Scratchwerk ^EDU
"Scratchwerk ^Edu," hosted by Ronnie King, CEO of Scratchwerk Tech and founder of the MyVillage Project, is a dynamic podcast at the nexus of Black communities, technology, business, education, and current events. Each episode dives deep into the role of emerging technologies in promoting equity, enhancing workforce development, and reshaping education.
Join Ronnie as he explores how technology can be leveraged to uplift and empower marginalized communities through insightful discussions with experts, activists, and innovators. From the practicalities of tech entrepreneurship to the impact of community-led initiatives, "Scratchwerk Edu" is an essential resource for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and social change.
Learn about the success of tech incubators such as "Coding in Color", which has trained over 2,000 students in emerging skills and secured over $800k in funding to support young Black tech entrepreneurs, and discover how initiatives like the MyVillage Project Community Fund has united organizations and disbursed over $4M to support 220+ Black-led nonprofits across the country. Tune in to be informed, inspired, and involved in reshaping a more equitable tech future.
Scratchwerk ^EDU
Conversation with Senator Tony Hill - Public Service and Connecting the Dots
Step into a compelling conversation with former Florida State Senator Tony Hill, as he unpacks his journey from longshoreman to public servant. In this warm and engaging episode, we discuss the importance of community connections and how these relationships can empower individuals and families alike. Senator Hill shares insights into civic engagement, advocating for youth participation, and the critical need for historical awareness in shaping our future leaders.
Listen as Hill emphasizes the power of education in fostering a vibrant community. We dive into meaningful discussions about financial literacy and the barriers many communities face in accessing vital information needed for economic empowerment.
As we celebrate Black History Month, Hill's reflections serve as a poignant reminder of our collective history and the interconnectedness of our legacies. This episode is rich with practical insights and thoughtful reflections that will inspire you to engage more deeply within your community. Join us for a memorable discussion filled with humor, history, and hope for a brighter future. Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review!
Welcome, welcome, all right, hey, senator Hill. How's it going? Senator Hill, you just got back in town.
Speaker 2:Just got back in town. Okay, all right. How was it? It was exciting.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, Let me see that shirt. I am my ancestors' wildest dreams for sure.
Speaker 2:Yep, in fact I might have a fundraiser for us. When I was there yesterday I went over to a theater, sort of like the Ritz Theater. We can partner with them and sell the bricks outside where the people walking in. I saw that yesterday. First thing that came out of my mind my village project, hello.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I like it I like it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm with that, I'm with that.
Speaker 2:Throw that around to your group. We can do that.
Speaker 1:We'll do that. Don't wait that. Throw that around to your group. We can do that. We'll do that. You are never short on ideas.
Speaker 3:I'm asking ChatGPT what your bio is. I want to see what it says. Have you used that before Senator Hill.
Speaker 2:You know I haven't, and I'm glad you said it, because I got to do a piece and my weakness is writing.
Speaker 3:Okay, you know, I haven't, and.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you said it, because I got to do a piece and my weakness is writing Okay, so this should help me, right?
Speaker 1:You ain't got to worry about that no more. It's going to change your life.
Speaker 2:All right, that's what I needed.
Speaker 3:Lord, you're going to be out here, speech after speech, after like, sign me up, sign me up.
Speaker 2:I mean, here's what we're doing. Next week. I got to present my statement to the main legislature, the state Senate, because whatever I'm talking on, they want to see it in writing as we're talking, because I'm going to be doing a Zoom like you're doing now, but we're trying to name the railroad crossing in Wisconsin where James Weldon Johnson was killed After him.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay.
Speaker 1:And so all right, but you see me as like one of the folks that even if you turned in the script I know you're going to go off script I don't see you as somebody that's going to read the paper, the statement that you sent them.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean I'm trying to, as they say down home, I'm trying to be respectable, so I'll stay on script.
Speaker 4:I'll stay on script.
Speaker 3:I hear you.
Speaker 2:That's a project we're doing. We're working on that project. And then also, ronnie, I meant to tell you, and Tia, there were 23 ladies in the 6888 that were from Florida.
Speaker 3:Hello let me take this moment and pause yet again and ask Ronnie has he seen 6888 yet?
Speaker 1:Listen, you act like the movie has been out for years and years.
Speaker 3:I didn't know who Uncle Nears was, and you took four different podcasts to talk about that. One thing you keep saying how I didn't know who Uncle Nears was.
Speaker 1:I need to see it, I'm asking if you've seen 6888 yet I have not seen it, but I know what it is, how many ladies, did you say Senator?
Speaker 2:23?
Speaker 3:23. Now let me.
Speaker 2:Ronnie, since you haven't seen it, let me drop something in your spirit. The Divine Nine Women organization is all over 6888. We have one sister that was from Jacksonville named Farida Smith and she was an AKA Look at that From Florida Memorial University when it was in St Augustine. The sister that led the charge, chelsea Adams. Her brother was Hearst Adams. That was over the AME church piece of the 11th Episcopal and she's a Delta. And then Raleigh, north Carolina, nakes, munner, munner. After Nakes they're going to name a post office after a sister that is a member of Zeta Phi, beta. So the Divine Nine is all over it. I love that they're all over it. So, tia, when you were looking at it, they are all over it Because what happened was Ronnie. What happened was when they came back from the military, they used their GI Bill and they went to school. So check that movie out, man.
Speaker 1:I got to check it out, I'm going to check it out, you, the second and third person that came on this thing and told me about it now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Tyler Perry put his foot in that one. He did. I mean, he and you saw what happened at the Image Award. They won two of the best awards.
Speaker 3:Oh, here comes the next one. Ronnie, you watched the Image Award.
Speaker 1:Don't do that now. I'm not that bad to you. Come on now. No.
Speaker 3:I didn't watch them. I didn't watch them.
Speaker 1:I have a tendency. I watch them now. I didn't catch the last one.
Speaker 3:I didn't catch the last one either.
Speaker 4:So that one I wasn't actually trying, trying to highlight that makes, but I was curious.
Speaker 3:I didn't watch them, but I have seen. I want you to hear your bio from um chat gpt.
Speaker 3:I'm gonna tell you what it says, and then we'll start with that. We'll just naturally ask you some questions from the bio and we'll have a little chat, and then we'll conclude our chat. Simple as that. Um, we're happy to have you with us today on the Scratchwork EDU podcast. I'm going to share Tony Hill's bio as a reference from ChatGPT, and then he will tell us how this works. So this will be your first entry to ChatGPT. You ready?
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 3:Okay, anthony C Tony Hill Sr was born in Jacksonville, florida, and is an American politician and labor leader with a distinguished career in public service. He served as a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000, representing the 14th district, and subsequently in the Florida State Senate from 2002 to 2011, representing the first district. During his tenure in the Senate, hill held the position of Minority Democratic Whip from 2008 to 2010 and again from 2010 to 2012. Hill's educational background includes attending Lincoln University from 1975 to 77 and earning a Bachelor of Arts in Labor Studies from the National Labor College in 2001. He also attended Edward Waters College in 1995.
Speaker 3:Hill has been actively involved in labor organizations, serving as a longshoreman and holding leadership positions within the Florida AFL-CIO. He is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated Beta Phi Chapter and has been recognized for his contributions to labor and civil rights, including being the youngest inductee and first African-American into the Florida Labor Hall of Fame. In 2011, hill resigned from the Florida State Senate to join Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown's administration as the federal policy director. He later served as a field representative for US Congressman Al Lawson Jr. Look at me saying Al Lawson. In May 2022, hill announced his candidacy for Florida's fourth congressional district, aiming to bring his extensive experience in public service and labor advocacy to the federal level. Throughout his career, tony Hill has been a steadfast advocate for working families, education and civil rights, leaving a lasting impact on both the local and state communities in Florida. What do you say about that, mr Tony?
Speaker 2:That's very impressive.
Speaker 1:And how long to get that to you 20 seconds 20 seconds. 20 seconds, 20 seconds. Wow yeah that is impressive.
Speaker 3:Now they didn't tell us about those beautiful children, children of yours and your family, so you add that part to your bio.
Speaker 2:My family. I'm going to give you a real twist on the family piece.
Speaker 3:All right, let's hear it.
Speaker 2:I was married the first time for about 17 years and in that marriage came three children, of course, cicely, tiffany and Ron, and my namesake JR, and was so excited about them. And of course they were all over Raines High School, now Tia. I want you to know I'm a graduate of Rebo.
Speaker 3:But you got it right with your kids.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I got it right with the kids. At least they say I got it right with the kids because they were involved in everything over there at Raines. Yes, I got it right with the kids. At least they say I got it right with the kids Because they were involved in everything over there at Raines.
Speaker 3:Yes, they were.
Speaker 2:They were so involved that the principal, who at the time was Jimmy Johnson, called me and said Representative, what you trying to do, put a roof on the building. I said I'll put a roof on that building if necessary. And, of course, tiffany. I asked Tiffany. I said, tiffany, now you're not going to put any strain on your dad, right about trying to run for Miss Raines, miss Delta, you know aka. She said Daddy, you ain't got to worry about that. A year later, here she said Dad, you ain't got to worry about that. A year later, here she comes, dad. So I had to go and do what I had to do. But so Tiffany was runners-up, miss Raines and Cicely won Miss Raines.
Speaker 3:Isn't that something?
Speaker 2:Yep. So they got involved with the deltas and the AKPs and Cicely, she tied with Alvin White's daughter who was my principal Okay, let's go to show you the craziness of it and so, and then she stumbled on something and, of course, her mom being a Delta. So they got the Delta and I really believe, right into this day that's why this is a KA.
Speaker 4:But I don't want you to read anything but but but Tiffany but Tiffany plays Delta.
Speaker 2:And so she's a Stanch, not Delta, and of course, cynthia is Stanch, not AKA. But so my other daughter, I have an older daughter, right and Ronnie. The reason why I have an older daughter is because I forgot about Friday night, but I'm going to let y'all get that a little later on the podcast.
Speaker 1:It'll hit you a little later.
Speaker 2:But because of that situation she had a daughter. And out of that situation Tia I see you looking across like that. Out of that situation, aaron had four kids, which are my grandkids.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:And Darielle right, who just walked off from her mom. Then we didn't know where she was, what was going on and stuff there, because she said I'm not going to live like this. So she went on. She grew up real fast, so she has a baby, so I got a great-grand.
Speaker 3:How old were you with this great-grand?
Speaker 2:Ronnie, y'all ready for something on this podcast today?
Speaker 3:Scratchfork EDU listeners. Introducing great granddaddy Tony Hill.
Speaker 2:And he is now the apple of my eye. I mean he has it going on, and so he's five years old.
Speaker 3:Wow, kindergarten.
Speaker 2:He'll be six in October, ok.
Speaker 3:OK.
Speaker 2:So of course Cicely has five kids, and so her oldest son, ronnie, played football there at a town called Germantown, which is right outside of Memphis, at a town called Germantown, which is right outside of Memphis and sort of like Orange Park or Ferndina or St Augustine. And so that now takes me back to why I was in Memphis. I was there because their dad, scotty Hendricks Jr, was selected to serve on the school board and Ronnie, he is the first African-American to be elected to anything in German time.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 2:They don't have no city council, they don't have a county commissioner, they don't have state legislator. He is the first.
Speaker 1:The first elected black man thing ever you got it?
Speaker 2:wow, yeah. So we'll be talking about him years to come. Yeah, yeah, years to come, we'll be talking about him because they're going to be some more that's going to come behind him, because I'm a firm believer to you you can't be what you can't see right, and that's why I'm a firm believer to you. You can't be what you can't see Right, and that's why I'm a big fan of the 5000 Roadmark. You can't be what you can't see.
Speaker 3:And it's no doubt no coincidence that we're talking to you the last day of Black History Month.
Speaker 2:I heard that history of your own in your bio, and now you have a son-in-law making history too, and I'm curious and I got a great-grandson making history because, guess what, he gets to hang out with me so I can talk. He'll be talking about me, that's right, and I knew my great-granddaddy.
Speaker 3:That's true. Not everybody can say that.
Speaker 2:We don't get to do that.
Speaker 1:We don't, we don't, and that whole history, I, we don't, we don't.
Speaker 2:And that whole history. I don't even know who my granddaddy was on either side.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 2:Now I'm just praying now that JR would bring me a third. You know he's the junior, so I'm hoping, jr, but he's over 40. So I don't know. I'm praying.
Speaker 3:Well, now, this is a man we're talking about. Let's be real. Now it's plenty. Friday nights can come for the men now right For years and years and years and years.
Speaker 2:Well, I can tell you right now, evidently he must be remembering Friday night, because there ain't nothing happening. I mean, come on somebody, I'm praying now. I mean these girls. Now here's the other thing, ronnie, that you're going to laugh about. Yeah, now here's the other thing, ronnie, that you're going to laugh about. Yeah, both of the girls that are below my daughter, aaron husbands, are cappers.
Speaker 1:I saw that. You know what? I saw that sitting here. I was going to say you spelled them wrong a little bit because Scotty is a good man too. I know the brothers.
Speaker 2:A good man. The other one is a good brother too. He's a principal down there In Fort Lauderdale.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But she met him At FAMU. And of course Cicely met her husband Up in Atlanta Because he's a Gremlin grad. But Tiffany's husband is a FAMU grad and he played football at FAMU.
Speaker 1:That's why you got to spend a lot more time with that great great grandson of yours.
Speaker 2:We're about to go yeah you got it, you got it, you got it.
Speaker 3:Well, it sounds to me like you all are raising independent children and probably because they saw this great fighting dad for everybody. I don't know your story regarding how you got into politics, so do you mind just kind of sharing what made you actually run? Did you start by running? Did somebody come say, hey, you would be good for this. How'd you start?
Speaker 2:That's a a good question. I'm so glad you asked it all came because of my label movement involvement, because, as a long showman, we had a collective bargain agreement and I always used to hear when I went in meetings that regardless of what we vote on here, a politician can change it tomorrow, and I said so. One night I was at a central labor council meeting and the guy that was president, his name was John Bryan. John Bryan got up and said Ronnie, all you got to do is have common sense and you could be elected. I said, okay, all you got to do is have common sense and you could be elected. I said, ok, I think I got that.
Speaker 3:These days you might not, Don't worry about it.
Speaker 2:I got that and so, and in the interim, I was helping everybody get elected to get elected Corrine Brown, Betty Hosendahl, Denise Lee. I mean we were out there doing it because of labor, because they were getting a labor endorsement. And so I said you know what I'm going to run? And my first run was my toughest one and we won the house seat and never had to run again unimposed. And then, when I got ready to run for the Senate, Ronnie Denise Lee got in. I said, oh my goodness, they were tearing down my signs. I mean, they were just running all over people's yards. I mean it was crazy. We had houses divided Either I had the husband or I had the wife or vice versa and so we pulled that off and then I had to run again.
Speaker 2:And so all this led me to get more involved in what we call the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. So we got involved in that and, lo and behold, I had an opportunity to go and represent our organization at a cancer event and it was at the Bush Library. Bush Senior, I mean the older, the daddy Bush, and we had it there. I met him and met some other folks there and stuff there while we were in Texas, and then the next year they selected me as legislator of the year. So I was the first African American or first legislator from Florida to receive that honor.
Speaker 3:Wow.
Speaker 2:That was another first.
Speaker 3:I'm telling ChatGPT right now so they can fix that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I mean, when it comes to recognition and honors over the years we have blazed some trail and honors over the years we have blazed some trail. Ronnie, I would tell you that the NAACP state we have an award in our honor for labor in his name after me. So we have blazed some trails and I like to tell people, tia and Ronnie, my whole segment of living has been connecting dots.
Speaker 2:We connect dots and I see Ronnie shaking his head. That's one of the reasons, Ronnie, I would come to you for different things because I was connecting dots.
Speaker 1:I will come to you for different things. Because I was connecting dots. I mean honestly, honestly, you, you know Tia, you know one of my, my first Senator Hill stories. You know, and obviously I knew Senator Hill and you know kind of met him a few times. But I remember I was coming to a fraternity meeting, we had just started our mentoring program. I was coming to a fraternity meeting, we had just started our mentoring program, we called it Sunday dinner, matter of fact. So what we were doing, we were picking up some young boys over there in Hollybrook and Cleveland Arms. So we were picking them up and me and a couple other brothers, on Sundays we took them to one of the brothers' church, anybody's church, took them to church and took them out to eat and then took them back home and so we were presenting on it at the chapter meeting. And so Senator Hill comes and he just happened to be at that chapter meeting and then immediately connecting the dots right Started. You know, we got a van. He had called somebody to make sure we had a bus and a van and, you know, some funds to do a few other things and it just, you know, again accelerated that program, and even as much. So. You know, senator Hill I don't know if you remember this, I'm sure you do but when you were working with Mayor Alvin Brown, I just knew I would be on a commission.
Speaker 1:I just wanted to be on any commission. I was doing stuff with children. So I was like I wanted to be on the Jacksonville Children's Commission, the Kids Hoping Lions deal. And so, senator Hill, he said, well, let me go work on it, let me work on it. So he comes back and he says, now we can get you on one of these boards, you can be on the library board. I'm like I'm thinking about the library board.
Speaker 1:I don't know I've been in the library I don't know how long, you know, but hey, you know. So he'll tell me to be the library board. I'm going to do the, I'm going to do the library board. And so I went ahead and got on that library board, served on that thing for eight years, eight years, and it was really, honestly, one of the best decisions that ever happened, you know, for me, because I got a chance to kind of go to all the many different libraries, meet everybody all across town. I mean it really opened up my network. So, yes, senator Hill, you know, hey, I don't know if I ever kind of thank you for that publicly, but I, I would agree, you have been somebody that has just been connecting the dots while you're in office, while you got out of office, you know, I guess you know, talk to us a little bit about just just the importance of paying it forward, because I know that you that's something that you are very, very intentional about.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you, ronnie, for for taking me back down memory lane. Thank you, ronnie, for taking me back down memory lane Because as I get a little older, a lot of things like that slip me. And but here's the thing I intentionally set out to connect dots with people who, for whatever reason, are looking for that way right. I'll give you example the young man with the book All right Street sense I see in him.
Speaker 3:Tell Ronnie about the book. So when I asked Senator Hill to be on the podcast you know he doesn't just say, oh sure it's like. And, by the way, let me tell you about this little boy that I met.
Speaker 4:He wrote a book.
Speaker 1:I got somebody for you.
Speaker 3:That's the way the conversation went.
Speaker 2:Okay, the reason why I said that Tia is because within a probably a week's time that we had talked about with a guy who I want to get on your podcast as well is EC Weston EC. Weston EC has a television station that we need to get my village on there, Ronnie, because Lit TV, Lit.
Speaker 4:TV. You got it yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:So when I heard his story, he said me and my wife started out with a podcast. I said, well, wait a minute. And then here come Teal called, wife started out with a podcast. I said, well, wait a minute. And then here comes Teal Call. She's talking about a podcast. So that has been my trend is to connect dots with people right that would of no other way have connections in, in other words, Well, how do you?
Speaker 1:I want to ask you about that, though, because I know sometimes I mean, you've been in the helping business all your life, you know and sometimes folks. I don't know they expect, sometimes maybe more than you can give, and you want to give as much as you can. You want to connect people as much as you can. How have you navigated the expectation? I'm assuming definitely when you were in Tallahassee. I mean, folks are probably giving you a call about everything from education to potholes.
Speaker 2:Let me let me. Let me let me digress with you on that for a moment. I was at one point, ronnie, anything to do with social justice, anything to do with mistreatment, anything to do in those areas. I had white legislators sending them to my office. For example, a lady came in to you one day she was a doctor in Fort Lauderdale and say she was in line getting ready to pay for her food and a white girl asked her what color are you? So the lady said now she's making minimum wage. I got a doctorate degree and she asked me what color I am. So come to find out, ronnie. They still had that in the statues. So I told the out, ronnie, they still had that in the statues. So I told the Retail Federation. I said now let me just help you all because it's a new day up here now. It's a new day, but let me help you with this. Either you all are going to make the news today or I'm going to make the news, so you all figure it out and then come back to me Because, see, they came in and said well, we can't change that.
Speaker 2:I said wait a minute. You got my driver's license, you got my birth date. Why do you need to know what color I am? That's insulting. So the Retail Federation they finally bought in. So we changed that law right. We changed that. That's crazy. So I come home and I go up to Radio Shack. What was it back then? It was Radio.
Speaker 4:Shack. Okay, Radio Shack.
Speaker 2:And the white guy asked me what color I am and I said can you get your manager, sir? He said yeah. I said OK, and come out. Come to find out. The manager was the gentleman that used to be over the NAACP. I said, matt, what's going on here, man? I said y'all haven't read the statute. We got a new law on the book. They're not supposed to ask anybody what color they are.
Speaker 3:So he said, ok, I'll get right on it. I'd call headquarters and let them get on it. I said, ok, you kind of bring it on a hot topic for me. Me, because in working for the school system, um, there would be different policies that would change, but there would not be any notification to the employees what changed and how right. So I'm curious, even in legislation or, you know, with laws and all that, when something does change, what? How are we supposed to like? Is there a place we're supposed to be looking to see what got changed?
Speaker 2:Well, you know what, tia? You hit it right at home because I'm finna, drop another nugget on you. I'm gonna call Courtney and say Courtney, it's a lot of laws changing. We need you to do a legislative day when you get back to teachers, to faculty members, administrators, maybe even do it at a school board meeting, but we need to know, as you're saying dear, we need to know that these laws have changed.
Speaker 3:Well, I mean even just for regular people, though. Even so the school system happens to have a Courtney for regular life. Who do we have, like what? Where do we go just to find out what they're doing in Tallahassee and how it impacts? You know, how does Radio Shack not know that?
Speaker 2:Right, how does Radio Shack not know it? Well, here's another thing, and I think, ronnie, this would help. I think this would happen to us in the in the 24 election. I think this is what happened to us in the 24 election we don't have civic engagement. That's where civic engagement comes in. I need to know who my legislator is, I need to know who my congressperson is, I need to know who my property appraiser I mean, just those basic people don't know, right, and we need to bring that back in. So I would submit to you, ronnie that might be my village project one Civic engagement.
Speaker 2:Pull all the people together. I would bring in Sister Washington, who was at Florida State College, marcella Washington. I bring in Barbara Darby. I bring in Pat Sams, right, I would bring all them in and say, hey, let's do a civic engagement piece here, because guess what, in two years we're going to have another election. Three years we're going to have another election. Next year we're going to have another election and our people need to know what's going on. We don't need to wait for a 20 second or 30 minute podcast or commercial or ad to tell us what time it is. We need to know what time it is we need to hold these elected officials Like, for example, ronnie. I would go so far to say that we need to have a town hall meeting with our congresspeople. When they're home for a session, we can call and ask their office when is their legislative break? They'll tell you, and then we need to send a letter on your letterhead my village asking for that meeting, because there's a lot of crazy stuff going on up there now.
Speaker 1:You know, Senator Hill, one of the things I think sometimes is the problem and I would lean on you to kind of straighten this out for me. But sometimes I get the feeling that if I rewind the clock back 50-something years, racism and some of the things that impacted our community was very much in front of your face. You know, it's one thing I can't go, I can't ride that bus. That is a very direct type of discrimination. Going on Twenty, twenty five discrimination is baked in so much other foolishness.
Speaker 1:It's subtle, it's subtle, it's very subtle and it's almost stronger, but it's very subtle and sometimes I feel like that's part of the problem and it depends on Ronnie.
Speaker 2:It also depends on where you live, mm-hmm.
Speaker 4:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:It depends on where you live.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so let's talk about how do we address that. How do we address that? For example, since you brought that up, teal, I want you all to think about this. Just think about this the Sanders just took our district from us. Corrine Brown held that district over 20 plus years. We're going to let a rookie come in here yesterday and just take it and we not do anything. That's not setting the example for the next generation, right. And so I would say, ron, that would be one that we could address with our congresspeople by holding them accountable. Almost 45, I want to say as high as 45% of that district is us, Of that congressional district is us. See, what they did was they sandwiched us in between two red counties, nassau and Clay.
Speaker 3:No matter what our percentage is, though, we have to actually go vote.
Speaker 2:You hit it right on the head. We got to go vote. But, more importantly, we have to set up parameters where there's a chance for us to win Right, just like with Corrine, just like with Senator Wilson I mean Congresswoman Wilson down there in Miami.
Speaker 3:Let's talk about building the bench, though. If we have Congresswoman Brown for decades, who was next? Why could a rookie just come in? We have Congresswoman Brown for decades, right, who was next? Why could a rookie just come in and snatch?
Speaker 2:the seat who was being groomed to be next? But here's the thing though we could have somebody groomed, but if the numbers are not there, they're just not there, you can't win.
Speaker 3:But who was groomed? Who was groomed after her?
Speaker 2:Well, I'm pretty sure, and then we have to also keep in check. Was that Alvin Rand? Alvin Rand, you got the girl that runs every time, lj Holloway. So I mean we got, and now we got prayerfully, we got. What's the boy's name on the council?
Speaker 3:Rockman Rockman Johnson.
Speaker 2:Rockman Johnson out there. He's helping people, right. So I mean it's a plethora of people that we. You got your boy on the school board.
Speaker 3:Darryl, darryl, darryl.
Speaker 2:Willing Right, and then we got some other people on the city council so we got I mean, it's not like we don't have some people ready I mean in terms of the bench, they woman the bench. But again, if we don't have any segue of getting that seat, which we have to change those numbers some, and so you done running for staff of getting that seat which we have to change those numbers up.
Speaker 3:Are you done? Running for staff.
Speaker 2:I'm done. I'm done. I'm going to keep doing my thing of connecting dots. If people need some help and I like what they're doing, I'm going to try to help them.
Speaker 3:What makes you done, what made you decide that?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that with the last help episode I had, so I had to realize that jumping on planes and doing all that stuff they do, getting back and forth to Washington and all that. Now, ronnie, I want you to know that I'm not going back to the Senate, not going back to the State Senate Not going back to the State? House. They have term limits for a reason.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 2:In fact, every month they send me something in the mail to remind me that I was over there for 17 years. Praise God, praise God, ronnie. They send me something every month. It comes in the mail with a window, with a window in it.
Speaker 3:That's the right kind of envelope there, yeah, right.
Speaker 2:Well, since we're talking about technology, it goes directly to the bank. I get a direct deposit. Hello somebody, oh man, this city, and we are going to continue to do it and, prayerfully, that the people that we're helping will appreciate it and that we just continue to sound the alarm, because I'm telling you now, tia, from a medical standpoint, our community is in intensive care and the IV is running.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I'm just saying, Ronnie, we are in intensive care and the IV is running and let me drop this on you the enemy sleeps in shifts. While we sleep, they on another shift, Ronnie.
Speaker 1:You know, senator Hill, one of the things, and it was funny, I was talking with Tia who was preparing for this interview and I say now you know Senator Hill going to get on here and he going to drop a lot of good history on us, because the brothers are walking encyclopedia in our community and I think that's such a powerful thing. You know, we talked a little bit in the beginning about oral history and just passing down all this information, all of this knowledge, and some of that seems to get lost too. And I don't disconnect that from our ability to showcase our power as a community and make change, because sometimes I don't feel we are as connected as we need to be to our ancestors and to our history. What's your thoughts on that? And just the importance of, I mean literally my, I know my grandfather, I know this neighborhood, I understand the history of this community. You know what is your opinion in terms of in terms of where we came from to where we are going and trying to connect the dots for folks on that?
Speaker 2:Well, I would say to you that we are a powerful people and we have to keep instilling in that. That's why I'm pulling so much into Cameron. All right, stealing in that, that's why I'm pulling so much into Cameron. I pull that into him because he is reaching a segment of our community, ie Gen C's right Millennium Group. He's there because, to be honest with you, ronnie, when you meet him, he is to me a 50 or 60 year old-old in a 17-year-old body. That's to me because, I mean, he just fell down, charlie Chris, when he met him, he couldn't believe the guy and then, like, for instance, when we get opportunities, like the book club and all that, he had them folks spellbound. I mean, he had them spellbound, they were going around and I had to tell Cameron.
Speaker 2:I said now, cameron, when you're doing these book engagements and stuff, you got to tell the people you're going to take five questions because you're not going to let them go around and around, right, but he loves what he's doing because you're not going to let them go around and around, right and so, but he loves what he's doing, he's a consummator of connecting people with financial information and that's what we need, because I want to tell you right now. I am just flown when I see people do go-me funds. What in the world I mean? All they had to do was take out a $20 or $30 a month life insurance that would take care of it. But check this out, tia it's two Cs that we have an argument about at a funeral preparing for the funeral. Tell me, tia, what the two C's are.
Speaker 3:Oh dear Lord, the C's would be cash. Well, yeah, thank you, ronnie.
Speaker 2:Nope.
Speaker 3:Nope.
Speaker 2:Nope. Ronnie, you can get in on it, ronnie, you can get in on it, ronnie, you can get in on it. Tell me what is the two C's we argue about at a funeral.
Speaker 3:I gave two options, both of them wrong what's the other option? I said which church or whether or not to be cremated nope neither one of those either y'all ready? I don't really like to give up like that really.
Speaker 2:I'm going to just park here for a few moments. In fact, I'm going to put up.
Speaker 3:I mean we can't. I'm sorry listeners, but I'm saying that we gave a few C's at the funeral or planning the funeral.
Speaker 2:No, as they're preparing for a funeral.
Speaker 3:As they're preparing for the funeral they argue over. I really don't know. Okay, go ahead.
Speaker 2:Ronnie, I really don't know. Okay, go ahead, ronnie, they all go. Who's going to bring the chicken and who's going to bring the cake?
Speaker 3:I would have never come up with that. I'm so glad Know when to hold them, know when to fold them, guys.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 2:In other words, ronnie, nobody talk about who's bringing the cash. You got to pay for the funeral. Yeah, you got to pay for the funeral. Yeah, you got to pay. And then we'll get one of these long nieces right that ain't seen Big Mama in 30 years come up there talking about we need to get a limo, and we need to get this and we need to get that. And the question is, well, who going to pay for it? And then she comes back and say, well, didn't Big Mama have a policy? What did you call and check and see if she had a policy? That's the thing, ronnie, that my village can get in. We've got to get into this financial piece because we're underinsured. We're underinsured, yeah yeah, we're underinsured. Yeah yeah, we're underinsured, ronnie.
Speaker 3:Well, one thing I want everybody listening to know about you, Senator Hill, is all the names you called on here today. I'm not sure what kind of fairy dust you have on you, but all of them would say yes to all the ideas. I don't know how you do it.
Speaker 1:I don't know, have you ever told him no, right, like how? I'm not sure how this happens, but I mean but. But at the same time, senator hill, he, he gonna ask for the, the things that's gonna push the community forward. You know? Sometimes you'd be asking yeah, yeah, and sometimes he doesn't ask.
Speaker 3:now a couple things I feel like I've done. I think it was just now you're going to do this and then oh, he'll volunteer you now for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, we're not about, but he's volunteering you to do some good stuff, some good stuff, that's right.
Speaker 2:So, tia, let me tell you about my Fred brother Uh-oh. And tell you about my frat brother Uh-oh. And I got frat. I got to learn this and not take it as an offense. Is that you call and you don't get no answer, then you know it's time to move on to somebody else, of connecting the dots, and I can appreciate that. I can appreciate that because I'm just one person and people are grabbing at you and I have to go back to my, my time, when I was in the legislature. I was just one person, people grabbing it because, I mean, people were coming to me and the folks in the district didn't even know. I give, I give you an example Last week we honored Shelton Chappelle, right. Did you all see that I did not? Ok.
Speaker 3:Last week we honored Shelton Chappelle Right. Did y'all see that I did not? Okay.
Speaker 2:Well, anyway, shelton Chappelle lived in Miami. Now let me take you back for a moment. Well, anyway, in 1963 or 64, his mother lost her wallet. So she went back up there on King's Road looking for it and four white guys said we're going to kill a nigger today. And they shot her while she was looking for the wallet. So, shelton, down in Miami, he was trying to. He was like four months old at that time. Four or five months old she had 10 kids, so five of the girls that she had. They went and stayed with their relatives, but the boys went to the reform school. Some of them went to Dozier, a couple of them went over there on Jesse Street to the boys' home, a couple of them went over there on Jesse Street to the boys' home.
Speaker 2:And so Frederica, Wilson and LaCenia Bullitt down in Miami they had turned him down about doing something down in Miami, which I could understand you know she wasn't from that area but he was real disappointed. So La Sena called him and said I heard what you're saying. I know somebody in Jacksonville where she lived, where you lived. I think he'll jump on it. So next Monday I walk on the floor. She said come here. I said okay. She said we got a gentleman that is from Jacksonville named Shelton Chappelle and he wants to honor his mother. I said okay. I said tell him to call me. He called me. That's how that sign got on US 1. Okay, so fast forward, 20 plus years.
Speaker 2:Shelton at the city council meeting, talking. So Rodman Johnson, you know, brought it up. So Holland, who was a Republican, heard it. So he called Shelton up. He said I want to come out there and see what you're talking about. So he came out there and everything looked, heard it. So he called shouting up. He said I want to come out there and see what you're talking about. So he came out there and everything looked at it. He said I'll get back to you. So he got back to him. Now we have a memorial over there in front of that community center there on US 1, writing all about his mom and everything in there. They're on US 1, writing all about his mom and everything in there. But that's again. What I'm saying, ronnie, is that you have a powerful organization, ie civic engagement or some other forms of connecting people. But I would tell you that the podcast is perfect timing, it's right on time and I just want to applaud y'all for what you're doing and thank you for thinking of me.
Speaker 3:No, we're happy you're here. I have teased Ronnie that he does the podcast, so we do this part together interviewing people. But then he has a couple segments where he just talks by himself and I said I think he does these podcasts now. So when people call like he does, I say so, you're not going to talk to us anymore Now, you're just going to make us listen to the podcast. He'll like pull back and tell us to listen to the podcast. But I agree, I think one thing that I share about Ron is like laser focus on where he wants to see my village going is. I've had the same frustrations in early on and like, oh, why don't we do this? Why don't we talk about voting? Why don't we share this? Why don't we share that? But what I've grown to appreciate is this laser focus on just moving us ahead together and not getting distracted with great things but there are great people to do those great things also and having to having to kind of keep his eyes straight toward, you know, that original goal or vision, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think you know it's one of those things where it's always so much you know to do. I mean that's part of the problem. I mean there's so many opportunities to help. I think the one thing I always feel like is missing in our community is a sense of, like, true ownership and autonomy. And so what I mean by that is we need to fight for what's right, we need to continue to advocate, but I at least envision a time where we don't even have to fight for justice.
Speaker 1:If something was wrong in our community, then we just go and fix it. We got the resources to go and fix it. We got the power. We just go and fix it. We got the resources to go and fix it. We got the power structure to go and fix it. We got the autonomy to do what we need to do.
Speaker 1:And so I think, to a certain degree, there has to be some movement in that direction, in a way to make sure that we have the infrastructure that we need and still, you know, do all these other things at the same time, or at least help those that are doing those things, whether it's voting, health, financial literacy, education, so on and so forth. But we absolutely need to start putting together a system where, hey, look, you know, we got our own billions and billions of dollars. If we want to go correct this and fix that, yeah, we got the infrastructure to do it. So, no, I definitely received that and you know, we will absolutely continue to try to do our best to try to bring folks together and move the community forward.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I think that's really kind of the main focus when I think about it sometimes is just creating that, that structure, that infrastructure. Because what my dream is that Senator Hill calls me and says, hey, ronnie, what we need, we need a, we need a school over here, right here and that, and we just go and build that school right there. We need to revisit, redo this library, we need to, we need to do these things. Unfortunately, I feel like we have to keep fighting, and if we have to keep marching and fighting, then I feel like sometimes we don't have the power that we need Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I think these conversations have been helpful, though, because there's so much rich history and we have so many people who have done such great things, and now we're walking into the age of AI and technology and just different ways of doing things and trying to bridge the gap of communication One to the other that we really do all want the same things, and the route to get there might feel a little different in this age, but I think it has to. But I think it has to. I think it has to right now, because if we do the same things, I think we'll continue to get trampled over, if that makes any sense. So we're figuring it out one piece at a time, but I am going to give you an award today, senator Hill, because last day of Black History Month that we're talking to you and you are actually the originator of the Scratch Work EDU interview portion of the podcast, because I never knew that that's how Ronnie ended up on the library board.
Speaker 2:But, that is how I ended up meeting Ronnie on the library board.
Speaker 3:Wow the liaison to the school district.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:Apparently you have your intentional connecting the dots and the unintentional connecting the dots, because now I wouldn't be on the podcast without a library board, I assume.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 3:And you did that too.
Speaker 1:So today, and now and now. T is on that same library board. T is on the library board now.
Speaker 3:So I started as the liaison and now I'm serving. My first term doesn't end until 29, and then the second term begins.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, ronnie, tell her to look out, because I'll come with her with something there.
Speaker 2:Let me say this to you, tia, let me say this to you. Let me say this to you. Let me say this to you that we have a sister that her name, in her mother's honor, is at the main library on the third floor. Is that right, ronnie? Yep, absolutely Okay. And she spent her weekends and everything up there at the library and so she put her own money up. Tell you, she put her own money up. Ask Ronnie there. They didn't give her nothing. She put money up and I said to myself I said Marsha, what did it cost for you to put the name like that? Because I had never been up on that floor. And she told me she said blank, blank something. And I said have they ever honored you for that? She said no. I said okay, let me see, can I?
Speaker 4:rectify that.
Speaker 2:So I called Ronnie and Ronnie called the foundation people and we had a reception up there. I still got the pictures. That's not what I'm saying we are connecting dots for people.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Right, and what's funny is when Dr Green got her name on the wall, marsha grabbed me by the hand and took me over to where her mother, where the names were. So now I'm connecting the pieces based on this story that we went over and sat on the just sat over there and watched that. Yeah, you're right, every little bit counts. So we kind of like to throw something inspirational in here for the listeners. At the end of the day, sometimes you feel like you may not be doing much, but sharing and some information with a friend about something good that you know or something that should be happening, or just a little seed you can plant with somebody else. Do it because senator tony hill has done it before he got into politics and will do it come until I'm sure he'd be up there telling the angels what to do and who to call and how to get with the people.
Speaker 2:Don't rush it now. Don't rush it. No, I'm not rushing it.
Speaker 3:No, I'm just saying. I started to say until your last date. I'm like he's going to be doing it past then.
Speaker 1:Don't rush it.
Speaker 3:But we'll make sure that that's it.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you what, though. Senator, we appreciate you coming on the podcast today, but I know every time I see you now you got on a new piece of Omega Sci-Fi gear. Now I've been eyeing you for probably about a couple decades. I want to start coming over there. I want some of that good gear you got over there. You got a lot of. I know you can't wear all them hats and t-shirts. You got over there, so I'm going to come, start grabbing some.
Speaker 2:I want to say to you, ronnie, go ahead and purchase a table for the Centennial.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, You're right Okay.
Speaker 2:Your shoe is going to be one of the five they honor, as you should I love that. I want to say Nat Glover. Okay, that would make sense. Yeah, another one of the brothers. I had the program, but yeah, the Grand Basil is coming, love it, coming all the way from Los Angeles.
Speaker 1:Love it.
Speaker 3:All right, look at that, you know, ronnie this means you got to buy your own shirts.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:I know you tried to deflect a little bit. I'm still going to get those shirts. Yeah well, I can get your shirt, that's no problem.
Speaker 4:That's no problem.
Speaker 2:I got bags and everything. Tia, I got bags and everything. When we used to do the leadership stuff at the Capitol. We'd buy the bags and all that kind of stuff. So we got, we got, we have that, and. But here's what I want to say to y'all, though Tia, we got a sister that is president of Duval Teachers United. That is president of Duval Teachers United, and she's the first African-American president of that union, and I want you to reach out to Tammy.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:I want you to reach out to Tammy. We need you on the podcast because Tammy is a a chartered member of Delta Sigma Theta at JU.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:At JU. Ronnie, I'm just talking about what I'm talking about. I ain't talking about nobody, I'm just talking about what I'm talking about, yeah yeah. But she is very impressive to you and she needs that support right now. Okay, she needs it. We need to let the other teachers know that she's somebody in this city, Ronnie, please tell her. Don't forget Cameron. Please don't forget Cameron, Marsha.
Speaker 3:Let me put Cameron on here too.
Speaker 2:Put Cameron on there. Love it, love it.
Speaker 3:We have interviewed you and come out with a list.
Speaker 1:In true fashion.
Speaker 3:We would have it no other way. What can I say? What can I?
Speaker 2:say what can I say? What can I say?
Speaker 3:We appreciate you so much, absolutely, especially after traveling to hop on with us.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was up this morning at. I left their house at five today Six o'clock your time, so six o'clock our time, so five. I was up and then headed to the airport and then flew into Charlotte and Charlotte into Jacksonville. Also, ronnie, I want y'all to think about it, we got a brother that's a three-star retired general from the Marine Corps, grew up in St Augustine and he is now over a national apprenticeship program With the IBEW. And what we're finding out, ronnie, is that a lot of our Gen C folks, they just don't want to be straddled with a debt coming out of college. So we're offering now an apprenticeship program and in that apprenticeship program, ronnie and Tia, you will get paid, you'll go to school at night and if you stay in there, in four years you will have an equivalent of a college degree, an electrician, and they're making over six figures without any debt, no debt.
Speaker 3:No debt, you can't beat it. That's awesome.
Speaker 2:I'd love to get him to come on to talk about it, because I'm pretty sure you have some young people looking at the podcast. If they're interested in apprenticeship programs, we can connect them Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Sounds good.
Speaker 2:Thank you all for the opportunity.
Speaker 4:Thank you so much.
Speaker 3:You enjoyed being here.
Speaker 1:We'll talk soon. Take care Proof Thank you.
Speaker 4:I like to be educated, but I'm so frustrated. Hello to my loneliness. I guess that endurance is bliss. Take me back to before the noon Rewind. Take it out of cue. Innocence can be a human's game. Signed up for the hall of shame. I wish I knew how much I missed not knowing that we're all screwed when we play our roles and ignore the problems. I like to be away and more patient. Stay up. I feel so outdated. How can we look the other way? Sun is out, but the sky is gray. What would happen if I took a chance? It's always hard at first glance. I don't wanna, but I know I gotta do it. The truth is hard to swallow. I think I'll chew it. I wish I knew how much I missed, not knowing that we're all screwed when we play our roles and you're the problem. I wish I knew when we play our roles and ignore the problems. I wish I knew how much I miss not knowing that we're all screwed when we play our roles and ignore the problems. I wish I knew.