
So I left left so devastated because I was truly
at the top of my game. Osell was my staff
infirnt because we still was doing well, Like we didn't
lose it because bad service just you know, got priced out.
So the staff in firm was well. I was sitting
on a metro Plan Orlando. The person that put me
(06:20):
on their board used to working me on their board.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
She's now over it.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
From what I understand, and that's that's kind of like
the fun thing about it. The people that I was
working with when I left, they've now even excelled in
their leadership, so that's kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
But you know, I was on metro Plan that was
a volunteer board.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Didn't get paid for that, but I took a lot
of pride in that because we developed, you know, all
of the transportation system you know.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
In all central Florida.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
It was every elected official and every county and then
a citizens Board that I was a part of that,
you know, worked with every elected official. I was on
the Membership Mission and Review Board. Tiffany Moore Russell, who
now is running for mayor, she put me on that board.
With that board, is is any volunteer that volunteers for
(07:05):
Orange County the governing body for that is the Membership
Mission and Review Board, and so I was on that.
So we were the governing body for all of the
volunteer programs with the county. That was for free as well,
but I was on that. I also was heavily involved
as an African American Chamber Ambassador. I started the Ambassador
Ambassador program for the Black Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida.
(07:29):
I was on the White one what they call per SE,
which is Central Florida Partnership.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I was on the Young Professional Committee. So I was
on the White and the Black.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Legal Women Voters, the only Black woman and the youngest
on Legal and Voters, which is one of the most
powerful Legal and Voters, one of the most powerful advocacy
groups in the country.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
And I was a board member on that. I was
just really doing my thing.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I was a volunteer mediator all this stuff with stuff
I wasn't paid for. But I was really shaping a
lot of you know, local policy, which is guys, where
you get my passion from, and I know how my expertise,
you know, actually being a part of so many different
things in the city of Orlando. So the city was
good to me and Marcel's I'm telling you I felt
(08:14):
so defeated when I left, because when I came to Orlando,
it wasn't a choice. I came to Orlando or my
my husband at the time, and so I came to Orlando.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I didn't have a job.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I went to a staff and firm, an office team,
just to get a temporary job, you know, to be
accounts payable or something like that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
They said, hey, have you ever thought about being a
staff and managers? Sedge?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
No, Like, well, have you ever gotten anybody together a
group of people? I was like, well, I just did
a university or Texas. I started association with women Communications.
I got thirty volunteers. Go, okay, you probably be good
at staffing. Told me I wasn't good enough to be
an accountants. Gave me a job at office team. Long
story short, I ended up running accountants in Chicago because
I beat at everybody on accountentts know, they told me
(09:00):
I was never qualified for the job. The point is,
that's a whole nother testimony I can give you, guys.
But when I left for Orlando, I poured so much
into this city that I just felt so defeated. I remember,
I got me a car, I got my Mercedes, which
(09:22):
I still have to this day. I said, let me
go ahead and get a car because I don't know
the next time I'm gonna be working.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I don't know the next time, you know, I may
have a job and my car is down on too.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Let you know, it was getting ready to be you know,
more than likely I was gonna need a car. And
I knew when I went back to Oklahoma City, I
may not be able to get finance for a car
because I know I didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Have no job.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So I said, let me go ahead and get the
car while I can. I remember my mother said she
always would be conservative about you know, told me don't
move to Dallas, told me don't get the car, told
me don't go to Orlando, told me. You know, she's
always told me what not to do. Yeah, but I
always did it. I always believed in myself and just knew, no,
this is the right thing to do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Anyway, I got my car.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Still got a picture of me in that car with
a dress that my girlfriend Erica hated.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I would address.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
All of the time, like I just literally it was
like my uniform almost clothes all the time. I just
go back myself and I think about all that I've
been through, you know, and I remember driving that long row.
You know, the Oklahoma city was probably fifteen hours twelve.
That's something I have to look it up. But it
was a long time. And had packed all my stuff
(10:36):
up put it in storage. Oh no, I see, I
don't mean through so much for myself. I couldn't remember.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I put my stuff in storage in Orlando. That's what happened.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I put my stuff in storage in Orlando because I
just knew I was gonna come back. I was like,
I just need to go regroup, you know, let me
come back. I tried to get a job at paycheck.
To me, I was overqualified. Like I tried.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I tried. I tried every contact.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I knew, everybody I knew, you know, like, somebody, give
me a job, just keep me here. I did all
this work in the city and I just it just
was nothing. So I put my stuff. And now that
I'm remembering, I put my stuff in storage in Orlando
cause I was like, no, I'm coming back. I don't
know when I'm coming back, but I'm coming back. But
packed up, you know what I needed to bring with me,
clothes and all that packed up me and Jada drove
(11:24):
fifteen hours home, drove my car back, went to Oklahoma,
shared my grandmother five bedroom house, but me and Jada
shared one room, two twin beds, and just literally had
to start over. I had a radio show in Orlando's
just so many things, you know, I remember, it was
(11:47):
very hard for me to disconnect. That's when Regina and
I started working together Commission Hill, because I was like,
I gotta stay in contact with somebody, you know, I
got a it's so interesting now of this full circle
that I'm talking it out.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
But I met Regina.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
We knew of each other, but I met her after
I moved to Oklahoma City, you know, in Orland from Orlando,
because I was just still active on Facebook, and so
we got into it and she was like, ooh, I'd
rather have her with me than against me. So then
that's when we started working on each other. You know,
we start working on a campaign to help her, and
I did that from Oklahoma City. I did blog talk
(12:23):
radio thirty dollars a month, which is like a big
three way call, you know, to do radio about her show.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Okay, let can we go back just a little bit.
I want to ask a quick question So if y'all
was if y'all was like had exchange, going back and
forth again to it.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
What was it that made you want to work with her? Well,
she said it. She said she rather had me with
it than against her. Yeah, it's better.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
People should realize it's better. So two things in politicies.
Minimize your friends, maximize your enemies. Regina knew that. The
way I clapped back at her and we back at
each other, she was like, yeah, I kind of I want.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
On my team. I love her, you work with me?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
She ca'me me because I was gonna tear your head up,
you know what I mean. So she was like, yeah,
it's a beast. I need I need me somebody here.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And we just clicked. We just clicked. Nina Turner was different.
We didn't have no follow out.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Nina Turner fell in love with me when she came
in the room and I was training, and I said,
everything they told y'all before I got up here, they lied,
throw it out the window, respected, but every trainer been
up here lost, that was here.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
They got slaughtered, spattered. And I said, so, don't know
whatever they told y'all before, ain't it? She said, she
ain't never seen nobody say that in front of it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I said that when I walked up to the because
I never get Leslie uh Leslie whim who you know
seen on Twitter before in Florida. He brought me down
to the training and when I got up and I
walked towards the front when I was saying that, and
I said everything everybody told her right before me.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I'll throw it on everybody that got lost. And her like, oh,
that's the one. And we clicked. Regina, we quick getting
in two. She's like, yeah, I like her. I love
it if you work with me and you do that. Hey,
we're in it.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
And I'm telling you, you know what I mean you
I keep you laughing. Yeah, me and Regina, I'm telling
we be on the pall because it was just her
and I.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
You know, it was just her by herself, single.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Woman, you know, out all day, out, all night, knocking doors,
calling me one of the more two and the more.
Now you want to talk about some good petty cause
she's right now planning on planning on Facebook. So going
there and see like going back and forth calling people
working fot dirty roll.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Oh she work. She was Trump before Trump was Trump.
You give me on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Yeah all the time.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oh okay, then we'll go and look and see it all.
She over there, some girl said something and she been
going back and forth three and four days talking about
the roll berdy. She need to get out of the
middle of the street, get off the.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Oh. Regina's a bunch of fun to watch. So we
just laugh and laugh and laugh, and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
We pushed all the way until I was on the
phone with her every single day, all through the night,
like it was literally her and I, you know, from Oklahoma.
He helped her, you know, win that campaign, and I
felt good. I was like, Okay, at least I did that.
And then Tiffany. It's just so interesting. It's full circle
because both of them are running now. And then Tiffany
(15:37):
helped her with her campaigns like let me just still
try to help to campaign Oklahoma. And that's when I did,
you know, told Randy Ross, you know, he came on
my show and said, oh, well, all TV.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Did was have babies. And Regina told me last night
she said he's still suffering from that.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
He said, if you're on on on They got the
thing on Facebook called Orange County PV Orange County Public Voice,
and he said. She said, girl, Randy still still be
telling people, guys, I've learned my lessons, stay out of
defive politics.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You don't know nothing about D five. D five is different,
you know. She said, here you got scare and he
just now got his job back. That was ten years
old because Virginia said, okay, now, don't go on down
talking crazy again or something got something. Yeah, oh yeah,
he thought it was a game. Man, It was not
(16:27):
a game.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
But I'm really glad I did something terrible to Randy.
But be careful what you say because he can and
we'll be used against you. I helped giving to get
in office. She became the first clerk of courts, the
first female black clerk of courts, the third ever in Florida.
(16:48):
And she's had that this whole time, its last ten years.
And now she's running for Orange County mayor. So I
guess I said all that to say that I knew
I would be back, and but then Marcella's something changed,
and I said, I don't see why would be back.
You know, I stayed gone so long, you know, I
was like, now, I've always says, you know, still in
(17:09):
contact people in Orlando. Still got those relationships that that's
never changed, still same phone number that had ever changed.
But I just once I got set on Atlanta and
seeing Atlanta as where I can actually retire and stay
in the Black Mecca.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
And you know, man Orlanta.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Man, Atlanta's so good to me, and and all of
that is due to Killer Mike. You know, my brother
just truly opening up the door for me and just
welcoming me and all that with him that comes with that,
and even the training that didn't have nothing to do
with Killing Mike.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Just Atlanta just got me, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
So I fell in love with Atlanta quickly, which is
so interesting because I used to can stand in Atlanta
because that's what caused a lot of problems with me
and my marriage. But I fell in love with Atlanta,
and I fell in love with like, man, Okay, I'm
doing politics for people that actually look like me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
And majority of me and this and that. And but
then law school came up.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
You know, I had to go to an HBCU, no
if ans and buds about it.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I struggled with it. I tried Marcello's.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I said, well, let me go to John Marshall Law School,
which is in Atlanta, you know, right around the corner
from where I live.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Would have been perfect, right, you know, I said, let
me go.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I try to do the tour, but Marcello's I just
could not go to a school where they don't know
who being crump is. The lady was literally talking about
the case that we worked on. I don't know if
you remember about the prisoner that was basically said got
ate up by bed bugs.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah. Yeah, I ain't even talking about because it just
made me it's thinking about it. But that was our case.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
And she was talking about how they were using that
in some case studies and this and that, and I
was like, yeah, that was our case.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Being crump. Oh who's being crump? I said, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
I left in the middle of the tour, like I
couldn't kindrespectful. Yeah, well, they don't know our world, you know,
they don't know our world. That they the attorney Crump,
they say is black America's attorney general. They don't know
our world. Those are not the people they the white
folks look up to, or who they you.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Know what I mean. So I just couldn't. I was like,
I tried.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I was like, let me just law school is law school.
As long as I get the information, you know, let
me be in the city where I normal did. But
I and it's just a damn shame. And I'm gonna
really talk about that. Like Atlanta, come on, y'all need
a law program. You got more house, you know, Selman Clark,
Morris Brown. No law program, no law school. And people
(19:41):
get confused, they say, oh, they got law. No, I'm
not talking about legal studies in pre law. I'm talking
about a school of law. There's only a few HBCUs.
They have a school of law that is HBCU. But
they got to do something about that because that, I
was like, it don't make no sense. You know it
should be because I ain't no way I would have left.
(20:03):
Even much as I love Orlando, I saw Atlanta as
it felt good to be home. It felt good that
everything I've advocated for, you know, makes sense, you know
what I mean, Everything lines up.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I advocate for black issues.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
I want to be around black people, even though they
say Atlanta's no longer Ma Jordy black, But you know,
I want to be around It feels good to go
wherever I go. I'm Black through and through, you know
what I mean. So when I got on the plane.
I'm not gonna lie, guys. I'm just being honest. When
I came back to Orlando, I was like, I got
in the car. Okay, here we go with the.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
The foreigner music. Here we go with the you know,
just right off the gate. You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
You know, I'm just saying, here we go, you know,
dot nobody speak English because Orlando is a Caribbean, it's
a you know, it's it's a migrant, it's a very
mixed diverse immigrant, you know community.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
It's not Atlanta at all. And I was like, man.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
This don't feel like I expected, even though I know
I have a great support system here, no doubt. It's
one thing to know to get to know the mayor
of Atlanta. It's another thing to know the mayor in Orlando,
you know what I mean. And a real trust, not
just you got to build a trust with these people
ten fifteen years, you know, trust that they can trust you.
(21:25):
I could sit down yesterday with dinner with the commissioner.
She know I'm not recording her. She know I'm not
trying to set her up. You know, you know what
I mean, Like a real trust. You don't get you
earned that in politics, you earn that no matter what
men's in to turn to go through, how many times she.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Get on my nerve, I get on hers, or whatever.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It is, there's a level of trust right on that
you build. So I know all this in Orlando, y'all,
Like I know it. It's the best place to be
for law school. You want to be in the HBCU.
You want your first year. You want to know people
in the class, the professors are rooting for you. You
want to know they're hard on you for the right reasons,
Like I be hard on Marcellos, but he knows's for
(22:04):
the right reason.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
You know.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I'm not trying to set you up. I'm not trying
to try to make you the best at everything you do.
Big difference having a trainer and a teacher that cares
about you versus somebody that's being hard on you because
they're trying to get you out, you know, and law
school is very much about that. Your first year I
here in Orlando, I can call the judge, you know.
(22:27):
I had people personally reference recommend to me, not just
let as a reference, but calling the dean saying, hey,
I want to make sure you know this ain't just
the regular reference. This is somebody who's put in time
in Orlando, you know what I mean, who's really did
her time. You know, this is somebody we need in
the community. We know this is gonna be somebody that's
gonna pour back and give back and has get back.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
You know that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
That's why even though I got in it in Southern
because I was accepted there too. Just so y'all know,
I got in one without people knowing me.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
I owe.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I feel I've still owe Orlando, and I honestly feel
like Orlando owes me. There's still a relationship that you know,
we need to, you know, kind of close up the
right way.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
So I know all this.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Stuff on myselves. But it's still gonna be a transition.
I said all that to say that it's gonna be
a transition. I appreciate having black effect, I appreciate having you,
I appreciate having Jade, I appreciate Jada, my baby, my
ex hub, you.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Know, everybody in my life.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Guy is because I'm not gonna lie. I have moved
in six different cities. I've moved probably sixteen seventeen times.
Last time I count it might even been more than that.
I've done a lot. I've done a lot, and even
though this is the greatest move ever, you know, like
(23:45):
the big this is what I've been waiting on, This
is it, this is why I was born, I still
felt a way about not having a enough black people
put it like that. Yeah, I know they're here and
I'll find them here, but I did feel a way,
(24:06):
you know, like damn, you know it's not enough to
change direction, you know, all my life, but like Orlando,
we gotta get busy. I gotta know that we're progressing.
And it's black, you know, it just it's just different,
Like you said, it's different. It's a different vibe. But
I'm here for a purpose. I'm here for a reason.
I don't know what to just be for the program
(24:26):
or here forever, but I just appreciate everybody rocking with me,
supporting the training, supporting the journey. And I just wanted
this one, with this move, this podcast is supposed to
be about, but I just wanted to be honest with
y'all guys or what I've been talking about sellers offline
about you know, trying to find a place, trying to
make sure you can afford it. Try to make sure
you're able to cover law school. The anxiety with that
(24:47):
law school's very expensive. It's only so much. You can
get loans, don't. I can't get federal aid. I can't
get you know.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
It's a lot of other things that's just going through
my head. And it's just a lot.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I gotta move back to Orlando Country, move all my stuff,
throw out what I don't want, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
It's just it's a lot of myself. Like, I got
a lot on my plate.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
In addition to doing the training and making sure that
I'm staying on top of that for you guys as well,
because I don't want to start a program and not
complete it in a timely matter.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
You had a question, Yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
I getting ready to end. I want to ask you, what,
in your opinion to date, your biggest political accomplishment in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
In Orlando, well, my biggest accomplishment is my staff infirm.
But that's not a political accomplishment, but it kind of
is to me because it it literally puts people to work.
There's nothing I'm more proud of of being able when
people literally will come to me with jail IDs, you know,
(26:03):
not even had time to go get a new ID,
and they know they could give it. I remember grown
men like shaking handing it to me, you know, thinking
I'm gonna turn them away. People who really needed me
to sign their paperwork so they could get in the shelters.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
People who had PhDs. You want, never forget Todd, who
was my right hand white guy.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
PhD but at that time, he was going through recession
and like people just wanted to work. Shirley Walker, who
was a CEO of I forgot the organization was a
part of. But it was like a black women alliance
who forgot the name of it. When I first came
to Orlando, I went through all the major organizations and
just came and met with everybody. Introduced myself, said, you know,
I was here to help and be a part of
(26:51):
the city and all that, cause that's what I do
when I go to a city, I just go meet
with all the you know, kings and queen makers.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
And Shirley was one of those ones that I met
and I ended up employing her.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
You know, after everything shut down, everybody lost their nonprofits,
they grants, which is basically what we're about to go
through now. I know God has me in position for
a reason, you know, to come back and pick up
right where I left off.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And Orlando needs me more sold than Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I will say, you know, it was just my own
personal you know, I just got settled in Atlanta and
then I got to get another.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
House and let's do it. You know, that's all. I can't.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I've done so many things Marcella's, but I can't. I
don't know if I want to call the job political,
but it is, because it's just it changes so much.
It was a certified business to the state.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
It's very important. If we talk about campaigns.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Regina is always going to be the highlight of anything
that I do because just working with somebody that had nothing,
that had been arrested multiple times, that only had a
story to tell, only had us.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Bring me if I'm wrong, But that was a first
time running, right.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
This first time running two thousand dollars to her name,
arrested twenty one times, went against an incumbent sixteen years,
went against an attorney.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Oh wow, and no disrespect.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
I don't want to say the person's name, but he
has literally lost his mind, like in a mental institute today,
like mentally gone. This is why when you boy, I'm
telling you it's gonna be a testimony. And the things
that they're doing well Regina now will say that for
another time, but they are literally trying to make that
(28:37):
woman lose her mind.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
And Regina has stood.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
And when when Regina got elected, her daughter was murdered
within the first year, and she had to take care
of her grandson who he's thirteen.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Now, yeah, I say, and he getting bigger up.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So not only did she have to, you know, get
be elected. You know who survives though, I got family
that lost. My cousin was murdered. His MoMA ain't been
right since. Like literally, when I say not right, I
mean not right, like literally lose your mind. I know
something happened to mine. I could see myself literally losing
(29:14):
my mind. Regina has She is a hell of a
testimony and right now she's running again for re election.
She was suspended by the governor over some charges that
she has denied that they've been proven stepping step every
bit of the way that it was not what they
said it was. We're gonna keep watching that case. But
when you talk about somebody that stands, I don't know
(29:36):
nobody who's ever done it like her with the challenges
that she's had to face, right, major challenges.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
And she and she stood.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
So she has a heart for the people like I've
like no other that I've seen with the obstacles that
you know, she's had to face, right. So I would
probably say that was the highlight, the closest candidate, But
I've worked on many races.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Judge Belvin Perry who wrote my letter of reference the
Night Judicial Circuit, he was the chief judge. You don't
find a lot of black chief judges over all the judges.
He was Kasey Anthony's judge. That's who literally wrote you know,
like no, he's on famus board. Like Judge Perry still
textes me every now and then and hey, you're gonna
(30:27):
be the next Oprah.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Judge Perry is almost eighty years old, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And he just believes in me so much for myself,
Like he really it makes me tear, like he just
really literally believes in me. I remember when I met
him for lunch the first time, and he was early.
I was early too, and he was early, and I
was like, Judge, you walking to the things, like yeah,
I always be on time. He's just always just been
impressing me, and even talking about now brings me the
(30:55):
tears because that's the highest. I'm not caught up on
titles and things like that, but I didn't grow up
knowing judges and attorneys and you know, these types of people.
And Judge Perry has looked at with greatesteem. He's in
the top ten most powerful people in Central Florida period.
(31:18):
When I say top ten, I mean literally named in
the Central Florida magazine, you know, like the magazine that literally,
you know, rates the top ten.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Like he is the big dog and he believes in me.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
And he told me a couple of months ago, he said, Teeslim,
soon as you get back, we're gonna go to lunch
and make sure you know how to pass the bar.
You know, make sure, he said, don't be afraid to
ask for help, he said, because it just makes me
emotionally even thinking about it. He graduated in Texas Southern,
by the way, he said, because if you ever see
(31:52):
a turtle at the top of a fence, know that
the turtle didn't get there by themselves. And he said, Teeslim, Joe,
just whatever you need, we got you. You need to
know how to pass the bar. You need any information,
you can pick up the phone, you can call. I
got so much love here myself. I really do, like
I really really do. But I just didn't understand why.
(32:15):
I guess the moving and the track, you know, it
just yeah, I didn't understand why when I got out
the plane, why I got sad, Like, wait, I've been
waiting to come back. Why is it's not clicking?
Speaker 2 (32:26):
You know, why isn't you know? What is what's going on?
And I guess it's just being tired.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
If I just had a real human moment with y'all,
just being tired, you know, doing this so many times,
doing this so many times, that's all.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Also knowing I'm not bringing my baby back, you know,
I'm coming back by myself. This would be the first
time I'm away from my child. That's a lot. Yeah,
you know, at least if I was in Houston, she's
up the road, you know, but she's not gonna be
up to So it's just a lot, y'all.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I'm just being transparent with y'all. It's a lot. I'm tough,
no doubt about it. But I am in the mid life.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
You know, what is the next chapter gonna look like
I'm at the which I guess you would call the halftime.
You know, what is the next third and fourth quarter
gonna look like? And so I hope y'all rock with
me on the journey, stay along on the journey. We know,
we know it's gonna look like something. You can rest
assure that, right, but you best leave me. It's definitely
(33:31):
own it, pop and get the retainers ready. You know,
I'm excited about it. Marcella's at the same time, but
I guess been kind of closing a chapter two. You know,
they're still unfamiliar, you know, new professors, new classroom. You know,
sitting in class for the first time in a twenty years.
(33:53):
You know, even though I've been online and things like that,
this is different, Like it's just it's just different. Yeah,
So it's exciting, but it's also a lot of unknown
as well. A lot of unknown, but we gonna rock
it out. This is supposed to be the easiest part
of my life. Actually, you know, I don't have to
worry about going to pick up Jada by six o'clock
(34:14):
and how am I gonna get here?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
And how am I gonna get there?
Speaker 3 (34:17):
And you know, I can eat watermelon fruit every day
if I want to, I don't have to worry about.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Fixing the meal, you know what I mean. So this
is actually where I should be coasting.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
And I guess when I got off the plane, I
was expecting to feel that and I wasn't. Now I
still felt a loss, yea, even in Atlanta because people
even were getting excited about me being there so and
ME feeling like I now I got to split my time,
and I know I can't split my time. You know
I'm saying that if that makes sense. Yeah, So that's it, honey.
(34:46):
I just we didn't even waste the whole episode. I
hope y'all ain't went to sleep real board, but you
got a little chance to know a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Something about me. I enjoy it. Just hope y'all rock
out with me. Rock out with me. Everything I learned,
y'all gonna.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Learn any information that I can put into the podcast,
put into the training.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Do any of that.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I'm gonna be bringing y'all right along, y'all, make sure
y'all stick around. We are going this week, I'm gonna
do it and drop another episode about the training because Marcell,
let's have some additional questions and I just want to
do this for those who did attend the training, those
who did not attend the training, and I want to
go over that with you, So make sure you stay
tapped in Straight Shot No Chaser.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Guys, beeast Peace.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
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, ANTISLM, figure Out
and I like to thank our producer editor Mixer Dwayne
Cruffer and our executive producer Charlotte Magne to God. For
more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
(35:47):
or wherever you get your podcasts
Yeah, don't ask your question real.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Let's just keep it real, straight shot with no chasing.
I'm gonna get a little bit rough. I'm here for it.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Those who really believed in the American process, all of
us Street shot no chase.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
With your girl tesseling figure Out on the Black Effect
podcast Network network. But it was happening everybody.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
It's a Tesla and figure out with a straight shot
no chase on the Black Bed podcast Network. Joined with
my trustee, I don't want to say sidekicks, my trust
the brother Marcellus who people somebody that they said they
love your infectious laugh.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
I hate it.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I hate it. You don't like your laugh. I don't
like you.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
One of my brothers he listened to the podcast and
he was like, you gotta you have a well he said,
you have a like a radio type voice. And now
I was like, nah, but what you like a talking
about your voice?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Your laugh? What you don't like that your laugh? Because
you laugh a lot. I don't like it. I just
don't like it. Why would you want to laugh first?
Speaker 1 (01:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
You definitely laugh a lot. Well, you definitely laugh a lot.
So I appreciate I keep you, keep you rolling.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Right now before we start. I want to know we
always talk about your intro. Who did your introt?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yeah, from Atlanta, Billboard Killer, who's actually well, I don't
know if he's from Atlanta, but he lives in Atlanta.
And I told him I wanted a West Coast sound,
you know, I said it was and that's why you're
the piano you know that doctor dre kind of sound.
And yeah, so I told him, I was like, it
gotta be a West Coast sound. I need to be,
(02:09):
you know, make sure if you listen to it. He said, okay,
I got you, and so he put that together for me.
So the name is bill Boy Killer. I was like,
no disrespect to Atlanta, but I don't want to strip
a sound. I want to West Coast sound, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
So he did that, and UH really do like the
you know what he was able to put together. Shut
up to him. M Yeah, I love it. I love
to what hypes me up, you know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
So, yeah, I even if I changed the name of
the show just to my name or everyone to do,
I still want to keep that sound. And gave me
an extended version too. That's just a quick, you know,
thirty seconds. But yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Gotta have that Tupac.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
You know, I was like, I need that Tupac, that
West Coast, that nineties West coast. Yeah, that sound like yep,
I got to I need that. So that's that's that's
what you're that's what you're feeling through that. So producers,
you know, that's what they do. They put together your
vision and so uh, he said, he got me. So
he we want me to do come in and do
some spoken words, get on the mic again. It's been
(03:14):
a long time since I've done that. I haven't did
that since I've been in since I left Orlando. Now
that I'm coming back to Orlando, we'll see, maybe I'll
get the poetry bug in. I don't know. You know,
I'm just gonna be honest with everybody. You know, y'all,
y'all are part of the family. We just be talking
on this podcast like we on the phone. I'll be
forgetting that was the people be listening to this. But
(03:35):
you know, y'all part of the family. But I I
you know, y'all really want y'all to just keep me
in prayers. I pray for y'all, and you know you
pray for me. When I came to Orlando Friday. You know,
when I left, I was devastated, Marcellus. You know, I
because I didn't leave by choice. I left because when
(03:59):
we lost our contract with the Amway Center because the
healthcare reform expirion could not afford you know, we had
to put.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
A higher bid in, so we lost it.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They did offer me, They said, well, you know, you
can split up the work with the other two minority contractors,
will bring them on in, but you know, bring you
in with them. But instead of putting eighteen workers to
forty workers one hundred workers, you may get like five
or six, which would have been fine if I had
if I was in a position I was in now
(04:29):
and I had other things going on, and you know,
finally some help to help me scale up.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
I would have taken that.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
It'll be like, okay, cool, we'll get you know, five
to seven people until we can scale up and you know,
build it back up and at least, if nothing else,
just keep the city contract right and do some other things.
But I've always I've never had staff that could help
me grow, especially in cells.
Speaker 2 (04:52):
So it was just all me. So I was like, yeah,
I can't do that.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I'm gonna end up paying out of pocket the fees
and you know, the tax and all that stuff just
to keep people working. And my lease was getting ready
to come up, you know, expire it, you know, renew and.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
June having a kid.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Contrary to pop your popular belief of thinking it's all
about a text tax return once a year, it's actually
about taking care of a kid year round, and every
decision being made based off that child. If I was single,
no big deal. I would have just put my stuff
in storage, you know, when slipping my homegirl's house and
you know, figured it out. But I had Jada, so
(05:30):
I got to make sure she's stable, got to make
sure you know, he has and at the time, let's
see seven, eight, nine, ten eleven, so at that time
she was five or six, so you know, I had
a baby, baby, you know, And so I said, I
can't risk. At that time, my ex husband was living
in Atlanta, so there wasn't anybody you know, in Orlando.
(05:52):
And I said, I can't risk not knowing how I'm
gonna pay my bills.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
You know, I got to make sure Jada's in school,
got to make sure she's straight.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
So I left left so devastated because I was truly
at the top of my game. Osell was my staff
infirnt because we still was doing well, Like we didn't
lose it because bad service just you know, got priced out.
So the staff in firm was well. I was sitting
on a metro Plan Orlando. The person that put me
(06:20):
on their board used to working me on their board.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
She's now over it.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
From what I understand, and that's that's kind of like
the fun thing about it. The people that I was
working with when I left, they've now even excelled in
their leadership, so that's kind of cool.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
But you know, I was on metro Plan that was
a volunteer board.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
Didn't get paid for that, but I took a lot
of pride in that because we developed, you know, all
of the transportation system you know.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
In all central Florida.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
It was every elected official and every county and then
a citizens Board that I was a part of that,
you know, worked with every elected official. I was on
the Membership Mission and Review Board. Tiffany Moore Russell, who
now is running for mayor, she put me on that board.
With that board, is is any volunteer that volunteers for
(07:05):
Orange County the governing body for that is the Membership
Mission and Review Board, and so I was on that.
So we were the governing body for all of the
volunteer programs with the county. That was for free as well,
but I was on that. I also was heavily involved
as an African American Chamber Ambassador. I started the Ambassador
Ambassador program for the Black Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida.
(07:29):
I was on the White one what they call per SE,
which is Central Florida Partnership.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
I was on the Young Professional Committee. So I was
on the White and the Black.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Legal Women Voters, the only Black woman and the youngest
on Legal and Voters, which is one of the most
powerful Legal and Voters, one of the most powerful advocacy
groups in the country.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
And I was a board member on that. I was
just really doing my thing.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I was a volunteer mediator all this stuff with stuff
I wasn't paid for. But I was really shaping a
lot of you know, local policy, which is guys, where
you get my passion from, and I know how my expertise,
you know, actually being a part of so many different
things in the city of Orlando. So the city was
good to me and Marcel's I'm telling you I felt
(08:14):
so defeated when I left, because when I came to Orlando,
it wasn't a choice. I came to Orlando or my
my husband at the time, and so I came to Orlando.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I didn't have a job.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
I went to a staff and firm, an office team,
just to get a temporary job, you know, to be
accounts payable or something like that.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
They said, hey, have you ever thought about being a
staff and managers? Sedge?
Speaker 3 (08:39):
No, Like, well, have you ever gotten anybody together a
group of people? I was like, well, I just did
a university or Texas. I started association with women Communications.
I got thirty volunteers. Go, okay, you probably be good
at staffing. Told me I wasn't good enough to be
an accountants. Gave me a job at office team. Long
story short, I ended up running accountants in Chicago because
I beat at everybody on accountentts know, they told me
(09:00):
I was never qualified for the job. The point is,
that's a whole nother testimony I can give you, guys.
But when I left for Orlando, I poured so much
into this city that I just felt so defeated. I remember,
I got me a car, I got my Mercedes, which
(09:22):
I still have to this day. I said, let me
go ahead and get a car because I don't know
the next time I'm gonna be working.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I don't know the next time, you know, I may
have a job and my car is down on too.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Let you know, it was getting ready to be you know,
more than likely I was gonna need a car. And
I knew when I went back to Oklahoma City, I
may not be able to get finance for a car
because I know I didn't.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
Have no job.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So I said, let me go ahead and get the
car while I can. I remember my mother said she
always would be conservative about you know, told me don't
move to Dallas, told me don't get the car, told
me don't go to Orlando, told me. You know, she's
always told me what not to do. Yeah, but I
always did it. I always believed in myself and just knew, no,
this is the right thing to do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Anyway, I got my car.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Still got a picture of me in that car with
a dress that my girlfriend Erica hated.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I would address.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
All of the time, like I just literally it was
like my uniform almost clothes all the time. I just
go back myself and I think about all that I've
been through, you know, and I remember driving that long row.
You know, the Oklahoma city was probably fifteen hours twelve.
That's something I have to look it up. But it
was a long time. And had packed all my stuff
(10:36):
up put it in storage. Oh no, I see, I
don't mean through so much for myself. I couldn't remember.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I put my stuff in storage in Orlando. That's what happened.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
I put my stuff in storage in Orlando because I
just knew I was gonna come back. I was like,
I just need to go regroup, you know, let me
come back. I tried to get a job at paycheck.
To me, I was overqualified. Like I tried.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I tried. I tried every contact.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
I knew, everybody I knew, you know, like, somebody, give
me a job, just keep me here. I did all
this work in the city and I just it just
was nothing. So I put my stuff. And now that
I'm remembering, I put my stuff in storage in Orlando
cause I was like, no, I'm coming back. I don't
know when I'm coming back, but I'm coming back. But
packed up, you know what I needed to bring with me,
clothes and all that packed up me and Jada drove
(11:24):
fifteen hours home, drove my car back, went to Oklahoma,
shared my grandmother five bedroom house, but me and Jada
shared one room, two twin beds, and just literally had
to start over. I had a radio show in Orlando's
just so many things, you know, I remember, it was
(11:47):
very hard for me to disconnect. That's when Regina and
I started working together Commission Hill, because I was like,
I gotta stay in contact with somebody, you know, I
got a it's so interesting now of this full circle
that I'm talking it out.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
But I met Regina.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
We knew of each other, but I met her after
I moved to Oklahoma City, you know, in Orland from Orlando,
because I was just still active on Facebook, and so
we got into it and she was like, ooh, I'd
rather have her with me than against me. So then
that's when we started working on each other. You know,
we start working on a campaign to help her, and
I did that from Oklahoma City. I did blog talk
(12:23):
radio thirty dollars a month, which is like a big
three way call, you know, to do radio about her show.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
Okay, let can we go back just a little bit.
I want to ask a quick question So if y'all
was if y'all was like had exchange, going back and
forth again to it.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
What was it that made you want to work with her? Well,
she said it. She said she rather had me with
it than against her. Yeah, it's better.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
People should realize it's better. So two things in politicies.
Minimize your friends, maximize your enemies. Regina knew that. The
way I clapped back at her and we back at
each other, she was like, yeah, I kind of I want.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
On my team. I love her, you work with me?
Speaker 3 (13:04):
She ca'me me because I was gonna tear your head up,
you know what I mean. So she was like, yeah,
it's a beast. I need I need me somebody here.
Speaker 2 (13:11):
And we just clicked. We just clicked. Nina Turner was different.
We didn't have no follow out.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Nina Turner fell in love with me when she came
in the room and I was training, and I said,
everything they told y'all before I got up here, they lied,
throw it out the window, respected, but every trainer been
up here lost, that was here.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
They got slaughtered, spattered. And I said, so, don't know
whatever they told y'all before, ain't it? She said, she
ain't never seen nobody say that in front of it.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I said that when I walked up to the because
I never get Leslie uh Leslie whim who you know
seen on Twitter before in Florida. He brought me down
to the training and when I got up and I
walked towards the front when I was saying that, and
I said everything everybody told her right before me.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
I'll throw it on everybody that got lost. And her like, oh,
that's the one. And we clicked. Regina, we quick getting
in two. She's like, yeah, I like her. I love
it if you work with me and you do that. Hey,
we're in it.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
And I'm telling you, you know what I mean you
I keep you laughing. Yeah, me and Regina, I'm telling
we be on the pall because it was just her
and I.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
You know, it was just her by herself, single.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Woman, you know, out all day, out, all night, knocking doors,
calling me one of the more two and the more.
Now you want to talk about some good petty cause
she's right now planning on planning on Facebook. So going
there and see like going back and forth calling people
working fot dirty roll.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Oh she work. She was Trump before Trump was Trump.
You give me on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Yeah all the time.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oh okay, then we'll go and look and see it all.
She over there, some girl said something and she been
going back and forth three and four days talking about
the roll berdy. She need to get out of the
middle of the street, get off the.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Oh. Regina's a bunch of fun to watch. So we
just laugh and laugh and laugh, and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
We pushed all the way until I was on the
phone with her every single day, all through the night,
like it was literally her and I, you know, from Oklahoma.
He helped her, you know, win that campaign, and I
felt good. I was like, Okay, at least I did that.
And then Tiffany. It's just so interesting. It's full circle
because both of them are running now. And then Tiffany
(15:37):
helped her with her campaigns like let me just still
try to help to campaign Oklahoma. And that's when I did,
you know, told Randy Ross, you know, he came on
my show and said, oh, well, all TV.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Did was have babies. And Regina told me last night
she said he's still suffering from that.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
He said, if you're on on on They got the
thing on Facebook called Orange County PV Orange County Public Voice,
and he said. She said, girl, Randy still still be
telling people, guys, I've learned my lessons, stay out of
defive politics.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
You don't know nothing about D five. D five is different,
you know. She said, here you got scare and he
just now got his job back. That was ten years
old because Virginia said, okay, now, don't go on down
talking crazy again or something got something. Yeah, oh yeah,
he thought it was a game. Man, It was not
(16:27):
a game.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
But I'm really glad I did something terrible to Randy.
But be careful what you say because he can and
we'll be used against you. I helped giving to get
in office. She became the first clerk of courts, the
first female black clerk of courts, the third ever in Florida.
(16:48):
And she's had that this whole time, its last ten years.
And now she's running for Orange County mayor. So I
guess I said all that to say that I knew
I would be back, and but then Marcella's something changed,
and I said, I don't see why would be back.
You know, I stayed gone so long, you know, I
was like, now, I've always says, you know, still in
(17:09):
contact people in Orlando. Still got those relationships that that's
never changed, still same phone number that had ever changed.
But I just once I got set on Atlanta and
seeing Atlanta as where I can actually retire and stay
in the Black Mecca.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
And you know, man Orlanta.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Man, Atlanta's so good to me, and and all of
that is due to Killer Mike. You know, my brother
just truly opening up the door for me and just
welcoming me and all that with him that comes with that,
and even the training that didn't have nothing to do
with Killing Mike.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Just Atlanta just got me, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
So I fell in love with Atlanta quickly, which is
so interesting because I used to can stand in Atlanta
because that's what caused a lot of problems with me
and my marriage. But I fell in love with Atlanta,
and I fell in love with like, man, Okay, I'm
doing politics for people that actually look like me.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
And majority of me and this and that. And but
then law school came up.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
You know, I had to go to an HBCU, no
if ans and buds about it.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
I struggled with it. I tried Marcello's.
Speaker 3 (18:16):
I said, well, let me go to John Marshall Law School,
which is in Atlanta, you know, right around the corner
from where I live.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Would have been perfect, right, you know, I said, let
me go.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
I try to do the tour, but Marcello's I just
could not go to a school where they don't know
who being crump is. The lady was literally talking about
the case that we worked on. I don't know if
you remember about the prisoner that was basically said got
ate up by bed bugs.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yeah. Yeah, I ain't even talking about because it just
made me it's thinking about it. But that was our case.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
And she was talking about how they were using that
in some case studies and this and that, and I
was like, yeah, that was our case.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Being crump. Oh who's being crump? I said, oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
I left in the middle of the tour, like I
couldn't kindrespectful. Yeah, well, they don't know our world, you know,
they don't know our world. That they the attorney Crump,
they say is black America's attorney general. They don't know
our world. Those are not the people they the white
folks look up to, or who they you.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
Know what I mean. So I just couldn't. I was like,
I tried.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
I was like, let me just law school is law school.
As long as I get the information, you know, let
me be in the city where I normal did. But
I and it's just a damn shame. And I'm gonna
really talk about that. Like Atlanta, come on, y'all need
a law program. You got more house, you know, Selman Clark,
Morris Brown. No law program, no law school. And people
(19:41):
get confused, they say, oh, they got law. No, I'm
not talking about legal studies in pre law. I'm talking
about a school of law. There's only a few HBCUs.
They have a school of law that is HBCU. But
they got to do something about that because that, I
was like, it don't make no sense. You know it
should be because I ain't no way I would have left.
(20:03):
Even much as I love Orlando, I saw Atlanta as
it felt good to be home. It felt good that
everything I've advocated for, you know, makes sense, you know
what I mean, Everything lines up.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
I advocate for black issues.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
I want to be around black people, even though they
say Atlanta's no longer Ma Jordy black, But you know,
I want to be around It feels good to go
wherever I go. I'm Black through and through, you know
what I mean. So when I got on the plane.
I'm not gonna lie, guys. I'm just being honest. When
I came back to Orlando, I was like, I got
in the car. Okay, here we go with the.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
The foreigner music. Here we go with the you know,
just right off the gate. You know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (20:44):
You know, I'm just saying, here we go, you know,
dot nobody speak English because Orlando is a Caribbean, it's
a you know, it's it's a migrant, it's a very
mixed diverse immigrant, you know community.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
It's not Atlanta at all. And I was like, man.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
This don't feel like I expected, even though I know
I have a great support system here, no doubt. It's
one thing to know to get to know the mayor
of Atlanta. It's another thing to know the mayor in Orlando,
you know what I mean. And a real trust, not
just you got to build a trust with these people
ten fifteen years, you know, trust that they can trust you.
(21:25):
I could sit down yesterday with dinner with the commissioner.
She know I'm not recording her. She know I'm not
trying to set her up. You know, you know what
I mean, Like a real trust. You don't get you
earned that in politics, you earn that no matter what
men's in to turn to go through, how many times she.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Get on my nerve, I get on hers, or whatever.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It is, there's a level of trust right on that
you build. So I know all this in Orlando, y'all,
Like I know it. It's the best place to be
for law school. You want to be in the HBCU.
You want your first year. You want to know people
in the class, the professors are rooting for you. You
want to know they're hard on you for the right reasons,
Like I be hard on Marcellos, but he knows's for
(22:04):
the right reason.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
You know.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I'm not trying to set you up. I'm not trying
to try to make you the best at everything you do.
Big difference having a trainer and a teacher that cares
about you versus somebody that's being hard on you because
they're trying to get you out, you know, and law
school is very much about that. Your first year I
here in Orlando, I can call the judge, you know.
(22:27):
I had people personally reference recommend to me, not just
let as a reference, but calling the dean saying, hey,
I want to make sure you know this ain't just
the regular reference. This is somebody who's put in time
in Orlando, you know what I mean, who's really did
her time. You know, this is somebody we need in
the community. We know this is gonna be somebody that's
gonna pour back and give back and has get back.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
You know that means a lot to me.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
That's why even though I got in it in Southern
because I was accepted there too. Just so y'all know,
I got in one without people knowing me.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
I owe.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
I feel I've still owe Orlando, and I honestly feel
like Orlando owes me. There's still a relationship that you know,
we need to, you know, kind of close up the
right way.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
So I know all this.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Stuff on myselves. But it's still gonna be a transition.
I said all that to say that it's gonna be
a transition. I appreciate having black effect, I appreciate having you,
I appreciate having Jade, I appreciate Jada, my baby, my
ex hub, you.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Know, everybody in my life.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
Guy is because I'm not gonna lie. I have moved
in six different cities. I've moved probably sixteen seventeen times.
Last time I count it might even been more than that.
I've done a lot. I've done a lot, and even
though this is the greatest move ever, you know, like
(23:45):
the big this is what I've been waiting on, This
is it, this is why I was born, I still
felt a way about not having a enough black people
put it like that. Yeah, I know they're here and
I'll find them here, but I did feel a way,
(24:06):
you know, like damn, you know it's not enough to
change direction, you know, all my life, but like Orlando,
we gotta get busy. I gotta know that we're progressing.
And it's black, you know, it just it's just different,
Like you said, it's different. It's a different vibe. But
I'm here for a purpose. I'm here for a reason.
I don't know what to just be for the program
(24:26):
or here forever, but I just appreciate everybody rocking with me,
supporting the training, supporting the journey. And I just wanted
this one, with this move, this podcast is supposed to
be about, but I just wanted to be honest with
y'all guys or what I've been talking about sellers offline
about you know, trying to find a place, trying to
make sure you can afford it. Try to make sure
you're able to cover law school. The anxiety with that
(24:47):
law school's very expensive. It's only so much. You can
get loans, don't. I can't get federal aid. I can't
get you know.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
It's a lot of other things that's just going through
my head. And it's just a lot.
Speaker 3 (24:57):
I gotta move back to Orlando Country, move all my stuff,
throw out what I don't want, you know.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
It's just it's a lot of myself. Like, I got
a lot on my plate.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
In addition to doing the training and making sure that
I'm staying on top of that for you guys as well,
because I don't want to start a program and not
complete it in a timely matter.
Speaker 2 (25:24):
You had a question, Yeah, so.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
I getting ready to end. I want to ask you, what,
in your opinion to date, your biggest political accomplishment in Orlando.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
In Orlando, well, my biggest accomplishment is my staff infirm.
But that's not a political accomplishment, but it kind of
is to me because it it literally puts people to work.
There's nothing I'm more proud of of being able when
people literally will come to me with jail IDs, you know,
(26:03):
not even had time to go get a new ID,
and they know they could give it. I remember grown
men like shaking handing it to me, you know, thinking
I'm gonna turn them away. People who really needed me
to sign their paperwork so they could get in the shelters.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
People who had PhDs. You want, never forget Todd, who
was my right hand white guy.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
PhD but at that time, he was going through recession
and like people just wanted to work. Shirley Walker, who
was a CEO of I forgot the organization was a
part of. But it was like a black women alliance
who forgot the name of it. When I first came
to Orlando, I went through all the major organizations and
just came and met with everybody. Introduced myself, said, you know,
I was here to help and be a part of
(26:51):
the city and all that, cause that's what I do
when I go to a city, I just go meet
with all the you know, kings and queen makers.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
And Shirley was one of those ones that I met
and I ended up employing her.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
You know, after everything shut down, everybody lost their nonprofits,
they grants, which is basically what we're about to go
through now. I know God has me in position for
a reason, you know, to come back and pick up
right where I left off.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
And Orlando needs me more sold than Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I will say, you know, it was just my own
personal you know, I just got settled in Atlanta and
then I got to get another.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
House and let's do it. You know, that's all. I can't.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
I've done so many things Marcella's, but I can't. I
don't know if I want to call the job political,
but it is, because it's just it changes so much.
It was a certified business to the state.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
It's very important. If we talk about campaigns.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Regina is always going to be the highlight of anything
that I do because just working with somebody that had nothing,
that had been arrested multiple times, that only had a
story to tell, only had us.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Bring me if I'm wrong, But that was a first
time running, right.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
This first time running two thousand dollars to her name,
arrested twenty one times, went against an incumbent sixteen years,
went against an attorney.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Oh wow, and no disrespect.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
I don't want to say the person's name, but he
has literally lost his mind, like in a mental institute today,
like mentally gone. This is why when you boy, I'm
telling you it's gonna be a testimony. And the things
that they're doing well Regina now will say that for
another time, but they are literally trying to make that
(28:37):
woman lose her mind.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
And Regina has stood.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
And when when Regina got elected, her daughter was murdered
within the first year, and she had to take care
of her grandson who he's thirteen.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Now, yeah, I say, and he getting bigger up.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
So not only did she have to, you know, get
be elected. You know who survives though, I got family
that lost. My cousin was murdered. His MoMA ain't been
right since. Like literally, when I say not right, I
mean not right, like literally lose your mind. I know
something happened to mine. I could see myself literally losing
(29:14):
my mind. Regina has She is a hell of a
testimony and right now she's running again for re election.
She was suspended by the governor over some charges that
she has denied that they've been proven stepping step every
bit of the way that it was not what they
said it was. We're gonna keep watching that case. But
when you talk about somebody that stands, I don't know
(29:36):
nobody who's ever done it like her with the challenges
that she's had to face, right, major challenges.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
And she and she stood.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
So she has a heart for the people like I've
like no other that I've seen with the obstacles that
you know, she's had to face, right. So I would
probably say that was the highlight, the closest candidate, But
I've worked on many races.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Judge Belvin Perry who wrote my letter of reference the
Night Judicial Circuit, he was the chief judge. You don't
find a lot of black chief judges over all the judges.
He was Kasey Anthony's judge. That's who literally wrote you know,
like no, he's on famus board. Like Judge Perry still
textes me every now and then and hey, you're gonna
(30:27):
be the next Oprah.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Judge Perry is almost eighty years old, you know.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And he just believes in me so much for myself,
Like he really it makes me tear, like he just
really literally believes in me. I remember when I met
him for lunch the first time, and he was early.
I was early too, and he was early, and I
was like, Judge, you walking to the things, like yeah,
I always be on time. He's just always just been
impressing me, and even talking about now brings me the
(30:55):
tears because that's the highest. I'm not caught up on
titles and things like that, but I didn't grow up
knowing judges and attorneys and you know, these types of people.
And Judge Perry has looked at with greatesteem. He's in
the top ten most powerful people in Central Florida period.
(31:18):
When I say top ten, I mean literally named in
the Central Florida magazine, you know, like the magazine that literally,
you know, rates the top ten.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
Like he is the big dog and he believes in me.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
And he told me a couple of months ago, he said, Teeslim,
soon as you get back, we're gonna go to lunch
and make sure you know how to pass the bar.
You know, make sure, he said, don't be afraid to
ask for help, he said, because it just makes me
emotionally even thinking about it. He graduated in Texas Southern,
by the way, he said, because if you ever see
(31:52):
a turtle at the top of a fence, know that
the turtle didn't get there by themselves. And he said, Teeslim, Joe,
just whatever you need, we got you. You need to
know how to pass the bar. You need any information,
you can pick up the phone, you can call. I
got so much love here myself. I really do, like
I really really do. But I just didn't understand why.
(32:15):
I guess the moving and the track, you know, it
just yeah, I didn't understand why when I got out
the plane, why I got sad, Like, wait, I've been
waiting to come back. Why is it's not clicking?
Speaker 2 (32:26):
You know, why isn't you know? What is what's going on?
And I guess it's just being tired.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
If I just had a real human moment with y'all,
just being tired, you know, doing this so many times,
doing this so many times, that's all.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Also knowing I'm not bringing my baby back, you know,
I'm coming back by myself. This would be the first
time I'm away from my child. That's a lot. Yeah,
you know, at least if I was in Houston, she's
up the road, you know, but she's not gonna be
up to So it's just a lot, y'all.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
I'm just being transparent with y'all. It's a lot. I'm tough,
no doubt about it. But I am in the mid life.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
You know, what is the next chapter gonna look like
I'm at the which I guess you would call the halftime.
You know, what is the next third and fourth quarter
gonna look like? And so I hope y'all rock with
me on the journey, stay along on the journey. We know,
we know it's gonna look like something. You can rest
assure that, right, but you best leave me. It's definitely
(33:31):
own it, pop and get the retainers ready. You know,
I'm excited about it. Marcella's at the same time, but
I guess been kind of closing a chapter two. You know,
they're still unfamiliar, you know, new professors, new classroom. You know,
sitting in class for the first time in a twenty years.
(33:53):
You know, even though I've been online and things like that,
this is different, Like it's just it's just different. Yeah,
So it's exciting, but it's also a lot of unknown
as well. A lot of unknown, but we gonna rock
it out. This is supposed to be the easiest part
of my life. Actually, you know, I don't have to
worry about going to pick up Jada by six o'clock
(34:14):
and how am I gonna get here?
Speaker 2 (34:16):
And how am I gonna get there?
Speaker 3 (34:17):
And you know, I can eat watermelon fruit every day
if I want to, I don't have to worry about.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Fixing the meal, you know what I mean. So this
is actually where I should be coasting.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
And I guess when I got off the plane, I
was expecting to feel that and I wasn't. Now I
still felt a loss, yea, even in Atlanta because people
even were getting excited about me being there so and
ME feeling like I now I got to split my time,
and I know I can't split my time. You know
I'm saying that if that makes sense. Yeah, So that's it, honey.
(34:46):
I just we didn't even waste the whole episode. I
hope y'all ain't went to sleep real board, but you
got a little chance to know a little bit of.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
Something about me. I enjoy it. Just hope y'all rock
out with me. Rock out with me. Everything I learned,
y'all gonna.
Speaker 3 (34:59):
Learn any information that I can put into the podcast,
put into the training.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Do any of that.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
I'm gonna be bringing y'all right along, y'all, make sure
y'all stick around. We are going this week, I'm gonna
do it and drop another episode about the training because Marcell,
let's have some additional questions and I just want to
do this for those who did attend the training, those
who did not attend the training, and I want to
go over that with you, So make sure you stay
tapped in Straight Shot No Chaser.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Guys, beeast Peace.
Speaker 3 (35:25):
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, ANTISLM, figure Out
and I like to thank our producer editor Mixer Dwayne
Cruffer and our executive producer Charlotte Magne to God. For
more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
(35:47):
or wherever you get your podcasts
Host
Tezlyn Figaro
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