Breaking Stereotypes and Empowering the Unhoused: Actor Johnny Ortis / Community Activist Theo Henderson / Artist Black Bon Jovi & iLoveMemphis

In this episode 62023 Leila welcomes actor Johnny Ortis as he discusses his inspiring journey from a life in the gang lifestyle to his successes in the entertainment industry. As we listen to his story, we're reminded of the importance of self-love, the courage it takes to overcome personal challenges, and how Johnny uses his experiences to inspire others.

What if we told you that acceptance, human rights, and the power of music can help break down stereotypes and misconceptions about the LGBTQ+ community?  
Bae Honi chats with Activist Theo Henderson about the homeless crisis in Los Angeles. In this powerful episode, we discuss the unique struggles faced by different demographics, including the elderly, transgender individuals, and black women. We examine the impact of the eviction moratorium, the challenges of finding reliable services, and how empathy and understanding can truly make a difference in the lives of the unhoused. You'll walk away with a newfound perspective on this complex issue.

Lastly, we celebrate the power of self-love and its role in overcoming adversity. Leila speaks with Black Bon Jovi and I love Memphis about a new avenue for unsigned talent to have an opportunity to shine, I Love Memphis speaks on overcoming a serious criminal charge that could have debilitated his career and how he bounced back from it. Black Bon Jovi speaks about his charity endeavers.  Don't miss this thought-provoking and heartwarming episode as we explore the importance of empathy, acceptance, and the resilience of the human spirit.

PLAYLIST:

1. Macklemore-Same Love ft Mary Lambert
2. Beach Bums-Sparkle
3. Tigo B- Co-Pilot
4. No Doubt-Hella Good
5. MorissonPoe-Glitter Girl
6. Leila Live interviews Johnny Ortiz
7. Krystina Noll-Mad at me
8. IamKay- Break it down
9. Michael JeMar-Nobody
10. Coldplay-A Message
11. Bae Honi interviews Theo Henderson pt 1
12. Speech-Like Marvin said (What’s going on)
13. Creed-Arms wide open
14. Bae Honi interviews Theo Henderson pt 2
15. Brenn!-4runner
16. Taylor Ross-Path of Gold
17. Soja Boy- Zara
18. Izzy Outerspace-Just
19. Diamond Longs-Red Flag
20. Emily Morrison-Heavan
21. Lelia Live interviews Black Bon Jovi & iLoveMemphis
22. Bon Jovi-It’s my life
23. SUR-Only Road

NOTE: ALL MUSIC  PLAYED ON DASHRADIO PLATFORM IS  TRACKED UNDER BDS/ MEDIA BASE/ & SOUNSCAN MONITORING. KALIENTE GIRLS FALL UNDER THE LICENSING OF DASHRADIO.

You can also listen to this episode on our webpage: kalientegirls.com

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Are you ready for Callie and Taaannyyyy When you check? won't you, won't you Turn down, Won't turn down, won't go home, yeah.

Speaker 2: 0:15

From the white, strong and sexy women to dudes.

Speaker 3: 0:18

Callie and Tate girls Dash Los Angeles.

Speaker 4: 0:22

You all listening to the Callie and Tate girls.

Speaker 5: 0:25

We hot now take a sip. Yep Callie and.

Speaker 7: 0:28

Tate girls push your flames on these streets.

Speaker 6: 0:30

Ah Dash Radio LA. When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay Cause I could draw. My uncle was and I kept my room straight. I told my mom, tears rushing down my face, she's like Ben, you've loved girls since before pre-k. Sure, yeah, i guess she had a point, didn't she? Bunch of stereotypes all in my head. I remember doing the math like, yeah, i'm good at little league, a preconceived idea of what it all meant. But those that, like the same sex, had the characteristics The right-wing conservatives, thinking to decision. And you can be cured with some treatment and religion. Man-made rewiring of a predisposition, playing God, aw, nah, here we go. America the brave Still beers what we don't know. And God loves all his children. It's somehow forgotten. But we paraphrase a book written 3,500 years ago, but by I don't know and I can't change.

Speaker 9: 1:27

Even if I tried, even if I wanted to. And I can't change, even if I tried.

Speaker 4: 1:38

Even if I wanted to. My love, my love, my love. She keeps me warm.

Speaker 8: 1:46

She keeps me warm, she keeps me warm, she keeps me warm.

Speaker 6: 1:57

If I was gay, i would think hip-hop hates me. Have you read the YouTube comments lately? Man that's gay gets dropped on the daily. We become so numb to what we're saying. A culture founded from oppression Yeah, we don't have acceptance for them. Call each other faggots. Behind the keys of a message board, a word rooted in hate, yet our genre still ignores it. Gayest and out of mists with the lesser. It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion, gendered skin color, the complexion of your pigment. The same fight that led people to walk out and sit in. It's human rights for everybody. There is no difference. Live on and be yourself. When I was at church, they taught me something else If you preach hate at the service, those words aren't anointed. That holy water that you soak in is then poisoned When everyone else is more comfortable. Remain in voiceless Rather than fighting for humans that have had their rights stolen. I might not be the same, but that's not important. No freedom till we're equal. Damn right.

Speaker 9: 2:52

I see what I can't change even if I tried, even if I wanted to.

Speaker 8: 3:01

My love, my love, my love. What the hell? yes, hell to the year.

Speaker 3: 3:06

And, oh my God, let's do it, calli and the girl Listen up Dash radio discover channel.

Speaker 8: 3:13

LA See, watch your eyes And how love is sparkle. You're so kind. Sometimes it's abnormal. But it's possible In the blink of an eye It works out the both. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Watch your eyes And how love is sparkle. You're so kind. Sometimes it's abnormal, but it's possible. In the blink of an eye It works out the both. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.

Speaker 10: 4:40

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. Full presents Playing the hottest unsigned artist worldwide Only on Calli and the Girls.

Speaker 11: 4:58

Yeah, we ball for no reason. Cast flies to Swiss seas. We was in the nosebleeds. Now we got no flow seas. You were there when they wasn't. There was no ignoring. You Got your name tied at army Cause you never front at army.

Speaker 11: 5:18

Other women say they want me, but you made me a warrior. They ain't from me, like you. For me, girl, i need you in my story. I know God made you full up in the coupe. I bet you hot Friday Girl. This is the 7 out of 4, 5, 6 Baby on the cattle. You, my co-pilot. Baby on the cattle. You, my co-pilot, full up in the coupe. I bet you hot Friday Girl. This is the 7 out of 4, 5, 6 Baby on the cattle. You, my co-pilot. I don't really mind. Yeah, if you say you mind. Yeah, i'm so excited That you my co-pilot.

Speaker 11: 5:59

Yes, oh, yes, oh, applying more pressure than they are If diamonds made of pressure. Yes, oh, i think I wanna play. So, oh, yeah, i think I had to chase her. Ask around, i feel like speed racer Faster now. I think I had to chase her. Yes, oh, when I catch her, i'm a laser. Yes, oh, the mama got her serious Dairy off. I'm a laser. I'm a laser, i'm a laser. I'm a laser, i'm a laser, i'm a laser, i'm a laser. Mama got her serious Dairy off. I'm a laser. She in a fitted dress. It's scarier, don't worry about them. Haters, they haters. Baby, you're my papers, you're paper. I think I wanna play.

Speaker 11: 6:37

So, oh yeah, pull out the Tesla. Oh yeah, i bought her that compressor. Yeah, you know this subtle. Yeah, you know I love you. Pull up in the coupe. I bet you hot Friday Girl, this is the 7 out of 4, 5, 6. Baby on the cattle. You, my co-pilot. Baby on the cattle, you, my co-pilot. Pull up in that coupe, i bet you. Hot Friday. Greatest city 7 out of 4, 5, 6, 7. Baby on the cattle. You, my co-pilot. Baby on the cattle, you, my co-pilot.

Speaker 1: 7:26

Listen, listen, yeah, Sangers hangers and bangers.

Speaker 12: 7:30

Oh yeah, calli and Tate girls bring that smoke, holy smoke On Dash.

Speaker 4: 7:38

The waves keep on crashing on me. For some reason I bet you love keeps on coming like a thunderbolt.

Speaker 14: 8:04

Well, come here a little closer. You got me feeling better, good, so let's just keep on dancing.

Speaker 10: 8:28

Look for formers deserving of standing ovation. So don't wake me if I'm dreaming.

Speaker 4: 9:01

You got me feeling better, good, so let's just keep on dancing.

Speaker 8: 9:27

You hold me like you should, so I'm gonna keep on dancing. You got me feeling better good, so let's just keep on dancing. You hold me like you should, so I'm gonna keep on dancing.

Speaker 10: 10:08

You got me feeling better, good, so let's just keep on dancing. You hold me like you should, so I'm gonna keep on dancing. Yeah, we got the best jams in the stack. We put the D in the ash. We got the D-dash radio. You discover a channel.

Speaker 8: 10:48

Look in my eyes you will see. There's so much more to me, a reflection of my life. See what you see. All I want to do is be in front of you And all you want to do is always bring me down. Try to understand. My stage is once a man? I'm falling top below cash up right back home.

Speaker 4: 11:18

I'm a devil. I'm a glitter girl. I'm a mother mother here to rock your world. I'm an angel I'm a glitter girl. I'm a mother mother here to rock your world. Look down and spame on the skin. Can you taste all?

Speaker 8: 11:37

the wealth of the girls that has wasted me more. I can see right through you. I can feel, i can breathe, i can see In a blink of an eye. This is what I am not gonna fear. I am gonna prevail in this living thing. You bitch she's called a scene And I don't. You, i'm with me. All I want to do is be in front of you And all you want to do is always bring me down.

Speaker 8: 12:08

Try to understand my stage. Is once a man. I'm falling top below cash up right back home. I'm a devil. I'm a glitter girl. I'm a mother. Mother here to rock your world. Look down and spame on the skin. Can you taste all the wealth of the girls? that has wasted me more? I can see right through you. I'm a devil. I'm with me. All I want to do is bring me down. Try to understand my stage is once a man. I'm falling top below cash up right back home. I'm falling top below cash up right back home. I'm falling top below cash up right back home. I'm falling top below cash up right back home. I'm falling top below cash up right back home Like a stranger. Do you see me? Do you see? Do you see me. Do you see, cause all I want to do is be in front of you.

Speaker 13: 13:42

All you wanna do is always bring me down. Try to understand. My speech. Is once a man? I'm a dappled little cash-off private home. I'm a devil I'm a glitter girl. I'm a mother mother here to rock your world. I'm an angel I'm a glitter girl. I'm a mother mother here to rock your world. Look inside yourself. The Argentinian beauty is in the house. Lights, camera, action, we live is airing now.

Speaker 12: 14:21

Welcome, welcome everybody to Cal Integra's Dash Radio. I'm excited today because I haven't shown your teeth again here on our show. How are you today?

Speaker 15: 14:29

I'm good, Leila, nice to see you again.

Speaker 12: 14:31

Nice to see you again. So tell me a little bit more. What are you doing? What are you promoting right now? I know you're being filmed a lot lately. Tell me a little bit more.

Speaker 15: 14:39

So I started, I produced my first short film and I executed it. I started it. I also have a show that I'm doing with Fox That I can't talk about it right now, but it's with Fox, I can say, And it's exciting and it's a series regular. I'm very stoked for that.

Speaker 12: 14:57

I love it. Tell me a little bit more about what was the most exciting times in your career.

Speaker 15: 15:03

I mean man, i've been acting for like 12 years, so I mean, of course, my beginnings, my homebrew beginnings, my father in USA, which was a Disney movie that I did with Kevin Costner. That was fun.

Speaker 12: 15:15

Oh, i love it actually. I remember I was in Disney's studio when I saw the movie Because, you know, as a TV show they told you if you have to approve and what do you think? And that was one of the most ratings having at the moment. That's how I know you I know that's how we met right And then American Crime on ABC. How was that experience?

Speaker 15: 15:39

I mean, it was surreal at the moment. It changed my whole life. It was something beautiful. I can't complain about it.

Speaker 12: 15:48

Of course you can not complain about it. Tell me a little bit more about you. What was the most difficult times in your career?

Speaker 15: 15:55

I mean, you know we always have ups and downs in life And I always tell people, you know, it's not how you started life, it's how you finish it. You know and you know, growing up my teen years I didn't grow up like every average kid. You know, i grew up in the gang lifestyle.

Speaker 12: 16:13

Oh, wow.

Speaker 15: 16:14

Then, after getting out of that, i decided to change my career and make a living off of it, and it changed my whole life.

Speaker 12: 16:20

What made you do that? What was the one that you like? okay, i don't want this top of life. What was it?

Speaker 15: 16:28

It was just the simple fact of wanting to change and wanting to help my people and help my community And, you know, trying to be a better example and a role model. So that's the main point of everything, you know.

Speaker 12: 16:40

Are you happy?

Speaker 15: 16:41

I'm happy, I'm super stoked. I mean, I started a house of mansion that started with a business partner And I started running it out for film productions.

Speaker 12: 16:51

Wow, I love it. It's pretty dope. So wait, are you starting your own production company Or are you starting like a house? I'm doing different things. What are you doing?

Speaker 15: 17:01

I'm running houses out, you know, and having them, you know, use it for film production.

Speaker 12: 17:06

Oh my gosh, I'm not to call you, I don't have business.

Speaker 15: 17:09

I also have a limo company, so I ran out limos and stuff like that. It's pretty cool, you know. And then my life of just enjoying and going to do whatever I want to do. After this, I'm going to go eat some either Yamashu or some Seveniwunabab, Which is my favorite restaurants to go to.

Speaker 12: 17:26

Wow, okay, i love it. So tell me a little bit more about, if you want to give a message to kids that was in your situation when you were younger And when you were successful, what was the key that you gave to them?

Speaker 15: 17:46

I think you know there's always going to be ups and downs. There's always going to be moments in life where stuff is going to hurt you. I lost my mom in 2020, so we go through difficult times, but just know that you know you count on somebody, always have someone to listen to you. You know, even if it's, you know, just listening to music, going somewhere to meditate And it makes you happy at the moment, use that to your advantage, because you know we create our own emotions And I know it's easier said than done, but you know, if you feel you're having trouble with that, go to you know, take therapy and try to get yourself a little bit.

Speaker 15: 18:25

You know, definitely do you meditation, I do I do, i do, meditate, i love it, it's, you know, it sends you out and it just takes all the stress out, you know.

Speaker 12: 18:37

Right, all the negative out And what was your best scene that you've done in a movie that you're like oh my gosh, i love that scene. I did so good and you really see yourself like your real acting comes out.

Speaker 15: 18:50

I mean, i like working with producers. I worked with James L Brooks, the co-creator of The Simpsons. We did a movie called Icebox. It was good just working with him. You know him choosing me to be part of his film And the director, of course, daniel Saca, and just being part of that. You know, the guy that created The Simpsons is like whoa you know what bigger producers are gonna get with that?

Speaker 12: 19:10

you know, of course, exactly, exactly.

Speaker 15: 19:12

Him I worked I mean everybody. David Misselman, the one who started my career in the beginning. He got me on Strike One and I did it with Danny Trejo and I was the lead actor in it. So thanks to him, you know, and Columbia Pictures that he was part of, that has basically gave me my first starring lead movie.

Speaker 12: 19:31

You know, oh my gosh, you done so much.

Speaker 15: 19:34

So that's good. I done music videos with John Legend.

Speaker 8: 19:37

You know Shout out to John Legend.

Speaker 15: 19:42

Just to me for a music video And just all that you know.

Speaker 12: 19:46

Yeah, i love it. I was just asking you because you know I'm sure we all have that time that we love it And when we can show our acting skills right Of course. Well, we have to go, but is there anything else that you wanna share with us, that you wanna give it to the audience? Just Don't die at me, please.

Speaker 13: 20:06

I know I got, i don't know. No, i tell people Anything's possible. I had opens and downs in life. I've been in juvenile hall, i've been in prison. I taste a little bit of everything and you know you have to want to change for yourself and want better in your life to succeed. And I tell everybody out there that you know I'm chasing my dreams and I'm happy and just keep doing you and keep pushing.

Speaker 12: 20:46

I love it. No, definitely. Life gives you a lot of challenges and sometimes you don't understand why. It's because something bad is coming right, so something bad is coming, so that's good, juan. Johnny, thank you so much for coming and I hope you come back again. Just give it your Instagram when people can follow you.

Speaker 13: 21:03

Yeah, you can follow me on msjonyortis m-r-j-o-h-n-n-y-o-r-t-i-z.

Speaker 15: 21:09

Now I'm going to give a shout out to my boys right here, woop-boy and Na'um. Thank you for being right here. Part of me, my little squad, you know, and they go everywhere I go.

Speaker 12: 21:18

I love it. I want to thank you so much. And bueno, guys, we continue here and Layla Live Caliente Girls Dash Radio. Thank you, guys.

Speaker 2: 22:11

Thank you so much for coming. The way you talk, the way you move, the way you slip beside me, you had me thinking maybe you could be my one and only. And now you got me all fucked up. And now I'm wondering why You don't pick up the phone. Why are you so mad at me, baby? why can't we be true for once? How could you forget about me? Why can't you just contact me for once? Why are you so mad at me, baby? why can't we be true for once? How could you forget about me? Why can't you just contact me for once When the time go, try to love you crazy, even in a different time zone.

Speaker 2: 23:19

But you wanna put it all on me and I guess my fault. Maybe this is my fault. How is it? shit, my fault, it's the same crime. Tryna give them, me and them at the same time. And the times we used to share they were so blind. Now you got me writing about your ass at the baseline And, baby, if you didn't want me, i wish you would tell me, cause, babe, you had me thinking how could be you one and only, but now you got me all fucked up and I just wonder why? What did I do so wrong. Why are you so mad at me, baby? why can't we be true for once? How could you forget about me? Why can't you just contact me for once? Why are you so mad at me?

Speaker 6: 24:14

Calli and Thay girls. Calli and Thay girls.

Speaker 10: 24:17

Number one Number one Unsigned Artist Day viewers.

Speaker 4: 24:21

Worldwide Period Cash really young discover that I start right about this nightline. No one knows it like I do And I feel it in the night time. Break it down, break it down, break it down. You don't know what it's like to be me, but watch your mind, as they ask, and we'll see. Let you learn a little magic in the night.

Speaker 11: 24:47

It's hard for me to say it, so I put it in the song. Tell them you to listen. I just wanna let you know I don't say much to her all the time And you hate it every damn time. Hard to see in the limelight. Wanna know what they imagine like. Haven't been myself from girl, i know Wanna take the chance from there we go. Girl, tell me more. I really wanna know. Give me some more.

Speaker 4: 25:17

What do you envision, girl? Show me your world. What do you envision, girl, when I'm shooting for the moon, i start right about this nightline. No one knows it like I do, and I feel it in the night time. Break it down, break it down, break it down. You don't know what it's like to be me, but watch your mind as they ask and we'll see. Let you learn a little magic in the night.

Speaker 4: 25:47

It's like it won't be done. See ya now, baby, i need it. We'll be fast and fine. But you know, when the moon's tall, i think about it as you. I can't wait, just to get home to you, baby, come show me what you really wanna do Back to me from the day. I want you Now break it down. Time it now. Break it down, girl, now. Time it now. Break it down. Show me now, girl, break it down down. Mmm, when I'm shooting for the moon, i start right about this nightline. No one knows it like I do, and I feel it in the night time. Break it down, break it down, break it down. You don't know what it's like to be me, but watch your mind as they ask and we'll see. Let you learn a little magic in the night time. Break it down, break it down, break it down. Here's another, another, another Calliante Girls Exclusive.

Speaker 3: 27:07

Exclusive Dash Radio Discover Channel Los.

Speaker 14: 27:11

Angeles. I know nobody, but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you, feel, feel you feel my truth. It's been way too long, can't you see, since the stars came to shine on me, more likely to hit the lottery Than find somebody so fine and free. Thought I'd end up living alone Was a resolution to be on my own. But I'm a man I can't deny. When heaven's standing right before my eyes, i don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. Standing there in your sexiness, taking me back with your starlight for love That's so hard to catch and not to do, my body can't wait to be with you. Like a forbidden fruit that's gone too long, it's hanging low, but it's holding on. So kiss me then, in every way. Let's show the world that we make a fight. I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth.

Speaker 14: 29:36

I said nobody else got to love All my dreams. I need to love you, holding me, holding me. I just want you to set me free. I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. I said I don't want nobody but you. Let me tell you feel my truth. I said I don't want, i don't need, i don't want, i don't need. Love me, love me, feel me, love me. Oh yeah, i don't want nobody but you.

Speaker 13: 30:39

Macaroni and the five. I got the good old Music girls every drop is quiet.

Speaker 4: 30:45

Please don't stop, please don't stop, let it go, stop, man.

Speaker 16: 30:49

My song is love. Love to the love that's shown And it goes on. Love, you don't have to be alone. Your heavy heart. Love to the love that's shown. It's made of stone. You don't have to be on your own. You don't have to be on your own.

Speaker 8: 32:04

And I'm not gonna take it back. Well, i'm not gonna say I don't know that You're the target that I'm aiming at.

Speaker 16: 32:26

Well, i get that message from you. My song is love, my song is love alone, and I'm on fire for you.

Speaker 8: 32:58

Clearly you don't have to be alone, you don't have to be on your own, and I'm not gonna take it back. Well, i'm not gonna say, i don't know that You're the target that I'm aiming at. Well, i'm not gonna take it back. Well, i got to give that message home That I'm not gonna stand away, Not gonna leave until it's much too late.

Speaker 16: 34:32

On a platform I'm gonna stand and say That I'm not fit on my own And I love you. Jesus, come home. My song is love. I'm not gonna leave until it's much too late.

Speaker 17: 35:54

And I'm not gonna leave until it's much too late. And I'm not gonna leave until it's much too late, absolutely. And also, i would like to add that people forget that the houselessness crisis has over 60,000 unhoused children in LA, usd. So they didn't make any bad choices, they're just in a situation where their parents and family members are, and we don't talk about enough of the rising unhoused elderly population and the rise of elderly crime. There are quality of life type of crimes stealing food. Recently there was an elderly gentleman stealing food out in Beverly Hills and the police was called on him And the person that saw this happening tried to pay for the food and they wouldn't allow them to do that. So we have over 60,000 unhoused here in LA and the numbers are growing, particularly after the eviction moratorium that has been uplifted in LA. So we're going to see a lot of various cross-sweats of houselessness and unhoused community members on our streets.

Speaker 3: 37:49

Yes, that is definitely true, because I work with people that help homeless, that feed families and things like that, and I see it all the time. I try to help as much as I can, but it's just there are a lot of elderly people that don't realize that There are a lot of elderly that have literally been dumped by their families. The family doesn't know how to take care of them, because they suffer from either dementia Or, just, like I say, aging or anything like that. The family can't take care of them, so they just dump them out on the street and leave them stranded for themselves.

Speaker 17: 38:24

Or they got swindled out of their housing or they lived in housing for so long.

Speaker 17: 38:29

The building gets owned by someone else and they throw those elderly who are on a fixed income out And then they're out on the street. They can't afford the rents because the rents are too damn high in Los Angeles and you can't just tell them to go get a job if you're 80, 90 years old with this different type of health issues. And family members right now are struggling too just to keep it together. Where 40% groceries are up, 40% gas prices are high. They're cutting off GR benefits, medicaid benefits. They're trying to do everything in their power to make it much more sustainable for people that are barely on the thinnest of shells of being out here themselves.

Speaker 3: 39:11

Yes, they actually do. I've noticed that a lot of the programs have been getting cut. There's been a lot of things. A lot of people don't pay attention to it, but there's a lot of different regulations that have been passed That are detrimental to people that are literally living from paycheck to paycheck, which is putting people on the streets, is putting innocent children on the streets. That children don't deserve to be on the streets. Neither do most of the adults that are on the streets. There are some people yes, there is an exception, but what I've seen in LA since I've been in LA a lot of people just they just had a rough time And every time they try to build themselves up, every time they try to, it's something just kept knocking them down. Now, i would say, if we can spread more awareness to programs like you are doing and everything that you are doing, we could help a lot more people, and I really honestly feel like there should be programs where all these empty hotels that you see in downtown LA should house the homeless.

Speaker 17: 40:13

I totally agree And I'm so glad you made an interesting prior point. That was very correct. But also, too, there's been movements that we have in the communities have been pushing for. I was part of the seize the hotel during the pandemic. Our conversations has always been the NIMBYs, which is an acronym for not in my backyard people that don't want to see unhoused people. To create these hotels that were empty. They had showers, they were able to have food because the food was boiling anyway to have them in the place where they could get the services or better services, and get them off the street.

Speaker 17: 40:45

Now Meribas has created a program that is falling quite off the mark. It's called Inside Safe, but unfortunately the program is very performative in the respect that people are. The unhoused community is saying it's inside starving Unhoused people, despite the opinion that they don't like to be out there. They want sustained, they want accurate and they want reliable services. Take, for example, if you were applying for a job. most job employers want you to be reliable. They want you to be on time, they want you to be competent at your job And as citizens of the city, as in this country. The same thing is what unhoused people want. If you are saying that you have these services, then you're supposed to be punctual with it, you're supposed to be reliable and we're supposed to get the assistance that we need. We don't need to be criminalized with it, we don't need to get the run around And when we see that you're not up to the job, we have a chasm of distrust and we're not going to trust you.

Speaker 17: 41:40

When you say that you're going to do these things And Meribas is at a precipice because she's been a lot of monies with them, her to have metrics of showing what she's doing but million in-house are going to a revolving door, they're meeting up-illigerent staff, they are starving, they are in places that are not well-repared, it's dilapidated and so that causes uneasiness and that causes trauma.

Speaker 17: 42:06

And you have to also contend with the fact that being on the street is a lot different. I've lived in the house on the street and it's very different than living in a house And many people. When you see people living in these kinds of fashions that are very outside the norm of house people, you have to understand you're not going to be living like you were in a house outside on the street. You have to get out of that notion. You're going to have to survive the inclement weather, you're going to have to survive the hostility of the community, you're going to have to survive the violence of the law enforcement and you're going to have to survive on trying to maintain that you are sanity and your own health. I think I don't want to belabor the point, but I think those are the conversation points that is always overlooked when you're seeing people trying to survive.

Speaker 3: 42:50

Yes, definitely, because when you are in a situation like which I've had family that was in situations like that I've seen people that were in situations that you have to be on survival mode because it's not like you can just go to your house and sit in peace. Now, if you're living somewhere that's not housed, gated, with a door, somebody could just come up to your tent, somebody can rob you, somebody or even people that there is a lot of hatred towards homeless people. There are people that attack homeless people, especially drunk people, And I've been watching a few stories and it's really touched my heart and it's made me like, really like, realize that this is actually really a problem and people really do need to be aware of what's going on in the community, especially in LA. La rent is super high.

Speaker 17: 43:39

It is literally 2100 for one bedroom And it's amazing when people don't understand it If it's difficult for you and you have people that are unhoused or trying to sustain themselves. Consider for a moment that you're outside on the street, because I have been attacked by housed people on many occasions and been stalked and of the like. But consider for a moment. You got up this morning, you took a shower, you have your belongings in a safe place And let's say that you, like many other unhoused, are working and you're at a fear that you come back. Your things are taken And now you have to start again from zero to start to build, accumulate all of those things that you've taken, because sometimes it's other unhoused people, but sometimes, frankly, it's the city come again throwing away the things and or putting your belongings in a far flung place and expecting you to carry all your belongings back on public transportation downtown called the bin. It's just simply not acceptable. It is to create the idea to get people to self evict, to live in the land of despair, frustration, which is what I would like to bring up, and have a moment of remembrance for Mr Jordan Neely and understanding why that case really touched me, why I did a memorial recently about him.

Speaker 17: 44:56

Mr Neely had a very difficult time trying to sustain himself. Initially. Pandemic happened, but he was a Michael Jackson performer and people loved him. They gave him money that they could. But, as we understand, we're in a recession and he's became. He lost hope because it's frustrating living out on the street. His mother had met a violent end and he was still trying to come to terms with that previously, before he was unalived, and so when he came on the train, he didn't physically attack anyone. He just basically showed his despair, that he was hungry and he did not want to live anymore. And in response to that, instead of people caring and taking a moment to be present and offering him food, offer him a consoling word to say that they see him and understand the struggle, what happened was this murderer, daniel Penny, jumps up and puts him in a show hole for nine minutes, as well as unhoused.

Speaker 17: 45:51

People tried to stop this murder, but people became belligerent with the unhoused trying to stop that, and I want to point out that that's in our society. That's missing is the empathy. It could happen to anyone. It is happening to us, it's happening from children, elderly people, people that are disabled, and we're having the uptick of violence where the LGBTQI community, which are dealing with the challenges of coming out to their parents and they being thrown on the street And we don't talk about that in a month. There's a lot in our communities and they are meeting a lot of violence as a result of that, trying to survive. And we have a very young population, particularly here in Hollywood, vine and Hollywood and Western. There's a lot of young unhoused community members that are on our neighborhood streets trying to survive out of disastrous housing environments.

Speaker 3: 46:44

Yes that, just like I'm sorry, i got a little emotional listening to it because I've known people in those situations. And there is somebody that I'm following on TikTok right now. I forgot her name, but she's transgender, she lives in LA and I follow her all the time Like she has such a amazing spirit and she's so optimistic for what she has been. She's transgender, she was in the military. Well, she was a cop for years And she, literally every day she has a documentary of what she does is daily life as a transgender woman that's homeless in LA And when I tell you it made me feel grateful for what I do have Now. Nobody's perfect. Everybody struggles, but it's like to see somebody in that position to have such optimism that tastes. Not only does it take courage to be who she is out loud, but it takes courage to be able to, you know, let people know what's going on and show people really like it's not all that it's cracked up to be. And honestly, i think that transgender homeless are really ignored.

Speaker 3: 47:58

And I really feel like they don't have a voice And I really feel like a lot of their families have turned their backs on them and disown them, but at the end of the day, they are still human beings with emotions, regardless of their sexual orientation, regardless of you know.

Speaker 3: 48:16

what they do with their life has nothing to do with you. That is not your business. You deal with people how they deal with you. If they have a kind heart and they treat you with respect and they're respectful, it should not matter who they choose to lie with or how they choose to dress.

Speaker 17: 48:32

And it beats the lie of that. We are accepting of people. Our America is supposed to be accepting of people. We should let people live the journey that they are designed to want to take, And if we can't do that, what does that say about ourselves? That's why I always try to push against. because I came from. My family comes back from a very deeply religious background And I watched how respectability politics and other people be driven away from a church.

Speaker 17: 48:59

Yes, with the LGBTI community, i've noticed, i've noticed with if the young woman becomes pregnant, that that's another thing. That's, you know, we have a sense of what we used to say beating each other up with the word of God.

Speaker 17: 49:11

And that seems to be what our country is going through right now, particularly with the laws that are going outlawing transgender or drag shows or different things. We're trying to find every reason to control people's expression and people's livelihood and people's spirit, and that's really not really a not good place to be in this country right now.

Speaker 11: 50:03

I don't understand why. So a prayer for guidance. I try, Lord, please give me strength to find what's right. What's right in these times. I need to be strong to know what's going on. To know what's going on. I got to stay real strong to know what's going on. What's going on. Yeah, I try to figure out where I fit in. But I know I got to be myself. But nowadays I try to fly, fly real high. But I know that wings ain't easy to earn and suck like yarn for strikes of wisdom. But grandma swore that before too long I'd choose right from wrong and get the drift of what's going on. What's going on. What's going on. What's going on. What's going on. What's going on. What's going on.

Speaker 10: 53:13

What's going on. What's going on, what's?

Speaker 8: 53:31

going on.

Speaker 10: 53:40

Yes, i'll show you everything where longs won't open. Where longs won't open, well, i don't know if I'm ready to be the man I have to be. I'll take away, i'll take up. By my side, we're standing on, we create a life Where longs won't open Under sunlight.

Speaker 8: 54:33

Welcome to this place. I'll show you everything where longs won't open Now, everything has changed. I'll show you now. I'll show you everything. If I have just one wish, only one demand. I hope it's not like me. I hope he understands. Then he can take his life And hold it by the hand And he can breathe for him Where longs won't open, where longs won't open Under sunlight. Welcome to this place. I'll show you everything. Where longs won't open. Now, everything has changed. I'll show you now.

Speaker 3: 55:56

I'll show you everything Where longs won't open. In this country we contradict ourselves Because we say it's the land of the free. We say that we accept everybody.

Speaker 17: 56:09

But let's be real audience says The fact that you and the black women are in the highest educated populace in our population.

Speaker 3: 56:43

Say it louder for the people in the back. We are the most educated.

Speaker 17: 56:49

Most entrepreneurs.

Speaker 3: 56:51

It's definitely an oxymoron, definitely because for black women, i don't want to get too into it because I really want the spotlight to be on you, but you did touch a point For black women. We are the most educated people on the planet, we are the biggest hustlers on the planet, but still we get treated as if we are garbage, as if we don't matter, as if our feelings don't matter. We're expected to be the strong black woman narrative Like oh, you're strong, you got to expect okay. So there are people that have passed away from childbirth complications, black women that have passed away recently from childbirth complications because the doctors didn't think that she was in enough pain. The doctors are really insensitive when it comes to black women's pain tolerance.

Speaker 3: 57:35

Granted, we are strong, but we're still human, and I remember one of the things that I've heard was somebody that recently passed some complications kind of touched me because I, with both of my children, i had complications and they just told me I was being dramatic. You're just being dramatic, it's okay, it's okay, but the woman that didn't look like me had least issues and they rushed her right in, gave her her whatever she needed, but I literally had days where I would wait for 10 plus hours in a waiting room just to get turned away and sent back home. So with America, we really have to work on showing more compassion towards other human beings, regardless of color, regardless of sexual orientation, regardless of situational basis too, because with homeless people you think homeless people want to be homeless.

Speaker 17: 58:30

It's not as luxurious. And I can take a great exception to those streets of shame on NBC or those Fox News or ABC News that loves to depict unhoused people as living the life of luxury or living in the lap of luxury or calling them McMansion. But you have to understand you're living in an environment that you're trying to use ingenuity to sustain yourself in a place that is hostile to even working people, poor people. There are a lot of tenant unions that are being formed because they're being ejected out of housing because the buildings is being expired over the lease agreements or people are buying these things And they know that they can't afford even with the relocation money. They know that they can't afford a new place of living because we are too expensive here. So that's going to make them much more anxious because they know they're going to end up out on the street.

Speaker 17: 59:23

And we have legislation here in Los Angeles called 4118 and it's against the law for unhoused or unhoused. This is what they're targeting. This is the New Jim Crow. It is against the law for unhoused people to sit, sleep or lie, for example. If you see an unhoused person and you can call the police, they can roll up on them and says you can't be here because the sign says that you're unhoused. They show up for 500 feet. You can't even sit at a bus stop and there have been instances where cops have been called recently to Chatsworth in the area because they felt that was a Chatsworth skit roll So they had inside starving. Descend upon those unhoused people, as well as in other park areas, and say that they have a complaint. It's 4118.

Speaker 17: 1:00:05

If you can't, you get, if either you're going to set our services or you're going to go to jail and most unhoused people either, intimidated they're going to disperse because their services is not going to be jail anyway, so you're not going to be like, okay, i have no choice, let me just leave, let me self-predict, let me hide. And it's just making a situation worse. Because when people really have services and really have help and when you hear people say that their service resistance, it's not because of that, it's because they've been beaten and been terrorized so much. They don't know what to trust If I keep attacking you and harming you and then I come with some flowers and some chocolates and said well, this time I'm really, i'm sorry, so would you really go out with me Of course you would.

Speaker 3: 1:00:46

It sounds like an abusive boyfriend. Like stop calling him Jacinta Literally. Really We've all been there before.

Speaker 17: 1:00:54

So you understand the narrative. It's ridiculous because I heard Mayor Bass running around saying that she was listening to people saying to keep people on the street. I said that was such an inflammatory and inaccurate statement. Most activists understand the trauma and because you didn't understand that conversation, you chose to go and tell house people that don't want to see unhoused people than understanding Many unhoused women are fleeing abuse. They can't take their kids. People don't want to talk about it. Some unhoused women have children and they can't take their children, if they are boys, into a place where maybe they have other girls and they don't want to talk about it.

Speaker 17: 1:01:34

Or they have, there's an age restriction or the kids are rambunctious. Which kids are kids? then they get threatened. If you don't control your kids, we're going to throw them out. So, that's the kids Man.

Speaker 3: 1:01:45

You just oh, man You over here got me emotional tearing up because I was in a situation where I did flee a abusive marriage and it's not your fault.

Speaker 3: 1:01:56

I seen the signs coming. I was just you know, but I woke up to a gun in my face and I fled. I couldn't take my kid, my first kid. I couldn't take him because the shelters and the stuff like that wouldn't let me take. So I was like you know what, i'm going to just let him be with his dad. I'm going to let him be with his dad because I don't have anything to offer him. I left with literally I maybe had $20 in my pocket. He was young at the time. I only had. I had no Pampers, i had nothing. The mother-in-law actually hid all of my stuff before I was about to leave And like it was a whole plan for him to literally take me out. You feel me And everything was hidden. I didn't have nothing for him And I was like man, i can't let him suffer with me.

Speaker 3: 1:02:43

I literally I slept in my car for like a week and a half. I slept in my car, it was cold, it was like it was winter time. I ended up crashing, falling back on a like what you call black ice in Texas, in Decatur, texas, and I was in a hotel for about two days. My dad helped me And but the rest of the time, when I was driving all the way from where I was at I'm not going to say the place, i don't want to put white bits out there but I was sleeping in my car for about two weeks and I was homeless for like a good couple months.

Speaker 3: 1:03:14

I didn't have nowhere to go And I was like I would refuse to put my child through that. I wasn't eating, i wasn't, i didn't have nothing. So when it comes to women that are homeless and women are in that situation, like I feel for them because I've been there before it was kind of it's like fight or flight, like either you're going to let this person either beat you to death, gun you down or do something else to you, or you go and flee and take your chances, and a lot of women are not left with that choice And some people they wait until it's too late And um.

Speaker 17: 1:03:46

Or to make it like what you're mentioning, and have difficult choices. Because you love your son, you don't want them to be staying in a harmful situation, but you have to have self-proversification. You have to be alive to make sure that you raise your child, and that's an impossible situation.

Speaker 3: 1:03:59

It is. Oh no, it was honestly my fault because I was really young at the time and you know I admit my fault in the situation, but at the time it was like I felt like I didn't have no choice. And a lot of women there in situations and they get like um, what you call it, they get a ganged up on and told that they're bad mothers because they made a decision to save their own life. But it's like if I'm, if my brains are splattered in a trailer, i'm not going to be able to be a mom either way. Either either I leave and I let this, you know, let this play out and I'm still alive and I still have a chance to be in my child's life, or I get my brain splattered on the floor and be dead and not be any use. So it's kind of like you have to take your chances And for women that have been through that, i really feel for them because I've been there.

Speaker 3: 1:04:45

I've slept in my car, i have not had food, i've been homeless before and it's not fun And I try every day to help people that are in that situation because it's really not. It's not as glamorized as in. They try to make homelessness seem glamorized in the movies, as it's not glam. No, you know how many times I've had to like carry, like sleeping, my car with like a knife to me and I had to sleep in my car over at gas stations and truckers are coming to my car and try to yank me out my car, try to, you know you know essay.

Speaker 8: 1:05:19

Yeah, yeah, essay me.

Speaker 3: 1:05:22

I've had to. I've had to hold people, i've had to hold people at certain points to where I've had to defend myself, and I really don't think that it's discussed enough, because there are women that are literally going through it every day. I have a cousin that has literally been homeless since she was like 13 years old. She's in her late charities right now And she ain't never left the streets, but she had a addiction problem too. She still has an addiction problem to this day, but it's like she had a son just like me, but I decided to be sober and not experiment into that.

Speaker 3: 1:05:59

And she decided another route but till this day, like, i'm where I'm at and she's where she's at. But you could either with that situation, you can either make it a positive or a negative, and I choose to use my story to help others and to help other people in that situation, because nobody deserves to not have a room for over their head.

Speaker 17: 1:06:15

Absolutely, and I think that's because I want to talk about it too is because of the stresses that goes on with women or anyone that is using substances or leaving these. Sophie's choice. I call them Sophie's choice and I'm dating myself. Sophie's choice was a movie similar to some of the harsh realities that we're talking about and she had to make it. I don't want to ruin the ending to it, but it was. It was a sad ending.

Speaker 17: 1:06:38

The point is is that some of the people that are doing this having to cope with so much trauma, so much abuse like there was another unhoused woman that had to leave with her son and she had to leave another child there because she couldn't take both of them, because the husband had tried to pit the kid against him and then it was a horrible situation And years later she has felt so much guilt because he stayed in the house and he resents her because so she turns to alcohol because of the fact and she has a lot of guilt because she feels she could have took both kids and one kid got out and another kid it was there and it's so. It's such a layered conversation when we talk about substances. You know and Nancy Reagan unfortunately did not help the matter of just saying, just say no, not understanding people in us and want to just do. Substances that are usually unhoused are usually doing coping with trauma and pain and our society is violent and it's very harmful to people and people try to find ways to numb the pain.

Speaker 17: 1:07:40

Yeah, i mean, and it's so horrible and I tried to reiterate it, I tried to. I had to have an education with learning from friends of mine that are dealing with substance usage and dealing with mental health issues, and understanding the nuances. It's like you know, no one wants to do this, but there's different things. There are different trauma. There's unresolved trauma. There's not enough conversation, particularly in the black community, about therapy and being okay with it. Because I can. I come from a very religious, fanatical background that, looked at, therapy is like some kind of witchcraft. We're in our history of being experimented on and being distrusted by the white medical community, so there is some healthy distrust, but we have not evolved enough, or we haven't come in out of the wilderness enough, if you will, to really understand that therapy and treatment is not a bad word.

Speaker 17: 1:08:30

It's something that we need in order for us to progress as a people as well as a community.

Speaker 3: 1:08:34

Yes, definitely, and I'm glad that you touched on that because I've recently been in therapy. for the past two years now, i left my second piece of marriage.

Speaker 17: 1:08:46

It's a pattern here I'm learning.

Speaker 3: 1:08:50

But I went to. I've been going to therapy for the past two years and it's really helped, because families, they demonize therapy. They make it seem like, oh well, you're going to, we don't need that. You know that. Wp you know, you feel me And we don't need them. I come from a Caribbean family, so they don't believe in that. They believe in everything else, but not no therapy, you know especially Southern Black.

Speaker 17: 1:09:13

They don't, you know, especially you know they don't believe the white Exactly? They don't, so they it's more like.

Speaker 3: 1:09:20

But you notice, most of people in the church are hypocrites.

Speaker 17: 1:09:22

But we ain't going to touch on that right now. That's a whole other conversation And that's all type of trauma that they're enlisting or putting on people.

Speaker 3: 1:09:29

Yes, it's a lot of trauma And, as far as that, oh man, we got really deep into it. But hey, it needs to be talked about. People are too scared. Pull the bandaid off. And if we don't address it, if we don't talk about it, if we don't let it be known that it's a problem, how are we going to fix it? The first step is acknowledgement.

Speaker 17: 1:09:51

And this is why I do what I do in 15th and House community. These are all of the issues that maybe house people deal with, but unhoused people is much more intensified because they don't have a place to be able to sit and take stock and get the kind of treatment that they need. Because we believe it is an individual thing. We have the respectability politics narrative and then we have the meritocracy by this ratio, all your myth that everyone picks themselves up by the bootstraps, and it's just simply not true. We were built on a system of white supremacy and capitalism which has lend itself to believing that people that come from other places are magically imbued or endowed with skills that others people that have been here don't have. And that breaks up why there is a high percentage of African-American unhoused people. There's a high percentage of brown community members. There's a growing place where Asian community members are becoming unhoused, and that's that model minority myth is being debunked as well as this.

Speaker 17: 1:10:50

I keep having to say this because a month ago, a advocate reached out for me from Virginia. She was asking me why is it that nobody is starting to talk about? there's this high level of elderly unhoused people that are doing crimes And you know the crimes that they're doing. They're not robbing banks, they're not kidding people over the head. They're going into grocery stores and they're going to jail because they're stealing food. And it's not a, it's not in the lexicon of people. You hear about homelessness. You hear the negative detritus of people that you are doing survival converse um, survival things, but you're not talking about the elders that are supposed to have supposedly became from nothing, that did all of these things, but they're going to jail or it's feeling a pack of ribs or things of these that you know that they're trying to survive.

Speaker 3: 1:11:38

Yeah, so it's not fair. Yeah it's not fair at all. But I really want to get into your story, so let's start from the beginning. Let's start off how you got to where you are. What, what, what started you on the path that you're on right now?

Speaker 17: 1:11:53

Well, you know, i um to be clear, i am not from Los Angeles. I was born and raised in Chicago Um I graduated, and I finished my undergraduate in Michigan and I was an educator. I was a teacher and I was the educa um English and a creative writing teacher And I um moved around a couple of places and, you know, did uh sort of been up jobs And then I landed here in Los Angeles and I became an educator um in the South LA area for a while And I became very ill and which prevented me from um. I had I'm because I have diabetes and I as a younger man and I totally uh take responsibility I had I have a tendency to overindulge and I was quite a big person. That I am. I'm not saying I've been thin and skinny, but I have been known. I have my families, or Southern family, you know we I love They eat, y'all eat, y'all eat.

Speaker 1: 1:12:51

I understand And I love to cook.

Speaker 17: 1:12:53

So you know, and I could cook and I have cursed, i'm cursed to cook, i'm a good cook, but I'm a helper baker and I I just went overboard with it and I was teaching and then I wasn't taking care of myself, i wasn't exercising and I got into uh, had a diabetic stroke and um D Recovery process because I wasn't married, i didn't have a wife or kids and I had to um recover on my own and my family, my parents, who had passed on um my, my siblings, were not financially able because they had families in themselves and we were in the times of the great recession of 2008. So I had to uh uh take care of myself and I took care of myself with the medical and I went uh, lapsed on the rent, i got evicted. I had friends that stayed with friends for a bit and then you know it's kind of awkward when you're ill and then your friends are trying to be a good friend.

Speaker 17: 1:13:46

They have you there, but you know you're coaching in their space or their partner, they, it becomes awkward and I I try to not overstay my welcome, even though they, they claimed that you wanted me to stay and I, you know, i just didn't feel that great, yeah, so I went to start staying at other hotels until my money got uh stranger.

Speaker 17: 1:14:04

Then I started into uh Sleazy hotels, then I started to, then I finally broke down and tried to do the shelters. And the shelters was just too traumatic for me, um, because I, you know, i'm ill. I felt vulnerable, I did not, you know, if something, something jumps off, i, you want to be at least in capital wits about you or have been able to physically defend yourself. And I just felt always, um, exposed and vulnerable. So, and I didn't want to open myself up to more vulnerabilities. So I started to live, um in Sleazy motels. But then I started uh taking chances, living all over Los Angeles, trying to find communities where they were it was safer, or place where I didn't have to feel like I had to always uh go from zero to a hundred within a moment.

Speaker 17: 1:14:51

Yeah, And and the thing that is, it's like the eye opening where.

Speaker 17: 1:14:54

It's like one time when I was living in little Tokyo, right outside of a Buddhist temple, temple And they're right across the street, is this, this bar, and I was laying down and the bar was closing and I, you know they're noisy, they're, they're inebriated, they're laughing and jolting, and you know, you know how people do for neck getting out of the bars, and these three um, um people, people, um, were walking and seeing me laying near the temple gates And they, i don't know why, i was awake, but I heard them saying that there's no one around, you know, and there's, there's a spate of people that's been attacking on house people and these people started to kick me in my head, started to, you know, do all of these kind of violent things And if I had not had the necessary tools to just deter them, um it, it would have been a much more horrific. Yeah, once I called the police, which I tried to at the time, tried to do the law and order thing, they blamed me.

Speaker 5: 1:15:54

You know what they said.

Speaker 17: 1:15:55

They said well, first they asked me did I get a number of the license plate? I went well, i'm getting attacked by three different people. I don't have a pen and paper and I'm going to say hold on, stop from kicking my head for a mother. Why you? I tried to stop my brains out out here on the street to get your information. So I'm just trying to get you off. I'm scared. I've tried. I don't know how this is going to end with three people. I don't know. This guy's going to pull out, you know gasoline or gun or whatever. So I'm telling him this and he says well, if you wasn't out on the street you wouldn't be attacked. That's what the cops told me. They know, you know you can write, you can make a police report, but you know there's no information that you have, so it's not going to be investigated because there's nothing to be investigated. So it gave me a crash course on the police. Uh, contribution into the violence with unhoused people. They're indifferent, they're perfectly okay with violence and acting to a vulnerable community members. But let me be the one that defended myself. Yeah, i'm not going to go to jail because this house person couldn't accuse me of just wantonly attacking And many times, like the gentleman in San Francisco that attacked that guy, this fire chief guy would run up to this unhoused guy and spray him with bear mace, and this was more than several occasions, and so when he finally had enough, now the prosecutors are going to charge him and the the chief is making it sound like he's just a vulnerable victim. And this is the kind of part and parcel kind of community. The vigilantes, like next door and other places, due to create this kind of environment.

Speaker 17: 1:17:29

So I, as that story has been on, i went to other areas. I started living in other places in Los Angeles Westwood, santa Monica, venice and some other places in Hollywood And I've been I literally been over all over And I have settled into into the another Asian community, chinatown, and I lived there and I actually got to know the community there. I started tutoring some of the children and practicing some of my martial arts And of course, the Nimbis there didn't like being unhoused and didn't like the fact that I was unhoused in an eyesore. So I got harassed there, like everywhere, and it prompted me to start to catalog or get stories from other unhoused people and get their stories out where we could say this is not the narrative that is correct from other people that are pushing out against us.

Speaker 17: 1:18:22

This is what's going on. This is why we behave the way we do. This is why we are surviving and this is what we can do to help each other. So when I started with being unhoused, i didn't expect it to take office dead. I was so surprised at when people would come up and who knew me in the neighborhood.

Speaker 17: 1:18:40

I listened to your podcast, oh that's cool, but what really made me, really gave me a sense of pride, was other unhoused people in New York, in the UK, cuba, other places listening to this podcast and saying, damn, i wish we had a Weedian house here, because this is exactly the stories that the life that we hear we need to hear, because it definitely gives a confidence to unhoused people to finally have a medium, a place where they can tell the story that they're not being judged and I'm told that they're a horrible human being. They get to express their frustrations, their exasperations, their joys, their successes. They had some unhoused people have musical talent or other type of talents. I tried to highlight and uplift them as well, to show that there's joy in some time into the misery as well. I hope I answered your question.

Speaker 3: 1:19:34

Yes, you answered all of them thoroughly. I'm just grateful that you took the time out of your day to come and speak on this, to come and really bless us with your presence, because people do need to know your story. People do need to know What is really going on in LA, especially with the homeless population. But please tell everybody where they can find you.

Speaker 17: 1:19:56

Well, i have. I do Whitty and Howes. The podcast is on all of the platforms, the podcast platforms You can find me on Apple Podcasts, you can find me in SoundCloud. You can also find me in iHeart, as well as other platforms. I'm doing a reconstruction of Whitty and Howes as well, trying to expand it a little bit, so look for those new episodes coming up as well.

Speaker 3: 1:20:19

Perfect, perfect, and your Instagram.

Speaker 17: 1:20:22

Oh, my Instagram is Whitty and Howes Instagram. I also have a personal one, which you are on Theo Henderson as well. I'm also. I have a website. It's called WhittyandHowescom. I've updated it. I'm doing newsletters and I have a Patreon Whitty and Howes Patreon. So if you feel inspired to give a little love, please do So.

Speaker 3: 1:20:42

Yes, and you heard it first on Calliente Girls on Dash Radio. This is Bay Honey and we are grateful, grateful to have you And we hope that within the next few months or so, or whenever you're ready to come back and really speak on your story, because I do see you expanding in what you're doing. I see that for you, i'm speaking that into your life, i'm speaking positivity over you.

Speaker 17: 1:21:07

Thank you very much.

Speaker 3: 1:21:08

And everything that you are doing? This is Bay Honey on Calliente Girls on Dash Radio.

Speaker 16: 1:22:10

So this town is where I'd rather you be in your forerunner. Is it running up north these days? I'll say guess only when you're not here, past my hallways. Did you drop your crown On you way up now?

Speaker 1: 1:22:37

So I swear. something about you is Oh, this town is empty now and your crown is lost. It's about you change, but you only change for me.

Speaker 16: 1:23:09

Oh yeah Yeah, those wise words from the lettuce you wrote me in your crease pages. Have you turned all entries talking about how you wish your life would change? And your forerunner is running up north. These days I bet it gets crazy moving round and never steady. Did I let you down on you way back?

Speaker 1: 1:23:49

now. So I swear, something about me is changed. Oh, this town is empty now and your crown is lost. It's about you change, but you only change for me. Oh, this boy is broken now, wondering why you let him down. But you've changed, and I'm the only one who sees Yeah, oh.

Speaker 4: 1:24:51

Oh, oh, oh, discover on dash.

Speaker 7: 1:25:15

It's just too bittersweet to explain. Colleen, thank you, girls Gathered all these memories that have lasted.

Speaker 1: 1:25:31

And bring Period.

Speaker 7: 1:25:38

Subliminal dreams relate to our scene. I saw the bigger picture. Now you'll see. I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind, beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine Gifted? but we're surely blind? I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind, beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine Gifted? but we're surely blind?

Speaker 7: 1:26:23

Your fate led me down this road, fought all these demons and never went cold. You led me down a path ago No contracts. Yeah, you won't Never take my soul, never take my soul. It's time. It's time these people know That this life, this life, is more than just a show. More than just a show. I advise you to look inside yourself. It's just bittersweet. You won't find it nowhere else. Find it nowhere else. I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind. Beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine Gifted? but we're surely blind? I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind, beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine Gifted? but we're surely blind? You got me around your fingertip.

Speaker 8: 1:28:01

You won't forget, and you got me around your fingertip.

Speaker 7: 1:28:13

I love you for this. I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind, beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine Gifted? but we're surely blind. I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind, beautiful lights. I see the signs. Could it be that we were wine? Could it be that we were wine? I'm on my grind.

Speaker 1: 1:28:50

I'm on my grind. I'm on my grind. Woo, don't cry. I'm gonna go cry. Draw your eyes. Calliante girls is here. It's so hot. Bring in heat from the streets.

Speaker 5: 1:29:17

Soja boy, you got me twisted Girl. Your love gonna kill me back and I'm missing. Zara, my baby. Yeah, yeah, i see fire. I see fire in your eyes. Beauty, no disguise. Share you, go for love. Oh, baby, make you, no, bubba me. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, share you, go for love. Oh baby, no, bubba me. Oh yeah, i be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. Yeah, yeah, moni, say yo yo connect to my shemi La li ju la li ju. Moni say yo yo connect to my shemi La li ju la li ju.

Speaker 5: 1:30:27

If I was locked up, don't let me out. Lock up, oh, baby, don't let me out too, i be a prisoner for love. Oh, make you understand. Oh, baby. Say baby, nothing lasts forever, but your love got there forever. Oh yeah, share you, go for love me, baby. Make you no, bubba me. yeah, yeah, yeah, share you, go for love me, baby. No, bubba me. Oh yeah, i be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. I be wanting your lover. Yeah, yeah, moni, say yo yo connect to my shemi La li ju la li ju. Moni say yo yo connect to my shemi La li ju, la li ju. So, so, so, so, so, so cut that one she.

Speaker 3: 1:31:42

So far the beat, so far the beat, shake it up, the number one artist debut show in America. I am honey Calliante.

Speaker 14: 1:31:55

Girls dash radio, so let's get it.

Speaker 8: 1:32:41

Just just, just Once more, before you turn into smoke.

Speaker 9: 1:33:04

Sick and tired of talking about the same old things As if they could change.

Speaker 8: 1:33:21

Forget all my mistakes, just for today. Just for today.

Speaker 14: 1:33:50

Just just Once more, before you turn into smoke And I went broke and I went, shook you down your spine.

Speaker 8: 1:34:01

I thought you really lied. I thought we were fine If you'd known, say, our phones. Do we disappear Like we were never here, like we were never even here? Don't let me fall in everything. Don't let me fall in everything. Don't let me fall in everything. Don't let me fall in everything.

Speaker 9: 1:35:02

It's been a while since I've seen you standing here.

Speaker 14: 1:35:21

We got a thing going on, though it hasn't been for long. Oh, i can see it going wrong. Should've known it all along, cause it felt so far in the jungle When you were coming out, too strong, and now we barely get along.

Speaker 4: 1:35:40

Now, this isn't what it was and I'm not gonna fight. I'ma listen to my mind because I find it's always right. But I could've trusted you, but you're the one I put my heart into. But you are all the things pointed too bad. Maybe you're walking, getting all the signs again, and I would rather know than to pretend. So I am Letting go of what we had, but you're walking red flag. Oh, you're walking red flag. Yeah, you've been making all your rounds, thought of one year, but every girl's got your name in their mouth, not here. When you will go, i don't wanna reminisce, but if you do remember this, don't look my way or what it's meant, and I'm not gonna fight.

Speaker 4: 1:36:50

I'ma listen to my mind Because I find it's always right. I can't let it be. This might work for them Before you won't be playing me. Oh, i thought I could've trusted you, but you're the one I put my heart into. But you are all the things pointed too bad. Maybe you're walking. I might be alone again, but I would rather than to pretend. So I am Letting go of what we had, but you're walking red flag.

Speaker 11: 1:37:43

Oh, you're walking red flag, yeah.

Speaker 9: 1:37:52

I wonder what it's like if it feels so nice down here.

Speaker 8: 1:38:00

You got me wondering got me into days.

Speaker 9: 1:38:05

You just keep amazing me. You got me wondering cause. You know just what to say To keep my mind stay sane, and you know each flaw, each wound, yet you still paint me new.

Speaker 8: 1:38:38

Yeah, i mean heaven, whoa, whoa. Yeah, i mean heckle.

Speaker 9: 1:38:55

Oh, limited eyes and my human mind can't see All the things that you see. Even if I tried, i would only find a piece. But that's more than I could need, cause your creativity is so clear and blind and leased And your beauty chases me to places in my dreams Yeah, i mean heaven.

Speaker 8: 1:39:48

Whoa, whoa. Yeah, i mean heckle, oh, whoa.

Speaker 12: 1:40:40

Welcome, welcome everybody, And Laila Life and Kalindegar's Dash Radio. I'm always super excited to celebrate this And today I have these amazing guys. How are you guys? how are you doing today? Doing good, thank you for having us.

Speaker 19: 1:40:53

Definitely thank you for having us.

Speaker 18: 1:40:54

You know, we always Black Bonchovia I like that?

Speaker 12: 1:40:57

How does that come with that amazing name?

Speaker 18: 1:41:00

You know, like my aunt, she was actually diagnosed with breast cancer And I was her caretaker. She actually named me the Black Bonchovia on her sickbed.

Speaker 12: 1:41:09

Oh, wow, i love it. Before we start with the question, i want to ask you What are you guys promoting right now?

Speaker 18: 1:41:16

Music and also the new hit reality television show. Y'all gotta be on the lookout for them. I love Memphis.

Speaker 12: 1:41:22

It's good to be here.

Speaker 18: 1:41:23

Oh, I like that You know hosting auditions next week, June 23rd, from 5pm to 8pm, you know, and like he's looking for love, Where, where we can watch it. It's gonna be on all social media platforms But, however, it's a lot of networks that's been currently Showing an interest for it. But, however, like I said, the auditions will be taking place out here in LA.

Speaker 12: 1:41:46

I love it. That's something. Auditions Why auditions?

Speaker 19: 1:41:50

To see who the best person you know to put on my platform And turn them up and give them an opportunity To have a platform so they can be out there, you know.

Speaker 12: 1:41:59

And what is the show about it?

Speaker 19: 1:42:01

It's about it's drama now. It's drama in it, but you know you gotta get the right people to make the drama come. You know it's like a read out of this show, but it's like fun too. So it's like content, you know. Creators.

Speaker 18: 1:42:14

And when it really comes down to it, he's looking for love, he's looking for love.

Speaker 12: 1:42:17

You know, i love it, i love it. Okay, that's a different concept. I think it's going to be super fun.

Speaker 18: 1:42:24

You know, i got a reality show that's been currently already poppin' out here, called Hip Rock LA. It's all about bringing all the coaches together And spreading positive energy all walks of life. You got hip hop artists, you got rockers, you got rappers everybody. We all came together as one.

Speaker 12: 1:42:38

I love it. Tell me a little bit more about you guys in the same show, correct?

Speaker 18: 1:42:46

Yeah, we work together, and you?

Speaker 12: 1:42:48

guys sing together.

Speaker 18: 1:42:50

No, we work on several different projects together, like we actually share a business called the Cancer Killer Foundation. On giving back to the community, visiting hospitals, kids battling cancer, Turning their friends into smiles, all that good stuff But like always been spreading positive energy pretty much.

Speaker 12: 1:43:06

I love it When you guys tell me what was the best times in your career. Each one separate.

Speaker 19: 1:43:16

The best time in my career was going through a dark time and me having my faith and keeping my faith in God and me reaping my reward for having good energy and good vibes, just staying focused and doing the right thing. Me going through a dark time and overcoming it was one of the best times.

Speaker 12: 1:43:42

Why you say what was your best time going in the dark?

Speaker 19: 1:43:46

I got in trouble with the law and I went through some hard times and then I kept my faith strong and a month later I made the biggest song of my career.

Speaker 12: 1:43:58

It was like a challenge, right.

Speaker 19: 1:43:59

Yeah, it was definitely a challenge, but the strong survived.

Speaker 12: 1:44:04

And then about your career, what you do acting or singing.

Speaker 19: 1:44:12

I rap, make content, make music.

Speaker 12: 1:44:17

Okay.

Speaker 19: 1:44:18

I like it Make music.

Speaker 12: 1:44:20

How about you?

Speaker 18: 1:44:23

My career has just really started to elevate, go to another level. My best time. You said best time. That's the question. It's pretty much like gathering everybody from all different nationalities and races and pulling everyone together. When people tell me that it couldn't be done, i made it happen.

Speaker 12: 1:44:46

You're like, okay, where are the second?

Speaker 18: 1:44:48

Yeah, bridging the gap. That's exactly what I did and I actually created it. Like how they say, little Richard, they're architect of Rock and Roll. Now they saying the Black Juan Jovi, I'm the architect of Hip Rock LA.

Speaker 12: 1:45:01

I love it When people say about you Black Juan Jovi. what is the people notice about it? What is it like? Oh, he's cool because he's painting in his face, or because the way you sing. what do you think people? what's the tension that you give it to people?

Speaker 18: 1:45:24

More like. It's like don't be afraid to be yourself. Okay, you know, have fun. You know they love the face paint. It's different. I'm not originated of it. Besides KISS, they were a group Black solo artist. I've been like a lot of people. They all have been coming up to me. They say that I must have influenced Playboy Cardi, for example. I was like wow. Then, when I finally checked him out to see who he was as an artist, he actually mimics my face paint sometimes. I love it. And this is different.

Speaker 12: 1:45:58

So what is the impact that you want to give it to the audience?

Speaker 18: 1:46:01

You said impact wise. What would you say The?

Speaker 19: 1:46:04

impact I would like to give to him is to stay consistent and to chase your dreams. just go for whatever you want to do. You know, like nothing is impossible. You know and you miss 100% of the shots that you don't take. You know, and you always going to have controversy. You always going to have folks to like the haters. We all got them haters, but you just have to let your haters be your motivators, like that's literally real.

Speaker 12: 1:46:30

They the ones that motivate you to keep going. The most important is just focus on what you guys doing, because if you focus what others does, then you got to stay focused.

Speaker 19: 1:46:38

Yeah, you got to.

Speaker 18: 1:46:39

Definitely. Stay motivated, Stay on that straight narrow path and get it.

Speaker 12: 1:46:44

Yeah, so tell me a little bit more about your music.

Speaker 18: 1:46:48

My music is different. It's positive, energy music, Have fun music, family orientated dance music, Have a good time. Like my sound is unique. I don't believe in auto tune. You know, like a lot of artists get in the studio the auto tune on that that me. I like to give it to your original and straight and direct.

Speaker 12: 1:47:08

How about you?

Speaker 19: 1:47:08

I make all kind of music. I'm from Memphis So you know it's like the hip hop street era three, six mafia shout out to them, guys coming from the city. But I dare it to be a little different. So my fans really like my dance, trend music, you know, music they can get on Tik Tok and YouTube and make dances too and just have fun, like the summertime jams, you know, giving them a movement to do, give them some talent to do. Yeah, you know, just like just making them have fun, you know.

Speaker 12: 1:47:40

So tell me a little bit more about your casting. What are you guys point for for this casting? What is the the you're looking for? and people to be part of your show. Be a good singer, be a good dancer.

Speaker 19: 1:47:53

Yeah, have a talent that you have Give a fine point so that people listen.

Speaker 12: 1:47:58

They're going to reach out to you guys.

Speaker 18: 1:47:59

Like with my show Hip Rock LA, we're not looking for no crybabies, no rats or no quitters, you know? So if you follow those categories right there, please don't apply for Hip Rock LA. You know what I mean. As far as the ladies, I love Memphis. I'm going to let him get the floor for that one.

Speaker 19: 1:48:19

I mean, I'm really just looking at you don't have to, you know, I'm just looking for people who got talent and who needs a platform to promote their talent, Because before I had a platform, all I wanted was a platform so I can show people my talents, You know so When you say talent, what about talent?

Speaker 12: 1:48:35

do you want these people show you?

Speaker 19: 1:48:37

Whatever they good at Like I'm good at making music and making dance songs that the people that's trend and the people can dance to and be happy. So if they know how to bake a cake, do her hula hoop, like whatever they know how to do that they the best at. I want to show that on my platform.

Speaker 18: 1:48:51

I see. And then, key component, they got to be genuine, like the ladies that's going to be auditioning. You know they got to be genuine. You know they got to really have. You know, have that.

Speaker 12: 1:49:03

Yeah, the it factor, That it factor Okay but do you want these girls know how to act in? you know how to dance or singing, or just look pretty?

Speaker 19: 1:49:15

They, i want them to be entertaining.

Speaker 18: 1:49:17

Entertaining.

Speaker 19: 1:49:17

That's all you know.

Speaker 18: 1:49:19

And one thing about our heart he don't discriminate. they could be fat, skinny. You follow me all the way around the board. It's all about the personality I see. The beauty is within.

Speaker 19: 1:49:28

It's about the entertaining. If you entertaining the people going to choose, you know the fans have it your way, like Burger King. So the fans are always right and the fans going to choose who they want and what they want. I mean it's like business, you know.

Speaker 12: 1:49:42

I see, well, i own a talent modeling agency, that's why I ask so many questions.

Speaker 19: 1:49:47

You know when you ask him. I have a modeling agency.

Speaker 12: 1:49:50

Yeah, because when you ask, when you say talent, you know it's so many types of talents that you can have right. Yeah, you're right.

Speaker 19: 1:49:54

You're right, so that's why I like this Social media content, talent, you know.

Speaker 18: 1:49:59

Send all the ladies on your roster, your modeling agency, down to audition see if they fit the role You know. I know that he's only going to be picking 14 of them. You feel me.

Speaker 12: 1:50:08

Then you guys going to have 14 talents on the show.

Speaker 18: 1:50:10

Yes, But it goes straight directly into production. You know, once they're selected, the next following day we're going to work.

Speaker 12: 1:50:17

I see Well, that sounds so excited, guys. I love it.

Speaker 18: 1:50:21

And as a bonus we're going to be given whoever selected that makes it to the finals. We're going to be giving them a $20,000 cash reward as a bonus 20,000.

Speaker 12: 1:50:30

Okay, audience, listen, these guys are the same 20,000, y'all That way. Take a note. Take a note, awesome. Well, we have to go, but is anything else that you guys want to share with us before we go?

Speaker 18: 1:50:44

Yeah, like if y'all know anybody that's currently going through the struggle, don't hesitate to motivate them to hold on, because you never know how you can influence an individual that can change their life that way.

Speaker 19: 1:50:54

Yeah.

Speaker 12: 1:50:55

I love it Well, thank you so much for coming. Can you guys have your Instagrams?

Speaker 18: 1:51:00

Yeah, definitely Me. The Blackbarn, jovi T-H-E, black B-L-A-C-K. Barn B-O-N. Jovi J-O-V-I. That way, thanks for your dash ready for having me and all that good stuff. None other than it, lately.

Speaker 19: 1:51:12

You can follow me at I Heart Memphis on all social media platforms And I would just want it to say tell the people to keep God first. At the end of the day, if you feel like you don't have nobody else, you're going to always have God. So just build that relationship with yourself and God so you can always have something to hold on to.

Speaker 18: 1:51:32

That way And, once again, y'all make sure y'all follow him on his platform, all social media platforms in here to keep you up to date on the auditions. Once again, it's June 23rd and we'll be at a private location downtown Los Angeles. It's going to be lit y'all And we're giving away $20,000 as a sign in bonus.

Speaker 19: 1:51:51

And we're putting you on the platform. So, if you're looking for your big break or you're looking for just that exposure, look no more.

Speaker 12: 1:52:00

Awesome. Well, guys, thank you so much for coming. Hopefully you come back soon to talk about the show in a couple of months and see what happens. And thank you so much. And now, guys, we continue here. Live Alive Calinti Girls Dash Radio.

Speaker 8: 1:53:08

It's my life.

Speaker 11: 1:53:18

This is for once you stood there down, tommy and Gina, they're back down.

Speaker 1: 1:53:36

It's my life.

Speaker 8: 1:54:04

It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life, it's my life.

Speaker 9: 1:55:44

It's my life. It's my life.

Speaker 20: 1:56:04

It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life. It's my life, it's my life.

Speaker 8: 1:58:05

It's my life. It's my life, it's my life.

Speaker 20: 1:58:32

It's my life, it's my life. It's my life, it's my life.

Speaker 13: 1:59:18

It's my life.