August 4, 2025 • 8 mins
From making history at 23 to standing at the center of one of Florida’s most talked-about elections, Andrew Gillum has lived a life of purpose, pressure, and public service. In this powerful conversation, Gillum sits down with Shemaiah Reed to talk about the weight of leadership, the power of local governance, and the journey to reclaiming one’s voice—and one’s space. We dive into the highs, the heartbreaks, and the healing. Gillum opens up about his past, his passion for justice, and his newest venture—the Native Land Pod alongside Angela Rye and Tiffany Cross—a movement reclaiming narrative, culture, and truth.
ABOUT NATIVE LAND POD
In the spirit of the last stanza of the Black National Anthem, we rise from the past, rooted deeply in the soil of ancestral struggles, to build a home, to claim our space. On Native Land Pod, Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillum guide us through the political landscape, wielding insights and unapologetic analysis, unraveling the threads that connect Black Americans and marginalized communities to a place they courageously call home.
In each episode, Angela, Tiffany and Andrew embark on a journey of reflection, taking stock of the news of the week and the country's road to the polls.
Join us each week as we navigate the dance between past and present, weaving a narrative of hope, empowerment, and the unyielding strength that defines the journey to reclaim 'Native Land.' This isn't just news analysis; it's a movement, a conversation, and a testament to the power of those who dare to rebuild and redefine the meaning of home.
EPISODES AVAILABLE HERE:
Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-native-land-pod-137190860/
ANDREW GILLUM BIO
Andrew Gillum made history at 23 as the youngest person elected to the Tallahassee City Commission and went on to serve as Mayor, where he championed early education, restorative justice, and sustainability initiatives, including building a 20-megawatt solar farm. Under his leadership, Tallahassee earned national recognition as an All-America City, a top city for entrepreneurs, and a TechHire city. A longtime advocate for local governance, Gillum launched the Campaign to Defend Local Solutions after successfully challenging the gun lobby in court. In 2018, he became the first African American major-party nominee for Florida governor, forcing a historic recount after a narrow loss in a record-turnout election. Gillum also spent 15 years at People for the American Way Foundation, where he co-founded Young People For and the Young Elected Officials Network, supporting over 1,000 progressive leaders nationwide. He's been honored by *EBONY*, served as a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow, and contributed to CNN as a political commentator. He now leads a consultancy based in Tallahassee, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.
ABOUT NATIVE LAND POD
In the spirit of the last stanza of the Black National Anthem, we rise from the past, rooted deeply in the soil of ancestral struggles, to build a home, to claim our space. On Native Land Pod, Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillum guide us through the political landscape, wielding insights and unapologetic analysis, unraveling the threads that connect Black Americans and marginalized communities to a place they courageously call home.
In each episode, Angela, Tiffany and Andrew embark on a journey of reflection, taking stock of the news of the week and the country's road to the polls.
Join us each week as we navigate the dance between past and present, weaving a narrative of hope, empowerment, and the unyielding strength that defines the journey to reclaim 'Native Land.' This isn't just news analysis; it's a movement, a conversation, and a testament to the power of those who dare to rebuild and redefine the meaning of home.
EPISODES AVAILABLE HERE:
Https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-native-land-pod-137190860/
ANDREW GILLUM BIO
Andrew Gillum made history at 23 as the youngest person elected to the Tallahassee City Commission and went on to serve as Mayor, where he championed early education, restorative justice, and sustainability initiatives, including building a 20-megawatt solar farm. Under his leadership, Tallahassee earned national recognition as an All-America City, a top city for entrepreneurs, and a TechHire city. A longtime advocate for local governance, Gillum launched the Campaign to Defend Local Solutions after successfully challenging the gun lobby in court. In 2018, he became the first African American major-party nominee for Florida governor, forcing a historic recount after a narrow loss in a record-turnout election. Gillum also spent 15 years at People for the American Way Foundation, where he co-founded Young People For and the Young Elected Officials Network, supporting over 1,000 progressive leaders nationwide. He's been honored by *EBONY*, served as a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow, and contributed to CNN as a political commentator. He now leads a consultancy based in Tallahassee, where he lives with his wife and three children.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
You are listening to I AM Refocused Radio with your
host Shamaiah Reid. This show is designed to inspire you
to live your purpose and regain your focus. And now
here's your host, Shamaiah Reid.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey, well, be'me telling me before.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Because already once again we are here today, and today
we have a true honor. We have another special guest
in this one. He said, a chuirt storm in the
green room. But he's the true choir storm. He is
someone who is not a stranger making history. At twenty three,
Andrew Gillham, he became the youngest person ever elected to
Tallahausee City Commission. He later served as mayor. Under his
(00:39):
leadership of tallahause he earned national recognition as an All
America City, a top city for entrepreneurs. But I can't
waste any more time. I had to get into the
reason why he's on today. He is a co host
of Native Lampot on IR Radio. First and foremost, Andrew,
I know it's probably ten more minutes I can do
on your resume, But how you.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Doing this out of here? We don't need that.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm just mesmerized. I feel like I should talk talk,
you know, quieter and more. I don't know sensationally through
through it, but you got a voice for radio, brother,
that's for sure, and thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yes, sir, I appreciate your time. I know you have
a lot more on your resume and all the things
that you've been able to do in leadership. But let's
jump right into the podcast that you co hosts. Tell
us a little bit. What is the mission and what
you're trying to educate audience.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Yeah, yeah, well, you know, in truth, the education goes
both ways, as we as we quickly learn at need
of Lampard. But I'm I'm I'm excited each week, weekend
and week out to be with not only my co hosts,
but people who were true friends. We've known each other
for decades, you know, when we were real young bucks,
(01:51):
you know, out out trying to you know, thrive and
live our best lives in.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Our early twenties.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Angela was on Capitol Hill at the time when I
first met her, actually first met her, and this is
probably TMI because she she and my my childhood best
friend were in law school at the same time and
were part of the National Lawyers, so a young, young,
up and coming lawyers organization. Uh, and dated, and when
(02:17):
they broke up, Tiffany and I stay friends and have
been friends ever since. And that's Angela and I and
then Tiffany same situation where minus the dating a friend.
We worked together when I was young. She was a
young journalist and I was a young elected official coming
out of Florida and she was she was covering some
of the stories that were happening around the country for
(02:38):
national you know, outlets, and we would all come back
together through Native Lampid where Angela bought the idea to us,
you know, sort of have this conversation, bring in more
of our generation and and and really all the generations
we can touch back into to politics.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
A lot of people I don't do politics, and.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Joy Re reminded us, so we back that if you
don't do politics, you don't have to worry because politics
are doing you. And that's a requirement for you to
plug in because what's being decided is impacting you, not
just every election cycle, but every day, day in and
day out. And we try to demystify for people, you know,
what they hear from national outlets and from politicians themselves,
(03:18):
which is it's just complicated.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It's nuanced, it's very different.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, it's to their interests to have you believe that
this is beyond your reach. That way you stay checked out.
And our job is to get people checked in. So
we say this isn't beyond your reach. What they're just
talking about in DC today will show up on your
street corner tomorrow if we don't do something to disrupt it.
And I know from having served as an elected official
(03:43):
and run for governor of the third largest state in
the United States of how difficult every day is for
people to just you know, keep a roof over your head,
food on the table, close on your in, your kids' backs.
That you really do see getting engaged in politics.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
That's luxury.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
But it isn't a luxury because almost all the issues
that you're talking about at the dinner table that night
and throughout the day, the balancing of the bills that
you're doing, I promise you relate back to some decisions
that have been made that if we were paying greater attention,
we could have impacted. And so if we can break
people out of the malaise of it's just complicated and
(04:21):
invite people back into know, this is your community, this
is your city, this is your country and the people.
The power of the people has always been greater than
the people in power. We just have to realize it
and start to organize and move accordingly.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
That's what we want people to know.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Particularly during this time where folks are feeling pretty downtrodden, stressed,
and frankly unsecure and insecure about what's happening around them.
This isn't a time to check out. It's a time
to check in, to double down, to put your shoulder
to the wheel. And each week we try to bring
topics and conversation just as we would be having them
amongst each other as friends. We do that over the podcast,
(05:00):
and we try to invite the listeners into that conversation
with us, you know, every time, and we do it
through humor and laughter and fun, but also through seriousness
and a commitment to facts and truth. And whether you
agree or disagree with us, you can certainly arise saying
that it was a nuanced conversation. I saw or heard
(05:21):
perspectives that I didn't understand appreciate her here before, and
from that we could.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Build once again, Let's don't refocus radio and talking to
our guests today. Andrew Guillam, co host of Native Land
pod on iHeartRadio. My last question I want to squeeze
and real quick is the phrase reclaiming home. That is
deep and to your point, it's a lot of voice
that's on social media. I mean, it's a buffet line.
Just pick your pick and you know there, you're right there.
(05:48):
That's what do you believe? Uh, this podcast with your
other co hosts will help bring home for Black Americans
and marginalized communities.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yeah, well, one, I hope that it tells us and
shows us that we are in community with others, that
none of us are an island, none of us can
get this thing done alone, and that you aren't alone.
That if you, if you, if you join the community,
you recognize that the same thing you've been thinking and
(06:17):
feeling about a thing is reflected and you know tens
of thousands of other people out there who are sharing
your point of view. And hopefully you'll also, uh, you know,
be illuminated to the fact that there are a lot
of ways to see a thing. We between the three
of us, me and my co hosts see we can
(06:38):
look at the same outcome of a thing and have
a whole bunch of different inputs from from where we stand,
so we want we are trying hard to build community
and not isolation, which is what a lot of us
tend to do when we're under deep stress and and
and are feeling insecure where we are. And then I think,
you know, very importantly for us, we want people to
(06:59):
know that these things, these issues, these problems are not
too big for us. That if we lean in just
a bit, which is what democracies require our contact with
it in order to maintain it, if we lean in,
we might be we might be apt to find common
calls with people who we didn't think we share common
calls with, and from that we can build power and
(07:23):
start to change people and institutions and the people who
lead those institutions, not by being separated and divided amongst us,
but really by being more collectively united and recognizing that
the enemy isn't our neighbor, it isn't the person who
even has a different party affiliation than us. It's instead
of institutions that are co conspiring to create an outcome,
(07:44):
and oftentimes that outcome is not an hour the everyday
folks best interests. So if we don't mobilize and get
organized and start to respond. We're going to wake up
realizing that we are waking up in a completely different
place in environment and form of government and what we thought.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We had when we laid down.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
So yes, you must rest and sleep, but you must
sleep in shifts right now. And Native Land is here
to try to break that down and keep us in
community with each other so that we can actualize the
true is and that the power of the people is
greater than the people in power.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Once again, talking to Andrew Gillam, co host of Native
LAANDPID on iHeartRadio, drownded having you on today, like always
want to say thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Oh man, so thank you and keep doing what you're doing. Brother.
Inspiring
You are listening to I AM Refocused Radio with your
host Shamaiah Reid. This show is designed to inspire you
to live your purpose and regain your focus. And now
here's your host, Shamaiah Reid.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey, well, be'me telling me before.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Because already once again we are here today, and today
we have a true honor. We have another special guest
in this one. He said, a chuirt storm in the
green room. But he's the true choir storm. He is
someone who is not a stranger making history. At twenty three,
Andrew Gillham, he became the youngest person ever elected to
Tallahausee City Commission. He later served as mayor. Under his
(00:39):
leadership of tallahause he earned national recognition as an All
America City, a top city for entrepreneurs. But I can't
waste any more time. I had to get into the
reason why he's on today. He is a co host
of Native Lampot on IR Radio. First and foremost, Andrew,
I know it's probably ten more minutes I can do
on your resume, But how you.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Doing this out of here? We don't need that.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm just mesmerized. I feel like I should talk talk,
you know, quieter and more. I don't know sensationally through
through it, but you got a voice for radio, brother,
that's for sure, and thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yes, sir, I appreciate your time. I know you have
a lot more on your resume and all the things
that you've been able to do in leadership. But let's
jump right into the podcast that you co hosts. Tell
us a little bit. What is the mission and what
you're trying to educate audience.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Yeah, yeah, well, you know, in truth, the education goes
both ways, as we as we quickly learn at need
of Lampard. But I'm I'm I'm excited each week, weekend
and week out to be with not only my co hosts,
but people who were true friends. We've known each other
for decades, you know, when we were real young bucks,
(01:51):
you know, out out trying to you know, thrive and
live our best lives in.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Our early twenties.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Angela was on Capitol Hill at the time when I
first met her, actually first met her, and this is
probably TMI because she she and my my childhood best
friend were in law school at the same time and
were part of the National Lawyers, so a young, young,
up and coming lawyers organization. Uh, and dated, and when
(02:17):
they broke up, Tiffany and I stay friends and have
been friends ever since. And that's Angela and I and
then Tiffany same situation where minus the dating a friend.
We worked together when I was young. She was a
young journalist and I was a young elected official coming
out of Florida and she was she was covering some
of the stories that were happening around the country for
(02:38):
national you know, outlets, and we would all come back
together through Native Lampid where Angela bought the idea to us,
you know, sort of have this conversation, bring in more
of our generation and and and really all the generations
we can touch back into to politics.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
A lot of people I don't do politics, and.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Joy Re reminded us, so we back that if you
don't do politics, you don't have to worry because politics
are doing you. And that's a requirement for you to
plug in because what's being decided is impacting you, not
just every election cycle, but every day, day in and
day out. And we try to demystify for people, you know,
what they hear from national outlets and from politicians themselves,
(03:18):
which is it's just complicated.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
It's nuanced, it's very different.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Well, it's to their interests to have you believe that
this is beyond your reach. That way you stay checked out.
And our job is to get people checked in. So
we say this isn't beyond your reach. What they're just
talking about in DC today will show up on your
street corner tomorrow if we don't do something to disrupt it.
And I know from having served as an elected official
(03:43):
and run for governor of the third largest state in
the United States of how difficult every day is for
people to just you know, keep a roof over your head,
food on the table, close on your in, your kids' backs.
That you really do see getting engaged in politics.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
That's luxury.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
But it isn't a luxury because almost all the issues
that you're talking about at the dinner table that night
and throughout the day, the balancing of the bills that
you're doing, I promise you relate back to some decisions
that have been made that if we were paying greater attention,
we could have impacted. And so if we can break
people out of the malaise of it's just complicated and
(04:21):
invite people back into know, this is your community, this
is your city, this is your country and the people.
The power of the people has always been greater than
the people in power. We just have to realize it
and start to organize and move accordingly.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
That's what we want people to know.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Particularly during this time where folks are feeling pretty downtrodden, stressed,
and frankly unsecure and insecure about what's happening around them.
This isn't a time to check out. It's a time
to check in, to double down, to put your shoulder
to the wheel. And each week we try to bring
topics and conversation just as we would be having them
amongst each other as friends. We do that over the podcast,
(05:00):
and we try to invite the listeners into that conversation
with us, you know, every time, and we do it
through humor and laughter and fun, but also through seriousness
and a commitment to facts and truth. And whether you
agree or disagree with us, you can certainly arise saying
that it was a nuanced conversation. I saw or heard
(05:21):
perspectives that I didn't understand appreciate her here before, and
from that we could.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Build once again, Let's don't refocus radio and talking to
our guests today. Andrew Guillam, co host of Native Land
pod on iHeartRadio. My last question I want to squeeze
and real quick is the phrase reclaiming home. That is
deep and to your point, it's a lot of voice
that's on social media. I mean, it's a buffet line.
Just pick your pick and you know there, you're right there.
(05:48):
That's what do you believe? Uh, this podcast with your
other co hosts will help bring home for Black Americans
and marginalized communities.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Yeah, well, one, I hope that it tells us and
shows us that we are in community with others, that
none of us are an island, none of us can
get this thing done alone, and that you aren't alone.
That if you, if you, if you join the community,
you recognize that the same thing you've been thinking and
(06:17):
feeling about a thing is reflected and you know tens
of thousands of other people out there who are sharing
your point of view. And hopefully you'll also, uh, you know,
be illuminated to the fact that there are a lot
of ways to see a thing. We between the three
of us, me and my co hosts see we can
(06:38):
look at the same outcome of a thing and have
a whole bunch of different inputs from from where we stand,
so we want we are trying hard to build community
and not isolation, which is what a lot of us
tend to do when we're under deep stress and and
and are feeling insecure where we are. And then I think,
you know, very importantly for us, we want people to
(06:59):
know that these things, these issues, these problems are not
too big for us. That if we lean in just
a bit, which is what democracies require our contact with
it in order to maintain it, if we lean in,
we might be we might be apt to find common
calls with people who we didn't think we share common
calls with, and from that we can build power and
(07:23):
start to change people and institutions and the people who
lead those institutions, not by being separated and divided amongst us,
but really by being more collectively united and recognizing that
the enemy isn't our neighbor, it isn't the person who
even has a different party affiliation than us. It's instead
of institutions that are co conspiring to create an outcome,
(07:44):
and oftentimes that outcome is not an hour the everyday
folks best interests. So if we don't mobilize and get
organized and start to respond. We're going to wake up
realizing that we are waking up in a completely different
place in environment and form of government and what we thought.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
We had when we laid down.
Speaker 4 (08:02):
So yes, you must rest and sleep, but you must
sleep in shifts right now. And Native Land is here
to try to break that down and keep us in
community with each other so that we can actualize the
true is and that the power of the people is
greater than the people in power.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
Once again, talking to Andrew Gillam, co host of Native
LAANDPID on iHeartRadio, drownded having you on today, like always
want to say thank you for your time.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Oh man, so thank you and keep doing what you're doing. Brother.
Inspiring
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