Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
It's the week of June twenty second, twenty twenty five,
and this is what's on the people's news. Trump drops
bombs on Iran without declaring war. President Biden comes to
Galveston to celebrate Juneteenth. The Texas Legislative session is over.
What can we take away?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
All that?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
And more?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
On the People's News. I'm Steve Gallington. This is the
people's news, and the people's news starts now. The United
States has bombed three of Iran's nuclear installations and four
other installations at the direction of the corrupt and criminal,
(00:45):
convicted felon Donald Trump. The Council on American Islamic Relations CARE,
the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today
condemned Trump's attack on Iran as an illegal and unjustified
act of war, prioritizes the wishes of Benjamin Netanyahu over
the American people, and threatens to drag our nation into
(01:06):
a wider war in the region. We talked with Kareem
Zagna with the Iranian American Community of Texas.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Yes, sir, well you started. First of all, thank you
for having me Richard. Obviously, no regime change can be
done from the sky you know, it has to come
from the street of Iran and Tehran. People have to
change the region. No one can change the region. Unfortunately,
this war started while the NCRI, the resistance group that
(01:39):
am K that they they've been they've been against the
regime since actually today, forty six years ago when the
first time the them K and the people of Iran
in the street, they have a peacefold demonstration against the
regime after the how Many came in power and tried
(02:02):
to hijack the great revolution that the Iranian people has
for against the previous dictatorship monarchy. So they had a
peaceful demonstration against them and a new government of the
monolaws that they were just trying to hijack all the
freedom and democracy is that the people fight for. And
(02:23):
then the regime started killing them. They killed one hundred
and twenty over the three years, they killed about one
hundred thousand people, and then on nineteen eighty eight they
killed about thirty thousand political prisoners. So that's what happened.
And now now the war started, which is as the
(02:44):
head of the head of the NCRII and said this, we.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Know the United States history of envolvement in Iran. We
know they were part of the coup that brought in
the shaw the past. So how so how how are
you supporting any type of regime change right now?
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Yeah, the regime.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Change has to come with the with within by Irain
and people. We don't need no intervention of any foreign
foreign government. Uh, because the people of Iran are the
boots on the ground. They can change it if they
don't intervene.
Speaker 6 (03:22):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
The thing is the like ahead of the n c R,
the group that were supporting our community, supporting we are
in four estates in the United States. We are supporting
them because they are capable of doing the regime change
in Iran because they are in is the resistance unit
that all over the Iran So, like I said, the coup,
(03:46):
the coup they did, it was it was the wrong
against the democratic government of doctor Musadek. However, those time change,
that's not gonna happen. They're not going to be able
to install anything against the villa of Iranian people. For example,
the son of the previous dictator that he was overthrown
by the people. Saw that guy is just every time
(04:08):
the Iranian people have uprising, he jumped in trying to
trying to do what Romani did when hijack the hijack
the Iranian people revolution in nineteen seventy nine. So he
thinks that's the time that he's gonna hijack it. That's
not gonna happen. So Iranian people are ready to overthrow
the regime. Like Miss Mariam Gradually, the head of the
(04:30):
NCR said many many times, no war, no appeasement. The
third option is changed supporting Iranian people. United States and
Western governments Western country should support the Iranian people and
the resistance units to overthrow the regime. Be in no money,
no weapon, no boots on the ground needed to change
(04:52):
the regime.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know, you can come in and are you you're
fromly back on Aro. How are they feeling? And all
the people you know with the with their thoughts are
right now.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
When the people then the people iron they are hoping
that you know that they're going over through the regime.
They are against the regime. Not now it being it
being the demonstration uprising, It's been going on for years,
like I said today, forty forty four years ago when
they had a huge demonstration against the for many and
(05:24):
this this government for for for hijacking the revolution and
then they kill them. But now they are against against them.
They have uprising all over the country. And now they
don't have the like I told you the last time.
They don't have water, they don't have electricity, they don't
have the bread on the on the table. And on
(05:44):
top of that this this war started, which they they
don't need this war, this war, it was not necessary
when when the change within it's very possible. Another word,
the this head of the snake, which is the Iranian regime.
Since the war is start by by case and and
(06:08):
the israel and a lot of innocent people died. That
was not necessary and they said it was the head
of the snake was in Tehran. That's the one that
the war has to be, has to focus on. And
as you see now forty years of appeasement brought us
to this war, which was not necessary.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
If the if the.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Western country was paying attention to suggestion of the n
cr I and Miss Madame Rageris had a ten point planned,
the war was not necessary to focus on the main
main problem, which is this regime, that is the suppressing
the Iranian people and meddling in the region and all
these proxies they spending all the money to the proxies
(06:49):
and on the atomic project, which is becoming a major problem.
By the way, all this project, all this atomic project
was it was rebuilt since two thousand and three by
and c R. I by let me say, the majority
didn't have They're the one who revealed it. And in
the same time they believed the ideology of the regime
(07:11):
is one hundred times more dangerous than even nuclear bomb
just because that's that's how they may they may use it.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
They may they may use those bombs. So you're saying
so you're saying that they have that along right now,
has the ability to make a nuclear nuclear bomb, which
we heard you saying rhetoric when you states stated that
a rock had to pass, you make nicle web tree.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
What I'm what I'm saying that the regime trying to
make the atomic bomb, and it's very dangerous regime and
the only way to solve this problem is regime change
in Iran by the people of Iran. The regime cannot
be changed from the sky. Regime has to be changed
with the boots on the ground, which are the Iranian
(08:01):
people at their resistance units. They are all over Iran.
The United States should support this as an alternative to
overthrow the regime because this regime only has to be
changed from within, and the United States should support the
(08:21):
Iranian people and the rights to confront the IRGCV as
a tourist organization. They are and change, and they be
able to change the regime within.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
A press conference is to be held at the Pentagon
on Sunday the twenty third to give the reasoning behind
the assault. Outside of Israel, the world intelligence community has
stated that there has been no proof that Iran was
a threat. The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln
on January first, eighteen sixty three, had established that all
(08:56):
enslaved people in Confederate States in rebellion against the Union
shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free. June teenth commemorates
June nineteenth, eighteen sixty five. That was when Union General
Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that over
two hundred and fifty thousand enslave people in Texas were free,
(09:18):
more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued
by President Lincoln. It took two years for blacks to
find out they were free in Texas. That day is
celebrated around the country now and even has been made
a federal holiday by President Joe Biden during his administration.
This year marks the one hundred and sixtieth year since
(09:39):
the announcement of being free of slavery in the state.
This year, President Joe Biden came to Galveston to remember
and celebrate at the small church where black slaves gathered
to hear that they were free.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
I President Joseph R. Biden, then we'll let you. Then
(10:13):
we'll let you make some remark. And so as an
invited we get.
Speaker 8 (10:18):
Here, we kind of want it in here so that
they could sweeping limit this thing for you.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
This is a gift.
Speaker 8 (10:24):
Bro visit Galleston and it's got some smag and so
(10:44):
there are some old things in here for you, some
Wilson and bro'not. But then we have some very special
gifts that we would also like to present to you.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
This one is.
Speaker 7 (11:15):
This reads.
Speaker 8 (11:17):
Galvason International Junete Museum, President Joseph Biden Junior Doctor Ronald
Myers Legacy Award June nineteenth, twenty.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Twenty five, the ut Never Food Foundation.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
And then from Greed Chapel, we have the church there,
the June, so you'll never forget what looks like and
it says present it to the Holold Joseph R. Biden,
Junior President of the United States, and heartfelt siation for
your presence at the one hundred and sixtieth June teen
(12:04):
Celebration service Reading Chapel Am Church, Alveston, Texas, June nineteenth,
twenty twenty five. And gratitude for signing the juneteenth National
Independence Day Act into law on June seventeenth, twenty twenty one,
making June nineteen a federal holiday holiday.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
And President want to I know that we.
Speaker 8 (12:39):
Have an astronaut that is a member of Ready Chapel
Av Church and her name he already knows.
Speaker 9 (12:44):
Her name is Cephanie Wilson. And she couldn't be here
today because she's training.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
A hope and she couldn't enoke a different thing prepared
because she has to go through NASA in order to
But she sends herbert, her gratitude and her heartfelt love
and appreciation to you.
Speaker 9 (13:13):
Well, my grandmar mother Beech and said, God love me, folks.
It's your tray on on a v bishop by arm
Patterson the Waters. Because I had an elder members of
the congregation, thank you for inviting back. Well, I'll tell
you what, it's not that hard to get away to want.
(13:34):
But that's back. It's a big deal, folks. I just
want to say something to uh the bishop. I uh
just gold have sent three to you, but I hadn't
planned how to say this to be fun about her.
I spent up a lot of time in any be sure.
I mean it's a certain when I knew to be
(13:55):
as a kid. When Cold died and the spoil everything
sure about gone to delaw and I got deeply involved
in the Civil rights moment. One of the things that
occurred moving to doa My home town is the only
town distort of America, says the Civil War occupied by
the military for ten months, the drawn bank hest every corner.
(14:16):
Doctor King was killed with signify before the Savior burned down.
I quit my job as a as a as a
lawyer and a fantasy calaw firm, became a public defendity
of all call my friends and I grew up on
the east side of Americans. In the African manicry is
going to be very very bad. In the Treaty, I
became a public defendant. One of the things that started doing.
(14:38):
I'd go to I having to be a practicing Catholic,
and I'd go to seven o'clock Nail Saints Chousin's uf
anyway and ten o'clock ten o'clock services that any church
by the way to go. Bishop Evan, who now is
heading out a business counselor, has told the bishop he
(14:58):
knows a relationship and my whole, my whole being, particularly
as at a high school in College student was formed
by the black community Complementaria where were the third and
third largest percent of African American many state and union
in del Delaware is a strange state. Delaware is a
(15:18):
first state, but it also a state that was a
slave state, our great shade, but it fought inside of
the north and big get to the south like Maryland
and to other states. And so even in the when
we did two team didn't affect people delivers they weren't.
They weren't through competitior knowing favor in compeditory went until
(15:39):
they maniscated. Proclamation has occurred. So what I'm trying to
say is that I just learned in Washington community and uh,
that's why I worked in the East Side. So I
worked as a lawyer, and that's why I got involved
in public life. Were brown We talked at earlier and
I thank you for the beautiful gift how to get
into the sum and the gobas and city council. And
(16:02):
I think that as well, there's an I to be
here in a city where freedom rang out one hundred
and sixty years ago, one hundred and six years ago.
I often said, imagine what would have happened to the
after reck community out of the black church years.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
Just imagine what would happen. It has been half soul.
Speaker 9 (16:27):
It's like you folks, you know, I wanted to acknowledge
powers of when Eric Big partterfectory prior friend for mom
you lost last year a shi which actually was a
good friend I served with. Right, thank you as well.
I can't be here. We hope the boy family might
be here. But the term pain and purpose, so they
(16:47):
had they had it also. June the teenth is the
day of liberation, the day of remembrance, the day of celebration.
The Book of Silence tells us we being for today
for joy kind of her warning. June teeth represents both
(17:08):
the long and hard night of slavery, the subjugation and
the promise of joyful morning to come.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
You know, this sacred day.
Speaker 9 (17:18):
Reminds me of another sacred day, that wonderful day four
years ago at Easter of the White House, I had
a great honor for some objective from song of making
human teeth at Federal Holiday nonsense, doctor Martin McKee to
your day the first Holidays incident, and so believes the
(17:43):
grandmother of June teeth, no boy determined that all Americans
should know kind of waiting. Power is dead. And I
beg how to do that? I begg how to do that?
You look black streets, Americans. I want to peak sometimes
you can. Community underestimation, don't look for nearly a decade,
(18:07):
really a decade? Well, okay, let's not forget when June
tea was passed as law. Okay, it was passed. If
it starts to get the junt, would you introduced legislation
(18:29):
year after year by shall with Jackson Lee, don't ye,
don't finally pass? The past is strong by far, the support,
by far, the support genographic color. Can't get what the
numbers moralize this profound moment in American history. I'll tell
(18:50):
you maybe pou poure nine proud despite all our differences,
we can still come together the things that matter most,
and this matters as much as anything in American district.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
Holiday said, oh God, we are Americans, but we celebrated
so the revality.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
So now we have a national holiday dedicated the emancipation
black enslaved people. I've been I used to be cheering
the Africans, sub tomdi. I've been through all of Africa.
I used to be there for a long long time.
Africa Africa. I've been to the origins of where slavers started.
(19:33):
And so listen to them talk about it now, how
things are achieved.
Speaker 7 (19:37):
We have to remember our country is found on the
promise of freedom.
Speaker 9 (19:43):
Freedom for everybody.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
So events in your.
Speaker 9 (19:49):
Team are well medial importance to the American story. And yes,
for six years, all through off the story, what happened here.
It's not written in our facebooks, not taught in.
Speaker 7 (20:06):
Our classrooms, our children, children, and I slow group is
still today.
Speaker 9 (20:15):
Some say to me, the jew that's just undeserved, the
offendal holiday. They don't want to remember. But we all
were the moral saved, the moral saved your slavery. I've
often called the Americans of Ritual City. Oh it was
America's riginal city. God forbid well. I took the view
(20:36):
as president, we need to be honest about our history,
especially at the time.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
I have to embrace our history.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
Not to say but this guy too many peoples the
time to erase our history, especially the face time. What
efforts to erase history from our textbooks and our classrooms.
(21:06):
I played a role change the day involved military camps
to have slave day.
Speaker 7 (21:12):
What are you doing now? Re shake those days?
Speaker 9 (21:16):
Folks. You're in the darkness and high mutch. But can
erase nothing, to erase time, and only the truth can
come justice and here an true folks. I don't come
here Today'll only commemorate the past. I come here because
we know the Good Lord isn't done a ship.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
They all work to do.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
Script to tell us faithful our works is dead, faithful
outworks is dead.
Speaker 7 (21:52):
So it's not enough to keep the faith.
Speaker 9 (21:55):
They have work to do.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
We need to keep pushing America forward. We may make
real the promise of liberty, inequality and.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
Justice for all We've led the world and now we're sagging.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
In the mirror.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
The power belongs to the people, and.
Speaker 7 (22:16):
The way you can show that power is by voting.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
For the junta. Let's we can make the most fundamental
task of democracy to stop those to try to make
it more difficult, the difficult to vote.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And help people register to vote.
Speaker 9 (22:41):
Let's read that our families, our friends, our neighbors, they
minded are critical age folks. By voting, anything is possible.
Without voting, in America, nothing is possible. The folks, they
close with the words O. L a friend and friend
of mine, John Lewis. John said, freedom is not a state,
(23:08):
It's an act. Freedom is not stated, it's an act.
Today we celebrate the freedom been into people one hundred
and sixty years ago, the emancipation, the emancipation of slaved
black Americans. By the way, that said, when this was
(23:28):
signed became law, slaves in Delaware were still slaves because
we felt inside of the arth that only helped them
to the Confederations right, but that it did not mark
the end of America's work to deliver the promise was probable,
not only marked the began.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
Donald true beated duty.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
You have to continue works for that promise. It sounds
appointing to say, I mean thinking about it practical terms.
Must continue to work for the promise. But if you
Canadian Act for Freedom, marking for America self, the folks
that remember.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
Who we are, for the United shapes of America. America.
Speaker 9 (24:15):
You've heard it said many times, my favorite there's nothing
don'thing we have in our capacity.
Speaker 7 (24:20):
But react together. Nothing about it.
Speaker 9 (24:26):
I can tell you I've done every major world theater
in the last thirty years. Know by the first name.
I sat with my blady and they're wonder what's happening there? Wonder?
Speaker 7 (24:38):
I mean it's to Sue.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
And aut of America leading the world and the basic
value in the first world longs. Who's gonna do?
Speaker 10 (24:48):
Love them?
Speaker 7 (24:48):
So folks, Yeah, I like it.
Speaker 9 (24:51):
I just to compleat thinking it's true and once to celebrate.
Let's get all the work and get more done.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
People waited in the hot Texas sun to get a
glimpse of the former president. They commented on the state
of the holiday and its importance.
Speaker 11 (25:11):
My name is Cornelia Harris Banks. I'm a member of
Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and I'm one of
the stewarts. Tell us about your teenth and his church. Wow,
it's just wonderful knowing that as I grew up that
(25:32):
media Chapel had something to do with June teenth. In
January of eighteen sixty five is where they had the
first celebration of June teenth. And so, as Diane is saying, now,
(25:53):
what happened was they went to the courthouse, them from
the courthouse, they came back to the church. You know,
they actually marched in the same area. And we've been
doing the same thing for the last forty years and
then doing so it just makes you feel the experience
(26:17):
that those people were having, the jubilance of their feelings.
Speaker 9 (26:25):
And so.
Speaker 11 (26:27):
We are just happy to be the I'll say, the
person or we are here to keep the history going.
We've had I think about forty five ministers of the church.
We have a wonderful, dynamic minister not Reverend Leernette Patterson
(26:49):
at this time. And we are very happy to open
the doors during Juneteenth. And of course we're ystatically happy
to have former President Biden coming to celebrate. We think
(27:10):
it's befitting because he is the reason why we have
the federal holiday, but we have always had a state holiday,
so it has always been been actually celebrated.
Speaker 12 (27:23):
Biship Jack Beacer Senior, greatful to be here on the
celebacer Joe Cheek and if what overdel is t acknowledge
the struggle that our people have been through in this country.
We're still fighting for a quality but on the books
to shay we free. But together in unity, we stand
(27:48):
as one and we can do more things together. Thought
about what our folks, our ancestors did, our folk fathers
before us, when they came out of those fields, they
went to work and they kept on working until they
accomforted something. And when you look back today, you fix
look and see.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Where we came from.
Speaker 12 (28:10):
And seem like we're going back with and it's gonna
take all of us come together collectively and get something done.
We had to stop separating one another by class well,
I say, education, status, Whatever divised you is what's throwing us.
(28:36):
Did our communities need us, all of us on board.
They dropped drugs in our neighborhood and the late seventies
early eighties they served as an opportunity to fund the
the campaign in the Garaga. But they dropped drugs in
our neighborhood. Could come with may for it. We'll still struggling.
(28:59):
Come to the Taible in love and let's find a
better solution. For everything one, not discriminating against new human
being because God created us all. Nothing but love shall
come from you that we can have a mot jest
and better union. God bless you, God, bless your mirror.
Speaker 9 (29:17):
Oh give me your name and title food.
Speaker 5 (29:19):
Okay, I'm I'm Diane Henderson Moore, and I've been a
member of this church all my life, basically when I
worked in Houston for a number two years, but it
used to come to Ready every other weekend just about
so so much so that when the person who was
superintendent Sunday School moved to Houston, my pastor made me
superintendent and I said, I'm already injin But anyway, it
(29:42):
was okay because I was coming here and kind of like,
you know, especially when my grandmother was living and she
was in a wheelchair and so you know, when we
come down and they would bring her to church on
first time. But this church was starting eighteen forty eight
by the White Methodist Church Outh, which decided to have
(30:04):
some offspring churches here there, and they decided they'd set
up one an area for their slaves to worship.
Speaker 11 (30:09):
So they did that in eighteen forty.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
Eight, and I think they basically had like tents to
worship him. When in eighteen sixty three they built a church,
and then after June tienth in masturpation, they needed that
church over to the formerly enslaved people. The people it
was just known as the Negro Methodist Church or the
(30:31):
Colored Methodist Church on Broadway. But once the people decided
that they wanted to become a part of the church
founded by Richard Allen in.
Speaker 11 (30:45):
Did they Okay, they decided.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
To uh no, I mean vessals anyway, they decided to
join it and become an Amy church. Okay, And those
who wanted to stay with the United method Church moves
and that church is Saint Paul United Investor the church
on fifteenth and Broadway. And I was so I would
say I knew about as many people at that church
(31:09):
as I knew over here.
Speaker 9 (31:10):
I know.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
But anyway, so then when the when the church was,
the second pastor was a reverend uh Houston reading and
his daughter taught people right here. Anybody wanted to learn
to read stem On and she taught them or here
at the church until her father was uh, let's move
to another church.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
And I think in Louisiana, significance of June two.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
And this church, well, this was where the people went
at when when Emancipation Proclamation was now put into effect
with the arrival of John Gordon, Granger and h and
also the rival of the black troops that came with
that happened to be at the same time. Something said,
they didn't come with him, They just they were here.
But you know, uh, i'd have to go more. You
(31:58):
know that, you know if you but I knew they
were here at the time.
Speaker 7 (32:02):
And so.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
They went the courthouse which is like two and a
half blocks away down the street, and this is where
they came to worship. To notice that been put on
the doors by the emancipation that they came here because
it was it was a black church. There is another
one that's older that having Wild Baptist Church, but it's
a little bit further away from them.
Speaker 11 (32:23):
So people came over here to read and I mean
you read, to pray and to thank God and to worship,
and that's they It.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
Was done on the nineteenth of June that following year
in eighteen sixty six, on January second, the people that
is church then had a celebration because actually that's when
you know the messipation procumation was to to have been
put into effect on that day.
Speaker 6 (32:49):
So but because he actually arrived.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
Here on the nineteenth of June and they just combined
it and started worshiping it.
Speaker 10 (32:55):
So, hey, can I give you all names? And then
what brings your dies down to gallousands from June a celebration.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
My name is Kaunda Maurice Kounda. I'm a Detroita that
lives in Texas.
Speaker 13 (33:06):
So I needed to come down to do I needed
to come to I've been to Galveston several times, but
this June teen celebration. Usually I'm in Austin for June
tenth or in a huddle. This is our fourth June teenth.
I had to tell everyone to know I'm going to
Galveston because Oz wants to be free. Sir, I want
my papers today.
Speaker 14 (33:27):
I'm doctor Lee Carl Whitaker. I was born here in Galveston,
went away in the military, came back today to celebrate
June nineteenth.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Right now.
Speaker 14 (33:34):
I live in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, and I think
this is a very important holiday because it was kind
of ghosted for a long time and sequestered, and people
didn't know. I was even lied to you about what
I took two years later for to get the message
here except five You know, they didn't know, they were
just totally they were just too ignorant. Only to find out,
you know, the colonises wanted to be a little bit
(33:55):
longer to do their garden and stuff like that. But
when those union shows that showed up the five percent
of which way black form slaves with the guns and
muskets side, it was pretty easy for them to say, oh,
why did you say so, go and get your freedom,
you know. So that's why I'm here, and I'm happy
to be around all these wonderful black brothers and sisters.
Speaker 13 (34:12):
One of the surprises that Granger found when he got here,
black troops are already here.
Speaker 14 (34:18):
Where were they standing down toward the harbor.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
They were down toward the harbor.
Speaker 13 (34:23):
So when he got here, he was surprised to see
that what they knew they had to get their troops
in order turned out to love the truth for black.
Speaker 15 (34:29):
But well, I'm from Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
I am from a freedman town.
Speaker 15 (34:34):
I was born there and moved back ten years ago
and have always wanted to come to Galveston and you know,
just experience the history of us being free. So that's
why I'm here and just to gather more information, you know,
in regards to it. And these young gentlemen have really
helped a lot.
Speaker 9 (34:52):
It is it experience.
Speaker 10 (34:53):
Have you experienced like June teenth being a lot of
other cities have been cutting back on June teenth because
of dy and what the president is doing around the country.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
So have you've seen that?
Speaker 7 (35:04):
And what and how important is June team to the
future of.
Speaker 14 (35:08):
Young black youths, not just black and black and brown
somebody else's lives or not March, because not our truth,
another man's lives is not my truth. What happened, has happened,
is documented, and this documental paper is in the minds
of hearts of the descendants of the people who are
here at this church to read Chapel A the Church
of Alveston.
Speaker 9 (35:27):
And so.
Speaker 14 (35:30):
That's not very much documentation for lies, but there's a
lot of documentation for truth.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
So we keep it right there and.
Speaker 9 (35:35):
We'll go with the truth.
Speaker 13 (35:38):
Yeah, answer your question how important it is for the
students or kids? And you said black and brown, I'm
not interested in brown. I'm only interested in North America,
the United States born blacks who's four parents were stolen
from the African continent and forced him to enslavement here
and as the honormal olives and Muhammad used to call
us the soul called quote a so called negro unquote
(36:02):
just us because it's only us. And if we don't
understand that history, we don't understand what happened to us.
And that's why we also fight the dropout. And that's
what my dissertation was on, was the dropout situation usually
by teens because your tenth grade I was doing in
black tenth grade students, because that's when you kind of.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Get your exkill me your ult.
Speaker 13 (36:19):
You're fifteen, you're feeling your oats.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
I can put to school when I want.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
And that's where we started up about that's where we're
seeing the majority of our FRIDS kids dropout. It's not
just here in Texas, it's all over the country. So
our numbers are dropping out of the school are still
real high. You have to ask a question why what
happened in the educational system that we're still losing all
of our kids or losing our kids because they don't
understand who they are.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
So here's a fun thing. You got a minute keep OK,
here's a fun thing.
Speaker 13 (36:44):
I'll ask you a question.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I'm asking you a question. Who are you?
Speaker 13 (36:49):
Normally when you hear that, somebody says, my name is Maurice.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
No, I didn't ask you what is your name?
Speaker 9 (36:54):
I asked you, who are you?
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Oh?
Speaker 13 (36:56):
Why, I'm a doctor.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
No, that's what you do. That's not who you are?
Speaker 7 (37:00):
Who are you?
Speaker 2 (37:01):
So you go back, You're gonna go home and think
about it that.
Speaker 13 (37:04):
Well, I'm a child of God.
Speaker 9 (37:05):
Know that's what you are.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Right, I'm my mama's baby. No, that's what you are.
Speaker 13 (37:08):
You still have not answered the question who you are?
And trust me, all of us know who we are,
but we cannot answer it. So when you asked me
that question, why is it so important? Yes, the students,
the children need to know who they are. And that
was one of my last lectures I did event for
Black History.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Month down in Auto.
Speaker 13 (37:24):
I just did a lecture, a two part lecture dealing with.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Who argument who are we?
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Black Americans have served and fought in every war since
the existing of the founding of America. The National Buffalo
Soldiers National Museum in Houston, Texas celebrated the one hundred
and sixty years of June tenth by opening the doors
and showing people the history of black involvement in the
founding of the country. They had exhibitions and re enactments
that showed how they were trained and fought during the
(37:53):
Civil War. Desmond Bertrand Pets MBA Meed is the chief
executive officer the Buffalo Soldier National Museum. He told the
People's News about the importance of keeping this holiday alive
and the importance of the museum.
Speaker 16 (38:08):
We're doing Juneteenth at one sixty festival. We had an
opening exhibition at TSU University Museum on Thursday night on Juneteenth,
and then to yesterday and today we have a festival,
living history encampment. We've got youth activities, We've got community
and veteran resources, We've got food, we've got bounce house,
(38:30):
we have all the things that can meet the need
of the community. And our goal is really just to
get people here to the museum to understand and domestify
June teenth and give them the true, unapologetic history of
what happened during that time, but also the impact that
that had on civilization, social, cultural and everything that came after.
Speaker 10 (38:51):
Ast Or for people that kind of dismiss and not
saying who, but people that dismiss June teenth or seen
it's not important administration now that that dismisses DEI and
called us up in irrelevant in history, tell uh why
it's so.
Speaker 16 (39:05):
Much for Yeah, And I've been saying a lot lately,
and we we often, you know, as Black Americans, have
to use this phrase that our history is more important
now than ever. But it literally is because of the
things that are going on with the administration. You have
the the lack of uh historical contexts and the educational system.
(39:26):
So we have to meet that need here at the museum.
We have to give them what they're not getting uh
at the school.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
UH.
Speaker 16 (39:31):
And then you have things like DEI being pulled out
and and corporations are pulling those programs out. So it
also affects us in terms of funding and corporate partnerships
and things like that. So you know, I've always been
told that you know, all money and good money MM,
so that goes same here. You know, if if if
we're not you know, if we're not accepted in our
(39:54):
tot total being in who we are, you know, then
that might not be the the group for us. So
what we do here is make sure that we tell
the untold uh stories, we tell the overlooked stories. We
make sure that people know uh that not only Juneteenth,
but the Buffalo Soldiers in any black uh military uh
(40:14):
woman or man who has served has a place here.
And so we're about to do some renovations on our
exhibits and we're gonna do exactly that. We already tell
the story from the very beginning up until now, but
now we're gonna be more inclusive of community stories, uh
and impact.
Speaker 10 (40:29):
One thing that's that's I think it's important is we
see media and every time you see somebody talk about
George Washington and the starting of America, Y, you never
see that black face, right, But we've been or African
Americans of being a part of this country's wars since
the fun it's the founding of this since the founding.
Speaker 16 (40:47):
Yeah, I you know, I I truly believe and and
know that black American, African American, whoever you identify as.
You know, our blood's wet and tears went into the
fabric of building this country.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
You know, our name is Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.
Speaker 16 (41:03):
But think about their story if they were not on
the front lines of the Westford expansion. You know, Texas
and some of the other states would have not been
a part of the United States, right, And so we
can't discount the fact that we played a role in
building this country and we still do today and anything
that's going on in the administration or anywhere outside. We
(41:24):
need to make sure that people understand that this is
not just Black history. This is American history, and that's
the story that we want people.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
To understand it all.
Speaker 16 (41:32):
Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's definitely important for everybody to come.
Speaker 3 (41:35):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:35):
What we create is an experience, and in the renovations,
that's exactly what we're doing. We're going uh bilingual, so
we'll be a Spanish space as well.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:44):
We want to ensure that it's a multi generational and
multicultural institution.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:49):
That's also being inclusive of the Native American story and
how they played a role uh in that time frame
of the Buffalo Soldiers and and you know we're sitting
on the Native lands, right, so why aren't we telling
that story. As being a black man, I can understand
being marginalized, being oppressed, and so we need to make
sure that other communities are also welcome, welcome here. There's
(42:10):
a lot of stuff going on with immigration. You know,
we've we've opened our space for community dialogue and conversations,
so we're not just a museum or a space for community, uh,
and so we we welcome in on those conversations as well.
Speaker 10 (42:23):
I think it's also important to include black Canadians that
were part of all the the wars that were were
fought here.
Speaker 9 (42:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (42:31):
A lot of black Americans left to go to Canada. Yeah,
and they had the same stigma, yeah, at that we
had here in the United States there, but not.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
As harsh harsh for sure. Yeah, So we we definitely
want to recognize that. And there is there was a large.
Speaker 16 (42:49):
Community of soldiers that also were in France, and so
we want to recognize that. You know, we played not
only a pivotal role in building this country, but we've
been in Canada and Frames and a lot of the
other places and then come back home and retreated, you know,
like second class citizens or no citizen.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
And so often a lot of those.
Speaker 16 (43:08):
Veterans, a lot of those soldiers stayed overseas because of
the harsh treatment that they would have here.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Whether they're a civilian art in the.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
Service, and they started encampments in Nova Scotia in Canada
and also in Toronto area. You know, so you see
those those black faces there and now they represent they
celebrate Juneteen's there too.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Absolutely.
Speaker 16 (43:27):
Yeah, I am really excited that Juneteenth is a national holiday,
a federal holiday.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
But I don't want us to.
Speaker 16 (43:37):
Be stuck on the celebration aspect of you know, a
big party and a big barbecue and the drinking and
all of that stuff. So that's what we did differently
here for the Juneteenth at Won sixty festival is that
we made the highlight and the focus the Living History Encampment,
which is living historians, people who live and breathe this
history day in and day out so they can do
(43:59):
it could be here and have conversations and do presentations.
And then everything else we have around the food and
all of the other things is so that you can
enjoy other aspects of the event. But that's why we
want you here, and then inviting in the other resources
for that. And then the art exhibition was another component.
Like a lot of people get their history and they
get their knowledge from how art is exhibit, and so
(44:22):
that's what we created. We could created a full experience
of bringing all of those ways of interpretation into one space.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
One event that was Desmond Bertrand Pitts MBA meed the
chief executive officer at the Buffalo Soldier National Museum. You
can find out more information at Buffalo Soldier Museum All
Put Together dot org. The Texas Legislative Session is over
and a lot got done and a lot didn't get done.
(44:51):
To help us sort out the good from the bad,
we talked to Raoul Shrevanissen, Director of Government Performance and
Fiscal Policy with Texas twenty thirty.
Speaker 6 (45:01):
You know, you go into every session and there is
always different different issues that generate consternation for both sides
of the aisle. But I mean, I think if there
was a takeaway on this session in terms of what
got done and what was positive, I mean the legislature did.
It was clear that they prioritized a lot of the
(45:23):
fundamentals around infrastructure and trying to strengthen our workforce, and
that came through with the investments they made in the
state budget, specifically big big moves around investing in water
infrastructure and the one point seven billion dollars in new dollars,
as well as the one billion dollars and dedicated funding
(45:44):
that'll be before voters this November. And I think you
know we're talking about workforce and education. There's the money
that was put towards HB two, the eight point five
billion dollars, and how as well as you know, the
money that'll go towards improving TSTC Texas State Technical College
and allowing them to have the capital needs to expand
(46:05):
their career technology program, career in technical education programming.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
On that same on that same end, teachers are still
these teachers union have stated that we're still behind on
pay because it took so long to try to even
get get teachers a raise.
Speaker 6 (46:24):
And I mean, I understand that I know that the
budget in HB two, sorry excuse me for HB two,
that the the plans to include over four billion dollars
of that for pay raises. In terms of how that's allocated,
I know that there's a debate on how that ends
up and where that how that's allocated through the various
methods that they have, things like the teacher and centevelopment.
(46:47):
But you know, I know that you know again this
is these are these decisions that the legislators made in
terms of trying to decide how to allocate those resources,
you know, in terms of those specific pick kind of
pots of money and different priorities within that area.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
One of the biggest things that came out of this
legislator session was vouchers, the bouncer program, and that got passed.
That was one of the that was one of the
Governor's main one of its main sticking points this this
session was to get vouchers passed.
Speaker 6 (47:20):
That's right, that's right, and they were able to do that.
Speaker 3 (47:25):
But how is that going to affect? I mean, a
lot of schools, especially public schools, are scared that that's
going to cut their budget as far as operating, especially
Houston Independent School District here in Houston.
Speaker 4 (47:36):
Mm hmmm.
Speaker 6 (47:38):
I think a lot of how that is going to
work out. I mean, the reality is this is this
is the first time and you know they're putting in
there's one billion dollars that's additionally going to be going
into this uh And I mean I think a lot
of it will just depend on how what implementation looks like,
(48:00):
because like I said, it's it is a new program.
But I think I mean, I hate to say that,
but I mean, well, it's kind of a we'll see
how this will go. I mean, you know, the bill
passed obviously, like the legislature is a different composition this
time that was more open to passing this priority. So,
(48:21):
like I said, I think we're going to have to
wait and see how implementation of that, of of the
educational Savings Account program will go.
Speaker 3 (48:29):
This is an extremely conservative legislative session we passed. Also,
we also passed some laws, bills are dealing with religion,
especially one that that goners putting the Ten Commandments in schools,
which is gonna immediately get lawsuits file as soon as
(48:49):
they try to put that in schools, even though the
way it's practice is somebody has to donate the scriptures
or whatever to put it in those schools. You know what,
other what other what other, with other controversial bills that
would pass along that line that people would be upset about. Oh,
also having prayer time.
Speaker 6 (49:09):
I mean a lot of I mean, a lot of
what we've focused on has been more towards kind of
improving systems at the state level. And so I mean
to the extent, you know, there was a lot of
legislations that generated a lot of controversy.
Speaker 3 (49:24):
You mentioned some of them.
Speaker 6 (49:25):
There were a lot of initiatives related to DEI and
other social and other types of programs that are not
programs but issues that had some more clearly partisan, more
clearly partisan breakdowns on how people generally support it. I mean, truthfully,
(49:49):
like I said, I think our focus is more on
like trying to on working, like I said, a lot
of government, how to improve government and the systems that
are there. But I mean, to your point, I mean,
there was a lot of stuff that was controversial and
had very strong partisan, very sharp partisan divides on those
(50:10):
given legislative issues. But I mean, I mean you mentioned
some of them, and I mean, you know, without trying
to be too glib, but it is a very it is.
I think it's a reflection of the electoral makeup of
the or the makeup of the chambers and the leadership
in the state right now. And so I think that's
(50:33):
what you see with the types of legislation that's moving forward.
Speaker 3 (50:36):
But immediately, like a lot of money is going to
go to child here here in Texas, that's a good thing,
I believe, Oh for sure, for sure.
Speaker 6 (50:49):
Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off there.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
You can finish the Courch There No, No, that was it.
Speaker 9 (50:53):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (50:53):
I mean, I'm just I'm saying that a lot of
money eight point five billion dollars going into the school
for school too, which is you know, as a positive
that came out of this session.
Speaker 6 (51:05):
Yeah, and there was another one hundred million dollars that
was added for increased access for subsidized childcare. But legislators
trying to figure out how to solve the issues of
and have some more long term solutions to how to
deal with our childcare issues excuse me across the state,
(51:26):
and you know, we're some bills that were passed to
try to dive into that, including some to form this
quad Agency initiative as well as others to improve the
data interoperability among the relevant you know, education and helping
to serve some workforce agencies that are all kind of
touching this ecosystem of childcare as well. So that's something
(51:47):
to look out for over the next few years because again,
I think there's a lot of interest in trying to
address that those problems as well.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
In a higher education how was it a lot of
schools not you know, with the exception of Stay University
of Texas system and the Texas and m system, A
lot of schools were fighting for extra funding for their schools.
And how did that go?
Speaker 6 (52:12):
I think the way I mean with higher education funding,
I think, uh, it's it's hard to generalize in a
general sense. I mean, there was there's always been a
general pushback on a lot of what are deemed at
special uh special items, and so you know, higher education institutions,
and those are the things that they'll go with the
regular formula and fee structure that the legislature uh works
(52:36):
around in terms of funding higher eductor for the four
year institutions and for for for four year institutions as
well as uh excuse me, like health related institutions as well.
But you know, some of the notable things in higher education,
I mean, we the legislature last session passed a big
reform of how we fund community college is to a
(52:58):
system that would be based on outcomes that were more
tied to regional and state workforce needs. And that legislation
that passed with huge bipartisan agreement last time, in fact,
excuse me, unanimously. And so when you're looking this session,
they followed up by ensuring that system. They passed a
(53:19):
bill to for the refined definitions and kind of tweaked
the refinements to those formulas, and they showed a commitment
to those finance reforms by fully funding it with over
two point five million dollars to fully fund that and
the existing outcomes that the community colleges have already shown
in the last two years since the bill became loom Also,
(53:40):
the legislature put in money were up to one point
three billion dollars more for university research in the Texas
University Fund, which was a pre by voters last session
or last in November twenty three, and this was to
help many of our up and coming research universities. Aren't
(54:00):
you know in the in the ut that can't access
the parent university fund the way UT or a m
can but uh And so this Texas University Fund, they
have put in some contingency money for up to one
point three billion dollars and the two for the next
two universities that will be qualifying that are expected to
qualify to to be eligible for that research dollars. And
(54:24):
so our current understanding is that Texas State is going
to be one of those that will be newly eligible
as well as Texas A and I'm Corpus Christie, and
these are really big investments in uh in university research
and trying to uh, you know, strengthen our university research
ecosystem in Texas. So that's that's exciting. And like I said,
(54:46):
I mean that continued commitment to community college finance uh
IS is also very promising and trying to have a
more a a higher education system that's more respond relative
to what people need as well as the labor markets,
both in the regional and state level need.
Speaker 3 (55:06):
When will that hurt that we're adding we'll put a
smaller schools in general? Will they will they see some
of that money?
Speaker 6 (55:14):
Also in terms of community colleges or four years vote well,
so it's it's it's different sets of money. I mean
for community colleges, it's it's this is a formula system
and so it's based on projections.
Speaker 9 (55:27):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (55:27):
The old community college system was just with ninety five
percent based on enrollment and so the incentive was just
to fill up the classrooms. I mean, to oversimplified a bit,
and then with four year institutions, the the formulas are
I mean, like the the money is more focused on
on on research and that's to bring again some of
(55:50):
the more advanced research and some of the best and
brightest to our university campuses, not just at UT and
A and M, but again to our other up and
coming uh you know, Pier one and near tier one
institutions across the state. You know, like University of Houston
is part of our is one of the main beneficiaries
(56:10):
of this new Texas University Fund, and I mean and
so it's been a big deal to have them, and
having this additional money in that university fund will actually
you know, when the tech when Texas State or when
Texas A and M Corpus Christiane's you know, meets the
requisite levels, the milestones to be eligible for that funding,
it won't end up being a deal where everybody there's
(56:30):
more people fighting over that same size pie. Having that
additional money in the fund will ensure the pie is bigger,
ensure that we're just you know, able to support more
research at these institutions.
Speaker 1 (56:44):
That was Raoul Srinavinson, Director of Government Performance and Fiscal
Policy with Texas twenty thirty six. Texas twenty thirty six
is a nonprofit public policy organization committed to building long term,
data driven strategies to insert Texas's prosperity, up to it
It's bicentennial and beyond. They can be reached at Texas
twenty thirty six dot org. The People's News is a
(57:08):
production of Steve Gallington and Richard Hannah and is protected
by copyright laws. All the information broadcast on air and online,
as well as published in both print and or online,
including articles, audio clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs, and videos, are
protected by these copyright and other state and federal intellectual
property laws. Therefore, you may not use our content in
(57:29):
any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
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as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
(57:49):
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
atgallington dot com. Thank you,
It's the week of June twenty second, twenty twenty five,
and this is what's on the people's news. Trump drops
bombs on Iran without declaring war. President Biden comes to
Galveston to celebrate Juneteenth. The Texas Legislative session is over.
What can we take away?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
All that?
Speaker 3 (00:24):
And more?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
On the People's News. I'm Steve Gallington. This is the
people's news, and the people's news starts now. The United
States has bombed three of Iran's nuclear installations and four
other installations at the direction of the corrupt and criminal,
(00:45):
convicted felon Donald Trump. The Council on American Islamic Relations CARE,
the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today
condemned Trump's attack on Iran as an illegal and unjustified
act of war, prioritizes the wishes of Benjamin Netanyahu over
the American people, and threatens to drag our nation into
(01:06):
a wider war in the region. We talked with Kareem
Zagna with the Iranian American Community of Texas.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Yes, sir, well you started. First of all, thank you
for having me Richard. Obviously, no regime change can be
done from the sky you know, it has to come
from the street of Iran and Tehran. People have to
change the region. No one can change the region. Unfortunately,
this war started while the NCRI, the resistance group that
(01:39):
am K that they they've been they've been against the
regime since actually today, forty six years ago when the
first time the them K and the people of Iran
in the street, they have a peacefold demonstration against the
regime after the how Many came in power and tried
(02:02):
to hijack the great revolution that the Iranian people has
for against the previous dictatorship monarchy. So they had a
peaceful demonstration against them and a new government of the
monolaws that they were just trying to hijack all the
freedom and democracy is that the people fight for. And
(02:23):
then the regime started killing them. They killed one hundred
and twenty over the three years, they killed about one
hundred thousand people, and then on nineteen eighty eight they
killed about thirty thousand political prisoners. So that's what happened.
And now now the war started, which is as the
(02:44):
head of the head of the NCRII and said this, we.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Know the United States history of envolvement in Iran. We
know they were part of the coup that brought in
the shaw the past. So how so how how are
you supporting any type of regime change right now?
Speaker 5 (03:06):
Yeah, the regime.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Change has to come with the with within by Irain
and people. We don't need no intervention of any foreign
foreign government. Uh, because the people of Iran are the
boots on the ground. They can change it if they
don't intervene.
Speaker 6 (03:22):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
The thing is the like ahead of the n c R,
the group that were supporting our community, supporting we are
in four estates in the United States. We are supporting
them because they are capable of doing the regime change
in Iran because they are in is the resistance unit
that all over the Iran So, like I said, the coup,
(03:46):
the coup they did, it was it was the wrong
against the democratic government of doctor Musadek. However, those time change,
that's not gonna happen. They're not going to be able
to install anything against the villa of Iranian people. For example,
the son of the previous dictator that he was overthrown
by the people. Saw that guy is just every time
(04:08):
the Iranian people have uprising, he jumped in trying to
trying to do what Romani did when hijack the hijack
the Iranian people revolution in nineteen seventy nine. So he
thinks that's the time that he's gonna hijack it. That's
not gonna happen. So Iranian people are ready to overthrow
the regime. Like Miss Mariam Gradually, the head of the
(04:30):
NCR said many many times, no war, no appeasement. The
third option is changed supporting Iranian people. United States and
Western governments Western country should support the Iranian people and
the resistance units to overthrow the regime. Be in no money,
no weapon, no boots on the ground needed to change
(04:52):
the regime.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know, you can come in and are you you're
fromly back on Aro. How are they feeling? And all
the people you know with the with their thoughts are
right now.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
When the people then the people iron they are hoping
that you know that they're going over through the regime.
They are against the regime. Not now it being it
being the demonstration uprising, It's been going on for years,
like I said today, forty forty four years ago when
they had a huge demonstration against the for many and
(05:24):
this this government for for for hijacking the revolution and
then they kill them. But now they are against against them.
They have uprising all over the country. And now they
don't have the like I told you the last time.
They don't have water, they don't have electricity, they don't
have the bread on the on the table. And on
(05:44):
top of that this this war started, which they they
don't need this war, this war, it was not necessary
when when the change within it's very possible. Another word,
the this head of the snake, which is the Iranian regime.
Since the war is start by by case and and
(06:08):
the israel and a lot of innocent people died. That
was not necessary and they said it was the head
of the snake was in Tehran. That's the one that
the war has to be, has to focus on. And
as you see now forty years of appeasement brought us
to this war, which was not necessary.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
If the if the.
Speaker 4 (06:27):
Western country was paying attention to suggestion of the n
cr I and Miss Madame Rageris had a ten point planned,
the war was not necessary to focus on the main
main problem, which is this regime, that is the suppressing
the Iranian people and meddling in the region and all
these proxies they spending all the money to the proxies
(06:49):
and on the atomic project, which is becoming a major problem.
By the way, all this project, all this atomic project
was it was rebuilt since two thousand and three by
and c R. I by let me say, the majority
didn't have They're the one who revealed it. And in
the same time they believed the ideology of the regime
(07:11):
is one hundred times more dangerous than even nuclear bomb
just because that's that's how they may they may use it.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
They may they may use those bombs. So you're saying
so you're saying that they have that along right now,
has the ability to make a nuclear nuclear bomb, which
we heard you saying rhetoric when you states stated that
a rock had to pass, you make nicle web tree.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
What I'm what I'm saying that the regime trying to
make the atomic bomb, and it's very dangerous regime and
the only way to solve this problem is regime change
in Iran by the people of Iran. The regime cannot
be changed from the sky. Regime has to be changed
with the boots on the ground, which are the Iranian
(08:01):
people at their resistance units. They are all over Iran.
The United States should support this as an alternative to
overthrow the regime because this regime only has to be
changed from within, and the United States should support the
(08:21):
Iranian people and the rights to confront the IRGCV as
a tourist organization. They are and change, and they be
able to change the regime within.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
A press conference is to be held at the Pentagon
on Sunday the twenty third to give the reasoning behind
the assault. Outside of Israel, the world intelligence community has
stated that there has been no proof that Iran was
a threat. The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by President Abraham Lincoln
on January first, eighteen sixty three, had established that all
(08:56):
enslaved people in Confederate States in rebellion against the Union
shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free. June teenth commemorates
June nineteenth, eighteen sixty five. That was when Union General
Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced that over
two hundred and fifty thousand enslave people in Texas were free,
(09:18):
more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued
by President Lincoln. It took two years for blacks to
find out they were free in Texas. That day is
celebrated around the country now and even has been made
a federal holiday by President Joe Biden during his administration.
This year marks the one hundred and sixtieth year since
(09:39):
the announcement of being free of slavery in the state.
This year, President Joe Biden came to Galveston to remember
and celebrate at the small church where black slaves gathered
to hear that they were free.
Speaker 7 (09:52):
I President Joseph R. Biden, then we'll let you. Then
(10:13):
we'll let you make some remark. And so as an
invited we get.
Speaker 8 (10:18):
Here, we kind of want it in here so that
they could sweeping limit this thing for you.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
This is a gift.
Speaker 8 (10:24):
Bro visit Galleston and it's got some smag and so
(10:44):
there are some old things in here for you, some
Wilson and bro'not. But then we have some very special
gifts that we would also like to present to you.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
This one is.
Speaker 7 (11:15):
This reads.
Speaker 8 (11:17):
Galvason International Junete Museum, President Joseph Biden Junior Doctor Ronald
Myers Legacy Award June nineteenth, twenty.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
Twenty five, the ut Never Food Foundation.
Speaker 8 (11:42):
And then from Greed Chapel, we have the church there,
the June, so you'll never forget what looks like and
it says present it to the Holold Joseph R. Biden,
Junior President of the United States, and heartfelt siation for
your presence at the one hundred and sixtieth June teen
(12:04):
Celebration service Reading Chapel Am Church, Alveston, Texas, June nineteenth,
twenty twenty five. And gratitude for signing the juneteenth National
Independence Day Act into law on June seventeenth, twenty twenty one,
making June nineteen a federal holiday holiday.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
And President want to I know that we.
Speaker 8 (12:39):
Have an astronaut that is a member of Ready Chapel
Av Church and her name he already knows.
Speaker 9 (12:44):
Her name is Cephanie Wilson. And she couldn't be here
today because she's training.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
A hope and she couldn't enoke a different thing prepared
because she has to go through NASA in order to
But she sends herbert, her gratitude and her heartfelt love
and appreciation to you.
Speaker 9 (13:13):
Well, my grandmar mother Beech and said, God love me, folks.
It's your tray on on a v bishop by arm
Patterson the Waters. Because I had an elder members of
the congregation, thank you for inviting back. Well, I'll tell
you what, it's not that hard to get away to want.
(13:34):
But that's back. It's a big deal, folks. I just
want to say something to uh the bishop. I uh
just gold have sent three to you, but I hadn't
planned how to say this to be fun about her.
I spent up a lot of time in any be sure.
I mean it's a certain when I knew to be
(13:55):
as a kid. When Cold died and the spoil everything
sure about gone to delaw and I got deeply involved
in the Civil rights moment. One of the things that
occurred moving to doa My home town is the only
town distort of America, says the Civil War occupied by
the military for ten months, the drawn bank hest every corner.
(14:16):
Doctor King was killed with signify before the Savior burned down.
I quit my job as a as a as a
lawyer and a fantasy calaw firm, became a public defendity
of all call my friends and I grew up on
the east side of Americans. In the African manicry is
going to be very very bad. In the Treaty, I
became a public defendant. One of the things that started doing.
(14:38):
I'd go to I having to be a practicing Catholic,
and I'd go to seven o'clock Nail Saints Chousin's uf
anyway and ten o'clock ten o'clock services that any church
by the way to go. Bishop Evan, who now is
heading out a business counselor, has told the bishop he
(14:58):
knows a relationship and my whole, my whole being, particularly
as at a high school in College student was formed
by the black community Complementaria where were the third and
third largest percent of African American many state and union
in del Delaware is a strange state. Delaware is a
(15:18):
first state, but it also a state that was a
slave state, our great shade, but it fought inside of
the north and big get to the south like Maryland
and to other states. And so even in the when
we did two team didn't affect people delivers they weren't.
They weren't through competitior knowing favor in compeditory went until
(15:39):
they maniscated. Proclamation has occurred. So what I'm trying to
say is that I just learned in Washington community and uh,
that's why I worked in the East Side. So I
worked as a lawyer, and that's why I got involved
in public life. Were brown We talked at earlier and
I thank you for the beautiful gift how to get
into the sum and the gobas and city council. And
(16:02):
I think that as well, there's an I to be
here in a city where freedom rang out one hundred
and sixty years ago, one hundred and six years ago.
I often said, imagine what would have happened to the
after reck community out of the black church years.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
Just imagine what would happen. It has been half soul.
Speaker 9 (16:27):
It's like you folks, you know, I wanted to acknowledge
powers of when Eric Big partterfectory prior friend for mom
you lost last year a shi which actually was a
good friend I served with. Right, thank you as well.
I can't be here. We hope the boy family might
be here. But the term pain and purpose, so they
(16:47):
had they had it also. June the teenth is the
day of liberation, the day of remembrance, the day of celebration.
The Book of Silence tells us we being for today
for joy kind of her warning. June teeth represents both
(17:08):
the long and hard night of slavery, the subjugation and
the promise of joyful morning to come.
Speaker 7 (17:17):
You know, this sacred day.
Speaker 9 (17:18):
Reminds me of another sacred day, that wonderful day four
years ago at Easter of the White House, I had
a great honor for some objective from song of making
human teeth at Federal Holiday nonsense, doctor Martin McKee to
your day the first Holidays incident, and so believes the
(17:43):
grandmother of June teeth, no boy determined that all Americans
should know kind of waiting. Power is dead. And I
beg how to do that? I begg how to do that?
You look black streets, Americans. I want to peak sometimes
you can. Community underestimation, don't look for nearly a decade,
(18:07):
really a decade? Well, okay, let's not forget when June
tea was passed as law. Okay, it was passed. If
it starts to get the junt, would you introduced legislation
(18:29):
year after year by shall with Jackson Lee, don't ye,
don't finally pass? The past is strong by far, the support,
by far, the support genographic color. Can't get what the
numbers moralize this profound moment in American history. I'll tell
(18:50):
you maybe pou poure nine proud despite all our differences,
we can still come together the things that matter most,
and this matters as much as anything in American district.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
Holiday said, oh God, we are Americans, but we celebrated
so the revality.
Speaker 9 (19:13):
So now we have a national holiday dedicated the emancipation
black enslaved people. I've been I used to be cheering
the Africans, sub tomdi. I've been through all of Africa.
I used to be there for a long long time.
Africa Africa. I've been to the origins of where slavers started.
(19:33):
And so listen to them talk about it now, how
things are achieved.
Speaker 7 (19:37):
We have to remember our country is found on the
promise of freedom.
Speaker 9 (19:43):
Freedom for everybody.
Speaker 7 (19:48):
So events in your.
Speaker 9 (19:49):
Team are well medial importance to the American story. And yes,
for six years, all through off the story, what happened here.
It's not written in our facebooks, not taught in.
Speaker 7 (20:06):
Our classrooms, our children, children, and I slow group is
still today.
Speaker 9 (20:15):
Some say to me, the jew that's just undeserved, the
offendal holiday. They don't want to remember. But we all
were the moral saved, the moral saved your slavery. I've
often called the Americans of Ritual City. Oh it was
America's riginal city. God forbid well. I took the view
(20:36):
as president, we need to be honest about our history,
especially at the time.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
I have to embrace our history.
Speaker 9 (20:45):
Not to say but this guy too many peoples the
time to erase our history, especially the face time. What
efforts to erase history from our textbooks and our classrooms.
(21:06):
I played a role change the day involved military camps
to have slave day.
Speaker 7 (21:12):
What are you doing now? Re shake those days?
Speaker 9 (21:16):
Folks. You're in the darkness and high mutch. But can
erase nothing, to erase time, and only the truth can
come justice and here an true folks. I don't come
here Today'll only commemorate the past. I come here because
we know the Good Lord isn't done a ship.
Speaker 7 (21:43):
They all work to do.
Speaker 9 (21:46):
Script to tell us faithful our works is dead, faithful
outworks is dead.
Speaker 7 (21:52):
So it's not enough to keep the faith.
Speaker 9 (21:55):
They have work to do.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
We need to keep pushing America forward. We may make
real the promise of liberty, inequality and.
Speaker 9 (22:05):
Justice for all We've led the world and now we're sagging.
Speaker 7 (22:10):
In the mirror.
Speaker 9 (22:13):
The power belongs to the people, and.
Speaker 7 (22:16):
The way you can show that power is by voting.
Speaker 9 (22:25):
For the junta. Let's we can make the most fundamental
task of democracy to stop those to try to make
it more difficult, the difficult to vote.
Speaker 7 (22:38):
And help people register to vote.
Speaker 9 (22:41):
Let's read that our families, our friends, our neighbors, they
minded are critical age folks. By voting, anything is possible.
Without voting, in America, nothing is possible. The folks, they
close with the words O. L a friend and friend
of mine, John Lewis. John said, freedom is not a state,
(23:08):
It's an act. Freedom is not stated, it's an act.
Today we celebrate the freedom been into people one hundred
and sixty years ago, the emancipation, the emancipation of slaved
black Americans. By the way, that said, when this was
(23:28):
signed became law, slaves in Delaware were still slaves because
we felt inside of the arth that only helped them
to the Confederations right, but that it did not mark
the end of America's work to deliver the promise was probable,
not only marked the began.
Speaker 7 (23:48):
Donald true beated duty.
Speaker 9 (23:50):
You have to continue works for that promise. It sounds
appointing to say, I mean thinking about it practical terms.
Must continue to work for the promise. But if you
Canadian Act for Freedom, marking for America self, the folks
that remember.
Speaker 7 (24:07):
Who we are, for the United shapes of America. America.
Speaker 9 (24:15):
You've heard it said many times, my favorite there's nothing
don'thing we have in our capacity.
Speaker 7 (24:20):
But react together. Nothing about it.
Speaker 9 (24:26):
I can tell you I've done every major world theater
in the last thirty years. Know by the first name.
I sat with my blady and they're wonder what's happening there? Wonder?
Speaker 7 (24:38):
I mean it's to Sue.
Speaker 9 (24:40):
And aut of America leading the world and the basic
value in the first world longs. Who's gonna do?
Speaker 10 (24:48):
Love them?
Speaker 7 (24:48):
So folks, Yeah, I like it.
Speaker 9 (24:51):
I just to compleat thinking it's true and once to celebrate.
Let's get all the work and get more done.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
People waited in the hot Texas sun to get a
glimpse of the former president. They commented on the state
of the holiday and its importance.
Speaker 11 (25:11):
My name is Cornelia Harris Banks. I'm a member of
Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and I'm one of
the stewarts. Tell us about your teenth and his church. Wow,
it's just wonderful knowing that as I grew up that
(25:32):
media Chapel had something to do with June teenth. In
January of eighteen sixty five is where they had the
first celebration of June teenth. And so, as Diane is saying, now,
(25:53):
what happened was they went to the courthouse, them from
the courthouse, they came back to the church. You know,
they actually marched in the same area. And we've been
doing the same thing for the last forty years and
then doing so it just makes you feel the experience
(26:17):
that those people were having, the jubilance of their feelings.
Speaker 9 (26:25):
And so.
Speaker 11 (26:27):
We are just happy to be the I'll say, the
person or we are here to keep the history going.
We've had I think about forty five ministers of the church.
We have a wonderful, dynamic minister not Reverend Leernette Patterson
(26:49):
at this time. And we are very happy to open
the doors during Juneteenth. And of course we're ystatically happy
to have former President Biden coming to celebrate. We think
(27:10):
it's befitting because he is the reason why we have
the federal holiday, but we have always had a state holiday,
so it has always been been actually celebrated.
Speaker 12 (27:23):
Biship Jack Beacer Senior, greatful to be here on the
celebacer Joe Cheek and if what overdel is t acknowledge
the struggle that our people have been through in this country.
We're still fighting for a quality but on the books
to shay we free. But together in unity, we stand
(27:48):
as one and we can do more things together. Thought
about what our folks, our ancestors did, our folk fathers
before us, when they came out of those fields, they
went to work and they kept on working until they
accomforted something. And when you look back today, you fix
look and see.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
Where we came from.
Speaker 12 (28:10):
And seem like we're going back with and it's gonna
take all of us come together collectively and get something done.
We had to stop separating one another by class well,
I say, education, status, Whatever divised you is what's throwing us.
(28:36):
Did our communities need us, all of us on board.
They dropped drugs in our neighborhood and the late seventies
early eighties they served as an opportunity to fund the
the campaign in the Garaga. But they dropped drugs in
our neighborhood. Could come with may for it. We'll still struggling.
(28:59):
Come to the Taible in love and let's find a
better solution. For everything one, not discriminating against new human
being because God created us all. Nothing but love shall
come from you that we can have a mot jest
and better union. God bless you, God, bless your mirror.
Speaker 9 (29:17):
Oh give me your name and title food.
Speaker 5 (29:19):
Okay, I'm I'm Diane Henderson Moore, and I've been a
member of this church all my life, basically when I
worked in Houston for a number two years, but it
used to come to Ready every other weekend just about
so so much so that when the person who was
superintendent Sunday School moved to Houston, my pastor made me
superintendent and I said, I'm already injin But anyway, it
(29:42):
was okay because I was coming here and kind of like,
you know, especially when my grandmother was living and she
was in a wheelchair and so you know, when we
come down and they would bring her to church on
first time. But this church was starting eighteen forty eight
by the White Methodist Church Outh, which decided to have
(30:04):
some offspring churches here there, and they decided they'd set
up one an area for their slaves to worship.
Speaker 11 (30:09):
So they did that in eighteen forty.
Speaker 5 (30:10):
Eight, and I think they basically had like tents to
worship him. When in eighteen sixty three they built a church,
and then after June tienth in masturpation, they needed that
church over to the formerly enslaved people. The people it
was just known as the Negro Methodist Church or the
(30:31):
Colored Methodist Church on Broadway. But once the people decided
that they wanted to become a part of the church
founded by Richard Allen in.
Speaker 11 (30:45):
Did they Okay, they decided.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
To uh no, I mean vessals anyway, they decided to
join it and become an Amy church. Okay, And those
who wanted to stay with the United method Church moves
and that church is Saint Paul United Investor the church
on fifteenth and Broadway. And I was so I would
say I knew about as many people at that church
(31:09):
as I knew over here.
Speaker 9 (31:10):
I know.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
But anyway, so then when the when the church was,
the second pastor was a reverend uh Houston reading and
his daughter taught people right here. Anybody wanted to learn
to read stem On and she taught them or here
at the church until her father was uh, let's move
to another church.
Speaker 3 (31:29):
And I think in Louisiana, significance of June two.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
And this church, well, this was where the people went
at when when Emancipation Proclamation was now put into effect
with the arrival of John Gordon, Granger and h and
also the rival of the black troops that came with
that happened to be at the same time. Something said,
they didn't come with him, They just they were here.
But you know, uh, i'd have to go more. You
(31:58):
know that, you know if you but I knew they
were here at the time.
Speaker 7 (32:02):
And so.
Speaker 5 (32:05):
They went the courthouse which is like two and a
half blocks away down the street, and this is where
they came to worship. To notice that been put on
the doors by the emancipation that they came here because
it was it was a black church. There is another
one that's older that having Wild Baptist Church, but it's
a little bit further away from them.
Speaker 11 (32:23):
So people came over here to read and I mean
you read, to pray and to thank God and to worship,
and that's they It.
Speaker 5 (32:31):
Was done on the nineteenth of June that following year
in eighteen sixty six, on January second, the people that
is church then had a celebration because actually that's when
you know the messipation procumation was to to have been
put into effect on that day.
Speaker 6 (32:49):
So but because he actually arrived.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
Here on the nineteenth of June and they just combined
it and started worshiping it.
Speaker 10 (32:55):
So, hey, can I give you all names? And then
what brings your dies down to gallousands from June a celebration.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
My name is Kaunda Maurice Kounda. I'm a Detroita that
lives in Texas.
Speaker 13 (33:06):
So I needed to come down to do I needed
to come to I've been to Galveston several times, but
this June teen celebration. Usually I'm in Austin for June
tenth or in a huddle. This is our fourth June teenth.
I had to tell everyone to know I'm going to
Galveston because Oz wants to be free. Sir, I want
my papers today.
Speaker 14 (33:27):
I'm doctor Lee Carl Whitaker. I was born here in Galveston,
went away in the military, came back today to celebrate
June nineteenth.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
Right now.
Speaker 14 (33:34):
I live in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands, and I think
this is a very important holiday because it was kind
of ghosted for a long time and sequestered, and people
didn't know. I was even lied to you about what
I took two years later for to get the message
here except five You know, they didn't know, they were
just totally they were just too ignorant. Only to find out,
you know, the colonises wanted to be a little bit
(33:55):
longer to do their garden and stuff like that. But
when those union shows that showed up the five percent
of which way black form slaves with the guns and
muskets side, it was pretty easy for them to say, oh,
why did you say so, go and get your freedom,
you know. So that's why I'm here, and I'm happy
to be around all these wonderful black brothers and sisters.
Speaker 13 (34:12):
One of the surprises that Granger found when he got here,
black troops are already here.
Speaker 14 (34:18):
Where were they standing down toward the harbor.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
They were down toward the harbor.
Speaker 13 (34:23):
So when he got here, he was surprised to see
that what they knew they had to get their troops
in order turned out to love the truth for black.
Speaker 15 (34:29):
But well, I'm from Dallas, Texas.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
I am from a freedman town.
Speaker 15 (34:34):
I was born there and moved back ten years ago
and have always wanted to come to Galveston and you know,
just experience the history of us being free. So that's
why I'm here and just to gather more information, you know,
in regards to it. And these young gentlemen have really
helped a lot.
Speaker 9 (34:52):
It is it experience.
Speaker 10 (34:53):
Have you experienced like June teenth being a lot of
other cities have been cutting back on June teenth because
of dy and what the president is doing around the country.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
So have you've seen that?
Speaker 7 (35:04):
And what and how important is June team to the
future of.
Speaker 14 (35:08):
Young black youths, not just black and black and brown
somebody else's lives or not March, because not our truth,
another man's lives is not my truth. What happened, has happened,
is documented, and this documental paper is in the minds
of hearts of the descendants of the people who are
here at this church to read Chapel A the Church
of Alveston.
Speaker 9 (35:27):
And so.
Speaker 14 (35:30):
That's not very much documentation for lies, but there's a
lot of documentation for truth.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
So we keep it right there and.
Speaker 9 (35:35):
We'll go with the truth.
Speaker 13 (35:38):
Yeah, answer your question how important it is for the
students or kids? And you said black and brown, I'm
not interested in brown. I'm only interested in North America,
the United States born blacks who's four parents were stolen
from the African continent and forced him to enslavement here
and as the honormal olives and Muhammad used to call
us the soul called quote a so called negro unquote
(36:02):
just us because it's only us. And if we don't
understand that history, we don't understand what happened to us.
And that's why we also fight the dropout. And that's
what my dissertation was on, was the dropout situation usually
by teens because your tenth grade I was doing in
black tenth grade students, because that's when you kind of.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Get your exkill me your ult.
Speaker 13 (36:19):
You're fifteen, you're feeling your oats.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
I can put to school when I want.
Speaker 13 (36:22):
And that's where we started up about that's where we're
seeing the majority of our FRIDS kids dropout. It's not
just here in Texas, it's all over the country. So
our numbers are dropping out of the school are still
real high. You have to ask a question why what
happened in the educational system that we're still losing all
of our kids or losing our kids because they don't
understand who they are.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
So here's a fun thing. You got a minute keep OK,
here's a fun thing.
Speaker 13 (36:44):
I'll ask you a question.
Speaker 2 (36:46):
I'm asking you a question. Who are you?
Speaker 13 (36:49):
Normally when you hear that, somebody says, my name is Maurice.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
No, I didn't ask you what is your name?
Speaker 9 (36:54):
I asked you, who are you?
Speaker 3 (36:56):
Oh?
Speaker 13 (36:56):
Why, I'm a doctor.
Speaker 2 (36:58):
No, that's what you do. That's not who you are?
Speaker 7 (37:00):
Who are you?
Speaker 2 (37:01):
So you go back, You're gonna go home and think
about it that.
Speaker 13 (37:04):
Well, I'm a child of God.
Speaker 9 (37:05):
Know that's what you are.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Right, I'm my mama's baby. No, that's what you are.
Speaker 13 (37:08):
You still have not answered the question who you are?
And trust me, all of us know who we are,
but we cannot answer it. So when you asked me
that question, why is it so important? Yes, the students,
the children need to know who they are. And that
was one of my last lectures I did event for
Black History.
Speaker 2 (37:23):
Month down in Auto.
Speaker 13 (37:24):
I just did a lecture, a two part lecture dealing with.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
Who argument who are we?
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Black Americans have served and fought in every war since
the existing of the founding of America. The National Buffalo
Soldiers National Museum in Houston, Texas celebrated the one hundred
and sixty years of June tenth by opening the doors
and showing people the history of black involvement in the
founding of the country. They had exhibitions and re enactments
that showed how they were trained and fought during the
(37:53):
Civil War. Desmond Bertrand Pets MBA Meed is the chief
executive officer the Buffalo Soldier National Museum. He told the
People's News about the importance of keeping this holiday alive
and the importance of the museum.
Speaker 16 (38:08):
We're doing Juneteenth at one sixty festival. We had an
opening exhibition at TSU University Museum on Thursday night on Juneteenth,
and then to yesterday and today we have a festival,
living history encampment. We've got youth activities, We've got community
and veteran resources, We've got food, we've got bounce house,
(38:30):
we have all the things that can meet the need
of the community. And our goal is really just to
get people here to the museum to understand and domestify
June teenth and give them the true, unapologetic history of
what happened during that time, but also the impact that
that had on civilization, social, cultural and everything that came after.
Speaker 10 (38:51):
Ast Or for people that kind of dismiss and not
saying who, but people that dismiss June teenth or seen
it's not important administration now that that dismisses DEI and
called us up in irrelevant in history, tell uh why
it's so.
Speaker 16 (39:05):
Much for Yeah, And I've been saying a lot lately,
and we we often, you know, as Black Americans, have
to use this phrase that our history is more important
now than ever. But it literally is because of the
things that are going on with the administration. You have
the the lack of uh historical contexts and the educational system.
(39:26):
So we have to meet that need here at the museum.
We have to give them what they're not getting uh
at the school.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
UH.
Speaker 16 (39:31):
And then you have things like DEI being pulled out
and and corporations are pulling those programs out. So it
also affects us in terms of funding and corporate partnerships
and things like that. So you know, I've always been
told that you know, all money and good money MM,
so that goes same here. You know, if if if
we're not you know, if we're not accepted in our
(39:54):
tot total being in who we are, you know, then
that might not be the the group for us. So
what we do here is make sure that we tell
the untold uh stories, we tell the overlooked stories. We
make sure that people know uh that not only Juneteenth,
but the Buffalo Soldiers in any black uh military uh
(40:14):
woman or man who has served has a place here.
And so we're about to do some renovations on our
exhibits and we're gonna do exactly that. We already tell
the story from the very beginning up until now, but
now we're gonna be more inclusive of community stories, uh
and impact.
Speaker 10 (40:29):
One thing that's that's I think it's important is we
see media and every time you see somebody talk about
George Washington and the starting of America, Y, you never
see that black face, right, But we've been or African
Americans of being a part of this country's wars since
the fun it's the founding of this since the founding.
Speaker 16 (40:47):
Yeah, I you know, I I truly believe and and
know that black American, African American, whoever you identify as.
You know, our blood's wet and tears went into the
fabric of building this country.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
You know, our name is Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.
Speaker 16 (41:03):
But think about their story if they were not on
the front lines of the Westford expansion. You know, Texas
and some of the other states would have not been
a part of the United States, right, And so we
can't discount the fact that we played a role in
building this country and we still do today and anything
that's going on in the administration or anywhere outside. We
(41:24):
need to make sure that people understand that this is
not just Black history. This is American history, and that's
the story that we want people.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
To understand it all.
Speaker 16 (41:32):
Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's definitely important for everybody to come.
Speaker 3 (41:35):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:35):
What we create is an experience, and in the renovations,
that's exactly what we're doing. We're going uh bilingual, so
we'll be a Spanish space as well.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:44):
We want to ensure that it's a multi generational and
multicultural institution.
Speaker 6 (41:49):
Uh.
Speaker 16 (41:49):
That's also being inclusive of the Native American story and
how they played a role uh in that time frame
of the Buffalo Soldiers and and you know we're sitting
on the Native lands, right, so why aren't we telling
that story. As being a black man, I can understand
being marginalized, being oppressed, and so we need to make
sure that other communities are also welcome, welcome here. There's
(42:10):
a lot of stuff going on with immigration. You know,
we've we've opened our space for community dialogue and conversations,
so we're not just a museum or a space for community, uh,
and so we we welcome in on those conversations as well.
Speaker 10 (42:23):
I think it's also important to include black Canadians that
were part of all the the wars that were were
fought here.
Speaker 9 (42:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (42:31):
A lot of black Americans left to go to Canada. Yeah,
and they had the same stigma, yeah, at that we
had here in the United States there, but not.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
As harsh harsh for sure. Yeah, So we we definitely
want to recognize that. And there is there was a large.
Speaker 16 (42:49):
Community of soldiers that also were in France, and so
we want to recognize that. You know, we played not
only a pivotal role in building this country, but we've
been in Canada and Frames and a lot of the
other places and then come back home and retreated, you know,
like second class citizens or no citizen.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
And so often a lot of those.
Speaker 16 (43:08):
Veterans, a lot of those soldiers stayed overseas because of
the harsh treatment that they would have here.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
Whether they're a civilian art in the.
Speaker 10 (43:14):
Service, and they started encampments in Nova Scotia in Canada
and also in Toronto area. You know, so you see
those those black faces there and now they represent they
celebrate Juneteen's there too.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Absolutely.
Speaker 16 (43:27):
Yeah, I am really excited that Juneteenth is a national holiday,
a federal holiday.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
But I don't want us to.
Speaker 16 (43:37):
Be stuck on the celebration aspect of you know, a
big party and a big barbecue and the drinking and
all of that stuff. So that's what we did differently
here for the Juneteenth at Won sixty festival is that
we made the highlight and the focus the Living History Encampment,
which is living historians, people who live and breathe this
history day in and day out so they can do
(43:59):
it could be here and have conversations and do presentations.
And then everything else we have around the food and
all of the other things is so that you can
enjoy other aspects of the event. But that's why we
want you here, and then inviting in the other resources
for that. And then the art exhibition was another component.
Like a lot of people get their history and they
get their knowledge from how art is exhibit, and so
(44:22):
that's what we created. We could created a full experience
of bringing all of those ways of interpretation into one space.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
One event that was Desmond Bertrand Pitts MBA meed the
chief executive officer at the Buffalo Soldier National Museum. You
can find out more information at Buffalo Soldier Museum All
Put Together dot org. The Texas Legislative Session is over
and a lot got done and a lot didn't get done.
(44:51):
To help us sort out the good from the bad,
we talked to Raoul Shrevanissen, Director of Government Performance and
Fiscal Policy with Texas twenty thirty.
Speaker 6 (45:01):
You know, you go into every session and there is
always different different issues that generate consternation for both sides
of the aisle. But I mean, I think if there
was a takeaway on this session in terms of what
got done and what was positive, I mean the legislature did.
It was clear that they prioritized a lot of the
(45:23):
fundamentals around infrastructure and trying to strengthen our workforce, and
that came through with the investments they made in the
state budget, specifically big big moves around investing in water
infrastructure and the one point seven billion dollars in new dollars,
as well as the one billion dollars and dedicated funding
(45:44):
that'll be before voters this November. And I think you
know we're talking about workforce and education. There's the money
that was put towards HB two, the eight point five
billion dollars, and how as well as you know, the
money that'll go towards improving TSTC Texas State Technical College
and allowing them to have the capital needs to expand
(46:05):
their career technology program, career in technical education programming.
Speaker 3 (46:10):
On that same on that same end, teachers are still
these teachers union have stated that we're still behind on
pay because it took so long to try to even
get get teachers a raise.
Speaker 6 (46:24):
And I mean, I understand that I know that the
budget in HB two, sorry excuse me for HB two,
that the the plans to include over four billion dollars
of that for pay raises. In terms of how that's allocated,
I know that there's a debate on how that ends
up and where that how that's allocated through the various
methods that they have, things like the teacher and centevelopment.
(46:47):
But you know, I know that you know again this
is these are these decisions that the legislators made in
terms of trying to decide how to allocate those resources,
you know, in terms of those specific pick kind of
pots of money and different priorities within that area.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
One of the biggest things that came out of this
legislator session was vouchers, the bouncer program, and that got passed.
That was one of the that was one of the
Governor's main one of its main sticking points this this
session was to get vouchers passed.
Speaker 6 (47:20):
That's right, that's right, and they were able to do that.
Speaker 3 (47:25):
But how is that going to affect? I mean, a
lot of schools, especially public schools, are scared that that's
going to cut their budget as far as operating, especially
Houston Independent School District here in Houston.
Speaker 4 (47:36):
Mm hmmm.
Speaker 6 (47:38):
I think a lot of how that is going to
work out. I mean, the reality is this is this
is the first time and you know they're putting in
there's one billion dollars that's additionally going to be going
into this uh And I mean I think a lot
of it will just depend on how what implementation looks like,
(48:00):
because like I said, it's it is a new program.
But I think I mean, I hate to say that,
but I mean, well, it's kind of a we'll see
how this will go. I mean, you know, the bill
passed obviously, like the legislature is a different composition this
time that was more open to passing this priority. So,
(48:21):
like I said, I think we're going to have to
wait and see how implementation of that, of of the
educational Savings Account program will go.
Speaker 3 (48:29):
This is an extremely conservative legislative session we passed. Also,
we also passed some laws, bills are dealing with religion,
especially one that that goners putting the Ten Commandments in schools,
which is gonna immediately get lawsuits file as soon as
(48:49):
they try to put that in schools, even though the
way it's practice is somebody has to donate the scriptures
or whatever to put it in those schools. You know what,
other what other what other, with other controversial bills that
would pass along that line that people would be upset about. Oh,
also having prayer time.
Speaker 6 (49:09):
I mean a lot of I mean, a lot of
what we've focused on has been more towards kind of
improving systems at the state level. And so I mean
to the extent, you know, there was a lot of
legislations that generated a lot of controversy.
Speaker 3 (49:24):
You mentioned some of them.
Speaker 6 (49:25):
There were a lot of initiatives related to DEI and
other social and other types of programs that are not
programs but issues that had some more clearly partisan, more
clearly partisan breakdowns on how people generally support it. I mean, truthfully,
(49:49):
like I said, I think our focus is more on
like trying to on working, like I said, a lot
of government, how to improve government and the systems that
are there. But I mean, to your point, I mean,
there was a lot of stuff that was controversial and
had very strong partisan, very sharp partisan divides on those
(50:10):
given legislative issues. But I mean, I mean you mentioned
some of them, and I mean, you know, without trying
to be too glib, but it is a very it is.
I think it's a reflection of the electoral makeup of
the or the makeup of the chambers and the leadership
in the state right now. And so I think that's
(50:33):
what you see with the types of legislation that's moving forward.
Speaker 3 (50:36):
But immediately, like a lot of money is going to
go to child here here in Texas, that's a good thing,
I believe, Oh for sure, for sure.
Speaker 6 (50:49):
Sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off there.
Speaker 3 (50:51):
You can finish the Courch There No, No, that was it.
Speaker 9 (50:53):
That was it.
Speaker 3 (50:53):
I mean, I'm just I'm saying that a lot of
money eight point five billion dollars going into the school
for school too, which is you know, as a positive
that came out of this session.
Speaker 6 (51:05):
Yeah, and there was another one hundred million dollars that
was added for increased access for subsidized childcare. But legislators
trying to figure out how to solve the issues of
and have some more long term solutions to how to
deal with our childcare issues excuse me across the state,
(51:26):
and you know, we're some bills that were passed to
try to dive into that, including some to form this
quad Agency initiative as well as others to improve the
data interoperability among the relevant you know, education and helping
to serve some workforce agencies that are all kind of
touching this ecosystem of childcare as well. So that's something
(51:47):
to look out for over the next few years because again,
I think there's a lot of interest in trying to
address that those problems as well.
Speaker 3 (51:56):
In a higher education how was it a lot of
schools not you know, with the exception of Stay University
of Texas system and the Texas and m system, A
lot of schools were fighting for extra funding for their schools.
And how did that go?
Speaker 6 (52:12):
I think the way I mean with higher education funding,
I think, uh, it's it's hard to generalize in a
general sense. I mean, there was there's always been a
general pushback on a lot of what are deemed at
special uh special items, and so you know, higher education institutions,
and those are the things that they'll go with the
regular formula and fee structure that the legislature uh works
(52:36):
around in terms of funding higher eductor for the four
year institutions and for for for four year institutions as
well as uh excuse me, like health related institutions as well.
But you know, some of the notable things in higher education,
I mean, we the legislature last session passed a big
reform of how we fund community college is to a
(52:58):
system that would be based on outcomes that were more
tied to regional and state workforce needs. And that legislation
that passed with huge bipartisan agreement last time, in fact,
excuse me, unanimously. And so when you're looking this session,
they followed up by ensuring that system. They passed a
(53:19):
bill to for the refined definitions and kind of tweaked
the refinements to those formulas, and they showed a commitment
to those finance reforms by fully funding it with over
two point five million dollars to fully fund that and
the existing outcomes that the community colleges have already shown
in the last two years since the bill became loom Also,
(53:40):
the legislature put in money were up to one point
three billion dollars more for university research in the Texas
University Fund, which was a pre by voters last session
or last in November twenty three, and this was to
help many of our up and coming research universities. Aren't
(54:00):
you know in the in the ut that can't access
the parent university fund the way UT or a m
can but uh And so this Texas University Fund, they
have put in some contingency money for up to one
point three billion dollars and the two for the next
two universities that will be qualifying that are expected to
qualify to to be eligible for that research dollars. And
(54:24):
so our current understanding is that Texas State is going
to be one of those that will be newly eligible
as well as Texas A and I'm Corpus Christie, and
these are really big investments in uh in university research
and trying to uh, you know, strengthen our university research
ecosystem in Texas. So that's that's exciting. And like I said,
(54:46):
I mean that continued commitment to community college finance uh
IS is also very promising and trying to have a
more a a higher education system that's more respond relative
to what people need as well as the labor markets,
both in the regional and state level need.
Speaker 3 (55:06):
When will that hurt that we're adding we'll put a
smaller schools in general? Will they will they see some
of that money?
Speaker 6 (55:14):
Also in terms of community colleges or four years vote well,
so it's it's it's different sets of money. I mean
for community colleges, it's it's this is a formula system
and so it's based on projections.
Speaker 9 (55:27):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (55:27):
The old community college system was just with ninety five
percent based on enrollment and so the incentive was just
to fill up the classrooms. I mean, to oversimplified a bit,
and then with four year institutions, the the formulas are
I mean, like the the money is more focused on
on on research and that's to bring again some of
(55:50):
the more advanced research and some of the best and
brightest to our university campuses, not just at UT and
A and M, but again to our other up and
coming uh you know, Pier one and near tier one
institutions across the state. You know, like University of Houston
is part of our is one of the main beneficiaries
(56:10):
of this new Texas University Fund, and I mean and
so it's been a big deal to have them, and
having this additional money in that university fund will actually
you know, when the tech when Texas State or when
Texas A and M Corpus Christiane's you know, meets the
requisite levels, the milestones to be eligible for that funding,
it won't end up being a deal where everybody there's
(56:30):
more people fighting over that same size pie. Having that
additional money in the fund will ensure the pie is bigger,
ensure that we're just you know, able to support more
research at these institutions.
Speaker 1 (56:44):
That was Raoul Srinavinson, Director of Government Performance and Fiscal
Policy with Texas twenty thirty six. Texas twenty thirty six
is a nonprofit public policy organization committed to building long term,
data driven strategies to insert Texas's prosperity, up to it
It's bicentennial and beyond. They can be reached at Texas
twenty thirty six dot org. The People's News is a
(57:08):
production of Steve Gallington and Richard Hannah and is protected
by copyright laws. All the information broadcast on air and online,
as well as published in both print and or online,
including articles, audio clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs, and videos, are
protected by these copyright and other state and federal intellectual
property laws. Therefore, you may not use our content in
(57:29):
any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
of The People's News. Prohibited use also includes publication of
our material in printed or electronic brochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
(57:49):
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
atgallington dot com. Thank you,
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