October 5, 2020 • 14 mins
If you want to change, preserve, or build a better America, there’s one easy way to make your voice heard: Vote. This year, iHeartRadio is teaming up with over 20 incredible celebrities (plus a handful of our most popular podcasters) to get the country excited to go vote, broadcasting the personal, emotional and heartfelt stories behind why showing up to the ballot box means so much-- not just as individuals, but for our entire nation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Why I'm Voting, a production of I Heart Radio. Listen.
You already know this, but it's an election year. You
might already be tired of hearing about it. But here's
the thing. Democracy doesn't work without you. I'm Holly Frying,
and I'm sitting down with many of my fellow podcasters,
from Will Ferrell to Stephanie Rule, as well as other luminaries,
(00:27):
to find out about their relationships with the ballot box
and ultimately just to find out why they vote. I
hope you're exercising your right to vote, and if you're not,
I hope that their stories inspire you. Today on Why
I'm Voting, I have the extraordinary pleasure of being joined
(00:49):
by the absolutely spectacular Michelle Williams. You know her as
a singer from Destiny's Child. As well as a solo performer,
She's also a songwriter. She is also an actress of
stage and screen. It's a little bit overwhelming how much
talent can come out of one person. But more importantly,
she is also a voter, and I absolutely am delighted
(01:10):
because she is someone whose work I have admired for
a long time. She has one of the most luscious
voices you could ever ever hope to hear. And Michelle,
thank you so much for sitting down with me today.
Thank you so much. Holly. I'm like, now, I don't
plan on dying for about eighty years, right, so that
means you have to be around because I was like
(01:30):
that was a good like she could eulogize me with that.
My directive is just to be around long enough to
make sure and I hope that I'm like a hundred
and fifty daughtering up ready to do it. Yes, ma'am, yes, yes, yes,
So what's going on today? Girl? Well? I wanted to
ask you first if you remember when you learned about
(01:52):
what voting was, that it was something you were going
to have to do one day, and like how you
came to that knowledge. Well, I learned a about voting officially,
I think like in high school when you you take government,
you know, junior senior year of high school. But I
had the pleasure beforehand seeing my mom or my grandparents vote.
(02:13):
You know, we'd have to sit in the car, but
I remember we'd always drive up to the VFW or
the Elks Lodges or some type of Bingo community center
where one of the polling places was set up and
they'd go in and they would vote. I can't recall
if I ever went into the polling place with my grandmother,
(02:34):
they might have allowed us in there. I can't recall,
but I just remember older ladies always greeting you at
the door. They were just very nice, very sweet, And
I said, they usually make sloppy Joe's or potato saddle
it or something because they always have to be at
the polling place all those hours to eat, so they'd
always be talking about, you know, something fresh that they made.
(02:57):
And so I was like, man, when I get older,
I want to go vote just so I can go
get a sloppy Joe. Then when you get older, you're like,
all voting is not so you can go get a
sloppy Joe. And the sloppy Joe's were not for the voters.
They were for the volunteers that work at the polling place.
So that's where I kind of had my first experience
(03:17):
of seeing people voting. How long the lines would be.
I think the first time I voted, it had to
be by absentee ballot. Because Destiny's Child we were on
the road working promoting albums and touring, and I remember
that vote what had to be by absentee ballot, and
so that was cool. And then I just remember being
(03:39):
able to walk into a polling place myself back um
in the Illinois area where I was born and raised,
and knowing what people sacrificed to do so that black
people could vote, so that even women could vote, you
know what I mean. And so, Holly, you and I
have talked before about the life of John Louis Right
(04:01):
and how he gave us marching orders before he passed
away in that amazing essay he had the New York
Times to publish even on his deathbed, he was concerned
about what the folks left behind we're going to be doing.
And so I was like, I owe it to John Lewis.
I owe it to my grandmother who I was had
(04:24):
the pleasure, you know, seeing her go vote. So I
I have a duty to let my voice be heard.
And if people feel like, Okay, well my voice isn't
big enough, my platform isn't big enough, your vote is
big enough. How about that? Yeah, John Lewis, as you know,
I believe in Atlanta, so he is a hometown hero.
I had to read that New York Times piece one
(04:45):
paragraph at a time, because I kept getting completely overcome
and having to walk away from it to collect myself.
Because he's amazing. He even said something similar to Martin
Luther King Jr. Said I might not get there with you.
I I was blown away, and then, to be honest
with you, a part of me got nervous when John
Lewis passed away. I know this podcast isn't about Representative Lewis.
(05:09):
It is about voting, but he's a part of why
we vote um and how we can vote. I got
nervous when he passed away because he's a general and
I'm like, oh my gosh, all of our elders in
the area of just social justice and equality, they're leaving us.
(05:29):
And it's like, Okay, don't be nervous, step up. I
love that you described that essay as marching orders because
it is. It's so inspiring. So that knowing that we
will not have this amazing voice in present time, we
will still have all of his work and the things
that he wrote and said, but it is a good thing,
like we're the next people that have to carry on
his work because he was a representative. You know, we
(05:52):
talked a lot on the show about local elections and
those senatorial elections, but even way down the ballot, you
know people who are like your county commissioner and your
local mayor, etcetera. Those are all really important local races.
I know you vote in those races. So I wanted
to know how you do your research so that you
(06:13):
make sure when it is time to mail in that
vote or to cast that ballot at a voting place,
that you know that you're selecting the people that best
represent your ideals. Well, I'm a cornball. So the other
day I happened to be driving around in the Atlanta
area and Holly, oh, I was going to get donup,
(06:34):
and I see these signs, these yard signs, and they're
telling people who to vote for, you know, vote for
so and so for comptroller, for county circuit clerk, for
sheriffs and all this and all that. And how many
years have we just drove past those yard signs? And
a lot of people do not vote in those locally elections.
(06:57):
Right then, when you have something massive or tragic that
happens in your city, you don't have nobody fighting for
you that probably looks like you, that probably cares about
the same things you care about because you overlooked that
local election. Because when I was growing up, the mayoral
election and the presidential elections were the real, highly publicized
(07:21):
type elections. Your local elections, you see yard signs and
you might see a few commercials, but you just don't
think it matters. You know, where you don't know the
sheriff and the mayor. All of those people are appointed,
and those are the people that nine times out of
ten right now in this era, that's who we're mad
(07:42):
at right now. So it's kind of like, we're mad,
but did we vote? And so it's almost googling those people,
you know, take screenshots of those signs. Park your card
on a safe place, you know, because there's sometimes they're
along the side of the road in the Atlanta area,
and also to when you get to the holding place,
there are the descriptions of every person listed. But I'd
(08:06):
rather have a idea of who's already listened, so I
don't get to the polling place and be like, oh,
well they seem cool, let me check there, you know,
but really get their history. I love the idea of
stopping and taking a picture of a road sign. It's
not gonna stick in my brain if I try to
remember their name, but that way got a record easy
to look up later. It you do have to know,
(08:29):
you know what's going on, because like right now, in
my hometown of Rockford, Illinois, they're mad at the police chief.
They are mad at him right now. So it's like,
whenever this next election comes around, you know, if I'm
not mistaken, I think the mayor selects who the police
chief is gonna be. I remember working with my local
(08:50):
state representative UM in my hometown and he was so cool.
I would do habitat for Humanity House renovating with him.
So it's kind of like who's out in your community,
you know what I mean, And so I just wanted
us to know who we should be mad at. I
(09:11):
love it though. It's a good civics lesson because it's
easy to forget how that hierarchy works. Not only is
it easy to forget how many people were today years
old when you found out that the mayor or another
local government official usually appoints the chief of police. Y'all
just think that the police chief got promoted by the
(09:33):
highest ranking police officer in that department. No, they're elected
by mayor government officials. So I just want us to
know that those local county elections are very important almost,
I mean, before you even start talking about national elections
or whatever, it's important to vote in the local because
(09:54):
it's like, Okay, these are the people that keep our
house in order, our city in order. The results of
those elections we feel a lot more than people really
give them credit for. There is always this issue where
some people feel like an election result is a foregone conclusion,
like I know how this is going to turn out,
so I'm not even gonna bother to vote. I'm sleeping
in or like I'm not gonna take off a work early.
(10:14):
What are your thoughts on not voting in an election
where you think it's already a done dealis bro, let's
not have that attitude this time around, Like, let's not
have that attitude this time around. I take pride, Okay,
I want my sticker that says I voted, and I
(10:35):
also want to talk to those little ladies. But do
not sit at home, because if you sit at home
and I'm in conversation with you and you start fussing
about what's going on, I'm gonna ask you did you vote?
And if you say no, I'm smacking you in your throat.
(10:59):
I'm non vite it. But that's called that's a good throat.
What they call it a throat, chop, a throat. I
don't know, but you know what I'm saying, I don't
want to hear it. It's kind of like if I'm
venting to someone and they were like, did you talk
to them yet? And I say no, They're gonna be like, well,
shut up, you know what I mean. So it's like,
(11:21):
let's show up. Let's show up. I'm admiring those who
are fearless, who are on the front lines, who are
protesting those on the front line. Let's make our voices
be heard at the polling places as well. Or if
you feel like you can't get out physically protesting and
(11:42):
making your voice her, please, I'm telling you go vote.
And people say, well they're gonna rig the process that
blah blah blah blah blah. I don't know what they're
gonna do with my vote. I just know that I'm
gonna vote, you know what I mean? And I know
a min Atlanta, you know, Holly, you know living there.
How the last election of the primary election, a few places,
(12:05):
the pling machines weren't working well, or it was all
kind of excuses because there are some people who are
really afraid of what this generation of voters can really do,
you know, And so there are some people who are
going to try to make sure half the machines don't work.
But don't let that keep you home. Don't make that
(12:28):
because you're it does matter, your your your voice does matter.
So come election day, what is that day gonna look
like for you? Are you gonna watch the returns all
day long? Or are you gonna take me time away
from the news and maybe check in later, or do
you just go get a delicious sloppy choe and potato
salad and reminiscence of all those old school poll workers.
(12:49):
It's called donut dollis, So yeah, I know, I like
my doughnuts. I don't know. You get the news apps
that are always sending the alerts to your phone, so
it's not like I'm not gonna know you know what's
going on, So I do want to know. Trust me,
I think this will probably be one of the most
highly televised nights in election history. I want to speak
(13:12):
to those that are discouraged feeling like no one wants
to listen to what I have to say, or I'm
just gonna stay home because they don't care about black people.
I'm not gonna vote, they don't care about me. People
feeling like, you know, you're overlooked because you're in a
low income area when you look on the news and
(13:33):
you see everything going on every day. I get it.
It does seem discouraging, and but I do feel like
what we don't do now, we will feel it five
or teen years from now. You know. So while we
sit at home and say we don't vote, they know
what population in which part of town who's not voting.
There are certain people who are up for election. They
(13:53):
won't even go on certain sides of town because they say,
these folks in this side of town, they don't vote anyway.
So we're not going to waste our sweat to even
go on that side of town because they don't vote anyway.
So your side of town probably won't get things that
you need. Yeah, I want to just thank you from
the bottom of my heart. It is such a delight
(14:13):
to talk to you. Let's do this again. Since we
live in the same area, We're gonna go to donut
dollars together. Now listen. I'm not advocating high blood sugar.
Please consult your local physicians. Hey, are you not registered
to vote yet? But you think it's something you want
to do. You may still have time. Voter registration deadlines
(14:37):
vary by state, so to find out the scoop for
where you are, check out a nonpartisan registration voting site
like head count dot org or fair vote dot org.
Why I'm Voting is an I Heart Radio production. For
more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the i Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever it is you listen
to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Why I'm Voting, a production of I Heart Radio. Listen.
You already know this, but it's an election year. You
might already be tired of hearing about it. But here's
the thing. Democracy doesn't work without you. I'm Holly Frying,
and I'm sitting down with many of my fellow podcasters,
from Will Ferrell to Stephanie Rule, as well as other luminaries,
(00:27):
to find out about their relationships with the ballot box
and ultimately just to find out why they vote. I
hope you're exercising your right to vote, and if you're not,
I hope that their stories inspire you. Today on Why
I'm Voting, I have the extraordinary pleasure of being joined
(00:49):
by the absolutely spectacular Michelle Williams. You know her as
a singer from Destiny's Child. As well as a solo performer,
She's also a songwriter. She is also an actress of
stage and screen. It's a little bit overwhelming how much
talent can come out of one person. But more importantly,
she is also a voter, and I absolutely am delighted
(01:10):
because she is someone whose work I have admired for
a long time. She has one of the most luscious
voices you could ever ever hope to hear. And Michelle,
thank you so much for sitting down with me today.
Thank you so much. Holly. I'm like, now, I don't
plan on dying for about eighty years, right, so that
means you have to be around because I was like
(01:30):
that was a good like she could eulogize me with that.
My directive is just to be around long enough to
make sure and I hope that I'm like a hundred
and fifty daughtering up ready to do it. Yes, ma'am, yes, yes, yes,
So what's going on today? Girl? Well? I wanted to
ask you first if you remember when you learned about
(01:52):
what voting was, that it was something you were going
to have to do one day, and like how you
came to that knowledge. Well, I learned a about voting officially,
I think like in high school when you you take government,
you know, junior senior year of high school. But I
had the pleasure beforehand seeing my mom or my grandparents vote.
(02:13):
You know, we'd have to sit in the car, but
I remember we'd always drive up to the VFW or
the Elks Lodges or some type of Bingo community center
where one of the polling places was set up and
they'd go in and they would vote. I can't recall
if I ever went into the polling place with my grandmother,
(02:34):
they might have allowed us in there. I can't recall,
but I just remember older ladies always greeting you at
the door. They were just very nice, very sweet, And
I said, they usually make sloppy Joe's or potato saddle
it or something because they always have to be at
the polling place all those hours to eat, so they'd
always be talking about, you know, something fresh that they made.
(02:57):
And so I was like, man, when I get older,
I want to go vote just so I can go
get a sloppy Joe. Then when you get older, you're like,
all voting is not so you can go get a
sloppy Joe. And the sloppy Joe's were not for the voters.
They were for the volunteers that work at the polling place.
So that's where I kind of had my first experience
(03:17):
of seeing people voting. How long the lines would be.
I think the first time I voted, it had to
be by absentee ballot. Because Destiny's Child we were on
the road working promoting albums and touring, and I remember
that vote what had to be by absentee ballot, and
so that was cool. And then I just remember being
(03:39):
able to walk into a polling place myself back um
in the Illinois area where I was born and raised,
and knowing what people sacrificed to do so that black
people could vote, so that even women could vote, you
know what I mean. And so, Holly, you and I
have talked before about the life of John Louis Right
(04:01):
and how he gave us marching orders before he passed
away in that amazing essay he had the New York
Times to publish even on his deathbed, he was concerned
about what the folks left behind we're going to be doing.
And so I was like, I owe it to John Lewis.
I owe it to my grandmother who I was had
(04:24):
the pleasure, you know, seeing her go vote. So I
I have a duty to let my voice be heard.
And if people feel like, Okay, well my voice isn't
big enough, my platform isn't big enough, your vote is
big enough. How about that? Yeah, John Lewis, as you know,
I believe in Atlanta, so he is a hometown hero.
I had to read that New York Times piece one
(04:45):
paragraph at a time, because I kept getting completely overcome
and having to walk away from it to collect myself.
Because he's amazing. He even said something similar to Martin
Luther King Jr. Said I might not get there with you.
I I was blown away, and then, to be honest
with you, a part of me got nervous when John
Lewis passed away. I know this podcast isn't about Representative Lewis.
(05:09):
It is about voting, but he's a part of why
we vote um and how we can vote. I got
nervous when he passed away because he's a general and
I'm like, oh my gosh, all of our elders in
the area of just social justice and equality, they're leaving us.
(05:29):
And it's like, Okay, don't be nervous, step up. I
love that you described that essay as marching orders because
it is. It's so inspiring. So that knowing that we
will not have this amazing voice in present time, we
will still have all of his work and the things
that he wrote and said, but it is a good thing,
like we're the next people that have to carry on
his work because he was a representative. You know, we
(05:52):
talked a lot on the show about local elections and
those senatorial elections, but even way down the ballot, you
know people who are like your county commissioner and your
local mayor, etcetera. Those are all really important local races.
I know you vote in those races. So I wanted
to know how you do your research so that you
(06:13):
make sure when it is time to mail in that
vote or to cast that ballot at a voting place,
that you know that you're selecting the people that best
represent your ideals. Well, I'm a cornball. So the other
day I happened to be driving around in the Atlanta
area and Holly, oh, I was going to get donup,
(06:34):
and I see these signs, these yard signs, and they're
telling people who to vote for, you know, vote for
so and so for comptroller, for county circuit clerk, for
sheriffs and all this and all that. And how many
years have we just drove past those yard signs? And
a lot of people do not vote in those locally elections.
(06:57):
Right then, when you have something massive or tragic that
happens in your city, you don't have nobody fighting for
you that probably looks like you, that probably cares about
the same things you care about because you overlooked that
local election. Because when I was growing up, the mayoral
election and the presidential elections were the real, highly publicized
(07:21):
type elections. Your local elections, you see yard signs and
you might see a few commercials, but you just don't
think it matters. You know, where you don't know the
sheriff and the mayor. All of those people are appointed,
and those are the people that nine times out of
ten right now in this era, that's who we're mad
(07:42):
at right now. So it's kind of like, we're mad,
but did we vote? And so it's almost googling those people,
you know, take screenshots of those signs. Park your card
on a safe place, you know, because there's sometimes they're
along the side of the road in the Atlanta area,
and also to when you get to the holding place,
there are the descriptions of every person listed. But I'd
(08:06):
rather have a idea of who's already listened, so I
don't get to the polling place and be like, oh,
well they seem cool, let me check there, you know,
but really get their history. I love the idea of
stopping and taking a picture of a road sign. It's
not gonna stick in my brain if I try to
remember their name, but that way got a record easy
to look up later. It you do have to know,
(08:29):
you know what's going on, because like right now, in
my hometown of Rockford, Illinois, they're mad at the police chief.
They are mad at him right now. So it's like,
whenever this next election comes around, you know, if I'm
not mistaken, I think the mayor selects who the police
chief is gonna be. I remember working with my local
(08:50):
state representative UM in my hometown and he was so cool.
I would do habitat for Humanity House renovating with him.
So it's kind of like who's out in your community,
you know what I mean, And so I just wanted
us to know who we should be mad at. I
(09:11):
love it though. It's a good civics lesson because it's
easy to forget how that hierarchy works. Not only is
it easy to forget how many people were today years
old when you found out that the mayor or another
local government official usually appoints the chief of police. Y'all
just think that the police chief got promoted by the
(09:33):
highest ranking police officer in that department. No, they're elected
by mayor government officials. So I just want us to
know that those local county elections are very important almost,
I mean, before you even start talking about national elections
or whatever, it's important to vote in the local because
(09:54):
it's like, Okay, these are the people that keep our
house in order, our city in order. The results of
those elections we feel a lot more than people really
give them credit for. There is always this issue where
some people feel like an election result is a foregone conclusion,
like I know how this is going to turn out,
so I'm not even gonna bother to vote. I'm sleeping
in or like I'm not gonna take off a work early.
(10:14):
What are your thoughts on not voting in an election
where you think it's already a done dealis bro, let's
not have that attitude this time around, Like, let's not
have that attitude this time around. I take pride, Okay,
I want my sticker that says I voted, and I
(10:35):
also want to talk to those little ladies. But do
not sit at home, because if you sit at home
and I'm in conversation with you and you start fussing
about what's going on, I'm gonna ask you did you vote?
And if you say no, I'm smacking you in your throat.
(10:59):
I'm non vite it. But that's called that's a good throat.
What they call it a throat, chop, a throat. I
don't know, but you know what I'm saying, I don't
want to hear it. It's kind of like if I'm
venting to someone and they were like, did you talk
to them yet? And I say no, They're gonna be like, well,
shut up, you know what I mean. So it's like,
(11:21):
let's show up. Let's show up. I'm admiring those who
are fearless, who are on the front lines, who are
protesting those on the front line. Let's make our voices
be heard at the polling places as well. Or if
you feel like you can't get out physically protesting and
(11:42):
making your voice her, please, I'm telling you go vote.
And people say, well they're gonna rig the process that
blah blah blah blah blah. I don't know what they're
gonna do with my vote. I just know that I'm
gonna vote, you know what I mean? And I know
a min Atlanta, you know, Holly, you know living there.
How the last election of the primary election, a few places,
(12:05):
the pling machines weren't working well, or it was all
kind of excuses because there are some people who are
really afraid of what this generation of voters can really do,
you know, And so there are some people who are
going to try to make sure half the machines don't work.
But don't let that keep you home. Don't make that
(12:28):
because you're it does matter, your your your voice does matter.
So come election day, what is that day gonna look
like for you? Are you gonna watch the returns all
day long? Or are you gonna take me time away
from the news and maybe check in later, or do
you just go get a delicious sloppy choe and potato
salad and reminiscence of all those old school poll workers.
(12:49):
It's called donut dollis, So yeah, I know, I like
my doughnuts. I don't know. You get the news apps
that are always sending the alerts to your phone, so
it's not like I'm not gonna know you know what's
going on, So I do want to know. Trust me,
I think this will probably be one of the most
highly televised nights in election history. I want to speak
(13:12):
to those that are discouraged feeling like no one wants
to listen to what I have to say, or I'm
just gonna stay home because they don't care about black people.
I'm not gonna vote, they don't care about me. People
feeling like, you know, you're overlooked because you're in a
low income area when you look on the news and
(13:33):
you see everything going on every day. I get it.
It does seem discouraging, and but I do feel like
what we don't do now, we will feel it five
or teen years from now. You know. So while we
sit at home and say we don't vote, they know
what population in which part of town who's not voting.
There are certain people who are up for election. They
(13:53):
won't even go on certain sides of town because they say,
these folks in this side of town, they don't vote anyway.
So we're not going to waste our sweat to even
go on that side of town because they don't vote anyway.
So your side of town probably won't get things that
you need. Yeah, I want to just thank you from
the bottom of my heart. It is such a delight
(14:13):
to talk to you. Let's do this again. Since we
live in the same area, We're gonna go to donut
dollars together. Now listen. I'm not advocating high blood sugar.
Please consult your local physicians. Hey, are you not registered
to vote yet? But you think it's something you want
to do. You may still have time. Voter registration deadlines
(14:37):
vary by state, so to find out the scoop for
where you are, check out a nonpartisan registration voting site
like head count dot org or fair vote dot org.
Why I'm Voting is an I Heart Radio production. For
more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the i Heart
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever it is you listen
to your favorite shows.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com