Women of the Waiting Room Takeover Guest Host Melanie “The Voice” Johnson

Send us a text

When my sister Melanie The Voice Johnson and I sit down to talk, it's not just a catch-up over coffee; it's an exploration of the deep-seated beliefs that guide our lives. This episode is a tapestry of stories, prayers, and poems that celebrate the profound impact of love, faith, and personal values. From sharing the soul-stirring power of a song that captures the essence of waiting for love, to the ways in which Jeremiah 29:11 has shaped our lives and bestsellers alike, we invite you on a heartfelt voyage that promises to light up the path for those navigating their own journeys.

The conversation takes an empowering turn as she introduce the inspiring Miss Jackie and her new ventures, from speaking engagements in Africa to creating platforms for genuine self-expression. We discuss the careful selection of interviewees and the importance of controlling personal narratives, all while delving into the healing art of poetry. Our latest poetry compilations are more than just words; they're the embodiment of battles faced, victories won, and an unwavering declaration of self-worth amidst societal pressures. 

Wrapping up with a discussion on 'Memoirs of a Grown Girl,' we unpack the complex layers of growth and the youthful spirit alive within us all. The poetry interwoven with life stories serves as a testament to the power of reflection and healing. Moreover, we highlight the significance of embracing inner beauty against the harsh judgments of the world, leaving listeners with a poignant reminder that true beauty sparkles from within. Join us for a conversation that's not only moving but imbued with the kind of wisdom that only comes from sisters who've weathered life's storms together.

Support the show

Episode Transcript

Speaker 2 (00:18):
I for it not wishing with no man.
That wasn't made for me.
See, this love, we have gottabe tailored.
They question with no man.
That ain't no fit for me.
Do you pray, cause I pray?
You want kids?
I won't.
Are you faithful?
Always tell me, can you send aring?

(00:39):
You a king, I'm a.
We require certain things, andthat's what I pray for.
So that's what I wait for, dearGod, I'm in your center, I'm
gon' be ready.
Dear God, you do this for me.
I won't forget it.
My heart, I've been through somuch and I just wanna feel your
love for once.

(01:00):
And, dear God, I hope he'shappy already here, but if it's
too, I know he is.
I hope he's happy, already,healed, if you see, I know he is
, I know he will.
Dear God, that's what I prayfor.
So that's what I wait for, andI vow to be everything you need,
share my life with you, on theright, with you, and I promise

(01:26):
to support all your dreams, butI gotta know that you were made
for me.
Do you pray, cause I pray.
You want kids, I want a.
Are you faithful?
Oh wait, tell me, can you senda ring?
You a king, I'm a queen.
Me require certain things, andthat's what I pray for.
So that's what I wait for.

Speaker 1 (01:51):
That's what I pray for.
That's what I wait for, dearGod, I'm gonna be ready.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
That's what I pray for.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
So that's what one of my favorite songs y'all right
now um, and I already got theperson I prayed for, but it just
it brings back so many emotionsand it just makes me so humble
and just thank god so much forthe man that I prayed for.
God just he gives it to you,just just like you asked it, and

(03:20):
, and that girl, she hit everybullet point that you ever think
in this song.
So you know, I really love thatsong.
Welcome you guys to thisedition of the Women of the
Waiting Room Takeover.
Well, I will be the person inthe hot seat and my guest host

(03:41):
today is my sister, my friend,my confidant, my ride or die, my
poetic genius, the queen ofpoetry, the empress of imperial
words, herself the voice.
How you doing, mel, hello,hello.

(04:03):
Everyone.
Doing Mel, hello, helloeveryone.
You forgot one adjective todescribe me Mel, let's see what
you say.
Your cousin I hear y'all myMississippi cousins.
Okay, you know, we gotta haveour roots in it.

(04:24):
So hopefully she remember thatwhen she asks these questions.
Take it easy on me.
Hey, you know how family do youknow how we do?
Good evening everybody, you gotto introducing me and I was
sitting here like I thought Iwas the guest host.

Speaker 1 (04:39):
I forgot who you were talking about.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
Good evening everyone .
Thank you for joining thisedition of Listen.
Linda, when the women of thewaiting room take over, I'm your
guest host.
Melanie DeVos Johnson, and mybeautiful sister has did such a
wonderful job introducing me,did such a wonderful job
introducing me, and I just wantyou guys to just give her put

(05:05):
some claps in the chat for noneother than Miss Lisa Linda
herself.
Jackie Cox, she is the vesseland the vessel is in the hot
seat tonight.
I don't know how hot the seatis, because you know, anytime
she's around it's like a sparkor a fire brewing anyway.
So let's welcome Miss JackieCox to the show tonight.

(05:26):
Yes, yes, bravo, bravo.
Thank you, sade, thank you,thank you, okay.
So tonight I want to start outwith prayer and I just want to
go to the Lord.
So if you would join me inprayer tonight, I just want to
say thank you, lord, thank youfor all the things that you've

(05:48):
given us this day, a day thatwasn't owed to us but was given
to us as a gift because of yourpresence in our lives.
Dear Lord, we understand ourrole here in this world to be
that, to bring others unto you,to show people the light, and we

(06:09):
just ask that this platform,all of the platforms, everywhere
we walk, every space that wetalk in, that we do it, that do
everything that we do in honorof you, dear Lord, we want you
to get all the glory and theblessings and, lord, I pray for
my sister tonight, jacqueline.
Even though she is the vesseland she does so many things for

(06:34):
so many people, we know that itcan be hard on the vessel at
times, that your workers can besome of the most misused and
abused people in this world andbe some of the most misused and
abused people in this world.
So, just like the rest of us,she keeps worn down too, and we

(06:55):
just ask that you keep your armsof protection around her, her
family, everyone, all of yourchildren that are within the
sound of my voice.
I just ask you to cover them,dear Lord.
Whatever is ailing them, fix it.
Wherever they have a void intheir life, feel it.
Let them know your presence andunderstand your presence, and
give them the will and the powerto be able to go and draw
others unto you through theirlives and their testimonies.

(07:18):
And, lord, what we do heretonight, we just ask that
someone will be blessed by it,someone will be better off by it
.
We just ask that someone willbe blessed by it, someone will
be better off by it.
And let us be mindful of thethings that we might say that
may trigger someone, because weknow that these are some hard
times and sometimes some thingscan be brought up.
But if we do unknowinglytrigger someone, dear Lord,

(07:39):
please send that comfort thereto let them know that you are
there, in the midst of all hurt,harm and pain, to heal each and
every one of us, for whateveris out the one in our side.
Lord, we just pray for all thosethat are within the sound of my
voice and those beyond.
We thank you for everythingthat you have done, we thank you

(08:02):
for what you're doing and wethank you for what you're going
to do to come, and thank you,lord, for this opportunity.
In Jesus Christ's name, we giveall thanks, honor and glory and
power.
Amen.
And now let's hear a little bitof God did it because, no
matter what you've gone through,no matter what you've

(08:25):
experienced, it didn't kill you,it didn't take you out.
He got you through it and youdidn't get through it alone.
God did it.
And this is by Miss EvelynTarantino, ag.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
Come on, clap your hands.
Let's give God some praise forthe good things he's done.
Everything that happened to me,I was good, god did.
God did.
Yes, oh yes, he did.
Oh, everything that happened tome that was good, god, god did

(09:06):
it.
Yes, he did.
Oh, yes, he did.
He picked me up, turned me on,placed my feet on solid ground.
Everything that happened to methat was good, god, god did it.
God did it.
Oh, yes, he did.

(09:28):
I said everything that happenedto me that was good, god did it
.
God did it.
Oh, yes, he did.
Oh, everything that happened tome that was good, god did it.
God did it.

(10:07):
Oh, yes, he did.
Thank you, I know it did.
I've been sick.

(10:29):
I thought I couldn't get well,but he healed my body and now
I've got to tell that everythingthat happened to me, I was good
, God did.
God did I know it did.

Speaker 3 (10:45):
Oh, yes, he did.
God did.
God did it.
I know he did it.
God did it.
I make Him.
God did it, amen.
God did it.
Yes, he placed my needle Solidground and I was lost in a world

(11:06):
of sin.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
Jesus came and took me home when I was sick.
The Lord put me in the world,he healed me and I can tell I'll
say yes, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I can't tell Now say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

(11:31):
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Who did it?
Who did it?
Who did it?

(11:53):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thank you.
Who made a fire in the spring?
Who rolled the law for therobbing machine?

(12:17):
Who saved the rain at the timeof the death?
Who gives a fight talking aboutthe faith?

(12:41):
Oh baby, let it never die.
Let it come to do it.
Let it come to do it.
Let it come or do it.
Let it come or do it.
Let it come or do it.
Let it come or do it.
I went to a preacher.
I found he could say I went onto a doctor.

Speaker 3 (12:59):
I found out he could heal me.
I went to a lawyer.
I found out he couldn't do itand I went on the roof of the
block and I talked to my friend.
Only tears, only tears, onlytears.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, ohyeah.

(13:26):
Remember, before the dance Aholy dance.
Make people shout A brand newshout, shout, hallelujah,
trouble no more.
Oh Jesus, oh Jesus, oh Jesus,oh Jesus, oh Jesus, oh Jesus, oh

(13:53):
Jesus.

(14:16):
So as you look back over yourlife and I know, jack, you've
had a whole lot of time asyou're writing your books to
look back over your life and tosee what you come through, um,
when you look back over yourlife, do you just get the sense
of sometimes wondering howyou've come through?
When you look back over yourlives, do you just get the sense
of sometimes wondering how youmade it through?
You know what?
I look back over my life and Ithink things over and I can

(14:37):
truly say that I've been blessed.
I got a testimony.
I know it's another song.
People often wonder how you doit.
Never, never, never have I everquestioned how I did it,

(14:58):
because I know everything worksaccording to god's plan that's's
right.
Jeremiah 29, 11 is stitched inmy heart.
Wow, I just used that Sunday.
Wow, I just used that scriptureSunday.
So that just lets you know howconnected we are.
That scripture is etched in myheart.

(15:20):
I named my child after thatscripture.
I named my cow after thatscripture.
Jaden's book, the Honorable BeeShameless plug Bestseller, catch
it on Amazon, catch these hands, or you can go now to
ListenLindaPresents1.com and buyit Signed copy.
His book was actually a parablefrom that scripture and the

(15:46):
scriptures in the book.
So it's based on that book.
That, uh, that verse of theBible, uh, jeremiah 29, 11,
where I know the thoughts, um,and the plans I have for you.
So you know, um, no, I neveronce in my life, um, you know,
thought about the things thatI've went through in my life.
You know thought about thethings that I went through in my

(16:06):
life and wonder how I did it.
I knew how I did it.
I just wonder how I was able toremain focused through it all.
Right, yes, yeah, becauseyou're a lot stronger than me.
That was a point in my lifewhen I was I wasn't as strong in

(16:30):
my faith that things weren'tgoing the way they were supposed
to go to according to my planand I had to learn.
It's not my plan, it's his plan, so I had to learn that.
Uh, it's a pricey lesson too,but yeah, yeah, I had to learn
it.
Okay, miss Jackie, you've beenin this hot seat a few times
before me, so I'm going to giveyou the opportunity up front.

(16:51):
Is there anything that you wantto divulge to us before I get
started?
Yes, okay, hot off the press.
Hot, hot, hot, hot.
I will be speaking in africa.
Yes, yes, I saw it, and hot offthe press.

(17:15):
I ain't even supposed to besaying this right now, but I'm
not gonna put it on globalplatform.
But it's been stated.
But I have my own channel goingon on TV called Women Win TV

(17:37):
Network.
I'll be on Roku Fire TV and allthings podcast, so I'm excited
about that and I am looking forhosts.
Everything is on my new websitethat's up and running called
ListenLindaPresents1.com, a paidcontributing writer.

(18:02):
Paid contributing writer for uh, patheos, which is a global
religion, one of the biggestglobal religious websites in the
world, and I have threearticles.
All of them are top 10 trendingnumber one, number two and

(18:23):
number seven on the wholeplatform.
Wow, to God, be the glory.
Look at the Lord.
To God be the glory.
That's just a few things, just alittle bit.
Just a little bit.
You know sprinkling people withlove dust.
You know we get around overhere.
You know that's what I'mtalking about just always giving

(18:46):
of yourself to help, empowerand better someone else.
And god is going to continue togive you those opportunities as
long as you are obedient andand work according to his will,
amen, um.
The next question, and this oneis going to be kind of weird
for you what gives me theauthority to interview you?

(19:09):
Wow, what makes me, um special?
Why me?
I only picked people that I cantrust.
Oh, important, you know what.
I could have put it out thereand everybody would have been 10

(19:34):
down the walls, exactly, if youguys notice you don't see me
within the past year, or maybe alittle more.
Get interviewed on anybody'splatform.
Now I do panel discussionsQuite a few.
I have done quite a few paneldiscussions, but one-on-one

(19:57):
interviews.
I've done one Other than on myplatform.
I've done one and that's withmy best friend, my ride or die,
my ace, boom, boom, miss carolyn, gentry journey.
Okay, I don't.
I don't trust a lot of peopleBecause people will try to

(20:24):
interrogate and try to you know,take, you know the platform and
use you know you at your mostvulnerable state and try to
attack you or get you knowcertain type of information out
of you, or just try to get youout of character.

(20:46):
Right, and so I had to be.
The same way.
I selected the women in theanthology was the same way I
selected the women to interviewme.
God gave me, I got this, and,and god did it, and he told me
who to pick, who not to pick.
So you are special because youare you and you are one of one

(21:11):
of none.
Okay, so no, there will neverbe another the voice for me.
It could be a million dubvoices, show voices, her voices,
him, they voices, but it'llnever be another the Voice for
me.
When I hear the Voice, only twopeople come to mind, and one of
them gone Whitney Houston.

(21:33):
I have nothing.
Melanie Johnson, that's it.
Awesome, awesome.
Thank you, sis.
Thank you so much.
I wanted to get that out therebecause you know you don't do a
lot of interviews and I wantedyou to tell your listeners why
we were allowed to interview you, because it wasn't, it was
god's direction telling you touh who to choose.

(21:56):
So but, like you just showed us, you gotta use discernment.
You gotta know who you can canput yourself in front of and not
just make yourself vulnerableto anyone.
Exactly, exactly.
And I don't do a lot ofinterviews.
And I don't do a lot ofinterviews because people they

(22:19):
pry and they bank on.
And they bank on usually thesedays, especially like with
podcasts and TV shows, they bankon your most weakest points and
they want to infiltrate youknow the enemy and try to come
steal, kill and destroy andhumiliate people in their most

(22:41):
vulnerable states.
I don't do interviews.
That's why I make my own tableand I invite people to come to
my table Same way I do at my.
I don't go to people's houses,mel.
They really can't come to mine.
We can FaceTime and we'll beright in each other's living

(23:03):
room.
That's just how I see it.
I just try to keep my spacesacred.
Yes, yes, ma'am, I understand.
I don't even have a couch in myapartment because I ain't
trying to have a whole lot ofvisitors.
It's no problem, all right, myphone roll is safe.
Did you call first?
Yes, I don't even know what myeyes say.

(23:23):
Okay, yes, I don't even knowwhat my eyes say.
Okay, let's get into thesepublications because, baby, my
sister is the bomb In your firstpublication.
First of all, what inspired youto compile a book of your poetry
?
Did you just have somethinglaying?

Speaker 1 (23:44):
poetry Did you?

Speaker 3 (23:45):
just have something laying around.
Did you write it specificallyfor the book?
You know what?
I did have something layingaround.
I've been writing poetry sincethe fifth grade.
I've been writing at a certainstandard, but before then, you
know, when I first gotintroduced to poetry it was
actually now that I think aboutit I was still at home.
My grandmother hadn't even wentto school.
40, and you know when you, when, when I first got introduced to
poetry it was actually now thatI think about it um, I was

(24:06):
still at home, my grandmotherhadn't even went to school yet.
And you know, you, you look atlamb chop and barney and all
that stuff, and there's a lot ofpoetry.
You know, roses are red,violets are blue, sugar is
sweeter.
So are you?
You?

Speaker 1 (24:20):
know, I.

Speaker 3 (24:21):
I wrote that for a little boy named Carlos back
when I was in kindergarten, youknow so.
You know, I've been hotter thanfish grease my whole life.
It just ends.
The male species is verybeautiful.
Okay, you know, poetry is just.

(24:41):
You know my mom was a writer.
You know, poetry is just.
You know, my mom was a writer.
My mom is a writer becauseshe's still here, china, don't
kill me.
Okay, she took journalism incollege and you know, I think
that's probably where I got thisspark from Awesome, awesome,

(25:12):
awesome, awesome.
Because I can tell the readingthis first publication how some
of the poems are compiled.
I can tell some differences inthemselves, but I ain't going to
spoil it.
I'm going to get into the restof the interview, but I love the
title of your first publicationinterview.
Um, but I love the, the titleof your first, first publication
.
I can remember when we were onthe book slam and you first came
on and you were introducingthis book and you said it was

(25:34):
entitled it can't always benight.
I almost dropped my phonebecause it just spoke to me.
I was like I gotta get it.
I gotta get that book.
It was the title spoke to me.
It can was like I gotta get it.
I gotta get that book.
It was the title spoke to me.
It can't always be night.
So what inspired that title foryou?
You know what?

(25:55):
It was?
A few things.
It can't always be night, youknow.
Daylight comes, you know itcan't always be night.
It's always light after thedarkness in your life.
You know so.
No, know it can't always benight.
It's always light after thedarkness in your life.
You know so.
No matter what you're goingthrough in life, you know there
is a light at the end of thetunnel.
God is still waiting for you tomake it through.

(26:16):
Whatever it is that he's givenus the tools that we need.
We just have to have that faithand dig deep and know that God
is there right and he's gonnasee us and bring us to the light
.
Another thing when I was sittingthere and I was, you know,
compiling the poetry and youknow kind of, of course, you
know, I added, you know, alittle extra to a lot of it, but

(26:36):
, um, I was actually watchingStranger Things at the time.
Me and my husband was doinglike a Netflix and chill type of
thing and I was in my phonedoing my poetry and I was on
because I first published itthrough Bookly right through the
21 Day Challenge.
And while we were sitting therethey said so what's the title

(26:58):
of the book?
It was like book title in thebar and I'm like I ain't got no
title for the book and we waswatching Stranger Things in the
bar and I'm like I ain't got notime for the book and we was
watching Stranger Things and itwas the last finale of the
episode of the series.
Right, and the devil got thegirl.
I don't know if you watchStranger Things, but the devil
had the girl.
Right, the the monster had thegirl and it was the devil.

(27:18):
You know, in my eyes it was thedevil because he was red, there
was blood everywhere.
She was down deep, right underunderground, down deep, and she
was trying to get out and shecouldn't get out and that's
because the devil had her and heswamped her mind with all these
bad thoughts.
Well, guess what?
That white girl had that blackboyfriend and he was at the top,

(27:41):
okay, and he was up there withthe light and the light was
shining on her and he just toldher think happy thoughts.
And she started thinking them,happy thoughts, girl and she was
able to break free from thedevil and get to her man and got
to the light and he kept sayingjust look at the light, just
look at the light, and that'swhat makes it.

(28:02):
It can't always be night.
Wow, just look at the light,and that's what they say.
It can't always be night.
Wow, yeah, that and a little,you know, um, um, it was.
It can't always be night.
So it was like all that it wasjust confirmation.
I was like that's gonna be thetitle right now.
That's it it is.
It is awesome, um, how weencounter just little things in

(28:25):
our day-to-day activities andthey spark such creativeness in
our minds.
So when you introduced that bookon the book slam, I was like I
got to have it and I do have mysigned autographed copy.
You can get yours atLindaPresents1.com.
Yes, yes, order it now.

(28:48):
Now, most of your poetry in itCan't Always Be Night is direct
and to the point, and many of itis written to address the
naysayers that many of usencounter in our daily lives
today.
To address the naysayers andthat may many of us encounter in

(29:08):
our daily lives today.
Um, what kind of mindset wereyou in when you chose the
particular pieces for the book,were there several that, uh,
that you chose from or or, andyou know you say, okay, this is
not gonna make the cut, this onewill, or did most of them just
stem from issues that you face,facing your youth and coming up
and you just put, okay, I'mgonna compile all these together
is there?

Speaker 1 (29:27):
is there like?

Speaker 3 (29:28):
some extras out there that they make the cut, that we
might want to hear too.
You know what the ones that didnot make the cut I've been
posting on facebook, on myfacebook page, this past week.
Okay, um, and those will be inthe Women at a Waiting Room

(29:49):
journal that I have coming out.
So I got a self-affirmationjournal that's coming out right
after the anthology and thedevotional.
I might bring it out at thesame time, I'm not sure, but I
know it's a bonus gift in mybundle.
But, yeah, it was a few of themthat didn't make the cut.

(30:16):
But what I wanted to do was notfocus on one subject and I
wanted to reach differentaudiences and not just one
specific audience.
So when I wrote the book, whenI wrote the, when I, when I
compiled the poetry I'm sorry,when I compiled the poetry in

(30:37):
the book, I wanted to touchevery woman, and you did, you
did.
I wanted to touch the hoodwoman, the cultured woman, the
white woman, the black woman,the, the abused woman, the
neglected woman, the strongwoman, the soft woman.
I wanted to come from everyaspect the mama, the daughter,

(31:02):
um, the sister, the friend,whoever can read this book, and
I promise you, they will findone piece that they can resonate
with.
Well, what I did was I wentthrough and highlighted some
phrases that stood out to me insome of these poems I did, and
on signs and wonders, it's theone that's been back to me.

(31:25):
It said we kneel for theaggressor and we stomp on the
weak.
How relevant is that today?
Because that's what we do.
If we can see somebody who weconsider weaker than us, we
stomp on them, beat them downand it's so backwards.

(31:50):
But what a people that'shurting you.
You kneel for them.
But the ones that's treatingyou bad, the one that's
aggressive to you, the one thatthat's trying to put you down
and keep you down and anchor you, you people, please them, you
can stay till?
Yeah, absolutely.
I see that so often today's um,in today's world.

(32:11):
And I don't know when you wrotethat particular piece, but it
was so relevant to now.
I wrote that, uh, around thetime that ge Floyd passed, wow,
okay.
And then another one that Ihighlighted was on page 27 of

(32:33):
that book Chestnut Checkers.
Oh man, that one I wrote thatwas just you know what.
That was actually adissertation that I wrote.
It was a post that I put onFacebook Chestnut Checkers oh
man, yeah, that was one becauseus, as women, you know, we,

(32:53):
truly you know and I try not tosay this when my husband is
around so I hope he ain'tlistening but you know, women.
Just we don't know the power.
A lot of us don't understandour power and who we are in this
world.
They call Mother Nature MotherNature for a reason.
You know, we are the nurturers,we create life.

(33:18):
We are the most valuable peoplein the world, we are the most
valuable living being on theplanet, and we do not recognize
that within ourselves becausesociety has, uh, made us feel

(33:40):
like we are not worthy.
They took away well, they, theystarted off not wanting us to
read and write.
Then they went from there tonot wanting us to work, not
wanting us to vote.
We've always had to fight foreverything that we have, but yet
and still, we are multiplyingthe earth and creating people to

(34:04):
keep the world going.
We have so much value to us,just as a living being, and it's
not just human, it's animals,it's birds.
You name me a living creaturethat can birth or reproduce

(34:26):
other than the female.
You won't find one.
No, no name an insect, a book,uh, uh, you know a whatever or
whatever, an animal, a mammal,you name me something that

(34:47):
reproduces.
That's not a female.
You can't, and we are the mostundervalued.
And then take that and turn itinto a black woman.
And then take that and turn itinto a black woman.

(35:09):
When God has given us the mostgifts that he has given anybody,
our will never runs dry.
If we really ask God to justtruly show us the gifts that he

(35:30):
has planted in us and we hone inon those gifts, our well will
never run dry.
But in order for our well notto run dry, we have to cherish
our gifts.
A lot of times we people pleaseand I'm I'm guilty, but I'm
learning now, oh baby, I'mlearning now.
Oh baby, I'm learning now.
Put some, put some steak on andput some dollar signs in front
of it over here, because Godgave me this oil and I'm just

(35:53):
giving it away.
When people are using you foryour gifts and your talents, or
men are out here using thesewomen for their gift and their
you know what's sacred to them,but then they want to plant in

(36:13):
your head.
If you ask them for anything,they'd have made up this word
gold digger, but they don't wantto give you a ring because we
don't need titles, but they wantto take your most prized
position every night.
So if you could be with meevery night then, yeah, that

(36:33):
piece of paper gonna mean a lotto me, because that stamps and
solidifies and certifieseverything.
It becomes law, just like theword of God is love.
Guess what?
We wouldn't know how to beguided in this earth, we
wouldn't know how to live onthis earth if we didn't have the

(36:53):
love, which is the word.
So you know.
Next question, question girl.
Next question hey, girl, I amso sorry, my mama called me and

(37:14):
it just threw me off the wholebroadcast.
Next question here's the nextquestion.
Okay, on page 45 you have apoem entitled Listen Linda.
Now your whole platform isListen Linda now.
Yes, it is.
Was this something that youthought about way back then in

(37:39):
the corners of a book?
And then, like voila, here weare.
Yes ma'am, I always knew that Iwanted to do something.
Um, I always knew that I wantedsee when I went to college.
Initially I went to columbiacollege, chicago, and I went for
broadcast journalism.
Okay so, and I interned withchannel seven and channel five,

(38:04):
with Jerry Tapp, with CherylBurden, with Sylvia Perez, so,
and with Chris Michaels on 107.5GCI.
So I always knew that I wasgoing to be in radio, tv, I was
going to be doing something,whether it was, you know, audio,
like radio or TV, like abroadcast journalist, like you

(38:27):
know, like a TV, you knowchannel, what is it like?
A news broadcast or something.
So I always had my mind setthat that's what I wanted to do.
So when the opportunity camefor this book, the little boy
came out with this and Lindathis, and I told my husband, I
said that's a tagline.

(38:48):
I said ooh, I could use thatfor a podcast or a radio show,
because at the time I was onstation head already I had a
radio show called Listen Lindaon this same platform, but I was
only playing music, I wasn'tinterviewing, I wasn't thinking
about interviewing, but I alwayswould like play music, give

(39:11):
some affirmations and just jamfor about three or four hours,
you know, and that's what Iwould do to kind of pass up my
time, especially right after Ihad my son and I was um, I had
dupes and I was on bed rest forsix weeks.
That's how I kind of, you know,found something to do with my
time at home because he was aC-section baby.

(39:34):
So, you know, I had to healbefore I could go back to work.
So that's what I did to passthe time.
So I always knew that that wassomething that I was going to do
.
So when I wrote Listen Linda, Iknew that I was going to be
speaking to black women.
I knew that I was going to bespeaking to women in general and

(39:56):
uplifting women.
So if you read Listen Linda,then you would know that that
poem is the base of everythingthat I write, everything that I
do, everything that I breathe.
That is my mission.
My mission statement is listenLinda, and I noticed that
because I put in my notes.

(40:17):
I was like is there a notice toall of us, the Lindas of the
world who need to listen up?
Because that's exactly what weneeded to do.
Awesome, you should read it.
To listen up, that's exactlywhat we needed to do.
Yes, awesome, awesome, youshould read it.
Oh, you want me to read it?
Okay, you know me, you know me.
You don't have to do nothingbut ask.

(40:37):
I'm only telling you thatbecause I don't have the book
right in front of me.
Okay, you probably do, so goahead.
Can you read it for theaudience?
I can.
It's entitled Listen, linda?
By none other than JacquelineCox.
I want you to put your foot downwith your mate.
Love me the way I need to beloved, or I'm out.

(40:59):
I want you to set boundarieswith your people and stick to
them.
I want you to dive headfirstinto your business goals.
I want you to take control ofyour life instead of letting
things happen to yourself.
I want you to realize thatyou're worthy of everything your

(41:25):
heart desires.
I say all of this because I canrelate.
There was a time when I wouldrather stay in bed because it
was easier than dealing withlife.
There was a time when I wasafraid to set boundaries with
people.
There was a time when I thoughtI wasn't worthy, but life is
much better now that I know myworth and walk in my greatness.

(41:47):
I want the same for you all.
I hope every woman man gets tosee this and knows that I'm
rooting for you.
Girl, I could have did it bettermyself, honey, there right now,
when I said that, I said, oh,she wrote that for me.
Yes, yes, I love it, I love itand I think everybody needs to

(42:18):
hear it.
Like you said, and I'm glad youput woman slash man, because
it's not just for a woman, it'sfor all of us.
All of us needs to be, need tobe uplifted, because I see a lot
of times the men in societytoday are beat up more than
women.
Yes, they are, and a lot, of, alot of men in society,

(42:39):
especially our black men, areundervalued and unappreciated as
well, and then they lash outand then they become bitter and
then it just starts a whole newcycle.
A whole new cycle, as much as Ican.
People say all you do is talkabout how much you love your
husband and she loves Mr Cox,baby, she loves Mr Cox.

(43:01):
Do not play about him.
Do not play about him.
You're going to see him allover my page and I don't care
who he is.
This is my page.
If you don't like it, if Mr Coxis on my page, you might as
well edge it to the left andnever come back, because he
ain't going nowhere and you'rebetting.
I say nothing about Mr Cox, butgood afternoon or good morning,

(43:21):
girl.
I had somebody come on myInstagram girl, that's for
another story.
Somebody come on my instagramand try to say something about
my husband, baby, and I'll tellyou what I said behind closed
doors when we get off the air,because they might be listening.
But, baby, I read them fromgenesis to revelation.
Don't you ever listen, man?
Don't you ever speak on myblack man who served three tours

(43:45):
you know what I'm sayingoverseas and fought for this
country and kept your stankintail alive.
How dare you?
and you here because of that andhe wasn't cooking, in no
kitchen and on no navy boat.
He was infantry in the army inthe.
Okay, he was one of the firstpeople to get through that door

(44:06):
and capture saddam hussein.
We got saddam hussein slippersin our house.
Okay, put some respect on myhusband name, amen, amen, the
cocks, or that's gonna be theday that you lose everything,
any type of connection that yougot with me.
Amen, I don't play with him.

(44:35):
Okay, with the fire hustle.
You get an ode to Maya in thatbook as well, and I spoke to you
earlier.
This stood out to me because itwas written in a pattern of
phenomenal woman.
I love that poem.
I also, in my earlier years,had written the poem using the

(45:00):
same um, the same uh rhythm asphenomenal woman, but I love
that piece of yours.
I told you to be ready.
I got my piece.

Speaker 1 (45:12):
You got to get ready.

Speaker 3 (45:13):
You got to get ready when you want, when you say
ready, okay, I got Old Tamaya onmy phone.

Speaker 2 (45:20):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (45:20):
I want you to do Old Tamaya for me, please.
Okay, so this one we going todo, we going to do each, you
going to do yours, and thenTamaya for me, please.
Okay, so this one we gonna do,we gonna do each, we gonna do,
you gonna do yours, and then I'mgonna end with Tamaya.
Okay, cool, so we gonna do like, yeah, let's do this.
Alright, let's do this.
Okay.
Mine is called Melanin Marveland it is a play on my name.

(45:45):
Society has yet to understandhow I can exist without a man.
But when I divulge information,they think I can't.
When I can, I say it's in thefire of my soul, the power of my
words, my head raised high, myvoice unheard.

(46:08):
I'm a marvel, melanated,melanin marvel, don't hate it.
When I enter the scene, I'moften ignored and neglected.
When I start to speak, thenaysayers and haters stand to be
corrected.
All of their thoughts, good orbad, are appropriately affected.

(46:30):
I say it's in the relevance ofmy language, the complexity of
my brain, the reach of myinfluence that cannot be
contained.
I'm a marvel, Melanated,melanin marvel, don't hate it.
Some are intimidated by myintellect.
They try to ignore until theycan't anymore, continue their

(46:53):
level of disrespect, but insteadrecognize the value they see in
retrospect.
I say it's in the power of mytongue, the formation of my lips
, the swag displayed when mymelanin drips.
I'm a marvel, melanated melaninmarvel, don't hate it.

(47:16):
So the verdict is in and nowyou should see, I don't need
another to clearly define me.
When you encounter my presence,grateful you should be.
I say it's in the soul of myancestors that made me free, the
teaching of my parents and theGod in me, because I'm a marvel,

(47:42):
melanated Melanin marvel, don'thate it, thank you.

Speaker 1 (47:48):
Ay, ay, melanated melanin marvel, don't hate it.

Speaker 3 (47:49):
thank you, hey, hey, hey classic women wonder where
my secret lies.
I'm cute but not built to suita fashion model side.
But when I start to tell themthey think I'm telling lies.
I say it's the reach of myloyalty, of my character, the

(48:13):
spin of my mind, the stride ofmy step, the need for my kind.
I'm a woman, wonderfullyWonderful woman.
That's me.
Now I walk into a room justlike a summer breeze and to my
man, the fellow stands.
Well, they fall back with easeand I say it's the glow of my
skin and the point of my chin,the logic of my brain as I dance

(48:36):
through my pain.
I'm a wonderfully wonderfulwoman.
That's me.
People themselves have wonderedwhat did Maya so much about me?
They try so hard but they fallquickly apart trying to figure
out my God-like abilities.
When I try to show them, theysay they still can't see.

(48:58):
I say it's the power of mytongue, the passion of my faith,
the loyalty to God, the ride ofhis ways, because I'm a woman.
Wonderfully, just call meWonder Woman.
Respectfully, woo, respectfullybaby.
Love it, love it, yes, yes, yes, ooh.

(49:19):
Okay, now I got it in my headwhat you sound like.
Now, when I read it, I can hearyour voice, their pitch and
everything.
Awesome, awesome job, thank you.
My mother has to tell me to saythat Because I often read
people's pieces and I hear it inmy voice and I know what your

(49:44):
voice sounds like, so a lot ofyour pieces I can kind of figure
out what I think it sounds like.
But, baby, to hear it in person, like like memories, people
will never understand it.
People be like how is girl goodat everything?
What ain't she good at?
Because you're wonderful, itdon't matter, no matter what you

(50:04):
put your hands to, you'rewonderful Respectfully, like
Midas, and Midas touchedeverything you touched in the
gold.
That's right.
Thank you, sade.
Thank you so much.
Now I want to tip a little bitbecause I know a lot of people
have been asking you about yoursecond publications.
Mountains Can't Rise WithoutEarthquakes.

Speaker 1 (50:28):
You know we always say mountains.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
But you, you know, you got to put the whole name
out there but you know mountainsgot poetry in that too.
I know, I know I got somequestions about that, um, but
I'm gonna get into it because Iknow you know that's how I'm
speaking.
But, uh, memoirs of a growngirl.
That stood out to me becausemost of the time we relate grown
to woman.
But you said memoirs of a growngirl.

(50:51):
That was powerful to me becausea lot of time let me hear this
why did you use that term growngirl?
Well, you know, if you noticed,um, I also used that
terminology, for it can't alwaysbe night.
It was poetic memoirs of atroubled grown girl.
And the reason why it was tworeasons why I picked that.

(51:16):
First, my grandmother used toalways say you think you grown
girl?
And I could never understandthat Because I'm like, if I
think I'm'm grown, why is youstill calling me a girl?
Right?
But then when I, when I gotgrown at quote unquote 18, we
all I'm grown, you know, and wego out and we try to prove to

(51:40):
the universe why, at 18, we aregrown.
So we go out and we do so muchdumb stuff.
And when I say dumb stuff, I'mnot calling us dumb, no, we go
out and do the dumbest things,like.
I got a total of 17 tattoos.
Why, I don't know.

(52:00):
I went and put a perm in myhair.
I cut it.
I got I got tattoos, I gotpiercings.
I did everything that my daddytold me I could not do when I
turned 18.
I'm talking about I dated thewrong ones.
I drank, I smoked weed.
You know I even smoked cineries, girl me, just so I could be at

(52:25):
the bus stop and people see,because I could buy a pack of
squares now.
So now I'm finna, smoke becauseI'm old enough to go to the
store and they said I could buythat 18.
So now I'm finna, stand at thisbus stop and smoke this black
and brown or smoke this square,so I could prove to people that
I'm old enough.
Right, the grown was the age,but the girl was the mentality,

(52:51):
the mindset, and that lastedthroughout this whole book.
I saw that.
I saw that Now the structure ofthis book Mountains Can't Rise
Without Earthquakes is differentfrom your first one.
Uh, it can't always be night.
The first publication wasstrictly poetry, but this one is

(53:13):
like uh, you're telling a story, but there's poetry infused in
the book.
My question to you, becauseI've done, um, a journal like
that, and I've done onepublication that was a mixture
of poetry and writing, and Iknow how I did it.
But for you, did the poetrycome first and the story that

(53:36):
you told was a backstory to thepoetry or did the?
Did you write the, the, um, thestory first with that forefront
, and then the poetry just camealong as like seasoning to your
story.
You know what?
The way that I crafted this?
Um, first of all, the story isa memoir about my life, so it's,

(53:58):
it's non-fiction, it's notfiction.
So, with that being said, I hadto live it.
And so I went through a rollercoaster of trying to get this
book out of my mind, out of mybody, and put it on paper.
And I found myself back intherapy, you never know, because

(54:21):
I had a few mental breakdownsjust writing this book, because
I had to unpack and relive a lotof those things.
And while I was in therapy withmy pastor, he told me he said
what is something that you dothat relaxes you?
And I said he said other thanreading the word, because

(54:44):
obviously that ain't enough,right now.
So what is it that you do thatjust makes everything better for
you.
And he said I want you to gohome and think about it.
And he said maybe if youincorporate that into your
writing, right, you might beable to just get through writing

(55:07):
this book.
Well, that's always been poetryfor me.
So the book was not even nearlydone because I had to go back
and kind of add smell and tasteand hurt and pain and how did it
feel and what did it feel like?
And you know what was in theroom when that was going on?

(55:28):
Was it plastic on the covers?
Well, how did that smell, youknow, and add those things.
And that took me back intothose times in my life and it
was like I'm right back thereall over again.
So it's very traumatized.
Um, getting this book out.
And I still didn't unpack theway.
I should have to be honest withyou with this book because it

(55:49):
was just that hard for me to do.
But when I went back because Itake the first one, because I
started all the way over and Istarted to unpack, and as I
started to unpack in order forme to get through the chapters,
I wrote poetry first To sootheme and get me through the next

(56:12):
chapter.

Speaker 1 (56:14):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (56:18):
Well, that's amazing.
I know poetry has beentherapeutic to me as well.
Poetry has been therapeutic tome as well.
And, uh, the construction ofthis publication, um, it seemed
just like a um to me as I wasreading it.
It takes you all the waythrough the ups and downs, the

(56:42):
pitfalls, the twists, the turns,the roller coasters of your
life, and I know how detrimentalthat can be reliving those
things, because in order for youto write about it, you have to
mentally take yourself there, tothose places.
And I commend you for beingopen and transparent about those

(57:03):
moments in your life, becausepeople see you now and they see
the vessel.
They see Jackie, um Jacqueline,the one that's you know
beautifully displayed allthroughout social media, but
they don't know the the thingsthat happened to Jackie to get
her to this point.

(57:24):
Um, and I commend you Foropening up your life and
allowing us to experience itThrough your words, through your
poetry, through your writing,through your podcast, everything
about you.
You open it up and you sharewith us, and I appreciate that,
because you don't ever knowwho's listening, who may be
going through similar things andthinking they can't make it

(57:47):
through, and then they see you.
I appreciate that and you know,in the words of Fantasia to God
be the glory he has done.
Baby, yes, yes, yes, yes,because without him and that's

(58:08):
why I tell people and that's whyI say, you know, be a little
faith.
You know what I'm saying you atleast surround yourself, even
if you don't have the faith,surround yourself with people
who do have faith, because Jesushealed a man based on his
friend's faith.
So we have to be mindful, likeyou may be down or, you know, we

(58:35):
all fall short.
You know and we all and I thinkI just posted that in the group
the other day where I saidsomething of you know, we all
have those times where we haveto pray for our pastors too.
Y'all don't understand theattack.
I'm not talking about you guys,like that's on the air, but

(58:55):
people don't understand.
You know, when you are walkingwith God about some things and
you are following God, the enemyonly attacks the good.
The enemy only attacks therighteous.
The enemy only attacks what isgood and pleasing to god.
If you are doing something bad,the enemy ain't gonna attack

(59:17):
that and he ain't gonna rewardit either.
He gonna move on.
His main purpose is to attackwhat's righteous in the eyes of
God.
So we have to be mindful andknow, yeah, we're going to be
attacked, but we also have toknow that God has that legion of
angels around us that's goingto protect us.
So we just keep going.

(59:38):
We let God and the angels fightthat and we keep moving because
if we turn around we're goinglike Lott's wife, we're gonna
fall, like us out, not me, notme not Lott, and I ain't got one
.
So, yeah, in Jesus night, okay.

(01:00:04):
Well, I just want to say thankyou for allowing me to interview
you tonight.
I know I got some parting wordsfor the listeners, but I want
to end with your parting wordsand a song that reminds me of
your story, my story, a lot ofpeople's story.
So the song that I want to endwith tonight is called scars to

(01:00:27):
your beautiful by alissa alissacara, I think I say that name
correctly yeah, but I want myparting words I want to leave
people with is don't be afraidto try something new, try
something different.
If things are not goingpositively for you in your life,

(01:00:50):
turn to God.
He's the chief architect.
He built you with a blueprint,just like Jeremiah 29, 11 said.
He knows the plan he had foryou.
So he's the original architect.
Turn to him and be willing totry new things.
Be willing to step out there onfaith.

(01:01:10):
And if you don't like something, just don't do it again.
But it's a learning process.
So even if you fail atsomething while you're trying it
, it's a success because you'velearned something from that.
But don't give up just becauseit doesn't look promising at the
moment.
Keep going, keep walking inyour faith.
That, but don't give up justbecause it doesn't look
promising at the moment.
Keep going, keep, keep walkingin your faith.
And what parting words wouldyou have for our listeners

(01:01:33):
tonight?
Well, I want to leave thelisteners with um a poem yes,
since I got the voice on here.
You know, and you know I'm nottrying to show up the voice, so
I'll let y'all know that rightnow.

(01:01:55):
Okay, she got it.
Okay, she got it, but I do wantto leave you guys.
I think that I wrote this pastweek that I think would be very
benefiting to this segment.

(01:02:17):
It's called when I Wake Up.
When I wake up, I say thank you, lord Pops.
Grant me the serenity and youknow what's next.
Because when it comes to beingthe best guy, you pass every
test and I don't need to secondguess that.

(01:02:39):
You got my whole family backand we blessed A lot of times, I
stress, because I lack incertain skill sets.
But you tap me on my shoulderand tell me it's not your time
yet, but stay patient andcontent.
So I bite my lip and I get agrip on what I need to achieve
in my own life in order to beready for that mindset.

(01:03:01):
But, god, see, you always sendthat curveball to pick me up
when I fall and help me standwhen I'm tall.
When the enemy thought I wouldlose it all, he was banking on
me to miss that call.
But see, god, you kept my phonecharged.
I always got four bars, 100%charged up, and I never call it

(01:03:26):
luck.
Too blessed to mess it up andtoo strong to ever give up.
I'm built, christ, tough likeFord, I'm super rough, but a
princess and a dove.
Lord, you show me I am love,just like this gift of writing,
so magical and profound.
I wear my crown proud.
I say it with my chest and outloud, no matter which crowd.

(01:03:48):
I plan to touch all souls, notjust with one sound.
See, it's like I speakdifferent languages.
The way I write in differentangles got their minds all in
shambles.
How can I create poetry, baby?
I'm an animal, and if I wereone in reality, I'd be a giraffe
.
Because they can't see me.
My mind is too high.

(01:04:09):
I'm in another dimension, I'min 4D.
Y'all Now pay attention.
My mindset is different.
And did I mention I don't cravefor attention.
I don't need it.
I bleed it so it can drip onthe ones that starve for it.
So don't bite the hand thatfeeds you, because if you lack
of loyalty, I'm done with you.
I'll forever stay true, butenemies I don't do.

(01:04:29):
I pray for you from over here,but your presence I could never
be near.
I'll forever steer clear,because what's the point of
God's protection if I don'tlearn a lesson and miss my
blessing?
Nah, I'm cool on all of that.
I got to keep going, no matterwhat I'm knowing, just keep on

(01:04:52):
showing up, no matter what is upand it's stuck.
I'm gonna keep it.
A buck, you want a buck?
Try your luck, because god keepa legion of angels around me so
I don't get distracted from themission he gave me.
So come close and you'll seeexactly why I'm the vessel.
I'm like a tree planted by thewater.
I'm his daughter.
So be careful when you barterother enemies to do your work.
Oh, they'll get this work, butit'll lead back to you.

(01:05:15):
And then that's when you'll getschool on how not to be a fool
by Jehovah Nissi himself.
He wins in defeat.
He can't be beat.
He makes all my enemies retreatand find something better to do
.
So go pick up your Bible andconvert to and hope you'll stay
true.
And let me do me, because Iain't studying you.
Come on, god, help them.

(01:05:36):
And that's that piece.
Wow, amen.
That's that girl.
That's that girl.
That's that Jacqueline baby,awesome, awesome.

(01:05:58):
Well, I thank you, my sister,for allowing me to just be in
the room with your greatness andto interview you and allow you
to share your thoughts and yourmethods of writing tonight with
our listeners, and I just I knowI like that.
Now to him yeah, come on with it.

(01:06:21):
Oh man, I thought I was goingto come on oh man, I thought I
was gonna get out of here.
come on, pull it out of here,let's get it.
I thought I was gonna get outof here without you, without you
.
Give me, okay, um, let's see,let's see.
Uh, I think I want to do one ofmy favorites.
Um, I don't have you ever heardme do.

(01:06:42):
I am no, and you're gonna do it.
See, let me tell y'allsomething.
See, we did something similar.
We did our odes to Maya.
Right, she thought she wasgoing to get up out of here, and
we poets Like, no, this is myplatform.
We could be on here for fourhours if I want to.
Okay, I got you, I got you.

(01:07:06):
So I'm going to do my piece.
I Am, because it reminds me ofthe spirit in which this
broadcast is going tonight.
So this is one that's notpublished in my publications yet
, but it's going to be anincoming publication, to be in
an incoming publication, and thestory behind this piece is that

(01:07:31):
I was writing it becausesomeone asked me to write a
piece that discussed HarrietTubman, because the daughter was
getting picked on because shewore her natural hair to school
and people called her Harriet.
So that's what's inspired thispiece.
It's entitled I am.
A name is more than a label.

(01:07:53):
It describes the character ofyou, the emotions you feel, the
thoughts you have, even thethings you do.
There's an importance placed onthat title, making it vital
that you don't sit around idlebut instead do those things that
make you proud to say, uponyour arrival I am Harriet.

(01:08:16):
Harriet Tubman, conductor of theUnderground Railroad.
Born a slave, I risked my lifeto escape and help others find
their freedom along the way.
Thirteen missions I helped tosave, and not one life was lost
on either one.
But saving slaves was not whereI was done.
I worked for the Union Armyfrom cook to nurse, to spy, and
I wouldn't change any of it.

(01:08:36):
Why?
Because my name represents thestrength of a woman's sacrifice,
and that's why I'm glad to sayI am Sojourner.
Sojourner, truth abolitionistand women's rights activist.
I was slavery born, but that Idid not stay, though my owner

(01:08:57):
would try to have it the otherway.
I endured trading and harshtreatment from several of them
until when I fell in love withthe love of my life.
They tried to condemn us,beating him and keeping us apart
, and with a broken heart Iescaped with my daughter, having
my son taken from me.
I helped to lead others tobecome free, traveling the
Underground Railroad, helpingthem find places to go.

(01:09:19):
But I didn't stop there.
Oh no, I was the first blackwoman to win a case against a
white man.
Yes, I sued to get my son backand hold him in my hands.
But that victory was not minealone, because now my name is
well known, for I am Rosa, rosaParks, civil rights activist.

(01:09:43):
Early in life, I createdgarments with my hands,
activists.
Early in life, I createdgarments with my hands, but
later I became known for takinga stand against the corruption
of this land, segregating theworld in black and white,
indicating to be right, yourskin had to be light or you
would suffer, even withoutbreaking the law, unless they
saw an opportunity to change it,rearrange it, like moving the
colored signs on the bus, tryingto make them superior to us.

(01:10:05):
Until one day I refused.
You see, I had heard on thenews of the acquittal of the
murderers of Emmett Till and onthis day I was determined I will
not move from my rightful placejust to make room for their
race.
Yes, I was tired of all themistreatment and it was shown on
my face.
This brave act started amovement with the Montgomery

(01:10:26):
boycott.
We marched for the improvementof the treatment of all.
And, no, I wasn't the first toanswer the call.
But together we stood andunited, we fought.
So I vowed never to quit andI'm so glad that on this day I
decided to sit, because Iforever will say say I am

(01:10:50):
Michelle, michelle Obama, formerfirst lady of the United States
.
Coming from the Chicago SouthSide, I learned early not to let
my situation devalue my pride.
My parents worked hard toprovide for me the kind of
education which allowed me tothink freely.
Hard to provide for me the kindof education which allowed me
to think freely, working harddespite meager beginnings,

(01:11:10):
meeting opposition that Iwouldn't let alter my position.
No, I was on a mission toeducate myself and not let this
brilliant mind sit on a shelf.
I worked hard to achieve thehighest of honors in high school
, college and even beyond.
I did not sit back and wait torespond.
I went after what I wanted,along with Barack, the city
streets we pounded, working forthe betterment of the community.

(01:11:31):
I did not know the opportunitythat would lie ahead.
Nevertheless, I continuedwithout dread to serve the
people, showing those along theway that they could achieve
their dreams, no matter whatothers might say, don't give up.
Persevere to the end, becauseone day you'll win on the
world's biggest stage.
Your life is remarkable and youcompete.

(01:11:54):
You can't compete, no matterthe color, religion or age.
I had no idea the title thatwould await first lady of the
united States yes, I am Harriet,I am Sojourner, I am Rosa, I am
Michelle.

(01:12:14):
I am you.
Yes, you, just like thosebefore you have the ability to.
You can make a difference thatcan change someone's course.
Your strength and determinationare formidable forces.
The life sacrifice before youwere there to reinforce that.
You can be what you want to be.
Live your life unapologetically, free.

(01:12:38):
Blaze a trail for others to seethemselves in you, so they too
can know what it's like to sayhello, ma'am.
Allow me to introduce myself.
I am and that's that piece girl.
That's that piece.

(01:12:59):
Yes, oh, she done.
Slayed me y'all.
Oh, no, it's not a slay girl.
You better come through.
I am, that's it, I am, I am, Ilove it, I love it, thank you.

(01:13:20):
That was our outro and ourinspirational piece for the
Waiting Room.
Take over With the one and onlyMiss Melanie johnson.
Thank you so much for coming onand being a guest host and not,

(01:13:42):
you know, taking it too hard onme.
I appreciate you well.
You know we always have a key,of course.
Of course I wasn't going to betoo hard on you.
You're my cousin.
I'm not talking about cousins,I ain't that kind of too.
Okay, you the good cousin.
Okay, you know I'm the bigcousin, that's right.

(01:14:07):
That's right, that's right.
Mel, I love you, I adore you.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, ms Carolyn.
I love you, I adore you, thankyou so much.
Thank you, ms Carolyn Coleman.
Sade, all the listeners thatare tuning in and who will be
tuning in, this podcast will golive on all platforms on the 2nd

(01:14:32):
of May.
I appreciate you guys so much,and we are going to end it with
one song again Scars to yourBeautiful, by Alicia Alissa Carr
I can't say her name rightAlicia Alicia Alicia Carr.

Speaker 4 (01:14:53):
Scars to be beautiful .
She goes unnoticed.
She knows no limits.
She craves attention.
She praises an image.
She prays to be sculpted by thesculptor.
Oh, she don't see the lightthat's shininger than the eyes

(01:15:15):
can find it.
Maybe we're made of blind souls.
She tries to cover up her painand cut her woes away.
This cover goes on crying Afterthe face is made.
But there's a hope that'swaiting for you in the dark.
You should know you'rebeautiful just the way you are,

(01:15:39):
thank you, and you don't have tochange a thing.
Your world could change itsheart.
No scars.

(01:16:05):
See, you're beautiful.
The stars are beautiful.
She has dreams to be an envy.
So she's starving.
You know, cover.
Girls eat nothing.
She says beauty is pain andthere's beauty in everything.
What's a little bit of hunger.
I can go a little while longer.

(01:16:28):
She fades away.
She don't see her perfect.
She don't understand she'sworth it.
All that beauty goes deeperthan the surface, oh, oh.
So to all the girls that'shurting, let me be your mirror.
Help you see a little bitclearer the light that shines

(01:16:48):
within.
There's a hope that's waitingfor you in the dark.
You should know you'rebeautiful Just the way you are
and you don't have to change athing.
The world could change itsheart.
No scars to your beautiful.
The stars are beautiful, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

(01:17:19):
, and you don't have to change athing.

Speaker 1 (01:17:21):
You have to change inside.
No scars to your beautiful.
The stars are beautiful.
No better you than the you thatyou are.
No better you than the you thatyou are.
No better life than the lifewe're living.
No better life than the lifewe're living.

Speaker 4 (01:17:47):
Thank you In the dark .
You should know you'rebeautiful Just the way you are
and you don't have to change athing.
The world could change itsheart.
No scars to your beautiful.
We're stars and we're beautiful.

(01:18:07):
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ohno-transcript.