May 16, 2022 • 36 mins
Drekkia Writes shares her story of being kicked out of high school, drowning in toxic relationships and using poetry to become an author, sought-after corporate trainer, and a millennial game changer.
Sponsored by ABTF Travels: Arts and Cultural Experiences @ AtlantaBTF.org/travels
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Toni Henson (00:03):
This week we sit down with the incomparable poet,
artist, and motivator who goesby the pen name - Drekkia
Writes. Listen up.
Tony (00:15):
Welcome to Season Seven of Black Family Table Talk. We are
your hosts, Toni and Tony. Joinus on our journey to discover
ways to build a strong blackfamily.
Toni Henson (00:25):
This season is sponsored by ABTF travels. Join
us as we travel each year beyondborders off the beaten path, to
immerse ourselves in culturesthat celebrate our Pan African
Heritage. Each journey isspecially curated to provide you
with what promises to be abucket list transformative
(00:49):
experience.
Tony (00:50):
I can't wait until we go again.
Toni Henson (00:52):
Me either.
Tony (00:54):
In the meantime, we have a very special guest joining us at
the kitchen table this week,listen up.
Toni Henson (01:06):
I just want to say, I have seen you grow. I have
seen you blossom into thisbeautiful flower. And I've
wanted to talk to you becauseyoung people are so and I was
young, I'm not saying like Iwasn't. But this, this woman has
(01:33):
found her purpose and her focus
Drekkia (01:36):
Thank you. That makes me feel good.
Toni Henson (01:39):
I mean, I know everybody's on a journey. Even
when you get to my age, youstill on a journey. Finding and
discovering. But I wanted tohave you on because I was like,
Okay, I want to know her secretbecause I think she can help
people. I know you can helppeople. I know you are out there
helping people.
Drekkia (01:58):
Yes. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. It makes me
feel good. You know, I've beenreally committed to walking in
my purpose and staying prayedup.
Tony (02:08):
Wow, wow.
Drekkia (02:10):
Because it's really been a journey. I quit my job in
the Arts and Education ProgramManager for the state of
Arkansas last year in November,because I started to feel this
discomfort. Like I was sittingat my desk, and I like my job,
but last year in November, I wassitting at my desk at work and I
was planning out my schedule forthe following year. And
(02:33):
something just said, Girl, youknow, I won't be here that long.
And I was like, Okay, because Ihad already been toying with the
idea of leaving and pursuing mybusiness seven of arts full time
where I offer creative basedprofessional personal
development. So what I do is Iuse poetry literally as vehicle
(02:53):
to reach youth, to teach themhow to express themselves how to
communicate more effectively.
Poetry is the cheapest form oftherapy. So I show them how to
use it as a coping mechanism.
And even in the workplace, Iwork with organizations and the
arts is just at the forefront ofeverything that I teach. It's
literally just the vehicle Iused to teach. Like I said,
(03:15):
conflict, resolution, teambuilding, communication, like
I'm really big on things beinghigh energy and interactive. The
arts is where one access pointthat has no barriers. So that's
just what I do. I feel likethat's what I'm supposed to do.
And when I left my job, I didn'thave a big plan, all I had was
faith and God made a way. Likehe literally made a way.
Tony (03:38):
So it was Seven of Arts a side hustle or this was newly
created when you decided toleave your job?
Drekkia (03:46):
It was a side hustle.
So I've always taught poetrylike this literally what I've
done, but I had never officiallyestablished it as a business. So
Seven of Arts was created tojust legitimize what I was
already doing. And I just feltthat I could take it to the next
level. So I created Seven ofArts as a business entity, so
that I can, make it more realfor myself like this is not just
(04:11):
something I do on the side or doit for fun. It actually is fun.
But this is something I dobecause I feel like it's what
I'm supposed to be doing.
Tony (04:24):
You know, I got a business mind, I just want to know. So
how did you grow? Did you havecontracts in hand before you
quit? Or?
Drekkia (04:35):
That's what I tell you.
That's the thing about faithlike we have to choose the
things that we cannot see. Iknew I could do it. I knew I
could do it. Was I prepared myface at the moment. No, but
literally within two weeks of meleaving. I secured a family
contract with an after schoolprogram which literally
yesterday, well Thursday was mylast day working with those
(04:56):
students but each month, I justget different opportunities just
by reaching out and just beingcreative in the way that I
stream revenue. So I also helpartists too, like, I just love
helping artists realize theirpotential. So I have a book
called The Art of Securing the
Bag (05:17):
27 Ways to Monetize your Talent because being artists,
you have to be creative in howyou get money. I always tell
people, majority of our moneydon't come from people booking
me to perform a pool. It comesfrom teaching, it comes from
products, knowing how to set upcontracts. There's so many other
creative ways to do things,going to festivals, knowing how
to network, it's so manyopportunities out here that a
(05:39):
lot of people they don't evenrecognize. So I have my book
that I push, I do events, I justdo a lot.
Toni Henson (05:46):
I just want to reach out to the screen and hug
you. Oh my gosh. When I everencountered you during the
Atlanta black Theatre Festival,you're always so quiet and I'm
(06:06):
just, that's why I said blossom.
I always thought you werebeautiful. You had a poise and
grace about you that wasmysterious and you were quiet. I
saw you as quiet but every timeI saw you it's so much going on.
But I just remember that in theback of my head and then as I
followed you on social media, Ijust saw this person, and even
(06:29):
your look has change. You haveyou have more of a glow. And I
don't mean, you know, like,hair, you know what I mean? It's
like you've found your voice andI want to know what was that aha
moment and what along yourjourney? What were you going
(06:50):
through? Because everybody hadto come through something. We
all come through something Iwrote a book too, talking about
what I came through, but helpfolks out there healthy young
women out there. Do you mind ifI ask you how old you are?
Drekkia (07:05):
I'm 28
Toni Henson (07:07):
Still in your 20s.
And when I was in my 20s I wasthe stupid this fool out there.
But help somebody in their 20s.
What would you say to yourlittle sister, or your younger
self,
Drekkia (07:24):
As you reflect on how you remember me, it makes me
emotional because I do rememberbeing in a place where I felt
like, I couldn't talk. I talkedabout this in my book too, I
have a book called 70 Mirrorswhere I talk about my journey of
being in toxic relationships,like not only with other people,
but with myself. I literallyfelt like I physically could not
(07:46):
speak for a long time and it'sbecause I was allowing myself to
be in a space that wasn'tconducive to my own growth. So
the biggest advice I would tellpeople out there is to accept
accountability for the role thatyou play in your own life. I
think my life would have neverchanged had I not taken a moment
to stop and be like, girl, Youknow what? You are part of the
(08:09):
problem. People love to pointour fingers at everybody else
for why we aren't unhappy. Well,I was blaming the relationship I
was in, I was blaming the way Igrew up, I was blaming my job,
my lack thereof. It was just soeasy to shift the blame on
somebody else and not putting onyourself. So when I realized
(08:31):
that, like, I had the power tocontrol the life that I wanted.
That took my life to a differentlevel, I ended up writing a book
about the things that I wasgoing through. And even within
that book, like toward the endof my book, I talked about the
future as if it had alreadyexisted. So I always say that I
manifested where I am now.
Because when I wrote that book,I was just in a tumultuous space
(08:53):
even in the relationship that Iwas in, and the relationship I
was in with myself. It was veryunhealthy and very toxic. So in
my book because I felt like Icouldn't speak. So it's crazy
that you say you feel like Ifailed my voice. Because I felt
like I physically cannot speak.
(09:14):
I had to I had to write it alldown and when I wrote it down, I
felt this conviction becausewhen I started to sell my book,
and I would get interviews andpeople would ask me questions
like, Oh my god, I'm so proud ofyou, came out of this toxic
relationship. And how was itnow, you know your life is so
great now. And in my mind, I waslike, This is crazy that I feel
so uncomfortable. Because I'mlike these people believe that
(09:36):
I'm out of what I'm talkingabout, but I wasn't. I was still
in it.
That conviction helped me moveon in my life because I believe
that there's power in ourthoughts and in what we speak.
So when I wrote down what Iwrote down in my book it's
because I wanted to get it outof my body so that I can move
on. Because I had this onethought one day I was like, This
(09:57):
can be this can be life. I waswaking up crying every day and I
feel like I was in a dark hole.
I feel so dead inside like Iliterally thought that I would
never get out of what I wasfeeling. And I used to consider
myself like a high functioning,depressed, like everything on
the outside look great. Butinside I feel dead, I felt like
I was in a different world. Butagain, when I started to accept
(10:20):
accountability and help myself,when I came out of it, I just
every day, I just startedmanifesting what I want. I
wanted, I wrote, post it notes.
Literally every day, I wrotepost it notes about the future
that I envisioned for myself.
Like I said, I wrote my book, Ispoke positive things about
myself. I started to forgivemyself for the decisions I made
(10:40):
because I had to realize, Youdid the best that you could with
what you had in that moment andI forgive you, I release you and
I gave you permission to move onand leave that in the past
because holding on to it is notgoing to do anything for you. So
the biggest advice I would givewomen, I mean, even me too, it's
like, Accept accountability forwho you are in your life and
(11:04):
know that you got the power totransform and be whatever it is
that you want to be, like,literally no limits exist only
the ones that you place onyourself.
Tony (11:13):
Wow, you said a mouthful there. You job so many nuggets.
I have so many questions. Thefirst one I have, I just need to
get an understanding becausethere was an aha moment for me
when you said acceptingaccountability for your own
situation. And I want to knowfor myself, and I'm sure people
(11:36):
listening will also want toknow, what do you think
contributed to the idea that youhad to change and take control
and accountability for yourself.
We go through life sometimes andwe fall into certain roles in
life, or how the world see us,how our parents see us, how our
sibling see us, and then we fallinto something based on, it
(12:00):
could be a number of things, ifI'm the oldest child, middle
child, youngest child, all theseroles that are forced on us as
we go through life. And we justkind of take stuff and just fall
into and things just fall inplace for us until we wake up
one day and say, I don't likewhere I'm at. What's causing me
(12:22):
to be here causing me to feelthis way. How did you come to
that moment and say, I have totear this thing up and start
over because I don't like howI'm being viewed. I don't like
what I'm putting on myself. Howthe world sees me, I see myself
help me understand that.
Drekkia (12:45):
For me that actually the biggest thing for me was my
siblings. So I'm the secondoldest out of five kids. I have
an older brother. He's 29. Andhe's incarcerated in the federal
penitentiary and then I have a24 year old brother. He's
incarcerated in statepenitentiary. He's been
incarcerated since he was 15. Sohe spent majority of his
(13:05):
developmental years incarceratedinstitutionalized. And then I
have another brother who's 23and a sister that is 21. And I'm
the first to graduate highschool and go to college and my
family. So I was breaking a lotof generational curses. I knew
the influence that I had on mysister, specifically, because
(13:26):
she'll never admit it, but she'salmost like my little Karate
Kid. She does poetry, she gotthe same car as me, went to the
same college as me. I know shelooked up to me and view me in a
light that whatever I did sheused it as a guiding tool for
her. So for me, I feel so much..
I wasn't living in the fullnessof my purpose and again, I was
(13:51):
in a place that I feel like wasnot happy. She started and they
feel embarrassing to me, becauseI'm like, What kind of example
am I setting for her to not beliving in the fullest and my
purpose. What was it going totake, but what helped me go into
the next level was thinkingabout my sister. I have noticed
(14:11):
that. That was one of themotivating factors even though
it took me a while to get mystuff together but I was like,
Come on now. You can do it.
Tony (14:23):
I mean, did you did you feel pressured to be a certain
person for your family,expectations placed on you?
Drekkia (14:32):
I did and it was expectation I placed on myself.
Like it's actually nobody everdid it. I think I always talked
about the golden child syndrome.
I feel like people literallysince I've been young, they
always viewed me in a positivelight like that I was smart, I
was pretty. They just thoughthighly of me. So I always feel
like I could not make mistakes.
(14:54):
And it's not that anybody toldme like nobody held me to a
standard they just alwaysencouraged me to say positive
things. It was me in my mindwhere I was like, Man, I can't
let them know that I'm feelingcollege right now or that I lost
1000s of dollars in scholarship.
I can't let people know that I'msad, because I'm the person that
people always come to, that theyfeel like they can talk to. So I
(15:15):
felt like I had this strain onmyself. And when I got older, I
had to realize that I needed tohumanize myself more and when I
realized I needed to do that isbecause my mom was she would
always share her mistakes withus, which I felt like made our
relationship stronger. And itmade me realize that people are
people that I had a permissionto be a people to.
Toni Henson (15:43):
Oh my gosh. When did you realize in what point in
your life, I think you spoke onit a little bit but it's the
question and I have in my mind,if you can elaborate on it. When
did you realize in your lifethat you were compromising
yourself? Or what was rockbottom, I guess a better way to
phrase it with - what was bottomfor you?
Drekkia (16:05):
I felt like I had two pivotal moments that were rock
bottom for me. When I was inninth grade. I was terrible. My
cousin had died when I was ineighth grade and I just told
myself, I said, What purpose isit to be good if you do just
gonna die. So I was terrible. Iwould be out there fighting,
smoking weed, doing all kinds ofridiculous things. And I
(16:29):
remember toward the end of highschool, I got into a fight, and
I got expelled. And when I gotexpelled, and I couldn't go back
to school to get my poetrynotebooks out my locker, I
couldn't go take my test. I wasdisgusted with myself. And then
in that moment, I said, I needto change my surroundings and my
environment. So at a young age,I really was thinking like this,
(16:52):
Man, I gotta get away from thisenvironment that I'm in because
it's not helping me grow andthat's when I realized that,
what if I live to be old, like,what am I doing right now that's
gonna contribute to me beingable to have a good lifestyle.
So in that moment, I literally,the school that I was going to J
Fair high school, when I gotexpelled, they tried to send me
(17:12):
to alternative school. But thatdidn't happen because I ended up
signing myself up for charterschool downtown called Eastern.
Now, I was a high performingstudent. So they had already
tried to poach me when I was inmiddle school, and I actually
went there for a month within Ilive, then I went to J Fair that
when I got expelled, I justcontacted them back. I wanted to
(17:34):
go back because it was a smallercity. And then I wouldn't be
around old friends or familythat I was able to ride for. So
when I switched schools, I justhad this different kind of
commitment to myself, like, Iwant to be an example for my
siblings, and show themsomething different and that
they got the ability to bewhatever it is they want to be
(17:55):
and go wherever they want to go.
So at 16, I signed myself up forEastern Charter School. I taught
myself how to ride the city bus.
With the city bus, I wake up atlike five o'clock in the
morning, just to catch the busby six, which it was an hour
long ride, just to get to schoolevery morning, even though it
was only like a six mile drive.
City bus take you through thecity so it's like an hour to get
(18:16):
to school. I even stayed afterschool to take extra classes,
just so that I could get allthat I needed. But I did all
that because I always felt likeI had a purpose for me and that
I was supposed to be doingsomething big. Because something
that I learned is that if wedon't walk in our purpose, then
somebody else won't be able towalk nears. So I just took it
(18:38):
really, really, reallyseriously.
Toni Henson (18:42):
Wow
Tony (18:43):
One pivotal. What was the second one?
Drekkia (18:45):
So the second pivotal moment for me was when I was
living in Atlanta, and I washaving a moment every day, I was
just crying. I was so sad. I'mlike, Man, God, I know this
can't be what you have for me. Ithink came a long way even
allowed me to break so manycycles, like I just I just
(19:06):
noticed is not the end. And Iwill write in my notes every day
how I was feeling and I'm like,Man, this is not right. And when
I started to make myselfbelieve, Hey what you're feeling
is not right, and you canactually come out of it. That's
when I started just trainingmyself to be able to transition
from being in a relationship,transition from being in
(19:26):
Atlanta, and living on my own,and doing my own thing. So that
moment for me, it was big.
Toni Henson (19:35):
I'm making the assumption that there is a need
because I felt the pressure whenI was in my 20s. That the way we
define ourselves as women is howwe define our relationships with
men. So we had to have some kindof title in order to be valid.
Can you speak to your liberationof that if there was one or was
(20:00):
that your story?
Drekkia (20:02):
For me, I don't think it was more so the titles. I
think it was the connection thatI was getting, like in a
relationship, I got to do a lotof great things. And like I just
held on today because I'm like,Man, this is a beautiful space,
like I got to explore, travel, Iwas a camping woman. So I think
it was just that comfort that Iwas living in. It allowed me to
(20:25):
stay in that space. But I dounderstand what it's like to
want to be attached to a titlebecause it gives us this, this
sense of validation. I was in aboard meeting, and I write a
poem, every board meeting, thatI'm in a school board meeting,
and when one of the poems that Iwrote was called Titles, and
they say, who am I without thetitles? Do we hold on to these
(20:49):
titles because it makes us feellike something that we were
really not. Is this like acovering that we put put on.
Tony (21:02):
We've shaped everything up to where we are, where you are
in your life now. And now youhave Seven of Arts. You're
working with corporations,you're working with
organizations, you're workingwith students. So what do you
(21:23):
see Seven of Arts going now, andif you can tell us about some of
the clients you have, and howyou help them each category, if
you could.
Drekkia (21:35):
What I see Seven of Arts being, I always say this, I
want to be the Chick'a Fillet oftraining companies. So, with
Seven of Arts, I work withschools and students, like my
whole goal was to help them findtheir voice. With the residency
that I just completed here at anafter school program in Little
(21:56):
Rock, Arkansas. I always getfeedback from the kids, just so
I know that I'm doing what Ithink I'm doing because we can
come in with these ideas andthink we're delivering whatever
it is we supposed to bedelivering. But I asked the
kids, How do y'all feel aboutthe different things that we've
done throughout this wholeresidency, has it helped you
(22:18):
improve any. In my classes,within one time, every week, and
for our classroom culture, we doa quote of the week, a Mic
check. A mic check is where Ibring my microphone in my stand,
and they love the microphone.
And they have to answer thequestion. A question, a random
question that I give them butthe whole purpose of that is to
get them comfortable withstanding in front of people
(22:39):
speaking fluently andarticulating themselves. So with
that, they already know I alwaystell them, Hey, when you come up
here, introduce yourself. Don'tdo the peepee dance but if you
want to move, move with purpose.
And each week they progressed,but at the end of this whole
residency, and I asked forfeedback, and there was one
(23:00):
little boy, and it just made meso emotional. But he said, Doing
mic checks, over this time,helped me become more confident
and standing in front of peopleand talking because in school, I
was scared. I thought peoplewere gonna laugh at me I
stuttered a lot, but we're doingmic checks is helped me be okay,
and get more comfortablestanding in front of people.
(23:24):
With my quotes, I always tellthem the same thing. Don't let
fear hold you back. It's one ofmy biggest quotes. Because a lot
of them starting off, they werescared and that's an issue with
a lot of black kidsspecifically, they're standing
up and talking in front ofpeople. It's like, Oh, my God.
But I'm very big on helping themchallenge their voice because
(23:45):
they need to know that when youstep anywhere, speak with
confidence and let people knowthat you're not scared.
speaking publicly. That's why inPrinceton, I owned a franchise
Drama Kids International. Andthat's what was all about it.
Actually, my tagline was (24:00):
From the stage to the board room, act
up, speak up, be confident whoyou are. Take Charge. That's why
I think the arts, you said thatthe beginning of our discussion
is so important to teachchildren because it gives you so
much confidence.
Drekkia (24:20):
It does. It is beautiful. When little kids can
articulate their back likethey're able to self assess and
be aware enough to know, hey,when I first started, I wasn't
confident but now I can do it.
They can't get them to stay offthe mic. When I bring the
microphone they just all you seeis them grabbing the mic. Hello.
And I taught them how to do likecall and response. I don't have
(24:40):
to send you out a video but Itaught them how to do like call
and response and engage with theaudience.
Toni Henson (24:51):
This is just as a problem that I had when I
brought my children from thenorth and to the south. And it's
just a different culture. It'snot better it's not worse. It's
just different. And I rememberthat he spoke out, he was very
expressive, my daughter, and hewas rewarded for that when we
were in schools in New Jersey,and my daughter was always very
quiet. And all the teachers, shehas wonderful thoughts, she
(25:13):
needs to share them. But when wegot to Atlanta, I remember my
daughter was rewarded for beingquiet. And my son was penalized
for being bland, expressive. Butit's just funny how we affirm
children. In different cultures,culturally speaking, we denied
children, what their naturalgifts are.
Drekkia (25:36):
That's why I'm doing my workshops, it gets kind of
sticky, because there's peoplewho have their own way of
thinking that kids shouldn'ttalk or be too expressive. So
one of the problems that I runinto is, when I go into these
spaces, and I'm working withkids, I tell them, Hey, I want
you to talk about what you don'tusually get to talk about. When
the kids start to tell thetruth, a lot of people, they
(25:58):
don't want to hear that. Theydon't want to hear that a child
is depressed or sad, don't liketheir parents don't like school.
But for me, I feel like poetryis one of them things that allow
you to just get things off yourchest. And I believe in doing
that, you allow them thisfreedom to get that weight off
of themselve. I always tellpeople from now on when I book
(26:21):
with people, I'm like, Hey, ifyou're a stickler and don't want
kids to say certain things, youdon't want them to tell their
truth and then with me, I'm notthe one.
Toni Henson (26:30):
You've done some college tours as well. You've
done some speaking at colleges,what has been the response with
of young college students.
Drekkia (26:38):
I have a college tour called Create the Life You Want.
And with it, I'm going in andagain, I'm using poetry as a way
to facilitate us intodiscussion. And we get to talk
about real life issues and whatthey are going through. And the
response has been really great.
Because again, you have collegestudents who have not been
taught how to expressthemselves, they hold everything
(27:01):
in. When I come into the space,we're getting real. I say the
stuff that you don't expectpeople to say. I'm real
unhinged. So I ask crazyquestions like, Are you the
toxic one. People I was expectedto be the victims, I'm like,
What have you done wrong. I makepeople really reflect on
(27:21):
themselves. I always tellpeople, when I work with them,
like I, I'm going to introduceyou to yourself. Which is so
uncomfortable, because I had todo it to myself. But in doing
that, that's how I was able togrow again. When I started to
realize, Girl, you are theproblem. I like change. And I
think if more people understoodwhere they feel short, and how
(27:44):
they can move forward in theirlife. Life would be so much
better for them. But it's a lotof us who don't want to self
reflect, scared to tell thetruth about who we are. But why.
So the response has been good,I've been able to work with a
lot of great organizations. I'veworked with the top honors
students in New York, at theMcCauley Honors College, which
(28:05):
was a great experience. You hateseniors, incoming college
freshmen outside, because we didour workshops outside expressing
themselves talking about theirfeelings where high performing
students they are literally theones who I think the suicide
rates for high performingstudents is high because there's
(28:26):
a lot of pressure on them. Sogoing into that space and
allowing them to talk and beconscious of where they are and
why they feel how they feel. Itallows them some freedom to move
forward. I've worked with schooldistricts all across Arkansas,
I've worked with privatecolleges, public colleges, the
University of Central ArkansasLander. There's just been so
(28:50):
many organizations. In a coupleof weeks, I get to work the
Walton Enterprises. That's beenexciting too. I work from the
from the little rural countrytowns, all the way to the big
cities. I don't discriminate,because I think what I do, it
translates for everybody.
Toni Henson (29:09):
Well, you are certainly on your way. Tony, if
you don't have any morequestions, let's close out with
a poem.
Drekkia (29:17):
So hello, good people.
It's Drekkia. This is my MathBook. This is my favorite one.
I never liked math/ Based on thefact I'm naturally a creative
person./ But more so becausethey teach you that there's only
one answer to every question./You either right or you're
(29:41):
wrong./ But I'm guessing my MBAbecause it tries so hard to be
perfect./ Placement rules onyour every move/ Structure on
your steps/ Orders on youroperations like Please Excuse My
Dear Aunt Sally/ Please/ Pleasefor parentheses/ Parentheses
before Excuse/ Excuse before mymath for multiplication/
(30:03):
Multiplication before division/Division before addition/
Addition before Sally/ Sally forsubtraction./
See, I'm guessing I hate mathbecause it acts as if the number
line represents your lifeline./Like you're either negative or
positive./ And there's no roomfor in between, because
(30:24):
everybody knows that zero isequivalent to nothing./ So you
have to pick a sign./ I meanside/ Sides/ This life ain't no
equal that will triangle sonever expect all sides to be
equal./ See, I hate math,because I can now calculate the
relation between my age. And thenumber of years my dad has been
actively participatory in mylife,/ like the 28 years, two
(30:48):
months, two days, two hours and10 seconds./ He's managed to be
a part of zero./ But I use thosesame calculations to try to
boost myself up by saying stufflike,/ well, you know, he did
send your child support check/every two weeks for $52./ 52
times two equals $104 a month,/and $104 a month times 12 months
(31:13):
equal $1,248 a year,/ meaning myexistence was practically as
valuable as 10 ti 84.
calculators,/ I'm tired of beinga calculator./ Because I'm
tired of adding stuff up./ Likethe red flags,/ I should have
noticed withdrawal 60 miles perhour pass on a daily/ see I hate
math because it's always tellingthe truth,/ knowing that the
(31:36):
truth hurts,/ and it's facts./Women lie./ And men lie./ The
numbers don't lie./ But whatI've come to realize is that my
favorite number is zero./ Itnever adds or takes away from
anyone./ And it's never botheredby the fact that it cannot be
divided or broken./ I wish I wasthe number zero,/ unable to be
(32:01):
divided, or broke./See, I hate math because I don't
get how they came up with thenumber after the decimal point./
Like what in the world,/ this10.201993 even look like in real
life./ And who came up with it?/See, I'm tired of doing examples
on the board,/ only to go homeand still getting wrong./ Like
(32:24):
how God can make examples of usbut like dummies, we keep
repeating the same mistake./never fully learning from each
other because supposedlyexperience is the best teacher/
See, I'm tired of math becauseI'm tired of numbers./
Constantly serving as a reminderthat for the past three years in
the Senate to come,/ my 19 yearold brother will be treated as a
(32:48):
number/ inmate 158463/ strippedof his identity, but one day my
caged bird will be set free./See, I'm tired of math, because
how much you make determines howfar you go, or how far you grow,
or the extent of your ownhappiness./ See, I'm talking to
Math because it makes me mad./It makes me think the best thing
(33:08):
my dad could do for me, is makeme a beneficiary on his life
insurance policy/ as adding$100,000 to my life, and
subtracting one./ Becausesomehow multiply my happiness,
but I'm thinking that would onlyleave me feeling more divided./
See, I'm tired of math becauseI'm tired of trying to solve for
x and y./ Or maybe I'm justtired of people asking me about
(33:35):
my ex/ and why./ Like, why/ myex can accurately calculate my
value./ But I'm guessing our setof coordinates were never the
perfect order piercey/ I hatemath because I'm naturally
creative person./ But more sobecause they teach you that
(33:56):
there's only one answer to everyquestion./ You either right or
you're wrong.
Thank you.
Toni Henson (34:07):
Wow!
Tony (34:10):
Writing. Exciting. Wow it was powerful.
Toni Henson (34:14):
Goosbumps. Oh, my gosh.
Drekkia (34:18):
Okay. Yes. Well, thank you for having me. I'm so
excited. When I got the email.
I'm like, Oh my god, Tony,remembered me!
Toni Henson (34:27):
Oh, man, how can I forget you and now you're
becoming even moreunforgettable. Because right now
what you're doing is you'recreating legacy, which is so
much important when you learnyou are called to teach. Thank
you for teaching young peoplehow to grow, how to grow through
things, and just be all they canbe. Thank you. And I'm gonna
send you an invitation because Iwould love for you. I hope
(34:49):
you're available the weekend ofthe Atlanta Black Theatre
Festival. I would love for youto come to share your work and
speak.
Tony (34:57):
That's Black Family Table Talk
Toni Henson (34:59):
That's What's Up
Tony (35:06):
That concludes this week's talk. We hope you found some
tools to add to your strongblack family toolbox. And be
sure to sign up for a freesubscription at
BlackFamilyTableTalk.com forspecial discounts and product
offers reserved exclusively foryou.
Toni Henson (35:24):
Don't forget to tell a friend about our weekly
podcasts and blogs. Available onApple pod Google, Pandora,
Spotify, and everywhere podcastsare heard. Under Section 107 of
the Copyright Act 1976.
allowance is made for fair usefor purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting,teaching, scholarship and
(35:44):
research. fair use is a usepermitted by a copyright statute
that may otherwise beinfringing. The news and
opinions expressed on blackfamily tabletop do not
necessarily reflect variousplatform hosts. All topics are
for entertainment purposes onlydiscretion to strongly advise
and all commentary is allegedThis is a Micah six eight media
(36:06):
LLC production.
This week we sit down with the incomparable poet,
artist, and motivator who goesby the pen name - Drekkia
Writes. Listen up.
Tony (00:15):
Welcome to Season Seven of Black Family Table Talk. We are
your hosts, Toni and Tony. Joinus on our journey to discover
ways to build a strong blackfamily.
Toni Henson (00:25):
This season is sponsored by ABTF travels. Join
us as we travel each year beyondborders off the beaten path, to
immerse ourselves in culturesthat celebrate our Pan African
Heritage. Each journey isspecially curated to provide you
with what promises to be abucket list transformative
(00:49):
experience.
Tony (00:50):
I can't wait until we go again.
Toni Henson (00:52):
Me either.
Tony (00:54):
In the meantime, we have a very special guest joining us at
the kitchen table this week,listen up.
Toni Henson (01:06):
I just want to say, I have seen you grow. I have
seen you blossom into thisbeautiful flower. And I've
wanted to talk to you becauseyoung people are so and I was
young, I'm not saying like Iwasn't. But this, this woman has
(01:33):
found her purpose and her focus
Drekkia (01:36):
Thank you. That makes me feel good.
Toni Henson (01:39):
I mean, I know everybody's on a journey. Even
when you get to my age, youstill on a journey. Finding and
discovering. But I wanted tohave you on because I was like,
Okay, I want to know her secretbecause I think she can help
people. I know you can helppeople. I know you are out there
helping people.
Drekkia (01:58):
Yes. Well, thank you. I appreciate that. It makes me
feel good. You know, I've beenreally committed to walking in
my purpose and staying prayedup.
Tony (02:08):
Wow, wow.
Drekkia (02:10):
Because it's really been a journey. I quit my job in
the Arts and Education ProgramManager for the state of
Arkansas last year in November,because I started to feel this
discomfort. Like I was sittingat my desk, and I like my job,
but last year in November, I wassitting at my desk at work and I
was planning out my schedule forthe following year. And
(02:33):
something just said, Girl, youknow, I won't be here that long.
And I was like, Okay, because Ihad already been toying with the
idea of leaving and pursuing mybusiness seven of arts full time
where I offer creative basedprofessional personal
development. So what I do is Iuse poetry literally as vehicle
(02:53):
to reach youth, to teach themhow to express themselves how to
communicate more effectively.
Poetry is the cheapest form oftherapy. So I show them how to
use it as a coping mechanism.
And even in the workplace, Iwork with organizations and the
arts is just at the forefront ofeverything that I teach. It's
literally just the vehicle Iused to teach. Like I said,
(03:15):
conflict, resolution, teambuilding, communication, like
I'm really big on things beinghigh energy and interactive. The
arts is where one access pointthat has no barriers. So that's
just what I do. I feel likethat's what I'm supposed to do.
And when I left my job, I didn'thave a big plan, all I had was
faith and God made a way. Likehe literally made a way.
Tony (03:38):
So it was Seven of Arts a side hustle or this was newly
created when you decided toleave your job?
Drekkia (03:46):
It was a side hustle.
So I've always taught poetrylike this literally what I've
done, but I had never officiallyestablished it as a business. So
Seven of Arts was created tojust legitimize what I was
already doing. And I just feltthat I could take it to the next
level. So I created Seven ofArts as a business entity, so
that I can, make it more realfor myself like this is not just
(04:11):
something I do on the side or doit for fun. It actually is fun.
But this is something I dobecause I feel like it's what
I'm supposed to be doing.
Tony (04:24):
You know, I got a business mind, I just want to know. So
how did you grow? Did you havecontracts in hand before you
quit? Or?
Drekkia (04:35):
That's what I tell you.
That's the thing about faithlike we have to choose the
things that we cannot see. Iknew I could do it. I knew I
could do it. Was I prepared myface at the moment. No, but
literally within two weeks of meleaving. I secured a family
contract with an after schoolprogram which literally
yesterday, well Thursday was mylast day working with those
(04:56):
students but each month, I justget different opportunities just
by reaching out and just beingcreative in the way that I
stream revenue. So I also helpartists too, like, I just love
helping artists realize theirpotential. So I have a book
called The Art of Securing the
Bag (05:17):
27 Ways to Monetize your Talent because being artists,
you have to be creative in howyou get money. I always tell
people, majority of our moneydon't come from people booking
me to perform a pool. It comesfrom teaching, it comes from
products, knowing how to set upcontracts. There's so many other
creative ways to do things,going to festivals, knowing how
to network, it's so manyopportunities out here that a
(05:39):
lot of people they don't evenrecognize. So I have my book
that I push, I do events, I justdo a lot.
Toni Henson (05:46):
I just want to reach out to the screen and hug
you. Oh my gosh. When I everencountered you during the
Atlanta black Theatre Festival,you're always so quiet and I'm
(06:06):
just, that's why I said blossom.
I always thought you werebeautiful. You had a poise and
grace about you that wasmysterious and you were quiet. I
saw you as quiet but every timeI saw you it's so much going on.
But I just remember that in theback of my head and then as I
followed you on social media, Ijust saw this person, and even
(06:29):
your look has change. You haveyou have more of a glow. And I
don't mean, you know, like,hair, you know what I mean? It's
like you've found your voice andI want to know what was that aha
moment and what along yourjourney? What were you going
(06:50):
through? Because everybody hadto come through something. We
all come through something Iwrote a book too, talking about
what I came through, but helpfolks out there healthy young
women out there. Do you mind ifI ask you how old you are?
Drekkia (07:05):
I'm 28
Toni Henson (07:07):
Still in your 20s.
And when I was in my 20s I wasthe stupid this fool out there.
But help somebody in their 20s.
What would you say to yourlittle sister, or your younger
self,
Drekkia (07:24):
As you reflect on how you remember me, it makes me
emotional because I do rememberbeing in a place where I felt
like, I couldn't talk. I talkedabout this in my book too, I
have a book called 70 Mirrorswhere I talk about my journey of
being in toxic relationships,like not only with other people,
but with myself. I literallyfelt like I physically could not
(07:46):
speak for a long time and it'sbecause I was allowing myself to
be in a space that wasn'tconducive to my own growth. So
the biggest advice I would tellpeople out there is to accept
accountability for the role thatyou play in your own life. I
think my life would have neverchanged had I not taken a moment
to stop and be like, girl, Youknow what? You are part of the
(08:09):
problem. People love to pointour fingers at everybody else
for why we aren't unhappy. Well,I was blaming the relationship I
was in, I was blaming the way Igrew up, I was blaming my job,
my lack thereof. It was just soeasy to shift the blame on
somebody else and not putting onyourself. So when I realized
(08:31):
that, like, I had the power tocontrol the life that I wanted.
That took my life to a differentlevel, I ended up writing a book
about the things that I wasgoing through. And even within
that book, like toward the endof my book, I talked about the
future as if it had alreadyexisted. So I always say that I
manifested where I am now.
Because when I wrote that book,I was just in a tumultuous space
(08:53):
even in the relationship that Iwas in, and the relationship I
was in with myself. It was veryunhealthy and very toxic. So in
my book because I felt like Icouldn't speak. So it's crazy
that you say you feel like Ifailed my voice. Because I felt
like I physically cannot speak.
(09:14):
I had to I had to write it alldown and when I wrote it down, I
felt this conviction becausewhen I started to sell my book,
and I would get interviews andpeople would ask me questions
like, Oh my god, I'm so proud ofyou, came out of this toxic
relationship. And how was itnow, you know your life is so
great now. And in my mind, I waslike, This is crazy that I feel
so uncomfortable. Because I'mlike these people believe that
(09:36):
I'm out of what I'm talkingabout, but I wasn't. I was still
in it.
That conviction helped me moveon in my life because I believe
that there's power in ourthoughts and in what we speak.
So when I wrote down what Iwrote down in my book it's
because I wanted to get it outof my body so that I can move
on. Because I had this onethought one day I was like, This
(09:57):
can be this can be life. I waswaking up crying every day and I
feel like I was in a dark hole.
I feel so dead inside like Iliterally thought that I would
never get out of what I wasfeeling. And I used to consider
myself like a high functioning,depressed, like everything on
the outside look great. Butinside I feel dead, I felt like
I was in a different world. Butagain, when I started to accept
(10:20):
accountability and help myself,when I came out of it, I just
every day, I just startedmanifesting what I want. I
wanted, I wrote, post it notes.
Literally every day, I wrotepost it notes about the future
that I envisioned for myself.
Like I said, I wrote my book, Ispoke positive things about
myself. I started to forgivemyself for the decisions I made
(10:40):
because I had to realize, Youdid the best that you could with
what you had in that moment andI forgive you, I release you and
I gave you permission to move onand leave that in the past
because holding on to it is notgoing to do anything for you. So
the biggest advice I would givewomen, I mean, even me too, it's
like, Accept accountability forwho you are in your life and
(11:04):
know that you got the power totransform and be whatever it is
that you want to be, like,literally no limits exist only
the ones that you place onyourself.
Tony (11:13):
Wow, you said a mouthful there. You job so many nuggets.
I have so many questions. Thefirst one I have, I just need to
get an understanding becausethere was an aha moment for me
when you said acceptingaccountability for your own
situation. And I want to knowfor myself, and I'm sure people
(11:36):
listening will also want toknow, what do you think
contributed to the idea that youhad to change and take control
and accountability for yourself.
We go through life sometimes andwe fall into certain roles in
life, or how the world see us,how our parents see us, how our
sibling see us, and then we fallinto something based on, it
(12:00):
could be a number of things, ifI'm the oldest child, middle
child, youngest child, all theseroles that are forced on us as
we go through life. And we justkind of take stuff and just fall
into and things just fall inplace for us until we wake up
one day and say, I don't likewhere I'm at. What's causing me
(12:22):
to be here causing me to feelthis way. How did you come to
that moment and say, I have totear this thing up and start
over because I don't like howI'm being viewed. I don't like
what I'm putting on myself. Howthe world sees me, I see myself
help me understand that.
Drekkia (12:45):
For me that actually the biggest thing for me was my
siblings. So I'm the secondoldest out of five kids. I have
an older brother. He's 29. Andhe's incarcerated in the federal
penitentiary and then I have a24 year old brother. He's
incarcerated in statepenitentiary. He's been
incarcerated since he was 15. Sohe spent majority of his
(13:05):
developmental years incarceratedinstitutionalized. And then I
have another brother who's 23and a sister that is 21. And I'm
the first to graduate highschool and go to college and my
family. So I was breaking a lotof generational curses. I knew
the influence that I had on mysister, specifically, because
(13:26):
she'll never admit it, but she'salmost like my little Karate
Kid. She does poetry, she gotthe same car as me, went to the
same college as me. I know shelooked up to me and view me in a
light that whatever I did sheused it as a guiding tool for
her. So for me, I feel so much..
I wasn't living in the fullnessof my purpose and again, I was
(13:51):
in a place that I feel like wasnot happy. She started and they
feel embarrassing to me, becauseI'm like, What kind of example
am I setting for her to not beliving in the fullest and my
purpose. What was it going totake, but what helped me go into
the next level was thinkingabout my sister. I have noticed
(14:11):
that. That was one of themotivating factors even though
it took me a while to get mystuff together but I was like,
Come on now. You can do it.
Tony (14:23):
I mean, did you did you feel pressured to be a certain
person for your family,expectations placed on you?
Drekkia (14:32):
I did and it was expectation I placed on myself.
Like it's actually nobody everdid it. I think I always talked
about the golden child syndrome.
I feel like people literallysince I've been young, they
always viewed me in a positivelight like that I was smart, I
was pretty. They just thoughthighly of me. So I always feel
like I could not make mistakes.
(14:54):
And it's not that anybody toldme like nobody held me to a
standard they just alwaysencouraged me to say positive
things. It was me in my mindwhere I was like, Man, I can't
let them know that I'm feelingcollege right now or that I lost
1000s of dollars in scholarship.
I can't let people know that I'msad, because I'm the person that
people always come to, that theyfeel like they can talk to. So I
(15:15):
felt like I had this strain onmyself. And when I got older, I
had to realize that I needed tohumanize myself more and when I
realized I needed to do that isbecause my mom was she would
always share her mistakes withus, which I felt like made our
relationship stronger. And itmade me realize that people are
people that I had a permissionto be a people to.
Toni Henson (15:43):
Oh my gosh. When did you realize in what point in
your life, I think you spoke onit a little bit but it's the
question and I have in my mind,if you can elaborate on it. When
did you realize in your lifethat you were compromising
yourself? Or what was rockbottom, I guess a better way to
phrase it with - what was bottomfor you?
Drekkia (16:05):
I felt like I had two pivotal moments that were rock
bottom for me. When I was inninth grade. I was terrible. My
cousin had died when I was ineighth grade and I just told
myself, I said, What purpose isit to be good if you do just
gonna die. So I was terrible. Iwould be out there fighting,
smoking weed, doing all kinds ofridiculous things. And I
(16:29):
remember toward the end of highschool, I got into a fight, and
I got expelled. And when I gotexpelled, and I couldn't go back
to school to get my poetrynotebooks out my locker, I
couldn't go take my test. I wasdisgusted with myself. And then
in that moment, I said, I needto change my surroundings and my
environment. So at a young age,I really was thinking like this,
(16:52):
Man, I gotta get away from thisenvironment that I'm in because
it's not helping me grow andthat's when I realized that,
what if I live to be old, like,what am I doing right now that's
gonna contribute to me beingable to have a good lifestyle.
So in that moment, I literally,the school that I was going to J
Fair high school, when I gotexpelled, they tried to send me
(17:12):
to alternative school. But thatdidn't happen because I ended up
signing myself up for charterschool downtown called Eastern.
Now, I was a high performingstudent. So they had already
tried to poach me when I was inmiddle school, and I actually
went there for a month within Ilive, then I went to J Fair that
when I got expelled, I justcontacted them back. I wanted to
(17:34):
go back because it was a smallercity. And then I wouldn't be
around old friends or familythat I was able to ride for. So
when I switched schools, I justhad this different kind of
commitment to myself, like, Iwant to be an example for my
siblings, and show themsomething different and that
they got the ability to bewhatever it is they want to be
(17:55):
and go wherever they want to go.
So at 16, I signed myself up forEastern Charter School. I taught
myself how to ride the city bus.
With the city bus, I wake up atlike five o'clock in the
morning, just to catch the busby six, which it was an hour
long ride, just to get to schoolevery morning, even though it
was only like a six mile drive.
City bus take you through thecity so it's like an hour to get
(18:16):
to school. I even stayed afterschool to take extra classes,
just so that I could get allthat I needed. But I did all
that because I always felt likeI had a purpose for me and that
I was supposed to be doingsomething big. Because something
that I learned is that if wedon't walk in our purpose, then
somebody else won't be able towalk nears. So I just took it
(18:38):
really, really, reallyseriously.
Toni Henson (18:42):
Wow
Tony (18:43):
One pivotal. What was the second one?
Drekkia (18:45):
So the second pivotal moment for me was when I was
living in Atlanta, and I washaving a moment every day, I was
just crying. I was so sad. I'mlike, Man, God, I know this
can't be what you have for me. Ithink came a long way even
allowed me to break so manycycles, like I just I just
(19:06):
noticed is not the end. And Iwill write in my notes every day
how I was feeling and I'm like,Man, this is not right. And when
I started to make myselfbelieve, Hey what you're feeling
is not right, and you canactually come out of it. That's
when I started just trainingmyself to be able to transition
from being in a relationship,transition from being in
(19:26):
Atlanta, and living on my own,and doing my own thing. So that
moment for me, it was big.
Toni Henson (19:35):
I'm making the assumption that there is a need
because I felt the pressure whenI was in my 20s. That the way we
define ourselves as women is howwe define our relationships with
men. So we had to have some kindof title in order to be valid.
Can you speak to your liberationof that if there was one or was
(20:00):
that your story?
Drekkia (20:02):
For me, I don't think it was more so the titles. I
think it was the connection thatI was getting, like in a
relationship, I got to do a lotof great things. And like I just
held on today because I'm like,Man, this is a beautiful space,
like I got to explore, travel, Iwas a camping woman. So I think
it was just that comfort that Iwas living in. It allowed me to
(20:25):
stay in that space. But I dounderstand what it's like to
want to be attached to a titlebecause it gives us this, this
sense of validation. I was in aboard meeting, and I write a
poem, every board meeting, thatI'm in a school board meeting,
and when one of the poems that Iwrote was called Titles, and
they say, who am I without thetitles? Do we hold on to these
(20:49):
titles because it makes us feellike something that we were
really not. Is this like acovering that we put put on.
Tony (21:02):
We've shaped everything up to where we are, where you are
in your life now. And now youhave Seven of Arts. You're
working with corporations,you're working with
organizations, you're workingwith students. So what do you
(21:23):
see Seven of Arts going now, andif you can tell us about some of
the clients you have, and howyou help them each category, if
you could.
Drekkia (21:35):
What I see Seven of Arts being, I always say this, I
want to be the Chick'a Fillet oftraining companies. So, with
Seven of Arts, I work withschools and students, like my
whole goal was to help them findtheir voice. With the residency
that I just completed here at anafter school program in Little
(21:56):
Rock, Arkansas. I always getfeedback from the kids, just so
I know that I'm doing what Ithink I'm doing because we can
come in with these ideas andthink we're delivering whatever
it is we supposed to bedelivering. But I asked the
kids, How do y'all feel aboutthe different things that we've
done throughout this wholeresidency, has it helped you
(22:18):
improve any. In my classes,within one time, every week, and
for our classroom culture, we doa quote of the week, a Mic
check. A mic check is where Ibring my microphone in my stand,
and they love the microphone.
And they have to answer thequestion. A question, a random
question that I give them butthe whole purpose of that is to
get them comfortable withstanding in front of people
(22:39):
speaking fluently andarticulating themselves. So with
that, they already know I alwaystell them, Hey, when you come up
here, introduce yourself. Don'tdo the peepee dance but if you
want to move, move with purpose.
And each week they progressed,but at the end of this whole
residency, and I asked forfeedback, and there was one
(23:00):
little boy, and it just made meso emotional. But he said, Doing
mic checks, over this time,helped me become more confident
and standing in front of peopleand talking because in school, I
was scared. I thought peoplewere gonna laugh at me I
stuttered a lot, but we're doingmic checks is helped me be okay,
and get more comfortablestanding in front of people.
(23:24):
With my quotes, I always tellthem the same thing. Don't let
fear hold you back. It's one ofmy biggest quotes. Because a lot
of them starting off, they werescared and that's an issue with
a lot of black kidsspecifically, they're standing
up and talking in front ofpeople. It's like, Oh, my God.
But I'm very big on helping themchallenge their voice because
(23:45):
they need to know that when youstep anywhere, speak with
confidence and let people knowthat you're not scared.
speaking publicly. That's why inPrinceton, I owned a franchise
Drama Kids International. Andthat's what was all about it.
Actually, my tagline was (24:00):
From the stage to the board room, act
up, speak up, be confident whoyou are. Take Charge. That's why
I think the arts, you said thatthe beginning of our discussion
is so important to teachchildren because it gives you so
much confidence.
Drekkia (24:20):
It does. It is beautiful. When little kids can
articulate their back likethey're able to self assess and
be aware enough to know, hey,when I first started, I wasn't
confident but now I can do it.
They can't get them to stay offthe mic. When I bring the
microphone they just all you seeis them grabbing the mic. Hello.
And I taught them how to do likecall and response. I don't have
(24:40):
to send you out a video but Itaught them how to do like call
and response and engage with theaudience.
Toni Henson (24:51):
This is just as a problem that I had when I
brought my children from thenorth and to the south. And it's
just a different culture. It'snot better it's not worse. It's
just different. And I rememberthat he spoke out, he was very
expressive, my daughter, and hewas rewarded for that when we
were in schools in New Jersey,and my daughter was always very
quiet. And all the teachers, shehas wonderful thoughts, she
(25:13):
needs to share them. But when wegot to Atlanta, I remember my
daughter was rewarded for beingquiet. And my son was penalized
for being bland, expressive. Butit's just funny how we affirm
children. In different cultures,culturally speaking, we denied
children, what their naturalgifts are.
Drekkia (25:36):
That's why I'm doing my workshops, it gets kind of
sticky, because there's peoplewho have their own way of
thinking that kids shouldn'ttalk or be too expressive. So
one of the problems that I runinto is, when I go into these
spaces, and I'm working withkids, I tell them, Hey, I want
you to talk about what you don'tusually get to talk about. When
the kids start to tell thetruth, a lot of people, they
(25:58):
don't want to hear that. Theydon't want to hear that a child
is depressed or sad, don't liketheir parents don't like school.
But for me, I feel like poetryis one of them things that allow
you to just get things off yourchest. And I believe in doing
that, you allow them thisfreedom to get that weight off
of themselve. I always tellpeople from now on when I book
(26:21):
with people, I'm like, Hey, ifyou're a stickler and don't want
kids to say certain things, youdon't want them to tell their
truth and then with me, I'm notthe one.
Toni Henson (26:30):
You've done some college tours as well. You've
done some speaking at colleges,what has been the response with
of young college students.
Drekkia (26:38):
I have a college tour called Create the Life You Want.
And with it, I'm going in andagain, I'm using poetry as a way
to facilitate us intodiscussion. And we get to talk
about real life issues and whatthey are going through. And the
response has been really great.
Because again, you have collegestudents who have not been
taught how to expressthemselves, they hold everything
(27:01):
in. When I come into the space,we're getting real. I say the
stuff that you don't expectpeople to say. I'm real
unhinged. So I ask crazyquestions like, Are you the
toxic one. People I was expectedto be the victims, I'm like,
What have you done wrong. I makepeople really reflect on
(27:21):
themselves. I always tellpeople, when I work with them,
like I, I'm going to introduceyou to yourself. Which is so
uncomfortable, because I had todo it to myself. But in doing
that, that's how I was able togrow again. When I started to
realize, Girl, you are theproblem. I like change. And I
think if more people understoodwhere they feel short, and how
(27:44):
they can move forward in theirlife. Life would be so much
better for them. But it's a lotof us who don't want to self
reflect, scared to tell thetruth about who we are. But why.
So the response has been good,I've been able to work with a
lot of great organizations. I'veworked with the top honors
students in New York, at theMcCauley Honors College, which
(28:05):
was a great experience. You hateseniors, incoming college
freshmen outside, because we didour workshops outside expressing
themselves talking about theirfeelings where high performing
students they are literally theones who I think the suicide
rates for high performingstudents is high because there's
(28:26):
a lot of pressure on them. Sogoing into that space and
allowing them to talk and beconscious of where they are and
why they feel how they feel. Itallows them some freedom to move
forward. I've worked with schooldistricts all across Arkansas,
I've worked with privatecolleges, public colleges, the
University of Central ArkansasLander. There's just been so
(28:50):
many organizations. In a coupleof weeks, I get to work the
Walton Enterprises. That's beenexciting too. I work from the
from the little rural countrytowns, all the way to the big
cities. I don't discriminate,because I think what I do, it
translates for everybody.
Toni Henson (29:09):
Well, you are certainly on your way. Tony, if
you don't have any morequestions, let's close out with
a poem.
Drekkia (29:17):
So hello, good people.
It's Drekkia. This is my MathBook. This is my favorite one.
I never liked math/ Based on thefact I'm naturally a creative
person./ But more so becausethey teach you that there's only
one answer to every question./You either right or you're
(29:41):
wrong./ But I'm guessing my MBAbecause it tries so hard to be
perfect./ Placement rules onyour every move/ Structure on
your steps/ Orders on youroperations like Please Excuse My
Dear Aunt Sally/ Please/ Pleasefor parentheses/ Parentheses
before Excuse/ Excuse before mymath for multiplication/
(30:03):
Multiplication before division/Division before addition/
Addition before Sally/ Sally forsubtraction./
See, I'm guessing I hate mathbecause it acts as if the number
line represents your lifeline./Like you're either negative or
positive./ And there's no roomfor in between, because
(30:24):
everybody knows that zero isequivalent to nothing./ So you
have to pick a sign./ I meanside/ Sides/ This life ain't no
equal that will triangle sonever expect all sides to be
equal./ See, I hate math,because I can now calculate the
relation between my age. And thenumber of years my dad has been
actively participatory in mylife,/ like the 28 years, two
(30:48):
months, two days, two hours and10 seconds./ He's managed to be
a part of zero./ But I use thosesame calculations to try to
boost myself up by saying stufflike,/ well, you know, he did
send your child support check/every two weeks for $52./ 52
times two equals $104 a month,/and $104 a month times 12 months
(31:13):
equal $1,248 a year,/ meaning myexistence was practically as
valuable as 10 ti 84.
calculators,/ I'm tired of beinga calculator./ Because I'm
tired of adding stuff up./ Likethe red flags,/ I should have
noticed withdrawal 60 miles perhour pass on a daily/ see I hate
math because it's always tellingthe truth,/ knowing that the
(31:36):
truth hurts,/ and it's facts./Women lie./ And men lie./ The
numbers don't lie./ But whatI've come to realize is that my
favorite number is zero./ Itnever adds or takes away from
anyone./ And it's never botheredby the fact that it cannot be
divided or broken./ I wish I wasthe number zero,/ unable to be
(32:01):
divided, or broke./See, I hate math because I don't
get how they came up with thenumber after the decimal point./
Like what in the world,/ this10.201993 even look like in real
life./ And who came up with it?/See, I'm tired of doing examples
on the board,/ only to go homeand still getting wrong./ Like
(32:24):
how God can make examples of usbut like dummies, we keep
repeating the same mistake./never fully learning from each
other because supposedlyexperience is the best teacher/
See, I'm tired of math becauseI'm tired of numbers./
Constantly serving as a reminderthat for the past three years in
the Senate to come,/ my 19 yearold brother will be treated as a
(32:48):
number/ inmate 158463/ strippedof his identity, but one day my
caged bird will be set free./See, I'm tired of math, because
how much you make determines howfar you go, or how far you grow,
or the extent of your ownhappiness./ See, I'm talking to
Math because it makes me mad./It makes me think the best thing
(33:08):
my dad could do for me, is makeme a beneficiary on his life
insurance policy/ as adding$100,000 to my life, and
subtracting one./ Becausesomehow multiply my happiness,
but I'm thinking that would onlyleave me feeling more divided./
See, I'm tired of math becauseI'm tired of trying to solve for
x and y./ Or maybe I'm justtired of people asking me about
(33:35):
my ex/ and why./ Like, why/ myex can accurately calculate my
value./ But I'm guessing our setof coordinates were never the
perfect order piercey/ I hatemath because I'm naturally
creative person./ But more sobecause they teach you that
(33:56):
there's only one answer to everyquestion./ You either right or
you're wrong.
Thank you.
Toni Henson (34:07):
Wow!
Tony (34:10):
Writing. Exciting. Wow it was powerful.
Toni Henson (34:14):
Goosbumps. Oh, my gosh.
Drekkia (34:18):
Okay. Yes. Well, thank you for having me. I'm so
excited. When I got the email.
I'm like, Oh my god, Tony,remembered me!
Toni Henson (34:27):
Oh, man, how can I forget you and now you're
becoming even moreunforgettable. Because right now
what you're doing is you'recreating legacy, which is so
much important when you learnyou are called to teach. Thank
you for teaching young peoplehow to grow, how to grow through
things, and just be all they canbe. Thank you. And I'm gonna
send you an invitation because Iwould love for you. I hope
(34:49):
you're available the weekend ofthe Atlanta Black Theatre
Festival. I would love for youto come to share your work and
speak.
Tony (34:57):
That's Black Family Table Talk
Toni Henson (34:59):
That's What's Up
Tony (35:06):
That concludes this week's talk. We hope you found some
tools to add to your strongblack family toolbox. And be
sure to sign up for a freesubscription at
BlackFamilyTableTalk.com forspecial discounts and product
offers reserved exclusively foryou.
Toni Henson (35:24):
Don't forget to tell a friend about our weekly
podcasts and blogs. Available onApple pod Google, Pandora,
Spotify, and everywhere podcastsare heard. Under Section 107 of
the Copyright Act 1976.
allowance is made for fair usefor purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting,teaching, scholarship and
(35:44):
research. fair use is a usepermitted by a copyright statute
that may otherwise beinfringing. The news and
opinions expressed on blackfamily tabletop do not
necessarily reflect variousplatform hosts. All topics are
for entertainment purposes onlydiscretion to strongly advise
and all commentary is allegedThis is a Micah six eight media
(36:06):
LLC production.
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