April 8, 2025 • 27 mins
In this episode, The Besties share their strategies for managing political anxiety through intentional actions rather than constant news consumption, discussing how they've transformed feelings of helplessness into empowerment through deliberate consumer choices and lifestyle decisions. They are:
• Stepping back from news consumption and financial monitoring to protect mental health
• Boycotting certain retailers, despite inconvenience, to support businesses that align with their values
• Promoting the Job Liberation Summit for Black Women (May 16-18, 2025), a comprehensive program designed to help escape toxic workplaces. The sessions feature experts Dr.Kimani Norrington-Sands, Stephanie Perry and Roshida Dowe among others
2025 Job Liberation Virtual Summit for Black Women
Early Bird tickets as low as $99
Dr. Rebecca Eldridge's Black Boomer Besties episode on stress management tools:
Self-Care Tools for Troubled Times w/ Dr Rebecca Eldredge
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Get Angie’s eBook: We’re Too Old for This Shit! The Inquisitive Older Woman’s Guide to Joy http://joystrategy.co/ebook
Visit Black Boomer Besties from Brooklyn website for behind-the-scenes extras.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey Ange, hey Liz, How's it going?
It's going well, hi, good, hi.
Another time with my bestie.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I know, I know it's so special and you're so silly.
What is that?
What is that?
What is?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
that.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Today was a good day, Liz.
Today was a good day.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm glad I had a pretty good day too.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
What made it good?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'll tell you what a patient said to me the other day
, and this is something I thinkof I didn't experience the pain
of a toothache, wow, and forthat I am grateful.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Perspective.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Perspective.
Well, that's what we do here.
Welcome to another episode ofBlack Boomer Besties from
Brooklyn.
My name is Angela and that'sLeslie, my best friend of almost
50 years.
I think we're going to betalking about how it feels to be
(01:29):
in these Black bodies inAmerica at this time, and then
after that, we're going to talkabout something that is
joy-spreading, about a summitthat some friends of ours are
hosting, and we'll give you somedetails about that.
So you want to stick around, solisten.
(01:50):
Just before we startedrecording, I said to Leslie are
your boots on the ground?
Do you know that dance?
Yet?
We have a high school reunioncoming up our 45 and it's, it's
this month, it's later thismonth, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Weeks from now, oh yeah, yeah.
Anyway, running out of time tolose the 20 pounds.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
So I said did you learn the dance yet?
And I'm like dance what dancewhat the hell are you talking
about?
I'm like what?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
boots on ground.
Do I have to turn in my blackcard?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You better.
Please do Quick facet in ahurry.
Turn it in.
All right, all right.
Because I'm thinking aboutmaking the centerpieces with
fans and then, when people, whenwe're doing that, the fans will
be there, they could grab itfrom the centerpieces.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The fans, that was my friend Steph's idea.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes, we yes.
So you have to learn about that.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I've seen something about that.
Some people pull out fans, andall right, just explain.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I don't know.
I don't know, I'm afraid now.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I'm a little embarrassed.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I would rather you now go and discover what this is
.
It's a line dance and it'sreally cute and you have to
learn it, or else you really dohave to turn it in and if you
don't know what you're doing,this at the reunion everybody
except you, oh, everybody exceptyou, and the corny and the
(03:22):
corny people.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I'm gonna be excluded .
It's like it's leslie on theline get out.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You're no longer gonna be a cool kid.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
You know, you just learned this an hour ago.
Get out.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Okay, you watch, I'm a beat no, okay that's not it
you have to, you have time.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You have time, anyway .
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So that came to mind actually, because what we've
been talking about over the lastfew days is how we are feeling
and what we're doing about itwith all of this stuff going on
in the government, and if you'vebeen with us for any time, you
(04:05):
know that we've really kind ofpulled ourselves back from
consuming all of the kind ofconstant.
We're newshounds, or we used tobe newshounds, and if you
remember, we had a friend andpsychologist, dr Rebecca
Eldridge, on a few weeks agotalking about giving us tools
(04:26):
for managing our levels ofstress during this time.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, and just good self-care tactics and strategies
to help some of the despairthat people will feel, the
hopelessness and just theanxiety and I've taken so many
of her tips to heart and I'vereally stepped back in many ways
(04:53):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
So, and we will put a link somewhere here, it will be
easy for you to find a link tothat video.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It's honestly, it's really worth it.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It really is it really is so anyway.
So we were just talking aboutall the ways that we have
decided to step back you know,instead of being step back.
One of them for me is learningthis line dance that Leslie
doesn't know yet yet, but I'mwilling to teach you because I'm
(05:29):
coming up a few days early.
I'm going to Leslie.
I got you.
I forgot, I got you.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yes, yes, you're in.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You're going to be fine and you will not embarrass
me, so you're going to be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Okay, anyway, but a couple of things I wanted to say
.
Just, I've intentionallystepped back from a lot of the
news, the breaking news cycles,what's the daily or hourly
issues that's going on.
I stopped looking at myfinancial portfolio because it's
(06:04):
going like this, this, this,this.
But I know that this is atransient thing.
I'm really trying to guard myfeelings, my emotions, and I've
needed to step back, but so manythings creep in.
Let me give you a couple ofexamples.
I was in the supermarket today,minding my own business as I do
(06:28):
, minding your own business asyou do yes.
And a man asks one of theworkers where is such and such
items?
And I said, oh, he's reallygood because he helped me
earlier and he'll tell you whereit is.
So the guy says, and you know,you're going to pay extra for it
.
And I says, oh yeah, we'll bepaying extra for many things
(06:53):
that we got what we wanted.
We voted in who we wanted.
And he says I didn't vote forhim.
I didn't vote for him.
I'm a lifelong Democrat.
So now other people in theaisle started, it's like we
shouldn't vote for him.
I didn't vote for him, I'm alifelong Democrat.
So now other people in theaisle started, it's like we
shouldn't talk about politics.
I said we'll see how this goes.
We voted in who we wanted.
(07:15):
Have a nice day.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Have a nice day.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And it comes up.
I have occasions in theoperating room with patients.
It almost seems like everybodywants to talk about it.
So, when patients are in theoperating room before they go to
sleep or after they wake up orstuff, it just comes up in
conversation and I'm like Idon't want to hear about this, I
(07:41):
don't want to have thisconversation because it still
produces a certain amount ofanxiety for me.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So I've taken steps so we can talk about some of
those steps that I've taken,some of those steps are to not
be in this, to step into a placeof empowerment instead of okay,
you're not doing that, but whatare you doing?
And what are the things thatwe're doing?
(08:10):
To kind of not even what's thatthing that the ancestors are
telling us now Sit your assesdown.
Yes, we are being down, yes, weare being intentional, yes, very
very, very, very, veryintentional about what we buy,
(08:32):
where we buy, how much we buywhere we're going.
All of these things, our plansand how we're shaping these
things with so, so much, and I'mreally proud.
I am really proud of the waysthat we've moved from oh the
hand-wringing.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yes, and I really do.
Let me just tell you, I haveboycotted so many stores vendors
, Amazon, Walmart.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
I started to say Woolworth, I'm dating myself.
Walmart Target I don't shop inthose stores.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
And it's not easy.
It really takes some strategy.
I have to do research on whereto get the products.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I have to drive to go get them and I often have to
pay a little bit more for them,but so what, it's worth it.
It's worth it.
Let me tell you this littlesacrificial thing that I've done
, and I realize this is silly,but it's meaningful to me.
So a few weeks ago I was inMaui with a friend and they had
(09:42):
this delicious coffee with afriend, and they had this
delicious coffee and so Ibrought some back and I couldn't
find it on the store shelves,right.
So I bought some, brought someback from the, the villa that we
stayed in, and it's onlyavailable on Amazon, and she
(10:05):
wants to buy it for me and Idon't know.
You're like, oh, no, no, no,we're not doing that, we're not
doing that.
And she's like, yeah, becausewhen you get the Amazon box I'll
be found out.
Yes, I am not.
I am not, and we're makingpurchases.
(10:28):
We mentioned the, the, thereunion that we're planning,
leslie and I are two of thepeople on the planning committee
and you know there are thingsthat we need to buy and we're
trying to be good stewards ofthe money that we're bringing in
from tickets to create abeautiful experience for our
(10:50):
classmates, and so there arethings that you know we need to
buy and we're making choices.
It's like no, we're not goingto go there just because it's
the cheapest.
We're going to support.
And because it's convenient.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Exactly Because it's easy.
It's like we don't need to doeasy.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It's like the.
It's like the, that's what youdo, that's what you do.
Go there.
No, we're making choices to saywe're going to spend a little
bit more because it supports alocal, oftentimes Black-owned
business and we are willing tospend that little extra, even
with our own money, in order tonot, you know, to live by our
(11:31):
convictions, to live our valuesis what we're doing, and that
feels really, really, ooh,really really empowering.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
It, does, it does.
I'm proud of myself in thatregard.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Only you're not proud of me, because you know me, I'm
into the convenience and thisYou're not proud of me.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Oh, I'm always proud of you I heart you, oh Lord,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
She got triggered, she got triggered, she got
triggered, she got triggered, soare you ready to start talking
about?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, I just want to mention in that regard a friend
sent me a post that's been goingaround social media that on
April 5th, a few days from now,people will be gathering to
protest what's going on in thegovernment with our new
president, I suppose, protestingthe tariffs or the picking up
(12:23):
people, what they callundocumented immigrants and what
have you.
Well, that's not what they callthem.
People are literally walking inand their badge not working
anymore, their badge not workinganymore.
And someone says to me well,isn't reducing waste in
(12:44):
government good, or wasteanywhere in industry a good
thing?
And absolutely.
But that, in my opinion, is notwhy these folks are doing what
they're doing, not why thesefolks are doing what they're
doing.
I think it's.
I mean that in the long runmight be a byproduct of what's
going on, but you can't tell methat this is not about power,
(13:09):
instilling fear, getting peoplein line, all of those things
that signal to meauthoritarianism and fascism.
In my opinion, you know, firstyou start making people afraid
and anxious and that'sabsolutely what's going on.
(13:32):
So when that person sent methat notice about April 5th
protests guess what Black peopleI told her I did my protest at
the ballot box in November.
I'm done, I'm done, so I'llwatch it on television, maybe so
(13:55):
what was the thing?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
What was the thing when they said the ancestors?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You sent it to me.
It said sit your black ass down.
Yeah, there will be a proteston April 5th.
Black people Hashtag Sit yourblack ass down and I get it.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I get it.
Yeah, yeah, we're, yeah, we are.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's in our DNA to fight and struggle and do the
best we can and create legacyand do it for you know,
sacrifice and work hard and workourselves to the bone and
whatever this is for our people,this is our struggle, but guess
what bone?
And whatever this is for ourpeople, this is our struggle.
(14:42):
But guess what?
I also deserve a life of joy,of ease, of intentionality, and
there is another way.
I mean, you know, we're lookingto get the heck out of this
country and we are making planson a regular to do that.
We are, we are.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
You guys can have it, I'll watch you guys protest
from afar.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I'm going to be sipping my Mai Tai on a beach
with my feet up getting amassage by Jaime, that's so by
Raul, by.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Pedro, pedro or Mariana it could be.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm not gender specific.
Mariana, it could be, I'm notgender specific.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Absolutely, it could be.
So yeah, and so let's talkabout the Job Liberation Summit.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Let's talk about that yes.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Because I think we need to.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So we know one of the areas of stress, and I just
talked to you about my cousinand how his job is insecure and
many federal workers have thisinsecurity.
Now, after putting in hard workand whatever, our friend, dr
Kimani Norrington-Sands, ishosting her second annual Job
(15:57):
Liberation Summit for BlackWomen.
It's going to be held in MayMay 16th to 18th and we just
want to talk to you about it alittle bit because, remember,
we're speaking now about how toreduce anxiety, how to feel more
empowered in troubled times.
How to feel more empowered introubled times and Dr Kimani is
(16:24):
an expert in telling people howto leave toxic jobs and toxic
situations, rather than buckledown and suffer more and fight,
fight, fight.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And cry in silence and keep trying to be excellent
and keep trying to suppress youremotions and you know you ain't
going to quit that good, goodjob and all of that.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
But you've got benefits and you're in.
You have 20 years in, you'vegot a pension, you can retire.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Meanwhile it's chipping away at your soul yeah.
Yeah.
So Dr Kimani Norrington-Sandsis a licensed clinical
psychologist and she is a toxicjob survivor, but she likes to
call herself a toxic jobliberator.
(17:10):
She was on this Black BoomerBesties in.
I want to say it was lateDecember.
I think it was December 31st.
We'll put a link to that also,and we've been on her platform.
She is beating the drumsteaching Black women how to
(17:34):
become liberated from thesetoxic workplaces, and I'll just
read some of this here.
This is our way, this is whatwe do.
We spread joy on this channel.
We can talk about what's notgoing well until the cows come
home.
We like to talk about what isgoing well and what we can do
(17:56):
about it and how to haveself-agency.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Self-agency, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Okay, so it is the premier online event for Black
women pivoting from jobs thatare no longer serving them, and
I just want to just mention someof the speakers, not by name,
but just the topics.
I think that will be better foryou.
So one topic is take your powerback from a toxic job.
(18:24):
Know your options and yourlegal rights.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
that part Right.
You got rights yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
I don't know how long , but you still have rights that
you can rely on.
Ready to create multiple incomestreams?
Yes, we are.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Right, because that's what keeps us in these jobs
very often Absolutely I meanobviously we have to feed
ourselves and our families.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Heal and rebuild yourconfidence is another topic.
Learn how to replace yourincome.
Listen, I have been anentrepreneur for eight years,
almost.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Since 2016,.
Do the math Since the end oflet's call it 2017, for a long
time.
There are other ways that youcan make money.
Those ways can be lessstressful or very joy-filled,
that's what I coach on.
I coach on how to have ajoy-filled life and have joyful
(19:30):
income Joyful income generationand people don't realize that
it's a thing I mean.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I've talked about many times how joy-filled my
work life is as a physician.
I skip to work every day.
Well, now I have a bad knee.
I limp to work but I go inhappy to be there, in a
stressful situation often, but Ienjoy my work so much that
(19:59):
that's not my world.
But yeah, we don't have to bemiserable.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
But, leslie, it wasn't always your world, though
.
You made a choice.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I did, I did.
You made a choice.
You were miserable and then youmade a choice to go to med
school yes, yes, so you forgot,and people looked at me like I
was nuts.
At that time, I was a singleparent and it's like what do you
mean?
You're going to quit your joband go to school full time.
What is this dream?
You got your good job.
(20:28):
You're a science teacher, you'rean educator.
You got your master's degree.
What are you doing, les?
And we don't always have tojustify what's in our hearts and
that will bring us joy later onin life.
That's right.
So, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
So the summit is now in its early registration, so
the prices are reduced.
We will put a link to how youcan um attend and um get your
tickets and um, they have somereally good speakers.
Um uh, rashida dao andstephanie perry.
(21:11):
You know they are theco-founders of our beloved
exodus, so they're going to bethere.
There are, let me see if Icould pull up some of the names
real quick.
Libria Jones Listen if youdon't know.
These are people that we hopebecome household names in your
(21:34):
life and in your community,because you're going to be
learning from these Black womenwho are in it, who are in the.
They're not just talking abouthow to do X, y Z, they're
actually living their lives,doing this and they're coming to
talk to you about that.
Roshini Cope I love her.
(21:56):
Dr Kimani, of course there isCoach Yolanda.
Patrice Williams Lindo all Imean, I know these people.
Jasmine Williams Jacobs it's sogood.
Giovanna MacRees, christianWright oh my gosh.
Marissa Price I think she isco-hosting this event with Dr
Kimani.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I think she is co-hosting this event with Dr
Kimani.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Please do this for you, do this for your families,
do this for your community.
You have options and this hasnow been created for you.
If you or anyone you know issuffering in a toxic job and
(22:45):
they might not even be aware ofit, but you might be aware of it
you see how they have changed.
You see that when you aretogether, all they can talk
about is what their manager didto them today at that job what
their co-workers are doing tothem at that job.
That is like a common refrainfor anyone in your life if not
you.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And the thing is, it's easy for people not to
recognize it because it'ssomething that's typical.
It's like the bad mother-in-law.
It became like the joke thatyou're not supposed to get along
with your mother-in-law.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
So with these jobs.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
It's like you're not supposed to be happy at work.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
It's a grind.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
It's something you endure.
You endure it for your 25 yearsand then, you get out when your
body is broken down and tiredand you know what it's the
American way, but I've learnedin the last few years that it
doesn't have to be the way itreally doesn't.
It's a scam, it's a joke.
It's not.
(23:45):
You know, don't drink theKool-Aid.
We have internalized that asthe way that it's supposed to be
and it's not.
We get to create the way thingsare supposed to be.
We get to create the environmentthat we now to live outside of
the United States you know, butit's real.
(24:14):
And I'm not saying that that'sthe truth or what everyone needs
to do.
But I bet you, the more optionsyou have, the more you are
buffered against some of thesestreams of terror and fear that
are coming into us.
I was speaking to my momrecently and she was telling me
(24:38):
about how afraid she is aboutjust listening and what's going
on and the prices of groceriesand things.
And I'm like Mom, turn it off.
Why are you listening to this?
You?
know, like what Dr Eldridge said, decide what it is you're
(25:05):
looking for and why you'rewatching these things, this doom
scroll that people have a habitof doing turn it off.
I said Mom, how about if youjust well, I need to listen to
the news.
No, you don't.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Or you can listen to it once a day or once every
other day.
It's the intention part.
Yeah, what are you doing?
What do you want from it?
And listen to it to get thatand then turn the rest off.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
And then she comes away shaking in her boots and I
don't understand, and calling upeverybody about warning us.
I'm like mom.
Oh, poor thing.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Oh, Les.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, poor thing, it's okay mom.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Maybe we should get her a ticket, but she's not in a
job.
I'm just saying, maybe beingaround these women will help her
.
But you know, being an older,person here in the.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
United States, we're used to certain things.
And we're used to watching thenews every night.
You know, yeah, that's rightwe're used to trusting our
government to help us and serveus.
We think that you know we'regoing to get the return for the
input that we've had all ourlives Times.
(26:12):
They are a changing.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
They are a changing Buckle up.
Buckle up and get your boots onthe ground, but not to them
protests.
Okay, Les, can we bring this infor a landing, Because I've got
to go get something to eat.
I am so hungry right now?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, you probably haven't eaten all day because
you just forget to eat who?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
forgets to eat.
I forget to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
This one.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
I do.
I forget to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Listen, stick with me , I will remind you on a regular
Stick with me, kid Stick withme.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
I don't have a problem when I'm with people who
are eating, but when I'm bymyself, I really have to be
reminded to eat or the headachestarts to come.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
In Must be nice.
So, anyway, it was a pleasuretalking to you all.
Thank you for listening.
We're going to give you linksto all of the content and the
people that we've mentioned, andthe summit for sure.
(27:13):
We want to give you guysoptions and ideas to bring more
joy in your life and less stressin your life.
It is possible, even in thesehard times, to skip to work,
like I do.
But anyway, thank you forlistening.
Thank you, we appreciate you,we do.
(27:35):
And this has been anotherepisode of Black Boomer.
Besties from Brooklyn, brooklyn.
Hey Ange, hey Liz, How's it going?
It's going well, hi, good, hi.
Another time with my bestie.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I know, I know it's so special and you're so silly.
What is that?
What is that?
What is?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
that.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Today was a good day, Liz.
Today was a good day.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm glad I had a pretty good day too.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
What made it good?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
I'll tell you what a patient said to me the other day
, and this is something I thinkof I didn't experience the pain
of a toothache, wow, and forthat I am grateful.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Perspective.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Perspective.
Well, that's what we do here.
Welcome to another episode ofBlack Boomer Besties from
Brooklyn.
My name is Angela and that'sLeslie, my best friend of almost
50 years.
I think we're going to betalking about how it feels to be
(01:29):
in these Black bodies inAmerica at this time, and then
after that, we're going to talkabout something that is
joy-spreading, about a summitthat some friends of ours are
hosting, and we'll give you somedetails about that.
So you want to stick around, solisten.
(01:50):
Just before we startedrecording, I said to Leslie are
your boots on the ground?
Do you know that dance?
Yet?
We have a high school reunioncoming up our 45 and it's, it's
this month, it's later thismonth, oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Weeks from now, oh yeah, yeah.
Anyway, running out of time tolose the 20 pounds.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
So I said did you learn the dance yet?
And I'm like dance what dancewhat the hell are you talking
about?
I'm like what?
Speaker 1 (02:23):
boots on ground.
Do I have to turn in my blackcard?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
You better.
Please do Quick facet in ahurry.
Turn it in.
All right, all right.
Because I'm thinking aboutmaking the centerpieces with
fans and then, when people, whenwe're doing that, the fans will
be there, they could grab itfrom the centerpieces.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
The fans, that was my friend Steph's idea.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes, we yes.
So you have to learn about that.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I've seen something about that.
Some people pull out fans, andall right, just explain.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
I don't know.
I don't know, I'm afraid now.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I'm a little embarrassed.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I would rather you now go and discover what this is
.
It's a line dance and it'sreally cute and you have to
learn it, or else you really dohave to turn it in and if you
don't know what you're doing,this at the reunion everybody
except you, oh, everybody exceptyou, and the corny and the
(03:22):
corny people.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
I'm gonna be excluded .
It's like it's leslie on theline get out.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
You're no longer gonna be a cool kid.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
You know, you just learned this an hour ago.
Get out.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Okay, you watch, I'm a beat no, okay that's not it
you have to, you have time.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
You have time, anyway .
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So that came to mind actually, because what we've
been talking about over the lastfew days is how we are feeling
and what we're doing about itwith all of this stuff going on
in the government, and if you'vebeen with us for any time, you
(04:05):
know that we've really kind ofpulled ourselves back from
consuming all of the kind ofconstant.
We're newshounds, or we used tobe newshounds, and if you
remember, we had a friend andpsychologist, dr Rebecca
Eldridge, on a few weeks agotalking about giving us tools
(04:26):
for managing our levels ofstress during this time.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, and just good self-care tactics and strategies
to help some of the despairthat people will feel, the
hopelessness and just theanxiety and I've taken so many
of her tips to heart and I'vereally stepped back in many ways
(04:53):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
So, and we will put a link somewhere here, it will be
easy for you to find a link tothat video.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It's honestly, it's really worth it.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
It really is it really is so anyway.
So we were just talking aboutall the ways that we have
decided to step back you know,instead of being step back.
One of them for me is learningthis line dance that Leslie
doesn't know yet yet, but I'mwilling to teach you because I'm
(05:29):
coming up a few days early.
I'm going to Leslie.
I got you.
I forgot, I got you.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Yes, yes, you're in.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
You're going to be fine and you will not embarrass
me, so you're going to be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Okay, anyway, but a couple of things I wanted to say
.
Just, I've intentionallystepped back from a lot of the
news, the breaking news cycles,what's the daily or hourly
issues that's going on.
I stopped looking at myfinancial portfolio because it's
(06:04):
going like this, this, this,this.
But I know that this is atransient thing.
I'm really trying to guard myfeelings, my emotions, and I've
needed to step back, but so manythings creep in.
Let me give you a couple ofexamples.
I was in the supermarket today,minding my own business as I do
(06:28):
, minding your own business asyou do yes.
And a man asks one of theworkers where is such and such
items?
And I said, oh, he's reallygood because he helped me
earlier and he'll tell you whereit is.
So the guy says, and you know,you're going to pay extra for it
.
And I says, oh yeah, we'll bepaying extra for many things
(06:53):
that we got what we wanted.
We voted in who we wanted.
And he says I didn't vote forhim.
I didn't vote for him.
I'm a lifelong Democrat.
So now other people in theaisle started, it's like we
shouldn't vote for him.
I didn't vote for him, I'm alifelong Democrat.
So now other people in theaisle started, it's like we
shouldn't talk about politics.
I said we'll see how this goes.
We voted in who we wanted.
(07:15):
Have a nice day.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Have a nice day.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
And it comes up.
I have occasions in theoperating room with patients.
It almost seems like everybodywants to talk about it.
So, when patients are in theoperating room before they go to
sleep or after they wake up orstuff, it just comes up in
conversation and I'm like Idon't want to hear about this, I
(07:41):
don't want to have thisconversation because it still
produces a certain amount ofanxiety for me.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
So I've taken steps so we can talk about some of
those steps that I've taken,some of those steps are to not
be in this, to step into a placeof empowerment instead of okay,
you're not doing that, but whatare you doing?
And what are the things thatwe're doing?
(08:10):
To kind of not even what's thatthing that the ancestors are
telling us now Sit your assesdown.
Yes, we are being down, yes, weare being intentional, yes, very
very, very, very, veryintentional about what we buy,
(08:32):
where we buy, how much we buywhere we're going.
All of these things, our plansand how we're shaping these
things with so, so much, and I'mreally proud.
I am really proud of the waysthat we've moved from oh the
hand-wringing.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Yes, and I really do.
Let me just tell you, I haveboycotted so many stores vendors
, Amazon, Walmart.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
I started to say Woolworth, I'm dating myself.
Walmart Target I don't shop inthose stores.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
And it's not easy.
It really takes some strategy.
I have to do research on whereto get the products.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
I have to drive to go get them and I often have to
pay a little bit more for them,but so what, it's worth it.
It's worth it.
Let me tell you this littlesacrificial thing that I've done
, and I realize this is silly,but it's meaningful to me.
So a few weeks ago I was inMaui with a friend and they had
(09:42):
this delicious coffee with afriend, and they had this
delicious coffee and so Ibrought some back and I couldn't
find it on the store shelves,right.
So I bought some, brought someback from the, the villa that we
stayed in, and it's onlyavailable on Amazon, and she
(10:05):
wants to buy it for me and Idon't know.
You're like, oh, no, no, no,we're not doing that, we're not
doing that.
And she's like, yeah, becausewhen you get the Amazon box I'll
be found out.
Yes, I am not.
I am not, and we're makingpurchases.
(10:28):
We mentioned the, the, thereunion that we're planning,
leslie and I are two of thepeople on the planning committee
and you know there are thingsthat we need to buy and we're
trying to be good stewards ofthe money that we're bringing in
from tickets to create abeautiful experience for our
(10:50):
classmates, and so there arethings that you know we need to
buy and we're making choices.
It's like no, we're not goingto go there just because it's
the cheapest.
We're going to support.
And because it's convenient.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Exactly Because it's easy.
It's like we don't need to doeasy.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It's like the.
It's like the, that's what youdo, that's what you do.
Go there.
No, we're making choices to saywe're going to spend a little
bit more because it supports alocal, oftentimes Black-owned
business and we are willing tospend that little extra, even
with our own money, in order tonot, you know, to live by our
(11:31):
convictions, to live our valuesis what we're doing, and that
feels really, really, ooh,really really empowering.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
It, does, it does.
I'm proud of myself in thatregard.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Only you're not proud of me, because you know me, I'm
into the convenience and thisYou're not proud of me.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
Oh, I'm always proud of you I heart you, oh Lord,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
She got triggered, she got triggered, she got
triggered, she got triggered, soare you ready to start talking
about?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Well, I just want to mention in that regard a friend
sent me a post that's been goingaround social media that on
April 5th, a few days from now,people will be gathering to
protest what's going on in thegovernment with our new
president, I suppose, protestingthe tariffs or the picking up
(12:23):
people, what they callundocumented immigrants and what
have you.
Well, that's not what they callthem.
People are literally walking inand their badge not working
anymore, their badge not workinganymore.
And someone says to me well,isn't reducing waste in
(12:44):
government good, or wasteanywhere in industry a good
thing?
And absolutely.
But that, in my opinion, is notwhy these folks are doing what
they're doing, not why thesefolks are doing what they're
doing.
I think it's.
I mean that in the long runmight be a byproduct of what's
going on, but you can't tell methat this is not about power,
(13:09):
instilling fear, getting peoplein line, all of those things
that signal to meauthoritarianism and fascism.
In my opinion, you know, firstyou start making people afraid
and anxious and that'sabsolutely what's going on.
(13:32):
So when that person sent methat notice about April 5th
protests guess what Black peopleI told her I did my protest at
the ballot box in November.
I'm done, I'm done, so I'llwatch it on television, maybe so
(13:55):
what was the thing?
Speaker 2 (13:56):
What was the thing when they said the ancestors?
Speaker 1 (14:00):
You sent it to me.
It said sit your black ass down.
Yeah, there will be a proteston April 5th.
Black people Hashtag Sit yourblack ass down and I get it.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I get it.
Yeah, yeah, we're, yeah, we are.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's in our DNA to fight and struggle and do the
best we can and create legacyand do it for you know,
sacrifice and work hard and workourselves to the bone and
whatever this is for our people,this is our struggle, but guess
what bone?
And whatever this is for ourpeople, this is our struggle.
(14:42):
But guess what?
I also deserve a life of joy,of ease, of intentionality, and
there is another way.
I mean, you know, we're lookingto get the heck out of this
country and we are making planson a regular to do that.
We are, we are.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
You guys can have it, I'll watch you guys protest
from afar.
Speaker 1 (15:00):
I'm going to be sipping my Mai Tai on a beach
with my feet up getting amassage by Jaime, that's so by
Raul, by.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Pedro, pedro or Mariana it could be.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
I'm not gender specific.
Mariana, it could be, I'm notgender specific.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Absolutely, it could be.
So yeah, and so let's talkabout the Job Liberation Summit.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Let's talk about that yes.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Because I think we need to.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So we know one of the areas of stress, and I just
talked to you about my cousinand how his job is insecure and
many federal workers have thisinsecurity.
Now, after putting in hard workand whatever, our friend, dr
Kimani Norrington-Sands, ishosting her second annual Job
(15:57):
Liberation Summit for BlackWomen.
It's going to be held in MayMay 16th to 18th and we just
want to talk to you about it alittle bit because, remember,
we're speaking now about how toreduce anxiety, how to feel more
empowered in troubled times.
How to feel more empowered introubled times and Dr Kimani is
(16:24):
an expert in telling people howto leave toxic jobs and toxic
situations, rather than buckledown and suffer more and fight,
fight, fight.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And cry in silence and keep trying to be excellent
and keep trying to suppress youremotions and you know you ain't
going to quit that good, goodjob and all of that.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
But you've got benefits and you're in.
You have 20 years in, you'vegot a pension, you can retire.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
Meanwhile it's chipping away at your soul yeah.
Yeah.
So Dr Kimani Norrington-Sandsis a licensed clinical
psychologist and she is a toxicjob survivor, but she likes to
call herself a toxic jobliberator.
(17:10):
She was on this Black BoomerBesties in.
I want to say it was lateDecember.
I think it was December 31st.
We'll put a link to that also,and we've been on her platform.
She is beating the drumsteaching Black women how to
(17:34):
become liberated from thesetoxic workplaces, and I'll just
read some of this here.
This is our way, this is whatwe do.
We spread joy on this channel.
We can talk about what's notgoing well until the cows come
home.
We like to talk about what isgoing well and what we can do
(17:56):
about it and how to haveself-agency.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Self-agency, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Okay, so it is the premier online event for Black
women pivoting from jobs thatare no longer serving them, and
I just want to just mention someof the speakers, not by name,
but just the topics.
I think that will be better foryou.
So one topic is take your powerback from a toxic job.
(18:24):
Know your options and yourlegal rights.
Speaker 1 (18:28):
that part Right.
You got rights yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
I don't know how long , but you still have rights that
you can rely on.
Ready to create multiple incomestreams?
Yes, we are.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Right, because that's what keeps us in these jobs
very often Absolutely I meanobviously we have to feed
ourselves and our families.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
Yeah, yeah.
Heal and rebuild yourconfidence is another topic.
Learn how to replace yourincome.
Listen, I have been anentrepreneur for eight years,
almost.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Since 2016,.
Do the math Since the end oflet's call it 2017, for a long
time.
There are other ways that youcan make money.
Those ways can be lessstressful or very joy-filled,
that's what I coach on.
I coach on how to have ajoy-filled life and have joyful
(19:30):
income Joyful income generationand people don't realize that
it's a thing I mean.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
I've talked about many times how joy-filled my
work life is as a physician.
I skip to work every day.
Well, now I have a bad knee.
I limp to work but I go inhappy to be there, in a
stressful situation often, but Ienjoy my work so much that
(19:59):
that's not my world.
But yeah, we don't have to bemiserable.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
But, leslie, it wasn't always your world, though
.
You made a choice.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
I did, I did.
You made a choice.
You were miserable and then youmade a choice to go to med
school yes, yes, so you forgot,and people looked at me like I
was nuts.
At that time, I was a singleparent and it's like what do you
mean?
You're going to quit your joband go to school full time.
What is this dream?
You got your good job.
(20:28):
You're a science teacher, you'rean educator.
You got your master's degree.
What are you doing, les?
And we don't always have tojustify what's in our hearts and
that will bring us joy later onin life.
That's right.
So, yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
So the summit is now in its early registration, so
the prices are reduced.
We will put a link to how youcan um attend and um get your
tickets and um, they have somereally good speakers.
Um uh, rashida dao andstephanie perry.
(21:11):
You know they are theco-founders of our beloved
exodus, so they're going to bethere.
There are, let me see if Icould pull up some of the names
real quick.
Libria Jones Listen if youdon't know.
These are people that we hopebecome household names in your
(21:34):
life and in your community,because you're going to be
learning from these Black womenwho are in it, who are in the.
They're not just talking abouthow to do X, y Z, they're
actually living their lives,doing this and they're coming to
talk to you about that.
Roshini Cope I love her.
(21:56):
Dr Kimani, of course there isCoach Yolanda.
Patrice Williams Lindo all Imean, I know these people.
Jasmine Williams Jacobs it's sogood.
Giovanna MacRees, christianWright oh my gosh.
Marissa Price I think she isco-hosting this event with Dr
Kimani.
Speaker 1 (22:16):
I think she is co-hosting this event with Dr
Kimani.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Please do this for you, do this for your families,
do this for your community.
You have options and this hasnow been created for you.
If you or anyone you know issuffering in a toxic job and
(22:45):
they might not even be aware ofit, but you might be aware of it
you see how they have changed.
You see that when you aretogether, all they can talk
about is what their manager didto them today at that job what
their co-workers are doing tothem at that job.
That is like a common refrainfor anyone in your life if not
you.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
And the thing is, it's easy for people not to
recognize it because it'ssomething that's typical.
It's like the bad mother-in-law.
It became like the joke thatyou're not supposed to get along
with your mother-in-law.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
So with these jobs.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
It's like you're not supposed to be happy at work.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
It's a grind.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
It's something you endure.
You endure it for your 25 yearsand then, you get out when your
body is broken down and tiredand you know what it's the
American way, but I've learnedin the last few years that it
doesn't have to be the way itreally doesn't.
It's a scam, it's a joke.
It's not.
(23:45):
You know, don't drink theKool-Aid.
We have internalized that asthe way that it's supposed to be
and it's not.
We get to create the way thingsare supposed to be.
We get to create the environmentthat we now to live outside of
the United States you know, butit's real.
(24:14):
And I'm not saying that that'sthe truth or what everyone needs
to do.
But I bet you, the more optionsyou have, the more you are
buffered against some of thesestreams of terror and fear that
are coming into us.
I was speaking to my momrecently and she was telling me
(24:38):
about how afraid she is aboutjust listening and what's going
on and the prices of groceriesand things.
And I'm like Mom, turn it off.
Why are you listening to this?
You?
know, like what Dr Eldridge said, decide what it is you're
(25:05):
looking for and why you'rewatching these things, this doom
scroll that people have a habitof doing turn it off.
I said Mom, how about if youjust well, I need to listen to
the news.
No, you don't.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Or you can listen to it once a day or once every
other day.
It's the intention part.
Yeah, what are you doing?
What do you want from it?
And listen to it to get thatand then turn the rest off.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
And then she comes away shaking in her boots and I
don't understand, and calling upeverybody about warning us.
I'm like mom.
Oh, poor thing.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Oh, Les.
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, poor thing, it's okay mom.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Maybe we should get her a ticket, but she's not in a
job.
I'm just saying, maybe beingaround these women will help her
.
But you know, being an older,person here in the.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
United States, we're used to certain things.
And we're used to watching thenews every night.
You know, yeah, that's rightwe're used to trusting our
government to help us and serveus.
We think that you know we'regoing to get the return for the
input that we've had all ourlives Times.
(26:12):
They are a changing.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
They are a changing Buckle up.
Buckle up and get your boots onthe ground, but not to them
protests.
Okay, Les, can we bring this infor a landing, Because I've got
to go get something to eat.
I am so hungry right now?
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Yeah, you probably haven't eaten all day because
you just forget to eat who?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
forgets to eat.
I forget to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
This one.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
I do.
I forget to eat.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Listen, stick with me , I will remind you on a regular
Stick with me, kid Stick withme.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
I don't have a problem when I'm with people who
are eating, but when I'm bymyself, I really have to be
reminded to eat or the headachestarts to come.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
In Must be nice.
So, anyway, it was a pleasuretalking to you all.
Thank you for listening.
We're going to give you linksto all of the content and the
people that we've mentioned, andthe summit for sure.
(27:13):
We want to give you guysoptions and ideas to bring more
joy in your life and less stressin your life.
It is possible, even in thesehard times, to skip to work,
like I do.
But anyway, thank you forlistening.
Thank you, we appreciate you,we do.
(27:35):
And this has been anotherepisode of Black Boomer.
Besties from Brooklyn, brooklyn.
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