Simone Gordon aka The Black Fairy Godmother, has made major headlines for her use of social media to provide emergency services for people in need.
Today, Simone is followed by major celebrity contributors, and she’s been featured in People, Parade, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Good Morning America to name a few. Simone and I spoke recently, and the Black Fairy Godmother explained the inspiration and motivation behind her incredible philanthropy.
Learn more. Follow Simone aka 'The Black Ferry Godmother' on Instagram and Facebook.
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_02 (00:00):
Hey there, it's Cory Andrew of the Core Issues
Podcast.
As a journalist, pop culturecommentator, and recording
artist, creative experiences andhaving strong opinions are a big
part of my life.
On the Core Issues with CoryAndrew Podcast, I'll be sharing
those opinions, and you may notalways agree, but I welcome the
discussion.
on a range of topics, fromsocial matters and politics to
(00:23):
entertainment, LGBTQ plusissues, conversations with
celebrity guests, and of course,talking to everyday people doing
extraordinary things.
Simone Gordon, aka the BlackFairy Godmother, has made major
headlines for her use of socialmedia to provide emergency
services for people in need.
Today, Simone is followed bymajor celebrity contributors,
(00:44):
and she's been featured inPeople Magazine, Parade, The
Kelly Clarkson Show, and GoodMorning America.
Simone and I spoke recently andthe Black Fairy Godmother
explained the inspiration andmotivation behind her movement.
Simone, aka Fairy GodmotherGordon, is joining me here on
the Core Issues podcast.
And I'm so happy to have youhere speaking with me because
(01:07):
you are doing some great, greatstuff.
So first of all, thank you verymuch.
SPEAKER_00 (01:10):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (01:12):
Sure, sure.
So the name Fairy Godmother,well, Black Fairy Godmother, I
should actually specify.
I think I may have left theblack part out, but the Black
Fairy Godmother is the moreimportant ingredient to this.
You got that moniker because ofa network of emergency help you
created using social media.
So tell me a little bit aboutthe platform and how that
nickname, if you will, came intoplay.
SPEAKER_00 (01:34):
Okay, great.
And I really want to just thankyou, Corey, for everything that
you have also done for myfoundation and just being there
supporting us and supporting methrough this whole transition.
The Black Fairy Godmother isbasically a platform to address
the marginalized community,including the LGBTQ community.
(01:56):
Everyone knows that domesticviolence, LGBTQ, single Black
mothers, these issues are on therise and we're not getting these
help that we need by big namesand big nonprofits.
So I'm putting it out there.
I'm giving the testimonial andshowing white America, this is
what it is.
When you're putting your bigdollars into big corporations,
(02:18):
it's going into their bigsalaries.
It's not really going into thepeople.
When people call that you can goto a food pantry, at times when
you go to a food pantry, there'snot a lot of fresh food.
There's mostly canned food andleftover food from supermarkets
who have an expiration date.
as getting ready to have foodthat's going to expire.
Or when you tell somebody thatthey need to go to a hotel, like
(02:40):
a LGBT teenager who's beenkicked out because of their
sexuality, you just can't tellthem to go to a shelter because
nine times out of 10, theseshelters are full.
So I'm basically using myplatform to let people know
these are the ways that you canget involved directly and you
can get your hands and your feetdirty.
I'm putting people to work andit's been working.
SPEAKER_02 (03:01):
Yes, I know that even last Christmas, it might've
been And when you and I spokeand you were going to deliver
food to one of the LGBTQshelters, I believe, and I was
so impressed with that becausethat's not even something that I
think is on the mainstream radarwhen it comes to philanthropy
and giving that particulardemographic.
And you saw a need there toassist that community and you
(03:22):
went and delivered food to them.
SPEAKER_00 (03:24):
Yes, I did.
And they were crying becausethey like, you know, people were
giving them differentrestaurants, giving them
leftover things.
It's not the same.
You know, just because a personis having a hard time don't mean
that they're not worthy.
So we had an actual chef thatchefed up almost twelve hundred
dollars worth of food.
And I said, hey, you're going tocook shrimp.
You're going to cook this.
(03:45):
You're going to make a heartysalad and we're going to get
some wine and we're going todeliver directly to them.
Oh, wow.
It was a beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Yeah, you're right.
There is something differentbetween, there's a difference
between giving someone leftoversand then preparing for them
specifically.
That's the meal with love,right?
That we're used to with familythat they were missing during
that time.
Wow, that's amazing.
And so I know you've usedInstagram as one of your initial
tools when you began sort ofreaching out to the public to
(04:12):
get assistance.
So how do you use InstagramInstagram and social media in
general to get your messageacross to help others.
SPEAKER_00 (04:20):
Every morning, I get a lot of messages from people
all across the country who needfood, who need housing, who need
beds for their children.
The list goes on.
So what we do is we vet therequest to make sure that they
are actually telling the truthand they're actually real
people.
So what I go is in the morning,I give a quote and I give a
catchy quote to give a person aneye of what's going on in the
(04:43):
world, especially with thepandemic.
And after that, I will explainto someone that someone is in
need.
Here's the receipts.
here's the testimonial.
Like a mother who was asking forfood, she said directly, I don't
want money from you guys.
Just send me food.
As soon as I put that ask outthere, We raised about$1,200 in
one hour.
(05:04):
So at$1,200, we were able tosend her$300 worth of food and
the rest went towards her rentpayment.
After that, I said, well, whatelse can we do?
She said, I need a job.
Do you have a car?
I guess I have a car.
Okay.
Target needs people with theirthird party car shipped.
They need people to delivergroceries and things of that
nature.
(05:25):
We went ahead and got her a jobthat's 15 bucks an hour.
SPEAKER_02 (05:28):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (05:28):
She was grateful.
She was a teacher that wasunemployed.
So we don't just hand out moneyor give people what they ask
for.
We also help stabilize them withsome of the resources that are
out there.
There's a lot of celebritiesthat follow me.
There's a lot of real estateagents.
There's so many people thatfollow me, including
politicians.
They have the resources.
So I go to them and I go, hey,this person needs a job.
(05:49):
This kid needs to go to school.
This kid needs a laptop that'sin school, but the district
can't afford it.
And I go straight to them.
And that's how I work it.
SPEAKER_02 (05:58):
That is amazing.
Meanwhile, you know, not to makefun of the world, but meanwhile,
you know, there's someone likeposting another photograph of
like their butt on Instagram or,you know, something really
frivolous.
Right.
Yeah.
And it's like amazing.
I'm so happy that, you know,there is someone using social
media for the good of mankind,because the reality is social
media is a really amazing toolthat we have at our disposal.
(06:19):
And you kind of can get thefruits of it.
based on what you are sowing, ifyou will, the seeds you sow.
And so for you to have turnedthat into a big network is
pretty incredible.
And I love also that youmentioned, you're not just
giving out handouts for the sakeof giving things out.
Very often when I'm on thestreet, I know, I draw a
distinction between people whoare homeless and they ask me for
(06:41):
money versus food.
I'm reluctant to give money topeople who I perceivably are
homeless because I don't know ifI'm fueling their addiction.
And then there's a conflict forme of like, I don't know.
But when a person distinctlysays, brother, I haven't eaten,
I will either go buy foodbecause I say, still, if I give
you money, I don't know if it'sa con or not.
Or I give them food that Ihaven't finished.
(07:03):
Or if we're in a restaurant, Isort of like kind of make sure I
see them, you know, are yougoing to get food with this?
Right.
You know, I make sure I try tomake sure.
But there is a distinctionbetween that.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (07:13):
Correct.
SPEAKER_02 (07:14):
Yeah.
Fueling someone's addiction withmoney is tricky.
Now, I know you've also caughtthe attention recently.
Your publicist, Siobhan, sentout this amazing post where you
were on the Kelly Clarkson showrecently.
So tell me about that.
And how did Kelly Clarkson findout about you?
To
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
be honest, it was word of mouth.
There are a lot of celebritieswho are now giving on the low,
but they've been following melike the Sharon Osbourne, the
Justin Timberlakes, theChristian Bale.
So they...
In India, I reached a lot ofpeople during Thanksgiving on my
platform, which was a beautifulthing.
Oh,
SPEAKER_02 (07:49):
wow.
SPEAKER_00 (07:49):
So a lot of people have been giving and they are
top notch celebrities.
And someone shared a post aboutme giving marginalized families
Christmas, them creating wishlists.
And she's like, who is thisgirl?
Who is this girl?
So her producer went ahead andasked, can they have a wish
(08:14):
list?
And it was pretty tricky becausethe wish list went in like, 15
minutes.
And I'm like, wait, that wassome heavy expenses.
I had to pay for a bed, an Xbox.
I had to really think.
SPEAKER_02 (08:25):
But you were doing it, though.
You were thinking, OK, how do Ido it?
You didn't
SPEAKER_00 (08:28):
say no.
And she emailed my publicist,Elon Forbes, and said, I am the
executive producer of The KellyClarkson Show.
And she wanted to know, is missgordon the real thing what the
whole christmas and that's howthey got me on the show kelly
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
then
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
then oprah network got involved so it was just 325
families not kids but familieswrote out a wish list of the
things that they need and wantand they got it from beds to
underclothes um there was a kidwho needed a wheelchair,
electric wheelchair, the medicalsupply company wouldn't pay for
(09:05):
it.
And some woman in Canada, youknow, what, the electric
wheelchair and the bed and metwith the family online.
So it was just a big thing andit was a beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
I'm literally like trying to hold back tears right
now.
As you tell me that, my eyes arewelling up with tears because a
couple of things are happeningto me as I hear that.
One, I'm so happy that KellyClarkson, for example, and Oprah
are exactly who we think theyare, brand wise.
Because they preach humility andhumanity on their shows.
(09:38):
I don't want to say preach, butthey promote those things.
And so to find out that theyactually sought out ways in
which to help you and yourplight with this whole movement,
it's pretty remarkable.
And thank goodness for them.
And you said Christian Bale?
SPEAKER_01 (09:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:53):
I mean, who would have?
I mean, Christian Bale, that'samazing.
You do have some A-list people,girl.
You definitely got theA-listers.
And looking out for you.
And I know you've also beencovered by People, too, and
Parade Magazine.
So that's some really positivepress out there.
SPEAKER_00 (10:06):
And Instinct Magazine as well.
Yes,
SPEAKER_02 (10:08):
and Instinct Magazine.
I can't forget my coverage ofInstinct.
And you gave me that wonderfulPurple Diamond Award as well for
my work with the LGBTQ.
So that was really wonderful.
And I appreciate that so muchfrom you.
Now, you do have also the newsite that you're creating.
You have ways in which peoplecan get involved that you will
be sharing with the public.
And I see that there are someaffiliations for Domestic Abuse
(10:32):
Fund or the Angel Food Fund.
Now, are these the actual, forexample, the Angel Food
Organization in Los Angeles, orthis is a different?
SPEAKER_00 (10:38):
The Angel Food Fund is the Black Fairy Angel Food
Fund.
So how it works is there areplenty of mothers who will email
me and say they need food.
So with the Angel Food Fund,what you do is you put your name
Your legal address, and wealways ask proof of ID, your
telephone number, and a list offoods that you're requesting,
and a list of foods that youcannot have due to dietary
(11:00):
restrictions or allergies,because you know people have
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
illnesses.
SPEAKER_00 (11:04):
Within 48 hours, we will vet that request to make
sure you live with that address,because I have a paralegal on
site, and she will check.
And what we do is we deliver thegroceries from Instacart or
Walmart, and we'll leave it on aporch and ring the doorbell and
call you down to come get yourgroceries.
We take the pictures all thetime and hear me scream, wait a
minute, you are the real thing.
(11:26):
You know, I just want to
SPEAKER_01 (11:27):
see my
SPEAKER_00 (11:27):
child open it.
So that's the Angel FoodAssistance Fund.
What we do is within 48 hours,we make sure a family gets food.
SPEAKER_02 (11:36):
Okay.
And so your other funds wouldwork the same way, like the
Domestic Abuse Fund.
I think that was another one aswell.
SPEAKER_00 (11:41):
The domestic...
Yes, the Domestic Violence Fundis very, that's one of my
top-notch funds that has tocontinue to stay funded.
We always vet to make sure thatthere is actual domestic
violence that's happening.
We always make sure we get theID.
And we also have mutualagreements with different hotels
(12:02):
across America.
One of them is the ExtendedStay.
And we have a partnership withthem and they give us a big
discount and we pay to put theperson into a hotel.
And we also have certain Airbnbsacross the US that we also help.
Like if a woman said, I can't bein the same state, we will
contact a certain Airbnb andmake sure that she's out of
(12:22):
state or he or she, because menare also are victims of domestic
violence.
So I tell people don't get ittwisted.
It's not just all about thewomen.
It's also men too.
SPEAKER_02 (12:32):
Now, is that men in heterosexual relationships and
gay relationships or either one?
They're men who are the victimsof abuse.
SPEAKER_00 (12:40):
Correct.
We're getting both because ofthe pandemic.
It's on the rise.
SPEAKER_02 (12:44):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:44):
I don't discriminate.
SPEAKER_02 (12:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
There's more people who needhelp more than ever.
And then also there's a reallybizarre phenomenon that happened
during the pandemic when so manypeople were locked in together,
couples who never had that sortof strain on their relationship,
there was a rise in domesticviolence I was reading that was
unbelievable.
It was like, I think 30% jump orsomething like that.
(13:06):
That was really unbelievable.
So make sure you like who youwith, y'all.
Y'all got to love who you
SPEAKER_00 (13:10):
with.
Please do.
We had to move so many people.
It was to the point that we weregetting exhausted and, you know,
different famous authors andfamous yoga instructors and even
celebrities were sharing my fundto let people know, hey, This
young lady is overwhelmedbecause there's not a lot of
shelters.
So we were just like it was somuch that we had to have, you
(13:32):
know, Yvonne, the publicist ormy assistant to call different
hotels and say, hey, can yougive us discounts?
We have people that are really,really struggling and they did
it and it worked.
And now we're across the board.
And also one hundred and fortythousand single mothers lost
their job because of thepandemic.
140,000 across the US.
So of course, hunger is going torise.
(13:53):
Of course, rental assistance isgoing to rise and the list goes
on.
So that's my platform.
SPEAKER_02 (14:00):
And you continue to just help everyone.
I think that's what's so amazingabout it is that you really, you
haven't really, what's the wordI'm looking for?
You haven't, Like there's nohierarchy really, I guess.
You have domestic abuse, whichyou said is like one of your
most, I guess, tumultuouscategories, if you will.
But for the most part, yourplatform is people who need
(14:21):
help.
That's what's so fascinating.
You don't really judge what thehelp is.
It's just across the board, it'slike there's a lifeline.
That's how when I was speakingabout your platform, I said,
she's a lifeline to people.
Because in that moment, you haveno one there really is no one
coming to help you if you haveno one to help you.
(14:41):
And so the fact that you'redoing it for strangers is a
really big thing.
Now, do you have a projection oflike, if you had this dream
situation where the Black FairyGodmother platform would be in
10 years, or like, is there anaspiration point of what you'd
like to see your organizationbecome?
Have you thought about that?
SPEAKER_00 (15:00):
I'm going to be honest.
I want my organization to becomesomething bigger than what the
Red Cross is and try to get atleast one shelter or residential
home in certain marginalizedstates that are affected,
including in the South.
Because as we know, the RedCross only house people for
three days if they're in a fireor if they are domestic violence
(15:25):
victims or people who arehomeless.
They only pay three days ofhotel stay.
But I want to change that.
I want to at least get theperson at least 90 days.
Like we give them 90 days tostraighten up and get themselves
together.
So
SPEAKER_02 (15:38):
90 days you think is a realistic timeframe because I
don't know that whole world.
So you think that's a goodenough time for someone to kind
of get it together a little bitand focus and then go on to
whatever their next step is tocontinue on their path more
successfully?
SPEAKER_00 (15:52):
The thing is yes and no.
And I'm going to tell you why,because within those 90 days, I
mentor, I also have therapiststhat make sure that the mother
or father is in the right stateof mind or person is in the
right state of mind.
We did have a few people whoneeded at least four to six
months, but due to theirsituation.
But yes, within no timeframe,that will help us raise for you
(16:16):
to get an apartment, help youget a job, help you get a
resume.
And some mothers go, well, Ican't get a job because I need
education.
Some don't even have a GED.
So then I get involved and makesure that they get tools that
they need so that they canproceed because you can't stay
in emergency mode and alwaysneed, need, need.
Sure.
This is the real world and it'stough.
SPEAKER_02 (16:38):
So, and it's, it's about helping people though,
getting help.
But then there is the notionthat giving them that help is so
that they can then return toself sufficiency,
SPEAKER_00 (16:47):
not just a
SPEAKER_02 (16:47):
handout.
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (16:49):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (16:50):
So Simone, the biggest thing I want to just
conclude with, which I think isso amazing really about you is
that, you know, you've done thiswhile being a mom.
and you have a special needschild, and you do this while
being a nursing student too, andbeing a mother, and you're still
(17:10):
doing all the work for yourorganization.
I mean, first of all, you lookamazing.
I don't know when you sleep, butyou clearly must be because you
look nice and rested andgorgeous, but I don't know when
you do it.
But I just, I mean, how do youbalance all that?
I mean, because it's reallyimpressive that you can help so
many people and then be astudent and be a mom, and then
also have a child with veryspecific needs.
(17:32):
How do you do it?
SPEAKER_00 (17:33):
My parents help me sometimes, but sometimes I do
say, Hey, I need to stop.
I need downtime.
I need to think because it isoverwhelming.
Like after doing so much in2020, I dedicated January 1st
through February 1st of justsaying no.
I just need to settle downbecause I also, during the midst
(17:55):
of doing that big Thanksgivingdrive of feeding people and
giving people$200 worth ofgroceries and Christmas, I
caught COVID-19 from not takingcare of myself.
SPEAKER_02 (18:06):
That
SPEAKER_00 (18:07):
right there scared me.
SPEAKER_02 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, I can imagine because that's the thing
often when there's people whoare such giving caretakers and
my mother is one of those peopleand I'm like, well, make sure,
you know, if you get sick, youcan't help anybody else.
So make sure you take care ofyou.
And she often forgets that.
And then I got to come in and belike, are you taken care of?
Are you being well?
SPEAKER_00 (18:27):
You have to.
Once
SPEAKER_02 (18:28):
you get sick, you can't help anybody else, right?
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
COVID-19 was the worst 15 days of my life.
I was isolated from my family,isolated from my son.
Yeah.
Special needs.
And he didn't understand.
So that right there changed mylife.
Yes.
Everybody loves Black Fairy.
I'm saving lives.
UNKNOWN (18:47):
I'm
SPEAKER_00 (18:48):
That was God telling me, hey, you need to slow down.
You need to get back in your carand sit.
SPEAKER_01 (18:53):
And
SPEAKER_00 (18:54):
I sat and sat and I said, you know what?
I need to take a break.
But I don't sleep.
I wake up 4 a.m.
to take care of my son.
I clean him up, get him ready.
And then I have school.
I start school Tuesday.
So while he's doing virtuallearning, I'm doing virtual
learning.
So we have like three laptopsall over the place.
He's in school.
I have a professor.
(19:14):
I'm taking notes and trying tohelp him with his therapy.
So It's a lot.
And I think my team, I have 12volunteers who also helped me
with the foundation.
UNKNOWN (19:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (19:23):
Well, that's wonderful.
I mean, that's so inspirational.
That's what I get from it.
You know, I'm sitting herecomplaining about when I have
one task and you're sitting uphere juggling a thousand of them
like, yeah, I'm good.
So, you know, I know you do saysomething really important that
I want to make sure peopleunderstand too.
And this is tied to somethingelse that's interesting.
I do a podcast.
(19:44):
I co-host a podcast every Fridaywith a celebrity journalist
named Rob Shooter.
And it's an iHeartRadio podcastcalled The Naughty But Nice
Show.
And at the very end of his show,he always tells these little
anecdotes at the end aboutself-care, self-awareness.
And one of the ones we didrecently, he actually said one
of the biggest things he's hadto learn how to do is to say no
(20:05):
to people when he's been askedif he's overextended, if he
doesn't have enough time for himand trying to please everyone.
And at the end, if you do that,you don't allow enough time for
yourself and things like that,getting sick, coming up short on
your own end.
That's exactly what can happenif you don't take that time to
say no.
And I can't right now.
I need this time for Simone.
(20:26):
I need this time for Corey.
And that's a lesson that peopleneed to really learn for their,
you mentioned the mentalwellness.
That's a mental wellness issuethat people need to take into
consideration, right?
SPEAKER_01 (20:35):
Yes,
SPEAKER_02 (20:36):
please do.
Yes, ma'am.
Wow.
Well, thank you so much, Simone.
I'm excited to share your story.
I mean, it's been shared enough,but I'm going to continue to
share it with, and actually noteven enough.
It's been shared a lot and itneeds to be continued to be
shared.
And I'm going to do my part todo that.
And I'm again, really honoredthat you would speak to me about
it today, because in your ownwords, it's very different when
(20:57):
you read about it than, youknow, hearing your passion
coming through in your ownvoice.
So thank you again.
I appreciate you joining metoday for this conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (21:05):
Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02 (21:07):
Thank you for listening to Core Issues with
me, Corey Andrew.
For future episodes, pleasesubscribe to this podcast on
Instagram, Facebook, andTwitter.
You can follow me at CoreyAndrew and follow the Core
Issues Facebook page at CoreIssues Media.
Hey there, it's Cory Andrew of the Core Issues
Podcast.
As a journalist, pop culturecommentator, and recording
artist, creative experiences andhaving strong opinions are a big
part of my life.
On the Core Issues with CoryAndrew Podcast, I'll be sharing
those opinions, and you may notalways agree, but I welcome the
discussion.
on a range of topics, fromsocial matters and politics to
(00:23):
entertainment, LGBTQ plusissues, conversations with
celebrity guests, and of course,talking to everyday people doing
extraordinary things.
Simone Gordon, aka the BlackFairy Godmother, has made major
headlines for her use of socialmedia to provide emergency
services for people in need.
Today, Simone is followed bymajor celebrity contributors,
(00:44):
and she's been featured inPeople Magazine, Parade, The
Kelly Clarkson Show, and GoodMorning America.
Simone and I spoke recently andthe Black Fairy Godmother
explained the inspiration andmotivation behind her movement.
Simone, aka Fairy GodmotherGordon, is joining me here on
the Core Issues podcast.
And I'm so happy to have youhere speaking with me because
(01:07):
you are doing some great, greatstuff.
So first of all, thank you verymuch.
SPEAKER_00 (01:10):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (01:12):
Sure, sure.
So the name Fairy Godmother,well, Black Fairy Godmother, I
should actually specify.
I think I may have left theblack part out, but the Black
Fairy Godmother is the moreimportant ingredient to this.
You got that moniker because ofa network of emergency help you
created using social media.
So tell me a little bit aboutthe platform and how that
nickname, if you will, came intoplay.
SPEAKER_00 (01:34):
Okay, great.
And I really want to just thankyou, Corey, for everything that
you have also done for myfoundation and just being there
supporting us and supporting methrough this whole transition.
The Black Fairy Godmother isbasically a platform to address
the marginalized community,including the LGBTQ community.
(01:56):
Everyone knows that domesticviolence, LGBTQ, single Black
mothers, these issues are on therise and we're not getting these
help that we need by big namesand big nonprofits.
So I'm putting it out there.
I'm giving the testimonial andshowing white America, this is
what it is.
When you're putting your bigdollars into big corporations,
(02:18):
it's going into their bigsalaries.
It's not really going into thepeople.
When people call that you can goto a food pantry, at times when
you go to a food pantry, there'snot a lot of fresh food.
There's mostly canned food andleftover food from supermarkets
who have an expiration date.
as getting ready to have foodthat's going to expire.
Or when you tell somebody thatthey need to go to a hotel, like
(02:40):
a LGBT teenager who's beenkicked out because of their
sexuality, you just can't tellthem to go to a shelter because
nine times out of 10, theseshelters are full.
So I'm basically using myplatform to let people know
these are the ways that you canget involved directly and you
can get your hands and your feetdirty.
I'm putting people to work andit's been working.
SPEAKER_02 (03:01):
Yes, I know that even last Christmas, it might've
been And when you and I spokeand you were going to deliver
food to one of the LGBTQshelters, I believe, and I was
so impressed with that becausethat's not even something that I
think is on the mainstream radarwhen it comes to philanthropy
and giving that particulardemographic.
And you saw a need there toassist that community and you
(03:22):
went and delivered food to them.
SPEAKER_00 (03:24):
Yes, I did.
And they were crying becausethey like, you know, people were
giving them differentrestaurants, giving them
leftover things.
It's not the same.
You know, just because a personis having a hard time don't mean
that they're not worthy.
So we had an actual chef thatchefed up almost twelve hundred
dollars worth of food.
And I said, hey, you're going tocook shrimp.
You're going to cook this.
(03:45):
You're going to make a heartysalad and we're going to get
some wine and we're going todeliver directly to them.
Oh, wow.
It was a beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_02 (03:52):
Yeah, you're right.
There is something differentbetween, there's a difference
between giving someone leftoversand then preparing for them
specifically.
That's the meal with love,right?
That we're used to with familythat they were missing during
that time.
Wow, that's amazing.
And so I know you've usedInstagram as one of your initial
tools when you began sort ofreaching out to the public to
(04:12):
get assistance.
So how do you use InstagramInstagram and social media in
general to get your messageacross to help others.
SPEAKER_00 (04:20):
Every morning, I get a lot of messages from people
all across the country who needfood, who need housing, who need
beds for their children.
The list goes on.
So what we do is we vet therequest to make sure that they
are actually telling the truthand they're actually real
people.
So what I go is in the morning,I give a quote and I give a
catchy quote to give a person aneye of what's going on in the
(04:43):
world, especially with thepandemic.
And after that, I will explainto someone that someone is in
need.
Here's the receipts.
here's the testimonial.
Like a mother who was asking forfood, she said directly, I don't
want money from you guys.
Just send me food.
As soon as I put that ask outthere, We raised about$1,200 in
one hour.
(05:04):
So at$1,200, we were able tosend her$300 worth of food and
the rest went towards her rentpayment.
After that, I said, well, whatelse can we do?
She said, I need a job.
Do you have a car?
I guess I have a car.
Okay.
Target needs people with theirthird party car shipped.
They need people to delivergroceries and things of that
nature.
(05:25):
We went ahead and got her a jobthat's 15 bucks an hour.
SPEAKER_02 (05:28):
Wow.
SPEAKER_00 (05:28):
She was grateful.
She was a teacher that wasunemployed.
So we don't just hand out moneyor give people what they ask
for.
We also help stabilize them withsome of the resources that are
out there.
There's a lot of celebritiesthat follow me.
There's a lot of real estateagents.
There's so many people thatfollow me, including
politicians.
They have the resources.
So I go to them and I go, hey,this person needs a job.
(05:49):
This kid needs to go to school.
This kid needs a laptop that'sin school, but the district
can't afford it.
And I go straight to them.
And that's how I work it.
SPEAKER_02 (05:58):
That is amazing.
Meanwhile, you know, not to makefun of the world, but meanwhile,
you know, there's someone likeposting another photograph of
like their butt on Instagram or,you know, something really
frivolous.
Right.
Yeah.
And it's like amazing.
I'm so happy that, you know,there is someone using social
media for the good of mankind,because the reality is social
media is a really amazing toolthat we have at our disposal.
(06:19):
And you kind of can get thefruits of it.
based on what you are sowing, ifyou will, the seeds you sow.
And so for you to have turnedthat into a big network is
pretty incredible.
And I love also that youmentioned, you're not just
giving out handouts for the sakeof giving things out.
Very often when I'm on thestreet, I know, I draw a
distinction between people whoare homeless and they ask me for
(06:41):
money versus food.
I'm reluctant to give money topeople who I perceivably are
homeless because I don't know ifI'm fueling their addiction.
And then there's a conflict forme of like, I don't know.
But when a person distinctlysays, brother, I haven't eaten,
I will either go buy foodbecause I say, still, if I give
you money, I don't know if it'sa con or not.
Or I give them food that Ihaven't finished.
(07:03):
Or if we're in a restaurant, Isort of like kind of make sure I
see them, you know, are yougoing to get food with this?
Right.
You know, I make sure I try tomake sure.
But there is a distinctionbetween that.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (07:13):
Correct.
SPEAKER_02 (07:14):
Yeah.
Fueling someone's addiction withmoney is tricky.
Now, I know you've also caughtthe attention recently.
Your publicist, Siobhan, sentout this amazing post where you
were on the Kelly Clarkson showrecently.
So tell me about that.
And how did Kelly Clarkson findout about you?
To
SPEAKER_00 (07:29):
be honest, it was word of mouth.
There are a lot of celebritieswho are now giving on the low,
but they've been following melike the Sharon Osbourne, the
Justin Timberlakes, theChristian Bale.
So they...
In India, I reached a lot ofpeople during Thanksgiving on my
platform, which was a beautifulthing.
Oh,
SPEAKER_02 (07:49):
wow.
SPEAKER_00 (07:49):
So a lot of people have been giving and they are
top notch celebrities.
And someone shared a post aboutme giving marginalized families
Christmas, them creating wishlists.
And she's like, who is thisgirl?
Who is this girl?
So her producer went ahead andasked, can they have a wish
(08:14):
list?
And it was pretty tricky becausethe wish list went in like, 15
minutes.
And I'm like, wait, that wassome heavy expenses.
I had to pay for a bed, an Xbox.
I had to really think.
SPEAKER_02 (08:25):
But you were doing it, though.
You were thinking, OK, how do Ido it?
You didn't
SPEAKER_00 (08:28):
say no.
And she emailed my publicist,Elon Forbes, and said, I am the
executive producer of The KellyClarkson Show.
And she wanted to know, is missgordon the real thing what the
whole christmas and that's howthey got me on the show kelly
SPEAKER_01 (08:43):
then
SPEAKER_00 (08:44):
then oprah network got involved so it was just 325
families not kids but familieswrote out a wish list of the
things that they need and wantand they got it from beds to
underclothes um there was a kidwho needed a wheelchair,
electric wheelchair, the medicalsupply company wouldn't pay for
(09:05):
it.
And some woman in Canada, youknow, what, the electric
wheelchair and the bed and metwith the family online.
So it was just a big thing andit was a beautiful thing.
SPEAKER_02 (09:15):
I'm literally like trying to hold back tears right
now.
As you tell me that, my eyes arewelling up with tears because a
couple of things are happeningto me as I hear that.
One, I'm so happy that KellyClarkson, for example, and Oprah
are exactly who we think theyare, brand wise.
Because they preach humility andhumanity on their shows.
(09:38):
I don't want to say preach, butthey promote those things.
And so to find out that theyactually sought out ways in
which to help you and yourplight with this whole movement,
it's pretty remarkable.
And thank goodness for them.
And you said Christian Bale?
SPEAKER_01 (09:52):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (09:53):
I mean, who would have?
I mean, Christian Bale, that'samazing.
You do have some A-list people,girl.
You definitely got theA-listers.
And looking out for you.
And I know you've also beencovered by People, too, and
Parade Magazine.
So that's some really positivepress out there.
SPEAKER_00 (10:06):
And Instinct Magazine as well.
Yes,
SPEAKER_02 (10:08):
and Instinct Magazine.
I can't forget my coverage ofInstinct.
And you gave me that wonderfulPurple Diamond Award as well for
my work with the LGBTQ.
So that was really wonderful.
And I appreciate that so muchfrom you.
Now, you do have also the newsite that you're creating.
You have ways in which peoplecan get involved that you will
be sharing with the public.
And I see that there are someaffiliations for Domestic Abuse
(10:32):
Fund or the Angel Food Fund.
Now, are these the actual, forexample, the Angel Food
Organization in Los Angeles, orthis is a different?
SPEAKER_00 (10:38):
The Angel Food Fund is the Black Fairy Angel Food
Fund.
So how it works is there areplenty of mothers who will email
me and say they need food.
So with the Angel Food Fund,what you do is you put your name
Your legal address, and wealways ask proof of ID, your
telephone number, and a list offoods that you're requesting,
and a list of foods that youcannot have due to dietary
(11:00):
restrictions or allergies,because you know people have
SPEAKER_01 (11:03):
illnesses.
SPEAKER_00 (11:04):
Within 48 hours, we will vet that request to make
sure you live with that address,because I have a paralegal on
site, and she will check.
And what we do is we deliver thegroceries from Instacart or
Walmart, and we'll leave it on aporch and ring the doorbell and
call you down to come get yourgroceries.
We take the pictures all thetime and hear me scream, wait a
minute, you are the real thing.
(11:26):
You know, I just want to
SPEAKER_01 (11:27):
see my
SPEAKER_00 (11:27):
child open it.
So that's the Angel FoodAssistance Fund.
What we do is within 48 hours,we make sure a family gets food.
SPEAKER_02 (11:36):
Okay.
And so your other funds wouldwork the same way, like the
Domestic Abuse Fund.
I think that was another one aswell.
SPEAKER_00 (11:41):
The domestic...
Yes, the Domestic Violence Fundis very, that's one of my
top-notch funds that has tocontinue to stay funded.
We always vet to make sure thatthere is actual domestic
violence that's happening.
We always make sure we get theID.
And we also have mutualagreements with different hotels
(12:02):
across America.
One of them is the ExtendedStay.
And we have a partnership withthem and they give us a big
discount and we pay to put theperson into a hotel.
And we also have certain Airbnbsacross the US that we also help.
Like if a woman said, I can't bein the same state, we will
contact a certain Airbnb andmake sure that she's out of
(12:22):
state or he or she, because menare also are victims of domestic
violence.
So I tell people don't get ittwisted.
It's not just all about thewomen.
It's also men too.
SPEAKER_02 (12:32):
Now, is that men in heterosexual relationships and
gay relationships or either one?
They're men who are the victimsof abuse.
SPEAKER_00 (12:40):
Correct.
We're getting both because ofthe pandemic.
It's on the rise.
SPEAKER_02 (12:44):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (12:44):
I don't discriminate.
SPEAKER_02 (12:45):
Yeah.
Yeah.
There's more people who needhelp more than ever.
And then also there's a reallybizarre phenomenon that happened
during the pandemic when so manypeople were locked in together,
couples who never had that sortof strain on their relationship,
there was a rise in domesticviolence I was reading that was
unbelievable.
It was like, I think 30% jump orsomething like that.
(13:06):
That was really unbelievable.
So make sure you like who youwith, y'all.
Y'all got to love who you
SPEAKER_00 (13:10):
with.
Please do.
We had to move so many people.
It was to the point that we weregetting exhausted and, you know,
different famous authors andfamous yoga instructors and even
celebrities were sharing my fundto let people know, hey, This
young lady is overwhelmedbecause there's not a lot of
shelters.
So we were just like it was somuch that we had to have, you
(13:32):
know, Yvonne, the publicist ormy assistant to call different
hotels and say, hey, can yougive us discounts?
We have people that are really,really struggling and they did
it and it worked.
And now we're across the board.
And also one hundred and fortythousand single mothers lost
their job because of thepandemic.
140,000 across the US.
So of course, hunger is going torise.
(13:53):
Of course, rental assistance isgoing to rise and the list goes
on.
So that's my platform.
SPEAKER_02 (14:00):
And you continue to just help everyone.
I think that's what's so amazingabout it is that you really, you
haven't really, what's the wordI'm looking for?
You haven't, Like there's nohierarchy really, I guess.
You have domestic abuse, whichyou said is like one of your
most, I guess, tumultuouscategories, if you will.
But for the most part, yourplatform is people who need
(14:21):
help.
That's what's so fascinating.
You don't really judge what thehelp is.
It's just across the board, it'slike there's a lifeline.
That's how when I was speakingabout your platform, I said,
she's a lifeline to people.
Because in that moment, you haveno one there really is no one
coming to help you if you haveno one to help you.
(14:41):
And so the fact that you'redoing it for strangers is a
really big thing.
Now, do you have a projection oflike, if you had this dream
situation where the Black FairyGodmother platform would be in
10 years, or like, is there anaspiration point of what you'd
like to see your organizationbecome?
Have you thought about that?
SPEAKER_00 (15:00):
I'm going to be honest.
I want my organization to becomesomething bigger than what the
Red Cross is and try to get atleast one shelter or residential
home in certain marginalizedstates that are affected,
including in the South.
Because as we know, the RedCross only house people for
three days if they're in a fireor if they are domestic violence
(15:25):
victims or people who arehomeless.
They only pay three days ofhotel stay.
But I want to change that.
I want to at least get theperson at least 90 days.
Like we give them 90 days tostraighten up and get themselves
together.
So
SPEAKER_02 (15:38):
90 days you think is a realistic timeframe because I
don't know that whole world.
So you think that's a goodenough time for someone to kind
of get it together a little bitand focus and then go on to
whatever their next step is tocontinue on their path more
successfully?
SPEAKER_00 (15:52):
The thing is yes and no.
And I'm going to tell you why,because within those 90 days, I
mentor, I also have therapiststhat make sure that the mother
or father is in the right stateof mind or person is in the
right state of mind.
We did have a few people whoneeded at least four to six
months, but due to theirsituation.
But yes, within no timeframe,that will help us raise for you
(16:16):
to get an apartment, help youget a job, help you get a
resume.
And some mothers go, well, Ican't get a job because I need
education.
Some don't even have a GED.
So then I get involved and makesure that they get tools that
they need so that they canproceed because you can't stay
in emergency mode and alwaysneed, need, need.
Sure.
This is the real world and it'stough.
SPEAKER_02 (16:38):
So, and it's, it's about helping people though,
getting help.
But then there is the notionthat giving them that help is so
that they can then return toself sufficiency,
SPEAKER_00 (16:47):
not just a
SPEAKER_02 (16:47):
handout.
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (16:49):
Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02 (16:50):
So Simone, the biggest thing I want to just
conclude with, which I think isso amazing really about you is
that, you know, you've done thiswhile being a mom.
and you have a special needschild, and you do this while
being a nursing student too, andbeing a mother, and you're still
(17:10):
doing all the work for yourorganization.
I mean, first of all, you lookamazing.
I don't know when you sleep, butyou clearly must be because you
look nice and rested andgorgeous, but I don't know when
you do it.
But I just, I mean, how do youbalance all that?
I mean, because it's reallyimpressive that you can help so
many people and then be astudent and be a mom, and then
also have a child with veryspecific needs.
(17:32):
How do you do it?
SPEAKER_00 (17:33):
My parents help me sometimes, but sometimes I do
say, Hey, I need to stop.
I need downtime.
I need to think because it isoverwhelming.
Like after doing so much in2020, I dedicated January 1st
through February 1st of justsaying no.
I just need to settle downbecause I also, during the midst
(17:55):
of doing that big Thanksgivingdrive of feeding people and
giving people$200 worth ofgroceries and Christmas, I
caught COVID-19 from not takingcare of myself.
SPEAKER_02 (18:06):
That
SPEAKER_00 (18:07):
right there scared me.
SPEAKER_02 (18:08):
Yeah, yeah, I can imagine because that's the thing
often when there's people whoare such giving caretakers and
my mother is one of those peopleand I'm like, well, make sure,
you know, if you get sick, youcan't help anybody else.
So make sure you take care ofyou.
And she often forgets that.
And then I got to come in and belike, are you taken care of?
Are you being well?
SPEAKER_00 (18:27):
You have to.
Once
SPEAKER_02 (18:28):
you get sick, you can't help anybody else, right?
SPEAKER_00 (18:30):
COVID-19 was the worst 15 days of my life.
I was isolated from my family,isolated from my son.
Yeah.
Special needs.
And he didn't understand.
So that right there changed mylife.
Yes.
Everybody loves Black Fairy.
I'm saving lives.
UNKNOWN (18:47):
I'm
SPEAKER_00 (18:48):
That was God telling me, hey, you need to slow down.
You need to get back in your carand sit.
SPEAKER_01 (18:53):
And
SPEAKER_00 (18:54):
I sat and sat and I said, you know what?
I need to take a break.
But I don't sleep.
I wake up 4 a.m.
to take care of my son.
I clean him up, get him ready.
And then I have school.
I start school Tuesday.
So while he's doing virtuallearning, I'm doing virtual
learning.
So we have like three laptopsall over the place.
He's in school.
I have a professor.
(19:14):
I'm taking notes and trying tohelp him with his therapy.
So It's a lot.
And I think my team, I have 12volunteers who also helped me
with the foundation.
UNKNOWN (19:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (19:23):
Well, that's wonderful.
I mean, that's so inspirational.
That's what I get from it.
You know, I'm sitting herecomplaining about when I have
one task and you're sitting uphere juggling a thousand of them
like, yeah, I'm good.
So, you know, I know you do saysomething really important that
I want to make sure peopleunderstand too.
And this is tied to somethingelse that's interesting.
I do a podcast.
(19:44):
I co-host a podcast every Fridaywith a celebrity journalist
named Rob Shooter.
And it's an iHeartRadio podcastcalled The Naughty But Nice
Show.
And at the very end of his show,he always tells these little
anecdotes at the end aboutself-care, self-awareness.
And one of the ones we didrecently, he actually said one
of the biggest things he's hadto learn how to do is to say no
(20:05):
to people when he's been askedif he's overextended, if he
doesn't have enough time for himand trying to please everyone.
And at the end, if you do that,you don't allow enough time for
yourself and things like that,getting sick, coming up short on
your own end.
That's exactly what can happenif you don't take that time to
say no.
And I can't right now.
I need this time for Simone.
(20:26):
I need this time for Corey.
And that's a lesson that peopleneed to really learn for their,
you mentioned the mentalwellness.
That's a mental wellness issuethat people need to take into
consideration, right?
SPEAKER_01 (20:35):
Yes,
SPEAKER_02 (20:36):
please do.
Yes, ma'am.
Wow.
Well, thank you so much, Simone.
I'm excited to share your story.
I mean, it's been shared enough,but I'm going to continue to
share it with, and actually noteven enough.
It's been shared a lot and itneeds to be continued to be
shared.
And I'm going to do my part todo that.
And I'm again, really honoredthat you would speak to me about
it today, because in your ownwords, it's very different when
(20:57):
you read about it than, youknow, hearing your passion
coming through in your ownvoice.
So thank you again.
I appreciate you joining metoday for this conversation.
SPEAKER_00 (21:05):
Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_02 (21:07):
Thank you for listening to Core Issues with
me, Corey Andrew.
For future episodes, pleasesubscribe to this podcast on
Instagram, Facebook, andTwitter.
You can follow me at CoreyAndrew and follow the Core
Issues Facebook page at CoreIssues Media.
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